Try stand-up for a second act
A funny thing happened to Rich Madzel on the way home from Brooklyn one night: He decided to open a comedy club. The idea came to him about a year ago on the New Jersey Turnpike, as he and his wife were returning to Columbia, Maryland after visiting their daughter. “It occurred to me that I was bored and needed more to do,” said the now 81-year-old businessman and theater... READ MORE
ABCs of September gardening chores
Although the blooming sunflowers, asters and zinnias may still be providing some color in your yard, September is a good month to finish up the summer season and get a good start on fall. With the yellow bus at the corner, you might remember those first days of school. Here are some suggestions for your garden chores based on the alphabet: A: Add cool weather annuals such as pansies,... READ MORE
Waxing nostalgic over phones of yore
My grandmother, bless her 19th century heart, never got it about telephones. When she would pick up the boring-black handset in her living room, she would furiously click the two black buttons that popped up. She said she was clicking to attract the attention of the operator. “But, Grandma,” I would say, in my eight-year-old wisdom, “it’s all automatic. There’s no... READ MORE
Books on how to age wisely, gracefully
The Bibliophile For many, the challenges of aging can be daunting. These four books can provide encouragement and advice. Coming of Age: My Journey to the Eighties, by Madeleine May Kunin, 200 pages, Green Writers Press paperback, 2019 Former Vermont governor Madeleine Kunin writes about aging from the vantage point of her mid-80s. Kunin also reprises, from a personal perspective,... READ MORE
Daphne Maxwell Reid enjoys the journey
Though she recently turned 71, when actress Daphne Maxwell Reid appears at the Senior Connections’ Empty Plate Luncheon in Richmond on October 2, audience members shouldn’t expect the Richmond resident to talk about her quiet, peaceful retirement. “I don’t retire,” Reid said. “I’ll take my pension, but I’ll still be busy.” Reid has been busy for decades. After... READ MORE
Beacon celebrates 20th year of 50+Expos
For the past 20 years, the Beacon newspaper has been providing free community education events every fall for readers and their families. Known as the 50+Expos, they are held in both suburban Maryland and Northern Virginia for the convenience of residents throughout the metro area. Between the two events, more than 100 informative exhibitors will provide giveaways and helpful... READ MORE
Typewriters regain a measure of respect
For most of us, the clickety clack of a manual typewriter — or the gentler tapping of the IBM Selectric — are but memories or something seen only in movies. But at the few remaining typewriter repair shops in the country, business is booming as a younger generation discovers the joys of the feel and sound of the typewriter. Meanwhile, older generations admit they never fell out of... READ MORE
Artist tries to recapture family’s lost past
Walking into the third-floor gallery of the American University Museum feels like stepping into a painterly vision of a family photo album, that of Brooklyn-based, Filipino-American artist Maia Cruz Palileo. Most Americans have a familial origin story rooted in immigration; perhaps a great-grandfather arriving at Ellis Island from Ireland, or a grandmother passing through the port of... READ MORE
Powerhouse theatre tucked into Tysons
Tysons Corner’s most celebrated theater is easy to miss. Taking a cue from gritty New York City venues, 1st Stage is located in a corrugated metal warehouse in a Northern Virginia strip mall. Despite the theater’s less-than-grand exterior, “our audience loves it,” said Eileen Mandell, 1st Stage’s director of community engagement. “People like the funkiness of this... READ MORE
New group helps people find their encore
In the Hawthorne Pool in Columbia a couple of years ago, a middle-aged man was telling a friend that he had retired from his pharmacist career and was looking for a meaningful way to stay engaged. The woman with whom he spoke said she was an activities director at an assistance living facility in Columbia and suggested he volunteer at the site, perhaps to ensure residents that their... READ MORE
Arts 2024
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