Month: July 2018

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Look ma, no “avocado hand!”

Blame it on the avocado toast. Apparently, people are injuring themselves at increasing rates, trying to get into their precious avocados.

It’s enough of an issue that it has a name: “avocado hand.” Joy Behar recently talked about her avocado-related injury on “The View,” and even our national treasure Meryl Streep fell victim to avocado hand back in 2012.

I have also accidentally grazed my hand with a knife while opening up an avocado, leading to a fainting spell in which my father in law had to catch me and help my unconscious body down to the floor of my kitchen. Thankfully, I didn’t need a trip to the emergency room. The only thing I needed to overcome was my embarrassment.

Since that incident, I learned to be especially careful cutting open my avocados, using a duller knife. But that doesn’t always get the job done, especially when it comes to removing the pit inside.

Then, my husband bought me one of the best kitchen gadgets I’ve ever used. I can now bid farewell to “avocado hand” forever. Continue reading “Look ma, no “avocado hand!””

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Review: Disney’s “The Lion King” still reigns supreme

It’s 1993. I’m watching the VHS of “Aladdin” at my childhood home, and as a 90s kid in the golden age of Disney movies, I was just as excited about the previews for what was to come. After “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and “Aladdin,” what could possibly follow? Enter “The Lion King.”

That’s when I first heard “The Circle of Life,” and I’ll never forget the feeling that swelled inside of me. It’s the same feeling I felt when I saw the film on the big screen in 1994.

And it’s the same feeling I felt over 20 years later when I saw Disney’s “The Lion King” on stage at the Wharton Center Friday night. I had my five-year-old daughter with me, attending her first Broadway show. Talk about the circle of life.

There’s even a special Snapchat filter for the show!

For the last two-plus decades, the Tony Award winner for Best Musical, Best Director, Best Choreography, Best Scenic Design, and Best Costume Design has been leaving audiences spellbound across the world. The three-week engagement at the Wharton Center, running through July 29, marks the third time the show has been performed in East Lansing.

“Lionesses Dance” in THE LION KING North American Tour. ©Disney. Photo Credit: Deen van Meer.

The gorgeous set pieces, costumes, and music audiences remember and love — along with the addition of some new jokes — all make it clear why Disney’s “The Lion King” still reigns supreme. Continue reading “Review: Disney’s “The Lion King” still reigns supreme”

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Poetry: “Rebound”

A few months ago, I learned about the Lansing Sidewalk Poetry Competition, a project that would help celebrate the different neighborhoods of Lansing with poems. The winning poems for each area (Old Town, REO Town, the Stadium District, and the Eastside) will be etched into the sidewalk in those parts of town.

Poetry was one of my favorite genres to write in, from high school through college and grad school. Since then, though, I haven’t found the inspiration or opportunity to write poems. I work best with an assignment, and being able to bounce ideas off of classmates and teachers to really fine tune the writing.

I entered the contest with hopes that my poem would be etched into the sidewalk of Old Town, my chosen area of inspiration. Sadly, I found out last month that my poem wasn’t chosen. But either way, it was a great opportunity to use some writing muscles that have gone soft, and in the end I have a poem that I really like. I also feel it accomplishes the hope and goal of the competition: to share a connection to an area, embracing its history and personal significance.

I love Old Town, and can remember feeling like it was a world away when I was at MSU. Now it is a favorite destination to go with family and friends. I wanted to write about how Old Town has evolved over the years, and including elements of the jazz and blues festivals.

Here is my poem. Continue reading “Poetry: “Rebound””

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Interview: Reflecting on the circle of life with Mpume Sikakane

For more than 20 years, audiences have been captivated by the stage adaptation of “The Lion King,” a winner of five Tony Awards including Best Musical. Based on the classic Disney animated film, the musical is a global phenomenon with nine productions around the world, including the North American tour.

The Wharton Center welcomes “The Lion King” for a three-week engagement beginning July 11th and running through July 29th. I had the opportunity to speak with Mpume Sikakane, a performer and recording artist who has been a member of “The Lion King” family for many years as a member of the ensemble and an understudy for the pivotal role of Rafiki.

I asked Mpume about her experiences on the road with her family (her husband and two children travel with her for the show!), what it is like to step into a principal role, and what audiences can expect from “The Lion King” at Wharton Center. Continue reading “Interview: Reflecting on the circle of life with Mpume Sikakane”