out & about magazine -- feb 2013

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omCOMPLIMENTARY COMPLIMENTARY COMPLIMENTARY VOL. 25 NO. 12 FEBRUARY 2013 NO. 12 FEBRUARY 2013

Food: The New Sexy

Steaks Are Still Sizzlin'

The One-Hour Vacation

Delaware's Brick Warriors

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DDPHTO 9657_DateUpTo Ad_8x10.5_Layout 1 1/23/12 2:19 PM Page 1

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ADD SOME SPICE TO YOUR VALENTINES DAY!

3 Decades of Authentic & Traditional Family Recipes

SOON TO BE OPEN MONDAYS! TuesThurs 11am10pm | Fri 11am11pmSat 12pm11pm | Sun 4pm-7pm

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NEW ENTRE SPECIALS!LOBSTER TAIL Split Lobster Tail atop Wok-Sheared Vegetables along with Stuffed Squid dazzled with a Sesame Black Sauce.

Extended Happy Hour! Tues-Sun, 4pm-7pm Featuring $5 Apps

Try one of our many Craft Beers on Tap or in Bottle!

Signature Desserts by Chef Dana from Desserts by Dana

LIVE MUSIC COMING SOON! Check the website for more information!

Book your Valentines Day With Us! Visit the website for specials.

HALF DUCK Crispy Half Duck marinated in hand-picked Thai Herbs, paired with a Vegetable Medley and your choice of Spicy Garlic or Mango Sauce.

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Host your next Retirement Party at TheGrand Call 302.658.7897www.thegrandwilmington.org/Rentals/Special-Events

Can YOU believe whos playing THEGRAND next?!

Wednesday, February 20 | 8PMInternational Grammy nominated superstar

combines reggae, rap, and hip hop

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saturday, February 16 | 8PM | $32-$40Traditional gospel from one of the most

legendary groups in the business

Friday, February 8 | 8PM | $37-$45Endearing song stylists and TV stars from

5th Dimension: You Dont Have to Be a Star

sunday, February 17 | 7PM | $43-$65Last years Grand Gala stars

back with more pop hits of the 60s

Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr.

Not a Performance of the Show Jersey Boys

saturday, February 9 | 8PM | $33-$40Eccentric, boundary-crossing film director

in hilarious and uncensored one-man show

WATERSJohn

This FilThy World

sunday | February 10 | 2PM | $26adult $21discountFamily musical about an eager

young mouse and her balletic friends

children

4 STARS FROM THE ORIGINAL CAST OF JERSEY BOYS

Co-Sponsored by

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6 1 8 N . U N i o N S t . W i l m i N g t o N

d e a d p r e s i d e n t s p u b . c omf o r m o r e d a i l y s p e c i a l s :

d a i l y h a p p y h o U r : 5 - 7 p mB r U N C h : s u n d a y 1 0 a m - 2 p m

s a t u r d a y 1 1 a m - 2 p m

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PART Y IN OURPARKING LOT

ALL DAY LONG!

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH

PRESiDENTiAl CoSTUmE CoNTEST~living presidents & 1st ladies welcome~

GIVEAWAYS, PRIzES & DRINK SPEcIALSSTART @ NOON

NooN-7PmPRESiDENTS DAY

CELEBRATION!BAGG-O TOURNEYBAGG-O TOURNEY

Call in advance to register your team, or register day of by 2pm! 3Pm START!

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RINK SRINK SRINK PEcIALScIALSc


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Spas: e one-hour vacation. By Pam George

O&ACONTENTSFebruary 2013 | Vol. 25, No. 12 | outandaboutnow.com

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

The War on Words

Movies

Gigs

Nightlife

Published each month by TSN Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Mailing & business address:

307 A Street, Wilmington, DE 19801

PublisherGerald duPhily

[email protected]

Contributing EditorBob Yearick

[email protected]

Director of PublicationsJim Hunter [email protected]

Director of SalesMarie Graham [email protected]

Creative/Production ManagerMatthew Loeb

[email protected]

Art DirectorShawna Sneath

[email protected]

Contributing WritersMatt Amis, Eric Aber,

Krista Connor, Christine Facciolo,Mark Fields, Pam George,

Robert Lhulier, Allan McKinley, J. Burke Morrison, John MurrayLarry Nagengast, Scott Pruden

Contributing PhotographersJoe del Tufo, Tim Hawk, Les Kipp, Tony Kukulich,

David Norbut, Matt Urban

Contributing DesignerTyler Mitchell

Special ProjectsJohn Holton, Kelly Loeb

InternsMitchell Hall

For editorial & advertising information:(302) 655-6483 Fax (302) 654-0569Website: www.outandaboutnow.com

Email: [email protected]

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12 UP CLOSE: TREAT YOURSELF

18-27 FOOD & DRINKSteak still has sizzlin appeal. By Matt AmisFood: e new sexy. By Robert Lhulier e meaning behind certifi ed angus beef.

28 MADE IN DELAWAREUD grads build booming business by creating LEGO-compatible weapons, armor and accessories. By Larry Nagengast

38 MUSIC14 Songs, 28 Days. Local songwriters hope to rise to the challenge of February Album Writing Month. By Krista Connor

9 VACATION HORROR STORY CONTEST RUNNERUPEcho Chamber. By Jim Hawkins

45 DAY TRIPPINCentralia: Town on fi re. By Krista Connor

37 MOVIESDVDs that celebrate, excoriate livin large. By Mark Fields

INSIDE

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d e a d p r e s i d e n t s p u b . c omf o r m o r e d a i l y s p e c i a l s :

d a i l y h a p p y h o U r : 5 - 7 p mB r U N C h : s u n d a y 1 0 a m - 2 p m

s a t u r d a y 1 1 a m - 2 p m

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3 0 2 . 6 5 2 . 7 7 3 7

PART Y IN OURPARKING LOT

ALL DAY LONG!

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH

PRESiDENTiAl CoSTUmE CoNTEST~living presidents & 1st ladies welcome~

GIVEAWAYS, PRIzES & DRINK SPEcIALSSTART @ NOON

NooN-7PmPRESiDENTS DAY

CELEBRATION!BAGG-O TOURNEY

Call in advance to register your team, or register day of by 2pm! 3Pm START!

cOMMANDER-IN-cHIEF

HD TV DropKick Murphys Bus TripArea Lift Tix CASH! DP Beer Dinner Tix

QuizzoWELL BE GRILLIN ALL YOUR TAILGATE FAVORITES!

Quizzo? ? ??


2_Inside.indd 5 1/24/2013 5:44:23 PM

LOVE BEER

IT WILL LOVE YOU BACKwww.twostonespub.com

Wilmington 302.439.3231Newark 302.294.1890

February 2013 | O&A6 . Out Front

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By Bob Yearick

WORD OF THE MONTH(This month, a couple of words from Greek mythology)

Seen a good (bad)

one lately? Send your

candidates toryearick@

comcast.net

Wherein we attempt, however futilely, to correct some of the most common errors in English usage

BONUSWORD OF

THE MONTH

icarian

Pronounced i-KAR-ee-uhn, its an adjective

meaning of or relating to an over-ambitious

attempt that ends in ruin; derived from Icarus, who, in Greek mythology, flew too

close to the sun, which melted the wax holding

his artificial wings. Icarus plunged to his death into the sea.

SisypheanPronounced sis-a-FEE-n, its an adjective describing a task or activity that is unending and perhaps pointless and unrewarding. Sisyphus was a king punished in Tartarus by being cursed to roll a huge boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll down again, and to repeat this throughout eternity.

Media Watch/Literally of the MonthThe Wilmington News Journal sometimes

exhibits an unfortunate tendency to highlight errors. A story on NBA legend Julius Erving included this callout (a quote taken from the story and highlighted in bigger, bolder type): Erving Literally carried the NBA. That will serve as our Literally of the Month.

A few days prior to that, an NJ story on fracking featured this callout: We're . . . more active listeners now, so were better able to hone in on . . . [blah-blah-blah]. As noted frequently in this space, the term is home in, as in the homing device in a bomb. Hone means to sharpen. And hardly anyone uses it correctly.

And cleaning up the 2012 Spark file, a couple from the editor: [We were happy about] the party going off without nary a hitch. Thats a double negative. Nary means none, not a single. Should be with nary a hitch. I wanted to write this week and ensure all of you reading this weeks issue that no ill humor or offense is intended. (Setting aside the repetition of this week") ensure is a verb that means to guarantee an event or condition, as in, To ensure there would be enough food, he ordered twice as much as last year. The word needed here is assure, a verb that applies to a person, a group of people, or an animal and means to remove doubt or anxiety, as in, He assured me that he would come to the party early.

Department of Redundancies Dept.My new least favorite football term is the play

is under further review, uttered by referees as a play is about to be reviewed for the first time.

Hard to believe, Harry(In which we channel the late Richie

Ashburn, Phillies announcer, who would utter that phrase to his booth mate, Harry Kalas [also late], after observing an especially stupid play or managerial move.)

A Facebook friend tells me she recently read in an online publication that someone was airing on the side of caution. The word, of course, is erring.

ContestOK, grammar geeks, heres a challenge for you. A

family member received a T-shirt for Christmas with the text below printed on the front of the shirt. The text contains three punctuation errors. What are they and where do they occur? The first reader to respond to [email protected] with the correct answer will receive a gift certificate to a local restaurant. Note: We are not counting the use of between, which, to some purists, should be among.

I am a grammar geek. I mentally correct your grammar while you are speaking. I know the difference between their, there, and theyre. When I rule the world, improper grammar will be punishable by death.Note: O&A staff and freelancers are ineligible.

How long, oh Lord, how long?(In which we chronicle the misuse of that most

abused punctuation mark, the apostrophe.)A friends son plays for a grade school basketball

team named Tigers. The schedule lists the teams first game thusly: Tigers vs. Bees. Lets set aside for a moment the misuse of the apostrophe in Bees. Heres the deeper question: Why doesnt the same logic apply to Tigers?

It never ceases to amaze.

Buy The War on Words paperback on OutAndAboutNow.com, at Ninth Street Books in Wilmington, the Hockessin Book Shelf, or on Amazon. Check out the website: thewaronwords.com.

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My father loves to travel. He is not a patient man. I quickly discovered that this is not always a pleasant combination, but anyone who leads epic, six-to-eight-week cross-country adventures with two children and a dog crammed into the back seat of a 1969 Buick Skylark is either a travel fan or a masochist. Or maybe both.

For eight straight summers we went on extended road trips with a travel trailer in tow. The trailer was one of the few luxuries we could enjoy because my father was a teacher and my mother didnt work outside the home. We visited 48 of the 50 states and all the provinces of Canada except Newfoundland. We fished in Kentucky, ate lobster in Maine, and saw salmon heading upstream in Oregon. We explored the great national parks throughout North America, including the Smoky Mountains, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Glacier, Banff and Jasper. We explored big cities and small towns, all without GPS, cell phones or other technology that makes traveling so much easier today.

My fathers impatience flared at times on our journeys. He hated to wait, no matter the cause. Traffic jams set him off, whether caused by accidents, rush hour or highway construction (be it on

the Trans-Canada Highway or on the at-the-time-still-unfinished Interstate system). Long lines in amusement parks, inefficient workers at supermarket checkouts, inattentive wait staff in pizza parlors, or slow service when he was buying film or flashbulbs

for his camera all irritated him. The occasional outburst was usually a small price to pay for the opportunity to see the

wonders of the continent and spend time with family and friends who lived from coast to coast.

One summer, as we were traveling through the Southwest, my father planned a visit to Carlsbad Caverns. I could tell this must be a significant stop on our itinerary. The national park is out of the way, tucked into the southeastern corner of New Mexico. The entrance to the

park is 142 miles from El Paso, and even farther from Albuquerque and Santa Fe. No other nearby

attractions beckoned. You only go to Carlsbad Caverns if you make a point of going to Carlsbad Caverns. Making

this much effort was evidence that my father really wanted to see this underground wonder.

It was also significant that my father made sure to stock up on the important supplies: film and flash bulbs. He wanted to document our journey down into the earth with bountiful photographic evidence. After hours of driving that morning, we

Echo Chamber

Vacation Horror Story Contest

SECONDPLACE

By Jim Hawkins

www.OutAndAboutNow.com 9

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F | O&A10 . O F

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fi nally reached the park. My father pulled the car and trailer into as shady a spot as possible. en we headed to the visitors center, entered the elevator and descended to the caverns below.

I wish I could say that I still vividly remember seeing the formations carved into the limestone by dripping water over the centuries. I have seen spectacular photographs. I have heard that the sights are jaw-dropping. Yet I recall none of what I saw that day.

Instead, what I remember is that soon after we left the elevator, my father stopped to take a photograph. e fl ash failed. He tried again. Still no fl ash.

S#%&! he said, almost under his breath. He tried again. Nothing. New fl ash

bulb. Nothing.Son of a b&^$*! he said louder, the

cursing bouncing off the rock surrounding us. As I said, my father is not a patient man.

Yet this time he did not give up easily. He raised the camera once again. Point. Aim. Click. Nothing.

Another new bulb. Still nothing.G+} d*#$ it to h%@@! he yelled,

stomping his feet for added emphasis. e expletives and stomping kept spewing from him, reverberating deep in the earth.

Dads salty language was embarrassing enough above ground, but this was mortifying. His frustration echoed off the stalactites, stalagmites and helictites. I wanted to walk away, yet knew that was not an option. I tried to ignore him, but that, of course, was impossible. I was trapped in that echo chamber.

My father has never been one to make false claims. He never stopped at a seafood market to buy fl ounder fi lets after an unsuccessful fi shing trip, or passed off store-bought chicken as pheasant he bagged himself. But that day in New Mexico, my father did what to me was unimaginable: he bought a set of slides in the Carlsbad Caverns, slides that would be incorporated into the family slide show for years to come. Slides of rock formations I remember only from viewing those commercial images dozens of times.

Someday I will have to return to Carlsbad Caverns to see the beauty I cannot remember. I will be sure to bring my camera. And, just in case, I will stop by the gift shop to buy postcards of the visual glory below.

Echo Chambercontinued from page 9

.OAAN. 11

First Annual Kennett WinterfestSaturday, Feb. 23, 2013 12:30-4pm

Bundle up and enjoy winter brews from at least 25 unique craft breweries

Tickets $65

K e n n e t t B r e w F e s t . c o m

Includes unlimited tastings & warm food. Tickets are l imited so get yours early.

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December 2011 | O&A12 . Up Close

THE ONE-HOUR

By Pam George

Area spas offer a menu of treatments to soothe the mind and tighten and tone the body

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13

The overstuffed sofas are comfy, the cucumber water is refreshing, and the robes are soft as puppy fur. These are just some of the amenities that make a visit to the Sherif Zaki Salon & the Oasis Day Spa in Greenville a getaway, even if its only for an hour or two. The spa, which is separated from the salon by a door and glass wall, has its own lounge and eight treatment rooms. Peaceful music filters through the space and the scent of essential oils perfume the air.

Twenty years ago, an escape to such a spa would have required travel and possibly an overnight stay. Massage was just breaking into the mainstream, and it was a big deal for hair salons to offer manicures, let alone facials, waxing, and body wraps.

Today, there is seemingly a day spa on every corner. According to the International SPA Association (ISPA), there were 19,850 locations in 2011, and spa visits increased more than four percent, from 150 million in 2010 to 156 million in 2011.

Laron Thomas, owner of Cielo Salon & Spa in downtown Wilmington, has noticed the uptick. In the toughest economy, weve seen our spa business grow, says Thomas, who opened her business in 2003. I think people feel like theres not a lot of money for vacations, but they want to feel good.

Baby boomers and Generation Xers are also looking for convenient, noninvasive ways to counter the signs of aging. All the technology thats being introduced is appealing to people who dont want injections or surgery, says Emon Zaki, co-owner of Sherif Zaki Salon & the Oasis Day Spa. The spa recently introduced VenusFreeze, a skin-tightening device that uses radiofrequency and magnets to treat sagging areas.

Along with taking time out from a busy schedule and fighting wrinkles and frowns, spa customers also want to

reduce stress. But with all the available servicesincluding private

practitioners, small salons with a single treatment rooms, and dedicated day spasit can be a challenge to stand out in the crowded marketplace.

The RighT ATTiTude Some say that atmosphere makes the difference. Take Cielos, for instance. The spa area is located on the second floor, so customers go up to heaven.

Its like a loft with a fireplacelike someones home, Thomas says. I have people say theyve

gone into spas that are cold-feeling with lots of marble. They say theyve never felt as welcome as

they did when they came to our spa. Using smart phones is verboten. I want you to slow down and

relax, she says. The Spa at the Inn at Montchanin, which has four

treatment rooms, was built onto an existing barn, and

the gleaming wood floors and exposed stone give certain areas a rustic yet very Wyeth-like elegance.

The spa has a locker room and lounge. You can change into a big, fluffy robe and relax, says Aimee Moulder, the spa manager. We have fresh fruit, water with antioxidants, or you can have a spa-friendly lunch from Krazy Katsand never change out of your robe.

The property clearly benefits from being linked to an overnight destination, and thats also the case at Toppers Spa/Salon at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino, one of five Toppers in the Delaware area. Each spa pays homage to an exotic location. Our tagline is Experience a world away right around the corner, says Judi Little, general manager of all five salons. We provide an escape.

Inspired by Bali, the Dover sitewhich opened in 2007 as part of a major renovationhas hand-carved Indonesian wood

desks and a meditation hut. Along with serving hotel guests, the 12-treatment-room spa has built a

strong local business. Thats also the case for Spa at the Inn at Montchanin, which is

open seven days a week.The Oasis Day Spa opened in

2008 in digs that formerly housed Beaux Visages. The Zakis kept the general layout, but they revamped the interior to reflect their Mediterranean roots, and the tile in the room that houses the Vichy shower is Adriatic blue.

One of the fewif not the onlyVichy shower in Delaware,

the device hangs horizontally above a table that has holes for drainage. A

series of showerheads direct the water onto the client, who reclines on the

table. Usually part of a body treatment, the horizontal shower allows the client to

stay in place rather than hop into a traditional shower to rinse off.

The RighT TReATmenTs There was a time when water treatments like the Vichy shower defined a spa. Spa towns or spa resorts were located near hot springs or waters believed to have healing powers. But while whirlpool tubs and other hydrotherapies are still present in vacation spas, theyre not overly popular in day spas, says Little of Toppers, a chain thats more than 30 years old.

Customers, she says, want the basics, namely massage and deep-cleaning facials. Theres nothing quite like human touch, Little says. To keep things competitive, Toppers offers bamboo massage, which uses warmed bamboo rods; hot stone massage, and Thai massage.

Theyre not the only ones. Currie Hair Skin Nail at its Glen Mills location also offers Thai and bamboo massage. Fabrizio Salon & Spa in Trolley Square features a body butter massage in different flavor blends (lemon, lime, and mango, for instance) thats relaxing and moisturizing.

The Cielo Signature Massage involves hot stones and essential oils. Thomas says energy work, such as reiki, is becoming increasingly popular.

Along with relaxing treatments, clients are interested in chemical peels, micro-dermabrasion and other complexion-enhancing

In the toughest economy, weve seen

our spa business grow. I think people feel

like theres not a lot of money for vacations, but they want to feel good.

Laron Thomas, owner of Cielo Salon & Spa

www.OutAndAboutNow.com

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F | O&A14 . Up Close

Where can you get a five-course meal with wine pairingswhile helping families of ill or injured children? Answer: the fourth annual fundraiser gala at Sullivans Steakhouse sponsored by Ronald McDonald House of Delaware.

e event is set for Monday, Feb. 25 at 6:30 p.m. Seventy percent of each $125 ticket sold will be donated to the House. Tickets include the meal, wine, live music, a silent auction and gratuity.

Last year brought out 125 guests, and $14,000 was raised. Ronald McDonald House special events coordinator Dawn Brooks says the House hopes to raise between $14,000 and $17,000 this year.

Ronald McDonald House, located across from Nemours/Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children, was founded in 1991 and provides a nurturing and supportive environment and services to improve the health and well-being of children while bringing comfort to their families. e House is a nonprofi t corporation that operates as a home away from home for families with ill or injured children, ranging from newborn to age 21, who must travel to hospitals for specialized medical treatments.

For event reservations, contact Brooks at 428-5330 or [email protected].

Krista Connor

A Tasteful Fundraiser Ronald McDonald House of Delawarehosts fourth fundraising gala at Sullivan's

cromwellstavern.com @EatAtCromwells 3858 Kennett Pike | Powder Mill Square, Greenville | 302.571.0561

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2_UpClose.indd 4 1/24/2013 5:42:33 PM

.OAAN.

services. Its growing tremendously, omas says of that sector.

Her fi rming treatment involves fat-reducing essential oils applied by hand. Oasis Day Spa highlights the VenusFreeze machine. Other body maintenance services at area spas include waxing, ear candling, refl exology, and airbrush tanning.

To encourage repeat business, many spas off er packages that discount one or more services. Several also have VIP programs. People can come in more frequently at a lower price, Zaki says. ey can have a regimen.

Spas nationwide continue to off er new treatments, products, packages, and shorter treatment times to appeal to the demands of harried customers on a budget. Apparently, its working. I have three steadily busy estheticians, Zaki says. ats good in todays economy!

Spa Sense If you are claustrophobic, a wrap might not be for you. Talk to spa personnel about options.

Even if youre not phobic, place your hands across your body mummy-style before the aesthetician wraps you so you feel you can easily move the blankets aside if you wish.

The aesthetician should not leave the room while you are wrapped, experts agree. She or he should do a scalp massage, facial, or simply stay with you to make sure you are OK.

Talk to the spa about any allergies to lotions, scrubs, or certain ingredients.

Certain treatments are not suitable for pregnant women or people who have high blood pressure or other medical conditions. The spa should take a brief medical history from you.

Talk to the spa about discounts if you combine treatments. Many also offer package discounts on facials and other services.

One-Hour Vacationcontinued from page 13

15

Supporting Hurting Families

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Couples Massage ala Chocolate $130Chocolate Hot Stone Massage $120Chocolate Mud Mask Facial $ 85Addicted to Chocolate Manicure $ 35Chocolate Mint Pedicure $ 65

Valentine Spa PackagesCupids Arrow $295Love Elixir $175

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16 . Up Close F | O&A

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2 2 1 6 P e n n s y l v a n i a A v e n u e W i l m i n g t o n , D E 1 9 8 0 6 - 2 4 4 4 3 0 2 - 5 7 1 - 1 4 9 2 C o l u m b u s I n n . c o m

Monday...................................................Braised Shortribs 23

Tuesday...................................................Chicken & Waffle 19

Wednesday................................................Wagyu Meatloaf 19

Thursday..........................................1 1/2lb Grilled Lobster 26

Friday................................................................Bronzino 25

Saturday.............................................Roasted Prime Rib 23/29

Sunday...................................................Classic Steak Frites 18

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2_UpClose.indd 6 1/24/2013 4:25:53 PM

.OAAN.

3.5 million the number of pounds of whole milk used every day to make chocolate.

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that are 55-60 degrees F.

5,000the number of pounds that the largest chocolate bar ever made weighed. It

was made in Italy in 2000.

17,000the number of people in Belgium who

work in the chocolate industry.

11-12the age children are most likely to prefer chocolate than when they are younger.

42 the average number of beans a cocoa pod contains. It takes up to 270 cocoa beans to make a pound of chocolate.

17

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2_UpClose.indd 7 1/24/2013 11:14:16 AM

December 2012 | O&A18 . Food & Drink

STILL SIZZLINThe areas high-caliber steakhouses keep discerning patrons

coming back for the traditional celebratory entre

By Matt Amis

February 2013 | O&A

2_FoodDrink.indd 4 1/24/2013 12:20:34 PM


Few pleasures in the food kingdom can match the visceral, primordial satisfaction of plunging a serrated blade into the charred outer surface of a perfectly grilled steak. The crust, hardened by salt and flame, gives way to the soft, pink meattenderized and dripping from melted veins of intramuscular fat. Baked potato? Cajun spice rub? Creamed spinach? Sure. Whatever. No matter how you dress it up, a steak dinner is a marvelous thing.

The classic steak dinner has long preserved its status as a sacred institution. With its considerable price tag (not to mention its fat and caloric content), a steak is how we treat ourselves when we celebrate a milestone or a special occasion. Birthdays, anniversaries, promotionsall just cause to reward ourselves with a steak dinner.

Over the past 25 or 30 years, a steak dinner means a celebration, says David Leo Banks, executive chef for the Harrys Hospitality Group. Even if theyre on a diet or watching their cholesterol, they say damn the torpedoes, Im going to have a filet.

Says John Constantinou, owner of Walters Steakhouse in Wilmington: Nothing else satisfies like beef. People have grown up to love the flavor.

But does the classic steak dinner pack the same sizzle it used to? In Delaware, our dining options have widened considerably. Today we can opt for Peruvian or Malaysian cuisine for our special night. In a time when we can choose molecular gastronomy and Spanish tapas, steak and potatoes seem brazenly old-fashioned.

And due to many factorsincluding historic droughts that have deeply affected the industryour beef consumption has been on a slow but steady decline over the past five years. Americans consumed about 25.6 billion pounds in 2011, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Thats down from 26.4 billion pounds in 2010, and down from 28.1 billion pounds in 2007.

Still, Delawares steak authorities say theres been no drop in customer appreciation.

What might surprise some people is how into the steak experience the good majority of my clientele is, says Dan Butler, owner of Brandywine Prime Seafood and Chops in Chadds Ford. They know the cuts; know what makes them good and what they like. They can often recount details of steaks theyve had at other places both good and bad but either with great enthusiasm.

So whats keeping steak patrons so steady? For one, customers recognize that high-caliber steakhouses provide them with a product they simply cant acquire at the supermarket.

At Mile High Steak and Seafood in Glen Mills, owner Chris Lientz sources prime cuts of Certified Angus Beefconsidered

the Rolls Royce of cattle that occupies the top 1.5 percentile of U.S. beef. Culled from black-hided cattle, Certified Angus Beef prime is noted for its excellent fat marbling, which yields more tender and flavorful meat.

Theres a big difference between us and the Lonestars and the Outbacks of the world, Lientz says. The quality of beef at those places is equivalent to grocery store quality. Whats interesting is if you check on opentable.com, youll see the higher-quality steak restaurants have the highest reviews.

Thats what makes a steak dinner so special, Banks says. We can source a more premium product. People dont seem to shy away from the costeven over the past years when meat costs are higher than theyve ever been in the world. People are still looking at it as a special occasion sort of thing.

Another aspect unique to steakhouses is the equipment. High-temperature broilers, which carry a five-digit price

tag, cook steaks quickly and efficiently while producing a seared outer crust that makes a good cut of beef taste even better. A charred surface means caramelizationthe browning of the meats natural sugarswhich yields a flavor and texture that makes our taste buds do back flips. Searing at high temperatures is also said to lock in the meats juices, although this effect has been disputed by food scientists in recent years.

We have a chophouse broiler, a beautiful piece of equipment that gets up to 1,200 degrees, said Carl Georigi, whose Platinum Dining Group owns Redfire Grill & Steakhouse in Hockessin. It essentially sears the beef on an extremely hot flat top, which

keeps in all the natural juices and then once the beef has been seared we finish it to temperature in the 1,200 charbroiler. It produces an incredibly tasty cooked piece of beef.

Inside Texas Roadhouses high-volume Bear location, it isnt the equipment, but specially trained in-house meat-cutters that make the difference. They butcher 3,000 pounds of steak every week, turning sides of beef into the restaurants signature sirloin, filet and rib-eye cuts, says managing partner Joe Russo.

When people see that our meat is cut fresh every day, theyre blown away, he says. That, and the fact you can get an 8-ounce filet with two sides for $19. We really scream value.

And while most of us would be content with a bag of Kingsford and a splash of lighter fluid, the crew at Firebirds Wood Fired Grill near Newark take hunks of hickory, oak and mesquite wood and painstakingly burn them down into natural charcoal, which passes a unique flavor profile onto the ever-popular bacon-wrapped filet mignon and chili-rubbed Delmonico steaks.

The coals impart smoky flavor over the steaks and help with even cooking, says general manager Anthony Vitelli.

Despite their propensity for tried-and-true methods, even the classic steakhouses have to adapt to modern dining tastes and

Nothing else satisfies like beef.

People have grown up to love

the flavor. John Constantinou, owner of Walters Steakhouse


F | O&A20 . F D

trends. Todays beefeaters, according to the experts, are developing an even more carnivorous desire: bone.

Sullivans Steakhouse in Wilmington recently began bolstering its lineup of house-cut steaks with bone-in cuts, and customers have responded with rapt reviews.

In a strict operator parlance, our bone-in percentage is continuing to rise, says general manager Bill White. To be honest, I didnt think itd be the great seller that it is. But anytime you get a bone-in steak, whether its rib-eye or strip steak, that bone will impart more fl avor as it cooks on the broiler.

Sullivans currently off ers an 18-ounce bone-in Kansas City strip steak, a 22-ounce cowboy cut bone-in rib-eye, and a monstrous 24-ounce long-bone rib-eye, which the staff colloquially refers to as the Fred Flintstone steak.

I see customers taking pictures of that thing and I know its going on Facebook seconds later, White says. Its just an awe-inspiring piece of beef. A carnivores delight.

Look for an 18-ounce bone-in Black Angus sirloin at Harrys Savoy Grill in Wilmington, a 20-ounce bone-in rib-eye at Texas Roadhouse, and a 16-ounce bone-in cowboy rib-eye at Mile High and Brandywine Prime.

Bone-in fi let and tomahawk steaks are hip, Butler says. e idea of leaving the bone on is sound. Bones are where the fl avor is.

e cut [at Redfi re] that garners the most attention and has the wow factor is the barrel-cut rib-eye, which is essentially a rib-eye with the cap trimmed off , says Georigi. is leaves you with the fl avor from a rib-eye and the lean qualities of a fi letthe best of both worlds.

Matthew Curtis, the chef-owner behind Union City Grille in Wilmington, knows that Delaware diners can be fi nicky. In response, he gives waistline-conscious customers ample choices when it comes to his acclaimed tenderloin fi let. I think the huge porterhouses have gone by the wayside, he says. People are watching their caloric intake, but still enjoying their meats. So were just getting creative with the sizes.

Curtis off ers a 5-ounce and 8-ounce portion of fi let (the 5-ounce is more popular), and on Sundays, customers can customize their cut at $2 an ounce.

Still Sizzlingcontinued from page 19

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Another weight-saving measure thats regaining some steam in upscale steakhouses is dry aging. The time- and cost-prohibitive method involves either hanging large sections of cattle on racks in temperature-controlled rooms, or placing cuts inside vacuum-sealed bags. As moisture from the meat evaporates, its flavor becomes more concentrated. Mold grows, but instead of causing spoilage, it creates a crust on the meats surface that actually adds more flavor and tenderness before its trimmed away. Both Brandywine Prime and Mile High serve NY strip steak thats been dry-aged for 28 days.

Purists argue that a cut of steak this tender, this carefully procured, is a treat unto itselfprime quality beef in its most distilled state. But we cant talk steak without at least mentioning its trusty sidekicks. And unlike the steak itself, where less finagling is a good thing, steak accompaniments allow chefs and customers to flex a little creativity.

The classicsthe loaded baked potato at Firebirds, the charred onions at Walters, the creamed spinach at Sullivansnever seem to go out of style. But At Mile High, customers can embellish with a Cajun spice rub, crumbled stilton or gorgonzola cheese, or an au poivre preparation with its peppercorn crust and cognac-laced mushroom gravy.

Walters takes the occasional break from classic grilled steak by adding dishes like chimichurri-braised short ribs and steak Alexander to the menu. And the house ruba spice mixture enhanced with Arabica and Columbian coffee groundsadds a rich, well-rounded dimension to any steaks crust.

The slow-cooked prime rib will forever take top-billing at Harrys Savoy Grill, but the kitchen is constantly tweaking. This winter, go for the 12-ounce Iowa-corn-fed New York strip steak with smoked date demi glace and sweet corn puree.

No matter how you dress it up, steak isnt going anywhere.

Its like rock n roll, Banks says. Its here to stay.

Says Curtis: I dont consider steak and potatoes a trend. Theyre a staple in our dining diets.

Get a nice char, he advises. Let it rest a little bit. Medium rare. Some butter right on it. Some sauted onion and a nice cabernet. Im in heaven.


| O&A22 . F D

YOU ARE I N V I T E D

Y o u a r e i n v i t e d

to a Dinner Gala

benefit inG

e n j o Y a n e v e n i n g o f live music, a five-course Dinner with wine

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W h e r esull ivans steakhouse

5525 concord pike, wilmington, De 19803

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contact Dawn brooks 302.428.5330 or [email protected]

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5525 Concord Pike, Wilmington, DE 19803

PRICE$125 PER PERSON

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TO A DINNER

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In the beef business, the word Angus is magic. Thats why it is used to promote everything from big burgers at greasy fast-food joints to freezer-burned patties at local supermarkets. The ploy works because the word Angus implies a high-end product. But the truth is that not all Angus beef is Certifi ed Angus Beef , a brand carries the distinction of top quality.According to the Certifi ed Angus Beef website, less than 1.5 percent of beef sold earns

the distinction of being CAB approved. Thats what the public needs to know, says Bob Hill, director of Meat Operations at

ShopRites of Delaware. Angus is simply a breed of cattle. But there are 10 specifi cations that must be met for beef selections to be considered CAB. And only licensed retailers approved by the CAB council can carry the products.

If anyone in the area is an expert on CAB, its probably Hill. He has been in the business for 34 yearsthe last 26 with ShopRiteand introduced the fi rst CAB section in the ShopRite chain in the early 90s. Since then, other ShopRite stores in the chain have followed, and demand for the product has grown substantially. Today, only one other supermarket chain in the country sells more CAB than ShopRite.

Hill suggests that shoppers look for the CAB seal when shopping for high-end Choice and Prime meats. Not many other stores are certifi ed to carry CAB in Delaware, but Bachetti Bros. Gourmet Market & Catering has been offering it to their customers for more than 12 years.

It seems to be a popular attraction at our store, says Mike Quimby, Meat Manager at Bachetti. We cut them a bit thicker so its a nicer steak. In fact, I bought two Delmonico steaks for myself tonight.

With more than 25 years at Bachetti Bros., Quimby knows a good steak when he sees one. If you want to treat yourself to a steak, [CAB] would be the way to go, he says.

Jim Hunter Miller

CAB: Where The Beef IsThis label guarantees top quality


.OAAN.

FOOD

As a kid, I loved my Kodak camera. ere was something thrilling about removing the roll of fi lm from its tangerine-colored box and silky pouch and gingerly threading up the little plastic memory catcher. Doing so committed you to the second part of the process, sending the fi nished roll off for development and prints (glossy or matte). Getting the package back felt like fi nding a full wallet.

I look back at those photos now and see my childhood captured in sand castles and Christmas trees, haircuts and birthday parties. Hiding under the sticky cellophane of outdated photo albums is my chronological life. However, I cannot recall a single snapshot of food I would have deemed worthy of the 9-cent development cost or the wait involved to see it, even if I had

yet to discover my inner foodie. Sharing food, that most personal of memories, remained a sacred act left to the mystery of my five senses.

Food and memory is a common theme in my columns. So strong is the power of a meal that I sometimes recall more details of the event just by closing my eyes and picturing the scene than with a snapshot.

Gourmet magazine was the fi rst and longest-running publication to begin selling the idea of food as lifestyle. Yet even it featured mostly recipes and in-depth articles on the nuances of travel and chestnut souffl s. It wasnt until magazines like Food Arts and Saveur began devoting full pages to glistening, gleaming food porn with nary a caption to ruin it that things really exploded. Today, food is the new sexy, and it sells. Even publications not devoted to food reserve the occasional cover for a sizzling steak or gratuitous gateau.

What is our fascination with photographing our meals and sharing them? I now post food photos from my professional and private life on social media. Its part promotion, part bragging (Look what we ate/prepared and served!). But, caveat eator: You live by the shutter and die by the shutter. One minute youre amping up the contrast on the shot of an oyster, and the next you fi nd a customers Facebook post of your sea bass that looks like a dogs breakfast. is is a modern problem of public image control that has many chefs and restaurateurs gnashing their teeth. Not only is their work being judged from a photograph, but many people who havent even eaten there are judging too.

Food and beverage photos are powerful imagery. Last month, I saw a rather unfortunate photo of a cocktail posted on Facebook by a local restaurant. It was

23

The New SexyA picture is worth a thousand wordsor not

By Robert Lhulier

2_FoodDrink.indd 11 1/24/2013 11:17:37 AM

F | O&A24 . F D

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.OAAN. 25

unfortunate because many were quick to judge its appearance without any thought whatsoever as to its taste or that it might just be a bad photo (which it was). Several dozen comments later, the frustrated poster removed the photo and remarks, then went on a rant about how critical and callous non-restaurant people can be when judging the work of a bartender, chef or operator. en came the comments in defense of the drink, the creator and the restaurant. All from a single photo posted on a chilly Wednesday evening in January.

e concept of peer review is powerful, but as with any form of opinion you must consider the source when judging its validity. Lets say I was to go on a rant on my blog about a Red Lobster meal (even if I hadnt eaten there). Some may deem my opinions worth consideration because of my profession and access to a platform. On the other hand, most who know me already understand my distaste for chain restaurants, and so they might dismiss it as a cranky day at the offi ce.

With instant blogging and review sites like YELP!, everyone really is a critic. It is not uncommon for a disgruntled diner to shred a place online, in real time, with the aid of his or her smart phone. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but a YELP! review has unlimited characters.

Food photography, food modeling, food journalism and photo-sharing sites like Instagram and Flicker are all intertwined in our national passion for food imagery. I am pretty sure that, along with puppies, kittens and kids, the most responded-to photo-posts on Facebook are easily food shots. Although were unable to even smell, let alone taste, the featured feasts, these posts evoke immediate emotional responses because of their immediacy and our ability to viscerally relate to them.

Perhaps whats required is a dash of perspective. I have a collection of menus from my favorite meals and restaurants. I often look at them, some of which are signed by the staff , and I think of the people, the meal they created and the experience as a whole. I can recall who was with me, the weather, what we ate and what we drank. Details of a limp garnish, surly server or chilly draft whither away, and I smile, thinking of what a lasting image that meal had created in my mind. No photo required.

Robert Lhulier is the executive chef at the University & Whist Club and author of the food blog forkncork.blogspot.com.

Food: The New Sexycontinued from page 23

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.OAAN. 27

Bundle up and enjoy selections from 25 of the areas best craft breweries at Kennett Square Winterfest on Saturday, Feb. 23, 12:30 to 4 p.m. Kennett Brewfest presents this fi rst-ever event, which is set to be an annual festival.

Tickets are $65 and include unlimited craft beer tastings and warm food from Philadelphias Talulas Table gourmet market. Designated Driver tickets are $15 and include soft drinks and food. e Shady Grove Trio will perform, getting everyone moving and dancing.

e festival, which is restricted to those 21 and older, will be held under a tent on South Broad Street between State and Cypress streets in downtown Kennett Square. Its an all-weather event, although a heated area will be set up for those needing a break from a brisk winter day.

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BRICKBRICKBY

A couple of recent UD grads build a booming business by

creating Lego-compatible weapons, armor and accessories

Delaware is home to some innovative companies that create unique products. This is part of a series of articles spotlighting these sometimes overlooked enterprises.

MADE IN DELAWARE

By Larry Nagengastphotos by Tim Hawk

Ryan Hauge and Amanda Taylor, both 23, with Brick Warriors accessories for figurines.

2_MadeInDE.indd 2 1/24/2013 11:23:46 AM

By Larry Nagengast

Ryan Hauge and Amanda Taylor graduated from the University of Delaware less than two years ago, but they have already learned the value of thinking outside the boxthe LEGO box.Hauge, who began playing with the iconic building bricks when he was 2 or 3 years old, and Taylor, who remembers having only one tub of the bricks around the house in her youth, are building their own business, creating plastic weapons, helmets, armor and accessories designed to be compatible with the mini-figures found in boxed LEGO sets.

Working from their apartment on Lancaster Pike in Greenville, the 23-year-olds are selling their BrickWarriors pieces online (brickwarriors.com) and through resellers in Canada, Europe and Japan. From November through January, they also set up a cart in Christiana Mall, not far from the LEGO store. Their Warrior Packsbags of seven to nine accessoriesalso are on sale at YoYo Joes toy store on Concord Pike and at a toy shop in Ellicott City, Md.

They sell great. Its a good product. Kids love them, says Joe Mitchell, owner of YoYo Joes.

This month, Hauge and Taylor hope to take their game to the next levelexhibiting the prototype of their BrickWarriors board game at the Toy Industry Associations Toy Fair 2013 in New York City.

Were used to going to LEGO conventions and selling for maybe five hours a day, says Taylor, who serves as BrickWarriors marketing director. For the Feb. 10-13 event in New York, it will be nine or 10 hours a day.

Hauge, the creative force behind BrickWarriors, was one of those kids who was never quite satisfied with the hundreds of pieces in the typical LEGO box. Star Wars, Superheroes, Monster Factoryno matter what the product line, he always wanted a different helmet, another type of gun. He found that he could buy some of these specialty items online, and then started doing some design work for one of the online dealers.

Hauges big break came in the fall of 2009, in his junior year at UD, when he took Economics of Entrepreneurship, taught by Jim ONeill, director of the universitys Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship. A highlight of the class is its Business for a Day project, where students develop an idea for a business, write a plan, test it out and figure out what they would change to make it better.

Im not as interested in how much profit you make as what you learn, ONeill says.

But Hauge, who packaged and sold pieces he made in conjunction with the online dealer, says he turned a profit of about $8,000 over a couple of months, and his classmates voted his project the best idea.

It was a unique idea, and he was leveraging it with a very successful product, the LEGO blocks, ONeill says.

Thats part of the products appeal, Mitchell says. They connect right to the existing LEGO figures, so you dont need to buy a new figure.

Fresh from that success, Hauge began thinking of starting his own business. He would work the design side, with Taylor focusing on sales.

It didnt take much to convince Taylor to go along, not after she heard one of the guest speakers in ONeills class say that the best time to try your own business is when youre right out of college, when you dont have a family and you dont have to put other peoples lives on hold.

With custom BrickWarriors designs, Hauge hopes to keep LEGO fans connected to the blocks for a couple of years longer than expected. When kids get to be 13 or 14 years old, they sometimes get embarrassed to admit that they like LEGOs, he says. They hide them from their friends. But if they have cooler pieces, well, its not as kiddish.

Working from home, Hauge searches online for images of swords, guns and other weapons, as well as helmets, armor and

BRICKBY

It was a unique idea, and he was leveraging it with

a very successful product, the LEGO blocks

Jim ONeill, director, Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship at the University at Delaware

2_MadeInDE.indd 3 1/25/2013 10:44:44 AM

30 . M I D F | O&A

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Brick Warriorscontinued from page 29

other protective gear. When he finds one he likes, he copies it into a computer-assisted design program and starts tweaking it into something he likes even better.

He keeps an image of a LEGO mini-figure on his computer, and uses that to test whether the accessories he designs are correctly sized and will attach properly to the LEGO piece. If his LEGO-loving friends approve the design, he sends the file to a 3D printing business in California, which makes a prototype.

After creating about a dozen new pieces, Hauge ships them to Chinayes, even recent grads are into outsourcingwhere a manufacturer creates a steel mold and injects it 1,000 times with ABS plastic. The ABS is acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, the same plastic used for LEGO bricks. A couple of weeks later, boxes filled with bags of 100 of each type of piece arrive in Greenville.

Those bags cover much of the floor of a spare bedroom at Hauge and Taylors place. The walls of an office area are lined with color-coded plastic bins, each one holding up to 100 pieces of a particular item.

Designing a new piece takes two to three hours, and the entire processfrom design to prototype to productiontakes three to four months, Hauge says.

In addition to the accessory pieces, BrickWarriors sells custom mini-figures, created by sealing waterslide decals that Taylor designs onto the body of a standard LEGO mini-figure.

Besides designing the decals, Taylor takes care of sales and distribution for the business.

She fills about 100 orders a week. The custom mini-figures cost $10 and up. Most of the accessories sell for $1 each, but theres a $10

minimum and the average order is $30, so theres a lot of handling tiny pieces that goes into the $4 charge for shipping and handling. The inventory is rather complex, tooabout 100 designs already, with many of them available in up to six different colors, and about 50 more in the pipeline.

The best orders, Taylor says, are from BrickWarriors resellers in Sweden, France, Hungary, Japan, Canada and the United Kingdom. They typically order 100 of each piece they want, so theyre easier to pack, she says.

Although they grew up a couple of miles from each other in Brandywine HundredHauge graduated from Concord High School and Taylor from Brandywine Highthey didnt meet until they were freshmen at Delaware.

Because they work largely through the internet, their youth is hardly an issue when dealing with older and more experienced suppliers, Hauge says. Nobody thinks were right out of college. They think were about 30, Taylor adds, laughing.

Next up for Hauge and Taylor is the Toy Fair and marketing their board game. While they have found success selling BrickWarriors pieces online, they want exposure for the game at brick-and-mortar retailers. Toy stores and shops that sell comic books and fantasy games are their primary targets as they try to develop broader distribution channels.

I dont know anything about marketing games, Hauge says. But we designed a game, and had fun with it. Hopefully other people will have fun too.

Mitchell is already on board, saying he will host a game night at YoYo Joes when theyre ready to roll out the BrickWarriors game.

By leveraging their product with LEGO, the potential is tremendous for Hauge and Taylor, ONeill says. All it takes is one break.

Hauge and Taylor play the game they invented, Chains to Champions.

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Indulge Me

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)Gene Wilders wistful performance as the reclusive candy maker anchors this quasi-musical adaptation of the Roald Dahl childrens book. Of course, Wonkas factory is full of the most delightful sweets any child could imagine, if one could avoid the tests of character that come as a side dish. The special effects and sets look pallid compared to Tim Burtons 2005 remake, but the original has one quality the later fi lm lacks: real heart.

The Jerk (1979)In his fi rst starring role, Steve Martin plays Navin Johnson, an earnest, lovable idiot who becomes fabulously wealthy because of a single goofball invention. Having come from nothing, Navin naively spends his wealth on the most bourgeois possessions and absurd causes (including the terrible scourge of cat juggling). Its a wildly uneven fi lm and yet still entertaining in spots.

Big (1988)One of Tom Hanks early-career charmers. Josh, an awkward 14-year-old (Is there any other kind?), asks a carnival wish machine to make him big and he wakes up with an adult body but the same teenage mind. Joshs natural instincts for what kids want from toys leads to surprise corporate success, awkward romance, and the money to equip his NYC apartment with every boys fantasies: sports, games, bunk beds and his very own soda machine.

Enchanted April (1991)In the 1920s, four London women splurge on a beautiful rented Italian villa as a break from their daily routines. The Italian countryside and the strange power of moonlight do wonders for the womens assessments of their lives and loves. Exquisitely photographed and well-acted by a sterling British cast (Joan Plowright, Alfred Molina, Miranda Richardson), the movie is a feast for the eyes and ears.

Like Water for Chocolate (1992)This melancholic Mexican romance tells the story of Pedro and Tita, whose love is thwarted by Titas tradition-bound mother. Tita pours all her anguish into exotic recipes that have mystical effects on those who eat them, most notably a wedding cake for her sister that drives the reception guests to unexpected tears.

The Queen of Versailles (2012)Lauren Greenfi eld directed this controversial yet affecting documentary about a nouveau riche couple building the largest single family home in America in the midst of the recent economic downturn and a profound reversal of their own fortunes. The familys absurdly fl amboyant lifestyle crumbles around them while their unfi nished mansion serves as a glaring reminder of their unhappy and poorer new status.

DVDs that Celebrate, Excoriate Livin LargeBy Mark Fields

2_Movies.indd 3 1/24/2013 11:32:15 AM

14 SongS, 28 DayS2_Music.indd 2 1/24/2013 11:33:59 AM

Erin Magnin and Michael Natrin are looking forward to another sleepless February.

Like many of their fellow musicians, the folk duo known as The Honey Badgers will be pulling all-nighters as they compete in February Album Writing Month, or FAWMa free international online challenge to write and upload 14 songs in 28 days to fawm.org. Musicians receive criticism and support from other users on the website and, in Delawares case, from

a growing local community. Magnin and Natrin, both 23, met in high school. Theyve been singing since they

can remember. Magnin started playing violin at the age of 7, while Natrin has played guitar for 10 years and performed in bands since he was a teenager.

While attending the University of Delaware, the two became closer and began collaborating in June, 2011, when Natrin said he wanted to try out for a folk contest but wanted to sound more folky. So he asked Magnin to play violin while he sang and played guitar.

I said yes, and we started an adventure, says Magnin. When they showed up at the contestDelmarva Folk Festivals Folk Hero

Contestthey were rehearsed and ready to go. But, at sign-ups, they realized they didnt have a band name.

The first thing that came to Magnins mind was YouTubes Crazy Nastyass Honey Badger a video of a honey badger with a humorous voiceover.

I was like, Oh, my God, can we be The Honey Badgers? and Michael said yes, and now were accidentally The Honey Badgers for life, says Magnin.

Since then, with Natrin on guitar, harmonica and vocals, and Magnin on violin, vocals and the glockenspiel, theyve been performing in the region and recording EPs, including their November, 2011, Booth Bay EP and December, 2012, Christmas with The Honey Badgers. They won 2012s Folk Hero Contest, and have had radio play on WSTWs Hometown Heroes. Within the next few months, they plan to release another EP, and in the summer theyre hoping to record their first full-length album.

But for now, they are focused on one thing: FAWMing. FAWM launched in 2005, and this is Natrins fifth and Magnins second year as FAWMers. The two plan to collaborate on about half their songs this year.

FAWM spread throughout Delaware from musicians like Aaron Nathans, the first Delaware FAWMer, and Shane Palkovitz, who introduced it to Natrin and Newark-based folk musician and current FAWM enthusiast Em McKeever. FAWM brought many of these musical friends together, and now they perform regularly together and record on each others EPs and albums.

During his first two years, Natrin says he wasnt especially serious about FAWM because nobody else was doing it with him.

Things become a lot more fun and a lot easier to do when you have a local community, Natrin says. I was just this kid in my dorm room and everybody thought I was weird for posting songs online.

Now the group of likeminded musicians starts getting excited about FAWM in March. Em and I would both consider ourselves to be FAWM-vangelists, Natrin says.

We spread the word about it to local songwriters we meet.

14 SongS, 28 DaySThats the challenge for The Honey Badgers and other local artists as they participate in February Album Writing MonthText and photo by Krista Connor

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McKeever, 26, who has been playing guitar since age 12, is excited about her fourth year of FAWMing. She and Natrin began organizing FAWM showcases in 2010, and focus on drawing more local artists into the project by hosting pre-FAWM meet-ups and planning and promoting shows in Wilmington and Newark. She says shes found that FAWM is a great tool to spur the development of the Delaware singer-songwriter community.

Its not common within the FAWM community to organize on a local level like Michael and I have, McKeever says. Most folks are happy to complete the challenge online and thats it.

Palkovitz is a folk artist from Landenberg, Pa., who began songwriting, drumming and playing guitar at the age of 6. He has been gigging and recording since 9th grade.

FAWM inspires local musicians to hunker down and hash out those song ideas, Palkovitz says. For instance, fi ve of the 10 songs on my new album, Good Times, are a result of February Album Writing Month. Without the support of a great circle of local songwriters, I probably would not have forced myself to fi nish those songs.

FAWM is what got Natrin to start writing songs seriously, developing his songwriting from nothing to something, he says. Magnin agrees, saying FAWM is a great way to force herself into better songwriting. Most FAWMers arent fulltime musicians and have busy schedules, she explains, so if musicians dont make themselves create music, they might not even get 14 songs in a whole year.

anks to the challenge, Natrin says the majority of participating local musicians, ranging from 30 to 50 people, owe many of their current songs to FAWM.

e main idea behind FAWM is summed up by the Jack London quote: You cant wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.

It would take me forever to write a song if I had forever. Giving me that time limit made me upload songs I didnt like, says Magnin. Its not something Id do for a year, but for a month its a really incredible way to force yourself to get better and actually look at your songwriting and acknowledge whats bad about it and whats good about it.

5541

look at your songwriting and acknowledge whats bad about it and

Em and I would both

consider ourselves to

be FAWM-vangelists,

Natrin says. We spread

the word about it to local

songwriters we meet.

And all of these musicians agree: even if you only get one song written the whole month, its one more than you would have had.

Playing in a duo is something new for Magnin and NatrinNatrin says its a lot more intense and intimate than his previous full-band experiences. ere is more room for error while performing in bands, but as a duo they have to be more in tune with the other. ey say writing songs together, too, is more of a challenge than writing separately, since its two perspectives trying to merge into one song. Typically it takes hours until theyre both content with a songthey may start at noon, Natrin says, and not fi nish until 3 a.m. ey believe the art of songwriting is particularly important in their style of music.

I think that the genre that we write in is more authentic, Natrin explains. I think the song content matters more than the music itselfand the lyrics and meaning behind them ring true and mean more than a lot of other styles of music.

Magnin adds that she feels their music is simple, but in that simplicity, it becomes something more.

Michael is a vetted guitar slinger and songwriter. Hes got tons of momentum and verve, McKeever says. Erins got that haunting, pure voice that grips audiences. Ive seen her bring rowdy audiences to silence just with her voice. Plus, theyre just stinkin cute. ey have a great dynamic onstage, and theyre just wonderful to be around. Its a winning combo.

Natrin thinks that because of their lyrics and music, many listeners who talk to them after shows arent necessarily people who listen to Top 40 music. eyre often an older crowd who grew up in the folk revival of the 60s and 70s, although younger crowds also appreciate the duo. Its the harmonies and how their voices meld together that, Natrin says, nine out of 10 people say they lovealong with the harmonica and violin.

eyre rootsy, theyve got tons of soul, their songs will haunt you, says McKeever. But they also know how to have a good time. ey take snapshots of life and stretch them out over chords.

One challenge e Honey Badgers say they face is the lack of interest in original music by many Delaware listeners. When you get out of that circle of friends, it starts to get a lot harder, and I feel like theres only a certain amount of people you can reach that are gonna want to listen to your music and follow your music, and then the rest are like Freebird! Magnin says.

But I think its defi nitely cyclical, says Natrin. I talked to people who have been in the local music scene for 20 or 30 years, and it gets better and it gets worse.

For now, though, Palkovitz, along with e Honey Badgers, McKeever and other local artists, believe the arts are growing and thriving in the margins of Delaware.

e lack of established venues and legitimate nightlife has not sent locals to bed early, Palkovitz says. It has merely caused them to assemble in

basements, living rooms, sheds, garages and woods.For FAWM challenge details and to sign up and post songs for

free, visit fawm.org. Check out e Honey Badgers at their website, honeybadgerfolk.com, or Facebook. Upcoming shows: Friday, Feb. 8, at Young Bean Coff eehouse in Clayton; Friday, March 15, at Central Perk in Newark; Saturday, March 16, FAWM showcase at Film Bros. Co-op in Wilmington.

14 Songs 28 Dayscontinued from page 39

2_Music.indd 5 1/24/2013 11:35:35 AM

42 . M N | O&A

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