Monday, January 27, 2014
Pope: Jesus Reaches Out From Peripheries
The beginning of Jesus' public life, starting from “Galilee of the Gentiles”, as it was called by the prophet Isaiah, was the topic of Pope Francis' reflection during this Sunday's Angelus, attended by thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square.
Jesus' mission, he said, “did not set out from Jerusalem, the religious, social and political centre, but rather began in a peripheral zone, an area regarded with disdain by the most devout Jews, on account of the presence in the region of various foreign populations. For this reason, the prophet Isaiah referred to it as 'Galilee of the Gentiles'”.
“It was a border area, a transit zone where people of different races, cultures and religions encountered one another. Galilee therefore became a symbolic place for the opening of the Gospel to all peoples. From this point of view, Galilee resembles today's world: the co-presence of various cultures, the need for comparison and encounter. We too are immersed every day in a 'Galilee of the Gentiles', and in this type of context we can become fearful and give in to the temptation to build barriers, to feel more secure, more protected. But Jesus teaches us that the Good News He brings is not reserved for a part of humanity, but rather is to be communicated to all. It is a joyful proclamation, destined to all those who await it, but also to those who perhaps no longer await anything, or who no longer have even the strength to seek and to ask”.
Setting out from Galilee, Jesus “teaches us that no-one is excluded from God's salvation; on the contrary, God prefers to begin in the periphery, with those who are last in line, to reach everyone. He teaches us a method, His method, which however expresses the content, the mercy, of the Father. … We are all invited to heed this call, to come out of our own comfort zone and reach out to the peripheries in need of the light of the Gospel”.
Jesus began his mission “not only from a location far from the centre, but also with men one might describe as having a 'low profile'. To choose his first disciples and future apostles, he did not seek in the schools of scribes or among doctors of the Law, but among simple people committed to preparing themselves for the coming of the Kingdom of God. Jesus goes to call them where they work, on the banks of the lake: they are fishermen. He calls them and they follow Him, immediately. They leave their nets and go with Him; their lives become an extraordinary and fascinating adventure”.
“The Lord calls today too! The Lord passes along the streets of our everyday lives. Today, too, in this very moment, the Lord passes through the squares. He calls us to go with Him, to work with Him for the Kingdom of God, in the 'Galilees' of our times”.
Jesus' mission, he said, “did not set out from Jerusalem, the religious, social and political centre, but rather began in a peripheral zone, an area regarded with disdain by the most devout Jews, on account of the presence in the region of various foreign populations. For this reason, the prophet Isaiah referred to it as 'Galilee of the Gentiles'”.
“It was a border area, a transit zone where people of different races, cultures and religions encountered one another. Galilee therefore became a symbolic place for the opening of the Gospel to all peoples. From this point of view, Galilee resembles today's world: the co-presence of various cultures, the need for comparison and encounter. We too are immersed every day in a 'Galilee of the Gentiles', and in this type of context we can become fearful and give in to the temptation to build barriers, to feel more secure, more protected. But Jesus teaches us that the Good News He brings is not reserved for a part of humanity, but rather is to be communicated to all. It is a joyful proclamation, destined to all those who await it, but also to those who perhaps no longer await anything, or who no longer have even the strength to seek and to ask”.
Setting out from Galilee, Jesus “teaches us that no-one is excluded from God's salvation; on the contrary, God prefers to begin in the periphery, with those who are last in line, to reach everyone. He teaches us a method, His method, which however expresses the content, the mercy, of the Father. … We are all invited to heed this call, to come out of our own comfort zone and reach out to the peripheries in need of the light of the Gospel”.
Jesus began his mission “not only from a location far from the centre, but also with men one might describe as having a 'low profile'. To choose his first disciples and future apostles, he did not seek in the schools of scribes or among doctors of the Law, but among simple people committed to preparing themselves for the coming of the Kingdom of God. Jesus goes to call them where they work, on the banks of the lake: they are fishermen. He calls them and they follow Him, immediately. They leave their nets and go with Him; their lives become an extraordinary and fascinating adventure”.
“The Lord calls today too! The Lord passes along the streets of our everyday lives. Today, too, in this very moment, the Lord passes through the squares. He calls us to go with Him, to work with Him for the Kingdom of God, in the 'Galilees' of our times”.
Barry Gibbs Philly Concert Tkts On Sale Monday, 2/3
Iconic Grammy Award winner and music legend Barry Gibb brings his Mythology: The Tour Live to Wells Fargo Center on Monday, May 19.
Tickets will go on-sale on Monday, February 3 at 10 a.m. exclusively through ComcastTIX, online at ComcastTIX.com, by phone at 1-800-298-4200, or in person at the Wells Fargo Center box office.
With a career that spans more than five decades, Barry Gibb stands as one of the most prolific singer/songwriter/producers in music history. As the co-founder and creative leader of "The Brothers Gibb," better known to the world as The Bee Gees, Barry Gibb along with his brothers Maurice and Robin, represents one of the most successful vocal groups in rock and roll history, having sold more than 200 million albums worldwide. With their signature vocal style and blending of musical influences, the music of the Bee Gees has crossed all musical genres from Pop and R&B to Country and Rock & Roll, and became the face of a new genre of music when they ushered in the age of Disco with their contributions to 1977's mega-hit soundtrack for"Saturday Night Live." They are the only group in history to write, produce and record six straight No. 1 hits and have garnered 16 Grammy Award nominations and nine Grammy wins.
Barry Gibb is also a prolific and successful songwriter, and is a fellow of the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors. In 1977, Gibb saw five of his songs simultaneously enter the Top Ten of the Billboard Hot 100, and for one week in March, four of the top five songs were written by him. His songs were No. 1 for 27 out of 37 weeks from 24 December 1977 to 2 September 1978. Gibb also holds a very unusual record, in that he is the only songwriter in history to write four successive US number one hits: in 1978, the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive" was replaced at number one by Andy Gibb's single, "Love Is Thicker Than Water", followed by the Bee Gees' "Night Fever" for their longest run, seven weeks. This was then replaced by Yvonne Elliman's "If I Can't Have You".
As a songwriter Gibb has had No. 1 songs in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s 1990s and 2000s, when "Islands in the Stream" became No. 1 in the UK as the comic relief single for 2009. His songs have been recorded by numerous artists, including Al Green, Wyclef Jean, Janis Joplin, Jimmy Little, Barry Manilow, Olivia Newton-John, Roy Orbison, Elvis Presley, Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, Nina Simone, Barbra Streisand, Tina Turner, Conway Twitty, Frankie Valli, Luther Vandross and Dionne Warwick. Gibb has also produced albums for Andy Gibb, Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, Barbra Streisand and Dionne Warwick.
For exclusive backstage info and pictures follow us at @WellsFargoCtr. Join the conversation about this concert at #WFCBarryGibb.
Tickets will go on-sale on Monday, February 3 at 10 a.m. exclusively through ComcastTIX, online at ComcastTIX.com, by phone at 1-800-298-4200, or in person at the Wells Fargo Center box office.
With a career that spans more than five decades, Barry Gibb stands as one of the most prolific singer/songwriter/producers in music history. As the co-founder and creative leader of "The Brothers Gibb," better known to the world as The Bee Gees, Barry Gibb along with his brothers Maurice and Robin, represents one of the most successful vocal groups in rock and roll history, having sold more than 200 million albums worldwide. With their signature vocal style and blending of musical influences, the music of the Bee Gees has crossed all musical genres from Pop and R&B to Country and Rock & Roll, and became the face of a new genre of music when they ushered in the age of Disco with their contributions to 1977's mega-hit soundtrack for"Saturday Night Live." They are the only group in history to write, produce and record six straight No. 1 hits and have garnered 16 Grammy Award nominations and nine Grammy wins.
Barry Gibb is also a prolific and successful songwriter, and is a fellow of the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors. In 1977, Gibb saw five of his songs simultaneously enter the Top Ten of the Billboard Hot 100, and for one week in March, four of the top five songs were written by him. His songs were No. 1 for 27 out of 37 weeks from 24 December 1977 to 2 September 1978. Gibb also holds a very unusual record, in that he is the only songwriter in history to write four successive US number one hits: in 1978, the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive" was replaced at number one by Andy Gibb's single, "Love Is Thicker Than Water", followed by the Bee Gees' "Night Fever" for their longest run, seven weeks. This was then replaced by Yvonne Elliman's "If I Can't Have You".
As a songwriter Gibb has had No. 1 songs in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s 1990s and 2000s, when "Islands in the Stream" became No. 1 in the UK as the comic relief single for 2009. His songs have been recorded by numerous artists, including Al Green, Wyclef Jean, Janis Joplin, Jimmy Little, Barry Manilow, Olivia Newton-John, Roy Orbison, Elvis Presley, Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, Nina Simone, Barbra Streisand, Tina Turner, Conway Twitty, Frankie Valli, Luther Vandross and Dionne Warwick. Gibb has also produced albums for Andy Gibb, Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, Barbra Streisand and Dionne Warwick.
For exclusive backstage info and pictures follow us at @WellsFargoCtr. Join the conversation about this concert at #WFCBarryGibb.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Overnight In NYC With Madison County's 'Bridges'
Bridges, bridges, bridges.
While the media still seem to be obsessed with Bridgegate, on Broadway the focus is shifting to not just one but many bridges. Many, as in The Bridges of Madison County, the new musical adapted from the 1995 film which was itself based on the 1992 novel of the same name.
We never read the book nor did we see the movie which was directed by Clint Eastwood and starred Eastwood and Meryl Streep. But over the weekend we did see the musical which has been put together by many of the same team members who gave us the musical, The Light in the Piazza.
The Bridges of Madison County tells the story of a married but lonely Italian woman, living in 1960s Madison County, Iowa, who has an affair with a National Geographic photographer from Washington state who is visiting Madison County to create a photographic essay on the covered bridges in the area. This new musical version of the story stars Tony award-winner Kelli O'Hara and Steven Pasquale (from TV's Rescue Me) in the principal roles. Pasquale is making his Broadway debut in this musical.
While the media still seem to be obsessed with Bridgegate, on Broadway the focus is shifting to not just one but many bridges. Many, as in The Bridges of Madison County, the new musical adapted from the 1995 film which was itself based on the 1992 novel of the same name.
We never read the book nor did we see the movie which was directed by Clint Eastwood and starred Eastwood and Meryl Streep. But over the weekend we did see the musical which has been put together by many of the same team members who gave us the musical, The Light in the Piazza.
The Bridges of Madison County tells the story of a married but lonely Italian woman, living in 1960s Madison County, Iowa, who has an affair with a National Geographic photographer from Washington state who is visiting Madison County to create a photographic essay on the covered bridges in the area. This new musical version of the story stars Tony award-winner Kelli O'Hara and Steven Pasquale (from TV's Rescue Me) in the principal roles. Pasquale is making his Broadway debut in this musical.
The show is now in previews and doesn't officially open till February 20 so it would be unfair for us to give you a review here. We'll hold off and weigh in on this show when it officially opens.
But, we will tell you this: There are no actual bridges in The Bridges of Madison County, the musical.
While we were in New York we stayed right on Times Square at Marriott's Renaissance Times Square hotel and we were delighted with our stay. The hotel could not have a more perfect location. But, beyond that, the staff is friendly and helpful, our room was spacious (with a king size bed and large bath) and beautifully appointed and the hotel's extraordinary R Lounge at Two Times Square boasts panoramic views of Times Square and theatre district.
Rising 26 stories above Times Square (we stayed on the 20th floor) this full-service hotel has the soul of a boutique hotel with beautifully crafted interiors by renowned designer Jordan Mozer. Distinct among hotels in New York, it features completely redesigned guest rooms with hardwood furniture, luxurious bathrooms and state-of-the-art technology.
Only steps away from midtown's famed entertainment, attractions and Fortune 500 headquarters, guests can enjoy cocktails or a snack at R Lounge, before venturing out to Rockefeller Center or the theater district. With a AAA Four-Diamond rating and a prime location on Broadway and Seventh, we have to agree that this luxury hotel is the epitome of urban oasis.
We dined a couple of blocks away from the hotel at a restaurant we've often passed by but never tried: Cafe Un Deux Trois, a spacious French bistro that attracts a big crowd.
What attracted us was the $30, three-course, pre theatre dinner menu. Here is one our entrees (talapia) shown exactly as it was presented to us:
The service was prompt but the entrees (the other one was chicken cordon bleau) were only lukewarm and the food service staff seemed to have little time to indulge any comments, requests or chit chat. The place has been at the same location for decades and was very crowded on Friday night, so it does have a following. But, in the end we're afraid this was a case of "you get what you pay for, sorta."
For breakfast the next morning we ventured over to T45, the bright, sleek American diner inside the brand new Hyatt Times Square on 45th St. near Broadway.
Thank goodness Hyatt has finally come to the Times Square area. This was long overdue. The 54-story hotel is a new generation of Hyatt. Each floor contains only 11 larger-than-usual rooms (averaging 364 square-feet), all featuring floor to ceiling windows. Guests are greeted and comfortably checked in via iPad, as a wave-like undulation of bronze and walnut draws your eyes around the sleek, oasis-like lobby.
The George Wong designed T45 Midtown Diner on the ground floor serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, including takeout service so whenever the mood strikes, you can order ready-to-go meals and snacks – either on the hotel's app or by phone-- and (if your a guest of the hotel) have your food delivered straight to your room.
Of course, there's plenty of space to dine-in (with big, comfortable booths and soft tones throughout) and that's what we decided to do. Hyatt says the diner is designed to "reflect the energy of Broadway, complete with a theatrical back wall of moving lights." Cool! The young and eager-to-please staff is friendly and very accommodating.
We must warn you, however: A very nice American breakfast for two here will set you back $50 or more. We did check the lunch menu though and found it to be quite reasonable and much more price competitive.
Anyway, our breakfast was wonderful: Fresh hot coffee, two eggs with bacon, home fries and toast exactly as we ordered them and a huge bowl of delicious, steel-cut oatmeal perfectly cooked. Below, the photos of the diner itself and our entrees:
Suffice it to say we definitely will be returning to T45, especially for lunch.
BTW: Hyatt's new Bar54 at the top of the hotel will open on February 14 and it promises not only spectacular views but specialty cocktails, fine wines and gourmet small plates where guests can mingle around cozy fireplaces, indoors and out. We're told this hot new nightlife destination is already being acclaimed as an exciting addition to Times Square’s bar scene.
Yes, The Upper East Side Is Alive And, Well…….
Mayor DiBlasio's apparent disdain for Manhattan's upper east side notwithstanding, we were able to venture into New York over the weekend and visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art right smack in the middle of the city's vaulted silk stocking district.
And yes, things were functioning as well as they could, considering the inane move by the mayor and his cohorts to "punish" an area that represents an important economic asset for the whole town and, indeed the whole nation. Much as some may not like it, so long as we still maintain some semblance of a free enterprise system there are always gonna be people who are more well off than others. And as Mae West once said: "Honey, I've been rich and I've been poor and believe me, rich is better."
Anyway, what brought us to the Met Museum was a dazzling exhibition of jewels. Yes, jewels as in diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds and the like -- spectacular jewels that adorn the rich and famous.
These are Jewels by JAR - Joseph A. Rosenthal. This man became one of the most acclaimed jewelry designers of the 20th century.
These incredible pieces (bracelets, earrings, cuffs, brooches, neckpieces and many more) will be on display though March 9. You will be amazed at both the creativity and the workmanship of more than 300 incredible pieces beautifully displayed.
Born in New York and educated at Harvard, Rosenthal moved to Paris soon after his graduation in 1966 and began to experiment with jewelry making. JAR opened in 1978 on the Place Vendôme—the same space he occupies today. Very early in his career, Rosenthal revealed his superb sense of color, whether in the hue of an exotic violet sapphire, the shimmer of topaz and ruby, or the simple clarity of a perfect diamond. His works quickly became known for their unique design, the quality of their stones, and their remarkable craftsmanship, but above all for their fearless beauty. He is known for his pavé technique—the setting of small stones so close together that they appear as a continuous surface of jewels—and uses subtle gradations of color to create a painterly effect.
The exhibition is the first devoted to a contemporary artist of gems at the Metropolitan Museum and features a selection of JAR's finest pieces—from jewels in classical flower forms and organic shapes to witty objets d'art—all executed with the most exquisite gem stones including diamonds, sapphires, garnets, topazes, tourmalines, and citrines in an original combination of colors. Rosenthal's one-of-a-kind creations place him among the ranks of history's greatest jewelers.
The exhibition is the first retrospective of his work in America; the only other major exhibition of Rosenthal's work was held in 2002 at Somerset House in London.
People With These First Names Make Best Mates
Sitetopia.com recently conducted a survey and discovered that people with these first names make the beat spouses. If your first name is one of these (and ours is) congratulations! If your husband's or wife's first name is one of these, well -- you're in luck.
Click here for more.
10 best wife names:
1. Katie
2. Sophie
3. Louise
4. Sarah
5. Emily
6. Charlotte
7. Elizabeth
8. Amy
9. Jessica
10. Lucy
10 best husband names:
1. David
2. Andrew
3. Daniel
4. Paul
5. John
6. William
7. Simon
8. James
9. Chris
10. Stephen
Click here for more.
10 best wife names:
1. Katie
2. Sophie
3. Louise
4. Sarah
5. Emily
6. Charlotte
7. Elizabeth
8. Amy
9. Jessica
10. Lucy
10 best husband names:
1. David
2. Andrew
3. Daniel
4. Paul
5. John
6. William
7. Simon
8. James
9. Chris
10. Stephen
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