Happenstance, April 16

I enjoyed talking to Ursel Albers. I think there is a story there that I would love to tell. She still retains that lovely cadence to her voice that speaks of another age and another country. Check out the story about her involvement with the Las Vegas Opera Guild. There's also an article by Nancy Philo, a painter and sometimes juror of art shows and an update on The Literacy Council.

My greatest challenge each week is finding the time to do all the things I want to do, which includes telling interesting stories about people. I like learning about the successes, challenges and failures that mold a person.

I hope you enjoy Happenstance this week. I invite commentary, suggestions, essays, humor, anything at all that will add value to the magazine. E-mail your contributions to fsharon@msn.com.

Happenstance, life happens, April 9, 2010

From the editor…

Whew! I didn’t think I was going to get this one done. I had a great time interviewing Jean Warner, Joel Scheinberg and Barbara Ewing for the article about dogs. We’ve had dogs over the years, but after the last one, Chipper, the happiest dog on earth, escaped our enclosed yard and got run over, I said, “Never again!” After talking to these dog enthusiasts I’m close to rethinking my position. There is nothing like the relationship between a pet and its human family. Even snooty cats take a down day and make it better. See Delightful Dogs on pages 4-5.

Talking to the tag team Arts & Culture District duo of Adam Caldwell and Roy Montibon had my head ringing with all the ideas out there. These two bounced comments and ideas back and forth like tennis players with a great volley going. It was like sitting in on a strategy and brainstorming session with Donald Trump and the apprentices, without the BSSS (blind silly selfishness and stupidity). It was a fun interview. See Grassroots on pages 6-7.

You get a break from my recipes this week. Check out the wonderful salad recipes by Kathy Allen, author of Someone’s in the Kitchen, a compilation of recipes she has gathered over the years. These recipes can be used as a side or as a dessert.
I’m introducing a couple of new ideas. I don’t want to run a calendar, the Chamber does a great job of that and so does the Optic, but I want to hit the high points of activities going on in town. I can’t think of a better source for that than the magical e-mail network of Karyl Lyne. See The Lyne Connection on page 10. It’s a calendar, sort of.

The Happenstance Walk About on page 12 is a new feature, a bird’s eye view of what is happening in some of the businesses around town. It is very much of a work in progress. My goal is to showcase the heroes of our town. Their heroism is at street level. They get up every morning, open the door to their stores and do everything within their power to provide a much-needed service, whether it is selling ladies’ apparel, jewelry, antiques, art, or diet Cokes. These happened to be the businesses I walked into this week. What businesses have you walked into? These stores contribute to the economy of our town in ways we don’t always recognize. We need them. For them to thrive, they need us.

Enjoy Happenstance, life happens.

Happenstance, April 2

From the editor…
Deepest apologies. In the CASA Fourth article in last week’s Happenstance, I left the name of Mack Crow off the list of board members. Mr. Crow has been involved in the community in various ways over the years. His valuable service to CASA contributes to its success.

In this issue of Happenstance, Randy Campbell’s wonderful memory of a ‘50s Easter with its finely drawn moments reminds us of how ‘out of the ordinary’ Easter is; page 3.

The Las Vegas Arts Council has been around for many years with a mission of providing resources and services to artists. The bigger picture is that it is an economic engine fueled by the energy of creativity and involvement. See LV Arts Council celebrates the arts and helps them shine; pages 4-5.

There is nothing like live theater. It is a surprise every performance, not because the performance is different, but because as an audience member you are seeing just that performance in that moment, unfettered by any experience but the one you are having as the players unfold the story on the stage. You won’t get that sense of participation at a movie theater, not even a 3-D movie, because once it’s on film, that’s it, finito, end of story. In live theater anything can happen and it’s up to the actors, in character, to make it work. I am delighted we have an active theater group in Las Vegas. The Nat Gold Players has been around in one form or another for years.

I played Abbey in Arsenic and Old Lace, in the ‘80s, my brother, Marc Conkle, was Teddy, Abby and Martha’s slightly daft nephew, who thought he was Teddy Roosevelt. We had a blast, even though it involved six weeks of intense rehearsals for a ‘run’ of four performances. In recent years the players have evolved into a loosely organized group that has a specific goal of fostering performance as a thought-provoking and entertaining art form. Theater is too often a stepchild to other art disciplines, partly because of time requirements needed to mount a production, and partly because of funding. The Nat Gold Players forge ahead. Read more of their story beginning on page 6.

Regular features include the Happenstance Kitchen with Easter Pea Salad and Mom’s Potato Salad recipes, and The Best of the Web featuring Heifer International.
Enjoy Happenstance, life happens.