Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
Kimchee, anyone? For those hankering for some authentic Korean food in a casual environment, the eighth annual Korean Street Festival is the perfect place to get a taste of Korea. The organizers hope to better last year’s turnout of 30,000 attendees, especially since 2003 marks the centennial of the first Korean immigrants in the United States.
At Camp Ovation, sports is a four-letter word. A gym teacher is as out of place there as a dance instructor would be at basketball camp. So when shy Ellen is dateless for her school dance, or Michael gets beat up for wearing a dress and heels to his prom, they cling to the thought that they’ll be at a better place–Camp Ovation–in just a few days. Based on his own experiences attending a summer musical workshop, “Camp” is screenwriter Todd Graff’s directorial debut.
Aimee Mann creates perfect mood music. “Voices Carry” set that tone in the 1980s when she fronted the band ‘Til Tuesday. Her Grammy and Oscar nod for her solo songs in “Magnolia” clinched it. Touring in support of her latest album, “Lost in Space,” released on her own SuperEgo label, Mann will perform tonight at Navy Pier’s Skyline Stage.
The name is Bond. Just Bond. The comely, classically trained lookers in Bond are the musical headliners at Friday’s Glamorama. While it’s tempting to dub the Aussie quartet the Spice Girls of the string set, there’s no doubt these women can actually play.
There are some of us who lived through the 1970s who not only loved the soundtrack of that era, but also have fond memories of that decade’s music–even schmaltzy numbers such as “You Light Up My Life,” “I’m Not in Love” and, yes, “I Write the Songs.” So it’s not surprising that Rick Seeber came up with “8-Track, the Sounds of the ’70s.” What is unfortunate, however, is that the director either had too little time to craft an innovative stage production or just didn’t care enough about the music to attempt doing it justice.
When we last spoke with Aaron Carter, he said he coveted his famous brother’s height. He’s almost there. The younger brother of Backstreet Boy Nick Carter stands at 6-foot-1. The 15-year-old Aaron will be in Chicago on Tuesday for an autograph session at Marshall Field’s State Street store followed by an all-ages concert at the House of Blues.
Bye, bye, bye ‘N Sync. Hello Justin Timberlake. With his debut solo album “Justified,” Timberlake has set the ball in motion for a promising career sans J.C., Joey, Lance and Chris. With his current tour, which also features fellow former Mouseketeer Christina Aguilera, Timberlake is showing a more grownup side.
Shelton Lee always had a bit of an edge. When his schoolteacher mother began calling him Spike, even he realized the nickname fit him to a T. “I was always a little different,” Lee says, laughing. “I don’t think I knew it as a kid, but it wasn’t a bad thing. I grew up in a wonderful environment filled with love, knowledge and lots of jazz.”
If there was anything lacking at the Blue Man Group’s “Complex Rock Tour” Saturday night at the Rosemont Theatre, I didn’t notice. PVC pipes, Judy Jetson dresses and an odd little trio of bald, blue men. …What more could you ask for in a rock ‘n’ roll concert?
The Black Eyed Peas are enjoying the success of their new album, “Elephunk” (Interscope). Currently on tour with Christina Aguilera and Justin Timberlake–who sings with them on the oh-so-cool “Where Is the Love”–while also playing their own gigs, the Peas’ sole woman, Fergie (no, not that one), woke up early to call us at noon, yawning every now and again.
The All-Star game hits Comiskey, um, US Cellular Field on Tuesday. For those who can’t get enough baseball, we’ve got some of this season’s big hitters and strikeouts … in videogames, we mean. As for the popcorn and peanuts, you’re on your own.
The lawsuit between Viacom and director Spike Lee may be settled, but that doesn’t mean the filmmaker is happy. He told GLARE Tuesday, “I think that when people settle, no one’s happy because it’s a compromise. But we’ll all move on. I would like to state that I have no affiliation whatsoever with Spike TV–never did and never will.”
If you want to know why it takes a woman so long to get dressed, try going shopping with her. Aesthetics aside, women have to deal with sizes that make no sense. Welcome to the wacky world of women’s clothes, where more has become less when it comes to sizes.
I recently saw a display of vintage mannequins from the turn of the century that shocked me. They were life-size and wearing dresses equivalent to a Size 10 or 12. Fast-forward to a shopping trip to a downtown Chicago department store where the mannequins were roughly the shape of your 12-year-old nephew.
There are few artists who’re better fitted for a lazy summer evening than Sheryl Crow. Her clear, distinctive voice rings effortlessly through a crowd and–just as important–her songs are devoid of any hidden agenda. She writes and sings in such an honest, straightforward manner that you don’t feel duped.
When you hit the intersection of Christmas Blvd. and Kringle Place, you’ve reached Santa Claus, Ind., where it’s anything but ho-ho-hum for those who get a big kick out of all things Santa. The post office features jolly ol’ St. Nick climbing up its premises.
Sydney Chaplin isn’t surprised his father–the late, great Charlie Chaplin–still has so many fans worldwide. “He’s larger than life to a lot of people still,” says Chaplin, 77. “He’s even bigger in Europe than he is here. I remember meeting a guy in France. He shook my hand and started to cry. If he met my father, he would’ve had a stroke!”
Jennifer Holliday won a Tony Award portraying Effie White in “Dreamgirls” and a Grammy Award for her signature song, “And I’m Telling You.” But it was her guest-starring spots on “Ally McBeal” that won her a new generation of fans who had never heard of–nor heard–the power-house singer. That’s about to change.
Petite Rachael Ray looks exactly the way she does on her Food Network shows, “30-Minute Meals” and “$40 a Day.” But even she’s a little surprised when–as she leaves a Starbucks in downtown Chicago–a man stares at her cup of java and shouts, “Hey, Rachael! Is that on your $40 budget?” It’s not.
It’s never a good sign when your tour guide warns you about dinner–as in how to prevent yourself from becoming a critter’s meal.