Four Creators Who Persist Despite Health Challenges
Area Experts Offer Sparkling Suggestions
Hip-Hop Pioneer 'Grouchy' Greg Watkins
Winter Wonders Our annual roundup of holiday attractions ANNUAL SPORTS ISSUE DEC. 2023 COMPLIMENTARY
FILL YOUR HOLIDAYS WITH THE MAGIC OF THEATRE!
DECEMBER 6–24 ESCAPE TO A WORLD OF TIMELESS ADVENTURE WITH SWASHBUCKLING PIRATES, FEARSOME VILLAINS, AND UNLIKELY HEROES. 302.594.1100 DelawareTheatre.org
FIND WHAT MOVES YOU. FIND YOUR Y.
JOIN TODAY!
FIND YOUR Y AT WWW.YMCADE.ORG. 4 DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
Financial assistance is available.
–– A not-for-profit arts organization ––
SOLD OUT! Indigo Girls
Watchhouse
The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra
WED | DEC 6 |7:30PM
THUR | DEC 7 | 8PM
SAT | DEC 9 | 8PM
An Evening with Judy Collins - Holidays & Hits
Kategory 5 and Friends present: Holidaze Rock 2023
A Christmas Carol
SUN | DEC 10 | 7PM
SUN | DEC 10 | 3PM
MON | DEC 18 | 7PM
Not Associated with the Estate of Whitney Houston
The Greatest Love of All A Tribute to Whitney Houston
The Acrobats of Cirque-Tacular
FRI-SUN | JAN 5-7
THUR | JAN 11 | 8PM
SAT | JAN 20 | 8PM
ON SALE NOW!
Annie
TheGrandWilmington.org | 302.652.5577 | 302.888.0200 818 N. Market Street, Wilmington, DE 19801 This program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.
All tickets subject to box office service charges. Artists, dates, times and programs are subject to change.
2 INSIDE 2
Out & About Magazine V ol. 3
6 | N o.1 0
START 9 From the Publisher 11 War on Words 13 FYI 15 Art Loop Wilmington 17 Worth Recognizing 19 Dewey Beach Treasure Hunt 23 Body of (New) Work
23
FOCUS 28 Winter Wonders
EAT 37 Helen’s: The Sausage That Links Us
Published each month by TSN Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Contact@TSNPub.com Wilmington, DE 19801 Publisher Gerald duPhily • jduphily@tsnpub.com Director of Publications Jim Miller • jmiller@tsnpub.com Contributing Editor Bob Yearick • ryearick@comcast.net Creative Director & Production Manager Matthew Loeb, Catalyst Visuals, LLC
DRINK 41 Sparkling Holiday Suggestions
LISTEN 43 “Grouchy” Greg Watkins 49 Live on Lovering 53 Tuned In
WATCH
28 37
55 Reviews: American Fiction & Poor Things
PLAY 48 Fill in the Blanks
Digital Services Director Michael O’Brian
Contributing Writers Adriana Camacho-Church, JulieAnne Cross, David Ferguson, Mark Fields, Pam George, Catherine Kempista, Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald, Steve Lanahan, Ken Mammarella, Matt Morrissette, Kevin Noonan, Bob Yearick
Contributing Photographers Jim Coarse, Justin Heyes and Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography, Butch Comegys, Lindsay Rudney duPhily, Joe Hoddinott, Matthew Loeb
Special Projects John Holton, Cullen Robinson, Bev Zimmermann
WILMINGTON 58 In the City 60 On the Riverfront On the cover: The Riverbright display will light up the Wilmington Riverfront through Jan. 7. Photo courtesy Riverfont Development Corp. Photo by Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography
EVENTS CALENDAR
All new inWilmDE.com coming this month.
All new inWilmDE.com coming this month.
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Printed on recycled paper.
Editorial & advertising info: 302.655.6483 • Fax 302.654.0569 outandaboutnow.com • contact@tsnpub.com DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
7
START
From The Publisher
THE PROOF IS IN THE PRINTING
B
ob Yearick’s Bookish feature in last month’s issue was shares that studies show the brain reacts differently to cause for celebration here at Out & About. The fact things in print vs. digital. A different part of the brain is that area bookstores are not only surviving, but in stimulated when you touch and flip pages while reading many instances thriving, means there are many who haven’t rather than simply viewing text on a screen. It results in a conceded their newsfeeds to Meta and X. more emotional connection to your subject matter. Plus, you Book sales up? Gen Z opting for print versions over remember what you read longer. e-books? That sounds like more people reading, which is Other studies indicate print readers feel more in control music to the ears of this old-school publisher. — likely because you are less distracted by hyperlinks, popAnyone in this biz is painfully aware that the world of ups and other multimedia elements. publishing changed years ago; today I’m not saying print is still a media people consume content on the platform superstar. But it absolutely should ...we also know how most convenient at the time. Therefore, remain in your starting lineup. to stay relevant your content must So, no, I’m not that surprised by our subjects react be available on as many platforms as the resurgence in printed books. Or when we put their possible. That makes publishing a more that smartphones and tablet devices complicated — and costly — enterprise. are aiding the growth of niche print story on paper — not We at TSN Media (parent company magazines such as ours. of Out & About) know that all too However, I was surprised to just online. It’s as if well. However, we also know how our learn that, according to an Essential we took them out to subjects react when we put their story Magazines study, 49% of print magazine on paper — not just online. It’s as if we readers range in age from 18-34. Wow! dinner; not just sent took them out to dinner; not just sent Digital fatigue, perhaps? them a gift card. So, print, digital . . . have it your them a gift card. Which is why we will continue way when it comes to reading. The to produce a print version of Out & important thing is, you’re reading. And About in 2024 — and continue to distribute it for free. Those hopefully, the content is from credible sources. reactions are invaluable. And, according to recent research, As for reading Out & About, enough of you have told us not uncommon. you prefer our print version. So, we’re going to do our best In a 2023 survey by YouGov, 71% of readers in the U.S. to accommodate. said they preferred reading magazines in print vs. online. After all, some of you have been reading us that way for That number was even more dramatic in the United 36 years. We’d like to make it 37. Kingdom — 82% of readers preferred print. — Jerry duPhily Then there’s the science. A fascinating article in AdWeek
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10 DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
START
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
COMMA CONFUSION
If, as we here at “War” have long contended, the misuse of the apostrophe is the most common punctuation error, the abuse of the comma has to be a close second. Here are the most frequent comma gaffes: • The missing comma: When addressing someone, there should be a comma after the first word or phrase — Hello, Jane. What time is the meeting, Bill? So, yes, technically, when writing that next email, you should begin with: Hi, Paul, . . . • The extraneous comma: There should be no comma after a title. Chief of Police Wilfredo Campos, not Chief of Police, Wilfredo Campos. This applies even to informal titles, such as “reader Debbie Layton” (See "Media Watch," at right). Now, if the is inserted in front of the title, then a comma should precede the name: The chief of police, Wilfredo Campos. Confusing, I know. • The misplaced comma in quotations: Here in the good ol’ US of A, commas (and periods) go inside quotation marks, thus (Note boldface): “I’m going to bed now,” Mary said. He referred to the camping trip as “a vacation,” but his wife disagreed. This rule is a bit counter-intuitive, and the rest of the world puts punctuation outside the quotes, so maybe that’s why many of us get this wrong.
A MISSED MISNOMER
“War” has discussed misnomer a couple of times recently. Meaning a wrong or incorrect name or designation, not a misconception or mistake, it’s often misused. Phillies batboy Adam Crognale recently missed a perfect occasion to use the word when he was profiled in The Inquirer. Asked if he was too old for the job, the 25-year-old Crognale said, “I try not to dwell on my age, but I know that the Dodgers’ batboy is in his 30s. The title of batboy is really misconstrued.” No, Adam, it’s really a misnomer!
DEPARTMENT OF REDUNDANCIES DEPT.
• WDEL-AM reported that the victim of a fatal accident “had been driving at a high rate of speed.” Speed means the rate at which something or someone is moving. So, a rate of speed is redundant. A high speed works just fine.
By Bob Yearick
MEDIA WATCH
• Reader Larry Hamermesh caught this in a post-Halloween story by The News Journal’s Esteban Parra and Isabel Hughes: “Gunfire erupted . . . sending hoards of trick or treaters scurrying for shelter.” That’s hordes. Hoard, as a verb, is to amass money or objects and store them away. The noun hoard refers to that money or objects. • Thanks to reader Debbie Layton, we know that TNJ still hasn’t learned how to spell tenets. From a recent story by Matteo Iodonisi: “All of these experiences inspired Literally of the Month, Tracy to teach tenants of global citizenship courtesy of reader in the classroom.” Ellen Mitchell. • Appearing before a Senate committee, FBI Director Christopher Wray used one of Americans’ favorite non-words: “War in the Middle East has raised the threat of a terror attack in the United States to a whole nother level.” • Reader David Hull reports that Dan Gelston of the AP had this take on Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly: “Kelly, a 12-game winner this season, was voraciously booed from pregame introductions to his walk to the mound.” While the crowd may have been voracious (wanting or devouring great quantities of food), we’re guessing the booing was done viciously or vigorously. • Josh Tolentino, in The Philadelphia Inquirer, quoting Eagle center Jayson Kelce, who talked about Julio Jones getting hit as he caught a touchdown pass: “Regardless, he held onto it. It didn’t phase him.” That’s faze, Josh. • Reader Walt Frank sends us this Fox News headline: “House Republicans to vote on speaker after closed door meeting chalk-full of surprises.” Often misspelled, it’s chock-full.
IT’S THE HOLIDAY SEASON
• A reader says this notice about contributions to Sunday Breakfast Mission was posted in her condo’s mail room: “Monetary donations are also excepted..” That’s accepted, of course. • And remember, when you send those holiday cards, do not put an apostrophe in your family’s name (e.g., “The Smith’s”).
Word of the Month
neophobia Pronounced nee-oh/FOH-bee-uh, it’s a noun meaning the fear or dislike of the new.
Buy The War on Words book at the Hockessin BookShelf (hockessinbookshelf.com) or on Amazon, or email me: ryearick@comcast.net
Follow me on Twitter: @thewaronwords
NEED A SPEAKER FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION? Contribute $100 or more to the Brandywine YMCA through my donor page and I will present my fun and informative discussion on grammar to your group. My page is at: donate.ymcade.org/fundraiser/4552820. And thank you!
12 DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
START Things worth knowing
HAVE YOU SEEN SANTA?
W
ell, we do have a Santa Crawl coming up on Dec. 9 to benefit the Ronald McDonald House (see pg. 63), but evidently some wanted to get an early start. They've been seen wandering around the pages of this issue. Help us find them. Using the subject line "I Found Santa," email the four pages you find the Santa graphic above (don't count this one) to Contact@TSNPub.com by Dec. 12. Three of you will be chosen from correct submissions to enjoy lunch on us. Congratulations to last month’s winners Roberta Sullivan, Michael Dinsmore and Matthew Brennan. They found the books on pages 28, 29, 48, 49.
HOLIDAY FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS
N
early 150 regional artists and artisans will ring in the season December 16-17 at the inaugural Brandywine Holiday Festival of the Arts at the Chase Center on the Wilmington Riverfront. The event will bring indoors many of the painters, jewelry makers, potters, photographers and fabric artists who have made the Brandywine Festival of the Arts a top draw for area art lovers. Heading an impressive lineup of exhibitors will be noted Wilmington painter and folk artist Eunice LaFate, a native of Jamaica who settled in the city 40 years ago and now operates her own gallery on Market Street. LaFate will be the festival’s featured artist. In addition to artists, the festival will feature food vendors, live music and entertainment, face painting and other children’s activities. Children and Families First, a Delaware nonprofit focused on helping children, youth and families, will be a co-sponsor of the event and share in the proceeds from festival admissions. Admission is $5 with children under 12 who are accompanied by an adult admitted free. Parking is also free. Visit BrandywineHoliday.com.
TED’S CELEBRATES 21ST WITH FUNDRAISER
T
ed’s Montana Grill, a national restaurant enterprise with one Delaware location (Newark), is partnering with Tito’s Handmade Vodka on a dine-in fundraiser to benefit the families of food and beverage employees who are unable to work due to health or natural disaster. Through Dec. 31, 2023, Ted’s will offer two hand-crafted cocktails featuring Tito’s vodka — an espresso martini and a huckleberry mule. All proceeds from the two cocktails will be donated to CORE (Children of Restaurant Employees). Ted’s is located at 3194 Fashion Center Blvd. in the Christiana Fashion Center. Visit TedsMontanaGrill.com.
THE PERFECT STOCKING STUFFER
I
s there a lover of words among your friends and family? If so, The War on Words is the perfect Christmas gift, and not just because the tidy paperback fits nicely into that stocking above the fireplace. In contains a collection of Bob Yearick’s Out & About columns of the same name, which have been a popular staple of the magazine since 2007. In the book’s 88 pages, you’ll learn about, among other things, dangling modifiers, redundancies, double comparatives and double superlatives, and, of course, misplaced apostrophes. For your copy, go to the Hockessin BookShelf, 7179 Lancaster Pike, Hockessin, or contact Bob directly at RYearick@comcast.net.
A wr ite r/ ed ito to el r’s sli im in gh tly at e ev er gr am sn ar yd ay ky an ma tic co mm d re al ga le nt un ica ffe s le ss fro m tio ns cr us ou r ad e Comp iled the po from colum pular Out & n in Maga About zine
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL NATIONAL SHOWCASE RETURNS TO LEWES
S
lam Dunk to the Beach/Hoophall East, one of three tournaments in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Hoophall Regional Series, returns to Cape Henlopen High Dec. 26-29. The tournament annually features some of the top high school basketball players in the country, with more than 70 former Slam Dunk participants moving onto the NBA, including recent players Donte DIVincenzo (Salesianum graduate), Luke Garza, Jonathan Kuminga, Mohamed Bomba, Cam Reddish, Immanuel Quickley and Colin Gillespie. “We look forward to returning to Lewes right after the holiday season and bringing local and national talent all together at Hoophall East,” said John L. Doleva, President & CEO of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. “We are thankful to have the support of the local community each year, and we hope they enjoy some exciting basketball right in their backyard.” In addition to local participants, the tournament will feature teams from Arizona, Missouri, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, D.C. For schedule and tickets, visit SlamDunktotheBeach.com. DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 13
STOCKING
STUFFER
MARKET ST. • PIKE CREEK • TROLLEY SQ. • BRANMAR PLAZA • MAIN ST. NEWARK
Friday, Dec. 1, 2023 5pm Start
Next Art Loop:
Friday, Jan. 5, 2023
Complimentary Shuttle RIVERFRONT The Delaware Contemporary 200 South Madison Street 656-6466 • decontemporary.org Artists: SKY LADDERS Y MARIPOSAS, Alonzo Davis, UNDERCURRENTS, Sara Dittrich and Raúl Romero, ESCAPE HATCH: A STUDIO ARTISTS’ SMALL WORK SHOW, Group Show & ART IN BLOOM, Philadelphia Chapter of Ikebana International
DOWNTOWN Chris White Gallery 701 N. Shipley Street 475-0998 • chriswhitegallery.com Artist: Group Configuration, an exhibit of contemporary realism Christina Cultural Arts Center Edward Loper, Sr. Gallery 705 N. Market Street 652-0101 • ccacde.org Artists: David Greaves City of Wilmington’s Redding Gallery 800 N. French Street 576-2100 • cityfestwilm. com/redding-gallery Artist: I Am My Hair by Theda Sandiford The Creative Vision Factory 617 N. Shipley Street 312-5493 Artists: 12 Year Anniversary Celebration! Delaware College of Art & Design 600 N. Market Street 622-8000 • dcad.edu Artist: For Entertainment Purposes Only by yesterdaynite
presented by
cityfest
A program of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs
Freakishly Awesome by Shaun Anthony 825 N. Tatnall Street 275-6994 Artist: Freak Ugly on Tatnall
Blue Streak Gallery 1721 Delaware Avenue 429-0506 Our annual holiday jewelry show: Artists: Helen Mason, Becki Mott- Lynn, Julie Cohn, Alan Soffer- paintings Libbie Soffer- hand-work Reception from 5-7pm
919 Gallery Market 919 N. Market Street 298-1542 Artist: “Gifted-”Art for The Holidays
Delaware Center for Horticulture 1810 N. Dupont Street 658-6262 • thedch.org Artist: Birmingham Studio Painters: Through Artistic Eyes
Huxley and Hiro Booksellers 419 N. Market Street 439-0805 Artists: “Urban Perspectives: Wilmington” Jimmy Thompson
Howard Pyle Studio 1305 N. Franklin Street (978) 460-8120 Artists: Guardians by Karen Delaney
Mezzanine Gallery at the Carvel State Building 820 N. French Street 577-8278 arts.delaware.gov Artist: Art Monster by Lauren E. Peters Studio on Market 219 North Market Street 229-7108 Artist: Dramatic Fine Art Photography of Landscapes, Cities and Beaches by Jeff Herbert Urban Artist Exchange Open Studios 219 North Market Street 229-7108 Artist: Holiday Market at the UAE
WEST SIDE Brilliant Studio 1815 West 13th Street Suite 5 438-9621 Artist: The Current State of Things
BEYOND THE CITY Arden Buzz-Ware Gallery 2119 The Highway, Arden 981-4811 Artist: AAC/Arden Artisans Collective & Holiday Market Bellefonte Vintage 901 Brandywine Blvd 983-5059 Artist: Grit, Wit, Glitter, Imaginative Images by Schuyler Borton Finist & The Owl 811 Brandywine Boulevard 786-228-6638 Artist: Monet Le’Mon Lumen Studio & Gallery Independence Mall 1601 Concord Pike, Suite 89 545-3204 Artist: “Summer in Winter” by Patt Panzer and Carson Zullinger The Station Gallery 3922 Kennett Pike 654-8638 • stationgallery.net Artist: Art Works for the Holidays!
ArtLoopWilmington.org
The Rossettis Revolution, partnership, love. The major international exhibition of an iconic family of artists comes to Delaware October 21. delart.org/rossettis
This exhibition was organized by the Delaware Art Museum in partnership with Tate Britain and is made possible through support from the Nathan Clark Foundation, the Amy P. Goldman Foundation, the Delaware Art Museum Council, and the Dr. Lee MacCormick Edwards Charitable FoundationThis exhibition is supported, in part, by the National Endowment for the Arts and 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. Image: La Ghirlandata (detail), 1873. Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Oil on canvas. Guildhall Art Gallery. Photo credit: City of London Corporation.
16 DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
WORTH RECOGNIZING
START
Community Members Who Go Above & Beyond
Sandi Patterson has provided area artists and artisans a place to showcase their work with The Little Treasure Shoppe in Newark. Photos by Adam Lanser
Gem Of An Idea With a charitable heart, The Little Treasure Shoppe in Newark provides area artists with a place to be ‘found’ By Adriana Camacho-Church
T
he Little Treasure Shoppe in Newark truly lives up to its name. Located on West Park Place, the cottage-style shop with its white-washed walls, sells one-of-a-kind, eclectic pieces of art. Its 32 vendors offer handcrafted home decor, jewelry, accessories, vintage furniture and clothing. “There are so many talented artists and artisans locally,” says Sandi Patterson, shop owner. “We aim to support our vendors and provide them with a place to sell and show their merchandise to people who appreciate one-of-a-kind, unique pieces.” ► JUNE 2023 DECEMBER 2023 | | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM XX 17
GEM OF AN IDEA
continued from previous page The Little Treasure Shoppe is celebrating its first year anniversary this on Sunday, Dec. 3, and from 11:30am-3:30pm the family event includes food, beverage for adults and kids, live music by Nicholas Lurwick and Christmas caroling with the Youth Group Imagination Players. “We are also part of the Best Kept Secret Christmas Tour 2023, which is an exclusive shopping adventure featuring wonderfully festive, off-the-beaten-path shops,” says Patterson. The Best Kept Secret Christmas Tour began Nov. 25 and runs through Dec. 9. The Tour encourages customers to hop between stores located on back roads and throughout the countryside. It includes businesses such as wineries, farm markets and galleries located throughout New Castle County and nearby Cecil County, Md. With the help of her daugher Allison, veteran Newark retailer For Patterson, owning a Sandi Patterson has returned to running a brick-and-mortar operation. business extends beyond the exchange between seller and buyer; it also means giving back to the community. “Part of the reason I opened The Little Treasure Shoppe was the same philosophy that I had when I opened my last store and that is to give back to the community,” she says. Ten years ago, Patterson closed Clothes in the Past Lane and switched to selling online, but she missed the personal touch and interaction. So, with the help of her daughter Allison, she opened Little Treasure Shoppe. Patterson holds charity events at the store to help raise money for Nemours Children’s Hospital and Delaware Autism. The funding helps support the organizations’ art therapy programs. In the past year, Nemours received more than $1,000 and Delaware Autism $500. “It’s important to bring awareness to autism,” says Patterson. “And to help kids who are in the hospital express themselves and assist with their recovery.” Patterson recently began assisting Foster Well, a New Castle County foster-care program run by Christine Robinson. Patterson helps find items that foster kids and families need, such as furniture and clothing. “Sandi is a very thoughtful person,” says Richard Pryke, who creates objects with stained glass. “This is the main reason I decided to go with [The Little Treasure Shoppe]. The shop is a place where artists meet other artists, folks get together, and charity matters.” Other vendors at The Little Treasure Shoppe include Bill Alphin (duck calls and handmade pens); Lynne Whitt (copper art and jewelry), and Adam Rouch (hand-poured candles). The Landenberg Bee Company (honey) is also popular with customers. Looking ahead to next year, Patterson says she will begin holding art classes for her customers. Subjects include paper quilling, macramé, jewelry and printmaking — and whatever classes customers find interesting, adds Patterson.
— For a vendor application or more on The Little Treasure Shoppe and for vendor applications visit TreasureShoppeDe.com. For more on The Best Kept Secret Christmas Tour 2023 visit BestKeptSecretsTour.com
18 DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
START
The Lucas & Lukas team (l-r): Lucas Serge, Megan O'Dell, Jenna Newborn and Lukas Wieder.
X Marks the Spot The inaugural Dewey Treasure Hunt brought together 40 teams for a fun-filled weekend adventure By Jim Miller
T
urns out there is no glittering prize for finishing second in a treasure hunt. But that certainly doesn’t prevent one from hauling in a mother lode of good times. Which is exactly what we discovered last weekend when Out & About participated in the inaugural Dewey Treasure Hunt along with 39 other teams from across the state. Although we’d dubbed our team Real Quick, our group was just a tad too slow, finishing second to the faster-thinking treasure hunters of team Lucas & Lukas. ► DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 19
DECK THE ROADS WITH GOOD DEEDS CLEAN UP OUR STATE
LEARN MORE: KeepDelawareBeautiful.com
20 DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
X MARKS THE SPOT
continued from page 19 Lucas & Lukas correctly figured out a major key to the puzzle just 10 hours after the hunt began on Saturday. That enabled them to complete the quest the next morning when, under the boardwalk at Lighthouse Cove, they discovered the secreted trove — a treasure chest containing $5,000. “Honestly, it felt like we were on a game show,” team captain Lucas Serge said about opening the chest to reveal the stacks of fresh bills and rolls of coins inside. “It was really cool to see, but still, there was definitely a ‘how-could-this-be-happening-tome’ feeling. It was surreal.” Serge and his pal, Lukas Wieder, and their girlfriends, Megan O’Dell and Jenna Newborn, respectively, were thrilled to have figured it all out. If it sounds like good minds were at work, that may be because Serge is a hardware design engineer at Agilent Technologies in Wilmington, and Wieder is a chemist at the same company. Turns out they have good hearts, too — the team donated half their winnings to the Kind to Kids Foundation, which serves Delaware children in foster care and at-risk youth with education programs and support services Serge says all four members of his team had previous puzzlesolving experience with escape rooms and were drawn to the hunt by the notion of solving a riddle that came with a $5,000 reward. Plus, the location was hard to beat. “We all love Dewey Beach,” he said. Yet, he admits there were plenty of dead-ends and frustrating moments on the way to finding the chest Sunday morning. The day before at noon, under sunny skies, a hundred or so participants gathered oceanside at the beach off Read Avenue. Before us, on the sand, were placed 40 bags, each containing a 27-line poem, a sheet of blank graph paper, a vial of sand, a pair of toy binoculars, a black Sharpie, a pirate bandana, and a few other odds and ends. “Everything you need to find the treasure is in the bag,” treasure hunt co-organizer Nat Measley said. “It’s not easy, but it can be done.” Measley referred to his partner and co-organizer in the hunt simply as a “mystery entrepreneur” and left it at that. Whether the mystery entrepreneur was standing there on the beach with the rest of us, we’ll never know. It was all very enigmatic, weird, and wonderful. On foot, on bikes, and in cars, the teams took off, high-tailing it to various beach locations like Dewey Beer, Northbeach, and Dagsworthy Beach, while trying to decipher clues in a poem peppered with Dewey lore and legends — hints linked to pirates, devils, a cemetery, and even Admiral George Dewey himself. It was like The Goonies, but for adults. “My initial thought was it was going to be a location-based treasure hunt,” Serge said. But after a few hours of hunting, dinner in Rehoboth, and a reset of perspective, the poem spoke to them beyond just a literal or figurative meaning. “We knew there had to be something with the poem, being that it was written with no spaces between words and with ► DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 21
X MARKS THE SPOT continued from previous page
A rough look at the poem deciphered into a QR code.
some letters randomly capitalized and others lowercase,” Serge said about the hunt’s major clue. “We knew it had to be intentional.” Sure enough, like all good mysteries, there was a secret message in the poem. When the complete poem was written out on graph paper, it revealed itself to be a perfect square. Then, when the capital letters were marked with the Sharpie, the image of a QR code took shape. When the QR code was scanned it took the Lucas & Lukas team to a webpage that let them know the organizers of the hunt would be contacting them shortly. Thirty minutes later they received email instructions on how they would be able to find the treasure on Sunday morning at 8 sharp. “It was a shock, honestly,” Serge said. “But as soon as we realized it was a QR code, we knew we had solved it.” And so did our team. In fact, Real Quick and Lucas & Lukas were the only teams to get that far. But we were a couple of hours too late. That said, we had a complete blast. The weekend offered plenty of funny moments, lots of wild history lessons about Dewey, and one big, clever twist that no one saw coming. Measley, who runs his own corporate event and retreat company, has already committed to organizing another Dewey Treasure Hunt the first weekend of November 2024. “We will 100% do it again,” said Serge. And you can believe Out & About will as well… Mark our words, maties! 22 DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
START
Body of (New) Work How do creators persist when their health forces them to change their ways?
By Ken Mammarella
T
he Trashy Women, a collective based in Cecil County, has been focused on making art out of recycled materials since 2004. At a recent show, members Colleen Zufelt and Trebs Thompson spoke about how they continue creating fine art when they’re no longer feeling in fine fettle. Out & About asked around and found two other local artists — artist Debbie Hegedus and singer Augustine Mercante — willing to share their evolution as well.
Augustine Mercante: ‘I had to redefine my singing voice’
One fateful morning more than four years ago, countertenor Augustine Mercante woke up with his right ear clogged, like the feeling people have when flying before their ears pop. He got it cleaned out by his ear, nose and throat doctor. As a singer and voice teacher at the Music School of Delaware, the Wilmington resident is at the ENT twice year, protecting critical career assets. The cleaning produced “relief that lasted 10 minutes at most,” and it was merely the first in a very long line of tests, treatments, drops and surgeries from multiple experts for a persistent problem. His woes included a whistling sound while singing (the E flat above middle C, and some audience members told him about it as well), a sloshing sound from liquid in that ear, a leaky ear (“like a runny nose”), tinnitus and what has ended up as a 10% to 20% loss in hearing high frequencies in that ear. ►
Augustine "Gus" Mercante in performance at the Philly Fringe Festival. JUNE 2023 DECEMBER 2023 | | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM XX 23
BODY OF (NEW) WORK
continued from previous page “I need to feel a certain sensation,” he says, referring to the feedback that he gets from listening to himself and the adjustments he makes for his bad ear to achieve the vocal qualities he wants. It’s like realizing the differences between hearing your own voice live and hearing it recorded, he explains. “I had to be retrained on what to look for when it felt right,” says Mercante, who goes by Gus. “I had to redefine my singing voice.” He’s retained those new skills because they’re effective. Eventually it was diagnosed — mastoiditis, an infection of the mastoid process, the large bone behind the ear, caused by a mold infection in that parotid gland — and successfully treated. “I am so grateful that it is not life-threatening, but it is lifealtering,” he says, noting that the adrenaline produced while performing at least overrides the ringing in that ear. — Augustine Mercante promotes his work from www. augustinemercante.com.
Debbie Hegedus: ‘My art has truly saved my life’
Debbie Hegedus had to give up her work teaching art at the Newark Center for Creative Learning and Wilmington University after she was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2010. After years of meds and chemo, she is now on oxygen full-time but insists on painting and sculpting. “My art has truly saved my life,” she wrote in an email, with details in an interview. “It gives my life meaning. I can get lost in it for hours. I am really good at sitting for hours at my easel. I can paint about my ailment and the crazy world I worry about.” The ailment might show up in her work as, Debbie Hegedus' self portrait entitled say, being hooked up to a "Broncho Pulmonary Aspirogillosis." medical device or being bound up in tubing that supplies her oxygen, a riff on way the tubing runs all over her Newark home. Because of her meds, she shakes a lot, so she steadies one hand with the other to get the details she wants. “My paintings have been looser because it’s harder for me to control the brush,” she says. Her weakened state made her give up on her life-size sculptures, using plaster and papier-mâché over a wire armature. “That’s a lot more physical,” she says, but she still sculpts in clay, even though she figures clay dust isn’t good for her lungs. “Sometimes, I do work in clay, because I love it.” “Cancer has been good for my art,” she writes in an artist’s statement. “It allows me countless hours in my studio, when I can escape to a world of my own design. There, I paint my 24 DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
obsessions; real and imagined. I paint stories of my illness. I paint pictures about the beauty and demise of this crazy broken planet; the people, animals, forest and water. In my studio I can lose myself (or find myself) within the intricacies of minute details.” — Debbie Hegedus promotes her work from www.instagram. com/debhegedusart and the Delaware Contemporary ArtSource.
Colleen Zufelt: ‘I chose to live’
For 15 years, artist Colleen Zufelt worked full time in clay and was known for her compositions, vessels and waves. For 25 years, she taught art and was named the 2020 teacher of the year at Henry B. du Pont Middle in Hockessin, just before her retirement. In 2003, she started creating with metals, and her metalwork expanded in 2016, nurtured by several years of classes by Stan Smokler, an artist known for his steel sculptures. She grew to love what she called “drawing with fire” with a plasma cutter, creating “wonderful metalwork, reminiscent of Roman and Greek architecture and pottery.” And in 2022, she had a pacemaker installed. “‘No more welding,’ the doctor said, ‘It could be deadly,’ she recalls. Her response: “I chose to live.” Zufelt, who lives near Newport, is “not a happy camper” and is seeking happiness in adjacent forms, such as pottery with metallic glazes and using epoxy to meld — rather than weld — her components. She has so far turned out her classmates’ offers to spot-weld her pieces and is exploring a computercontrolled system called CNC for metalwork. She also has been Colleen Zufelt during a trip to Italy. exploring more the potential with found objects — “I’ve been known to pick things up on the side of the road” — and upcycle them into new pieces. Upcycling is a mantra of Trashy Women, an arts collective that she belongs to, and she talked about her need to stop welding at a recent Trashy Women show at the Cosmopolitan Club in Philadelphia. “I give them new life,” she says. — Colleen Zufelt displays her work at www.zufeltdesigns.com.
Trebs Thompson: ‘I have to tell those stories’
Trebs Thompson is a visual artist known for work in stained glass and found objects. In 2013, she was diagnosed with cancer. In 2015, she was diagnosed with parafoveal macular telangiectasia, a rare condition that has taken much of her vision but not her spirit to create. ►
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WILMINGTON DRAMA LEAGUE PRESENTS WILLY WONKA
Pure imagination rules in Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka, a scrumdidilyumptious musical faithful to Roald Dahl’s original story. Giggles and lemon drops, along with amazing set pieces and a catchy score round out this sweet family treat! And remember, “Invention, my dear friends, is 93% perspiration, 6% electricity, 4% evaporation, and 2% butterscotch ripple.” – Willy Wonka ROALD DAHL’S WILLY WONKA | Music and Lyrics by LESLIE BRICUSSE and ANTHONY NEWLEY | Adapted for the Stage by LESLIE BRICUSSE and TIMOTHY ALLEN MCDONALD Based on the Book “CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY” by ROALD DAHL Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka Is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com
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Tickets available at wilmingtondramaleague.org WILMINGTON DRAMA LEAGUE, 10 W. LEA BLVD., WILMINGTON DE 19802
26 DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
BODY OF (NEW) WORK continued from previous page
Trebs Thompson with her work, "Broken Arrow."
The first diagnosis “changed who I was,” says Thompson, who runs Whimsical Farms south of Newark and has been cancerfree for years. “When you get through it, it prioritizes your life. It reshapes your thinking, down to the foundation.” The latter diagnosis changed her body. She has no depth perception. She can no longer create fine detail in her art. She can no longer see straight lines, noting that things like utility poles look like broken lines or rickrack (the zigzag braid used in sewing). Even with glasses, she can no longer read tinty type. When she does read, it’s quickly tiring. And aspects of her vision have deteriorated considerably this year. Instead, she says, “things tell me what they want to be remade as. I call it tactile art. I have to tell those stories.” She helps tell those stories as a member of the arts collective Trashy Women. For instance, an old mortar shell that she found at a Goodwill “drove me to my knees” with its potential. It became part of “Peace Bomb,” a traditional Tiffany-style lamp, with the mortar functioning as the base and antiwar slogans on each side of the shade. “Peace surrounding and over it.” Then there was a vintage red TV set she spotted at another thrift store. She didn’t buy it — at first — but later woke up in the middle of the night with the vision that it should frame “The Devil Inside,” a piece about overconsumption. She still works in stained glass, but the pieces are larger, and she no longer does leaded glass. “And I will continue adapting my art,” she says, noting that she wants to make it “accessible to all,” including people with vision issues, such as hers. And she is enjoying an art form that’s completely different: improv through the Forgotten Squirrels. — Trebs Thompson promotes her work at www.trebsthompson.com and www. facebook.com/trebs.thompson.
Dancers will be dancing as First State Ballet Theatre performs at The Grand Dec. 16-23. Photo by Tisa Della-Volpe
28 DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
| InWilmDE.com
FOCUS
Winter Wonders Our annual roundup of holiday attractions
D
ecember is an ideal time to get out and about Greater Wilmington (sorry, we couldn’t resist). From concerts and performances to decked out halls and confetti countdowns, our area boasts an impressive array of holiday options. Following are more than 30 suggestions. Enjoy! Longtime Holiday Traditions Yuletide at Winterthur Now–Jan. 7, 2024 | Winterthur Museum & Gardens Experience a celebration of American elegance in holiday style, inspired by Ann Lowe: American Couturier. This year’s Yuletide Tour features custom fashion by local designers Shawn Pinckney and Asata Maisé Beeks, whose creations reflect the history of Winterthur and the design sensibilities of Henry Francis du Pont and Ann Lowe. Explore the house decorated in all its finery with Winterthur’s signature traditions, including the Dried-Flower Tree, artistic Christmas trees inspired by Ann Lowe gowns, and a spectacular table set for Christmas dinner. ►
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A Longwood Christmas Now–Jan. 7, 2024 | Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pa. Guests can experience a radiance of retro, a bevy of bright, and numerous nostalgic moments at Longwood Gardens. You will find playful trees draped in throwback baubles to shimmering tinsel to childhood-favorite toys; a festive holiday party scene; a vintage Christmas street scene and, of course, vibrant light displays including some super-sized surprises.
WINTER WONDERS continued from previous page
Festive Family Fun
Light Up the Square Tuesday, Dec. 5, 6pm | Rodney Square, Wilmington The City of Wilmington will host its annual tree-lighting celebration. The evening will include live performances, face painting, a children’s book giveaway, plus a special visit from Santa Claus and Rudolph. In addition, DE.CO Food Hall, at 111 West 10th Street, will host a holiday pre-party beginning at 4:30pm with food and drink specials and live music by Son of Sinatra.
Holidays at Hagley
“Treasures and Traditions”
November 24, 2023, through January 1, 2024 See the du Pont ancestral home dressed for the holidays, find your favorite gingerbread house in our annual contest, and enjoy a Holiday Nights tour. HAGLEY.ORG/HOLIDAYS • 200 HAGLEY CREEK ROAD, WILMINGTON, DE 30 DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
| InWilmDE.com
Photo courtesy Hank Davis
Santa at the Zoo Saturday, Dec. 2 and Sunday, Dec. 3, 10am | Brandywine Zoo, Wilmington Kids can meet and take a photo with Santa at this winter wonderland tradition at the Zoo. Enjoy free hot cocoa, holiday activities, and story time, too. Tickets are $4 for members and $8 for non-members (children under 3 are free). Registration required at BrandywineZoo.org.
Visitors stroll through the mesmerizing display at Longwood Gardens.
Holiday Light Express Dec. 6 – Dec. 30 | Wilmington & Western Railroad, Wilmington Experience the magic of riding aboard a festively decorated, historic locomotive with heated coaches, each covered in thousands of holiday lights, and admire the decorated trackside homes and yards on this one-hour trip through the Red Clay Valley. Reservations required. Tickets start at $17 and can be purchased at wwrr.com.
The Holiday Light Express offers a unique ride through the Brandywine Valley.
Sankta Lucia Celebration Sunday, Dec. 10, 1pm & 3pm | Old Swedes Church, Wilmington St. Lucia, the bringer of light, is celebrated with song and ceremony in the candlelit church. A beloved Swedish tradition, it marks the beginning of the holiday season. To commemorate this celebration the Delaware Swedish Colonial Society welcomes guest to attend and share in this age-old Swedish Christmas tradition. Tickets are $5.25-$15.50 and can be purchased at DelawareSwedes.com. Holiday Magic Brunch with Santa Saturday, Dec. 16, Seatings at 10am and 12:30pm | Chase Center on the Riverfront, Wilmington Enjoy brunch, a petting zoo, face painting (3-6pm at Riverwalk Mini Golf) and a visit from Santa. Then view the holiday light display along the Riverwalk. Brunch tickets are $25-$49; visit riverfrontwilm.com for reservations and more information.
Holiday Classics It’s A Wonderful Life Through Saturday, Dec. 23 | The Candlelight Theatre, Arden One of the most popular Christmas tales ever written, this heartwarming classic, based on the Frank Capra film, follows George Bailey, whose dreams of life outside the boundaries of Bedford Falls lie crushed beneath the weight of family and community. An enduring and endearing parable of love, honor and friendship. Ticket includes dinner and show. Purchase at CandlelightTheatreDelaware.org. A Christmas Carol Monday, Dec. 18, 7pm The Playhouse on Rodney Square, Wilmington The music of 26 beloved traditional carols of the season is woven throughout this new adaptation of Dickens’ ever-popular classic. Lush costumes, stunning sets and puppetry, song and dance, a heavy dose of humor and a timeless message make this a great way to celebrate the holidays. Tickets are $49-$59 and available at TheGrandWilmington.org. ► DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 31
Photo courtesy CCAC
Delaware Arts Conservatory — The Snow Queen Saturday, Dec. 9, 12pm & 5pm; Sunday, Dec. 10, 2pm | Laird Performing Arts Center at Tatnall School, Greenville Delaware’s timeless holiday production of The Snow Queen returns for an all-new show. Based on the Hans Christian Anderson fairytale, and the inspiration for Disney’s Frozen, the performance is told through various forms of dance with colorful costumes, scenery and projections that are a feast for the eyes. Tickets are $10$25, available at DelArts.com.
Christina Cultural Arts once again presents its powerful holiday show Carols in Color.
Christina Cultural Arts Center — Carols in Color Sunday, Dec. 10, 4 pm | The Grand Opera House For a unique holiday treat, check out this one-day-only performance in Wilmington. Carols tells the story of Christ's birth according to the gospel of St. Matthew using contemporary music, exuberant dance and powerful narration. Tickets are $35, available at TheGrandWilmington.org or 800.37GRAND.
First State Ballet Theatre — The Nutcracker Saturday, Dec. 16, 2pm and 7pm; Sunday, Dec.17, 2pm; Friday, Dec. 22, 7pm; and Saturday, Dec. 23, 2pm | The Grand Opera House, Wilmington Join Delaware's only professional ballet company on a magical journey through the Land of Sweets in this lavish production that has become a favorite holiday tradition. Tickets start at $19.99 and are available at TheGrandWilmington.org or 800.37GRAND.
Photo by Tisa Della-Volpe
Ladies Dancing & Lords a-Leaping
WINTER WONDERS
Wilmington Ballet Academy of continued from previous page the Dance — The Nutcracker Saturday, Dec. 15, 7:30pm; Saturday, Dec. 16, 2pm and 7:30pm; and Sunday, Dec. 17, 2pm | The Playhouse on Rodney Square, Wilmington Wilmington Ballet has produced Tchaikovsky’s Christmas classic since 1967, making it the longest running production of The Nutcracker in the city. This season stars Richard Villaverde of The Martha Graham Dance Company as The Nutcracker, and Ballet X's Francesca Forcella as The Sugar Plum Fairy, with Maestro Allan Scott conducting The Wilmington Ballet Orchestra, accompanied by the angelic voices of The Choir School of Delaware. Tickets are $20-$45, available at TheGrandWilmington.org or 800.37GRAND.
First State Ballet Theatre's The Nutcracker at The Grand.
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Thursday Noontime Concert — Charlie Zahm: A Celtic Christmas Thursday, Dec.7, 12:30 | First & Central Presbyterian Church, Rodney Square Take a break from your workday and enjoy a concert of traditional Celtic and Christmas songs sung by this expert balladeer. The concert is free, but donations are gratefully accepted. The Choir School of Delaware — Sounds of the Season Saturday, Dec.9, 7:30 | Grace United Methodist Church, Wilmington Ring in the holidays with a cheerful performance of seasonal tunes. The Choir School will sing music from around the world for the whole family to enjoy, featuring popular movements from Handel’s Messiah. Tickets are $15-$25; free for those 18 and under. Purchase at ChoirSchoolofDelaware.org. Music School of Delaware’s Holiday Extravaganza Sunday, Dec. 10, 4pm | St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, Wilmington Indulge in an evening filled with dazzling music and captivating performances. Cantabile Women’s Chorus combined with The Delaware Women’s Chorus will perform along with Small Wonder Jazz Singers and a guest brass quintet, Blechblaser Aufnehman, for an afternoon of holiday music. For admission, bring a non-perishable food item to help support the St. Stephen’s Food Pantry. Delaware Symphony Orchestra – Holidays at the Hotel Tuesday, Dec. 12, 7:30pm | The Gold Ballroom at the Hotel du Pont, Wilmington Celebrate the holidays at the magnificent Gold Ballroom of the Hotel du Pont as DSO performs festive melodies by Bach and Tchaikovsky. The concert showcases the Orchestra’s esteemed string section, joined by baritone Grant Youngblood. The evening includes a lavish intermission featuring wine and desserts. Tickets are $100 and can be purchased at DelawareSymphony.org. Thursday Noontime Concert — Center City Chorale: Christmas Comes Again Thursday, Dec. 14, 12:30pm | First & Central Presbyterian Church, Rodney Square Wilmington’s favorite “downtown choir” performs a rich and lively assortment of holiday music to send you toward Christmas. The concert is free, but donations are gratefully accepted
ART IN BLOOM
Mastersingers of Wilmington Nativity Carols Saturday, Dec. 2, 3pm | First & Central Presbyterian Church, Rodney Square Market Street Music’s holiday concert features its own Mastersingers with conductor David Schelat and organist Marvin Mills. The program includes music by Jonathan Dove, Felix Mendelssohn and more. Tickets are $25 ($30 at the door) and are available at MarketStreetMusicDe.org.
ANNUAL HOLIDAY CRAFT SHOW
Photo by Tisa Della-Volpe
Do You Hear What I Hear? Holiday Music!
200 South Madison Street | Wilmington, DE 19801 302.656.6466 | decontemporary.org
DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 33
WINTER WONDERS
Photo by Bob Hanes
Cartoon Christmas Trio with continued from previous page special guest Wilmington Children’s Chorus Friday, Dec. 22, 7pm | Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington Wilmington Children’s Chorus joins the Cartoon Christmas Trio for a special night at the Delaware Art Museum. Audiences will be treated to music from classic Christmas cartoons, including Vince Guaraldi’s familiar tunes from the beloved Peanuts Christmas cartoon. Tickets are $10 for Delaware Art Museum members and $15 for non-members, and can be purchased at DelArt.org.
Wilm. Children's Chorus performs at Delaware Art Museum Dec. 22.
The Halls Are Decked Noël at Nemours Estate Now - Dec. 30, 10am-5pm | Nemours Estate, Wilmington Tour the festive displays in the 77-room Nemours Mansion, Chauffeur's Garage and select areas of the gardens. Live music performances will also be held in the Mansion throughout the season. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children (free entry for 5 and under). Visit NemoursEstate.org for tickets. Rockwood Holiday Open House Friday, Dec. 1 and Saturday, Dec. 2, 5pm | Rockwood Park & Museum, Wilmington Rockwood’s annual family event features spectacular holiday displays of lights in the park, museum tours, free photos with Santa, and performances from local choirs, dance companies, and more. Food vendors will also be on site. Free admission. Wreath Making Workshop Saturday, Dec. 9, 1 pm | Mt. Cuba Center, Wilmington Enhance your home’s holiday spirit with a festive, longlasting evergreen wreath. Combine an assortment of fresh evergreen cedar, fragrant pine, and sturdy magnolia boughs, adorn it with foraged cones and berries, and add a bow for eye-catching seasonal flair. Bring hand pruners and a large box to transport your finished wreath home. Tickets are $79 and registration is required at MtCubaCenter.org. Hagley Twilight Tours Tuesdays & Wednesdays, Dec.12-14 and Dec. 19-21, 4-7 pm | Hagley Museum, Greenville Enjoy a rare opportunity to see Eleutherian Mills — the first 34 DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
| InWilmDE.com
du Pont family home in America — dressed for the holidays with softly glowing lights. This year’s theme, “Treasures and Traditions,” celebrates the little things in life that bring us joy in the holiday season. While there, visit the Hagley Barn to view this year’s creative Gingerbread Contest entries. Admission: $10 for members; $20 for non-members. Reservations required at Hagley.org.
Wrap It Up — Gift Giving Holiday Bazaar & Winter Greenery Sale Friday, Dec. 1, 12pm and Saturday, Dec. 2, 10am | Delaware Center for Horticulture, Wilmington Check off your gift list with handmade gifts made by local artisans and pick up seasonal ornamental greens to trim your home. Sit by their fire pit and enjoy the holiday music and festive ambiance. Learn more at the DCH.org. Brandywine Holiday Festival of the Arts Saturday, Dec. 16 & Sunday, Dec. 17, 11am-7pm | Chase Center on the Riverfront, Wilmington Find unique and meaningful gifts for your family and friends at this event featuring 150 local artists and artisans. Admission is $5, children under 12 are free. Visit BrandywineHoliday.com.
Festive Folly — Adults-Only Fun Blitzen Bar Now through December 24 | 220 W 9th Street, Wilmington Wilmington’s holiday pop-up is back. Cozy up by the fireplace for a pre-dinner cocktail or stay all night for the reindeer games. Christmas attire is welcomed, but not required. Visit BlitzentheBar.com. Ugly Sweater Crawl Saturday, Dec. 9, 8pm | 12 locations throughout Wilmington Out & About teams with Motorcycle Santa for this annual bar crawl where you’re encouraged to don your tackiest holiday apparel (you could even win a prize!). One $5 cover gains admission to all the clubs and benefits the Ronald McDonald House. Toy donations are accepted at all venues. For a list of participating clubs, visit OutAndAboutNow.com/events.
Cheer in the New Year Confetti Countdown Sunday, Dec. 31, 11am, 12pm & 1pm | Delaware Children’s Museum, Wilmington Bring the kids to DCM and ring in the New Year early and count down to a big confetti release. In addition, enjoy special performances from We Kids Rock, appearances from Pinky the Puppet, and more. Visit DelawareChildrensMuseum.org. Roaring into the New Year Sunday, Dec. 31, 9pm | Delaware Museum of Nature & Science, Greenville Celebrate the New Year at noon with a special countdown to 2024. Guests will enjoy live bird presentations and celebratory activities, including a special science-related ball drop. Admission: $3 for members; $17 plus for non-members, ages 3 and up. Registration required. Visit delmnh.org. New Year’s Eve Fireworks Sunday, Dec. 31, 9pm | Wilmington Riverfront Enjoy a spectacular fireworks show over the Christina River and Wilmington skyline as part of Holiday Magic at Riverbright Wilmington. Prime viewing is between the public dock and Riverfront Market areas. Visit RiverfrontWilm.com/holiday-magic. DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 35
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Clifford J. Murphy III, "CJ" outside the new Helen's Sausage House in Newark.
Photos by Joe Hoddinott
The Sausage That Links Us Helen’s Sausage House has been a beacon along Delaware’s Route 13 for decades. Now, its third-generation owner isn’t just keeping a tradition alive, he’s expanding.
By Scott Pruden
W
ith four decades of serving the early risers of the world, it should come as no surprise that Smyrna (and Delaware) landmark Helen’s Sausage House looms large in the memories of customers. On a warm September day during the reporting of this story, those memories prompted a random stranger on the streets of Newark, upon seeing the evolving site of Helen’s new location at 145 E. Main St., to share stories of rising before dark to fish with his father on the Chesapeake Bay. Before their lines hit the water, there was always Helen’s original Smyrna location appearing as a glowing beacon along Route 13, promising a hot, hearty breakfast before heading to the water and waiting for a big one to bite. ► DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 37
THE SAUSAGE THAT LINKS US
continued from previous page That devotion — and a fair amount of curiosity — was evident Oct. 28 when Newark patrons lined up to get a taste of Helen’s girthy Kirby & Holloway sausages without the drive downstate. The Main Street location took over what was most recently operating as Duck Donuts, and before that The Post House restaurant. Devotees of the original location were in abundance, as were the previously uninitiated. Upon exiting with her order, one happy customer assured those in the queue, “Don’t give up. It’s worth it!” Suffice it to say that no one gave up, chatting with their neighbors in line for more than an hour before reaching the busy counter, where the kitchen team — including thirdgeneration Helen’s owner Clifford J. Murphy III — manned the griddles and deep fryers to keep the simple-but-satisfying delights coming.
A waiting line is a common site at Helen's Newark location.
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In the small outdoor dining area, friends Matt Petfield, Stacey Richardson, Brad Allmond and kindergarten-age diner Wheeler Allmond tore into their fragrant, foil wrapped delicacies — double sausages and double sausages with egg among them. Petfield, who’d previously visited the Smyrna location, noted that ordering for the uninitiated is an experience reminiscent of Jim’s Steaks in Philadelphia — it helps if you know the menu and what you want when you step up to the register. “It’s nice to see some Delaware character here and not just another burrito shop,” he added. Passerby Mike Logothetis agreed, noting that he missed the wood paneling and legendary Elvis Presley memorabilia from the original location, but that he was looking forward to trying the largely unchanged menu. “I’m glad to see it here,” he said. “There hasn’t been a breakfast place in Newark in forever.”
When Helen Achenbach opened Helen’s Sausage House in 1983 with her second husband, Melvin “Mudge” Achenbach, she knew her market. Opening at 4 a.m. and closing at noon, the modest stucco building served as a welcome breakfast stop for fishermen, hunters, truckers, first-shift workers and road food connoisseurs throughout the region. When the restaurant’s namesake decided to retire in the early 1990s, her son, Clifford J. Murphy Jr. and his wife, Joanne,
took the reins until the two decided to ease into well-earned retirement in 2022. That’s when Clifford III — CJ to his friends — stepped in to take over full time, stepping away from his role in ATM sales at WSFS for a life of early mornings and full, happy bellies. With the family’s blessing, it wasn’t long before he floated the idea for expansion, teasing the concept to The News Journal/ Delaware Online. “When that got out and I said that I wanted to expand, I had real estate people calling me up saying, ‘Oh, I've got a store for you,’ ” recalls Murphy. “So, I was thinking three to five years down the line. It ended up being six months before finding this spot.” Murphy says the introduction to the site happened in classic Delaware fashion — someone who worked for the property owner happened to be a regular at the Smyrna location and pitched the idea while at breakfast one day. “When I came here and I was like, man, this is exactly what I had been thinking about all these years, smack dab in the middle of Main Street, right across the street from major spots like [Klondike] Kate's and down from the Deer Park [Tavern] and whatnot, kind of in the heart,” Murphy says. “So, it was too good to pass up.” Aside from the absence of the Elvis room, customers will notice few differences from the original store. Recognizing the later hours of Newark and its student demographics, Helen’s Newark will be open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with the addition of a late-night walk-up window from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. to serve the afterparty munchie crowd.
Zach Hoddinott exits Helen's a happy customer after grabbing his family breakfast.
Breaking from the Smyrna store’s cash-only policy, the Newark location will accept credit and debit cards. Indoor seating remains limited. Menu-wise, patrons will find all their favorites: scrapple, double or single sausage link sandwiches (with or without egg), generous breakfast platters and the legendary pork chop sandwich.
A Fitting Tribute
The official announcement of Helen’s new location broke in what’s come to be a signature style for the social media-savvy Murphy — a May 20 Instagram post of the word “Newark” spelled out in sausages with the caption “Coming soon.” On the Helen’s Instagram account, similar sausage messages
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DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 39
THE SAUSAGE THAT LINKS US continued from previous page
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are interspersed with memes riffing on current events and given a Helen’scentric spin. “That's me being extremely bored and delirious at two in the morning cooking, sitting at the grill by myself for a few hours, just trying to be funny,” he says. “And I'm not really creative, but every now and then I'll get a nugget and it'll get a couple laughs and that's it. That's all I've been going for.” Not long after the announcement, Helen Achenbach celebrated her 92nd birthday on June 10, her official birthday wishes also conveyed in sausage script. The family — both by blood and by association with the restaurant’s history — had been hoping their matriarch would be able to celebrate the expansion and see in person the fruits of her labors. Sadly, she passed away on Aug. 31, making the opening of the new store both celebratory and poignant, Murphy says. “I wanted to make her and my pop proud and show what they worked so hard for all their lives,” he says. “She did it for all the life that I knew her, and for my dad, for more than half my life. They worked their fingers to the bone. And now, well, she's passed and [dad’s] trying to relax … and I just want to carry it on. I couldn't see it just go away.” Murphy’s nephew Zack Hunter continues to run the Smyrna location with the assistance of long-time staff, maintaining the family ties that have been part of the Helen’s legacy for three generations. Acknowledging the special place Helen’s holds in the lives of its customers — like the one who shared his story of childhood trips to Helen’s before fishing — Murphy says it’s important to keep Helen’s future intact for them, too. “You didn't even know the guy who talked to you for 30 minutes [about Helen’s],” he says after observing my onsite customer interview. “So, it's just that I wanted to keep that feeling going.”
DRINK
Something Sparkling for the Holidays Looking for champagne and sparkling wine suggestions for the festivities ahead? Our local experts have you covered with some of their personal favorites
From Linda Collier at Collier’s of Centreville: My major love will always be Champagne. It will go with everything or with nothing. It should be a daily item and not relegated to time of ceremony. As the happy bubbles rise to the top of the glass, they make you happy also. The Pierre Gimmonet Brut NV Cuis 1er Cru Blanc de Blanc ($74.99) is a small house grower champagne. You cannot go wrong. Nik Weis ($34.99) a Mosel producer, is lovely, full of smoke with notes of mineral, apple, and floral. So well balanced and polished. Finish off your evening with Terrassous, a six year-old Rivesaltes Ambre ($22.99), a beautiful fortified wine from Roussillion made of grenache blanc full of fruit, honey,
caramel, and raisins. Pecan pie is a natural, but try it with Asian food or blue cheese. Fun thoughts for a memorable holiday! From Jeff Kreston at Kreston Wine & Spirits: Jean Josselin Alliance ($59.99) is a wonderful blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay — expressing all the finesse of Chardonnay and the power of Pinot Noir. This champagne has a delicate straw yellow color with a fresh nose of citrus, green apple, herbs and mint. Pleasing and elegant on the palate with a lemony finish. Balanced and graceful, enjoy as an aperitif or pair with fresh lobster, shrimp or sea scallops. ►
DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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SOMETHING SPARKLING FOR THE HOLIDAYS continued from previous page
From Joe Butcher at State Line Liquors: For something less conventional this season, why not try a dry Lambrusco from Sorbara in Italy. A dry, sparkling red wine, Paltrinieri "Solco" Lambrusco dell'Emilia ($17.99) is a fun way to pair something novel with charcuterie boards or hard cheeses. The dark cherry fruit flavors and the refreshing bubbles also means that this wine will pair well with a wide variety of main, and side, dishes. For proper champagne this year my go to is the grower Champagne Expression Brut by Jean-Baptiste Geoffroy. The Champagne Réné Geoffroy Expression 1er Cru Brut ($62.99) is a blend between a single vintage, and the winery's Cuvée Perpétuelle, which is a blend of reserve wine that has been added to every year since 1970. As a grower & producer, Geoffroy has control of the fruit from start to finish, and their perpétuelle reserve makes a much more complex wine than other Champagne at this price point. From Eric Tuverson at The Wine & Spirit Company of Greenville: Special Club Champagnes aka Club de Trésors are the rarest sparkling wines. More than 19,000 farmers grow grapes in Champagne, and of these 5,000 bottle their own wines. Twenty-four (!!!!) belong to Club de Trésors and bottle Special Club Champagne. The Wine & Spirit Company of Greenville offers wines from eight members of Special Club. This is an unheard-of opportunity to celebrate with the very best Champagnes. Santé! From Oscar Zelaya at Ward’s Fine Wines: In the last five years Americans have consumed a little bit more champagne and sparkling wines in comparison with the European world. And, of course, people continue to purchase by the name, rather than grape and production. Lombard Premier Cru (75% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay) is great Champagne with a beautiful expression that can take you to the next level for the cost of $59.85, much less than Veuve Clicquot. And, if you want to move near that price, Lombard Grand Cru Le Mesnil is 100% Chardonnay for the cost of $84.99. The big point on these wines is production, which is small in comparison to some other houses — quality vs. quantity. Cheers! 42 DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
| InWilmDE.com
LISTEN
Sound Opportunity 'Grouchy' Greg Watkins found a road to success at the intersection of hip-hop and tech By Catherine Kempista
G
ive a kid a tape recorder, and they could develop a lifelong passion for music. Give a kid a computer, and they could develop a lifelong passion for technology. Put them together, add a dash of entrepreneurial tenacity and an endlessly creative mind, and you have Newark’s own “Grouchy” Greg Watkins. A consummate student of emerging trends and a serial early adopter, Watkins has always pushed the boundaries of norms and expectations, leading him to cocreate AllHipHop.com, which has become a global online authority of hip-hop news and culture. The company celebrated its 25th anniversary in October, which coincided with the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. Standing at the intersection of technology and hip hop, Watkins was ahead of his time, fully understanding the juggernaut that could be created when you combine the two. But what makes Watkins’ story such a model for young entrepreneurs is not just his work ethic, but his innate ability to connect with people and give them what they want before they know they want it. “Greg is one of those unheralded geniuses we all need to recognize,” says Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur, Watkin’s business partner and co-founder of AllHipHop.com.
Early Days
Born in Albany, New York, one of Watkins’ earliest memories is of a cassette tape recorder his parents gave him around the age of 2. “I just remember being so captivated by the music coming out of this little machine and pushing all the buttons,” says Watkins. “From that point forward, I was into gadgets.” In 1979, his family moved to Newark’s Brookside neighborhood for his father’s job at ICI. Fascinated with discovering the way devices worked, Watkins spent endless hours of his childhood analyzing and dismantling gadgets of all shapes and sizes. Simultaneously, he occupied himself with his parents’ record collection, devouring the written content on the album covers as soon as he could read. “I was just thrilled by it all,” says Watkins. ►
Greg Watkins says he's always been fascinated with discovering how devices worked. Photos courtesy Greg Watkins JUNE 2023 DECEMBER 2023 | | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM XX 43
SOUND OPPORTUNITY
‘Game Over’
Serendipitously, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, hip hop’s cultural movement out of New York City took off like wildfire and started to spread to the suburbs. “One day, I rode my bike around back of the Kimberton apartments, and I saw a big circle of people,” says Watkins. “I squeezed my way through to see what was going on, and they were breakdancing. They were windmilling and popping, and there was a big boombox playing music. Game over. That’s what I wanted to do.” From that moment forward, Watkins and his friends became hip-hop devotees, adopting its fashion trends and breakdancing moves, listening to artists like Run DMC, the Boogie Boys, and UTFO on repeat, and honing their own rap skills. For Watkins, Creekmur, and countless kids across the country, hip-hop wasn’t just a passing fad; it became a way of life, helping them find their sense of self and their voice. “Hip-hop was a voice of the youth, the voice of the voiceless,” says Creekmur. “It was very revolutionary in its look and substance, challenging conventional thought, challenging the government sometimes, challenging fashion sometimes. And the component that really spoke to me was hip-hop's opposition to racism.”
‘Neighborhood House’
Watkins’ family home in Brookside became the epicenter of this hip hop groundswell in Newark. “Our house was the neighborhood house,” says Watkins.
continued from previous page “My mom always embraced us doing hip-hop, and she knew it was better for us to be in the house than out on the streets.” The house served as a hip-hop incubator for Watkins, his siblings, and their friends with aspirations of musical fame and fortune. In sixth grade, he was rapping, and by seventh and eighth grade, he was laying down tracks, starting to produce his own music, and DJing. Realizing his passion for production, he cold-called recording studios in the area, asking to come in and check out their spaces and equipment. “It was a second epiphany where I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is where I want to be,’” says Watkins. By ninth grade, he and his groups were recording at Target Recording Studios in Newark, which satisfied both his musical ambitions and his innate love of technology. “He came in with this high stovepipe haircut, and he just seemed really young,” says Marc Moss, who, with his late brother Keith, owned Target Recording Studios. “But Greg gave me as much education as I gave him because I didn't know that much about rap music and sampling.” Simultaneously, he started building his own collection of professional recording equipment, embracing the most cutting-edge technology on the market. In 11th grade, when given the choice between a down payment for a car and a $3,000 keyboard, Watkins chose the keyboard. “Best decision of my life,” he says.
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In the ensuing years, Watkins worked closely with the says Watkins. “My dad bought us our first TI-99/4AA in Moss brothers as he launched his own record label, Oblique 1983. By the time the Internet came around, I was like 'I get Recordings, and emerged as a producer for local hip-hop the concept, but what is it?' My dad for Christmas bought us a artists, including his younger brother Marcus Watkins, who Compaq computer. And that's when I got it. Game over.” performs under the name Marchitect. “Everything fell under the umbrella Filling the Void ‘The Outfit,’ and it was amazing to While he worked tirelessly to get make music with everyone in the artists he was working with noticed recording studio and Greg's home by major players in Philly and New studio, affectionately known as the York, he ran into a problem he couldn’t 49,” says friend and collaborator solve. Everyone was moving away, Dr. Harun Thomas, professor in the which in turn presented an absolutely School of Communication at Daytona lifechanging opportunity for Watkins. State College. When he first launched his label Focused on his career as a hip-hop online, Watkins had registered producer, Watkins enrolled at the Art a number of domains, including Institute of Philadelphia to augment AllHipHop.com, to hedge his bets on his engineering and marketing tool what would be most memorable for early Internet users. He eventually kit. To describe this point in his life as — Jessica Ball, jettisoned ObliqueRecordings.com and busy would be a gross understatement. director of the DDOA started selling his music online solely According to Creekmur, “Greg through AllHipHop.com in 1996. was the first person I knew personally At the same time, Creekmur, a that was really taking it seriously as an journalism graduate from UD who was working as a freelance artist, as a musician, as a producer.” While his days were consumed with classwork, internships, writer for various regional and national publications, had performances, production, and recordings, he also launched launched Tantrum Magazine, a lifestyle website dedicated to hip-hop music, fashion and culture. Creekmur had an idea. ► his label online. “I had been on computers, mind you, almost all my life,”
Greg is a pioneer and a legendary innovator when it comes to uplifting and amplifying hip-hop music and culture.
DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 45
“I started talking to him. And somewhere in that mix, we met up and decided we're both doing similar things,” says Creekmur. “We should just work together.” It was October 10, 1998. Quickly, they realized they had found an open lane on the Internet that was theirs for the taking. “There was a void. We were tech guys, and we were real hip-hop guys,” says Watkins. “In the early days, people associated the Internet with nerds behind their computers. And neither of us were that. We were deeply involved in hiphop on all levels.” They brought hip-hop online, merging their love of the culture with their appreciation for what the Internet was doing for mass communication. It was something no one else had thought to do, and they did it in the revolutionary style of their hip-hop idols. One of their most notable innovations was their use of “alpha paging” to send news alerts to two-way pagers — think of it as an early form of push notifications. And like many of Watkins’ ideas, it spawned out of his innate curiosity of and interest in technology. According to Watkins, “I was sitting on the beach, unemployed in between jobs. And Diddy came walking down the beach. At the same time, I got a message from Yahoo on my two-way pager. I was like, how are they sending me stock tickers? I went up to my hotel room, typed in my phone number with my @sprint.com, and a message came directly to me. The two-way messages became our force multiplier.”
46 DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
SOUND OPPORTUNITY
continued from previous page Once they realized the potential benefit of sending news alerts from AllHipHop. com directly to people’s hips, they hustled to gather lists of phone numbers from friends and industry contacts. Eventually, they were sending news alerts twice a day to hip hop’s biggest names, including Russell Simmons, Jay-Z, members of the Wu Tang Clan, Run DMC, and even Diddy himself. This innovation put them on the map and, for the first time, brought hip-hop fans to the Internet.
Technology Legacy
AllHipHop.com became an unstoppable force for hip-hop and the dissemination of its culture on the Internet. “For years, Chuck had spent his time trying to make inroads with journalism, and I had spent time trying to make inroads in the music business,” says Watkins. “And within two years, we had created the biggest shift in our culture. It exploded.” Now, more than 25 years with the success of the website and his well-deserved reputation for embracing new technological innovations, Watkins has become a hip-hop tech guru, sharing his knowledge as a national lecturer on emerging trends in ad tech and the use of AI. He is also cultivating his own legacy here in the First State. For years, Watkins has been involved with Delaware State University’s (DSU) mass communications department as a
guest lecturer and a resource for student internships. “He has a generosity of spirit,” says Ava Perrine, mass comm instructor at DSU. “I cannot say how much I appreciate that because it does make a difference in what resources I'm able to offer the students.” In 2022, Governor Carney appointed Watkins to serve on Delaware State Arts Council, which advises the Division of the Arts (DDOA) on matters of arts policy, funding, and general support for the arts in Delaware. In this role, he was instrumental in the creation and coordination of the recent celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop at the Delaware Art Museum. “Greg is a pioneer and a legendary innovator when it comes to uplifting and amplifying hip-hop music and culture,” says Jessica Ball, director of the DDOA. “Greg’s expertise in the artform, along with his entrepreneurial and business acumen in general, have been an invaluable add to the State Arts Council.” Attempting to measure Watkins’ impact on hip-hop culture and its growth across the globe is a nearly impossible task; however, the longevity of his partnership with Creekmur and the reverence he receives in hip-hop circles is a start. “Greg and Chuck need to be recognized like a Mark Zuckerberg,” says Marcus Watkins. “They were innovative. And they were minorities with no backing, no connections to Silicon Valley, no startup money. It's an amazing story. Now, people respect that whole process of building a company out of nothing. They’re pioneers of that.”
Greg Watkins currently serves on the Delaware State Arts Council.
DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 47
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Fill in the You know the drill: (1) Ask your friends to help “fill in the blanks” for the missing words needed below. (2) Once completed, read aloud and watch hilarity ensue. (3) Got a funny one? Take a photo and send it to us at Contact@OutAndAboutNow.com. Randomly drawn winner will get a $50 Gift Card to Pizza By Elizabeths (One entry per person; must be 21+ to enter; due by the 21st of each month.). Have fun!
TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE… Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the (
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)
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famous person
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body part plural
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) came with a bound.
famous person
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) to their foot,
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plural noun
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adverb
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verb
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verb
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verb
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
48 DECEMBER 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
) to work,
) out of sight—
LISTEN
The Bullets have become a popular Thursday draw at Gallucio's. Photo by Kevin Francis
LIVE ON LOVERING Gallucio’s, Finnegan’s team to liven the Wilmington music scene
A
By Matt Morrissette
ny musician or patron of the Delaware music scene is aware there are life cycles in the health and viability of established live-music venues. The pandemic caused a major rupture, followed by the closure of the historic Jackson Inn in March 2023.
However, where there’s a will there’s a way, and several new hosts have risen to fill the void. Kelly’s Logan House has returned as a venue for live music in Wilmington via longtime local musician Pete
Romano. Spaceboy Clothing has moved to new space on Market Street and provides space for small Downtown performances, a nice complement to the larger shows offered by The Queen. And record stores such as Squeezebox Records in Wilmington as well as Rainbow Records and International Groove Records in Newark host multiple shows each month. ►
DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 49
LIVE ON LOVERING
The Stone Shakers at Finnegan's Pub. Photo courtesy Paul Degnars
To this list, you can add both a new establishment in a wellknown spot and an historic venue — both of which happen to share the well-traveled corner of Lovering Avenue and Augustine Cutoff in Wilmington. Founded in the 1970s in a building built in 1865, Gallucio’s is a Forty Acres neighborhood go-to for comfort Italian and bar fare. It has a rich history of hosting live music, including the great local guitar slinger and namesake, Anthony Gallucio, who played to packed houses with his band every Monday night for more than 20 years starting in 1993. Gallucio’s also hosted acoustic music with a variety of bands on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and had a popular jazz night on Thursdays that lasted well into the 2000s. But as it's been for many businesses, the pandemic forced a reboot. So, Gallucio’s had to adjust its strategy if it hoped to stay vibrant and competitive. “We have always been an eating and drinking establishment
continued from previous page with pizza building the empire, but we certainly had to reestablish our entertainment after the pandemic,” said Gregory “Gador” Dorak, Gallucio’s longtime general manager. “I had thought of [live music] as the icing on the cake before, but it has become a much more needed offering to both our established regulars, as well as an attraction for new customers.” So, Dorak worked with The Bullets, a well-established roots-rock and rockabilly outfit, to move their decades-long Thursday night residency to Gallucio’s in April of 2023. The Bullets had been a mainstay at the now-closed Blue Parrot, The Oddity Bar, and for a brief time, at the Jackson Inn. According to Dorak, the move came after a conversation with Delaware music scene stalwart and bassist Jacque Varsalona (also a Bullets fan), who told Dorak that the band needed a new home. “They’ve been breaking the fun meter ever since,” says Dorak.
NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBORS
The new kid on the block is Finnegan’s, which occupies the building that was home to Rockford Tavern and Halligan’s Bar. It’s the brainchild of Paul Degnars and his partner in both work and life, Melissa Zimmerman, who supplies the interior design and realty acumen to compliment Degnars’ experience in the hospitality industry. In a twist that is very Delaware, Degnars’ passion for both live music and the bar biz was partially developed at Gallucio’s, where he worked while in his 20s.
presents
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Photo by Kevin Francis
“I was bitten by the small-live-music-venue bug during my time living in Greenville, South Carolina,” says Degnars. “I managed a brewpub that had live music three or four nights a week and really fell in love with it. “That time, combined with experiences over my life in Delaware at Gallucio’s, The Stone Balloon, Logan House, The Barn Door, and Bottlecaps, always kept the idea [of opening my own venue] in the back of my mind
Finnegan’s has live music four nights a week with an emphasis on getting things going early to accommodate an older crowd. They host acoustic music on Thursdays and a local band or DJ every Friday and Saturday. Sunday nights are reserved for a well-attended open mic night hosted by local musicians Genesis Z and Augi Parodi. Much like the beloved 1984 and Oddity Bar combo that dominated the local live music scene before the pandemic, Gallucio’s and Finnegan’s view themselves as in cahoots rather than in competition. Their goal is to create an option that caters to those aging out of the Trolley Square bar scene, folks coming from the Route 202 corridor, and those simply interested in seeing some great local music. “I do not feel competition with Finnegan’s at all,” says Dorak. “We are a partnership. If they’re having entertainment, some of their patrons will come in for dinner or order take-out to eat there. I’ve always thought of Finnegan’s and the places that preceded it as our fourth dining room.” Degnars agrees. “Our goal is to create a sort of Wonder Twins destination where we complement each other. Seeing as we don’t have food, I and the staff try to recommend ordering at Gallucio’s as much as possible.”
The Bullets outside Gallucio's (l-r): Brian Bruce, Michael Davis, Bobby Bloomingdale, Pat Kane.
DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 51
lightupthequeen.org/shinealight
Come ROCK with us!
I L A E N
N O T H G
4 8 9 1
I H S
March 2, 2024 | 8pm | The Queen Theater 500 N. Market Street, Wilmington, DE 19801
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LISTEN
TUNEDIN GRETCHEN EMERY BAND KEEPS IT SMOKIN’
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he Gretchen Emery Band will keep things cooking this holiday season with its “Ouch, Santa! That Chinmey is HOT!” show at Newark’s Smok’d BBQ on Saturday, December 16, from noon to 5 p.m. The acoustic show will feature special guests while showcasing the soul and blues music of Gretchen Emery, who won Best Lead Singer in this year’s Hometown Heroes Homey Awards. Visit GretchenEmery.com.
KATEGORY 5 AND FRIENDS PRESENT HOLIDAZE ROCK 2023
S
howcasing more than 20 of Wilmington’s best musicians, Holidaze Rock 2023 promises something new and original for our area: a live rock-and-roll-inspired Christmas show with plenty of visual and sonic surprises. The concert will be hosted by local band Kategory 5, which in 2016 won WMGK’s House Band Finals, a contest the Philly classic rock station holds every year. Holidaze organizers say the concert brings together “the best of rock’s holiday music mixed with timeless classics performed by an array of talent combining all ages and genres.” The show will be held at The Grand’s baby grand theater on Sunday, December 10 at 3 p.m. and will benefit The Grand’s community engagement programs. Visit TheGrandWilmington.org.
SPARROW RUN MUSIC STUDIO OPENS ITS DOORS
A
new studio opened its doors last month at the Sparrow Run Family Resource Center to usher in a wave of creativity, opportunity, and personal growth for young people aged 12-and up. Funded through the Building Better Communities grant, the Sparrow Run Community Music Studio is the result of a collaboration of The Travel Songs Foundation; Child, Inc.; and The CAUSE. The organizations hope the studio will become a “sanctuary for artistic expression and educational enrichment.” “Music is an integral part of our society,” says Zachary Humenik, executive director of The Travel Songs Foundation and director of digital media at The University of Pennsylvania. “Being a musician myself, I can understand how important a creative outlet is to young people. Providing access to the means to create music is one of the goals of Travel Songs. We are very happy and proud to be a part of this project.” The Sparrow Run Community Music Studio is not just a place for artistic exploration, it is a comprehensive center offering music production, video projects, and podcast creation. The project also incorporates Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) courses and videography training sessions, ensuring that young participants gain essential life skills and knowledge to shape their future. More information about Sparrow Run Family Resource Center can be found at ChildInc.com.
WINTERLAND QUEEN WITH THE KNOTTY G’S & FRIENDS
T
he collective spirit of the Bill Graham-era of concerts is what will be conjured on stage at The Queen on Friday, December 22, with the help of musicians near and far — including Justin Stanton of Snarky Puppy and Jamie Newitt of The Heavy Pets. Stanton and Newitt join fellow members of The Knotty G’s, Neal Evans and Felix Pastorius as the night’s backing band for special guests like Pat Kane and Justin Knott of Bones Brigade; Jake Banaszak and BJ Muntz of lower case blues; Jeff Ferrara, Jason Keenan and John Dickinson of Spokey Speaky; and a host of other local favorites. The show will take place in The Crown room at The Queen starting at 8 p.m. Visit TheQueenWilmington.com
DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW .COM 53
WATCH
5
STARS
American Fiction This thought-provoking comedy skewers publishing, entertainment industries and white liberal sensibilities By Mark Fields
T
helonious “Monk” Ellison, as played by Jeffrey Wright, is a serious, thoughtful guy who has written a few serious, thoughtful (but little-read) novels. On the downslope of middle age, he finds himself ignored by the publishing world and book-readers alike. Worse than that, Monk sees his own carefully-crafted literary work eclipsed by the success of “Black” fiction that caters to – make that panders to – the comfortable biases of white liberals where ghetto stereotypes are perceived as the only genuine depictions of African-American life. To counter this expectation, Monk turns to his strongest weapon, his writer’s pen (or rather, his computer). In protest and perhaps seeking a little personal catharsis, he writes a ridiculous new novel that plays into these most egregious tropes of Black life. Then, rather than have his satirical point understood, Monk’s new novel, and the alter ego he created to author the book, both become hot properties in the New York publishing world and eventually in the TV and movie echo chambers of Hollywood.
This at-once outlandish and yet wholly credible premise is the launching point for American Fiction, the trenchantly funny feature film debut of Cord Jefferson (who also wrote the screenplay based on Percival Everett’s novel Erasure). Monk finds that his little joke has trapped him in increasingly hysterical, albeit lucrative, circumstances as all the “open-minded” white folk maneuver to be a part of his literary success. At one point, Monk sighs that “the dumber I behave, the richer I get.” ►
Jeffrey Wright delivers a masterful performance as Thelonious Ellison in American Fiction. Photo courtesy Orion Pictures DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 55
AMERICAN FICTION
continued from previous page But American Fiction is more than this skewering commentary on modern culture; it is also a touching portrayal of Black family dynamics — of a more grounded sort — as Monk interacts with his aging mother Agnes (touchingly played by Leslie Uggams), his social justice-minded sister Lisa (Tracee Ross Ellis) and his elusive divorced brother Clifford (Sterling K. Brown). It is a world very different than the one depicted in his satire, and the interplay between Monk’s two conflicting worlds is both humorous and profound. Viewers find themselves laughing out loud at the foolish posturing in one sphere while being moved to tears by the real-life drama of his personal life. Primary credit for this delightful, thought-provoking film goes to director-writer Jefferson, who brings both a sharp wit and a kind heart to the project. His comedy is pointed without being cruel. Jefferson is helped immensely by his talented cast, led by the ever-reliable Jeffrey Wright. Wright has been so good in so many movies and TV shows (varying from Westworld to The French Dispatch to the James Bond series), but this performance is a defining one. Wright receives wonderful support from the actors playing his family, Brown in particular, but also from Issa Rae as a rival author, John Ortiz as his amused agent, Myra Lucretia Taylor as the Ellison’s long-time housekeeper, and Erika Alexander as a neighbor and possible love interest. The obvious yet necessary conclusion to derive from this smart film — one seemingly lost on many of the characters it depicts — is that there are many genuine ways to reflect Black characters and their experiences, and nobody should be reduced to other peoples’ ill-informed expectations. To convey that message with a blend of great humor and humanity is the gift of American Fiction.
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Poor Things Rethinking of Frankenstein legend is weird and wonderful
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he absurdist-Baroque stylings of director Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite, The Lobster) are certainly an acquired cinematic taste. He is drawn to strange narratives, which he then takes and pushes even farther into realms of the weird and wonderful. Poor Things is the director’s reimagining of the Frankenstein legend with Emma Stone as Bella Baxter, a re-animated being learning her way through an unfamiliar new world. But unlike the classic tale where the “monster” is really a misunderstood victim of society’s fears and prejudices, Bella is a creature with her own agency, and a willingness to challenge and even overcome societal expectations. Her journeys of discovery of self and the world around her have a dreamlike quality, made more so by the intentionally outlandish production design that blends an amped-up picture of history with a cyberpunk sensibility. The performances are equally — and effectively — outlandish. Stone taps her familiar charisma and forthrightness to make Bella a compelling, sympathetic character. Willem Dafoe plays Bella’s creator, who has clearly had some patchwork done himself. And, Mark Ruffalo amazes with a quirky portrayal completely against his usual type. Kudos also to Ramy Youssef, Kathryn Hunter, Margaret Qualley, and Jerrod Carmichael who shine in smaller roles. Lanthimos’ last feature, The Favourite, was nominated for 10 Academy Awards (winning one for actress Olivia Colman). His actor-centric directorial approach and bold willingness to push boundaries draws prime talent, well evidenced with Poor Things as well. Like its heroine, Poor Things seems made of disparate parts, but they all come together as a darling and delectable film. — Mark Fields
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Emma Stone in Poor Things.
STARS
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THE CITY A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO OUT & ABOUT MAGAZINE
TURNER SCHOOL OF CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT GRADUATES FIRST CLASS
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ayor Mike Purzycki, Econ. Development Dir. Sean Park, and Wilmington’s Small and Minority Business Development Manager James Williams joined representatives of Turner Construction Co. and McKissack to celebrate the first 14 graduates of the new Turner School of Construction Management in the City. “I congratulate our graduates and their families,” said the Mayor at a ceremony in Downtown Wilmington in November. “The Turner School is getting us closer to the goal of making sure that small minority contractors have the capacity to make it to the next level and to bid on larger projects. We are grateful to the team at Turner and McKissack for helping Wilmington Celebrating the 2023 graduates of the Turner School increase the opportunities for minority business development.” of Construction Management in Wilmington. The City partnered with Turner Construction, the nation’s leading general builder, and McKissack, the oldest minority/women-owned professional design and construction firm in the US, to bring TSCM to Wilmington for the first time in August 2023. Established in 1969 to improve the economic viability of underrepresented business enterprises and increase the number and quality of opportunities available to growing businesses, it’s Turner Construction’s longest-running community-based program. The Fall ’23 Turner School of Construction Management — Wilmington graduates join the more than 35,000 people who’ve completed the TSCM program since its inception.
WILMINGTON STREET TEAM PROGRAM IMPACTS CRIME
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ayor Mike Purzycki and Dr. Debra Mason, Dir. of the City’s Community Public Safety Initiative (CPSI), in November issued an update on the progress of the Wilmington Street Team (WST), an anti-violence program Members of the Wilmington Street Team launched in June 2023 as part of the City’s Community Public Safety Initiative. Street team members utilize the Community Violence Intervention approach—an evidence-informed strategy to disrupt violence and retaliation cycles and establish community relationships—to help decrease crime in Wilmington. The WST comprises a group of nonprofits actively involved in improving the overall well-being of Wilmington residents, incl. the Center for Structural Equity (CFSE), the Youth Advocate Programs (YAP), and Network Connect (NC). CFSE and YAP handle high-risk interventions, working with individuals aged 13-26 to decrease the likelihood they’ll engage in negative behaviors while Network Connect provides wrap-around services to individuals not deemed to be “high risk.” Mayor Purzycki thanked Dr. Mason and praised the efforts of the Wilmington Street Team, which has had a significant effect on the East Side and Prices neighborhoods during its first three months of activity. The Mayor also noted that, while certain neighborhoods are still plagued by gun-related crime, most serious crime categories have decreased in Wilmington as the City is recording some of its most encouraging crime reduction numbers in years. The Mayor credited the efforts of the WPD, the Community Public Safety Initiative, and residents throughout the City who are working together to hold crime numbers down.
WILMINGTON WELCOMES GOLO
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ayor Mike Purzycki and members of the New Castle Chamber of Commerce joined representatives of Delaware-based health and wellness solutions company GOLO in November to celebrate the opening of a new 80,000-sq.-foot distribution facility on S. Heald St. in Wilmington. The newly renovated facility will distribute GOLO’s weight loss products, wellness supplements, exercise equipment, and recently launched line of frozen, nutritionally balanced meals. The warehouse will also feature one of the largest dry-ice production lines in the Mid-Atlantic region. The site is expected to bring 50 new jobs to the City. “We are thrilled to welcome the GOLO staff and management to Wilmington along with the new jobs coming to our community,” said Mayor Purzycki. “More than ever, our economic success relies on innovative businesses and from left: Jennifer Brooks, President of GOLO; Chris Lundin, CEO and entrepreneurs who are willing to take calculated risks to Pictured Founder of GOLO; and Mike Purzycki, Mayor of Wilmington. Photo Saquan Stimpson be successful, something that we see all across Wilmington. Thank you, GOLO, not only for believing in and investing in our City, but for your spirit of community involvement and giving back to our residents and neighborhoods. We all wish you much success here.” To help note the opening of the new facility, GOLO will donate 100,000 nutritious meals to local food banks, food pantries, and community-based organizations to help combat food insecurity in its corporate home state of Delaware over the coming year. Organizations receiving food donations from GOLO as part of the program include the Food Bank of Delaware, Sunday Breakfast Mission, Delaware Regional Dream Center, Warriors Helping Warriors, and the Police Athletic League of Wilmington.
DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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60 DECEMBER 2023 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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