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Palhares asks UFC for forgiveness
Rousimar Palhares has issued a public apology to the UFC and its
president Dana White, just two days after being released from the
UFC for holding on to a heel hook past the referee's instruction to
release it during a win last Wednesday.
In a 5-minute, 37-second public message posted to his YouTube
channel, Palhares also addressed his opponent Mike Pierce as well
as his own history, saying that it's never been his intention to
hurt anyone he's competed against. But he saved his closing remarks
for the UFC president, perhaps in a last-ditch effort to get White
to reverse course.
"Dana White, if you think my attitude was not positive inside
the octagon, I ask that you, an open-hearted man, you forgive me.
I'm sorry, okay?" he said. "Because that was not my
intention. But I respect the decision of the UFC and Dana
Palhares was released on Thursday, less than 24 hours his latest
in-cage troubles. It was the second time during his five-year UFC
career that Palhares was flagged for the same infraction. The first
came in 2010, when he held on to the same move against Tomasz
Drwal, drawing a 90-day suspension from the New Jersey State
Athletic Control Board.
In the Pierce incident, White didn't wait for Brazil's CABMMA
sanctioning body to hand down a penalty, publicly cutting Palhares
from his contract on U.S. television. Palhares was later suspended
120 days by CABMMA.
Offering his side of the story, Palhares explained that because
Pierce had defended his first leg lock attempt, he was focused on
ensure the victory and that because Pierce tapped on the referee,
he did not immediately know he was trying to submit.
He also compared his own situation to that of another one that
occurred on the same night, when Dong Hyun Kim scored a one-strike
knockout, but landed another punch on the already-unconscious Erick
Silva. But in that instance, the referee was late to arrive and Kim
threw the punch before being stopped. In Palhares' instance,
replays showed that he gave Pierce's knee one final torque even
after the referee stepped in.
Palhares said being released will make him reconsider how he
fights, but said he would continue chasing his goal of being one of
the world's best fighters.
The 33-year-old, who came from abject poverty to find fame and
late infamy in mixed martial arts, has a 15-5 career record.
"In the fight I only wanted to win the fight," he said. "I do
not want to kill my opponent. I just want to win. I will not stop
running after my dream. I worked hard to get here and I will
continue working."


text:
Michael Becker is on the Content Marketing team at Teradata Marketing Applications in Indianapolis. He's a big-picture thinker fascinated by the universal human experience, and how the dynamics of advertising and branding play into it. He is responsible for content development to support Teradata's suite of marketing applications and thought leadership. He graduated with a B.A. in Journalism and Communications from Butler University in 2014 and is an avid Bulldogs fan currently trying to navigate his way through the adventure that is the mid-20s.
Read more of the latest news and insights from thought leaders in content promotion and distribution.
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subset: commoncrawl


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PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — On the eastern side of Pender County crews continue fighting the Juniper Road Fire in the Holly Shelter Game Land. Firefighters say they now have 25 percent containment on the 21,500-acre fire.
Today crews set controlled burns in the stag drive and traders neck area of on the southeast side of the fire. While this should help battle the fire, it will likely mean even more smoke in the area.


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Rob Keeler and his wife, Temeka, some-times stay up at night, listening for the jingling of Chris Smith's key chain, which always signaled his arrival home.
Smith, their oldest son, always carried the same set of keys, attached to an Army dog tag and a New York Yankees emblem. There was no telling where he might be coming from. Though his family had settled into this transient community barely three years ago, Smith had already made strong connections and developed friendships at every Columbia County high school.
Smith, a Greenbrier football player, drowned in July while swimming with three friends at Thurmond Lake. He will be remembered tonight in a ceremony before the team's 7:30 game against Lakeside, though his reputation as an outgoing teenager who brought happiness to family and friends stretches beyond one game or one night.
"Honestly, i'm about to lose it right now," Rob Keeler said.
Keeler had been talking about Smith for more than three hours, without once checking his watch. Most of the lunch tables at the Gordon Club had turned over several times.
Keeler, a signal officer specializing in communications at Fort Gordon, is still having trouble reconciling his son's drowning, because Smith could swim and never seemed like a daredevil. Smith had passed swimming classes at his old school in upstate New York. Earlier in the summer his family took vacations to Myrtle Beach and Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park, where they swam in 12-foot water. He resisted taking chances, the type who refused to ride some roller coasters and drove with both hands clamped to the steering wheel.
Smith had asked for permission to go to the lake the day he died, and Keeler thought nothing of saying yes as he took two of Smith's younger siblings to a professional wrestling show in Aiken. He received the devastating news over the phone.
"My best friend was taken from me," Keeler said. "My family, right now we're empty....Normal will never be the same."
Keeler met Temeka, Chris' mother, when Chris was 4 years old. He was stationed at Fort Pierce in southern Florida, and the waitress at a restaurant called the Heat Wave had caught his eye. Their first date was over breakfast. They got married Valentine's Day 1998.
Keeler imagined it difficult becoming the white father figure to a black child, but it wasn't long before the two had grown close enough to take an 18-hour road trip to a car show in Las Vegas. They mostly bonded over sports, dissecting football games and memorizing the entire starting lineup of the 1998 Yankees, in their opinion the best baseball team of all-time.
"(Smith) always talked about (Keeler)," said Tevin Nelson, an Evans senior wide receiver who was friends with Smith. "Mr. Rob and (Smith) were like best friends."
The Keelers gather as a family at least three times a week for dinner. Each of the six members -- Smith had three younger siblings -- takes turns describing their day. Keeler and Smith would often act as moderators of the discussion, a goofball act based around one of their favorite TV shows: ESPN's Pardon the Interruption.
"He was (host Michael) Wilbon and I was (Tony) Kornheiser," Keeler said. "It sounds corny ... but my family is tight."
INJURIES FOLLOWED SMITH across fields and courts. He fractured his femur during a youth baseball game when Keeler was stationed in Italy. He cracked his tibia when he tried to show classmates he could dunk on his first day at Greenbrier. He snapped his left wrist last year and played just four games at defensive back for Greenbrier.
Smith became motivated for his senior year of football after he was cut from the school's baseball team last winter, figuring he would make the team on his sterling athletic reputation. He sent Keeler a text message the day he got cut: "I guess football season begins today."
His off-season work improved his frame to 6-foot-1, 170 pounds and his 40-yard dash time improved to 4.51 seconds. Keeler said Smith impressed coaches looking for wide receivers at camps at Georgia Southern and Coastal Carolina. Greenbrier was prepared for him to star on both sides of the ball.
"We were ready to feature him, there was no doubt," Greenbrier coach Brian Smith said. "He had a great summer and stood out everywhere we went."
News of Smith's death rippled through the county, and other teams lined up wondering how they could honor him. Evans players wore their jerseys to his funeral. Grovetown quarterback Xavier Crain, whose family had grown close with Smith's family since they met in 2001 at Fort Polk in Louisiana, let Smith's younger brother wear his away jersey during Grovetown's first home game last week.
"There was never a time I talked to (Smith) and he wasn't looking me in the eye," said Louis Crain, Xavier's father. "He could talk to anyone."
Smith was buried with a football in his casket, tossed in by his brother, Dakota. A final one-handed catch, his family likes to remember. They chose a burial spot in an upper corner of the cemetery. Weighed against the rest of the plot, it looked like the corner of the end zone, a place for Smith to forever catch touchdown passes.
"If you wanted a blueprint for how a kid should live 17 years, it would be how Chris Smith (lived)," Keeler said. "He was just a dynamite kid."
Reach Matt Middleton at (706) 823-3425 or email@example.com.


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DETROIT (CBS Detroit) Is there such a thing as too sweet? Not when it comes to pets, so go ahead and meet Walter.
Walter is a 3-year-old labrador/pit bull mix, who is fully grown at 48 pounds. The Michigan Humane Society says, "This easygoing pup enjoys playing with other dogs and is very gentle and intelligent."
His only soft spot? He just might give you a cavity, he's that sweet.
In that vein, another of our pets of the week, Juno, is affectionate and waiting to meet his new best friend.
In June of last year, Juno suffered a broken leg from a gunshot wound. Now, he's been at the Michigan Humane Society for more than six months, giving love to everyone he encounters.
See Walter, Juno, and the rest of our pets of the week HERE.


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Teen Trips
Private Groups
Ten family adventures for summer that won't break the bank
This week's Budget contained welcome news for some families, including a new tax-free childcare scheme and increased personal allowance for income tax. But many of the changes that were announced won't come into force until 2014 or even 2015, so family holiday specialist, The Adventure Company has rounded up its best value trips for families who want to get away on a summer holiday this year without breaking the bank.
Minimum age 3 years
Malta & Gozo Adventure - 8 days from £529 per adult, £503 per child
Soak up history in tiny Valetta, Malta's UNESCO World Heritage capital, before exploring rural Gozo by jeep and bike, and spending the day with a shepherd learning to tend the sheep and make cheese. Take a boat excursion to Comino, to swim and snorkel in the Med. Price includes hotel accommodation, breakfasts, one lunch, activities, local transport and a local tour leader. With flights price starts from £759 per adult/ £721 per child.
Minimum age 5 years
Kids in the Kasbahs, Morocco - 8 days from £449 per adult, £427 per child
Excite your senses with the sights, sounds, tastes and smells of vibrant Marrakech, explore Berber villages hidden away in the Atlas Mountains by donkey, then head to Essaouira to ride camels along the beach and explore old pirate hideouts. Price includes hotel and guesthouse accommodation, breakfasts, entry fees, local transport and a local tour leader. With flights price starts from £799 per adult/ £759 per child.
Desert & Reef Adventure, Egypt – 8 days from £479 per adult, £431 per child
A hotel in Dahab is the ideal base for activities such as exploring the Sinai desert by camel and 4x4, and sleeping under the stars. There is time to relax on beautiful beaches and snorkel in the crystal clear waters of the Red Sea. Price includes hotel and desert camp accommodation, breakfasts and some other meals, entry fees, local transport and a local tour leader. With flights price starts from £1,079 per adult/ £971 per child.
Dordogne Family Adventure, France – 8 days from £599 per adult, £569 per child
On this twin-centre break, families can canoe, cycle and hike through picturesque landscapes, explore medieval towns and discover the area's prehistoric sights, while staying in riverside campsites with swimming pools and a plethora of facilities to keep children entertained. Price includes campsite accommodation, breakfasts, four lunches, activities, local transport, a tour leader and transfers from Brive La Galliard train station. The trip is sold without flights, so families can travel there by car or take the train via Paris or Lille.
Minimum age 7 years
Active Pyrenees, Andorra – 8 days from £529 per adult, £503 per child
Squeezed between Spain and France, mountainous Andorra makes a great base for an action-packed summer activity holiday. Go walking, mountain-biking, zip-lining and white-water rafting, and get off-the-beaten-track with an off-road 4WD adventure along old smugglers' routes. Price includes hotel accommodation, most meals, activities, local transport and a local tour leader. With flights price starts from £799 per adult/ £759 per child.
Tatra Mountain Adventure, Slovakia – 8 days from £659 per adult, £593 per child
Explore Slovakia's spectacular Tatra Mountains as you walk among towering pines and waterfalls, try river rafting, discover spectacular ice caves, visit an ancient castle and make your own cheese at a farm. Spend a day soaking up the culture in Bratislava, Slovakia's capital. Price includes hotel/ pension accommodation, breakfasts, two other meals, activities, local transport and a tour leader. With flights price starts from £929 per adult/ £836 per child.
Croatia Family Sailing Adventure – 7 days from £699 per adult, £664 per child
Sail aboard a fully-equipped, skippered yacht along the stunning Dalmatian coast to explore Split, Cetina Canyon, Brac, World Heritage site Stari Grad, the Blue Grotto, Vis and Solta. Swim, snorkel and take scenic hikes by day, then dine in local restaurants by evening before returning to the cabins to sleep. Budding Ben Ainslies can learn the ropes and help to sail the boat, or simply relax on deck. Price includes twin cabins, breakfasts and lunches, excursions and an experienced skipper. With flights price starts from £1,129 per adult, £1,173 per child.
Teen trips - minimum age 12 years
Atlas Trails, Morocco – 8 days from £339 per person
Spend four days crossing mountain passes and traversing valleys as you hike in Morocco's Atlas Mountains and stay overnight in rural Berber villages. Get away from it all in the Sahara desert, visit the stunning UNESCO site of Ait Benhaddou and experience the hustle and bustle of Marrakech. Price includes accommodation in hotels and gites, most meals, entry fees, local transport and a local tour leader. With flights price starts from £689pp.
Active in the Sinai, Egypt – 8 days from £459 per person
Trek on camels, explore narrow canyons and sand-board from the highest dunes in the Sinai, before camping out under the stars in Bedouin tents. Staying on the shores of the Red Sea, there is the chance to take a snorkel safari and free time to chill out on magnificent beaches. Price includes hotel and desert camp accommodation, breakfasts and some other meals, entry fees, local transport and a local tour leader. With flights price starts from £899pp.
Bulgaria Activity Week – 8 days from £619 per person
Explore Bulgaria on foot, by bike, in kayaks and on horseback during an action-packed week. Trek to Cherni Vrah, the highest point in the Vitosha Mountains for great views of the valley below, enjoy a day horse-riding in the Rila Mountains, cycle to the Valley of the Iskar River and kayak across Lake Iskar. Price includes hotel and apartment accommodation, breakfasts, two lunches, activities, local transport and a tour leader. With flights price starts from £909pp.
All holidays can be booked at www.adventurecompany.co.uk or by calling 0845 287 1198.
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For more information or images please contact Nicola Frame, UK & Ireland PR Manager on firstname.lastname@example.com or +44 (0)7725 261232
About The Adventure Company
For more than 15 years, The Adventure Company has been taking people on memorable holidays to some of the world's most amazing places. It is the UK's leading family adventure holiday specialist, with almost 100 trips that are designed especially for families. From sleeping under the stars to getting up close to incredible wildlife, The Adventure Company offers an unrivalled range of unforgettable holiday experiences. For more information visit www.adventurecompany.co.uk/family
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If you saw "The Gin Game", a timely play about the coming together of two lonely but feisty seniors at a run-down nursing home, when you were younger - you should see it again now at Drury Lane.
John Reeger and Paula Scrofano, a long-time married couple who met at Northwestern University and raised a family while carving out distinguished theatrical reputations for themselves, play these roles with gusto and finesse.
Taking on the roles of Weller Martin and Fonsia Dorsey, like other great acting couples before them - Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy or Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke, John Reeger and Paula Scrofano pull out all the emotional stops to reveal the inner turmoil of seniors who have been left alone at the end of their lives to basically die in a dilapidated nursing home because they have both lost everything they own to their children or the state and are on Medicare.
As they discuss and complain intermittently about all the problems seniors are still facing today, like poor nutrition, lack of stimulation in adult activities, and having their most precious belongings stolen, the audience sadly realizes that nothing has changed for seniors affected by catastrophic illness and the increasingly unreasonable, high costs of healthcare since "The Gin Game" first came out.
Videographer Mike Tutaj, lights up the shabby, depressing and realistic set design by Katherine Ross with a series of beautiful and poignant slideshow type images from a variety of nursing homes that the audience can really identify with in how nursing homes are run today, especially if you are not wealthy enough to be placed in a fancier gated community.
Ross Lehman directs this very talented couple, Reeger and Scrofano, with an understanding and yet demanding pace that sets the characters on fire as their life stories come tumbling out one dealt card at a time. Over a series of gin games (often humorously played out), our characters get to know each other better and better while reluctantly revealing how their own personal tempers and foibles contributed in part to the broken relationships with their children.
I saw the play years ago but this time, having dealt personally with the placement of four family members of different ages each with debilitating disabilities and dwindling financial resources beyond their control, I found it even more satisfying to watch. The crowd I joined at the opening was mostly between the ages of fifty and ninety-years-old and undoubtedly related to these very same, sad and lonely circumstances that are inevitable for so many senior citizens, as perhaps many younger audience members realized the same for their aging parents or grandparents.
I can't rave enough about the fine performances by the semi-retired John Reeger and Paula Scrofano. The pair push each other's buttons as only a real married couple can and display a sharp sense of timing and emotional flexibility rarely seen in younger actors. The couple also show off their fine comedic mastery.
I highly recommend this thought provoking, totally timeless and relevant production in which Reeger and Scrofano use every single word, every gesture to brilliantly drive home the message that senior citizens are every bit as sharp and full of emotional and physical needs for fulfillment and daily entertainment as their younger counterparts.
This is a darkly funny and meaningful production the entire family young and old should see together, if only to wake up and realize we all will be old someday, and, if we don't make changes to preserve and increase the coverage of Medicare and Medicaid, we are dooming ourselves and our children to retirements that look more like "jails for those who have lived too long" instead of clean and comfortable homes to retire in.
"The Gin Game" is being performed at Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook through August 13th. For more information visit www.drurylanetheatre.com.
Fun! Funny! Funnier! If you are fan of The Golden Girls TV show, then run, don't walk, to see Hell in a Handbag's The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes at Mary's Attic before its special, recently extended, run is over. The show opens with a heart lifting, hug your best friend singalong of the sitcom's famed theme song, "Thank you for being a Friend" - in its fantastic entirety!
Plenty of fans arrive in costume to see the show and in between the hysterically funny, bawdy, R-Rated "Lost Episodes" theatre goers are entertained by Golden Girls trivia contests with fun prizes, so live it up.
Hell in a Handbag Artistic Director David Cerda wrote the show which parodies the famed 1980's sitcom where four women who share a home in a Miami Senior Community are not ready to stop living life to the fullest. Cerda is fantastic as the deadpan Dorothy even with the use of just one syllable – "Mah!" David, who recently won a well-deserved special Jeff Award (Congrats!) for all of his amazing contributions to theatre in Chicago with his much beloved production company Hell in a Handbag, evokes laughs with every shoulder-padded shrug and anchors the show with his dead-on funny accuracy in the role of Dorothy that actress Bea Arthur made famous.
I don't know how he does it but every single show David writes is unique, displays every cast members talents superbly, heartfelt and funnier than the last. In this show, he takes the iconic TV show and brings it to a new level, creating hysterically campy "lost episodes" that one could only wish took to the air during the series' heyday.
Blanche is played with true southern sex appeal by A. J. Wright. Wright is mind-blowingly accurate in his portrayal of the flirty man-eater. Wright is so convincing, I had to occasionally close my eyes and just listen with delight, because I really felt he was a woman channeling Rue Clanahan, not a man in drag. The razor-sharp tongued Sophia played by Adrian Hadlock is also right on the mark with his dry as a martini, machine gun-like delivery of every single one-liner.
Ed Jones rounds out this fearsomely funny foursome with his always gentle, never forced portrayal of the delicate and ditzy, Rose, often forced to do and say indelicate things! Handbag favorite Ed Jones is - as ever, roaringly funny and true to Betty White's every gesture, even to her dazed and confused looks of naivety. As in all of Handbag's productions, Golden Girls is equipped with a stellar ensemble, this show including hilarious performances by Chazie Bly, Kristopher Bottrall, Grant Drager, Lori Lee, David Lipschutz, Terry McCarthy, Michael S. Miller and Robert Williams.
Not ignoring the other fine touches that make this such a fun experience, Myron Elliot's costumes and Keith Ryan's wigs and makeup are a laugh riot in themselves and really help each actor achieve the eerie accuracy that makes this a true golden fest for fans of the show.
David Cerda and I have some kind of strange psychic connection in that his shows always seem to coincide in some synchronistic way with things going on in my life and family, and Golden Girls was just what I needed to see. My mother and I lived in Miami Florida throughout my whole young adult life and the week I saw this production of Golden Girls (one of my mom's favorite shows to watch with me) she was in the hospital and I was extremely stressed and worried about losing her. When David says as Dorothy about her mother Sophia, "She's probably thinking back to her youth in the fields of Sicily," and then sighs, "God, I'd wish she'd just die," I had to let out a cathartic laugh because it was just such a perfectly funny, subtext of compassion coupled with frustration of the statement of all mother/daughter love when stretched to its limits. I loved it. Naturally, I don't wish such a thing, but Cerda's writing has a way of somehow finding love and humor in even such a statement.
I didn't stop laughing or smiling from start to finish of this uproariously funny take on the Golden Girls that no fan should miss. Even if you are not familiar with the show, it's worth checking out. Don't worry, you'll pick it up quickly. And like many Hell in a Handbag shows, there is an intermission long enough to stretch, grab a drink and use the restroom which allows you to really allow the funniness of the first act to sink in. Increasingly I find myself enduring 90-minute or longer shows with no intermission as if the audience is trapped in some kind of marathon endurance test of our concentration and bladders! But not at Hell in a Handbag shows, which proves yet again that David Cerda is in tune with everything a Golden Girl needs to truly enjoy a laugh packed night out with your best friends. Much Thanks to David Cerda for "being a friend!"
Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes is being performed at Mary's Attic in Andersonville on Wednesday and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m now extended through September 16th. Saturday dates have been added for August. Tickets are $20, but are just $16 if purchased in advance. To purchase tickets or to find out more about this hilarious show wonderfully directed by Shade Murray, visit handbagproductions.org.
Oriental Theatre is currently housing one of the finest productions of The King and I that you will ever see. From its colorful set to its superb cast including Jose Llana who has mastered the role of the Siamese King, this particular creation if The King and I is simply wondrous.
The scrumptiously definitive Rodgers and Hammerstein musical about a spirited, brainy educator, Anna Leonowens, who the King of Siam brings in from England to teach his seventy-seven children and many wives both the English language along with Western culture. She is strong-willed, which throws off the stubborn and egotistical king, the two struggling, at times, to see eye to eye, especially when Anna states that women are every bit as important than men.
Laura Michelle Kelly has a large Broadway resume and shines as the show's star in Anna offering genuineness to the role while providing a strong singing voice for the part. Kelly suffuses the character with wit, strength, empathy and a suffragette fervor which climaxes in the comical and still contemporary number, "Shall I Tell You What I Think of You?"
"All to remind you of your royalty,
I find a most disgusting exhibition.
I wouldn't ask a Siamese cat
to demonstrate his loyalty
by taking this ridiculous position
how would you like it if you were a man
playing the part of a toad.
Crawling around on your elbows and knees.
Eating the dust of the road!"
Jose Llana is about as good as it gets as the King of Siam (sorry, Yul Brynner). Llana is no stranger to the role having starred in two Tony-Award winning in Lincoln Center Theater's revival of The King and I. As I suggested previously, he is made for the role. Delightful, attractive and able to charm the house one moment while displaying great frustration the next, Llana delivers a layered performance as the King, never falling into predictable distortion. Llana's comic timing, humorous expressions and line delivery are spot on. He is convincing so that it makes perfect sense that his character is both gaining respect for the sophisticated and mature teacher while also being confused by his rising sense of incomprehension at her grasp of political awareness that progresses the destiny of his own family and finally, his entire Kingdom.
The chemistry between Llana and Kelly is explosive.
There is a very funny, yet revealing scene where the King is insisting that Anna's head never be higher than his own. The King asks Anna to take dictation for an important letter to a visiting dignitary and sits down on the floor. When Anna finally sits down on the floor, the King moves to recline on one elbow and so forth till they are both completely reclining on the floor. Although, it is really a nonsensical demonstration of his manly power, Llana and Kelly manage to make it a funny exchange between two people who are each unaware they are gaining a true admiration for each other.
Other stories unfold throughout the production, that of a young couple whose love is forbidden as the King's unwilling young captive, Tuptim (Manna Nichols), who is in love with Lun Tha (Kavin Panmeechao), her secret lover. At the same time, we see a young king in the making who is clearly influenced by Anna's Western ways.
Marcus Shane steps in as Prince Chulalongkorn, the young boy who is next in line to be king, and does a solid job conveying his character's gradually absorption of Anna's wisdom and life lessons most notably at the show's end when he pronounces that "excessive bowing to the King like a toad" is now forbidden. The young prince has clearly learned a lesson in humanity from his now adored teacher and friend, Anna.
Joan Almedilla is fantastic as Lady Thiang. Her stunning rendition of "Something Wonderful" is nothing less than breathtaking. Like the other cast members in main roles, Almedilla's voice is yet another a true treat for the ears. It's easy to get spoiled when seeing a well-performed Rodgers and Hammerstein musical because the words for every song are so unforgettable. "We Kiss in a Shadow" is also gorgeously sung by Nichols, as the love stricken Tuptim.
"To kiss in the sunlight
and say to the sky:
"Behold and believe what you see!
Behold how my lover loves me!"
And Panmeechao, Tuptim's lover, performs the classic "I Have Dreamed" impeccably.
"I have dreamed that your arms are lovely
I have dreamed what a joy you'll be
I have dreamed every word you whisper
When you're close, close to me
how you look in the glow of evening
I have dreamed and enjoyed the view
In these dreams, I've loved you so
That by now I think, I know
what it's like to be loved by you
I will love being loved by you"
The costumes in this piece are true to the period while the dance numbers pleasingly choreographed and a radiant set worthy of its royalty is the finishing touch.
I highly recommend this dreamy, moving and humorous evening of unadulterated theatrical joy.
Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I is being performed at the Oriental Theatre through July 2nd For more show information visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
As soon as I saw the warm, rich lighting of a luxurious futuristic bedroom on the Space Ship Destiny lit and decorated by designers Heather Gilbert and Christopher Kriz and the set design by Arnel Sancianco, where the entire action of the play takes place, I thought this is going to be an interesting show. To the right of the set was a spaceship departure board with the names and photos of the passengers, along with their assigned room number, as they were headed to a planet three months away from Earth. The other ships had names like Fortune, Kismet, Prospect and Horizon suggesting that the people leaving earth are doing so willingly and must have enough money to do so. Smooch Medina's spaceship flight calendar and wall projection also counts down the number of days the passengers have spent locked on this room together, which is a great tension builder as well.
There are just three characters in the play. One a soldier who is suffering from PTSD from a previous mission in which he witnessed the killing of civilians that haunts him still in a variety of deep emotional ways. He has requested a private room because he cannot sleep well while struggling with his inner demons but somehow an attractive young woman passenger has been placed in the room with him, much to his disapproval. Ed Flynn portrays this sensitive, journal-writing soldier (previously referred to as "Grant") who is also prone to violent mood changes and outbursts with great feeling and a sweaty intensity that is frightening at times.
When you consider that he is locked into this "hotel room" for three full months due to a quarantine placed on certain sick members aboard the ship with a petite young female to whom he objects, it's not difficult to imagine the strain that gradually surmounts. Janelle Villas does a wonderful job of showing the audience her fresh-faced bubbly enthusiasm while hiding a dark past that includes at least one rape, which has also left her in a state of PTSD.
Co-directed by artistic director Michael Patrick Thornton and guest artist Jessica Thebus, the "Pilgrims" moves along quickly yet with subtle changes in the characters that seem very satisfying and real with a lot of emotional suspense and tension. We the audience wonder if these two characters will ever bond, or even reach their destination safely. We also ponder what will become of their edgy, ever-changing relationship once they are finally released from this artificial and close-quartered isolation into the general population of the new planet.
The third character is a robot named Jasmine played with a great sense of humor and also an eerie, smiling menace by Brittany Burch. Jasmine has been programmed not only to answer all their questions and provide all their meals and cleaning services. She is also one of the older forms of "human-like robots" known for their ability to satisfy without any compunction - either member, male or female, with oral sex or intercourse if the human need arises.
The universality of two people meeting for the first time, learning about each other's baggage and foibles and being forced to overcome them in order to at least be friends if not lovers cannot be denied. This is a love story set in outer space plain and simple, even though it is suggested in the play that couples may have been placed together purposely to repopulate the new planet.
I highly recommend this production for its unique retelling of a tale as old as time, when Fate meets Destiny and two very "human" human beings struggle to please each other while being true to their own individual dreams of the future but must in the end reveal the dark, undesirable places of their souls in order to overcome them and move into a deeper union free of mistakes or tragedies of the past.
Excellent performances and an imaginative script make Pilgrims a compelling and often humorous sci-fi love story that resonates. Pilgrims is being performed at Gift Theatre through July 30th. For more show information or to purchase tickets visit www.thegifttheatre.org.
From the minute I stepped into Windy City Playhouse's colorful, elegant the stage area designed by Courtney O'Neill with fantastic lights and sounds by Thomas Dixon, I knew I was in for a treat.
King Liz is named for the beautiful, sexy and high-powered sports agent Liz Rico played superbly with real gusto and stage presence galore by Lanise Antoine Shelley.
Liz Rico is a woman who grew up in the projects, overcame great poverty and rose to the top of a male dominated industry. Rico, one of the best sports agents in the business, is about to be promoted to the head of her firm by her retiring boss Mr. Candy (Frank Nall).
Mr. Candy's last offer to her to make her his new head of firm is based on her ability to sign a new and talented high school basketball player Freddie Luna (Eric Gerard). Luna is a true talent likened to Kobe Bryant but comes with a history of violence and temper tantrums as he too has been brought up in the projects and was doing his best to survive as he knew how.
Eric Gerard is also great in his role, showing how deeply he feels about needing to escape his checkered past and the projects by riding his basketball gifts into the big time. Gerard also plays the role well in that the audience sees and feels great compassion for him as he uses his limited social skills to try and fit into the fast-paced media swirl he is placed in, sometimes causing his own downfall, his sometimes feral temper getting the best of him. Though Luna can often be charming and polite, prying journalists after the next big sports story target his unbridled emotions and get the best of him when digging into his past that he so desperately wants to put behind him.
Gabby (Jackie Alamillo) is Liz Rico's assistant and though grateful for her highly valued mentorship has been made to "eat crow" so many times, every day at work, by Liz. Gabby is also eager for Liz to get the promotion, if only because she will then fill Rico's job. Alamillo is perfect as the once meek but now hardened assistant who has given up everything including her own sense of self-worth at times in order to succeed in this male dominated field.
In the meantime, Knick's Coach Jones does his best with Luna hoping this new prodigy will cement his long time career. Coach Jones, played with great compassion of soul and accuracy by Phillip Edward Van Lear, really drives the play's message home and is totally believable in the role of a big league coach who also has been beaten down somewhat by an industry which cares more about profit margins than human lives and protecting the players who make the game possible.
We learn along the way that "King Liz" had a sexual relationship with the coach in the past when over dinner he states he "would like to make love to her again", that "she needs affection" and "was making animal sounds" the last time they were together but Liz will only accept his offer if he realizes she wants no commitment involved or even romance.
Liz, over the course of the show, begins to realize that she has isolated herself from the world of love and relationships for so long that even though she is rich and on all the most important people lists like Forbes Fortune 500, she has also given up her chances to have children and a husband among other things and is faced with the biggest decision of her life to try and salvage her soul and dignity as a human being.
The play is delivered fast and furiously with many exciting twists and turns and light and scene design changes. It reminded me of the film "Draft Day" starring Kevin Costner that shows just how much constant pressure and money is riding on these agents and their young, often inexperienced and naive clients – the promises made and the slugfests that occur between agencies and teams to sign elite talent. We learn how much athlete image control weighs into a successful sports career for those that have a hard time staying out of trouble.
King Liz is also the story of two completely different paths taken from two people, both African Americans, who grew up in the same projects. Ambitious, disciplined and determined, Liz carved a trail for herself to succeed in the business world by obtaining a Yale education and learning the social graces and toughness that positions herself to rise up the corporate ladder. She's hard-nosed and no-nonsense and does not make excuses. At the same time, Luna, though mega-talented, struggles to mature or find a sense of responsibility. He blows up with little provocation and misses key business appointments to go shopping with his friends. We want so desperately to shake him and say, "Wake up! You have been given a golden opportunity to shine and become an example to others."
Lanise Antoine Shelly is a powerhouse as Liz Rico and is surrounded by an impressive cast in this fast-paced, knockout punch production. I highly recommend Fernanda Coppel's King Liz, directed with real style and exciting action and catharsis by Chuck Smith.
King Liz is being performed at Windy City Playhouse. For tickets visit www.WindyCityPlayhouse.com.
With an all Latino/Latina cast, Marisela Treviño Orta's 2014 one-act is brought to life with magic and wonder. The River Bride, set in a South American village along the murky and mysterious Amazon River is a romantic and touching production, which, thanks to director Rinska Carrasco-Prestinary and ingenious props created by Ellie Terrell, seems to have created a real river out of clever lighting, projection screens on the walls and a fourth wall-breaking set consisting of various docks and land areas with the audience seated so close. I could almost feel the water sweeping beneath my feet.
In this tiny Brazilian village, we meet two sisters, Helena (Flavia Pallozi) and Belmira (Sofia Tew) who are preparing for the marriage of the younger sister Belmira to the older sister's childhood ex-boyfriend Duarte (Johnathan Nieves), which is a sad situation for the older sister.
But three days before the June wedding, Moises (Nico Fernandez U/S), a sensitive and mysteriously handsome stranger, is rescued from the river by Duarte and the girls' kindly father, Sr. Costa, played with great love and gusto by Johnny Garcia. Once Moises is brought to the Costa's home, life as the happy family knew begins to change as the young visitor has his eyes set on Helena.
Home to the Costa's, their village is peaceful, charming and quite beautiful. It is the home of many fisherman, of which Sr. Costa and Duarte make their living. It is a simple place – a place where stories are shared. In this village, nested along the Amazon, an ancient myth is passed down from generation to generation regarding magical dolphins who are destined to find human love and become human in the process that are given the chance for three days each June to do the impossible! First these mermen must locate their true love, their destined human soulmate whom they will know instantly ONLY because "the very first sight of her looking into their eyes makes them feel true love in a place in their heart which has no words". Secondly, they must convince the soulmate to marry them and third, they must place the magic wedding ring on the woman's finger by the side of the river in an act of secret marriage before sunset on the third day!
But the play is about more than such a grim fairy tale passed down, which dooms each merman to eternal and unbearable loneliness if they do not successfully seek out, find and grab hold of their own personal golden fleece, so to speak.
The play is about the complicated dynamic between sisters and the ability or inability to act for the sake of their own well-being. It's about the human in the fairy tale come true who is suddenly without notice faced with a magical, perfect love and her ingrained inability to recognize and seize the moment for herself. It's also about the closeness of family.
I love the saucy, honeymooning chemistry between Sra. Costa and Sr. Costa, the sisters fun loving parents wonderfully played by Ana Maria Alvarez and Johnny Garcia. It should be noted that Nico Fernandez, Moises the stranger from the river, was understudying the role and had to step in with only 45-minutes notice before opening night! Fernandez, thrust into the role, did a great job creating chemistry with the two both Pollozi and Tew. The entire cast is delightful and believably creates the kind of welcoming nature one would hope to find in a close family from a quaint river village.
Along with its fine cast, there are a handful of twists and turns in this adoringly, capturing story that surprise and keep us guessing.
I really can't say enough of the cleverness of this stage design and lighting effects, which shows lightning bolts and rain on the walls and turns what once was the top floor of a Chicago church into a convincing and romantically, sensual experience of real life on the Amazon river.
I highly recommend this thought provoking, stunningly raw and romantic play which has been lovingly and lushly produced to theatergoers of all ages that wish to be transported to a magical land where fairy tales can come true, for better or worse.
Halcyon Theatre's The River Bride is being performed at Christ Lutheran Church, 3255 W. Wilson Ave in Chicago through June 18th. Tickets are just $20 and can be purchased at https://halcyontheatre.org/.
Warning - Do not proceed if you have not yet seen the play - Spoiler alert!
This isn't a total spoiler but it's such a great choice by the authoress, Marisela Treviño Orta', which is so brilliant and deepens the messages in this deeply affecting one act so much that I need to acknowledge this plot twist in this review.
Although never directly stated in the play, only implied, it turns out that the blissful, everlastingly youthful and passionate love of Sra. and Sr. Costa is most likely the actual result of a successful transformation of a "dolphin king" and his true love,
What is made clear is that Sr. Costa was also a man who appeared mysteriously by the river, on a busy fishing dock one day in a new town and wooed and married their happy mother within exactly three days in the month of June so many years before. This is crucial to me because it not only shows how the Brazilian people's modern lives are enriched by their own mythology but implies that the authoress feels some magic and mystery may still be left in the world at least where true love is concerned.
Another reason why I loved the implication is that the two sisters are the result of a magical wedding that led to a life of true love and sweet contentment, because when the sisters each make their choice - no spoiler here - the audience is made to envision and feel clearly the heavy, very real consequences of the wrong choice.
The disbeliever or doubtful lover who makes the wrong choice results in just the opposite, a truly disastrous result – "Disastrous" from the Greek meaning "being torn from the perfect orbits of one's own fate or stars", a never ending lifetime of sadness, loneliness and discontent, perhaps a fate worse than death to people who love and treasure marriage and their family life so much.
Try to remember a time before the Internet, before dating sites, before personal ads and instant cameras and you will eventually discover the age-old path of finding love and dating for men and women called "Lonely Hearts Clubs".
In Marriott Theatre's "She Loves Me", a musical with a book by Joe Masteroff, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and music by Jerry Bock, two co-workers at the quaint Maraczek's Parfumerie shop have unwittingly fallen in love with each other by the "Dear Friend" letters they have sent and received through their lonely hearts club connection. Though Georg and Amalia have not seen even a single photo of the other they each are certain by the written words of the other that they are truly in love and are ready to finally meet.
Alex Goodrich's Georg, the male half of this love match starts out as a bit of a jerk. Goodrich, who puts forth a very strong performance, makes Georg very sympathetic, albeit a bit of a boor though he is likable to his co-workers. He is earnestly content with his fifteen-year-plus job at the store. Although he has lots of girls who are real friends, it turns out Georg is completely insecure and out of touch with his feelings towards the opposite sex when it comes to romance.
When Elizabeth Telford enters the store as Amalia (who is both seeking employment and unsuspectingly the other half of the lonely hearts club love letters), Georg is utterly irritated by her natural instinct for sales. Georg treats her with disdain even though she is cute and eminently qualified for the job she gets from the boss after selling a new product, a musical cigarette box, in record time.
Both Goodrich and Telford endear you to their stubborn characters over the course of the show. As delivery boy, Arpad, played with youthful cheer, by Grant Kilian says to another clerk at the store with wonder, "Do they like each other?" The other clerk says, " Yes, they like each other very much," to which Arpad says, "Well shouldn't someone tell them?"
Elizabeth Telford really knocks it put of the park emotionally and vocally with the number "Will He Like Me?", as she muses about all the different qualities he may or may not find attractive about her once they finally meet. Also, her genuinely joyous and girlish rendition of "Vanilla Ice Cream" lifts the audience to believe in true love again as Georg, who has already stood her up once, breaking her heart so badly that she cannot return to work that day, delivers a pint of Amalias' favorite vanilla ice cream. The thoughtful gesture makes her happy at his consideration in a way that begins to dimly realize what might be real love despite his earlier disdainful and brutish treatment of her feelings at work.
Yes, it's like a period piece version of " You've Got Mail" that plays with a very modern feel as couples STILL face these challenges trying to find their mate today despite the Internet dating revolution.
(Above) Jessica Naimy as "Ilona" and Jame Earl Jones II as "Sipos"
Jessica Naimy as Ilona steals the show with two of her numbers as the sexy, single gal at the Parfumerie who lets her desire for Mr. Right get in the way of finding her Mr. Right. In "I Resolve", Naimy sings with genuine force and power that she resolves to let go of her destructive purely sexual relationship with the lothario of the drugstore and rather stand up for the truly lovable and deserving-of-respect woman she really is. In the number "Trip to the Library", Ilona seems to unconsciously know that a trip to a place of higher learning for the evening instead of to the local drinking hole will eventually lead to her meeting a man of substance and intelligence who loves her the way she was meant to be loved.
James Earl Jones II as Sipos, the clerk with a family who will kiss anyone's butt to save his boring but dependable job, delivers a very funny, dry performance and his singing voice is both comical and deeply resounding. Great job! And David Schlumpf as Steven Kodaly, the womanizing and insensitive clerk who'll sleep with anyone, really makes you want to slap him in the face, but his number "Grand Knowing You" shows the audience his sexist honesty is what finally pushes Ilona over the brink to find her own self-respect again, even if it means being alone for a while.
Shop owner Mr. Maraczek is also well played by Terry Hamilton, as he is able to finely capture both the character's storminess as that of a demanding boss and the good heartedness that hides beneath his exterior.
The slicked back hair and black tails of The Headwaiter who serves Georg and Amalia at their very first meeting at a "romantic hideaway" is hysterically portrayed by Steven Strafford who has great physical comedy skills with his spot on facial expressions and timing.
Directed and choreographed by Artistic Director Aaron Thielen, "She Loves Me" is a cute love story that features many charming characters and fun numbers including the adorable "Thank You, Madam" a goodbye the store employees sing together whenever a customer leaves the shop.
Thank you, madam.
Please call again.
Do call again,
I highly recommend this heartwarming, fresh and fun production which is brought to life by Jeffrey D. Kmiec's sets, Jesse Klug's soft and lovely period lighting and especially Sally Dolembo's really delicious, color-rich costumes for both the leads and the wonderful ensemble of players who portray shoppers in the store. Altogether with this superb cast, "She Loves Me" brings the art of lovemaking in this long past period to life in a delightful modern way.
"She Loves Me" is being performed at Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire through June 18th. For tickets and show information click here.
Set in the 1930's, this melodrama has all the ingredients you'd expect, sex, drugs, murders and the quick, clever banter of women fighting for their lives in a film noir-colored seedy underworld of a dance hall/nightclub/whorehouse.
In the latest Hell in a Handbag production "Lady X - The Musical", director and writer/composer David Cerda plays Scarlet stunningly dressed in delicious blood-red with all of the oomph, hilarity and confident power of his Joan Crawford character. Cerda really is the sun around which all of the talented planets in his cast revolve and he does it with great force and superb dry humor that trumps all and anchors the show with fear of the ultimate female "mob boss" that Hell in a Handbag fans have come to love and expect. Like Cerda says at the end of the show, "Hell in a Handbag is not just a theatre company it's a cult!"
Christea Parent as Mary Dwight, is Lady X whose innocent younger sister comes to town to finish school but ends up tragically caught in the champagne filled "make it rain" dollars mentality. Christea Parent is unbelievably on point as the leader of the dames, the only one with a real purpose in life and the brains enough to stay out of the clutches of the gross "john" and the abusive bosses who take over the club by murdering the previous owner.
Christea Parent, with the help of Kate Setzer Kamphausen's fabulous period costumes, Keith Ryan's hysterical and yet perfectly designed and coiffed wigs and Sydney Genco's detailed makeup designs, (right down to the different types of fake eyelashes for each character) dominates the show with her singing, dancing and fast-talking character reminiscent of Barbara Stanwyck. I was dazzled by her mastery of the period acting while keeping her character both funny and deserving of compassion at every level.
Almost all of my Hell in a Handbag fave performers were featured well in this production like Ed Jones, as Estelle, the "oldest whore" in the bunch. Jones is hysterical as always with his slightly breathy, tongue-in-cheek, sympathetic "grandmom" character of the group. Estelle, despite her age has found her perfect baby boy lover in the young Val, played with adorable youthful energy by another Handbag regular, handsome Chazie Bly. Their duet, "A Lovely Pair", got some of the biggest laughs in the show's numbers and the perfect casting made their May/December romance absolutely understandable and even enviable.
Caitlin Jackson, who blew me AWAY as "Bette, LIVE at the Continental Baths" a few months ago at Theater Wit is Gabby. Her aging and wise Betty Boop-style character is fully formed, lovable and again Jackson brought down the house with her amazing voice during the showstopper "Flim Flam Floozy".
Elizabeth Lesinski another Hell in a Handbag regular does an amazing job in her role, her comedic touch as perfect as ever.
Wide-eyed director Steve Love enters the show to co-star as Betty Dwight, Mary's naive kid sister who Mary is trying to keep in school and off the streets. Love is a breath of fresh air in the snake pit of despair these women swim in as the hopeful innocent, tap dancing her way into the audience's hearts.
Laura Coleman, one of the women playing a man characters is really funny and sharp as Frank Gorham, the attorney seeking justice of his own while Adrian Hadlock, also plays several characters and is really ingenious in his multi-layered portrayals of Crandall, Louie and the Judge.
"Lady X" has so many fun and wonderful twists and turns, it would be shame to spoil them all by giving them away, but suffice it to say David Cerda has once again created a whole new world all his own where the lines between male and female, innocent and guilty are marvelously blurred to show the vulnerability of all humankind when pressed to fight for their lives, livelihood and self-respect.
Cerda's play is full of belly laughs from beginning to end and contains several very touching song numbers, like white picket fence, flower-filled "The House on the Hill", which all the women dream of retiring to, the song rounding out the hilarity with genuine sentiment.
"Lady X" is destined to become another Hell in a Handbag hit.
I highly recommend "Lady X" for ladies , gentlemen and flim flam floozies everywhere seeking to escape from the horrors of the current political landscape facing the LGTBQ community and instead be surrounded by a joyous, celebration of strong women from all walks of life and the dangers they faced in the 30's as well as the dangers they face now.
"Lady X - The Musical" is being performed at Mary's Attic in Andersonville through June 17th. For more show information or to purchase tickets visit http://www.handbagproductions.org/.
I have to admit Aladdin is one of my all-time favorite Disney films so I was very optimistic upon entering Cadillac Palace to see the stage version. Turned into a live musical in 2011, Disney's Aladdin has landed in Chicago for a five-month run with over three million people having already experienced the production worldwide. My hopes were high. I wanted so much to enjoy it. I entered the musical knowing the characters and creative team had a lot to deliver in order to please me - and deliver they did! Bringing to life the classic tale of Aladdin, Princess Jasmine, Genie and the villainous Jafar, I am happy to say the stage adaptation of the popular musical is a full-on magical adventure that exceeds expectations.
Adam Jacobs in the lead role of Aladdin has a wonderful voice, excellent dance skills and a charming, bright white smile that reaches all the way to the audience members in the back balcony much to their delight. Jacobs has some real star quality developing, which is a pleasure to see. Adam Jacobs as the poor thief trying to win Princess Jasmine's heart with three wishes from a genie, really resembles a young Matt Dillon for those who remember the handsome, spirited hustler in the popular film "The Flamingo Kid."
Perfectly paired with Jacobs, Isabelle McCalla plays Princess Jasmine with a sassy, feminist air that was both endearing and inspiring to young girls without seeming cloying or coy. McCalla also has a lovely, yet strong stage presence and a wonderful singing voice. Yet the key to a successful production of Aladdin depends on the strength of the wish-giving imp and in this case Anthony Murphy nails the role of Genie. Murphy is deliciously saucy and upbeat in his interpretation of Genie and has great physical comedy timing and brings with him some impressive dance instincts.
The fabulous tunes of Aladdin penned by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice are brought to life by this talented ensemble directed by Devanand Janki with an abundance of energy and infectious joy!
The magic flying carpet scene is every bit as enchanting as in the film when Aladdin posing as a prince offers to free Jasmine from her castle tower where she has been isolated from seeing the daily life of the real world. Aladdin finally shows her "A Whole NEW World" with a stunning backdrop of night stars, which create an effective and truly romantic flying carpet special effect that makes both adult couples and children alike say, "Wow, that's beautiful!"
I loved the way the book has been altered to include the idea that an arranged marriage is politically incorrect even if it is an arranged marriage to a prince. This is a very serious problem in other countries and I was very pleased that the writers made it clear to the young women watching the show that in the end even Jasmines' father, The King, was forced to change the law in order to make sure his daughter was married to someone she loved, regardless of his social standing - that it was her choice, not his.
Brian Sidney Bembridge (sets), Jesse Klug (lighting) and Debbie Baer (costumes) each deserve their own round of applause for their amazing accomplishment in creating the truly golden treasure room and flying carpet effects along with the colorful, rich designs that captured and dazzled the eye in every scene.
I highly recommend this show for adults who'd like to go on a romantic date as it dreamy and fun while reminding us of the innocence of love. Aladdin is, of course, also a great production for young ones to see because, unlike in some children's theater, the characters are fully rounded and the entire spirited cast really delivers on their opening number, "Arabian Nights", successfully projecting the feelings associated with the magic and destiny of Love that is caused by such wonder and delight!
Disney's Aladdin is running at Cadillac Palace through September 10th. For tickets and show information visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
Leah Urzendowski and Anthony Courser have created a show that is part comedy, part play therapy that is truly a joy to behold. Don't skip the opening steps. When you enter the lobby, you will be asked to write down one of your fears and place it in an envelope. Then you will be asked to think of something that brings you Joy and bring that thought with you as you enter "The Joy Womb". The Neo Futurium has been cleverly lined with mismatched sheets, colored lights beneath to create a lovely, cozy joy womb effect.
The? Unicorn? Hour? begins with an awesome light show in the "womb" accompanied by terrific music and sound effects to which Leah and Anthony (who are a couple in real life) enter wearing dark capes and much smoke, which is soon thrown off to show that they are actually dressed in beautifully crafted, silvery unitards as Unicorns of Joy!
"The mighty rumpus that defeats the evil!" They cry out then ask if we are feeling scared, defeated etc. by what's going on in the world, inviting the audience to join them in their journey to transform fear into real joy.
Both actors are fantastic physical comedians (having been creators together on the popular play "Burning Bluebeard", the unique show in which actors from the deathly 1903 Iroquois Theater fire where over 600 audience members were killed), and try to get through the show without killing their audience this time, as well. But Leah Urzendowski is a real dancer in every sense of the word, expressive, muscular, sensitive and flexible. Her dancing as the Unicorn takes the show into another realm of professionalism and put of pure clowning.
There is a special guest from another show, I won't reveal because there will be a new special guest each week but this Eeyore-like character enters to the music "Lonely Boy" and the audience sees clearly that joy is a choice, as the pair tries to get him to cheer up using a bubble machine. He keeps insisting over and over, "Those bubbles are just gonna pop. There goes another one and another one, they are all popping!"
There is a "swear square" where tensions are released by letting out swear words, but when Courser gets too carried away after starting off with innocent words like "dang" and "darn it" and the swearing turns mean and scary i.e. "I've got a bag of dicks and I'm going to stir it in a pot to make myself a dickwich to…," she eventually stops him. It's a tiny little feminist statement that many miss because in today's anything goes type of political correctness sometimes things just go too far in that dark "pornographic" way and women and children end up feeling threatened instead of empowered to express their own anger however gentle it may be.
There is a fabulous physical bit where Courser pantomimes a journey to the top of a mountain that includes horseback riding, to flying, to parachuting to snow climbing among other fun-tastic feats. But as they both reach the top, the audience is suddenly enveloped in darkness and fear again.
This is where the cast members come around and start asking us to name our fears and if we'd like to give them to the players to take away from us. Some of the fears in our audience were loneliness, fear of being alone in the dark, a pet or loved one dying, failure, never being more than I am now and drowning in cold water. But by the end of the show we are all asked to shout out our joys - the sound of a dog drinking water, a fresh piece of buttered toast, easy money, cuddling in bed all day, etc. and the room is restored to feelings of Joyous Surrender to the music and dancing these two have created.
Their dance numbers really are both comical and extraordinarily demanding and professional, with the two winding about each other like seahorses made to fit as one beautiful, silvery creature with Leah's legs wrapped around Courser's waist or even his neck as she peers out between his knees to whisper "JOY!"
I have to say this is the MOST fun and joy I have had in recent years at any comedy in Chicago and promising an audience as stressed out as Chicago audience members are now by the political disasters and death unfolding around us every day, delivering a dose of real JOY in the theater world, is a REAL achievement!
I highly recommend this hilarious, thought-provoking and most of all FUN, delightful, refreshing, exciting, comforting and colorful piece of work to anyone who is seeking to remember how to have a little joy in their lives right NOW.
The? Unicorn? Hour? Runs just over an hour and is currently being performed at the Neo Futurium in Andersonville through May 13th (hopefully an extension will take place). For tickets and more show information visit www.neofuturist.org.
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Grizzly Mountain comes into view from the Cyclone Creek approach. This photo was taken somewhat below the creek's origin.
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2012 Ironman Texas
Jordan Rapp is victorious at the Ironman Texas on May 19, 2012 in The Woodlands, TX
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May 27, 2012 in Ideas
3 mins
A Day in the Life Of A Social Media Influencer
You don't have to be a "person of influence" to be influential. In fact, the most influential people in my life are probably not even aware of the things they've taught me. – Scott Adams With the rise of Klout, a company that measures influences on social networks which I usually refer as the ...


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My friend brought me to Dae Bak Bon Ga for dinner few weeks ago. It's my first time having Bangja Gui ( Korean BBQ in lettuce wrap ).
The restaurant is located on second floor, just on top of Bubble World / Ezogiku / Don Guacamole's. Inside, they have a karaoke room for customers to sing after dining.
The customer service was excellent, all the staffs were very friendly and easy to reach.
According to my observations the most popular menu item was their BBQ Combos. They also offer all you can eat BBQ but I suggest that you ordered their combo instead as the portion is very generous!
We ordered Combo A which consisted of spicy Pork & chicken & beef marinated in soy sauce ( $28,95 ). We also got rice and soup along with side dishes.
The side dishes were pretty good : they had two salad side dishes which I never seen in other Korean restaurant and they were very good indeed.
The portion is big and generous!! A little too much for the two of us.
Their meats were fresh and uniquely seasoned.
After we barbecued the meats, we then put the barbecued meats on the lettuce and put any side dishes of our choice before we finally wrapped the letuce. Very fun to eat indeed !
The meat was well seasoned and very succulent which made you want more and more!
We can refill our lettuce for free. And as the dish was so good, we ended up refilled it twice.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Dae Bak Bon Ga
Posted by La Petite Vancouver at 1:07 AM
4 comments:
- Sherman said...
The banchan looks so good. I need to try this place out! Oh, btw, your pictures rock!
- June 7, 2009 at 3:21 PM
- La Petite Vancouver said...
Sherman : Thank You! =)
- June 7, 2009 at 5:35 PM
- shokutsu said...
DBBG is probably my most preferred spot for Korean food in the downtown area. Other non-bbq items are pretty solid too, if you're interested. My post from about a year ago documents two dishes like that.
- June 21, 2009 at 11:59 PM
- La Petite Vancouver said...
shokutsu : really?? I will check it out =)
- June 22, 2009 at 12:00 AM
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How do religious traditions cope with the problem of evil when they conceptualize their God as beneficent, omniscient and omnipotent? This classic question haunts every monotheism. This course will focus on this problem in Judaism and Christianity, with some attention to Islam as well, and will also consider post-religious variations on the theme. We will consider both philosophical accounts beginning in the Hebrew Bible with Job and Ecclesiastes and move forward through rabbinic texts and Saint Augustine; taking stock of the medievals in all three traditions, moving into early modernity with Leibniz and will treat as well modern transformations of this question in thinkers such as Kant, Hegel, Kafka, Blanchot and Susan Sontag.
Class Format: lecture
Requirements/Evaluation: several short response papers and a take-home exam
Additional Info: This course is a part of the 2012-13 Gaudino Initiative on Danger and will be co-taught by Ryan Coyne and Sarah Hammerschlag.
Additional Info2:
Prerequisites: none
Enrollment Preference: first-year students
Department Notes:
Material and Lab Fees:
Distribution Notes:
Divisional Attributes: Division II
Other Attributes:
Enrollment Limit: none
Expected Enrollment: 40
Class Number: 1672
|REL102-01(F) LEC Conceptualizing Evil
|Sarah E. Hammerschlag
, Ryan D. Coyne
|MWF 11:00 AM-11:50 AM Griffin 2


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Crown Castle International Inc. (CCI - Free Report) declared fourth-quarter 2011 financial results, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimates. The solid performance was primarily driven by higher usage of smartphones and increased deployment of 4G networks.
Net profit
Quarterly GAAP net income was approximately $43.9 million or 16 cents per share compared with a net income of $35.7 million or 12 cents per share in the year-ago quarter. Fourth-quarter 2011 adjusted EPS of 18 cents was a penny above the Zacks Consensus Estimate.
Net revenue in the reported quarter was $519.5 million, up 4.7% year over year, just exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $518 million. This was mainly due to improved performance by the Site Rental segment.
Gross margin in the reported quarter was 71.3% compared with 69.2% in the year-ago quarter. Operating income was $176.9 million compared with $156.2 million in the prior-year quarter. Quarterly adjusted EBITDA was approximately $335.2 million, up 7.6% year over year. Recurring cash flow (adjusted EBITDA excluding interest expense and sustaining capital expenditure) in the fourth quarter of 2011 was roughly $198.7 million, up 13.1% year over year.
Cash Flow
During fiscal 2011, funds flow from operation (FFO) was $708.3 million compared with $182.2 million in fiscal 2010. FFO per share in fiscal 2011 was $2.48 compared with 63 cents in fiscal 2010. Adjusted funds flow from operation (AFFO) during fiscal 2011 was $736 .7 million compared with $631.2 million in fiscal 2010. AFFO per share in fiscal 2011 was $2.58 compared with $2.20 in fiscal 2010.
Balance Sheet
At the end of fiscal 2011, Crown Castle had cash & marketable securities of approximately $80.1 million on its balance sheet compared with $112.5 million at the end of fiscal 2010. Total debt was approximately $6,958.3 million at the end of the reported quarter versus $6,750.2 million at the end of fiscal 2010. At the end of fiscal 2011, debt-to-capitalization ratio was 0.74 versus 0.73 at the end of fiscal 2010.
Site Rental Segment
Quarterly revenue was $471.3 million, up 5.4% year over year. Gross margin (site rental revenue excluding site rental cost of operations) for the segment was 74.5% compared with 72.8% in the prior-year quarter.
Network Services Segment
Quarterly revenue was $48.1 million, down 2% year over year. Gross margin for the segment was 40.2% compared with 36.4% in the prior-year quarter.
Management Outlook for the first Quarter of Fiscal 2011
CrownCastleexpects site rental revenue in the range of $474 million to $479 million. Site rental cost of operation is projected in the $117 million to $122 million range. Adjusted EBITDA is anticipated between $335 million and $340 million. Interest expense is estimated in the $124 million to $128 million range. FFO is estimated in the range of $172 million to $198 million and AFFO is estimated between $193 million and $198 million. Net income, on a GAAP basis, after deducting dividend on preferred stocks, is expected in the range of $34 million to $60 million or 12 cents to 21 cents per share.
Management Outlook for Fiscal 2012
CrownCastleexpects site rental revenue in the range of $1,930 million to $1,945 million. Site rental cost of operation is projected in the $470 million to $485 million range. Adjusted EBITDA is anticipated between $1,365 million and $1,380 million. Interest expense is estimated in the $505 million to $515 million range. FFO is estimated in the range of $727 million to $817 million and AFFO is estimated between $800 million and $820 million. Net income, on a GAAP basis, after deducting dividend on preferred stocks, is expected in the range of $171 million to $261 million or 59 cents to 90 cents per share.
Strong financial outlook and continuous share repurchase coupled with increased roll outs of 3G/4G high speed mobile voice, data, and video technology and higher smartphone usage will act as positive catalysts for the stock, going forward. The company is well positioned compared with its peers, such as AmericanTower Corp. (AMT - Free Report) and SBA Communications Corp. (SBAC - Free Report) .
We, thus, maintain our long-term Outperform recommendation onCrown Castle. Currently, CrownCastleholds a Zacks#1 Rank, implying a short-term Strong Buy rating.
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In the season's final week, Alabama, Mississippi State, Kentucky and Vanderbilt grabbed wins against in-state rivals.
Courtesy Mississippi State Athletics/Arkansas Athletics
LITTLE ROCK, AR - It took overtime to secure the victory, but Mississippi State found a way to win on the road Saturday, beating Arkansas 24-17.
The Bulldogs (5-6, 2-5 SEC) kept bowl hopes alive with the win, while Arkansas (3-8, 0-6) lost its eighth straight game after opening this season 3-0.
True freshman Bulldog quarterback Damian Williams scored the winning touchdown for the Bulldogs on the first play of overtime, a 25-yard scamper up the middle. Sophomore cornerback Taveze Calhoun sealed the win by intercepting the Razorbacks on fourth down on the potential game-tying possession for the Hogs.
Sophomore running back Josh Robinson led the way for MSU offensively, racking up 101 yards on the ground despite only playing in the second half. Signal caller Tyler Russell, named the starting quarterback shortly before the game, put up a gritty effort despite his injury from last week. He completed 18-of-28 passes for 263 yards and two touchdowns. Junior receiver Jameon Lewis made a big return to the stat book, catching six passes for 84 yards and a score.
Defensively, the Bulldogs forced two fumbles and racked up seven tackles for loss. Senior safety Nickoe Whitley, in addition to a forced and recovered fumble, led the team with 10 tackles.
The Razorbacks scored on the game's opening drive, going 56 yards in eight plays and converting both third-down attempts on the drive. Javontee Herndon capped off the drive by taking the end-around and scoring on the left side from eight yards out to give Arkansas the early 7-0 lead.
Zach Hocker helped the Razorbacks extend their lead to 10-0 midway through the second quarter, converting on a 54-yard field goal. The kick marked the eighth-longest in school history and the longest since Kendall Trainor converted from 58 yards against Miami in 1988.
The Bulldogs responded with 10 unanswered points of their own in the second quarter, first converting a 24-yard field goal and then scoring again on a 30-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 10-10.
Jonathan Williams led all Razorbacks rushers with 59 yards on eight carries, while Alex Collins set the Arkansas freshman record for carries (179) and finished the game with 52 yards. Herndon and Julian Horton each recorded the first rushing touchdowns of their careers in the game.


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ArchLord: Media #15 @ RPG Vault
by Dhruin, 2006-08-18 00:13:00RPG Vault has posted their latest ArchLord Media feature offering four new screens.
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Information aboutArchlord
SP/MP: Massive
Setting: Unknown
Genre: MMORPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released


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I gotta say that I have something of a special place in my heart for this album, particularly due to its first song (that takes up most of the album's duration.) It doesn't feature the best riffs from the two guys on guitar, it doesn't feature the best drumming from the guy on drums, it doesn't feature the best vocals from the guy on the microphone, but all together manages to be much more than the sum of its parts. It's a strange little one-off just like the Sunn O))) guys' first band Thorr's Hammer turned out to be, and manages to eclipse what they do with their mainstay again just like Thorr's Hammer continues to do. There's something about this record that just really goddamn works on every level, and gives a unique satisfaction immersing in it.
On a very basic level, it's drone/doom guys playing traditional doom metal, meaning it's doom metal for all intents and purposes, just with everything drawn out to absurd lengths - the songs themselves, each part, each riff, each note. The intro to the first song alone lasts twice as long than a vast majority of traditional doom metal songs. What makes it work however is the sum of individual elements put into it transcending each element itself. The Sunn guys, as mentioned, certainly have a few better riffs in their back catalogue, but in the context of this album manage to sound so passionate about their delivery of these simple notes that they actually pack you by the balls the way you'd expect from an actual metal band rather than drone guys lulling you into their ambience. This is greatly aided by a drummer who does far more than keep the beat, giving a really strong drive to the already unusually (for those guys) energetic riffing and working together to create perhaps the first and only headbangers in the axemen's history. The result of this is that you wouldn't want to have a frontman other than Lee Dorrian, because while he was never my favourite singer, he sure as hell is one of the few who can give a genre as sedate as doom metal the same energy he once pummeled listeners with in the extreme metal bands he fronted.
It's really amazing getting into this record, because for all intents and purposes you're listening to a drone/doom record as introspective and ethereal as any Sunn O))) record, while at the same time it grabs you by the balls with the urge to bang your head. You may feel this as a contradiction on a deep level, as two mutually exclusive impulses urged by the music, but I feel that in this combination the two sides amplify each other because they take on a ritualistic character. Like many pagan rituals in the world involve traditional dance or movement to enhance the trance and thereby the spiritual experience, the headbanging motions communicated into your subconscious by this music become the vessel of achieving the ultimate elemental contemplation without thought, with only your own being in the here and now. To keep your body busy, in the end, succeeds far better in achieving this state of mindful meditation than the sitting quietly staring at a wall that you'd have with the Sunn guys' mainstay. In effect, this makes the sole Teeth of Lions Rule the Divine album their most sucessfully meditative and spiritual work, while at the same time being simply a (small) collection of great hard rocking tunes. If you are on a search for the rare highlights in the drone/doom field, this should be one of your first stops.
It's admirable when bands can create monolithical heaviness without the urging need of speed. An example for this is Teeth of Lions Rule the Divine, a supergroup formed by Sunn O))) with Electric Wizard and Iron Monkeys's drummer Justin Greaves and the great Lee Dorrian from Napalm Death and Cathedral, a supergroup organised to produce entrancing drone/doom sounds with their droning riffs. One of the heaviest things I've listened to by far.
The result of this supergroup, that came, unhappily, as a lonely 3-track album, was some great drone/doom that crushes us with heavy minimalist riffs that we would expect from musicians as good as these. This may seem contradictory, but the best way to describe the guitars and bass would be "excruciatingly strong", with Sunn O)))'s droning fitting well into this different genre. There's some emphasis on drums, an instrument that Sunn O))) barely uses, and Greaves did a really good job with them, with loud beats and even some solos. This more metal approach to drone metal, in opposition to the stronger approach to drone music by Sunn O))), made the band sound more somehow like Khanate or maybe Burning Witch, which are both great.
The first song, "He Who Accepts Whatever Is Offered (Feel Bad Hit of the Winter)", is a 30-minute piece of music about the self-destruction of drug addicts. In the first minutes of music, the slow escalation and dirty background already create a background of anxiety and sickness that are felt all song long. The instrumentation creates a very heavy atmosphere, that makes these many minutes of music that passes feelings of despair, pain and boredom pretty good. Vocals are equally sick, Lee Dorrian showing a guttural timber we hadn't listened to neither in Cathedral or Napalm Death.
The second song is a cover of noise rock band Killdozer's "New Pants and Shirt", which combined perfectly with Rampton's style. Killdozer's heavy and noisy riffs were slowed down and a long intro was added, to fit to the sickly atmosphere of the band. The original visceral vocals by Michael Gerald were sung in an even dirtier fashion, and the result was awesome. You can't say this is the cover of a band that plays a completely different style, even though they resemble each other in some things, such as the pain transmitted and the heaviness of the music.
The last song, The Smiler, seems to be the most chaotic of them all, with 18 minutes of guitar riffs advancing in a fashion that seems to be almost random, slow drums contouring the song in a superb way and many tracks of vocals creating a wall of sound, the loudest being Dorrian's desperate screams. This track is probably the one that relies the most on drones, these making up the greater part of the song, with some vocal effects and eventual keyboards that enter the droning vibe, entrancing drums contributing for the song not to sound monotonous. The track ends with minutes of pure noise, closing the chaos.
Rampton ending up being an excellent album, becoming my favourite parallel project by Teeth of Lions Rule the Divine. It's long and slow, and it will probably appeal only to those who are really into this kind of music, but for those who like some drone music or just doom metal, I'd say it's perfect.
Of all of the Sunn 0))) projects, this is perhaps my favorite.
The primary distinction between this album and other 0))) projects is the heavy emphasis on drumming. Justin Greaves' drum work is excellent, combining unstructured soloing (reminiscent of Orthodox (Esp), or the other way around) and slow, heavy pounding (reminiscent of Burning Witch, via Jamie Sykes). The drums are recorded exceptionally well, providing depth and punch that punctuates the typical O))) drones.
The vocal work, provided by Lee Dorian of Cathedral and Napalm Death, is particularly well done. The persistent rhythmic delivery and intense emotional content blends perfectly into the overall atmosphere provided by the other three members.
The drones are as good as ever, providing a crushing foundation for the excellent drum work and vocals. It is relatively simplistic at times, but this is used to great effect, combining with the drumming and the vocal work, as well as the occasional use of sweeping synths and noise, to explode your mind into realms it could not otherwise reach. The last track, "The Smiler," uses the same riff as heard on the track "Mocking Solemnity" on the Sunn O))) album "Flight of the Behemoth," and the unique atmosphere of this project provides a good interpretation of that riff.
Overall, this is some of the heaviest and hardest-hitting O))) work that I've heard thus far. To my mind, it seems more like a continuation of the precedent set by Burning Witch, with the excellent use of the drums. I would love to hear more O))) projects based this strongly around the drums; the strong punctuation and driving force they provide add a very forceful and confident characteristic to drone. If you like this album, I would suggest you listen to Orthodox (Esp) and Burning Witch for more drone and doom along these lines.
I like drone metal. I'm going to say that first before I review this album. Bands like Sunn O))), Earth, Khanate, Asva, etc. are amazing. Bands like Teeth of the Lion Rule the Divine, are not so great.
This album, although only consisting of three tracks, seems like you got caught in and endless abyss. Every song just takes forever, whether I hear a good riff or not, after about 16 repetitions, I just want it to stop. I like the bands the members come from (Sunn O))), Burning Witch, Cathedral) but this band, is blah. It's so boring it's not even slightly amusing.
He Who Accepts All That Is Offered (Feel Bad Hit Of The Winter) is possibly the most boring drone song I have ever heard. It is half an hour of pure, unfiltered monotony. It just puts you to sleep, whether it's the intended effect or not, it's not the good, dreamy kind of sleep. It's sleep out of pure desperation. It's sleep out of pure boredom. That's the effect of this song. I don't want to hear three riffs repeated over, over, over, over, over, over, over, over, and over again.
The next two songs are basically the first song, only about six minutes shorter. I hear absolutely no difference between The Smiler, New Pants and Shirt, and He Who Accepts All That Is Offered. None, nada, zero.
This album, well it's quite mediocre. I've heard better drone, and if you want to start with the unholy, depressing, genre that is drone metal, don't think twice about this album. Pick out a Sunn O))) album instead. It's way more evil and more enjoyable.
Ah, doom metallers. They're a rare breed among musicians in the current state of affairs in that they do not and cannot aspire to great commercial success. Doom's fanbase is limited to such an extent that sometimes major-label success can only be obtained through promoting your own record label. Such is the case here with Lee Dorrian's latest offering of crippling extremity. Teeth of Lions Rule The Divine (reference to an Earth song) could be termed a Doom Metal supergroup of sorts, boasting key members of scene giants Cathedral, SunnO))) and Iron Monkey. A background such as this is sure to raise the pulse of any doom fan, and this eviscerating debut manages to slay doubts of any 'sum of the parts' naysayers. Blasting in the style of volcanic eruption, brutal in an anvil-to-the-head sense, the three tracks of this monstrosity brace the notion of 'heavy' with cathartic vitriol. Lengthy track titles reflect the running time of the compositions, which avoid the 'boring' pitfall by virtue of the great sonic variety present. Shades of the members' former bands are present in spades: the cavernous undulating SunnO))) drone evokes the same atmosphere of dread, while Lee Dorrian's versatile vocals reflect Cathedral's earliest output. This killer combination, when fused with Greaves' off-kilter drumming, makes for a very unique behemoth. The album shifts and collides in the manner of plate tectonics, while always staying focused on the creed that slow and heavy wins the race. A masterpiece.
Four popular names (Stephen O'Malley, Lee Dorrian, Greg Anderson and Justin Greaves) joined forces in 2002 to create Rampton, a haunting drone doom album clocking in at just under an hour. The first of three tracks is a cute little anti-drug bit. At thirty minutes long, this track makes up over half of the album. It starts off with some feedback accompanied by several minutes of quality drumming. Greaves manages to crank out a nice chunk of catchy rhythms, making this intro one of the highlights of the album. After a while, the main riff begins its gradual fade into the mix. This is as slow and as simple as riffs get, showing absolutely zero musical ability or creativity, but it somehow manages to work. The vocals are fitting, matching the sludgy and sloppy atmosphere of the music. The song makes me feel as if I've just taken a generous portion of every single drug known to man, and my body is dealing with the consequences. Half an hour later, track two comes shambling along. It's a Killdozer cover called "New Pants and Shirt". There's a bass intro for about a minute, and then everything else jumps in and smacks you in the face. Slow, simple, and heavy as anything, it's an overall solid track.
"The Smiler" is last, and it certainly isn't in any hurry to wrap things up. As far as style is concerned, it is played in a similar fashion to the first two tracks: slow, simple, and heavy. That's the problem with drone doom - it tends to get stale at times. This definitely isn't an album that you'd listen to when you're in the mood for some headbanging, or even just foot tapping for that matter, but it might be nice to throw on occasionally - perhaps when you have some time to waste, and you're just in the mood to relax. It's definitely worth a look if you're a fan of any of the musicians involved, or if you're a fan of doom.


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In May of 1961 the Elmhurst Park District entered into an agreement with the Joseph Lizzadro Family Foundation, a not-for-profit corporation, to provide land for the construction and operation of the Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art (Museum).
The Elmhurst Park District worked cooperatively with the City of Elmhurst to assist with storm water management. As part of the cooperative effort, the west portion of Golden Meadows Park is being sold to the City for use as storm water detention.
Plans for the Plunkett Park playground project began in fall of 2016. Public feedback regarding the playground was solicited at that time through public forum and community surveys. Construction work began in late August 2017 and the playground reopened in late October 2017.
This new comprehensive and strategic plan will help the Park Board determine the District's future direction and priorities. This plan will be developed through 2017 and be activated after the current five-year comprehensive and strategic plan concludes in December of 2017.
Plans for renovating East End Park began in 2015.The playground was relocated from the southeast corner to a more centralized area of the park, as the existing playground was very close to the street. The move also allowed the playground to be near the public restrooms. East End Park neighbors and user surveys were considered in the playground's planning process and plans for the playground were approved in spring 2015.
The $1.8 million redevelopment of Butterfield Park provided for several other significant improvements, including new walking paths, new tennis courts and tennis court lighting, parking lot expansion, improvements in drainage to reduce flooding, underground drains in ballfields and new backstops
The vision for the Playground for Everyone at Butterfield Park is one of inclusion. Imagine a playground where every child can participate in all elements of the design.
Renovated in 2013, Washington Park and its playground are ideal for the younger set or for a family picnic. The park also caters to older kids with a basketball court and baseball diamond.
The Park District was selected to receive a $1.84 million state grant to restore the conservatory and two greenhouses in Wilder Park. The 88 year old Wilder Park Conservatory was the Park District's first capital project and was due for a facelift.


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Open Class lists 2013 fair results
Results of the Open Class Division of the 2013 Greater Jefferson County Fair have been announced.
In Arts and Crafts-Adults:
Holiday Ideas — Sandy Nelson, blue; Ellen Westoff, blue.
Pictures — Sandy Nelson, white; Julie Wilson, red and white; Kelly Harbin, red.
Photography, Nature — Sandy Dimmitt, blue; Linda Clemmons, red; Marilyn Nance, white.
Photography, People — Sandy Dimmitt, blue.
Photography, Flowers — Sandy Dimmitt, blue.
Photography, Animals — Sandy Dimmitt, blue; Mary Garretson, red.
Photography, Special Effects — Sandy Dimmitt, blue.
Photography, That's Funny — Sandy Dimmitt, blue.
Photography, Jefferson County — Sandy Dimmitt, blue; Joyce Wilkinson, red.
Photography, Digital Story Book — Dale Sue Glass, blue.
Photography, Other than Named — Joyce Wilkinson, red; Heather Nelson, red; Linda Clemmons, red; Sandy Dimmitt, white.
Yard Art — Sandy Nelson, red; Teresa Hanshaw, red.
Paper Crafts — Sandy Dimmitt, blue; Melody Rehm, blue; Sandy Dimmitt, red; Teresa Hanshaw, red; Melody Rehm, red.
In Foods-Adults:
Cookies, Drop — Nanette Everly, blue; Cindy Tedrow, blue; Dixie Ruggles, red; Michelle Burgmeier, red.
Cookies, Bars — Michelle Burgmeier, blue.
Cake, Unfrosted — Nanette Everly, blue.
Candy — Cindy Tedrow, blue; Dixie Ruggles, blue.
Pie — Joyce Stanley, blue.
Other than Named — Cindy Tedrow, blue.
Loaf Bread — Joyce Stanley, blue, Nanette Everly, blue; Michelle Burgmeier, red.
Quick Bread — Marilyn Nance, blue.
Canning, Relishes — Cindy Tedrow, blue.
Canning, Jams — Cindy Tedrow, blue, Marilyn Nance, blue.
Canning, Vegetables — Cindy Tedrow, blue.
In Hand Work-Adults:
Crochet — Wilma Lewis, blue.
Applique — Roberta Adam, blue.
Quilts, Hand Quilted — Courtney Taglauer, blue; Mary Hipp, red.
Quilts, Home Machine — Kathy Peck, blue; Dixie Ruggles, red; Barb Hendrickson, red.
Quilts, Professionally Quilted — Dale Sue Glass, two blues; Karen Redeker, two blue and red; Michele Young, red; Mary Hipp, red; Roberta Adam, red; Linda Clemmons, white; Tammy Haile, white.
Quilts, Comforter — Julie Wilson, red.
Quilts, Embroidery — Ellen Westoff, blue.
Wall Hanging, Hand Quilted — Joyce Wilkinson, red; Melody Rehm, red.
Wall Hanging, Machine Quilted — Roberta Adam, blue; Mary Garretson, red.
Embroidery — Joyce Stanley, blue.
Other than Named, Sewing — Dixie Ruggles, blue; Joyce Stanley, blue and red; Ellen Westoff, red; Melody Rehm, blue.
Plastic Canvas — Julie Wilson, blue.
Place Setting — Dixie Ruggles, blue.
Foundation or Paper Pieceing — Joyce Stanley, red.
Beading — Melody Rehm, blue.
In Flowers-Adults:
Cut Single Flower — Heather Pickard, blue.
Potted Plants — Marilyn Nance, blue; Teresa Hanshaw, blue; Marilyn Burke, blue; Eileen Pickard, blue; Joyce Stanley, blue.
Fresh Cut — Sandy Dimmitt, blue.
Artificial — Sandy Dimmitt, blue; Eileen Pickard, blue.
Other than Named — Eileen Pickard, blue; Joyce Wilkinson, blue.
In Fruits and Vegetables-Adults:
Vegetable Display — Wilma Lewis, blue.
In Juniors:
Flowers — Hailey Burke, blue; Eleanor Houston, blue; Kenneth Houston, blue.
School Projects — Camryn Clubb, blue.
Independent Projects — Kenneth Houston, blue; Eleanor Houston, blue; Hailey Burke, blue; Myriah Baker, blue; Camryn Clubb, blue.
In Care Facility & Handicapped:
Parkview Care Center — Phyllis Randall, LaMar O'Neil, Doris Bradfield.
SunnyBrook Living Care Center — Wilma Pratt.
In the contests:
Duct Tape, Best Clothing, Junior — Allyson Farley.
Duct Tape, Best Clothing, Intermediate — Rachel Funkhouser.
Duct Tape, Best Toy — Daniel Baldosier.
Duct Tape, Best Item for Home — Wava Jarr.
Duct Tape, Honorable Mention — Phyllis Lisk; Torrie Lisk.
Funny Cake — Jaden and Jabin Baker.
Chicken Throwing — Jabin Baker, 4 years old; Zach Westercamp, 8 years old; AJ Greiner, 12 years old; Ryan Swanson, adult.
Watermelon Seed Spitting — Jayden Murphy, junior; Evan Murphy, intermediate; Drew Stever, teens; Jeff Greiner, adult.
Bubblegum Bubble Blowing — Sara Swatikeolett, youngest; Kaitlyn Post, 11-12 years old; Drew Powers, 13-14 years old; Gabi Rutherford, overall.
NOTE: Results and photos of 4-H & FFA livestock shows and exhibits were published in the special 2013 Jefferson County Results distributed with Friday's edition of The Fairfield Ledger. Copies of the fair results tab are available at The Ledger office and the Jefferson County ISU Extension Office. The result tab also is posted on The Ledger's website at www.ffledger.com. Photos taken by The Ledger staff can be ordered from the website by clicking on "Buy Photos." Photos taken by Cynthia Post will be posted on the fair's website at www.jeffersoncofair.com.