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From ‘Happy Days’ to ‘Valentine’s Day’ — and before
Director Garry Marshall, right, talks with Bradley Cooper and Julia Roberts on the set of New Line Cinema’s romantic comedy Valentine’s Day, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo by Ron Batzdorff
TV and film icon Garry Marshall lights up Hollywood with a star-studded addition to his first-rate career
The living room set on The Dick Van Dyke Show was painted beige.
This fact may seem inconsequential to the general public, but to me, it’s a pot of gold.
When interviewing Garry Marshall became a very real possibility, I had to harness my enthusiasm into a manageable number of questions — questions that didn’t make me look like a crazy person — and finding out the color of the set topped my list. It’s in black and white, so I always wondered. (Trust me — compared to some of the questions I initially wrote down about minute details of my very favorite television show, that question didn’t look crazy.) As I’m only 26, being such a passionate fan of a show that ran from 1961 to 1966 may seem odd. But even as a kid, Dick Van Dyke, Carl Reiner and Garry Marshall were household names to me. Read the rest of this entry »
Mudd Flatt Missionary Quartette – Beech Grove, IN – 01/10/10 – Spotlight Players
Roker’s literary effort is fun, if not original
One look in the mirror confirmed it: Yep, you looked as bad as you felt.
Cold, flu or just some nasty bug? Didn’t matter. You croaked in sick to work, then hunkered down on the sofa beneath a warm blanket, with some daytime TV to sleep by. Could there possibly be a better place to recuperate? Read the rest of this entry »
Restaurant of the Week
If you’re anything like me, you need to have a cup of coffee in the morning to get you moving in the right direction. Furthermore, not only do you need a hot cup of coffee, but you can’t settle for just any gas station-worthy cup of Joe. We need something hot and rich, preferably with some type of pastry or breakfast sandwich on the side.
It is for these exact reasons that I started frequenting the Hula Bean in Greenwood. I was tired of the same old thing and I desperately needed to change it up. Read the rest of this entry »
Restaurant of the Week
To all those who are unaware, I consider myself to be a Mexican food connoisseur. Basically, I know my Mexican food, and I know it well.
Lately, I’ve been frequenting Fiesta Ranchera Mexican Restaurant for my burrito/taco/fajita fix, because I know that if I go there, I will be served quickly and effectively and will have a full belly and fat wallet at the end, which are all basic components that I look for when deciding on where I should go to eat.
One of the things that I like about Fiesta Ranchera is the large menu selection. Sometimes when looking at a Mexican restaurant menu, it seems that you’re looking at the same thing over and over, but I don’t get that feeling here. They have an extensive selection of House Specialties, as well as Combination Dinners for the diner who can’t make up their mind between a enchilada, chalupa or taco. This way they can just order the No. 1 combination dinner and get all three at one low price, and the food is to die for and come in large portions.
So, basically, if you’re as serious about your Mexican food as I am, then I definitely recommend Fiesta Ranchera for your Mexican fix.
Restaurant of the Week
I’ll be the first to admit that before just a few weeks ago, I had never heard of Joe’s Shelby Street Diner and was skeptical of it when it was recommended to me by a friend. Oh, boy, was I wrong.
In all the weeks of doing these reviews, I have never been greeted so warmly and treated like I was one of the regulars by any restaurant owners before.
Owners Don and Shane Minix were not only polite, but also extremely generous (they sent me home with their famous half-pound, foot-long hot dog). The atmosphere itself was as inviting as the owners. They have bar seating and upbeat wall coverings just like it would be if we were back in the ’50s. But enough about the staff. Let’s talk about what’s most important here … the food.
When you go to Joe’s Shelby Street Diner there are three menu items that you can’t leave without first trying: They are the one-pound burger, the half-pound hot dog and the hubcap tenderloin. I would recommend any one of these three entrees to anyone. And if you happen to be in for breakfast one day, don’t overlook the biscuits and gravy.
So next time you’re in the mood for some homemade cookin’, you’ll know the place to go — Joe’s Shelby Street Diner.
Joe’s Shelby Street Diner
Location: 3623 Shelby St.
Phone: 783-9590
Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
Saturday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
Sunday, Closed
At Play Calendar for the week of 12.10.09
Christmas Concert · Lutheran High School would like to invite everyone to their Christmas Concert. | When: Dec. 13, starting at 3:30 p.m. | Where: The Ruth Lilly Auditorium, 5555 S. Arlington Ave. | Info: Call 787-5474 for more information.
The Nutcracker • The Beech Grove High School show choirs (Elan & Co. and the Jubilaires) will be performing The Nutcracker, along with the Dance Refinery. | When: Dec. 12 at 7 p.m., Dec. 13 at 2 p.m. | Where: BGHS auditorium | Cost: $8. Read the rest of this entry »
Restaurant of the Week
It’s official. It’s really, really cold out. But since we all can’t stay bundled up in our nice, warm houses all day long, we are going to need something to help take the sting out of the winter chill. Luckily enough, there’s The Strange Brew Coffee House.
Unlike their big name, over-priced competitors, Strange Brew has an at-home atmosphere that can’t be beat … much like their prices. All your favorites are represented at Strange Brew — whether you’re a coffee person or prefer a variety of specialty drinks, The Strange Brew has you covered.
And don’t under estimate this tiny shop. They are more than just lattes and smoothies. They also provide a wide array of sandwiches, soups, wraps and deserts.
So there’s nothing we can do to stop mother nature and her cold weather take-over, but we can make sure our insides are kept nice and toasty this holiday season with our favorite hot drinks.
The Strange Brew Coffee House
Location: 4800 West Smith Valley Road
Phone: 881-5281
Hours: Monday-Friday 6 a.m.-8 p.m.
Saturday 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
Sunday 8 a.m.-2 p.m
At Play Calendar for the week of 12.03.09
Christmas at the Zoo · The Zoo is alight with thousands of tiny sparkling lights for visitors to enjoy, as well as, having special holiday activities planned, 5 to 9 p.m. every night. | When: Now through Dec. 30 (Dec. 24-25 closed) | Where: The Indianapolis Zoo | Cost: Included with regular zoo admission | Info: Call 630-2001 for more information.
“Days of Our Lives Stars” to Appear · Molly Burnett and Casey Deidrick of “Days of Our Lives” will make an appearance at the Indianapolis Zoo to help kick off Christmas at the Zoo. They will even participate in the 6:30 p.m. dolphin show! | When: Dec. 5, 5-8 p.m. | Where: The Indianapolis Zoo | Cost: Included with regular zoo admission | Info: Call 630-2001 for more information. Read the rest of this entry »