Leslie's Omnibus
Showing posts with label IAHC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label IAHC. Show all posts

Theatre District

I was at the Irish American Heritage Center over the last four days working box office for Seanachai's latest play, The Shadow of a Gunman, for previews Thursday and Friday and opening on Saturday. I finally got to see the show yesterday for the first (but not the last) time.

The first review is in, and I totally agree: "Director John Mossman manages both the tonal shifts and the pace of the play with ease, and elicits strong performances from the large cast led by a terrific Shane Kenyon as Donal. "

Yeah, yeah, yeah -- I admit my bias and I am on their board-- but the audience laughed through the first half and sat on the edge of their seats for the second. That's the best reaction we could have asked for.

I predict good things for this show. Have you got your ticket yet?
Leslie

Drive-Bys

As some of you are aware, I recently underwent major oral surgery -- in 16.5 hours I went from a mouthful of teeth to no teeth to a mouthful of temporary teeth.

Here are some observations:
  • Now I know what the phrase "like pulling teeth" really means.
  • My brother tells me that toothless is not my best look.
  • My brother tells me that I should be commended for having the guts to go out in public looking like Jacob Marley's ghost. He also confessed that he wouldn't have. (The big chicken!)
  • 16.5 hours is a very long time to sit in a dentist's chair.
  • If you're going to get implants, get 'em all done at once. It's not brave. Brave would be willingly going through that more than once.
  • If the dentist offers you more novocaine -- TAKE IT. Don't gut it out.
  • Apparently I have a very high pain tolerance.
  • You are going to need more than four days off before going back to work -- mostly to wait for the swelling to go down and bruising to fade so your coworkers don't think you're a domestic battery victim.
  • Buy a couple of large gel packs and have them in the freezer before going to the oral surgeon. The eensy weensy ones you'll get from your oral surgeon are a joke.
  • It's a good thing you can't get stretch marks on your face, because the amount of swelling is amazing.
  • You'll look fine the day after. It's the day after the day after that you'll start looking like crap.
  • "You look pretty good, considering everything we did to you," is not a morale booster.
  • I just don't have it in me to do an all liquid diet for six months.
  • Mushy food mostly sucks.
  • On the other hand, I finally took my brand new food processor out of the box an put it to good use.
  • If toothless isn't my best look, neither is two black eyes and a purple Fu Manchu.
  • With your temporaries in place you'll be lithping like Winthrop Paroo. Temporaries are made of acrylic and are very thick.
  • My temporary choppers are bee-yoo-tee-ful... but I want my permanents, and I want them right now.
  • I am hyper-aware of the temporaries and of the lithping; therefore, I'm talking a whole lot less... and I was much more of a listener than a talker in the first place.
  • Oddly, talking less has lead to blogging less. Don't ask me why -- I surely don't know. And I'll try to do better.
_____

Quote of the Day:
“As a child, I had an inordinate fondness for Orange Circus Peanuts. Colored like an orange, shaped like a peanut, flavored like a banana. What the hell was I thinking.” – Phil Vettel
What was your favorite childhood (purported) food that now makes you scratch your head in wonder? (I've got too many to count!)
_____

PSA:

Do you have a universal life insurance policy? If so, you may just want to request an in-force ledger illustration. Prepare to be shocked when you get it.
_____

Things I'm Digging This Week:

I'm not in any way, shape or form an oatmeal for breakfast kind of girl. I want eggs, bacon and toast on a regular basis. But, given that bacon is not on the list of mushy foods I'm allowed, I've gotten a little desperate. Fortunately, I tripped across BetterOats' mmm... muffins old fashioned instant oatmeal with flax. Yummy stuff, and not the texture of wallpaper paste.


I have a 9" Tiffany pewter bowl on my desk that I got for hanging around the company for 10 years. I put it to work as the world's largest candy dish. Normally I fill it with Hershey's kisses, Starburst jelly beans, and all sorts of appallingly normal American candy. This weekend, however, I trolled the ethnic aisles at my local Shop 'N Save and found Mieszanka Krakowska in the Polish section. Not reading a word of Polish, I figured they were fancy hard candies (and cheap), so I threw a bag in my cart.

I'm not a big candy person. Give me salt or tart. I'm the one that will choose the savory dessert plate over the chocolate mousse at a fancy restaurant. I have a piece of candy out of that ginormous candy dish maybe once a week or so. Until now.
"Named after Poland's most romantic city, these chocolate covered jellies come in a variety of flavors: orange, lemon, pineapple, raspberry. Each jelly is slightly tart, not too sweet and covered with a rich dark chocolate which makes these a favorite with adults."
Oh. My. Gawd. They're like crack cocaine.
_____

Here's another Facebook scam to avoid.
_____

Ear Worm of the Day:



I wish Gavin Coyle's version was up on YouTube, because it's absolutely haunting (and has been stuck in my head for days).
_____

Update: I just noticed that Gavin Coyle will be playing at the Fifth Province Pub at the Irish American Heritage Center on June 9th. Does anyone want to go??? This is fabulous news!
Leslie

Theatre District

I'm pleased to share the news that Seanachai Theatre Company is throwing a special benefit on Monday, June 13th from 7-10 p.m. at the Irish American Heritage Center in Chicago.

What's so special about it? John Mahoney has agreed to do a dramatic poetry reading, and a meet and greet immediately following!

In addition, there will be dramatic readings by guest actors Brad Armacost and Steve Pickering (who will be featured in Seanachai's second play of the new season A Moon for the Misbegotten), as well as by members of the Seanachai Ensemble and live music.

Also, we will be saying good-bye to Martin Rouine, Chicago's Irish Consul General and Seanachai board member.

Tickets are $50 in advance/$60 at the door (subject to availability), which includes free parking, hors d'oeuvres and entertainment. Cash Bar.

To reserve your tickets, call 773-878-3727.

I hope to see you there!
Leslie

Drive-Bys

A fixture from my childhood here in Chicago has turned 90. Happy Birthday to Dr. Lester Fisher, who introduced us to The Ark in the Park at Lincoln Park Zoo!

And since my most persistent ear worm has returned due to these memories, I'm passing it on to you:


_____

Mark your calendars for November, when Rob Kroese's next book in the Mercury series lands! I loved the first one, and can't wait for the new one to arrive!
_____

Things I won't be doing this weekend? Going to WingFest (Wah! No PB&J wings!) or to the IKC Dog Show, where I'll bet you Hickory and several of the best in Group from Westminster will put in an appearance.

I will, however, be at the Irish American Heritage Center working the box office for That Was Then on Saturday and Sunday. See you there?
Leslie

Theater District


Seanachai Theatre Company's production of The Weir opened to a sold out house last night! I'm hearing that it's a really a fabulous show, and can't wait to see it myself. (I'll be there tonight, but working "shush patrol" in the hallways. Tomorrow I'll actually get to see the show.)

Now homed at the Irish American Heritage Center, we're easy to find, and the parking is free, and the IAHC is also easily accessible via the Blue Line or bus.

Want more reasons to join us?

Stop by The Fifth Province, an authentic Irish Pub, located on the first floor of the IAHC, for all the best in Irish entertainment.

The pub is open every Friday and Saturday night and friends can gather to grab a pint and sit by the fireplace. Pub food, like fish and chips, onion rings, corned beef sandwiches and Irish sausage are available for those wishing to grab a bite to eat. The building is wheelchair accessible.

The pub is open to the public on Friday and Saturday nights and live music begins at 9pm. There's plenty of free parking and rarely a cover charge, making this one of Chicago's hidden gems.

Fifth Province hours are Friday, 4pm-1am and Saturday 5pm-1am and pub food is served from 6pm to 10pm.

Grab a bite to eat, see the play, go back down and indulge in a pint or two, a bit of craic and some wonderful music, too.

Who could ask for a better evening of entertainment?
_____

Update: Whoohoo! We're Jeff recommended! (The buzz was correct. Nice.)
Leslie