Blended Family: In Mechanicsburg, herbs and teas span generations

October 30, 2025 | by Alex J. Hayes

The Rosemary House

Herbs and teas bring people together in a post-Civil War-era building located in downtown Mechanicsburg.

Bertha Reppert opened The Rosemary House in 1968. She was a fifth-generation herbalist, dating back to a German herb doctor who worked in Poland. More than half a century later, her daughter continues the family tradition.

“My mother was pretty revolutionary or cutting edge,” Susanna Reppert Brill said. “Back then, people did not understand all of the different uses of herbs.”

At the time, Brill explained, Colonial-era crafts or potpourris were becoming popular as the bicentennial of America’s founding approached. Her mother chose a building on Market Street in Mechanicsburg for her business because it was close to the schools her children attended. Every day, after the last bell rang, Brill would sit at a small desk and absorb her mother’s knowledge.

She initially pursued a public policy degree at Penn State Capital Campus (now Penn State Harrisburg), but her love for plants returned her to the family business. She became the store’s manager in 1985 and owner in 1999.

“I enjoy the work and being entrenched in the town,” she said.

The Rosemary House hasn’t changed much in 57 years, Brill said. Teas and herbs line the walls, some in large buckets, others in tiny drawers. Brill keeps her stock focused on her core purpose and only expands to what she calls “herb-adjacent” items such as teapots, incense, mortars and pestles.

Anyone curious about the benefits of various teas and herbs, but completely clueless, doesn’t need to be nervous about walking into The Rosemary House. To help her customers understand medicinal benefits, Brill attended an herbal medicine course at David Winston’s Herbal Therapeutics School of Botanical Medicine. She also regularly reads related journals and attends conferences to learn from her peers.

The store’s name is a tribute to one of the oldest recorded herbs. Brill said it is also one of the most useful. Rosemary is used for cooking and medicine as well as added to cosmetics, insecticides and fragrances. In the language of flowers, rosemary is the symbol of remembrance and sacred to friendship—both cornerstones of The Rosemary House. The community atmosphere is one of Brill’s favorite aspects of the business.

“Some people remember coming in here with their mother and, now that mom has passed, they return for the memories,” she said.

The store hosts several events each year, including afternoon teas, herb classes and an annual “Fairy Festival” in September.

“Fairies are magical—they are something to believe in,” Brill said. “They are the little people who live at the bottom of the garden.”

The Fairy Festival is held in The Rosemary House’s gardens, a community gathering space. Anyone can visit the garden from dawn to dusk, even if the shop is closed. It serves as an oasis on a busy Mechanicsburg street where friends can enjoy conversation or people can quietly sit and ponder their thoughts or read a book. And if you forgot your book, there are plenty to choose from in The Rosemary House’s lending library.

The Rosemary House also has a website, but Brill is proud that most of her sales still come from customers visiting her shop. The website’s core purpose is to serve customers who have moved away, especially those who still want to purchase the store’s signature product, “Roastmary”—a blend of rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper. The combination can be used in a variety of dishes to, as Brill says, “dazzle your tongue and impress your friends.”

Brill’s longstanding family history in the herbal sphere continues to grow like the plants themselves. The seventh generation of the family, her son Cedar and daughter Angelica, are her official “herbalists in training.”

The Rosemary House is located at 120 S. Market St., Mechanicsburg. For more information, visit www.therosemaryhouse.com.

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Second Chance Strut: Peacock Alley Boutique offers quality consignment, crafts

October 30, 2025 | by Ashley Andyshak Hayes

Annette Heffelfinger-Bly and Robin Dooley

Annette Heffelfinger-Bly and Robin Dooley have been friends for more than 45 years.

The two women grew up together in New Cumberland and graduated from St. Theresa School, and while they both live outside the borough now, their ties to their hometown remain strong.

So, when they decided to open their consignment shop and boutique, they knew they wanted to do it in New Cumberland.

Peacock Alley Boutique and Collective, located on Bridge Street, is part of the ongoing revitalization of downtown New Cumberland. The name comes from Annette’s love of peacock—she even had a peacock-themed wedding—and the vibrant blue, green and purple hues found in a peacock’s plumage can be found throughout the shop’s decor.

While both women have full-time jobs outside of the boutique, their passion for their small business venture is evident. They describe the boutique as “a reflection of our friendship, our love for sustainable fashion, and our belief that every piece deserves a second chance to shine.”

“We love consignment,” Annette said. “It’s affordable, and I love looking in every nook and cranny and finding the surprise buy.”

Robin said opening the boutique with her best friend was a “no-brainer.”

“We love our hometown, we have so many memories here, and we hope to make more with all our customers whom we adore and are so thankful for,” she said.

Peacock Alley initially opened in May 2024 in a small suite near Wild Rabbit Pies & Pints, offering a handpicked selection of pre-loved clothing, shoes, handbags and accessories.

“We knew it would be hard for people to see us,” Annette said, so they relied on social media, word of mouth, and the support of other small businesses in town to help drive customers to their boutique.

When their current storefront at 303 and 305A Bridge St. became available, the timing was perfect for them to expand, Annette said.

Since moving into their current space, the boutique has become more than a consignment store. Along with their regular inventory, the shop offers space for a variety of local crafters to showcase their work. Shoppers can find everything from locally made fragrances and cosmetics to jewelry, floral arrangements, candles and much more. Peacock Alley is open to featuring any kind of local craft vendor as long as shelf space is available, Annette said.

“We’re doing all we can to be a one-stop shop for the community and anyone else who happens to come through town,” she said. “We’re always changing, always pivoting.”

Annette and Robin are both business owners and patrons. They often support the consigners and craft vendors featured in the store when buying for themselves or others.

“We shop our shop,” Annette said. “We call this our happy place.”

The boutique is currently open on weekends, but the owners hope that will change as downtown New Cumberland continues to grow.

“We would love for all of the shops down here to be open six or seven days a week,” Annette said. “We hope that it gets to that point for all of us.”

Peacock Alley Boutique and Collective is located at 303 and 305A Bridge St., New Cumberland. The boutique is open Fridays from 2 to 6 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m., as well as during New Cumberland’s Second Thursday events. For more information, visit www.thepeacockalleyboutique.com or “Peacock Alley Boutique” on Facebook.

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Music Capital: A new venue, a major renovation bring live music back in a big way to downtown Harrisburg

October 30, 2025 | by Skye Cadzow

The Emo Night Tour

When I arrived at Capital City Music Hall in late September, owner Justin Browning was drilling into the equipment stand in the center of the first floor, helping about 20 crew members with renovation work.

The room was covered in sawdust and machinery, and it was obvious to see that the folks inside had been busy making huge changes to the look and feel of the landmark downtown Harrisburg building.

For folks familiar with the building’s former life as the Federal Taphouse restaurant, the exterior hasn’t changed much, but visitors will immediately observe a wildly different look inside, which Browning cited as the biggest renovation job his company has ever done. Head of Operations Michael McPhillips said the team emptied more than 30,000 tons of debris into about 20 dumpsters over the last six months to prepare for the overhaul of the music venue.

To one’s right, the bar area largely looks the same. Then, when you enter the center of what’s being called the “Main Room” to seek out a good vantage point for a show, the expanse of the space is impossible to ignore, especially since the second floor has been opened up to create a wraparound mezzanine view for shows. The building’s height and old-fashioned windows on either side of the bar give the room a sanctuary vibe and draw attention to the massive stage.

The stage matches the room in magnitude, boasting one of the largest tech and lighting systems in the area, with a giant screen behind it.

“It’s the most updated tech in a venue in Harrisburg,” said McPhillips, who gives much of the credit for the stage and sound system to Hershey AV Solutions. “Just to see it in action is going to be really cool.”

This venue will have a much broader range of acts than Lovedrafts Brewing Co. did at its former location in Mechanicsburg, Browning said.

“This is drastically different,” he said. “We’re going to have all genres available, and some comedy nights, and vendor events.”

The former, west shore space was known for its punk, metal and hardcore acts, and those bands will still be featured, but the types of music will be expanded, “so we can have a fuller calendar,” Browning said.

He added that staff members from the brewery have remained within the company’s other bars and restaurants, which include JB Lovedraft’s MicroPub, Sawyer’s, Nocturnal and now, Capital City Music Hall, all located on the same block in downtown Harrisburg.

Blood, Sweat & Tears

The venue is meant to be an all-ages space, said Vice President Joshua Stambaugh, though that remains dependent on the show.

“It’s been exciting to see the calendar filling up with bands who we’re excited to see live,” he said.

In addition to the main stage, the renovation includes a more intimate listening room on the lower level, outfitted with the stage and equipment that used to be at Lovedraft’s Brewing Company.

“We’d like to use the space for smaller shows and showcase local artists there,” Browning said.

There are also new bathrooms and upgraded elevators. Behind the scenes, bands and crew will find a production office, a talent kitchenette and three green rooms.

Browning pointed out that, while many features in the building are new, the team tried to reuse whatever they could responsibly repurpose, such as some furniture pieces from the building’s past, when it housed SpyClub, and later, Dragonfly, before evolving into Federal Taphouse.

Browning, along with business partner Craig Dunkle, has spent the past few years championing the revitalization of Restaurant Row along 2nd Street, with an emphasis on breathing fresh life into beloved spaces along the 200-block.

“We’ve had a lot of support,” Browning said of the other downtown business owners, many of whom wrote letters endorsing the venture for city approvals.

There are advantages to the operational side of running a concert venue as opposed to the other restaurants and spaces the team has run previously, as the space is only open for scheduled events.

“It’s so much easier booking music outside of brewing, distilling and operating a restaurant,” Browning said.

However, light fare will be offered. Browning said the kitchen has pizza, hot dogs, nachos, popcorn and soft pretzels for folks who need a bite, though he hopes most attendees will choose to dine at other downtown eateries while in town.

The new venue faces its fair share of challenges, of course. For one, the entertainment landscape—and ticketing habits—have dramatically changed since JB Lovedraft’s MicroPub first started booking music nearly a decade ago.

“With a new venue, people are super hesitant to buy tickets, so we’re really seeing a lack of pre-sale. We’re getting a lot more walk-up sales,” McPhillips said. “That said, this is less confusing for customers since the focus is on one singular thing, which helps us, and everyone else.”

When I headed back to Capital City Music Hall a week later, there weren’t any signs of drills and sawdust. Instead, the Emo Night Tour headlined a DJ set at the venue’s opening night, where some 400 people danced to emo and pop-punk hits, filling the room with voices singing along to Fall Out Boy, The Killers and My Chemical Romance.

Opening night was declared a success.

“There’s been a lot of blood, sweat and tears going into this, and I’m super happy to see it come to fruition,” McPhillips said.

Capital City Music Hall is located at 234 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.capcitymusichall.com.

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Italian Style: The Scotto family owns several popular restaurants, with more in store

October 30, 2025 | by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

Photo courtesy of Luna Italian Cuisine

The Scotto family’s roots run deep in Harrisburg’s restaurant scene.

The patriarch, Giovanni, has owned several area Italian restaurants, including Tuscano in Swatara Township, Two Brothers Pizza in Strawberry Square and Papa Joe’s on Tecport Drive, according to his daughter, Rossella.

Then, in 2023, the family, which hails from Naples, Italy, opened Luna Italian Cuisine in Mechanicsburg’s Legacy Park. They figured a restaurant in a high-traffic area was almost a no-brainer.

“We saw the apartments going up and little shops opening and decided that it was a great location for people to walk to,” Rossella said.

Earlier this year, those roots dug even deeper. The family took over Visaggio’s Ristorante, a west shore favorite that had been in business on Wertzville Road for over four decades.

When the long-time owners retired, the Scotto family decided it was time to expand their business and wrap Visaggio’s into their portfolio of restaurants.

“We kept the name out of respect for the family,” Rossella said.

The new restaurant not only offered another location, but much more room for catering and events.

“We had to turn down the larger parties due to lack of space, so when we heard that Visaggio’s was available, we purchased it and opened it up under Luna Management,” Rossella said. “There’s a big ballroom in the rear, and it is currently fully booked for Christmas parties.”

On the Menu

Head Chef Antonio Coppola, also from Naples, heads up the kitchen, executing the creations customers enjoy today, such as the “Amalfi Coast,” a dish comprised of shrimp, scallops and broccoli served over linguini with a limoncello sauce.

The reunion between the Scottos and Chef Tony was a serendipitous one.

“Chef Tony created some of his dishes in Italy, before coming to the United States and working in kitchens in North Carolina and Florida,” Rossella said. “They were close friends as teenagers back in Italy, and they found each other years later in Pennsylvania.”

The house signature dish, “Ragu Napolitano,” is a guest favorite, crafted with veal, sausage, ground beef and filet mignon slow simmered in a rich red sauce, served on pappardelle pasta and topped with fresh mozzarella.

Dollie Neuhart and her husband Ed are regulars at Luna and said that there’s little on the menu that they don’t enjoy.

“We live close by and have tried a variety of dishes,” Dollie said. “Their meat sauce is wonderful and so are the limoncello martinis.”

Rossella added that people love the limoncello, a Neapolitan specialty, created in house and the cocktail options, which rotate seasonally.

The Neuharts approve wholeheartedly of the expansion.

“We thought that taking over Visaggio’s was a great idea,” Dollie said. “Sunday brunch is lovely, with a wide variety of dishes.”

Those dishes include “Eggs in Purgatory,” a rustic Italian comfort dish comprised of eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce, which is her husband’s favorite.

Chris Moulton of Mechanicsburg recently brought his business group, “Around the Wagon Wheel,” to Luna. He said the entire party had an enjoyable time and praised the service and his choice of “Pappardelle alla Bolognese.”

The Scotto family is already looking ahead to their next expansion. They plan to open at Susquehanna Union Green, a mixed-use development in Susquehanna Township at the corner of Progress Avenue and Linglestown Road.

“We’re slated to open the beginning of the new year, if all goes well,” Rossella said.

They’ll be filling a niche in that market, she added.

“The Linglestown area lacks an Italian fine-dining restaurant and, this way, we’ll be on both shores,” she said. “So, we’re really looking forward to that.”

Luna Italian Cuisine is located at 100 Legacy Park Dr., #102, Mechanicsburg. For more information, visit www.lunaitalian.com.

Visaggio’s Ristorante is located at 6990 Wertzville Rd., Enola. For more information, visit www.visaggiosristorante.com.
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Navigating Together: Local groups bring the village to single parents in search of support, but more are needed

October 30, 2025 | by Gina Napoli

For the past six years, Rachel Young* has been a single parent to her 11-year-old daughter Astrid.*

Becoming a single parent wasn’t on her bingo card. But now that she finds herself here, parenting Astrid has been a rewarding experience, motivating her to “grow better, do better.”

“There is no parenting manual,” Rachel said. “It can be hard to feel confident that I’m making the right decisions on things like rules and consequences, teaching the long-term lessons vs. short term complaints or frustrations.”

When you’re flying solo, you can make unilateral decisions. But without another parent to bounce ideas off, how do you know you’re making the right ones?

Rachel is fortunate to have family support, especially from her mother, her mentor and sounding board. Because Rachel started her parenting journey later than most, she not only had time to enjoy her younger years and build her finances, but she also developed seasoning that cultivates emotional intelligence. And she sports that bootstrap resiliency that characterizes DIY Gen-Xers.

The Youngs are somewhat of a success story. With a solid upbringing, omnipresent community surrounding them, and a well-adjusted philosophy when marriage and fatherhood didn’t follow Plan A, the Youngs are living their best lives.

Other single parents in Harrisburg aren’t as supported. With overwhelming responsibilities and fewer social ties, single parents are statistically more vulnerable to issues with finances, mental health, homelessness, education and domestic abuse. If single parents have no family backing, they must find chosen family and build community.

Full Potential

If you tend to live more in the virtual world, online support groups exist for those with a closet full of sweatpants. National programs, while offering financial and emotional assistance, can feel removed and impersonal. But if quarantining has taught us anything, there’s no substitute for meeting in person. Potlucks, hugs, even just being in the same room raises endorphins.

The Harrisburg area is somewhat wanting for in-person resources that focus on assisting single parents. So build community, we must.

Specifically, two startup organizations focused on single parents have been rooting themselves in the area.

For young men, the fathering.me organization provides mentorship and parenting support to young men involved with unplanned pregnancies.

“This service is designed to help new fathers reach their full potential,” said Grant Elledge, CEO of fathering.me.

Statistically, the bigger picture of father absence shows that young fathers tend to leave a child during the toddler years, leaving 25% of children without a father figure. Tapping into a clear need for community parental support, fathering.me intends to bridge that gap to keep fathers connected.

Using lessons learned, best practices, core stakeholders and a training program, fathering.me pairs young men with mentors, with both men investing at least 90 minutes per week for a year. Elledge describes the relationships as intense, focused and formal.

“It takes time for any relationship to gel, and as trust builds, I’ve seen many friendships extending beyond the year commitment,” Elledge said.

The needs are highly individualized, providing practical support for employment, money management, locating pro bono legal help, navigating relationship issues, or just listening.

“Both men receive so much from their relationship,” Elledge said. “Dads have been generous in their gratitude, and mentors develop empathy and sympathy.”

Support System

Much like fathering.me, Second Grace functions as a mentorship relationship model, pairing young women aged 18 to 25 with more seasoned women with similar backgrounds and experiences.

Callie Tomblin, Second Grace’s program coordinator, looks for versatile mentors to serve as Jills-of-all-trades. Practical support ranges from resume writing, chauffeuring, childcare or just listening.

Requiring 6 to 10 hours per month, the pairs meet one-on-one, then also monthly to leverage larger community support. Second Grace packs those meetings with learning opportunities, with speakers on critical topics like budgeting, pregnancy and sex trafficking.

Second Grace and fathering.me each had a single founder who saw a gap in community services. Both programs fill a need within the community, picking up when young people age out of foster care and other children’s services.

“If I became homeless tomorrow, I could stay with 10 different people,” Tomblin said. “These women don’t have that type of support system. Second Grace helps to meet that need.”

Elledge and Tomblin both echo the need for single parent support services in Harrisburg, citing “a vacuum of services,” Elledge said. “Resources for parents are nearly non-existent. Add to that, it’s challenging for young parents to find time to commit to a mentoring relationship.”

Studies cited by fathering.me show that spending just 90 minutes a week with other single parents can help improve quality of life. It’s especially helpful if the group is free, provides relevant education, and offers child care. If you can’t find a group, consider starting your own. Find other single parents through your church, library, hospital, YMCA/YWCA or on meetup.com.

“Stepping away from parenting responsibilities is difficult, whether you’re solo or partnered,” Rachel said.

Much like her own childhood, she’s enjoying random, fun moments with Astrid, even putting parts of herself on the backburner for now.

“I just assume I’ll have me-time again as [Astrid] naturally has more activities with school and friends rather than with me,” she said.

Rachel’s best advice on single parenting? “Life is long, but childhood is short. Don’t forget to have fun with your kids, too.”

*Name changed for privacy

Parental Resources

Looking for single parenting resources? Find a few online sources, below.

Fathering.me: www.fathering.me

Second Grace: www.secondgrace.org

SingleMom.com: www.singlemom.com/pennsylvania-assistance

Single Mom Assistance: www.singlemomassistance.org

Anna Grace Foundation: www.annagrace.foundation

Compassion Can’t Wait: www.compassioncantwait.org

PA Child Support Program: www.humanservices.dhs.pa.gov/CSWS

Emergency Assistance: 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453)

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Adventure Together: Take a trip to Indian Echo Caverns for educational fun—and help your winged neighbors

October 30, 2025 | by Natalie diSanto

Indian Echo Caverns

Have you ever heard of the “Pennsylvania Hermit?” I hadn’t either until visiting the cave system tucked away in Hummelstown. Though the hermit’s story has a sad start, I can’t say that living in a beautiful, glistening, climate-controlled underground wonderland seems like such a bad idea. With holidays coming up, we all may be looking for somewhere to hide, but maybe seek a place with comfier furnishings.

Explore, Play

A geological wonder, Indian Echo Caverns are cut from limestone estimated to be 440 million years old. The tours combine education and storytelling in a reasonable timeframe for all ages, just 45 minutes. To access the cavern, you must descend 71 stairs and be prepared to ascend them on the way back. Heads up—accessibility is lacking at the facility, so keep that in mind when planning a trip. Indian Echo Caverns offers video recordings of the cave tour upon request.

If you’d rather not hang out a mile below ground, there’s a slew of fun and free family activities topside. Entering the grounds gives off autumn wonderland vibes with a winding driveway lined by a corridor of massive trees. What caught my 7-year-old’s eye is the playground that was swarming with children on a crisp Saturday afternoon. There’s a giant upcycled metal spider with a body made from a propane tank and eight angled legs for climbing. Ask your kid(s) what type of metal objects you have at home that could be turned into animals. We brainstormed the possibility of a heron with clothes hangers for wings and a patio table turtle.

The Indian Echo Caverns park has swings of various lengths to accommodate different ages and heights. There’s also a rock-climbing wall and some open space to play tag amongst the trees. Right next to the playground is a covered picnic area that is available for reservation. During our trip, a family hosted a birthday party and even had Jojo’s Pizza delivered. If you don’t know, Jojo’s is a Hummelstown staple, with their shop located right on the square.

Once you’re done with the playground, check out the free petting zoo. The grounds are home to pet-able llamas and goats, with a vending machine where you can pay 50 cents to feed them. There is also a peacock, an albino peacock and chickens, but they are behind a fence.

Going Batty

While at Indian Echo Caverns, take time to learn about the resurgence of the Northeastern Little Brown Bat. Nationwide, bat colonies were nearly eradicated by white nose syndrome, a bacteria that spread quickly and was deadly to the flying mammals. Bats are critical to our ecosystems for many reasons, but my favorite is that they can eat thousands of mosquitos per night.

You can help bats by building roosting boxes and hanging them on trees or in woods near your home. The National Wildlife Federation has a wonderful tutorial page on their website. You can also choose to use a kit or create a batty masterpiece yourself. A typical bat house is 24 inches tall by 16 inches wide. You’ll need a hammer and nails, so check out the Habitat for Humanity Restore on Paxton Street for affordable building supplies. The Restore accepts volunteers as young as 16, providing a hands-on way for older kids to gain skills and make an impact.

Once your bat house is complete, decorate it with paint to welcome the bats home. Hang your bat house away from nighttime lights, at least 10 feet above the ground, in a location that faces either east or south. Bats love to fly near forests and water, so if you install your bat house near either of these things, you may find your flying, furry friends more quickly.

Around Town

Post-tour and after the afternoon excitement, we were ready for lunch. Rubber Soul Brewing is only a half mile from the cave grounds, and I personally love anywhere that serves both adult beverages and has a kid’s menu. They also have a splendid outdoor seating area that offers much needed Vitamin D after being underground.

On a beautiful fall day, a visit to Hummelstown may be just the thing your family needs. In addition to everything covered here, they have a fantastic public library, an epic toy store and tons of parks, like the Herbert A Schaffner Park located just across the street from Rubber Soul Brewing.

This month is one of gratitude and gifts can come in all shapes and sizes, like sitting in sunlight after darkness, finding small ways to help our fragile ecosystems, or having a bustling community to call home. May you and your family have full hands and hearts.

To learn more about Indian Echo Caverns, visit www.indianechocaverns.com.

To explore the National Wildlife Federation’s bat house tutorial, visit www.nwf.org/Native-Plant-Habitats/Plant-Native/Habitat-Essentials/Build-a-Bat-House.

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Dumpling Discovery: Rosemary wants you to take the gnudi challenge

October 30, 2025 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

Harrisburg’s treasured gem of a restaurant on North 3rd Street, Rubicon, is always ready to serve innovative Italian, Spanish and Mediterranean style dishes. Owned, operated and beautifully orchestrated by chef Qui Qui Musarra, I was very surprised a few years ago by a dish called “gnudi.”

I ordered it not really understanding what gnudi was, thinking it was likely a type of gnocchi made with ricotta cheese instead of potato or semolina flour.

I have learned. Gnudi are dumplings—Italian dumplings. They are ravioli without their little pasta coats—and definitely lighter fare than traditional gnocchi made from potatoes.

I had never eaten them or had ever come across a recipe for them until now. But I didn’t have to look further than my favorite celebrity Italian chef, Lidia Bastianich. I found them in her cookbook, “A Pot, a Pan and a Bowl.”

Her recipe is an easy one and can be varied with different toppings. You can use spinach with the ricotta cheese or even spicy fresh basil in the summer. Lidia tops hers with a sage butter sauce.

If you take the gnudi challenge, go to great lengths to find fresh ricotta rather than a commercial variety, which is usually too wet. Giant carries the homemade Caputo Brothers brand, which is perfect for this recipe.

Ingredients

2 pounds dry fresh ricotta cheese
2 large eggs beaten
Grated zest of ½ lemon
Pinch of nutmeg
1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese
½ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of salt
¾ cup fine dry bread crumbs (more if needed)
½ cup all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil to cook the gnudi.
For the gnudi, combine the ricotta, eggs, lemon zest and nutmeg in a large bowl. Mix well to combine.
Stir in the grated cheese, chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon of salt and several grinds of pepper. Stir until smooth.
Add the breadcrumbs and flour and stir until the mixture is blended and pulls off the sides of the bowl.
As a test, roll a little of the mixture into a ball. If the ball holds its shape, it is fine. If not, add a tablespoon more of breadcrumbs and mix again until it does.
Spread some more flour in a wide and shallow bowl. With floured hands, scoop about 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture and roll into a ball. The dough should hold its shape.
Do another test! Drop one or two of your gnudi balls into the boiling water, making sure they float to the top. If they do, you are good to go. If they do not, add a little more flour to your bowl.
When all the gnudi are cooked (you should get about 24 balls), lay them gently on a sheet pan covered with a floured dish towel.

So, what to put over the gnudi? A simple, thin tomato sauce is all you need. Lidia dresses hers with melted butter steeped with fresh sage leaves. But a simple light Alfredo sauce is luscious too. Sprinkle a grated cheese of your choice over all.

By now, you must be thinking, “Well, this recipe is a lot of work for pasta that’s not really pasta or ravioli that’s not really ravioli.” But gnudi are delicious and great for counting carbs. I think you will enjoy throwing these little guys into the boiling water. You will have discovered Italian dumplings!

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Flu shot offers proven health and cost benefits, Capital Blue Cross finds

October 30, 2025 | by Capital Blue Cross

For seniors age 65 and older, getting an annual flu shot can do more than help avoid a few days of illness – it can keep them out of the hospital and save them money, according to new Capital Blue Cross findings that highlight the value of flu vaccinations.

Capital data from the 2024-25 flu season showed that seniors who received their flu shots were nearly 20% less likely to visit the emergency room for viral respiratory infections than those who were not vaccinated. By avoiding the emergency room, seniors also avoided out-of-pocket costs averaging $423 per ER visit and $765 when an ER visit resulted in a hospital admission.

“Vaccines aren’t just about fighting the flu – they’re about preventing serious illness that can lead to emergency care or hospitalization,” said Dr. Shikha Doomra, Clinical Medical Director at Capital Blue Cross. “This data shows that skipping the flu shot can have real consequences, especially for older adults.”

U.S. flu hospitalizations in 2024-25 were the highest in more than a decade, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In January through March 2025, which roughly coincides with peak flu season, Capital Blue Cross saw flu and pneumonia-related hospital admissions among its Medicare Advantage members rise by more than 60% compared to the same period in 2024. That added $2.5 million in healthcare costs.

With another flu season unfolding, Capital Blue Cross is encouraging members to protect their health – and wallets – by getting a flu shot.

Flu season typically begins in the fall with peak flu activity usually occurring in the winter. Getting vaccinated now gives your body time to build strong protection, said Dr. Doomra.

While flu vaccines are especially critical for older adults, preventive care is important for everyone, Dr. Doomra said. In addition to the flu shot, vaccines for RSV and pneumonia can offer added protection – particularly for those with underlying health conditions or weakened immune systems.

“Whether you’re a senior, a caregiver, or simply preparing for the season, taking a few simple steps now can help you stay healthier through the fall and winter months,” Dr. Doomra said.

Here are simple steps to ensure you’re prepared.

Know what vaccines you need.

The CDC recommends a flu shot for everyone age 6 months and older. RSV and pneumonia vaccines also are available for eligible individuals, including older adults and those with certain health conditions. Talk to your doctor to find out which vaccines are right for you.

Find a convenient location.

Vaccines are available at doctor’s offices, pharmacies, clinics, and health departments. Many offer online scheduling.

Check your insurance coverage.

Flu, pneumonia, and RSV vaccines may be covered under your health plan, but double check to make sure. If you don’t have health insurance, you may still be able to get vaccinated at low or no cost through local health departments, community health clinics, or federally funded programs.

For more details on who should get vaccinated, where to go, and how to check your coverage, visit the Capital Journal.

This story is sponsored content.

Musical Notes: Acoustic Autumn

October 30, 2025 | by Skye Cadzow

The chill settling into the air practically begs for a flannel and a pair of combat boots—and carries the faintest strum of a banjo—while heading out to a show, whether you’re checking out stages in the city (see our overview of the brand-new Capital City Music Hall) or catching a show in the suburbs. Coincidentally, such an outfit is a perfect complement to all the folk-ish music that’ll be finding its way into local venues this month. If that sounds like your kinda scene, keep reading.

WORTH THE DRIVE

11/8, Matt Pond PA, Anya Marina & Bathtub Cig, West Art

I don’t often recommend West Art shows in back-to-back columns since it’s a bit of a hike, but I’ve been so impressed with the booking there over the last few months. Philadelphia via Hudson Valley singer-songwriter Matt Pond, who has at different periods performed with various bandmates under the moniker Matt Pond PA (and at other times, released music as The Dark Leaves or The Natural Lines, often with frequent collaborators Chris Hansen and cellist Hilary James) is a true joy to watch live. His 2013 performance at XPNFest lives rent-free in my brain, and I’m definitely going to try to catch this show as well. If you decide to go, be sure to arrive early enough to catch tourmate Anya Marina. Her voice is breathtaking, and her delicate cover of TI’s “Whatever You Like” is among my favorite relics from college mixtape days.

HAUNTING HARMONIES

11/9, The Crane Wives, XL Live

The Crane Wives is bringing its tour supporting “Beyond Beyond Beyond” (2024) to XL Live this fall, and I couldn’t be more excited to see them. Known for their haunting sound and emotional lyrics, the indie Americana band’s roots in the 2010s folk boom has given them a strong foundation for the daring rock direction taken on their more recent albums. If you need a good primer on the band’s talents, check out “The Moon Will Sing” or “The Well”—another favorite to listen to is “Curses.”

ALT FOLK

11/21, Rivers, The Abbey Bar

Harrisburg outfit Rivers has been entertaining crowds in the region for more than a decade with its rollicking mix of upbeat lyrics and energetic beats. Rivers, made up of Joe Schaefer and Vincent Yarnell, are tough to categorize but a blast to watch. The band’s been teasing something different in the works on its social media over the summer, and I have a feeling we’ll start hearing some new tunes at this show as the band continues to home in on its new era as a duo, following the departure of the band’s longtime percussionist earlier this year. See you there!

If your friends or favorite local band have a show coming up or you’ve caught word of a cool gig that should be on our radar, drop me a line at [email protected].

HONORABLE MENTIONS

11/1, Anthrophobia, Capital City Music Hall

11/2, Susquehanna Folk Music Society Presents Hubby Jenkins, Champions

11/4, Blues Traveler, Capital City Music Hall

11/14, Go Go Gadjet, XL Live

11/21, Aortic Valve, Strawberry Square

11/23, Susquehanna Folk Music Society Presents Seán Dagher, Unitarian Church of Harrisburg

11/23, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, GIANT Center

11/26, Yam Yam & Minka, XL Live

11/29, Solar Federation, Whitaker Center

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Song of the North: Oh hey! Coming our way is “The Mikado, Eh!”

October 30, 2025 | by Francesca Amendolia

Timothy Lupia, Madison Eppley, Eric Mansilla

W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan are (justly) famous for their delightfully light operettas, productions so frothy and fun that it’s easy to miss the many sharp political jabs woven throughout.

That’s by design. There is perhaps no more effective way of speaking truth to power than through satire.

Gilbert and Sullivan cheerfully peppered their operettas with caustic (rhyming) observations about the hypocrisy and classism rife in British politics. In “H.M.S. Pinafore,” Sir Joseph Porter sings:

I always voted at my party’s call
and I never thought of thinking for myself at all.

I thought so little they rewarded me
by making me the ruler of the Queen’s Navy.

A character in “Iolanthe” sings that politicians must “leave their brains outside and vote just like their leaders tell ’em to.”

“The Mikado” (which premiered in 1885 and has become one of the most-performed musicals of all time) took this all one giant step farther. The whole musical is a send-up of the unnecessary complexities of British bureaucracy, a critique the pair thinly veiled by setting it in fantasy Japan.

At the time, the British public was fascinated by Japanese culture, and so the setting became the hook, a way to dress up a local story in gorgeous foreign fabric. If that sounds a lot like yellowface, you’re not wrong—which is why so many productions of “The Mikado,” including the one now in rehearsal at Gamut Theatre, change the setting, the character names and even the lyrics.

This is not a solely modern tendency. As early as 1888, a theatrical troupe in the United States mounted a production of “The Texas Mikado” that they titled “The Capitalist.” Other companies have moved the story back home by situating it in London or renamed it “The McAdo” and set it in Scotland. Intentionally or not, Gilbert and Sullivan wrote a story surprisingly untethered to locale or time, one that easily morphs to speak to the living moment of its performance rather than the frozen moment of its creation.

Director Benjamin Krumreig, himself a veteran of several “Mikado” productions, knew from the outset that he was going to find a fresh setting for his production. After a lot of thought (and a bracing Tim Hortons brew or two), he landed on Canada as the perfect locale.

“Once I realized that the famously huge sword could easily be swapped for a giant axe, I knew this would work,” he said.

He may be the first director to land upon this happy notion of allowing “The Mikado” to comment on U.S. society via a Canadian setting, one that can lovingly poke fun with jokes about Mounties and moose, one that can translate Japanese phrases into French and still deliver the critique that is so central to the show’s original intent.

Krumreig is certain Gilbert and Sullivan would have enthusiastically approved.

“Gilbert and Sullivan believed that operetta should be performed in the language of the audience,” he said. “The story should speak to the culture of the audience.”

As an example, Krumreig shared the longstanding tradition of changing the lyrics of the “Little List” song. The original reeled off the names of people famous in 1885 Britain. Almost every production since then lists whatever names resonate for that audience at that time, sometimes changing the names every single performance, something Krumreig slyly suggests might happen in this production as well.

“Who knows what will happen between now and opening that might change our little list?” he asked.

Very loosely, “The Mikado” is about a disguised prince, the girl he loves, the man she’s supposed to marry, and a law stating that each town must behead someone (anyone) on a regular basis. Less loosely, the story is about people trying to live their lives while around them hums a dangerous political machine.

“Art comes with responsibility, and sometimes that responsibility is heavier than others,” Krumreig noted. “Of course, the show will still be light and airy, and the music is some of the most beautiful Gilbert and Sullivan ever wrote. But it would be irresponsible of us not to acknowledge the times we’re living through.”

That makes “The Mikado, Eh!” a perfect choice for Gamut’s 33rd season, an enduring story that harmonizes deceptively sweetly with productions about women in the French revolution or an aging king vainly clinging to power.

“The Mikado, Eh!” runs Nov. 8 through Nov. 23 at Gamut Theatre, 15 N. 4th St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.gamuttheatre.org/mikado or call 717-238-4111.

UPCOMING EVENTS

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

“The Mikado, Eh!”
By Gilbert & Sullivan
Adapted by Benjamin Krumreig
Nov. 8 to 23

“The Frog Prince”
Popcorn Hat Players
Oct. 29 to Nov. 15Gil

TMI Improv
Comedy Show
Nov. 28

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