By: Chrysa Smith There's nothing like Christmas in New York City, with the very best decorated windows you'll find anywhere, food shops that can get you most any of your culinary traditions and of course, the star attraction--The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. Once again, this beauty comes from around the corner in PA, 85 feet tall and is crowned by a star made of hundreds of Swarovski crystals. It's impressive alright. When I worked [...]
By: Chrysa Smith If you're a fan of Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance or American Idol, you'll love Ballroom With A Twist. It's a traveling show that includes members of all of these casts. For two hours, you're glued to the stage, watching as men and women move and contort their bodies in ways that make you cringe, feel completely obese, think about taking an intense fitness class [...]
By: Chrysa Smith OK. It's no secret that I like to eat out. I'll admit it. I'm a food snob. If I'm not going to someplace pretty nice, I'd opt to stay home and put on a pot of pasta or dig out some leftovers in the fridge. I only resort to fast food if I'm about to faint from hunger, which is---uh, never. So trust me when I tell you that as [...]
By: Chrysa Smith "WE ARE ...."????? Now, if you live in Pennsylvania or are one of the millions of alumni, you know the answer to this. We are, of course, Penn State. It's the chant you'll hear from the moment you take a campus tour through the athletic stadiums. My, even the retailers have taken note. While heading into State College (aka: Happy Valley), I noticed a sign that read 'We Are....Beer.' Hmm, [...]
By: Chrysa Smith The farm-to-table movement has changed the face of restaurant dining. And thank God. There's nothing quite like the tastes of fresh produce and meat just plucked, just butchered, just served quickly. It's funny, but having been raised in the city, way before this healthier dining phenomenon, I never realized just how delicious a farm fresh egg could be. Or fish just caught early in the morning. But those who [...]
By: Chrysa Smith 'Saint Anthony, Saint Anthony, please come around. Something is lost and needs to be found.' This is a little 'ditty' MaryFran will utter for things like finding parking places. Funny, leftover Catholic dogma doesn't really resonate as a serious prayer with me, but perhaps a plea? I giggle at it, I'll be darned if it doesn't work every time we're in the car together. So, it was no joking matter [...]
By: Chrysa Smith Meet Violet, DoraLee and Judy. Three tough broads. Oops! Is that politically incorrect? Well then, you should hear Dwayne's take on women in the hit musical 9 to 5. My friend Ruth and I ventured on down to Philly to see the show this week. If you haven't seen it or the movie, do so. It's a funny take on the late 70's workplace---which most of us, can---unfortunately, remember all [...]
