Check Out Musical Comedy She Loves Me If You Are in Northern Kentucky

Northern Kentucky isn’t known for having a variety of theater options, especially during the summer months. However, if you are in the Northern Kentucky or the Cincinnati, Ohio areas and are looking for an elegant night out, then be sure to buy a ticket to “She Loves Me” at Northern Kentucky University.

“She Loves Me” is a sentimental and smart comedy about two co-workers in a 1930’s perfumery who are constantly bickering with one another. Each begins to write and receive romantic letters, not knowing that they are writing to each other. The central characters, George and Amelia, find solace in their anonymous pen pals, unaware that the romantic letters are being penned by one another. The play is humorous, sweet, and funny.

The play is based upon the book of the same name by Joe Masteroff. The music is by Jerry Bock and the lyrics were written by Sheldon Harnick. This is the same songwriting team from the hit show “Fiddler on the Roof”. The songs are beautifully performed. The audience is treated to the show stopping song, “Ice Cream,” the delightful “Twelve Days to Christmas” and the popular title tune, “She Loves Me”.

The setting for “She Loves Me” is in the 1930’s in a factory. The costumes are beautiful and authentic with a specific attention paid to detail. The credit for that portion of hard work on the period clothing goes to Laura Martin. The set looks fantastic as well, thanks to the dedication of Geoffrey T. Ahlers.

The cast consists of local theater talent, as well as, students from Northern Kentucky University. George Nowack is played by Rich Roedersheimer. Roedersheimer proves that he is capable of being a leading man with his outstanding performance. He sings with confidence and shows that he does indeed have some acting chops. Amalia, the leading lady of the play, is finely portrayed by Lesley Hitch. Hitch has strong vocal talents. Hitch’s portrayal of Amalia was a bit sillier than what is typically associated with the role; however, it does not take away from the enjoyment of the show.  More details here.

Which Politicians Are Celebrities and Wealthy Corporate CEO’s Donating To?

It is no secret that celebrities and CEO’s have a great amount of expendable cash. Some celebrities are known for their over-the-top generosity, like Oprah Winfrey, Bono, and Jon Bon Jovi. The idea that celebrities and other known individuals of massive wealth donate large quantities of money to certain politicians isn’t unheard of, but you may be surprised at which celebrities and CEO’s are donating and who exactly they are writing checks to.

Adam Sandler, the quirky comedian, has made laughable movies like, “Billy Madison” and “Big Daddy” along with some movies that caused people question his comedic skills as in, “Little Nicky”. The funnyman has been an elite member of Hollywood since his successful days as a member of the cult hit television show “Saturday Night Live”. Fans probably assume that Sandler is a liberal democrat. That assumption would be incorrect. On February 6, 2007, Adam Sandler wrote a check to the Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee Inc. for $2,100. Giuliani is a republican presidential candidate. Sandler’s donation almost reaches the maximum amount that is allowed to be donated to each candidate, which is $2,300. Sandler hails from Brooklyn, New York, so perhaps Sandler supports the Republican Giuliani because he is the former mayor of New York City.

The loud, brash comedic whit of Joan Rivers is likely to lead one to believe that she is certainly also an outspoken voice for women and which would lead to the obvious conclusion that she harbors democratic beliefs. Wrong. The last campaign contribution that Rivers made was in 1999. She donated $1,000 to republican Rudy Giuliani and another $1,000 to republican Steve Forbes for his presidential exploratory committee. Rivers’ total donations amount to $6,750 with a rough percentage breakdown of 44.4% republican, 48.1% going to special interest, and only 7.4% going to democrats.

Rosie O’Donnell has never been shy about her political stance. Rosie has a reputation for being quite generous, but people may be surprised at how much of her own money she has put into backing political candidates that she believes in. Since 1998 Rosie has penned checks for political donations amassing to $169,000. In February and March of this year, Rosie wrote checks to the following presidential candidates for the maximum of $2,300 each: Bill Richardson, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards. Rosie also gives generously to special interest groups, particularly the Human Rights Campaign, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, and Emily’s List.

With so much interest being focused on the 2008 election, it is interesting to see which celebrities and CEO’s have already donated money to presidential hopefuls.  See the list of celebrity and CEO donations here.

Review of Paula Deen’s Memoir It Ain’t All About the Cookin’

Paula Deen fans know her as the butter-lovin’ Georgian who cooks up traditional Southern cuisine on her two Food Network shows, “Paula’s Home Cooking” and “Paula’s Party”. Paula’s velvety southern accent draws the audience to her as she explains how to fry chicken and make biscuits from scratch while telling stories about her family. Paula is consistently full of life and laughs easily at herself. Paula’s down-home charm and delicious recipes have made her one of the most popular personalities on the Food Network. Paula Deen’s memoir, It Ain’t All About the Cookin’ is a very personal, and at times brutally honest, account of the famous cook’s life.

The memoir feels very authentic from the first words you absorb to the last. The book successfully captures Paula’s voice. The utilization of Paula’s true vernacular makes the book extra special. The publisher didn’t try to perfect her English (think of her signature, “y’all”) so the memoir reads as if Paula is sitting in your living room telling you her story. Her fans that love her energy and her story-telling abilities will not be disappointed with Paula’s accounts of the major events of her life. Reading the memoir feels like you are being treated to sweet tea and pecan pie while Paula takes you through the journey of her life.  Keep reading here.

Portion Sizes: How Much Are You Eating?

In the United States, we are always on the run. It is not uncommon for a person to eat out more often than eating in one’s own home. The portion sizes that individuals are purchasing at dine-in restaurants and fast food chains are much larger than what should be eaten. We are consuming much more food than we should be on a regular basis. This is affecting the overall state of health in America which has also sadly led to an epidemic of childhood obesity.

In our bigger-is-better and biggest-is-best society, we are inadvertently damaging our health and the health of our children. Not enough people are stopping to think about the long-term affects of overeating; rather we are often too overscheduled to examine what exactly we are stuffing into our bodies, and how much we are eating. Are you aware of how much food you are eating, and more importantly, do you know what the proper portion sizes are for adults?  Continue reading here.

Family Fun in the Midwest: Check Out the 2007 Boone County Fair in Kentucky

If you live in Boone County, KY, or in a city nearby, treat your family to some wholesome fun August 6^th-11^th at the 2007 Boone County Fair. I have attended this splendid event since I was a child. In my younger days, I ran tirelessly through the fairgrounds, getting on rides and slides, playing carnival games, and as an adult, I am appreciative of the equestrian shows, beauty pageants, 4-H animals, vegetable and crops competitions, live music and incredible food. The Boone County Fair never disappoints; it is consistently fun year after year.

For those Boone County residents that enjoy a little competition, there is a wide variety of contests at the fair for all age groups. 4-H kids can register to participate in horse, sheep, goat, poultry, and other animal showcases. Your children can also have a great time getting involved in the pig scramble, the great rock race, or the watermelon seed spitting contest. Adults can take part in numerous competitions as well. Exhibit buildings hold the entries for competitions that include items such as: flowers, crops, photography, art, needlework, cakes and other foods, and quilts. Judging takes place throughout the week and blue ribbons are awarded to proud winners.

The competitive spirit is just one aspect of the Boone County Fair. There is always a large array of rides that the children and teens enjoy. Traditional festival games are also part of the experience. Kids and adults try their luck to win prizes ranging from teddy bears, basketballs, posters, and even goldfish. Get more details about the Boone County Fair here.

Jessica Simpson’s Blonde Ambition Gets Delayed Release

How long can you delay a failure? Jessica Simpson’s movie “Blonde Ambition” was slated to debut on August 3, however, the movie is being pulled out of the August competition. Why? It’s no good. Keep reading…

Onions and Garlic Might Deter Loved Ones AND Cancer

I have to admit it. I love garlic and onions and my philosophy regarding them is generally, “the more, the better”. When either ingredient is cooking on my stove, the pungent aroma fills me with glee.

If I see either of the words “onion” or “garlic” in the title of a dish when I am dining out I know that my palate will be satisfied. My love affair with garlic and onions has only one small downside. No one wants to talk in any sort of close proximity to a garlic-aholic. Thankfully, there is an easy remedy to that problem; gum or travel toothbrushes help to alleviate onion breath quickly and discreetly.

According to recent medical research, my love affair with stinky vegetables and herbs might be beneficial to my health. Scientists are now saying that people who eat large amounts of garlic and onions (1/2 cup of chopped onions daily, and self assessed “high” levels of garlic consumption) are 10 percent to 88 percent less likely to have various types of cancer, including breast and colon, as opposed to those who ate little or none of the two foods, according to a recent study of 25,000 people. Keep reading…

Experts Tell Doctors to Be Blunt, Call Kids Obese

The government and many doctors have avoided using the term obese in regards to children in the name of tact. Instead of saying, “obese” doctors will refer to children that are fat as, “at risk for being overweight” and for those that should actually be classified as obese as “overweight”.

A committee of medical experts is now saying that doctors need to drop the fuzzy terminology. The committee recommends instead that doctors refer to the truly fat children as overweight or obese.

According to the group, which was convened by the American Medical Association and funded by federal health officials including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the utilization of light and fuzzy terminology in regards to a child’s weight problem does not adequately define the problem.  Keep reading…

Tips to Prevent Soreness When Exercising

Muscle soreness happens to all of us when exercising. Learn ways to prevent or minimize that achy feeling.

 

Active people know the feeling all too well: the stiff and achy sensation that creeps into your body 24 hours after a workout. Sports scientists refer to it as delayed onset of muscle soreness.

 

Athletes probably just call it a nuisance. Many scientists now think that the delayed pain is caused from tiny tears in the muscles that eventually produce inflammation and corresponding pain about 24-36 hours after rigorous exercise or activity.

If you are going to workout, then you are probably going to get sore. Here are some ways to reduce your achy soreness or even prevent it from happening. Read tips here.