Jewelry store keeps family tradition shining
Diamonds may be forever, but neighborhood jewelry stores have been fast-fading — except, perhaps, for those generationally owned, like St. John’s Jewelers. The Ellicott City store is celebrating its half-century as a family business this year. “I started working in the store when I was 16, a student at Randallstown High School,” said Linda Miller, 62. She now owns and operates... READ MORE
Innate creative urge drives late-life artist
Fantasy, surrealism and whimsy infuse the paintings, drawings, prints, storybooks, YouTube videos and soon-to-be-released films of Baltimore artist Craig Haupt. Haupt, 74, whose exhibition of oil paintings opens November 2 at the Katsea Gallery in Towson, said his art is influenced by masters like Salvador Dali, Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky and Pablo Picasso. “These artists gave me... READ MORE
You can take your senior discount and…
Senior privilege is all around us. Dedicated seating on buses and subways. Discounts at the movies. Youngsters who offer to walk us across the street — well, sometimes, anyway. This old guy has always been ambivalent about such tilts. On the one hand, we oldies have earned them. On the other hand, we should be the ones who say “no, thanks,” because younger people often need the... READ MORE
Experts provide sound advice on aging
The Bibliophile Here are several helpful books that focus on health and wellbeing as we age. Keep Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age, by Sanjay Gupta, MD, 336 pages, Simon & Schuster paperback 2022; 12 Weeks to a Sharper You: A Guided Program, by Sanjay Gupta, MD, 190 pages, Simon & Schuster paperback, 2022 Many of us are familiar with the reassuring, no-nonsense approach ... READ MORE
New and old musicals come to National
Another season of top Broadway shows on tour is coming to the National Theatre in downtown Washington, D.C. “We’re always thrilled to give Broadway fans a wonderful night out in the heart of the District,” said Ryan Baker, marketing director of the National Theatre. The first, Mrs. Doubtfire, known as “everyone’s favorite Scottish nanny,” will run October 10 to 15. Based... READ MORE
Stirring ‘Evita’ revival tells riveting story
Evita, at the Shakespeare Theatre Company, opens with a beautiful image of a dress — aloft, pristine and sparkling — in the center of a spare, dim stage at the death of Eva Duarte Perón. Over the course of this absorbing, engrossing production, the complex, stylish heroine fills her dress — indeed, more than one — as she becomes first lady of Argentina. The musical, a run of the ... READ MORE
Shaking the rafters in Toby’s ‘Sister Act’
This fall, the beloved Toby’s Dinner Theatre in Columbia, Maryland, is presenting Sister Act. Featuring engaging characters and songs by the Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken, the show will please most any theater-goer. Based on a popular 1992 film starring Whoopi Goldberg, the plot revolves around one Deloris Van Cartier, a rebellious singer living in the 1970s disco... READ MORE
How my friends and I get our daytime zzzs
Babies and toddlers have it all figured out. A book, a song or two, maybe a back rub or a bottle of milk, and boom. Off they go into a nice, neat nap. All of us who are a wee bit older like to nap, too, now that our days are probably no longer packed with meetings, bosses and expectations. But how do we induce that mid-day sleep? In my case, the pathway is very simple and very... READ MORE
Authors pen bios of those they knew well
The Bibliophile Enjoy these profiles by authors with first-hand knowledge of their subjects. To the Front: Grandfathers’ Stories in the Cause of Freedom, by Michael M. Van Ness, MD, 288 pages, Modern Memories, Inc. paperback, 2022 Military families have fascinating stories to share. Michael Van Ness recalls his upbringing as the son of Captain Harper E. Van Ness, Jr., on assignment ... READ MORE
Retirees rediscover the joys of learning
Grade school and college students don’t have to be the only ones heading back to the classroom this fall. Lifelong learning programs are abundant in our area, and there’s something for everyone. Opportunities range from one-off lectures to semester-long courses, both in-person and online, and cover a variety of subjects and activities. Veronica Salles-Reese taught at Georgetown... READ MORE
