City House Bed & Breakfast is an elegant blend of historic beauty and modern comforts along the banks of the picturesque Susquehanna River. Providing lovely overnight accommodations, City House is also an ideal location for corporate meetings, holiday events, cocktail receptions or dinner parties. Contact us to see how City House can enhance any occasion. 915 North Front St., Hbg || 717.903.2489 || www.CityHouseBB.com CONTENTS |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| GENERAL AND LETTERS NEWS 403 N. SECOND ST. • HARRISBURG, PA 17101 7. NEWS DIGEST WWW.THEBURGNEWS.COM 10. CITY VIEW 11. STATE STREET EDITORIAL: 717.695.2576 AD SALES: 717.695.2621 IN THE BURG PUBLISHER: J. ALEX HARTZLER [email protected] 12. ARouND ToWN 20. PAST TENSE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: LAWRANCE BINDA [email protected] SALES DIRECTOR: LAUREN MILLS [email protected] business COVER ART BY: Jason KREIGER www.BRAINVessel.com SENIOR WRITER: Paul BARkER 24. FACE oF BuSINESS [email protected] 25. NEW BIz 26. SHoP WINDoW SALES/SPECIAL Projects: ANDREA Black LETTER FROM THE EDITOR [email protected] The holidays, like so many things in this country, have become an occasion for irresponsible CONTRIBUTORS: GOOD EATS media to set people against one another. TARA LEO AUCHEy, today’S THE day HARRISBURG 28. HoME C ooKING At TheBurg, we say the heck with the [email protected] 30. WINE TIME manufactured divisions that help no one Rosemary RUGGIERI BAER but a few thoughtless cable news hosts and [email protected] politicians who are trying to get attention and sell books. We think that most people, BARBARA TRAININ BLANk HOME FRONT regardless of their traditions and beliefs, can [email protected] agree that their holidays involve two things— Jess HAyDEN 32. HAll pass eating and gifting. [email protected] 35. WAGS & WHISKERS Let’s open the presents first. DON HELIN For December, we’ve beefed up our usual www.DONHELIN.com focus on small businesses with profiles of three shops: one in Harrisburg, one on the kERMIT HENNING CULTURE East Shore and one on the West Shore. Each [email protected] 36. DAY TRIP is unique in its own right, with interesting ANDREW HERMELING 38. CuRTAIN CAll histories and colorful owners who add to the [email protected] 41. MuSICAl NoTES texture of the stories. We also have included a holiday gift guide, so we hope you’ll STEvE JULIANA 42. CREAToR support the businesses that support TheBurg. [email protected] Regardless, we urge you to visit our area’s M. DIANE Mccormick many independent merchants, who depend [email protected] upon the holidays for a large part of their HAPPENINGS, 43 annual sales. stephanie kALINA-metzger [email protected] On the food side, Rosemary shares with readers a memory of her Christmas tradition growing LORI MyERS SHUTTERBURG, 46 up in an Italian household in Harrisburg, with a [email protected] great meal, of course, the end result. Our wine columnist Steve pairs her recipe with a lesser- kERRy ROyER [email protected] known Italian white as he provides advice on SPORTS & HEALTH a number of quaffs perfectly suited for your REGGIE SHEFFIELD holiday dinner. 48. MoVE IT! [email protected] 49. YouR HEAlTH Lastly, we’d like to congratulate Eric Papenfuse missy SMITH 50. THEBurg BloG on his election last month as Harrisburg mayor. [email protected] We wish him all the best with the deepest hope that his administration will practice DAN Webster responsible, accountable governance and [email protected] foster unity in Pennsylvania’s capital city. Jason WILSON LAwRANCE Binda [email protected] Editor-in-Chief INTERN: DANIEL SMyTH FEATURES ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| [email protected] DESIGN: SMELL yA LATER, P. 12 • yOUR NEIGHBOR'S SHOES, P. 16 CREATIvE DIRECTOR & DESIGNER: MEGAN davIS A SWEET TRADITION, P. 26 • CITy AS CLASSROOM, P. 32 [email protected] DESIGNER: kRISTIN SABADISH THE WRIGHT STUFF, P. 36 • THEATER OF THE ROSES, P. 38 [email protected] FACEBOOk.COM/THEBURGNEWS @THEBURGNEWS #SHUTTERBURG honest epicurean fare @RubiconHBG www.RubiconHBG.com @RubiconHBG facebook.com/RubiconHBG JOIN US AT OUR CHARITY HAPPY HOURS TUES-FRI, 5-7PM 272 NORTH STREET • HARRISBURG,PA • 717.233.7358 WWW.MANGIAQUI.COM NEWS A TIME for Thanks Our publisher finds plenty to be grateful for this past year. By J. ALEX Hartzler Thanksgiving, just past, is perhaps my favorite holiday. It is a time for being thankful “just because.” Coming every year on a Thursday, it guarantees a short week of work and a long weekend with family and friends. My mom, like her mother before her, makes an amazing turkey with all the many accompanying dishes. I can usually count on leftovers lasting all weekend long. I’ve always loved leftover turkey to go along with two days of college football. All in all, it is a wonderful time of the year. Thanksgiving also reminds all of us that giving thanks is universal. While not everyone can give or receive the gifts they may want during the coming holiday season, all can have a thankful heart. And a thankful heart is a happy heart for blessings small and large. With that in mind, here is my list of “things I am thankful for” in Harrisburg: • A terrific year of growth and development at TheBurg • Paul’s writing, Megan’s design, Lauren’s sales, Andrea's support and Larry’s leadership in pulling it all together • Our Burg freelancers and photographers who contribute competently and faithfully • All of TheBurg’s wonderful advertisers PAPENFUSE ELECTED • Select Capital Realty Group and John Ortenzio for being the first column sponsor of TheBurg HARRISBURG Mayor • Sutliff Chevrolet for supporting 3rd in The Burg and all its artists • The receiver, the mayor, the governor, City Council and Judge Leadbetter for their diligent efforts Democrat Eric Papenfuse last month assumed with the financial recovery plan the mantle of mayor-elect of Harrisburg, besting • State Sen. Rob Teplitz and Rep. Patty Kim for the great leadership on behalf of our city and region Republican candidate Dan Miller and write-in • Mayor-elect Eric Papenfuse and his family for their sacrifice to move Harrisburg forward candidate Aaron Johnson. • WCI Partners’ president and operations manager for developing Harrisburg and making it a better Papenfuse won the race with 3,618 votes versus 2,333 place—and for being two of the finest people I know for Miller and 1,213 for Johnson. Various others • The fabulous designer at Urban Interiors and Smoke, her cat received another 121 write-in votes, including eight • All the many residents of Olde Uptown who believe in OU and Harrisburg for former independent candidate Nevin Mindlin, • Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney and First National Bank for staying in and moving into the city who was tossed off the ballot after a successful • WebpageFx for believing in Harrisburg and moving 50 employees here next year petition challenge. Four votes went to Lewis Butts Jr., • The Harrisburg Chamber and CREDC for their support of our city and its many projects who campaigned as a write-in after losing the • Harristown Development Corp. and their great leadership team Democratic primary. • GreenWorks for helping to develop and grow Midtown “The real victory will lie in the years ahead when our • JEM Group, Trinity Construction and Renovations Co., for helping build our city streets are clean, when our homes are safe, when our • Brickbox for converting outdated office space to residential living young professionals rush to get back to Harrisburg, • Harrisburg University for their continued commitment to our city rather than flee from it,” said Papenfuse, who, in his • HYP for continuing to make Harrisburg a great place to “live, work and play” acceptance speech, encouraged his supporters at • Creative start-ups, like Stash, The MakeSpace, Yellow Bird Café and St@rtup Midtown Scholar Bookstore to be humble and seek • Community Networking Resources for community development reconciliation with his opponents in the election. • LaTorre Communications for helping Penn State communicate “The true victory will lie in the days, the months, • State Street Strategies for—well—great strategy and advice the years ahead when Pennsylvanians are once again • Greenlee Partners for great work for the city proud of their capital,” he said. “When the people of • Triad Strategies for their consulting and advice Harrisburg once again cherish their homes, and when • City House B&B and their wonderful owners and great friends the rest of the nation connects Harrisburg with culture, prosperity and renaissance and not bankruptcy, despair • Michael Hanes’ leadership of the Whitaker Center and its excellent programming and defeat.” • Messiah College for sending Harrisburg many wonderful graduates Running unopposed, Democrats Shamaine Daniels • The members of the Harrisburg Capital PAC and Ben Allatt earned four-year terms on Harrisburg • John Norton and Brian Ostella, just for being on Twitter City Council, while sitting councilwomen Wanda • Penn State Harrisburg and their development staff Williams and Eugenia Smith were re-elected. Charles • My former partners at Webclients, who helped me get here DeBrunner was elected in an uncontested race for • Bill O’Brien, for leading “our” football team (don’t argue, PSU counts here too) city controller. • “The Tuscan” at Mangia Qui Papenfuse, DeBrunner and council members will be • The fine bartenders, food and ambiance at Café Fresco sworn in on Jan. 6. • Fine dining at Char’s along the Susquehanna River For Harrisburg school board, Democrats Danielle • The “best latte in the nation” at Little Amps Robinson, Patricia Whitehead Myers, James Thompson • Running in fall on the river or through the tree canopy on Green Street and Kenneth Mickens earned four-year terms. Monica • Cheese pizza at Ciervo’s Blackston-Bailey, LaTasha Frye and Adara Jackson • Anyone who takes time to call or email me and say “you left me off your list” (at least you read this far!) each won two-year seats on the school board.