Hello and welcome! I'm Ann, your host here at Entertain the Possibilities where we'll share stories, recipes, music and photos about the connections made on life's journey and the moments that matter.
Here's more than you need to know about me:
- Home cook but not every day. I like to cook for friends -- dinner parties, drinks & snacks for game night, big ol’ parties, and family celebrations. I’ve got decent skills but am always ready to learn/practice more. I lose track of time reading recipes, and love the rituals of party prep – planning the menu, putting flowers on the table, picking the tunes to set the mood. It’s all about togetherness, laughter, conversations and connections. The meal or party just provides the opportunity for the happy chaos to begin.
- Wine enthusiast. (Wino?) Tastes run toward dry vs sweet, red vs white, Old World vs New – although I’ve been pleasantly surprised in all categories. Additional research is required. :-)
- Chicagoan for the past 27 years. Hardcore natives consider that this still puts me in the newcomer category, but this windy city by the lake, second to none, sure feels like home to me now. I live on the Far North Side in a diverse neighborhood on a sweet residential street in a 100+ year old home with my longtime partner Ilise. We’re fortunate to have friendly neighbors who willingly pitch in and look out for each other.
- Avid reader, balky writer. Lifelong book-lover, mostly fiction, at least half of it detective stories and thrillers and the remainder populated with scrappy heroines, sarcastic narrators, and misunderstood youth. Fave authors include Margaret Atwood, Lee Child, Denise Mina, Rex Stout and William Shakespeare. At one time I had visions of writing a mystery series in which each of my horrible previous bosses would meet an unfortunate yet somehow uniquely-fitting demise. Nobody cared whodunnit, we were just happy the miserable SOBs were finally gone. That never got off the ground but I did enjoy a rich inner fantasy life and had a constant smile on my face during the planning phase.
- Former drama club kid. As an awkward high school student I acted in plays, won a few awards, and felt lucky to be among the small but mighty band of artsy outsiders. I pursued the artistic vision to college, earning a degree in theater production after making the “sensible” choice to focus on work behind-the-scenes because it's so much more steady and lucrative (ha!) I did earn a living as a professional stage manager for six years before moving to a city where, at the time, very few people could pay the bills solely from their artistic pursuits. Good times were had making exciting and edgy theater anyway with a wonderful group of like-minded souls but it became extra-curricular, in addition to a day job. Over time my circumstances and priorities shifted, as they do, leading me to become a full-time worker bee and a part-time supporter of the arts. But it’s a creative heart that beats within.
Ann cuts a rug at Ilise's birthday dance party
- Music lover. I was lucky to grow up in a home where the stereo was always on and the record collection ran both deep and wide. My current-day musical interests are also diverse. Not every genre floats my aural boat but most of them have something worth tuning in for. And of course live music has power like nothing else.
- Present-day playlister and mix-tape maker from way back. Discovering new music to share with friends is a blast, and I love curating playlists to evoke a mood, celebrate a special occasion, or just rock out with my bad self. Back in the day – before MP3s and streaming music, even before CDs became more prevalent than LPs – it was a real labor of love to plan and execute the perfect mix-tape. Plotting song sequences for thematic elements and timing was key. It was truly agonizing to get it wrong and have the tape run out 20 seconds before your Side A mix's final note had faded away, but oh so satisfying when it worked. Now technology makes playlist building super-easy; the biggest challenge is creating the ultimate mix out of soooo many musical options available. I believe I'm up to the task.
- Lover of pretty things, whether we’re talking natural beauty, artistic masterpieces, fine antiques, intricate craftwork or bargain-basement tchotchkes. My tastes are not for everyone, but I know what I like when I see it.
- I have a Groovy Room. More will be revealed.
Any questions? Leave a message in the Comments or you can hit me up here. I'd love to hear from you.