“Paula, how old is your mother?” my friend Kathy asked, causing snickers among the other third-graders. “She’s, um, (never pause in the middle of a lie), she’s 39,” I said. “She is not!” Kathy howled, and the group erupted in laughter. I’m a late-in-li… Continue reading
(Editor’s Note: With Ramadan beginning on April 23, 2020, we wanted to share this story about community iftars that was originally published on Next Avenue in May, 2019. Given the restrictions on physical distancing due to the coronavirus pandemic, the… Continue reading
(This story was originally published on Next Avenue in November 2017; updated information about this year’s production of Macbeth can be found at the end of the piece.) “Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.” —Henry V, Act 3, Scene 1 On a… Continue reading
“It was just chaos.” Those are the first four words in the PBS documentary Going to War. The 2018 film features the voices, faces and stories of 20 veterans of all ages who fought in wars from Korea to Afghanistan and reveal to viewers not only the cha… Continue reading
Three-day weekends — not to mention summer vacations — always lend themselves to settling in somewhere sunny with a good book. What will you read? Ask your local bookseller for suggestions and check out the following recommendations from staff members … Continue reading
Children’s music legend Raffi is still crooning about baby belugas and shaking the sillies out to crowds across the country. But, this spring, the 70-year-old is turning some of his attention to others in those packed theaters: the adults. Raffi, whose… Continue reading
When my mom passed away, having established guidelines for my early grieving process was a relief, giving me concrete steps to take and tasks to do. Several years on, my grief is different — less sharp, but still punctuated with unexpected moments and … Continue reading
(This is an excerpt from Love, Loss and Moving On, a memoir by Lorie Kleiner Eckert, about life post-divorce, which she discovers includes both challenges and opportunities.) Going on this date is either a very romantic or an entirely insane thing to d… Continue reading
Fans of such TV home renovation shows as Windy City Rehab, Home Town, Fixer Upper and Salvage Dawgs are familiar with the term “architectural salvage.” But if you’re not, it’s the booming business of reclaiming, recovering, and reusing rich architectur… Continue reading
PART OF THE VITALITY ARTS SPECIAL REPORT New York City dancer and filmmaker Gabri Christa was intent on fully capturing the story of her mother Magdalena before dementia caused the beautiful moments of her mom’s life, along with some of its sadness, to… Continue reading