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36 The Courier SUN • APRIL 23, 2015 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com VICTORIA SCHNEPS-YUNIS vschneps@gmail.com Dining at favorite places Dynamic $1000 off Lumineers $500 off Invisalign DENTAL WORK Free Whitening included the inViSiBle WAy to Some excluSionS Apply StrAighten teeth third generation dentist 175-15 Jamaica avenue, Jamaica 718-297-4100 • 718-297-4106 victoria’s secrets tweet me @vschneps A week of dining and theater I’ve always loved the theater and the talented artists who bring me into another world. These past weeks I had the joy of seeing three shows and enjoying wonderful dining experiences. Of the three shows, I loved “It Shoulda Been You.” It made me laugh, cry and tap my feet to the music. It also had a plot that took me by surprise. Being in the third row added to the joy of seeing such spectacular performances. The “name” star drawing huge applause was Tyne Daly. She earned the adoration of the audience but there were surprise talents supporting her that made the show very special. Edward Hibbert, who brilliantly played the wedding planner, made me laugh the hardest. With all the shenanigans going on, he didn’t want to miss a moment, since he had thought that at this point in his career, he had seen everything. I roared when he said, “Thank God I didn’t call in sick today!” He was right. When we think we know it all and have planned for every contingency, something unexpected happens. That is the fun of “It Shoulda Been You”! Don’t miss it. On the other hand, miss “The Visit” with Chita Rivera! It was the weirdest play I ever saw. Yes, at 82, she is still a knockout and controls center stage. The premise of the play is that a wealthy widow returns to town, now down on its luck, where she grew up, a poor girl who had loved and lost, and had never forgotten. It was both a love story and hate story. The writer must be a strange person to come up with the weird storyline. I don’t recommend it, even for fans of Ms. Rivera! “Gigi” is another story. I grew up with it and fantasized about a Louis Jourdan character finding me and falling in love with me when I was a teen. And I can still picture Hermione Gingold and Maurice Chevalier singing “I Remember It Well.” While it is a classic in both its music and storyline, sadly the casting of the characters in this revival of “Gigi” didn’t live up to my expectations. Maybe you can’t go back. The original Gigi was Audrey Hepburn. Need I say more! The classic song “Thank Heaven for Little Girls” was sung in both acts and for me was the highlight of the show. And the colorful, turn of the 20th century clothes were elegant. I loved the large plumed hats and matching gowns worn by the cast. The designer deserves a Tony for the creations. But if you want to enjoy Colette’s classic story and the genius of the Lerner and Loewe music, rent the 1957 movie. The cast of “It Shoulda Been You” Another evening, after a show, we went to the famous Nino’s on First Avenue between 72st and 73rd Streets. As you enter, there is a huge mural with famous people’s faces painted on the wall. Since we, a group of eight friends, were early, we played “name the celebrity” game. Nino, the owner-operator, helped us ID people we missed. There is a handsome bar where we had drinks accompanied by crispy, addictive potato chips. The dining room was open yet intimate. We had a round table for the eight of us, which makes for great conversation. The superb meal and great desserts made us feel we wanted to return. And we will. Then, for my daughter Elizabeth’s birthday, I was blessed to have all my children together at the new, recently renovated restaurant in Great Neck that was the former Burton & Doyle and is now renamed Union. I knew it had become a hot spot when the cars being valet parked backed up onto Northern Boulevard. At 8 p.m., the parking lot was jam-packed, a good sign for the new owners. Unbeknownst to me, Thursday night is singles night and the massive bar was five deep with men and women enjoying the DJ and each other. We got a table in the rear to escape the noise, but the superb food made up for the volume. Several of us ordered from the sushi menu and were impressed with our choices. Samantha’s mother-in-law Susan had a filet, and it was juicy and cooked to perfection. In celebration of Elizabeth’s birthday, they put a huge sparkler in her choice of a large slice of creamy strawberry cheesecake. It was a joyous ending to a wonderful meal. We will be back, but not on a Thursday! Elizabeth at Union restaurant for her birthday Sushi was our favorite at Union


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