Diva-liscious

Mark DeCarlo and Ivan Kane present ODD WEDNESDAYS, a new, live, bi-monthly comedy and music variety show premiering March 17, 2010 @ 8PM at Café Was. ODD WEDNESDAYS features an amazing lineup of talented bands, singer-songwriters, and comedians coming together for the newest comedy & music showcase in Hollywood. The March 17 St. Patrick’s Day premiere will feature the house band Old Blues Eyes with singer-songwriters, and comedians performing in this talent-packed Jam Session / Open Mic. The night’s top acts will win cool prizes and a spot to perform along side all-star comedians and musicians on the LAST ODD WEDNESDAY, March 31st. Performer sign-ups are at 8:00 PM. JAM NIGHT runs from 9-11 PM. There is NO COVER CHARGE. Ivan Kane’s CAFÉ WAS is located at 1521 N. Vine St. Hollywood, CA. http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=347583032466 . WHO: Presented by Mark DeCarlo and Ivan Kane’s CAFE WAS WHAT: ODD WEDNESDAYS, the newest comedy & music premiere showcase WHEN: Beginning St. Patrick’s Day, March 17th, 2010, (and continuing EVERY ODD WEDNESDAY of every month (3/31, 4/7, 4/21, 5/5, 5/19 etc.)  Doors @ 8 PM Show @ 9 PM WHERE: Ivan Kane's CAFÉ WAS 1521 N. Vine St. Hollywood, CA (323)466-5400 TICKETS:   No Cover Charge – Free – ...

By Yeni Alvarez Last Valentine’s Day, I had a tour de force culinary experience.  It started with an invitation to a popular restaurant I had heard of, but was afraid to try.  I’m speaking of Dining in the Dark at OPAQUE. Opaque’s mission is to engage all the senses in a pitch-black dining room, while eager guests are taken from one course to the next, softly guided by their respective blind or visually impaired servers. Let me start from the beginning.  We first walked in to the lounge area and were greeted by friendly staff, who reacted as if they knew something we didn’t when we announced it was our first time.  They knew we were in for a treat. We picked our meal in the dimly lit romantic lounge and waited for our server to guide us to our table.  Behind closed curtains we entered.  Hands on my guide’s shoulder we went, slowly making our way between pockets of fading conversations in a sea of darkness. The maze ended up in a comfortable corner near the entrance to the kitchen. At this point, our ears were still getting adjusted to the mumbling, as we picked up on various voices at the same time, being ...

By Alegre Ramos * You are pregnant…congratulations!  Like all moms, I’m sure you want to do everything possible to make sure that your baby is healthy, and going green during your pregnancy is a great way to ensure this.  Here are 6 green living tips that will make a big difference in your life and your pregnancy.  As of the writing of this article, I myself am almost 5-months pregnant and I feel great.  Hopefully my tips will help you feel great too and help ensure that your baby is as healthy and happy as possible! Eat green! You should be eating green both literally and figuratively.  Get as many organic, whole foods into your diet as possible (whole foods mean foods that are as close to their natural state as possible.)  Try and cut out any calories that are not filled with nutrients as they will not nourish the baby but WILL lead to excess weight gain.  Eating healthy is probably the single most important thing you ...

By Angela Rocco DeCarlo, ©2009 Chicago – like any great city – has to be enjoyed in small bites. I recently revisited my former hometown, where you can sample at one time only a small slice of the great confection that is this beautiful lakeside city. However, there are attractions that are unique or stunningly significant that should be on any traveler’s short list. This is a sort of "Best of"...Some favorite things include: tour of the magnificent Lake Michigan waterfront museum campus of parks; Art Institute’s Impressionist paintings and Thorne Miniature Rooms; Cultural Center’s magnificent Tiffany Dome ceiling, largest in world; Sue, the largest and most complete T-Rex, Field Museum of Natural History; Museum of Science and Industry, 1893 Colombian Exposition building; Lincoln memorabilia/death bed, Chicago History Museum; Chicago’s 38 bascule (meaning see-saw) bridges, including Michigan Avenue Bridge Museum; Sears Tower (tallest building in Western Hemisphere) and Hancock Center observatories; and Chicago Water Tower on Michigan Avenue, a remnant of the Great Chicago Fire, 1871.Yes, I know Sears Tower has been renamed, as has Marshall Field’s, but Chicagoan are loath to let go, hence the names Sears and Marshall Fields reverberate. On my recent trip, my plan was to sample two ...

By Angela Rocco DeCarlo, ©2009 - There’s a lot of Chicago immediately west of Chicago. Chicago’s western suburbs offer stimulating attractions, “A” class shopping centers, such as Oak Brook Center and Yorktown, with plenty of lovely open spaces and easy access to the city’s attractions, via the Eisenhower Expressway. I chose a Marriott property in this location on a recent trip to visit the new 16-inch Softball Hall of Fame, Forest Park, and the “ Italians in Chicago” exhibit at the Italian Cultural Center, Stone Park. Marriott’s Residence Inn Chicago Oak Brook, is perfect for extended stays and offers a high level of service, comfort and convenience. I love this all-suite hotel for its homey and convenient layout, complimentary cooked and cold breakfasts and afternoon “socials” with food and beverages and huge lounge, perfect for after-hours meetings on comfy sofas around the fireplace. The design of the registration and entrance area makes for very quick check-ins, putting guests in their rooms within minutes of arrival. There’s plenty of free parking and carts for handling luggage if needed. The spacious and comfortable suites provide a full living room, televisions, desk with internet connections, full kitchen, plenty of closet space and dining area with ...