February 2024 - Crafty Move by outandabout

IV Drip Therapy: Is It for You?

Cheers to a Stout History

For the Love of Phish

CRAFTY MOVE

ANNUAL SPORTS ISSUE

Brewers, tap houses unite as Beer Week expands its roster

FEB. 2024 COMPLIMENTARY

A FUN-LOVING, HEARTFELT, CROWD-PLEASING MUSICAL!

TICKETS AS LOW AS $32!

"Walkin' After Midnight" "I Fall to Pieces" "Crazy" AND MORE!

FEB. 21–MAR. 10 302.594.1100 DelawareTheatre.org

CO-SPONSORED BY:

4 FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

lightupthequeen.org/shinealight

Come ROCK with us! TICKETS ON SALE

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

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

Get The Led Out

Oleta Adams

The Rock Orchestra plays Bruce Springsteen

THUR | FEB 15 | 8PM

FRI | FEB 16 | 8PM

SAT | FEB 17 | 8PM

The Joni Project A Tribute to Joni Mitchell

On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Live

SAT | MAR 2 | 8PM

THUR-SUN | MAR 7-10

WED | MAR 13 | 6PM

The Irish Comedy Tour

Gaelic Storm and High Kings

Anthony Rodia: Totally Relatable Tour

SAT | MAR 16 | 8PM

SUN | MAR 24 | 7PM

FRI | MAR 29 | 8PM

NEW SHOWS. ON SALE NOW!

THUR | APR 11 | 8PM

FRI | MAY 3 | 8PM

THUR | MAY 11 | 8PM

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 Vol. 36 | No.12

START 9 War on Words

11 FYI 15 Art Loop Wilmington 17 Books: Back on Market Street 21 Chris Morkides: A Novelist’s Zen

FOCUS 25 Is IV Drip Therapy Right for You? 29 Cheers to a Stout History

35 Beer Week Promises to Be Greater

WATCH 41 CTC Presents Depp & Dickens

LISTEN

43 For the Love of Phish Director of Publications Jim Miller • jmiller@tsnpub.com Contributing Editor Bob Yearick • ryearick@comcast.net Creative Director & Production Manager Matthew Loeb, Catalyst Visuals, LLC 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

45 Mike Koh Energizes the Local Scene 48 Tuned In

WILMINGTON 50 In the City 52 On the Riverfront

On the cover: Bartender extraordinaire Nikki Boyd at Trolley Tap House, one of 21 venues participating in Greater Wilmington Beer Week (Feb. 27-March 3). Photo by Joe Hoddinott

EVENTS CALENDAR

All new inWilmDE.com coming this month.

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

All new inWilmDE.com coming this month.

43 Sign Up For Our FREE

Digital Subscription

Printed on recycled paper.

Editorial & advertising info: 302.655.6483 • Fax 302.654.0569 outandaboutnow.com • contact@tsnpub.com FEBRUARY2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

FIND IT ALL HERE!

Wilmington’s Events Calendar

inWilmDE.com

Richard Raw Photo by Jim Coarse

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

WHERE ARE THE EDITORS? (Formerly “Media Watch”)

(The title of this section has changed to better reflect the lack of editing in today’s media. Examples below.) •Reader David Hull found this in The Guardian, in an interview with actor Christopher Lee: “It was fascinating to hear him recant stories from the old movie days and his crowning glory, The Wicker Man.” That’s recount stories. Recant means to withdraw or repudiate (a statement or belief) formally and publicly. •Continuing our discussion of commas after greetings, a reader noticed an item among Southwest Airlines seat-back literature that began with “Hi, there.” In this case, as the reader notes, there should be no comma after Hi because there is not a person or a group. The whole phrase, Hi there, is the greeting. If it had been “Hi, everyone,” then the comma would be needed. •Reader Bruce Hudson reports that political pundit Chris Cillizza, in So What, a Substack publication, asked the question, “Does Donald Trump smell badly?” Bruce points out that the subject was Trump’s odor, “but the use of the adverb badly instead of bad changed this into a question about the former guy’s sense of smell.” •Reader Luann Haney spotted this opener for a PBS show that offers financial advice: “Who’s money is it?” Should be whose, of course. Says Luann: “First time I’ve seen this kind of flub from PBS.” •Rymir Vaughn in The Philadelphia Inquirer: “(Evan) Simon battled Gavin Wimsatt for the starting job in 2023, and Rutgers coach Greg Schiano went with Wimsatt, regulating Simon to the bench.” Simon was relegated to the bench. •Also in The Inky, Max Dinenberg observed that Temple football suffered from “self-inflicting wounds” that led to a loss. Those wounds were self-inflicted. •A story by Keith Pompey in The Inky provided multiple examples of the absence of editors. First, there was the headline: “Embiid on verge of historical season.” No, Joel Embiid is on the verge of a historic season — something momentous or important. Historical simply refers to history, such as “the historical record.”

Word of the Month recondite Pronounced re-kan-dite, it’s an adjective meaning 1) difficult or impossible for one of ordinary understanding or knowledge to comprehend; 2) of, relating to, or dealing with something little known or obscure.

Buy The War on Words book at the Hockessin BookShelf (hockessinbookshelf.com) or on Amazon, or email me: ryearick@comcast.net

By Bob Yearick

Later in the story, Pompey committed this redundancy: “Even Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal couldn’t even do all of the things Embiid is doing.” And finally, there was this crosshead halfway through the piece: “Historic season.” So they got it right this time, but it contradicts the story’s headline.

DANGLERS

(A dangling modifier — also known as a dangling participle — is a type of ambiguous grammatical construct whereby a modifier modifies the wrong noun.) •Follow, if you can, this serpentine explanation in a sign accompanying the recent Ann Lowe exhibit at Winterthur Museum. It has Lowe being introduced to herself: “Jacqueline Kennedy may be Ann Lowe’s most famous client. Introduced to Lowe through her mother Janet Auchincloss, Lowe made her debutante gown as well as the dress for her 1953 marriage to John F. Kennedy.” Also, Janet Auchincloss should be set off in commas. •Host Jane Pauley, on CBS News Sunday Morning: “With 98 candles on his birthday cake, and more than seven decades in show business, Tracy Smith is looking back on the career of Dick Van Dyke . . .” Tracy Smith — a woman — is nowhere near 98 years old. Blame the writers for this, not Jane.

THE EPITOME PROBLEM

Recently, in a Frank Sinatra Facebook group, a picture of Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. had this laughably off-the-mark caption: “The epithet of cool.” What was meant was not epithet — usually a disparaging or abusive word (as in racial epithets) — but epitome, which itself is often misused. Epitome (not epitomy) is pronounced uh-pi-tuh-mee (not ep-uh-tome), and usually means a person or thing that is a perfect example of a particular quality or type. It does not mean “pinnacle” or “climax,” as in this example courtesy of lexicographer and legal scholar Bryan Garner: “ESPN reached the epitome [read pinnacle or zenith] of boredom during its marathon coverage of the NFL draft.”

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’ll present my fun and informative discussion on grammar to your group. Go to: donate.ymcade.org/fundraiser/4552820.

START Things worth knowing

FIND THE

BEER!

reater Wilmington Beer Week takes over the area Feb. 27-March 3 and while the craft brewers were having us taste test their new creations, we inadvertently misplaced a few drafts on these pages. Tell us the four pages you find the beer (don't count this page) and you could win free lunch. Make your subject line: I Found the Beer and email your answers to Contact@TSNPub.com. The deadline for entries is Jan. 20. We will choose three winners from correct submissions. Congratulations to last month’s winners Kathy Hornby, Kim Turtle and Brad Panik. They found the seashells on pages 23, 25, 37 and 46.

WHAT’S THE COOLEST THING MADE IN DELAWARE?

he Delaware State Chamber of Commerce (DSCC) and its affiliate, the Delaware Manufacturing Association (DMA), are seeking to determine the Coolest Thing Made in Delaware. This inaugural contest serves to highlight Delaware’s vibrant and diverse manufacturing industry — which employs 28,000 Delawareans — and promote the sector as a top career path. Structured in a bracket format, this competition offers an engaging campaign that brings in the general population and educates them about the manufacturing industry’s economic outputs, innovative products, impact, careers opportunities, and more. “Delaware’s low cost of doing business, central location, and skilled workforce position the state as a center for manufacturing. With an output of nearly $5.6 billion, the industry is a major force in Delaware’s economy and the third-largest traded sector,” said DSCC President Michael J. Quaranta. “Not only do manufacturers make products that meet the needs of consumers right here in the First State, but they have global — even galactic — impacts.” Nominations will be accepted until February 21 and the following day all nominees will be announced and voting begins. Eligible companies are manufacturers whose nominated product is manufactured in a Delawarebased facility. The product must be made using a manufacturing process. Visit DSCC.com/MFG.

FIRST STATE BALLET PRESENTS THREE WORLD PREMIERES

elaware’s only professional ballet company will present Triple Bill, a program of three world-premier ballets created for First State Ballet Theatre, Feb. 23, 24 and 25 at the baby grand. Triple Bill blends classical ballet with contemporary dance and features the choreography of Zachary Kapeluck, Maeghan McHale and Viktor Plotnikov. Performance times are Feb. 23 and 24 and 7pm; Feb. 25 at 2pm. Tickets range $42-$62. Visit TheGrandWilmington.org.

DELAWARE THEATRE COMPANY GOES ‘CRAZY’ FOR PATSY CLINE

he Delaware Theatre Company gets back in action this month with Always Patsy Cline, a tribute to the country music giant, Feb. 21-March 10. The crowd-pleasing musical is based on the true story of the friendship between Cline and a devoted fan and features 30 of Cline’s most memorable hits, including “Walkin’ After Midnight,” “I Fall to Pieces,” and “Crazy.” In 1961, Cline was the first woman in country music to perform solo at Carnegie Hall. In 1973, she was the first female solo artist inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Tickets range $32-$70. Visit DelawareTheatre.org.

JAZZING UP DELAWARE ART MUSEUM

aye Jones Avery will host a new jazz series at the Delaware Art Museum that will include a 1.5 -hour performance followed by an artist chat. Shayne Frederick is the guest artist performing and interacting on Thursday, Feb. 1. Sumi Tonooka follows on Mar. 7, and Acute Inflections appears Apr. 4. Performances are 7-9pm. Visit DelArt.org/series/jazz. FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 11

CIGARETTE BUTTS ARE THE #1 LITTERED ITEM IN DELAWARE.

DISPOSE OF CIGARETTE BUTTS IN THE PROPER RECEPTACLES www.KeepDelawareBeautiful.com

Celebrate Black History Month at the Delaware Folk Art Collection February is the perfect time to visit the Delaware Folk Art Collection, featuring the works of nearly fifty local Delaware artists. The collection was established to showcase folk art which represents the personal histories and identities of Delawareans and features prominent black folk artists such as Nina Spencer, K.O. Simms and Eunice LaFate. Blue Ball Barn, 1914 W Park Dr, Wilmington, DE 19803

Free and open to the public 8 AM to 4 PM 7 days per week. Scan or visit bit.ly/DEFolkArt for more information and upcoming programs. 12 FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM | InWilmDE.com

Things worth knowing

THE CAN FATHER, A BEER YOU CAN’T REFUSE

ilmington Brew Works is teaming with the independent film The CANfather to present a beer tasting and film screening on March 1 and 8 (7pm) at the brewery’s Alamo Room. Each night, the first 75 guests will get a chance to sample the CANfather beer, created by WBW, as well screen the film promoters say is “brimming with wit, charm and a healthy does of sudsy history.” Tickets are $25 and can be reserved at TheCanFather.com.

20TH DELAWARE TECH MARDI GRAS GALA

n Evening of Mardi Gras will be held Saturday, March 2, from 7-10pm at Delaware Tech’s Orlando J. George, Jr. Campus in Wilmington. The event is Del Tech’s premier fundraiser and has raised $2 million over the past 19 years to support student success at the Stanton and Wilmington campuses. Net proceeds go toward scholarships to help students pay for tuition, books, and other essentials while attending Delaware Tech. Bank of America president Chip and Tracy Rossi are this year’s honorary chairs. For tickets, visit DTCC.edu.

MOVIES ON TAP FEATURES THIS IS SPINAL TAP

FIND WHAT MOVES YOU. FIND YOUR Y.

n Friday, February 23, area movie-goers will be turning it up to 11 at Penn Cinema when the 1984 cult-comedy This Is Spinal Tap returns to the big screen for this Movies on Tap outing. All proceeds from this month’s event benefit the Light Up The Queen Foundation, which funds music education programs that directly impact our area’s underserved youth. To purchase tickets, visit PennCinema.com.

JOIN TODAY!

FIND YOUR Y AT WWW.YMCADE.ORG. Financial assistance is available. FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 13

14 FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

FRIDAY, FEB. 2, 2024 5pm Start

Next Art Loop: March 1, 2024

A program of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs

RIVERFRONT The Delaware Contemporary 200 S. Madison Street 656-6466 • decontemporary.org Artists: OPENING EVENT for our Winter/Spring 2024 Season: Recraft

DOWNTOWN Chris White Gallery 701 N. Shipley Street 475-0998 • chriswhitegallery.com Artists: Shades of Identity A group exhibition curated by Josh Hollingsworth Christina Cultural Arts Center Edward Loper, Sr. Gallery 705 N. Market Street 652-0101 • ccacde.org Artists: “Protean People” Exhibit by De’Borah Tate City of Wilmington’s Redding Gallery 800 N. French Street 576-2100 • cityfestwilm. com/redding-gallery Artist: “Expressive Creative Soul” art exhibition DE.CO 111 W. 10th Street 510-2762 Artist: Beverly Ross Delaware College of Art & Design 600 N. Market Street 622-8000 • dcad.edu Artist: ALUMNI + FRIENDS SMALL ART SHOW FUNDRAISER

presented by

cityfest

Gallery at 1601 1601 Jessup Street 551-9878 Artist: A Bird’s Eye View Group Exhibition The Grand Opera House The Grand Opera House 818 N. Market Street 658-7897 • thegrandwilmington.org Grand Gallery: Dynamic Abstractions by Nancy Larison baby grand Gallery: My Travels Thru the Universe by Burton Ausilio Huxley and Hiro Booksellers 419 N. Market Street 439-0805 Artists: Black Future Month John William Gallery 1313 N Market Street 585-317-5409 Artist: Sensing Justice by Geraldo Gonzalez Mezzanine Gallery at the Carvel State Building 820 N. French Street 577-8278 arts.delaware.gov Artist: The Knowing by Cony Madariaga The Sold Firm 800-B N. Tatnall Street Artist: Liberation Soft Girl Era: Act II by E.Lizé Spaceboy Clothing 205 N. Market Street 225-9781 Artist: Spaceboy 15 Year Anniversary/COLLAB 2024

WEST SIDE Blue Streak Gallery 1721 Delaware Avenue 429-0506 Artist: Say It With Flowers Delaware Center for Horticulture 1810 N. Dupont Street 658-6262 • thedch.org Artist: Dr. Bob Lyons “Fine Plant Portraiture - An Eclectic Exhibition” Howard Pyle Studio 1305 N. Franklin Street 656-7304 Artists: Howard Pyle Studio Group featuring Carol Strukelj

BEYOND THE CITY Arden Buzz-Ware Gallery 2119 The Highway, Arden 981-4811 Artist: 14 Young Artisans of Arden Bellefonte Arts 803-C Brandywine Blvd 547-2573 Artist: The Joy Littleton Art Student Exhibition Finist & The Owl 811 Brandywine Boulevard 786-228-6638 Artist: Meg Clouser The Station Gallery 3922 Kennett Pike 654-8638 • stationgallery.net Artist: 2024 Wilmington Flower Market Painting by Dina du Pont

ArtLoopWilmington.org

Don’t keep your future on hold. Put it in drive. Del Tech has over 100 programs, like Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training, leading to in-demand careers. With our flexible, affordable tuition, there’s never been a better time to make your next move. Enroll today. Visit dtcc.edu.

16 FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

START

BOOKS:

BACK ON MARKET STREET Wilmington transplants and college profs, two BFFs find downtown a welcoming environment for their small business By Bob Yearick

veryone knows about love at first sight — an instant, romantic connection between two people. But what about platonic love at first sight? Is that a thing? Of course. Look no further than Claire van den Broek and Ryan Eanes, co-owners of Huxley & Hiro, the new bookstore in downtown Wilmington. They met on a flight from San Francisco to Eugene, Ore., some 10 years ago and became instant BFFs.

“We were seated next to each other and we just started talking,” says van den Broek. They quickly discovered that they were both headed to Eugene and the University of Oregon, where Eanes was to pursue his Ph.D. in media studies and van den Broek, who earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees there, would soon become an adjunct professor in German and Dutch.

van den Broek’s husband at the time picked her up at the Eugene airport, and they gave Eanes a ride to his apartment. Eanes remembers van den Broek’s hubby being less than thrilled with her new friendship. “He said all of one word on the way home.” Laughing, van den Broek adds: “He didn’t know Ryan is gay.”

Ryan Eanes and Claire van den Broek are partners in the Hulexy & Hiro bookstore, which is named after their pets. Portrait photo by David Tabler JUNE 2023 FEBRUARY 2024 | | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM XX 17

BOOKS: BACK ON MARKET STREET continued from previous page

The new friends kept in touch over the ensuing decade while van den Broek stayed in Eugene, and Eanes, who jokes that he has “pretty bad ADHD,” moved around a bit. He worked in the media industry in New York City for a few years, then decided to go into teaching at the college level. He first went back to Oregon as a teaching assistant, then moved across the country to become an assistant professor at Washington College in Chestertown, Md. After four years there, he joined the faculty at Temple University, where he teaches advertising psychology and branding.

‘The Right Place’

Unique Finds Shopping Locally Local Artists Local Vendors Curated Vintage

& Yo u

Eanes found the pace of life in Chestertown a bit too slow, so three years ago he moved to Wilmington, which, in addition to being closer to Temple, offered a vibrant cultural scene. He quickly fell in love with the city. “Being here just a few months, I could see myself settling down here,” he says. “It just felt like it was the right place for me. I’ve never felt that before as an adult.” van den Broek began visiting him about six years ago, and together they would browse the shelves at Ninth Street Book Shop, the long-time downtown Wilmington landmark. By the time Jack and Gemma Buckley closed the store in January of 2018, van den Broek, born and raised in the Netherlands, also had succumbed to the charms of Delaware’s largest city. “It’s very progressive and diverse,” she says. “It feels like a small community but it has a lot of the resources of a city, which is a really nice balance.” Adds Eanes: “And you’re close to everything — New York, Philly, D.C.” Both book lovers, the best friends soon became determined to fill the void left by Ninth Street. They discussed the idea with downtown business owners as well as David Teague, a children's book author and professor at the University of Delaware, who had attempted to keep Ninth Street afloat through an alliance with art groups and other local partners.

Grand Opening

TheLittleTreasureShoppe

@LittleTreasureShoppe

226 West Park Place, Ste. 14 Newark, DE 19711 (302) 660-5946

Free Accessible Parking 18 FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

In 2019, van den Broek bought the property at 419 Market St. that now is home to the Huxley & Hiro shop as well as some upstairs apartments. The plan was to renovate the apartments, which she and Eanes would move into, and they would partner in the bookstore. The pandemic delayed those plans, and also robbed them of potential customers, as downtown businesses began allowing employees to work remotely. But they soldiered on, and Huxley & Hiro, with an assist from Mayor Mike Purzycki’s office and Downtown Visions, held a grand opening on Oct. 27 of last year. Speaking at the ribbon cutting, Purzycki said: “There’s something about a bookstore that flies in the face of the idiocy that’s taking place in so many parts of the country these days. A bookstore symbolizes the stretching and enlarging of the American mind, and not the constriction of it.” He went on to note that small business is the “essence of cities.”

The store is located at 419 N. Market St., in the heart of downtown. Photo Claire van den Broek

“Wilmington’s economic success for much of our history was tied to large corporations,” the mayor said. “What’s changed is that the economic activity in our city now is of the small entrepreneurs, the risk takers.” “The community has been so welcoming,” van den Broek says. “We were already invited to a holiday party and we knew about half the party.” She says sales have been good. Literary fiction, history, and social science books, along with children’s books and works by local authors, are customer favorites. “Our customer base is younger people as well as elderly people and retirees,” van den Broek says. “Retired women are big part of our customer base. We feel like Gen X comes into bookstores the least.

No ‘Supermarket Literature’

“Also, categories that publishers say sell well are not in fact that popular in our market. YA and romance sell very little, and we sell almost no religion books.” Adds Eanes: “What you might call supermarket literature doesn’t sell well here.” They both credit a story in the November Out & About with bringing in many customers. A postcard mailing and social media have attracted others, and a clever billboard, located strategically on Rt. 202 to catch the attention of suburban book lovers, has been effective. The billboard depicts a little girl and a dinosaur holding books next to this copy: “Dinosaurs didn’t read . . . and now they’re extinct. Coincidence? Huxley & Hiro. Bookstore now open. Downtown Wilmington.” While Eanes continues to teach at Temple, van den Broek, who is remarried, is teaching remotely as an adjunct professor at Southern New Hampshire University and the University of Oregon. After many delays in the building’s renovation, she and her husband have moved into one of the apartments, and ► FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 19

ww BOOKS: BACK ON MARKET STREET continued from previous page

Bachetti’s Famous

Valentine’s Dinner You don’t need to go out to get a homemade meal! Try our famous, made from scratch Valentine’s Dinner

Lobster Bisque ~OR~ Italian Wedding Soup Fresh Steamed Asparagus Limone • Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes Two Stuffed Mushrooms — Crab ~OR~ Sausage. Triple Chocolate Cake for Dessert

Eanes and van den Broek report that sales have been brisk in the store's first three months of operation. Photo provided

For the main course, choose from these three entrees:

Eanes, currently teaching at Temple’s campus in Japan, will live in another when he returns in May. The bookstore, which is named after her cat, Huxley, and his dog, Hiro, has a B Corp Certification, meaning it meets high standards of performance, accountability, and transparency, including social and environmental issues. “Our mission is to serve and support the community,” van den Broek says. “We are not focused on making a profit; instead, we hope to create new jobs, highlight local arts and crafts, and offer our space to local non-profit organizations.” The store has already held several events in cooperation with entities such as the state library system and the Delaware Historical Society. The partners also are setting up a program with Delaware Futures that will teach students about book advocacy and the importance of literature. “For instance,” says van den Broek, “they’ll learn how to write a letter to the school board advocating for banned books.” Many of the store’s events support minorities. In February, for instance, while the nation is celebrating Black History Month, Huxley & Hiro has designated it “Why Just the Past? Black Future Month.” The kickoff celebration takes place Friday, Feb. 2, at 6 p.m., with Afrofuturist author W.A. Simpson reading and signing autographs. Drop in. You might even get to meet Huxley and Hiro. —For more information about coming events, go to huxleyandhiro.com/events.

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20 FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

START

Novelist’s

Zen

Wilmington author Chris Morkides writes about what he knows while losing himself in the bliss of creating fiction

By Bob Yearick

n a career that spanned four decades, Chris Morkides worked in three disparate and demanding professions: journalism, law, and mental health counseling. He achieved relative success and varying degrees of satisfaction in all of them. But now, two years into a retirement that finds him cranking out crime novels from his North Wilmington home, the native Philadelphian has discovered that writing fiction transports him to a level of happiness he never achieved in any of his previous jobs.

Morkides has self-published two books — Trust Me and Good Intentions. The protagonist in both is Philadelphia psychologist Alex Johns. In Trust Me, Johns’ daughter is kidnapped, and he joins authorities in attempting to find her and solve the crime. In Good Intentions, he dons his detective hat once again to track down the arsonist who killed his friend. Morkides recently completed another Alex Johns novel, which should be published this spring, and he has two more manuscripts that he hopes to have ready for publication by the end of the year. The work is flowing because, he says, “it’s not like it’s work for me. I enjoy doing it; I really look forward to it.”

He follows a morning routine that primes his creative pump. First, he and his wife, Alisa, who owns the chain of Brew Ha Ha! coffee shops, sit down in her office in their Deerhurst home and have what he calls “these long talks.” Then he meditates. Next, he sets an alarm clock “for, like, an hour,” takes out his laptop, and begins writing. “For the next hour,” Morkides says, “there’s nothing but me and that page in front of me. It’s like an hour-long meditation. I’m not trying to be profound; that’s just the way it is.” He acknowledges that the free-flowing words created in those 60 minutes require fairly heavy editing later, “but in an hour I can usually complete a chapter. I write fast, and my chapters are short.” ►

Philadelphia native and Deerhurst resident Chris Morkides has published two crime novels since retiring in 2021. Photo by Becca Mathias JUNE 2023 FEBRUARY 2024| |OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM OUTANDABOUTNOW.COMXX 21

A NOVELIST'S ZEN continued from previous page

Not Enough Words

Back in his college days at Penn State, Morkides says, “if someone had told me I would write a book I would’ve told them they were crazy. [I thought,] ‘I don’t have that many words in me.’” He did like to write, however, and with his journalism degree in hand, he became a reporter for the West Chester Daily Local, then the now defunct Coatesville Record, and, eventually, The Philadelphia Inquirer, mostly covering sports. But around 1982, he decided he wanted to “do something important” with his life, so he enrolled in Temple Law School, earning a degree in 1985. He had visions of engaging in dramatic courtroom battles and winning verdicts for the little guy. But, handling mostly civil cases, he says, “I found out it wasn’t like L.A. Law.” He did get into the courtroom on occasion, but mostly his workday involved “boxes and boxes of depositions.” By 1994, “I was sick of the law,” he says. “I was always watching the clock. It’s the one profession I practiced that I didn’t like.” He returned to writing sports part-time for The Inquirer, then went full-time, then in 2001 accepted a buy-out. And that precipitated a move to his third career. Morkides had considered majoring in psychology at Penn State, and he decided it was now time to heed that siren call. “One of Alisa’s friends was going to Immaculata University and she liked it,” he says, so in 2003 he enrolled in the master’s program in counseling psychology at the nearby Pennsylvania school. Taking classes while working as a stringer for the Associated Press, he earned his degree in 2008 and became a counselor. It was also during this time that he and Alisa flew to China and adopted a 17-month-old girl, a decision he calls “the best thing we’ve ever done.” Their daughter, Kina, is now a freshman at West Chester University. Morkides enjoyed counseling, finding that he was able to help many of his clients, but seeing up to 40 each week proved challenging, so he gradually reduced his workload. In 2021, he retired, although he’s still a licensed mental health counselor. He says he started writing what became his first novel when he began counseling part-time. “I wanted to fill the space and I always liked writing,” he says. “I had written newspaper and magazine articles, and wanted to give something different a shot. I really didn't have enough words in me to write a novel, but I had enough words in me to write every day. I strung enough of those days together to write a novel...and then another....and then another. I always had an idea each day where I wanted to go. I just didn't know how I would get there.” He published Trust Me in 2022, and Good Intentions followed the next year. With the Alex Johns character, Morkides has adhered to the maxim, “Write what you know”: Johns’ wife owns a chain of coffee shops; the couple has an adopted Chinese daughter; Johns loves sports — especially Philadelphia teams — and he is a dedicated psychologist who treats a variety of clients. Johns also has the author’s dry wit. Morkides has already completed the first draft of the third book in the series — working title Fouled — which 22 FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

The protagonist in Morkides’ two books is Philadelphia psychologist Alex Johns.

features a semi-pro basketball player in Philly. Also in the works is The Bipolar President, “based very loosely,” he says, “on current events.”

Who Moved My Chi?

But he is especially optimistic about a fifth book, also in first draft stage — so much so that he has begun sending proposals to several agencies. A departure from his usual work, it’s “a selfhelp novelette” that runs to a little more than 100 pages. The title, Who Moved My Chi?, is a play on the 1998 best-seller Who Moved My Cheese?, which dealt with change in the workplace and in life. Chi is the vital energy that is thought to animate the body internally and is of central importance in some Eastern systems of medical treatment. Morkides says his book is about “leaving the rat race to the rats and simplifying life to get to better mental health.” The book reflects his own approach to life. “I’m pretty big into Zen philosophy,” he says. He adheres to the teachings of Thích Nhất Hạnh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk and peace activist who died in 2022 at the age of 95. Known as “the father of mindfulness,” Nhất Hạnh sought to raise awareness of the interconnectedness of all elements in nature. His 130-plus books, including around 100 in English, have sold more than five million copies worldwide. “I have a number of his books,” says Morkides. Nhất Hạnh’s teachings, he says, “have helped me in writing and also in life.” Morkides follows Buddhism’s respect for all forms of life so closely that he refuses to kill spiders and other insects, or even mice. “I never had a problem killing bugs before,” he says, “but now I take them outside.” Recently, his Zen serenity was disturbed a bit when he wrote a piece for the magazine Counseling Today. Completing it conjured legendary sportswriter Red Smith’s comment about writing his four-times-a-week column: “It’s easy. You just sit at your typewriter until little drops of blood appear on your forehead.” “Writing that piece, I hated it,” Morkides says. “Writing nonfiction, especially, can be hard. I like making up stuff in my head.” FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 23

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Speeding Up Recovery IV drip therapy is gaining in popularity in the area. Is it right for you?

By Catherine Kempista

f you are one of the countless Delawareans who uses the arrival of the new year to set health and wellness goals, increase your physical fitness, or simply boost your energy, IV drip therapy may be one of the top results in your Google search. A popular fitness and wellness trend among athletes, celebrities, and wellness enthusiasts across the country, IV drip therapy, or IV vitamin therapy, delivers a combination of electrolytes, vitamins, amino acids, and micronutrients directly into your bloodstream through an intravenous drip bag to rehydrate and quickly infuse clients with vital nutrients. The anecdotal effects of these treatments range from quick recovery from endurance sports like marathon running to more overall energy for the average client. “The first week they opened, I signed up and became a member that day,” says Nicole Smith, owner of Riverfront Counseling, LLC, and member at Restore Hyper Wellness in Greenville.

Coming to Delaware

Although the arrival of IV drip services in Delaware lagged, the prevalence of this alternative health-andwellness treatment has taken off significantly in the last two years with both corporate franchises and locally-run businesses setting up shop in New Castle County. For some, like LyteGuards, IV drips are the hallmark of their business, focusing solely on the delivery of infusions for clients. For others, like Restore Hyper Wellness, the infusions are just one of many different options on their menu of services, which also includes cryotherapy, red light therapy, compression therapy, facials, and mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy, among others. ► FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 25

Volpe

While the prevalence of IV drip bars may have surged in recent years, the practice was first developed and administered by Dr. John Myers in Baltimore in the 1970s. As an homage to his work in this industry, many infusion centers today offer a version of the Myers’ cocktail, which was the trademark combination of vitamins and nutrients administered by the late physician at the advent of the therapy. Despite the popularity, locations in Delaware haven’t been as readily available as they have been in other parts of the country. “It is a rising health trend nationally, but the Northeast has been very slow to pick up on it,” says Emily Green, RN, BSN, owner of LyteGuards, an IV infusion center in Trolley Square. “Getting an IV as a proactive health method in Texas or Colorado or California is so commonplace. They're really around every corner.” But like many national trends over time, IV drip bars and infusion services have finally come to the First State — to the delight of local clients who have been patiently waiting for their arrival.

SPEEDING UP RECOVERY

Photos by Catherine Kempista

continued from previous page Whether you are interested in giving it a one-time try or ready to sign up for infusions twice a month, the options are endless. Base infusions generally cost around $100 and increase in cost with each additional ingredient included in the IV drip. Most centers offer memberships to reduce the expense of each infusion for clients and incentivize monthly visits, as these services are generally not covered by insurance.

How Does It Work?

For first-time clients of IV drip therapy, both LyteGuards and Restore follow a process that prioritizes client safety. “To get an appointment, you have to fill out a health history,” says Green. “That's the very first part of the screen before you actually meet someone in person. As a nurse, you can't approach anyone unless you know what they're coming with.” Emily Green says LyteGuards prioritizes client safety. Health histories and medical forms at both businesses are reviewed by registered nurses, who are also the only personnel authorized to administer the IV drip therapy at these locations. According to Green, “There are two major red flags — a history of any sort of renal disease or any sort of cardiac disease. They very well may not be candidates for IV therapy.” LyteGuards’ doctor on staff reviews records where there are questions about a client’s health history. “A majority of our clients are healthy, active, young adults to middle-aged adults,” says Julia DiFrancesco, RN, BSN, lead nurse at Restore Hyper Wellness. “But some clients have specific limitations for a variety of reasons. We run a full health history, and our nurse practitioner medically clears them before we administer the orders for that client.” According to DiFrancesco, Restore requires any client who is under a doctor’s care for a recent surgery or chronic health condition to receive medical clearance from the treating doctor before an infusion can take place.

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“Safety is paramount here,” says DiFrancesco. Green, who has been a nurse for 29 years, agrees. “This is like a soup-to-nuts health situation. I talk to people more now about their health than I ever have in my life,” says Green. Once you are ready to infuse, the nurse will then guide you through the process of what would be the best combination of ingredients for you that day. “If you're going on an airplane and not looking to get sick, your immunity is your priority,” says DiFrancesco. “If you had the stomach bug four days ago, replenishing hydration and some quick micronutrients, with a sprinkling of immunity, is more of your priority. If you're looking to recover from a weightlifting competition, muscle recovery is going to be your priority. Lots of people have symptoms and issues, but we prioritize them.” The average infusion can take anywhere between 45 minutes to just over an hour depending on your chosen combination. Most clients can infuse up to two times a month, but some will choose to infuse right before a big trip for immunity or before a sporting event for peak hydration.

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Julia DiFrancesco (l) and Taylor Newsome or Restore Hyper Wellness.

Inherent IV Risks

Because the drips are administered straight into your bloodstream, clients should be fully aware of all possible complications before electing this procedure. According to Albert Ahn, MD at NYU Langone Health in an article published in Prevention Magazine, “Anytime you introduce something intravenously, there are risks. Make sure you’re going to a place that is well-certified and wellstaffed and that does everything appropriately. You want to make sure everything’s completely sterile because you’re introducing something into the body that could potentially cause problems.” ►

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SPEEDING UP RECOVERY continued from previous page

These risks can range from air embolisms and blood clots to infection and irritation at the injection site. Clients should also be aware of all the ingredients included in their IV bag to mitigate the risk of an allergic reaction.

Feeling Better

For many of DiFrancesco and Green’s clients, it really comes down to how the infusions make them feel for the days after they receive the treatment. Nicole Pritchett, who serves in the National Guard, was introduced to IV infusion therapy through a friend who invited Green to administer infusions at the gym she owned. Pritchett now visits LyteGuards on a monthly or bimonthly basis. “I usually get the Lemon, which has all the good stuff for my lupus. It helps with the pain I have with my inflammation,” says Pritchett. “My muscles don't hurt as bad, and my body is getting that rejuvenation.” Smith, who is a regular at Restore, will pair an IV drip infusion with another service, like compression or cryotherapy, to compound the wellness effects she experiences. For Smith, the benefits are two-fold. “One is that my mind feels so good. I know I did something for me. And two, my Oura ring data tells me all my numbers trend in the correct direction after I come here.” —For more information on LyteGuards, visit LyteGuards.com, and on Restore Hyper Wellness, visit Restore.com.

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Joseph Stoeckle Brewery Company workers in the Diamond State Brewery courtyard, 5th and Adams streets, Wilm., circa 1900. Photo courtesy Delaware Historical Society

Cheers to a Stout History T Today’s area breweries preserve a tradition that dates to the 1600s

By John Medkeff, Jr.

he celebration of Greater Wilmington Beer Week presents the perfect opportunity to look back at the area’s deep and storied history with the sudsy beverage. Few areas in the country have as long a relationship with beer as Northern Delaware. Today, Wilmington’s three breweries and the 15 others in the metro area from Claymont to Middletown are resurrecting a brewing tradition that extends all the way back to the 1630s and the first Europeans to settle in the area. Beer may be a tasty social lubricant these days but for Delaware’s early Swedes, Finns, Dutch, English, and others from the Continent, the drink was an integral part of their daily diets. Back in their native lands, water sources were often polluted and not safe to consume, particularly in villages with sizable populations. They didn’t yet understand that boiling during the brewing process killed harmful bacteria in the water. Naturally, they associated beer with good health, and it was the drink of choice for most men, women, and even children. ► FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 29

CHEERS TO

A STOUT HISTPRY Beer was so important to the continued from previous page early Swedes and Finns, that one of the first activities they planned upon arriving in Wilmington in the spring of 1638 was planting the seed to grow wheat and barley for baking and brewing. They built the first proper brewery at Fort Christina years before dedicating their first church. The earliest documented record of brewing at the fort was a special brew unveiled for the Christmas celebration of 1654. The Swedes had big plans for brewing, hop growing, and malting in the colony, but those plans would never come to fruition. Brewing operations at the fort were always as meager as the colony’s population, and the Swedes would soon be supplanted by the Dutch. During the 1655 invasion of Fort Christina by Peter Stuyvesant’s legion of soldiers, Swedish Governor Risingh vowed to defend the fort until the last barrel of beer was finished. He and his small band of men were no match for the Dutch. The most prized possession captured during the raid was the Swede’s brew kettle. Stuyvesant shipped the kettle southward to Fort Casimir at present day New Castle, where he had his own brewery installed. The Dutch had an even more significant relationship with beer than their Nordic counterparts. Back in Holland, beer had been a significant commodity they produced and traded for more than a century. In fact, at the time of their invasion of the Swedes, brewing was already a growing trade in Dutch settlements in New York. During their decade-long reign along the Delaware, the brewery at Fort Casimir and two in the surrounding village were pumping out beer for local taverns. While beer was no less important to the English, larger-scale beer production seems to have taken a back seat during their early rule in the late seventeenth century, at least as far as the Delaware region is concerned. William Penn left Delaware high and dry, choosing instead to build a brewery at his estate just north of Philadelphia. Nevertheless, the English established a circuit of taverns in towns and along key roads in the new colony, which served as important community centers and travel stations. Lacking nearby breweries, the women and men who operated the taverns in the Delaware colony had little choice but to brew their own ale for patrons. At long last, in the late 1720s, Wilmington would have its day. William Shipley, the virtual founder and eventual first burgess

Stoeckle and Hartmann & Fehrenbach beer signs at Daniel McElwee's saloon, northeast corner of Fifth and Tatnall streets, circa 1890. Photo courtesy Delaware Historical Society 30 FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

The King Gambrinus statue in its third-story alcove on the Diamond State Brewery brewhouse, circa 1945. Photo courtesy Delaware Historical Society

(mayor) of the city, came from Darby, Pennsylvania to the struggling village of Willingtown with big business plans. One of Shipley’s earliest ventures was a malt house and brewery, which he built on the northwest corner of Fourth and Tatnall streets. During the Revolutionary War, when brewing ingredients were in short supply, the brewery was a significant supplier of malt to Philadelphia brewers. The enterprise passed through several Shipley heirs and then a series of other proprietors before closing around 1830. It remains the longest-operating brewery in state history. The Shipley brewery’s chief competitor from the 1770s through the early 1800s was located only two blocks southwest along Second Street, between Tatnall and Orange, and owned by the Sheward family. Caleb Sheward was an experienced Quaker brewer, who, like the elder Shipley, came to Wilmington from nearby Pennsylvania. Unlike the Shipley’s descendants, Sheward considered himself an Englishman and was loyal to the Crown. Local authorities busted Sheward for selling ale to the Redcoats during their occupation of Wilmington. Still, Sheward’s brewery thrived as it passed through several heirs before finally running out of steam in the early 1840s. Beer had fallen somewhat out of favor by the early 1800s in Delaware and across the young country. The drinking public became enamored with more spirituous beverages like whiskey, rum, and brandy, which were more portable, less subject to spoilage, and provided a bigger buzz for the buck. The resulting social ills created by an increasingly drunker population led to the beginning of the Temperance movement in the early part of the nineteenth century. By 1847, drunkenness became such a problem that Delaware passed statewide prohibition, but the regulation was quickly declared unconstitutional. A less intoxicating, more effervescent and refreshing beverage would arrive in Wilmington in 1850 and soon take the city by storm. That year, Bavarian immigrant brewer Christian Krauch came to the burgeoning city and set up a hotel and saloon on lower King Street. Krauch had been brewing for years in Philadelphia

when yeast that made lager beer possible arrived in that city from Germany. He brought some of the magic yeast with him down to Wilmington and began brewing lager in a small kitchen brewery behind his saloon. Krauch’s lager proved popular in a town teaming with thirsty immigrant workers. Though brewing was never a large commercial enterprise for Krauch, he inspired Wilmington’s next generation of brewers. Those men would on to much bigger things and usher in the golden age of brewing in the city. John Fehrenbach, who served a stint as Krauch’s bartender, opened his own saloon and, like his mentor, began brewing lager beer for his patrons. At the close of the Civil War, Fehrenbach entered into a partnership with his brother-in-law, John Hartmann. The two purchased the property in the Forty Acres at Lovering Avenue and Scott Street and built a sizable brewery, hotel, and saloon. The brewery expanded greatly as demand for H&F’s lager continued to grow. After the deaths of the founders in the 1880s, ownership passed to their sons, who enlarged the brewery. H&F kept pumping out their popular lager and porter until National Prohibition and the deaths of the owners brought the business to a close. H&F’s hotel and saloon, once part of the brewery complex, survives to this day as Gallucio’s Italian Restaurant. In the latter half of the 1800s, lager’s incredible popularity elevated beer brewing from a vocation or side hustle to a legitimate, if not extremely profitable, profession. By 1900, brewing was the sixth largest industry in Delaware. H&F and two other large Wilmington beer producers accounted for nearly all the state’s beer production before 1920. Another Krauch acolyte and former Wilmington neighbor, Joseph Stoeckle, started brewing in the back of his King Street saloon in the late 1850s. After the failure of the Nebeker brothers’ brewery at Fifth and Adams streets in the 1860s, Stoeckle became involved with a group of investors in a new organization. In 1872, Stoeckle assumed complete ownership of the brewery, renaming it the Diamond State Brewery. A fire levelled the ► FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 31

CHEERS TO

A STOUT HISTPRY brewery in 1881, but Stoeckle rebuilt continued from previous page a substantially larger brick complex, which was adorned with an 11-foot statue of the legendary European king of beer, Gambrinus. Under Stoeckle and his son Harry’s expert management, the Diamond State Brewery would overtake H&F as the city’s largest beer producer. The brewery’s Select Lager became so popular that the Stoeckle name would be synonymous with beer in Wilmington for decades to come. Eight blocks due west of the Diamond State brewery, at Fifth and DuPont streets, was the third of Wilmington’s Big Three lager breweries. Known most commonly by old residents of the city as the Bavarian Brewery, ownership passed between three principal operators from the 1880s through the early 1900s. After the death of his father, Herman Eisenmenger was largely responsible for the phenomenal growth of the Bavarian Brewing Company. The brewery's sales never trailed far behind Stoeckle or H&F. Wilmington had a host of other smaller breweries from the post-Civil War period through the early 1900s. The most notable

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32 FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

Bavarian Brewing Company bottling plant, southeast corner of 6th and DuPont streets, with the brewhouse in the distance, 1914. Photo courtesy John Medkeff, Jr.

was the Wilmington Brewing Company in the 200 block of French Street. The brewery was owned by Joseph Stoeckle’s son-in-law, Henry Blouth. The competition naturally caused consternation among Stoeckle family members. The brewery’s decade-long run ended with Blouth’s sudden death in 1913. His wife shut down the brewery and sold the equipment to her brother, Harry Stoeckle. Beer remained very much a local product in the Wilmington area. The city’s Big Three breweries had large stakes in or outright owned many of the outlets of distribution, including saloons, hotels, restaurants, retail outlets, and bottling plants. Stoeckle, H&F, and Bavarian had a virtual stranglehold on the beer market from Seaford to Claymont. Fueled by rapid industrialization and waves of immigration from beer-loving countries, Wilmington in the late 1800s was a growing city with a big thirst for beer. And drinkers had plenty of places to find their favorite beverage. By 1890, there were more than 180 drinking establishments and outlets within Wilmington’s city limits. Alas, Wilmington became a drinking city with a working problem. Drinking had gotten out of control. The most notorious strip was between Water and Front from Walnut to Justison streets in an area known as The Coast. Mixed among more respectable establishments were seedy gin mills, gambling dens, after-hour

dance halls, and brothels. These were places where a man could easily lose an entire paycheck or far worse. Even Wilmington’s police force was hesitant to patrol the area, preferring instead to deal with the aftermath. In response to the chaos caused by rampant overindulgence, the Temperance movement steadily gained traction in the first decade of the 1900s. As public protest turned to legislative action, the focus of Dry advocates advanced from pleas for moderation to outright prohibition. By 1917, the sale and distribution of beer were prohibited throughout Delaware, except in the city of Wilmington. National Prohibition in 1920 ended legal beer production at the Stoeckle, H&F, and Bavarian breweries and caused irreparable damage to the businesses. The Big Three tried to make a go of it in the early 1920s producing soft drinks and near beer. Ultimately, all three found it impossible to cover the costs of operating such large plants, especially during the challenging economic times of the Great Depression. Stoeckle and H&F went out of business by the middle of the decade. Tough times called for desperate measures, and Herman Eisenmenger turned to less than legal means to keep his Bavarian Brewery afloat. He began making fullstrength beer for mob distribution. The feds busted up the operation in 1927, and the brewery was shuttered. When national Prohibition regulations were repealed in 1933, two of Wilmington’s breweries were preparing for production. Though not particularly well-funded, Eisenmenger managed to retool his old brewery and get it back online. Unfortunately, the implementation of the three-tier liquor distribution system opened Wilmington to competition from larger and better-resourced national and regional brewing corporations in the East and Midwest. Eisenmenger’s Bavarian-Luxburger Brewing Company lasted only a year and a half. The Delmarva Brewing Company occupied the brewery from 1938 until 1944. They were subject to the same competitive pressures as their predecessors and encountered shortages of ingredients and materials caused by World War II. The Bavarian brewery’s final occupant starting in 1944 was the Krueger Brewing Company of Newark, New Jersey. In 1935, Krueger became the first brewery in the world to sell canned beer. While they intended to use the Wilmington brewery to expand their reach southward, the experiment proved to be an abject failure. Krueger moved out in 1951, and the brewery would never again open. The complex was torn down in the 1960s and replaced with public housing. A more successful and longer-lasting brewing company, the aptly named Diamond State Brewery Inc., purchased the old Stoeckle plant and opened for business in 1936. The brewery had a good run through the war years and into the mid-1950s. Eventually, Diamond State fell victim to fierce competition from much larger breweries outside the region. The last of Wilmington’s Big Three breweries closed in 1954 and, in the early 1960s, was demolished to make way for I-95 through the city. By the 1990s, interest in locally sourced and nearly forgotten beer styles took hold in Delaware. The first brewery in the city in 40 years, the Rockford Brewing Company, opened in 1995 at St. James Court, on the south edge of the city line. The brewery was beleaguered by production and distribution issues and lasted only three years. A series of brewpubs had short runs in and around the city in the 1990s and the first decade of the new millennium, including Downtown Brewing Company, John Harvard’s Brewhouse on Concord Pike, and the Brandywine Brewing Company of Greenville. Just down Kennett Pike, Twin Lakes Brewing Company opened a small production on co-owner Samuel Hobbs’ scenic historic farm in 2006. Their Greenville Pale Ale was one of the area’s most popular beers for many years. Sadly, the brewery changed hands in 2016, made an unsuccessful move to Newport, and closed in 2020. To the satisfaction of Wilmington beer lovers, recent history has shown far more brewing successes than failures. The city’s new Big Three Breweries — Iron Hill Brewery, Wilmington Brew Works, and Stitch House Brewery — and their more than a dozen counterparts in New Castle County continue to build on the area’s nearly four-century-long brewing tradition and bring good cheer to the region. We do indeed have a rich past and present to celebrate on Greater Wilmington Beer Week.

A Campaign Fit for a King "Restore the King,” a publiclyfunded campaign to repair Wilmington’s historic King Gambrinus statue, is well underway. The 140-year-old sculpture of the king of beer was an icon of the city for generations. Its restoration symbolizes the return of beer as a significant economic, cultural, and social driver in Delaware. Once restored, the statue will be donated to the Delaware History Museum for public presentation and longterm conservation. Visit RestoreTheKing.com to learn more about the project and donate to the cause.

— A version of this story appeared in Out & About's Feb. 2023 issue. FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 33

or ort F p k ! As Pass izes Pr ur l o Y oo C in W

presents

GREATER WILMINGTON

BEER WEEK Feb. 27-Mar. 3 A CELEBRATION OF LOCAL BREW Featured Breweries:

1937 Brewing Co. • Autumn Arch Beer Project • Bellefonte Brewing Crooked Hammock Brewery • Dew Point Brewing Hangman Brewing • Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant JAKL Beer Works • Midnight Oil Brewing Co. • Stitch House Brewery Twisted Irons Craft Brewing • Wilmington Brew Works

Featured Restaurants:

Chelsea Tavern • Dorcea • Grain (Trolley Square) • Kelly’s Logan House Kid Shelleen’s (Trolley Square) • Trolley Tap House • Two Stones Pub (Wilm.) The Chancery Market • Washington St. Ale House

WilmingtonBeerWeek.com

FOCUS

Some background on the breweries and venues that have joined forces in the spirit of beer, food, and fun

1937 Brewing Company

Autumn Arch Beer Project

Brewer: Elliott Sidell 777 Delaware Park Blvd Wilmington, DE 19804 1937brewingco.com

Brewer: Justin Colatrella 810 Pencader Dr, Suite C Newark, DE 19702 autumnarch.com

Rustic dining area serving gastropub-style food and a full-service bar with 8-10 hand-crafted beers on tap. Free entertainment on the Brewery Stage, along with the partially covered outdoor Grandstand, providing the best views of seasonal racing action. Founded in 2021.

Small-batch, experimental brewery specializing in deepflavor profiles, edgy bitterness, and complex relationships. Food trucks regularly on the premises. Founded in 2019.

FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 35

THE PLAYERS continued from previous page

Bellefonte Brewing Company Brewer: Joe Bob Jacobs 3605 Old Capitol Trl, Suite C8 & 1851 Marsh Road Wilmington, DE 19808 & 19810 bellefontebrewingcompany.com Featuring two locations serving the Wilmington area, both open to the public and family- and dog-friendly. Featuring 16+ beers and seltzers plus regularly-held events (indoor and outdoors) like food truck festivals, music, video game competitions and corn hole tournaments. Also offers pinball and arcade games.

Chelsea Tavern Number of Beer on Tap: 33 821 N. Market St., Wilmington, DE 19801 ChelseaTavern.com Offering one of the largest beer selections — in draft , can, and bottle — in the area, Chelsea Tavern has been a longtime supporter of local craft. The tavern is open to 1am daily serving lunch and dinner, plus early happy hour specials (Mon-Fri, 3pm – 6pm) and a late night happy hour (Mon-Fri, 11pm-1am). Brunch is served on the weekend, 10am-2pm.

Crooked Hammock Brewer: Brandon Florez 316 Auto Park Dr. Middletown, DE 19709 crookedhammock.com Full-service restaurant & dining room, screened-in porch bar, and a large social gathering beer hall that opens onto an outdoor beer garden. Outdoor hammocks, fire pit, games and a children’s playground. Offering brews synonymous with enjoying a day at the beach. Founded in 2015.

Dew Point Brewing Brewer: Cody Hoffman 2878 Creek Rd, Yorklyn, DE 19736 DewPointBrewing.com Delaware's only family-owned-and-operated micro-brewery specializing in Belgian-inspired beers served in a bucolic setting. Founded in 2016 in historic Garrett Snuff Mill.

36 FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

Dorcea Number of Beer on Tap: 14 1314 Washington St. Wilmington, DE 19801 Dorcea.com Owned and operated by two longtime hospitality experts, the Bomba brothers, Dorcea combines friendly bar service and a cozy restaurant experience with a focus on comfort food. Draft selection often showcases local breweries, and their can-and-bottle menu is a deep-dive into hard-to-find favorites from near and far.

Grain Number of Beer on Tap: 8 1709 Delaware Ave. Wilmington, DE 19806 MeetAtGrain.com One of six Grain locations in the state, Grain in Trolley Square features “Happier Hours” Wed-Fri, from 3-6pm with $4 domestic drafts and $5 most craft drafts. The Wednesday special is $10 smashburger and a beer; Team Trivia start at 7pm every Thursday night. Offers a dog-friendly patio during daylight hours.

Hangman Brewing Company Brewer: Brad Lee 2703 Philadelphia Pike Claymont, DE 19703 hangmanbrewing.com The company offers a range of juicy and hazy New Englandstyle IPAs as well as milkshake IPAs made with lactose. Founded in 2020.

Iron Hill Brewery Senior Head Brewer: Justin Sproul 620 Justison Street Wilmington, DE 19801 147 E. Main St., Newark, DE 19711 ironhillbrewery.com Nothing's more local than beer brewed 10 feet from your table and nothing is fresher than everything made from scratch every day. Iron Hill strives to have its craft beers and handcrafted foods inspire one another in unexpected ways. Now with 21 locations. Founded in 1996.

FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 37

THE PLAYERS continued from previous page

JAKL Beer Works Brewers: Andrew Kulp & Justin Lovuolo 128 Patriot Dr. Middletown, DE 19709 JaklBeerWorks.com A laidback, family- and dog-friendly taproom that features live music on Saturday nights plus other weekly events — like Poetry Night on Wednesdays and Trivia Nights on Thursdays. Also regularly features popular area food trucks like Tavola’s Thin Crust and Bul Jang BBQ. Founded in 2021.

Kelly’s Logan House Number of Beer on Tap: 17 1701 Delaware Ave. Wilminton, DE 19806 LoganHouse.com Although new to Greater Wilmington Beer Week, this venue has plenty of experience to its name. Kelly’s Logan House is both the oldest Irish bar in Delaware and the oldest, continuous family-owned Irish bar in the country. Offering weekly food and drink specials and brunch on the weekends, 11am-3pm.

Kid Shelleen’s (Trolley Square) Number of Beer on Tap: 13 14th and Scott Sts. Wilmington, DE 19806 HarrysHospitalityGroup.com A neighborhood bar and restaurant renowned for is flame-grilled burgers and award-winning brunch (weekends 10am-2:30pm), Kid Shelleen’s also offers Happy Hour from 4-6pm Mon-Fri. Featuring 31 beers, seltzers, and ciders in cans in bottles in addition to its draft selection.

Midnight Oil Brewing Company Brewer: Mike Dunlap 674 Pencader Dr., Newark, DE 19702 midnightoilbrewing.com Offering classic beer styles alongside culinarily inspired ales and lagers. Located between routes 896 and 40 in the Pencader Business Park and offers an on-site tasting room. Founded in 2018.

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Stitch House Brewery

Trolley Tap House

Brewer: Andrew Rutherford 829 N. Market St. Wilmington, DE 19801 stitchhousebrewery.com

Number of Beer on Tap: 31 1616 Delaware Ave. Wilmington, DE 19806 TrolleyTapHouse.com

A brewpub located in the heart of downtown Wilmington offering a rich array of food and beer. The name pays homage to the history of the building, which went from a coal house to an ice house to a garment store before becoming a restaurant/ brewery. Founded in 2018.

The Chancery Market Number of Beer on Tap: 6 1313 N. Market St. Wilmington, DE 19801 TheChanceryMarket.com It’s a meeting place, it’s a bar, and it’s a food hall offering seven diverse options including Mexican, Indian, Hawaiian/ Japanese, burgers, chicken, vegan and café/coffee. The Chancery also features Quizzo from 6-8pm on Wednesdays, Music Bingo 6-8pm on Thursdays, and Free Yoga every Sunday, 9-10am.

Open seven days a week from 3pm to 1am, Trolley Tap House boasts the largest craft selection in Trolley Square. Regular fun includes Music Video Bingo from 7-9pm on Tuesdays; Quizzo from 8-10pm on Wednesdays, and Live Band Karaoke from 9pm-1am on Sundays. Also featuring pool table, video games and a dog-friendly patio.

Twisted Irons Craft Brewing Brewer: Matt Found 303 Ruthar Drive, Suites E-F Newark, DE 19711 twistedironsbrewery.com Dedicated to creating many diverse styles of well-balanced and flavorful beers, including stouts, doppelbock, Belgian wit, IPAs, lagers, pilsners, and sours. Featuring live music regularly. Fullsized Golf Simulator with on-line tee time booking coming in 2024. TICBC four-pack cans in stores now. Founded in 2021.

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FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 39

THE PLAYERS continued from previous page

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Number of Beer on Tap: 20 2502 Foulk Rd. Wilmington, DE 19810 TwoStonesPub.com Part of a local restaurant chain that was the first in the area to serve a variety of craft beer from around the country with quality comfort food. Features a mug club, ever-changing Taco Tueday specials, and Sunday Brunch. Featuring area craft favorites along with select brews from its sister company, 2SP Brewing Co. in Aston, PA.

Washington Street Ale House Number of Beer on Tap: 24 1206 Washington St. Wilmington, DE 19801 WSAleHouse.com A Wilmington landmark since 1997, this ale house is open daily, offering Pasta Night (Mon), Burger Night (Tues), Crab Night (Wed) and Taco Thursdays. Last year it won “Best Late Night Menu” in the Best of Delaware Awards. Offers 35 canned and bottled beers and a considerably large area-craft selection on draft.

Wilmington Brew Works Brewer: Craig Wensell 3129 Miller Rd., Wilmington, DE 19802 wilmingtonbrewworks.com The only production brewery in Delaware’s largest city, housed in a 100year old former laboratory in the old 9th Ward. WBW is dedicated to keeping the spirit of the building’s origins alive with new and innovative ales, lagers, sours and ciders. Features a family-friendly taproom with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. 40 FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

WATCH

Brian McCann as Charles Dickens in his one-man show this month at The Delaware Comtemporary. Photo by Kyle Cassidy

Depp & Dickens City Theater Company provides boost to winter theater scene with a pair of original works by local actor-playwrights

he official date of City Theater Company’s 30th anniversary may not be until March, but there’s no time like the present for a creative contribution from the energetic Wilmingtonbased performance troupe. So, from February 21-24, CTC will present a pair of unique and original one-person shows: Johnny Depp: A Retrospective On Late-Stage Capitalism by Jenna Kuerzi and Generous Fire: Charles Dickens In America by Brian McCann. Each play is entirely conceived, written, and performed by the playwright, with the authors taking on the respective titular character of the real-life person.

“Throughout our 30-year history, [CTC] has been a proud champion of new plays and playwrights,” says artistic director Kerry Kristine McElrone. “We have produced several world premieres, workshopping full plays from page to stage, and through our One-Act and Ten-Minute Play Festivals, we’ve given voice to many playwrights, both those established and those just starting out.”

Johnny Depp: A Retrospective On Late-Stage Capitalism stars Kuerzi as Depp, in full Jack Sparrow regalia, as the preteen heartthrob turned wino forever — offering a retrospective on every film in his entire career, even the ones we didn’t watch, in order to ask . . . what happened? A satirical PowerPoint "extravaganza” that is part ritual and part drunken singalong, the play features throwing things at random intervals, ► FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 41

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DEPP & DICKENS continued from previous page

“fabulous” prizes, and a celebrity circus the audience keeps tuning in to. Generous Fire: Charles Dickens In America stars McCann as Dickens in a fictionalized lecture at one of the author’s late-in-life public readings in the U.S. While the presentation is a flight of the imagination, the circumstances are true and nearly all the words spoken come from Dickens himself. The celebrated writer has already survived one stroke, but the end of his life is imminent. The strain of his second American tour has proven too much for him, and his doctor has become his sole traveling companion. The public mask slips, and we catch a glimpse of things "Boz" would never willingly present to his public. Both Kuerzi and McCann are successful Philadelphia-based actors. Kuerzi is known to CTC audiences for her work here in Sunday In the Park With George, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Xanadu, and Bat Boy: The Musical. McCann is making his CTC debut and performs regularly throughout the region and with ComedySportz Philadelphia. “Supporting new and original work is a critical part of CTC's mission, and as Artistic Director I am thrilled that these two plays and their authors are joining the many voices we have been privileged to partner with over the past 30 years in this respect,” says McElrone. — All shows are at The Delaware Contemporary (200 S. Madison St., Wilm.) Johnny Depp: A Retrospective On LateStage Capitalism shows Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 8pm and Saturday, Feb. 24 at 2pm. Generous Fire: Charles Dickens In America shows Thursday, Feb. 22 at 8pm and Saturday, Feb.24 at 8pm. Tickets are $30; military/students are $25 with ID. Visit City-Theater.org

LISTEN

FOR THE LOVE OF

PHISH

A longtime fan and Out & About contributor explains why he’s excited about Phish coming to Delaware this summer — and why you should be, too

By John D. Holton

hat is that hum? Is that the crowd or the electricity of anticipation coursing through me? The lights go down, the audience roars. We have lift off! Phish has taken the stage...

Every time I get to see Phish perform live, it's an exhilarating adventure. You never know what to expect, and that’s one of the reasons I keep coming back. For me, going to a Phish show is like celebrating your birthday with 20,000 of your closest friends. A good friend introduced me to Phish’s music in 1992, and by the time I saw my first show in 1993, I was hooked. Now after 30 years, and having attended well over 200 shows, I’m grateful for the journey. On August 15-18, Phish will be holding a festival the band is calling Mondegreen at The Woodlands in Dover. It will be their first time returning to Delaware since 1994 and the first Phish festival since 2015, which alone is a big deal. The fact that this is happening right here in our backyard is super exciting for me. If you’re not as familiar with Phish as I am, here are a few reasons I think you should be excited, too.

PHISH IS LEGENDARY

On New Year’s Eve 12/31/23, Phish celebrated 40 years as of the premier touring bands on the planet. Enduring longer than some of the greatest bands in recent history, Phish continues to achieve new heights in the mastery of their craft — distinguishing themselves as the industry standard. Phish was founded in 1983 at the University of Vermont by guitarist Trey Anastasio, bassist Mike Gordon, drummer Jon Fishman, and guitarist Jeff Holdsworth (keyboardist Page McConnell would join in 1985 and Holdsworth would depart in 1986). The self-proclaimed music nerds held their first show in a cafeteria in front of only a handful of people. ►

Above: Writer John D. Holton with his wife, Dawn Moore, at an outdoor Phish show. At left: Songs take flight at Phish's recent New Year's Eve show at Madison Square Garden. Photo at left by Mike Doris FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 43

FOR THE LOVE OF FISH

continued from previous page Despite the modest start, bigger things were in store for the band. Over the next 15 years, the band released seven albums and toured tirelessly — to great success. In 1999, more than 80,000 fans gathered for Phish’s Big Cypress New Year’s festival in Florida. To date, they have performed more than 1,700 live shows worldwide. In April, Phish will be the second band to perform at The Sphere in Las Vegas, performing four sold-out shows.

PHISH IS AN EXPERIENCE

Phish creates performances wrought with virtuosic musicianship, intricately choreographed light effects, and sometimes the pageantry of a show one would expect to see in a Broadway theater. Working in lockstep with their light designer Chris Kuroda — often called the fifth member of the band — Phish creates a landscape of sight and sound. They dazzle with cerebral compositions both manic and melodic, topped with mystical-themed lyricism that can move from intensely profound to nonsensical and full of whimsy. Always on display is the band’s sense of humor, with their silly stage antics and comical gags. On special occasions they pull out all the stops, incorporating dance troupes, acrobatic high-wire acts, guest performers and elaborate set design. As they incorporate genres of rock, jazz, prog-rock, reggae, and funk into their improvisational jams, no two shows are ever alike. All of this makes a live Phish performance something that needs to be experienced to be truly understood.

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Devotedly following a band for this long is certainly an investment, the dividend being Phish’s indisputable commitment to their fans. Phish will be the first to tell you how much their community of fans means to them, and they actively try to foster that sense of community. From their overarching message of love and hope to their many partnerships with community groups and non-profit organizations, the band has fermented a base of fans that genuinely care for one another and the world we live in. We bask in the comradery, reveling in the common interest of coming together to dance and sing, and be our carefree selves. Being yourself is not only accepted but encouraged, and all are welcome. Through this band, I have forged some of my most endearing friendships and have had some of my happiest moments. Ultimately, it’s this that keeps me coming back. And as long as they continue to perform, I will keep showing up. I’ll be attending all four nights of the Trey Anastasio (front) and Phish actively work Phish festival at The Woodlands. And if to foster a sense of community among their intensely loyal fan base. Photo by Rene Humer you are new to Phish, I encourage you to dip your toe and listen to a few songs. Or, better yet, jump into the deep end and come to the festival. Join us and surrender to the flow. I’ll see you there! — Tickets for Mondegreen, the four-day Phish Festival at The Woodlands in Dover are now on sale. Visit Mondegreen.Phish.com

LISTEN

The Energizer Mike Koh is once again adding life to the local music scene — this time from his basement By Matt Morrissette

hen the Jackson Inn closed in March 2023, the legendary Wilmington bar was a mainstay for original live music in northern Delaware. After a lull brought about by pandemic-related venue closures and ownership changes, the scene had finally regained momentum and its sense of community with the Inn as its hub. A key player in that resurgence was Mike Koh, a local musician and booker. Today, Koh is working to energize the local scene once again by inviting bands into his home in North Wilmington. In Koh’s rough-and-ready basement, he is streaming performances and recording sessions under the Koh Show Live banner. To call Koh a jack-of-all-trades is a true understatement. He is a one-man, one-stop shop for all things music related in Delaware. Assuming you’re not already in a band with him (he’s an in-demand guitarist as a member of the three-guitar army MEGA, the post-punk quartet STRVWMVN, and as a bassist in the indie rock trio Mothman Properties), he may very well be the skilled luthier that set up or brought new life to your guitar or bass through his imprint, Koh Guitars. ► Mike Koh (4th from right) with the crew that makes Koh Show Live happen. Photo courtesy Mike Koh FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 45

THE ENERGIZER

continued from previous page His latest bit of inspiration struck out of necessity — and with a little help from his friends —when in January 2023 (with the closure of The Jackson Inn looming) an otherwise typical Monday night band practice for another of Koh’s bands, Dirt Bagel Fist, was streamed to the Twitch app using a laptop and a couple of webcams. From this casual effort, a new paradigm for giving local original music exposure was created. And Koh is as surprised as he is thankful for the rapid growth and unconditional local embrace of the endeavor. “Our first real show was February 20th of 2023 and featured Dirt Bagel Fist and punk rockers Penny Death as our first guest artist,” says Koh, who has been playing in bands since age 15. “We didn’t have a name yet, but we had established a two-band format. That first show kicked Mike Koh (r) has been playing in area bands since high school. off a 44-week run featuring 40 live episodes with 79 live performances from 72 different artists. “None of us knew what we were doing at the time, but And it’s fitting that the first full album release produced, we kept moving forward and growing to the crew of 15 that keeps the wheels moving. My biggest takeaway thus far is engineered, mixed, and mastered in Mike Koh’s basement that building and supporting community is a group effort, features the first band to appear on the first official episode of Koh Show Live — Penny Death. Featuring songwriter Corey and that we have an amazing team.” Having given bands a new way to share their music with Spencer on guitar and vocals (with healthy doses of sarcasm potential new fans and a convenient method for presenting their and cultural criticism), Tyler Spencer on drums and Barry live show to promoters, it’s logical the Koh Show studio (which Loving on bass, the trio began their journey a decade ago as has been thoughtfully cobbled together from donated equipment a guitar-and-drums duo called Digital Detox before adding by the very people that put the show together) has become a go-to Loving’s thunderous low-end a few years back. Not surprisingly, the idea of doing the project together spot for local bands to record their songs for release.

46 FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

happened long ago at The Jackson Inn, where Koh not only booked the bands but mixed live sound, performed and even tended bar in a pinch. However, mutual affection for Weezer’s Pinkerton record seems to have led to the collaboration. “Over the months of shows at the Inn, the Penny Death crew and I talked albums and guitar pedals, watched each other’s bands, and lamented the empty nights with great performances,” says Koh. “We talked Weezer one night, and I professed my love for Pinkerton, and how it feels like you’re in the room with the band as they plow through 35 minutes of material from top to bottom. That conversation planted the seed that turned into me producing this record.” With a common ethos established, Koh and the band recorded basic tracks for the 16 songs live in a couple of days. Vocals and backing vocals were overdubbed in the moment and generally in one take. According to Corey Spencer, the recording process was not only musically fulfilling, but genuinely therapeutic. “At the risk of being dramatic, the couple of days we took to lay down the instrumental tracks brought me back from a pretty dark place I was in at that time,” says Spencer. “It was an intensely positive and life-affirming experience for everyone in the band, and I credit a lot of that to Mike Koh’s attitude. He’s the nicest guy, and he has a great ear.” The resulting album, Kind of Like a Home, was released in late 2023 on cassette as well as to all major streaming platforms. The band celebrated with a triumphant pre-Christmas record release show with Delaware garage rock legends, Kitty Rotten. As for the future of Koh Show Live, the plan is to return on March 4 following a special night of live performances on March 2 at The Kennett Flash in Kennett Square, Pa. Also, expect a slew of new releases this year from Delaware bands featuring Koh’s production touch, including PinWheel, Red Smith, Edgewater Avenue, MEGA, and STRVWMVN.

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LISTEN

TUNEDIN SHINE A LIGHT ROCKS QUEEN WITH THE SOUNDS OF 1984

all it a tribute to ‘80s rock royalty — with essential nods to Prince, The Boss, and Madonna, and a court full of other pop and rock icons. On Saturday, March 2, more than 70 local musicians will join forces on stage at The Queen to resurrect the sounds of 1984 while raising money for local music programs that directly impact Delaware’s underserved youth. This marks the 12th show in the annual series. Voted Best of Delaware’s Best Fundraiser in 2019, the concert typically sells out every year. “The rehearsals are hard work, but fun, then the show becomes a total party environment,” says musician Tony Cappella, who has managed the past four Shine A Light concerts and will oversee this one. “The ultimate thrill is seeing the money we raised going to the charities we pick. That’s incredibly rewarding!” Last year, nearly $58,000 was raised, all of which was donated by the Light Up The Queen organization to six worthy music education programs in the area: The Choir School of Delaware, Christina Cultural Arts Center, Cityfest, Inc., The Grand Opera House, Kingswood Community Center, and Reed’s Refuge Center. The concert starts at 8pm, but the popular VIP party starts at 6pm. The VIP ticket also includes gourmet hors d'oeuvres, open bar, views from the balcony, and pit access. For ticket link and more information about Light Up The Queen, visit LightUpTheQueen.org.

LOCAL LUTHIER LAUNCHES GUITAR EXHIBIT IN LAS VEGAS

nown in the music industry for his colorful and conceptual “hot-rod” guitars, Wilmington’s Jim Cara makes a splash this month in Las Vegas, exhibiting his imaginative works in one of the wildest spaces off The Strip — KISS WORLD. Cara’s “The Art of Guitar” exhibit will debut February 17 and 18 at Rio Hotel & Casino’s KISS WORLD, the home to the largest public collection of KISS memorabilia in the world. “I set my sights on that being the place to first show my work,” Cara says. “It’s the finest place for my audience and quickly becoming a destination much like the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. “I was not going to take another alternative. I was going to make it happen there, first, and if it did not, I’d know I didn’t work hard enough or just didn’t have the talent to make them notice.” The exhibit is unique in that it features an “integration of removable guitars seamlessly blended into iconic pop-culture wall art.” In one piece, a clear guitar with eerie green lights illuminates a reproduction of the movie poster of the ‘30s classic The Invisible Man. In another, the poster Attach of the 50 Ft. Woman features the giant star of the film towering over a panic-filled highway, reaching for a skyscrapersized instrument blended into the scene. It’s a new artistic avenue for Cara, who has designed custom guitars for the likes of famous rockers Lita Ford, Cheap Trick and Brad Gillis. Cara has also worked as a guitar designer for the Gene Simmons Axe Company. For more information or to purchase an original, visit JimCara.com.

48 FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

SPOKEY SPEAKY CELEBRATES BOB MARLEY

eeping up with a years-long tradition, reggae band Spokey Speaky will honor the birthday of Bob Marley on Friday, February 2 at The Queen. In addition to Marley’s music and other reggae favorites, expect to hear some Spokey Speaky originals as well. For tickets and more info, visit TheQueenWilmington.com.

THE DUSTIN MANUCCI TRIO RELEASES MIDNIGHT ANGEL MUSIC VIDEO

he Dustin Manucci Trio has something sweet planned for Valentine’s Day. On Wednesday, February 14, the band will release on YouTube a music video for its new single “Midnight Angel.” Boasting fun, ‘80s-rock vibes, the single was teased on Mark Rogers’ Hometown Heroes radio program in December. “I always thought of ‘Midnight Angel’ as a secret love affair or a secret crush,” says Manucci. “Or something very toxic, but a fiery good time.” “Midnight Angel” comes less than a year after the band put out its first EP, Buy The Rumor, Sell the News, which featured four songs including the Southern-rock tinged “Bed on Fire.” In November 2022, the band released the scorching instrumental, “Epica Suite.” In addition to YouTube, The Dustin Manucci Trio has pages on Facebook, Spotify and Bandcamp.

BIG FEBRUARY FOR ARDEN GILD

he Arden Concert Gild is bringing three significant shows next month, starting with the West African music of Gambian Griots: Jali Bakary Konteh & Maf Conteh on Friday, February 2. On Saturday, February 10, legendary bassist Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, King Crimson) performs in Stick Men: Tony Levin, Pat Mastelotto, Markus Reuter. Then on Saturday, February 24, Stanley Jordan brings his elegant jazz guitar musings to the Gild Hall stage. Tickets for all shows are available at ArdenConcerts.com.

FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW .COM 49

THE CITY A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO OUT & ABOUT MAGAZINE

WILMINGTON NAMED ‘AMERICAN WORLD WAR II HERITAGE CITY’

ilmington has been designated as an “American World War II Heritage City” for 2023 by the National Park Service. The Service’s American World War II Heritage City Program (AWWIIHC) honors the contributions of local towns, cities, and counties, as well as commemorates the stories of the men, women, and children whose bravery and sacrifices helped shape the U.S. home front during WWII and still impact our country today. Wilmington was one of 11 cities/ jurisdictions added to the list in 2023. “Wilmington certainly played a played a critical role throughout the course of the Second World War,” said Mayor Purzycki, “and this special recognition is a well- DHS Dravo Wilmington LST under construction, deserved acknowledgement of our place in that history. Wilmingtonians enlisted February 23, 1944. Photo courtesy Del. Historical Society in the military, conserved at home, raised funds through massive Bond Drives, and worked in our City’s shipyards and other factories among their many other contributions. And as you travel throughout Wilmington you will see that history honored and preserved — from Dravo Plaza along the Christina River to the Walnut Street YMCA to the former E.I. de DuPont Nemours Co. headquarters to Timothy Duffield’s World War II Memorial in H.B. duPont Plaza. My own office window overlooks the Holocaust Memorial that has graced Freedom Plaza since 1979 and which serves as a somber reminder of that human tragedy and the lessons it has bequeathed us. Those lessons, sadly, need to be revisited today as much as they ever have.” Mayor Purzycki thanked the City’s Historic Preservation Planner Debra Martin for her hard work and dedication in preparing Wilmington’s application for this program in Aug. 2023. The AWWIIHC was established by the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act of 2019.

MAYOR STATEMENT ON PASSING OF TED BLUNT

ed Blunt [was] a dear and consequential man who was beloved by so many, and whose public service career was so very important for the City of Wilmington and its people. Remembered as a committed public servant, skilled politician, gifted athlete, and dedicated educator, Ted was all of these and so much more. Wilmington has suffered a tremendous loss. We will hold Ted in our collective heart forever. “Ted Blunt was a humble and steadfast servant of the people of Wilmington on City Council for nearly a quarter-century — beginning as the First District Council Member (1985-2000) and then eight years as Council President (2001-2008). During that time, he led by example and, with selflessness and grace, worked to forge consensus among his Council colleagues and create partnerships for the

NEWEST POLICE OFFICERS TAKE OATH OF OFFICE

he seven graduates of the 102nd Wilmington Police Academy took the oath of The 102nd Wilmington Police Academy Graduating Class: office in January in a ceremony held at the JPMorgan Chase Bldg. that included (from l-r) Capitol Police Steven Plank; Trasina Miller; Christian Shannon Fletcher; Master Sergeant Aaron Metzner family, friends, and supporters of the new Wilmington Police officers. The new Gonzalez; (Academy staff); John Gordy III; Ayanna Thompson; officers are Shannon Fletcher, Christian Gonzalez, John Gordy III, Michael Michael Leonard; Destiny Snow-Ramos. Leonard, Trasina Miller, Destiny Snow-Ramos, and Ayanna Thompson. The graduation also marked the completion of the Academy for Steven Plank of the Delaware Capitol Police. “Chief Campos and I are extremely thankful to these seven new officers for choosing a career of such importance to the residents of Wilmington and to everyone who works in or visits our City,” said Mayor Mike Purzycki. “This job can be challenging, stressful and, at times, unforgiving, but it is also one of the most rewarding forms of public service there is. It takes courage, stamina, and concern for others to successfully protect and defend our communities, and I have no doubt that these young men and women will serve the department and the people of Wilmington well. They have my admiration and support as they join what I firmly believe is one of the finest police departments in the entire country.” “We are proud to welcome these men and women to the Wilmington Police Department and are excited to support them as they embark upon a career in public service,” said Chief Wilfredo Campos. “At a time when recruitment is one of the biggest challenges facing police departments across the country, these recruits stepped up and answered our call – and we appreciate their decision to dedicate their careers to protecting and serving Wilmington.” The application process for the 103rd Wilmington Police Academy is now open! The deadline to submit your application is March 1, and you can learn more and apply online today at www.WilmingtonDE.gov/PoliceAcademy.

good of his constituents Citywide. With a smile as big as his heart, he was a rare politician who seemingly had not one single enemy. “Above all, Ted was deeply devoted to his family, and it is with them that our hearts rest. On behalf of the entire City, I extend my deepest sympathies to his wife, Alice, brother John and sister Catherine, his three daughters Lisa, Thea, and Marla, and his grandchildren and greatgrandchild – and to his many friends and loved ones. Wilmington is unlikely to see such a man of character and force for good as Ted Blunt anytime soon, if ever, and he leaves behind a City that is unquestionably better for his passion and his service. “I will miss his friendship and his counsel, and while we all mourn his passing let us take time to celebrate and take inspiration from his life and the lasting legacy he leaves behind.”

Mayor Mike Purzycki with his friend, the late Ted Blunt.

FEBRUARY 2024 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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