Not very sporty but very useful and very necessary. See, I broke my ankle riding my motorbike this week and this little trolley gets me around while keeping the ankle cast elevated and stable. And a nice little basket for carrying the mail! I take it seriously. Warning label says right on it - Not … Continue reading FootNotes #1 – My latest ride, unplanned and hopefully for not long
National Strawberry Shortcake Day
I am always a fan of dessert and Strawberry Shortcake is one of the best exemplars of a summer treat. A delicious sweet biscuit, fresh cold whipped cream and slathered with sexy soaked strawberries, yum. As I prepared this post, I came across a recipe for Vegan Strawberry Shortcake. I had never considered that a … Continue reading National Strawberry Shortcake Day
Review – Gary: The Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Start with the "source material" - Shakespeare's bloodiest play "Titus Andronicus." This isn't really a sequel. Sure Taylor Mac's script starts by plucking three minor characters from Will's play to follow as they clean up all the corpses (and they are stacked high in Santo Loquasto's set). In theory they are here to clean up … Continue reading Review – Gary: The Sequel to Titus Andronicus
National Peanut Butter Cookie Day
Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie Today is National Peanut Butter Cookie Day, but I am fond of a slight variation - the Peanut Blossom. Hey, it has a chocolate center. I have your attention now. Start by heating the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place one 9 oz package of chocolate candy kisses (unwrapped) in the … Continue reading National Peanut Butter Cookie Day
Review – Proof of Love
Audible, the company that brings you entertainment meant for ear buds, has teamed with the Minetta Lane Theatre by producing stage work that can be translated to their medium. I have seen a number of these works, most impressively "Harry Clarke" performed by actor Billy Crudup. To this point they have chosen existing one character … Continue reading Review – Proof of Love
His own private screen at dinner
Quick note. I recently went to a restaurant where I noted there was a perfectly behaved and quiet child at a nearby table. Then I spied why. He had his own private cartoon show screen on a smart phone for his entire dinner. He was enthralled and paid only half attention to his Cheerios. I … Continue reading His own private screen at dinner
National Rhubarb-Strawberry Pie Day
While I love just straight rhubarb, not everyone can take the puckering power without the kiss of sweet strawberry. So here is a simple pie recipe to match the day. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. In a bowl combine 1 1/2 pounds rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1/2" pieces, 2 pints strawberries, hulled and … Continue reading National Rhubarb-Strawberry Pie Day
My cousin’s trip to The Big Apple
I was thrilled that my cousin Kim and her husband Dennis traveled from Cincinnati to visit New York City last week. They were here for reasons beyond a tourist trip but they aced that part of it. They especially excelled in their show going expertise. They visited the box offices (strategically about 1-2 hours before … Continue reading My cousin’s trip to The Big Apple
National Donut Day and where to find FREE DONUTS!
Many National Days I feature in this blog are simply an excuse to try a recipe or riff on favorite foods. But today (Friday, June 7, 2019) you can get free goodies at the following shops: My favorite donut shop by far is KRISPY KREME and they offer the best deal of all. You can … Continue reading National Donut Day and where to find FREE DONUTS!
National Veggie Burger Day
While now you will hear me celebrating many meat dishes, not many people know that I was a vegetarian for 13 years starting in my senior year of high school. It was based on my belief that if we avoided feeding animals grain combinations we could direct them to humans and seriously reduce hunger in … Continue reading National Veggie Burger Day
PEZ Dispenser EXPOSED (Or at least opened up)
Remember last month when I disassembled a Chapstick Tube to see how it worked? My cousin Gigi challenged me to do the same to a PEZ Candy Dispenser. So here we go. PEZ candies were first made in Vienna, Austria in 1927 and the names is a compression of PfeffErminZ (German for peppermint) which was the … Continue reading PEZ Dispenser EXPOSED (Or at least opened up)
Review – Jack of Cups
Unlike the folks doing this work, I am old enough to have seen and worked around Experimental Theatre back in the 1970's and 1980's. Inevitable components included earnest monologues on how we need to come together, interpretive dance, and sounds and music made from unusual items and innovative instruments. Turtleneck shirts were optional but recommended. … Continue reading Review – Jack of Cups
National Rotisserie Chicken Day
There are few better treats than a freshly cooked, crispy skin, moist and juicy rotisserie cooked chicken. Many people pick them up for a quick meal from a shop and indeed this National Day was created by the Boston Market chain. (There is a terrific shop named Malecon here in Northern Manhattan that is worth … Continue reading National Rotisserie Chicken Day
Review – Frankie & Johnny in the Claire de Lune
What happens when you combine a three decade old two hander by one of our greatest living playwrights with two of our finest stage actors? Magic at the Broadhurst Theatre, that's what. "Frankie & Johnny in the Claire de Lune" is a passionate defense of reaching out for love against all odds. When co-workers from … Continue reading Review – Frankie & Johnny in the Claire de Lune
#ATOBTTR Special Edition
You may have noted on my blog this year that after select postings (after each complete series) I've included a segment celebrating the call of announcer Marty Brenneman whenever the Cincinnati Reds win a ballgame - And This One Belongs To The Reds! Hasn't happened nearly enough this season. I provide a pep talk to … Continue reading #ATOBTTR Special Edition
National Hamburger Day
Today's National Day celebrates a ubiquitous American standard - the hamburger. From the humble slider to the fast food staple to the fancy shmancy deluxe versions, they exist in so many forms. Credit is claimed by many to have been the first, but many foundation myths start with cooked ground beef stuck between two pieces … Continue reading National Hamburger Day
Review – To She Who Waits
The American Renaissance Theater Company is presenting a new play at Theatre 54 at the Shetler Studios. It is the 2018 Jerry Kaufman Award winner "To She Who Waits" by Bob Clyman. The subtitle "God's Plan v. A Mother's Love; Winner Takes All" provides a clue to the plot. The play jumps back and forth … Continue reading Review – To She Who Waits
Review – Caroline’s Kitchen
Caroline's Kitchen is a transfer of a British farce that was very popular there. Maybe they will cling to anything to divert them from Brexit. It is certainly a manic comedy with characters keeping secrets from each other running in and out of the set. The concept is that TV cooking show host Caroline (Caroline … Continue reading Review – Caroline’s Kitchen
Review – The Archbishop’s Ceiling
Great playwrights create some less than great works in their career. Even though I admire many works by Arthur Miller ("A View From the Bridge" is in my top ten plays of all time) I had never heard of "The Archbishop's Ceiling." I am glad I had the chance to see it, but it remains … Continue reading Review – The Archbishop’s Ceiling
National Solitaire Day
Guess who established National Solitaire Day? Microsoft. Once they included it in Windows 3.0 (back in 1990 kids) it was used to train people how to use that new-fangled mouse on your desk. At least that was the excuse used. Now-a-days kids are coding at 5 years old which leaves us older folks in the … Continue reading National Solitaire Day
National Quiche Lorraine Day
Today's National Food Day celebrates a delicious French tradition of an egg custard pie with delightful flavors. This version originated in the rural Lorraine region and traditionally includes bacon and cheese. Why not be creative and make use of items you might very well have in your refrigerator right now? Preheat your oven to 375 … Continue reading National Quiche Lorraine Day
National “I Love Reese’s” Day
Harry Burnett Reese was born in 1879 to a Pennsylvania farming family. He married in 1900 and eventually had sixteen children. He took many jobs to support his family and in 1917 secured a job on the dairy farm of Milton S. Hershey. Yep, that Hershey. He later moved on to work in the chocolate … Continue reading National “I Love Reese’s” Day
Review – Curse of the Starving Class
Many directors and designers have chosen to tear apart a stage set as a physical mirror of the disintegration happening to characters on stage. This can happen as a steady erosion or a grand explosion. This production switches that up with the walls and shelves of the Tate family kitchen being rendered in one grand … Continue reading Review – Curse of the Starving Class
Chapstick EXPOSED! (or at least opened up)
I don't about you but I have never finished a Chapstick before it is used up. Those tubes always seem to disappear half used and I need to buy another. At the end of this cold weather season I realized the Chapstick I was using stopped pushing up that little beeswax stick. Time for an … Continue reading Chapstick EXPOSED! (or at least opened up)
National Apple Pie Day
Today is National Apple Pie Day and later today I plan to bake one just to honor this special day. I'll start with a Pillsbury Pie Crust unrolled and pressed into a glass pie baking dish. Before you get all persnickety about pre-made pie crusts, you can check out exactly why I do so with … Continue reading National Apple Pie Day
