Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma
Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma
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Vacations. Can there ever be enough good words said about them? Or is it even possible to have too many? My husband thinks so. He believes one must finish one before planning the next. Naturally, we differ on this. After all, isn’t the unspoken, universal promise of 50 years of steady employment that we get to take vacations anytime we want? Don’t we all trust that once retirement finally arrives, we can start taking vacations at will even one after another? Anytime we wan...
I had my first injection of the Moderna vaccine, Jan. 22. Naturally, I was anxious wondering what the side effects might be. As it turns out with most worrying – I had fewer complications than I did after my flu shot last spring. The vaccination cycle is still in phase 1A. Therefore, when I finally found an open appointment, I grabbed it. Most locations were booked solid. Out of hundreds of possibilities, there was only this one option at the SuperStation in Chula Vista. If y...
As recently as Sunday, Feb. 7, renowned pianist Hershey Felder livestreamed from Florence, Italy, his tale about one of Sholem Alecheim's collection of short stories. This production was the story for which the much-acclaimed book by Joseph Stein became the play "Fiddler on the Roof" in 1964 followed by the Oscar winning film in 1971. The play's title was pulled from one of Alecheim's short stories about a traveling fiddler going from town-to-town charming local maids with...
In the past, Valentine’s Day has always been celebrated with a funny card and a bottle of champagne. However, this year it’s game on. Even though we are cloistered 24 hours a day, apparently, it is still possible to miscommunicate. Here is what happened. My husband usually takes the casual stroll to the mailbox for our daily delivery. Ostensibly, one day I beat him to it and retrieved, along with the weekly grocery store ads, a Valentine’s Day sales flyer from Victo...
I am married to a tidy man. Some would define that as an oxymoron. Clearly those who remained divorced and single for decades had reason to. I for one, had a list. With each passing year – the list got longer. And longer. And longer. Thinking there would never even be one candidate capable of checking off the top 10, I planned to live a solitary life. Looking back, this list of requirements for a life mate somehow just seems practical. I do not recall everything on that o...
A world premiere is just around the corner. Coming Sunday, Feb. 7, at 5 p.m., Hershey Felder is heading up a musical tribute to "Fiddler on the Roof." "Before Fiddler – Live from Florence, Italy" will be streamed into living rooms. Featuring the internationally renowned quartet Klezmerata Fiorentina, recognized as the living voice of the European Yiddish civilization, the musical quality of this experience could be life changing. Selected for their ability from operatic and s...
My household made lots of personal adjustments during the last year when we were ordered to stay-at-home. Some situations turned out better than others. For instance, one good thing that happened is we have learned to give each other haircuts. But that adjustment did not happen without incident. Our big row came when my husband wanted a Flowbee, and I did not wish to get my haircut sitting next to the Hoover. After much discussion, we settled the dispute by letting him purchas...
Twenty-twenty is soon to be over! As the clock ticks toward 2021, my husband reminded me this column was once a light-hearted ramble. Somehow over the months living around the China virus, my lost birthday celebration trip to Europe, multiple stay-at-home edicts mandated unconstitutionally by elected officials, unrestrained violence in our major cities, an unethical national media, coupled with a corrupted election, it appears, I have lost my sense of humor. Actually, this... Full story
North Coast Repertory is running dual performances and neither should be missed. Last time I applauded their one-man show for the telling of "A Christmas Carol." This time it is "An Iliad." Based on Homer's epic poem "Iliad," this monumental telling is a prerequisite for every college bound student. It is recognized by historians that prior to the written word, all stories were heard not read. Keeping with that tradition, Richard Baird masterfully shares the woes of the Trojan...
Christmas is here. Can you remember when you still believed in Santa Claus? Can you recall when you were 5 years old, even 6 or 7? It was then on Christmas morning you could barely hold back your excitement. The wonder that came with seeing the festive bows wrapped around holiday paper? Christmas morning was the highlight of your small world. If you try hard, maybe you can even conjure the vision of Santa putting packages under a decorated tree for you. It was a magical time....
It is a brave soul who has the courage to rewrite the semi-sacred words of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." That daring man is playwright Zander Michaelson. The outcome is worthy of the original. Naturally, this current pandemic has directors directing differently, like David Ellenstein at North Coast Repertory. To abide by all the convoluted regulations with the state-ordered distancing and so forth, this version of the famous tale is told by one actor performing all of...
San Diego Repertory is offering another Hershey Felder performance on Dec. 20 at 5 p.m. Streaming live from Florence, Italy, Felder will recreate his one-man show about the life and music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Russia's most famous composer. Felder has performed over 6,000 productions in his musical career with many from his Florence studio. This is a first-class opportunity to offer support for the Arts. Tickets are $55 per household at SDRep.org. Elizabeth...
Available throughout the holidays, watch San Diego's finest theater from the comfort of your favorite chair. Continuing through Dec. 13, "No Way Back" stars Jessica John in a one-woman stellar performance now playing at The Roustabout Theatre. For tickets, visit http://www.theroustabouts.org. Continuing through Dec. 31 at The Old Globe Theatre, "Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas" streams in conjunction with KPBS Radio 89.5. Tickets are available at...
Whew! Some might say there is little to be thankful for this year. Let me remind you when we are alive, there is still hope. Just the same, it has been one for the history books. Back in the day, when “All I Need to Know, I Learned in Kindergarten” was the mantra for decency, now is a good time to review the list. Written by Unitarian minister Robert Fulghum sharing his philosophy with the world in 1989, these are still truths to live by. “Share everything. Play fair. Don’t...
"No Way Back" is a poignant personal journey for playwright Mahshid Fashandi Hager as she shares her family's flight from war-torn Iran in 1979. This story is told by 10-year old Hager as she recalls the happy times shared with her family transitioning through their escape and finally to safety. Well-told by the multi-faceted actor Jessica John, all is relived through her multiple characterizations. John weaves this true story with compassion and clarity as she seamlessly...
Online theatre is a bargain. It only requires the purchase of one ticket for the entire family to watch the performance in the comfort of your home. Currently streaming at San Diego Rep is "JQA" (John Quincy Adams). It is another re-imagined historical play about presidents. This starts with our third president, John Adams, and his 9-year-old son, John Quincy Adams, our sixth president, with focus on the latter and his long political career. Written by award winning...
Growing old is a privilege. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. In the inimitable words of Zorba in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” “You look so old.” I just don’t want to “look so old.” A little old is OK. After all, I don’t want to look too young. So, I ask myself, what is the right age? I for one liked the years from ages 43-50. After that, things started to really sag. Of course, I smoked then so I was trimmer. That always made me happy. Trimmer that is. Not that I am not happy to have stopped...
Theater is alive and well in San Diego County, and the good news is you can watch it in your pajamas. It’s all online. Congratulations go to New Village Arts in Carlsbad for their $5,000 grant award from California Humanities for their new program, “A Connection Toolkit in the Age of COVID-19.” San Diego Repertory Theatre has extended “JQA,” which stands for John Quincy Adams, until Nov. 30. Watch for my review next week. Additionally, coming Nov. 13 at San Diego Rep when...
Even though I have been here for two weeks, the Northern Lights have not returned. Yes, I am back in Anchorage. Family first, right? My daughter had an extreme injury last Mother’s Day while working in the remote native village of Little Diomede, Alaska. Which is why I have returned to help after her last surgery. The ugliest part about this trip is Alaska Airlines did not note on its website that a negative COVID-19 test report is required upon landing. This requirement h...
Two terrific shows are now available to view online. How do I know they're terrific? It happens they are from two very creative places. David Ellenstein is back in the director's chair with North Coast Repertory's newest show "Same Time, Next Year." Written by Bernard Slade and first produced on Broadway in the 70s followed by a wildly successful movie, Slade is also the creator of television's long running series "The Partridge Family." Accidentally meeting at an inn in...
The COVID-19 virus was the inspiration for Church Ladies Potluck. After watching endless hours of cooking shows, not one show celebrated the ladies who share their prized recipes with their friends after services. And now our second episode of Church Ladies Potluck is on YouTube. It has really been fun to do. Local videographer Cassidy Mitchell has done a bang-up job. For future episodes, we’re lining up interested congregations. It’s free to each church. Now that we have two...
Last week, “A (fabulous) Weekend with Pablo Picasso” was presented online through San Diego Repertory Theatre featuring author and playwright-in-residence, Herbert Siguenza in his one-man show as the artist. It is thrilling to know San Diego Repertory is holding the course with another exciting show next month. It’s Judy! Judy! Judy! Coming Sunday, Oct. 11, – for one day only – it’s “Get Happy: Angela Ingersoll Sings Judy Garland.” Showtime is at 4 p.m. on http://SDRep.or...
It is a brilliant opener for North Coast Repertory's 39th season. Like other local theatres NCRep has gone online. Playing online until Oct. 11, "Necessary Sacrifices" is an imagined-historical work by playwright Richard Hellesen about conversations between Abraham Lincoln and his visitor Frederick Douglass. Albeit there are no written accounts of what actually was said, no notes by Lincoln exist of either of the two meetings, just the same, both meetings were documented in...
San Diego Repertory Theatre’s one-man show “A Weekend with Pablo Picasso,” written and performed by Herbert Siguenza, is available online through Oct. 14. It is 80 minutes of charming, sophisticated adult content. When I saw this show last year at New Village Arts it was spectacular. As Siguenza is a resident artist at San Diego Rep, this performance will no doubt be equally as fabulous. Visit https://www.sdrep.org/ for your $35 ticket to view with your adult family membe...
Should anyone be confused by the following rant, please recognize these words constitute only my opinion. I started out last year writing about my adventures in exercise, which also was “my opinion.” Consequently, my birthday plans crashed when I couldn’t leave this wonderful country due to the coronavirus. Consequently, I now write this column to purge my mind of empty useless trivia, random thoughts and unsolicited opinions for which it appears I have many. As it turns out,... Full story
