How to help the deficit

I just received this from a financially savy friend. It sounds like a great plan. Let’s stop bellyaching, and DO something to help Americans. I can read labels. I can buy American. However, it sounds like I may have to see the Diane Sawyer special to learn where to buy American items! Read below.


AUGUST 1ST to SEPTEMBER 1st, 2011

Well over 50 yrs ago I knew a lady who would not buy Christmas gifts if they were made in China. Her daughter will recognize her in the following.

Did y'all see Diane Sawyer's special report a few weeks ago? They removed ALL items from a typical, middle class family's home that were not made in the USA .

There was hardly anything left besides the kitchen sink. Literally. During the special they showed truckloads of items - USA made - being brought in to replace everything and talked about how to find these items and the difference in price etc..

It was interesting that Diane said if every American spent just $64 more than normal on USA made items this year, it would create something like
200,000 new jobs!

I WAS BUYING FOOD THE OTHER DAY AT WALMART and ON THE LABEL OF SOME PRODUCTS IT SAID 'FROM CHINA '

FOR EXAMPLE THE "OUR FAMILY" BRAND OF THE MANDARIN ORANGES SAYS RIGHT ON THE CAN 'FROM CHINA '

I WAS SHOCKED SO FOR A FEW MORE CENTS I BOUGHT THE LIBERTY GOLD BRAND OR THE DOLE SINCE IT'S FROM CALIF.

Are we Americans as dumb as we appear --- or --- is it that we just do not think. The Chinese, knowingly and intentionally, export inferior and even toxic products and dangerous toys and goods to be sold in American markets.

70% of Americans believe that the trading privileges afforded to the Chinese should be suspended.

Why do you need the government to suspend trading privileges? DO IT YOURSELF, AMERICA !!

Simply look on the bottom of every product you buy, and if it says 'Made in China ' or 'PRC' (and that now includes Hong Kong ), simply choose another product, or none at all. You will be amazed at how dependent you are on Chinese products, and you will be equally amazed at what you can do without.

Who needs plastic eggs to celebrate Easter? If you must have eggs, use real ones and benefit some American farmer. Easter is just an example. The point is do not wait for the government to act. Just go ahead and assume control on your own.

THINK ABOUT THIS: If 200 million Americans each refuse to buy just $20 of Chinese goods, that's a billion dollar trade imbalance resolved in our favor...fast!!

Most of the people who have been reading about this matter are planning on implementing this on Aug. 1st and continue it until Sept. 1st. That is only one month of trading losses, but it will hit the Chinese for 1/12th of the total, or 8%, of their American exports. Then they might have to ask themselves if the benefits of their arrogance and lawlessness were worth it.

Remember, August 1st to Sept. 1st !!!!!! START NOW.

Send this to everybody you know. Let's show them that we are Americans and NOBODY can take us for granted.

If we can't live without cheap Chinese goods for one month out of our lives, WE DESERVE WHAT WE GET!

Pass it on, America ...
and, instead of doing it for just ONE month - why not try to do it all the time?

VICTOR/VICTORIA

Uptown Players presents GAY PAREE

in hysterical musical comedy, Victor/Victoria

July 29 – August 21, 2011

at the historic Kalita Humphreys Theater



With a book by Blake Edwards, music by Henry Mancini,and lyrics by Leslie
Bricusse,Victor/Victoria is an appealing,sophisticated musical,based on the movie of the same name. It is the story of a penniless soprano, named Victoria (Ashley Puckett Gonzales),who colludes with a struggling gay impresario (Paul Taylor) to disguise herself as a man named Victor, who entertains as a female impersonator known as "Victoria" - and as a result becomes the toast of Paris.

We know we're in Paris, but is this person a man or a woman?

The confusion gets more complicated when a Chicago mobster (Shane Peterman) sees the act and finds himself attracted to the star. Life's complications are both hilarious and touching.

The cast also features Mikey Abrams,Michael Albee,Maribeth Ayers,J Mathew Butler, Clair Cuny,John de los Santos,Emily Ford,Sergio Antonio Garcia,Carlos Gomez,Tom Grugle,Whitney Hennen,Greg Hullett,Summer Kenny,Kelly McCain,Jon Morehouse,Mark Oristano,Thomas Renner, Christine Smith and Jordan Willis.

The production is under the direction of Cheryl Denson, with music direction by Adam C. Wright and choreography by Vicki Squires.

Victor Victoria runs July 29 through August 21, 2011, with performances Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. (no performance July 31)

A special Thursday night performance will take place on August 18 at 8 p.m.
Performances will take place at the Kalita Humphreys Theater, 3636 Turtle Creek Blvd at Blackburn, Dallas TX 75219.

Tickets are $30-40 and can be purchased online at www.uptownplayers.org or by phone at 214-219-2718.

About Uptown Players

Now in its tenth season, Uptown Players has gathered a dedicated following with an annual audience base of over 15,000 patrons, including nearly 1000 season subscribers. The response from the community and critics has been remarkable,including over 25 Leon Rabin Awards from the Dallas Theatre League, several hundred “The Column” Awards and 15 Theatre Critics Forum Awards in its first seven seasons.

In recent years, Uptown Players has also been named the best theatre company by the Dallas Voice Readers Awards, and the Dallas Observer, and has appeared on the WFAA-A list and Best of Big D - D Magazine.

Uptown Players is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization,presenting plays and musicals that challenge audiences artistically, build cultural bridges,and strive to create greater positive public awareness and acceptance through the performing arts. There is no other theater group with this unique mission in the Dallas area.

Madelyn Miller is a travel and food writer and loyal fan of Uptown Players. Read her stories on www.travellady.com, www.carladynews.com, www.yogayaya.com, www.chocolateatlas.com, www.cocktailatlas.com, www.coffeeatlas.com, www.teaAtlas.com

She has seen Victor/Victoria before, but is interested in the Uptown Players version.

Cirque de Soleil to present Dralion in Frisco

SEVEN PERFORMANCES ONLY FROM JULY 27 - 31,
AT THE DR PEPPER ARENA


Thrilling more than 8 million people worldwide since the show premiered in 1999, Dralion is the fusion of ancient Chinese circus traditions and the avant-garde style of Cirque du Soleil. The name Dralion (pronounced “Drah-lee-on”) is drawn from its two main symbols: the dragon, representing the East, and the lion, representing the West. Dralion derives much of its inspiration from Eastern philosophy with its perpetual quest for harmony between humankind and nature. The international cast features 52 world-class acrobats, gymnasts, musicians, singers and comedic characters.

Tickets Available Now for All Performances

Cirque du Soleil'a critically-acclaimed touring production Dralion will perform in Frisco at the Dr Pepper Arena from July 27 - 31, 2011 for seven performances only.

Tickets are available starting at www.cirquedusoleil.com/dralion or by calling 1-800-745-3000.



SCHEDULE AND BOOKING INFORMATION


Show Schedule (July 27 - 31, 2011):

· Wednesday, July 27 at 7:30pm

· Thursday, July 28 at 7:30pm

· Friday, July 29 at 7:30pm

· Saturday, July 30 at 3:30pm and 7:30pm

· Sunday, July 31 at 1:00pm and 5:00pm


Category 1, 2, 3

· Adults: From $40 to $80

· Children (12 & under): From $32 to $65

· Military, Seniors & Students: From $36 to $67.50

A limited number of Premium tickets are also available for all performances.

For show and ticket information, please visit www.cirquedusoleil.com/dralion

Why I love Sunday School

There is not much that makes me want to get up on a Sunday morning. Sunday is usually a lazy catch up day.

But last Sunday a friend invited me to Sunday School at the ZAZA. This is not a religious experience--it is a wild and wacky brunch where waitresses dance on tables with sparklers in their hands.

Funky glasses and other unconventional attire set the wait staff apart. They will serve you mimosas the minute you sit down (and the orange juice seems freshy squeezed.

There is a choice of several creative breakfast dishes--including a lobster fritata, a steak omelette,and more. But the real reason to wake up on Sunday morning is to dine, dance, drink, and enjoy the debauchery.

Diners get involved in the party atmosphere and are given trinkets gifts like lite up bling rings.

All this fun only happens once a month--usually the third Sunday of the month

Sex and Travel

Elisabeth Eaves, author of Wanderlust: A Love Affair With Five Continents and Tony Perrottet, author of The Sinner's Grand Tour: A Journey Through the Historical Underbelly of Europe, will read from their work and discuss the intersection of lust and travel -- past, present and future.

Sex and travel have always been intertwined, and this evening will look at two different approaches to the fertile mingling: Eaves will recount her journey of self-discovery from the steamy jungles of New Guinea to the bazaars of Cairo, while Perrottet will describe his quest for salacious relics from the Marquis de Sade's dungeon to the 'pornographic bathroom' of the Vatican.

The event will be in the OralFix bar of the Museum of Sex, which will be serving aphrodisiac cocktails created from historic stimulants from around the world. The evening's exhibits will include a scale model of the legendary "sex chair" of King Edward VII recently discovered in Paris.

Tuesday, July 26, 7 pm @ MoSex, 233 Fifth Ave (@27th Street).

Free and open to the public.

WORLD-CLASS ART THAT CHANGES LIVES

The Santa Fe International Folk Art Market, Now In Its 8th Year,

Showcases Extraordinary Art, Extraordinary Stories,

and an Extraordinary Opportunity to Impact Lives and Cultures

Takes Place July 8-10, 2011


When more than 150 of the world’s finest traditional artists travel from the farthest corners of the globe to participate in the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market this July, some will arrive as widely celebrated cultural artists, while others will be leaving their villages and boarding planes for the very first time. Many will be coming from developing countries where the average income is less than $3 a day and where overwhelming political, social, and environmental challenges can make everyday life—not to mention the creation of art—a struggle. All artists will be taking part in an extraordinary event that not only showcases their work but helps change their lives and their communities.

The largest event of its kind in the world, the Market offers an unparalleled chance to collect treasures from around the globe and meet the artists who created them. Last year, more than 22,000 people attended, along with 132 artists from 50 countries. Mingling with the visitors and local market goers were dignitaries from Cuba, Oman and South Africa; representatives from Donna Karan, Martha Stewart, and Yves Saint Laurent, as well as representatives of the Clinton Foundation and UNESCO, both of which have partnered with the Market.

Shopping at the Market is shopping that clearly makes a difference—it helps many artists raise themselves and their communities out of poverty, and it helps preserve critical cultural traditions. Last year’s Market generated more than $2 million in sales, 90 percent of which went home with the artists. This means that, in a remote village in Pakistan, the Lila Handicraft women’s collective was able to use the money made by selling its patterned ralli quilts to build a new school. An embroidery group in Afghanistan, Kandahar Treasures, was able to rescue women begging on the streets and teach them traditional needlework to support themselves. In Rwanda, Janet Nkubana was able to continue the work of her cooperative, which features Hutus and Tutsis coming together to weave “peace baskets”. She also earned enough to buy mosquito nets to curb the spread of malaria and build new vegetable gardens for the local community.

Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, who spoke during the 2010 Market week festivities, says of the Market’s ability to help women in developing countries through support of their artistic enterprises: “This is a very, very healthy way to chip away at poverty globally… It is an asset of the International Folk Art Market that I greatly admire.”

Art that’s Exceptional, Art that’s Real, Art that Offers Hope

“People want what is real,” says Judith Espinar, co-founder and creative director of the Market. “And this is the only place in the world where you will find so many authentic works and artists in one place at one time. The artists are tradition bearers because they are keeping the beauty, vitality, and cultural values of their homelands alive through their art. In a world where things often feel so manufactured, the Market is the real thing.”

The 2011 Market will feature more than 70 new participants including artists from Cambodia and Algeria. Many popular artists will be returning, including papier-mâché artists from Haiti, exquisite embroidery artists from India, jewelers from Niger, felters from Kyrgyzstan, and rug weavers from Uzbekistan. Along with booths filled with wonderful art, visitors can enjoy exotic food and live entertainment ranging from Latinrock to whirling dervishes from Turkey to the music and dance of Senegal. It’s a readily affordable weekend of global experiences and connections.

Another fascinating aspect of the Market is the unlikely coupling of cultures: Israelis and Pakistanis; Kyrgyzstani and Uzbeks; Tibetans and Chinese. All of these artists find common ground in their work and their dreams for the future. They share meals and together take workshops on how best to develop their businesses for the global marketplace.

“It sounds cliché but I hear it all the time—that the Market is liked a mini
United Nations,” says Charlene Cerny, executive director of the Market. “For both the artists and the market goers, these face-to-face encounters create a kind of hopeful magic. Art has always transcended conflict. It gives me hope for a troubled world.”

Market Logistics

The Santa Fe International Folk Art Market begins the evening of July 8 and runs through July 10. Because of the Market’s success, it has been embraced as a weeklong community event. Folk Arts Week in Santa Fe kicks off on Sunday, July 3 with the opening of a special exhibit in the Gallery of Conscience at the world-renown Museum of International Folk Art. There will also be public concerts, lectures, and workshops, and no less than 1,600 community volunteers giving their time at the various events. In addition, hotels will be offering special Market Week rates, and several restaurants will be creating menus featuring the cuisines of Market-artist countries. For ticket prices and details, go to www.folkartmarket.org.

The Santa Fe International Folk Art Market is a results-oriented entrepreneurial 501(c)(3) organization that provides a venue for master traditional artists to display, demonstrate, and sell their work. By providing opportunities for folk artists to succeed in the global marketplace, the Market creates economic empowerment and improves the quality of life in communities where folk artists live.

Might you be a proud Scot like Russell Crowe?

VisitScotland launches Free Ancestral Credits Promotion to Research your Roots

Film star Russell Crowe visited Scotland, the land of his mother’s roots, last month. The star had always believed his mother’s family, whose surname is Wemyss, had Scottish roots but the star has now confirmed this by tracing back several generations to the east coast of Scotland. Crowe said, "I’ve always been proud of my Scottish ancestry."

AncestralScotland.com is now offering you too the chance to research your Scottish roots for free until 14th July, with credits then valid for 12 months. Simply enter your details at www.ancestralscotland.com/scotlandspeople to claim your free credits and trace your Scottish lineage.

Millions of people all over the world claim Scottish roots. Scots, like many from small nations, have settled throughout the globe, and an estimated 50m people worldwide now claim Scottish ancestry.

Gillian Swan, VisitScotland’s Ancestral Marketing Manager, said, “Tracing your family history is a great way to help you answer these questions and to allow yourself to connect with your own personal history. The research you do will take you on a journey of discovery that leads you to explore the lives and times of ancestors who lived hundreds of years ago - and perhaps even thousands of miles away - in circumstances which are all but unimaginable today.

“Retracing the footsteps of your ancestors will not only bring the past to life, it will also make your home coming the most dynamic and exciting experience of your life. From the meaning of surnames to the jobs our ancestors did, ancestralscotland.com will help you explore your Scottish roots. Then it is a small step to making your own ancestral journey home to Scotland.

ScotlandsPeople is also one of the largest online sources of original genealogical information; with almost 80 million records to access there is every chance that you will be able to connect with your own Scottish ancestry. www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk

Madelyn Miller is a travel and food writer who loves visiting Scotland. She did a spa and golf trip once (she was better at the former than the later)

Read her stories on www.travellady.com, www.carladynews.com, wwww.yogayaya.com, www.cocktailatlas.com, www.chocolateatlas.com, www.coffeeatlas.com, www.teaAtlas.com

Guys and Dolls

Sparkling new National Touring production of Broadway’s best loved musical for summer 2011.

With a cast of Broadway stars and a first class creative team, this brand new production of GUYS AND DOLLS will visit the Music Hall at Fair Park in Dallas, presented by Dallas Summer Musicals for two weeks only beginning July 19, 2011.


Bustling with gamblers, gangsters, and sassy showgirls, GUYS AND DOLLS celebrates Broadway’s golden era with one of the greatest scores ever written for a musical by the legendary Frank Loesser, masterfully witty book and lyrics by Joe Swerling and comedy legend Abe Burrows, and the glorious Damon Runyon’s comic book world of 1940s Times Square New York City.

GUYS AND DOLLS originally conquered Broadway in 1951 as the winner of 5 Tony Awards including Best New Musical and again in 1992 with 4 Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical. The New York Times calls it “The show that defines Broadway dazzle!”

This brand new production boasts a cast of Broadway’s most celebrated rising stars, including Ben Crawford (Shrek as Shrek) as Sky Masterson, Steve Rosen (Spamalot, Farnsworth Invention, Peter and the Starcatchers) as Nathan Detroit, Erin Davie (A Little Night Music, Grey Gardens, Curtains) as Sarah Brown, and Megan Sikora (Curtains, Promises Promises, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) as Miss Adelaide.

The creative team is led by award winning director Gordon Greenberg (Broadway In Chicago’s Working, Disney’s Believe, Off-Broadway’s Jacques Brel!…, Paper Mill & Huntington’s Pirates!) and choreographer Patti Columbo (Broadway’s Peter Pan, Disney’s Believe, National Tours of Seussical, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, and Peter Pan), and lighting designer Charlie Morrison (National tours of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Miss Saigon, Meredith Willson’s The Music Man.)

GUYS AND DOLLS, an oddball romantic comedy considered by many to be the perfect musical, soars with the spirit of Broadway as it introduces us to a cast of vivid characters who are legends in the canon: Sarah Brown, the upright but uptight "mission doll," out to reform the evil-doers of Time Square; Sky Masterson, the slick, high-rolling gambler who woos her on a bet to Cuba and ends up falling in love; Adelaide, the chronically ill nightclub performer whose condition is brought on by the fact she's been engaged to the same man for 14 years; and Nathan Detroit, her devoted fiancé, desperate as always to find a spot for his infamous floating crap game.

The show features classic standards such as “Luck Be a Lady,” “Adelaide’s Lament,” “My Time of Day,” and “Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat,” which have been sung by musical superstars throughout the years. A movie version of GUYS AND DOLLS was released in 1953 starring Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra.

Tickets, ranging from $20-$85, are on sale now at The Box Office, 5959 Royal Lane, #542 in Preston Royal Shopping Center; or at any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets are also available by calling 1-800-982-ARTS, or purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com. For groups of 15 or more, please call 214-426-GROUP.


The show is produced by Big League Productions, Inc. from New York City which has been touring great Broadway musicals and attractions worldwide since 1991. Featured productions have included CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, MISS SAIGON, MEREDITH WILLSON’S THE MUSIC MAN, THE WHO’S TOMMY, and HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS to name a few.

From music theater aficionados to SOPRANOS’ fans, everyone is sure to be entertained by GUYS AND DOLLS.

GUYS AND DOLLS opens a two week run at the Music Hall at Fair Park from Tuesday, July 19 through Sunday, July 31, with the following schedule:

Tuesday July 19 8 p.m. opening night
Wednesday July 20 8 p.m.
Thursday July 21 8 p.m.
Friday July 22 8 p.m.
Saturday July 23 2 and 8 p.m.
Sunday July 24 2 and 8 p.m.
Monday July 25 No performance
Tuesday July 26 8 p.m.
Wednesday July 27 8 p.m.
Thursday July 28 2 and 8 p.m.
Friday July 29 8 p.m.
Saturday July 30 2 and 8 p.m.
Sunday July 31 2 p.m.


DSM’s 2011 season will conclude with WEST SIDE STORY, October 4-23, 2011, also the 2011 State Fair of Texas musical. More than 50 years ago one musical changed theater forever. Now it's back, and mesmerizing audiences once again. From the first note to the final breath, WEST SIDE STORY soars as the greatest love story of all time. Directed by David Saint, using Tony Award-winning librettist Arthur Laurents’ Broadway direction, WEST SIDE STORY remains as powerful, poignant and timely as ever. The new Broadway cast album of WEST SIDE STORY recently won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. The Bernstein and Sondheim score is considered to be one of Broadway's finest and features such classics of the American musical theatre as "Something's Coming," "Tonight," "America," "I Feel Pretty" and "Somewhere."

“So exciting IT MAKES YOU ACHE WITH PLEASURE” –John Lahr, The New Yorker

Season sponsors for Dallas Summer Musicals, presented by Comerica Bank, are The Dallas Morning News, Metro PCS, WFAA TV Channel 8, American Airlines, and Texas Instruments. For more information about Dallas Summer Musicals, presented by Comerica Bank, visit their website at www.dallassummermusicals.org or call (214) 421-5678.

Madelyn Miller is a travel and food writer who is looking forward to this production of Guys and Dolls. Read her stories on www.travellady.com, www.carladynews.com, www.yogayaya.com, www.cocktailatlas.com, www.chocolatatlas.com, www.coffeeatlas.com, www.teaAtlas.com

Get Paid to eat Pizza

PIZZA Taste Test Invite $50 **Ages 18-54 **Tuesday June 28th

Test Date: Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Times: 12:00, 2:00, 4:00, 6:00,or 8:00 (All PM-Check-in 15 minutes early)
Location: Plano, TX (N. Dallas Tollway/Legacy area)

We are recruiting participants for a taste test! This test will take two hours. Due to limited seats, please only schedule an appointment if you are able to commit to attending. Thank you all so much!

**For this test-Must not have participated in a taste test in the past 6 months**

Qualifications for Taste Test
*Males/Females Ages 18-54
*The taste test will take two hours (2.0 hours).
*Arrive 15 minutes early to check in.
*PHOTO ID required at check in.
*Participants receive a $50 CHECK.

Participants will be reading from a computer screen and might be asked to walk around holding a small laptop. Small children and guests are not allowed in the testing facility.

How to Participate
Participants must qualify and complete a phone interview prior to the test. Walk-ins are not accepted. Call in to our office 972.514.4833 to complete a qualifying phone interview, schedule appointment, and receive directions. Due to limited seats, please only schedule an appointment if you are able to commit to attending. We look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,
Dallas Insights
972.514.4833 Voice
972.293.4323 Fax
dallasinsights@att.net

Double your pleasure with the iphone 4.

There are a million reasons why I love my iphone. But since I got a case that not only protects my beloved phone, but also gives it super juiced power. It lasts so much long.
Would you like a case this?

Just POST BELOW your worst experience of running out of power when needing your iphone--a flat tire in the middle of no where? Just before the end of the exciting climax of the movie?

One unlucky iphoner will change his luck and get charged up

Super-Juice Power Case for iPhone 4

SKU# DCA224

Super-Juice Power Case extends your iPhone talk time by up to 6 hours, 10 hours for video/gaming or 40 hours of music via the exceptional 2000mAh Lithium Polymer battery. With an included micro-USB cable, you can also charge and sync your iPhone without sliding out. Super-Juice Power Case also features a tough case and features a built-in kickstand so you can easily enjoy hands-free video viewing at your desk, on the plane…or any flat surface!

What is Normal?

It varies for each person, each family, and each culture. It is defined by the very people who are living it. If everyone decides to cut off their left baby toe, that would be normal for them. We are each defined by an ever-changing normalacy.

Uptown Players Presents Next To Normal

Uptown Players continues its tenth season with the regional premiere of the startling new musical, Next To Normal, running June 10 – July 3, 2011, at the historic Kalita Humphreys Theater. Uptown Players is the first regional theater in the United States to produce Next To Normal, following its long Broadway run, which ended on January 16, 2011, after 21 previews and 733 regular performances.

A sensation with Critics and Audiences

Next To Normal was nominated for eleven 2009 Tony Awards and won three: Best Original Score, Best Orchestration and Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical (Alice Ripley). It also won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, becoming just the eighth musical in history to receive the honor. Next to Normal features music by Tom Kitt and book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey. With provocative lyrics and a thrilling contemporary score, Next to Normal is an emotional powerhouse of a musical about a family trying to take care of themselves and each other. It explores how one suburban household copes with crisis and just how far two parents will go to keep themselves sane and their family’s world intact.

Next To Normal was chosen as “one of the year’s ten best” by The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Time Out New York, New York Daily News, The Bergen Record and NY1 – more than any other musical from the 2009 Broadway season. Uptown Players’ production will be under the direction of Michael Serrecchia, with music direction by Scott A. Eckert. The cast includes Jonathan Bragg, Patty Breckenridge, Anthony Carrillo, Gary Floyd, Jonathan Gilland and Erica Harte.

Put this on your calendar. Take your whole family


The production runs June 10 through July 3, 2011, with shows at 8 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sundays (no performances June 12 or 16). Performances take place at the Kalita Humphreys Theater, 3636 Turtle Creek Blvd (entrance off Blackburn), Dallas, TX 75219.

Individual tickets are $30-50 and can be purchased at www.uptownplayers.org or by calling Now in its tenth season, Uptown Players has gathered a dedicated following with an annual audience base of over 15,000 patrons, including nearly 1000 season subscribers. The response from the community and critics has been remarkable, including over 25 Leon Rabin Awards from the Dallas Theatre League, several hundred “The Column” Awards and 15 Theatre Critics Forum Awards in its first seven seasons.

In recent years, Uptown Players has also been named the best theatre company by the Dallas Voice Readers Awards, and the Dallas Observer, and has appeared on the WFAA-A list and Best of Big D - D Magazine. Uptown Players is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, presenting plays and musicals that challenge audiences artistically, build cultural bridges, and strive to create greater positive public awareness and acceptance through the performing arts. There is no other theater group with this unique mission in the Dallas area.

Madelyn Miller is a travel and food writer who tries to see every performance by UpTown Players. (Insider tip—there is always a catered spread after opening night which is usually on a Friday)

Read Madelyn’s stories on www.travellady.com, www.carladynews.com, www.yogayaya.com, www.cocktailatlas.com, www.chocolateatlas.com, www.coffeeatlas.com, www.teaAtlas.com

My TV problem is so funny, even the operator laughed when I called in

My new Uverse TV is not working AGAIN I called the tech support number and pushed all the numbered responses when cued.
When I pushed 5 for TV TECH SUPPORT. The recorded voice said, "please hold while I connect you." I held and then got a standard phone message that
this number is not in service"
I called again and kept pushing numbers until I got a HUMAN BEING. I told the operator what had happened and she started laughing histerically.
She said I made her day--it was the funiest thing she ever heard.
I'm glad it amused and entertained her. But I would be much happier if my TV would work again.

Six calls and 2 humans Later, someone was able to walk me through it. There has to be abetter way

Celebrate dreams that come true: Billy Elliot The Musical

Billy Elliot The Musical, featuring an original score by music legend Sir Elton John, is a joyous celebration of one boy’s journey to make his dream come true. Set in a small town, the story follows Billy as he stumbles out of the boxing ring and into a ballet class, discovering a surprising passion that inspires his family and his whole community.

Based on the international hit film, Billy Elliot is brought to life by a phenomenal cast,including Faith Prince, who has been dazzling Broadway audiences since she swept the theatre awards, winning The Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for her performance as Adelaide in the revival of Guys and Dolls.

Faith guest starred on the Lifetime hit series, Drop Dead Diva, and also has appeared in guest starring roles this year on Ugly Betty, Medium and CSI. She had a recurring role for five seasons on Spin City and has appeared on Grey’s Anatomy, House, Monk and Law and Order.

Her other Broadway credits include The Little Mermaid, Bells are Ringing, Nick & Nora, Little Me, Noises Off and Jerome Robbins’ Broadway. She was nominated for Tony and Drama Desk Awards for her performances in Bells are Ringing and Jerome Robbins’ Broadway.

Billy Elliot The Musical was created by – director Stephen Daldry, choreographer Peter Darling and writer Lee Hall – along with music legend Elton John, who has written what the New York Post calls “His best score yet.”

Time Magazine has declared Billy Elliot “the best musical of the decade” and the show won 10 Tony Awards in 2009.

The show will run from June 8 through June 19 at the AT&T Performing Arts Center.

Performances of Billy Elliot The Musical will be at 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays;2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturdays, and 2 p.m. on Sundays. There will be additional performances on Sunday, June 12 at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, June 9 at 2 p.m. and Wednesday, June 15 at 2:00 p.m.

Single ticket prices range from $30 to $150 with prime location orchestra seats available for $90 for select performances.

Due to changes in national touring plans, the run of Billy Elliot The Musical has been shortened to a limited, two-week engagement at the AT&T Performing Arts Center with 16 performances.

About the AT&T Performing Arts Center
Open since October 2009, the AT&T Performing Arts Center is a vibrant destination for entertainment in the heart of the downtown Dallas Arts District. The Center presents a variety of programs, including its Lexus Broadway Series, Brinker International Forum, JAZZ ROOTS and, in association with TITAS,contemporary dance and music, and other performances.

The Center also provides performance space for The Dallas Opera, Dallas Theater Center, Dallas Black Dance Theatre and Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico, in unparalleled venues set within a 10-acre urban park.

Madelyn Miller is a travel and food writer who loves musicals. Read her stories on www.travellady.com, www.carladynews.com, www.yogayaya.com, www.chocolateAtlas.com, www.cocktailatlas.com, www.coffeeatlas.com, www.coffeeatlas.com

New Orleans Bargain..a triple saving at one of my favorite New Orleans restaurants

Three Ways to Order
Effortless Dining with a New 3 Course Prix Fixe Dinner Menu
$38.11

To ease the ordering process and provide a delicious range of freshly prepared appetizers, main courses, and desserts, chef Baruch Rabasa of Meson 923 is taking advantage of these warms months to offer a 3 course prix fixe menu for $38.11, beginning June 8, 2011.

Meson 923 has added to the regular menu offerings a ready prepared menu to easily make your choices uncomplicated. A perfect meal- choose from a selection of starters, entrees and desserts- 3 courses for dinner- $38.11. And for that perfect pairing, each dish will be partnered with the most suited wine. 3 glasses of wine will be an additional $15. With menus made for ease and affordability, why would you go anywhere else?

Starters
Crispy Panko Crusted Brandade Cake with Spanish Olive Salad and Fried Caperberries

Serrano Wrapped Shrimp with Compressed Watermelon, Pimentón (Paprika) and Parsley

Beef Carpaccio with Parmesan Arugula Salad, Fried Shallots and Citrus Vinaigrette

Entrees
Sautéed Shrimp with Roasted Garlic, Ricotta Agnolotti, Zucchini, Oregano, and Duc de Foix

Whole Crispy Duck Leg, Dirty Rice with Fresh Sage and Black Pepper, and Grilled Figs with Banyuls Vinaigrette

Grilled Drum with Cucumbers, Creole Tomatoes, Avocadoes and a Herb Salad with a Blood Orange Vinaigrette

Desserts
Panna Cotta topped with a Pineapple Gelée and a light Passion Fruit Syrup

Chocolate Marquise with Raspberry and Mint

Warm Brown Butter Tartlet of Almond and Blueberry with a Bourbon Crème Fraîche

Dinner is served!

The menu above is an example menu, and items are subject to change without notice. Please call the restaurant ahead to confirm what dishes will be offered in the prix fixe menu the night of your dinner.

Meson 923 is open for cocktails in the bar or balcony and dinner beginning at 5 pm, Wednesday through Saturday.

Meson 923- 923 South Peters Street- New Orleans- 504.523.9200- meson923.com

Stomp

Stomp

By Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady

Not everyone would be thrilled to get in their seat for a musical and suddenly see and hear brooms sweeping, garbage can lids clanging, and various other everyday items used as musical instruments. This is definitely a non-traditional musical experience.

I have the perfect guest to take to Stomp. Patrick Gary plays 13 instruments and has been part of several bands. You can even hear him perform. Check out his website http://donttellmamaband.org/bandmembers-bios-3/

But back to Stomp.

STOMP, the international sensation, is making its triumphant return to Dallas Summer Musicals, presented by Comerica Bank, at the Music Hall at Fair Park June 7-12, 2011. Tickets, priced from $15-$75, are available at the Box Office, 5959 Royal Lane, #542 in Preston Royal Shopping Center; or at any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets are also available by calling 1-800-982-ARTS, or purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com. For groups of 15 or more, please call 214-426-GROUP.

The return of the percussive hit also brings some new surprises, with some sections of the show now updated and restructured and the addition of two new full-scale routines, utilizing props like tractor tire inner tubes and paint cans.

“After creating new routines for STOMP OUT LOUD in Vegas, [co-creator] Luke Cresswell and I decided it was time to rework elements of our main production, STOMP,” said co-creator Steve McNicholas. “STOMP has evolved a great deal ever since its first incarnation at the Edinburgh Festival. Every reworking has involved losing some pieces and gaining new ones, but has always stayed true to the original premise of the show: to create rhythmic music with instantly recognizable objects, and do it with an eccentric sense of character and humor.”

THE SMASH HIT RETURNS
TO DALLAS SUMMER MUSICALS WITH NEW SURPRISES


The changes that can now be seen in the tour of STOMP are the biggest since the late 1990s. A new piece, “Paint Cans,” evolved out of the “Boxes” routine in the Las Vegas show, and “Donuts” is a piece that implements huge tractor tire inner tubes, worn around the waist on a bungee cord. For many years, the creators had looked for a STOMP equivalent of the Latin percussion instrument the guiro, a gourd-shaped open-ended instrument with ridges along the side that are rubbed by a wooden stick to create its sound. The climactic trashcan sequence, “Bins,” has been restructured to include a guiro-like new found instrument: strip-lighting recycling containers.

From its beginnings as a street performance in the UK, STOMP has grown into an international sensation over the past fourteen years, having performed in over 350 cities in 36 countries worldwide. STOMP continues its phenomenal run with the ongoing sell-out Off-Broadway production at New York's Orpheum Theatre, a North American tour, and two productions overseas - a London company and a European tour.

STOMP, an overwhelming success marked by rave reviews, numerous awards and sell-out engagements, is the winner of an Olivier Award for Best Choreography (London's Tony Award), a New York Obie Award, a Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatre Experience, and a Special Citation from Best Plays. The young performers “make a rhythm out of anything we can get our hands on that makes a sound,” says co-creator/director Luke Cresswell. Stiff-bristle brooms become a sweeping orchestra; Zippo lighters flip open and closed to create a fiery fugue; wooden poles thump and clack in a rhythmic explosion. STOMP uses everything but conventional percussion instruments – trashcans, tea chests, plastic bags, plungers, boots, and hubcaps – to fill the stage with compelling and infectious rhythms.

Critics and audiences have raved: “STOMP is as crisp and exuberant as if it had opened yesterday,” says The New York Times. The San Francisco Chronicle declares “STOMP has a beat that just won’t quit!” The Los Angeles Times exclaims: “Electrifying! Triumphs in the infinite variety of the human experience.” “A phenomenal show! Bashing, crashing, smashing, swishing, banging and kicking – a joyous invention!” says the Chicago Tribune.

STOMP is directed and created by Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas. For more information about the show, please visit www.stomponline.com.

STOMP returns to the Music Hall at Fair Park from Tuesday, June 7 through Sunday, June 12, on the following schedule:

Tuesday June 7 8 p.m. opening night
Wednesday June 8 8 p.m.
Thursday June 9 8 p.m.
Friday June 10 8 p.m.
Saturday June 11 2 and 8 p.m.
Sunday June 12 2 and 8 p.m.


WHAT I THOUGHT OF PREVIOUS STOMP PERFORMANCES IN DALLAS

http://www.travellady.com/Issues/Issue67/stomp.htm

http://www.travellady.com/Articles/article-titas.html

http://www.travellady.com/Issues/June08/5083Stomp.htm

HOW CAN YOU TOP STOMP? HERE’S WHAT THE DSM HAS PLANNED

The following shows are also part of the DSM 2011 season at the Music Hall at Fair Park. Pick A Packs that include any three DSM shows are still available, starting as low as $36. For more information, please visit www.dallassummermusicals.org.

MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT, June 14-26, 2011. The second coming of Broadway’s #1 Musical Comedy Smash, called “A No-Holds-Barred Smash Hit” by The New Yorker. The funniest show on earth is back to taunt Dallas for a second time. Winner of the 2005 Tony® Award for Best Musical, SPAMALOT, the musical comedy sensation lovingly ripped off from the film classic “Monty Python and The Holy Grail,” now returns to spread laughter and cheer throughout the kingdom.

GUYS AND DOLLS, July 19-31, 2011. Big League Productions is proud to announce a sparkling new production of the timeless Broadway classic, GUYS AND DOLLS. Set in Damon Runyon’s mythical New York City, this oddball romantic comedy—considered by many to be the perfect musical comedy—soars with the spirit of Broadway as it introduces us to the cast of vivid characters who have become legends in the canon. The New York Times calls it “The show that defines Broadway dazzle!”

WEST SIDE STORY, October 4-23, 2011, is also the 2011 State Fair of Texas musical. More than fifty years ago one musical changed theater forever. Now it's back, and mesmerizing audiences once again. From the first note to the final breath, WEST SIDE STORY soars as the greatest love story of all time. Directed by David Saint, using Tony Award-winning librettist Arthur Laurents’ Broadway direction, WEST SIDE STORY remains as powerful, poignant and timely as ever. The new Broadway cast album of WEST SIDE STORY recently won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. The Bernstein and Sondheim score is considered to be one of Broadway's finest and features such classics of the American musical theatre as "Something's Coming," "Tonight," "America," "I Feel Pretty" and "Somewhere."

“So exciting IT MAKES YOU ACHE WITH PLEASURE” –John Lahr, The New Yorker

Season sponsors for Dallas Summer Musicals, presented by Comerica Bank, are The Dallas Morning News, WFAA TV Channel 8, American Airlines, and Texas Instruments. For more information about Dallas Summer Musicals, presented by Comerica Bank, visit their website at www.dallassummermusicals.org or call (214) 421-5678.

Madelyn Miller is a travel and food writer who loves musicals. Read her stories on www.travellady.com, www.carladynews.com, www.yogayaya.com, www.cocktailatlas.com, www.chocolateatlas.com, www.coffeeatlas.com, www.teaAtlas.com

Twitter your way to Chile

The riches of Chile’s majestic landscapes and world-class wines are rivaled only by the country’s prodigious literary heritage. With greats like Pablo Neruda, Gabriela Mistral, and Isabel Allende, it is little wonder that Chile is known as un país de poetas -- a country of poets.

Now you have a chance to visit this captivating land of lyricism, brought to life, not only in its vistas that inspired some of the most accomplished writers of our time, but in its many opportunities to enjoy the harvest of the country’s bountiful vineyards. Tap into your poetic side and tweet us a haiku that represents your take on the lyricism of Chile: vistas, wine, words. Your literary efforts may just reward you with a trip to Chile, including roundtrip airfare on LAN airlines, a five-night stay at Valle Nevado ski resort and some of the best wines on earth.

To enter, log into Twitter and tweet a haiku about Chile, using the hashtag #SipsSlopes. The tweets will be judged based on their creativity, originality and adherence to haiku form.

Hint: I was in Chile last year and think your inner poet might be inspired by Chilean wines.
http://www.travellady.com/Issues/Sept2010/career.htm

A detailed look at Cubism at the Kimbell Museum in Fort Worth

KIMBELL ART MUSEUM PROFILES PICASSO AND BRAQUE

By Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady


One of the joys of being a journalist is you sometimes get into preview events with extra insight and experts. And then it is our job to share it with you.
Recently, that happened at the Kimbell Museum.

I had a chance to preview the Picasso and Braque exhibit. Along with other lucky journalists, enjoyed an introduction and tour of this exciting exhibition by Eik Kahng, chief curator at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, and Malcolm Warner, deputy director at the Kimbell Art Museum. Harry Cooper, curator of modern and contemporary art, National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.

The High Touch Addition
NEW INSIGHTS INTO PICASSO AND BRAQUE PAINTINGS
REVEALED ON IPAD APP DURING THE UPCOMING EXHIBITION
PICASSO AND BRAQUE: THE CUBIST EXPERIMENT, 1910–1912


Visitors to the upcoming Kimbell Art Museum exhibition Picasso and Braque: The Cubist Experiment, 1910–1912 will be able to use a specially created iPad application to delve more deeply into Cubism. “Advances in digital imaging and the convenience of an iPad provide new ways to look at and understand the processes, relationships, and stylistic developments of the revolutionary art form now known as Analytic Cubism,” commented Eric M. Lee, director of the Kimbell Art Museum. “I’m thrilled that the Kimbell is able to provide this unique opportunity to Museum visitors.”
The Santa Barbara Museum of Art and the Kimbell have been working with MegaVision, a digital-imaging company based in California, to capture spectral images of select pieces in the exhibition. The quality of spectral imaging surpasses that of normal professional photography, and it allows options for ultraviolet and infrared, which can reveal features invisible to the human eye.
Affectionately titled iCubist, the app was designed specifically for the Picasso and Braque exhibition. It will showcase the spectral images along with three other original activities and will be made available to exhibition visitors, free of charge, on 40 preloaded iPads.

The iCubist activities allow users to:
• View and study works with a level of detail and precision never before possible for museum audiences. Users will have the ability to manipulate a succession of digitized spectral images that show the artworks at different light frequencies (ultraviolet and infrared), revealing the most minute details. Such fascinating views of the paintings uncover important decisions made by the artists in developing their compositions.

• Deconstruct a Cubist composition and attempt to put it back together. By rebuilding these composite reproductions, visitors learn first-hand about the intellectual and creative processes employed by Picasso and Braque in their paintings. The physical act of moving visual elements emphasizes compositional choices made by the artists to create, for example, a sense of balance or movement. It also highlights recognizable elements and describes their significance.

• Compare digital reproductions of paintings by the featured artists, Picasso and Braque, by clicking on markers that pop up to explain key aspects of their individual styles. This interactive activity will help visitors exercise connoisseurship to distinguish between the artists’ hands, despite their close similarity during the Cubist years.

• Explore the history of Cubism by means of an illustrated timeline that includes vintage photography of the artists and their friends and reproductions of key works of art.

The iCubist app was designed and produced by Reza Ali for the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and the Kimbell Art Museum. Picasso and Braque: The Cubist Experiment, 1910–1912 is on view at the Kimbell Art Museum from May 29 through August 21, 2011, and at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art from September 17, 2011, through January 8, 2012. It is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.

**Pablo Picasso, Man with a Pipe, 1911, oil on canvas. Kimbell Art Museum. Photo © MegaVision. © 2011 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Madelyn Miller is a travel and food writer who took art lessons at the Chicago Art Institute as a child. A painting I did was chosen to hang in the museum.. She still draws like an exceptionally talented fourth grader.
Read her stories on www.travellady.com, www.carladynews.com, www.yogayaya.com, www.chocolateatlas.com, www.cocktailatlas.com, www.teaAtlas.com, www.coffeeatlas.com

A Season Finale Performance
Not to be Missed


Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s Spring Celebration Series





Regina Taylor partners with Dallas Black Dance Theatre
on The Nina Simone Project

Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s Spring Celebration Series is the season finale
performance that you must see. The dancers of Dallas Black Dance Theatre express the emotion, intrigue, power and passion of the High Priestess of Soul in The Nina Simone Project choreographed by the pioneer dance artists and dynamic choreographer Dianne McIntyre with narration by Crowns writer and Director,Regina Taylor.

Wednesday, May 25th through Sunday, May 29th
at the AT&T Performing Arts Center’s Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre.

Audiences will be escorted through the life and times of American singer, Songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist Nina Simone. The ballet interprets the life and times of Ms. Simone from early childhood, through civil rights to her later life through dance and movement of the entire company.

Distinguished SMU Alumni and hometown favorite, Regina Taylor collaborates again with Dianne McIntyre on The Nina Simone Project. Many will remember the two dynamic artists joining on the highly acclaimed musical Crowns, which continues to be one of the most performed musicals in the country.

The Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater, under the direction of Bernard Gaddis, brings the power and excitement of the company to the stage of the Wyly. Known for its passionate and relatable repertoire, LVCDT will bring their classical, modern and athletic style to the season finale as they perform Gabriel’s Sorrow and Sacrifus, both choreographed by Founder Bernard Gaddis.

“I am excited about this finale performance.” says Founder/Artistic Director, Ann Williams. “This performance series is full of emotion and thought provoking dance, video, and spoken word that is sure to move audiences."

PUT DALLAS BLACK BALLET SPRING CELEBRATION SERIES ON YOUR CALENDAR

Presented by TACA, co-sponsored by Bank of America, the Spring Celebration Series will entertain the seasoned as well as the novice arts enthusiast. Dallas gets an opportunity to experience Spring Celebration Series for five performances beginning Wednesday, May 25th at 7:00 p.m. with the Wine Down Wednesday performance sponsored by Jean Baptiste “Tad” Adoue III Fund of The Dallas Foundation; Thursday, May 26th at 7:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, May 27th and 28th at 7:30 p.m. sponsored by Liberty Mutual Insurance Agent Carlos Clark; concluding with the Sunday, May 29th
matinee performance at 2:30 p.m. Supporting sponsors for the series include RBC Wealth Management and The Raytheon Company.

GET YOUR TICKETS

Tickets start at $10 and are on sale now and available at www.dbdt.com or by calling (214) 880-0202. Group rates are available by calling (214) 871-2390.

About the Dallas Black Dance Theatre

Founded in 1976 by Ann Williams, the mission of the Dallas Black Dance Theatre is to create and produce contemporary modern dance at its highest level of artistic excellence through performances and educational programs that bridge cultures and reach diverse communities. With an ever-expanding national and global audience, the company employs a diverse, multi-ethnic troupe of dancers,performing for audiences of all ages and backgrounds. The ensemble, a contemporary modern dance company, consists of 12 professional, full-time dancers performing a mixed repertory of modern jazz, ethnic, and spiritual works by nationally and internationally known choreographers.

About Regina Taylor
With an impressive body of work that encompasses film, television, theater and writing, Regina Taylor’s career continues to evolve with exciting and challenging projects. Taylor is best known to television audiences for her role as Lilly Harper in the series “I’ll Fly Away.”

She received many accolades for her performance in the who including winning a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a TV series, an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and two Emmy Award nominating for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

Taylor not only feels comfortable on the stage, she is also an accomplished playwright. Taylor’s critically acclaimed “Crowns” continues to be one of the most performed musicals in the country. It is the winner of four Washington D.C. Helen Hayes awards included Taylor’s win for Best Direction as well as Best Regional Musical. She was raised in Dallas, Texas and recently moved to Chicago.

MORE INFORMATION
All programs and artists subject to change. Wednesday and Thursday evening performances begin at 7:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday performances begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday performances begin at 2:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

All performances are presented by Dallas Black Dance Theatre. 2009-2010 season sponsors are The Dallas Morning News, WFAA Channel 8, American Airlines, Texas Instruments, The Downtown Business News, Elite News, The Dallas Weekly, Southside on Lamar, Black Business Directory, Dallas South News, DallasBlack.com,104.5 and 105.7 KRNB. American Airlines is the official airline of Dallas Black Dance Theatre. All performances are supported by the City of Dallas/Office of Cultural Affairs.

Madelyn Miller is a travel and food writer who tries to see every performance of the Dallas Black Ballet.

Read her stories on www.travellady.com, www.carladynews.com, www.yogayaya.com, www.chocolateatlas.com, www.cocktailatlas.com, www.coffeeatlas.com, www.teaAtlas.com

Photo by Robert Hart

FORKS OVER KNIVES movie review

By Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady


I grew up eating healthy. Or so I thought.

Living in the Midwest, most people believed that beef and milk were good for you.
No one worried much about cholesterol.Salt was sprinkled on everything to make it taste better. Butter added richness. And I believed every meal should end with dessert. In fact, my family always laughed that the first thing I always asked when I sat down to a meal was, “What is for dessert?” I wanted to plan how much room I should save for the sweet ending.


The movie examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting our present menu of animal-based and processed foods. The major storyline traces the personal journeys of Dr. T. Colin Campbell, a nutritional biochemist from Cornell University, and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, a former top surgeon at the world renowned Cleveland Clinic.

Inspired by remarkable discoveries in their young careers, these men conducted several groundbreaking studies. Their separate research led them to the same startling conclusion: degenerative diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even several forms of cancer, could almost always be prevented—and in many cases reversed—by adopting a whole foods, plant-based diet.

Despite the profound implications of the two doctor’s findings, their work has remained relatively unknown to the public. Bringing these scientific concepts to life, cameras follow “reality patients” who have chronic conditions from heart disease to diabetes, and are taught by their doctors to adopt a whole foods plant-based diet as the primary approach to treat their ailments.

The testimonials were impactful.

The film also features leading experts on health and tackles the issue of diet and disease in a way that will have people talking for years.

Sometimes the timing of when you see a movie effects how you respond to it. Recently, I had developed food allergies. After lots of doctor visits, over $1,000 worth of allergy testing, and a “challenge” (where a nurse watched me for several hours as I ate nuts and a doctor was available in the next room.) There was still no answer

I was not allergic to nuts. But everyone agreed something I ate was definitely causing the problem.

The problem was complicated by the fact that I review restaurants and judge food festivals. I do not always have much control over what I eat.

A friend insisted I try her naturopath. I was skeptical. After all, I had been married for 35 years to a doctor.

I had to wait 3 months to be able to see the doctor. He tested me and said my body was overloaded with sulfates—probably from taking lots of antibiotics. I was also very acidic.
He put me on a diet or no animal protein and limited me from eating tomatoes, vinegar, and anything acidic.

Five days later my symptoms disappeared. They only reappear when I “cheat” I felt great.

I decided to go to my regular doctor to have her check my progress. She drew blood and told me I had amazingly low cholesterol, very good scores for diabetes (which my dad, mother and brother had.) She left me a message when she got the results. She said what ever you are doing, keep it up. I wish I could get all my patients doing this;

All of this happened in about a month.

If I had seen the movie before having the personal experience of radically altering my diet, I would not have believed it could have that much impact. The movie reaffirmed that this was not just a lucky miracle for me. They had scientific data presented in a very interesting way. The movie is not as political as Food, Inc., but does not some fallacies in the widely accepted Pyramid that many Americans use as a guide for their diet.

I have lost weight (a wonderful side effect of eating healthy) And people keep coming up and telling me how wonderful I look, how beautiful my skin looks, etc .

What you eat is your own choice. But once you see this movie and understand the impact diet has on your health, I image you will change your eating habits. Even if you only change them a little, it will have a positive impact.

The line I remember from the movie is, “food is medicine”. My subconscious keeps chanting it. Especially when I see a brownie.

Madelyn Miller is a travel and food writer who is giving up animal based protein. Read her stories on www.travellady.com, www.cocktailatlas.com, www.chocolateatlas.com, www.coffeeatlas.com, www.teaAtlas.com, www.carladynews.com and www.yogayaya.com

Naughty Chef does a Good Deed

CENTRAL 214
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND
PATIO PARTY
SUPPORTS THE TROOPS


Event Debuts Chef Blythe Beck’s New Texas-Themed Summer Menu & Cocktails...Benefits USO DFW



WHAT: Central 214 Memorial Day Weekend Patio Party & Sunset Movie

In town for the Memorial Day weekend? Head on over for a taste of Chef Blythe Beck’s new Texas-themed summer menu and cocktails at the 2nd Annual Central 214 Memorial Day Patio Party, set for Sunday evening.

This year’s event will support the troops with 50 percent of proceeds going to the USO Dallas/Fort Worth, which has welcomed more than 1 million service members traveling through DFW Airport. Kick-back with bites, drinks and DJ tunes on the popular courtyard patio. Help us send a little piece of Texas to U.S. Troops overseas by signing a special USO Hello From the Home Front banner. The Central 214 Memorial Day Patio Party is sponsored by Ben E. Keith and Austin-based Deep Eddy Vodka. There is no entry fee.

Stick around after the party for the premier of the popular Central 214 Sunset Movie Series. Sunday, May 29, kicks-off a four-week-long tribute to the ‘80s, beginning with “Ferris Beuller’s Day Off.” Central 214’s extensive Late Night Happy Hour food and drink menu will be offered each week for the patio flicks.

For more information, please visit www.central214.com or http://www.facebook.com/Central214

WHEN: Sunday, May 29, 2011
Memorial Day Patio Party 6:00pm- 9:00pm
Sunset Movie On the Patio 9:00pm (Dusk)

WHERE: Central 214 at Hotel Palomar Dallas
Courtyard Patio
5680 North Central Expwy. at Mockingbird Lane Dallas, TX 75206
214-443-9339


ABOUT CENTRAL 214
Central 214’s extensive menu celebrates familiar flavors and the rich tradition of contemporary regional American cuisine. Diners experience Executive Chef Blythe Beck’s passion for food and for life through her hearty and traditional classics seasoned with rich ingredients and a famously “naughty” twist. The menu evolves with the seasons and features only the freshest steak, pork, seafood, poultry and local produce. Chef Blythe Beck practices the environmentally friendly standards of the Monterey Bay Seafood Watchlist when selecting seafood for the menu. Located adjacent to Kimpton’s Hotel Palomar Dallas, Central 214 is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as weekend brunch. Reservations are recommended. Complimentary valet parking is available. Visit us at www.central214.com or on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Central214

Margarita photo by Emily Loving

ABOUT KIMPTON RESTAURANTS
Founded in 1981 by Bill Kimpton, San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is a collection of boutique hotels and chef-driven restaurants in the U.S. and the acknowledged industry pioneer who first introduced the boutique hotel concept to America. Like each hotel, all Kimpton restaurants share common cornerstones: heartfelt care; chef-driven, seasonal menus that celebrate local farms and purveyors; artisanal wines hand-selected by master sommelier Emily Wines; cocktails crafted by master mixologist Jacques Bezuidenhout; and striking interiors with a vibrant style and design.

Guided by company-wide EarthCare practices, Kimpton Restaurants demonstrate a dedication to preserving the environment through the use of local and sustainable ingredients, whenever possible. With concepts ranging from rustic Italian cuisine in the Pacific Northwest to oceanic fare on the Florida coast and alluring lounges and bars tucked away in the nation’s capital, each Kimpton Restaurant is as distinct and expressive as its location. Kimpton restaurants include Fifth Floor in San Francisco, Tulio in Seattle, Poste Moderne Brasserie in Washington, D.C. and Panzano in Denver. For more information, please visit www.KimptonRestaurants.com or call 1-800-KIMPTON.

About the USO
The USO (United Service Organizations) lifts the spirits of America’s troops and their families millions of times each year at hundreds of places worldwide. We provide a touch of home through centers at airports and military bases, top quality entertainment and innovative programs and services. We also provide critical support to those who need us most, including forward-deployed troops and their families, wounded warriors and their families and the families of the fallen.

The USO is a private, non-profit organization, not a government agency. We rely on the generosity of our volunteers and donors. In addition to individual donors and other corporate sponsors, the USO is supported by Worldwide Strategic Partners: American Airlines, AT&T Inc., BAE Systems, The Boeing Company, Clear Channel Communications, The Coca-Cola Company, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Procter & Gamble and TriWest Healthcare Alliance. We are also supported through the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-11381). To join us in this patriotic mission and to learn more about the USO, please visit www.uso.org.