Noodle Me This: Slurp down some hot ramen at Taste of Asia

January 28, 2022 | by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

Ramen “Stamina” soup

It’s almost as if we blinked, and it was gone.

In October 2019, New York transplants Nyunt and Than Win opened Tri Asian Taste at a busy corner of Trindle Road near Mechanicsburg, the long-time home of the beloved local institution, Chef Wong. Just as they were gaining momentum, COVID hit, causing the new restaurant to lose its footing at a crucial time, just as the public was catching on.

The Wins moved on, relocating to Harrisburg’s Broad Street Market, where they are benefitting from a built-in traffic base. Meanwhile, another team has taken over their old location. Chef Patrick Oo and manager Zaw Nang have reopened the restaurant as Taste of Asia.

Nang explains that they are leasing the restaurant for a year.

“We’ll see how it goes,” he said. “We kept the décor, but changed the menu a bit. We’re serving sushi, Thai and, most importantly, ramen. This is what we believe will bring people in the door.”

Nang and Oo, who, like the Wins, hail from New York, said that they picked Pennsylvania due to the similar climate. Like New York, our winters are long and cold and ideal for serving hot ramen.

“That’s our niche,” Nang said. “You see a lot of sushi and Thai places, but not much ramen here yet.”

As a boy in Myanmar, Chef Oo was introduced to cooking by his father, who specialized in Chinese and Indian cuisine. Oo moved to Singapore then came to the United States, where he worked in New York restaurants before moving to Mechanicsburg.

At Taste of Asia, Thai dishes include black pepper beef and Thai spicy basil, with chili, basil, garlic, onions, bamboo shoots and bell peppers in a brown sauce. Red, green and Panang curry dishes can be ordered with a choice of protein, as can a selection of fried rice dishes. The sushi selection includes familiar favorites like dynamite rolls, spicy rolls, California rolls and eel rolls.

But it’s the ramen that really stands out, with nine ramen bowls on the menu. According to Oo, the most popular so far has been the “stamina,” a rich, delicious, spicy, stick-to-your-ribs dish with chicken broth, garlic, pork belly and scallions, topped with a poached egg.

“We also sell a lot of coconut noodle ramen bowls,” he said.

Nang added that the partners settled on the menu after a great deal of deliberation.

“As a person who views things from an efficiency perspective, I felt like Thai dishes take too long,” he said. “You can’t prepare five in a row or three in a row, like you can ramen and sushi, respectively, but you just can’t ignore Thai. It’s 30% of our business.”

The partners also must deal with the same challenge that most businesses now face—a lack of staff.

“That’s the biggest challenge, to find personnel,” Nang said.

For now, the pair is using social media to advertise and is doing something a little different than the Wins, reaching out to area hotels and dropping off menus. They’ve also enlisted the services of Door Dash, Grubhub and Uber Eats. According to Nang, about 20% of sales are from online orders.

Rachel Bennett, who lives nearby, was watching with interest as a new sign was erected in front of the restaurant.

“I had been waiting to come here and just had the coconut ramen, which was delicious,” she said.

She and a companion also shared a shrimp roll.

“That, too, was good,” she said.

The Mechanicsburg resident said that she is new to the “ramen culture” and intends to return to try a “little bit of everything.”

Both Oo and Nang said that they are confident that business will continue to improve as the word gets out.

“Slowly, people are learning about it,” Oo said. “They like it, and they are returning. I’m enjoying talking to all of the customers and getting to know them, some who have spent some time in Asia.”

“They’ve enjoyed the food and said they will come back,” Nang added.

Taste of Asia is located at 5001 E. Trindle Rd., Mechanicsburg. For more information, visit their Facebook page.

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He’ll Take the High Road: Matt Flinchbaugh pours his years of experience into a new taproom, brewery

January 28, 2022 | by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

Matt Flinchbaugh is the consummate entrepreneur.

Some customers may know him from his electronic dog fence company, Pet Stop of Central PA. More may be familiar with Flinchy’s Restaurant, Bar and Deck, which, for years, has been a popular meeting and eating spot for locals. And still others know him as the owner of Home Slice, a popular pizzeria located in Mechanicsburg’s Walden community.

That would be a full plate for most people, but Flinchbaugh has embarked on yet another endeavor. In November, he opened the High Road Brewing Co. taproom on a prominent corner across from Home Slice.

“My better half told me that I wasn’t allowed to open any more businesses, so this wasn’t necessarily a ‘want,’ or something I was trying to do,” Flinchbaugh said. “It just happened. I knew how much of a draw a taproom would be for the community.”

The snug space, which has housed two taprooms previously, was practically turnkey, which was an attraction.

“We added televisions and painted a bit, but that was it,” Flinchbaugh said.

Community Hangout

Flinchbaugh plans to unveil a large brewery and restaurant for High Road later this year in Camp Hill. But, to start out, he opened this small taproom, which features IPAs, pilsners, lagers, stouts, etc., from a variety of area breweries.

“I’m working with Wolf’s Brewing Co. in Mechanicsburg, Al’s Pizza Boy Brewing Co. in Enola and Harrisburg-based Appalachian Brewing Co.,” Flinchbaugh said.

In addition, Yuengling is always available on tap, along with selections from Tröegs, some of which are seasonal, like Mad Elf and Blizzard of Hops.

Flinchbaugh also plans to use a one-barrel system as an experimental brewery.

“The one-barrel system enables us to get really creative with new beers and think outside the box,” Flinchbaugh said. “Plus, if we have a ‘whoops,’ it won’t be so painful.”

The taproom also offers Pennsylvania wines, seltzers, ciders and various cocktails made with local spirits from places like Dead Lightning in New Cumberland and Faber Distilling Co. in Trumbauersville. A popular cocktail is one that Flinchy’s denizens may recognize.

“The Orange Crush includes freshly squeezed orange juice, triple sec and soda,” Flinchbaugh said. “It’s our biggest seller during the summer.”

The menu currently offers small plates and shareables sourced from Flinchy’s and Home Slice.

The ultimate mission is to make High Road a community hangout, which, according to customer Matthew Dishner of Mechanicsburg, Flinchbaugh knows how to do.

“That was the purpose of having a corner establishment, but up until now, no one could quite hit it,” he said. “Matt had the perfect vision—a simple taproom for neighbors and the community located in a quiet, relaxed atmosphere where you can feel comfortable.”

One Big Family

Running several businesses during this time hasn’t been easy. Flinchbaugh, like most business owners, has suffered from the repercussions of the pandemic.

“2019 was my best year in business, which was followed by my worst,” he said. “My sales were down 50%, and I lost employees.”

Yet he felt the need to give back during that time, working with other restaurants to donate food to first responders and charities.

“We, as restaurateurs, are all one big family,” he said. “I learned that as we worked together for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in 2016, when restaurant employees chose a night to donate all of their tips to the cause.”

Brian Fertenbaugh, owner of Café Fresco in Harrisburg, said that he sees a bright future for High Road.

“Matt has a vast amount of experience in the industry and has proven to be a success at other locations, plus he’s always supportive of the community. So, I understand why Mechanicsburg is welcoming him with open arms,” Fertenbaugh said. “He’s also proven that he can add a lot of variety and taste to Walden. So, I think everyone will recognize what a valuable asset this is for all of the residents.”

Flinchbaugh’s ambitions for High Road go far beyond the small taproom in Walden.

Later in 2022, he plans to open a brewery and restaurant in Camp Hill at a Smith Land location on Market Street. It will feature a menu with small plates and shareable foods with indoor dining on three levels, a two-sided bar with garage doors that will open into the restaurant, as well as a mezzanine on the third floor and outdoor dining.

“It’s going to be family-friendly, with fire pits outside and will seat 150,” Flinchbaugh said.

As for what his wife Lindsay thinks about the Camp Hill project, he chuckled.

“I told her I’m done after this,” he said.

The High Road Brewing Co. taproom is located at 146 Walden Way, Mechanicsburg. The future High Road Brewing Co. brewery and restaurant is slated to open later this year at 1801 Market St., Camp Hill. For more information, visit www.highroadbrewco.com or their Facebook page.

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From Russia, with Song: The band Riodine makes music across cultures, generations

January 28, 2022 | by Jeff Falk

Members of Riodine

Music is a series of sounds artistically combined to create rhythms, harmonies and beats. Music becomes a song when vocalized lyrics and words are added.

Those are just some of the properties that help make music universal. And if music is universal, it possesses the power to transcend generations, bridge gaps and bring unique cultures together.

This is the story of Riodine and the blurring of the line that exists between the often-conflicting cultures of the United States and Russia.

Riodine is made up of two musicians of Russian descent and two musicians with roots firmly planted in America. Of the 10 songs on their debut album, “Practical Men,” nine are sung in Russian.

“If you take Johnny Cash—I wouldn’t call him a composer,” said Ed Kabatsky, the leader of Riodine and the glue that holds the band together. “But the people in Eastern Europe love the way his voice sounds, that low-key, country vibe. They don’t understand English, but they like what they hear, and they understand the message. If it’s well done, I don’t think it matters what language it’s recorded in. Music is universal.”

Kabatsky immigrated to the United States from the Soviet Union in 1989. Before moving to Camp Hill, Kabatsky made his home in Staten Island, N.Y., where his son, Nicholas, went to high school. Through his involvement in music there, he met the other future members of Riodine.

Nicholas and the other younger members of Riodine are all in their early 20s, a generation apart from the 50-year-old Kabatasky.

“I’ve been in multiple bands since the early 1990s,” said Kabatsky, who plays the guitar and piano and sings. “When we moved here, my son moved with us, but the other boys still live in New York. But they’re planning on coming here because they really, really love Pennsylvania.”

Emotional State

Last year, Riodine released two singles from their debut album, “Practical Men.” The full, 10-track album, which took about a year to produce and record, came out in December.

“It’s a unique collaboration, and it tells the story of a man who used to be very edgy and business-like,” said Kabatsky. “But he meets a girl and melts. It describes how his life is changed from being practical by falling in love.”

He describes the sound as indie or alternative rock.

“The music is absolutely beautiful, and it’s not repetitive,” he said. “It’s Pink Floyd-like, and certain songs might sound like the Red Hot Chili Peppers.”

More than a mere collection of songs, “Practical Men” takes the listener on a journey that features clearly defined beginnings, middles and ends.

“Usually, you go to some emotional state, maybe a happy mood, which you want to express through music,” said Kabatsky. “If you’re a musician, very often, it’s almost like meditation. Then you start to hear the melodies, they come to you. I have to go through different emotional states—it could be happy, it could be anger, it could be nostalgia. When you write down the notes, it becomes food for your mind.”

Breaking Barriers

Somewhat surprisingly, the musical stylings of the 20-something members of Riodine have been influenced by the harder rock music of the 1970s. It’s a genre that also greatly influenced the American and British bands that Kabatsky grew up with in Moscow in the 1980s.

“The musical exchange between the two countries (United States and Russia) is a lot wider than it ever was before,” Kabatsky said. “Now, there is hardly any difference between the Russian music scene and the one in the United States because of the internet. Russians are exposed to it more, and they follow it extremely closely. But I don’t think Russia has had the kind of influence on American music that America has had on Russian music.”

In that way, Riodine is breaking barriers, exploring new frontiers, creating a better understanding. Riodine’s second album, which will be recorded with all English lyrics, will take that mission a step further.

“Now that we’ve released a full album, we’re going to prepare for live shows and start performing around Harrisburg,” Kabatsky said. “We’ll be playing live, and we want to jump into a second album.”

That album, he said, will be a bit different.

“We all want to create something that’s more easy to understand,” he said. “Seeing the results is very inspiring, but we want to join the local music scene and see where it goes.”

When promoting something as universal as music, it can take you places you’ve never been before.

“For us, it’s all about the music and the message,” Kabatsky said.

For more information on Riodine, visit www.riodine.bandcamp.com or their Facebook page. “Practical Men” can be streamed on all major streaming platforms.

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Across Cultures, Genres: Congolese performer Emmanuel Nsingani speaks through his music

January 28, 2022 | by Deborah Lynch

Emmanuel Nsingani

What is this beautiful sound streaming across the bar?

You look up and see Emmanuel Nsingani—his finger-picking, his earthy emotional voice that ranges from guttural lows to sobbing highs. The buzz in the bar softens as his music commands attention.

It’s not necessary to be a jazz lover to be pulled in by the lilting Afro-jazz fusion that Nsingani creates. It’s mesmerizing to both watch and hear.

While he throws in some covers, most of his music is his own. He writes and sings lyrics in his native Lari, a language from the Republic of Congo, where he was born.

Nsingani came to the United States in 2014, moving first to Raleigh, N.C. A friend later told him jobs were plentiful in the Harrisburg area, so he found work and has come to love it here.

Soon after arriving, Nsingani visited Guitar Center on Jonestown Road. He was drawn to the wall of bass guitars, but there was a problem. Someone else was already there, holding a bass, ready to try it out. Nsingani picked up a bass of his own, and the two strangers stood back to back, almost like a shootout.

“I thought in my head—when you go to try out an instrument, the last thing you want is someone making a racket around you,” said Andy Alonso, the stranger with his back to Nsingani. “We started playing at the same time. We immediately started playing complementary melodies at the same time.”

Nsingani was quiet. He finished playing, smiled, and put the guitar back on the wall. Alonso, a professional musician, said he stopped him, gave him his card, and told him to call if he ever wanted to jam. It took a few weeks, but eventually Nsingani called, and the two have been occasional collaborators ever since.

“It was like magic from the first time,” Alonso said.

Since then, Nsingani has been playing together with many local musicians. He has his own outfit, the Emmanuel Nsingani Band, which includes drummer Jordan Davis, Sam Brooks on sax and Connor Rohrer on keyboards. Prior to COVID, the group played together regularly at SpringGate Vineyard Estate outside Harrisburg.

Nsingani has played all over the region, including at River City Blues and H*MAC in Harrisburg, Fenicci’s in Hershey, Babe’s in Palmyra, as well as at Lancaster and York venues. He’s played festivals and events, was part of the 2021 Harrisburg Jazz Walk and won best jazz band honors in the Central Pennsylvania Music Awards, known as the local Grammys. He’s nominated again this year.

Although the pandemic halted live performances, Nsingani is slowly getting back out. He and Alonso will perform with drummer Jeff Stabley in early March at the Appell Center in York.

Alonso, of Annville, said that he often will write some progressions to start a conversation among the three of them.

“It’s a little bit of a roadmap,” he said. “The three of us take it wherever it’s going to go.”

All of Himself

Following in his father’s footsteps, Nsingani picked up the guitar at age 4.

He was self-taught, although he later learned to read music, as well. He plays guitar, bass, keyboards, some drums, and played cornet in a Salvation Army band. He’s been performing on a stage in front of crowds since he was 10.

While he will play pop, rock and R&B when performing with others, he writes and performs Afro-jazz music for himself.

“My Afro-jazz is a mix of the music that we grew up playing in our country, which has different ingredients mixed with the jazz that I’m learning in the U.S.,” Nsingani said.

That explains why he and Harrisburg native Shawan Rice fuse so well when they’ve played together. Rice, who is based out of New Orleans now, said that they’re “both playing Black American music inspired by everything from jazz to blues to funk to soul.”

“I feel he brings all of himself to the project,” Rice said of Nsingani.

The pair has performed together several times, including at Harrisburg’s Kipona festival and fundraisers in Lancaster.

Although Nsingani has written most of his music in Lari, crowds still connect.

“Music is spiritual, and it’s a language that does not have barriers,” he said.

Still, he would like people to understand his lyrics, which is why he is writing new music in English. One of the songs on his new CD will include “Daddy,” whose lyrics include:

“I cry every day when I think about you

Lost in my world where comfort is my guitar

Since you left, Daddy, my life has changed

Could you see from where you are

the man I have become

… Daddy …”

“I just realized how easily I write about what I’ve been through,” Nsingani said. “Unless I’m asked to write something about a particular thing, usually I’m a storyteller. I tell stories about where I lived.”

He finds his identity through singing in his native language, although he also speaks French, English and two other Congolese languages, Lingala and Ki Tuba.

“I’m a very shy person, and I think it’s only through music sometimes that I can express myself easily,” he said.

Alonso confirmed that Nsingani’s message comes through.

“He has that ability to capture an audience,” he said.

Nsingani sometimes sits in with Andy Alonso and Friends. But, Alonso said, Nsingani has too much to offer to stand in the background thumping on a bass.

“If you’re going to use him, use him to show off what he can do,” Alonso said. “Why hire Stevie Wonder if you’re going to have him tickle the ivories in the background for you? You want him front and center.”

For more information on Emmanuel Nsingani, visit his Facebook page and see videos of his performances on YouTube.

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The Painted Word: Yes, art is found on the walls—but there is so much more to Nyeusi Gallery

January 28, 2022 | by Bob MacGinnes

Artwork by KWATEI

In Midtown Harrisburg, a glamorous storefront looks almost like a Manhattan address, with Nyeusi boldly emblazoned above the entranceway.

Before they ever opened the doors last September, Nyeusi partners Dr. Dale Dangleben and Michelle Green shared that their gallery would be dedicated to the entire Harrisburg community in showcasing African and African American art—but there is so much more to their vision.

In fact, Nyeusi has become something of a nexus for the neighborhood. The gallery is a gathering place where ideas sprout and take root, growing in a garden nurtured with rich soil and tended with care by artists, writers and communicators.

Indeed, the art is just the tip of the iceberg.

During a recent 3rd in the Burg, the gallery was filled to capacity in hosting an HIV awareness event. Judging by the turnout alone, the symposium was energized, eclectic and enlightening. Nyeusi looks to do more of these community outreach programs with businesses in the coming year.

In addition, since its fall opening, Nyeusi has offered an ongoing “artist series,” with onsite personal appearances by various artists whose works are featured on the gallery’s walls. To date, this esteemed collective has included Stephanie Lewis, Steve Barber, KWATEI, Bryan “King Prolifik” Hickman and gallery curator, Green. The painter Chase Lawrence from the village of Calibishie in Dominica is represented as part of the Caribbean Collective at Nyeusi.

February will bring additional artist appearances, including, on Feb. 5, Michele Hairston, a painter from Philadelphia, and, on Feb. 19, artist-in-residence Michelle Green. Hickman starts the month of March on the first Saturday, slated to appear from 1 to 5 p.m.

“I decided to bring the artist series to Nyeusi Gallery as a way to showcase the artists as individuals and not just a part of a collective,” Green shared. “It gives the artist a chance to explain their work and give it a voice.”

The team has developed a gallery app that is available on Android and Apple stores under “Nyeusi Gallery.” In addition, look for details of upcoming events and behind-the-scenes looks at the media component of the gallery, which includes podcasts and more.

Another way of connecting with the community is through youth activities. Green is an accomplished chess player and has reached youngsters by giving lessons at the local Boys and Girls Club as well as engaging kids at the gallery, teaching them the intricacies of the game. Chess Club at the gallery reconvened in January. Painting parties are an opportunity to gather friends to create, and they have become regular calendar events. The plan is to continue to make a difference not only in the Black community but throughout the city.

Black History Month is a celebration of the legacy that came before, with an eye fixed on the future and to the leaders of tomorrow. The vision that Dangleben and Green shared has become a reality as it connects culture to community. They’re helping to write the next chapter of African American history locally, which promises to be as groundbreaking as their gallery.

The Nyeusi Gallery is located at 1224 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.[email protected].

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Stuck in Neutral: A young woman ponders which road to take in Open Stage’s “The Mad Ones”

January 28, 2022 | by Sammi Leigh Melville

Samantha Brown sits in the driver’s seat of her friend’s old car, about to embark on the rest of her life, but she can’t seem to get out of the driveway.

This is not only literally how Open Stage’s musical production of “The Mad Ones,” directed by Stuart Landon, opens, but it also symbolizes the journey for its protagonist quite succinctly. The production boasts a beautiful run of songs and a phenomenal design team, with Nicholas Werner as musical director, MO Geiger as set designer, Tristan Stasiulis as lighting designer, and Jack Weitzel as costume designer.

Written by Kait Kerrigan and Bree Lowdermilk, “The Mad Ones” gets its name from Jack Kerouac’s “On The Road” (“The only people for me are the mad ones”), a book that Sam adores. The rest of the titular quote is explored throughout the play, as are themes such as love, fear and grief, all through the eyes of an anxious, straight-A student whose best friend has just died.

That best friend is Kelly. She’s the type of haphazard, party-it-up girl to shout, “Left or right?!” while driving on a road in heavy traffic and swerve at the last second, according to which direction Sam might call out. In a sad twist of irony, she has died from being struck by a car on her way home from the library. The resulting story is one that Sam tells in layers, past and present flowing interchangeably, filtering her memories through the lenses of what was, what could’ve been, and what might be.

Carly Lafferty plays Sam, and her three co-stars—Maggie Haynes as Kelly, Nik Olson as her boyfriend, Adam, and Rachel Landon as her overbearing mother, Beverly—give a breakdown of the conundrum that Sam has found herself in, at a loss for what to do with her life now that her favorite person is gone.

Lafferty, who plays Sam, describes herself as that same quirky, straight-laced girl in high school, recognizing Sam’s terrified realization that she doesn’t necessarily want the same things that everyone wants for her.

“That’s something that everyone can relate to, feeling drawn in one direction, but someone is telling them to go in another direction,” Lafferty said.

And the play uses grief as a catalyst for this emotional discovery, as Sam comes to terms with what is important in her life.

“We all think, as humans, we’re gonna live to be 100,” Haynes said. “But, unfortunately, that’s not always reality.”

Haynes’ process for finding Kelly’s character is particularly interesting, as the fact that Kelly has passed on means that she is really playing Sam’s memory of Kelly. Her takeaway?

“Everything’s temporary, until you let it not be. Sometimes, people and things leave you, but you can still keep them in your heart and your mind.”

And so, will Samantha Brown leave the driveway? That is something you’ll have to see for yourself.

“The Mad Ones” runs Feb. 12 to March 12 at Open Stage’s Capital Blue Cross Mainstage, 25 N. Court St., Harrisburg. For tickets, visit www.openstagehbg.com.

SPECIAL EVENTS AT OPEN STAGE

“The Mad Ones”

Feb. 12 to March 12 at 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 13 and March 6 at 3 p.m.

The Obstructed View

Feb. 5 at 8 p.m.

Harrisburg Black NewsBeat

with Dr. Kimeka Campbell

Feb. 9 and 23 at 8:30 p.m.

Court Street Cabaret

Feb. 18, 19, 25, and 26 at 9:30 p.m.

Legs Akimbo Presents

“The Heartbreak Cabaret”

Feb. 13 at 7 p.m.

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Orange You Hungry? Savor summery citrus this cold winter month

January 28, 2022 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

I often think of Sicily and our brief trip there back in 2010. The memory of its sun-drenched landscape and gorgeous blue seas will never leave me.

Sicily’s food is quite different from the red-sauced pasta of Italy’s southern mainland or the meat dishes of Umbria, Italy’s “green heart.” I savored the classic dishes I had in Sicily: pastas with swordfish and eggplant, pistachio and almond desserts, and most of all, the beautiful citrus fruits that grow in abundance there.

Many different cultures settled in this island paradise early in its history, and their influence can be found in Sicily’s cuisine today. Citrus fruits play a prominent role in Sicilian cooking, in salads, beef stews, seafood, marmalades and jams and sweets such as cannoli. We can credit the Arabs for that, along with a popular method of food preparation called agro dolce or “sweet and sour.”

Every year around this time, I become tired of mushy blueberries, tasteless melon and plastic container strawberries that taste like erasers. But citrus fruits are in their glory, piled high on grocery store and farm market tables—beautiful navel oranges, honey bells, tangerines, mandarins, white and pink grapefruit, and the newcomer for some of us, blood oranges. I have become enamored of Meyer lemons, which I have discovered at my farmers market. They are plump, thin-skinned, juicy, sweet and wonderful for any recipe calling for lemon.

One of my favorite citrus recipes to make during this gloomy time of year is a Sicilian orange salad. I usually make it for brunch, but I’m thinking it would pair nicely with a fish entrée, as well. The version I make is a rather unexpected mix of ingredients at first glance, but they work surprisingly well together. If you want to give it a try, here are a few important tips:

Use small red onions rather than large ones. They should be sweeter.
Italians use oil-cured black olives in this salad. If you can’t find them or don’t like them, you can substitute other Mediterranean black olives.
When peeling oranges, remove all the white “pith” underneath the skin as it is very bitter. Slice them shortly before serving.
As with any recipe, use high-quality ingredients—fresh, juicy oranges and very good olive oil.

Sicilian Orange Salad

Ingredients

6 large navel oranges
1 or 2 small red onions, very thinly sliced, crosswise
½ cup oil-cured or other black Mediterranean olives
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
¼ cup good extra virgin olive oil (more, if desired)
Salt to taste

Directions

Using a sharp knife, peel the oranges and remove all the white pith under the skin.
Slice the onions crosswise, about ¼ inch thick.
Arrange the oranges on a pretty platter.
Scatter the onion slices, olives and red pepper over the oranges and drizzle the olive oil on top.
Season very lightly with salt.
Serve at room temperature.

This salad is as colorful as the island of Sicily itself. You can have a lot of fun with it by adding or substituting the following:

Thinly slice a fennel bulb, tops removed, and substitute the slices for the onion.
Drizzle with a fruit-based vinegar along with the olive oil. (Williams and Sonoma has a wonderful collection of fruit and white balsamic vinegar blends.)
Scatter some chopped nuts on top. (Pistachios are very Sicilian!)
Crumbled goat cheese, blue cheese or Stilton cheese add a savory touch.
Chopped mint adds lovely color.
Substitute sliced blood oranges for some of the navel slices.

Celebrate Sicily this cold winter month. Enjoy the color and unexpected edge of Sicilian food. Try making a nice caponata from that eggplant you usually pass by at the store. Simmer some swordfish steaks with tomatoes, onions and capers. Try making a lemon or orange tart for dessert. And grab that forgotten bottle of limoncello liqueur out of the freezer!

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Beauty, Depth: ”The Worst Person in the World” is actually quite good

January 28, 2022 | by Sammi Leigh Melville

Julie went to school for medicine. And then, for psychology. And then, she dropped out of school and began a career as a photographer. And then, she got a job at a bookstore. And then—

Julie’s path may sound similar to the path of many reading this review, and it gives us a perfect snapshot of the protagonist of “The Worst Person In The World,” Joachim Trier’s latest film. Julie, played by Renate Reinsve, is the everyman—or everywoman—allowing her youth to dictate her level of restlessness and dissatisfaction in her life path.

The film spans four years of her life in Oslo, Norway, not only in her career but also in her relationship with a man twice her age named Aksel (Anders Danielsen), and her subsequent relationship with Eivind (Herbery Nordrum), who also found dissatisfaction in his previous relationship. The film revolves around her slow-to-bloom realization of what she wants in life, even as that seems to transform before her very eyes.

Reinsve’s expressive performance is easily the best part about this film. While the story meanders a lot before hitting its stride, her on-screen vulnerability is with us right from the start. For a title like “The Worst Person In The World,” you expect to hate the protagonist more than you do. But maybe that is key in appreciating this film. Relating to this character is what drives the film forward.

Danielsen and Nordrum are perfect supporting additions to the cast and equally provide a sense of relatability. Their performances, coupled with Trier’s careful crafting of the beautiful Norwegian scenery and thoughtful tone of the film, add a depth that will draw you in.

Melancholic and full of truth, this is a film that you won’t want to miss. “The Worst Person In The World” opens at Midtown Cinema in February.

Midtown Cinema is located at 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.midtowncinema.com.

February Events at Midtown Cinema

National Theatre Live presents
“Cyrano De Bergerac”
with James McAvoy
Sunday, Feb. 6, 5 p.m.

Down in Front! presents
“Space Mutiny” (1988)
Friday, Feb. 11, 9:30 p.m.

3rd in the Burg Movie Night presents
“The Goonies” (1985)
Friday, Feb. 18, 9:30 p.m.

National Theatre Live presents
“War Horse”
Sunday, Feb. 20, 5 p.m.

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Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

January 27, 2022 | by Sara Bozich

Plan your weekend with my weekly list of things to do around Harrisburg and central PA! Scroll down or use the menu links to find ideas for your weekend.

What you’ll find:

For your weekend planning
Top Weekend Recs
- Thursday
- Friday
- Saturday
- Sunday
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For something new: If you’re into beer, consider the World Tour of PA Beer happening all weekend at Big Bottom Brewery. Friday night, check out the new beer release at ABC/The Midtown Tavern/Blue Sky Tavern, too.

(Still) Worth noting: Check out my private Facebook community, Cheers Harrisburg. You can join the convo here.

Things on my agenda this weekend: Are we getting this snow? Maybe?

Don’t forget to support your local brewery! Click here to find one near you.

For your weekend planning

Shop these great local markets.
View our local Restaurant Directory
Local Brewery, Winery, & Cidery Directory
See what else you missed on the blog.

Below are options for your weekend.

Things to Do in Harrisburg + Central PA | Weekend Roundup | Sara Bozich

Top Weekend Recs

An immersive dining experience at Amorette in Lancaster | A Review
Read a look at the year ahead
Submit your events for the Weekend Roundup

COVID-19 Disclaimer: Masking and social distancing policies may vary per business, venue, and event. All events are subject to change. Please be considerate, follow the rules, and be nice. And tip extra!

What are you doing this weekend around Harrisburg? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

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State refuses to pay stormwater fee, costing Harrisburg residents, the environment, says CRW

January 25, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Screenshot of CEO of Capital Region Water Charlotte Katzenmoyer speaking before the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee on Tuesday.

Capital Region Water (CRW) is having trouble getting one of its largest customers to pay its newly implemented stormwater fee.

On Tuesday, representatives from Harrisburg’s water and sewer authority implored the commonwealth, which has not been paying its assessed stormwater fees, to chip in.

At a state Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meeting on Tuesday, CRW representatives said that the state is refusing to pay $32,246 per month, or $386,956 per year, in fees assessed on nearly 5.4 million square feet of impervious surface within CRW’s jurisdiction.

“Ultimately, what this means is the absence of that fee forces that to be covered by other members of the community, including residential ratepayers and commercial businesses,” said Marc Kurowski, board president of CRW.

In 2019, CRW proposed the stormwater fee as part of its City Beautiful H20 program to raise funds for infrastructure improvements in the city. The investments would help fulfill clean water requirements by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The fee took effect in October 2020.

Harrisburg has an outdated combined sewer system that results in millions of gallons of untreated sewage flowing into the Susquehanna River each year, Kurowski explained.

The stormwater fee raises funds for about $170 million in green infrastructure improvements in the city and updates to the system over the next nine or so years, according to CRW.

The fee costs the average Harrisburg residential property owner $6.15 per month. Commercial and other customers are charged based on the amount of impervious surface on their properties.

According to Kurowski, CRW determined this to be the most “equitable” way to raise funds for needed stormwater improvements, while not placing all of the cost burden on Harrisburg residents, many of whom live below the poverty line. If everyone paid their share, CRW projected that it would raise $5.3 million annually.

Kurowski said that other Harrisburg customers with large properties, such as the federal government, businesses and churches, have paid the fee. However, the commonwealth hasn’t paid for any of its properties, including the Farm Show Complex, which has multiple, massive paved parking lots.

With the $386,956 annually from the state, CRW said that it could finance a $7 million PENNVEST loan to make progress in reducing the impact of stormwater runoff in the city.

Not only is the commonwealth evading stormwater payments in Harrisburg, but also in many other cities, Kurowski noted.

“The optics of this for the commonwealth are horrible,” said Sen. Gene Yaw, chairman of the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. “It seems to me there’s something wrong here.”

CRW CEO Charlotte Katzenmoyer explained that the state has argued that CRW doesn’t have the authority to tax the commonwealth. But she said that the stormwater fee doesn’t fit the definition of a tax. Katzenmoyer cited case law that determined that taxes finance general government operations, while a fee is limited to the costs of a specific service and must be reasonably proportional to the charge.

“As opposed to generating revenue for an array of uses as a tax would, the stormwater fee is raising dedicated revenue that will be redirected back into the system for specifically stormwater projects,” CRW said in a statement.

According to Kurowski, if their efforts in trying to communicate with the state aren’t successful, CRW may look into filing a lawsuit.

“The state’s failure to acknowledge its role is confounding and without merit,” Katzenmoyer said.

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What you’ll find:

For your weekend planning

Top Weekend Recs

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Like this content?

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