Monday, April 8, 2013
Two dancers from The Dillon-Gavin School of Irish Dance placed at the competition held last month.
The Dillon-Gavin School of Irish Dance in Des Plaines recently sent five qualified dancers to compete at the World Irish Dance Championships held March 24-31, 2013 in Boston, Mass. This annual, week-long competition featured 6,000 top Irish dancers from all over the world. Kristjan Gudmundson (U12), Niles, placed fourth overall and Ronan Donahue (U13), Park Ridge, tied for 11th, in their respective age groups at World’s. Both dancers are now World Medal Holders and are therefore qualified for next year’s World’s competition in London, England. Kristjan earned the distinction of being the highest placing North American dancer in his age group and has proven that you don’t need to be of Irish descent to excel at the sport.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Dino Vlahakis remembers the time Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel filmed the intro to their "At the Movies" at the Pickwick Theater.
Dino Vlahakis remembers the day when Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel came to the Pickwick Theater in Park Ridge to film the introductory segment for their show At The Movies. Crews came out beforehand to replace the "Pickwick" sign on the marquee with one that said, "At the Movies." Watch the video attached to this story to see it. The shoot showed both film critics buying their tickets at the Pickwick's box office, getting concession-stand items--Ebert's is a reporter's notebook from a vending machine--and proceeding to the balcony. "During the breaks, I had the opportunity to meet them," said Vlahakis, the Pickwick owner. "They were probably the most influential movie critics in the country, but they were very approachable, friendly and …
Thursday, April 4, 2013
A film studies author and professor at Oakton Community College shares his thoughts on the passing of the popular film critic Roger Ebert.
Roger Ebert will be remembered as a film critic who expanded the appreciation of film through television, his commitment to his journalism roots and his calm, warm demeanor. That’s what Larry Knapp, a film studies teacher at Oakton Community College said when he received news of Ebert’s passing on Thursday. Ebert and Gene Siskel pioneered film reviewing on television in the 1970s with their show Sneak Previews, Knapp said, something that didn’t exist before then. “They made film appreciation something anyone could appreciate,” Knapp said. Before television, film criticism fell into primarily two areas, Knapp said, either journalism or academia, much like literary criticism. Ebert was the first film critic to receive a Pulitzer Prize, Knapp…
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Best Chicago sites for photos, instructions and Q&A with professional photographer, and more is planned by the Des Plaines Camera Club for its education month.
The Des Plaines Park District and the Des Plaines Environmental and Energy Program will sponsor the Sixth Annual Earth Day Youth Fair on April 20.
The Des Plaines Park District and the Des Plaines Environmental and Energy Program will sponsor the Sixth Annual Earth Day Youth Fair on April 20.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Make incredible, edible eggs, cooked and decorated to perfection for Easter.
Here comes Peter Cottontail. Easter eggs — blue, green, red, yellow and purple are the classics — are a fun tradition that bring together cooking, crafts, adventures and treats. Cooking: To boil eggs to the ideal temperature, start by placing the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. This will prevent the eggs from cracking because the temperature of the cold eggs will rise as the water temperature goes up. Elise Bauer, of Simply Recipes, recommends adding a little vinegar to the water. There is no need to blast the burner on the eggs. A rapid boil makes the water choppy, and the eggs might crack by bouncing into each other or the bottom of the pan. An even, medium boil is the desired effect. Bring the water up to a medium boil and…
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
The sale includes a wide variety of fiction and nonfiction books for adults and children, plus videotapes, audiobooks, DVDs and CDs.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Easter is right around the corner so here are some helpful and easy ways to get your Easter table ready with simple tips and pretty table decorations.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
The season premiere is still two and a half weeks away. While the wait for the next television season isn't quite the wait for the next book in the series, it can definitely feel like it for those of us waiting to see Joffrey's shining face again.
Richard Curry
9:10 am on Saturday, April 6, 2013
Why all the national fuss over Ebert's death? Siskel died at age 53; much more of a "tragedy", no? Ebert was in bed with the film industry; his reviews never challenged the intellectual, ethical or political premise of the film maker. He was a devout leftist and his film commentary reflected that lack of objectivity. more ›