Humana Festival of New American Plays 2010

The 34th annual HUMANA FESTIVAL OF NEW AMERICAN PLAYS is in full swing in Louisville, Kentucky

February 21-March 28, 2010

Actors Theatre of Louisville's Humana Festival of New American Plays is an annual site of pilgrimage where theatre lovers from around the world converge to get the first look at the future of the American theatre. More than 400 plays have been produced in the internationally acclaimed Humana Festival, representing the work of more than 200 playwrights.

List of Plays

Sirens by Deborah Zoe Lauferdirected by Casey StanglFebruary 21 - March 28

Fissures (lost and found) by Steve Epp, Cory Hinkle, Dominic Orlando, Dominique Serrand, Deborah Stein and Victoria Stewartdirected by Dominique SerrandFebruary 26 - March 28

Phoenix by Scott Organdirected by Aaron PosnerMarch 5 - 27

Ground by Lisa Dillmandirected by Marc Masterson March 2 - 28

The Method Gun by Kirk Lynndirected by Shawn Sidescreated and performed by Rude MechsMarch 16 - March 28

The Cherry Sisters Revisited by Dan O'Brienoriginal music by Michael Friedmandirected by Andrew Leynse March 18 - April 11part of the Brown-Forman Series

Heist! conceived and created by Sean Daniels and Deborah Steinwritten by Deborah Steindirected by Sean Daniels with animation by Adam Pinney in collaboration wih René Dellefont performed by the 2009-2010 Actors Theatre Acting Apprentice Company March 11 - 28 performances at 21c Museum Hotel, 700 W Main St

TEN-MINUTE PLAYS March 27 & 28

Let Bygones Beby Gamal Abdel Chasten

Lobster Boyby Dan Dietz

Post Wave Spectacular by Diana Grisanti

An Examination of the Whole Playwright/Actor Relationship Presented As Some Kind of Cop Show Parody

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It's snowing again

I cannot believe how much snow we are getting this year. It's more than any of the sixteen years that I've been here. Of course, being from Chicago and before that Detroit, I'm used to a lot of snow, but I never thought Kentucky would get that much. ..maybe a little because Louiville is situated in the northern part of the state, but certainly not this much.

I must say it's beautiful. I'm sitting in the suite on the second floor and looking out of the window. All of the magnolia trees are laden with the white, fluffy stuff and the streets, walkways and cars are barely peeking from underneathe it. It's quite cold too. Around 19 degrees and evfen colder, with the wind chill.

Fortunately, the snow hasn't kept visitors from coming to the bed and breakfast. I have three business people from London, England here who checked in last night. They flew into Chicago and what should take around a five hour drive took them ten hours. It seems they googled for directions and ended up in Detroit. They called from the road, got the right directions from Robyn and made it by ten o clock last night.

If any of you have been contemplating coming to Louisville, please don't be put off by the snow. It's beautiful and you'll love it. The city has been on alert and the streets and highways have been cleaned off. It isn't icy, just white and powdery. All the shops and restaurants are open and our bed and breakfast is ready for you, with comfy beds and wonderful gourmet breakfasts. Y'all come.

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Farm Machinery Show: Where are all the farmers?

Well, the Farm Machinery Show is this coming week (Feb 11-14) and I don't have a single booking as yet.. Last year I had a full house; interesting people who own farms and come into town each year to enjoy the displays and new equipment at the fair grounds and have a good time. My guests all went to one of the local restaurants last night for dinner (will post on local restaurants later) and said the food was great. It's an Italian restaurant called Amici's and , since it changed hands a couple of years ago, they now have a terrific owner and chef, and they are top notch!

So what's going on? I'm always booked for the Farm Machinery Show. Are people waiting 'til the last minute? Or is this a sign of the bad economy? One of the biggest reasons for coming to the show is the Tractor Pull! What fun! Officially introduced to the world in 1969 during the fourth National Farm Machinery Show (NFMS), the Championship Tractor Pull is now celebrating 40 years of making champions. The competition had been a vision of its originator, Billy Joe Miles, and was so popular in its first year that 15 drivers signed up to compete in the inaugural pull before it was officially established.

Truck and tractor pulling, also known as power pulling, is a competition using tractors and large trucks to pull a heavy drag along a 'track'. It's very popular in rural areas. Usually the drag offers progressively greater resistance as it is pulled. It can be a great spectacle, although the vehicle produces a great deal of noise and smoke and tends to kick up dirt. Also, the tractors pulling don't actually travel very far (a typical "full pull" is 300 feet). There are many different classes, from "factory" tractors, to custom built vehicles with multiple engines.

When farming machines were pulled by horse, farmers would boast about the strength of their horses, claiming their's could tow the largest loads. They would challenge each other to contests to prove who had the strongest horse. A barn door was removed and laid flat the ground, the horse was then hitched to it and the farmer urged the horse to drag the barn door along the ground. One by one, people jumped on the door until the horse could no longer drag it; the horse pulling the most people the greatest distance was judged the strongest. This event, was called horse pulling,. Although still carried out today with specially bred horses, in around 1929 power pull contests began utilizing motorized vehicles. By the 1950s and '60s, the tractor pull had become a popular sport. For complete history see: http://tinyurl.com/ar4o7c

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It's February: A message from the Innkeeper

I'm looking out the window and everything is covered with snow. Robyn came yesterday and cleaned of the sidewalks in front for me, in case we got some bookings over the week-end. It's been pretty slow lately.....January usually is. But it will be getting busy soon. February is usually a pretty good month for us. There's Valentine's Day, the Farm Machinery Show, and visitors who just want to get away or who are traveling here on business.
We have been focussing on Valentine's Day lately; putting Sweetheart packages together and making plans for decorating the rooms with flowers and candy. One of our Valentine's Packages includes champagne, red roses, chocolates and accommodations in a beautiful Victorian room with four-poster bed. It's very romantic.

We enjoy making confections for Valentines day and have tried cakes, candies, and fondue. Fondue is one of our favorites and we have a great recipe which I have posted here.

Chocolate Fondue
serves: 6-10
Ingredients
6 ounces dark good chocolate
3 ounces of bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons dark corn syrup
2 tablespoon Gran Marnier or Kirsch
fruit, chunks of Angle food cake, and/or marshmallows

Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a double boiler, Stir until melted and well blended.
Transfer to a Fondue pot. Keep warm. Supply each person with a long fork and a small plate.
Have guests take turns dipping fruit, cake and/or marshmallow into the chocolate

Love Notes

Besides candy, flowers, and confections, it is traditional to send cards or to write poetry for the one you love. We have included a poem here, written in the name of love.

Falling In Love Again

I'd crept into the deepest darkest place,

Where life and love no longer saw my face.

My heart was cold, my very soul was dead.

My only solace, memories in my head.

You came to me and caught me unaware,

And unprepared, I fell into your lair.

I struggled as you crawled into my mind,

Afraid of what your loving me might find.

And as I stayed resistant to your touch

You never turned away, instead t'was such

an oh so gentle nudging at my soul

that woke me with your ever sweet cajole

'Til finally I melted in your arms

Unfolding as a child would, free from harm.

I gave myself completely, so beguiled.

A whole new world had opened when you smiled

(N. Hinchliff, 2009)

Click here: for info on a lovely Valentine's Day week-end

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Chef Kathy Cary from Lilly's Bistro

My B&B guests are always amazed when they come to Louisville and find that the restaurants here are amazing. They are top notch, with most of the owners and chefs having been trained in some of the finest culinary Arts schools and restaurants in the world. One of the most popular is Lilly's Bistro, owned and operated by Kathy Cary, who is also the executive chef there.

Much of Kathy Cary's inspiration derives from her knowledge and love of her own Kentucky roots, where she learned to love food at an early age in her mother's kitchen. Apprenticed to a cordon Bleu-trained chef in Washington, D.C., she later started a small catering firm there and then became a chef at a stylish Georgetown restaurant.

She returned to Kentucky, and opened her first La Peche gourmet-to-go shop in 1979. Lilly's opened 24 years ago, with a menu that reflects Kathy's French-inspired use of traditional Kentucky ingredients with unexpected, contemporary twists.

Food at Lilly's continues to be influenced by our longstanding tradition of buying locally from farmers and producers, rather than pursuing fashionable food trends," says Kathy Cary, chef/owner. Kathy uses ingredients such as catfish, country ham, bourbon, seasonal produce and local artisanal cheeses and meats on an ever-changing menu that honors Southern foodways but doesn't hesitate to draw from Continental, Mediterranean and Asian techniques.

Kathy also heads a celebrated catering operation, known as La Peche. She is known and admired both regionally and nationally. The Louisville Dining Guide summed up Lilly's as "the most influential and celebrated Louisville restaurant of the past decade

Kathy has been honored to be selected as one of the few James Beard Award Nominees in the category of "Best Chef of the Southeast" – annually from 2002 through 2006.

A New York Times writer concluded, after a culinary visit to Louisville, "My eating expedition could actually have begun and ended happily in a sleek restaurant called Lilly's." (courtesy of Louisville Originals)

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Financial resolutions for the New Year

Each new year brings us a chance to bid farewell to bad habits and resolve to practice good ones. The more you know about your finances and the more attention you pay to them, the more solid your financial future will be.
If you start with one, and then add another each month or two, at the end of next year you’ll feel proud and confident knowing that you have your finances under control.

Now is the time to commit to improving your financial health next year, and get a jump-start by identifying one thing you could begin doing today to improve your personal financial well-being. Here are a few resolutions to help you take control of your finances in 2010. Good luck!

Spend less
Set a budget. Look at how much you bring home each month and subtract all your fixed expenses, such as mortgage, utilities, and gas for your car. Then divvy up what’s left over among your other expenses.
Reduce your grocery bill by shopping sales, using coupons, buying store brands, or removing junk food from your list.
Pay for your purchases with cash or a debit card, which takes money directly out of your checking account (don’t forget to record your purchases in your check register).
Give yourself 72 hours to think over a purchase. Chances are you’ll forget all about it.
Work off stress by exercising, not shopping.

Save more
Pay yourself first. Set up automatic deposits of 10% of your paycheck into a savings or retirement account.
Save in an interest-bearing savings account, such as a money market account, money market fund, or CD. Contribute to your 401(k) and save on taxes, too.
Visit bankrate.com to compare interest rates. Before opening an account, carefully read the fine print. In the wake of the recession, many banks are enacting strict regulations.

Limit credit card use
Use cash. Studies show people spend more when paying with plastic—even at fast food restaurants.
Ideally, use your credit card only for emergencies.

Pay down debt
Set aside an amount each month for paying down your debt.
Prioritize which debt to pay by starting with the highest interest first. When it’s paid off, tackle the account with the next highest interest rate.

Start an emergency fund
After paying off your credit cards, start an emergency fund to cover a loss of income or unexpected expenses. Setting aside six to nine months salary is usually recommended.
Make sure to use a money market fund or other easily accessible account for your emergency fund. Find a good interest rate by researching online and comparing with your local banks and credit unions.

Check your account statements monthly
Review your bank account and credit card statements when they arrive. One small mistake or unauthorized purchase can cause you big headaches later and hurt your credit score. The sooner you investigate potentially fraudulent charges, the more likely you’ll be able to clear them up.

Keep tabs on your credit report
Maintaining a good credit history is essential to achieving financial peace of mind. Make it a tradition to check your credit reports at the beginning of each year.
Keep tabs on your credit report throughout the year with credit monitoring. Our credit monitoring service will alert you whenever there is a change in your report that you should be verify.

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Our "Going Green" program: Heating your home in winter

Savings Experiment: How to Save Money on Heat at Night (courtesy: Bank of America)

When winter chills get your teeth chattering, one way to stay warm--and save money on heating bills---is to throw on a pair of wool socks, some sweaters, winter boots and a hat, but who wants to do that while lounging at home? We certainly don't. After properly winterizing your home, you can lower the thermostat 5 more degrees to a comfortable temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit. In total, you will save $28.80 per month ($144 per year) by lowering the thermostat 15 degrees. Figuring in the cost of the thermostat ($50) and the cost of plastic sheeting and duct tape ($10.28), you will save $83.72 your first year.

Effective ways to help you maximize warmth & reduce costs.

Programmable thermostat

In order to start saving money now, it is essential that you purchase a programmable thermostat and lower your temperature during the night and during the time you are usually out of the house. If your winter heating bill adds up to $960, that means that from mid-October to mid-March, you're paying about $192 a month. By turning down the heat about 10 degrees for eight hours each day, you will save around 10 percent on your heating bill, which translates to $19.20 a month or $96 a year. (For our experiment, we turned down the thermostat from 75 degrees Fahrenheit to 65 degrees, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.) A programmable thermostat can cost you anywhere from $30-$150 at discounted prices. Let's say you spend $50 on the thermostat. Even after figuring in its cost, you'll still save about $46 on your heating bill your first year.

Proper insulation

You can further decrease your heating bills with proper insulation. Although the best option is to insulate the walls of your home and start saving 50-60 percent on your monthly heating bill , the process generally requires a two to three-week renovation and costs approximately $2,000-$3,000, depending on the size of your home. Also, this is done to an owned property and since many of us live in rentals, it won't work for our experiment. However, you can still winterize your home with a bit of DIY work.

Insulate and seal windows

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can reduce your home's heating costs by up to 30 percent through proper insulation and air sealing methods. First, hold a lit candle to windows and doors on a windy day to test for air leaks. If frosts, water condensation or drafts are present, then you can purchase a heavy-duty clear, plastic sheet and tape it to the inside of your windows. This will cost about $10, depending on the number and size of windows in your home. (I usually purchase a clear, polyethylene sheeting at Home Depot for $8.28 and 3M duct tape for $2, so my total comes out to $10.28.) In addition, make sure to keep your bedroom doors closed. You can put old towels or blankets at the bottom of your doors to keep out cold air.

A different approach

You can also take a different approach, and lower the thermostat 10 more degrees instead of 5 and then use a space heater to warm up your bedroom to the aforementioned comfortable temperature. There's no reason why you should have to warm up the entire house when you spend most of your night in only one or two rooms. Therefore, lowering the thermostat to 55 degrees Fahrenheit and purchasing an electric heater to warm up your bedroom(s) might be a better solution. At discount prices, space heaters can cost anywhere from $30 to $100. We recommend programmable space heaters so that they can shut off when the room reaches the desired temperature. However, there are some caveats, so doing both is suggested.

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