LIVIN’ IN LIVERPOOL: Planting seeds for the L’pool Community Garden

Rebecca Battoe has a dream. In the spirit of promoting connection, friendships and community, she’s organizing a community garden on green space located in the village.

Her project, which already has a board of directors, is called Liverpool Community Garden. Last year, the garden grew at the House at 807 on Oswego Street.

“We had great success with the pilot project over the 2017 growing season at the House at 807,” reports LCG board member Jennifer Caruana. “We have secured the land at 807 for 2018 as well, and we look forward to further developing the LCG this year.”

Info session March 15

Becky Battoe, a social worker who lives in Liverpool, invites churches, parks, organizations and businesses to be a part of the planning and support for the garden along with individual community members. She encourages garden members to take charge of their own plot of land, and to help tend to an overflow plot so that fresh vegetables could be available to food pantries such as St. Joseph the Worker’s “Loaves and Fishes” food pantry.

Becky will discuss the potential benefits of the LCG to our community at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 15, at Liverpool Public Library. And she’ll also cover what has been accomplished and what is needed to move forward.

“Our goal is to fill the needs previously addressed by the Liverpool Garden Club,” said Jennifer Caruana.

Duck, duck, goose!

Nobody knows who does the hunting, but the cooks at The Retreat have bagged a bunch of fresh duck, a waterfowl offering now appearing regularly on the specials menu. For instance, a Wisconsin blue duck was served on Feb. 22. The kitchen staff may need to brush up on its geography because real “blue duck” is native to New Zealand, not Wisconsin. Nevertheless, duck breast — sometimes called duck steak — is the meatiest part of the duck, perfect for searing after being deboned, as was the blue duck. And The Retreat’s duck dishes pair up nicely with one of its new appetizers, turkey poutine.

Remember ‘The Wiz’?

When she was a junior at Liverpool High School, actress Aubry Ludington Panek, portrayed Miss Adelaide, one of the Hot Box Girls in “Guys & Dolls.” During her senior year, she appeared as Adepearle, the Feel-Good Girl, in “The Wiz.”

While matriculating on Wetzel Road, Aubry studied singing with Cathy Rush and theater with Tom Minardi.

Since that time — she graduated from LHS in 1991 — Aubry has blossomed into one of the most talented and versatile performers in local theater and beyond.

She toured Malaysia and Singapore with a production of “Nunsense” as Sister Mary Amnesia. More recently she appeared in “Ragtime” at The Redhouse and starred in the one-woman show “November Song” in which she portrayed Syracuse’s saint, Mother Marianne Cope.

From Hot Box to ‘Bridges’

Now Aubry has been cast in what she calls “the role of a lifetime.” She’ll play Francesca, an Italian war bride living in Iowa in 1965, in Appleseed Productions’ musical romance “The Bridges of Madison County,” running from March 9 to 24, at 116 W. Glen Ave., on the South Side of Syracuse; (315) 492-9766.

“I’ve wanted to play this role since the first time I heard it,” she said. “Being able to bring Frannie’s story to life in all of its layers has been a true blessing.”

“The Bridges of Madison County” will open at 8 p.m. Friday, March 9, and will be staged at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 18. Tickets cost $20, or $15 for seniors and $15 for all at the March 18 matinee. Complimentary coffee and water will be served before the show along with cookies at intermission.