July 2022 - Good, Good, Good, Good Libations! by outandabout

The Raw Deal at Area Restaurants

The Grass is Greener at Ramsey's Farm

A Spirited Trail Through Delaware

, d o o G , d o o G , d o o G

D O G O IONS! T A B I L

tion c a f o e v irits! xt wa p e s n & e s h t e n h Catc ers, wi e b r e m with sum

JULY 2022 COMPLIMENTARY

JULY 8

Recline

ON THE

RIVERFRONT

Secure your s e at s at www.pe n n cin e m a.com

presented by

A Downtown Newark Summer Tradition

Saturday, July 30 • Noon-7pm

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Ali Baba Caffe Gelato Deer Park Tavern Grotto Pizza Hamilton’s on Main Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant Klondike Kate’s Sante Fe Mexican Grille Stone Balloon Ale House Taverna Rustic Italian The Delaware Growler Timothy’s of Newark

SPECIAL MEN U S TAILORED TO MORE THAN

40 CRAFT

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PLUS: HOPS & SHOPS SIDEWALK SALE!

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CELEBRATE INDIGENOUS CULTURE AT THE DELAWARE ART MUSEUM.

delart.org/indigenous

Summer exhibitions: In Conversation: Will Wilson and Indigenous Faces of Wilmington Powwow of Arts and Culture on July 23 In Conversation: Will Wilson is organized by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, with generous support provided by Art Bridges. This exhibition and its related programming are sponsored by M&T Bank. This exhibition is made possible in Delaware by the Emily du Pont Exhibition Fund. Indigenous Faces of Wilmington support provided by Art Bridges and the Museum Council. Additional support was provided, 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. Image, left: Will Wilson (born 1969). How the West is One, 2014, printed 2016. Archival pigment print from wet plate collodion scan, 24 × 36 inches. Collection of the artist. Artwork © Will Wilson Art & Photo, LLC. Image, middle: India Colon Diaz, Boricua Taina by Andre’ L. Wright Jr., 2022.

Your future is in your hands. Del Tech makes Delaware. And with an affordable, flexible education leading to in-demand healthcare careers, we can also help your future come into focus. Start a conversation with an academic advisor today. Visit dtcc.edu.

6 JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

2 INSIDE 2

Out & About Magazine Vol. 35 | No. 5

START 8 What Readers Are Saying

9 War on Words 11 FYI 13 Play The Numbers 17 Art Loop Wilmington 19 A Growing Tradition at Ramsey’s Farm 23 Murals Brighten Trolley Square

FOCUS 26 Good, Good, Good, Good Libations

DRINK

34 Delaware Invites You to Hop on the Trail

Published each month by TSN Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Contact@TSNPub.com Wilmington, DE 19801 Publisher Gerald duPhily • jduphily@tsnpub.com Director of Publications Jim Miller • jmiller@tsnpub.com Contributing Editor Bob Yearick • ryearick@comcast.net Creative Director & Production Manager Matthew Loeb, Catalyst Visuals, LLC Digital Services Director Michael O’Brian

Contributing Writers Adriana Camacho-Church, JulieAnne Cross, David Ferguson, Mark Fields, Pam George, Lauren Golt, Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald, Ken Mammarella, Matt Morrissette, John Murray, Larry Nagengast, Kevin Noonan, Leeann Wallett Contributing Photographers Jim Coarse, Justin Heyes and Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography, Butch Comegys, Lindsay duPhily, Matthew Loeb, Matt Urban Special Projects John Holton, Cullen Robinson, Bev Zimmermann

EAT 43 The Raw Deal

LISTEN 49 Revisit the ‘60s at Weekend at Bertha’s 53 Kevin Jackson’s Smooth Move

PLAY 54 Fill in the Blanks

WATCH 55 Picnic With Shakespeare

WILMINGTON 58 In the City 60 On the Riverfront

Cover design and illustrations by Matthew Loeb

EVENTS CALENDAR

All new inWilmDE.com coming this month.

Digital Subscription

Printed on recycled paper.

Editorial & advertising info: 302.655.6483 • Fax 302.654.0569 outandaboutnow.com • contact@tsnpub.com JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

START

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING About What’s Next for the Riverfront? By Ken Mammarella, June 2022 "What percentage of the proposed houses and apartments will be set aside as affordable housing for low- to moderateincome seniors?" — Gary Bloomer (Facebook) About Showtime (The Nomad is Back...) By JulieAnne Cross, June 2022

KRESTON & WINE

SPIRITS

Est. 1933 Delaware’s Oldest Liquor Store

"Our fave neighborhood bar!" — @artsinmedia (Instagram) About FYI - Drone Soccer Coming to Delaware By O&A Staff, May 2022 "Finally! This is an example of the recreational items we need around here and more of that are robust!" — @WilmingtonBoy112 (Instagram) About Sound Approach By Ken Mammarella, May 2022 "Liana is so amazing with the singing bowls. I highly recommend her, it’s such a relaxing and cleansing experience." — Kiana Drake (LinkedIn)

Family-Owned for Four Generations Large Selection of Wine, Spirits & Beer Curbside Service Available MIDDLETOWN 448 E. Main Street Middletown, DE 19709 Tel: (302) 376-6123

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

KRESTONWINES.COM 8 JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

| InWilmDE.com

About Comfort in the Storm By Jim Miller, May 2022 "I remember when I wrote in this manner. I was 12 or 13 and I thought I was being cute and clever." — Boden Day (Letter) About Lombardi Legend Starts Here By Bob Yearick, April 2022 "It was unusual, and welcome to see a sports article in the magazine. I have shared copies of the article with several of my alumni friends who were also members of the football team. I will take the article to the Salesianum “Golden Oldies Luncheon” to share with many others who graduated from ‘Sallies’ more than 50 years ago." — Michael D. Nardozzi, Sr. (Letter)

HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? SEND US A MESSAGE! contact@tsnpub.com • OutAndAboutNow.com

START

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

Compiled from the popular column in Out & About Magazine

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

THE DOUBLE SUPERLATIVE . . .

. . . is alive and well among Philadelphia’s sports broadcasters. Recent examples: •Former Eagle Barrett Brooks, now an analyst for NBC Sports Philadelphia, noted that last year’s Eagles “were one of the most healthiest teams we’ve seen in a long time.” •Andrew Salciunas, talk show co-host on 97.5 The Fanatic, opined that “Scrubs was one of the least funniest shows ever.”

MOST UNIQUE, VERY UNIQUE

A reader asks us to remind all you word warriors that “it is not correct to describe something as the most unique, or even very unique, a common error.” Example: A recent ad for The Bradford Exchange, which calls itself “The most unique selection of fine collectibles, perfect gifts and more.” Unique means the only one of its kind; unlike anything else. Thus, there are no degrees of unique.

JUST SAYIN’

•Peruse means pretty much the opposite of what most people think it means. It does not mean to skim a book or article or other piece of writing. It means to read it thoroughly or carefully. •You should not pronounce the t in often. You don’t pronounce it in listen, glisten or soften, do you?

MEDIA WATCH

•David Letterman, in his Netflix show My Next Guest, told Billy Eilish: “Power emulates from you.” Dave meant emanates. Emulate means to copy or imitate. •Peter MacArthur, on WDEL: “When police arrived to the scene . . .“ When did this trend begin, substituting “arrived to” for the traditional “arrived at”? •Headline during weather forecast on 6ABC Philadelphia: “The peek of heat arrives tomorrow.” That’s peak (highest, topmost). Peek means a glance or quick look. (And no, it doesn’t have to be preceded by sneak.) •Editor’s note from an online sports report: “Hey, we’re covering tennis! And wrestling! And baseball! Hope you guys have enjoyed the coverage of perepherial sports this spring . . .” This is an especially creative spelling of peripheral (outlying, marginal, minor). It’s usually misspelled and mispronounced as peripheal.

Word of the Month

Piscine Pronounced PY-seen, it’s an adjective meaning fishy.

By Bob Yearick

•Copy editors at Dutton dropped the ball in this passage from Harlan Coben’s novel Missing You: “Titus would pretend he was a soldier being deployed and needing to sell a vehicle . . ., sending perspective buyers bogus registration and information.” That’s prospective. •We often pick on USA TODAY (and rightfully so), but we need to acknowledge a rarity on its pages: Melissa Ruggieri’s correct use of penultimate in her review of the next to last episode of This Is Us, describing it as “the exquisite penultimate episode (‘The Train’).” (Not being fans of cry porn, we’ll take her word for it.)

UBIQUITOUS ICONIC

As I watched the Today show’s coverage of Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee, I was reminded of long-time reader Walt DelGiorno, who over the years has railed against the incessant, and often questionable, use of iconic to describe all manner of people and things. Sure enough, Today reporters noted “the iconic balcony” on Buckingham Palace, and “the iconic shot” of that balcony. Walt’s current irritant is a commercial for the all-electric Cadillac, which concludes by urging viewers to “Be Iconic.” Asks Walt: “How can you ‘be iconic’? It seems like whether you are an icon or iconic would be determined by other people, and I don’t think just driving an electric Cadillac would do it.” Asked if we could use his name, Walt replied: “Sure. Perhaps if you use it enough I’ll become an icon.”

DEPARTMENT OF REDUNDANCIES DEPT.

•Hoda Kotb reported on NBC’s Today that “the whole entire team lined up” when a lacrosse player who had been ill returned to competition. “Whole entire” is a silly redundancy that no professional broadcaster should utter. •Steve Shaw, the NCAA national coordinator of officials, quoted in USA TODAY: “Some of these issues in our game are intertwined together.” •Caption in USA TODAY: “Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky says a push from his friend, Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, helped push him into a broadcasting career.” The repetition could’ve been avoided with an edit, such as “helped persuade him to go into broadcasting.”

Follow me on Twitter: @thewaronwords

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

Buy The War on Words book at the Hockessin Book Shelf (hockessinbookshelf.com) or on Amazon, or email me.

10 JUNE 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

START Things worth knowing

GREENWAYS LAUNCHES BAYSHORE BYWAYS

elaware Greenways has launched a new website that provides a window to the 100-mile coastal area of Delaware’s Bayshore and introduces you to this National Scenic Byway designated in 2021. DelawareBayshoreByway. org introduces 19th-century discovery zones, small towns and natural areas that welcome visitors. It introduces attractions and itineraries by interest, from birding, history, beaches and preserves to kayaking, hunting, fishing, and camping.

Area restaurants will fight for bragging rights when Burger Battle returns to Rockford Park on Aug. 27. Photo by Allessandra

THE BATTLE IS ON!

he Delaware Burger Battle has returned after a pandemic hiatus with its ninth back-to-annual charity food competition. This tasting event for families and foodies is set for Saturday, August 27 at noon under the tower at Wilmington’s Rockford Park. All proceeds from this all-volunteer-run event will support Delaware charities, including the Food Bank of Delaware and the ProStart Program of the Delaware Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. Sample every burger and vote for your favorite. A ticket includes adult beverages and soft drinks, music and a great time. Visit DeBurgerBattle.com.

RESTAURANT STAFF HAVE A BALL AT THE DRA BOCCE TOURNAMENT

wenty-eight restaurant teams took to the bocce courts at Delaware Turf in June for the Delaware Restaurant Association’s 12th annual Bocce Tournament. Team Half Full (pizzeria & wine bar, Lewes) took home the Bocce Cup and became the event’s second three-peat champion. "This event truly embodies the spirit of the hospitality industry as one that comes together to enjoy camaraderie and great food and drink, while cheering on their employees and benefiting local communities,” said Carrie Leishman, president & CEO for the DRA. “It's a great day that our restaurant members look forward to every year.” Team Half Full’s designated charity, The Historic Lewes Farmers Market, received a $1,000 donation from the Delaware Restaurant Association.

Members of the Dogfish Head and Grain teams show their colors — and sense of humor — at the annual DRA Bocce Tournament. Photo courtesy Delaware Restaurant Association

UNIQUE FOOD BANK PROGRAM FOCUSES ON CULINARY TRAINING

he Food Bank of Delaware is offering a Summer Culinary Exploration Program from July 25-Aug. 19 for students ages 1621 with intellectual disabilities. The program gives students an assist with career exploration and helps them prepare for adult life. Students will receive a range of instruction, from hands-on cooking experience to knife identification to guest chefs and field trips. In order to qualify, students must have a documented disability and be enrolled in school. The program runs Monday thru Thursday (9am-1:30pm) at the Food Bank’s Newark and Milford locations. Visit FBD.org/preets. JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 11

A LIVELY TRADITION IN BRANDYWINE VILLAGE

A + COMMUNITY IN NEW CASTLE, DELAWARE

Starting from the $400‘s* Whether you are interested in rancher-style homes that offer ease and comfort, multi-level homes with a first-floor owner‘s suite that offer space for entertaining family, or townhomes that offer comfortable first-floor living, Gemcraft Homes can help make your next move the best one yet.

randywine Village Market returns for its seventh season on Tuesday evenings (5-7:30pm) beginning July 12 and continuing through Sept. 27. The market will take place at Brandywine Mills Plaza (19th & Market streets) and feature live music, vendors, children’s activities as well as beer, wine and Steel Blu Vodka drinks. The White Clay Tributary performs July 12, Tony “Big Cat” Smith July 19 and What The Funk (July 26). Visit OldBrandywineVillage.org.

HISTORIC NEW CASTLE COURT HOUSE MUSEUM REOPENS TO VISITORS

ne of the oldest active courthouses in the U.S. has reopened for public visitation. The New Castle Court House Museum closed in December for the installation of a fire sprinkler system throughout the historic building. Built in 1732, the Court House and was Delaware’s first capitol and it was here that New Castle, Kent and Sussex Counties declared their independence from Pennsylvania and England and thereby creating the Delaware State. Located at 211 Delaware Street in Historic New Castle, the Court House Museum is a partner site in the First State National Park. Admission is free and hours are Wed-Sat (10am-4pm) and Sun. (1:30-4:30pm). Tours run hourly. Visit History.Delaware.gov.

Gemcraft Homes‘ premier 55+ community clubhouse offers many amenities including... Sports Bar

Gathering Rooms

DELAWARE SOFTBALL HALL OF FAME ADDS THREE

Indoor Pool & Whirlpool

tandout softball players Charlie Emerson, Greg Donophan and Jerry Grasso are the most recent inductees into the Delaware Softball Hall of Fame. All three have been involved in the sport for more than four decades and played on numerous league and state championship teams. The DSHOF was created in 1999 and holds a banquet biennially to recognize outstanding contributions to a game that was Delaware’s most popular adult sport in the 1980s thru early 1990s. At one point, more than 800 nationallysanctioned softball teams played in the state. Today’s DSHOF includes more 43 members. For a list of members visit LeagueLineup.com/DESoftballHOF

Plus more great clubhouse amenities that offer endless opportunities for socializing with neighbors. * Prices, terms, and availability subject to change without notice or obligation. See Community Sales Manager for more information. Illustrations are artists concepts and may vary in detail from Floorplans and speciﬁcations. Information while deemed accurate at publication is not guaranteed and is subject to change without notice.

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12 JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

| InWilmDE.com

MORE ON THE KOZY KORNER

n our July issue feature, Still Cooking: Kozy Korner celebrates a century of feeding Wilmington, we neglected to mention that Peter Laskaris was co-founder of the original Kozy Korner in 1922.

Play The Numbers! Win Cool Stuff! Backyard BBQs 1. You have 4 packages of hot dogs. How many packages of rolls do you need so you have the exact amount needed for each hot dog? 3 4 5

2. What year was the Weber grill invented? 1947 1952 1956

3. How many hours can potato salad (with mayo) stay out unrefrigerated? 2 4 6

4. EB Kingsford & Henry Ford made the first charcoal briquets from auto plants' scraps in what decade? 1900s 1920s 1930s

Make summer even cooler

5. The average American eats how many hamburgers per year? 12 36 60

6. The modern picnic table with attached benches was patented in what year? 1895 1903 1910

1. Select your answers 2. Take photo of this page 3. Upload at: OutAndAboutNow.com/Numbers 4. Or complete online: OutAndAboutNow.com/Numbers Five winners randomly selected from correct answers win a 4-pack of Instant Games tickets.

delottery.com It’s the Law: You must be 18 years of age or older to purchase Delaware Lottery tickets. Play Responsibly: If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the Delaware Council on Gambling Problems Helpline: 1-888-850-8888 or visit deproblemgambling.org.

Last month's winners: Nicole Hughes, Gillian Palmer, Judith Carinci, Pete Ford, Joe Girard

JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

0% interest loans up to $15k!

Delaware 0% interest loans up to $15k! Wilmington Alliance and Cornerstone West CDC have joined forces to launch Kiva Delaware! Delaware's first-ever Kiva hub will serve entrepreneurs and business owners who do not have access to funding from traditional lenders. Kiva harnesses its crowdfunding platform to provide zero percent interest loans to small businesses and entrepreneurs in need. Help us address the barriers that many face in accessing business capital. Your donation will support this local hub, as we work to make a difference for Delaware's entrepreneurs! To learn more and to donate, please visit: www.wilmingtonalliance.org/kiva or donate using the QR code.

WILMINGTONALLIANCE.ORG

JULY 30

JULY 31

10am - 5pm

10am - 4pm

pacrafts.org

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS

“The rarer action is in virtue than in vengeance.” The Del Shakes Summer Festival is back! Join us for Shakespeare’s mystical tale of forgiveness and family.

JULY 15-31, 2022 ROCKWOOD PARK • WILMINGTON, DE PAY-WHAT-YOU-DECIDE TICKETS $10 / $20 / $30

DELSHAKES.ORG • 302.468.4890 Delaware Shakespeare is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on DelawareScene.com.

16 JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

Friday, July 8 5pm Start

FIND YOUR

FLAVOR DANCE STAGE SOUND

Next Art Loop:

A program of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs

Friday, Aug 5, 2022 Complimentary Shuttle

RIVERFRONT Bridge Art Gallery @ New Castle County Chamber of Commerce Office 920 Justison Street 347-249-2184 • bridgeartgallery.net Artists: Urban Surrealism features the art of Martryce Roach and Christopher Mack.

DOWNTOWN Chris White Gallery 701 N. Shipley Street 475-0998 • chriswhitegallery.com Artist: The Floating Stinging solo exhibition of multimedia work by Yonnie Christina Cultural Arts Center 705 N. Market Street 652-0101 • ccacde.org Artist: Emerging Young Artists City of Wilmington’s Redding Gallery 800 N. French Street 576-2100 • cityfestwilm. com/redding-gallery Artist: Donna Usher

The Grand Opera House 818 N. Market Street 658-7897 thegrandwilmington.org Grand Gallery: Victor Bloise “Unregulated” baby grand Gallery: Theresa Angela Taylor, “The Circumstances of Building an Honorable Life” MKT Gallery 200 W. 9th Street 289-6772 Artist: Ice Box presents Icee Summer Art Exhibition Mezzanine Gallery at the Carvel State Building 820 N. French Street 577-8278 arts.delaware.gov Artist: Smorgasbord by Forest Z. Allread

Marcus Miller

Clifford Brown Jazz Festival Photo by Tim Hawk

FIND IT ALL HERE:

BEYOND THE CITY COCA Pop-Up Gallery 3829 Kennett Pike, Greenville 218-4411 Artists: Group Show of Local Artists

inWilmDE.com

LIST YOUR AREA EVENT...

FREE!

presented by

cityfest

ArtLoopWilmington.org

InWilmDe.com JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

18 JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

Stewart (left) and Carl Ramsey have a passion for farm life — one they are happy to share.

START

Photos by Lindsay duPhily

Where the Grass is Greener

By Ken Mammarella

Stewart and Carl Ramsey put in long hours to maintain a family farm that dates to the Civil War. They also love giving people ‘a taste of what comes from the soil.’

ince 1860, the Ramseys have been farming along Ramsey Road in North Wilmington, and over six generations, the farmland and its products have evolved a lot. “Adapt or die,” explains Stewart Ramsey, who now runs Ramsey’s Farm with his son, Carl. “It’s as much the experience as the product,” says Carl, who at 25 is a veteran of leading many of the experiences that are often called agritourism. So, it’s no surprise that the farm’s top product is the experience — Scout outings, corporate and group events, birthday parties, educational tours, private evening events, fundraisers, a corn maze, hayrides, the Spookley Trail (named for the misfit pumpkin), barnyard animals, pumpkin painting, fundraisers and a farmyard playground, according to RamseysFarm.com. During an interview from the farm, they also talked about sorghum and hay-bale mazes, for younger kids — plus their Wagyu beef and produce stand. “We have a passion for teaching where food comes from and what farm life is like,” says Carl, who lives on Ramsey Road. “We give them a taste of what comes from the soil,” says Stewart, who lives in Cochranville, Pa., on land they also farm. “And maybe they’ll appreciate it and buy more from the stand.” A few years back, Stewart told the Delaware Farm Bureau that he likes to talk about “the importance of agriculture, our values, and sharing the good story that farmers in our state and nation have in terms of stewardship, sustainability and the environment.” ► JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

WHERE THE GRASS IS GREENER continued from previous page

Stewart, who’s now 58, took over the farm about 1990, just after he earned his first college degree in agriculture, and added pick-your-own pumpkins. A corn maze, hayrides, bonfires and school tours quickly followed. Pick-your-own strawberries and pick-your-own popcorn were tried and dropped. In 2020, they added the farm stand, open Fridays through Sundays with sweetcorn, popcorn and squash from their farm and a cornucopia of other locally sourced produce and products. Some sweetcorn is donated to the Ministry of Caring, Lutheran Community Services and the Delaware Food Bank. “I grow it to give back,” Stewart says. As part of his faith? “No, a sense of community. As a farmer, you have to have faith, because Mother Nature controls the show.” Their most prominent new venture is Wagyu beef, the wellmarbled beef associated with Japan. “They’re the juiciest steaks you’ve ever had in your life,” Carl says. “We’ve had customers say they won’t order steaks out at restaurants anymore because they’ve been spoiled.”

FIND YOUR SUMMER FUN. FIND YOUR Y. Join today for access to 17 indoor and outdoor YMCA Pools in Delaware!

www.ymcade.org Financial assistance is available.

20 JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

As a farmer, you have to have faith, because Mother Nature controls the show.” — Stewart Ramsey

Ramsey’s Farm sells beef at RamseysBeef.com and at the farm stand. They’ve been raising beef for about five years and the premium Wagyu for two. The Wagyu New York strip steak, for instance, is $42 a pound and is one of six cuts sold by waitlist only (meaning it depends when a cow of their herd of 50 or so is butchered). This year, they added pick-your-own sunflowers, with part of sales benefiting Ukraine, where it’s the national flower. Next year, they’re planning on pick-your-own potatoes (loosened with a mechanical digger) and hoping to add a high tunnel (a lowtech greenhouse). Carl eventually wants to add cut-your-own Christmas trees, an eight-year commitment to let them grow. They only own 10% of the land that they farm and lease the rest from First State National Historical Park and other landowners. The farm’s main public areas fan out uphill from the produce stand at 440 Ramsey Road: the playground, with a repurposed combine and tractor tires; the corral for feeding, petting and learning about animals; an open-air pavilion; a group of party tents; and a picnic grove with more than a

NOW AVAILABLE!

Stewart and Carl Ramsey recently expanded into raising Wagyu beef.

hundred tables. The setup takes full advantage of their pastoral setting, with the lighting powered by generators and the water from tanks. When Stewart took over the farm, he had a day job to fall back on. Today, he and Carl own the operation and draw fulltime salaries from it. They employ one more full-timer and three part-timers. Full time is relative for the Ramseys, with Carl explaining that his workweeks have hit 120 hours, and Stewart talking about a recent workday that began at 4 a.m. — and ended at 11 p.m. “We love doing what we do. It’s a passion,” says Carl, who grew up on the farm and earned an agricultural degree from the University of Delaware. And it’s a catchy passion, he believes. “People are asking more and more about farming and where their food came from,” he says. “Friends who are stock traders are asking about buying land and growing food. It’s rewarding. Sometimes at the end of a hard day, I wander outside, pause and look. It’s pretty.”

ALL OF YOUR FAVORITES

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GROCERIES: shop.janssensfinefoods.com

J’s

cafe CAFÉ: cafe.janssensfinefoods.com www.janssensfinefoods.com 3801 KENNETT PIKE, GREENVILLE, DE • 302.654.9941 At Ramsey's Farm, the top product is the experience. JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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22 JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

EAT

At left and center: A before-and-after of Wendy Hatch's mural "Conaty Park." At right, Rachel VanWylen with her mural "On The Brandywine."

Artistic Touch Mural project brightens Trolley Square

By Leeann Wallett

hat do Brandywine Park, bumblebees, and the Rockford Tower have in common? They are three of the 18 designs painted as part of the first-ever Trolley Square public utility mural project. Managed by the Delaware Avenue Community Association and City Councilman Nathan Field of the Eighth District, the murals project is meant to “increase neighborhood spirit in Trolley Square and Forty Acres, and promote the area as an art destination,” says Field.

“The mural idea came after a productive discussion with the City of Wilmington’s Office of Cultural Affairs and the thought that Wilmington could solidify its reputation as the artistic cultural capital of Delaware,” he added. (A similar mural program took place several years ago in Old Brandywine Village, where nine murals were painted on utility boxes depicting Wilmington's role in the Revolutionary War.) The boxes are located throughout the Trolley Square neighborhood, one of the five neighborhoods Councilman Fields oversees as part of the Eighth District. The surrounding neighborhoods boast a rich artistic landscape with the Delaware Art Museum, multiple art galleries, and the Schoonover Studios (a space used by students of Howard Pyle, including well-known tenants Frank Schoonover and N.C. Wyeth) all within a mile-wide radius.

Field found support and funds from Tsionas Management, Capano Management, Incyte Corporation, and Brew Haha, to pay artists — $1,000 for large and $800 for small boxes, as well as a $100 stipend to cover mural supplies — to paint 14 public utility boxes. The application process was competitive. “There were more than 130 artist submissions for the 14 public utility boxes,” says Lisa Johnson, president of the Delaware Avenue Community Association. More than half of the submissions were from artists in the neighborhood. The artists ranged in age from 19 to 60 years old. “The murals were selected by a blind panel process,” says Johnson. The process had to be because all the selection committee members including Field are residents of Trolley Square. “It would’ve been impossible not to personally know the artists,” says Johnson. ► JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

ARTISTIC TOUCH continued from previous page

FIND YOUR

FLAVOR DANCE STAGE SOUND

Barbara Walker Story

Clifford Brown Jazz Festival Photo by Joe del Tufo

FIND IT ALL HERE:

inWilmDE.com

24 JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM | InWilmDE.com

And, thanks to additional support from the City of Wilmington, the committee was able to expand its project to four additional utility boxes. In the end, there are 18 murals and 19 artists (one mural was painted by sisters). One of the artists is Rachel VanWylen, an art teacher at Archmere Academy, who lives within walking distance of her mural, “On the Brandywine.” Given the subject matter, a mural of Brandywine Park, VanWylen's box was originally slated for a utility box at Conaty Park (at the entrance of Brandywine Park on Gilpin St.) but at the last minute was swapped with Wendy Hatch’s mural. “Hatch’s ‘Conaty Park’ mural made more aesthetic sense because the lines and shapes complemented the playground equipment,” says Johnson. VanWylen’s mural is now across from Pinji’s Café and Gianni’s Pizza and is a surrealistic piece that is “meant to be a dream-like vision of Brandywine Park during the four seasons,” says VanWylen. “We (artists) don’t give enough credit to the viewers,” she continues. “I wanted to stretch people’s minds.” Another artist and resident, Joseph Repetti, originally sent in three designs — Canadian geese, monarch butterflies, and honeybees. “I didn’t ask for a particular box, so I made sure all three designs followed the original request for proposal to create a mural that was ‘eye-catching’ whether it was seen on a bike or bus, on foot, or in a car,” says Repetti. In the end, the committee selected Repetti’s honeybee design. “At that point, it was only a sketch in a book for my students,” he says. Repetti’s utility box is located at N. Clayton St. and Pennsylvania Ave. across from the Westminster Presbyterian Church’s community garden, only blocks from his house on N. Clayton Street. Repetti, an art teacher at West Park Place Elementary School, Newark, spent 30 hours over three weekends creating his mural. “I had 20 to 30 people stop by during the mural process,” says Repetti. One of the highlights during the painting was when President Joe Biden waved from his motorcade. “A CNN analyst (as part of the Presidential press pool) even stopped to document and take photos for Instagram,” he says. The official unveiling of the Trolley Square Utility Murals project will be held on Thursday, July 14 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Piccolina Toscana (1412 N. Dupont St., Wilm.). Artists and neighbors are welcome to join this free celebration. And while this project ends, this is only the first of many public art projects Field has in the works for the Eighth District. “This was a small project that I hope will kickstart future, larger public art projects for Trolley Square and Forty Acres,” he says. — Follow along on social media using the hashtag: #TrolleySquareArt and #AroundTrolleySquare. Learn more about the artists, Rachel Van Wylen at rachelvanwylen.com; and Joseph Repetti at repettiart.com.

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Good, Good, Good, Go More than 30 seasonal releases, events and promotions for your summer explorations into beer, wine and spirits

ith a sense of elation and excitations, summertime is upon us. 'Tis the season of backyard BBQs, beach bocce tournaments, and campfire cookouts in the great outdoors — all which pair nicely with a refreshing cocktail or two. While the beer sector continues to trend toward lighter beers, more options continue to arrive in almost every category of the market. To help sort things out — and perhaps assist with planning — we’ve put together a list of 31 releases, events and promotions in the area. Read on and… cheers!

TURNTABLE TUESDAYS

Tuesday nights at Wilmington Brew Works “Weird and rare stuff is a plus,” is the mantra to this weekly bring-your-own-vinyl request night. Grab a beer and some pizza from Metro next door, and kick back for the deep cuts that DJ Sudz spins from 6-9pm. More at WilmingtonBrewWorks.com.

BIG OYSTER’S SMALL-ABV BEERS

IRON HILL’S SLICE OF MEXICO

Our beer-brewing friends down at the beach have introduced three summer beers, all 4.5% ABV or under. Both their Tea Time tea-and-lemonade sour ale and Salty Jawns salt-water lime gose ale (a collaboration with Yards) are derived from English ale yeast and Hallertau hops. So is their Atlantico Mexican lager, which also adds Tettnang hops.

Iron Hill is also reaching south of the border with their latest release, Lemon Cervesa, a Mexican-style lager that lists lemon juice and peel as key ingredients along with American malts and Bravo and Saaz hops. It clocks in at 5.0% ABV.

26 JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM | InWilmDE.com

FOCUS

Good Libations! SMYRNA CRAFT BEVERAGE FEST Saturday, July 16 in Smyrna

No other business in Northern Delaware has promoted homebrewing more than Newark’s How Do You Brew. This month they are promoting a large contingent of the First State’s craft breweries at the Smyrna Craft Beverage Fest, which will also feature live music, food trucks and a disc golf course. Proceeds to support Help Restore the King! Tickets and more info at HowDoYouBrew.com.

THE BAR CART FROM DOGFISH

A HAZY & CRUSHABLE HARPOON

Dogfish Head’s line of canned “culinarycrafted cocktails” are now available in a boxed Bar Cart Variety Pack. Each at 7% ABV — and boasting two shots in every can — the 8-pack includes Gin Crush (lemon & lime), Vodka Crush (blood orange & mango), Vodka Soda (blueberry shrub), and Vodka Lemonade (strawberry & honeyberry).

Perhaps it’s no surprise to see “lobster rolls” listed as a pairing suggestion to a New England blonde ale, particularly one brewed by Boston’s longest-operating contemporary craft brewery (since 1986). Harpoon Brewery’s Summer Style is inspired by the classic Keller Kölsch, which is described as “one of the original hoppy hazy beer styles.”

MOVIES ON TAP’S BIG NIGHT

SIMPLY SMASHING

Merging classic movies, craft beers and charitable causes, Movies On Tap continues its seventh season with the perfect pairing of The Big Lebowski and Big Oyster Brewery — with all funds going to Boys & Girls Club of Delaware. Tickets and more at PennCinema.com.

Devils Backbone hit gold with its Orange Smash over the past few years. More recently they expanded on the Smash series of canned cocktails with Smash on the Beach, a mix of vodka, real orange, cranberry juice, and peach flavors. The Sex-on-the-Beach tribute scores a 7.5% ABV and should be a hit down in Dewey and Rehoboth.

Thursday, July 21 at Penn Cinema Riverfront

JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

Good, Good, Good, Good Libations! SURFS UP THIS SUMMER

THE SIPPING SERIES

Thursday, July 21, 5:30pm at Columbus Inn Columbus Inn has partnered with Branmar Liquors for this quarterly series that launched in May. Their summer edition focuses on female winemakers and owners with more than 25 wines available for sampling with a complimentary wine glass. Light appetizers, suggested food pairings and raffle prizes will also be available. The $50 tickets benefit Child Inc. More at ColumbusInn.net.

BOURBON LOVERS UNITE! Look for seven new barrel selects from top whiskey producers arriving soon at Tim’s Liquors in Hockessin and The Wine & Spirits Company of Greenville. That brings the count to more than 20 barrel selects this year at the two locations. Among the new arrivals: Jefferson’s 100-proof high rye bourbon (aged 7 years); two Smooth Ambler 120-proof cask-strength bourbons (one 5-year, the other 6-year); and an Old Forrester bourbon at cask strength.

28 JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM | InWilmDE.com

In the way that Heritage Beach Shop began carving out a reputation for itself more than 50 years ago along the South Jersey Shore, Yards Brewing has been embraced by Philly beer lovers for a quarter of a century. With the collaborative Heritage Surf IPA, Yards goes the distance, steeping each batch with Kaffir lime leaves.

CAPE MAY GOES HARD Cape May Brewing Co. dove into the hard lemonade market this spring with their simplytitled Hard Lemonade. Blended with all-natural cane sugar and lemon juice, this beverage eases in at 5.0% ABV. Defined as “Boardwalk-Style,” it sounds like a perfect fit for the beach.

SIP & STROLL AT THE BRANDYWINE ZOO

Wednesdays July 27, Aug 31, Sept 14 & 28 Celebrate Hump Day Happy Hour at the zoo from 5-7pm with cold craft beer from Bellefonte Brewing. Plus, get a chance to meet the zoo’s newest and happiest couple, Haechan and Clover, two pudus, which are the second smallest deer species in the world. It’s PUDU LOVE! More at BrandywineZoo.org.

FOCUS FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS

July 29, Aug 26 and Sept 30 at Peco’s Liquors This long-standing series’ success may be due to its peanut-butter-meets-chocolate simplicity: Match quality area food trucks with free in-store samples and pairings. On the last Friday of each month, guests can choose from some of the best trucks around such as Burgers By Wildwich, Delaware Provisions and Kapow!

IN THE BUFF & WITH THE BARD To help beat the heat, Wilmington’s Stitch House Brewery is now serving Bare Wittness, a liberating 3.8% ABV Belgian witte. Meanwhile, headbrewer Drew Rutherford is creating a new saison for the Delaware Shakespeare Festival (July 15-31). It has yet to be dubbed officially, but as the poet would say: “What’s in a name?”

SUNDAY FUNDAY AT TSOH The freshly squeezed crushes at Trolley Square Oyster House have always lived up to their name. But now all day on Sundays, all six flavors of these fruit-juice-meetsbooze concoctions are just $6 each (normally $9). Try their Creamsicle, made with Captain Morgan, orange liqueur, club soda and freshlysqueezed orange.

NEWARK FOOD & BREW FEST Saturday, July 30 at Newark Eateries

Now in its 18th year, this annual festival celebrates “the unique relationship between the culinary arts and the brewing sciences.” More than 50 beers will be paired with creative food offerings from more than a dozen Newark restaurants. Beer tastings and special menus begin at noon and run until 7pm. More at OutAndAboutNow.com.

SUPER SPECIFIC SELECT Last year, Kentucky’s Stellum bourbon took in a monster haul of national and international awards, including double gold at the world-renown John Barleycorn Awards. At Kreston Wine & Spirits, you can discover their single-barrel Lyra series — which is just one of the names Stellum gives to each hand-selected group based on the specific time the bourbon was distilled and the percentage of its ingredients.

FROM MAINE WITH LOVE Blonde Ales have made a resurgence over the past year or so, and, on cue, Allagash is asking you to try a Floating Holiday, brewed with lemon peel and a pinch of sea salt. Cascade and nugget hops bring breezy flavors to this 5.2% ABV blonde.

JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

Wednesday July 27 5PM–7PM Also August 31, September 14 & September 28

Come meet Haechan & Clover! Pudu Love is in the air. We’re excited to announce the engagement of our two small deer, Haechan (the world-renowned celebrity) and Clover. Expect a formal announcement at Sip & Stroll and the launch of the PUDU LOVE fundraising campaign to give Haechan and Clover a new home within the zoo where they can start a family. Come Sip & Stroll among the animals and enjoy adult beverages from Bellefonte Brewing and ice cream from Hy-Point Dairy Farm. We’ll have animal encounters, music, and activities for all ages. Experience Happy Hour at the Zoo with PUDU LOVE in the air. This event is for all ages. Must be 21 years old to be served alcohol. Soft drinks will be available. Drink purchases will be sold separately. Did you know: At 15-30 pounds, the Southern Pudu from Southern Chile and South-western Argentina is the second smallest deer species in the world! It’s believed there are fewer than 10,000 in the wild, and there are less than 200 in zoos around the world. And we have 2 of them for you to visit!

Tickets: Non Member Adults $10, Children $7 Brandywine Zoo Member Adults $5, Children $3

Purchase tickets: brandywinezoo.org/events/sip-stroll/ Brandywine Zoo, Wilmington, DE • FREE PARKING The Brandywine Zoo is managed by the Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation, with the support of the Delaware Zoological Society.

, Good, d o o G , Good

G O O DS! ON LIBATI

HAGLEY’S BIKE & HIKE & BREWS Wednesdays through August

With 235 acres by the Brandywine, Hagley offers a lot of outdoor space to enjoy the summer weather — and this series offers another reason to explore. Presenting partner Dogfish Head brings the brews and Woodside Farm Creamery dishes out the ice cream. The evenings also include food trucks, special guests and select dog days. More at Hagley.org.

MORE THAN JUST GREAT BEER The Two Stones Pub family of restaurants may be the OG of craft-beer-centric pubs, but they’ve widened their appeal beyond hop heads. At their Middletown location, the beers share the spotlight with their latest crowd-pleasing craft cocktail, the Strawberry Mint Mojito, which mixes Bacardi Rum with fresh strawberry puree. In Hockessin, the lastest craze is the Blueberry Lemonade Crush, with Stoli Blueberry. GM Shaena Orr says, “We literally went through a case of blueberry vodka the first week it was on the menu.”

TRULY YOURS THIS AUGUST The popular Truly brand of hard seltzers expands it lineup this August with the Truly Vodka Seltzer series, made with vodka and real fruit juice. Flavors include Blackberry & Lemon, Pineapple & Cranberry, Cherry & Lime, and Peaches & Tangerine. These 5% canned cocktails carry just 110 calories each.

DELAWARE BEER, WINE & SPIRTS FESTIVAL

Saturday, August 27, 4-7:30pm in Dover As the only statewide celebration of the craft alcohol industry, this annual festival celebrates producers on the Delaware Beer, Wine & Spirits Trail. Continue the tradition at the Delaware Agricultural Museum & Village with a wide selection of tastings, live music, food trucks, and fun festival games. More at DeBeerWineSpirits.com.

SUMMERFEST AT BREWERS OUTLET Saturday, August 13

Just over the Pa. border on Route 202 is a goldmine, where beer lovers can find stuff not available in Delaware. For Summerfest, Brewers Outlet will be hosting a sampling featuring 15 breweries, plus offering hot dogs and other specials.

TWISTED IRONS GETS LIGHTER Relatively-newer brewer Twisted Irons took lighter to a new level last month when they introduced their Lawn Chair Lightweight light lager (3.5% ABV, pictured) and Finkle is Einhorn Kölsch (4.8% ABV). The two new additions join Twisted’s Helles Yeah helles lager (5.1% ABV) in the Newark brewery’s line-up of light and refreshing summer brews.

JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

Go 1007 Kings Hwy, Lewes, DE 19958 (302) 644-2621 Find us in the Big Red Barn located on Kings Hwy, Lewes Delaware. Our taproom & kitchen is open daily for lunch & dinner with 16 beers on tap, a full bar, wine list, 4-packs to go, crowlers, and growlers. Check out these three Summer brews here or at your local bar or liquor store! Atlantico: 4.4% ABV - A refreshing Mexican style lager that will leave you longing for another. Brewed with pilsner malt & flaked maize to produce a subtle crisp clean finish. Tea Time: 4.3% ABV - Relaxing out on the course, hitting some balls from the Range? If so, pop open a Tea Time and enjoy the best of both worlds, Iced Tea and Lemonade. Tea Time combines local Black Tea and a hint of that old school Lemonade flavor. Salty Jawns: 4.5% ABV - A traditional Gose brewed with Wheat and Pilsner malts, lightly hopped with Hallertau and huge additions of local sea salt and fresh lime puree make this gose a refreshing summer thirst quenching concoction.

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InWilmDe.com 32 JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM | InWilmDE.com

, Good, d o o G , Good

DS! GOO ION LIBAT

ROCK YOU LIKE A HURRICANE! Towards the end of last year, Wilma’s made a healthy racket when the duckpin bowling venue opened, unexpectedly unveiling a full menu of Cajun and Creole cuisine. This summer they have added Frozen Hurricanes to the offerings, making this downtown Wilmington destination perhaps the only place in the area to enjoy a slushy version of the New Orleans classic cocktail.

A FAIRE, BALANCED BEVERAGE In May, Faire Café reopened on Wilmington’s 9th Street with a new look and an enhanced menu, including some one-of-a-kind coffees. Naturally, they look to be cornering the market in coffee-themed cocktails such as their HavannaClub-Rum-meets-espresso Carillion and The Conservatory, which mixes Tito’s and cold brew. But their most popular is the Italian Water Garden, featuring Espolon, Bebo Coffee Liqueur and Aztec chocolate bitters among its ingredients.

Photo: @BookRAP AKA Rebecca Parsons

HISTORIC ODESSA BREWFEST Saturday, Sept 10, noon-5pm in Odessa

As a festival that celebrates both history and beer, it feels like the Historic Odessa Brewfest has earned its own place in the books. Each year on the first Saturday after Labor Day, some of the best craft breweries in the region come to show off tasty brews. Proceeds support the Historic Odessa Foundation. More at OdessaBrewfest.com.

HELLO BEER, MEET COCKTAIL!

THE GEM OF SMYRNAN HOSPITALITY

The trend of combining beers with various cocktails continues this season with three area highlights: (1) The Repeal of Prohibition, with Bulleit and 21st Ammendement’s Hell or High Watermelon Wheat served at Tyler’s in Pike Creek; (2) The Delaware Margarita, also with Hell or High Watermelon Wheat, but mixed with Dano’s Dangerous Tequila; (3) and The Aperol Spritz at Dorcea, a combo of Brooklyn Brewery Bel Air Sour and Aperol.

Triple-Crown season may be behind us, but there is plenty of stretch ahead to enjoy the southern cocktail classic known as the mint julep. Smyrna’s craft distillery Painted Stave has their own version utilizing 2 ounces of their Diamond State Bourbon, ½ ounce of simple syrup, and 3-4 fresh mint leaves (more for garnish). Add the mint and simple to a rocks glass, muddle lightly, add a scoop of crushed ice, then pour the whiskey and garnish.

LAST SIPS OF SUMMER BREWFEST Sunday, Sept 18, 1-4pm

Over the past two years, FranksWine expanded its offerings with outdoor events. On the last Sunday of the summer, look for them to throw another big outdoor celebration of Delaware-based craft producers with food trucks, music and other goodies thrown into the mix. For more go to Frankswine. JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

DRINK

A few tasty pairings at Crooked Hammock in Middletown. Photos courtesy DEonTap.com

HOP ON THE TRAIL

With an assist from the State Tourism Office, Delaware’s beer, wine and spirits producers are attracting a growing number of visitors By Kevin Noonan

elaware has always been proud of the things that are uniquely ours, and the state has always pushed and promoted the things with which we identify, especially in the areas of food and drink. We’re known for oyster feasts (for men), shrimp feasts (for women), restaurants that serve muskrat, giant pans for frying chicken, catapults that launch pumpkins into the sky and even a festival that pays homage to that most maligned of foods, scrapple.

And now the State of Delaware has set its sights on promoting another local product that is becoming increasingly popular — beer. Actually, it’s not just beer. In recent years there has been phenomenal growth in the number of local breweries, wineries, distilleries and meaderies throughout the state. Local craft beers and brew pubs, in particular, have flourished in all three counties. The Delaware State Tourism board noticed that growth, especially its popularity with young adults, and reacted accordingly. It started the Delaware Beer, Wine & Spirits Trail, which highlights and promotes the craft alcohol industry, as well as the satellite industries that also profit from tourists, whether they’re from Delaware or out of state. “We started working with the craft beer industry in 2009-2010,’’ says Liz Keller, the director of the Delaware Tourism Office. “We were able to bring the craft breweries and wineries to one table to talk about how can we really raise the profile of the state, and that’s when we launched [the Beer, Wine & Spirits Trail].” ►

JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 35

TRAIL OF BEERS continued from previous page

Dogfish Head in Milton is one of the trail's most popular stops, but the brewery now has plenty of company to help tell Delaware's craft alcohol story.

OutAbout - WBW 20220622.pdf 1 6/22/2022 8:07:39 PM

That trail initially was called the Delaware Wine and Ale Trail and comprised 12 wineries and breweries. Now there are 29 breweries, wineries, distilleries and meaderies. Since breweries make up the majority of stops on the trail — 19 of them — they now get top billing. Key to the trail is an app that tracks visits to the establishments, and anyone who completes the trail gets a commemorative beer glass. Keller says the app has been downloaded 3,000 times and more than 1,000 people have completed the trail. There was also a 38 percent increase in trail completions after the app was installed. Those completions are evenly divided by Delawareans and out-of-state visitors. The top states to complete the trail are, in order, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Maryland. Information on how to follow that trail is at VisitDelaware. com/de-on-tap. Of course, Delaware isn’t the only state cashing in on the craft beverage craze, but it does drink a lot of beer for such a small state. According to The Brewers Association — a non-profit trade group of 5,400 brewers, suppliers and distributors that promotes the craft beer industry and homebrewing — Delaware was 20th in the nation in 2021 in the number of brew pubs per capita (per 100,000 residents who are 21 and older). In our region, that’s behind Pennsylvania (16th) and ahead of Maryland (35th) and New Jersey (45th).

We’re No. 2!

In case you were wondering, No.1 in the nation for most brew pubs per capita is Vermont, followed by Maine and Montana. Also, according to the Brewers Association, Delaware had 35 craft breweries in 2021, which was 46th in the nation. The 299,620 barrels of beer Delaware produced was 22nd and the $430 million economic impact on the state was 40th. But Delaware’s impact per capita ranked 7th, and here’s something of which all First Staters can be proud: When it came to gallons consumed by adults 21 and older, Delaware was second in the nation, at 12.3 gallons. Once again, Vermont led the way nationally, and by quite a few pitchers — adults 21 and older in that state drank 24.2 gallons of beer per capita. ►

CMY

36 JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Nationally, craft breweries and beer consumption continue each individual story. Each brewery, each winery, each meadery, to grow. In 2021, there were 9,118 craft breweries in the U.S. is a little different. “It’s all about the experience,” she adds. “It’s about the That’s 4.4 percent growth from the previous year. The Brewers Association has broken the breweries down to five categories, atmosphere and the ambiance, and not just the beer. It’s also and all of them experienced growth in 2021, especially regional about the story behind the brewery, as well.” Ronnie Price can relate. He’s the owner and operator of Blue brands, which grew 65.7 percent. The number of microbreweries grew 18.4 percent, tap rooms grew 8.1 percent, and brew pubs Earl Brewing Company, a blues-themed brewery and brew pub in Smyrna. Even though he’s been in the grew 6.4 percent. business longer than most — he started When it comes to local craft Blue Earl in 2014 — Price also knows breweries, there’s no question as to which that he’s off the beaten path; with a is first in The First State — Dogfish Head business on a side road off Route 13, he in Milton has not only become a local doesn’t get the traffic that a place on the favorite, but it’s also developed a national highway or down at the beach might. profile, which isn’t easy to do from a small market in the incredibly competitive craft beer industry. Next Stop on the Trail But even though Dogfish Head is the He’s mostly gotten by on word of star of the show, the real purpose of the mouth, but the trail and the promotion Beer, Wine & Spirits Trail is to share the done by the tourism office have been a real love with lesser-known breweries that boon for him and other smaller brewers. don’t have the bigger profile of brewers “We see customers coming in from like Dogfish Head, Big Oyster, Iron Hill, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Mispillion River Brewing is a source of pride in Milford. and some others. Jersey,” Price says. “So, even though we “Dogfish Head gets most of the don’t survey people to see why they attention and has sparked a lot of entrepreneurism in this stopped by, I know for sure that we’re getting more business from industry,” Keller says, “but there are so many cool and unique that, that we’re getting folks in here who follow the trail and we’re stories throughout the state, and people are excited to learn about their next brewery. ►

JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 39

TRAIL OF BEERS the attention the “It’s become a thing for a lot of people to do, continued from previous page brewing business like a little adventure. It’s a fun game to play and gets on its web the best part is that everybody benefits.” site. And it found And those benefits are spread throughout that in New Castle County over the past 12 the state, which means other businesses also reap months, the search volume for keywords related rewards from the people who follow the trail in to craft breweries/beer was up 34 percent from search of something to drink. a year ago. Also, its website (VisitWilmingtonde. “What’s good for the neighborhood is good for com) had a 104 percent increase in page views everybody,” says Karen Stauffer of the Delaware that include brewery or beer in the URL — that Restaurants Association. “Restauranters are includes content pages, event details and listings competitive by nature, but they realize that more Like Stauffer, Boes thinks one of the real people mean more for everybody. That kind of A selection of wines from Harvest Ride Winery volume attracts business, and everyone profits in Marydel, near the Delaware-Maryland border. assets to the Beer, Wine & Spirits Trail is that it doesn’t just focus on the big kids on the from that. block. She said visitors take a special delight in “So, definitely the [Beer, Wine & Spirits] Trail is awesome and it’s unique to this area. It’s great that one of the smallest discovering the variety of options in Delaware. states now has something that can compete with larger states, and “People who are travelers and foodies are always looking for they’ve done a great job promoting it.” something a little bit off the beaten path,” she says. “And I think Jennifer Boes is the executive director of the Greater Wilmington [the BW&S Trail] does a great job shining a light on some of the Convention & Visitors Bureau, and she also credits Dogfish Head smaller breweries.” with starting the micro-brew craze in Delaware, and the Beer, Wine & Many of those breweries will be at one venue during the Spirits Trail for expanding the appeal of local breweries, wineries, etc. Delaware Beer, Wine & Spirits Festival on Saturday, Aug. 27, at the “Dogfish Head is what put our state on the map as a destination Delaware Agricultural Museum and Village in Dover. The local for microbrews, but since then a lot of others have started getting a breweries who will be there include Blue Earl, Big Oyster, Dogfish lot of really good media attention, like the Wilmington Brew Works Head, Fordham & Dominion, Iron Hill, Liquid Alchemy, Midnight and Liquid Alchemy,” she says. “And another thing that’s helped Oil, Mispillion, Brickworks, Revelation, Wilmington Brew Works [the popularity] of micro-breweries and brew pubs is that they’re and Stitch House. becoming more family friendly, so you can go out on a weekend Local wineries that will be represented at the festival include and bring the kids. That’s one reason I think it’s something we’ll see Nassau Valley, Pizzabilli, Harvest Ridge and Salted Vine, while spirits continue to grow.” distilleries include Brimming Horn, Dogfish Head Sprits, Beach The Greater Wilmington Convention & Visitors Bureau traces the Time Distilling and Painted Stave. For more information, including growth of local beer tourism with a computer data base that tracks hours and ticket prices, go to DEBeerWineSpirits.com.

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EAT

The Raw Deal Ceviche, carpaccio, crudo and other uncooked foods are trending By Pam George

hirty years ago, David Leo Banks never imagined that the hottest items on the menu would be cold — and mostly raw — dishes. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, most guests turned up their noses at carpaccio, tuna tartare and crudo. “You had to sear tuna and put an edge on it, or they wouldn’t eat it,” recalls the chef, who owns Banks’ Seafood Kitchen & Raw Bar on the Wilmington Riverfront. Known as tuna tataki, the seared fish slowly gained fans in the Delaware area and remains popular. ►

The just-opened Bardea Steak in Downtown Wilmington offers Raw and Raw From the Sea options. Pictured is Bardea Steak's teres major "noodles." Photo by Joe Del Tufo

JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 43

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THE RAW DEAL But raw continued from previous page is having its day. Credit the acceptance of sushi, sashimi and, of course, tataki. Bank’s Seafood Kitchen devotes a menu section to raw seafood, as does Bardea Steak, which opened in June. The downtown Wilmington restaurant has paired Wagyu beef cheek with uni (eel) and accents red snapper with mulberry and pistachio nuts. When the temperatures heat up, cold dishes are refreshing. But going raw takes the right stuff, namely the ability to strike a balance. “One common denominator in raw dishes is acid, fat and salt,” explains Robert Lhulier, executive chef at Snuff Mill Restaurant, Butchery and Wine Bar in north Wilmington. “In crudo, that’s usually extra virgin olive oil, lemon and sea salt. In sashimi, it’s soy, sesame oil and lime. In ceviche, it can be citrus juice, avocado and a crispy salty garnish, such as corn chips or corn nuts.” Here are some popular preparations and where to find them. (Remember that eating uncooked or undercooked foods can increase the risk of foodborne illnesses.)

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Many restaurants now offer uncooked bivalve mollusks, but they’re prevalent in seafood and steak spots. Served glistening on their shells, raw oysters are packed with protein, healthy omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. But most diners aren’t interested in nutrition. An oyster’s flavor comes from its home turf, and people enjoy tasting the differences. “I believe the public enjoys playing around with all the different types and accoutrements that come along with them,” says Eric Sugrue, managing partner of Big Fish Restaurant Group, which includes the Trolley Square Oyster House. “It’s a ‘cool’ thing.” Xavier Teixido, who owns Harry’s Savoy Grill, agrees. When the Brandywine Hundred restaurant opened, it carried two or three types of oysters. Now, like many restaurants, there might be up to six. “People know the difference between East Coast and West Coast,” he notes. Along with oysters, you’ll find raw clams at Harry’s Savoy. “They have this nice salinity and sweetness to them,” Teixido says. “They sell well, but not nearly as well as oysters.”

Beef Tartare

Tartare — made with minced or chopped meat or fish — is an upscale delight. It’s also a lesson in kitchen sustainability. The dish is made with “scraps,” which in culinary terms are small pieces that would otherwise get tossed. “Chefs turn it into gold,” Sugrue notes. In the early 1900s, tartare was called Beefsteak à l’Americaine. The name changed when chefs began serving it with tartar sauce. Traditionally, it consists of finely diced, seasoned red meat. (Some cultures prefer horse meat.) The key is to achieve the right silky, creamy mouth feel. The binding — the ingredients that hold it together — and accompaniments play an essential part. The classic preparation includes onions and capers. And the ruby red mound is topped with a raw egg yolk. Chefs at Harry’s Savoy Grill chop filet mignon by hand and serve it with an egg yolk cured in salt and sugar. At Le Cavalier in the Hotel du Pont, Tyler Atkins bucks the norm with Castelvetrano tapenade, espelette pepper and potato chips.

The crudo at Snuff Mill Restaurant, Butchery & Wine Bar. Crudo is as much about texture as it is about taste, says Snuff Mill executive chef Robert Lhulier. Photo courtesy Snuff Mill

Seafood Tartare

Admittedly, many people are skittish about eating minced beef. But seafood is another story. The fish is cubed rather than minced, and there’s often an ethnic flare. For instance, Banks’ Seafood Kitchen serves ahi tuna with miso-and-yuzu crema, sweet soy jalapenos, avocado and sriracha. It comes with toasted wonton crisps for what Banks calls “tuna tartare nachos.” Asia also meets Mexico at Tonic Seafood & Steak in Wilmington, where the tuna tartare features a sesame-soy sauce, avocado, cucumber, cilantro crema, and fried wontons. While tuna is most frequently found seafood tartare, Hamilton’s on Main in Newark uses Icelandic salmon. ► JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

Crudo

THE RAW DEAL continued from previous page

In Italian, crudo means raw — as in raw beef, fish or veal. Some chefs slice the protein. Others prefer a fine dice. When it comes to preparation, simple is best — a drizzle of lemon juice or vinegar and good olive oil. “Crudo, like any other raw dish, is as much about texture as it is flavor,” explains Lhulier, who had featured crudo as a special. “Therefore, it needs to be tender, so scoring the fish is common. Also, a mild white wine vinegar and water cure allows the skin to come off easier and helps make it more tender.”

Carpaccio

Carpaccio has been a mainstay at Piccolina Toscana in Trolley Square for decades. “We’ve tried to take it off the menu a few times, but to no avail,” says owner Dan Butler. “People just keep on ordering it.” Like crudo, carpaccio is an appropriate choice for an Italian concept. The dish is named for Venetian Renaissance painter Vittore Carpaccio, and it rose to fame at Harry’s Bar in Venice, Italy, in the 1960s.

Oysters are a popular item at Harry's Savoy Grill and people know the difference between West Coast and East Coast, says owner Xavier Teixido. Photo courtesy Harry's Savoy

The chef thinly slices the protein and pounds it until it’s as delicate as tissue paper and nearly translucent. Butler serves his beef tenderloin with raw onion, Reggiano cheese, capers, avocado, lemon and truffle oil At Snuff Mill, Lhluiier pairs Wagyu slices with shaved grana Padana cheese and black truffle salt. In Kennett Square, Hearth Kitchen features beef carpaccio au poivre with green peppercorn aioli, pickled shallot, cognac agrodolce and crispy fingerlings. It’s not unusual to find vegetarian versions. For instance, a thinly sliced tomato can take the place of meat.

Ceviche

Ceviche is a staple throughout Latin America. However, some chefs maintain that ceviche is not a raw preparation, and there’s truth to that. The fish is marinated, which cures or pickles it. South of the border, each country puts a spin on ceviche. That’s also true in area restaurants. For example, at Crow Bar in Trolley 46 JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM | InWilmDE.com

Square, tuna ceviche comes with tostadas, mojo sauce and pickled shallot. The House of William & Merry in Hockessin has served red grouper ceviche with hearts of palm, jicama, chili and coconut crema. A similar dish, escabeche, is a mainstay in Spanish, Portuguese, Filipino and Latin American cuisines. It includes marinated — or pickled —foods cooked in an acidic sauce, colored with spices and served cold.

Tiradito

Tiradito means “little throw,” Banks says. It grew out of Nikkei cuisine, a mashup of Japanese-Peruvian cooking that evolved after a 19th-century influx of immigrants to Peru. Banks’ version highlights scarlet snapper, ahi tuna and salmon with sugar-sprinkled soy and sweet potato chips. “It’s absolutely delicious; people crave it,” he says.

Poke

Perhaps the trendiest item in the raw food sector was born in Hawaii. Often described as “sushi in a bowl” or “deconstructed sushi,” poke (pronounced poe-kay) is made with cubes of marinated raw fish (mainly tuna), rice, vegetables and sauces.

A rewarding combination: Bardea Steak's veal carpacchio with the restaurant's The Fifth Taste cocktail. Photo by Joe Del Tufo

“Chefs have been getting more and more creative on how to make poke … with lots of different flavors and textures,” Sugrue says. “It’s definitely becoming more mainstream.” Flavors pull from numerous influences, including the many Asian immigrants who came to Hawaii as laborers from 1850 to 1920. Nalu Surf Bar & Grille in Rehoboth and Dewey sells more than 100 poke bowls a day in summer. But you don’t need to head to the beach to try it. Slip into a Poke Bros. location or pop into DE.CO for a bowl from Al Chu’s Sushi. When it comes to any uncooked food, choose your purveyor wisely. You want to trust that the ingredients are fresh and handled correctly. But if you’re worried about eating raw foods, stop and consider whether you like your eggs over-easy or a rare burger, Teixido points out. Unless you want everything well done, there is a risk of a foodborne illness. In short, never eat anything that doesn’t taste or smell right, whether cooked or raw. Trust your instincts. JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

48 JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Welcome to the Sixties Weekend at Bertha’s Festival offers a nostalgic retreat By JulieAnne Cross

Derrick Manley performing at last year's event. His band Zu Zu Ya Ya returns this year. Photos by Kevin Francis

wayne and Rich Todd are the founders of the second annual Weekend at Bertha's festival, which descends on the otherwise quiet hamlet of Townsend from Friday, July 29 through Sunday, July 31. Sure, one could look at Weekend at Bertha’s and think it’s just another concert weekend, but the Todd brothers, who are members of American futurist band Urban Shaman Attack, have bigger things in mind. And it all began during the pandemic. “I drive a truck during the week, and when the pandemic hit, we were essential,” recalls Rich. “We thought, ‘Let’s throw a party for the people who have to keep working.’”

Molly Hatchet brought a hard rock vibe to the inaugural event in 2021, followed the next night by Live Dead 69/71. This band featured Grateful Dead pianist Tom Constanten, playing into the Dead-themed vibe that would characterize this year’s lineup. This year’s headliners are Johnny Neel (Friday) and Midnight North (Saturday). Neel, a Wilmington native and one-time member of the Allman Brothers Band, has had his songs recorded by the likes of Gov’t Mule and Travis Tritt. Widely known in the music industry as a songwriter, he rocks his bluesy shows with a powerful voice, funky harmonica, and skillful piano and organ playing. ► JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 49

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Midnight North was named “Best New Act” in a Rolling Stone review of the 2018 Peach Music Festival. With a roster that includes guitarist Grahame Lesh (son of the Dead’s Phil Lesh), they perform folk and Americana originals, and Dead covers will naturally be part of their Bertha’s set. The Bertha’s lineup includes regional artists known for original music, and who also happen to have some Dead in their repertoire of covers. A silent disco will keep the late-night revelers entertained. Recreating the Dead’s Kings Beach concert from 1968 will be the Riko and Whaler Collective. Move Me Brightly’s psychedelic light show rounds out the immersive Dead experience. The weekend is named after “Bertha,” which is both a Grateful Dead song title and an element of the band’s iconography dating back to 1966. The namesake skeleton, wearing a crown of roses, graces the festival’s flyer. However, labeling the Todd brothers as simply “Deadheads” throwing a concert would miss the mark. Before the festival existed, the brothers set out to become a Diamond State chapter of the “Merry Pranksters,” a symbol of the 1960s counterculture movement. The Pranksters were known for communal living, road-tripping, art, and psychedelic road trips, as documented in The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe. Notable Pranksters include a band known as The Warlocks, which later became the Grateful Dead.

After meeting some of the Pranksters at a festival, the brothers had the idea to form a Delaware chapter. Dwayne says their goal is to continue the work of the Pranksters “using art, music and events to turn minds on and to develop culture — they created change and had fun doing it.” “It’s important that we didn’t just start a party group — [we] have community activities and engage with public,” he adds. The Diamond State Pranksters create participatory art opportunities, such as a “smile drive” (soliciting smiley-face art from passers-by, then rewarding them with a gold dollar coin) and a weekly drum circle near the Jasper Crane Rose Garden in Brandywine Park. They offered free festival tickets in 2021 to the area’s first responders. Rich calls the group “neo-Pranksters,” and credits the originals and “their mission to make light of situations and have it be comedy.” “You should be able to laugh, especially at yourself,” Rich says. The brothers have distinguished themselves from other festival promoters in one more way: pricing. Day passes start at $40, and camping-inclusive general admission is $88 (with VIP treatment costing a mere $175), making this festival the definition of affordable. When you visit the festival website or arrive at Firebase Lloyd (474 Fleming Landing Road, the festival grounds run by the Vietnam Veterans Motorcycle Club of Delaware), you won’t encounter a wall full of sponsor logos. This festival is mostly self-funded. “We’re not trying to chase dollars, just show people we can have a good time,” says Rich. “We side more with spiritualism, not materialism, and that plays into our choices of who we hire and how we do it,” adds Dwayne. Vendors, or as Dwayne calls them, “a traveling hippie mall,” include food, handmade clothes, tie-dyes and jewelry. No alcohol will be sold on the property. In fact, the rain-or-shine festival has a detailed list of dos and don’ts on its website, WeekendAtBerthas.com.

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Smooth Moves

From Baltimore to Billboard, Kevin Jackson is making a name for himself in the world of jazz By Jim Miller Kevin Jackson headlines Delaware Loves Jazz.

fter decades of learning the ins and outs of playing big-city bars and clubs, jazz guitarist Kevin Jackson just made his biggest move. On Saturday, August 6, Jackson and his band will journey north from his hometown of Baltimore to headline the Delaware Loves Jazz concert and fundraiser. But before that trip, he’ll land at another notable destination — a first-time arrival on the Billboard Smooth Jazz charts. Such is the destiny this month for Jackson’s latest single, “Druid Hill Park,” an instrumental tribute to one of Baltimore’s most popular outdoor recreational areas. “Feels amazing!” the musician says during a recent phone interview. “To make it to Billboard, you have a whole new title: a ‘Billboard recording artist.’ That has been the goal for me.” Jackson’s history of performing music spans decades. Not all of it focused on smooth jazz. Far from it. “For years, I did everything from R&B to jazz to rock, even some AC/DC and Led Zeppelin — even heavier stuff than that.” But about 11 years ago, Jackson began to recognize the appreciation in the marketplace for smooth jazz: fans willing to pay consistently between $70 and $100 per ticket; promoters providing more in terms of plane fare, accommodations and meals; and the concert audiences were more respectful. “There’s no knucklehead experience,” Jackson adds with a laugh. “[Instead] there’s a true appreciation for the artist.”

That’s not to say Jackson’s experiences with other genres were wasted years. Quite the opposite. Although the songs on his four albums thus far fit comfortably within the cool, chill confines of what most consider “smooth jazz,” his live performances offer an opportunity to mix it up, stretch out, and shred. “When you play live, your turn up the energy,” Jackson says. “Because if you do exactly like it is on the track or the single, it may be okay. But audiences want to be entertained. You can’t just give it to them smooth the whole night.” Jackson reveals this musical sensibility may have come at an early age. “My mother played Marvin Gaye and Al Green around the house. My older brothers and sisters, they would play Sly and the Family Stone, Earth Wind & Fire, and Cameo. My oldest brother would play Herbie Hancock and Return to Forever. “So, there was a plethora of music and different genres being played at our house.” — Hear Kevin Jackson and his band play his Billboardcharting single “Druid Hill Park” and other cuts from his latest album, Elevation, on Saturday, Aug. 6 at P.S. du Pont Middle School for Delaware Loves Jazz. Acute Inflections opens at 7pm. Tickets are $40 in advance on Eventbrite, $50 day of show, with proceeds going to Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 53

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Fill in the You know the drill: (1) Ask your friends to help “fill in the blanks” for the missing words needed below. (2) Once completed, read aloud and watch hilarity ensue. (3) Got a funny one? Take a photo and send it to us at Contact@OutAndAboutNow.com. Best one wins a $50 Gift Card to Pizza By Elizabeths (One entry per person; must be 21 or older to enter). Have fun!

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WATCH Amy Frear and Brett Ashley Robinson in 2019’s The Merry Wives of Windsor. Photos by Alessandra Nicole.

Picnic With Shakespeare DelShakes brings back community vibe with the return of its Summer Festival By Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald

ake a serene outdoor venue, add a New Castle County festival tradition that’s arts-centric and family-friendly, and you’ve got a picture-perfect summertime experience: Delaware Shakespeare’s 2022 Summer Festival. From July 15 through 31, “DelShakes” presents the Bard’s work, The Tempest, directed by Producing Artistic Director David Stradley. “It’s my favorite Shakespeare play,” Stradley says. It is also Stradley’s first time in the director’s chair since 2016. This festival also marks Delaware Shakespeare’s 20th anniversary. That’s a significant milestone to celebrate given recent times. “After the last two tumultuous years, it's a joy to return to Rockwood Park in full this summer as DelShakes celebrates 20 years of bringing people together to explore their shared humanity,” says Stradley. “We're grateful to our visionary founders for establishing a professional Shakespeare company in the First State, and to all the artists, crew, staff, board, volunteers, donors, sponsors, and audience members for helping the company grow to where it is now. Here's to the next 20!” A Performance Years in the Making As in past festival years, the production of The Tempest is presented on the scenic grounds of Rockwood Park, located off Washington Street Extension and just outside Wilmington’s city limits. The storyline focuses on Prospero, who has been overthrown as the Duke of Milan by his brother Antonio, and now is marooned on an island with his

daughter Miranda. Twelve years pass, during which time Prospero learns the art of magic, with which he rules the island. His powers enable him to conjure up a storm that will bring his enemies to the island for a reckoning. As with so many of the Bard’s tales, the lust for revenge as well as burgeoning young love (and also drunken pirate raids) thicken the plot. ► JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 55

PICNIC WITH SHAKESPEARE continued from previous page

This work is one that has been in the DelShakes’ collective conscious for the better part of two years. “I wanted to make sure we were in a place to do it justice,” Stradley says. “The Tempest is a complicated play with magic, music, and great roles. I thought we were ready [to produce it] back in 2020 — and then we had to pause for two years. But that time gave us the ability to envision the production in a more expansive way.” That new vision for the piece was augmented by DelShakes’ work developing their Antiracism, Access & Equity Policy in 2020. “One of our mutual questions was, ‘how can we foster a conversation between Shakespeare and the diverse world we live in’?” says Stradley. “One answer was our new Beyond Shakespeare program, which aims to feature diverse and creative reflecting on the plays we’re producing.” Following this trajectory, DelShakes in spring presented A Tempest, an adaptation by Caribbean author Aimé Césaire. In June, they partnered with Christina Cultural Arts Center, local poets, and spoken word artists to host The Tempest Poetry Slam, sharing new work inspired by Shakespeare’s. Stradley says these events really expanded his sense of the play; he also hopes they’ve helped to create a staging for multiple points of connection and awareness. Setting the Stage “The play is set on an isolated island,” Stradley describes. “We felt the best way to present The Tempest would be in the round (i.e., a set construct in which the audience essentially surrounds the stage on all sides.). The audience will basically form the ‘ocean’ around our island.” The actors inhabiting that island include DelShakes’ veterans Eric Mills and Rachel O’Hanlon-Rodriguez. Mills portrays Prospero’s brother Antonio, while O’Hanlon-Rodgriuez portrays Stephano, one of three henchmen who attempt to surmount Prospero’s rule. Mills is enthusiastic about this production, his first in working with Stradley as a director. “Working with DelShakes is always such a pleasure,” Mills says. “[The organization] creates a wonderful, safe community in which we all — staff, crew, and cast — can work together and explore. And of course, it’s another chance to speak Shakespeare’s words.” O’Hanlon-Rodriguez is equally eager for the opportunity. “I’ve always loved Delaware Shakespeare…so I jumped at the opportunity,” she says. “Now, I’m excited the project is finally able to happen.” She says she loves playing comedic characters who are grounded even though they’re silly. “I’m really looking forward to exploring Stephano in both his depths and drunken antics,” O’Hanlon-Rodriguez says with a laugh. When asked what they love most about this particular piece, O’Hanlon-Rodriguez says, “The Tempest is a complicated play, but I love the magical exploration of power and how it can transform people for better or worse.” 56 JULY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

And even if you miss some details here and there, O’HanlonRodriguez is confident the journey of The Tempest will be certain to take the audience on a fun ride! “…After these past challenging years, I really hope people simply have fun, enjoy the show, and make connections with fellow audience members in the park.” Mills wants the same for A Communal Celebration audiences: Joy. Escape. Maybe of Art…and Picnics a moment of recognition or For those who may never have experienced Shakespeare’s work, Eric Mills, Michael Fuchs, Claris Park, and Jo Vito Ramirez in 2018’s revelation. “I want them to enjoy the Much Ado About Nothing. Photo by Alessandra Nicole experience so much that they come this festival can be a wonderful back for the next one and they bring exploration for them as well. “The whole ‘Shakespeare in the a friend,” he says. Park’ experience is just so much fun,” says Mills. “The setting Ultimately, that’s the thing Stradley is most anticipating, is gorgeous — people picnicking, kids running around, and this too: reviving the connection between live performance and live audience. wonderful, vibrant show going on in front of it all.” “We're looking forward to welcoming 3,500 people (or Mills says the cast finds fun ways to connect with the audience and tries to tell the story in a way that is clear and more!) over three weeks with their picnics and friends. The easy. “Don’t stress out about understanding all of ‘Shakespeare’s Summer Festival is a big community event; we've truly missed language,’ he advises. “Just sit back, relax, and trust our actors to that community!” tell you the story.” — Delaware Shakespeare’s 2022 Summer Festival featuring The “Shakespeare is like poetry; if you allow your ears to find the musicality of the language, you’ll be able to pick up on the Tempest, runs July 15-31, in Rockwood Park. Tickets can be reserved moving parts of the story,” adds O’Hanlon-Rodriguez. at delshakes.org. “I can’t wait to get in the rehearsal room,” adds Mills. “Part of the fun is that we don’t have all the answers to this production and its direction yet, so there’s a lot for us to discover. I’m really looking forward to digging into Antonio and seeing what Shakespeare, David, and I can come up with.”

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Articles inside

Revisit the ‘60s at Weekend at Bertha’s

Picnic With Shakespeare