The Lion King

The Lion King on Broadway

I have been lucky enough to see many Broadway shows.  There are many magnificent show that you could go to see, but if you want to see on of the most strikingly visual show, go to The Lion King.  I do not know many people who have not heard of The Lion King or do not know the story.  The play had to compete with high expectations, and how do you do that?  You have some of the most remarkable costumes and sets Broadway is ever seen.  While sitting in the audience, you cannot take your eyes away from the stage.  The actors have elaborate props which animal them to look and, for some, walk like animals.   The lion’s masks rest impeccably on their head until they wish to fight someone.  With a small flick of the neck, the mask is positioned right over the actors face and then quickly tucked away once the fight is over.   The animals are so stunning and so intricate that you can help but study ever spot.  This is a play the entire family will enjoy and remember.

Vocabulary

magnificent – wonderful

strikingly – impressive

expectations – what people expect, think will happen

remarkable – worth noticing

elaborate – full of detail

impeccably – perfect

intricate – with many parts

Cloze Sentences

1.     The most ________________________ show is The Lion King.

2.     The girls eyes were ________________________  blue.

3.     We had high ________________________  for our trip.

4.     The view from our room were ________________________ .

5.     We saw people put on ________________________  performances.

6.     The children were ________________________  dressed.

7.     The jewelry was ________________________  with many small designs.

Grammar Lesson- Synonyms

o   Synonyms words that mean the same thing as another word. 

o   They help us paint the picture of the story we are reading, writing, listening or telling.

o   You can find synonyms (or same words) in a thesaurus. All good writers use Synonyms to bring their words to life.

Activity

Directions: Find synonyms for the following words in a thesaurus. Try to come up with as many as you can!

1.   pretty

2.   small

3.   large

4.   ugly

5.   smooth

http://www.lionking.com/

To Ski or Not to Ski- That is the question…

To Ski or Not to Ski- That is the question…

My brother-in-law has been trying to plan a ski trip for year.  “When are we going?” he would ask.  That was until he finally out smarted us.  “All I want for my birthday is for us to going skiing together!” he pleaded.  So now we are getting a ski house together and hitting the slopes.  My quandary is how does one prepare for a ski adventure?  My first and only time skiing was on an 8^th grade field trip.  I spent the day believing I was queen of the mountain, or bunny hill, as it is more commonly known as.  That all changed when a friend told me, “You are really good already! You should go off the bigger slope!”  I believe her whole heartily, began my ascent to the top of the mountain.  I had no fear. I mean I really was beating everyone on the bunny hill, and it never crossed my mind that those were children.  We reach the peak of the mountain and I soon realized that I do not know how to get off this chair left. My execution in doing so was terrible. I slide off the chair and fell right in the snow.  This was only the beginning of my falls. I quickly realized on my trip down that though I had become a fast skier, I never properly learned how to stop.  So as my friends swooshed past my, I continued to throw myself down to prevent certain death. Now I have to face those snowy mountains again, but do I dare ski? I guess I will find out soon enough.

Vocabulary

pleaded – begged

quandary – dilemma, problem

commonly – normally, usually

execution – performance, how you do something

properly – correctly, the right way

prevent – stop

swooshing – sound made by someone rushing past you

Cloze Sentences

1.   I ____________________ with my dad to let me go to the party.

2.   My ____________________  was I wanted both bags but I only had $50.

3.   It is ____________________ known that Minecraft is a new craze.

4.   In the Olympics your ____________________  has to be perfect.

5.   Seat belts ____________________  you from getting seriously hurt in an accident.

6.   I could hear the ____________________  sound as the track time ran past me.

Grammar Lesson- Quotation Marks

o   Using quotations – use quotation marks when you are saying what someone else has stated.  This gives the person credit for their words. It also shows the reader who is speaking.

Activity

Directions: Place the quotation marks in the right place

Stop! Mom said.

Mary begged, Don’t go in there!

Ann asked Where do you want to eat?

http://www.skicamelback.com/

Reign

Reign

Though I maybe slightly embarrassed to admit it, the T.V. show Reign is one of my latest obsessions.  Yes you are thinking of the correct show. The one made for preteens on the CW.  I do not know why I constantly get pulled in to these meant for teens dramas, but I cannot help myself.  The plot line is a good one.  It is a historical fiction story of Mary Queen of Scots.  She was the young Scottish queen whose short life faced many challenges.  It is because of the show I became so intrigued by Mary’s life and began reading more into it.  The show does not accurately all the stories, just some of the general facts.  Additionally, on the show Mary and her ladies in waiting dress to beautifully modern to be an appropriate period piece.  Also, the love triangle between Mary and the king of France’s two sons seems a little extreme, but I enjoy it.  Think of it as Gossip Girl set in the 1500 and enjoy!

Vocabulary 

embarrassed – feeling of shame, feeling bad

obsessions – something that you cannot help but think about/ like

dramas – performances

challenges -  difficulty

modern – current day

period – a part of time that people can identify

extreme – not reasonable

Cloze Sentences

1.   The teacher said bringing 5 pencils to a test was a little ____________________________.

2.   I love the ____________________________ look of that house.

3.   We perform ____________________________ in school.

4.   I was ____________________________ to see my picture in the paper.

5.   My sisters ____________________________ is clothing.

6.   The Victorian ____________________________ was very interesting.

Grammar Lesson- Pronouns

§  Pronouns- are nouns that are used in place of proper nouns.

§  Examples-

o   Sally = She

o   The boy = he

o   the dog = it

o   Sally and Mark  = they

Activity

Directions: Replace the noun with the correct pronoun.

Nicholas bought a tie.  (  it    ,   he   )

Rick and Will went to the park. (    he    ,   they   )

The cat jumped on the chair.  (   they    ,     it    )

 

http://www.cwtv.com/shows/reign

Fig and Olive

Fig and Olive

If you are looking for a truly unique experience, go to Fig and Olive in the Meatpacking District.  There you will be shocked at the food you receive.  It is when of the few times you will leave saying “less is really more!”  I went there with my boyfriend for our five-year anniversary.  We were going big or going home.  We had heard rave reviews from many people, but waited a long time to go.  As you would expect from the name, almost all food in the restaurant is infused with some of finest olive oils.  This fact initially did not astonish me, but upon trying the food I am amazed.  We started off with a Crudo Tasting, which is extremely similar to tapas.  We were ecstatic with choice. You receive one to two bites of raw tuna, salmon and beef tartar.  For most people, this would disgust them. My advice is to give it a change. I promise it will surprise you.  Next, we had the Mediterranean Branzino and the Rosemary Lamb Chops.  The portions are on the smaller side but pack a punch.  They barely left room for bite size tastings of desert.  To be honest, you cannot go wrong with Fig and Olive, unless you do not give it a try.

Vocabulary

unique- one of its kind

shocked- amazed, in awe, surprised

rave- speak about with a lot of praise

infused- mixed with

finest- best

astonished- amazed

tapas- small plates of food

Cloze Sentences

1.   Last night we had small plates of ________________________.

2.   I was ________________________ at the end of the movie.

3.   The ice cream was ________________________ with vanilla.

4.   That is one of the ________________________ books I have ever read.

5.   I was ________________________ you never had dark chocolate before.

6.   The shirt with all the colors was ________________________.

7.   My parents always ________________________ about that hotel.

Grammar Lesson- Using End Marks Punctuation (Periods, explanation points & question marks).

Punctuation is used at the end of a sentence/clause.  Each form of punctuation has a different purpose.

 Periods- show the end of a complete sentence that states something

 Explanation Points- Shows that the person saying the sentence has excitement or is giving a command

Question marks- point out to the reader that the person was asking a question

Activity

Directions: Circle the correct punctuation for each sentence.

Did you buy that at mall (  .  /  ?  )

Don’t run (   !   /     ? )

Lucy has a dog and a cat (   !   /   .   )

 

http://www.figandolive.com/menu/meatpacking/

IL Toscano Ristorante

 

 

Who would have guess that fantastic Italian food could be in a tiny looking restaurant near the Douglaston train station? I promise this is true. IL Toscano Ristorante is outstanding in its service, food and accommodations for the dinners.   This is not your typical American Italian restaurant.  The food is based on Northern Italian recipes.  Their menu has so much to offer even the pickiest eater can find something they enjoy.  The last evening I was there, it was to celebrate my birthday.  We started our dinner, like we do every time there, we our favorite appetizers.  The homemade fresh mozzarella (Mozzarella Fresca) and tomato is like nothing you have ever tasted before. The mozzarella is the perfect smooth yet chewy consistency.  This alone will have you coming back again and again.  Additionally, we order the mussels (Prince Edward Island Mussels).  The broth for these mussels is something out of this world.  It is a white wine broth with small, crunchy pieces of bacon in it.  The best part of IL Toscano is that you can order any entrée pasta as an appetizer, which you almost always need to.  The pasta is homemade on the premises, and needs a small parade following it while it comes out of the kitchen.  I have never gone to IL Toscano and disliked anything I have ordered.   You cannot go wrong between appetizers, salads, pasta and large entrees.  One word of advice is to safe room for dessert.  IL Toscano’s famous for their scrumptious, decadent Napoleon.  Truly if you decide to dine here you will not be disappointed from the drinks, food or service.  IL Toscano will soon become your family favorite.

 

Vocabulary

Fantastic- excellent, great

Outstanding- better than most

Pickiest- hard to please, dislikes many things

Consistency- the way something feels

Premises- in the building

Scrumptious- very well liked, tastes very good

Decadent- tastes so good it is bad (sinful)

 

Vocabulary Activity

Grammar Lesson- Adding –s to the end of a verb

Adding s to a base word – for most verbs you just add –s at the end of the verb

Examples: run/runs, shoot/shoots, skip/skips

Exception: Adding -es – you need to add an –es if the base word ends in o, ss, sh, (t)ch, zz, and x

Examples- bless/blesses, watch/watches, do/does, go/goes

 

Activity

Circle the correct choice in the line.

Sam gos / goes to the mall.

Marcia bakes / bakes cookies.

We look / lookes for birds at the beach.

He shootes / shoots the basketball.

 

Websites J

http://www.eslcafe.com/grammar/verb_forms_and_tenses04.html

http://iltoscanony.com/menus/entrees.html

Shanghai Cafe in China Town New York

Shanghai Café

      If you want to experience some of the greatest Chinese food in New York, head to Shanghai Cafe.  The restaurant is located on Mott Street, in China Town.  It is one place you will come back to again and again.  My first experience with the restaurant was with my family.  My sister being a city girl always hears about the best places to eat.  She informed us all we must go for something called "Soup Dumplings."  I had never heard of "Soup Dumplings" and knew I had to try them at least once.  They are now one of my most favorite foods, and the best place to get them is at Shanghai.  "Soup Dumplings," or Steamed Tiny Buns as they are labeled on the menu, are pork dumplings infused with the most delicious broth you have ever tasted.  You can also order them with half crab and pork, but my loyalty is to the original.  If that is not up your alley, almost everything on the menu is amazing.  The fried rice is cooked to perfection. The lo mein has larger then normal noodles that only seem to enhance the flavor.  My favorite part of Shanghai Cafe is watching other restaurant diners order their meals.  I am also so interested by the wide variety of unbelievable food they have. One warning would be not to expect the wait staff to be overly kind.  They serve the food quickly and expect a quick turnover to seat the next group of people, but that never stops me.

Vocabulary

locate- to find something

labeled- name put on something, a brand

perfection- something that is wonderful the way it is

enhance- to make something better

variety- many choices, many things

unbelievable- very good, outstanding

turnover- time to have one person finish and a new person come in.

Close Exercise

Directions: fill in the correct vocabulary word to complete the sentence.

1.     I need to _________________ this restaurant.

2.     I _________________ my notebooks with my name.

3.     Ice cream after dinner is _________________ .

4.     I will _________________ the color on my picture to make it look nicer.

5.     I like to have a _________________ of choices for lunch.

6.     McDonalds has a fast _________________ because it is fast food.

Adding –ing to a base word/-ing Suffix

When adding –ing to the end of a base word there are some rules:

§  for most words- you just add –ing after the base word (example- cool/cooling, worry/worrying)

§  If the word ends in e- drop the e and add –ing (example- ride/riding, bite/biting)

§  If the word ends in a vowel consonant- double the consonant and add –ing (example- hop/hopping, pat/patting)

§  Exceptions to the rules-

o  Double e’s

o  change –ie to y before adding –ing

Practice

Directions – add –ing correctly to the following words

1.     fill + ing = _____________________

2.     style + ing = _____________________

3.     jump + ing = _____________________

4.     skip + ing = _____________________

5.     see + ing= _____________________

6.     skip + ing = _____________________

http://shanghaicafenyc.com/

http://literacy.kent.edu/Midwest/Materials/ndakota/spelling/lesson4.html

Empellon

                I am not quite sure when I became a foodie.  It may have happened the first time I ate a food that completely blew my mind. Perhaps it was the first time I cooked a dinner for my grandfather, all on my own.  The only thing that I am certain about that food is a great passion of mine.  I have watched numerous cooking shows. I have taken several cooking classes.  In addition, I have eaten at a multitude of restaurants.  I plan most trips around places to eat.  My most recent food experience was at Empellon Taqueria, in New York City’s West Village.  It is a Mexican restaurant created by Alex Stupak, who interestingly began his career as a pastry chef.  If you enjoy Mexican, then you will love Empellon.  One of my favorite parts of the dining experience was the small dishes to share as a table.  Each course was decadent yet left you excited for the next.  My one word of advice is beware of over ordering.  The waitress advised my table to order one plate of each category, which left us terribly full.  The next time I dine at Empellon, I will order only a few dishes at a time.  There is always time for more.

http://empellon.com/taqueria/

Vocabulary

Foodie - a person who loves food

Numerous – many, a lot of

Multitude – a big amount

Pastry – sweet food made for dessert

Decadent – filling, rich, delicious

Advice – an idea of the right thing to do

Fill in the blank

1.       The best _________________ I received was to order the salsa.

2.       The dessert was so _________________, I was unable to finish it.

3.       I love to stop at the _________________ shop for desserts.

4.       There were a _________________ of shoes for sale in the store.

5.       The _________________ books were filed all around the library.

6.       The _________________ created a blog about her    culinary adventures.

Grammatical Structure – Verbs in the past tense

Verbs in the past tense are used to describe events that happened in the past. Some words in the past tense use –ed at the end, like happened.  Other words must change to show past, present or future tense (example – went, go, will go).

Circle the correct verb tense below:

·         Sara ( go , went) to the movies.

·         Amanda (like , liked) the ice cream she ate.

·         The students ( have , had ) many talents.

http://www.eslcafe.com/grammar/simple_past_tense02.html