Culture – The Culture Mom http://www.theculturemom.com Adventures of a culture & travel enthusiast Sat, 09 Apr 2016 11:02:08 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.4.2 /wp-content/uploads/2015/10/icon.jpg Culture – The Culture Mom http://www.theculturemom.com 32 32 Guest Post: Review of UniverSoul Circus /guest-post-review-universoul-circus/ /guest-post-review-universoul-circus/#respond Fri, 08 Apr 2016 14:08:15 +0000 /?p=7303 Guest writer Liat Ginsberg is a mother and former journalist for the Israeli newspaper, Maariv. She has taught at the Film and Media Department at Hunter College. Most of us know that watching a movie with an African american (black) crowd, or going to a African american church is a different experience. Now you can […]

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Guest writer Liat Ginsberg is a mother and former journalist for the Israeli newspaper, Maariv. She has taught at the Film and Media Department at Hunter College.

Most of us know that watching a movie with an African american (black) crowd, or going to a African american church is a different experience. Now you can add to it going to a circus with African american audience and many African american performers. It’s a wild, fun and very interesting experience. Imagine sitting in huge African american church listening to great voices and dancers and add to it performers doing very daring twirling bicycles, disco dancing pachyderms, free-flying aerial, flipping canines, and extreme motorsports and much more.

UniverSoul Circus

UniverSoul Circus is a highly interactive combination of circus arts, theater, and music  including Pop, Classic R&B, Latin, Hip Hop, Jazz and Gospel. It’s a different circus for many reasons: it’s interactive, the audience is part of the act and people are encouraged to dance and sing on stage or between the isles.

In many circuses you will notice very talented stone faced acrobats who rarely interact with the audience. In the Universoul Circus, the acrobats look like they love what they are doing. They must go to work with a smile. They are  engaging and encourage the audience to have fun as much as they do.

Universoul Circus is for every age. It’s not easy to find an entertainment to take the kids to, that grown-ups will also enjoy. In our case, we enjoyed it as much as the kids.

The audience members in the Bronx were so awesome. We couldn’t stop laughing. At times. we wondered if they weren’t ringers. If you volunteer to go on stage, expect to be asked to dance and have rhythm.

In addition, you will witness Olate Dogs from Chile (winners of AMERICA’S GOT TALENT), Ethiopian Pole Act from Ethiopia, Aerial Duet from Colombia, Bicycle Tricks from China, Airborne Motorcycles from California, Caribbean Dance and Limbo from Trinidad and Tobago, Russian Bar from Cuba and dancing Elephants from the United States, a multicultural, multinational mix of talent.

My family was very impressed by the Airborne Motorcyclist. It will leave you in awe. The riders almost touched the ceiling with their motorbikes. I was wondering, they are so lucky their mothers were not in the crowd, they would have definitely fainted.

When I asked my six-year old daughter what was her favorite part, she replied, “I loved the puppies but did not like the elephants. I felt bad for them, they looked sad.” I told her that many countries have banned live animal in circuses.

My daughter also complained about the very long intermission, almost 45 minutes, which gave many kids the opportunity to ride a pony for 10 dollars. Not a bad thing for a child.

And, of course, there are photos with the clown for 10 dollars and you can also purchase light up toys .

Our family loved Universoul Circus, I recommend it as great family activity,  your kids will remember it for years to come. Here’s info if you want to get tickets:

UNIVERSOUL CIRCUS performs in five different venues:

THE BRONX

March 30 thru April 10, 2016

50 E. 150th St., Bronx, NY 10451 (Across from Bronx Terminal Market at 149th St. and Exterior St. Next to the bridge)

BROOKLYN

April 12-24, 2016

3159 Flatbush Ave., Brooklyn, NY 10451 (Floyd Bennett Field @ Aviator Sports. Just down from Kings Plaza Mall)

QUEENS

April 27-May 15, 2016

Roy Wilkins Park, Merrick Blvd. and Baisley Blvd., Jamaica, NY  11434

NEWARK

May 18-30, 2016

430 Broad Street, Newark, NJ  07102 (Across from Broad Street Train Station next to the Riverfront Bears Stadium)

Visit www.universoulcircus.com for more info, show times, and schedules.  Tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster.com or 1-800-745-3000. Ticket prices range from $16 through $40.  Prices vary by venue and by day.

Disclosure: Liat received these tickets on a complimentary basis, but all opinions are her own.

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Falling in Love with My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 /mybigfatgreekwedding2/ /mybigfatgreekwedding2/#comments Mon, 21 Mar 2016 13:00:01 +0000 /?p=7273 When I got invited to screen My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 in advance of its release, I was instantly keen. After all, how would the long-awaited follow-up to the highest-grossing romantic comedy of all time fare? Nia Vardalos, its writer, had waited 14 years to bring the film back to audiences. Why? What story would […]

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When I got invited to screen My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 in advance of its release, I was instantly keen. After all, how would the long-awaited follow-up to the highest-grossing romantic comedy of all time fare? Nia Vardalos, its writer, had waited 14 years to bring the film back to audiences. Why? What story would she tell? Would she bring original members of the cast? Would it verge on the ridiculous? 

I’m happy to report that it wasn’t tacky and that it was quite faithful to its origins. Vardalos brought back either all or most of the original cast, as well as her crew. And if you’re wondering why it’s called My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, I won’t tell you that, as you may want to see it, but I will tell you that there is a wedding and it’s probably not who you think it is that ties the knot, or why they tie the knot. There are twists and turns, and I have to say that I not only laughed out loud but I teared up several times. The plot revolves around many themes of my own life – from being a working mom to a mother/daughter relationship to dealing with dysfunctional family members and it was completely relatable on so many levels. My family may not be Greek (we’re Jewish), but I related to its emphasis on food, relationships, music and culture.

So clearly I was looking forward to a conversation with several of the film’s stars, from Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Elena Kampouris, Andrea Martin, Joey Fatone  & director Kirk Jones to find out more about the process of getting the film from script to screen. I spent a recent Saturday morning getting to know the cast from Greek and it was pretty enlightening. Here is the trailer from the film and a few bites from the convo:

An Interview with the Cast of My Big Greek Fat Wedding 2

On why it took 14 years to bring the film back.

Nia Vardalos: The wait for the sequel is entirely my fault.   I apologize, as true Winnipegger that I am. I had written at the end of the first movie that Toula and Ian were parents. And in reality, the struggle to become a parent was real for me. It was very long and then I did become a mom. Happy ending. And on my daughter’s first day of Kindergarten, I was crying so hard and so loud that other moms were backing away from me. And somebody said, “Hey, come on. In 13 years, they’re going to go off to college. What’s the big deal?” And I went, “What?” And that’s the moment that I realized I might have had the idea for the sequel and I went away and started writing that day.

Elena Kampouris: It was just all laughs on set. It was such a happy atmosphere, which I find rare, so it was very special.

Andrea Martin: For all of us, I think, the movie’s been kept very alive in the last 14 years, because it was so successful. People have a great love for the film. So over the years, people have come up to me and say, “Do a little bit.” “What do you mean you don’t eat no meat?”

It really felt like yesterday. And we knew each other. It wasn’t like a new cast, so it was just great familiarity and great affection for one another.

About maintaining the magic from the original that everybody loved and made it such a success.

John Corbett: I think that’s the x-factor is magic. It’s so hard to define. How do you recreate some sort of magic that happened on a few million-dollar movie that may or may not see the light of day 15 years ago? When we made the first one, the World Trade Towers were still standing. That’s how long ago it was. Now to come back and try to recreate that is not something that was in my hands at all. It was mostly in hers by putting pencil to paper, and then this guy making those moments happen. So I’m the wrong guy to be answering that. But I think, having seen the second movie, that it happened. Somehow, that magic happened twice, because this movie does it for me.

Kirk Jones: It was a very unusual project for me, and instead of sort of saying, “Okay, this is my film. This is how I’m going to do it,” I had a very different role, and it was really just making sure everyone was guided towards a place emotionally and comically that they had been in 15 years ago. And I have to say, in all honestly, playing down my role, it was not difficult. Everyone turned up. The cast, the script, the performances were absolutely wonderful.

Joey Fatone: I think keeping the magic, in a sense, was of course a huge part of Nia. Because obviously being the writer and learning from experiences, of course, her having a child now. Back then when she didn’t have a child and she couldn’t really write from it, because I think she didn’t have experience from it.

On making romantic comedies:

Jones: I think everyone at this table is a huge fan of making movies which make people feel good, make them laugh, make them cry [unintelligible] again. And the dark stuff is out there, and we all enjoy watching that now and again, but there’s absolutely no reason why we shouldn’t invest our time in making movies which makes people feel good and touch on human subjects, which is what Nia does when she comments on families. And that’s what everyone wants to see, as well as all the other stuff.

Vardalos: We weren’t afraid to show what a real marriage can be like and we weren’t afraid to show that this family has aged, and that’s okay. They all look like they’ve been dipped in pickle juice. But families go through things, and Kirk wasn’t afraid to show that and create a very safe environment on set.

Corbett:  And this is also a feel-good movie the first time around. She’s (Vardalos) smart enough to not give anyone a real-life dose of cancer in this one to battle. It’s not My Big Fat Greek Divorce. It’s just more of the same, and that’s what people are going to walk into the theaters wanting. They don’t want something different, really, I believe.

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On bringing motherhood into the storyline and an unexpected plot twist (which I can’t mention):

Vardalos: With my book, Instant Mom, I realized the power of just putting things out there. Just offering information. I try not to offer advice, but just, “This is what happened to me and here’s some information,” so I thought, well, I’ll just put it out there. Because you never know. Maybe somebody will go, “Hey, I’m going to adopt.” But I also don’t think that people have to get married. And I think what happened with the first movie is we went around and we were labeled sort of the poster children for “get married, make babies” and I just don’t think that that’s the one life for everyone. There are other avenues. Go to Africa.

I believe that that balance is a quest. And I think that we need the yin and the yang and the only way to know that you’re off balance is to lose it a little bit. So I’m actually happy for those dark places in my life, because I find the light–I appreciate the light so much more.

On playing these roles and relating (or not) to their characters:

Kampouris: Absolutely I could relate, because I’m half Greek. My father’s side of the family is Greek. My mom’s side is French American. The [unintelligible] side. So growing up in a Greek family, I call it BTGFD, Born to Greek Family Disorder. You know what it’s like having family members that are very loud, only have one volume, talk with our hands, our feet. If we had extra limbs, we’d be talking with those too.

Fatone: Everybody can relate to the family with that kind of–with their kind of humor, I think. There’s always that one grandfather or older generation that always, “Well, when back in my day, when I was this, this was this, this and this.” For Michael, his character was always, “Give me a Greek word, any Greek word, and I can find out exactly–or any word, I can find to where it goes to Greek.”

Martin: I based it on a great aunt of mine. I’m Armenian and her name was Evelyn Tarpinian, and she, in the Armenian community, was the one person that always was the fixer, as somebody said today. And always carried herself with great confidence, always looked lovely. Prided herself in assimilating into the American culture. And so I really thought about her when I created the character and I hope that still remains. I wish I could be as confident as Aunt Voula in my real life. It’d be great to go through life not thinking about what anybody thought of you, but unfortunately that’s not who I am. But I love that quality in her. Just doesn’t worry about what people think of her, but I think she goes through life with great affection and love for everybody around her. I don’t mean that she’s just all self-consuming but–

Insight on how other teen girls can harness girl power for good.

Kampouris: What I love that Nia did with this movie is, a lot of people have asked, oh, are they going to do a third movie? Are you going to get married? And I don’t think that would be the case, and I know that Nia’s not all about that. Because in the film, she makes a point, if you’re a teen girl and you get to a certain age and you’re expected to get married, you don’t have to. You can do what you feel is right for you, what your path and your heart is telling you is right. So I like that Nia makes that point. And for myself, I aspire to be a weapon of love and mass creation. To inspire positivity and empowerment. Not just with women, but with everybody. I think we should all feel equal and I think that Nia has infused that into the movie a little bit, especially with Paris’ character, and I love that.

The film comes out on Friday, March 25th. More info on the film here. Please see it and let me know what you think!

Disclosure: Screening and Press Conference hosted by Universal Pictures

 

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Review: Bright Star on Broadway /review-bright-star-broadway/ /review-bright-star-broadway/#respond Sat, 19 Mar 2016 14:45:04 +0000 /?p=7271 Every now and then comes along a Broadway show that takes me by surprise. I go in to the theater wondering how I will feel when I leave and whether I will recommend it to anyone. Will it sweep me up and transport me into another world where I can escape my daily routine and […]

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Every now and then comes along a Broadway show that takes me by surprise. I go in to the theater wondering how I will feel when I leave and whether I will recommend it to anyone. Will it sweep me up and transport me into another world where I can escape my daily routine and take me to that faraway dreamy place I hope to land whenever I take in a show?

My most recent Broadway experience, Bright Star, did all this but I must admit that it took time to get me there. Written by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, the show is a bit of a sureal piece of fiction based on reality. It has an explosive plot twist at the end of act one that left me reeling in my seat. Prior to that moment, I was ambivalent about the show and where it was taking me. But that one moment changed everything and during act 2, I was completely riveted.

And then I started to realize the power of what was going on before me….the music, the dancing, the talent on that stage. With the book written by Steve Martin and the songs written by Edie Brickell, there are banjos, guitars and violins playing the score, something I may not have been used to at first but I realized at the end that it all worked really, really well and set out to do what it meant to – tell a powerful story that left me and every audience member shedding a tear…or two…of three.

Set in North Carolina between the years of 1923 and 1945-1946, the show revolves around the experiences of two characters, both writers: Carmen Cusack’s Alice Murphy, an editor of a fictionalized magazine, the Asheville Southern Journal, and Billy Cane played by A.J. Shively, a young man back from World War II who dreams of having his stories published in her periodical. Through a series of flashbacks, their lives pivot and come crashing into each other’s and the results are electrifying. Along the way, we are treated with beautiful songs (Brickell’s lyrics are truly beautiful).

The music is played by an onstage bluegrass band conducted by Rob Berman, which brings the show even closer to our hearts with its interactive, up close and personal feel. The cast is also perfection, which aids the play at certain moments but cheers to Cusack who is marvelous – there is no other way to describe her. The set, designed by Eugene Lee, is also pretty spectacular, showcasing a wood cabin on wheels. The result puts audience members directly into the backwoods of North Carolina, a place I must admit I’ve never been to, despite the fact that I’m a Georgia girl.

If you want to see the show, please use this discount code when you book: BSBLOG303. Tickets are as low as $39 for performances thru June 12th here.

Disclosure: I was at the show as press. However, all opinions are my own.

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My 36 Hour Trip to L.A. /a-quick-jaunt/ /a-quick-jaunt/#comments Mon, 14 Mar 2016 02:14:21 +0000 /?p=7266 Early last week I was invited to Los Angeles for a set visit on one of my favorite TV shows (more on that later!). Despite the fact that we are in the midst of renovations on our home, I’m crazed with work and I’m hosting my daughter’s Bat Mitzvah in less that two weeks (did […]

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Early last week I was invited to Los Angeles for a set visit on one of my favorite TV shows (more on that later!). Despite the fact that we are in the midst of renovations on our home, I’m crazed with work and I’m hosting my daughter’s Bat Mitzvah in less that two weeks (did I just say that?), I replied positively.

I flew out last night at 6:30pm and I arrive back home tomorrow around 7am. Yes, I will have been gone approximately 36 hours. From NY – L.A. and back… in the blink of an eye.

Some people may think that I was crazy to leave everything going on in my life and take a trip to L.A. for 36 hours. Some people may not understand.

You know what I say to that? We have to do what’s right for each of us, and this was the right decision for me. As a pop culture writer and junkie, I could not turn down the opportunity. Everything going on at home will be waiting for me and will be going on tomorrow. The Bat Mitzvah planing will pick back up. The home renovations will continue with my input. My family will survive. And me? I’ll have had this amazing experience.

I’ve written a lot about solo travel and why it feeds my soul. Check out my latest post on GoGirlfriend for a complete top ten on how travel has made me a better mom.

Meanwhile, I’m milking my last hour in the hotel room.

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Review: Eclipsed on Broadway /review-eclipsed-broadway/ /review-eclipsed-broadway/#respond Thu, 03 Mar 2016 01:04:13 +0000 /?p=7257 Today I witnessed a very special Broadway play. I use the word “witness” because I feel like I was privy to a story that demanded being told. It’s about a group of women in Africa undergoing a very private experience that we otherwise would perhaps never know about…or understand. Danai Gurira’s original drama is about women’s […]

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Today I witnessed a very special Broadway play. I use the word “witness” because I feel like I was privy to a story that demanded being told. It’s about a group of women in Africa undergoing a very private experience that we otherwise would perhaps never know about…or understand.

Danai Gurira’s original drama is about women’s suffering during the Liberian civil wars and it’s a one of a kind. It stars Lupita Nyong’o in her Broadway debut, but it’s truly an ensemble play in which every actress has a stand out performance playing a woman with her own unique experience during a dire situation. The play is edge of your seat suspenseful, yet beautiful, and directed by a South African director who obviously loves the play  – her name is Liesl Tommy. The staging, the set, the clothing all meshes into very powerful storytelling. The show also stars Pascale Armand, Akosua Busia, Zainab Jah and Saycon Sengbloh, who are, to be honest, all phenomenal.

I went to a matinee, having bought a discount ticket, which I feel lucky to have gotten – the line to get in was around the block. Clearly Nyong’o will bring in an audience for this show, which is so important as it clearly spells out the true dangers that exist today in certain African countries. This play is a clear reminder, a good one, that theater is an excellent way to share important stories from around the world.

The play revolves around a group of  “wives” (code word for sex slaves in this case) of a commanding officer of a Liberian rebel faction. The women must spend everyday awaiting his command. As they go one by one to him when called upon, the return taking a rag and dipping it in water before wiping their private parts. We never see him but we sense their fear. None of these women have names, they are known as wife #1, 2, etc. and they each one is stripped of all dignity. One is pregnant. One is only 15 years old. She reads to the women, she wants more from life. Funnily enough, the book she reads is about Bill Clinton and the women become obsessed with him and Monica Lewinsky. That story is eerily weaved throughout the play….but believe me, it works.

The wives try to protect the youngest from the officer but it’s only a matter of time before he starts to call on her. At the end of act one, when she relays how much she hates him laying his hands on her, we know her rebellion is just beginning.

The play is a look inside what it’s like to live in a war zone. It’s a look into a group of women who have been dehumanized. It’s intense, it’s wonderful. I hope that you see it while you have a chance. Get info about the show here: http://eclipsedbroadway.com.

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Guest Post: Review of The Very Hungry Caterpillar /theveryhungrycaterpillar/ /theveryhungrycaterpillar/#respond Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:38:28 +0000 /?p=7239 Guest writer Liat Ginsberg is a mother and former journalist for the Israeli newspaper, Maariv. She has taught at the Film and Media Department at Hunter College. Before you bring your kids to new play The Very Hungry Caterpillar, created by Jonathan Rockefeller and based on the books written by Eric Carle, you have to prepare […]

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Guest writer Liat Ginsberg is a mother and former journalist for the Israeli newspaper, Maariv. She has taught at the Film and Media Department at Hunter College.

Before you bring your kids to new play The Very Hungry Caterpillar, created by Jonathan Rockefeller and based on the books written by Eric Carle, you have to prepare them that the show is about four different books which The Very Hungry Caterpillar is the last of those books. If not, your kids are going to drive you crazy asking tirelessly, “Where is the hungry caterpillar?”

The four books are: The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse, The very lonely firefly, Mister Seahorse, and The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

About the The Very Hungry Caterpillar

In The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse, the first thing you’ll notice is the bright colors. The audience is guided to pay attention to every color on the stage through the blank white stage. Even the puppeteers’ wear uniforms of white overalls. You will feel as if you are in a field of snow with colorful creatures walking graciously.  The colors and the puppets look just like in the book.

Kids learn colors and use of their imagination. Each time the music changed we tried to guess what animal the artist would draw next: the green lion, pink rabbit, black polar bear, purple fox, or orange elephant who were made from puppets and walked gracefully on the stage.

My daughter noticed that the actor did not really draw the pictures and said enthusiastically, “I saw him, he did not draw the picture, that was pretend, he just turned the page”. Luckily, she only whispered it.

For toddlers, it was magical, most kids in the audience were glued to the stage, the colors, gentle music, the soft voices of the actors, the familiarity of the pictures and very slow movements made it familiar and interesting.

In Mister Seahorse, we are introduced to many nurturing sea creatures fathers, as if the seahorses came to teach us that fathers are as caring as mothers.

In The Very Lonely Firefly, a newly hatched lonely firefly takes us on his journey in the dark to seek friendship. It’s not easy for toddlers to find friends, not to mention adults.

And then begins the familiar caterpillar story we have hungrily waited for.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar travels through the days of the week expanding his diet and his size. Soon he isn’t a little caterpillar any more.The younger kids were mesmerized, the older kids, who forgot the details of the book guessed which fruit the caterpillar ate next. The blueberries were very popular.

The play was very true to the books. It’s also great for a first theater event, good for babies and their older siblings who like to show off how much they know.

The show is playing from now to 3/27: Saturday at 11am & 2pm; Sunday 12pm & 3pm at 304 West 47th Street.

Tickets are $49.50 -$65.50 (Premium Seats) and can be purchased by visiting ticketcentral.com or by calling 212.279.4200. For more information visit HungryCaterpillarShow.com.

Disclosure: Tickets were complimentary to facilitate this review.

 

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#HeNamedMeMalala To Premiere on National Georgaphic /7236-2/ /7236-2/#comments Fri, 12 Feb 2016 18:15:59 +0000 /?p=7236 Last year I wrote about Malala Yousafzai, an amazing young woman. Her story is so inspirational. Named for an Afghan folk heroine, the activist Pakistani teenager was shot in the face and left for dead by the Taliban in 2012 — but recovered and went on to speak out about the gross injustices in girls’ education in […]

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Last year I wrote about Malala Yousafzai, an amazing young woman. Her story is so inspirational. Named for an Afghan folk heroine, the activist Pakistani teenager was shot in the face and left for dead by the Taliban in 2012 — but recovered and went on to speak out about the gross injustices in girls’ education in her country and around the world, winning the Nobel Peace Prize along the way. The Malala Fund, which she co-founded with her father Ziauddin Yousafzai, is building schools in Jordan, Pakistan and Lebanon. I was so inspired by the film made about her, He Named Me Malala and the 25-minute conversation I was fortunate to be a part of with Malala herself, along with my tween-aged daughter by my side.

The documentary offers a look into Malala’s life both before and after the attack. She was 15 at the time of the incident, when she was singled out, along with her father, for advocating for girls’ education. The shooting sparked an outcry from supporters around the world. Malala miraculously survived and is now a leading campaigner for girls’ education globally as co-founder of the Malala Fund.

#HeNamedMeMalala to Premiere on National Geographic Channel

For all these reasons and more, I’m excited that National Geographic Channel, in continuation of its partnership with Fox Searchlight Pictures, will be airing the documentary commercial free on Monday, February 29, on National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo MUNDO in the U.S., with a global rollout planned within a week in 171 countries and 45 languages.

The robust education program for the film includes free education resources, discussion and curriculum guides, a service learning Toolkit, Books for Change, a Map Maker Interactive, and can be found here. Additionally, efforts to expose students to Malala’s inspiring story resulted in over 180,500 students globally seeing the film in theaters, and in the U.S. reaching students in all 50 states.

Disclosure: I was not compensated to write this review but am working alongside Women Online & The Mission List to help promote the film.

 

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My Netflix Suggestions /my-netflix-suggestions/ /my-netflix-suggestions/#respond Sat, 23 Jan 2016 16:47:17 +0000 /?p=7224 Whether you’re snowed in this weekend or are looking for good viewing suggestions for yourselves (not for kids, have I mentioned that?), Netflix is awesome for just popping in to find something from your past or something you’ve never seen but should have. Before you peruse my list, bear in mind I’m a sucker for […]

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Whether you’re snowed in this weekend or are looking for good viewing suggestions for yourselves (not for kids, have I mentioned that?), Netflix is awesome for just popping in to find something from your past or something you’ve never seen but should have. Before you peruse my list, bear in mind I’m a sucker for old movies,foreign films,  rom coms, independents and comedies/dramas. I also like to catch up on the films made by or with many of the beloved actors who are no longer with us. As I sit here snowed in today, I’ve brainstormed this down and dirty list I hope you get ideas from. Remember, as I’ve mentioned here many times before, Netflix is my drug, and it’s a lot better than taking cocaine (which I could consider being snowed in with a special needs child today). Send strength and enjoy.

Y Tu Mamá También – This 2001 Spanish film follows two friends traveling across Mexico with an older woman. I remember watching this Alfonso Cuaron film so vividly. It’s funny, touching and was beautifully shot.

Anything starring Alan Rickman. With the passing of Rickman last week, one of the greatest actors of our time, I’m heading to Netflix for some melancholy, nostalgic memories of the actor I adored. Upon last inspection, they offer The Butler, Blow Dry, CBGB, Bottle Shock, Galaxy Quest and Gambit, and while these are some of his lesser known films, I plan to watch a few starting with CBGB, in which he played legendary NYC club owner Hilly Kristal, who during the 1970s, wanted to create a venue for country, bluegrass and blues music. He was as good as it gets.

Amelie – In 2001, I remember sitting back in a dark theater and taking in this romantic comedy directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet set in modern Paris. Audrey Tautou played the lead as a shy waitress who decides to change the lives of those around her for the better, while struggling with her own isolation.  I was mesmerized and saw it several times.

The Wings of the Dove – I was a sucker for period films of this nature (particularly that starred Helene Bonham Carter). This one’s about a young girl who moves in with her aunt after her mother passes away and gets thrust into a world unlike any she’s every known, giving her tough choices to make.

The Nasty Girl – Another film I have vivid memories of watching, this one from 1990, The Nasty Girl is about a young girl in Germany who uncovers her town’s history during WW2 and digs up some unearthed secrets. Yes, it’s as intense as it sounds.

Disclosure: I’m a member of Netflix’s Streamteam, but all opinions are my own.

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Giveaway: 4 Tickets to the @NYBG Orchid Show /nybg-orchid-show/ /nybg-orchid-show/#comments Mon, 18 Jan 2016 17:19:08 +0000 /?p=7220 I’m a big fan of the annual Orchid Show at The NY Botanical Garden, and I’m thrilled to be hosting a giveaway to send a family to experience it for themselves. The year 2016 marks the 125th Anniversary of the founding of Garden. Since 1891 NYBG has been a museum of plants dedicated to achieving excellence in horticulture, […]

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I’m a big fan of the annual Orchid Show at The NY Botanical Garden, and I’m thrilled to be hosting a giveaway to send a family to experience it for themselves.
The year 2016 marks the 125th Anniversary of the founding of Garden. Since 1891 NYBG has been a museum of plants dedicated to achieving excellence in horticulture, education, and plant research and conservation. Today it is one of the great cultural institutions in the world, a preeminent center for botanical research, a natural treasure for visitors of all ages, and a leader and national model for plant-based education.
NYBG Orchid Show
This landmark year is filled with exciting events that highlight the many facets of the Garden’s mission. The NYBG Orchid Show opens on February 27 and runs through April 17, 2016. The inspiration for this year’s exhibition is the 19th-century craze sparked by a single orchid bloom, which came to be known as Orchidelirium. Visitors to the landmark Enid A. Haupt Conservatory will be transported on an epic journey that engages all of the senses and underscores the allure and intrigue of these exquisite beauties.

The show is truly a New Yorker’s defining moment, and the experience will just add to the pride that you have in this incredible city that we live in. And now, right here on The Culture Mom, you can enter to win FOUR tickets to @NYBG Orchid Show.

HOW TO ENTER TO WIN TIX TO THE @NYBG Orchid Show:

  • Comment here and let me know how you engage your children in nature.
  • Tweet this message: “Hope I win the @NYBG Annual Orchid Show giveaway from http://bit.ly/1zf1TXV via @hollychronicles”

Contest ends midnight Eastern time, Monday, February 1st.  The four packs need to be used before the show ends on April 17th, 2016. The winner will have 24 hours to accept their prize.

For more information on the NYBG Orchid Show, please visitnybg.org.

Disclosure: These tickets were provided to me complimentary for this giveaway but I was not compensated for this post.

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Review: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical /7216-2/ /7216-2/#respond Wed, 13 Jan 2016 14:39:52 +0000 /?p=7216 In preparation for another story, I saw Beautiful: The Carole King Musical last night, and I have only one question: what took me so long? Beautiful: The Carole King Musical In 2-1/2 hours, I learned so much about not only Carole King but also the history of rock and roll. Did you know that “Will […]

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In preparation for another story, I saw Beautiful: The Carole King Musical last night, and I have only one question: what took me so long?

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical

In 2-1/2 hours, I learned so much about not only Carole King but also the history of rock and roll. Did you know that “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”, penned with Gerry Goffin, was Carole’s first Number One hit, when she was just 17? I had no idea that she entered the music industry as a teenager after meeting the legendary songwriter Gerry Goffin and went on to produce hits like the Shirelles’ “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow,” Little Eva’s “The Loco-Motion,” and the Drifters’ “Some King of Wonderful”. Even better, each hit is sung by an impeccably talented cast, which brought the reality of her own legendary status even more to light with me.

The two songwriters had a loving but tumultuous personal and professional relationship. Perhaps they met too young (she got pregnant with their first child while still quite young), perhaps they were two artists navigating careers that catapulted too quickly, or perhaps it was her humble and modest sense of herself (hence the title of the show- it’s not until the show culminates at Carnegie Hall with King’s performance celebrating the release of her first solo album Tapestry that she truly accepts who she is).

Or, of course, it’s named after her hit called Beautiful where King sings:

When people are gonna treat you better, you’ll find, yes you will, you’re beautiful as you feel.

The show will make you sing – it may make you cry. It will easily make you dance in your seat, and like me, you’ll go home and download and listen to everything King ever wrote. Kudos to Chillina Kennedy, Scott L. Campbell, Anika Larsen, Jarrod Spector, Paul Anthony Stewart, Liz Larsen and the rest of the phenomenal cast of Beautiful.

Head to the show’s web site for ticket information.

Disclosure: I was provided with complimentary tickets to facilitate this review and others. As usual, all opinions are my own.

 

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