A Milestone in Music: Stop by Mt. Gretna this summer for some ’90s music–the 1890s.

June 30, 2017 | by Jess Hayden

Photographs courtesy of Gretna Music. Left to right: Gretna Music performers Vijay Iyer, Orion Weiss, Paul Jacobs and Anna Polonsky.

It’s a major birthday for beautiful Mt. Gretna and, to celebrate, Gretna Music is taking a trip back in time.

In honor of Mt. Gretna’s 125th anniversary, Artistic Director Carl Kane has programmed several concerts for the summer series that pay homage to the town’s important milestone.

“Mt Gretna was founded in 1892,” he said. “So, each of these concerts has a special element that will take audiences back to that era to get a glimpse of what was the popular music of the day.”

These events include a concert with the River City Brass Band on July 8, a piano recital with Anna Polonsky and Orion Weiss on Aug. 27, a silent film with live organ accompaniment by Clark Wilson on Sept. 2, and a performance of the Verona String Quartet and organist Ryan Brunkhurst on Sept. 10.

The River City Brass Band is a group that Gretna Music has had on their “wish list” for a long while, Kane said.

Hailing from Pittsburgh, the band is a 28-piece ensemble that is among the only full-time touring brass bands in the country. While on the Gretna Music stage, they will recreate a vintage 1890s brass band concert drawing from music that would have been in vogue when Mt. Gretna was founded. This time period was the “Golden Age” of brass band music, when American composers like John Phillips Sousa, George M. Cohan and Scott Joplin were writing the toe-tapping cakewalks, two-steps, rags and marches that defined the era.

“It’s a really fun time for brass band music—pre-jazz—but it’s the dawn of American pop music,” said Kane. “River City Brass will be bringing us the equivalent of an 1890s rock concert.”

A little detective work led to a concert featuring Anna Polonsky and Orion Weiss, a husband-and-wife duo. Considered to be two of the finest pianists of their generation, Polonsky has collaborated with musicians such as Yo-Yo Ma, while Weiss has performed with many prestigious orchestras. This special commemorative concert will include a repertoire that was performed at the first Mt. Gretna concert 125 years ago.

“I asked Sue Hostetter, president of the Mt. Gretna Historical Society, to root around the basement of the society’s building and find the first Chautauqua music program ever printed,” Kane said. “Well, she found it and passed it on to me. And now these two fabulous pianists will be playing compositions from that first-ever piano recital.”

To mix things up, an event featuring theater organist Clark Wilson will take audiences to the days of silent films when the organ was used to accentuate the twists and turns of a movie’s plotline. Wilson has been playing organ since the age of 9 and is currently associated with Organ Stop Pizza in Mesa, Ariz., where he is on the staff. He will accompany the Harold Lloyd 1924 silent comedy classic, “Girl Shy,” as well as a Laurel and Hardy short.

“Clark Wilson is properly the world’s most foremost theater organist,” said Kane. “This will be a fun evening of 1920s music.”

Kane has planned a special treat for the last concert of the season. He has commissioned Nick DiBerardino, a Rhodes scholar who is a graduate student at the Curtis Institute of Music, to write an organ prelude based on the official Chautauqua hymn, “The Day is Dying in the West.” Like Bach did with his “Choral Preludes,” DiBerardino has used the hymn’s melody as scaffolding while creating his own music around it.

“Although it has a really terrible title, the hymn is actually pretty upbeat,” said Kane. “The words and music were written for the New York Chautauqua for their daily service in the 1880s.”

And, if you need something more traditional that evening, you’re in luck—the renowned Verona String Quartet is also on the bill.

All concerts start at 7:30 p.m. at the Mt. Gretna Playhouse, 200 Pennsylvania Ave., Mt. Gretna. The Gretna Music Series offers many other concerts during the summer season. For tickets and information, visit www.gretnamusic.org or call 717-361-1508.

Author: Jess Hayden

Fit to Phat: Be an athleisure believer.

June 30, 2017 | by Dave Marcheskie

Itchy. Exposed. Embarrassed. As a kid who loved sports, I couldn’t wait for sixth-grade gym class!

Unlike elementary school recess, middle school required a gym uniform. Somehow, Pottstown School District thought it was a good idea to keep reusing ‘70s-era frayed and dingy polyester shorts at a length that would even make Daisy Duke blush. This was my first interaction with bonafide workout gear, I guess. Needless to say, by eighth grade I over-compensated with Iverson-inspired ankle-length AND 1 basketball shorts. Phat.

Nowadays, there is an equally ridiculous workout clothes trend dominating men’s style dubbed “athleisure.” Sure, this has been in the women’s realm for quite some time that can be summed up in two words—yoga pants. High-end designers have been trying to cash in by pumping selfie-taking gym-bros on Pinterest and Instagram with $1,000 “street tech” drop-crotch sweatpants. I’m not here to endorse what will likely be the AND1 shorts of this late decade. However, there is room for compromise in 2017.

History has not always been on our side, fellas. Ancient Greek athletes ditched those togas and went full-on Zeus-nude to compete in games. Loose-fitting textiles gave jousters mobility in medieval times, except for the hefty, ironclad armor. Variations of burlap wool and thick cotton were mainstays of uniforms, leisure activity wear and swamp butt until a wonderful creation in 1959—Spandex. (Cue Eddie Murphy in “The Nutty Professor,” “Spandex! All Spandex!”) The ‘80s fitness craze would never be the same. This led Under Armour founder, Kevin Plank, to use satin bras to create his first moisture-wicking workout shirt prototype. Although, I bet he had a lot of explaining to do with all those cut-up bras in his dorm room.

Between the velour tracksuits and galactic-patterned three-quarter-length tights—what’s a guy to do? Keep it simple and keep it classic. Minimalism is best in this office-to-gym-to-date-to-Netflix-and-chill genre. Be a wooly mammoth and look for gear marketed as “SmartWool.” Natural Merino wool has the breathability, moisture-wicking, odor-resistant and quick-drying properties as most big brand items you’d find in Dick’s Sporting Goods. Try a muted, lightweight Merino crew ($49 Patagonia.com). For the crunchiest workout tee you might ever own, roll up in a dope Jungmaven’s hemp tee. Hemp’s woven fibers are breathable and more durable than cotton, which means it will not stretch out or lose its color as quickly. This shirt also has deodorant defense in the pits ($38 jungmaven.com).

Prima soft cotton is once again a long-term solution for summer shorts. American Giant has three options of mixed-cotton shorts for a fantastic combination of form and relaxed function ($44 americangiant.com).

You may have spotted me running along the riverfront in neon yellow everything (**cough** last week). But I am willing to dip my toe in the athleisure pool around the city this summer. Please, don’t swim in the deep-end men’s section of Lululemon.

If you’re ready to detox to retox after your summer sweat, wear my SPM-sanctioned athleisure, which will make you look phat.

To cool down further, sip on this refreshing elixir in a lawn chair with friends.

PHAT Gym Rat
12 oz. ginger ale
2 light beers
1/3 lime juice (3 limes squeezed)

Pour the beer, lime juice and ginger ale into a pitcher and give it a swirl. Serve over ice in a glass and garnish with a sprig of mint to be bad & bougie.

Author: Dave Marcheskie

Out of the [Home] Office: Can’t work from home? Sick of Starbucks? There’s a better option.

June 30, 2017 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

Sometimes, working from home isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Oh sure, it may be cozy to peck away at your home computer in slippers and sweats, but there’s more to it than that. Often, it’s about working around household noise that can drive even the most dedicated worker to distraction.

Just ask Jon Nixon, principal and creative director of Nixonmedia and father of three young children, about the trials and tribulations of running a home business.

“The garage door is right across from my home office,” said Nixon of Lower Paxton Township. “The bathroom is right there, too. When my children are home, I hear them going in and out all the time while I’m trying to work.”

Fortunately, there’s now a quiet haven for professionals like Nixon in the Harrisburg suburbs. In March, Coworking at The Park, a new venue offering professional office space for rent, opened in Swatara Township.

The Park rents co-working space to professionals, small business owners, entrepreneurs, sales agents and freelancers, allowing them to work, collaborate and make their professional enterprise flourish, according to company president Jaime Novinger-Toigo. The business offers day passes, private desks or private offices, plus a conference room that seats up to 65 for training, events or product pitches.

“It’s a perfect fit for me,” said Nixon, who uses a rented office at The Park three days a week. “I like that I can have a quiet space to work anytime. I like that it’s open on weekends. It looks professional when I have clients come in.”

Novinger-Toigo actually came about opening her new business in an indirect way. When relocating her other business, Service 1st Restoration & Remodeling, from Lower Swatara Township last October, she realized that the new building on East Park Drive had much more space than she needed.

“We had 20,000 square feet of storage areas,” Novinger-Toigo explained. “When we saw this, that’s when the concept of Coworking in The Park came to fruition.”

Over the next several months, workers gutted the much of the building’s interior to create six private offices, private desk areas, conference and training rooms and a working kitchen, all meticulously detailed. Walls are painted with handcrafted notations such as, “Great things never come from the comfort zone.” Even the restrooms are uniquely hued with shiny aquatic blue floors in recognition of Novinger-Toigo’s fire and restoration business next door.

After all the preparation, Novinger-Toigo said the hard work is starting to pay off. Business at Coworking at The Park is growing quickly.

“A janitorial business came in over the weekend and used the training room,” she said. “It was really cool. A marketing business is coming in today. A lawyer came in here, too, to meet with his client.”

Networking is another of Coworking in The Park’s benefits. When professionals using the facility meet and socialize, opportunities often blossom.

“Jaime and I believe we’re going to attract people who want to grow personally and professionally,” said office coordinator Emily Gilroy. “I believe it will be people who are driven and want to make a better community for themselves and their families,”

As a self-employed journalist, I can personally vouch for the serene refuge of Coworking at The Park as I’ve used it myself recently after writing from my home on a freelance basis for 22 years over the clamor of four children, a television perpetually set to Nickelodeon or MTV and cats taking territory on my papers.

Three of my four children are grown now, but they’ve since been replaced by a retired husband with his own television agenda and kitchen activities. At times, phone interviews are suddenly ruined by a lawnmower’s roar or the fire horn’s call, causing me to leap from my chair and close windows and doors. All this while maintaining a coherent phone conversation, of course.

Therefore, I felt quite tranquil while sitting undisturbed on a recent morning at Coworking at The Park, my trusty laptop and iPad in tow at one of the facility’s spacious desks. As a gentle spring breeze floated through the window, I inwardly relaxed, realizing that nobody there cared what I was making for dinner that night. Instead, Novinger-Toigo and office coordinator Emily Gilroy asked if there was anything that I needed.

“No,” I replied. “I already have everything I need right here.”

Coworking at the Park is located at 330 East Park Dr., Harrisburg (Swatara Township). For more information, visit www.theparkcoworking.com or call 717-232-5444.

Author: Phyllis Zimmerman

Sunshine in a Bowl: Celebrate summer with fresh tomatoes.

June 30, 2017 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

For devotees of Italian cooking, July is a welcome time. The first homegrown tomatoes are beginning to hit the markets and farm stands, making their bland and pithy winter cousins at least a temporary memory. “Real” tomatoes at last!

I have wonderful memories of my mother making quart after quart of crushed tomatoes every summer, using the bounty from my aunt’s little backyard garden. No food processor here, just her trusty blender. But she always made enough to share with me. We hoarded them in the freezer for making spaghetti sauce all winter long.

I have many recipes that I make only in mid-summer when tomatoes (and fresh basil) are at their best. We love Caprese salad—thick slices of beefsteak tomatoes layered with creamy mozzarella or burrata cheese. I often roast fresh Roma tomatoes, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with fresh herbs, and toss with pasta for a very different “sauce.” And even the reluctant fish-eater in my house will succumb to my baked flounder topped with fresh tomatoes and basil leaves.

At least once a season, I make pasta with an uncooked tomato sauce. I have long lost the actual recipe but I know it well. It is such a nice break from grilled food, and the only cooking needed is for the pasta. It requires the best tomatoes you can find, and the quantity of ingredients can be adjusted to the amount of sauce you want to make. Many years ago, when downtown Harrisburg was just beginning its resurgence, my family and several friends were regular patrons of a little 2nd Street restaurant called the Zephyr Express (at the location of today’s Burger Yum). They served a pasta dish very much like this. Along with their Long Island iced tea, it was one of my favorites.

Pasta with Uncooked Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

4 cups of peeled, chopped ripe tomatoes. (Any kind will do, but Roma or Italian tomatoes have more pulp and less juice.)
Good extra virgin olive oil
A cup of shredded mozzarella cheese (or more if you like)
Lots of shredded fresh basil
A few cloves of peeled garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

This is the easy part. Place all the ingredients above in a large bowl, and let the mixture sit for at least an hour to allow the flavors to blend. You can also make this early in the day, place it in the refrigerator, and it will be ready to toss with pasta in the evening.

This dish is fresh and light and tastes like summer sunshine in a bowl. I have developed affection for the new light and crisp rosé wines that are very different from the sweet versions of old. One would be perfect with this pasta. Maybe a little fresh fruit is all that is needed to complete the meal.

A summer day. Fresh tomatoes and bright green basil. So many possibilities. You really can’t go wrong!

Author: Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

Soldier Stories: Veterans share their memories at the Central Pennsylvania World War II roundtable.

June 30, 2017 | by Robert Naeye

Guam, 1945

Charlie Lloyd is in a race against time.

As vice president of the Central Pennsylvania World War II Roundtable, Lloyd has the increasingly difficult task of finding veterans to share their war experiences at the group’s monthly meetings.

Most of these men are now in their early 90s. Nationally, only 620,000 of the war’s veterans remain alive, and they are dying at a rate of one every four minutes.

“I feel a sense of urgency getting these guys,” said Lloyd. “The clock is ticking to get these stories out. In the future, we’ll have to rely on authors and historians. But they won’t have the same impact.”

The roundtable’s events are free and open to the public. They’re held at Grace United Methodist Church in Hummelstown, often attracting as many as 400 people. A typical format includes opening statements, followed by featured speakers and audience questions.

Many of the talks elicit powerful emotions. In a recent meeting, U.S. army soldier Don Greenbaum described how his unit liberated the Nazi death camp at Dachau. Ernie Gross, a Romanian Jew who was liberated at Dachau, also spoke. Both now live near Philadelphia.

In another meeting, 92-year-old Milton Dienes of King of Prussia shared photographs he took in Nagasaki just 90 days after an atomic bomb destroyed much of the Japanese city. Dienes was a U.S. Army Air Corps photo reconnaissance officer based in Guam whose unit was sent into the city to document the devastation. He and the group took photos for two days amidst the rubble.

The military later destroyed the photos and negatives, so only the pictures that Dienes kept for himself survive. Some show industrial buildings reduced to twisted metal, but with smokestacks still standing. Others show a train station in operation.

“I didn’t take many pictures of people since many of them were burned from radiation,” Dienes said.

One notable meeting, from 2015, featured Harold Billow of Mount Joy, who might be the sole living survivor of the infamous Malmedy Massacre, in which German SS Panzer troops slaughtered 87 American prisoners in a Belgian field in December 1944. Billow survived by lying face down in the snow-covered field, playing dead even when a German kicked him in the back.

“Anyone who showed signs of life, they shot point blank in the head to finish him off,” Billow recalled.

Meetings run the gamut of experiences in World War II. During the January meeting, Chuck Klein of Harrisburg described his service on the USS Wasatch, which helped launch amphibious invasions of Japanese-held islands while serving as Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s command ship. Klein described seeing MacArthur land on a beach in New Guinea, but then, realizing no cameras were present, went back to the boat, only to return once several photographers were on shore. April’s speaker, Kenneth Fidler, spoke about surviving after a Japanese kamikaze plane hit his ship off of the island of Okinawa.

A Blessing
The Central PA WW2 Roundtable is an offshoot of the Hershey Civil War Roundtable. The Civil War group started in 1992, motivated by a Ken Burns documentary on public television. About a decade later, club member Fred Taylor suggested starting a World War II Roundtable “because we still have the guys.”

The group’s first president, William Jackson, invited John Light, a Dickinson College mathematics professor, to speak at the initial meeting, held in March 2003 at the Hershey Public Library. Light served in the same infantry division as Jackson’s father, who perished late in the war in Germany. That meeting attracted about 25 people. One of the early speakers was Richard Winters of Hershey, commander of Easy Company, the paratrooper unit featured in the book and HBO series “Band of Brothers.”

The growth of the World War II Roundtable inspired the 2013 founding of the Central Pennsylvania Vietnam Round Table. This group meets on the second Thursday of the month at the VVA Capital Chapter 542 building in Harrisburg.

Lloyd, a Vietnam-era veteran of the Air National Guard, said that he got involved in the World War II Roundtable about six years ago. In past years, he easily could find speakers in the Harrisburg metro area. But with fewer and fewer living veterans, he has widened his search, going as far away as the Delaware River. Lloyd said that he drives to a veteran’s home to brief him on how to present his story and to make sure he can engage a large audience. He also transports speakers to and from the meetings.

Lloyd is assisted by president Kirk Gibson, who served in an Army airborne reconnaissance company from 1961 to 1964.

“Everything we do is on a volunteer basis,” Gibson said. “We all have things to do, but it’s a fun group of people.”

Lloyd likened meeting the veterans to “shaking hands with living history.”

“A lot of these veterans didn’t expect to come back,” said Lloyd. “They got on with their lives and didn’t talk about the war very much until their later years. To meet them personally is a blessing.”

The World War II Roundtable is held the first Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. at Grace United Methodist Church, 433 E. Main St., Hummelstown. For more information, visit www.centralpaww2roundtable.org.

Author: Robert Naeye

Golden State: Raise a glass as State Museum celebrates 50 years of “Art of the State.”

June 30, 2017 | by Diane McNaughton

Photograph; “Miranda” by Nicole Dube

As the summer heat descends upon Harrisburg, many midstaters pack up their suitcases and sunscreen and head for the surf, sand and sea.

Fortunately, for those who are staycationing it by the Susquehanna this steamy season, a free voyage awaits in the shadow of our own Capitol, at the State Museum.

As Marcel Proust once said, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”

On display through early September, right here in our own backyard, your eyes can be opened as you take in 130 original paintings, sculptures, photographs and three-dimensional crafts from 119 Pennsylvania artists.

This is the landmark 50^th year of the annual “Art of the State” exhibit, proving that life begins at 50.

More than 20 artists in the exhibit hail from Dauphin and Cumberland counties, including TheBurg’s own Aron Rook, the magazine’s former chief illustrator, and a first-time entrant in “Art of the State.”

Her piece, entitled “Gold Bond, Because Silver Linings Don’t Mean Sh*t,” is wood-burn, acrylic and gold leaf on an antique wood panel. The piece reflects both “strength and vulnerability,” Rook explained, with two mirroring figures who have placed their hearts where their heads are.

“They are deteriorating, they have become disconnected,” she said. “Yet, in all their decay, they are surrounded by golden light.”

Another local artist who dazzles is Nicole Dube, a Carlisle-based photographer whose picture of “Miranda” depicts a pensive young teen.

“That kind of melancholy—you don’t expect a 14-year-old to have such deep thoughts, such a burden on her shoulders,” Dube said. “You rarely see that kind of weightiness.”

Harrisburg’s award-winning street photographer Karen Commings’ entry is a full-color photograph of a bicyclist zipping down 2nd Street in Harrisburg in the pouring rain, the green of the streetlights glowing in the gray mist.

“I always appreciate the beauty of Harrisburg and seeing it wet,” said Commings, a long-time member of the Harrisburg Camera Club. “I just hope people will appreciate the beauty of the street, and I hope it makes them happy to look at it,”

New Excitement

Harrisburg-based artist Jeff Wiles had an impressive three pieces accepted into the exhibit this year.

“Regardless of the style of photography, it’s always my hope that I establish an emotional connection with the viewer,” Wiles said. “A good image will hold the eye, prompt interpretation and be memorable.”

Dube admits that her favorite piece in the exhibit is Wiles’ photograph entitled “Four Worlds,” which shows four Milton Hershey School students on a bus, each so close in proximity, yet so far apart in spirit.

State Museum Director Beth Hager said the show is an “interesting mix, juxtaposed against each other.” With different judges, and featuring everything from rocking chairs and jewelry to pottery and portraits, the show changes dramatically from year to year.

This show features a first-time award from the docents, she noted, which is triggering new excitement.

“Pennsylvania has a rich artist tradition,” Hager said. “Historically, Pennsylvania has been a mecca for artists.”

She pointed out that “Art of the State” is among the longest-running shows in the nation, if not the longest.

“It just draws you in,” she said. “It’s amazing what comes in every year.”

This year’s exhibit attracted nearly 2,200 entries from 845 artists. It’s co-presented by the State Museum and Jump Street, with WITF and Higher Information Group as sponsors.

Hager noted that, thanks to a newly negotiated reciprocal agreement, members of the State Museum and the Susquehanna Art Museum now can receive free admission to both destinations through Sept. 17.

A Conversation

For the 50th year exhibit, some works are indeed “state-of-the-art.” Others are timeless.

Rook said that, for a work of art to be brilliant, it must be “a most genuine expression, one where sincerity cuts through all the veils. Perhaps it deconstructs and reconstructs beliefs.”

To be a great photographer, “You have to understand your equipment and be willing to experiment and practice, practice, practice,” Commings said.

Keeping up with software and the capricious weather is a constant challenge, she added.

For Dube, the challenge is light.

“Photography is light,” she said. “That’s the hardest thing always.”

From the creative side, Dube said she always looks for a beautiful subject and, more importantly, a subject that resonates.

“A photograph will be empty unless there is some kind of narrative,” she said. “The narrative can be hidden or overt.”

Commings does a lot of street photography, particularly in the rain.

“In candid situations, sometimes it’s the unusual, sometimes it’s the ordinary, shown in an unusual way,” she said. “Nothing is off limits. Once I take it, I know how I want it to look, how I want to process it.”

During the exhibit, the museum plans to offer three “Conversations with the Artists,” programs, where two artists at a time will join together to talk and answer questions.

“We look to start a conversation about art,” Hager said.

On July 7, Pennsylvania First Lady Frances Wolf and Harrisburg’s own Andrew Guth lead the tour. Guth received a first-place award in the category of “Work on Paper.”

And despite what your art teachers may have told you, “There are no right or wrong interpretations. We all see art through the filter of our unique set of personal life experiences,” Wiles said.

With so many works featured, you won’t connect with every selection in the show. But that’s OK.

“A tour through any ‘Art of the State’ exhibit will make you aware of the depth and variety of talent our state possesses,” Wiles said.

That’s worth staying home for.

“Art of the State” runs through Sept. 10 at the State Museum of Pennsylvania, N. 3rd and North streets, Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.statemuseumpa.org.

Author: Diane McNaughton

Wicked Good: Venture to Mechanicsburg for a bite of scratch-made comfort food.

June 30, 2017 | by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

Photo by Waxman photography.

Cissy Beauvais, owner of the Wicked Kitchen in Mechanicsburg, may have grown up in the church, but she’s not above tempting area dieters to abandon their resolve.

“Every great cook starts in the church,” she said with a chuckle. “I began cooking at a very young age in the United Methodist Church. My grandmother was a huge church lady.”

The Dillsburg resident, who grew up in Halifax in what she describes as a “Pennsylvania Dutch household,” said she is used to cooking for a crowd.

“My mom is one of five, so I grew up with tons of cousins, aunts and uncles around and some of the recipes we use are family recipes—from the broccoli salad to the potato salad, the macaroni salad and coleslaw,” she said. “My husband Eric and I have six children, five still at home, so cooking in large quantities kind of comes naturally.”

For several years, she worked for Panera, in the process getting an education about how a restaurant runs.

“I was proud to work there and learned a lot,” said Beauvais, who opened her 50-seat restaurant in the fall of 2015 in the former Frostbite Cupcakery.

Beauvais said she chose the location because “it just felt right. I’m a big advocate of feeling things, and, if it doesn’t feel like home, then it’s not where you belong.”

It didn’t hurt that her daughter, Caroline, ran up and down the ramp the entire time the couple inspected the building. Caroline, their 3-year-old daughter who has cerebral palsy, is part of the inspiration for the quirky décor that features an octopus theme.

“My daughter was a ‘22-weeker,’ and the nurses wrap the children with an octopus when they are in the NICU,” said Beauvais.

The couple arrived at the name “Wicked Kitchen” as a nod to Cissy’s husband’s Massachusetts background, where the word “wicked” often is used as a modifier. Why run a boring, old, run-of-the-mill kitchen when you can whip up some culinary magic in a wicked kitchen?

Beauvais prides herself in making everything from scratch, with selections varying week to week. Tried-and-true favorites remain standard, however. Customers can count on homemade potpie every Thursday, for instance.

“We call it ‘chicken hell day,’” said Beauvais, with a laugh. “We roll all our own noodles, roast our chicken for 16 hours for the base, add carrots, celery—the whole shebang.”

Soups range from chicken corn to beef vegetable to potato. A Tuesday top seller is the homey combo of creamy tomato and a hearty grilled cheese sandwich.

Oversized sticky buns, known as “wicked stickies,” also have been a hit—and, when they’re gone, they’re gone.

“We suggest people pre-order,” Beauvais said.

Beauvais bakes her own bread, which provides the base for her popular sandwiches, such as the BLT with candied bacon, the pulled pork “Piggywich” and the “Gobbler,” comprised of Swiss cheese, turkey and candied bacon.

Randy Brewbaker first learned of Wicked Kitchen while sitting in a nearby barbershop and thought he’d give the place a whirl. He’s been back many times since.

“I love the homemade soup like the creamy potato, the chicken corn and the chicken noodle, and the potpie on Thursday is phenomenal,” he said. “I sometimes get it to go. Cissy puts a lot of love into her cooking. You can tell she enjoys what she does.”

Brewbaker does note one drawback, however.

“I try to watch my carbs,” he said, before raving about the grilled cheese and homemade donuts. “Her baked goods are out of this world.”

John Gardner, who also considers himself a regular, said he’s never had a bad meal in the establishment and recommends the BLT made with the candied bacon or the pot roast sandwich.

“It practically melts in your mouth,” said the Carlisle resident.

Beauvais hasn’t had it easy. As a breast cancer survivor, a mother of a preemie and an autistic son, she’s faced challenges in life. But she said she always felt supported by the local community. Because of that, she’s determined to give back.

“We work with Meals on Wheels, and I also enjoy catering military weddings at a very inexpensive price for young people just starting out,” she said. “My pap’s favorite saying was, ‘Eat something, you’ll feel better.’”

Beauvais said that she feels best when someone sits down in her dining room and says, “This is just like my grandmom used to make.”

“That’s what makes me feel awesome,” she said. “I love that I can give people a memory. That tells me I’m doing something right.”

The Wicked Kitchen is located at 30 S. Market St., Mechanicsburg. For more information, call 717-590-8116 or visit www.thewickedkitchen.org or the Facebook page.

Author: Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

Fresh Is Best: How a less processed diet can benefit you and your pets.

June 30, 2017 | by Kristen Zellner

As humans, we understand why we should be eating a fresh diet and less processed food. But what about our pets?

Our own diets have evolved over the last couple of decades to include healthier ingredients, while our pets are still consuming “kibble,” the little brown kernels in fancy packaging, full of ingredients that we can’t pronounce. The front of the package of pet food often pictures a colorful cornucopia of fresh meats, vegetables and grains before that fresh food becomes processed into kibble. When you look inside the bag, the picture is very different.

Have you ever wondered why pets like it so much when you top off their dry food with something from your own dinner? Not only does it taste better, but their bodies crave that fresh food. So, aside from our basic understanding of why fresh food is best for any living body, here are some of the benefits of a less-processed diet for our pets.

More energy

Overly processed diets can be difficult for a pet’s digestive system to break down and extract nutrients. This means that a lot of the food goes in one end and out the other without the body absorbing all of the vitamins and minerals it needs. Fresh ingredients are more digestible, which enables the pet’s body to generate more energy from the food they’re eating. This gives the pet more readily available energy to use when needed instead of spending so much time trying to break down and make sense out of the processed foods.

Shiny coats and healthy skin

If your pet suffers from allergies or itchy skin, feeding a less-processed diet can reduce the likelihood of an allergic reaction to ingredients such as artificial flavors, colors and preservatives. In addition, nutrients found in less-processed, less-heated and altered pet foods have a greater likelihood of maintaining their efficacy than their synthetic counterparts, present in most dry pet foods. Better absorption of nutrients leads to healthier immune function, resulting in improved vitality and appearance.

Less waste, better digestion

Processed pet foods, especially the low quality, grocery store variety, add much more fiber than is necessary. Low-cost fillers like rice, wheat, corn, soy and potatoes make pet food less expensive. Some fiber can be a good thing, but, when there is too much in a pet’s food, it is likely coming out the other end of your pet without being used, leaving your pet unsatisfied. The result is a higher volume of stool output and less actual nutrition. Aside from better satisfying hunger, a fresher diet will result in smaller stool volume, leading to easier pick-ups in the backyard or litter box. Remember, just because a food claims to be complete and balanced does not mean all of the ingredients are being used by your pet’s body. If a food is producing too much waste, where is the savings for the consumer?

Better overall health and longevity

Most pet owners are conscious of the cost involved in caring for a pet. One way to trim back is to cut corners on the cost of feeding a pet. This is counterintuitive. In reality, the best way to keep a pet healthy is to put the best “fuel” into them from the very beginning. We wouldn’t think of buying a new car and putting poor quality gasoline in the tank, expecting it will run efficiently for years. The old adage holds true: We always get what we pay for. Dry food in a bag is not the best diet for any living creature.

Luckily, the pet food industry has evolved with the thinking that fresher is better. There are a growing number of alternatives to dry food on the market. Dehydrated, freeze-dried, fresh and raw diets have been available for more than a decade and are in growing demand as consumers become educated about the benefits of less processed pet foods. This doesn’t mean we must go all-or-nothing into the fresh food world. For instance, replacing 50 percent of a pet’s diet with appropriate, less processed foods can make a dramatic difference in their health. If that is the case, our pets will look and feel better, making trips to the vet less frequent. And that is where we really save money.

Kristen Zellner is the owner of Abrams & Weakley General Store for Animals, 3963 N. 6th St., Harrisburg. To learn more, visit www.abramsandweakley.com or call 717-232-3963.

Author: Kristen Zellner

Districts of Dysfunction: A fight is on against gerrymandering in Pennsylvania. Can it succeed?

June 30, 2017 | by Robert Naeye

In representative democracies, voters are supposed to choose their elected officials. But, in Pennsylvania, it’s often the other way around.

The violation of this core principle explains much of the dysfunction in state and national government. It also explains why Harrisburg was sliced into two congressional districts and is represented, in the House of Representatives, by conservative Republicans from faraway Hazleton and York.

If you’re outraged by this state of affairs, you can blame gerrymandering—the long-standing practice of politicians drawing district boundaries to favor their own political party and their electoral survival.

“Pennsylvania ranks fifth from the bottom in gerrymandering, and it’s especially bad with congressional redistricting,” said state Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Lehigh County), who is co-sponsoring a bill that would transfer the power of redistricting from self-interested party leaders to a nonpartisan citizen’s commission.

The need for reform is evident by examining a map of Pennsylvania’s congressional districts. Many meander geographically. Some blatantly violate the state constitution by their lack of compactness or because they divide counties, cities and municipalities. The 7^th congressional district, outside Philadelphia, is so grotesquely contorted that it’s referred to as “Goofy kicking Donald Duck.”

Republican leaders in the General Assembly deliberately drew these district boundaries after the 2010 national census to favor their party. This practice is outlawed in almost all democratic nations except the United States. Maryland, for example, is gerrymandered to favor Democrats. As Karl Rove, advisor to former President George W. Bush, famously stated, “He who controls redistricting can control Congress.”

Bizarre Construct
Gerrymandering particularly harms Harrisburg’s 50,000 residents. Republican Party leaders divided its mostly Democratic voters into two Congressional districts to dilute their influence—a practice known as cracking.

Most of Harrisburg belongs to Rep. Scott Perry’s district, which includes the eastern part of Cumberland County and all of York and Adams counties. Harrisburg’s far southern neighborhoods were placed in Rep. Lou Barletta’s district, a bizarre construct that includes parts of nine counties and extends from Shippensburg all the way to Wyoming County near the New York border.

Perry and Barletta don’t need Harrisburg’s support to win re-election, giving them minimal incentive to represent the city’s interests in Congress. For instance, Perry and Barletta both supported “Trumpcare,” which would take away affordable health insurance for thousands of their Harrisburg constituents.

Gerrymandering also deprives Harrisburg of a Democratic voice in the state Senate. Harrisburg lies in the 15^th district, which includes most of Dauphin County. Democrat Rob Teplitz won this seat in 2012, but he narrowly lost to Republican John DiSanto in 2016, partially because Republican leaders removed the Democratic bastions of Steelton, Highspire and Paxtang from the district and replaced them with heavily Republican Perry County. DiSanto won Perry County by about 8,500 votes, offsetting Teplitz’s 5,100-vote margin in Dauphin County.

Gerrymandering is a problem for everyone, not just Harrisburg. It makes citizens frustrated that their votes don’t matter. It contributes to corruption, gridlock and hyper-partisanship in the federal and state governments, where elected officials often seem more devoted to party loyalty than the nation’s welfare.

“Because of gerrymandering, legislators don’t really listen to the public anymore,” said Boscola. “They just listen to their party base. This is not good lawmaking. We need more compromise. Harrisburg is much more partisan now than it was 20 years ago.”

Many districts are created to be safe for one party or the other, which deprives voters of choice in competitive elections. In the 2016 general election, 13 of Pennsylvania’s 25 state senators and 97 out of 203 representatives did not have to face a major-party challenger.

Gerrymandering also gives party bosses the ability to enforce strict party-line discipline by taking away the district of any member who dares to cross the aisle on key legislation. Or a party leader can arrange for a more ideologically pure candidate to run against an out-of-favor incumbent in the next primary. Gerrymandering thus contributes to the nation’s deepening partisan chasm.

Boscola has seen these nefarious tactics used on friends and on herself.

“You can be popular with your voters back home, but if you’re not beholden to your party leader, you can be X’d out,” she said.

Sense of Urgency
Gerrymandering has been around since the 1700s, but it has become more egregious recently because party leaders now have access to detailed mapping data and voter profiles. This trove of information allows politicians to fine-tune district boundaries and predict election outcomes with greater surgical precision than ever before.

Because the redistricting process is written into Pennsylvania’s constitution, changing the system requires an amendment. Several proposed amendments are circulating within the General Assembly, but they’re currently stuck in committees.

Amending the constitution is exceedingly difficult. The House and Senate will have to pass the exact same bill in two consecutive legislative sessions (2017-18 and 2019-20). If the bill clears that high hurdle, it then will have to win a majority of votes in a 2020 statewide referendum.

Timing is critical. Pennsylvania will lose one or two congressional seats after the 2020 census, automatically triggering the redistricting process. Boundaries drawn after that census will shape the commonwealth’s House delegation for the next decade, so reformers feel a sense of urgency.

Fair Districts PA, a nonpartisan statewide organization of volunteers, is leading the charge. FDPA is promoting the most comprehensive legislation: Senate Bill 22 and House Bill 722. These virtually identical bills would give the power of redistricting to an independent committee of 11 Pennsylvania citizens who would operate in a transparent fashion.

Committee members would include four Democrats, four Republicans and three independents and would be selected by a random computer algorithm from a list of qualified voters, preventing party leaders from rigging the outcome. Seven committee members would be required to finalize district lines, and at least one member of each pool would have to approve the map. Each pool must reflect the commonwealth’s racial, geographic and gender diversity.

SB22 and HB722 enjoy bipartisan sponsorship in both chambers of the General Assembly. Harrisburg’s state representative, Democrat Patty Kim, is co-sponsoring HB722. Sen. DiSanto also supports redistricting reform in principle, but he has not signed up as a co-sponsor of SB22.

Both bills face daunting odds.

“We’re taking power from the leaders of the two major parties,” said James Allen of FDPA’s Dauphin County branch, who notes that the bosses can employ a variety of tactics to stall or kill the bills. “They control the process, so those who have power will fight very hard against changes.”

Boscola thinks lawmakers are starting to feel public pressure, but much more will be needed before party leaders conclude that it’s in their interest to go along with an independent redistricting commission.

“Keep the pressure up,” Boscola said. “Bombard legislators with calls. Keep hammering away, and they will start to listen. But it has to be relentless.”

Allen said that it will take “a massive commitment” to get redistricting reform done.

“Is it going to be easy?” No,” he said. “But if you believe change is possible, it can be done.”

For more information on gerrymandering and the campaign for redistricting reform, visit www.fairdistrictspa.com.

Author: Robert Naeye

Happenings: Our July Calendar of Events

June 30, 2017 | by TheBurg Editor

Happenings

3rd Street Studio
1725 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-385-3315; Facebook: 3rd Street Studio

“Torn Paper Portraits,” by Robert Patrick Haldeman, at Café 1500, 1500 N. 6th St., through July 17.

“Depth of Perception,” featuring the sculptural, story-based paintings by Zheka Art, through July 21.

AACA Museum
161 Museum Dr., Hershey
717-566-7100; aacamuseum.org

“Hemmings Classic Car Detroit Underdogs,” highlighting the often overlooked, under-appreciated and easily attainable cars of youth, through Aug. 27.

“Camaro & Firebird 50^th Anniversary Exhibit,” featuring a show of these iconic American vehicles, through Oct. 8.

“Garage Finds: Unrestored Treasures that Survived Time,” through Oct. 8.

Art Association of Harrisburg
21 N. Front St., Harrisburg
717-236-1432; artassocofhbg.com

“Art School Annual,” featuring works of art by AAH students, through July 20.

“International Exhibition,” featuring the works of Douglas D. Anderson, Evelyn R. Burton, Cathy Frey, John Guarnera and Fred Scruton, July 28-Aug. 31; reception, July 28, 5-8 p.m.

Brain Vessel Gallery
4707 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg
717-350-2306; bvcargo.com

“Mythic Realms,” oil paintings by Jon Carraher, through mid-August; receptions: July 7 and 8, 7-10 p.m.

Carlisle Arts Learning Center
38 W. Pomfret St., Carlisle
717-249-6973; carlislearts.org

“The Yellow Fever,” an exhibition of photographs by John Wright, exploring the color yellow in urban settings, through July 23.

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
717-737-5026; thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

Artist of the Month: Jacob Mazurek

Fort Hunter
5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg
717-599-5751; forthunter.org

“Hanging by a Thread,” needlework exhibit showcasing handmade needlework, through Dec. 23.

Gallery@Second
608 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg
galleryatsecond.com

Works by Irene VanBuskirk, Karen Commings and Mark Wesling, through Aug. 5.

Works by Joanne Finkle at Café 1500, 1500 N. 6th St., July 19-Aug. 15; reception: July 21, 6 to 9 p.m.

Gallery on the Square
Millersburg Area Art Association
226 Union St., Millersburg
Facebook: Gallery on the Square

Susquehanna Valley Chapter of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen, through July 8.

Membership Show & Gallery Student Show, July 13-Aug. 26.

Historical Society of Dauphin County
219 S. Front St., Harrisburg
dauphincountyhistory.org

“Uncle Sam Calls: Dauphin County in World War I,” an exhibit of historic posters and artifacts, through Dec. 22.

Landis House
Perry County Council of the Arts
67 N. 4th St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

“4 x 6 Art Exhibition,” a showcase of small-scale artwork by artists of a variety of media with dimensions not exceeding 4” x 6” x 1.5”, through July 21.

The Millworks
340 Verbeke St., Harrisburg
717-695-4888; millworksharrisburg.com

Works by Joelle Arawjo, Yachiyo Beck, John Davis, Ann Benton Yeager and Paul Vasiliades, through July 16.

Works by Tina Berrier, Tami Bitner, Tara Chickey, Bob McCloskey and Marsha Souders, July 18-Aug. 13.

National Civil War Museum
One Lincoln Circle, Harrisburg
717-260-1861; nationalcivilwarmuseum.org

“Reconstruction: The Unfinished War,” examining the unfinished issue of equality among races in the reunited states, through Dec. 31.

Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art
176 Water Company Rd., Millersburg
717-692-3699; nedsmithcenter.org

“Wild America: The Art of Roger Tory Peterson,” through the end of August.

New Cumberland Public Library
1 Benjamin Plaza, New Cumberland
717-774-7820; newcumberlandlibrary.org

“After the Masters,” oil and acrylic paintings by Pat Koscienski, through July.

PCCA Gallery
Perry County Council of the Arts
1 S. 2nd St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

“Burst Into Bloom,” selectively abstract paintings rich in contrast of lines, images and colors by Loretta St. John, through July 8.

“Weaving Through the Countryside,” paintings by Valerie Moyer and basketry by Teena Beutel, July 14-Aug. 5; reception: July 14, 6 to 8:30 p.m.

Pennsylvania National Fire Museum
1820 N. 4th St., Harrisburg
717-232-8915; pnfm.org

Exhibits dedicated to Pennsylvania firefighting history.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania
300 North St., Harrisburg
717-787-4980; statemuseumpa.org

“Art of the State,” annual juried exhibition showcasing the work of Pennsylvania artists, through Sept. 10.

“Pennsylvania at War: World War I Posters from the Pennsylvania State Archives,” through Nov. 12.

“Pennsylvania at War: The Saga of the USS Pennsylvania,” through Dec. 30.

Susquehanna Art Museum
1401 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-233-8668; sqart.org

“Eccentricity,” selected works from the 2017 Artistic Expressions Student Exhibition, through July 30.

“Vessels,” a juried exhibition, through Aug. 6.

“Art in Balance, Motorcycles and Fine Art,” with modern and contemporary works on display juxtaposed with rare and historic motorcycles, Sept. 17.

The Ware Center
42 N. Prince St., Lancaster
717-871-2308; artsmu.com

“Expanded Visions,” juried exhibition that embraces all forms of photography from the traditional darkroom to the digital image, through July 7.

Whitaker Center/The Curved Wall
222 Market St., Harrisburg
717-214-ARTS; whitakercenter.org

“Art on Tour,” featuring the works of Perry County Council of the Arts member artists, through Aug. 18.

Wildwood Park
100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg
717-221-0292; wildwoodlake.org

“Art in the Wild,” nature-inspired art, through Oct. 31.

Yellow Bird Café
1320 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-635-8991; yellowbird-cafe.com

Works by Kelly Curran, through July 11.

Works by Monica Smith, July 16-Aug. 9.

Zeroday Brewing Co.
250 Reily St., Harrisburg
717-745-6218; zerodaybrewing.com

“Playing with Light,” photography by Jesus Martinez, through July 20.

“Science Meets Art,” geometrical and symbolic designs by Katie Trainer, July 21-Aug. 17.

Read, Make, Learn

Appalachian Brewing Co./Abbey Bar
50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg
717-221-1083; abcbrew.com

July 13: Pound and Pour w/Omni Fitness, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
July 27: Pop Up Class—Beer and Yoga, 6-7:30 p.m.

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
717-737-5026; thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

July 14: Cruising Caribbean, 6:30-9:30 p.m.
July 19: South of the Border Delights, 6-9 p.m.
July 27: Great Sandwich, Pizza and Beer Pairing, 6-9 p.m.

Fredricksen Library
100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill
717-761-3900; fredricksenlibrary.org

July 3, 10, 17 24, 31: Summer Drop-in Story Time, 9:30 a.m.
July 3, 17: Fredricksen Writes, 6:45 p.m.
July 5, 12, 19, 26: Teen Meetup Discussion Group, 2 p.m.
July 6, 13, 20, 27: Teen Movie Matinees, 2 p.m.
July 6, 13, 20, 27: Plot Twisters Teen Writers Group (ages 15-18), 6:30 p.m.
July 8: Story Time and Music Therapy by Sovia Therapy, 3 p.m.
July 10: Twisted Stitchers, 6:30 p.m.
July 10, 24: Teen Short Story Workshop, 7 p.m.
July 11: Curl up with the Classics—“Animal Farm,” 10 a.m.
July 11: What’s the Matter? w/Maryland Science Center, 10:30 a.m.
July 11, 18, 25: Master Gardener Plant Clinics, 6 p.m.
July 18: Teen STEM DAY, 2 p.m.
July 18: Fredricksen Reads—“Rise and Shine,” 7 p.m.
July 19: WickedTunes After Hours, 6:30 p.m.
July 21: Family Movie Night, 6:30 p.m.
July 21-22: Safe Sitter Training, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
July 25: Build a Better Cupcake, 2 p.m.
July 25: Gardening with Nature—Weed Identification, 7 p.m.

Harrisburg Improv Theatre
1633 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
hbgimprov.com

July 3-Aug. 21: Improv Level 3, Mondays, 7-10 p.m.

Healthy Living Kitchen
16 S. Rosanna St., Hummelstown
717-512-0077; healthylivingkitchenpa.com

July 19: Cooking Class—Summer Cook Nights, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Hershey Art Association
hersheyareaartassociation.com

July 25-26: Dive Into Color, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Kalpa Bhadra Kadampa Buddhist -Center
251 Wiconisco St., Harrisburg
717-232-2700; meditationpa.org

July 29: The Key to Inner Peace: Understanding the Mind, 1 to 4 p.m.

Landis House
Perry County Council of the Arts
67 N. 4th St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

July 1: Drop-in Art, 1-4 p.m.
July 15: A Novel Idea 102, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
July 29: Intro to Expressive Abstract Painting, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

The LBGT Center of Central PA
1306 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-920-9534; centralpalgbtcenter.org

July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Common Roads Young Adults, 4 p.m.
July 4: Men’s Group, 6 p.m.
July 5, 12, 19, 26: Common Roads Youth, 6 p.m.
July 11: Seniors Group, 6 p.m.
July 13: Aging with Pride Lunchtime Discussion, 12 p.m.
July 18: Women’s Group, 6 p.m.
July 25: LGBT Parents, 6 p.m.

Metropolis Collective
17 W. Main St., Mechanicsburg
717-458-8245; musicatmetropolis.com

July 10-14: Rock Band Summer Camp Guitar Intensive, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
July 17-21: Rock Band Performance Camp, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
July 24-28: Rock Band Songwriting Camp, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
July 31-Aug. 4: Boom Pop Jam Camp, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Midtown Scholar Bookstore-Café
1302 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-236-1680; midtownscholar.com

July 1: Author Event w/Jim Minick, 1-3 p.m.
July 1: Good News Café, 6 p.m.
July 4, 11, 18, 25: Coffee, Cake and True Islam, 5 p.m.
July 5, 12, 19, 26: Midtown Chess Club, 11 a.m.
July 6, 13, 20: Almost Uptown Poetry Cartel, 7 p.m.
July 7, 14, 28: Nathaniel Gadsden’s Spoken Word Café, 7 p.m.
July 13, 20: Camp Curtin Toastmasters, 6:30 p.m.
July 15: Poetry Reading w/Alan Krasner, 1-3 p.m.
July 15: Author Event w/Keith Law, 3-5 p.m.
July 16: Midtown Writers Group, 1 p.m.
July 16: LGBT Book Club, 5 p.m.
July 22: Author Event w/Steven Levingston
July 29: Book Signing w/Tim Wesley, 1-3 p.m.

The Movement Center
2134 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg
717-238-0357; themovementcenter.net

July 9: Community Yoga—Free Beginner Class, 10 a.m.

New Cumberland Public Library
1 Benjamin Plaza, New Cumberland
717-774-7820; newcumberlandlibrary.org

July 7: Fun Friday, 3 p.m.
July 7, 21: Library After Hours, 6 p.m.
July 7, 21, 28: Fairytale Building, 10:15 a.m.
July 8: Write-On Writer’s Workshop, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
July 10, 11, 17: Hands-On Science, 1 p.m.
July 10, 17, 24, 31: Summertime Storytime, 10:30 a.m.
July 11, 15: Family Fun Night, 5:30 p.m.
July 11, 18, 25: Book Babies, 11:15 a.m.
July 15: Couponing Workshop, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
July 18: The Science of Sound, 1:30 p.m.
July 22: Robots, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
July 26: Pennwriters Writing Group, 6-9 p.m.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania
300 North St., Harrisburg
717-787-4980; statemuseumpa.org

July 5, 12, 19, 26: Nature Lab, 11:30 a.m.
July 6, 13, 20, 27: Nature Lab, Archaeology, 11:30 a.m.
July 7: Storytime, 10-11 a.m.
July 7, 14, 21, 28: Learn at Lunchtime, 12:15-12:45 p.m.

Susquehanna Art Museum
1401 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-233-8668; sqart.org

July 8, 15, 22, 29: Saturday Morning Art Club (ages 4-7), 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
July 8, 15, 22 29: Young Artist Camp (ages 8-12), 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
July 19: Instructed Life Drawing Class, 6-9 p.m.

Wildwood Park
100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg
717-221-0292; wildwoodlake.org

July 1: Saturday Morning Bird Walk, 8-10 a.m.
July 2: Beginner’s Yoga and Walk, 10-11:30 a.m.
July 9: Flower Walk – Still More Blooms, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
July 12: Stress Relief Walk, 6-7:30 p.m.
July 20: Get in Shape Walk, 6-7 p.m.
July 24-28: Photo Boot Camp, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
July 31-Aug. 4: Photo Boot Camp, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Live Music Around Harrisburg

American Music Theatre
2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster
717-397-7700; amtshows.com

July 9: The Righteous Brothers—Bill Medley & Bucky Heard
July 14: The Texas Tenors
July 16: The Glenn Miller Orchestra
July 30: Replay America—The Ultimate 80s Festival at Clipper Stadium

Appalachian Brewing Co./Abbey Bar
50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg
717-221-1083; abcbrew.com

July 14: The Wild Hymns and The Red Eye Kings
July 15: D-Bo
July 20: Chris Jacobs
July 21: Matt Otis and the Sound
July 22: Appalachian Gypsy Tribe
July 28: Frog Holler
July 29: June Divided, One Trick Grizzly, Nothingmen

Appell Center for the Performing Arts
50 N. George St., York
717-846-1111; appellcenter.org

July 7: Peter Bottros

Carley’s Ristorante and Piano Bar
204 Locust St., Harrisburg
717-909-9191; carleysristorante.com

July 1, 9, 23: Anthony Haubert
July 5, 7, 21, 25: Noel Gevers
July 6, 27, 29: Corinna Joy
July 8, 13, 15: Roy Lefevre
July 11, 19: Maria Battista
July 12, 20: Chris Purcell
July 14, 18: Daniel Sheahan
July 22, 28: Ted Ansel
July 26: Deborah Anderson

Chameleon Club
223 N. Water St., Lancaster
717-299-9684; chameleonclub.net

July 1: Blackbear
July 3: In This Moment
July 7: Cayetana
July 13: Saintseneca, Michael Ray
July 14: New Found Glory
July 15: Fuel
July 16: Myles Parrish
July 20: The Menzingers
July 21: Ja Rule
July 22: Primus, Clutch
July 25: Theory of a Deadman
July 27: Moose Blood

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
717-737-5026; thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

July 1: Jeanine & Friends
July 7: Mike Banks
July 8: Hard Travelin’
July 9: Shelba Purtle
July 14: Kevin Kline
July 15: Doug Morrise
July 16: Emily Lynn Wilkins
July 21: Antonio Andrade
July 23: Colby Dove
July 24: Dominick Cicco
July 29: Michael Arthur & Kristina Machusick

Fredricksen Library
100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill
717-761-3900; fredricksenlibrary.org

July 11: After Hours Big Band
July 24: West Shore Symphony Orchestra

Greater Harrisburg Concert Band
717-576-758; ghcb.org

July 7: Concert at Bethany Village
July 8: Concert at Hampden Township Park & Pool, Mechanicsburg
July 14: Concert at Messiah College
July 16: Concert at Jewish Home, Harrisburg
July 21: Trinity Lutheran Church, Mechanicsburg
July 28: Cumberland Crossings, Carlisle
July 30: Messiah Lifeways Chapel, Mechanicsburg

Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center (H*MAC)
1110 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-441-7506; harrisburgarts.com

July 1: Vito DePiero, Entellekt, Rawston George & Young Swerve
July 8: Sons of Pitches, Back in Black
July 21: Aortic Valve

Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra
The Forum at 5th and Walnut St., Harrisburg
717-545-5527; harrisburgsymphony.org

July 1-4: Summer Concert Series

Hollywood Casino
777 Hollywood Blvd., Grantville
717-469-2211; hollywoodpnrc.com

July 1: DJ Magic, Vinyl Groov
July 7: Radio Neon
July 8: DJ Ray Rossi, Ryan Pelton Elvis Tribute, Restless
July 14: Funktion
July 15: DJ Dave Styles, Sapphire
July 21: Emily’s Toybox
July 22: DJ Matrix, Smooth Like Clyde
July 28: The Luv Gods
July 29: DJ Dave Styles, Green Eggs

Johnny Joe’s Sports Bar & Grill
5327 E. Trindle Rd., Mechanicsburg
717-766-2254; johnnyjoesbar.com

July 1: fith
July 15: SOS
July 22: Decipher Life
July 29: Acedias

Keystone Concert Band
145 E. Main St., First Floor, Mechanicsburg
717-421-1512; keystoneconcertband.com

July 23: Concert at Adams-Ricci Park

Little Amps Coffee Roasters, Uptown
1836 Green St., Harrisburg
717-695-4882; littleampscoffee.com

July 25: Jeffrey Lewis

Luhrs Performing Arts Center
1871 Old Main Dr., Shippensburg-
717-477-7469; luhrscenter.com

July 9: Shippensburg Symphony w/Simone Lamsma
July 14: Shippensburg Symphony w/Jean-Yves Thibaudet
July 16: Shippensburg Symphony & Chorus w/the Towne Singers

Majestic Theater

25 Carlisle St., Gettysburg

717-337-8200; gettysburgmajestic.org
July 11: Lake Street Dive
July 25: Graham Nash

Market Square Concerts
marketsquareconcerts.org

July 21: West Garden Trio
July 23: Brasil Guitar Duo
July 26: Stuart Malina

The Mill in Hershey
810 Old West Chocolate Ave., Hershey
717-256-9965; themillinhershey.com

July 1: Charlie Fry
July 8: Sherri Mullen Duo
July 11: Ryan Moran
July 15: Conrad Fisher
July 18: Dave Kelly
July 22: Corinna Joy
July 25: Wayne Thompson
July 29: Keith Goldstein

Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art
176 Water Company Rd., Millersburg
717-692-3699; nedsmithcenter.org

July 15: Cruise Control w/No Last Call

Perry County Council of the Arts
67 N. 4th St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

July 26: Coffeehouse at The Winery at Hunters Valley

Rusty Rail Brewing Company
5 N. 8th North St., Mifflinburg
570-966-7878; rustyrailbrewing.com

July 7: Rivers
July 21: Anthony Gomes

Sand Trap Grill & Pub
3804 Lisburn Rd., Mechanicsburg
717-691-5335; thelodgeatlibertyforge.com

July 6: Stan & Wes
July 13: Shea & Len
July 20: Jeffery J. Walker
July 27: Swish & Joey

Stock’s on 2nd
211 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg
717-233-6699; stocksonsecond.com

July 1: Shea Quinn and Friends
July 7, 22: TBA
July 8: Swisher Sweets
July 14: Cruise Control Trio
July 15: Natalie Ness
July 28: Music Thru Science Lite

The Susquehanna Folk Music Society
717-745-6577; sfmsfolk.org

July 5: Howard and the Islanders on Pride of the Susquehanna

The Ware Center
42 N. Prince St., Lancaster
717-871-2308; millersville.edu/muarts

July 14-21: Lancaster International Piano Festival

Zeroday Brewing Co.
250 Reily St., Harrisburg
717-745-6218; zerodaybrewing.com

July 9: Josh Dominick
July 21: Jelli

The Stage Door

American Music Theatre
2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster
717-397-7700; amtshows.com

July 21: “Corks & Candies”

Appell Center for the Performing Arts
50 N. George St., York
717-846s-1111; appellcenter.org

July 14: “#IMOMSOHARD”

Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre
510 Centerville Rd., Lancaster
717-898-1900; DutchApple.com

Through Aug. 12: “Peter Pan”

Gamut Theatre Group
3^rd Floor, Strawberry Square, Harrisburg
717-238-4111; gamutplays.org

July 7-9: “HEDY! The Life & Inventions of Hedy Lamarr”
July 12-Aug. 19: “The Ugly Duckling” (Popcorn Hat Players)

Harrisburg Christian Performing Arts Center
1000 S. Eisenhower Blvd., Middletown
717-939-9333; hbg-cpac.org

July 21-23: “Oklahoma!”

Harrisburg Comedy Zone

110 Limekiln Rd., New Cumberland

717-920-5653; harrisburgcomedyzone.com
July 8: Earl David Reed
July 23: Paulie Shore

Harrisburg Improv Theatre
1633 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-798-6973; hbgimprov.com

July 1: Improv Mixer

Hershey Theatre
15 E. Caracas Ave., Hershey
717-534-3405; hersheyentertainment.com

July 19-23: “Motown the Musical”

Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg
915 S. York St., Mechanicsburg
717-766-0535; ltmpa.com

July 21-Aug. 6: “Tintypes”

Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art
176 Water Company Rd., Millersburg
717-692-3699; nedsmithcenter.org

July 21-22: “Romeo and Juliet”

New Cumberland Public Library
1 Benjamin Plaza, New Cumberland
717-774-7820; newcumberlandlibrary.org

July 6: Sing and Dance w/Matthew Dodd
July 13: Grins & Grins Comedy Show
July 20: Da Vinci Science Center’s “Grossology”
July 27: Popcorn Hat Players

Open Stage of Harrisburg
223 Walnut St., Harrisburg
717-232-OPEN; openstagehbg.com

July 22: “Play-in-a-Day”

Oyster Mill Playhouse
1001 Oyster Mill Rd., Camp Hill
717-737-6768; oystermill.com

July 7-23: “Hollywood Arms”

The Playhouse at Allenberry
1559 Boiling Springs Rd., Boiling Springs
717-258-3211; allenberry.com

July 7-22: “Shrek the Musical”

Untitled: A Storytelling Project
untitledhbg.com

July 13: “Things that begin with the letter K” (at Zeroday Brewing Co.)

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