Category Archives: Holidays

CALS – A Great Place for an Epiphany

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Today is Epiphany. As celebrated by Western Christian churches, it represents the date that the Wise Men visited the Christ Child.

Epiphany can also mean a realization or a grasping of a concept. It is a true Eureka! moment.

A great place to learn more and to have epiphanies is the branches of the Central Arkansas Library System.

The Wise Men are sometimes referred to as Kings.  CALS is a great place to read books about Kings.  In 2011, the Culture Vulture checked out at least three books from CALS which had “King” in the title.  These “Three Kings” were Exit the King by Eugene Ionesco, King Hedley II by August Wilson and King Richard III by Shakespeare.

There are many books about Kings as well as Epiphanies.

Twelve 12s for Twelfth Night in ’12

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Today is Twelfth Night for 2012.  In honor of Twelfth in ’12, today’s entry features 12 photographs of 12s found throughout Little Rock.

Hillcrest mailboxes

Detail of a room number at the Capital Hotel.

Reserved parking spot downtown

Detail of old Cave's Jewelers clock downtown

Detail of height restriction sign downtown

Payment slot at parking lot downtown

1200 block of West 12th Street

Detail of clock at River Cities Travel Center

Detail of a price sign at Heights Kroger

Parking lot sign at UALR

Detail of a merchandise sign at Barnes & Noble

Year sticker on license plate

A Capitol Christmas in Arkansas

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When the Culture Vulture was just a Baby Vulture, he, his parents and sister would go to the State Capitol building to look at the decorations on Christmas night.  Over the years, the Office of Secretary of State has changed the decorations.  He remembers the alternating red and green lights on the dome during the Bryant (Kelly and Winston) era. He also remembers the disco dome during Bill McCuen’s tenure. Thankfully during the Priest, Daniels and now Martin era, the building is outlined in white lights.

The nativity scene has also changed in location and materials having once been plaster or plastic and at the top of the stairs in front of the brass doors, later moving to several different places on the grounds. It is now had carved wood.  The interior decorations have changed over the years as well. 

Whatever the decorations may be, it is wonderful to see families of various sizes from all corners of the state come to their state capitol building to experience the wonders of the season.

Last Chance: A CHRISTMAS CAROL at Ark Rep ends Sunday

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There are just a few chances remaining to see the Christmas Spirit alive and well on stage of the Arkansas Repertory Theatre.  Actually three Christmas Spirits (past, present, and yet-to-be) are on stage as the Rep presents the Menken-Ahrens-Ockrent version of A Christmas Carol. The performances are sold out, but there may be some returns or no shows, so if you think your Christmas won’t be complete without it, call the Arkansas Repertory Theatre Box Office at 501-378-0405.

Two Jewish Guys Chanukah Special on KUAR

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Chanukah begins at sundown tonight.  To get everyone in the spirit of it, KUAR – UALR Public Radio – is presenting the 11th annual Jewish Guys Chanukah Special tonight at 7pm on KUAR – FM 89.1.  Little Rock attorney Phil Kaplan and adman Leslie Singer recorded the broadcast before a live audience earlier in the month.

The Jewish Guys Chanukah Special celebrates cultural Judaism and features skits, music and general shtick. Musical guests included the Meshugga Klezmer Band and the Bauman Brothers.

“This year’s special guest is Susan McDougal who special prosecutor Ken Starr sent to prison for no cooperating with his investigation of President Clinton,” Leslie Singer says. “I’m going to ask her if she celebrated Chanukah with the Jewish inmates she has said took her in.”

Kaplan and Singer started identifying themselves as the Two Jewish Guys during KUAR’s semi-annual on-air fund drives several years ago. In 2001, the Two Jewish Guys and UALR Public Radio began producing an annual recorded Chanukah Special. After first featuring a live audience at the Central Arkansas Library System main campus, it outgrew that space and moved in 2007 to the Clinton Presidential Center.

“Interesting enough, at least two-thirds of our audience are not Jewish. That really inspires me that they are interested in the religious and cultural part of Judaism,” Singer noted to KUAR. “They enjoy a peek into another culture. And they like it.”

The program will also be broadcast on Christmas Day at 1pm. That is also the 5th of 8 days of Chanukah.

A Capital Christmas in 2011

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Contrary to popular belief, the Little Rock Culture Vulture doesn’t live at the Capital Hotel.  But since it is a hub of cultural performances, it is appropriate to feature it on this site.

During the holiday season, the halls are decked and the walls festooned with greenery, lights and ribbons.  This year, in addition to the tall tree in the lobby, there is a gingerbread village with two trains.

Performances from a variety of schools and other groups are ensuring that the sounds of Christmas cascade throughout the colonnades in addition to the sights of lights.

 

Holiday Music with the ASO

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For many Arkansans, the Christmas season is marked by attendance at the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra December pops concert.  This year, it is entitled simply “Happy Holidays” and the music is programmed to ensure that audience members leave happy and full of the holiday spirit.

Music Director Philip Mann will take the podium and lead the musicians of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Christmas and Hanukkah music both old and new.

Among the selections are: Tyzik: “The Skater’s Overture,” Styne: “Let It Snow,” Anderson: “Sleigh Ride,” Vivaldi: “The Four Seasons: Winter” (featuring violin solo work by co-concertmaster Kiril Laskarov), Gabrieli: “Canzon Noni Toni,” Richman: “Holiday Cheer!” Biegel: Hanukkah Fantasy,” Tchaikovsky: Selections from The Nutcracker,” Bob Hupp narrating “The Night Before Christmas,” Rimsky-Korsakov: “Snow Maiden Suite: Dance of the Clowns” Tyzik: Ave Maria,” “The Wonderful World of Christmas/Silver Bells” and Finnegin: “Christmas Singalong.”

In addition to Hupp, special guests include performances by the O’Donovan School of Irish Dance, Ballet Arkansas, Episcopal Collegiate School Steel Drum Band, baritone Darren Drone, Winter Pops Chorus, and Cathedral School Choristers.  And of course, St. Nicolas himself, that jolly old elf Santa Claus will be on hand.

The concert is sponsored by Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.  Performances began last night and continue tonight at 8pm and tomorrow at 3pm.  At 2pm on Sunday, a children’s fair with arts and crafts will take place.  Also on Sunday, because of the sponsorship of Entergy Arkansas, children from Kindergarten through 12th grade are admitted for free with a paying adult.