A decade since she first came onto our radar in the delightful Bend It Like Beckham and two years since she hung up her ER hospital scrubs, Parminder Nagra is back on TV in Alcatraz, an intriguing new series from Lost creator J.J. Abrams that premieres on FOX tonight at 8 p.m. ET with two back-to-back episodes.
We’re familiar with Anna Deavere Smith from her work on The West Wing and as hospital administrator Gloria Akalitus in Showtime’s Nurse Jackie, and were aware of her accomplishments as a playwright (Fires in the Mirror and Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992). So we were excited to hear that she’s bringing her acclaimed one-woman play Let Me Down Easy — an exploration the modern health care system and the way we deal with illness — to Great Performances on PBS Jan. 13 at 9 p.m. ET.
For Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil (W.W. Norton & Company, 2011) author Tom Mueller talked to numerous experts about the history, cultural significance, growing methods and health benefits of olive oil — plus corruption within the industry itself. Among the politicians, chemists, growers and historians, he notes a magic quality about this food. “Even shady characters who’d grown rich making fake oil by the tanker-load spoke wistfully of their childhood spent at the olive mill, and of the life lessons they learned there,” he notes.
Nobody does a high-class serial drama quite like the British, which is why we were totally hooked on the first season of Downton Abbey last year. Its mix of historical fiction, romance and intrigue earned six Emmys and 5 million weekly viewers, and left us eagerly anticipating season two, which returns to PBS’ Masterpiece Classic on Jan. 8.
As we enter our winter hibernation mode, even the trip to the local library seems daunting. So we were happy to discover that we can download e-books from our local library on our e-reader for convenient — and economical — winter reading. Technology has come a long way since we checked out our first book and the librarian stamped the due date on a card. For fellow newcomers to checking out e-books, we’ve provided a handy step-by-step guide.
As a cynical New Yorker, we often don’t set much stock in “how-to” books that promise inspiration, but we plan to start 2012 with two: Jessica Cassity’s Better Each Day: 365 Tips for a Healthier, Happier You (Chronicle, 2011) and Monica Bhide’s In Conversation with Exceptional Women (BookBaby, 2011).
Since the holiday season is a time of giving, many musicians are taking the opportunity to record songs to benefit various organizations and charities. We told you about several charitable music initiatives a few weeks ago, and it’s no surprise to hear that singer and songwriter Sarah McLachlan is lending her talents to a good cause this season as well, offering a free download of a new holiday tune in hopes of receiving donations for the Sarah McLachlan School of Music.
Every December, we find ourselves looking for a few gifts alongside the hordes of last-minute shoppers. So we asked Lindsay Roberts, editor of The Gift Insider, to share her best ideas on thoughtful presents that seem anything but last-minute (even though they are)!
We were inspired and moved by “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute” at Hollywood’s Shrine Auditorium on Dec. 11, an event that featured stories of the everyday people who strive to make the world a better place.
If you’re anything like us, you probably feel a bit guilty looking at the giant pile of discarded gift wrap or worry about the eco-friendliness of a real tree vs. an artificial one. Here are a few ways we make the holidays a little greener.
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