The show covers love in all of it’s stages and variations with humor, music and dance and poignance I did not see coming. While the first half is all humor and fairly light (much like the early stages in romance), the second half gets real (much like marriage and parenting). Oh, there are still a lot of laughs but the tender “Shouldn’t I Be Less In Love With You” sung by a man many years into his marriage and “The Very First dating Video of Rose Ritz” after a painful divorce, left the audience in absolute silence and tissues were passed, before erupting into applause.

Robert Michael Sanders, Daniel Langhoff, Shannon Steele and Lauren Shealy played over 20 different characters in multiple vignettes – a common set up for the intimate Garner Galleria Theatre which seems to have that style show a lot.  Heather Lacy and Scott Severtson are “swings” and replace two of the actors on various nights.

I am always amazed at the energy and talent that goes into these shows. It’s exhausting just watching what’s going on, on stage and then imaging the crazy costume changes going on backstage.

Don’t be like me – go see “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” during this run, lest you miss out on this accurate and funny view into life and love.

For a unique perspective on the show, read the commentary/review of the show on the Parent Tango blog, a he said/she said perspective:  http://colorado.parenthood.com/parenttango.php

At first glance, with the large sign, and less than chic exterior, I figured Pisco Sour could either be a total dive or a hidden treasure. Turns out, it’s the latter.

The interior is caught in a 1950’s time warp which one could either find repelling or cool. Again, I’ll opt for the latter. Upon entering, the bar area with dining tables is to your left.  Go to the right for more dining tables, the dance floor and lounge area where people hold court, checking out the crowd.  Multiple TV’s and their reflections in mirrors are very distracting. I wish they were limited to the bar area.

Almost as soon as we were seated, we were given a tiny dish of Cancha Serrana, toasted corn kernels. They were delicious and glossy and the perfect thing to munch while reading the extensive menu.  Our meal went from fantastic to very good to not worth it, with every course. (Excuse the poor lighting on these photos. The place is dim.)

For an appetizer, we chose Choros a la Chalaca, fresh mussels topped with a spicy salsa fresca of diced tomato, onion, corn and coriander cured in lemon juice ($5.99).  I was transported to a tropical beach in the heat of summer, being refreshed by these tasty beauties, oblivious to the wet sands clinging to me.  Divine!

We ordered Arroz Con Pollo ($10.99), chicken and rice cooked in cilantro sauce with salad and Frejol Con Seco ($10.99), Peruvian beans served with lamb stew and white rice. Both were really good and huge portions. We made at least one lunch out of each of the leftovers.  The cilantro sauce on the Arroz Con Pollo was absorbed

into the rice and chicken, not ladled on, which meant a fresh taste to every bite. An overabundance of slightly pickled onion lay on top.  The lamb stew in the Frejol Con Seco was tender and easily shredded. The beige beans seemed to have a slight hint of vinegar which made them interesting and a good foil to the meat.  The accompanying salad was crispy and good with a variety of mixed greens.

Other options included combinations like the Bisteck a lo Pobre ($9.99) with steak, fried plantains, two fried eggs topped with onion and tomato, served with rice. Or the Supreme Combo ($15.29), a quarter of a Peruvian rotisserie chicken, one steak, one grilled veal heart kabob and one pork chop served with salad and fries! That’s a heck of a lot of protein on one plate.

The kids’ menu made us chuckle. The two items, both for $4.79 are chicken fingers and fries or Salchipapa which sounds exciting but is actually “sliced hotdog and fries”.  Skip that and let the kids share your food. They’ll be the better for it.

We were very pleased with our meal at this point and decided to go for dessert. We ordered the chocolate pie which I swear I’ve seen in the frozen dessert section of the grocery story and the flan which looked homemade but was lacking. Thankfully dessert was dirt cheap so we weren’t out much.  It was a disappointing end to a wonderful meal.

Pisco Sour refers to the drink of Peru, a mix of Pisco brandy, sugar and lemon.  Did I try a Pisco Sour in the restaurant called Pisco Sour? No, I’m sad to say I didn’t.  Next time. And next time I’ll also go with a larger group so we can try a wider variety of dishes or maybe try lunch or the weekend breakfast buffet. The food is intriguing and totally worth having to look at dated décor and TV after TV after TV.

Pisco Sour Restaurant and Lounge, 8501 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, 303-322-7777.

Often times, the best restaurants are the ones that are the most unassuming. I love finding a little treasure of a restaurant with a smallsign, few tables and a location in a storefront that’s usually tucked into a strip mall. Maybe places like this just try harder to be good because they have to. Or maybe it just amuses them to be successful without paying exorbitant rent or spending a lot for fancy décor and slick uniforms.  Whatever it is, I’m always glad to discover them.

It’s with some trepidation that I share the secret of a little treasure of an Asian restaurant in East Denver, lest they become so successful, they no longer recognize me when I call or come in (they are as loyal to their neighbors as their neighbors are to them!).

But alas, in the name of helping people find really great food, I’ll spill my little secret…it’s called Sweet Rice Café. There, secret’s out. Now everyone can go to this tiny place in the Mayfair neighborhood, complete with its basic sign, one table that’s outside(!), and its unassuming location. Yup, fits my profile of “restaurant treasure” perfectly!

For the rest of the review, head on over to Edan’s blog where you’ll find other family-friendly foodie news and reviews:
http://colorado.parenthood.com/eat_blog.php.

The cast of the Denver Center Theatre Company’s production of Two Things You Don’t Talk About At Dinner. Photos by Terry Shapiro

“Two Things You Don’t Talk About at Dinner”  has been going round and round on the controversial topics of religion and politics since January 20. Fortunately it runs until February 19 so you still have an opportunity to be a fly on the wall of this annual Passover Seder.  Replace the specific topics with those that pop up most in your family gatherings and you’ll feel right at home. The beautiful set suggestions help that along nicely.

Emotions and antics run high in “The Taming of the Shrew”, playing through February 26.  This very clever version of one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays is set in the 1950’s which makes it ever so much more enjoyable. The sets are clever and whimsical. The costumes are beautiful and lush.  Although the words are the same as those penned by Shakespeare, their timelessness is made obvious by being set in a time when men’s and women’s roles were clearly defined (whether to their detriment or not).

Although many people take offense at the notion of taking a head-strong woman and, through treating her badly, bend her to a man’s will, there is more to the story.  Kate, the “shrew” is over-the-top nasty and does need something to shake her into the reality that you just can’t act that way. Her husband, Petruchio, goes about his mission in cruel ways that do rub women and open-minded men the wrong way. However, looking beyond the surface, their story is also about compromise and learning from each other to create something better.  Both Kate and Petruchio, two full-of-spit-and-vinegar people, end up taming each other.  At least that’s how I prefer to think of it to avoid getting really pissed off!  Frankly, I liked Kate better when she was howling mad and taking swings at her husband.  He was an ass.

There’s far more to the story than just the main characters.  Nearly every character is yanked around by the deceit they either initiate or are forced to play a part in.  There is trickery, false identities, prat falls, double entendres – all the stuff of farcical comedy.

The performances are top-notch. Standouts are John-Michael Marrs as Hortensio and Matt Zambrano as Tranio. Both are so thorough with their characters down to mannerisms and quirks, never leaving their characters for a second, even when not the focus of the action .  I loved both of them in The Liar as well.

Go see “Two Things You Don’t Talk About at Dinner” and “The Taming of the Shrew” quickly. Then plan to go somewhere afterword where you can freely engage in the conversation and arguments that will likely ensue.

For information and tickets, go to www.denvercenter.org.

A string of beautifully white, perfectly round pearls starts out as a declaration of love to one woman and makes its way around the world, across the years and through generations serving as everything from just a piece of pretty jewelry to salvation.

Four women play over 20 characters, changing with simple costume and set changes.  Angela Pettigrew, Elgin Kelley and Samantha Provenzano slip in and out of identities and storylines with ease.  Although their performances are strong, Amie Mackenzie is the glue of the show. This is due, not only to her bookend roles that bring the story full circle but to her lively and emotional performance.

Although the overall framework of the story is predictable, like a pearl necklace, each story serves as the individual beads, strung together, linking to return to where it all began.  The play runs an hour and a half without intermission, for which I was grateful. Although I feel one or two of the stories could have been edited or even eliminated, each did serve its purpose in the grand scheme of things. To have stopped for an intermission would have broken the flow.

Despite being a very enlightened male, my husband felt there needed to be more action and some breaks in the talking.  “So…much…talking” he said, coming out of the play a little dazed.  I can’t say that he was alone in his views because I noticed several men in the audience starting to squirm mid-way through while us women-folk were glued.  Why wouldn’t we be? There was at least some element in every storyline that one could relate to.  The women were empowered and empowering even at their lowest points.  Mix that with some pretty jewelry, lots and lots of conversation and, hey, what’s not to like?! Once he snapped out of his “constant talking” stupor, he did say it was a great play and he found it very interesting.

Carrying the female-empowerment theme beyond the stage, The Avenue Theater has partnered with the non-profit “Free the Girls” to help end human trafficking in Africa. The organization helps women and girls make a living selling bras, which are a luxury in Africa. Avenue Theater is the exclusive drop off point for downtown Denver.  Anyone who makes a clean bra donation will receive a card for $3 off any regular season General Admission show ticket for that same day or in the future.

String of Pearls runs January 20 – February 25.
Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays – 7:30pm, Sundays – 2:00pm.
Tickets $25 Friday and Saturday, $20 Thursday and Sunday.
Student, senior and group discounts available.
The Avenue Theater, 417 E. 17^th Ave., 303-321-5925. www.avenuetheater.com.

Dearly Departed, written by David Bottrell and Jessie Jones, who have both written for TV and film, create 17 well-paced, distinct scenes that provide the opportunity to focus on individual characters without losing the continuity of the overall story. Set in the heat of summer in the deep, rural south, the Turpin family, with names like Raynelle, Ray-Bud, Junior and Delightful, try to come to grips with their patriarch’s sudden passing.  The planning of his funeral dishes out old resentments, disappointments and forgiveness between the members of the Turpin family, like the gloppy casseroles served at the funeral.

The play isn’t afraid to take edgy shots at obesity, miscarriage, unemployment, alcoholism, infidelity, the old and infirmed and murderous urges. But hey, it’s all in good fun!

Although all of the actors (many of whom play multiple roles) performed very well and made all of their characters believable and loveable, the standout was Eric Reynolds.  I was surprised to read that this is his first production because he has such a presence on stage. His character Ray-Bud, son of the deceased, is grappling with so many feelings and although he puts on a stoic front, wears his heart on his sleeve.  When other characters seem more like a caricature, his character remains really real.

Almost constant laughter (including annoying cackling from several audience-members) prevented all lines from being heard. Enough got through though to make for an evening of great fun, dappled with poignant moments.   Despite the religious, steamy, southern setting for this play, its universality will ring true with everyone. The play runs through February 11 at The John Hand Theater, 7653 E. 1^st Place. Call 720-880-8727 or at www.thisisspotlight.org.

Even on VHS, “Beauty and the Beast” seemed like it was in 3-D. So I was practically giddy at the prospect of seeing it in real 3-D. The wait is over for all of us.  Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” hits theaters today.

Was it all that I imagined? Yes and no.  Some of the animation seemed choppy, at least in the beginning. But oh, the 3-D effects!  I loved the additional scenes, put in specifically to show off the 3-D effects (like the opening scene of the castle).   The scenes that were screaming for 3-D were wonderful, just as they were meant to be.

Rediscover “Beauty and the Beast” or discover it for the first time. It’s just lovely.

Adrienne Warren in "Do Your Own Thing". Photo by Craig Schwartz

“Bring It On” is just a heck of a good time with a decent storyline, lots of humor, fabulous dancing and yes, amazing cheerleading moves.  I attended with my 14-year-old daughter who could really appreciate the drama of high school scene. The cheerleader girls in front of us were a hoot to watch as they commented on all the great moves of the cheerleaders (and the great butts of the men).  The old folks next to me were shakin’ it to the really catchy songs.  Everyone was having a great time, no matter what their situation or background. That’s an accomplishment!

Take a look at this video. It will give you a good taste of what you’re in for.

Rocky Mountain Chili Bowl
7350 E. 35th Ave., Ste. 130 (just east of Quebec)
303-322-3009

I am the complete opposite of those who don’t want any of their food touching. I LOVE to have my food touching. You could say I’m very touchy-eaty that way.  I enjoy having a bit of this with a bit of that to see how they combine. So imagine the joy I felt when I first went to the Rocky Mountain Chili Bowl in Stapleton.

I had my choice of ingredients piled high in a bowl, ladled with green chili. I could mix, stir and mash to my heart’s content getting something yummy in every bite! My favorite is the RMCB Fajita Bowl ($7.55) with white lime rice, fajita veggies, chicken, beef or park carnitas, smothered in pork or vegetarian green chili, topped with sour cream, guac, cheese and jalapenos! I love the different textures, colors and sensations.

My family has also tried the RMCB Original Bowl ($5.55) with garlic skin-on mashed potatoes forming the base, topped with black or pinto beans, smothered in chili and topped with cheese and jalapenos. Other signature bowls are based around tamales, a hot dog or hamburger or even cheese fries. But you can also make your own, choosing a base, veggies, meat and toppings.

My husband went on a Breakfast Burrito ($2.50) binge, having one every day for four days. A self-proclaimed breakfast burrito aficionado, he declared them the best ever. He especially loved the crispy potatoes inside.

Rocky Mountain Chili Bowl is good to kids with the Breakfast Bowl, Mac ‘n Cheese Bowl, Rice and Bean Bowl and our favorite, the Nacho Bowl. A simple bowl of yumminess, it’s just corn tortilla chips, beans, chili and cheese yet it makes my children so very, very happy.  All kid meals are $4.25 and come with a juice pouch and a sweet treat.

Speaking of sweet treats, the cookies are good  and while tasty and spicy, the brownies are dry. If that’s the only negative we found in our multiple experiences there, then I can consider the bowl the real treat.

If Rocky Mountain Chili Bowl sounds familiar, you might have seen their food truck at one of the Farmer’s Markets. I’m glad the family owned and run restaurant has found a place to settle.

The decor is all about snowboarding with a slick, cool-dude vibe.  Even if that’s not your thing, it’s a casual, comfortable place to sit a spell (or take it to go) and really get in “touch” with a good meal.

The Rock is a place for some serious cocktails.  They have signature mega-drinks like the “Bucket”, served in an actual sand pail complete with shovel or the Lava Lamp that includes a Jell-o shooter “lava” float!  I stuck with one of The Rock’s own microbrews which was very good.

To start our meal, we tried Rocks Wings. Although plump and meaty, they had an odd doughy-ness and sweetness that were disappointing.  In a welcome contrast, both the Garden Salad with its variety of veggies and the Caesar with oven-baked croutons were fresh and crispy with dressings that didn’t overwhelm.

The Rock’s mainstay, pizza, does the place proud. The pepperoni-lovers at our table loved the “Classic Rock”.  We fell for “Flirtin’ with Disaster” with hot Italian sausage, Andouille sausage and caramelized onions. The Rock’s pizza crust is delicious, crispy and chewy with the right amount of tug.

The Rock’s pasta offerings were a mixed bag.  Although a work of art, the colorful ravioli in a pesto cream sauce in “Elvis Sighting” was lackluster.  The “White Room” Alfredo was typical-tasting but very creamy.  We couldn’t get enough of the “Can’t Get Enough”.  Deceptively simple, it was a creamy red sauce with chili flakes, ground hot sausage and meatballs on fat fettuccine noodles.  The combination was seriously one of the most delicious dishes I’ve had!

Prices hover between $9 and $12 for most entrees.  Kids’ meals range from $2.49-$4.49 including a drink. There’s a good variety for them including salad which I’m so glad to see on a kids’ menu. There are also several variations of pasta, a peanut butter and jelly pizza, chicken and burger.

Give The Rock Wood Fired Pizza & Spirits a try for the food, the atmosphere, the conversations it will start about which Rolling Stones album was best and because your child can pitch a fit and blend right in.  Rock on! The Rock, Wood Fired Pizza & Spirits, 7399 W. Alaska Drive, Lakewood, CO. Open daily from 11:30am – midnight.  303-454-3282. http://therockwfp.com/.