Suzanne Magnuson – Splash Magazines

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is Pure Imagination at the Paramount Theatre

November 19, 2023 Suzanne Magnuson 0

The Paramount’s exceptional production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will take you on a delicious ride you won’t soon forget. The Paramount usually goes all out for its holiday productions, but this is above […]

Cinderella at The Drury Lane Theater, a Charming Holiday Confection

November 18, 2023 Suzanne Magnuson 0

While it’s always been blessed with a splendid Rodgers and Hammerstein score, and a dose of fairytale magic, the book of Cinderella has always proved lacking. It was the flimsiest musical telling of this fairy […]

The Cottage Garden: Book Review

November 12, 2023 Suzanne Magnuson 0

In The Cottage Garden, acclaimed Danish gardener Claus Dalby provides a thorough, beautifully illustrated guide to cultivating simple, abundant cottage gardens. With insightful advice and stunning photographs, this book is essential for any gardener looking […]

Jenufa at the Lyric Opera: Uninspiring Melodrama Anchored by Powerful Performances

November 12, 2023 Suzanne Magnuson 0

The Lyric’s current B opera is an interesting one largely due to the immense talent of the performers as they attack Leos Janacek’s unique score that breaks out of late Romanticism into its own modern […]

High Tea With Gerri, a Suburban Tea Room not to be Missed

November 7, 2023 Suzanne Magnuson 0

Last summer two of my tea-loving friends had birthdays the same month, so we combined their celebrations with an excursion to High Tea with Gerri in Long Grove, IL. We’ve been to many of the […]

Irrigreen – the Innovative Way to Conserve Water AND Still Have a Green Lawn

September 18, 2023 Suzanne Magnuson 0

In the United States we are absolutely tied to our concept of surburban lawn, no matter how horrible that is for pollinators, biodiversity and the environment. Even in sections of the country plagued by water […]

Ristoranté Brissago®, Inspired Italian Cuisine at Grand Geneva Resort and Spa – Review

September 18, 2023 Suzanne Magnuson 1

Some dining experiences are well worth the drive and Ristoranté Brissago®, on the second floor of Grand Geneva Spa and Resort, is one of them. Advertised as “a contemporary take on traditional Italian cuisine, combining […]

Bootleg Bath – Sustainable Cleanliness is a Winner

September 11, 2023 Suzanne Magnuson 0

Born out of the pandemic in 2020 and inspired by Prohibition’s obsession with alcohol, Bootleg Bath has cocktail-inspired products that are first and foremost high quality. When I was contacted by their press agent to […]

Paramount’s Bold Series: Next To Normal Will Wring You Out

August 20, 2023 Suzanne Magnuson 0

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a musical that requires trigger warnings before I attended the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Next to Normal now playing at the Copley Theatre in downtown Aurora through September 3rd, but […]

The 39 Steps at the Drury Lane is an Acting Masterclass

July 7, 2023 Suzanne Magnuson 0

I don’t really know what to say about a play that takes the foundational book of British spy literature, among the UK’s best-loved novels, made into one of Alfred Hitchcock’s important early films and decides […]