Life & Entertainment

Novel of British manor perfect for fans of ‘Downton Abbey’

“The Uninvited Guests” by Sadie Jones (Harper, 262 pages, $24.99)

Watermark Books: New & Recommended (May 20)

“In One Person” by John Irving (Simon & Schuster, $28) In his most political work since the late 1980s, John Irving explores the tragicomic story spanning half a century of one man’s life as a “sexual suspect.” “In One

Mesa Verde artifacts on display at Wichita State

Artifacts from inhabitants of Mesa Verde are on display in an exhibit at the Lowell D. Holmes Museum of Anthropology at Wichita State University, 1845 Fairmount.

Guest Gallery: John Ellert

Today’s guest photographer is John Ellert. He is retired, lives in Wichita and now pursues photography full time.

Funny, unpredictable ‘Monky Business’ shines

Let’s face it, a bunch of monks with jazz hands, vaudeville routines and a kick line that rivals The Rockettes — even though they’re shuffling around in burlap and sandals — is pretty funny stuff. That’s “Monky Business,” a new musical making its Wichita debut at Cabaret Oldtown. And this “Monky” shines.

Jester Awards honor high school musical productions

The Jester Awards, Friday at the Orpheum Theatre, honored high schools and their musical productions. The annual event is presented by Music Theatre of Wichita. Of the 27 shows reviewed from 25 high schools, 59 awards were given. The major awards are:

San Francisco of the East: Portland has grit, soul and salty docks

PORTLAND, Maine — I was in Portland all of 10 minutes when its soul rolled by on two wheels: a gentleman pedaling through downtown on one of those ridiculously tall bicycles with an oversize front wheel and tiny back wheel.

10 best iconic modern house tours in North America

Anyone with a pile of money can build a big pile of a house, and back in the day, that’s what you did. (See, for instance, “Downton Abbey.”) But during the 20th century, a group of architects staged a controversial revolt. Why, they asked, couldn’t less be as impressive as more?

Campus caters to observant Jewish students as their enrollment rises

Jewish enrollment at Rutgers University’s flagship campus is estimated to have jumped by more than 20 percent last year, due in no small part to the growth of services on campus that are particularly appealing to Orthodox students, community leaders say.

Beautiful, healthy lawn is not for slackers

Consumer Reports recently had an issue with a cover devoted to the slacker’s guide to a great lawn. Those of us who have taken care of a lawn are no doubt tempted by the idea — just as we are by pills that burn fat, tapes that teach us while we sleep and offers of a free lunch.

Nautical trends ride wave in decor

Crisp, blue nautical themes are expected to dominate home decor for the next few months at national retail outlets such as Target as well as small chains and locally owned shops.

‘Star Wars’ up close at Exploration Place

A long time ago, in a movie theater far, far away, the lights went down and we were dropped into the outer space of “Star Wars.”

Dry, sticky, sweet and hot: Here comes Ribfest

Dallas Green has a Texas accent, a Texas-size cowboy hat and a rib recipe that’s so good, he travels the country seven months out of the year making it.

Think of it as Herb Day for the shade

“Hostapalooza was born when we were trying to get Lee Coates to come and speak to our club,” Dana Smyser of the Wichita Hosta Society says. Lee Coates is a self-described semi-retired plant geek, writer, speaker and purveyor of fine Ozarkian humor.

More senior living centers accept pets

Shirlee and Nathan “Nick” Horowitz faced one serious health crisis after another before their doctor said they had to move into an assisted living center. They had only one condition — they weren’t going anywhere without their dog.

Garden Ware is meant to be hidden outdoors

Art pottery made by Weller is a favorite among collectors. The company made art pottery in Zanesville, Ohio, from 1893 to 1948.

Gardener’s almanac (May 19)

Plant – Beans, cucumbers, eggplant, melons, peppers, okra, pumpkins, sweet corn, squash and tomatoes.

On the grapevine (May 19)

Think of it as the Herb Day of hostas. The Wichita Hosta Society is throwing a Hostapalooza event on May 26, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Extension Center, 21st and Ridge Road. Rob Mortko, “the Hosta Guy” from Olathe, will be there, and vendors will be selling such things as dwarf conifers, Japanese maples, fairy gardens, papercrete containers, hypertufa troughs, whimsical garden sculptures and caladiums. There will be seminars and a plant sale by the Wichita Hosta Society. Admission is free, the farmers market is in the parking lot, and the master gardeners’ demo garden is now planted for the summer for observing.

Design Q&A

Hank Williams Jr. was born to entertain

It’s not easy to follow in the footsteps of a legend.

Laughable plot sinks ‘Battleship’

There will be bigger movies this summer, and better ones and worse ones.

Quality food, good service mark Pho Chopstix

After hearing nothing but great things from several friends for the past year about Pho Chopstix, my family and I finally stopped in for a quick lunch recently.

Comedian brings Red Green to Orpheum

Midwesterners are about as Canadian as Americans get, says comedian Steve Smith, famous for his duct-tape wielding, underachieving handyman character Red Green.

Gig guide (May 18)

No cover charge unless otherwise noted

Lakeside opera to feature classics, pop, Broadway

Wichita Grand Opera is celebrating the end of their season with a free outdoor concert at Bradley Fair. Guest and resident artists, plus accomplished classical and jazz musicians, will perform opera classics, pop songs and Broadway hits.

Expect to laugh, be moved by ‘Expecting’

Elizabeth Banks plays Wendy, a self-help book author, a pregnancy “expert” who has never been able to get pregnant herself. Until now. She and hubby Gary (Ben Falcone) are all set to glow with the “angel’s kisses” of “this miracle.” And then her husband’s ex-race car driver dad (Dennis Quaid) and his trophy bride (Brooklyn Decker) one-up them. Father and mother-in-law are expecting twins.

Adopt-a-pet (May 19)

Flower the Busy Bee, a 6-year-old female German shepherd mix, is available for adoption from Kansas Humane Society.

Green scene

You can buy a rain barrel for at least $10 off the retail price of $75 through June 1. Rain barrels bought through RiverCity WRAPS — for $65 plus tax or $50 plus tax if you get a coupon on Facebook — will be available for pickup June 9 during Hawker Beechcraft’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day at 10059 E. Central. For more information or to order a rain barrel, go to the website www.rivercitywraps.org.

List your green event

Singers invited to join WSU’s summer choir

Volunteers are invited to bring their voices to Wichita State University’s summer choir. Rehearsals begin June 4 and will be from 5 to 6:45 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at WSU until the show June 28.

Why it’s worth getting to know your neighbors

In my apartment building, I can tell you what the roommates across the hall fight about and that the guy upstairs has a squeaky mattress. What I cannot tell you is any of their names — and that, experts say, doesn’t do anyone any good.

Soundtrack of our lives grows longer, louder

We were driving down the road when the old Eurythmics song “Sweet Dreams” came on the radio.

Upscale homemade sauces make the perfect topping

It isn’t a backyard cookout without a trifecta of condiments — the elongated red, squat yellow and plump white containers. They’re intended to add zip, zing and zest but somehow, no matter where you go, they’re almost always the same.

Wine lines targeting women are long on legs, short on flavor

Freud struggled to find an answer to the question “What does a woman want?” Ninety-odd years later, some in the wine industry think they know.

Bonnie Aeschliman: Cooking-related gifts for grads

With new graduates striking out on their own, what kinds of things would make great gifts for these young people as they are on the threshold of a new life? New grads often start with hand-me-downs from Mom’s kitchen, but they will appreciate having a few new things as they begin their new independent living.

Women who don’t smoke can still get lung cancer

A pesky cough, that’s all.

Drs. Oz and Roizen: Celiac disease affects many

Celiac is a politically unbiased autoimmune disease. It seems both Chelsea Clinton and Elizabeth Hasselbeck have it and can’t stomach the same things. Gluten-containing foods — wheat, rye, barley, some oats and many prepared foods — are off their menu.

Aging Matters: Think twice before clicking on ‘free’ offers

What’s that they say when the offer sounds too good to be true? Oh, yes – if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Doc Talk: Answers to questions about breast augmentation

Breast augmentation is the most frequently performed plastic surgery nationwide. But for many, details about the procedure are a mystery. Here are answers to some common questions people have when they are considering having the aesthetic surgery.

Q: How common is breast augmentation surgery?

414 showed up at free skin cancer screening

The 24th annual skin cancer screening that took place May 5 at GraceMed Health Clinic attracted 414 people, 148 of whom were found to have potential skin cancers and nine of whom had possible melanoma.

Wrists overworked? Take regular breaks — and ice the pain

Maybe your wrists and fingers swell when you leave work. Or maybe they ache or go numb in the middle of the night.

Eat Smart: Before grilling, consider what goes on your skewers

Skewered foods are fun to grill and perfect for portion control, but you have to be careful about what goes on the skewers. You often see meat sharing space with vegetables, which isn’t the best approach unless your execution is perfect. Too often, the vegetables end up charred on the edges and raw within.