Grown-Up Gifting: A holiday guide for some of the hottest wines & best deals.

November 28, 2014 | by Steve Juliana

When we were kids, we often judged our holiday presents by their shapes.

Scanning the bounty under the tree, we zeroed in on the biggest boxes, believing that they might hold the best gifts.

As adults, we still look for the most promising packages. However, many of us now desire those long, rectangular boxes that just may hold something special for us to drink.

In that spirit, I attended a Chairman’s Selection Tasting last month sponsored by PA Fine Wine and Good Spirits, an event held just in time for the holiday-giving season.

I consider myself very fortunate to be able to preview these wines, see what is in store for us, and share my impressions with you.

During the tasting, we were guided through the different quaffs by Steve Pollack, the chairman, who pointed out nuances and characteristics in each bottle. The five other people at the table made for a good sounding board and lively debate as wine is very subjective.

These wines are here just in time for the holidays, either as gifts for a special someone, or to help with the myriad of celebrations. I hope that my tasting notes will help guide you as you pick out that special bottle or two during this festive month.

Keep sipping, Steve.

White Wine

Terra da Vino Masseria Dei Carmelitani Gavi di Gavi DOCG 2013, code 33699, $12.99: Citrusy, clean-tasting palate-scrubber from the Italian Piedmont. Tasty.

Sterling Vineyards Malvasia Bianca Cellars Club 2013, code 33656, $8.99: Spicy, zingy wine made from an Italian grape that found its way to California.

Michele Chiarlo Moscato D’Asti DOCG Nivole 2013, code 33641, $8.99: Delicious dessert wine with low alcohol and huge clean sweetness from Italy.

Red Wine

J. Hofstatter Pinot Nero DOC Meczan 2012, code 33586, $13.99: Pinot Noir from Italy done in a light elegant style. Burgundian in weight.

Domaine Sainte-Eugenie Corbieres Rouge 2011, code 33638, $8.99: Carignan-dominated easy-drinking wine from southwest France.

Pat Paulsen Vineyards Primitivo 2012, code 33649, $10.99: Subtle Zinfandel wearing its Italian moniker from California.

Asio Otus 2012, code 33692, $11.99: Fruity, easy-drinking French blend from east Italy. Latin name of a long-eared owl.

Gloria Ferrer Merlot Carneros 2009, code 33620, $15.99: Mature, delicious wine says this grape is back. Fruity and elegant.

Domaine la Croix d’Aline Saint-Chinian AOP 2013, code 33671, $11.99: Good solid Rhone blend, mostly Syrah. Fruity and silky.

Vignamaggio Castello di Monna Lisa Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2009, code 33606, $24.99: A truly exquisite, classic expression of Sangiovese to drink now.

Rivera Il Falcone Castel Del Monte Riserva 2008, code 33601, $17.99: Beautiful Puglian wine and a chance to drink Nero di Troia, an ancient Italian grape.

Le Gravillas Gigondas Les Dentelles 2012, code 33674, $18.99: Grenache-based quaff with richness and complexity. Lay this one down.

B.R. Cohn Cabernet Sauvignon Olive Hill Estate Vineyards 2010, code 33580, $34.99: Rich, dense Cali Cab that doesn’t come from Napa. Big and dark.

Piccini Brunello di Montalcino Villa al Cortile 2009, code 33581, $29.99: Mature fruit-filled Tuscan classic. Wonderful Sangiovese. Drink now.

Sparkling Wine

Decelle Brut Champagne NV, code 33599, $29.99: Tart, citrusy, bubbly. A genuine bargain.

Alfred Gratien Brut Champagne NV, code 33609, $39.99: A classic wine. Dry, yeasty and clean with all three of the designated grapes.

Herbert Beaufort Brut Champagne Bouzy Grand Cru Carte d’Or NV, code 33675, $32.99: Wonderful, fruit-forward sparkler, mainly Pinot Noir. My pick.

Musical Notes: Jingle Bell-Less

November 28, 2014 | by Andrew Dyrli Hermeling

I know, I know, December is for holiday music. But I must confess, sometimes I need a break from “Jingle Bells” and “White Christmas.”

If you’re like me, you’ll want to brave the snow and chill and see one of these shows. Whether you are looking for upbeat or contemplative music, December has a number of quality offerings.

So, put down the eggnog, tie a scarf around your neck and go see some live music. Besides, they show “A Charlie Brown Christmas” on TV every year, right?

HANK & CUPCAKES, 12/11, 8PM, ABBEY BAR, $7

This husband and wife duo is hard to categorize. New York-based by way of Tel Aviv, the pair’s music is infectious, danceable pop with a punk attitude. But when you see them live, you realize that they are much more than they seem. Using an extensive pedal board, “Hank” creates a wall of sound using only his bass guitar while vocalist “Cupcakes” belts out powerful melodies while adding percussion. Their shows are a live experience that separates them from so many other dance musicians who perform from behind a MacBook.

MATTHEW O’NEILL, 12/12, 7PM, DOWNTOWN LITTLE AMPS, $5 SUGGESTED DONATION

A wild, backwoods rocker, Matthew O’Neill draws comparisons to Neil Young and Creedence Clearwater Revival. With chunky electric guitars and gravelly vocals, his sound is weathered, which is appropriate considering the subject matter. Often tackling the realities of hard living, his music offers a wealth of experienced wisdom. Tinged with indigenous cosmology and an appreciation for America’s vast uninhabited country, O’Neill is enigmatic, existing somewhere between the world and what lies beyond it.

BRIAN DUNNE, 12/19, 7PM, MIDTOWN SCHOLAR, FREE

Brian Dunne is a country singer in the truest sense of the word. His melancholic songs resonate with the heartbroken, but he also has a dose of the big city in his music. A graduate of the Berklee College of Music, he has called New York home since 2011. With a powerful and emotive voice, he connects with those who have experienced love and loss, suggesting wisdom beyond his years.

Mentionables: Jonathon Boogie Long and the Nighthawks, 12/6, Whitaker Center; Tom Yoder, Midtown Scholar, 12/12; Turkuaz, Abbey Bar, 12/19; Camela Widad, HMAC, 12/27

An Imitation of Life: There’s real Harrisburg; then there’s media Harrisburg.

November 28, 2014 | by Lawrance Binda

Lately, I’ve been pondering the nature of reality.

No, I’m not taking a post-graduate philosophy course nor am I suffering through some type of midlife crisis (I did that about 10 years ago).

Rather, I’ve been wondering how people arrive at their conception of reality and how my business (the media) influences it. As usual in my columns, I’m talking mostly about Harrisburg here, though I suppose this theme could apply to many other communities and things.

When I moved here, I found Harrisburg to be a genial, if somewhat neglected, place. It was generally attractive to walk around, had some nice architecture, decent enough places to eat, a pretty Capitol building. It reminded me of some other urban neighborhoods I had lived in: great bones, nascent redevelopment, a smattering of typical inner-city woes.

Other than the city’s burgeoning financial crisis—which really was a unique problem—I didn’t see Harrisburg much differently than other East Coast cities, though it was a good deal smaller.

So, I was pretty shocked to learn that not everyone agreed with my assessment of this mostly pleasant place. In fact, many people disagreed—emphatically. They disagreed often and passionately and without hesitation.

I remember vividly a couple years back, when, in response to a rather innocuous post on TheBurg’s Facebook page about a downtown restaurant, someone wrote that he was surprised I didn’t fear for my safety.

How did this happen? I wondered. How was it that this quaint, if flawed, little city could stir such negative emotions among so many, particularly those who lived in the suburbs?

Now, I understand that Harrisburg isn’t for everyone. It can be a challenging place to live, especially with the sometimes-spotty (though sometimes-good) service delivery and subpar infrastructure. But the level of contempt and fear that I found on message boards or just in casual conversation surprised me.

I suppose there are several reasons for this. First of all, Harrisburg, as I understand it, was once in pretty desperate shape. The 1960s and ‘70s hit all cities hard, and Harrisburg suffered more than most, with severe flooding adding to the usual list of deindustrialization, white flight, rising crime, racism and blight. A couple generations later, this legacy lingers.

Secondly, the city’s government has been badly mismanaged, and that’s had an impact. The worst abuses, though, have only come to light in recent years. It wasn’t too long ago that Steve Reed was touted as one of the best mayors in the country.

And, thirdly, let’s face it: the Harrisburg area can be pretty provincial and racially divided. There are people who seem to relish bashing the city for their own personal reasons, even if they have little firsthand experience of life here.

Mostly, though, I blame my industry, the media. The media didn’t cause this misperception of Harrisburg, but it certainly has fed and done little to correct it.

Sure, the media has to report bad news; that’s part of its job. But another vital part of its job is this: it should reflect reality.

Too often, media presents a fictional version of life in Harrisburg, and perpetuating a fiction is one of the worst things a news organization can do.

You want to know what life is like in Harrisburg? For the most part, it’s pretty dull. Speaking personally, I walk to work, get lunch, walk home, repeat. On weekends, I do some yard work, try to eat at a good restaurant or two, and venture over to Broad Street Market, City Island and a few other places I like.

My life isn’t a lot different from that of your average suburbanite, with a few exceptions. I certainly walk a lot more and have quick, easy access to some of the area’s best cafés, bars, restaurants and entertainment. I also like to run along the river and at Italian Lake. To me, these are the things that make city life special, and they’re why I choose to live here.

Believe it or not, I spend almost no time worrying about crime, thinking about parking meters or dodging bullets from gun-toting state legislators.

But you wouldn’t know that from reading the front page of the Patriot-News or watching the evening news broadcast. Sure, I understand—how do you make a newscast out of a guy strolling over to Yellow Bird Café for a breakfast sandwich?

The constant drumbeat of bad news, though, has consequences, a terrible effect on the well-being of Harrisburg and its people. Taken in total, this coverage creates a fiction—a fanciful representation of life in this city. People who don’t live here then believe that falsehood, accept it as reality, and act on it as if it were true.

Recently, one downtown restaurateur told me that parking rate hikes haven’t much affected his business, but that he gets calls often from customers who worry for their safety. They want an assurance they won’t get mugged walking the 10 feet from their parking spot on the street into his restaurant. Where do you think that irrational fear comes from?

TheBurg tries to be a counterpoint, a magazine more interested in representing life than in sensationalizing it. We think it’s a more responsible approach, but we also believe that should be the mission of any news organization. Don’t lie to your readers—not just in the facts of an individual story, but in the bigger picture that your reporting, editing and design, taken together, create.

Most newsrooms operate on a daily timeframe, pumping out an article or news segment on a tight deadline. Their focus is on a few stories that single day, and they try to make sure that that they’re reasonably accurate. But there’s little recognition of the cumulative effect of so many stories, spanning a long period of time.

Unrelenting bad news, especially when it’s routinely reported breathlessly, can be destructive to a community and, worse yet, present an untrue picture of what life is like. It’s a fiction, and, in the case of Harrisburg, one that is widely believed and has proven to be profoundly harmful.

Lawrance Binda is editor-in-chief of TheBurg.

Christmas City: Bethlehem shines brightly during the holiday season.

November 28, 2014 | by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

It’s hard to believe that Christmas is right around the corner. Too often, we feel so rushed that we forget how important it is to take time out to enjoy the beauty of the season.

Sometimes, a short trip out of town is just what we need to recharge our batteries. While many opt for New York this time of year, I prefer Bethlehem for a less harried, more laid-back experience.

The small, walkable town of Bethlehem, also known as “Christmas City,” is all decked out in its Christmas finery this time of year, and there are plenty of activities scheduled for the weeks ahead.

Christmas—and More

Rich in history, Bethlehem is home to several excellent sites, some of which hold special events and exhibits during the holidays.

If you’ve never seen a “live advent calendar,” you’ll want to set your clocks for 5 p.m. and visit the John Sebastian Goundie House on Main Street. The restored, federal-style house dates to 1810 and was once home to the local brewer. Today, it is a house museum and, every evening through Dec. 23, a town crier will select a child from the crowd to knock on the door, which will open to some form of entertainment.

“It could be a quartet, Dickens-style carolers or even bagpipers,” said Kelly Ronalds, marketing director of the historic Hotel Bethlehem.

After the performance, merchants will hand out treats to the children.

Fans of crafts, local history and architecture should check out the Gemein Haus, located on Church Street. This log cabin, built without nails, once served as a Moravian church and is now a museum of Moravian history, featuring furniture, art, toys and crafts. At the same address, you’ll find the Moravian Museum of Bethlehem. Built in 1752, this structure was originally an apothecary. Today, guests visit to learn about the lifestyle of early settlers.

Nearby, the Moravian Book Shop, established in 1745, is known as the oldest continuously operating bookstore in the world. Bethlehem native Marlena Sarunac said it’s a popular destination for bibliophiles and history lovers.

“The Moravian Book Shop is exactly the type of place where you can find yourself dreamily spending hours,” she said, adding that ornaments and gifts of every kind are also available this time of year.

Get Your Shop On

While you’re downtown, a variety of boutique shops, many of which have been there for years, are just a short walk away.

“You can smell the history as you step in and hear it in the creaks of the beautiful old floorboards,” Sarunac said.

Of course, no holiday visit would be complete without visiting the Christmas City Village downtown, where dozens of vendors set up shop in festively decorated, heated huts from Dec. 19 to 23. There, you’ll find a variety of items ranging from woodcarvings and pottery to homemade soap and Christmas decorations.

Drawing visitors from miles around, Bethlehem’s Christkindlmarkt has been recognized by Travel and Leisure Magazine as one of the top holiday markets in the world. This year, 125 artisans will showcase their wares. The family-friendly event will feature food, pictures with Santa, musical entertainment and demonstrations every Thursday through Sunday until Dec. 21.

Tours Galore

Bethlehem has no shortage of guides dressed in period garb to regale visitors with historic tidbits.

The “Christmas City Stroll” takes guests on a walking tour through downtown, where they will learn the story of the city’s unique beginning in 1741. Horse-drawn carriage tours are also available for those who prefer to sit back, relax and take in the city’s 18^th-century architecture, while learning about the area’s 300-year history.

After dark, holiday decorations light up the town. Book the “Bethlehem by Night” bus tour and stay warm and cozy while enjoying the festive holiday decorations and a trip to the Moravian star atop South Mountain.

Staying Over

The Hotel Bethlehem, perhaps the city’s best-known hotel, is a great choice if you want to be in the heart of the action. The decorations alone are sure to put a smile on any Scrooge’s face.

Ronalds said the hotel is already decorated for the season with 26 Christmas trees, 36 giant wreaths, six 7-foot toy soldiers and a large crèche.

“People come here from all over the mid-Atlantic region to get their Christmas spirit,” she said.

If you don’t mind staying a few blocks away, the 100-year-old Sayre Mansion Inn is another great choice. This elegant boutique hotel offers bright, spacious rooms and daily breakfast and is a quiet and luxurious respite from the hustle and bustle.

Many eateries are within walking distance of both hotels. The award-winning Apollo Grill is a good choice for lunch or dinner. Whether you’re in the mood for crab cakes, lamb shank, duck, veal, steaks or just a burger, this place has you covered.

If you’re a craft beer enthusiast, be sure stop in at the Bethlehem Brew Works on Main, which offers casual fare, along with a wide selection of craft brews.

There’s so much more to do and see in Bethlehem during the holidays. If you have yet to visit during this magical season, you might want to take time now to schedule a long weekend to see everything the area has to offer.

“The most wonderful thing about Bethlehem is that it doesn’t matter what religion you identify with, how old or young you are, or whether you’ve seen it all 100 times, or for the first time,” said Sarunac. “The spirit of the town will delight you every time, and each fresh snowfall brings with it a sense of peace that’s hard to capture elsewhere.”

For more information on Christmastime in Bethlehem, visit www.christmascity.org.

A Breath of Plein Air: Major show mounted for one of Harrisburg’s best-known artist groups.

November 28, 2014 | by Lori M. Myers

Pictured left to right: Jonathan Frazier, Dave Henry, and
Earl Blust painting in Cape Cod. Photo by Steve Wetzel.

When a friend introduced Steve Wetzel of Harrisburg to members of an artist collective called the Seven Lively Artists at an exhibit in Mechanicsburg, this former cartoonist and now-and-then landscape artist had found his calling—and his group of like-minded creators.

After seeing their work, Wetzel traveled with them on their annual excursion to Cape Cod to paint, not within the warmth and comfort of a studio, but outdoors amid the area’s terrain and shorelines. Wetzel was hooked and has been a part of this group of artists for almost a dozen years.

Through Jan. 10, Wetzel is one of 16 artists from the Seven Lively Artists to show their work at Gallery at Second in downtown Harrisburg. The exhibition, entitled “7-Lively Artists 1956-2014,” includes more than 50 works on display covering a wide range of time and styles. Wetzel, for example, has four of his works in the show—all representational oil landscapes that were painted en plein air, meaning that they were painted in the open air and on location.

“Our group always tries to hold an annual holiday exhibit around November and December, and so this particular show coincides with that tradition,” Wetzel says. “This will be the first time we’ve had the opportunity to hold a group show at Gallery at Second, and so this will be a special event for us.”

The Seven Lively Artists trace their beginning to 1956, when seven friends brought a relatively novel concept—plein air painting—to the Harrisburg area. As the popularity of the form grew, membership increased, so that those original seven now number about 18.

This exhibit fits right in with what owners Ted and Linda Walke had in mind when they opened their gallery in May 2010 after an extensive renovation of their building on N. 2^nd Street.

“Our goal is pretty simple,” Ted Walke says. “To place artwork in a wide scope of collections while underscoring the artwork’s educational and cultural value to patrons and visitors.”

The beautiful gallery usually features two independent exhibits on the main floor, every five to six weeks. The Upstairs Gallery features another 200-plus pieces by more than 50 local artists.

“With the exhibition of the Seven Lively Artists, it’s the first time we’ve opened the main floor for one exhibition,” Walke adds. “With more than 50 works by this collective, the resulting viewing experience will be one of both high quality and a mixture of mediums that will satisfy even the most discriminating gallery viewer.”

This is the first time the gallery has hosted the group. However, it has shown works by a number of the individual artists within it.

Paul Gallo of Middletown is another of the Seven Lively Artists featured in the exhibit. Gallo worked in advertising as an art director for more than 30 years, but in the past 10 discovered a renewed interest in fine art.

“I paint in oils, in a representational manner of subjects that interest me,” he says. “My three pieces in the current show are an example of this—a plein air landscape and two paintings of animals.”

While he enjoys the painting process, Gallo truly loves exhibiting his art, adding that most artists want their work to be viewed and appreciated.

“I think paintings are a calming, contemplative experience—a nice contrast to today’s hectic, sensory-assaulting visual media—television, movies, Internet,” he says.

From landscapes to animals, Walke is thrilled and honored to include this esteemed group within his walls, conveying on canvas the elements they felt and sensed while out of doors.

“With the interest shown thus far,” Walke says, “the public’s eager anticipation is a good indicator that we are among many who regard this Harrisburg collective as a cultural treasure.”

“7-Lively Artists 1956-2014” runs through Jan. 10 at Gallery at Second, 608 N. 2^nd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.galleryatsecond.com. Please note that the gallery will be closed Dec. 25 to Jan. 3.

Christmas Mourning: The holidays often bring great joy. But for those suffering through grief, the season may magnify their loss.

November 28, 2014 | by Susan Ryder

Cooler, shorter days and falling leaves usher in the trifecta of holidays—Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. Anticipation of friends, family, food and fun takes center stage. It’s not, however, the “Most Wonderful Time of the Year” for some folks.

Five years ago in November, then-fourth grader Cara Ford lost her father. Six weeks later, on New Year’s Day, Cara and her mother Theresa lost Kyle—15-year-old brother and son. To say that the holiday season is painful for them would be an understatement.

Theresa Ford said that, when November rolls around, they think, “Oh, it’s November; we wish it was February.”

We are “sold a picture of perfection, of what could be and should be,” said John Kajic, manager of the Highmark Caring Place, a Center for Grieving Children in Lemoyne. These expectations, he said, “reinforce a profound sense of grief.”

Indeed, the holidays can make mourning even more difficult, said Susan Resavy, director of family services at the Hospice of Central Pennsylvania, located in Susquehanna Township.

The holidays are filled with ritual, tradition and expectation. So, when a person who is a part of the tradition dies, the loss is magnified, she said.

What that heightened grief looks like “depends on how that person has coped all along,” said Resavy. If they have been quiet, they could be more quiet; if intensely sad, they could be more tearful; and if anxiety-filled, even more anxious.

Empty Seat

For Joy Gardner of Carlisle, husband Bob should have been with her this Thanksgiving, but she lost her beloved to cancer on Sept. 18, 2013.

“He was born on a Wednesday and died on a Wednesday,” she said, still reeling from the loss.

Seeing the empty seat at the table proved to be too much. The family chose to eat out for Thanksgiving this year.

Gardner suggests it’s a good idea to “change it up” to better cope over the holidays.

Part of that change involves having a plan. Resavy said that families should ask the question, “How do you want to deal with the holiday?”

Kajic echoes Resavy’s sentiment, saying that families need to have a discussion. While families talk, they also need to keep in mind that there is no rulebook—no right or wrong way to grieve.

Angela Mesceda of Linglestown had a strategy for the holidays. She lost her husband James in March 2012, so decided to make a plan to better cope. That, however, didn’t go as well as she hoped.

“My plan went to hell in a hand basket because I cried all day,” she said.

Nonetheless, she advises making a specific list of what you want to do. “Once you do it, you feel the accomplishment,” she said.

Part of that plan may include choosing not to participate in some traditions. Individuals and families may decide not to have a tree, light the menorah or have a Thanksgiving turkey.

The Ford family discusses every year how they will celebrate. The first Christmas after Kyle died, they decided to forgo a tree, then, gradually, over the next five years, began decorating again.

Because tree decorating was a family affair, they don’t dig into the old Christmas ornaments. Instead, they have a new theme each year and remember Kyle by buying an ornament for him.

While this works for them, Theresa Ford wouldn’t insist that people handle their grief exactly the same way.

“Grief is so different for everybody,” she said. “Do what you feel is right at the moment.”

Gardner acknowledged that her family showed a great deal of variety in how they grieved.

Family members spent a lot of time crying last year, but noted that, “sometimes we weren’t crying all together.” Also, since her husband died just a few months before the holidays, she didn’t change the ritual much the first year.

Often, families are in such shock that the first holidays go by in a blur, so “don’t be alarmed if year two is harder than year one,” said Resavy.

Real Meaning

Traditions can still hold a place in grieving.

The stability and familiarity of an old tradition may be great comfort to a grieving family. In addition, new traditions can be created that include the deceased in the holiday. This can happen through making a toast at dinner, buying an ornament for the tree or preparing a favorite meal.

“If you find comfort in traditions, hold on to them,” said Kajic.

Finding ways to include the deceased family member also provides segue for discussion. People often don’t know how to bring up the deceased person and aren’t sure if they should say their name for fear of upsetting others.

“It gives people an opportunity to reminisce,” said Resavy.

She recounted a story of how the grandchildren of a deceased hospice client took it upon themselves to put pictures they created of their grandpa on “his” chair at Thanksgiving. That then became the family’s new Thanksgiving ritual.

Luckily, these families didn’t have to traverse the road of grief alone. Both Hospice of Central Pennsylvania and Highmark Caring Place helped. “Hospice people are wonderful people— angels,” said Mesceda.

“It was like we were all a big family,” said Cara Ford, who twice participated in Highmark Caring Place’s program.

Although much help is available, families still may acutely feel grief, but often there is hope mixed in. Theresa Ford said that her family discusses how to handle the holidays.

“But, mostly importantly, we try to focus on what Christmas really means and how truly blessed we are in so many ways,” she said. “Don’t get me wrong—there is still a lot of crying that goes on in our house. I don’t think this will ever go away.”

Seeking Help

Resources are available if you or someone you know needs help getting through the holiday due to the death of a loved one.

Highmark Caring Place offers grief services for families with children. Its website, www.highmarkcaringplace.com, contains information specific to coping with the holidays.

Hospice of Central Pennsylvania also offers grief services, which are available to everyone, not just those served by the hospice. Information can be found at www.hospiceofcentralpa.org.

Both organizations provide services free of charge.

Geek Love: Science gets sentimental in “The Theory of Everything.”

November 28, 2014 | by Sammi Leigh Melville

Everyone has some knowledge of Stephen Hawking, whether it’s through reading his book, “A Brief History of Time,” watching a TV special on him, or even just hearing his name in passing.

Hawking is arguably the best-known theoretical physicist and cosmologist of today, and his name has permeated pop culture for decades. But though you may know who he is and what he does, there’s a good chance that you know little about his personal life. Here is where director James Marsh steps in with his most recent film, a little biopic called “The Theory of Everything.”

If you’re interested in Hawking’s celebrated career, you’ll have to look elsewhere. The story breezes over the details of his work, including just enough to convey that it is him that we’re seeing on the screen. Instead, it focuses on the relationship between him and his first wife, Jane, and on the effects of his ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, otherwise known as Lou Gehrig’s disease).

We first see Hawking (played by Eddie Redmayne) as a young man working towards a doctorate in physics at Cambridge University, inattentive to his studies but still managing to surpass his fellow students with little effort. His interest in cosmology greatly contrasts with the Christian faith that fellow student, Jane Wilde (Felicity Jones), has, but that isn’t enough to keep the two apart, and they quickly find themselves in a serious relationship. When Hawking discovers he has a motor neuron disease and has been given two years to live, he tells Jane to move on, but she sticks with him. Spanning a timeframe that is much longer than two years, the rest of the film follows their marriage as Hawking’s motor skills slowly deteriorate.

Make no mistake: “Theory” is a very romanticized take on Hawking’s life. Unfortunately, for a story that already has half the work done (all that writer Anthony McCarten had to do was take a life lived and lay it out in a succinct fashion), the result is less than satisfactory.

Many scenes are overly cinematic, and there is plenty of dialogue that makes it painfully clear that you’re watching a film. The film also gives a biased portrayal of Hawking, an oddity in itself given that McCarten adapted the screenplay from Jane Wilde Hawkings’ memoirs, which are brutally honest. Yet numerous scenes conflict with her stories in order to romanticize his character, especially toward the end of their relationship (this is a love story, folks—accuracy be damned).

However, this is a rare case in which a film, despite having a script suited for the Hallmark channel, manages to stand proudly. The director and actors join forces to breathe life into characters that may have otherwise fallen flat on the page. It’s a fascinating lesson in reading between the lines. If you can focus on the way the characters say the lines instead of the lines themselves, you’ll fall in love with them.

Redmayne gives a performance that is nothing short of captivating. Perhaps no one could have done a better job in the role, and I wouldn’t be surprised if his name comes up on the Oscar ballots. Jones also holds her own as Jane. There is one scene near the end of the film in which the two make some weighty confessions to each other that is especially powerful.

It’s a great film for the purpose of sentimentality, and, while I wouldn’t say that you’ll know the ins and outs of Stephen Hawking’s biography by the end, I will venture to say that you will enjoy yourself. “The Theory of Everything” will be playing this month at Midtown Cinema. Come check it out!

Sammi Leigh Melville is a staff member and film reviewer at Midtown Cinema.

Midtown Cinema December Events

National Theatre Live Series

Broadway production “Of Mice and Men”

Sunday, Nov. 30, 4pm & Tuesday, Dec. 2, 7pm

“It’s a Wonderful Life”

Frank Capra’s classic holiday film

Sunday, Dec. 7, 7pm; Sunday, Dec 21, 7pm; & Wednesday, Dec. 24, 7pm

Down in Front!

Improv crew skewers “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians”

Friday, Dec. 12, 9:30ish

Saturday Morning Cartoons

Classic cartoons on the big screen

Saturday, Dec. 13, 9:30-11:30am

Mommy & Me Matinees

Early matinees every second Saturday!

Saturday, Dec. 13

“The Search for Animal Chin”

Cult skateboarding film w/Tsunami Experiment playing live soundtrack

Saturday, Dec. 13, 9pm

Foreign & Classic Series

“The Bishop’s Wife” w/Cary Grant

Sunday, Dec. 14, 6pm

3^rd in The Burg $3 Movie

“Back to the Future”

Friday, Dec. 19, 9:30ish

Family Film Series

“The Muppet Christmas Carol”

Saturday, Dec. 20, 12:15pm; Sunday, Dec. 21, 1:30pm; & Monday, Dec. 22, 2:30pm

“White Christmas”

Classic Christmas musical

Saturday, Dec. 20, 12:15pm & 7pm; Monday, Dec. 22, 7pm; & Thursday, Dec. 25, 7pm

New Year’s Pajama Party

Wednesday, Dec. 31, 7pm

Christmas in the Country: Looking for an old-time holiday? Pack up your sleigh and head north.

November 28, 2014 | by Admin

Remember how amazing it was as a youngster to experience the music, colorful lights and tasty food of the holidays—and then those presents waiting under the tree?

This season, you can rekindle those memories and share some of that lost excitement with your own family. Not too far from Harrisburg, you can enjoy an ice festival, a traditional German Christmas, a walk with holiday lights and special, handcrafted presents.

An old-time Christmas is just a short drive away.

Magical Evening.

For the past 18 years, the State College Ice Sculptors have wowed audiences in Lewistown, and this year will be no different. On Dec. 4 and 5, your family can watch professional ice carvers turn solid blocks of ice into works of art using chisels, chainsaws and blow torches.

“Our theme this year will be a ‘Vintage Christmas,’ and we begin with our annual crazy parade,” said festival coordinator Jenny Landis of the Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau. “The procession kicks off at 6 o’clock sharp from St. John’s Church, and we’ll walk/march/hop/skip down N. Main Street with noisemakers, dancing ribbons and papier mache puppets on sticks. It’s fun!”

The Festival of Ice is held in Monument Square directly in front of the historic Mifflin County Courthouse. In addition to the sculptors and power tools, there’s entertainment, a holiday market, crafts and food.

“With the holiday music and the lights reflecting from the ice sculptures, it’s truly a magical evening,” said Landis.

Pony rides and a petting zoo will entertain the younger set, as will cookie decorating, carnival games and letter-writing to Santa. The empty lot near the courthouse will be transformed into a live nativity scene, including an ancient market with activities in each of the stalls. To help set the mood, the Beth-El choir from the Mennonite Church in Belleville will perform holiday music each evening.

For a unique memory, you can treat your family to a tour of downtown Lewistown from the back of a horse-drawn carriage. Rides are $3 per person, free for children five and under. All money raised will be donated to local charities. For model train buffs, the Mifflin County Model Railroad Club train display will set up in the lower level of the building next to the courthouse.

Of course, no Christmas festival would be complete without an opportunity to meet Santa, who will greet visitors and take gift requests at the West Side Gallery. Be sure to stop in and exchange a ho-ho-ho.

Artistic Twist

Later that weekend, the Perry County Council of the Arts (PCCA) will offer holiday fun at both of its locations in Newport—the Landis House and the PCCA Gallery.

“It’s a great time to be in a small town with all of the cute shops and holiday decorations,” said PCCA Creative Programs Director Jasmine Colbert. “A shopping day here is like an adventure to seek out one-of-a-kind gifts. And you can support local businesses at the same time.”

First, visit the newly remodeled Landis House (67 N. 4^th St., Newport) for a special holiday family outing. Local music teachers will feature their students in a holiday piano recital, and Santa will visit to share cookies.

At the PCCA Gallery on the square (1 S. 2^nd St., Newport), you can shop the Artisan Marketplace, where you will find unique and locally made holiday gifts. While in the gallery, you can visit with demonstrating artists, get signed copies of local authors’ books and enjoy light refreshments.

Be sure to fortify yourself with a warm beverage and a snack at Espresso Yourself before checking out the annual Newport tree lighting at 5 p.m. on the square.

German Christmas

Your next adventure, the following weekend, is to downtown Mifflinburg, which will be lined with festive huts featuring unique handmade crafts and traditional treats for Christkindl Market, a traditional German holiday celebration.

Founders Joannah Skucek and her late husband Rudi lived in Germany for 20 years before returning to her hometown, where she opened a business. One day, at a meeting of town merchants, the conversation turned to how to draw visitors to Mifflinburg.

“How about a Christkindl market?” Joannah suggested. “Everyone looked at Rudi and me and asked, ‘A what?’”

Christkindl markets began in Germany in 1434. Local craftsmen and food vendors found that, if they set up their wares around the town’s churches during Christmas activities, the public would buy their goods to eat and give as gifts.

The first year, the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market had about 20 vendors located around the many local churches.

“Through our volunteers’ hard work and Rudi’s charismatic leadership, our market is now the oldest authentic outdoor German Christkindl market in the United States,” explained Joannah. “Last year was our silver anniversary, and the market had an estimated 12,000 visitors to our 100 vendors.”

The celebration opens with a parade featuring St. Nicholas riding his white horse. Then, over three days, people browse through picturesque huts filled with Christkindl treats and unique handmade crafts.

Be sure to dress warmly. Last year, my wife and I visited on an extremely cold day, which marred our ability to spend much time outdoors. Fortunately, there’s a pub where you can warm up with a glass of Glühwein (glow wine) in a specially designed collector’s mug. You also can enjoy hearty German beer along with Hungarian goulash and a variety of German sausages.

For treats, there are gourmet coffees and hot mulled cider to drink with Christmas cookies and the traditional German lebkuchen (gingerbread) hearts. An outdoor stage is located across from the Christkindl Pub, where you’ll see continuous entertainment, including dancers, school musical groups and jugglers.

There is plenty of fun for little ones, too. In Kinder World, children can visit the Elf School to solve puzzles and meet Mrs. Claus. Inside the Gingerbread House, they’ll see the “Gingerbread Family” decorating the Christmas tree and watch “Mother Gingerbread” make cookies. At the Peek-A-Boo Doll House, kids can watch dolls and teddy bears having a tea party around the Christmas tree as they hang stockings to the music of the holidays.

Planners work to balance tradition with new ideas.

“Our criterion is simple,” Joannah said. “If we want to add something new, we ask ourselves, ‘Would they do it in Germany?’ For example, I was asked one year where visitors can find a traditional German breakfast. I thought, ‘Now that’s a good idea.’ So, we worked with one of the local churches to sponsor a German breakfast.”

Don’t forget to bring your holiday greeting cards.

“It’s an Austrian tradition,” Joannah said. “Visitors can make their greetings unique by having a Christkindl cancellation stamp placed on holiday cards at the Christkindl Corner.”

The special, pictorial cancellation stamp, designed by a local artist, changes each year. So, you can start your collection this season.

Christmas Trail

Rounding out the season, Little Buffalo State Park will open its weeklong Christmas Trail on Dec. 17. There, children can meet Santa, see thousands of lights and enjoy handcrafted wooden figures.

“The Christmas Trail is at least 30 years old and has become a tradition for many families,” said Ben Ranney, who coordinates the program.

Local school districts participate by bringing their choirs or vocal groups to perform on the Moore Pavilion stage. 4-H clubs will sell hot chocolate and treats at the warming station“The lights along the wooded trails, the holiday music, the excitement of the children all meld together to create a beautiful and festive mood,” said Ranney. “It’s very special.”

There you have it—four celebrations over three weekends, all a relatively short drive out of the city. This holiday season, it will be easy to enjoy Christmas in the country.

GOING THERE

The Festival of Ice is located on Monument Square in downtown Lewistown on Thursday, Dec. 4, 6 to 9 p.m., and Friday, Dec. 5, 6 to 10 p.m. For more information, visit www.juniatarivervalley.org or call 717-248-6713.

PCCA’s holiday shopping and music takes place in downtown Newport on Saturday, Dec. 6. For more information, visit www.perrycountyarts.org or call 717-567-7023.

The Mifflinburg Christkindl Market hours are Thursday, Dec. 11, 4:30 to 9 p.m.; Friday, Dec. 12, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Saturday, Dec. 13, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The market is located on Market Street between 4^th and 6^th streets in Mifflinburg. For more information, visit www.MifflinburgChristkindlMarket.com.

The Little Buffalo Christmas Trail will be open from Dec. 17 to Dec. 23, 6 to 9 p.m., in the park’s East Picnic area. The program is free and flashlights are helpful in some areas of the trail. Contact the park at 717-567-9255 or email [email protected].

Don Helin published his first thriller, “Thy Kingdom Come,” in 2009. His recently published novel, “Devil’s Den,” has been selected as a finalist in the Indie Book Awards. His latest thriller, “Secret Assault,” was published in November. Contact Don on his website, www.donhelin.com.

Student Scribes: “3 Poems”

November 28, 2014 | by Cindy Withjack

Rotisserie

Do you ever think of us

of what we could be

Such a stupid girl I am

with pixie stick dreams

Saccharine decaying teeth

chattering

Always near me

but never truly

Who am I

to say such things

Eyes rolling

like dripping rotisserie

Charred

yet baby pink

We kid ourselves

lips spreading

Hearts heavy in our skulls

Throbbing truths

into finger plugged ears

Warmth

I’ll never be warm again

Warm again

I feel hollow

Knock on me

fist to forehead

fingers bent

And you will hear

the echo

vibrating off my skull

buzzing

You are puzzled

Oh poor girl

slithers out of your mouth

I wince

for all the ways I adore you

eyelashes dipping into my pupils

broken

A cracked ornament

on a discarded Christmas tree

slowly rotating on its string

Salt

Some days you go

The doorbell is broken

Sadness comes

tap, tap, tapping

Politely pressing

hard and heavy on each temple

It steals you

Fingertips tracing

My eyes fill with salt

when you leave

I have never been patient

The breeze goes right through me

when you go

I will learn

Cindy Withjack is a senior English major and writing minor at Penn State Harrisburg.

Holiday Wishes: Here’s what I hope for Harrisburg in 2015.

November 28, 2014 | by J. Alex Hartzler

The holidays offer time for reflection and giving thanks. They also are a time for thinking ahead about change and progress in the coming year.

My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving for its low-key, non-commercial nature, Mom’s home cooking, football and the promise of a four-day weekend. Since I don’t participate in “Black Friday,” opting for the couch and/or some walks instead, it is always the low-stress holiday in our home. Of course, I also greatly enjoy Christmas and New Year’s for their symbols of birth, re-birth and the promise of a brighter future for those who choose to believe.

Whereas last year I took stock of all the people and things I am thankful for in Harrisburg (December 2013, p. 7), this year I’m putting together my wish list for 2015. Thus, in the American spirit of renewal and on the premise that things that cannot be imagined cannot be achieved, here are some things, both big and small, I’d like to see happen in the coming year.

Our new Gov. Tom Wolf, new Senate Majority Leader Corman and House leaders Turzai and Smith work together, across the aisle, to move our state and city forward on such things as education funding formulas, pension reform, liquor privatization, extraction taxes and so forth.
N. Second Street, between Forster and Division streets, is finally restored to two-way traffic and an important neighborhood is reclaimed for the residents who live there—a mere 60 years after the street and neighborhood were ruined in the name of progress and suburban flight.
Front Street installs one new lane for bikes and one fewer lane for cars, as we have been promised.
Entrepreneurs and restaurateurs continue to find Harrisburg a viable and vibrant place for business.
Non-profit organizations of all stripes in Harrisburg realize that paying their municipal real estate taxes for police and fire protection is simply the right and moral thing to do and that the failure to do so makes them “free-riders” and “takers” from the rest of us who pay for them.
People who own property in the city care enough and have pride enough to maintain their property or sell it to others who will.
City Council works with the mayor in a spirit of cooperation for all residents and dispenses with the “us vs. them” references that divide us.
That we find some new voices on City Council after our elections next year.
Our suburban paper of record goes one year (OK, one month) without a sensational headline or article that disparages our city.
No new sinkholes open around the city.
The “land bank” gets implemented and the city and county are able to sell vacant land for productive use.
All Harrisburg streetlights receive new energy efficient bulbs, those bulbs work and the city saves money, as we have been promised.
The state of Pennsylvania realizes that it must invest in its capital city in much the same way and at a similar scale as the federal government has invested in Washington, D.C.
All of our Community Publishers and advertisers in TheBurg renew for 2015.
Many new Community Publishers and advertisers choose to work with TheBurg in 2015.
Hundreds of new residents and dozens of new businesses decide to live and/or locate in Harrisburg in 2015.
There is no “polar vortex” this winter.
Penn State wins a bowl game, any bowl game.
Local playwright Paul Hood gets his play “Brighton’s Green Street” produced.
The Broad Street Market is fully leased to fresh food vendors.
People stop walking across the beautiful new landscaping on State Street in front of the Capitol (paid for in part by private donations) and instead use the convenient crosswalks.
Standard Parking reduces parking rates by half between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. and thus potentially increases its overall revenue by attracting additional parking in the evening.

Lastly, I’d like to make the most important holiday wish of all. I wish all of our readers a happy and healthy new year.

J. Alex Hartzler is publisher of TheBurg.

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