When Joel Ehrenpreis first encouraged his son Scott to share his experience living with mental illness and autism spectrum disorder, he never dreamed that the idea would turn into “Clowns Like Me,” the next Off-Broadway sensation. From the time he was young, Joel realized there was something different about his son. He and his wife Rosalyn watched as Scott struggled with obsessive compulsive disorder, social anxiety, bipolar disorder and depression, before finally receiving a diagnosis for autism spectrum disorder well into his twenties. The one respite from these challenges for Scott was the ..read more

May is a beautiful month in Florida – the weather is fine, the leaves are green, and the beach beckons. In May, there are also lots of celebrations, including “May the Fourth Be With You” for the Star Wars fans, Cinco de Mayo, which celebrates Mexican heritage, and Mothers and Grandmothers Day (just to name a few) READ MORE Tampa Bay May 2024 Issue Suncoast May 2024 Issue Southwest May 2024 Issue Sarasota May 2024 Issue Lake May 2024 Issue ..read more

By Kathy A. Megyeri  Book: “Unbecoming a Lady, the Forgotten Sluts and Shrews Who Shaped America,” by Therese Oneill  Don’t let the title of this new, entertaining and fascinating book with historical illustrations fool you. It’s the perfect gift to celebrate both May 7 (National Teachers’ Day) and May 12 (Mothers’ Day). During the early 19th and 20th centuries when these women lived, they were called “sluts, shrews [and] scolds” or just plan “sinful.” They refused to fit the mold and conform to society’s standards; instead, they blazed their own paths.   New York Times bes ..read more

By Evelyn B. Kelly, PhD  Many people are fascinated by safaris, Prince William and Kate Middleton being among them. However, their interest in the environment differs from legendary hunters like Theodore Roosevelt and Ernest Hemingway, who were interested in big game for trophies. Hemingway, an adventurer at heart, helped popularize the idea of a “safari.”   Various national parks in Africa offer safaris, including the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe, and the Masai Mara National Reserve in Tanzania. We are in the Kruger National Park in ..read more

By Kathy A. Megyeri   The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in downtown Sarasota is the only botanical garden in the world dedicated to the display and study of epiphytic orchids, bromeliads, ferns, gesneriads, and tropical air plants.   On 15 acres overlooking scenic Sarasota Bay, this Smithsonian affiliate is wowing visitors with its recent refurbishment completed in time to celebrate its 50th year. Benefactor Marie Selby, a passionate gardener left her home and its acreage “for the enjoyment of the public” along with a $2 million endowment.   The banyan grove she helped pla ..read more

By Patricia Horwell  May is the ideal time of year to enjoy the great outdoors on the Suncoast. With temperatures in the 80s, we get to enjoy more daylight hours as we approach spring.   And sunsets seem to be more vibrant and beautiful here in spring. What a perfect time it is to enjoy a Mother’s Day picnic with your one-and-only mother!  Before you head out, you might want to stock your picnic basket with a variety of cheeses and charcuterie. Then add some fruit — berries or slices of melon. If your picnic is to take place at lunchtime or dinner, add a few sandwiches or w ..read more

For grandparents, a trip to Disneyland Paris with the grandchildren can be a magical, memory-filled adventure. As the site proudly boasts, it is the happiest place on Earth! With iconic rides, beloved characters, spectacular shows, and family-friendly hotels, a visit there allows grandparents to bond with the young ones and experience plenty of fun together.   A little advance planning helps make such a special trip easy and enjoyable for visitors of all ages. Here are six tips to help you enjoy the trip.  Plan Ahead  Ensure the visit goes smoothly: book rooms at one of the ..read more

By Randal C. Hill  In 1962, fad dances were all the rage among record-buying teens. Included among the steps was the Loco-Motion, where participants shuffled their arms to simulate the driving of steel rods that turned a locomotive’s wheels.   A chug-a chug-a motion like a railroad train now Come on baby, do the Loco-Motion  Songsmiths Carole King and husband Gerry Goffin had created “The Loco-Motion” for 17-year-old Eva Boyd. Called Little Eva on records, Boyd’s million-selling single soared to Number One on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.  Fast-forward a dozen years, a ..read more

By Michael Wright  When I was in the Navy, we couldn’t grow facial hair unless we were at sea and a sanctioned contest was taking place for the best beard and/or mustache. I went for a goatee/handlebar combo. I can still hear the words of the XO, who was the judge: “You may have the longest mustache, Wright, but it’s far from being The Best!”  He didn’t like me anyway ever since I chose April Fool’s Day to apply for re-enlistment.  Related: Top 15 Beard Styles for Men After my discharge, and during a short stint at a prestigious music college in Boston, I reinstated my facial ha ..read more

By Randal C. Hill  Chances are that few of us grew up having to worry about life-threatening dangers on the streets where we lived. Not so, though, for Malik and Eric, two 12-year-old boys in Chicago who live in poverty in an area redolent with problems.   In “We Grown Now,” both Malik (Blake Cameron James) and Eric (Gian Knight Ramirez) live in the notorious Cabrini-Green housing project. Ratty and rundown and noisy as the apartments may be by 1992—when this story takes place—the cramped rooms inside Cabrini-Green represent safe havens from the harshness outside. Here families ..read more