OFFBEAT: Lana Turner is latest stage sendup for Hammond grad

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

Auriemma looks for eighth national championship

NEW ORLEANS | Geno Auriemma has never lost an NCAA championship game.

There's so much more than beignets in New Orleans

In 1807, Madame Laporte, a free wealthy woman of color, built a typically French Creole cottage in the Faubourg Marigny district of New Orleans, La.

Chef Emeril Lagasse at the 2013 International Home and Housewares Show in Chicago at McCormick Place

Chef Emeril Lagasse discussed proper food storage while appearing at the 2013 International Home and Housewares Show at McCormick Place in Chicago on Monday, March 4, 2013.

OFFBEAT: Hell in a Handbag bringing mix and new and old Camp for 2013 stage run

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

FROM the FARM: Readers and donations make Hedda event great

Phil Potempa's weekly farm column recipe.

Theater Heart Beats: Michelle Williams' new tour in 'Fela!' includes Chicago return

Singer Michelle Williams was just as surprised as the masses by the sudden Super Bowl power outage.

AL HAMNIK: Ray Lewis' career has us smiling, shaking our heads

The first time I saw Ray Lewis, in person, was during a Bears home game in 2005. It was pretty spooky.

Carnival season kicks off along the Gulf Coast

Christmas wreaths and holiday parties gave way to king cakes and street parades as the Carnival season kicked off this weekend along the Gulf Coast.

A year later, some like Christmas NBA start better

NEW YORK | Doc Rivers left home for the holiday, lost the game, and loved every minute of it.

Pagano, Colts getting back to business as usual

INDIANAPOLIS | Chuck Pagano beat the traffic and a blizzard into work Wednesday morning — all in an effort to beat the Texans.

Right at Home: Party favors with flair

A New Year's bash is one of the easier parties to throw. Everyone's already in the merry-making mood, so it's a simple matter of setting the stage.

Luck has youthful pass-catchers for Colts

INDIANAPOLIS | Andrew Luck's dynamic rookie season is even more impressive when considering that most of the people he's throwing to are new to the NFL, too.

NFL INSIDER: Bears in do-or-die territory

It's the time of year when the men are separated from the boys in the NFL.

Guide to coffee table books as holiday gifts

Even people without coffee tables enjoy coffee table books as gifts, especially if they're thoughtfully chosen rather than hastily snatched from a store shelf at the last minute.

Go for charitable 'adoption' as holiday gift

Buy a sheep, "adopt" a soldier or name a piece of rainforest.

Pediatricians confirm enormous value of athletic trainers at high schools

Two weeks ago, the American Academy of Pediatrics' annual membership meeting in New Orleans featured a position statement, reported on in this space at the time, on cheerleader safety.

Beignets A Featured Menu Spotlight at Grand Lux Café Restaurants

New Orleans age-old sweet favorite, platters of powdered sugar covered warm donuts called Beignets, are part of the menu at Grand Lux Café, the restaurant concept with 14 locations across the country, including Chicago.