Into home brewing? There's a home brewer's contest at the DE State Fair this year.

It will take place on July 23rd, at noon, at the fair in Harrington.  Registration ($5) is open between April 1st and June 1st.  As Delaware is becoming a hub of microbrew activity in the region, it might be interesting to see what inspired local home brewers have been coming up with.  For more info:

http://battleofthebrews.webs.com/

Attention owl cam lovers: Wilmington has its own Peregrine Falcon Cam.

DNREC operates the camera, which watches a nest on top of the Brandywine Building in downtown Wilmington, where falcons have been known to set up house for the past 10 years.

This year 5 eggs were laid, and as of April 28th all 5 have hatched.  The website gives a little timeline of the nest season so far that makes a pretty interesting read.  I watched an owl cam last year, but didn't realize Wilmington had a predatory bird cam of its own, so I'll be watching it with interest.  Expect some eventual dead rabbits and small rodents, if you watch.  I just hope falcon chicks don't cannibalize eachother like the eagle chicks did in this nature show I saw last year.  I know it's nature, circle of life, etc., but it would take the fun out of it for me if these chicks start pecking the weaker siblings to death and eating their defeated little bodies.  Maybe that would actually add to the experience for some.  Whatever floats your boat, filial  harmony or blood-thirsty dischord, check in to the cam every once in a while.  If nothing else, you'll be surprised at how quickly they grow.

http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/Admin/Pages/Peregrine_Falcon_Cam.aspx

This weekend, 4/29-5/2 : It's festival season, all right.

Weekend events, some mentioned earlier in the week, some not:

FRIDAY:

• Mean Lady, Atlas, Easy Pyramids, and the Paper Janes at Mojo Main.
• Appleseed Cast at the First U. Church in Philly.
• Of Montreal at the TLA.
• Spinto Band's Nick Krill opening Yellow Humphrey's cd release show at Johnny Brenda's in Philly, with Magic Mike and Eliza Jones.
• Wilmington Drama League's "First Draft Theater Playwright's Circle", debuting new one-act plays by area playwrights with discussion afterwards. Friday & Saturday, 8pm, suggested donation of $5. For more info: http://wilmingtondramaleague.org/
• Pet adoption event at the N. Wilmington Petco, Friday-Sunday. Original post: http://wilmingtonic.blogspot.com/2011/04/pet-adoption-event-at-brandywine.html

SATURDAY:

• UD's Ag Day, and unveiling of the new UD Creamery.  Sat. April 30th, 10-4, on South College Ave.  For more info:  http://ag.udel.edu/events/agday/2011/index.html
• Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings play a free show at a big street festival in Philly, Sat. April 30. Original post:  http://wilmingtonic.blogspot.com/2011/04/sharon-jones-and-dap-kings-to-play-big.html
• RamJam Festival in Elkton: http://wilmingtonic.blogspot.com/2011/04/ramjam-festival-in-elkton-on-saturday.html
• National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, Sat. April 30. Original post: http://wilmingtonic.blogspot.com/2011/04/national-prescription-drug-take-back.html
• Volunteer opportunity: help weed invasive garlic mustard weed at White Clay Creek State Park on Saturday. Original post: http://wilmingtonic.blogspot.com/2011/04/two-events-at-white-clay-this-weekend.html
• Bake-off competition to benefit Philabundance. At Piazza at Schmidt's, Philly.  Sat. April 30th, 2-6pm.  For more info: http://www.philabundance.org/2011/03/16/cupcake-smash/
• Canceled: Slow Food Brandywine's dairy tour.  Event will be rescheduled.

SUNDAY:

• Mt. Cuba Center's Wildflower Celebration, Sunday May 1st. Original post: http://wilmingtonic.blogspot.com/2011/04/learn-about-native-wildflowers-at-mt.html
• Wild Mushroom Hike at White Clay Creek State Park, free, Sunday May 1st. Original post: http://wilmingtonic.blogspot.com/2011/04/two-events-at-white-clay-this-weekend.html

RamJam Festival in Elkton on Saturday, featuring several Delaware bands.

The event lasts 10am to 3am Sunday, or until noon Sunday if you choose to camp out. The location is Uncle Bob's Western Corral, 565 Kirk Road, Elkton, MD.  Tickets for the entire event are $45.

The line-up is:

Band Schedule (alternating between Front and Back Porch stages)
11:20 - Boomslang
12:20 - Smooth Kentucky
1:20 - The BullBuckers
2:20 - The Wedding of Brie Allen and Eric Venette  (ummmmm - an actual wedding, I guess?)
2:40 - Second Self
3:30 - Yellow Dubmarine
4:30 - Baygrass
5:30 - Lost In Company
6:30 - Still Moon Servants
7:30 - Spokey Speaky
8:30 - 61 North
9:30 - Mad-Sweet Pangs

And also:

Busker's Corner (Late Night)
10:50 PM - Splashing Pearls
11:40 PM - New Sweden
12:50 AM - Quimby Mountain Band
2:00 AM - Tweed
There are also activities for kids.  To get all of the details, visit their event page:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=190839580951006

Want to influence how the business is run at a food co-op?

Newark Natural Foods is accepting "letters of intent to run" for its Board of Stewards.  The catch is the deadline is Saturday April 30th. 

In their words, from the store's Facebook page:

"Upstanding women and men of our community, we can use your expertise, vision and guidance on our Board of Stewards. Submit your letter of intent to run by Saturday, April 30th.

Generally, the Board governs the Co-op. Individual responsibilities include attending monthly meetings, committee work and jobs related to the person's area of expertise."

No indication of who to submit this letter to, so going to the store (east Main St. in Newark) is your best bet. 

Spay / Neuter event at the Stanton & Georgetown SPCA locations.

I'll let their charming "Cinco de Meow" graphic tell the rest:

Dining out tonight? Consider the following restaurants that are participating in Dining Out For Life

Eat at any of the following New Castle County eateries on Thursday, April 28th.  1/3 of profits will be donated to AIDS Delaware:

BBC, Jack’s Bistro, Jessop’s, Traders Cove, Caffé Gelato, Soffritto, Timothy’s of Newark, BellaVista Trattoria, Bellefonte Café, Chelsea Tavern, El Diablo Burritos, Extreme Pizza, Fresh Thymes Cafe (staying open for dinner tonight), Kooma, Lamberti’s (Prices Corner & Claymont), Lucky’s Coffee Shop, Pastabilities, Stoney’s, and Union City Grille.

Two events at White Clay this weekend: Wild Mushroom Hike, and Spring Weed Out

SUNDAY: A couple of weeks back I wrote about a guided Wild Mushroom Hike occurring in a Kennett Square wildlife preserve that sounded great but was $25.  Good thing I didn't pull the trigger on that one, because now White Clay Creek State Park is offering a guided wild mushroom  hike for FREE (though you do have to pay the nominal park entrance fee if you don't have an annual parks pass).  It's on Sunday, May 1st, starting at 1pm, and the guide will be mushroom enthusiast Glenn Cote.  Come prepared for an intermediate hike.  Currently, the park is saying "call the nature center for meeting location":  (302) 368-6560. 

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SATURDAY: The other event is a volunteer affair.  White Clay Creek needs help removing an invasive weed - the tall, prickly "garlic mustard" - from one segment of the park.  If you missed all of the area clean-ups and are looking for some volunteer clean-up action, this is for you.  The instructions on the park's Facebook page are:

"Saturday, April 30th, 9-11am.  Help us remove garlic mustard from Pleasant Hill Woods. Be sure to wear long pants and boots or sneakers, and bring a pair of work gloves, if you have them. Also, be sure to bring drinking water. Meet at the 9-Foot Road parking lot. "  

So where is that, you're wondering.  I'll try to explain:  9-Foot Road is a driveway leading into the park, and it's off of Thompson Station Rd., across from the W.L. Gore campus in western Newark.   You'll find Thompson Station Road off of Papermill Rd., at the intersection that has Happy Harry's, Tony's Pizza, the Gore campus, and that little house on the corner that always has guitars hanging from the rafters.    If my directions are unintelligible, try this map:

http://files.meetup.com/901803/wcc_middlerun_map_2.0.pdf

You're looking for the "P" for parking that is just to the right of the section marked "9 Foot Rd Area". 

Pet adoption event at the Brandywine Hundred PetSmart, all weekend

Adopt cats or kittens from the Delaware Humane Association at the Brandywine Towne Center PetSmart.  Hours are from 9-9 on Friday and Saturday, and 10-5 on Sunday.   All animals have been spayed or neutered, are up to date on shots, and have been checked for feline leukemia.  Prospective adopters should bring proof of home ownership, or a letter from a landlord.  For more info:
www.dehumane.org/adoptions

This week at Theatre N:

The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town:

This Bruce Springsteen documentary combines concert footage from the late seventies with modern interviews of the E-Street Band, and those involved in their career.  Per The Boss's instructions, 100% of proceeds will go back to Theatre N.  Showsings are Saturday at 6pm and Sunday at 5:30pm.   Ticket price is $10 for this one.

Super:

Starring The Office's Rainn Wilson, and Liv Tyler, this James Gunn comedy is the latest in the recent trend of movies about average guys becoming, or attempting to become, super heroes.   With an obviously diy costume, a wise-cracking sidekick (Ellen Page playing the petite-girl-with-gruff-voice-and-saucy-attitude role she always plays), and an odd weapon choice, this superhero should be at least mildly entertaining.  Friday at 8, Saturday at 3:45, or Sunday at 3:15.  $7.

Power Struggle, with wine and cheese reception, Thursday only.  From Theatre N:

"In late 2006, 22-year-old Kathryn Cunningham Hall set out to bring round-the-clock electricity to a hospital in West Africa. Since then, Power Up Gambia has improved conditions at a number of Gambian health facilities, thanks in large part to supporters in the Wilmington area.

Now, PUG is featured in the compelling documentary film “Power Struggle”. Power Up Gambia is inviting our supporters, both old and new, to join us for an exclusive evening at Theatre N in Downtown Wilmington.
Seating is limited and reserved seating is required. (Use "comp ticket" as form of payment when reserving).
The evening’s programming includes:
•Wine & Cheese Reception
•“Power Struggle” Documentary Film Screening
•Q&A with PUG founder Kathryn Hall and filmmaker David Dawkins
•PUG Board Members share the latest from their recent trip to The Gambia.
•Coffee, Tea & Desserts"

Thursday at 7pm.  Free, but donations to the cause are appreciated.

Royal Wedding Live:

If you're really into the whole royal wedding thing (somebody must be - Barnes and Noble has no less than a dozen books about the young couple.  Really?), and you don't mind the torture of a pre-dawn alarm setting, Theatre N is showing the royal wedding live on Friday.  At 4am.  They'll have scones and English tea.  Free.

Fringe Festival Wilmington is now accepting submissions for their 2011 events.

The deadline to apply to be part of the festival is June 1st.
This year's Fringe Festival will run from September 21st to September 25th. 
For more info:
http://www.fringewilmingtonde.com/

UD is still looking for volunteers for next Saturday's Ag Day.

Volunteer shifts will be only two hours long, and you'll receive a free Ag Day t-shirt.  Student volunteers will also receive service hour credits.  Ag Day will be held on Saturday, April 30th, from 10-4, on South College Ave. next to the stadium.   Interested volunteers should email agday.volunteers.2011@gmail.com

National Prescription Drug Take-Back day is April 30th.

Delaware will be taking part in this national campaign by holding a state-wide medicine drop off.  A medicine drop off is a recycling effort that encourages consumers to dispose of old medications safely, rather than flush them or toss them in the garbage, where they could eventually make their way into the water system.  Tap water has been found to be full of trace amounts of common drugs, and the idea is to curb this trend.

The event will last from 10am-2pm on Saturday, at 29 drop-off locations throughout the state.  For info on locations:  
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20110416/NEWS01/104160356/Delaware-sponsors-medicine-drop-off

Learn about native wildflowers at Mt. Cuba Center's 7th annual Wildflower Celebration, on Sunday May 1st

From Mt. Cuba Center's website:

"The goal of the annual wildflower celebration remains a desire to share our mission of fostering an appreciation for plants of the Appalachian Piedmont. Our guests will see the beauty of the gardens and understand how native plants support the environment. One more feature has remained constant over the years – parking and admission is still free. "

For more info, visit: http://www.mtcubacenter.org/images/PDFs-and-SWFs/Wildflower_2011_1.pdf

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings to play a big, free street fair in Philly next Saturday.

Look, I realize I could be accused of being a little too Philly-centric for a Wilmington blog, but this is major.
PIFA, the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts that's been going on all month, will be culminating with a huge street fair all day Saturday, April 30th.   There are so many details, you might as well just read the official page:  http://www.kimmelcenter.org/events/?id=4019

But the highlight is Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, this insanely good modern funk band, playing on Pine Street at 6pm.  You can hear their recent album on their website: http://www.sharonjonesandthedapkings.com/

Other fair highlights include:  a giant ferris wheel, Paris-inspired cafe tables on Broad street, a French theatrical troupe giving a sunset performance from 100 feet in the air, a trampoline act, and a performance by Nicole Atkins. 

The event will run from 11am to 8:30 pm on Saturday, on and around Broad Street, around the Kimmel Center (where some events will be taking place).

Grand Opera House announces comedy contest

In October, the Grand Opera House, teamed up with Out & About, will choose 10 regional comedians to compete in a night of comedy to take place in March 2012.  The winner of that comedy night will open for a comedian on the Grand's 2012 or 2013 schedule (such as previous Grand acts Wanda Sykes or Lewis Black).  It's well in advance and I'll mention it again closer to the October deadline, but if you want to get a heads up about the application process, follow this link:

http://www.thegrandwilmington.org/Community/LOL@TheGrand

Upcoming events at Slow Food Brandywine Valley. UPDATE: Dairy tour canceled.

"Slow food" is an international movement that has gained popularity in the last decade.  It basically celebrates the slow preparation and enjoyment of foods, best enjoyed sitting around a table with family and friends, as an antidote to the increasingly fast and stressful pace of the world.  It works in tandem with the "buy local" movement. 

You have to be a member of Slow Food Brandywine Valley to participate in their dinners and classes, but this organization seems to have enough going to make it worth your while (not actually sure of this anymore, in light of the casual way they canceled their biggest upcoming event).  Many of their events take place at Coverdale Farms in Greenville, or at the Delaware Nature Society.

The next big event is:  UPDATE - it's canceled, via a Facebook post that says:  "the seven stars tour will be postponed until a less busy time! be well in the meantime!"  That's it?  No explanation?  I'm a little disappointed in the way they handled this, to be honest.

This is what the event was supposed to be:
"April 30th--Seven Stars Dairy Tour--come see what a REAL dairy farm looks like! FREE!
email mailto:slowfoodbrandywinevalley@yahoo.com for details"


SFBV also conducts regular cooking and baking classes.  To see their full event schedule:
http://www.slowfoodbrandywinevalley.com/events.html

Music networking meetup on Monday night, on the riverfront

It's being hosted by the new InDEpendence Musician Network, and will take place from 7-10pm Monday at Firestone,  on the riverfront.   This will be an inaugural, informal meeting of the group, which aims to "create a thriving music scene in Delaware", and will be hosted by a couple of people who work for local soft-pop station WSTW.   You can read their mission statement on the Facebook event page:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=197520753616242

I have mixed feelings about this organization.  I think it's good that someone is taking the initiative to develop the music scene in Delaware.  On the other hand, WSTW caters to a certain type of market, and you need to be the judge as to whether the advice you receive from them is relevant to your band.  But ultimately, this enterprise is probably worth it just to get area musicians together, talking.    So I would say to anyone attending this - take the "official advice" with a grain of salt.  However, enjoy the opportunity to just network with fellow musicians.  Maybe somebody will be inspired to organize and promote more shows.  In that light, good things can come of this.

My own personal advice, as someone who has had glimpses inside the world of national touring acts, is this: observe what bands do in larger markets, and focus on getting your music out of Delaware, into those larger markets - at least until Delaware truly does have a thriving scene where a band might get noticed.  I'm not saying you have to move to a neighboring city, although that would make things easier.  But playing the Logan Houses and the Mojos and even the Delaware festivals will only get your band more gigs in the same places.    It's hard to come from Delaware and break into a larger market, but that's where your energy should be going if you're really serious about it. 

However, if you're content just playing around Delaware, there's nothing wrong with that, and you have a much easier road ahead of you.  In that case, just be dependable - show up at sound checks on time.  Return emails from club owners.   I've heard stories recently about "original nights" at area venues falling apart because half the bands didn't show up.  It's no wonder that few clubs in the area book original music - make fun of the cover bands if you want, but they're reliable.  If you can have an even marginally-talented original band that shows up when they're supposed to, you've won half the battle for a career in the Delaware circuit.

My second piece of advice is simple: don't be a prick.  Don't refuse to be on a bill just because you won't be headlining and you think you're better than the headliner.  Every big break my band has ever had has come of fostering good relationships with other compatible bands.  Don't make snide comments about your friend's band on the internet.  They will pick up on it, and if they're ever in a position to open a door for you, they'll remember your lack of support.  This may sound like a no-brainer.  But talent often means extreme ego, and that's a pitfall that's difficult for talented musicians to avoid, in my experience.  The bottom line is that if you're coming from a tiny scene like Delaware, you can't afford to have that kind of bridge-burning ego just yet.  Just my two cents.

Saturday at El Diablo Burritos:

$1 from every made-from-scratch burrito, salad, quesadilla, or taco sold will be donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  

El Diablo is located in the heart of Trolley Square, at Delaware Ave. and Dupont streets.  Saturday hours are 11am - 10pm.   Phone: 302.691.5532

The Grand Opera House is currently hiring 3 positions.

Part-time Marketing Associate, Facility Manager, and Box Office Sales. 

Visit their employment page for more info:
http://www.thegrandwilmington.org/About/Employment

Not doing the dinner with family thing Sunday afternoon?

I will be spending the hours of approximately 2pm to 7pm trying to convince my mother-in-law that, no really, the home-made raviolis are delicious, but I cannot eat another one.  If you are unencumbered by such gastronomic cage matches on Sunday, there are still a few things you can get into:

• The 2pm Sunday performance of "Chasin' Dem Blues" at the Delaware Theatre Company is two tickets for the price of one.  You have to use the code BOGO when you buy online or at the ticket office.

• The Delaware Association for Humanism will be holding a Freethinkers Brunch as a counter to Easter.  This will take place at the Washington Street Ale House from 11 to 1pm. (Okay, here are my thoughts on this: I am all for freedom of and from religion, but do we really need to "counter" the religious observances of others?  Do we do this with Passover?  Ramadan?  I'm not dismissing it entirely, but I have to say that the idea of pro-active atheism makes me just as uncomfortable as the idea of pro-active religion).

• Both the Delaware Art Museum and the Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts will be open on Sunday (the latter has free admission).  The Philadelphia Museum of Art is also holding normal hours.

• The Queen Theatre is hosting the Orchestre National de Jazz tonight.

• Theatre N is playing the Catherine Deneuve comedy, 'Potiche', at 6:30 pm.

• It looks like a nice day out, so just get outside with your dog, your honey, whoever. Pull some weeds.  Ogle some flowering trees.

• There is also, of course, the cheekily-timed Philly Zombie Crawl. 

For the rest of you, hold strong against those meatball-and-ricotta-pie-wielding mothers-in-law!  Think of the time you'll have to log in the gym all next week.  Happy Easter if that is part of your family's tradition.  And enjoy yourselves, whatever you do.

Two CD release shows in NCCo tonight, Friday.

Can You Canoe is releasing their 2nd album at Mojo Main in Newark.

Also on the bill are The Future Unwritten, Villains Like You and Electric Blue Concept.  Can You Canoe is an indie pop band from West Chester that has been playing Delaware quite a bit lately (seems like there's a long tradition of that here, going back to Raccoon and H&H).   The show starts at 9pm, is $6, and is at the 'erstwhile East End' on Main Street. 

Preview Can You Canoe's songs here:  http://www.reverbnation.com/canyoucanoe

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Meanwhile, long-time local band Mad-Sweet Pangs are releasing new album "For The Ride" downstairs at the Queen Theatre tonight, supported by locals Spokey Speaky and Mean Lady.  Doors are at 7, show starts at 8, tickets are $10.

Preview Mad-Sweet Pangs music here: http://www.madsweetpangs.com/fr_intropage.cfm

This weekend in Philly:

Editor's note: Even though this is a blog for Wilmington-area residents, I believe the well-rounded Delawarean should spend some time in Philly.  The "things to do in Philly this weekend" section of the local entertainment paper is a joke - it's never more than one event, and it's usually something dumb like the Wing Bowl.  So I feel impelled to fill in some of the blanks here.  I'm not as personally familiar with the Baltimore scene, but I will try to start including some Baltimore events, as well (probably grouped all together in a post such as this one). 

Anyway, these are the things that look interesting to me, in the big city just north of us:

Friday:
The Extraordinaires + Juston Stens (ex-Dr. Dog) at Kung Fu Necktie.
2nd Annual Philly Opry with Birdie Busch and Silver Ages (glee super group) at Johnny Brenda's.
Local H at the North Star.
Martha Graham Cracker (drag act) at Art After 5 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Panzer Division at the Trocadero.

Saturday:
Fishtown Shadfest with Black Landlord, Spinto Band, and West Philadelphia Orchestra.  (This is a great festival on the Delaware River, with a fantastic line-up).  Spinto Band, of course, are a Delaware band.  Come to think of it, I should make this a separate post for that alone.

Gene Ween solo show at World Cafe Live (the original one).

Sunday:
Philly Zombie Crawl (on Easter - nice touch).
Sepultura at the Trocadero (again - some booker has a sense of humor).

Monday:
Low at the First Unitarian Church.
Grass Widow + Reading Rainbow at the Danger Danger Gallery.

To celebrate National Poetry Month, Delaware's poet laureate will be giving a reading tomorrow in Newark

The poetry reading will take place from 2-4pm Saturday, at the Newark Free Library, and will be hosted by poet laureate JoAnn Balingit.  Her reading will be followed by an open mic.   The event is free, but call to register: (302) 731-7550

Spinto Band to perform at Shad Fest, in Philly, on Saturday

Spinto Band, of course, is a notable Delaware band, which is why this gets its own post.  Shad Fest is a celebration of the Delaware River that takes place in the new-ish Penn Treaty Park in Fishtown (east Philly).  It's a cool little festival with plenty of foods, vendors, and local brews, in a nice big park on the edge of the city.  The best feature, though, is the always note-worthy music line-up.  This year brings exceptionally good acts:  Spinto Band, Black Landlord, West Philadelphia Orchestra (Balkan/Klezmer/new music fusion), and Springs (an XPN / Shaking Through artist). 

UPDATE:  I've just found out that Springs is actually a Dr. Dog side project.  The members are Scott McMicken and Eric Slick (co-lead-singer and drummer for Dr. Dog, respectively), Julie Slick (Eric's sister, I believe), and Mike Visser.
http://www.fishtownshadfest.org/

-----------------------------------------------

Another out-of-state festival going on this weekend is The Launch Music Conference and Festival in Lancaster, to be held at various venues throughout the weekend.   The shows will be a mix of local bands and national acts such as Slimfit, Johnny Action Figure, and Kingsfoil (who will be featured at this year's XPoNential Music Fest). 
http://www.launchmusicconference.com/conference/register/index.htm

Tonight: Twin Lakes Brewery celebrates its 5th anniversary at Buckley's Tavern

Buckley's Tavern, Thursday April 21, 4:30-7:30pm.  From their Facebook event page:

"Hey all you Twin Lakes fans! We are celebrating our fifth anniversary - can you believe it? It will be at Buckley's Tavern in Centreville, DE, on Thursday, April 21, 2011, starting at 4:30 p.m. We hope you can come out and celebrate with us and see our new can (yes, I said CAN) design - we are in the process of installing a canner so you can enjoy our FRESH LOCAL DELICIOUS beer in cans in YOUR HOME! It will be widely available in liquor stores throughout Delaware! VERY EXCITING! Thank you for supporting us throughout the years and PLEASE come out and see us on April 21st!"

Show some support for a Delaware micro-brewery that's NOT that big one downstate whose owner is featured in Spark or Out & About literally every single publication (just kidding Dogfish Head - love you).  But seriously, the incessant coverage of DFH is another manifestation of the myopic reporting that goes on in Delaware.  The local media chooses one entity in a genre and then reports on it to death, sometimes for years.  Other names in the genre aren't completely excluded, but there always seems to be a very heavy bias towards one brewery, one band, one music venue, etc.  Sure, every publication has its favorites, including this one, but the Delaware entertainment rags sometimes way overdo it.

Worth repeating: cherry trees and theatre happy hours

There is still time to see the cherry trees in bloom in Brandywine Park, by the zoo.  But hurry, because they're fading fast.  If inclined to visit the zoo while you're there, they just debuted two baby pygmy goats.  You can buy anti-melting-from-the-cuteness spray at the gates.  $4 for adults.

ALSO: don't forget that the new Queen Theatre is now having a happy hours, 3-7pm and 10pm-close, Monday thru Friday.  Good way for city workers or dwellers to see the theatre and support it if, like me, you haven't found a reason on the  Queen's schedule yet to actually attend a concert. 

Side note:  My band mates would appreciate this.  I know someone who went to the Rusted Root show the other day.  Guess what?  No opening act.

Two interesting original music shows tonight at the smaller clubs:

1) Little Invisibles and East AM play at Logan House.  Logan House has original local music every Thursday night.  I don't know how serious this is, but Little Invisibles claims there will be an Easter egg hunt built into the show.  Logan House, Thursday, show starts at 9pm.   Ticket prices will be between $5 and $10.

2) Local internet radio station Graffiti Radio will be broadcasting live from Mojo Main, where Stallions and Smoke Signals will be playing with a couple other bands.  Graffiti Radio will be giving away swag, but if you can't go you can listen to the show on graffitiradio.com .  Mojo Main is the old East End Cafe, in Newark.  $6, 8pm.

Theatre N showings this week:

Potiche

A comedic vehicle for the still-stunning Catherine Deneuve, Potiche is about a late-middle-aged trophy wife who finds herself suddenly running her husband's company.  She blossoms from a trivialized, timid housewife to capable and passionate business woman.  Her husband recovers from the illness that precipitated this change in leadership, but is in for a surprise when he attempts to put his wife back in the shadows again.  Also starring Gerard Depardieu.  

Editor's note: I've seen the previews for this a couple of times, and it looks very entertaining.  I recommend it.

Times: Friday at 8, Saturday at 2, Sunday at 6:30. 

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Bill Cunningham New York

This is a documentary about the career of Bill Cunningham, long-time photographer for the New York Times Style Section.  He's a bit of an eccentric, traveling around with his expensive equipment on a Schwinn bicycle and dressing like Mr. Rogers, while delighting in photographing women who look like peacocks (I'm sorry, I've just never gotten the appeal of high fashion.  It's probably not fair of me to call them peacocks).  See it if you do get the appeal of high fashion, see it if for the absurdity of New York fashion life, or see it for an interesting portrait of an old man with a camera, biking through the streets of New York in chase of high society.

Times:  Friday at 2, Saturday at 5 and 8, and Sunday at noon.

-------------------------

Theatre N ticket prices are usually $5 or $7.  The theatre is located in the Nemours Building on 10th and Orange, and parking is validated for $1 at the Community lot across the street on 10th.   Popcorn, candy, and beers and wines are available for very reasonable prices.   The audience right now is on the retiree side of things, but Wilmingtonic aims to get more young people to support the city-sponsored, volunteer-run art house theater.

Tonight at UD's Trabant Theater: A showing of the film "Food Inc."

The movie is open to the public, is presumably free, and starts at 7:30 pm tonight (Tuesday) at the Trabant Center off of the western end of Main St., Newark.  Food Inc. is a documentary about the food industry in America - where our food comes from, how the food supply chain in America has changed rapidly over the past 50 years, the question of corn syrup and how it's affecting us, etc. 

The Wilmington Grand Prix cycling event is looking for volunteers.

This event will take place from May 20-May 22, 2011

From the website:

"This year’s Grand Prix is set for May 20-22 and has expanded to three days of racing. For the fourth straight year, the Grand Prix has been named to USA Cycling’s prestigious National Racing Calendar (NRC) and, in fact, is one of only three Omniums on this year’s NRC circuit. An Omnium is a multi-event racing format in which points can be earned in each event, leading to an overall winner."

The cycling event, a 5 year old replacement for the old Tour DuPont, includes shorter events on May 20 and May 21 such as the "Monkey Hill time trials", and concludes on the final day with a Wilmington to Dover 111 mile "Governor's Cup Road Race".

Visit the website for information on volunteering:
http://www.wilmgrandprix.com/About.aspx

Wilmingtonic is not a fan of Wilmington's "Loops" (organized pub crawls, for out-of-staters)

Just too many off-putting experiences in years past.  Call me totally over the Loop concept.

However, not everyone is a curmudgeon / has the same problem I have with hordes of drunks, putans dressed in indistinguishable "sexy" costumes, and bus drivers that try to extort money out of you to drive their assigned bus routes.  So if you insist on your Loops, at least the newest one to hit the schedule, the "Bunny Hop", will benefit something besides the Jagermeister brand.   The $5 cover fee, which gets you access to 21 clubs and more cliche Playboy Bunny sightings than you can shake a VD test at, will benefit the Delaware Humane Association, Delaware SPCA, and Faithful Friends.   The loop is on Saturday, in the usual Wilmington locations, from 8 to drunk-o-clock.

Delaware College of Art & Design has released its continuing education summer catalogue.

Maybe you just want to take a refresher on computer graphics or photography.  Maybe you're interested in learning a little jewelry design to add to your Etsy listings.  Or maybe you're an old lech who is hoping to see some nudes in a figure drawing class.  DCAD, located on lower Market street next to the new Queen Theatre, has your needs covered with their summer continuing ed. classes.

To view catalogue:
http://www.dcad.edu/site/continuing_education/course_listing/overview

Two outdoors events for those heading to the beach this weekend:

1) Kite festival in Lewes:

It's called the Great Delaware Kite Festival, it's competitive, and there is a category for adults (as well as kids).  Your kite can be home-made or store-bought.  Register at 9am on Friday at Cape Henlopen State Park.  Competitors get in free, Delaware cars pay $4.  No word on how having or not having a parks annual pass affects the fee.  (By the way, if you don't have a state parks annual pass and you go to the parks more than, say, twice a year, get one.  It pays for itself after something like 5 visits, and it's actually a great motivator to get out into the parks more often for some hiking, disc golf, or whatever your pleasure is.  You can pick one up at any state park office).

2) Bethany / Fenwick Island Beach Clean-up:
Meet on Saturday morning "at the main beach Bath House parking lot at the south end of Fenwick Island State Park (just north of the Bethany-Fenwick Chamber of Commerce building)". 9am-noon.  Clean-up materials will be provided. Call 227-6991 if you  need more info, or visit:
http://www.visitsoutherndelaware.com/events/6th_Annual_Earth_Day_Beach_Clean-Up/1908/detail.htm

Despite all the Earth Day events last weekend, the actual Earth Day is on FRIDAY, April 22

Presumably, a lot of organizations wanted to avoid holding their events two days before Easter.  The City of Wilmington, however, is actually holding their Earth Day event on Thursday, in Rodney Square.  There will be music and vendors from 11am-2pm, and the event is co-sponsored by Partnership for the Delaware Estuary.

Thanks to Kathy S. for letting me know I still got the day wrong.  I've been under the weather and kept getting confused on whether the 22nd was Thursday or Friday.  But it is Friday!  And the Rodney Square celebration is on Thursday.

Weathervane Music / WXPN premiers this month's Shaking Through artist, Hezekiah Jones

Visit http://shakingthrough.com/ to see the video.  Hezekiah Jones is a well-respected folk pop band in Philly.  Shaking Through is a project of Weathervane Music and WXPN that takes a new artist every month and films them in the process of creating a new song that has not been previously featured on any recording.  Past featured artists include Reading Rainbow, Party Photographers, Sharon Von Etten, and a collaboration between members of Dr. Dog, mewithoutYou, and BC Camplight.  All Philly artists, to be sure, but this blog believes Delawarean fans of new music should be aware of what's going on in Philly, and this project highlights a lot of the better acts to follow.

UPDATE:  When I typed this up, I wasn't aware that one of my bandmates was part of this particular project.  So this is a belated 'full disclosure'.

A letter from the Philadelphia Orchestra Association

Wilmingtonic's preface: The recent news about the venerable Philadelphia Orchestra having to file for bankruptcy is heart-breaking.  The orchestra was a big part of my childhood.  My mother started taking me to the orchestra when Eugene Ormandy was still conducting, and we went frequently, sometimes every other week, up through my late teens.  I took music lessons with a few members of the orchestra (mostly Joseph Lanza Sr. and later with Joseph DePasquale), and a good number of the lessons happened backstage at the Academy of Music.   My sister and I once nearly knocked Itzhak Perlman off of his crutches as we, late to our lessons, rushed up to the door of the green room  just as he was coming through it after a rehearsal.   I've only seen the orchestra a handful of times as an adult, but I never imagined there could come a time when the orchestra simply isn't there, any more than I could have imagined a Philadelphia without a liberty bell.

The orchestra's plan is to stay operational, but if they don't get some funding over the next year, that could change.  Read the letter from the player's association here:

http://www.philorchtoday.org/a-message-to-our-patrons/

The most important part is this:

"We ask you to stand with us now and show your support for The Philadelphia Orchestra. One of the best ways you can support this cultural icon is by attending concerts. Buy tickets for our remaining performances and consider a subscription for our exciting 2011-12 season. We appreciate that there might be concern for our future and as such, we are placing all revenues for the 2011-12 season in escrow until the concerts occur."

Honestly, this brings tears to my eyes.   The Lanzas and the DePasquales must feel sick.

Wilmington Trail Club offers a kayak training class through late spring. Register by end of April.

From the WTC site:

"Each year the Wilmington Trail Club offers kayak training programs for those interested in exploring the sport. While we welcome you to join the trail club, it is not a requirement to participate in the training. Courses have been developed over a number of years to slowly and safely progress each student from novice to a confident and capable paddler.  Two separate programs are offered for those 12 and over; one for recreational / touring / flat-water kayaking and the other for whitewater kayaking.  You will find the training progression for both courses  fully detailed in this website."

Registration ends on the last day of April.  The classes will take place over several sessions in May and June.  To find out more or to register, visit:
http://www.wtckayak.com/blog/

In addition to participants, the WTC is looking for volunteers to help with the classes.

Green Delaware is hosting a "Green Drinks" social hour at Chelsea Tavern.

This will take place Tuesday, April 19th, from 6-8 pm.   Chelsea Tavern is in Wilmington, across from the Grand Opera House.  There is little info about these "Green Drinks" nights on Green Delaware's websites, but I take it that these are social networking events for individuals interested in environmental issues, and companies that make "green" products in Delaware. 

Okay, a little off-the-cuff editorial on socially-concious organizations in Delaware:  so often, they seem to be run by businesses, corporations, or local government.  Yes they do some good by spreading the word about causes or areas that could use more support in Delaware, but when digging just under the surface you realize it's mainly about bringing more money to business. 

For example, a Wilmington revitalization group is run by the national Buccini Pollin company, which owns a lot of condos and retail space in Wilmington that it needs to fill.  Most of the 'arts' websites in Wilmington are run by Wilmington city government.   A so-called community page on Facebook titled "Pike Creek" turns out to be little more than an advertising vehicle for a single real estate office. This Green Delaware organization, which at first looked to me like a group of people who are interested in environmental issues, is actually a group of businesses banding together to get the word out about their products.

As a new blogger, I can't ignore these organizations, because they do accomplish a lot of good, but I'd like to find more grassroots efforts to cover.  By this I mean groups run by individuals with no monetary goal in mind.   It just seems that group after group that I uncover and add to my "watch list" turns out to be business or government-led.  Where are the scenes formed by people who don't own businesses or run cities; who just want to create awareness of a cause or area out of conscious or love for same?  Call me naive if you want, but these scenes exist in other cities.  And I'm exxagerating a little - there are a few such entities here in Delaware.   But it does make me uneasy that a lot of the material I have to work with so far boils down to business and government interest.    Which isn't to say that Green Delaware, Wilmington Revitalization, or WilmINgton Arts are bad.  I just would like to temper my support of these organizations with true community-led groups, for balance.  That is my challenge.

Quick update on the dog that the Blue Rocks just adopted as mascot.

Previously mentioned here, http://wilmingtonic.blogspot.com/2011/04/opening-day-for-blue-rocks-is-this.html , this 6-month-old mastiff has been named Rocks-Anne, by fans.  Kind of cute, I guess. 

Judging from the SPCA's pictures of her first meeting with original mascot Rocky Bullwinkle (in mid field), the poor pooch was scared to death.  And who wouldn't be in that situation?  But judging from the SPCA's comment that "She thought Rocky was one big stuffed toy", she calmed down enough to potentially give the Blue Rocks some serious mascot-suit-repair bills.

Good for you, Rocks-Anne.  Don't take any crap from someone who's 9 feet tall with gray felt skin.   And welcome to Wilmington.

(By the way - today, Monday, the Blue Rocks are having "dollar Monday" and "dollar dogs" - I'm assuming they don't mean the pooch).

Johnny Brenda's in Philly is hosting a happy hour fundraiser for the Delaware Estuary Project on Tuesday

The event will last from 5-7pm on Tuesday night, ideal for Philly-DE commuters.  All proceeds from the sale of fresh and baked oyster specials and Flying Fish's Farmhouse Ale will be donated to the Delaware Estuary Project, which is dedicated to the Delaware River and Bay. 

Johnny Brenda's is located on Frankford & Girard in the Fishtown neighborhood.  Visit http://www.johnnybrendas.com/ for info.

In theater news, Chapel Street Players are tearing it up at regional competitions with their latest production.

Just this week CSP won "Best Overall Production", "Outstanding Actor", and "Outstanding Direction" for their performance of Edward Albee's "The Zoo Story" at the Eastern States Theatre Association Festival. 
The Chapel Street Players will soon be following up these accolades with their first ever appearance at the American Association of Community Theatre National Competition.   Very impressive.

The community theater company, now in its 77th year, is based in Newark, and they have a pretty full schedule this year.  They're looking for people to volunteer as ushers, incidentally.  For more info, visit:
http://www.chapelstreetplayers.org/

Bellefonte Arts Festival is accepting new artists for a limited time.

The organizers aren't advertising a specific deadline for registrations, but considering that the arts festival is happening in a little over a month, interested participants should register asap.

The festival will take place on May 21st, from 10am-6pm, on Brandywine Blvd in Bellefonte (on the eastern side of North Wilmington).   The rain date is May 22nd.  I'll have a little more info for attendees closer to the event.  For those interested in registering as participants, visit:
http://www.bellefonteartsfestival.com/Information.html

New to the Eastern State Penitentiary: Hands-On-History interactive tours

Open a complicated series of locks, spend time in "the hole", find hidden panels, view prison wall artwork, and more.   Eastern State Penitentiary is a long-closed, very archaic prison in Philadelphia that once housed Al Capone, and is best known for its current Halloween tours.  The prison is open all year, however, and the historical society that operates it is evidently putting more features into their guided tours. 

For more info: http://www.easternstate.org/visit/regular-season/special-guided-tours

Brandywine River Museum offers free admission every Sunday from 9:30am to noon

The Brandywine River Museum, located on Rt. 1 in Chadds Ford, houses a world-class collection of works by Andrew Wyeth, N.C. Wyeth, Maxfield Parrish, and other artists of the Brandywine valley.  It's really worth a look, if you haven't been in a few years.  In addition, there is usually a good temporary display or exhibit to see, such as the highly detailed train display of December, or the Edward Gorey exhibit of a couple of years ago.  Tickets are usually $10 for adults, but are free on Sunday mornings.   On a nice day, you can picnic outside of the museum on the banks of the Brandywine, or walk a long trail that runs next to the river.  It's a pretty sweet deal for something different to do on a Sunday.

For more info about the museum:
http://www.brandywinemuseum.org/mapdir.html

State of DE unveils new 150th Civil War anniversary website

The site is being called "A Sesquicentennial Commemmoration of the Great State of Delaware in the Civil War", and will highlight a series of lectures and exhibits from April 30th to June 4th.   Also featured on the site are several multi-media, interactive pages on Delaware's role in the Civil War, regiments of DE, etc. 

The state obviously put a lot of time into this.  To have a look:  http://civilwar.delaware.gov/

The Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative sign-up deadline has been extended to April 25th

Originally mentioned here: http://wilmingtonic.blogspot.com/2011/04/lancaster-farm-fresh-cooperative-is.html , the deadline for this CSA, which has Trolley Square's Fresh Thymes Cafe for a drop-off location, has been extended from April 15th to April 25th.  Additionally, if you sign up and refer a friend, you get a $25 buying credit. 
Sign up online here:  http://www.lancasterfarmfresh.com/static/controls/?page=csa/2011signup

This weekend, 4/15 - 4/18:

UPDATE:  Any outdoor event on my weekend lists will probably have been rescheduled due to the rain.  But there's still plenty to do.

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"Get Outside" is hosting Kite Day tomorrow, 4/16, 1pm-3pm. Make and fly your own kite for $3! Call 655-5740 to register.
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Record Store Day is tomorrow, 4/16.  Rainbow Records has some beautiful t-shirts for sale to commemorate the day.  Now that their store is half the size it was, it's too small a space to host an in-store performance.  However, they will be giving away tickets to future WCL at the Queen Theatre concerts, plus releases of recordings that were made only for Record Store Day.  If you're passing by the store tomorrow, stop in - it's the last Rainbow Records in the state, and they could use some love (and I'm telling you, those blue t-shirts are great).  They're also holding sales all weekend.

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Brandywine Village's "Taste Of Brandywine" event has been rescheduled for May 14, due to weather concerns.

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In Philly this weekend, The Mountain Goats are at the TLA and Yoni Wolf is at the First Unitarian Church.

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Admission is free at the Brandywine River Museum on Sundays from 9:30 am to noon.  I did not know this!  Will definitely be going down there some Sundays from now on, with picnic blanket, lunch, and sweetheart.

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A Civil Unions bill was just approved in Delaware.  Will write more about this later.

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For prospective students at DCAD, today is preview day.  Stop in for tours of the campus.

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For a dose of nonrelevance: Wilmingtonic is bummed that she missed the O'Death show at Kung Fu Necktie this week.  Didn't even know about it, but was out of town anyway.  Saw them open for Dr. Dog in New York a few years ago, and they're pretty amazing.

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Okay, gotta run to work.  But I'm finding quite a few good things to blog about in the next few days.  Stay tuned!

This weekend at Theatre N:

Certified Copy, starring Juliet Binoche as a Tuscan gallery owner who strikes up a brief romance with a British author.  In French, with subtitles.  Binoche won the Best Actress prize at Cannes for her role in this film, which should also please those who like films set in Italy. 
Showing Friday at 2pm, Saturday at 2pm & 8pm, and Sunday at 6:30pm.

3 Backyards, starring Edie Falco.  Three dark tales from a Long Island suburb, premiered at Sundance. 
Showing Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 5pm, and Sunday at noon.

Shakespeare's As You Like It, filmed live at the Globe Theatre in London.  148 minutes with 1 intermission.  1 showing, Sunday at 2:30, $15, or $12 for students.  The opera and play broadcasts are really the only showings at Theatre N that are not cheap.

Tickets for Theatre N range from $5 to $7, usually.  If you can't find street parking (free after 6pm in Wilmington), park in the Community parking garage across 11th street for $1 validated parking.  Ask them about their frequent viewer stamp incentive.  Cheap snacks, drinks, and even beers and wines (yes, beers and wines in a movie theater - not seen in Delaware since the old Chestnut Hill theater in Newark closed) are available in the theater.

Area restaurants within walking distance of Theatre N include Cafe Mezzanotte, Deep Blue, Mikimotos (if you see a Friday 2pm showing, you can hit their sushi happy hour on the way out), Washington Street Ale House, Domaine Hudson, Vinoteca 902, The Green Room, Public House, and Chelsea Tavern.

For more info:
http://www.theatern.org/Films/2011/April/3-Backyards

Earth Day, Christina River Clean-up, and other Saturday daytime events:

Delaware Nature Society Earth Day Festival:

"Come to the DNS Earth Day Festival at the Russell W. Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge on the Wilmington Riverfront ~ Saturday, April 16, 10 am to 3 pm ~ Rain or Shine. Celebrate with canoe trips down the Christina, live music, green living exhibitors, hikes, children's activities and much more. U.S. Senator Tom Carper will speak at noon. It's FREE!"

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Wild Birds Unlimited (Hockessin) 16th anniversary celebration:

First 16 customers of April 16th get a free gift, and everything is 16% off.  Stop in Harvest Market Natural Foods next door, where they'll be giving away free reusable bags for Earth Day.

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"A Healthy Taste of Brandywine".  From Greater Brandywine Village Revitalization:

"Saturday, April 16, 2011, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the intersection of Concord Avenue & Market Street. Food, Live Music and Giveaways. Cooking demonstrations by Trader Joe's market, Healthy Smoothies by Zina DiTonno to sample and buy, Health Information by Christiana Care Health System, samples from neighborhood businesses. This is a kick-off for new Village Farmers' Market"

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Brandywine Zoo Earth Day Festival:

Sat., 10am-3:30pm at the zoo, free with zoo admittance fee.
"Learn about the "Wonder of Water" at this year's annual Earth Day Celebration!  The day will include live animal presentations, live entertainment, and fun water-related activities, games, crafts, and more!"

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Christina Watershed Clean-up:

Saturday from 8am-noon at White Clay Creek State Park and other sites in the area.  (8am!  Why can't one of these clean-ups have night-owl friendly hours?)

For more info and exact locations: http://www.christinarivercleanup.org/

Quick notes: New Delaware Theatre Co. play, the endless hilarity of college paper writing, "curriculum-based" pole dancing

Paramount Records was an early blues, jazz, and spiritual label out of the midwest that put out recordings by Blind Lemon Jefferson, Louis Armstrong, and Lawrence Welk, among others.  Such recordings were, according to the Paramount website, early inspiration for Elvis Presley, Muddy Waters,  B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, Bob Dylan, and Eric Clapton.   Delaware's own Kevin Ramsey, who has also written musicals about Sam Cooke and the Louisiana Bayou, has put this history to song.

"Chasin' Dem Blues", the story of paramount records, is debuting today at 8pm at Delaware Theatre Company, on Water Street.  Tickets are $35-$49, with discounts for students and seniors.

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Light mockery warning:  I giggled my way through an article (I won't say where) this morning about a benefit concert for WVUD that occurred recently.  The best part:

"Some performers who gained popularity after participating in the concert in the past were Dr. Dog, whose music was featured on a Fox TV show, and The Walkmen, who were featured on the Spiderman 3 soundtrack."

You know, Dr. Dog - you may know them from that Fox TV show that featured their song!  Or how about The Walkmen - you know, from the Spiderman 3 soundtrack?

The author knew she had to emphasize these bands' successes, and of all the examples she could have given (regulars on the late-night talk show circuit, Coachella and Bonnaroo, world tours), she settled on "music featured on a tv show" and "music featured in a movie".   Because, you know, there is no  pinnacle for a band like ... Spiderman 3. 
Alright, enough ribbing.   Congrats to local bands The Common Room, Stallions, and Lower Case Blues, who played this benefit concert.  May their futures be filled with Fox TV placements that'll make the hometown proud.
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And for ladies needing a brush up on pole dancing skills: there's a "Flirt Level Pole Class", just in case you were afraid of becoming too putan about it ("it's not about gyrating your body for money and/or narcotics - it's just flirting!"), and a "Pole Fusion Class", which is being advertised as a curriculum-based program.  Curriculum-based!  I love it.  Who gets together to create this curriculum?  What does such a conference of pole experts look like?  Both classes are on Thursdays at Physique Pole Studio in Pike Creek.  Bedroom community, indeed.

New 30 mile long greenway is being proposed for the Brandywine River

It's being called the Brandywine-Struble Greenway, and will span from the Delaware state line at Chadds Ford to an established "Mega-Greenway" 30 miles north in Pennyslvania.  The Brandywine Conservancy is the private organization that is proposing the idea.  Conveniently, most of the 30 miles of greenway wouldn't have to be built from scratch, since much of the Brandywine is already edged by informal paths.  This idea seeks to connect and refine the various pathways and to accomplish this before increasing development makes this logistically impossible. 

It makes sense to me.  My honey and I have walked a lot of the banks of the Brandywine, both in North Wilmington and near the Brandywine River Museum, and wouldn't mind if some of the particularly pot-holed, muddy parts of the path were smoothed out a little.  This greenway would also insure that, should some private land be sold to a proposed strip mall, the land can't be paved right up to the edge of the river. But if, for some reason, you're opposed to this idea and you live in southeastern PA, you can voice your opinion at the Chadds Ford Township Building tomorrow evening (4/14) at 7 p.m.

For more info on the proposed greenway:
http://www.brandywineconservancy.org/greenway/index.html

Tric Town to hold 9th anniversary party at Mojo 13 on Saturday, April 16th

Tric Town is a long-running concert series promoted by Andrew Miller and Casey Grabowski, who are well-known to musicians in Delaware and Philadelphia.  The line-up for this Saturday's anniversary show includes:

Revolution, I Love You
Troubled Hips
Passable Plastic
The Hold-Up
Kalai King & The Fractured Hearts
Leslie Carey

At least 4 of these groups are veterans of the Wilmington music scene and are definitely worth checking out.   The show starts at 8pm, is 21+, and tickets are a mere $6.  And for added fun, you can rearrange several of the band names to come up with some haikus describing a hip replacement surgery.  If you're bored.

For more info and detailed descriptions of the bands:
http://www.facebook.com/?sk=messages&ref=mb#!/event.php?eid=179179688794671

Tuesday and Wednesday nights around Wilmington:

Tuesday events:

Karaoke at Mojo 13, no cover, draft specials, 8pm.

Acoustic/Electric open mic night at WCL at the Queen, 7pm.

"Trash to Inventions", for adults, Claymont Public Library.  Learn how to turn discarded metal, plastic, paper and styrofoam into useful products.  6:30pm, free, registration required.  Call 798-4164

Free classical concert in Philly:
"FREE College Performance Series concert tonight at Penn! Featuring Philadelphia Orchestra violinist Daniel Han and Principal Percussion Christopher Deviney, the concert will be held at 7:30 PM at Amado Recital Hall (34th and Spruce Sts.)."

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Wednesday events:

Theatre N will have a special Wednesday night screening, courtesy of the Delaware Humanities Forum:
"The Hollywood Librarian: A Look at Librarians Through Film".
Wed. 4/13, 7pm.  $5.  Validated parking. Theater N is located in the Nemours Building at 11th and Orange.  For more info:
http://www.theatern.org/Films/2011/April/The-Hollywood-Librarian

Free screening of short videos in Philly:
"Join WHYY on Wednesday, 4/13 at 6pm for a screening of the short videos produced by local novice filmmakers as part of PIFA. Following the screening, we'll present the documentary Paris the Luminous Years, exploring the arts in Paris, 1905 to 1930.
This screening event is FREE and open to the public, though advanced registration is required. Click the link to RSVP."
http://whyy.convio.net/site/Calendar?id=105921&view=Detail

At the WCL at the Queen: 4W5 blues jam (a revival of the jam sessions that David Bromberg used to hold at the now-closed 4W5 cafe), 7pm.

Comedy nights at both The New Candlelight Dinner Theatre and The Cube restaurant. 

Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative is accepting new members to its CSA until April 15th

Fresh Thymes Cafe in Trolley Square is the drop-off point in Delaware for this CSA.

From LFFC:

"Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative (LFFC) serves the Lancaster, Philadelphia, Baltimore/Washington and New York City metropolitan areas through wholesale food service, and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).

LFFC is a non-profit organic farmers cooperative of 75 regional farmers headquartered in Lancaster County. We focus on creating healthy, high quality foods from highly maintained and enriched soils on small scale family farms.

LFFC offers fresh, certified organic produce through our CSA program. We also have dairy, eggs, meats and prepared items available for wholesale or individual purchase. The animal products we offer are from small family farms with small herds and flocks."

For more info:
http://www.lancasterfarmfresh.com/static/controls/

Opening day for the Blue Rocks is this Friday. And the team has adopted a dog.

The game against The Nationals will include fireworks, as well as free magnetic team calendars for the first 5000 fans (which should about cover everyone, I would think).   By the way, Delaware Today is giving away tickets to these opening weekend games on their facebook page, this week.

More curiously, the Blue Rocks, as a team, has adopted a dog -- a young mastiff, yet to be named (there will be a naming contest, naturally), who comes to them from the Delaware SPCA.  Apparently he will be available at a booth within the stadium every Friday night.  Hope he likes baseball fans.

I keep wondering - who takes him home at night?

http://wilmington.bluerocks.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110407&content_id=17474228&vkey=news_t426&fext=.jsp&sid=t426

Happy Hours start at the new World Cafe Live at the Queen Theater

Happy hours will be 3-7pm and 10pm to close, Monday through Friday, in the upstairs cafe.  There will be daily drink and food specials, such as a half price pizza night and a $25 prix fixe menu. 

I haven't yet seen a show in the Queen's schedule that I want to attend (my husband is going to one in a couple of weeks), but I'd like to support the Queen theater.  It's pretty important to the revitalization (you can read that as "gentrification" if you'd prefer, but sometimes a little gentrification is better than nothing) of that part of Wilmington.   That area of Market street has great bones, and I'd like to see it keep turning around.  One way to support the WCL at the Queen is to at least patronize their cafe, even if there are spells when you wouldn't necessarily see a show there.

More info about WCL at the Queen's restaurant: http://queen.worldcafelive.com/restaurant/about.html

Cherry trees in bloom at the Josephine Gardens in Brandywine Park

If you haven't seen the cherry blossoms in Brandywine Park, on the stretch of grass between the zoo and the river, go this week.  The weather is ideal (not the case when this happens, most years), and you will not find a finer display of heirloom blooms north of D.C.  Most of the trees, originally a gift from Japan, are nearly 100 years old.   This is a little more poignant when you remember that Wilmington's sister city, Miyagi, was one of the cities devastated in the recent earthquake in Japan.  I can't find info on whether the cherry trees actually came from Miyagi, but it's a pretty good possibility.  There are placards under the trees that explain more.

When you've finished taking it all in, go for a walk on the trail that runs next to the park.  In daylight hours, it's perfectly safe, with plenty of other walkers and joggers always around. 

If you're looking for a quick picnic lunch to bring, try the take-out at these eateries in Trolley Square: Ciao Pizza (they have great subs as well as pizzas), Temptations (NY deli sandwiches priced from $7-$10.  A lot of the sandwiches include the words 'chopped liver', but there are plenty without if you don't happen to be a connoisseur of the liver), or Diablo Burritos. 
A personal favorite of mine on Lovering Avenue, down the street from Gallucio's, is the Fresh Thymes Cafe.  A small mostly-lunch joint owned and operated by a mother and daughter team, Fresh Thymes is always good for a gourmet take-out sandwich, as well, with plenty of choices for vegetarians and vegans.   So bring some food and your honey to the side of the Brandywine River, lie back and stare up at multitudes of fluffy, pom-pom-like cherry blossoms like Wilmingtonians have been doing for many decades, say hi to the llamas (or possibly alpacas) at the edge of the Brandywine Zoo, and enjoy the sunshine while it's here.

More info on Brandywine Park: http://www.destateparks.com/park/wilmington/brandywine-park/index.asp

The Wilmington Library's bi-annual book sale is on this week

The spring book sale this year spans from Monday the 11th to Wednesday the 13th, inside the library.  On Monday and Tuesday, hardbacks are $2, most paperbacks are $1, and the small pocket-sized paperbacks are 50 cents.  On Wednesday, the selection will be smaller but you can fill a bag for a set amount of money - usually about $7.   There's also a small collection of (mostly dated) CDs, DVDs, VHS, and vinyl. 
Hours are 9:30 am to 7:00 pm, making it ideal for city workers to drop in during a lunch break or after work.  The library is located on the south side of Rodney Square, at 10th and Market. 

Vinyl enthusiasts won't find the latest 7" from Secretly Canadian, but if you're into the Mantovani Strings Play Vivaldi, you're in luck!  Still, the book selection is pretty large and interesting.  I always manage to find a few really choice books, especially in the non-fiction section.  Funds benefit the library. 

While you're there, check out the library's small-but-interesting exhibit on the 150th anniversary of the first shot of the Civil War.  The exhibit includes a very old map of Delaware from the library's archives, and vintage newspapers that reported on the activity at Fort Sumter.   It's worth a glance just for the mid-19th century newspaper advertisements, including one for a brand new "Living Home and Home for the Insane".  This particular ad reported that beds were filling quickly, so you'd better sign up if you saw a need for this home in the near future.  It was, hilariously, at once matter-of-fact and chipper, as if they were selling prom dresses. 

For more information on the book sale:  http://www.wilmlib.org/events.html

Inaugural Wilmingtonic blog post

Welcome to the Wilmingtonic blog.  My name is H, and as I just wrote in my About Me, I've spent most of my thirty-odd years living and working in New Castle County.  But I've also spent enough time in surrounding cities to know that the progressive cultural scene in the greater Wilmington area can be, shall we say, elusive.  But it's there!  I intend to uncover it, and share my findings with others who may be in my situation: suited to living in areas of greater cultural opportunities, but living in Delaware for one reason or another, and eager to make the best of it. 

That said, this won't all be about music shows in the warehouses of non-profits, or grassroots fundraisers.  I also personally take an interest in the outdoors, and would like to showcase some of the great natural preserves in the area.   It is the one clear-cut retort I have for any large-city dweller who mocks Delaware to my face: "I live two miles away from thousands of acres of gorgeous protected woodland!   I don't need to take two different busses and a rail line to get to that".   So while the outdoors don't strictly fall under the heading of 'culture', it's important to me to include posts on that subject, too. 

A lot of my reportings may overlap what has already been covered in local news media such as Spark, Out & About, the News Journal, and Delaware Today.  But this blog will cater to people such as myself: a little too old and cultured to get excited about college bar listings, a little too young and poor to get excited about black tie affairs.   I haven't seen media that appeals to my demographic here in Delaware, so I thought I'd start my own. 

Readers can feel free to email me suggestions or tips on events or organizations I should be aware of.  I certainly don't claim to know it all.  At this point I'm probably much more aware of Philadelphia scenes than Delaware scenes, but I'm going to learn as I go, and hopefully one or two people out there will benefit from my own learning process. 

Thanks for reading! 

One addendum: This blog will not be mean-spirited.   It's not that I'm some Polyanna who has never had a snobby or snarky thought.  God knows I struggle with that.  But I am so sick of culture blogs that basically diss anybody whom they perceive to be not "One Of Them".  This will certainly not try to be inclusive of every scene out there (for instance, you will not find many family activities here, because it's outside my milieau), but I refuse to engage in 'Philebrity' style bashing of everything that I don't personally have a taste for.  I recognize that everybody has different tastes and desires.  Even if I absolutely hate the bands that you like, I'm not going to look down on you for that, because I understand that your music taste is probably a product of who you hung out with and were exposed to in your formative years, just as my music taste was.  I can't say I'll never pass a negative word about something I'm reviewing, but you will not see the wholesale bashing of another person's lifestyle that you see on a lot of blogs.  And if I stray from that commitment, by all means, let me know.  Keep me honest.