It’s never too late to pursue lost passions
Think back to your school or college days, when you may have enjoyed playing a musical instrument, acting in plays, or simply were engrossed in a subject that particularly enticed you. It may even have been your major in college. If that love, or that major, didn’t translate into a paying job or career, you might have let it go for years or even decades. But if that interest lingers,... READ MORE
Exhibit conveys suffering of immigrants
What does the past, present and future of immigration look like? The Warmth of Other Suns: Stories of Global Displacement, an exhibit on view at The Phillips Collection through September 22, seeks to answer this question through the work of 75 contemporary and historical artists. The show was guest curated by Massimiliano Gioni and Natalie Bell, both of the New Museum in New York, and... READ MORE
“Aladdin” & Genie conjure a winning show
If you love your musicals full of glitz, over-the-top dance numbers and wisecracking genies, then the exuberant Aladdin from Disney, now at the Kennedy Center Opera House through September 7, is for you. This year Aladdin is everywhere — in the movies and onstage. The musical, with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman, Tim Rice and Chad Beguelin, is set in an Arabian desert ... READ MORE
Sculptor found art after many careers
Paul Steinkoenig has pursued many interests and careers in his 59 years. The Hyattsville resident has been a Methodist minister, a psychotherapist, a state department intern, and a United Nations volunteer in Afghanistan. But he feels he has now, finally, found his true calling: art. And the Howard County Arts Council seems to agree. In August, an eight-foot sculpture by Steinkoenig... READ MORE
Garden clubs aim for sustainable beauty
Everyone talks about climate change, but who is doing anything about it? How about the 3,600 or so gardeners who are members of Maryland’s 99 Federated Garden Clubs (FGC)? The clubs, which began back in 1926, are part of the National Garden Clubs, a St. Louis-based nonprofit that is the largest volunteer gardening organization in the world. Its Baltimore City chapters include... READ MORE
Multimedia artist pursues universal truths
At age 15, Oletha DeVane accompanied her mother to her job at an agricultural research center in Maryland. When one of the doctoral students there learned that DeVane was artistic, she was hired to draw various insects the lab was studying. Over the next 50-plus years, DeVane continued her artistic growth, exploring universal spirituality through multimedia art, while also drawing... READ MORE
A rousing production of “The Wiz”
I have wanted to see The Wiz — a musical based on L. Frank Baum’s beloved children’s novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz — since I first heard the number “Ease on Down the Road.” What could be better than the iconic story updated to the 1970s with R&B, soul, pop music and high-energy dancing? Apparently, nothing was better in 1975, the year The Wiz opened on Broadway, as it ... READ MORE
A garden that shows your patriotism
You may fly an American flag over your home to demonstrate patriotism. However, have you considered planting your garden for the same purpose? The Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) has a series of publications to help you do just that. In 2007, the VCE developed America’s Anniversary Garden to help individuals, groups and communities commemorate America’s 400th anniversary of the... READ MORE
What’s the (cashless) world coming to?
Some signs of aging are very obvious and very expected. Knees that ache. Hair that disappears. Names that you can’t quite recall. Pounds that you can’t wish or walk away. But what in the world are we oldies going to do about the latest in retailing? Cash not accepted. I smacked face first into this utterly 21st-century trend the other day when I popped into a local coffee place ... READ MORE
Books by local authors for summer reading
The Bibliophile As Shakespeare put it, “Summer’s lease hath all too short a date.” Before summer ends, these works by local authors can be invigorating companions during this sultry season. Trigger: A Novel, by David Swinson, 352 pages, Mulholland Books, 2019 Author David Swinson is a retired decorated D.C. Metropolitan Police detective. He lives with his family in Northern... READ MORE
