A Grappling Great: A college champion, wrestler Ed Ruth now sets his sights on the World Championships—and the Olympics.

May 16, 2013 | by Cory Mull

Ed Ruth’s arms should be getting tired. Every time the Penn State University junior wins a wrestling match for the Nittany Lions, an official raises the chiseled arm of the 184-pounder in victory.

Ruth hasn’t lost since March 18, 2011, making it 70 straight matches since his last defeat. In that time, Ruth, who just captured his second straight NCAA Division I wrestling championship in March — defeating Lehigh’s Robert Hamlin 12-4 in a major decision — has bumped up a weight class and has contributed to three straight team titles for Penn State.

More than a month later, it still hasn’t truly sunk in for the gregarious talker with a toothy smile and hulking muscles.

“It didn’t settle in until the last match [in Des Moines, Iowa],” Ruth, a Harrisburg native, said recently by phone. “It took a week and people are looking at you as this national champion. After a while, it becomes a patch to your name, it’s an introduction to who you are. No one can take that way from you. You just really learn to enjoy it.”

While physically gifted and talented as a youth, Ruth didn’t always win. From his freshman until junior years at Susquehanna Township High, he learned the craft, including his patented “crossface cradle,” but never won a PIAA state championship. That accolade eluded him until he transferred to Blair Academy in New Jersey as a senior, where he claimed his first state championship, became an all-American and ultimately earned a scholarship to Penn State University.

Three years later, Ruth has become one of the nation’s best wrestlers, a physical specimen whose aggressive and engaging style has entertained fans — at University Park, spectators chant “Ruuuuuth” during matches — and been lauded by wrestling pundits. In late April, he wrestled at the 2013 Grappling World Team Trials, which was a USA team qualifier for the World Championships.

With a year left at Penn State, this is proving to be a critical time for Ruth. He has the potential to win his third NCAA championship and wrestle for Team USA in World Championships, but, ultimately, the long-term plan is to compete at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. It may be his only chance, since the International Olympic Committee dropped wrestling from the 2020 games.

“He’s at a level now where he’s training to go to the Olympics,” Ruth’s mother, Thanayi, said recently.

That includes his introduction to freestyle wrestling, the primary style of Olympic wrestling, as compared to folkstyle wrestling, which is practiced in college. The difference in freestyle, Ruth said, is how it emphasizes over-the-shoulder tosses and pins and doesn’t diminish stalling tactics.

Ruth, who has long been viewed as an aggressive wrestler with offensive-minded tactics, believes he can transition well to freestyle. Confidence is a variable he can claim. “Definitely,” Ruth said of his ability to transition to freestyle wrestling. “One of the biggest things is that you must trust what you do in training and know it’s going to push you past your boundaries.”

But it will not be a cake walk. In April of 2012, transitioning off his first NCAA title, Ruth was among four Penn State wrestlers who earned the opportunity to wrestle at the U.S. Trials. The experience proved to be a learning one, as Ruth won one match — against a collegiate wrestler — but lost the next two against professionals.

“It was an eye opener,” Thanayi said. “Before he went, a lot of people were telling him he could win it. When he went there, his coaches wanted him to get a feel for what it was like and what the competition would be like. When he was on the mat against kids in college, he did well, but once he got on the mat with the pros, he didn’t know what to do.”

“There’s a sense of urgency to reach the 2016 Olympics,” Ed’s father, Ed Ruth Sr., said of his training. “He might not get a chance to do it if they stop wrestling in 2020.”

Ruth first has to look what’s right in front of him. He’s concentrating on one more tournament in the summer, then will refocus for his senior season at Penn State, where he says he‘s “being targeted on the mat” as the man to beat at 184 pounds. Ruth is taking the pressure in full stride.

“I enjoy having that competition and that extra edge going against my opponent,“ he said. “They have to come after me now.”

Consider the River: The choices you make impact the Susquehanna, the Chesapeake.

May 16, 2013 | by Kermit G. Henning

We’ve heard so much lately about the problems with the Susquehanna River – water quality, sediment, pesticides, hormones and the smallmouth bass. Our river runs 464 miles from its source in Lake Otsego in New York to the Chesapeake Bay. It is the longest non-commercial river in the country, and the largest source of water for the largest estuary in the United States, providing more than half the freshwater that flows into the bay.

The Susquehanna flows through three states and drains more than 27,500 square miles in Pennsylvania, nearly half the state. Imagine the runoff!

The river is important recreationally here in the Susquehanna Valley, but it goes way beyond us. The condition of the river and what we put in it affects millions of folks all along its entire course. Every time you turn on your faucet, flush your toilet, wash your car or fertilize your lawn, it reaches the river. Every time we convert a field to a parking lot, we create more runoff.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, created in 1967 and headquartered in Annapolis, Md., is a non-profit organization dedicated to the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay. In 1964, a group of Baltimore businessmen, all sailors, waterfowl hunters and fishermen, had lunch with Rogers C.B Morton, who was then a congressman from Maryland’s Eastern Shore. They wanted his help with problems they saw looming on the Chesapeake: more boats, more people, more houses, poor sewage treatment, dirty industrial discharges.

Morton responded by saying that they could not expect government to fix all the bay’s problems. “There is a great need,” he said, “for a private-sector organization that can represent the best interests of the Chesapeake Bay. It should build public concern and then encourage government and private citizens to deal with these problems together.”

The answer was not what the group had expected, but the words struck home to several of them. By 1967, the group, led by the late Arthur Sherwood, had formed and chartered the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to be that private sector voice working on behalf of the bay. They recruited a board of trustees that represented a variety of interests from throughout the Chesapeake watershed.

CBF’s beginnings were modest. Early in 1970, with membership at 2,000 and a staff of three, Arthur Sherwood took over as executive director and settled on two programs, Environmental Education and Resource Protection, with land conservation an integral part of the protection effort.

Every year, the foundation prepares its State of the Bay Report, measuring gains and losses in pollution, habitat and fisheries in the bay. The report for 2012 is encouraging. Gains have been made in five of the 13 indicators; seven remained the same and only one dropped.

The bay and its tributaries are still not out of danger. Pollutants levels are still way too high; toxins (including those from personal care products, pharmaceuticals, septic systems and agriculture) have not declined. The report said 72 percent of the bay and its tributaries are fully or partially impaired as a result of these toxins.

Surely, one of the major sources of pollution to the river and the bay is the use of lawn chemicals and pesticides. Spring has finally sprung, and we can’t wait to get outside and tend to the lawn and garden. We’ll do anything to bring the dead brown grass back to its lush summer green, including the use of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, all claimed to be “safe when used as directed.” We fertilize and treat our lawn, our neighbor does his, his neighbor, the whole neighborhood.

Our lawns are immaculate on the surface, but what is the cumulative effect on the environment? Questions have arisen regarding the safety hazards and environmental consequences of using so many chemicals in our landscapes.

Contrary to what lawn care companies advertise, herbicides and pesticides are not magic. While they may work on our lawns, by their very nature they can harm organisms other than the targeted species. This includes homeowners and their families, neighbors, pets and all other forms of life. Some of these chemicals remain active for years after application and accumulate over time in our bodies, and exceedingly high levels are washed into our storm water system, ending up in the river and, eventually, in the Chesapeake – producing algal blooms that negatively affect water clarity.

These pesticides and fertilizers are becoming some of the worst water pollutants in our watershed, indeed, in America. But people can protect our streams and rivers, as well as themselves and their families by knowing the facts. If having grass that looks more like Astroturf than living plants still seems important, it doesn’t have to come with pesticides, but rather products that are organic or natural. The list of alternatives continues to grow, and they are safer, cheaper and often work better.

Consider the state of the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay each time you take drink of water or take dip in your local swimming hole. Think about what you are adding to the environment when you flush outdated medicines down your toilet or remove some habitat. Together, you, me and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation can make a difference and bring the bay back to its former health.

Kermit G. Henning is host of abc27 Outdoors TV and a member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America.

From “hava” to the “Gaza Sea”: Eight days of fun, thought, tragedy at the Jewish Film Festival

May 15, 2013 | by Daniel Smyth

The annual Harrisburg Jewish Film Festival opens this month for its 19th season, bringing cinema from across the globe into town.

The eight-day festival features movies from Israel, Poland, France, Ukraine, Austria, Canada and the United States. This wide variety of films is united in the recurring celebration of Jewish culture, something the festival organizers have emphasized from the start.

Founded in 1994 by Francine Feinerman and Lorri Bernstein, the festival has become a cultural slow burn. Organizers started by screening Holocaust documentaries, explained Ayelet Shanken, co-chair of the festival. “Not really artistic, not really entertaining, but educating.”

“The [original] idea was to bring artistic views and education to our community and the broader community” said Shanken, co-chair of the festival, recalling the purpose of the festival’s creation almost two decades ago. Its roots in historical movies have evolved into a showcase of wide-ranging motion pictures and events.

Last year’s festival attracted an audience 600 to 800, with a similarly strong showing expected this year.

“First and foremost, we want wonderful films,” said Julie Sherman, co-chair of the festival. “The films are of Jewish culture, Israeli culture, Jewish history, Israeli history”but are “accessible to anybody.These are films that are really successful in the mainstream.They have either won or been nominated for Academy Awards. They have won different awards at Berlin, Sundance, Toronto and Cannes film festivals.”

This year’s festival features guest speaker Judith Manassen-Ramon, producer of the Israeli documentary, “Dolphin Boy,” a story of a man’s amazing recovery from post-traumatic stress; a live drag show at Stallions Night Club following the screening of the acclaimed Israeli musical miniseries “Mary Lou: A Night of Dreams and Music”; and the Academy Award-nominated film, “Footnote,” among many other films.

Sherman and Shanken were also clear that controversial movies are part of the line-up to prompt dialogue, and they pointed to “A Bottle in the Gaza Sea” as a potential catalyst. The film, adapted from an epistolary novel, seeks to personalize the Israeli/ Palestinian conflict through an e-mail relationship started by a young French woman, newly immigrated to Jerusalem, with a 20-year-old Palestinian man. Her motivation was to find understanding after witnessing a suicide bombing at a Tel Aviv café.

Much less solemn is the opening film, “Hava Nagila (The Movie).”

“As Jewish people, you’re brought up with it. It’s funny, you know, you sing it right out of the womb,” laughed Sherman. The documentary is a romp through the history and meaning of the universally recognized song.

The festival will run from May 5 to 12. The opening screening of “Hava Nagila (The Movie)”will be held at the Jewish Community Center. All other screenings will be at the State Museum of Pennsylvania.

For more information, visit hbgjff.wordpress.com.

Musical Notes: Coming to HBG

May 15, 2013 | by Dan Webster

You’ll laugh, you’ll cry: Singer-songwriters take the stage in May.

Singer-songwriters are my thematic recommendations for the month of May. A hometown heroine, a troubadour with a heart for Harrisburg and a rising country star with two first names will strum guitars and hopefully flicker our stoic Pennsylvanian hearts.

REBECCA MARIE MILLER, ABBEY BAR, MAY 11, 9 P.M.

Rebecca Marie Miller, a native of Harrisburg, launches her solo album this month at the ABC’s Abbey Bar on May 11. After a successful Kickstarter campaign in late 2011, she is ready to release her vocal and lyrical potency. Following this solo debut, she teams up with her old bandmates, Brave the Day, to headline this show.

Miller has been honing her craft over the past few years as a back-up vocalist and percussionist with the Mynabirds, a Saddle Creek signee, which have toured the United States extensively the past three years. Though she’s relegated to sidekick role with the Mynabirds, she’s more than able to hold the spotlight, doing so for11 years with Brave the Day and now through this solo album. She’s especially on cue with songs “Dead Flowers” (Track 6) and “The World” (Track 10), exhibiting her angel clear and commanding voice and her succinct and moving narratives about searching, regretting and hoping. What more could you ask for from a singer-songwriter?

JOSH RITTER, THE STRAND CAPITOL, MAY 21, 8 P.M.

Josh Ritter and his Royal City Band play the Strand Capitol Performing Arts Center in York on May 21. He is my favorite singer-songwriter and, while the greatest living one is an after-dinner debate (or debacle), Ritter ranks somewhere in the Top 5 of those under 40. And perhaps, like all intrepid lyricists, he is an evolving human. In his first album, “Golden Age of Radio,” he is flat and dense, but produced enough hits like “Harrisburg” (which is about our beloved train station) and “Me & Jiggs” to create a U.K.-cult following waiting for more. In his third album, “The Animals Years” (2006), he delivered clean vocals and a well-trained band, which temper his extended metaphors and allusions that make you think he’s vying for a tenured position at a liberal arts college. The songs are more powerful due to the band support, and he gained more domestic fans through tracks like “Girl in the War” and “Wolves.”

Now, Ritter has eschewed some of his Dylanesque lyrical ambitions and responds with a forgiving, hopeful album in “The Beast in Its Tracks,” slated for release on May 5. Written in direct response to his divorce, the album is essentially, as NPR puts it, “about processing a breakup as the necessary catalyst for a new reality.” At once forgiving in “Joy to You Baby” and less sympathetic and more mocking toward his ex-lover in “New Lover,” Ritter has again shown his mental and emotional resiliency.

His concert presence is exceptional—telling quirky, humorous, ad-libbed narratives between songs—and his general improvisation is authentic. But you’ll only know that if you take the short hop down I-83S.

CASEY JAMES, FED LIVE, MAY 26, 7 P.M.

Casey James graces the FED LIVE stage on May 26. A 2010 American Idol finalist, he is a guitar guru with a smooth and conventional country twang. His eponymously entitled album landed him on the No. 2 slot for the Billboard Country Chart in 2012. Listen to “Crying on a Suitcase,” a crowd favorite, a mainstream country song if you’re into the Top 40 types. But, if you want the more soulful, original side of James, opt for “Let’s Don’t Call it a Night” or find some picking mastery in “Drive.”

Singer-songwriters are underrated, so I’m underwriting these incredible wordsmiths and musicians with full confidence.

Showing Their Roots: The Abbey Bar resonates with Red Molly.

May 15, 2013 | by Jess Hayden

Gorgeous three-part harmony, stellar musicianship and a warm, engaging stage presence have earned Red Molly a place among elite female trios such as the Dixie Chicks and the Wailin’ Jennys. After pulling in packed houses for past performances in Harrisburg, these three talented ladies will be returning for a concert at the Abbey Bar on May 19.

Red Molly formed nine years ago and, since then, has brought their repertoire of rootsy Americana music to venues across the United States, including major festivals such as the Philadelphia and Falcon Ridge folk festivals and Merlefest, a huge roots music event where they have played three times. The band includes Laurie MacAllister (bass, banjo), Abbie Gardner (dobro, banjo) and Molly Venter (guitar).

Since they played Harrisburg last, Red Molly has been busy working in Venter, the newest member of the group.

“Molly had just joined the band when we did that gig at Stage on Herr back in 2010,” recalled Laurie MacAllister. “It was a challenging time for us because we weren’t really sure how our fans would react to the idea of having a new band mate.”

As it turned out, the group needn’t have worried. “Our fans were as nice about this as they are about everything,” MacAllister said. “They accepted Molly wholeheartedly, and everyone agrees that she’s the perfect fit. “

During the past several years, the trio has been able to check off quite a few things on their “wish list.” They played the RockyGrass Festival in Colorado, which is something they’ve always wanted to do, and they also got the chance to perform for some huge crowds by opening several times for Willie Nelson. They even made their first overseas foray, a month a long tour of Australia.

“We were there during festival season, which was just at the right time,” said MacAllister. “We played four different festivals and lots of smaller shows. All told, I think we played for at least 25,000 people, which is a lot to do in a month.”

The upcoming summer and fall months bring a heavy tour schedule for Red Molly. “We have a bunch of really enjoyable shows,” said MacAllister. “We’ve played many of them before so we know that we are going to have a good time.”

In August, they will be returning to the main stage of the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, where they had met nine years ago and decided to form a band. Later in the month, they will play at Denmark’s Tønder Festival, which will be their first gig in Europe. In the fall, they will play at several large, soft seat venues, which is moving up to a new level for the band. “We’re really looking forward to visiting old friends and playing some of the places that we’ve played at before,” said MacAllister. “But branching out to performing arts centers will allow us to really expand our audience.”

Those not familiar with Red Molly should expect to hear a sound that is reminiscent of country music, but with more of a rootsy feel. The group writes some of their own songs, but they also do covers recorded by David Rawlings and Gillian Welch, Doc Watson and Dolly Parton.

“One thing that really distinguishes us is our three-part harmony vocals,” said MacAllister. “Plus Abby plays the Dobro, the resonator guitar, and that’s been sort of our signature sound from the beginning.”

The three ladies are really good friends and like to have a lot of fun on the stage. “We all love each other, and we love good music and love to play it,” said MacAllister. “Basically, people can expect to have a really nice evening, a lot better than if they stayed home and watched TV.”

The Red Molly show is sponsored by the Susquehanna Folk Music Society and Greenbelt Events and is one of several shows that these two organizations have presented in recent months. Both look at working together as a way to broaden an audience for folk music.

“Susquehanna Folk has brought a wide variety of Celtic, folk and world music to The Abbey Bar,” said Sarah Staub, manager of Greenbelt Events. ”While Greenbelt Events tries to diversify its music as much as possible, Susquehanna Folk has helped by breathing new life into the Abbey Bar’s folk scene by providing such acts as Le Vent Du Nord, John Hammond and Red Molly.”

To learn more about the band, visit www.redmolly.com and check out the
official video of the Red Molly original, “Hello Goodbye.” The concert with
Red Molly will be held on May 19 at 4 p.m. at the Abbey Bar of the Appalachian Brewing Co., 50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg. For tickets and information, visit susquehannafolk.org.

Jess Hayden is executive director of the Susquehanna Folk Music Society.

Intelligent Design: Rocking the graphics world with Society of Design.

May 15, 2013 | by Dan Webster

Walking into the Whitaker Center on a late Thursday afternoon in mid- March, one wouldn’t expect a reception resembling an indie rock concert. A group of young hipsters were tying down a snazzy welcome sign. Tables were being adorned with black and purple plastic tablecloths. And a few other volunteers were setting up a merch table. Background music was an eclectic mix of Damien Rice and what I thought was STRFKR. A mic check in Michelin Auditorium was in order as the “rock star” strolled into the foyer.

Jessica Hische, however, isn’t a maestro of music. She’s a designer—a letterer, an illustrator and a cyberspace all-star boasting 60,000 Twitter fans, originally hailing from near Hazleton and now a resident of the bulging and artisan-saturated city of San Francisco. Her celeb status in the design world is due to sleepless nights, landing a gig with Louise Fili, a world-renowned graphic designer and probably the perfect mentor for Hische, and a keen sense of how to attract Internet followers through side projects like “Daily Drop Cap,” “Mom This Is How Twitter Works”and“Should I Work for Free (flowchart)?” All combine her love of witty copy, lettering and website design.

Society of Design (SOD), a charitable non- profit based in the Harrisburg area, is credited with nabbing Hische for the evening. SOD was formed to expand discourse, pedagogy and overall community among design professionals and students in central Pennsylvania. They accomplish this primarily through their annual speaker series, bringing in world-caliber creatives like Kit Hinrichs, Stefan Sagmeister and Jim Sherraden. When the line-up is announced, it spreads a fever pitch among local artists.

A lot of SOD’s administrative execution is still managed by the founders, Craig Welsh and Curt Rohrer, who thought they could provide a more approachable platform than the local chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA).

Rohrer recognized Welsh’s vast network and thought they could bring in world-class speakers to central Pennsylvania while also encouraging public spirit. The proceeds they receive from memberships and events are allocated to humanity organizations.

“This year, we’ve given back $10,000 to charities. Each speaker gives to their charity of choice, and we give some back in addition to their contribution,” said Rohrer. Alder Health Services and Bethesda Mission have been two local beneficiaries.

While Welsh’s community is extensive and SOD’s mission is honest, it is not without ambitious, creative ideas to convince overextended artists to present in Harrisburg.

Rohrer believes that what put SOD on the map was the inception of cleverly designed invitations, the first one sent to Bill Strickland, who wrote the book “Making the Impossible, Possible.”

The idea, conceived by Welsh, was to carefully print this message, one letter at a time across all 244 pages of the aforementioned book in order to convince Strickland to speak at SOD.

“We never got him but the project, ‘Dear Bill,’ [ironically] won all kinds of awards,” said Rohrer, including Best of Show at One Show Design, one of the most prestigious competitions in the country.

For Hische, they had to persuade 35 people to change their license plates to create a slick invitation, which received some airplay in design world. They even set up a side site under the URL, invitinghische.com. Take a look sometime.

Rohrer did his own inviting in asking me to interview Hische, Tyler School of Art graduate. It didn’t take much persuading. After her mic check, we sat down in Michelin Auditorium, where later that evening she spoke humorously and transparently to a sold-out crowd about a mélange of things under the umbrella “procrastiworking”: her career arc, cats, life-advice and dorky lettering processes.

TB: What Is your Dream collaboratIon?

JH: I think a dream collaboration is something that you sort of don’t know until it happens. Even with the Wes Anderson job [for Moonrise Kingdom], I could never imagine that being on my horizon. I don’t have low expectations, but I feel I have no expectations. If I could get to the point where every job felt like a partnership, that would be a dream. Because, right now, I still have a lot of freelance/client jobs.

TB: For the lay audience out there, What Is It that you do?

JH: I am a letterer by trade. It’s kind of a weird subset between illustration and graphic design. So, a lot of people who don’t know graphic design know what calligraphy is. But calligraphy is different than lettering. Calligraphy is writing; lettering is drawing. The main difference for that is calligraphers practice a couple of methods of creation. They are always analog, never digital. And they practice over and over again in the same style, so that they can replicate it quickly and perfectly.

Letterers work in a ton of styles and what unites their work is the medium in which you are working with. They are calligraphers without constraints, and all of our work is considered one-offs.

TB: Maureen Dowd had a great column in The New York Times decryIng the printed word’s priorities. she said, “It’s not pixel vs. print. It’s not how you’re readIng. It’s what you’re reading.” Designers have Found a happy existence in both Worlds.

JH: People are so concerned about adapting text to people’s attention spans. They are letting terrible stories be terrible stories. They are sound byte-y and at the right paragraph length that supposedly people can absorb it. That’s super lazy journalism to assume to write in snippets. Writing is a tough industry to have success in because it’s very competitive. Design is competitive, but there’s so many subsets of it. And so much unsexy work to be done—there’s plenty of room for everyone to make a living in it.

Where I think with writing it can be really tough because a lot of the unsexy works ends up going to complete amateurs that don’t want to be professional writers: “I know how to write and I can do this for free” kind-of-attitude.

TB: Have you ever been to Harrisburg Before?

JH: Yes, my husband is really pissed about me traveling so much, but when SOD put together the invitation, it was hard to refuse. The biggest thing is when you talk to smaller markets, it’s hard to know how it will turn out. I’ve definitely traveled great distances to talk to 30 people.

TB: What is the farthest distance you’ve traveled to talk to 30 people?

JH: I spoke at a conference in Honolulu that had a good turnout, but they also organized an AIGA event while I was there and that had a pretty low turnout. I don’t think it was 30 people but it definitely wasn’t more than 50.

TB: Have you been noticing a trend in renaissance of design in smaller cities and will it contInue to evolve?

JH: I think the biggest trend is a lot of people are doing more self-authored work. It makes special sense to do it in small cities. As an illustrator or a letterer, you can live anywhere, because your clients live in the cities. As a graphic designer, it’s having those face-to-face interactions with people, about having clients around you, so it gets tough in smaller cities because the market isn’t as big. You just really have to be a rock star in that town to have intense success or you have to be willing to go to New York or Philly now and again. At the same time, in the past five to seven years, there’s been this designer-as-author super trend, and the smaller markets stand to benefit the most. You can be anywhere and you have way cheaper rents.

TB: Live Journal or Xanga?

JH: Neither actually. I was an MIRC person. My whole town, Hazelton, was on MIRC. We had a chat room called the Dungeon. Basically all the popular kids used it to torment all the other kids. I was never really cool enough to be the popular kid, but I got invited occasionally to their things.

TB: What’s one rite of design passage you thInk other budding creatives should go through?

JH: I think the “rite of passage” question can be a tricky one—there are plenty of people out there that struggled to get to where they are in their career and think that young folks should go through the same struggles along the way before they can have success. This is essentially a less aggressive form of hazing. I don’t really think you need to be dragged through the mud for a few years before you should be “allowed” to be successful, but I do think that getting a little muddy helps you keep perspective when you do become successful. If you have a good amount of self-awareness, have a good attitude and are nice/helpful to those still struggling to have success, going through any rite of passage is unnecessary.

Society of Design is slowly beginning to release its 2013-14 series of speakers. So, if you’re a local creative or just curious about the world, these events are must see non-TV to watch and digest.

For more information visit societyofdesign.org.

Thank God it’s Thursday: In Rosemary’s house, it’s the day for Pasta all’Amatriciana.

May 14, 2013 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

Back in the ‘90s, there was a popular saying: “Thursday is the new Friday.” Well, I don’t know if that’s true these days, but, back then, my husband and I and our good friends Suzi and Eddie headed to downtown Harrisburg on Thursday for our weekly night out.

Thursday was perfect for us because, for years, Friday evenings were devoted to our kids’ high school sports. Harrisburg’s “Restaurant Row” had not yet arrived. We frequented the city standbys of the day. The Zephyr Express at 2nd and South streets usually had lines that snaked out the door, but the black bean pasta, killer bread and Long Island iced tea were worth waiting for. Thursday was lasagna night at the iconic Subway Cafe on Herr and, when paired with the café’s signature fishbowl of beer, what could be better? We also were regulars at Garrason’s Tavern on Forster (now Sturges Speakeasy) where the Cajun shrimp was the best.

Our children are now grown, and we have reverted back to “Friday Night Out,” eagerly anticipated every week, even for one who loves to cook. But what to do with Thursdays?

Thursday arrives at the near-end of a tiring workweek, and I often look for something easy to cook. Many years ago, I started whipping up a quick pasta dish with some kitchen staples I usually have on hand: thick cut bacon from the Farmers’ Market, sweet onion, fresh Italian parsley and chopped garlic. I often add some tomato paste and red pepper flakes, although the pasta is simply prepared and good without it. I sauté this mixture in lots of good olive oil and toss it with any pasta I have around. Served with some cooked broccoli or a green salad, it is truly “fast food.”

I have learned this recipe is not my own. It is “Pasta all’Amatriciana,” named for a little town near Rome called Amatrice, a place known for its excellent pork. Italians typically use guanciale or cured pork cheek for this dish, but pancetta or rolled pork belly is often substituted. Both of these products are cured with salt, pepper and garlic rather than smoked like typical bacon. I find that I like bacon more than pancetta because, to me, pancetta imparts a fatty taste to dishes. And, aside from stealing some guanciale from Mangia Qui (Harrisburg’s gem of a Mediterranean restaurant on North Street), I have no idea where to find it. Bucatini is the pasta of choice for this recipe but so many other types, like spaghetti, fettuccini or linguine, work just as well. You might even try it with whole grain pasta, and I never thought I would say that!

As I have said so often here, good fast food can be made at home. Pasta all’Amatriciana is quick and easy to prepare, and it is wonderful re-heated the next day for lunch. I have taken a few liberties with the classic recipe, especially by using my favorite bacon, which is smoked rather than cured, and often using farfalle or bowties and even shells. But it’s Thursday. And who has time to go looking for a pork cheek?

What you’ll need:

1 large sweet onion (like Vidalia) Several cloves fresh garlic

1/4 pound thick-cut bacon Olive oil

1/2 cup tomato paste (I use “Amore” which comes in a tube, or substitute chopped canned tomatoes, drained)

Red pepper flakes

Several handfuls chopped Italian parsley Pasta

Rosemary’s Pasta All’Amatriciana

Chop the onion, garlic and bacon into medium dice. Combine all three ingredients in a large skillet with several splashes of good olive oil and sauté until soft and golden in color (you will love the smell as this cooks).

Add tomato paste and red pepper flakes to taste and stir well. It is best to keep the heat at medium-low to avoid burning.

When the mixture is almost cooked, add the parsley. Only cook a minute or two to keep the parsley a bright green.

Toss with your favorite pasta and serve with a salad or fresh vegetable (even if your spouse sees no need for something green especially after eating “veggies” all week).

I usually add extra olive oil or some of the pasta cooking water as I’m tossing all the ingredients together to keep everything moist.

Rosemary Ruggieri Baer, a first generation Italian-American, grew up in Harrisburg and has spent her life perfecting her mother’s country cooking.

It’s All in the Name, Smoke: A Barbecue joint that keeps it simple.

May 14, 2013 | by Erica Moffitt Dicks

Even after the lunchtime rush, the dining room at Smoke BBQ Joint is bustling. The trendy eatery that opened in February is a dream come true for owners

Josh and Jenna White, who say they spent years imagining what their own restaurant would be like.

There’s been a “huge response, it’s unbelievable,” said Josh.

The couple, both from the Harrisburg area, call themselves “homegrown,” and—true story—they first met at a barbecue restaurant. They bonded over a shared love of food and, together, kept a journal of what worked and what didn’t at the many restaurants they visited throughout the country.

They were living in Miami when they came up with the concept for Smoke. At the time, Josh was working in the music industry, and Jenna was pursuing a career in psychology. They decided to leave it all behind in hopes of bringing good eats to people back home. Josh says he created a draft of the restaurant’s menu, and, a week later, they were back in Pennsylvania.

“We like to make things happen,”he said.

All of 2012 was spent developing a business that aims to serve up killer barbecue, while keeping a focus on being local, sustainable and organic. They originally had their sights set on Route 22 or Linglestown Road for their business. However, they ended up in a plaza on Patton Road outside of Linglestown after a few other locations fell through.

They chose the site because it’s heavily traveled, and Josh describes the space as nothing more than four walls when they moved in. They basically had a blank canvas, which gave Jenna, who is behind all of the design, free rein to do exactly what she wanted.

“We wanted it open and inviting,” she said. “We kept it simple.”

Mason jar light fixtures hang from the ceiling, the colors are warm and earth-toned and feel-good- food ideals are written on chalkboards. Josh says the open, simple design allows customers to “bring their attention back to the table.” And, on the table, patrons will experience what the Whites describe as “modern American barbecue.”

A must-have on the menu is the pulled pork sandwich. The meat is organic, comes from a farm in Mount Joy, along with all the other pork and beef the restaurant serves, and is smoked to perfection. And why wouldn’t it be? After all, the couple says they have a foundation in smoking meats and even own a smoker at home. The pork is topped with Carolina sauce and coleslaw and comes accompanied by hand-cut fries.

Besides the main course meats on the menu, there are a lot of “small bites.” Not to be confused with appetizers, this section of the menu includes everything from fried green tomatoes, cheddar grits, “awesome mac and cheese” and fried chickpeas to pork belly, cheese steak egg rolls and crispy pig’s ear.

Everything served at Smoke is made from scratch, right down to the dressing and sauces. Ninety percent of Smoke’s food comes from within a 25-mile radius, and the Whites say one of the main things they love about returning is access to all of Pennsylvania’s fresh resources. The couple now looks forward to “the growing season” as local farms soon will be overflowing with a variety of fresh food choices.

The cost to dine at Smoke is modest, as small bites range from $3 to $9 and sandwiches cost $8 to $11. “Our restaurant is sexy and the food is sexy, but it doesn’t need to be super-expensive to be sexy,” said Josh.

Right now, Smoke is open Tuesday through Sunday and serves lunch and dinner, but the Whites may add a brunch menu down the road. Also on Josh and Jenna’s list of things they’d like to do: opening a butcher shop or a restaurant on the West Shore. For now, though, they are simply soaking up the success of their first restaurant and staying very, very busy.

“‘I’ll sleep eventually,” Josh says with a laugh.

Smoke BBQ Joint, 2308 Patton Rd., Harrisburg. Open Tuesday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; closed Monday. Contact 717-695-3148 or visit www.hickorysmokedgoodness.com.

A Grill and a Bottle: Move over beer, wine is challenging your place at the barbecue.

May 14, 2013 | by Steve Juliana

Move over beer, wine is challenging your place at the barbecue.

At this time of year, a remarkable transformation takes place across the landscape. Neighbors and friends huddle around their favorite braziers to create meals based on meat. One of my favorites for this season is beef. This brings up the question that confuses many folks.

What wine goes best with the fruit of the grill?

The short answer is red wine with red meat. The reason is that the tannin from the skins of the grapes matches up well with the fat in the meat. On the palate, the two combine so that one harmonizes with the other. Usually, you end up either with a long finish from the wine, or it will act as a palate scrubber causing the next bite to taste like the first.

Today, we will discuss red wines from the southern hemisphere. In my opinion, these are a natural match-up for the tradition of the backyard barbecue. There are many selections on the market, so it helps to follow some guidelines. Don’t choose wines based on high alcohol content. Even though they may show a good level of grape ripeness, they can be overpowering to your taste buds. When confronted with bottles from the same winery and one says “reserve,” this usually means that it has spent more time in oak before bottling and may need some aging time to settle down and become more food friendly.

Australian Shiraz is the same red noble grape as Syrah, which is number one in France’s Rhone Valley. It is spelled differently to distinguish it as the style of wine that develops down under. In my opinion, the big flavor here is fruit. It has an inherent sweetness that goes perfectly with steak. The biggest fruit bombs come from the Barossa Valley, which also means big proof on the label. Wines from McLaren Vale, a popular wine-growing region in South Australia, have more balance and nuance. Be governed accordingly.

The next quaff to explore is Argentinian Malbec. This grape was an obscure fruit used for blending in the Bordeaux region to make up for shortcomings in the wine during a mediocre vintage. It has burst onto the international scene as a wine to be reckoned with at all price levels. The word for me is spice. These are great complements for our cookouts with many layers of flavor galloping across our palates. Buy young, reasonably priced bottles. The expensive stuff needs aging.

The last wine to discuss is Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile. Known as the king of red wines, it is grown all over the globe, but is best known as the top grape in Bordeaux. To me, this is all about balance—fat-cutting tannins mixed with great fruit and long finishes. Another plus is that you don’t need to age these wines for a long time. They are delicious when young, unlike Napa Valley. My favorites are from the Maipo Valley, which is just one place in a country where wine making has become an obsession and that allows the South American nation to stand head and shoulders tall in the world of wine.

Harrisburg 2028: In 15 years, who will be invited to our city’s comeback party?

May 13, 2013 | by Lawrance Binda

Washington, D.C., is in a celebratory mood—and why shouldn’t it be?

Last month, the city shouted loudly, “We are back!” as it honored people and organizations that helped turn once-beleaguered city around, neighborhood by neighborhood, block by block. I lived in Washington for many years, long enough to witness a city in a tailspin, devastated by racial animus, crime, crack and horrible leadership. After several false recoveries, an enduring renaissance finally began to take root about 15 years ago.

When I read of D.C.’s celebration of its comeback, I couldn’t help but think of my home now, Harrisburg. So much here reminds me of Washington of the early to mid-1990s. Yes, there’s the bad: an insolvent, dysfunctional local government, an imposed receivership, sniping for political gain, slumlords, blight, crime. But there’s also the good and lots of it—people who have committed themselves to Harrisburg, who have bought homes here and made investments and built businesses here. In fact, that’s what the party in Washington was about. It feted the activists who stayed committed to D.C. in the bad times, people who held the line and tried to move forward, despite urban devastation, an unsupportive, small- minded media and relentless pressure from others to flee to the suburbs.

So, in 15 years time, who will Harrisburg invite to its re-coming out party? My guess is that room will be packed. Here’s what I foresee: developers who the took big risks on troubled neighborhoods; preservationists who helped breathe new life into historic buildings; artists who seeded the city with their creativity; people who made Harrisburg a better place to raise a child; shopkeepers who brought high-quality goods and services; restaurateurs who fed us and attracted outsiders in; politicians and media that sought to unite, not divide, us. It also will include, I hope, people we don’t know yet. Those who helped wrestle Allison Hill from the clutches of slumlords; the cops who walk beats throughout the city; the folks who found ways—and the money—to restore Harrisburg’s decrepit physical infrastructure.

In D.C., the honorees included both those who sustained neighborhoods in the roughest times and those who took it from there. It was a hard slog, a grinding house-by-house, block-by-block effort that required constant effort, with often slow, halting progress, over many years.

Washington, of course, still has its problems, as will Harrisburg, even when things are much better. But D.C. seems to have reached a tipping point, a virtuous cycle of positive reinforcement, one that this city can set its sights on.

Harrisburg can aim for a day when newcomers arrive and see a wonderful, restored, urban place with close-knit, self-sustaining neighborhoods, quaint shops and world-class restaurants—and assume it was always like this.

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