Homemade for the Holidays: Get hooked on North Hollow Threads

October 31, 2022 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

Meghan Eirkson purposely named her growing online fabric craft business, North Hollow Threads, after “my very favorite place.”

Why? Because to Eirkson, of Hershey, the two are synonymous.

Her one-of-kind, handmade crafts are inspired by life at North Hollow, her family’s Vermont getaway home.

“To that end, North Hollow Threads has been created to bring the joy of something handmade to both the everyday and special,” she writes on the online store’s website, whose tagline is “Handmade Goods for the Modern Home.”

Eirkson “started out small” in October 2020 following the pandemic’s first wave. She previously worked in politics and law until the birth of her second son in 2019 but now wanted a job that allowed her to stay home with her family. As a result, she began selling her home-sewn goods online and at The Shoppe on Chocolate in Hershey.

“I love to sew,” she said. “It’s always been an outlet for me.”

And two years later, business continues to grow for Eirkson.

“Last year, it was twice as busy during the holidays as it was the year before,” she said. “This year, it looks like things just might be twice as busy as they were last year.”

Although Eirkson notes that “it’s always a challenge to work with small children,” she cherishes time spent with her two sons, ages 7 and 4, who help out with selecting fabrics and making deliveries.

“I like to buy my supplies from other small businesses run by women with families, too,” she said. “It’s been important to me to help them out in the same way that they help me.”

This holiday shopping season, North Hollow Threads offers an expanded range of handcrafted napkins, coasters, table runners, placemats and stockings, to name just a few items. Holiday-themed fabric also is available for sale, and all merchandise is available for custom orders.

Then, of course, there are plenty of gifts or everyday items available for sale at North Hollow Threads. For children, there are baby quilts and wall hangings, fabric crowns, pencil cases, Halloween bags, and, of course, toys.

For grownups, there are zipper bags and totes, tablet cases, travel bags, key rings and pillows and even flannel bandanas for the family canine.

Eirkson said that she plans to hold online holiday sales throughout November, as well as a brick-and-mortar open house sale for family and friends.

Julie Webb, of Hershey, is not only Eirkson’s friend and neighbor but one of her first customers. She became hooked on North Hollow’s goods after noticing a mutual friend’s fabric napkin set that was crafted by Eirkson.

“Meg is my go-to anytime I need a special gift for Mother’s Day, Christmas, birthdays or whatever it may be,” said Webb, who noted that a North Hollow keychain and catchall bag currently sat inside her purse. “I tell all my friends and family to buy from Meg.”

She also loves that Eirkson will tailor an item specifically for her.

“I’m a big fan,” Webb said. “She does such a great job with everything she does, and I love to support her.”

North Hollow Threads merchandise is sold online at www.northhollowthreads.com.

On Nov. 9, Meghan Eirkson and Julie Webb plan a launch party for a new PA Capital Region Chapter of Women’s Business League, a national networking group for female business owners. For contact information, visit www.womensbusinessleague.com/chapters.

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Scent-sational Experience: New Mechanicsburg shop offers candle-making workshops, chance to learn a new hobby

October 31, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Bianca Facendo

“Good vibes only.”

It’s a mantra that fits well with the mood at The Gleeful Candle Co., but it’s also a scent—one that you can mix into a candle if you want to take some of those good vibes home.

Choosing a scent during a workshop at the Mechanicsburg shop is only one part of the process of crafting and pouring a homemade candle. For many customers, it’s the hardest part. Choosing just a few fragrant oils from the lineup of bottles with labels reading “cinnamon cider,” “peach” and “warm vanilla sugar” is near impossible for most, explained owner Bianca Facendo.

Facendo opened The Gleeful Candle in June, wanting to offer the area a creative experience and introduction to a hobby that she fell in love with over the past few years.

“The main reason I wanted to do this is because I’m a creative person, and I wanted to bring that passion to others,” she said.

The cozy shop, located on W. Main Street, is painted with soft neutral pinks, browns and ivory. Facendo wants it to be a place where people feel welcomed and comfortable. Music is always playing in the background—it’s all about the experience, she said.

When you book a class at The Gleeful Candle, Facendo will walk you through the entire process of making your own personalized candle. Each guest gets a tray full of all the supplies, including a glass jar, a wick and small tools. First is the difficult task of choosing your scents. Next, you melt your wax chips and mix in the oil scents. Once you pour the wax into the jar, you can add small decorative flowers into the mix and, of course, the wick.

Facendo offers candle-making workshops, private events and the occasional BYOB or themed parties. So far, she’s hosted bachelorette parties, daddy-daughter dates, groups of friends and surprise date nights, among other events.

“You’d be pleasantly surprised by how much you’ll enjoy learning the basics of a new skill and activity,” she said.

Facendo was looking for a new creative endeavor during the pandemic when she discovered and taught herself candle-making. She began regularly making them for herself and for friends before realizing the potential for a new business idea.

“The candles were smelling amazing, and I thought, ‘I could really get into this,’” she said. “I’ve always been good with my hands.”

From a young age, Facendo remembers attending craft fairs with her mom, who was very creative, she said. The pair would work on projects together, Facendo working the hot glue gun. It was a learning experience, but also a time of bonding, she said.

She quickly developed a “hustler mindset,” working her first job at 14. That later grew into a bug for entrepreneurship, and she started several small businesses around gourmet food. Once she got into candle-making, she knew she’d found something that others would enjoy, as well.

“I love being able to create something out of nothing,” she said. “I want other people to be proud of what they’ve made here.”

The first few months of business have been great, with lots of community members and groups booking classes, and some even returning for more, Facendo said. She sees the shop as filling a void of experience-based businesses in the area and giving locals something fun and unique to try. She also hopes it creates a way for customers to bond, just like she did while crafting with her mother all those years ago.

“I had a vision, and the vision is here,” she said. “It’s an unbelievable feeling seeing people enjoy it.”

The Gleeful Candle Co. is located at 62 W. Main St., Mechanicsburg. For more information, visit www.thegleefulcandle.com.

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On the Rise: Hattie’s Bread Box Bakery opens in Mechanicsburg—part of a rising trend of home-based cottage bakeries born out of pandemic bread-baking

October 31, 2022 | by Karen Hendricks

Harriet Willis discovered the key to happiness during pandemic lockdown: bread-baking.

“During lockdown, people wanted to find comfort, and what’s more comforting than fresh-baked bread? It just soothes the soul,” said Willis, 56, of Mechanicsburg. “I found my passion. I feel really calm and happy when I bake, and it gave me the idea that maybe I could make a living doing this.”

Willis knew what it took to launch a small business—she previously owned a mortgage-broker business. And her background is in sales. Most recently, she worked as a Harrisburg-area restaurant server at Char’s Tracy Mansion and Tavern on the Hill. Willis never prepared the food she served, but the pandemic prompted her—along with many of us—to rethink career choices.

“We learned that jobs are not secure,” Willis said. “I decided that I’m going to do what makes me happy and not be reliant on working for a corporation.”

Harriet Willis

Self Starter

Microbakeries, Willis learned, are the biggest trend on the baking scene. They’re also called cottage bakeries, referencing their place as a cottage, or home-based, industry. In Pennsylvania, there’s a procedure to follow, including permits, inspections and licensing, in order to become a cottage-licensed bakery.

It took Willis about 18 months to convert her garage into her bakery, gather baking pans and equipment. Another Round Lemoyne’s secondhand restaurant shop provided nearly everything she needed at half the cost, and then she found herself in a pandemic-induced supply chain holding pattern for more than a year until her brand-new oven arrived.

And she really needed that oven in order to produce her style of bread—artisan sourdough loaves of buttermilk, harvest grain, rye and cranberry walnut breads, plus focaccia, English muffins and biscuits.

“I fell in love with sourdough baking,” said Willis. “It has very beneficial probiotic qualities that come from the starter.”

Sourdough starter, through fermentation rather than yeast, is what causes sourdough bread to rise.

“Once you make bread with it, you always keep some of it to maintain your bread-baking,” Willis said. “My current starter is two years old, but some people have starters that are over 100 or 1,000 years old. In fact, my starter originates from a starter that came from San Francisco—I ordered it online.”

As she waited for her oven’s arrival, Willis developed a completely unexpected side hustle.

“The Simply Bread Oven was founded by a Belgian man who lives in L.A.,” Willis said. “He missed his sourdough bread, and he couldn’t find any bread ovens in the U.S. made for micro-bakeries, so he decided—being a product developer and engineer—to build one. Myself and 23 other bakers across the country became early adopters before his prototype, and we bought into the company.”

She was such a believer in the company that she took a part-time sales job.

“I get to talk to other bakers all day,” Willis said.

Her very own oven arrived a year and three months after she placed the order.

“It was worth the wait,” she said. “It’s a commercial oven with steam-injected decks. You can inject steam, and you don’t have to open the oven door to do it. The steam helps the bread to rise and form a nice big belly, or ear, in the bread.”

Bread and Butter

Hattie’s Bread Box Bakery launched on Oct. 1 through a pop-up shop at Mechanicsburg’s Route 174 Roadside Market. Even though it was a rainy weekend, with the remnants of Hurricane Ian saturating central Pennsylvania, her bread sold out in three hours.

“She didn’t even have it out on the table and people were buying it,” said Steve Paulus, market owner and third-generation farmer. “Harriet’s bread fits in with what our store is all about—giving space to a lot of small business owners who don’t have a storefront or the location we do.”

Over the past 10 years, Paulus has built up relationships with about 50 small family farms and small businesses like Hattie’s Bread Box Bakery.

“I believe in Hattie,” Paulus said. “After that first weekend, I told her, ‘You hit a home run with your bread. Now, can you keep up?’”

Customers can also order bread online and pick it up directly from Willis’ home-based bakery. In front of her garage is a custom-built, fully insulated pickup station—like a large breadbox—hence the name, “Hattie’s Bread Box Bakery.”

While her initial customer base is primarily through word-of-mouth (or maybe it should be called taste in the mouth), Willis is gearing up to hit her goal—300 loaves of bread, weekly. She plans on offering sourdough pumpkin and sweet potato breads through the holiday season. And she’s developing recipes for sourdough cinnamon rolls, sourdough chocolate chip cookies and sourdough brownies.

Baked into Her DNA

Discovering her love of baking also reconnected Willis to her childhood home—in one of America’s “foodie” meccas, New Orleans.

“My great-grandmother was a baker, and, as a kid, I liked to bake,” Willis said. “All my family would say, ‘You’re a good baker,’ and I would sort of scoff it off’”—until now.

And working from home is something she’s grateful for, every day. She’s called central Pennsylvania home since 1987.

“It’s wonderful, very cool to get up in the morning, get my coffee, and start baking right here in my home,” Willis said. “I also really like that my house was built in 1950 by a man named Harry Pence, and I’d like to think that Harry would like the idea that I’m self-employed and working in the garage that he built. My son’s name is Harry, my grandfather was named Harry, and there’s a beautiful continuum of things.

For more information, visit hattiesbreadboxbakery.com.

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Sneaker Feature: Jawns on Fire opens in Linglestown with a deep selection of designer sneakers

October 31, 2022 | by Rachel Lindsley

Photo by Rachel Lindsley

A subculture of shoppers—known as “sneakerheads”—has been admiring the fabled sports shoe since the boom of basketball and hip-hop culture in the early 1980s.

While basketball legend Michael Jordan represents the rise of sneaker fashion, most shoes purchased by sneakerheads are rarely worn. These fanatics research, shop, collect and resell high-end sneakers based on style, brand and exclusiveness.

One local sneakerhead, Brian Dein, is using his three decades of retail experience to turn his childhood hobby into a small business.

“I’ve always been fascinated by sneakers and was looking for a change of pace from my corporate job,” he said. “I wanted to start a business that would be purposeful, fun and inspiring to others and my family.”

Jawns on Fire, located on Linglestown Road in Susquehanna Township, sells sneakers, street wear and more for men, women and children. A large screen TV plays hip-hop music throughout the store, inviting people inside. In-store kiosks and iPads allow shoppers to scroll through a wide selection of more than 700 new and gently used sneakers.

The walls are filled with floor-to-ceiling displays, exhibiting designers from Air Jordans to Yeezys, Nike and more. Each shoe has a QR code that customers can scan with their smartphone to view description, price and size availability. Shoppers can buy, sell or trade in sneakers with authenticity guaranteed.

“We understand the investment our customers are making in our selections,” Dein said. “We encourage everyone—no matter their age—to take care of their shoes and bring them back to trade in for a new pair down the road.”

Dein’s first pair of upscale sneakers, the OG Jordans, sit in a display case at the front of the store to remind him of his Philadelphia “jawn” journey.

“When I was 10 years old, the first Air Jordan sneaker came out, and I remember visiting a store in Philly for three weeks just staring at them,” he said. “My parents could not afford them, but told me, if I worked hard to make honor role, I could get them. These sneakers are now the centerpiece of this store and how I found my style.”

Dein’s story continues with customers like Aiden Harman, a Harrisburg resident who has visited the store for months, searching for the right pair before making a purchase.

“I’ve been coming into the store since they opened in August to check out their inventory and learn about the shoe culture,” Harman said. “It is hard to find my shoe size at other stores, so I finally pulled the trigger and purchased my first pair.”

Unlike many shoe stores, Jawns on Fire sources sizes for men, women and children from 2C to men’s 18. When browsing online or in person, customers can look up their size to view available inventory and size conversions for unisex options.

Dein and his associates, affectionally referred to as “Jawn-Noisseurs,” take pride in fostering an inclusive environment where new and old sneakerheads can get to know one another and create emotional connections. Their #BeJawn culture has welcomed more than 3,000 customers into their store with a 33% customer return rate.

Alongside sneakers, the store also sells clothing from popular brands such as the Anti Social Club, Vlone and Essentials. In addition, Jawns on Fire supports local vendors by providing a space for them to sell merchandise like wood art, candles, custom rugs and more. In the coming months, Dein has plans to expand his selection of apparel and offer special deals for the holidays, such as layaway options for Christmas.

“I took the best of the sneakerhead world, my retail experience and added some pixie dust to differentiate our brand from others,” Dein said. “Since opening our doors, we have been able to meet and help our local community find and source designers that were previously not available to them—and that feels good.”

Jawns on Fire is located at 2302 Linglestown Rd. (Blue Mountain Commons), Harrisburg (Susquehanna Township). For more information, visit www.jawnsonfire.com, their Facebook page and Instagram at @jawns.on.fire.

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The Louvre of Lunchmeat: Roll into Palmyra for a taste of Seltzer’s new bologna museum, store

October 31, 2022 | by Jeff Falk

On a recent Thursday morning, dignitaries from Seltzer’s Smokehouse Meats gathered to slice a ceremonial piece of cured beef on the sidewalk in front of the entrance to its new store on North Railroad Street, at what used to be Ray’s Bicycle Shop.

Just like that, one of Palmyra’s oldest businesses had a brand-new venue for offering its century-old products to consumers.

Billed as a museum, it’s more of an outlet store than any sort of hallowed grounds to soak up history. But it still is full of bologna.

Seltzer’s Smokehouse Meats Outlet Store and Museum is first and foremost a tribute to Lebanon bologna, a celebration of the cured beef product that put Lebanon County on the map.

They don’t erect too many museums in these parts, not even ones doubling as retail spaces. But in Lebanon County, there are few institutions more worthy than Lebanon bologna.

“We produce one of the oldest lunch meats in central Pennsylvania and maybe the world,” said Perry Smith, a business and sales consultant for Seltzer’s and perhaps the foremost authority on Lebanon bologna in the world. “The business is still family-owned, which also makes it unique.”

The Seltzer family in Palmyra dates back to 1902, Smith explained.

“At one time, the Seltzers had a drug store, a movie theater and a ball field in town,” he said.

A stone’s throw from the tourist attractions of Hershey, the walls do display a number of memorabilia-type items that spotlight Lebanon bologna’s—and Seltzer’s—storied past. In addition to an expanded product line—beef jerky, bologna chubs, new twists on old favorites—the outlet store offers other central PA delicacies like opera fudge, Lancaster County cheeses and even a few Hershey’s chocolate bars.

“My favorite way to eat it is as a good old sandwich,” said Smith, of Lebanon bologna. “Some people around the holidays will roll it up with cream cheese and horseradish and make it into pinwheels. Some people put peanut butter on it or syrup on it. You can slice it into chunks and eat it with pretzels and cheese while watching a football game. There’s no wrong way to eat Lebanon bologna.”

Smoked Goodness

At one point in the early 20th century, some seven or eight different local manufacturers produced their own distinct versions of Lebanon bologna. Seltzer’s may or may not have been the first, but the Palmyra-based operation certainly is the last—at least in Lebanon County.

Seltzer’s has stood the test of time by staying true to the process, true to its product and true to itself. While times have changed, Lebanon bologna hasn’t.

“It’s a very unique product,” said Auston Wagner, the fourth-generation owner of Seltzer’s Smokehouse Meats. “It’s a regional item. It’s very special to this area. It’s something people in this area really identify with.”

Some 92% of Lebanon bologna is all beef. The other 8% is salt, sugar, spices and smoky goodness.

“Why are we the ones left?” asked Smith. “We stayed with the old traditional way of making Lebanon bologna. The same smokehouses, the same type of wood, the same fire pits. No one makes it that way anymore. That’s why we won out.”

This culinary affection for Lebanon bologna may be an acquired taste, but, once it is obtained, there’s no going back.

“Lebanon bologna has a very tangy taste to it, which comes from the smoking,” said Smith, a 67-year-old resident of North Annville. “Sweet Lebanon bologna is totally different. It has a totally different taste than Lebanon bologna. But both come from the all-smoked goodness, and there is nothing in it that lessens the quality.”

Besides the Smokehouse, Lebanon bologna is readily available in every major grocery store in central Pennsylvania and all up and down the East Coast, from Boston to Florida. And it continues to spread its wings into places like the Midwest, California and Texas.

“Outside of the East Coast, you can find us, but you have to look for us,” Smith said. “The industry calls us a ‘niche item.’ In some areas of the country, we’re hit or miss, but we put Lebanon on the map.”

Marketing research tells Seltzer’s that continued growth hinges on the development of new products to attract a younger customer base. Tradition tells Seltzer’s to keep doing what it’s been doing.

Familiarity creates loyalty. Yet Smith believes that the future of the company and Lebanon bologna is secure because “we make a quality product at a fair price that people love.”

“We’re trying to get Lebanon bologna into a format that a younger generation wants to eat,” said Wagner. “A snackable format like jerky is important to the new generation. There are efforts underway to connect with the younger generation. It’s just sharing what makes us unique.”

Seltzer’s Smokehouse Meats Outlet Store and Museum is located at 209 N. Railroad St., Palmyra. For more information, visit www.seltzerssmokehousemeats.com.

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Pick Piccata: This lemony dish will taste like sunshine during gloomy November

October 31, 2022 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

Piccata, Marsala and Parmigiana. These preparations are the “Holy Trinity” of Italian cooking.

I love them all. I order eggplant Parmigiano whenever and wherever I can find it. And I make a wonderful chicken Marsala with lots of mushrooms and butter. But my husband, he is in love with veal piccata.

When Carley’s Ristorante opened on Locust Street in Harrisburg, they offered both veal and chicken prepared in the above three ways. Loving traditional Italian cuisine, we were frequent visitors. I tried almost everything there, but, for my husband, it was always the same: “Veal piccata, light on the sauce.” The servers never had to ask.

It is hard to find much information on the piccata style of cooking. I found information saying that the luscious combination of butter, lemon and spices certainly means that the preparation is Sicilian. But a second source attributes its origins to the northern city of Milan. And most surprising is the theory that preparing food in the “piccata” style began in America.

I make chicken piccata rather than using expensive and, often hard to find, veal. It is very easy to make, but, as always, using the best ingredients results in the best tasting dish. Always use fresh chicken breasts thinly sliced into cutlets, fresh not bottled lemon juice, fresh Italian parsley, real unsalted butter, and don’t omit the capers! When breading any type of meat or chicken, try using Wondra flour. It is fine and light and is less likely to clump and get soggy.

The chicken piccata recipe I have used most often is from Giada De Laurentis in her “Everyday Italian” cookbook. There are piccata recipes online, but they are hard to find elsewhere. No chicken or veal piccata recipes in the “Silver Spoon” cookbook, the bible of Italian cooking. Could it, in fact, have been “born in the USA”?

Chicken Piccata

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded until thin—or breasts that have been made into cutlets
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Flour for dredging (try Wondra)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup reduced sodium chicken broth or dry white wine
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
¼ cup drained capers
2 tablespoons chopped Italian (flat leaf) parsley

Directions

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper, then dredge it in flour to lightly coat it.
In a large sauté pan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter with 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium high heat.
Add the chicken and cook just until brown, about 3 minutes per side. Then use tongs to transfer the cutlets to a plate.
Add the broth or wine, lemon juice and capers to the same pan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Return the chicken to the pan and simmer until just cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a platter.
Whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons butter into the sauce. Pour the sauce over the chicken and garnish with chopped parsley.

When you have mastered the “piccata process,” you can try making a variety of meats and even fish this way. Swordfish steaks, cut horizontally into thin slices, can be prepared this way, as can flounder or sole filets. If you want to splurge, look for pale pink veal scallopine to serve for a special dinner for two. Pork and turkey cutlets work, too.

My husband would ask for pasta to accompany his chicken piccata, but I would like garlic mashed potatoes and a green vegetable. Garlic bread and a green salad are nice pairings, too. Don’t forget a crisp white wine.

Maybe you are already planning your Thanksgiving and Christmas menus. But I’m hoping you find time to sneak some chicken piccata into your holiday cooking schedule. Your friends and family will think you are a grand chef!

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Fighting Back: Rock Steady Boxing takes a jab at Parkinson’s disease

October 31, 2022 | by M. Diane McCormick

Sharon Murray

The tattoo on Tom Muller’s arm says, “March 17, 2017.” Five hash marks follow, counting every year since the day he got his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis. He was 47 years old.

“A friend of mine says, ‘Stay up all night. Fast for 24 hours. Throw yourself down a flight of stairs. Stand up, close your eyes, and spin around five times as fast as you can, and then walk a straight line,’” said Muller of West Hanover Township. “That’s what Parkinson’s is like.”

Muller shared his story after a session of Rock Steady Boxing at the Jewish Community Center in Harrisburg. The program, offered at gyms nationwide and around the Harrisburg area, uses non-contact boxing to help Parkinson’s patients punch past their symptoms while they find fellowship and hope.

Parkinson’s disease is a mysterious neurodegenerative disorder that affects the production of dopamine, the substance that transmits messages among nerve cells. While the outside world equates Parkinson’s with tremors, the condition actually comprises a broad and bewildering menu of symptoms attacking mobility, cognition, speech, balance and sleep.

Boxing takes a hit on all the symptoms. Standing with a line of punching bags at the JCC, instructor John Wysocki recently instructed his class members to shout out the classic numbers assigned to boxing punches.

“Throw the right hand, the left hand and two right hooks, so that’s 2-1-4-4,” he said.

The punching begins. The muscles are at work, but so is the cognition needed to remember the sequence and the vocalization that helps maintain vocal cord strength.

“That was an exercise of my brain,” said Sharon Murray of West Hanover Township. “You don’t think it’s hard, but it is. That’s part of what you do. Make your brain work.”

For Parkinson’s patients, 2½ hours of weekly exercise slows decline in quality of life, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation. Exercise of all kinds helps everyone, said Parkinson’s neurologist and researcher Xuemei Huang of Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey. But programs that provide movement, positivity and a sense of community are especially effective in augmenting her patients’ prescription regimen.

“What’s unique for Rock Steady Boxing is that it’s devoted to Parkinson’s patients for their particular challenges,” she said.

In the Harrisburg area, Rock Steady Boxing is offered at the JCC, West Shore YMCA, West Shore Academy of Martial Arts and Central Penn Wellness.

Programs such as Rock Steady Boxing can provide the positivity and socialization that help patients overcome the loneliness of a Parkinson’s diagnosis, Huang said. Younger patients see people 20 years older who are doing well. Older patients see younger peers they can help.

“That community, trying to lift each other up, up, that’s what I’m thinking the Rock Steady Boxing provides, more than that physical part,” she said.

Counting on Me

Murray “felt lost” after her diagnosis in mid-2021. Her journey “started with an anxiety problem.” She researched her options, because “that’s how I heal and handle things,” and found what she likes in Rock Steady Boxing.

“It makes me feel a lot better about the whole thing because I’m not out there alone,” she said as she put on her gloves. “If I have questions, any one of these people will answer it for me and point me in the right direction.”

At the West Shore YMCA, participants dress up for holidays—green for St. Patrick’s Day, costumes for Halloween—and bring seasonal treats. Before a recent session there with instructor Christina Phillips, Alan Williamson recalled his “demoralizing” diagnosis and the counterpunch of motivation that Rock Steady Boxing delivers.

“I can give myself 1,001 excuses for not exercising, but, here, I have a class to look forward to,” he said. “Christina is counting on me to be here, and the other participants are counting on me to be here, and I’m counting on them to be here. It’s camaraderie.”

Research that pinpoints one exercise as better than another is scarce because the control group would have to be sitting on the couch, not a good thing for Parkinson’s patients. But one recent study has shown that higher intensity can make a difference, Huang said.

In fact, Rock Steady Boxing instructors don’t give their students much slack.

At the JCC, Programs Director Terri Travers started her class with a mind-bending, laugh-inducing series of step movements, telling participants to say and do the opposite of what she was saying and doing. In the non-boxing segment of the class, students worked battle ropes and did pushups on a balance trainer.

At the West Shore YMCA, Phillips distributes PVC pipes that her twice-weekly attendants hold while doing rigorous stretches and bends. I was terrified to watch, certain that someone would fall, but they attacked their workouts with vigor. In fact, fall prevention and management are essential elements of Rock Steady Boxing.

“We work on balance, flexibility, mobility, posture control, because in Parkinson’s, people tend to hunch over,” Phillips said. “Sit up nice and tall. Look in my eyes.”

During the “boxing to the beat” segment of Phillips’ ever-changing class, participants threw sequences of air-punches in time with carefully selected tunes, such as “Heartache Tonight” and its catchy drumbeat. When one elderly participant started to slump, Phillips bopped over and shadowboxed with him. He responded by lifting his head and giving her a smile that lit up the room.

YMCA participant Elaine Sweger finds herself mimicking the PVC-pipe stretches in her daily functioning.

“Did you ever try drying your back when you got out of the shower?” she said during a break. “That’s the movement. If I’m trying to get something in the cupboard, I stand on my tiptoes. It keeps you moving. It just keeps you moving.”

Upbeat, Positive

With its focus entirely on Parkinson’s, Rock Steady Boxing is staff-intensive, with only six or so participants per instructor or volunteer. Those volunteers help expand class rosters by serving as spotters, providing one-on-one guidance for walking backwards or maintaining balance.

YMCA volunteer Ron Jones has been boxing since age 12, winning tri-state championships and boxing with the U.S. Army traveling team. Parkinson’s patients “fight this thing every single day of their lives,” he said.

“If we give them three hours a week of help, then I think it’s giving back,” he said. “That’s what I want to do, is to help them. We’ve had people that have passed, and it tears my heart out. Every single person in that class has a very special place in my heart.”

JCC volunteer Mo Caplan called the participants “just great people, good people.”

“Very upbeat, very positive,” he said. “You take away as much as you give, just watching people dealing with some bad luck, making the best of it and controlling what they can control.”

Unlike many people interviewed for news stories, Parkinson’s patients love to tell their ages. Ann Gard is 92, and she loves yoga, water exercise and boxing. Sweger, who is 80, told me that she is donating her brain to Dr. Huang, her neurologist, for research.

Examining a known donor’s brain opens insights into Parkinson’s by comparing the brain’s pathology with the patient’s clinical progression charted in life, Huang said.

“For a doctor, it’s a very sad day when our patient has passed, but afterwards is for learning,” she said. “Nobody will die in vain in our program. They give a final gift to the clinician to learn lessons about what sort of brain pathology caused their problem.”

JCC class member Tom Muller intends to stick with his gym workouts to stay in shape and with Rock Steady Boxing to knock out Parkinson’s.

“I like the fact that everybody in here is working towards a common goal, and that is working your body to fight off the inevitable,” he said. “My neurologist said this is a disease you’re going to live with the rest of your life, so you might as well educate yourself about it. You do what it takes, right? It’s going to get me in the end. I know that, but I’m not going to go down without a fight.”

For more information about Rock Steady Boxing, visit www.rocksteadyboxing.org.

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Timeless Ties: History meets modernity in SAM’s simultaneous exhibits

October 31, 2022 | by Barbara Trainin Blank

Helen Zughaib

At first glance, the two exhibits that recently opened at the Susquehanna Art Museum may seem a world apart, but a closer look reveals connections that break through the surface.

The first exhibit, “Fleeting Pleasures: Japanese Woodblock Prints,” introduces museum visitors to the rich history of ukiyo-e prints using some of the beloved images in Japanese art history.

Although female figures appear frequently on the woodblock prints, the art form itself is a masculine one. To some degree, it is an older one, with pieces dating from the 1700s to the mid-20th century.

Among the woodblock prints is Toyohara Kunichika’s “Courtesan with Kamuro,” dated from 1865. It depicts a geisha putting on a kimono of red, purple and white and wearing combs and pins in her hair. A young apprentice, or kamuro, assists her.

Torii Kiyonaga’s 1784 multicolor woodblock print, “Women Enjoying Cool Evening by River at Shijo in Kyoto,” demonstrates a style the artist became famous for. The women’s slender figures are emphasized by the gentle sway of their ornately decorated kimonos and by the woodblock’s plain-white background.

“Kiyonaga’s slender, ornately dressed women became associated with an idealized vision of beauty in Edo Japan,” said Lauren Nye, director of exhibitions at SAM.

“Fleeting Pleasures”—its works originating from the Georgia Museum of Art—reflects the cultural traditions of the artists’ times. The woodblock prints are created through an elaborate and highly technical process, inspired by the bustling metropolis of Edo, which was the former name of Japan’s capital, Tokyo.

In contrast, “Deep Roots: Ornamentation and Identity” features five contemporary artists, all female, who are inspired by their personal history, as well as their cultural roots. As opposed to the Japanese artists, they come from diverse places: India, China, Central America, Lebanon and Los Angeles.

But the two exhibits have much in common. The pieces in “Deep Roots” are inspired by traditional patterns and modes of ornamentation, meaning decoration or embellishment.

“The contemporary art complements the shared themes, patterns and aesthetic” of the older art form, Nye said.

“This unique pairing of exhibitions illustrates how ornamentation has been timeless across cultures,” she said.

During the past century, Nye pointed out, embellishment and ornamentation fell out of favor, replaced by minimalism in art and architecture.

“But many contemporary artists are now referencing and re-learning traditional techniques of the past to root themselves in their own cultural identity,” she said. “The artists in ‘Deep Roots’ demonstrate this in their mixed-media pieces, using rich patterns and textures and rooting our contemporary lives to the past.”

In Patton’s “Untitled (Julia)” work from 2020, the floral patterning that appears in many of her paintings acts as personalized ornamentation by the artist.

“In many cultures around the world, flowers denote care and devotion at weddings, funerals and celebrations,” Nye said. “The florals in Patton’s work serve as a memorial to the lives of the figures portrayed. By enlarging the found photographs and adorning them with colors, symbols and patterns, she celebrates the women pictured.”

Zughaib’s piece, entitled “Arab Spring,” reflects a complex background. Her paternal grandparents were from villages in the mountains of Lebanon. However, before the French colonists separated Lebanon and Syria, her family was considered Syrian.

In the Arab world, she was surrounded by the patterns on carpets, tiles, dishes and mosques and was drawn to their flat blocks of color and the way cultural patterns could tell stories and convey messages using symbols rather than figures.

“These patterns and symbols can reach across borders and communicate among cultures,” Nye said.

Alice Anne Schwab, SAM’s executive director, encouraged the spontaneity and creative pairing of the two exhibitions. About once a year, Nye is “allowed to go all out” in curating an exhibition “from scratch,” Schwab explained.

“And this is one of those times,” she said.

“Fleeting Pleasures: Japanese Woodblock Prints” and “Deep Roots: Ornamentation and Identity” run through Jan. 22 at the Susquehanna Art Museum, 1401 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.SusquehannaArtMuseum.org.

The exhibits are accompanied by tours and activities for young people of different ages, coordinated by Bonnie Mae Carrow, education manager of the museum. Featured artist Helen Zughaib will be at the museum Jan. 13 and 14 for an artist’s talk and hands-on workshop.

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Noteworthy November: Autumn tunes to tune in to

October 31, 2022 | by Belle Frank

As the weather chills, we have a tendency to stay in and cozy up with a warm drink. But I suggest venturing out to listen to some quality music. There is an artist this month for nearly any taste and place. Whether you’re into an intimate brewery scene or a large stage, you’ll be content with your choices in November.

Phillip Phillips, 11/17, 7 p.m., H*MAC

If you’re looking for the soundtrack to your new indie movie, this is it. Phillip Phillips won “American Idol” back in 2012, and his single, “Home,” hit the charts. Phillips has a melodic voice that is harmoniously paired with an acoustic guitar that just makes you smile. This is what I classify as “Windows Down Music”—a song just so lively that you have to roll down the car windows and scream the lyrics. Whether you’re jamming to it in your car or jumping along to the beat live, I can say you’ll feel the music in your soul.

Harry Connick, Jr., 11/18, 8 p.m., Hershey Theatre

Get ready for a classic night filled with all your favorites. Like me, you may have memories of being at your grandparents’ house with “It Had To Be You” in the background, playing with toys that pre-dated your existence. Harry Connick, Jr., has a voice smooth as butter, making it perfect for a live performance. For me, there’s no better feeling than the nostalgia of Connick’s music.

Capstan 11/27, 6 p.m., Lovedraft’s Brewing Co.

For this venue, you can cozy up with a cold one. Listening to Capstan’s music brought me back to my glory days of too much eyeliner and flannel. It was like being transported back to high school in the best way possible. Their mix of pop-punk and metalcore sounds, along with meaningful lyrics, make this a show I don’t want to miss. My standard for music is when it can feel like it’s transporting you, and that is exactly what I feel with this band. I imagine I’m back in my moody teenage years, and who doesn’t want to feel like a teenager again?

Mentionables:

Jeremy McComb, Nov. 4, H*MAC
Kip Moore, Nov. 11, Hershey Theatre
Kota the Friend presents “Flight Night,” Nov. 11, H*MAC
Trouble No More, Nov. 12, XL Live
The Clarks, Nov. 18, The Englewood
Turnstile, Nov. 21, XL Live
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Nov. 26, H*MAC

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Gilbert & Sullivan & Gamut: Gamut Theatre makes time for some innocent merriment

October 31, 2022 | by Francesca Amendolia

Sarah Anne Hughes & David Ramón Zayas

Events at Gamut Theatre often, well, run the gamut—from Popcorn Hat children’s shows to improv performances to Shakespeare (both indoors and at Reservoir Park) to original works to staged readings to Young Acting Company performances of classic stories.

And while there is often music as part of these events, rarely does the music take center stage. That’s about to (key) change from a minor background hum to a modern major musical production.

This fall, Gamut’s new core company member and trained opera singer, Benjamin Krumreig, is turning up the volume with “Innocent Merriment; Or, An Evening with Gilbert & Sullivan!” With songs and dialogue from 11 of the 14 operettas composed by the famous duo, “Innocent Merriment” is set to entrance, entertain, engage and enrapture theatergoers of all ages.

“I think audiences will be pleasantly surprised at just how familiar much of the music is,” offers Krumreig.

It’s true—Gilbert and Sullivan tunes and lyrics show up in the most unexpected places, from advertisements to movie soundtracks to “The Simpsons.” Every time someone hums, “Hail, hail! The gang’s all here,” or points out that they have “information animal, vegetable and mineral,” they’re testifying to the enduring impact of this Victorian duo. And that’s in addition to Gilbert and Sullivan’s profound influence on musical theater. Whereas opera is an entirely sung performance, operetta intersperses songs and spoken dialogue, which makes the modern musical a direct descendent of light opera.

When Krumreig first conceived of this project, his vision was for a revue—perhaps two weekends, a few singers, no costumes.

“Originally, I proposed a relatively small show, a gentle way to let actors and audiences alike dip a toe into the Gilbert and Sullivan waters,” Krumreig said, with a knowing grin.

However, as plans for Gamut’s 2022–23 season evolved, so grew the concept for “Innocent Merriment” until it became what is currently in the works: 14 singers, a four-weekend run, full costumes and a lot of very careful rehearsal.

“What mattered to me most going into this project was that the music was done well,” Krumreig explained.

Most of the participants are actors first, singers second. So, to ensure that everyone felt comfortable and confident, Krumreig devoted the first month of the rehearsal period to one-on-one voice training. Only now is he trading his vocal coaching hat for his director’s cap, though he’s got several more jobs to tackle before opening night. That’s because he didn’t just conceive of “Innocent Merriment”—he chose the songs, trimmed the dialogue, and wove those together into a seamless whole. He’s also the director, musical director and choreographer, as well as one of the 14 singers.

Despite juggling all those roles, Krumreig seems filled with energy and excitement.

“We’re creating a show anyone will enjoy, no matter how old, no matter how little or much they know about Gilbert and Sullivan,” he said. “The world is a little taxing right now. That makes this a perfect moment to offer people a bit of lighthearted joy—some innocent merriment.”

With a mischievous gleam in his eye, Krumreig then added, “there’s a rumor that Queen Victoria herself will be putting in an appearance. She was, after all, a huge Gilbert and Sullivan fan.”

In case you’re curious, the words “innocent merriment” come from “The Mikado,” but Krumreig’s favorite bit of Gilbertian wit is “airy persiflage” (also from “The Mikado”), a phrase that roughly translates to “cheerful, witty banter” (which would make “Airy Persiflage” an equally accurate, though more baffling, title for this show).

Something else fun? The two-part title for Gamut’s production is a direct homage to Gilbert and Sullivan’s titles, which also typically came in pairs—for example, “HMS Pinafore; or The Lass That Loved a Sailor” and “The Gondoliers; or, The King of Barataria.”

“Innocent Merriment; or, A Night of Gilbert & Sullivan!” might not, at first glance, seem like a typical Gamut Theatre offering. But, in fact, it’s right at home with a company that has long celebrated classic stories and enduring art. Gilbert and Sullivan’s operettas explore timeless, universal themes—of love conquering all, of the tension between desire and duty, of the triumph of good over the banality of evil—and they do so with clever lyrics set to engaging tunes.

So, as autumn days grow shorter, what a joy that Harrisburg audiences will have some light (opera) to look forward to at Gamut Theatre’s production of “Innocent Merriment.”

“Innocent Merriment; or, A Night of Gilbert & Sullivan!” runs Nov. 5 to 27 at Gamut Theatre, 15 N. 4th St., Harrisburg. For more information and tickets, visit www.gamuttheatre.org or call 717-238-4111.

UPCOMING EVENTS AT HARRISBURG’S PROFESSIONAL DOWNTOWN THEATERS

At Gamut Theatre
www.gamuttheatre.org
717-238-4111

“Innocent Merriment; or, An Evening with Gilbert & Sullivan”

Nov. 5 to 27

TMI Improv

Nov. 17 at 7:30 p.m.

At Open Stage
www.openstagehbg.com
717-232-6736

EFF Live!

Erotic fan fiction readings
Nov. 4 at 7:30 p.m.

Black NewsBeat with Dr. Kimeka Campbell

Join us in the live studio audience
Nov 9 at 7:30 p.m.

“Who’s Holiday!”

Cindy Lou is back in this comedic parody
Nov. 26 to Dec. 22

“A Christmas Carol”

Scrooge’s ghostly holiday adventure returns
Dec. 3 to 23

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

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