Lifestyle

Shakespeare Company and Gold Hill Theater brought their fast-paced, interactive program, Shakespeare In School, to Donna Anderson's 6th grade English class at Dayton Intermediate School recently.

Teaching Artists Michele Crain and Chris Willson involved the students in skits that brought Shakespeare's Kate and Petruchio from Taming of the Shrew to life. They also explained the historical setting of the play, and involved the entire class in a series of theatre games. Crain, a certified Nevada teacher with 10 years experience teaching in Nevada, designed the lessons.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2-jTJb7MAA

Funnyman Kevin Nealon, a “Saturday Night Live” legend and celebrated actor of “Weeds” is set to hit MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa at Stateline, Lake Tahoe on Saturday, Feb. 26, for a special one-night stand.

June Joplin, as Sister Hubert from Meshuggah-Nuns!, talks about the wine walk & show at the Brewery Arts Center.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdOKAmIZnKI

Joe Conforte, the former owner of the Mustang Ranch brothel a few miles east of Reno, has produced his autobiography as an ebook, his publisher has announced.

Titled “Breaks, Brains & Balls: the story of Nevada’s fabulous Mustang Ranch” the 464-page book details Conforte's adventurous life from his birth into the poverty of a Sicilian fishing village to a life of luxury in Rio De Janeiro.

Dayton Intermediate School’s newly developing school garden will boast two large sculptures by internationally known sculptor Mischell Riley.

Riley, who is well known for work such as the 3-story high bronze lion at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, has donated two of her pieces to enhance the school’s garden landscape.

Valentine’s Day in Carson City transforms into a week-long display of affection with candlelit dining options, special events, theatre performances and lodging specials, Feb. 12 – 19.

Selecting a restaurant for a romantic evening doesn’t have to be an intimidating task. The Carson City Convention and Visitors Bureau compiled a list of favorites as recommended by the citizens of Nevada’s Capital based on surveys and local “best of” votes.

Here's one of the more fun invites for the snowsport season from Diamond Peak in Incline Village. I've done this a couple of times and it is a great outing, with wine and snacks and one of the best views of Lake Tahoe around that lake. And the ski or ride down at the end of it all is exhilerating. I'll be there one of these weekends. See you at the Snowflake lodge!

Here's the skinny:

Brenda Silis and Gary Lyon talk about the Circles Initiative, a group of people helping other people to manage their lives in a more productive manner.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w25rLSWClJM

Michael Korda's fine new biography, "Hero, the Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia," comes at a critical moment in the Arab world, with the U.S. foreign policy in shambles as Egyptians riot in the streets and Tunisians oust their leaders.

Most Americans probably are only familiar with T. E. Lawrence as portrayed by Peter O'Toole in the David Lean film "Lawrence of Arabia," a fine biopic if not exactly the true, full story of Lawrence.

The highly touted English film "The King's Speech" has finally made its way to the Fandango Galaxy multiplex in Carson City, in time the for the Academy Awards next month where it is a strong favorite to win an Oscar or two. It's nominated for 12 awards.

So it took its time to reach us, but the wait was worthwhile as this is clearly a superior historical drama with a fine cast.

Four days of parties, games, competitions and tournaments are in the works to celebrate Super Bowl XLV at Lake Tahoe's MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa. The resort is pulling out all the stops in preparation for its Big Game Weekend, Feb. 3-6.

I was prepared to write off "The Green Hornet" as just another superhero movie, aimed at comic-book readings kids. Well, I was partly wrong. The film now playing at the Fandango Galaxy multiplex in Carson City is aimed at the lower levels of intelligence, but along the way offers some humor and an incredible chase-crash-shootout scene. So all is not lost when sitting in the Galaxy stadium seats.

Kym Maehl from the Brewery Arts Center talks about a new class to help spur your creativity:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5vO7tCr200

Natalie Portman has been busy this year, starring in a ballet film, "Black Swan," where she was a neurotic ballet dancer in black face mask, and in the current "No Strings Attached."

"Strings" is about Emma (Portman), a doctor, and Adam, a TV writer, (Ashton Kutcher) who get together after a party and a funeral (there's twist for you) and when I say "get together" I'm being sly — she doesn't want any relationship other than sexual, but sexual she sure wants, and director Ivan Reitman shows a montage of scenes in which Emma is dragging Adam into handy closets or bedrooms.

Lake Tahoe has been ranked the No. 1 ski destination for the year by Rand McNally, the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority announced Monday.

The ranking is based on travel bookings to the destination when compared to other winter locations throughout the United States and Canada. It is the latest recognition given to the region by the nation's top travel writers and publications, according to the LTVA announcement.

Heavenly Mountain Resort at Lake Tahoe is on top of safety on the slopes under the management headed by Pete Sonntag. An the new lodge up at the top of the Gondola is doing fine. We'll have complete report on the new million-dollar refuge this week. Here's the latest from Heavenly:

Heavenly Mountain Resort and the National Ski Areas Association are reminding skiers and snowboarders that they play a critical role in slope safety during National Safety Awareness Week, January 15 – 23, 2011.

Some good news from the Burning Man folks. Maybe some critics swill have second thoughts. Black Rock City, LLC, the organization that hosts the annual Burning Man event, has announced it will donate $97,200 in proceeds from ice sales at the 2010 event to various charitable, art and service organizations in Northern Nevada.

Next time you try the Chutes at Mt. Rose you can feel a little safer if you take a tumble. Here's what Mt. Rose says about medical care there:

Through a cooperative agreement between Mt. Rose - Ski Tahoe, the Regional Emergency Medical Service Authority (REMSA) and North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, the Mt. Rose Ski Patrol is now able to provide Paramedic level Advanced Life Support for sick and injured guests.

Heavenly Ski and Snowboard Foundation will kick-off the 11th Annual Kinder Kup Race Series at Heavenly Mountain Resort in South Lake Tahoe on Sunday, Jan. 23 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Open to all skiers and snowboarders age six and under, the Kinder Kup series is designed to introduce young athletes to competition in a friendly environment. No previous race experience necessary. Entry is $20 and includes a World Cup only competitor lift ticket.

Proscenium Players rise again with a murder mystery on the menu starting Saturday beginning at 6 p.m. when cast members mingle with the audience to gather clues about the upcoming murder story "Eat, Drink and Be Merry." Some pre-show music will be offered by Sweet Vocal Renditions featuring Sweet Molly McGee. Irish fare dinner begins at 6:30 with the show starting at 7:15 p.m.

Prizes will be given to the firs three audience members who solve mystery.

Carla Wilson talks about Procenium Players' new show, "Eat, Drink and Be Murdered," playing at the Gold Dust West beginning this weekend:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRRlyQxGhSM

"The Tourist," currently screening at the Fandango Galaxy multiplex in Carson City, is rich in scenery (Paris and Venice, how could you go wrong?), in female beauty (Angelina Jolie, again how could you go wrong?) and the usual befuddled but caring male (Johnny Depp).

It is not rich in a plot that makes a lot of sense, but it's a thriller so does that matter? I guess not if you're content to sit and let events wash over you and Jolie is good at that.

"Season of the Witch," currently playing at the Casino Fandango Galaxy multiplex in Carson City, is a movie that can't decide if it's a thriller fantasy or a buddy picture or a tour through muddled 14th century history. Maybe it's none of the above but instead just a mess.

It starts out with three alleged witches hanged and drowned (talk about overkill!), one of which comes back to do in the priest who condemned the three.

Dee Freewert talks about the First Lego League competition for area children to learn about engineering by building robots:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdkfeg1QQic

CARSON CITY, NV – January 7, 2011 – Over twelve million children go hungry in America every day, thousands right here in the State of Nevada. In an effort to contribute to feeding the hungry children in our community, Anytime Fitness of Carson City will donate $10 for each new membership this month to Food for Thought, a local non-profit organization that provides weekend meals to over 800 children in our community. Many of our children only receive the food they need during the school week.

The family-aimed film "Gulliver's Travels," now playing at the Fandango's Galaxy multiplex in Carson City, has very little to do with the book (or books) Johnathan Swift wrote in satire on the English government in the 18th century. Gone is the wit, the clever writing, the book that many of us read in high school or English Lit 103.

Here we go again. I’ll bet you made another January fitness resolution. Right along with the promise to loose ten pounds and clean the refrigerator. Trying to convince the major part of today's population that exercise is needed is usually a lost cause, and some days I get tired of trying. You can't force exercise, those that will, will and those that won't; won't. However, here are a few facts to keep in mind if you belong in the” won't” category.

Kim Maehl talks about arts classes available at the Brewery Arts Center:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p28H9uLC-LY

A hot air balloon rises over Carson City on the last morning of 2010.