Lakelife News

GLENCOE – Wrestling the past and forging a fresh future are at the heart of “Hesperia,” an affecting new play by Randall Colburn that explores love, sexuality and religion.

The world of Korean barbecue restaurants has always mystified me. You can order things that cook themselves, things you cook on a grill on the table, things you cook in a vat of hot liquid ... the possibilities go on. Blue House Korean BBQ takes the mystery out of the meal.

LINCOLNSHIRE – Marriott Theatre’s production of “Legally Blonde: The Musical,” a daffy romantic comedy based on a 2001 movie and 2007 Broadway stage version, is an eyeopener.

If you have a nosebleed, stick a piece of pork up your nose.

I was curious about Casa Bonita. I’d heard it was extremely popular, and it might be difficult to get seated. My partner and I decided a good chance would be Sunday afternoon. Even then, the Casa was two thirds full. We were wondering, why is this restaurant so popular? It was a mystery only a Mystery Diner could solve.

Candlelight danced across my fiance’s face as we sat waiting for our dinner. The scent of onions and beef lingered in the air, alerting us to the delights we were about to receive. Our waiter walked over, slowly, carrying a tray full of our delicious meal. The Sweetheart Special, a meal for two on this very special Valentine’s Day. He set the tray down on our elegantly dressed table, replete with red tablecloth and roses. At a close-by seat, a child’s shrill shriek of delight lit up the restaurant. Romantic music piped through the dining room, a steady beep letting the staff know that the fries were done in the fryer. That’s right, this year on Valentine’s Day, we dined at a castle. White Castle.

SKOKIE – “Gypsy,” the musical loosely based on the memoirs of striptease artist Gypsy Rose Lee, captivated audiences in 1959 and immediately established itself as a Broadway treasure.

Grass Lake Landing is a hidden gem in Antioch and if you aren’t careful, you’ll miss it. The bar and restaurant sits nestled in a residential area concealed from major roads. To find it, follow a large sign on a corner to a smaller sign tacked onto a neighborhood home’s fence. Once you find the lake, you’ve found Grass Lake Landing.

CHICAGO – A mix of black and white characters populates David Mamet’s frank and hard-hitting 2009 drama “Race,” but it’s the gray areas where personal prejudices abide that get the attention in the play’s explosive Chicago premiere at the Goodman Theatre.

My approach to Bento Cafe was one of excitement. The place lit up with neon signs, looking like what I would expect the outside of a fish market in Japan to look like. I wasn’t so far off – Bento serves a long list of sushi options, a mix of bento boxes and rice and noodle bowls. And, as if in answer to my unspoken prayers, Bento has not one, but two varieties of Ramune, my favorite Japanese soda.

It’s 8 a.m. and I’ve finished my breakfast of cereal, a granola bar and a carton of yogurt. I’m still starving.

“American Idol” season 9 winner Lee DeWyze will return home to northern Illinois March 10 for a show at Viper Alley in Lincolnshire. The Lake County Journal caught up with the Mt. Prospect native to chat about his show, his new album, the Chicago Cubs and Lake County restaurants.

SKOKIE – In Frank Higgins’ stirring and witty “Black Pearl Sings!” at Northlight Theatre, the two women characters may be worlds apart but they find common ground as well as strength and fulfillment.

A group of safety engineers (or perhaps 10-year-olds) want to make sure we don’t accidentally harm or kill ourselves. These same persons also believe they are potential poets, and have come up with short rhymes which they are certain will make it easier for us to memorize how to practice safety. Here are but a few of the gems I found online:

When a friend and I visited Maria’s Chicken Ati-Atihan recently, I asked the waitress, “What does ‘Ati-Atihan’ mean?”