This Week in South Florida

Jazz at the Museum Of Contemporary Art (MOCA)
Free Concert Featuring Julie Silvera

Time: Friday, May 30 at 8 p.m.
Location: 770 N.E. 125th Street, North Miami
305-893-6211

Julie Silvera performs jazz standards which have earned her many awards and honors. She also has performed with Gloria Estefan, Josh Groban, Christian McBride and Arnie Carruthers to her credit. Click here for more about Julie Silvera.

Jazz at MOCA is a free outdoor concert and is performed the last Friday of the month, rain or shine, sponsored by Starbucks Coffee Company and the City of North Miami, . MOCA galleries will be open by donation from 7 to 10 p.m. so that guests can view "Sympathy for the Devil: Art and Rock and Roll since 1967" exhibit.

DW's Loop

“How can you stay in the Loop, if you aren’t in the Loop?”

By DW

Friday
A-List Marketing Presents Spinderella @ Dragonfly
832 W Randolph
No Cover until 11:00pm w/ RSVP
RSVP @ http://www.alistchicago.net/

Saturday
An Evening with melanienicole @ Crimson Lounge
333 N. Dearborn
Join an evening of fashion celebrating the creations of designer Melanie Nicole Clark
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Presentation begins promptly at 7:15pm.
RSVP by Friday at noon @ eve@eventsbyeve.com

Sunday
Streets of Chicago @ Victor Hotel
311 N Sangamon Street
6:30 p.m.
Price: $25
"Project Runway" Designer Steven Rosengard hosts the fourth annual benefit hair and fashion show
Complimentary DiVine vodka cocktails from 6:30pm - 7:30 pm
Event Questions, call 312-733-6900

Cocktail for the Week – South Padre Island

• 1 oz sweet & sour mix1 oz vodka
• 1/4 oz peach schnapps
• 4 oz cranberry juice
• 1 splash orange juice
• 1 splash pineapple juice
• 1 lime wedge
• Fill a "hurricane glass" w/ ice. Pour ingredients in order. Do not stir.

Enjoy!!!!

Bonus of the Week – Chefs Tasting Menu @ Swirl Wine Bar
Swirl Wine Bar: 3 Stars
111 West Hubbard
Tuesdays/Wednesdays: feature the Chefs Tasting Menu - 5 Courses for only $23pp
Fridays/Saturdays: 3 Course Menu for only $29pp
More info: http://www.swirlwinebarchicago.com/AllEvents.htm

Dating Dimes* on a Dime in DC

*slang noun in relation to physical beauty in place of a "perfect ten"

By Westmoreland

12. Some Players Need Coaching More Than Others

Man... Every time I get down on my minor lifestyle inconveniences, I am restored to moderate confidence by some other sad-sack���s woeful mishap.

Just as sure as game recognize game, game must also keep an eye out for lame.

There is this guy, he was recently arrested for drunk driving on Memorial Day. The police pulled him over in DC, and he spent the wee hours of the morning in a District of Columbia jail. (Happy Memorial Day! Here���s something to remember!) Honestly, he was certainly not the only dude driving under the influence over the holiday weekend. That���s for sure. So, in general, you know, shoulder shrug. Tough break. Except in this guy���s case, he is recently released from serving a five-day sentence for the same offense in Virginia. He has three little kids. His wife sent me a text message imploring that I pray for her.

I flip my phone up to her ���Pray for me��� message, and I think to myself, for what? She has dramatic tendencies, so I want to confirm the prayer-worthiness of the request. But she is sincerely worried. Her husband has been picked up again for drinking and driving. Now, last week this five day sentencing thing was hilarious. ���Pack him a carton of cigarettes. He���s gonna need ���em!��� The guy is in his early thirties. This seems like the kind of thing that you do once, and straighten right up. He had been out with some folks from work, had a few too many, tried to drive home��� blah, blah, blah��� It is not okay, but it does happen. So it seemed okay to have a (chaste) chuckle at his expense.

But, when I listened to her this morning, I felt really bad for them both. This is a pattern. He has a problem. As his wife, she shares this problem because they are married to each other. Their problem is then, unfairly distributed to the children who are owed some real-time status on daddy ��� who did not make it home. The car is not parked out front because it has been impounded (again).

And I honestly feel bad. This guy married the mother of his children. I respect that. It certainly is a hell of a lot more than a lot of fathers are doing for their families. As the wife explains the details of his circumstances, I predict that his driving privileges will be taken away. And all I can think is, ���Player. What are you doing?���

I really don���t want to provide a shoulder for leaning. Not in this case. I feel like I am being mocked. The wife is beautiful. She loves him. And I am a little jealous of the fact that this guy has found a woman who would give him three healthy children ��� and then stand by as he takes his extended tour of the DMV���s (D.C., MD, and VA ��� and yes pun intended) jail houses. Perhaps he can get a blog on http://www.neonusinsite.com/: ���Arlington County jail gets 2 stars! I found the cots to be an awful place to recover from a hangover. Very poor condition! The food was less appetizing than DC jails. Low marks. Overall, I would not recommend a drunken, high speed chase outrunning the Arlington County Police -- unless you want to have a disappointing overnight stay! Tune in next week as I fail another breathalyser!���

I didn���t know what to say. Here I am. Single, and wanting a family. Yes. I am odd. Neurotic, perhaps. But I do know how to commit to things. And a family is the thing to which I feel most eager to commit. And certainly would not risk or take it for granted. And this guy is risking his family and other people���s families. I feel bad for him, but I feel more bad for me. This dude���s married? And I am doing my own laundry?

Although his license was suspended for a year, I told her to take the lead in terms of driving and safety. A man will try to drive with no license. No keys for him. Oh, but he has a motorcycle. And with that information, I recommend that she raise his life insurance premium. He will ride that bike, and drink. That is a matter of time, really. What was funny last week is not funny this week. God knows I could always use some coaching, but really? Him first.

This Week in Chicago

Millennium Park Festivities and Festivals Are Back!

24TH ANNUAL CHICAGO GOSPEL MUSIC FESTIVAL

Friday, May 30 - Sunday, June 1

Throughout the Park each day and at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion at Night
Hours: May 30: 4:00pm - 9:30pm; May 31 & June 1: 11:00am - 9:30pm

The 24th annual Chicago Gospel Music Festival features gospel artists on three stages, along with activities for the whole family. Headliners include, The Clark Sisters, Lady Tramaine Hawkins, The Mighty Clouds of Joy and The Rance Allen Group.

Presented by the Mayor's Office of Special Events, for more information, click here!

Sine Qua Non's 4th Annual Hair & Fashion Show

June 1

Victor Hotel, 311 N. Sangamon

6:30 Cocktail Reception, 8:00 the fashion show which includes a multi-media presentation and live DJ.

Project Runways "Steven Rosengard" will be a special guest designer. The featured local Chicago fashion designers are Jeff Millbern, Anna Fong and Wolfbait and B-Girls.

Get Tickets here! All proceeds for this event will go to benefit Preservation Chicago preservationchicago.org.

O's Corner

Help for Fashion Mishaps

With each festive occasion comes the risk of a wardrobe malfunction. Nothing spoils a night out, or any festive occasion, more than your fashion betraying you. You can spare yourself a potential nightmare by planning ahead, by being prepared for any event. Here are some discreet fixes:

1. To stop slippage - Double-sided tape can anchor a dipping neckline. Try Hollywood Fashion Tape ($7 for 36 strips; hollywoodfashiontape.com. The Strap-Mate, in clear, nude, white and black ($5-$8 lingerie solutions.com), hides bra straps.
2. To stomp out shoe woes - Shine scuffs away with individually packaged La Fresh Shoe Shine wipes ($4.50 for six: lafreshgroup.com). Keep strappy shoes from slipping off with Shoo Sticks, adhesives that stick to skin or hose ($16 for 16; shoosticks.com). To reduce blister-raising rubbing, apply Band-Aid Activ-Flex Blister Block Stick ($7 at drugstores). If a strap or heel breaks, use Instant Krazy Glue Single-Use Tubes ($4.50 for four; krazyglue.com).
3. To tame hair. Bring along DStat Static Relief Hair Spritz ($15; dstat online.com).
   
4. To fight underarm sweat. Packed parties can get you overheated. Feeling the heat? Try Fashion Forms Disposable Dress Protectors ($7 for six pairs; lingerie solutions.com) stick inside sleeves to prevent underarm stains.

Chicago Sex in the City Preview Parties

The much anticipated Sex and the City the movie has sparked much discussion, debate and, of course, parties. Here are a few Sex and the City Parties in Chicago.

May 29


Tickets are on Sale at the ICE Chatham box office http://www.icetheaters.com/ or call Venisha White Johnson at 773-892-3204.



Click here to RSVP for free admission before 11pm at the enclave Sex and the City After Party.

May 30

Cocktail Reception 7-9 pm at Fleming's Steakhouse, 25 East Ontario, (312) 329-9463

Complimentary Veuve Clicquot Champagne,
Belvedere Vodka Cocktails & Lavish Appetizers!
Ticket Price Includes Deluxe Transportation & Complimentary Admission To The Party At Victor Hotel!
311 North Sangamon, (312) 733-6900, 9pm-2am
Reception tickets are $35 in Advance/$45 at the Door
Admission for the Victor Hotel Party is $15 per person at the door.

To purchase tickets for both parties in advance, go to: www.going.com/sexcity
For tables, guestlist and press inquiries, call 773.510.4615 or e-mail info@funkycouture.net.

RSVP: sex@oneworldchicago.com

OHM, 1958 W. North Ave.

Friday: Chibar; Saturday: Nui Sushi; Sunday: Rebar @ Trump Hotel

You must RSVP to attend: Call 312.431.8801 or email @ rsvp@richmondgrouponline.com

Angela's iPod

LEDISI
LOST AND FOUND 2007
3.5 Stars

I enjoy a lot of the music I have heard from the Verve label and Ledisi is no exception. Although she has two other albums to her credit, I find this album is a a cut above the others. It is R&B with an infusion of jazz. Her voice is a pleasure to listen to and the music is thoroughly enjoyable. Songs like “Joy” and “Think of You” have an upbeat yet seductive groove to them. “Get To Know You” is deliciously soft and smooth, as is her duet with Rahsaan Patterson, “We Are One.” “Best Friends” is highly melodic. Even the lyrics are appealing.

Overall, Lost & Found is an album about love: finding, yearning for, being in, and needing love. And with few exceptions, her songs are compelling. R&B fans who also love jazz and those of you who enjoy soothing, grooving music will enjoy Ledisi. She says, “please someone find me.” I say, please go and find Ledisi.

Check out her website @ http://www.ledisi.com/

Play It As It Lies

Barefoot Landing, The Love Course: 4 Stars

by Jeff

Greetings from the Mid-Atlantic low country! After our last trip together to Florida, I was a bit famished and needed to replenish my golf energy. You see, I crave playing 36 holes a day and I need substantial sustenance. But a catfish and cheese grits breakfast will work to start the day. That���s right, it���s South Carolina baby! Specifically, Myrtle Beach.

Since we���re all family now, I don���t mind sharing a classic track. We���re going to the Barefoot Landing community, in North Myrtle Beach, to enjoy ���The Love Course���. It���s named after its designer, PGA tour member, Davis Love III. Davis is one of the legends in the game. He has an easy going demeanor, but competes with a killer attitude. Since turning pro in 1985, he���s racked up 19 wins. Only 3 other current players have more wins: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Vijay Singh.

Davis has always been known as a long hitting player off the tee so you would think this course might be unplayable for mere mortals. Not so. This course can best be described as his clone. It looks like him (figuratively), acts like him, but has its own agenda.

I���ll save the clubhouse for later, let���s get out on the course! The 1st hole is pretty different for a warm up. Most of the time, you can count on a wide-open and straight offering. Not today. This is an uphill, dogleg left hole. And please don���t look at this as difficult. A well-placed fairway wood or hybrid club off the tee will leave you in position to attack the generous green. The 2nd hole is a wide open, downhill par 5, dogleg right to an elevated green that plays longer than its 518 yard measurement. The one thing you���ll notice here is the exposure to the elements. There just aren���t that many trees in play on the front 9.

The signature hole is the par 4, 294 yard 4th hole. You���ll play slightly uphill to a green that has on its left remnants of a Scottish castle. I���ve personally hit a tee shot off of those bricks that ricocheted onto the green. No, it wasn���t on purpose, but it was fun!

You���ll soon wish you had some of those missing trees, as the low country crosswinds will start to make the game more interesting. Davis really tempts you into shortening the holes by trying to hit over the obvious hazards (sand bunkers, marsh, and arroyos) to be able to save strokes. Don���t worry; he has plenty of bail out areas if you don���t quite feel up to the heroics. The back 9 meanders through tall pine trees native to South Carolina. After suffering on the front, you���ll look at those trees as a welcome respite from the breezes. They do offer resonation if you hit them, signaling other players to duck and seek shelter.

The clubhouse is a stately plantation style colonial raised 8 feet off the ground. Once inside, it feels like you���ve stolen a day in an exclusive country club. There is even an attendant to care for your shoes if you like. The ambiance is set with dark stained wood walls and high backed chairs with hard leather bound menus. The porch is panoramic in design as it goes around the clubhouse begging you to sample the 1st rate Orange Roughy entr��e with southern style sweet tea. My goodness!! All you need now is a hand held fan to cool off. Expect a very service oriented staff; hospitality is this course���s forte. There are 4 courses here at Barefoot. I���ll be back next week with another review from right here in Myrtle Beach. Remember, play it as it lies!

Current Price: Week $100 Weekend Same
Par 72 Slope 75.1 Rating 138 Yardage 7047
Address: 4980 Barefoot Resort Bridge Rd N. Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
Website:http://www.barefootgolf.com/love.cfm

Divorce: A Man's Perspective

By Angela

In the last few years, I have spoken to several male friends who have gone through emotionally devastating divorces with almost crippling, lasting effects. Speaking with them has forced me to re-evaluate my beliefs regarding divorce and its effect on men and women. As a result, I did a little research into the subject of men and divorce. Most people seem to believe men can handle stress and emotions better than women. Women seem to get the bulk of the pity and support, especially if there are children involved. One would think that women suffer more from the depressing effects of divorce. However, several recent studies including one developed by Statistics Canada have discovered that men are more likely to experience depression after a divorce than women.

The study examined any links between depression and divorce. The data looked at men between the ages of 20 and 64. It found that divorced men were six times more likely to be depressed than men of the same age who stayed married. Newly divorced women, on the other hand, were 3.5 times more likely to be depressed than women who remained married. While there was no clear explanation why the idea of divorce was so much more devastating to men’s mental health, it was clear that children played a big stress factor in divorces that led to depression. However, most men did appear to recover from the depressing effects of a divorce within four years.

In the book, Black Men and Divorce, authors Erma Jean Lawson and Aaron Thompson make a significant contribution to our understanding of divorce. According to them, men are often ignored when we try to understand and explain couple relationships and their perspective in the decline or termination of these relationships has been seriously neglected. They found this to be especially true in divorce among Black Americans.

Based upon in-depth interviews with 50 Black men, Black Men and Divorce chronicles men’s passage from courtship and marriage to divorce and ultimately to the establishment of a new life. Focusing on working and middle class Black men, the authors reveal men’s, often startling, accounts of their divorces and their adjustment to life post-divorce. It also reveals the conditions inciting their divorces, the culminating events, and their subsequent post-divorce coping strategies. The men discuss their ex-wives and former in-law relationships; the role of mothers, family, and friends during divorce and post-divorce; and, they identify barriers they have faced in forming future relationships.

In the next few weeks I will be speaking to a few men who have gone through divorce and emerged on the other side. I hope their stories will help you to get a better understanding of a man’s perspective on divorce and its effect on their lives.

Angela's iPod

ALICE SMITH
FOR LOVERS, DREAMERS AND ME 2006
4 Stars

By Angela

Please, someone stop me. I just adore this album. When I first got it, I played it to death. Now, I just play it most of the time. I think I like almost every cut. I love her voice (rich and resonant), her range, and her delivery; everything she does is magical. I could listen to her all day and night. Oh wait, I have. She sings R&B, but she has her own sound and can do almost anything with her voice.

From the moment you hear the first piano key of her very first song, she sucks you in and does not release you until the end of her album. Although her first song is her best, don’t be mistaken, her other songs hold their ground. Even the lyrics keep their hold on you.

“Dream”, her first song is a great, Broadway funk type song with a chorus that begs you to love her. “Woodstock” is a fun, upbeat take on a really “f*d up dream” she’s had that requires her to take a trip to Woodstock to take it easy. “Gary Song” is a funky groove that slides to its ball-rolling chorus. “Fake Is The New Real” is a funky, bluesy groove that asks, “What‘s the deal?” “Desert Song” is a funky groove and “Secrets” is a soft, lush tune in which she gently croons her feelings. The album ends with the Caribbean-flavored “Love Endeavor.”

I believe Alice Smith when she says, “I need to be everything you see in your dreams.” I believe it every time I hear her sing. Trust me, if you listen to her, she’ll “be there to love you each and every night and all through the day”.

Check out her website @ http://www.alicesmith.com/

DW's Loop

“How can you stay in the Loop, if you aren’t in the Loop?”

By DW

Friday
The Official Rev Run after Party @ Enclave
220 W Chicago
RSVP @ http://www.outfitevents.com/ for complimentary admission before 11 & reduced after 11pm
9pm -10:30pm complimentary cocktail reception
After Party @ STONE LOTUS!!
Outfit guests receive reduced admission by asking for OutFIT Events list at the door.

Saturday
The Memorial Day Ascent @ Level Nightclub
1045 N. Rush
Guest DJ from Las Vegas, DJ Five.
VIP reception hosted by Boru Vodka 10pm - Midnight
Boru Vodka cocktail and bottle specials all night long
For VIP passes and table reservations contact Shannon at 312-397-1045.

Sunday
Amel Larrieux @ Alhambra Palace
1240 W Randolph
7pm
Tickets available at Dr Wax or groovetickets.com

Cocktail for the Week – The Trance
Ingredients:

• 1 oz Ketel One Citron
• 1/2 oz Midori melon liqueur
• 1/2 oz Chambord raspberry liqueur
• 1/2 oz Orange juice
• 1/2 oz Pineapple juice
• 1 splash Sweet and sour
• Mixing instructions: Mix into shaker, shake well with ice and strain over ice. Garnish with a cherry.

Bonus of the Week – Dine & Drink on the Roof Top

Monday: ZED451, 739 N Clark
Tuesday: NoMI, 800 N Michigan
Wednesday: SushiSamba Rio, 504 N Wells
Thursday: Shanghai Terrace, 108 E Superior
Friday: Citizen Bar, 364 W Erie
Saturday: Plymouth Restaurant and Bar, 327 S. Plymouth Ct.
Sunday: Terrace at the Conrad, 521 n Rush

Dating Dimes* on a Dime in DC

*slang noun in relation to physical beauty in place of a "perfect ten"

By Westmoreland

11. Game Theory?

I know that I am eschewing the standard advisory guidance. Of course I know that I should be rolling onto and off of mattresses with the D.C.���s single daughters where a trail of gold condom wrappers lies in my wake. I know that I am supposed to be a player (in the Viacom/BET sense of the word) who coldly realigns the bachelorette���s sense of virtue. Okay? But that is not game, is it? And if it is game, which game? I started dating at 15. Fifteen! If I were a basketball player that would be 22 years of running up the floor, dunking, blocking, rebounding, taking hard fouls, setting picks, getting traded, demanding trades��� and never, ever earning the love of a single dedicated fan, man. The Celtics can���t lose in Boston. When I come home, I want to be unbeatable, too.

But, anyway, yeah. I am still chaste. About 20 days, now. It���s so old school. I���m all getting in touch with myself spiritually and stuff. Now, it���s not the first time that I have gone without the special touch of a woman. Kindergarten, of course, was a dry spell. I didn���t get lucky in the first, second or third grades, either. Fourth? Nada. Fifth grade? Yeah. No. More of the same throughout grade school, man. Yes. Eventually, the ladies caught on. But it took ���em awhile.

But this chaste business is throwback game. The only way to be more throwback would be to get the marriage, itself, arranged. But, you know, whatever. My mother is enjoying her retirement too much to do my legwork. Plus she likes demure, skinny girls with high moral fiber, and, I mean, well, that arrangement wouldn���t work.

So yeah, much respect and big ups to India, South Korea, various Middle Eastern cultures and much of the African continent. Arranged marriages, it turns out, is the ultimate application of ���game���. Game, as they say, recognizes game. Arranged marriage eliminates dating doesn���t it? So, while D.C. dudes buy meals for women who are typically equipped to prepare them (what part of the game is that?), my brothers in Beijing and Bombay are, themselves, being courted. Goofy American dudes, like me, are in D.C .meeting women for drinks. ���Drinks,��� in any bar that I use, cost $30. Dinner is $100. Wait. If I am evaluating you, and this is an interview. Why am I paying? Well, I will tell you why I am paying. I am paying because my mother won���t arrange my marriage. And as you know, I am one of those guys who really wants to get married, fill an SUV with hard-headed boys who don���t listen, and put my wife in a big safe house in a nice neighborhood. And I am too (rigidly) sexist to go Dutch.

But if I had been born in Barack Obama���s father���s country I would be sitting on about 60 head of cattle and be happily betrothed to three women. Right? I think three is the right number, here. Two wives would drive you nuts because they would totally ���hate on��� each other. The first hates the second. The Second sabotages the first. What gets done in that environment? Nothing good, that���s what. But 3 wives create a steady state of turbulence where they are all compelled to stay on their toes and compete vigorously for my attention. Everyday is stilettos and spaghetti straps. That���s right. I guess I could move to Kenya, anyway. My company is global, the internet is global. Why have I limited my dating to the United States when I could actually marry up to my marryable limit? Of course I believe in Christian monogamy, but I think that I could marry up to three women and operate well. Polygamy is actually pretty old school. I���d just be kickin��� it Old Testament style. KnowhatImsayin?

But in any case, the arranged wives would not have to be courted. And here is the point: Why do I have to make a sale to discover my compatibility with you? I am tired of being charming. How do you sell a Saab? You don���t. The buyer has to know that they want - an oddly niche product that requires a lot of maintenance. So, I need one woman who has some appreciation of the engineering that has gone into this product, be able to commit and have the appropriate credit to drive off the lot. Ah, the audacity of hope.

316 Club: 5 Stars

175 W. Jackson, Chicago

Phone: 312.880.0316

By Neonu

The 316 Club is a combination Barbershop and Spa for men. I received an invitation to attend a Jose Cuervo Platino Party being hosted for members and guests. Not likely that I would pass on an opportunity to review a men's salon. But before I tell about the salon, gentlemen this is what you missed. Complimentary Jose Cuervo cocktails, ladies serving from their never ending trays of cheeseburgers, an Akira trunk show with female models, and hand rolled fresh cigars. All the men had smiles on their faces.

Owners Tony and Greg designed this barber spa to provide men an oasis with premium grooming services. While waiting for your services you can shoot pool, watch one of the flat screen TVs, get your shoes shined, and/or order a drink from the bar. One member, for over a year, I spoke to said he loved the 316 Club experience. He works in the financial district and can decide last minute that he needs a haircut and get an appointment same day. While waiting his turn, he can relax in the lounge area and check his blackberry or the latest news on TV.

The owners emphasized that excellence in service is their primary goal. I believe them. At the Cuervo event they took time to welcome and thank all guests and made sure everyone had a drink that wanted one.

DW's Take on 316:

"The Finest in Men's Grooming" is 316's claim. From my visit they may have the right to say so. Even though this was an event to attract new clients, you could tell that 316 is all about providing exceptional service to its clients. From my perfect shoe shine, to the relaxing barber rooms (not chairs) that included flat screens for your individual viewing pleasure, to the masseuse who did a fantastic job on my back, 316 will be the place for me to get away and get groomed.

Better yet, the memberships offer the best economic deal for men's grooming. For example, for $650 per year you get a massaging shampoo, haircut/style, hot towel, shoe shine and complimentary beer or wine to be used as many times as you want during the year. That works out to be $54 per month. Go twice a month and it has more than paid for itself.

There you have it from a man's point of view. What can I say 316 Club is a winner. And gentlemen, 316 Club says its barbers (women & men) can accommodate all hair and skin types. Ladies, think gift certificates for birthdays, anniversaries, father's day, or just to say I care. For more information on membership and services click here.

O'S Corner: Peach Coffee Cake

Here is a dessert that can be used for breakfast, brunch, or dinner. You may substitute the canned fruit pie filling of your choice.

• 1 (16-20 ounce) can peach pie filling
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 tsp. lemon extract
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
• 1 standard-size yellow cake mix

FOR THE TOPPING:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 tsp. lemon extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan. Stir the pie filling, eggs, extract and nuts into the dry cake mix until well blended. Spread in prepared pan. For topping, combine the sugar, flour, butter and extract with a fork or pastry blender (mixture will be crumbly). Sprinkle evenly over batter. Bake 40 to 45 minutes until the center of the cake springs back when touched lightly. Makes 12 to 16 servings. This freezes well.

Next Wednesday Jiffy Taco Chicken. Remember keep it simple, keep it quick, and always flavor full.

This Week in Chicago

May 22
GIRLS' NIGHT OUT
Bloomingdales, N. Michigan Ave.
6pm - 8pm

Attention girls of summer: surf on over to Y.E.S. for music, treats and summery drinks from Bacardi. Peek into our fashion cabanas full of Summer style essentials.*Spend 200.00 in Y.E.S. Contemporary Sportswear and get an exclusive Free People printed towel.** Spend 250.00 or more and get a 50.00 gift card towards your future Y.E.S. purchase. Valid 05/23-06/08.

*Must be 21 for alcohol cocktails. Guys welcome too.
**One per customer, while supplies last.

May 24
5th Annual Randolph Street Market Festival
Location: Randolph St and Ogden Avenue West Town
Time: Sat. 10am; Sun. 9am
Price: $10 fee covers repeat entry all weekend
Transportation: free trolley loops between Water Tower Place (835 N. Michigan) and the Festival 10am - 3pm; No. 65 Grand Ave. bus; Ashland Green/Pink "L" stop

May 23

$25 5 course small plates tasting menu with a glass of Sangria for ladies in groups of 2 or more
Location: Wave at the W Hotel Lake Shore (4 Stars), 644 N Lake Shore Dr.
Time: 5pm - 11pm

May25
DJ Spider & Dante the Don @ Le Passage
937 N. Rush St
DJ Spider has performed with other A-List DJs such as DJ AM, Mark Ronson, and Lil Jon! He spun at the record release parties for Amy Winehouse and Macy Gray! Now he's hitting the decks at the best nightclub on the Gold Coast.
FOR TABLE RESERVATIONS CALL 312.255.0022

May 26
Annual Mexican party with live music, food, dancing and a Rodeo
Location: Pilsen's Plaza Garibaldi
Price: $20-$23

This Week in DC

May 20

Happy Hour at Chef Geoff's
Time: 3pm- 7pm
Location: 1301 Pennsylvania Ave., NW or 3201 New Mexico Avenue, Northwest (The Original Chef Geoff's)
$5 burgers and beer specials at the bar









May 21
Fashion for Paws Event at Intermix
Time: 7pm-9pm
Location: 3222 M St. (Georgetown)
RSVP: rsvp@intermixny.com

Intermix is hosting a fundraiser for the Washington Humane Society. 10% of the all sales will be donated to the WHS. Also look for gift bags, sushi snacks, and raffle tickets.

May 22

"Interstages: A Day in the Life"

Who: Interstages participants (6th-, 7th-, and 8th-graders Angel, Bri, Brianna, Erica, Erricka, JaQui, Jonica, LaTaya, Make'la, Robyn, Shawniece, and Shaynese) and a special debut of Junior Interstages (5th-graders Anne, Korrin, Malik, and Nakosha)

What: Performance event featuring dance, drama, music, step, double Dutch, and more(Note: This event will be followed by a ceremony celebrating Interstages' first graduating class.)

When: Thursday, May 22, 7:00 PM Why: It's free, it's fun, and it's a great opportunity to support and encourage youth in our community who are experiencing success!

Where: Hillcrest Recreation Center, 3100 Denver Street SE, WDC 20020

Interstages is a nonprofit afterschool youth development program for middle school girls in Wards 7 and 8. It provides opportunities for early adolescent girls to discover talents, strengthen and develop skills, and heighten self-awareness, setting the stage for a successful transition into young adulthood. Learn more at www.interstages.org -- and come Thursday night to inspire and be inspired! Interstages: Success is in the Experience

RSVPs appreciated, but not required. 202-824-0740

This Week in South Florida

May 22

Location: Braman Motors, 2060 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami

Time: 7pm -9pm

RSVP: Contact Mr. Goodbar at 305.532.2544 ext.1252

Come Celebrate the Debut of the Hot Chocolate Mini Cooper Clubman

Ocean Drive Magazine and Braman Mini invite you to an evening of chocolate martinis and other chocolate treats with DJ Ruen

The new Bella Rose lounge take over the former Boom Boom Room space.

Angela's iPod

LIZZ WRIGHT
THE ORCHARD 2008: 41/2 Stars

Talk about the ability to sing country, blues, folk, and gospel…. Lizz Wright is as talented as she is beautiful. While I know her voice has been described as both heavy and smooth as molasses, her voice reminds me, if you will, of Mel Torme’s nickname, The Velvet Fog. It is smoky smooth as a glass of Laphroag scotch whiskey and just as warm going down. I have several of her albums and she just keeps getting better and better.

Her newest album is The Orchard. It is a collection of songs that defy being categorized, most of which she has co-written. While some may call her a jazz singer, I disagree. She has far more of a blues sound. In the end, you realize …. don’t label her; just listen, and enjoy her talent. She wraps her voice around the spiritual “Coming Home,” evoking images of toil and tribulation. Led Zeppelin’s “Thank You” is strong and soulful and Ike Turner’s “I Idolize You” is a lazy, easy groove. “Hey Mann” and “Song For Mia” are heartbreakingly beautiful, while “Another Angel” is soft and tender. “Leave Me Standing Alone” is upbeat and yet bitter while “Strange” is delicate yet haunting.

Lizz Wright’s voice is older than her years. Experience and deep, true emotion live in her voice and she delivers it all without yelling or screaming. She gently pushes you to fall under her spell. Verve has another winner here. With The Orchard, Lizz Wright cocoons you in sultry, soulful joy. So, when you are in the mood for something a little different, try Lizz Wright. You will not be disappointed.

Check her out @http://www.lizzwright.net/

Play It As It Lies

Victoria Hills Golf Club: 4 Stars

By Jeff

Hello friends. I hope you���ve all enjoyed our excursion out west to Arizona. We���ll return there in the future as I have more outstanding golf properties to share with you. But for now, are you looking for something new and exciting? For those considering traveling to the Sunshine state of Florida, this time of year is usually the best time to visit Orlando as it isn���t too hot, or drenched with afternoon showers, or overcrowded. (Well, unless you count Memorial Day weekend.) We all know this is home to Tiger Woods, Mickey Mouse (Disneyworld), Universal Studios, a plethora of water parks, and, if you���re a fan, the NBA���s Orlando Magic. There are many activities to be enjoyed whether you���re a golfer, or, you���ve brought your family and friends for a getaway. Either way, I���m the mayor this week, and I���m presenting you with keys to the citrus golf city! Here we go.

Approximately 35 miles north of downtown Orlando in DeLand, Florida, there is a hidden gem by the name of Victoria Hills. This golf course is a rollercoaster of mental agility. Ron Garl, a well versed Florida based designer, has created something rarely seen in courses in this state. Florida golf courses tend to be flat in nature but Garl moved a lot of land to create varying elevation changes of up to 80 feet! Creating elevated tee boxes, greens, and majestic, sweeping

undulations in the fairways. In Florida? Yes, in Florida. This course garnered a Golf Magazine ���Top 10 you can play��� accolade in 2003. Indeed, from the time you exit off Interstate 4 until you enter the clubhouse, the setting is serene. As you���ll soon see, Victoria Hills is a local, as well as visitors��� favorite.

The clubhouse looks like it has been transplanted from the fine state of Georgia; especially as it is colonial in design, complete with columns. And to complete the picture, there is pristine white paint with black accents on the doors, roof, and windows, and old station clocks are everywhere. If you let your imagination run, you can almost see Robert E. Lee rocking on the porch with a lit pipe in his mouth. This clubhouse is the gateway to southern hospitality! Your starter for the day has all the aforementioned charm despite being originally from elsewhere.

You will immediately notice that the tee box markers offer a variety of choices based on your skill level. Everyone will have an equal chance to enjoy this creation. You start off with a par 4, 429 yards from an elevated tee, to an elevated green. Oh boy! We���re wasting no time today getting started. You know you are in for a good time when your reaction after playing the 1st hole is ���exhilarating!���

For a Florida course, you would think there would be more holes with water hazards on them, but there are only 3. ???? But there is no need with a course this good. To occupy your sightlines, Garl has framed several holes with tall pines and red straw to guide you, or, test you - if you find yourself hitting a shot from in between them. To be fair, there are just as many wide fairways on some holes - in case you happen to hit your shots wayward. I can best describe your balls on the greens as marbles in a taco salad bowl. The four par 5 holes seem toget longer from hole to hole. Why do I feel like I���m being stretched out? By the time you���ve played 18 holes, you feel like you���ve visited a golf theme park. You will want to play again. But for now, you���re done.

Not so fast! The restaurant in the clubhouse is so down to earth; with great southern fare, you���ll want to relax for a minute or two. So, breathe and have an Arnold Palmer (1/2 iced tea, �� lemonade). Everyone is extremely friendly and loves to share stories from their course experiences. So come down to Orlando and have some fun, sun and golf! I���m ready to go back now. Hey! Remember���.play it as it lies!

Recommendation: 4 Stars

Current Price: Week $59; Weekend $65

Par 72 Slope 73.5 Rating 142 Yardage 6854

Address: 300 Spalding Way DeLand, FL 32724

Website: http://www.joetowns.com/victoriapark/golf.asp

Spiritual Journey - rainy days

.05 RAINY DAYS
by Angela

I was originally going to write about being virtuous. But that has flown from my mind. Instead, I lay here alone in my king-size bed and listen to the rhythmic throbbing of rain against my window pane. I open the window and feel the cool caress of the night's wind across my body and remember just how much I love the rain. I remember all the things I love to do in the rain. I reminisce and it is good.

Remembering leads me to a conversation I had recently with a friend about alternatives for those moments when your body ignores your mind and either cries out for or demands intimacy. Our favorite alternative is food. What a good friend food can be. And, isn't it amazing how just the act of putting food into your mouth can be satisfying. especially if done over and over and over again.

But, I shall not dwell on this. Instead, I will think about the last time I, to use an old-fashioned term, frolicked in the rain. It was a hot, rainy day in August of last year. It was during a summer downpour. My daughter and I ran out of the house, into the rain in our lightweight, summer dresses, much to the chagrin of my mother. But we did not care. We jumped in puddles, splashed each other, got drenched and giggled in girlish delight. We had a great time.

Isn't it amazing all the different things we can do in the rain. We can walk and talk in the rain, snuggle and hold hands in the rain. We can lay under mounds of blankets and watch old movies in the rain. We can sing and dance in the rain, eat fondue and stew in the rain. And we can have crazy sex or make gentle love in the rain. And how many of us actually take the time to think about the beauty of rain? It can be cold and chilling, cool and refreshing, or slick and warm. It can cause you to put on more clothes or totally disrobe. Rain is a great creation. It can destroy as easily as it can create. It helps young things to grow, just as living life to the fullest can help one to grow in many different and exciting ways. And just as too much rain can inhibit progress, so can living life on the sidelines cause dust to grow under ones feet. When, finally, one gets back out into the game, one finds that life has left one behind. However, I have also found that sometimes sitting on the sidelines and paying attention can reveal unbelievable insights. And that works because I can catch up. But, I digress.

Rainy days bring out my contemplative nature. My mind does not seem to be able to settle down, which makes it impossible to fall asleep. Usually I write. So, here I am sharing my thoughts with you. What is flowing through my mind now... poetry
A short verse on rainy day fairies

Rainy day fairies
Who carry the hope of tomorrow
Drop the future on me
and pray
that I am ready

A verse from a piece on rain

It is life sustaining
But not the essence of life
It can be cool and healing
Warm and soothing

And though it can be
continuous and damaging
It is a thing of beauty
A gift from above

And a verse from a piece on raindrops

Finally
I flee in desperation
To the outside
To the fairies of mother nature
And there
Feeling the bits of coolness
They bring down to me from the skies
To places on
about and around me
As they descend
To often unexpected places
Quenching the fire
Where they land

Lifting the heat from my body
As they land

Ah, rain and raindrops. But it is very, very late now and I have an early day tomorrow. So I must bid you adieu. But before I go. for the next week, take a moment each day, stop what you are doing, go outside and take in all the beauty that surrounds you: the weather, the people, the buildings and nature. All of that has been created by a Higher Power, from whom the foundation of all creation stems. That Higher Power created and continues to create just for you and me. And, as you are appreciating the beauty of creation, if it is raining and you are too embarrassed to splash in a puddle, catch a raindrop on your tongue. Then smile and know that, though life is not always easy, it is good. Oh, then go find someone special and kiss in the rain. Just because.

Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby.

Langston Hughes (writer 1902-1967)

Angst Among Friends

By Angela

02

I had the most interesting conversation the other day about a couple I know. They have been married twenty-one years. They have three children and seem as happy and in love today as they did over thirty years ago, when they first got together. My friend asked me if I knew how they managed to stay together so long and still appear happy. She said they really seemed to belong together. She asked if I knew how they did it. I couldn’t really answer her question. But it got me to thinking about this book I read a while back about relationships. It is by Neale Donald Walsh. He says “When our reason for relationships is aligned with our souls reason for being, not only are our relationships understood to be sacred, they are rendered joyful as well.

According to him, a great relationship is one of truth-telling. He says there are five levels 1) you tell the truth about yourself; 2) you tell the truth to yourself about another; 3) you tell the truth about another to yourself; and 4) when you tell the truth about another to that other; 5) you tell the truth to everyone about everything. He also says relationships fail because people enter into them for the wrong reasons. That the only way a relationship can work is for both parties "to agree, consciously, that the purpose of their relationship is to create an opportunity for growth, for full self-expression, for lifting each others lives to their highest potential, for healing every false thought or small idea each has ever had about themselves, and for ultimate reunion with GOD through the communion of their two souls"

I found this last point to be so interesting, I asked a few people I knew what they thought of this passage Did they agree with Neale Donald Walsh as to how relationships can work. I must admit it was fifty-fifty, half agreed with him and half did not. But talking with my friend made me think of this passage again and so I thought I would put it out there.

What do you think? Take a minute. Do you agree that the only way a relationship can work is for both parties "to agree, consciously, that the purpose of their relationship is to create an opportunity for growth, for full self-expression, for lifting each others lives to their highest potential, for healing every false thought or small idea each has ever had about themselves, and for ultimate reunion with GOD through the communion of their two souls"

What do you think?

DW's Loop

“How can you stay in the Loop, if you aren’t in the Loop?”

By DW

Friday
Maxim Magazine celebrates Manor's 1 Year Anniversary
Manor Night Club
642 N Clark
RSVP to info@manorchicago.com with "Friday 5-16" for guest list

Saturday
KREM
1750 N Clark
No Cover when you mention EGO at the door.
Hosted Hennessy Cocktail Reception from 8pm – 10pm

Sunday
Citizen Bar $20 Mimosa Brunch
Includes an entrée or a made-to-order omelet, plus fruit, potatoes and three mimosas.
364 W Erie St
11am - 3pm

Cocktail for the Week – Tangeritini

• 2 ½ oz Orange Vodka
• ½ oz Maderine Napolean or orange liqueur
• Stir with ice in a mixing glass
• Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with an orange slice
  

Bonus of the Week – Splendour of the Palace
Akira, Hennessy and Steve Madden Present: Splendour of the Palace
Akira Spring / Summer 2008 Fashion Show
Alhambra Palace
1240 W Randolph Street Doors open at 5:30pm
Runway begins at 7pm
VIP Gift Bags by Steve Madden & Akira
RSVP is required for entrance. VIP seating is limited.
RSVP @ Alla@akirachicago.com or contact Lisa @ 312-238-9314

Dating Dimes* on a Dime in DC

*slang noun in relation to physical beauty in place of a "perfect ten"

By Westmoreland

10. Chased Brother

Hey. I had what you might call an epiphany. First things first, though. (And this, here, is strictly for the ladies). Ol��� Dub-Delicious (or as I am known in the Southern States, Delicious-Dubya) would like to go on record. I am sorry. To paraphrase a famous Seinfeld episode: No soup for you!


I had an epiphany.


I was in bed one night (alone) and I was reading the paper. And I just started to think about what I really wanted in my life. The thing is I obsess over being married. I really do. I believe in marriage even as the statistics are exposing marriage as an futile institution for 60% of married couples. I don���t care about the pragmatism of being with only one woman for the rest of my life. I flat out believe in it.


I want one woman. One. I want her to be willful and independent, but I want her to be passionately irrational about me. I want her to go into uncontrollable shakes and trembles when someone mentions her husband���s name. I want her to suffer from flashes of raw lust when she hears my voice. I want her to sweat in anticipation of her husband returning home from the office. I am dead serious. And I want that with the same woman for the next, say 25 years. One day, I would like to drop my youngest son off at Morehouse College, fly back to an empty house in DC and do ungodly things to the woman who bore my babies. There is an eroticism evoked by the promise of marriage.


As an eccentric, I have faced up to not being main-stream. I have some quirks. The woman who commits to loving me, no matter what��� will be a woman cherished and revered. And I imagine that we will do it, a lot. And I mean the sweaty, grunting kind of doing it, too. And I am comfortable with the notion that some people do not hold claim to the same passion forever. That the flame extinguishes for some folks��� or whatever. Not me. I am a contrarian. There are a lot of things with which I have had long relationships that still make me excited. For example, I have been playing the piano since I was seven years old. I am turning 37, and I still love to bang those black keys.


Anyway, I know all about sex. No mystery there. I am sort of like an expert or whatever. No, really. I am not, you know, just good at it. I studied it. My mother had a copy of Woman���s Body. It was a big pink illustrated text book that explained all this technical stuff about chicks. My mother was also an elementary school teacher, so I was reading early. And I read a lot. Everything.

Anyway, one day she was out of the house, and I found her Woman���s Body book. And I read it. There was all of this explanation about the woman���s anatomy. The serious anatomy parts, though. I mean like where the on/off switches are located. Anyway, I was like 12 or so. I have always been a hacker (Tinker Toys, Erector Set, Chemistry Set), and it seemed like all this womanly business was a problem worth solving. I have read a lot of other -- woman's anatomy and sexuality -- books too. And I have read the occasional Cosmopolitan.


There are a lot of books that cover the woman���s sexuality as a problem set. And every woman is like a quiz or a curvy Rubik���s Cube. The Y chromosome renders dudes pretty simply ��� in terms of mechanics. Women, on the other hand, are systemically chaotic and complex. So, I have been on a quest to apply my research to the complete happiness of one woman. But what I have discovered in my quest is that coitus is not critical to the development of a long lasting relationship.


So, I thought about all of the things that I have put into a relationship. I have thought about all of the relationships that I have had. I have thought about where things could have gone wrong. I have assessed what I am really dating for in the first place. And the only thing that I can conclude is that pre-marital-sex is not helping me to get married. With respect to my past relationships, it just hasn���t provided an advantage for me to have had sex. It always complicates a relationship, somehow. I realized it has not delivered me anything more than I got, in say high school, when I had my first love but no lovin���. I am pushing forty, and I would really rather push a stroller.


So, I am not having (sigh) intercourse. Richard Cheney, the Vice President of the United States of America calls it abstaining. But, let me tell you something. It has got to be darn easier to abstain in Wyoming, where he is from. I mean, Wyoming? The closest foxy woman is in what, Texas? (I am exaggerating. I know that the closest foxy woman to Wyoming would, of course, be in Denver, Colo.) I live in Downtown DC, baby. And I have, what you might call, sex appeal. Sigh... Perhaps more than I need, too. I mean, I would never take advice from Dick Cheney about anything other than manipulating energy resources, dodging the draft, instigating global conflict or shooting attorneys in the face and then not reporting the incident for hours while the victim groaned and whined about the buckshot wounds in his face and neck. But in this case, Old Dick may be onto something.


I am not having sex in a city flooded with both highly sexy and overly sexualized members of the opposite sex. This is not going to be a walk in Rock Creek Park. Actually it might be like a walk in Rock Creek Park. They discovered a few years ago that Rock Creek Park has coyotes.


So, here sit I. A shaved head. A vow of poverty, and now, no nasty. Sigh... This had better work, too. I like doing the nasty. But you know, it's like the Rocky song "Eye of the Tiger." Eye of the tiger! For me, it���s same old same old: Boy sees goal, boy sacrifices something he loves to reach goal. What I needed next was a catchy way to convey my new approach to dating without mating.


So, I got this idea to focus group my ���No Nasty Now��� movement. The first person I told is my marketing guru friend. I was all���


ME: I am not going to have sex, until I get married. I think.

SHE_WAS_ALL: You are going to be chased.

ME: Sigh... I know. When the babes find out that I am not trying to get into their panties, they are all gonna come a���runnin���. Sigh...

SHE_WAS_ALL: No. I mean, you are going to be chased! Chased!

ME: Sigh...Yeah, I heard you. The women are going to lose their minds. But I need a way to describe it in a way that is still smooth��� you know? I don���t want to sound lame.


Then she explained that there was another way to describe not having sex, and that I should look up abstinence for the synonym��� blah, blah, blah. I had tuned her right out. I have an SAT verbal like a Porsche model number: In the 900s. But who needs a thesaurus to say ���I am not getting any���?

Chaste, huh?

WILD GINGER : 3 ½ STARS

WILD GINGER

48 Great Neck Road

Great Neck, New York 11021

516-487-8288

By Angela

For all you Queens folk on your way home from a day of shopping or work and hungry but not up to cooking, or for those meeting friends for fun and easy dining, try Wild Ginger. It is tasty Asian fusion in a beautiful setting. This Asian oasis has a waterfall at the entrance, huge faux palm trees beneath a skylight, Chinese characters painted on the seats, 30X15 ft. Asian-style murals on one of the walls, and an open kitchen. The tables are spaced comfortably and the bar, while in front of the restaurant, has plenty of seats.

At Wild Ginger, the food is a fusion of Thai, Chinese, Malaysian and Vietnamese, the waiters are usually friendly, and the bar is full-service. Their specialty cocktail list is extensive, including a wide variety of sakes and martinis.

I have been back to Wild Ginger many times and while not every dish is delicious, I have found the overall experience to be well worth the trip. The sushi is fresh and the rolls include traditional favorites and a few innovations. The scorpion king (an inside out roll of spicy tuna, cucumber, lettuce) is delicious. The seaweed salad with mango is a refreshing combination of sweet and spicy. The spring roll has good texture, both crunchy and flavorful. The crab cakes are tasty and actually full of crab. The Vietnamese summer roll is a lively combination of fruit and vegetables in cooked rice paper. The sesame chicken is crunchy on the outside yet moist and tender on the inside. The udon noodles - smoky, aromatic and chewy, without being overcooked, are so delicious they are almost addictive. The wok-glazed ginger duck is amazing and the seared rare tuna with soba noodles is terrific. However, the fried rice, shrimp pad Thai, and Singapore rice noodles are average at best. Moreover, the desserts, while plated beautifully, are inconsistent in quality. The sorbets are cool, flavorful and refreshing, but the cheesecake inedible.

As you can tell I have visited often enough to have tried many of the menu items. So go, enjoy the food, love the ambiance and have good food in a beautiful setting.

Things you should know if you are interested in checking out this spot:

$$$

Lunch: daily, noon until 3:30pm;

Dinner: Sunday through Thursday, 5pm until 10:30 pm; Friday and Saturday, 5pm until 11:30pm.

This Week In Chicago

Wine Tasting
WineStyles: 5 Stars
1240 S. Michigan Ave.
Thursday, May 15 6pm - 8pm
California Wine Tasting (Complimentary)
Live Entertainment

Zapatista: 3.5 Stars
1307 S. Wabash Ave.
Monday - Thursday 11:30 - 10:00
Friday - Saturday 11:30 - 11:00
Sunday 12:00 - 9:00

This restaurant serves authentic Mexican cuisine and has great daily specials.

Monday: $5 Margaritas
Tuesday: $5 Mojitos
Wednesday: $5 Sangrias; $3 Dos Equis Lager, Tacate & Tecate Light
Thursday: 25% off all wine
Saturday: All Brunch entrees $5 (11:30am - 2pm)
Sunday:All Brunch entrees $5 (noon - 2pm)

This Week in DC

National Harbor Food & Wine Festival
This Saturday, May 17 and Sunday, May 18, the inaugural Food & Wine Festival at the Prince George's County National Harbor offers a lineup of lectures, demos, and tastings studded with local and national big-name chefs. To include Michel Richard of acclaimed Citronelle and Central, pastry chef David Guas, formerly of Ceiba and Acadiana, and Robert Wiedmaier of Marcel's and Brasserie Beck (btw: all restaurants I love). More Info.

David Koz at Kennedy Center
$45 Orchestra Seats for Thurs. May 15 and Fri. May 16 Shows
David Koz, world-renowned saxophone player, platinum-selling recording artist, and popular radio host will add a touch of jazz to the NSO Pops final concert of the season. Conducted by Marvin Hamlisch and also featuring up-and-coming teen jazz vocalist Nikki Yanofsky.
Time: Thurs. 7pm & Fri. 8pm

IF ORDERING BY PHONE OR IN PERSON AT THE KENNEDY CENTER BOX OFFICE,
MENTION OFFER NUMBER "29947" TO RECEIVE YOUR DISCOUNT.
(202) 467-4600 / Toll-free (800) 444-1324 / TTY (202) 416-8524 / Groups (202) 416-8400


The SpeakEasyWay V
The Park at Fourteenth: 3.5 Stars (14th & K St)
May 13th, 2008
7pm - 2am
By Invitation Only: RSVP at RSVP@TheSpeakEasyWay.com

"Art", hosted once a month by TheSpeakEasyWay, LLC, is the city's only art focused party. This is the one event where members may bring out all of their guests. From fashion to paintings, photography to performing, TheSpeakEasyWay, LLC (TSEW) will exhibit local talent in an exclusive and creative environment.

To reserve a table with bottle service, please indicate so with your RSVP.


Washington Club Happy Hour
The Washington Club
15 Dupont Circle, Washington, DC 20036 US
Thursday, May 15
6:30PM to 8:30PM
(202) 258-9710


SBAA-DC Alumni of Color Happy Hour
K Street Lounge
1301 K St. NW, Washington, DC 20005 US
Thursday, May 15
6:00PM to 10:00PM

Join the Stanford Black Alumni Association, DC Chapter at kstreet Lounge for happy hour. This event has been very well attended in the past. Cover for this event is $5 until 7 pm, $10 thereafter and includes admission and appetizers.

Special Invited Guests Include...

Stanford Black Alumni Association of DC (SBAA-DC)
Univ. of North Carolina Black Alumni of DC
George Washington Univ. Black Alumni Association (GWBAA)
Harvard Black Alumni Society (HBAS)
University of Michigan DC Alumni
National Society of Black Engineers, DC Alumni Extension
National Black MBA Association-Washington, DC Chapter (DCBMBAA)
Duke University Black Alumni Connection (DUBAC)
Association of Black Princeton Alumni, Washington, D.C.
Georgetown Black Alumni
WBA-Young Leadership Development

Straits Restaurant Opens in Atlanta

793 Juniper St. NE
Midtown, Atlanta

Straits Atlanta, co-owned by Chef Chris Yeo and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, combines the four major culinary cultures of Singaporean cuisine, Malaysian/Indonesian, Chinese, Indian, and Nonya on one menu. Straits may be new to the East Coast, but it has been a favorite on the west coast for years. Chef Yeo first opened Straits in San Francisco in 1987. He also has locations in Burlingame and Santa Row (San Jose).

Let me know what you think.

Play It As It Lies

Arizona National Golf Club: 5 Stars

By Jeff

Howdy! This trip out west is my own Lewis & Clark golfing expedition …. a mission of discovery. I need to find out what makes some of the most technically sound, ruthless competitors tick on the pro tour. Oh no, not the PGA tour, the LPGA tour. Yes sir, the ladies.

I’m referring to the winning machines from the University of Arizona, Annika Sorenstam, and Lorena Ochoa. Annika joined the LPGA tour in 1994 and has 71 wins. That’s averaging over 5 wins per season. (Can someone please tell her that there are pseudo starving golfers out there that want to eat, too?) Lorena Ochoa joined the tour in 2003 and already has 22 wins. She’s averaging 4 wins per season and she just got here! Lorena made 7 starts this year and already has 5 wins. She’s either ranked 1st or 2nd in every major statistical category except putting. Clearly something serious is going on in southern Arizona that needs to be investigated. And I am just the man to do it.

I’ve played the 2 hour drive south, from Phoenix to Tucson, in my mind, for months. But you know what they say about the best laid plans. We began by enjoying a nice sunny drive until we met the 2 lane demon. What the heck was going on? Everyone was slowing down because you couldn’t see 2 cars in front of you. Were we trapped in a motorized purgatory? Nope. We were having a first-hand view of one of nature’s furies, a full blown dust storm. Oh, we were on a real adventure now and we hadn’t even paid the price of admission for the show. This dust storm then began alternating with heavy fog. But, no way was I turning back. I had come too far. At least that’s what I was silently rationalizing in my mind.

We made calls to the course to see if it was still playable and were told “it’s cold and overcast but expected to clear by the afternoon. People are on the course now!” So, we continued. Twenty miles from the Tucson border, the dust gave way to just heavy fog. But, we continued. Eventually we reached the end and thought …. We made it! But, the joke was on us. Construction on I-10 blocked every entrance except the first, which we never saw because of our muddy windshield. But I am no quitter.

At least we were now in rainy, foggy Tucson. Yet, just as I muttered a few choice words under my breath the skies cleared. It was so unexpected that I almost crashed the car. Why? I was now looking at the snow capped Santa Catalina Mountains. In Arizona! Well, I did tell you this was an expedition of discovery.

We had finally arrived at the Arizona National Golf Course, home to the University of Arizona (U of A) Wildcats golf team. I couldn’t get past the mountain views. That was until I looked down and saw the U of A’s red, white & blue “A” symbol on the side of the 18th fairway ….spectacular!

The course itself sits in a lush community, but off the beaten path of the main streets of Tucson. First appearances would cry “stuffy.” Not so. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. It felt like I was a member of an exclusive country club for a day. The pro shop is constructed of dark, mahogany wood. It frames the apparel and accessories sections like they are best in show. After we checked in, we were led to the expansive practice area. You feel good when the range has pyramid-like stacks of balls.

Let’s get to the course. Robert Trent Jones Jr. (RTJ Jr.) designed this course in 1995. His course design is a combination of experience and talent. He knows how to set you up for the “kill.” You have a nice easy par 4 straight away hole to get you going before the 575 yard par 52nd hole. This hole looks easy on paper, but plays longer than “Soul Train” has been on television. We survived until we got to the 5th hole, which I’ll say is the “signature” piece. From the back tees (where we play like some kamikazes) RTJ Jr. is on a mission. He has placed a huge cactus in your line of sight and has squeezed your tee shot with desert on both sides all the way down to the fairway. Now we’re thinking, this is just the 5th hole …. time out. Five holes in the books, major elevation changes, and the U of A golf team walks this course, daily?

This course is as beguiling as a Venus Fly Trap. Alluring and dangerous to your game if you’re not ready. Forgive me Vivian Green but this course is an “Emotional Roller Coaster.” Arizona National has more twists and turns than Lombard Street in San Francisco (the world’s most crooked street). You’d need a Sherpa and a week off to walk this course. Oh. I forgot to tell you. Since it rained earlier, it was cart path only and yes we felt the burn.

I acquired a golf workout and an education that day. Point - I’m taking my hat off to the ladies. Annika, Lorena, Wildcats, I see now why you’re built Ford tough. You have to be playing this course from the tips! What else can I say about this course but, I’ll be back, soon. So, if you love playing golf and want a test of nerves and game, while taking in Nature’s beauty, come to Arizona National in Tucson. Remember, even with a giant cactus in your face, you can still …play it as it lies.

Recommendation: 5 Stars
Current Price: Week $75 Weekend $95
Par 71 Slope 72.4 Rating 146 Yardage 6785
Address: 9777 East Sabino Drive Tucson, AZ 85749
Website: http://www.arizonanationalgolfclub.com/

A Spiritual Journey - loving again

.04 Loving Again

By Angela
My late husband's birthday was May 6th. This year he would have been the big 5-0. As such, I have been thinking about him even more than usual. Also, the other day, my late husband's best friend came to town to visit. We talked a lot about the past, the present, and the future. He is in the process of ending his marriage and we talked a lot about that. I am a widow trying to find my way again, during a time when dating websites are more popular than night clubs. We talked a lot about that.

He fell in love, married, believed it would last forever and then had the rug pulled from under his feet. As we talked it was not surprising to find him hurt, feeling betrayed, bitter and suspicious. And yet, he believed he would marry again. He still has hope for his future. I, on the other hand, fell in love, married, believed it would last forever and then my husband was killed. Although I have felt betrayed and hurt, I am not bitter and not suspicious. Yet, for the longest, it was hard for me to believe I would ever fall in love again, much less get married again. I did not have hope. I asked him about his quasi-optimism. He says it is his faith and belief in God, his support system and that he is a marrying man. He said he likes being married. I, contrarily, never aspired to marriage, never thought I would be married, but did marry because I loved and wanted to be married to my husband.

We were together for eighteen years. We dated for nine and were married for nine. It was a wonderful experience. Maybe that was why I had such a hard time when my husband was killed. People told me I was young; I would get married again; I would fall in love again. I laughed, rebelled, got angry. I never acknowledged the possibility of loving again. I wanted to live the rest of my life in the warmth of my late husband's love for me. It helped that my friends and family thought we had a great marriage. They kept the cocoon of my husband's love alive for me. Now, as I look back, I realize it also prolonged my grieving process.

For years I just suffered. It was written allover my face. It was in the way I walked, the way I talked, the things I did and the things I chose not to do. Then, one day, I began to laugh. A good sign. But I did not want anything to do with men. I hated it when men looked at me and heaven forbid a man would deign to talk to me. I don't know how long that would have lasted if it wasn't for a male friend of the family who took an interest in me. He put up with my total reluctance to get emotionally involved with any other man for years until he finally decided enough was enough and left me to myself. I now realize what a patient man he was and I am sorry for what I unintentionally put him through. He is truly a good man.

But time has gone by and I am no longer in a place of pain and misery. About one year ago, I decided I wanted to start dating again. What an experience it has been. How different times are from 29 years ago when I started dating my late husband. I have gone through a legion of emotions. I hate dating and yet I have actually reached a positive place as a "single" woman. I no longer feel dating is betraying my late husband. I no longer feel I will never fall in love. I no longer think a man cannot fit into my life or that I cannot fit (and don't want to fit) into another man's life. I no longer think there is no man out there with whom I can be as happy as I was with my late husband. Now when I think about my future, I think of Corinne Bailey Rae's song "Breathless." I want a man who leaves me breathless, breathless when he says my name, when he looks at me, and when he touches me. I want a man I can bring home to my family and my child. I want a man I can share my day with. Hell, I want a man I can share my nights with.

So, as my husband turns fifty in heaven, I look above and remind him I love him and always will. I also acknowledge I am open, willing and ready to have a happy, healthy, loving relationship again. So, today, find someone you love and tell them. Take the time to appreciate your partner and let them know you do. Give someone special in your life your time and attention. And for all you out there feeling alone right now, have hope in tomorrow. It does eventually come and it does eventually loom brighter. Better days are ahead. It is true, all there is...is love.

"As each day dies in the arms of night, so each woman should live in the arms of someone who truly cares. It is the fatal flaw in everyone that they must be loved." The Child of Judas, Violet Winspear (1976).