True Living Holiday 2010

your guide to

HOLIDAY

2010

True Living Tips, news and fun facts for active senior adults

Inside...

The Royal Treatment: A wee dram awaits in 2011 Page 2

The Gift Card Fallback: You don’t have to succumb Page 3

Performing Arts: Holiday entertainment abounds Page 4

T H I S P U B L I C AT I O N I S M A D E P O S S I B L E B Y S H A N N O N D E L L AT VA L L EY F O RG E

Travel

Leisure

Make It A Royal 2011

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any seasoned travelers are familiar with the famed Orient Express. But, have you heard of its sister luxury touring train The Royal Scotsman?

Just 36 guests travel in style through Scotland’s finest countryside of sweeping glens, towering peaks and mirror-calm lochs.

Cuddled in State Sleeping Cars (originally built as Pullman Cars in 1960), guests also enjoy an opendeck observation carriage and two dining cars. Life on board this luxury train is relaxed and indulgent, with gastronomic dining and the convivial atmosphere of celebrating with friends. After dinner, over a wee dram, a local clansman recounts tales that bring Scottish history alive before

guests meet local personalities, tour Bronze Age sites and sample local fare the next day.

Departures begin in May 2011 and include 2- to 7-night “journeys,” as they are called. For more information, visit www.royalscotsman.com or call 800.524.2420.

Average temperatures May June July

August

Philadelphia 63 72 78 77 Scotland 59 63 67 66

Day Trip: A Victorian Christmas

Winter Reading

An hour’s drive from Audubon, Fonthill in Doylestown, PA is a wondrous Victorian castle built by famed anthropologist Henry Chapman Mercer. Henry Ford called Fonthill “the only museum worth visiting in the United States.” Enjoy authentic Victorian Christmastime decorations in the 44 rooms, 200 windows, 18 fireplaces, 10 bathrooms and tree-filled landscape of this amazing property.

See www.mercermuseum.org or call 215.348.9461.

elebrating 50 years since the Year of the Rat Pack 1960, this limitededition volume captures Frank, Dean and Sammy in their heyday, when the Pack dominated American culture and epitomized the 50s life of cocktails, love affairs and Hollywood glamour.

The Rat Pack: A Photographic Collection Published October 2010

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Grandkids Spotlight: Holiday Gift Ideas For ‘Tweens/Teens

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kay, we admit that gift cards are an easy holiday gift.

But, for many older adults there’s nothing like the hunt for that perfect gift for friends and family.

If this describes you, and you have ‘tween/teenage grandchildren on your gift list, maybe we can help.

Some of the images in the book have remained stored away and undeveloped for decades. If you’re one of the Rat Pack groupies, you might want to act quickly, though. Only 2,250 copies of “The Rat Pack” were printed. And be prepared to invest in your devotion.

Prices start at $650. Visit www.reelartpress.com

Following are three gifts likely to bring genuine smiles and fewer requests for receipts: • iPod/iPhone headphones – Sure they all come with factory headphones, but there are several upgraded models on the market for less than $75. Shop Best Buy or any Apple Store. Or visit http://store.apple.com/us

• Roku internet TV device – the integration of internet and TV is now underway and this $60 set-top box lets kids stream (play) a growing library of video content from the web over their big screen at home. Don’t worry, they’ll know how to hook it up.

Visit www.roku.com • Twilight Saga Collection – more of a “girl” thing due to the storyline of vampires and romance. Don’t ask. Just trust us on this: girls go gaga for this scary love story stuff. Includes five editions from best-selling author Stephanie Meyer. $52 at www.amazon.com

Holiday Trivia: 1. Who lost $8,000 in “It’s a Wonderful Life”?

2. What is the biggest selling Christmas single of all time?

3. In “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer,” what did she go to get?

4. Who kept time with the Little Drummer Boy?

5. What is Charlie Brown’s complaint about Christmas?

Answers listed on page 8

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Spotlight on

The Performing Arts at Shannondell Shannondell Actors’ Studio Nancy Foster is a member of the Actors’ Studio, a resident theater group at Shannondell.

Q

: What drew you to the Actors’ Studio at Shannondell?

Nancy: A friend introduced me to the director of King of Prussia Players and one thing led to another, and the next thing I knew I was in the chorus of the musical The Music Man, which debuted at the Shannondell Performing Arts Theater.

Q

: Had you ever had the opportunity to act before?

Nancy: No, never.

Q

: Did that first production leave you wanting more?

“S

tep, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch. Again, ...”

Fans of A Chorus Line will quickly recognize the opening line of the longest running Broadway musical originally produced in the U.S. (6,137 performances, to be exact).

And, on any given day, you’re likely to hear similar choreography direction

reverberating from the stage of the Shannondell Performing Arts Theater.

As the home to King of Prussia Players, Methacton Community Theater and Shannondell’s own resident Actors’ Studio, this 500seat state-of-the-art performing arts center is a hotbed of cultural, creative and educational venues not only for the Shannondell community, but also the surrounding Montgomery and Chester county townships.

What’s attracted the community theater groups, you ask? For one thing, a sound and lighting system designed by the same company that outfitted the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York and Walt Disney World.

Audiences are quick to notice the attention to detail. “I can be sitting halfway back in the Theater for a performance and easily hear dialogue between two actors upstage

(back of the stage),” notes Nancy, a Shannondell resident and Actors’ Studio member (see sidebar).

The wide variety of quality performances is another attraction.

Just take a look at the current calendar for the coming weeks: December 6 – Tri-County Band Holiday Concert December 9 – Shannondell Singers

December 10 – Upper Merion High School Advanced Choir December 11 – PAPA (PA Association of Performing Arts) Concert December 12 – A Holiday Celebration featuring Colleen Daly, Soprano; Cody Austin, Tenor; and Jeffrey Uhlig, Piano December 13 – Bryn Mawr Mainliners

Nancy: Absolutely. I remember the feeling I got from the applause at the end of that first performance. It makes all the rehearsals, all the hard work and for me, the nervousness of my very first performance, worthwhile.

Q

: Other than rehearsing, how does the Actors’ Studio stay busy?

Nancy: We take trips to the Kimmel Center, Walnut Street Theater, even Broadway in New York. It really motivates you to tackle scripts and roles you wouldn’t otherwise. I think challenging your comfort zone is healthy at any age. And, from what I’ve found, a lot of fun.

Continued on page 8

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Health & Wellness

Around Town

Don’t Miss Performance Edited from various media

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f you saw the 1987 production of “Driving Miss Daisy” and thought the cast of Morgan Freeman, Dana Ivey and Ray Gill couldn’t be bettered, well, let’s just say you’ll be in for a surprise – if you can score tickets to the current production on Broadway.

The Philadelphia area is blessed with a bounty of popular events and performances during the holidays.

Upcoming: At the Kimmel Peter Nero and the Philadelphia Pops December 4 – 22 Christmas with Mozart December 17

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Opera Company of Philadelphia: Romeo & Juliet, February 11 For tickets: Call 215.893.1999 or visit www.kimmelcenter.org

Marvin Hamlisch & Michael Feinstein December 26

Save The Date:

Les Misérables, January 4 – 15

2011 Philadelphia International Flower Show

Pennsylvania Ballet: The Nutcracker December 4 – 31

Playing in the John Golden Theater through January 29, 2011, James Earl Jones, Vanessa Redgrave and Boyd Gaines put their own spin on the script. And that spin, most critics agree, is as fine a production of “Miss Daisy” as you’ll ever see.

Hard to believe it’s time to think blooming flowers. But, given the rising popularity of this annual event, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society at the Convention Center, and an opening date of March 6, you’ll want to grab your calendar now. You can prepurchase tickets to “Springtime in Paris,” a salute to the gardens and culture of The City of Lights, at www.theflowershow.com

In his role as the chauffeur Hoke, Mr. Jones portrays the character as more of a plain, blunt countryman than Mr. Freeman’s sly, urbane interpretation. Mr. Jones’ foghorn voice and mammoth physical presence only amplify his more simple portrayal.

Ms. Redgrave has chosen (wisely) to play Daisy in a fairly low-key manner, underplaying the idiosyncrasies of the cantankerous southern matron.

The only downside to the production is the run – 16 weeks – which means that tickets can be scarce. At press, both Telecharge and Stubhub websites listed available tickets. So, splurge. ‘Tis the season and, I can assure you, this ‘tis the play.

Christmas Divinity

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hile many consider these fudgelike treats a Southern food, Divinity’s origin has been tracked to several regions. The southern reference could be attributed to a version of the candy that is garnished by a pecan half.

The name, likely, stems from the taste, described as “divine.” Enjoy!

2 cups sugar 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup white corn syrup 1 egg white stiffly beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup broken nuts (optional) Pinch of salt Food coloring (optional) Beat the egg white and set aside. In a saucepan, boil the sugar, water and syrup while stirring gently. The mixture is done at 235 degrees. Pour the mixture over the beaten egg white, beating constantly. Add vanilla, nuts, salt and a few drops of food coloring, if desired. Beat this mixture until almost hard, then drop by the teaspoonful onto waxed paper. Makes 35 - 40 pieces.

Calories: 57 per piece | Total Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg

3 Weight Loss Tips For Older Adults

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ith New Year’s resolutions around the corner, these tips, written specifically for senior adults, serve as timely reminders that weight gain does not have to be an inevitable part of the aging process. At any age, you have a lot of control over your weight, including body fat.

1. Acknowledge a lower burn rate.

You burn fewer calories in your 70s and 80s doing the same activities that you did when you were younger. So, even though you may be following the same regimen, to compensate for burning fewer calories, you have to adjust your food intake and exercise type, duration and/or frequency.

2. Muscle out the fat. Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue, even when at rest. So, incorporating strength training into your exercise routine will help to build muscle and burn more calories. The best part: the older you get, the greater the benefit.

3. Recognize that food cravings can be triggered by emotions. Anger, stress, boredom and depression can send you foraging through the pantry in a search of a taste of comfort.

Instead of letting an emotional funk make you overeat, view it as a call to action. Getting active is one of the best ways to fight bad moods, as physical activity can raise levels of endorphins, which are compounds that promote a sense of well being.

Before beginning any weight loss or exercise program, consult with your physician or other health care provider.

“The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.”

Julia Child

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PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID MAILED FROM ZIP CODE 30304 PERMIT NO. 2550

10000 shannondell dr au d u b o n , pa 1 9 4 0 3

Continued from page 5

December 14 – Norristown Chorale December 17 & 18 – Hansel & Gretel December 20 – Festive Brass Quintet January 5 – Gaslight Productions presents “Rags to Riches” January 7 – Jeffrey Uhlig, Piano and Anna Marie Ahn Peterson, Viola January 11 – Jazz featuring Dave Posmontier, Ed Wise & Carlton King January 17 – David Kim, Violin (Philadelphia Orchestra Concert Master) and Jeffrey Uhlig, Piano February 25 – King of Prussia Players presents “Guys & Dolls”

‘Tis a Grand Time Are grandkids welcome at Shannondell? One visit after school or over the weekend will quickly answer that question. During the winter, you’ll typically find kids teaching their grandparents a thing or two about Nintendo in our Video Game room or enjoying the indoor pool in our Aquatics Center. But the Holidays are a special season for multi-generations at Shannondell. With almost a dozen concerts in our Performing Arts Theater in December, kids’ smiles and laughter abound, making the holidays a grand time to call Shannondell home.

From all of us at Shannondell, best wishes for the holidays.

www.shannondell.com

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Holiday Trivia Answers: 1. Uncle Billy, 2. White Christmas, 3. Her medication, 4. The ox and the lamb, 5. It is too commercialized