Enjoy early bird and happy hour deals
On a sweltering Saturday evening, I step into City Café in Mount Vernon for a cold drink and nice meal. With a spacious, earth-toned interior and tall windows, the eatery has an ambience both laid-back and upscale. Quiet acoustic music plays in the background as a group of adults in business attire chat at one table. An older couple sits at a table for two near the window, enjoying a... READ MORE
A classic rock band’s wit and wisdom
As the drummer for a classic rock band called Wasted Gravity, Ron Appel is considered the bedrock and rhythmic heartbeat for the Baltimore area band. Composed almost entirely of Boomers, the band’s eldest member is Appel, 76. Age aside, the fellas and one lone female member continue to rock to the music of their youth — music appreciated by their burgeoning fan base. Wasted... READ MORE
Silver Pen competition calls for writers
“When I look back on my life,” wrote actor and comedian Martin Short in his 2014 memoir I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend, “I see moments where it might have been understandable had I turned to drugs or ice cream.” We can’t all be Martin Short, but we can reflect on our lives and commemorate our strength over the years. Writing is a way to preserve our life... READ MORE
Virginia Rep taps into 50s nostalgia
If the daily news or the daily grind gets you down, head to Virginia Repertory Theater and enjoy their production of Forever Plaid, a musical revue by Stuart Ross. You’re in for lots of laughs sandwiched among a tight harmony-line’s rendition of songs popular in the 1950s and 60s, ranging from “Three Coins in a Fountain” and “Lady of Spain” to “Chain Gang” and “Sixteen... READ MORE
Daylilies give many years of pleasure
What looks pretty all summer but blooms for just one day? The answer: the daylily. While each bloom lasts only one day, the plant develops numerous buds for a succession of blooms. Some varieties bloom in late summer, others rebloom, while still other varieties bloom over a long period. The daylily is hearty enough to withstand our heat and humidity and, unless you have problem... READ MORE
Retirement: It’s all in how you look at it
Once upon a time, retirement was about gold watches, golf and trundling off into the sunset. You served your time. Now you can kick back and do everything your way, on your schedule. No more awful bosses. No more commuting. Just endless smiles and jelly doughnuts, all day, every day. Of course, the reality of retirement is a lot more complicated, and always has been. If health... READ MORE
Books in translation widen our horizons
The Bibliophile The translators of these works of fiction and nonfiction have made foreign authors and their perspectives accessible to us. The Coronation: A Fandorin Mystery, by Boris Akunin, translation by Andrew Bromfield, 362 pages, First Grove Atlantic hardcover, 2019 Andrew Bromfield, a British literary editor who has translated numerous Russian authors, explains that his... READ MORE
It’s never too late to pursue lost passions
Think back to your school or college days, when you may have enjoyed playing a musical instrument, acting in plays, or simply were engrossed in a subject that particularly enticed you. It may even have been your major in college. If that love, or that major, didn’t translate into a paying job or career, you might have let it go for years or even decades. But if that interest lingers,... READ MORE
Exhibit conveys suffering of immigrants
What does the past, present and future of immigration look like? The Warmth of Other Suns: Stories of Global Displacement, an exhibit on view at The Phillips Collection through September 22, seeks to answer this question through the work of 75 contemporary and historical artists. The show was guest curated by Massimiliano Gioni and Natalie Bell, both of the New Museum in New York, and... READ MORE
“Aladdin” & Genie conjure a winning show
If you love your musicals full of glitz, over-the-top dance numbers and wisecracking genies, then the exuberant Aladdin from Disney, now at the Kennedy Center Opera House through September 7, is for you. This year Aladdin is everywhere — in the movies and onstage. The musical, with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman, Tim Rice and Chad Beguelin, is set in an Arabian desert ... READ MORE
Arts 2024
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