Community Kitchen: At Right on Reily, your meal comes with a side of neighborhood.

July 31, 2018 | by Ann Beth Knaus

Dylan Simon

In a way, Dylan Simon is coming back home.

Ten years ago, Simon worked at the former Nonna’s Delicisio on Reily Street in Harrisburg. Then, last month, he opened his own restaurant, Right on Reily, in the exact same spot, bringing fresh ingredients and a new look to the Midtown location.

Simon moved with his mother from West Hanover to Harrisburg when he was a teenager. They settled on Green Street, which made for a short commute to his job at nearby Nonna’s. He immediately fell in love with the space and knew then that he eventually wanted to own his own business.

After high school, Simon pursued his dreams by studying education and small business management at HACC. But he’s also had real-world experience by working in the restaurant industry his entire professional life. His passion erupted while working at Rubicon, where he was a bartender for several years.

“I just learned so much from the people I worked with,” Simon said, crediting Rubicon manager Ashlyn Hawkins and fellow bartender and friend Valoree Skiles, both of whom played a role in helping Simon name Right on Reily.

He was closing at the end of the night with Hawkins and a few servers at Rubicon when they asked him if he had named his new venture. He had a couple of ideas but really wasn’t sold on any of them. He took out the trash and returned to his find co-workers still working on thinking up something appropriate.

“I feel like ‘right on’ should be in there somewhere,” Hawkins exclaimed, as Simon often uses that 1970s pop culture slang in conversation.

“Right on Reily just came to us,” Hawkins said. “Dylan was gone with the trash for all of three minutes and, when he came back, we said, ‘We got it.’ We told him, and he was sold.”

Right on Reily serves bistro-style food six days a week. The 45-seat, BYOB space boasts a post-modern décor with soft-colored walls that contrast with a bold painting of a rooster on the front counter, a mural created by local artist Katie Trainer. A large mirror flanks a pew that he acquired from a church in Maryland, with two five-foot tables for a unique seating experience. The restaurant is powered by wind and solar energy, making your visit not only delicious but environmentally friendly.

House-cured and smoked meat sandwiches, fresh salads and seasonal soups are just a few menu delights. At least a quarter of the menu features vegan and vegetarian dishes.

All of the dishes are inspired by Simon’s extensive knowledge of food products, something that always impressed Skiles.

“When I was first getting to know Dylan, I had just come from shopping at a local foods store that was selling Iranian saffron,” she said. “I brought up how exotic and expensive the saffron was, how these single threads sold in small glass jars had made their way around the world to end up here in Pennsylvania. Dylan then began to talk, in detail, about the Pennsylvania Dutch local cultivation of saffron. I was so impressed with his knowledge of food, and he has been impressing me ever since.”

Simon has partnered with Broad Street Market businesses Raising the Bar and Elementary Coffee for all of his baked goods and coffee selections and with local farmers and Lancaster Farm Fresh for many of his ingredients. Next year, he’ll work with Tri County Community Action to gather produce from Harrisburg-wide co-op community gardens.

On Reily Street, Simon is partnering with neighbors Zeroday Brewing Co. and the Midtown Cinema on specials and events. The restaurant will be available for private parties and catering, too.

Simon is offering takeout with Uber Eats and will serve brunch from noon to 4 p.m. every Sunday for late risers.

“We’ll be doing a bring-your-own bloody [Mary] brunch and mimosas,” he said. “I’ll have the mixers for each table, and customers can bring their own alcohol.”

Right on Reily will be working with the Harrisburg school district to offer mini-educational tours to students to provide them with the opportunity to learn what it takes to run a business and what it takes to prepare healthy and fresh food.

Simon is as excited about opening his own business as he is in making a difference.

“It’s all about synergy,” he said. “This is not just going to be some place to go to eat and drink. It’s about making a difference. It’s about community.”

Right on Reily is located at 263 Reily St., Harrisburg. To learn more, visit its website, its Facebook page or call 717-695-6296.

Decisions, Decisions: At Gamut Theatre, your fate is in your own hands.

July 31, 2018 | by Meghan Jones

Traditionally, a trip to the theater is an individual and private moment. A specific play is presented, and audience members create meaning through their own experiences and interpretations.

This is why live theater is so valuable—you are able to have a singular response to a play in the presence of many others who are doing the same. Yet, sometimes, there is a need to shake things up. Such is the aim of Gamut Theatre Group’s upcoming production of “Choose Your Own Play: Hijacked!” the second in a series of “choose your own” productions that the Harrisburg-based theater has adapted for the stage.

Philip Mann and David Zayas, the director and writer for “Hijacked!,” attempt to subvert this common experience of what a play should be by adapting a production that focuses attention on the audience as a group. As the first production going into the theater’s new Alexander Grass Second Stage, Mann and Zayas hope to convey a sense of family fun that will be central to the space as the newly renovated children’s theater.

The performance is an interactive experience in which audiences get the opportunity to engage not only with the performers but with each other as they make a variety of choices that will determine the trajectory of the unique play. More than just a play, the “Choose Your Own” series encourages community fun and the presentation of stories in new and exciting ways, which is a cornerstone of Gamut’s mission.

“Hijacked!” centers around three middle-school-aged children—the “you” character and her two best friends, who are headed home for Christmas break when their bus gets hijacked by a group of international criminals. The objective of the play is to stop the criminals, bring their organization to an end, and get home in time for Christmas. The audience goes through the narrative, but has choices along the way to reach the objective, which they make by voting on their phones during the performance. As the play continues, audiences will find out if their choices lead them through one of the three best endings—or to death.

Beginning with last year’s “Space Vampire,” the “Choose Your Own” series has become a passion project with a goal—to reach new audiences through play and community. Mann stated that this is his directorial approach.

“There is a lot of collaboration, and I’m really letting the actors have fun with developing their characters,” he said. “I’m encouraging that play as they mold their choices with those characters, since there aren’t many specifics in the actual book.”

Tonally, “Hijacked!” finds inspiration in iconic ‘80s action movies. The nostalgia that follows these films is ever-present in Mann and Zayas’ approach to the adaptation and how they intend to present the play to audiences.

“It felt right to use these movies as inspiration, like ‘Red Dawn’ and ‘The Goonies,’ because our story’s ‘you’ characters are children,” Zayas said. “And like the movies, you have these kids thrust into a situation that should really be beyond them, and yet they take it on.”

Zayas added that they never want to set up an audience for failure, which is why there are three lives. Splitting from a traditional play setting, the performance becomes a game in which the choices have an impact on the ultimate story. In fact, this fun game element is what brought the actors back for the second time.

“We have a lot of the same actors in ‘Hijacked!’ as we did ‘Space Vampire,’” Mann said. “I think they love the challenge.”

Because the play is unpredictable, the actors have to be on their toes during each performance. As the audience plays the game, the actors do, too, as they only have a few moments after a choice has been made to prepare the scene and get on stage.

“The actors have developed their own sort of shorthand to help each other back stage,” Mann said.

They have cheat sheets, stage diagrams and maps to help, but actors seem to agree that the experience is more thrilling than difficult.

“It’s really a fun time for everyone,” Zayas said. “And the audience’s involvement made it even better.”

Zayas described how some audiences last year were so lively that they were getting out of their seats and shouting, and he hopes to replicate that spirit, but even more so.

Both Mann and Zayas state that “Hijacked!” is going to be bigger in every way, compared with “Space Vampire.”

“We have new elements that we have incorporated, like live music and singers, and the choices are a bit more difficult,” Mann said.

These additions speak to the community fun in this kind of performance. Gamut sold out of every performance of “Space Vampire,” with expectations of the same for “Hijacked!”

“Ultimately, we just want everyone to have a great time and engage with each other,” Zayas said. “And that unique kind of engagement is what we love about doing this type of production.”

UPCOMING THEATER EVENTS
AT HARRISBURG’S PROFESSIONAL
DOWNTOWN THEATERS

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

The Popcorn Hat Players Present
“Hansel and Gretel”
Through Aug. 18
Saturdays at 1 p.m.
Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. available by request for groups of 20 or more.
Tickets are $8 and can be purchased online at gamuttheatre.org or at the door.

Choose Your Own Play
“Hijacked”
Aug. 9 to 19
Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.
Sundays at 2:30 p.m.
Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online at gamuttheatre.org or at the door.

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

“Play in a Day”
Aug. 11
7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Teams are given 24 hours to write, cast, design and rehearse a 10-minute play.

Past Is Present: Preservation, education, events–all in a year’s work for Historic Harrisburg.

July 31, 2018 | by Mhelaney Noel

Each month, during 3rd in the Burg, a stream of people enter and exit an old bank building at the corner of Verbeke and N. 3rd streets in Harrisburg.

It’s the Historic Harrisburg Resource Center, a brownstone-faced building that monthly features art, often of a local historical nature.

For many people, that’s their sole exposure to the Historic Harrisburg Association. But HHA, as it’s known, does so much more than mount the occasional art exhibit. All year long, it focuses on preservation, education and programming.

According to Patricia Cameron, a preservation activist and founder of St. Stephen’s Episcopal School, HHA was spearheaded by Harrisburg activist Marianne Faust in 1972.

“In the months after the June 1972 flood, she went around the devastated neighborhoods, particularly Shipoke and Midtown, identifying houses that should be saved,” Cameron said.

In the next year, Faust was named the president of the association.

“Two important things happened in Marianne’s presidency,” said Jeb Stuart, the association’s preservation advisor. “The Candlelight House Tour was initiated in December 1973 to showcase and promote city living in historic neighborhoods, just as it does 45 years later, and Harrisburg’s first historic district was established shortly thereafter by City Council.”

Since then, HHA has made it its mission to teach people about the history of Harrisburg. Members do this through their awards ceremonies, the annual Candlelight House Tour, the Elegant Progressions dinner and, more recently, a Speakeasy event.

The Candlelight House Tour, a walking tour of Harrisburg held each December, highlights residential and non-residential preserved buildings. The tour regularly features the best of the city’s preserved homes, all decked out for the holidays.

The Elegant Progressions dinner, another wintertime event, allows guests to visit some of the area’s most stylish homes, a different dinner course awaiting in each one.

The Speakeasy event arrives a few months later, in early springtime, and features Prohibition-era cocktails and dancers, with the circa-1920s HHA building adorned in period décor. It’s one of HHA’s newer events, organized by and tailored to a younger crowd.

“In doing [these events], the hope is to inspire others to take action to preserve, protect and to enhance historic resources,” said David Morrison, HHA’s executive director.

As a nonprofit, the association is nearly all volunteer. This diverse group ranges from high school students to retired Harrisburg residents. All proceeds that are donated help fund Historic Harrisburg and the Kidney Foundation of Central Pennsylvania.

“It’s more than saving old buildings,” said Chris Zyroll, the operations director. “It’s making sure neighborhoods keep their architectural history.”

To that important end, HHA hands out annual preservation awards.

This year’s ceremony, which took place in May, honored Donna and David Schankweiler for preserving the historic Stroh Mansion on N. Front Street and the Harrisburg Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society for creating the Harris Tower Railroad Museum on Walnut Street.

The award winners received a bronze plaque to showcase to their community.

“Since 1986, HHA has recognized excellence in historic preservation in our community,” said HHA President Tom Darr. “With the award of the bronze plaques, more than 130 can be seen around the city and the area on buildings of every description and in every neighborhood.”

At the ceremony, which this year took place in the Harrisburg Transporation Center, HHA also toasts a person or organization for their general preservation efforts. This year, Harristown Enterprises received that honor for work in renovating and repurposing several historic buildings in downtown Harrisburg.

HHA also awards preservation grants, which recently have gone to the Midland Cemetery, just outside Harrisburg, and Christ Lutheran Church in Allison Hill to help with their projects, Morrison said.

Friends of Midland Cemetery has been undertaking a multi-year effort to restore the historic African-American burial ground, which predates the Civil War and is the final resting place of slaves, of U.S. Colored Troops from the Civil War, of Buffalo Soldiers from World War I and of many prominent African-American community leaders from the Harrisburg area. The grant to Christ Lutheran Church helped finish interior plaster renovations to the 130-year-old, Gothic-style building, Morrison said.

Morrison has been with the group for decades, chronicling and facilitating the redevelopment of Harrisburg. Besides overseeing the organization’s day-to-day operations, he often can be found running events, moderating lectures and leading neighborhood tours. Together, these activities reflect his holistic view of historic preservation, which goes far beyond handing out an annual award or two.

“We not only care about preserving old buildings,” Morrison said. “We promote urban revitalization, economic development and smart growth.”

The Historic Harrisburg Resource Center is located 1230 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information on the organization or to see previous award winners, visit historicharrisburg.com.

Digital Conversion: Kids learn programming basics at Convert to Code.

July 31, 2018 | by Carissa Bannister Kauwell

Did you know that 71 percent of all new STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) jobs have to do with computing, yet only 8 percent of STEM graduates are in the computer science field?

Cue Convert to Code, a program designed to inspire and teach children about computer programming. Notably, the two founders were themselves just leaving childhood when they began the group.

Caleb Weaver and Danae Martin were high school seniors when they started Convert to Code two years ago, offering free computer science and computer programming workshops for middle/high schoolers at the Candy Factory in Lancaster.

“Caleb first approached me about starting the organization in the summer of 2016,” Martin said. “We feel that Lancaster County is an underserved area in regards to computer science, and we wanted to provide students with the tools and resources they would need to understand this tech-driven world.”

Weaver added that they believe in the power of code to help shape the future and create innovation.

“So, we wanted to create a free resource that would expose kids to computer science and grant them the opportunity to take their passions and ideas and apply code to them, essentially, ‘convert them to code,’” he said.

Weaver and Martin were both seniors at Manheim Central High School when they took on the project. Finding a place to host their workshops proved to be difficult, and they almost had to abandon the idea.

“We began emailing anyone and everyone on the internet we could find who might be able to help us,” Weaver said. “In the beginning, we got no responses. Danae and I, at separate times, doubted we would ever get this organization off the ground.”

But then some key elements fell into place, such as the Candy Factory—the sprawling co-working space in downtown Lancaster—allowing them to use its space.

“It was crazy to think how far it has come since those days of just an email, but it truly would not have been possible without Danae,” Weaver said. “She is an incredible individual and co-founder.”

Once they had their first successful summer of workshops under their belt, it was time to find someone else to take over, since both would be going away to college. So, Gabe Stewart came in as the head of operations.

Stewart is the one who greets the students at each workshop. He also responds to most of the emails and plans and supervises the workshops. Martin continues to act as a mentor and advisor, making sure that little details and concerns are addressed prior to each session.

“I also design all the promotional materials for Convert to Code and its workshops, and Caleb and I oversee and make the executive decisions regarding the Convert to Code team and the organization’s future development,” she said.

Since Stewart, a recent high school graduate, is also going off to college, the co-founders will need to add to their team once again.

Speaking of future developments, Martin said that they are considering registering for nonprofit status so that they can accept donations of laptops for students who are not able to bring their own to workshops. Additionally, they are looking to expand.

“We received an offer to use a space in Harrisburg, but we need to assess the opportunity and determine whether it is a realistic expansion for us at this point,” Stewart said.

Convert to Code has been successful so far, and the greatest example of that is when students return. Aidan Mollohan, 15, of Elizabethtown, is one of those kids.

“The students and presenters are extremely helpful and aid everyone who needs it,” he said. “They let each individual work at their own pace after instruction, which is an added benefit. Most importantly, there is dialogue between the students and teacher.”

Upcoming workshops are always posted on the Facebook page, and students need to sign up because space is limited. The workshops are always on weekends and normally run for three hours.

“We are always looking for new teachers,” Stewart said. “So, if you have some experience in coding and the slightest inkling of an interest to teach, contact us, and we would love to talk to you about possibly hosting a workshop.”

To learn more about Convert to Code, visit www.convert2code.com or the Facebook page.

More Code

Convert to Code isn’t the only area program aimed at introducing children to computer sciences. Others include:

Girls Code Club at Lancaster Science Factory is a monthly meetup for girls ages 8 to 13 to learn computer science concepts. There is a fee, and registration is open for the 2018-19 school year. It meets at the Lancaster Science Factory’s Castagna Learning Center, 454 New Holland Ave, Lancaster. Visit www.lancastersciencefactory.org/girlscodeclub.

Coder Kids offers free computer programming workshops for children ages 5 and older in Harrisburg. The workshops are held every other month, one for beginners and the other for advanced/intermediate. Make sure to register ahead of time. Visit www.coderkidsharrisburg.org.

CoderDojo is a global network that offers free programming clubs for ages 7 to 17. Each Dojo is community-based and volunteer-led. Children can build websites, learn code, create apps/games and explore technology. Lancaster Public Library (downtown) offers a CoderDojo Club every fourth Thursday, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Visit www.coderdojo.com.

Couple of Dancers: As CPYB grows, its faculty has expanded to include a prestigious duo, who also happen to be married.

July 31, 2018 | by Barbara Trainin Blank

Alana Neihoff

Alana Neihoff began teaching at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet in late June, but she felt “inspired” ahead of time by the message of Marcia Dale Weary, its founding artistic director.

She and her husband, Matthew Donnell, who also recently joined the CPYB faculty, had taken special teacher training at the Carlisle-based school and company years ago when both were studying at the North Carolina School of the Arts (NCSA).

“Marcia never sugarcoated the process, that it is hard work to study ballet,” Neihoff said. “That things don’t come instantaneously, but by doing it day after day.”

Donnell, a former Kansas City Ballet dancer, seconded the thought.

“You can’t learn to write a sentence before you learn the ABCs,” he said. “We teach students to go slow and make it perfect.”

Another reason for their admiration of the school is that “it trains all the way, in one place. I’m happy to be part of that world,” Donnell said.

Even those students who may not end up as professional dancers will learn respect for dance and other arts, the married couple agreed.

Neihoff’s own journey to ballet was circuitous. She grew up as the daughter of a woman who ran a local dance studio and was “really into” jazz and tap.

“My mother took me to ballet classes elsewhere, but we made a deal that I was also to take jazz and tap,” Neihoff said.

She got accepted into the American Ballet Theatre Studio Co., which was her “life’s dream,” she said. However, that dream ended when, during a rehearsal, she was dropped by her partner and shattered a bone in her foot.

“It took years for the foot to heal, and it was severely painful,” she said. “Meanwhile, I couldn’t go en pointe.”

After waiting tables for a year, she took jazz and tap classes again and eventually was accepted into the famous precision dance company, the Rockettes, where she remained for 11 years.

Her experience, she said, can encourage students to have an open outlook, that there may be “many doors open to your studying ballet.”

The hiring of the couple has helped keep CPYB classes small, said CEO Nicholas Ade.

“We have seen tremendous growth in demand for classes in the past few years,” he said. “To maintain the standard CPYB is known for, grow responsibly, and preserve our culture as an organization, we needed to hire not only more teachers, but the right faculty.”

In choosing new faculty, the ballet school looks for people who can “not only teach at a high level, but are invested in making every student a better person,” Ade said.

Neihoff and Donnell, he said, fit those criteria well.

“They go beyond what is simply required of the children and young adults in classical ballet, which fits right in with every one of our faculty and staff,” Ade said. “They’re invested and truly care about these kids and helping them fulfill their potential.”

A school so centered on teaching appealed to the couple.

“Teaching is something you have to love doing,” Donnell said. “Some of us teach what we remember, what we just had in class. But, at CPYB, teachers are taught how to train someone who never saw a ballet shoe before.”

Professional dancers may seem free, but teaching ballet, especially with younger students, means the need for “structure,” said Neihoff. “It’s important that everyone is on the same page.”

Watching students at CPYB made Donnell realize something important.

“I had greater training at NCSA, but if I had to do it all over again, I would have gone to CPYB,” he said. “There’s something special about it.”

A large part of that specialness is Marcia Dale Weary, who founded the school in 1955. Her training is recognized internationally for its trademark clarity of technique and artistic assurance. Since then, more than 21,000 students have trained in its studios.

“She’s a ballet legacy,” Donnell said. “It’s very humbling and can be intimidating. But then you see how humble and giving she is. When someone like that is the head of an organization, you want to be a part of it.”

For more information about Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, visit www.cpyb.org.

Community Corner: Notable August Events

July 31, 2018 | by Missy Smith

August Community Corner

Studio Tours
Aug. 1: The Millworks, 340 Verbeke St., Harrisburg, will host “Secret Studio Tours” led by storyteller-in-residence P.D. Murray, 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. What secrets lurk at Millworks studios? Which artist collects glass eyes? Which has sensed ghostly presences after hours? Visit millworksharrisburg.com.

Star Shows
Aug. 1-Sept. 2: The planetarium at the PA State Museum offers shows on select days through Sept. 2—“Earth, Moon and Sun” for grades 1 to 5 and “Compass, Calendar and Clock” for grades 6 and up. Shows are $3 per person in addition to general admission. Visit statemuseum.org.

Cultural Fest
Aug. 3: Join the Dauphin County commissioners and the Cultural Task Force for some outdoors fun at the annual Cultural Fest in downtown Harrisburg, Market and 2nd streets, 5 to 10 p.m. Visit dauphincounty.org for more details.

Collector Con
Aug. 3-5: Central Pennsylvania Collector Con will be held at the Radisson Hotel Harrisburg, 1150 Camp Hill Bypass, Camp Hill, for collectors of all ages and all levels to meet fellow collectors, talk with manufacturers and designers, and learn the value of collecting toys. Visit cpccon.com.

Book Sale
Aug. 3-9: Hershey Public Library, 701 Cocoa Ave., will host its Friends Annual Book Sale. On Aug. 3, library members can shop during the preview night, 6 to 8 p.m. Visit hersheylibrary.org.

Architecture Art
Aug. 3-17: Chris Dawson Architect hosts an architecture exhibition on the ground floor of the company’s office building, 300 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg, to reflect on the company’s efforts over the last nine years and to demonstrate the power of architecture. Visit chrisdawsonarchitect.com for more information.

Museum Fridays
Aug. 3-24: The State Museum invites visitors to its “Pay as You Wish” summer Fridays. Fees for the planetarium and other special programs still apply. Curiosity Connection will distribute free timed tickets for entry throughout the day. Visit statemuseum.org.

HBG Flea
Aug. 4: Shop the HBG Flea for local art, vintage treasures and curated curios at Midtown Cinema, 250 Reily St., Harrisburg, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit hbgflea.com for more details.

Island Hopper
Aug. 4: Join Susquehanna Greenway Partnership and Susquehanna River Trail Association for the Susquehanna Island Hopper to discover the islands of the Middle Susquehanna River Water Trail, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Adults are $25; youth 12 and under is $15. Tickets include lunch, educational presentations, a guided kayaking trip and snacks. Visit susquehannagreenway.org.

Mt. Gretna Tour
Aug. 4: Explore the architecture and style of Mt. Gretna’s iconic homes on a self-guided walking tour, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Take a trolley ride, visit the Historical Society Museum and artist studios and enjoy food and drink by Chautauqua homeowners at the Hall of Philosophy. Proceeds benefit Gretna Music. Tickets are $25 or $20 in advance. Visit gretnamusic.org.

Book Sales
Aug. 4, 18: Friends of the New Cumberland Public Library will host pre-owned book sales, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., in Foundation House, across the shared parking lot from the library, 1 Benjamin Plaza. Shop for fiction and nonfiction hardback and paperback books, vintage and new jewelry, DVDs, CDs, puzzles, kids’ books, vinyl records, tote bags and more. Visit newcumberlandlibrary.org.

Concert Series
Aug. 5, 12: Harrisburg Young Professionals continues its free Italian Lake Concert series at Italian Lake, N. 3rd and Division streets, Harrisburg, with Mark DeRose & the Dreadnought Brigade on Aug. 3 and Roanoke on Aug. 12. Concerts are held from 6 to 8 p.m. Bring a lawn chair, some picnic blankets and snacks. Get more information at hyp.org.

National Night Out
Aug. 7: Neighbors meet neighbors at National Night Out, with events throughout the greater Harrisburg area. Locally, the fun includes a city-sponsored event, 5 to 8 p.m., at Sunshine Park, 12th and Herr streets, with the members of the Harrisburg Police Bureau. To learn more, visit harrisburgpa.gov, as well as the websites and Facebook pages of community and neighborhood groups.

Networking Social
Aug. 8: Harrisburg Young Professionals will host its 2nd Wednesday Networking Social, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at Midstate Distillery, 1817 N. Cameron St. Come out to enjoy $2 off cocktails and martinis and $1 off spirts and mixers. Members and non-members are welcome. Visit hyp.org.

Stress Relief Walk
Aug. 8: Release the pressure of the workday with a stress relief walk, a three-mile stroll around Wildwood Park. Meet at the Nature Center at 6 p.m. Bring water and sturdy shoes. Information is at wildwoodlake.org.

Festival Fun
Aug. 8-11: Lisburn Community Fire Company, 1800 Main St., hosts the 65th Annual Olde Time Festival. To celebrate, enjoy 65-cent hot dogs, rides and games, live entertainment, pony rides, a tractor parade, an array of festival foods and more. Visit lisburnfire.com.

Book Sale
Aug. 9-11: Friends of Newport Public Library will hold its annual used book sale in the downstairs of the library, 316 N. 4th St., 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Members’ preview night is on Aug. 8, 6 to 8 p.m.; guests can join as members at the door. Shop thousands of used books, CDs, DVDs and more. Proceeds benefit the library. Visit pecoinfo.org.

Reading Run
Aug. 11: Join Joseph T. Simpson Public Library, 16 N. Walnut St., Mechanicsburg, for its “Run for Reading 5K.” Check-in begins at 7:45 a.m. and is followed by the 5K at 8:30 a.m., the 1-mile fun run/walk at 9:15 a.m., the mini dash at 9:30 a.m. Visit simpsonlibrary.org.

Volunteer Work Day
Aug. 11: Head to Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, to help with continuing park and habitat enhancement projects, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Snacks, tools and work gloves will be provided. Bring along a water bottle. Refreshments available. Learn more at wildwoodlake.org.

Gospel Worship
Aug. 11: York County Gospel Choir presents “Gospel on the Mount,” an outdoor praise and worship celebration at 537 Big Mount Rd., Thomasville, with song, prophetic dance, Christian art, drama, poetry, food and more, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All are welcome. Visit yorkcountygospelchoir.org.

School & Health Fair
Aug. 11: Tabernacle Baptist Church, 1106 Capitol St., Harrisburg, will host its annual “Back to School and Community Health Fair,” 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Health, wellness and education vendors will provide free information services, backpacks and school supplies, while supplies last. Enjoy food and refreshments. Learn more at tabernaclebaptist.net.

Brews Cruise
Aug. 11: Grab your kayaks, canoes and tubes for a river float from Buffalo Brew, 24 N. Second St., Newport, to River Bend Hop Farm & Brewery, 1800 Lower Bailey Rd., Newport. The float will start after Buffalo Brew closes at 2 p.m., from the tunnel on Front Street to River Bend for dinner, drinks and good times. Check out Buffalo Brew on Facebook for more details.

Gretna Music
Aug. 12, 26: Gretna Music’s “First Listen” program showcases the talent of local, aspiring musicians at 6:45 p.m. at the Mt. Gretna Playhouse, 200 Pennsylvania Ave., before Gretna Music’s 7:30 p.m. mainstage concerts with professional artists. Mainstage concerts are $1 for youth, $5 for adults who bring a youth and $19 to $26 for regular pricing. For more information, visit gretnamusic.org.

Get in Shape
Aug. 16: Enjoy a self-guided, 3-mile walk at Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, on level trails. The walk starts at the Nature Center, heads up the Towpath Trail, continues to the halfway point, and returns by the same route. Bring water and wear comfortable walking shoes. Visit wildwoodlake.org.

MLK Impact
Aug. 16 & 17: Capital BlueCross Theatre at Central Penn College, 600 Valley Rd., Summerdale, presents “Stand Up, Speak Out: 6 Degrees of MLK,” each night at 7:30 p.m., with storytelling, music and video about Martin Luther King, Jr.’s impact in the fight for justice, 50 years after his death. Continue the conversation at dessert receptions. Tickets are $7, $3 for students. Visit centralpenn.edu.

Golf Open
Aug. 17: The Education Foundation of Central Penn College hosts the 47th Golf Open, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Rich Valley Golf, 227 Rich Valley Rd., Mechanicsburg. All proceeds benefit emergency scholarship funds. Cost is $125 per person. Visit centralpenn.edu.

Golf Scramble
Aug. 17: The 7th Annual Harrisburg Young Professional’s Golf Scramble will be held at Dauphin Highlands Golf Course, 650 S. Harrisburg St., 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Teams of four golfers are invited to register online. Visit hyp.org for more details.

3rd in The Burg
Aug. 17: Enjoy the best of Harrisburg during 3rd in the Burg, the monthly arts and culture event at galleries, restaurants and art spaces throughout downtown and Midtown. Check out all the action at thirdintheburg.org.

Summer Switch
Aug. 17: The 2nd annual “Great Summer Switch” will feature Tina Sell, Susquehanna Art Museum director of education, conducting a 6 p.m. tour of “Art of the State” at The State Museum. Visitors then walk to the Susquehanna Art Museum for a tour with PHMC commissioner and artist Ophelia Chambliss of “Romare Bearden: Vision & Activism,” 7:30 p.m. Visit statemuseum.org or sqart.org.

Reptiles
Aug. 18: ZooAmerica will provide an indoor live animal show on Pennsylvania’s native reptiles (plus an alligator), 10 to 10:45 a.m., at Wildwood Park’s Olewine Nature Center, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg. Afterwards, take a guided walk on the Towpath Trail to learn about the turtles of Wildwood. Pre-registration is required. Visit wildwoodlake.org.

End of Summer Picnic
Aug. 18: Pack a picnic lunch, a blanket and your dancing shoes and celebrate all the reading you did this summer with a concert at Fort Hunter Park, 5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Music by Silly Joe Sings begins at 11 a.m. and Crossing Abbey Road performs at 12 p.m. For more information, visit dcls.org.

Blood Drive
Aug. 24: Premier Eye Care Group will host a blood drive, 1 to 5 p.m., at its location at 3903 Hartzdale Dr., Camp Hill. For more information, visit premiereyes.com.

Outdoor Movie
Aug. 24: Friends of Midtown and Midtown Cinema, 250 Reily St., Harrisburg, present a free, family-friendly showing of “Toy Story.” The film begins at dusk and, in case of rain, it will be delayed until Saturday. Visit friendsofmidtown.org for more details.

Arts Fundraiser
Aug. 25: Perry County Council of the Arts will host its annual “Country Casual” fundraiser at The Winery at Hunters Valley, 3 Orchard Rd., Liverpool, 4 to 8 p.m. Bid in silent and live auctions, take part in arts-related activities and enjoy live music, food and drink in support of PCCA’s seven-county “Arts in Education” program and free and low-cost events. Visit perrycountyarts.org.

Farm to River
Aug. 26: Fort Hunter’s annual fundraising event will feature a new, localized twist—a farm-to-river experience—at the mansion, 5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg, 6 to 8 p.m., with locally sourced, homemade dinner offerings, local brews and wines and live acoustic music. Attendees can enjoy hors d’oeuvres and signature drinks on the west lawn before dinner at 5 p.m. Visit fort-hunter.org.

Native Sons: This summer, show some love to PA’s homegrown grapes.

July 31, 2018 | by Steve Juliana

Pennsylvania is, and long has been, a land of great agricultural diversity, as well as natural fertility.

One of the signs of this bounty is the proliferation of more than 200 wineries across the commonwealth. Here, grapes are converted into wine of all types, from sparkling to table to dessert.

A visit to any of these local tasting rooms may be quite an eye-opener. European varietals are in plentiful supply but so are native grapes. With names such as Concord, Niagara and Catawba, these grapes were made into wine for years before the modern era of gentleman oenophiles bottling the fruits of their vines.

The botanical name for European grapes is vitis vinifera, while American grapes are known as vitis labrusca.

Vikings, landing in a place they called Vinland, first told of wild grapes growing in the northern climes of the New World. However, it wasn’t until the 18th century that the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus and his peers first cataloged the natives.

Among the cultivars, an obvious difference is that labrusca is a “slip skin” grape, in which the skins slide off easily when squeezed, as opposed to crushing the pulp to extract the juice. The other characteristic is the strong musky aroma of the fruit, which is how it received the name “fox grape.” It has nothing to do with the sly mammal, but has become a catchall for distinct descriptors that separate it from the vinifera flavors.

Concord is one of the most popular of our native grapes and is used to make jelly, juice and soft drinks, as well as wine, most notably kosher wine. Many wineries in Pennsylvania bottle Concord as a solo quaff or blend it with other grapes. It is very hardy in the winter and quite prolific. Try a glass, and you’ll immediately be reminded of its role in providing one-half of the classic PB&J sandwich.

The Niagara grape was developed in Niagara County, N.Y., and first sold in 1882. It’s a beautiful white grape that is good as a table grape and as wine and juice. The wine from this fruit is very popular and can be found in local wineries, as well as in Fine Wine and Good Spirits stores. Blended with other grapes, it makes for a refreshing summer quaff with its distinctive high-toned, candied muskiness.

One of the native grapes known to many a wine-drinker is pink Catawba. Technically a red grape, the juice produces a pink color not unlike a rosé wine. Its history goes back to 1850, when sparkling Catawba wine was compared to French Champagne, the first native grape to receive accolades from the European vintners.

The popularity of Catawba in the states took off when the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow penned his “Ode to Catawba Wine.” Since then, it has been the backbone of wine production in the eastern states. Local wineries produce variations of this grape solo and blended with a few sparkling examples. Sample some history!

Keep sipping,
Steve

So Awkward: “Eighth Grade” captures the anxiety, discomfort of middle school, like, really well.

July 31, 2018 | by Sammi Leigh Melville

Everyone has been through middle school.

No one particularly looks upon it fondly. In fact, most people reflect back on it with a certain degree of agony. “Eighth Grade,” comedian Bo Burnham’s first feature in the writer/director’s chair, perfectly captures that preteen angst.

Following Kayla (Elsie Fisher), an acne-riddled, phone-absorbed girl who has just won the yearbook superlative “most quiet,” the film gives a play-by-play of every little detail that has ever made us squirm about our past selves. It’s a story that really hits home with its accuracy. Boys make farting noises with their mouths, girls freak out about what they’re wearing to the mall, etc. Kayla finds herself growing up in an uncomfortably familiar world of heightened emotions, naively accelerated sex standards and social media saturation. She is beginning to make really deep connections with her surroundings, but still has no idea what she’s doing.

Kayla’s father (Josh Hamilton) is constantly begging her to talk to and make friends with her school peers, and she wishes she could be cool enough to fit in. Instead, she just wrecks her confidence by giving social advice on her YouTube channel—and then not taking it.

Taking place entirely in the last week of Kayla’s eighth-grade experience, her tumultuous journey navigating boys and friendship and anxiety comes to its peak. Whether it’s her forced attendance at a popular girl’s pool party or trying to befriend high school seniors, each moment of “Eighth Grade” has a delightfully embarrassing reminiscence to it, and Burnham’s choices throughout the film orchestrate that wonderful awkwardness. From the dramatic music that pairs with Kayla’s emotions to the symbolic choices in the mise en scene of each interaction, every inch of this film screams adolescent nostalgia.

The fact alone that Burnham decided to tell this story through the perspective of a girl instead of telling his own story makes the film interesting enough. But the casting choices really make this a great film. Fisher, who has just graduated middle school herself, absolutely nails the role, her anxiety so thinly veiled behind an air of preteen indifference. It is a joy to watch the intricacies of her performance as she desperately tries to keep her emotions in check. And Hamilton wins our hearts as the goofy, earnest father who tries to watch his daughter grow up without interfering.

Though Burnham has cultivated a name for himself in the comedy realm, the film boasts more than just a handful of jokes. Be prepared to be taken back—and feel a little more than you expect—in this gem of a film. “Eighth Grade” starts at Midtown Cinema in early August.

August
Special Events

National Theatre Live
“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time”
Monday, Aug. 13, 7 p.m.

Outdoor Films
“Toy Story” (1995)
Friday, Aug. 24
Film starts at dusk. Rain date on Aug. 25.

Anime Film Festival
Aug. 25-30

Bring the Baby
“My Best Friend’s Wedding” (1997)
Sunday, Aug. 26, 7 p.m.

Down in Front! Presents
“The Time Travelers” (1964)
Friday, Aug. 31, 9:30 p.m.

Where Leaders Learn: Community is in focus at MLK Leadership Development Institute.

July 31, 2018 | by Yaasmeen Piper

In a speech, Martin Luther King, Jr., once said,“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”

Embodying this message and the techniques used by the famous civil rights leader, the Interdenominational Ministers Conference created the Martin Luther King Leadership Development Institute.

Based in the greater Harrisburg area, the institute aims to provide people with leadership tools and resources to improve themselves and their community regardless of age, race, gender or religious beliefs.

In June, the institute held its sixth graduation, featuring 20 students with a mix of “emerging and existing leaders,” according to President Joseph Robinson. Some of the most notable graduates over the years have included HACC’s President John “Ski” Sygielski, Harrisburg Councilman Cornelius Johnson and Chief Rob Martin, Susquehanna Township’s public safety director.

“People owe it to themselves and to our community to align themselves with the institute,” Robinson said. “They’ll come out of there with a different perspective on themselves and a new cadre of individuals who will help them achieve their mission.”

Over the course of six months, Keith Ellison, founder and CEO of the Ellison Group, meets with students to discuss and teach community and leadership. The program is designed around six key areas mentioned in Tavis Smiley’s “The Covenant with Black America”: education, economic development, quality of life, racial opportunity, harmony and leadership, as well as practices and policies used by Dr. King.

Students are divided into teams and develop a project that they present at the final meeting. The goal is to help them engage with their community and take what they learned back to the community.

The institute also hosts presentations and panels with accomplished people such as retired University of Pennsylvania Professor Carol Spigner, members of the NAACP, state legislators, police officers and lawyers. They discuss everything from criminal justice reform to public policy to business tactics.

“We talk about how to engage in your community and how to bring direct action in your community,” Robinson said.

In 2008, the institute originally targeted the “brain drain” of young people of color who were leaving Harrisburg because they felt like they did not have a place here.

The founders wanted to establish a forum and provide young people with the training tools they needed to work into leadership positions while keeping with Dr. King’s “beloved community.”

A year later, a group of 24, predominantly black, emerging leaders, graduated. Today, the institute has a wide range of students, varying in race, ethnicity, gender and religious beliefs, from ages 20 to 75.

“We have people with GEDs in the same class with people who have Ph.D.s,” Robinson said. “You have all these people, who are basically a microcosm of society in general, and you put them all in the same room and give them all the same foundational training and orientation to the concepts of Dr. King, as well as other tools and techniques on how to make change in their community.”

Done Already?

Aaysha Noor, founder of the Asian American Pakistani Heritage Group, was invited to join the MLK institute after developing her name within the community.

“I am an American Muslim, and I am an immigrant, a woman of color, so I have been involved with social justice,” she said. “I am passionate about equality and equity. I am passionate about immigrant rights and the empowerment of women.”

Robinson attended one of her events and encouraged her to join. Noor graduated in June, saying the institute gave her a better understanding of herself and helped her develop connections.

“They gave us that safe space where we can have those honest conversations where we can build relationships and rely on each other,” she said. “We had some intense conversations, we had some laughs, we had some tears, but, through all of that, we have bonded.”

Before joining the program, 42-year-old Lamont Jones had already found his place as a mentor and life coach for juveniles and adults in the Pennsylvania State Prison and in halfway houses. The CO at the prison recommended the institute and even offered to pay his way through.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” Jones said. “I just went and I liked it. I liked everything about it.”

His favorite moment came when the group discussed criminal justice reform with a panel of law enforcement professionals, including judges, prosecutors and lawyers. They talked of unfair treatment by law officers, sentencing and bail.

“Every aspect that we were talking about, there was someone to represent it,” he said. “It was a very intense group, but we got some good results out of it. That was my best moment there.”

Moments like this, when the students engage with their community and its members, Robinson said, are also some of his favorite parts.

“What’s exciting to me is to see the light that goes on, and every last one of them at the end of the sixth month, they always say, ‘Are we done already? Can’t we come back the next month?’” he said.

Down the road, Robinson hopes to see the institute grow even more to the point that it will need a full-time staff.

Even at $500, the cost of the program should not deter anyone away from joining, he said. If you have a calling for helping your community, they want you.

“Forget about your education. Do you want to do something? Do you want to make a change in your community?” he said. “If we get enough people with that mindset linked together, it just helps now to enhance the opportunity to actually make a difference in the community.”

For more information on the MLK Development Leadership Institute or how to get involved, visit their Facebook page @MLKLeadershipHBG or contact Joseph Robinson at 717-919-4392.

Decade of Dance: This month, Rasika School celebrates its 10th anniversary with–of course–a big dance.

July 31, 2018 | by Alexandra Jones

In small studio off the Carlisle Pike, Rachita Menon, owner of the Rasika School of Dance, paced back and forth, watching five of her intermediate students weave in and out of formation performing a tribute to Ganesha, the Hindu elephant-headed god of fortune and success.

Noting the key elements of the traditional south Indian dance style “Bharatanatyam,” Menon followed the rhythmic movement of their limbs, necks and eyes. She paid close attention to their facial expressions. Looking down, she nodded at their strong stomping footwork, an important detail as the dancers wear bells around their ankles when performing.

Menon has about 75 students, dancers anywhere from age 5 to adult. Right now, she and her dancers are busy gearing up for one of their biggest performances yet, which takes place this month. “Dakshina—A Token” will mark the school’s 10th anniversary with 10 Bharatanatyam dance numbers to 10 gods.

Bharatanatyam dances revolve around the descriptions or stories of deities in Hindu mythology. Menon said she would compare the style, in terms of influence and reputation, to the west’s ballet.

“This is a very prominent style in India and just like any 5-year-old here would love to be a ballerina, you would find young girls starting training in Bharatanatyam,” Menon said.

Menon immigrated to the United States from southern India in 2002 and opened Rasika in 2008 after deciding, despite holding a master’s degree in biochemistry and nutrition, that dance was her passion. She credits the school with giving her dancers confidence, focus and a healthy athletic outlet.

Because she believes dancers make the most improvement when they have an appreciative audience, she named her school “Rasika,” a Sanskrit name that means to “appreciate” or “enjoy.” At “Dakshina,” she most wants the audience to see the dance of Lord Shiva, the god of dance. It is one of her favorite dances, she said, because of Shiva’s costuming — he wears a crescent moon on his head and a tiger’s skin.

Menon also said that she is excited for the dancers to perform because the costumes and makeup used in the performances are very dramatic, as is tradition for this dance style in India. She added that her students will get to show how much brainpower the art involves.

“Some of the dances they learn could be 30 minutes long—involving technique, expression, memorization of the song and memorization of the choreography,” Menon said.

Her students are equally as excited.

“I started dancing because it runs in my family—my mom did it,” said Anoushka Nambiar, Rachita’s 15-year-old daughter and student. “After I started learning, it became one of my passions quickly.”

Nambiar also said that Bharatanatyam is an art she and her friends wish more people would appreciate, explaining that, while it’s gained more traction over the past few years, it is still a style of dance many in central PA are are unfamiliar with.

“We’ve all worked really hard,” another student, 16-year-old Savita Madhankumar, said. “We’re just excited to have an audience experience what we’ve been experiencing for the past few months.”

“Dakshina—A Token” will be held Aug. 11 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Grace Milliman Pollock Performing Arts Center in Camp Hill. For tickets, call 717-418-5212. For more information about the Rasika School of Dance, visit www.rasikadance.com.

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