I’m spending Thanksgiving evening in the studio this year, after having watched the Macy’s Day parade and having enjoyed a big plate of leftovers from our early feast Wednesday night! Join me for some cozy vibes and tasty tunes, and for some reflection on gratefulness and grace. And thank you – to all of you who listen to Happy Hour, to all my guests, and to Radio ARA for having given me the weekly air time all of these years!
Cultural identity and the Walferdange book fair with writer Rolade Berthier, and an upcoming Ukrainian Winter Night with Natalia Rada Demchuk, plus a brief look at NWTC’s ‘Lend Me a Tenor’!
Lux Times journalist Sarita Rao drops down the chimney again this year to share her tips for places to go and things to see this holiday season. We also give out a few gift ideas, chat about holiday films and play a lot of Christmas music!  Read Sarita’s columns in Lux Times for even more info, and as always, check out the Lux Tourist Office site and the https://www.vdl.lu site too for more about the Winterlights Festival, markets, shows, concerts, opening hours and more!
President of the Indian Association Luxembourg, Sahil Goel, and the emcee for the IAL’s Diwali Gala for the second year in a row, Minu Vasundhara, join me in the studio just a few days ahead of the Diwali Gala to be held at the Cercle Cite on 8 November. As usual, the popular event was sold out, so we weren’t trying to fill seats on tonight’s show, but talking in general about the association, its activities, and the meaning behind Diwali and the ways that it is celebrated. It’s also known as the Festival of Lights, and symbolizes the triumph
Nicolas Calmes from Radio ARA’s Bistro show joins me in the studio to read his own haunting poem and to help read works by members of Luxembourg Writers Who Talk asbl – contributors in addition to Nicolas were Andrea Murphy, Evelyn Valdivieso Ruiz, Goetz von Thadden and me, Wendy Winn. We also heard very short stories by Edgar Allen Poe and the voices of Vincent Price and Basil Rathbone, as well as cornucopia of vintage Halloween songs from everyone from Louis Armstrong to Rudy Vallee and His Connecticut Yankees, and Nicolas provides info on what ghoulish going-ons are happening this
The upbeat, inspiring and all-around fun production The Lightning Thief, the Percy Jackson musical, is coming to Luxembourg thanks to Pirate Productions! Director Clare Williams and her assistant director Bella tell us about the show’s huge cast, live band, fabulous songs, and great story.
Coach and Consultant Isabel Page can help people make positive changes – tune in to find out how!
The American Women’s Club’s Trunk or Treat event is in the spotlight, as well as the worthy cause it raises funds for, Gifts for Kids. You can donate all through the year to help provide St. Nicolas Day gifts for kids in need in Luxembourg, but act quickly to make a difference this December! At the end of the show, Liz and Corinne and I were treated to some healthy sweets brought in by food chemist and nutrition expert Cedric Ciprietti.
While celebrating the colorful, creative life of Michael Dubrule, we talk about love and loss in general in hopes of paying tribute to Michael and his wife Mary Carey, and of providing a smile and some solace to anyone who is grieving.
Can’t see the forest for the trees? Let Nicolai Nielsen help lead you through some deforestation issues in this lively and philosophical discussion on saving the planet and saving business people headaches trying to comply with legislation.
Just ahead of Easter, we celebrate the musical / rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar, playing personal favorites from the soundtrack and talking about how the show impacted us and why we love it so.
Konscht um Fiels in Larochette and the Bad Taste Poetry Slam at the Rotondes are tonight’s subjects
Is owning your own home out of your financial reach? Do you want to go minimal, enjoy life without clutter and lots of possessions? Are you looking for environmentally sustainable lifestyle options? Do you think size matters? Or not? There are lots of reasons people are attracted to the idea of living in tiny houses. Meet two of them tonight – Petra Gueth and Nicole Kirch – who are so enthusiastic about the possibilities of tiny house living, they created the Tiny House Village Project! Note the ‘village’ in the name – this isn’t about living out in the boonies
Two topics tonight, both of them touching on mental health! First up, Patrick Byrne, the President of Healing of Memories Luxembourg , talks to us about the life-changing work of Father Michael Lapsley, who was an activist against apartheid in South Africa and become the victim of a parcel bomb in which he lost both hands. Through his own pain, he discovered a method to help others by encouraging them to tell their stories in a safe space. Patrick tells us more and also tells us about the upcoming Healing of Memories workshop happening in Luxembourg on Saturday, 28 June
Are carbs the enemy? Are superfoods more hype than help? What about low-fat diets, meat and coffee?  Trying to eat healthy can be difficult when there is so much confusing info out there, and much of it even seems contradictory. Tonight, Keigo Azuki, gives us the lowdown on nutrition, sharing the wealth of his knowledge as a chemical engineer specialised in food chemistry. He’s just published a book, ‘Yes! We eat sheet (but relax :-)” where you can take a closer look at some of the info he shares with us tonight. (Available on Amazon and elsewhere.)  You can also
Flowers and Valentines make a perfect couple, so on Valentine’s eve, Japanese flower arrangement artist and instructor Yuka Sasaki talks about Ikebana and how Valentine’s is celebrated in Japan. Although there’s a Valentine’s theme, this show is full of tips and information that will serve you throughout the year and inspire you to create beautiful flower arrangements reflecting the seasons.
How do prosecutors go after bigtime tax fraudsters and get these criminals to pay their fair share? Lawyer Filip Siroky gives us an insider’s look at the process and the scope of this type of crime. Afterwards, Jacques Molitor from Cinelunatique tells his own kind of scary stories – he tells us about the Y2K Double Feature Horror Movie night at the Cinematheque!
Playwright Hanne Siebens talks about her play AMARE that looks at different types of love, as defined by the ancient Greeks, through a series of short, interlinked sketches and monologues. Joining her in the studio are Tony Kingston, co-director, and Josie Hatch, a cast member who has appeared in many BGT and other productions.
Playwright Nora Connolly discusses her play Nora and Jim, about James Joyce and his life partner and wife Nora Barnacle, joined by Fergal from the Luxembourg chapter of the Irish music association Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann. NWTC has organised the 11 and 12 January performances in Neudorf. Also in the studio are the organiser and beneficiary of the 18 January classical piano concert at the St Eglise St Laurent in Lorentzeiler featuring Zala and Val Kravos. The concert is organised by InterNations Changemakers and benefits the Ile aux Clowns. Ticket info can be found on the Ile aux Clowns website.
Deep Notes, a new Luxembourg-based band rooted in rock, plays several songs live on tonight’s show and makes an open call for a bass player! Bandmembers Kevin, Jamie and Pit talk about their backgrounds and influences, including blues, country, alt and more, and talk about their dreams and plans for their new band.
LuxTimes journalist Sarita Muldoon joins Wendy in the studio
The 1st and 2nd of November are days set aside in Luxembourg to remember those we have lost, but for the Robe Rouge organisation, it’s also a time to remember the indigenous people of North American and all the loss of culture, land, rights, children and identity. Heather Carroll of La Robe Rouge talks about a weekend of events happening at the Centre Larei in Vianden, from Friday the 1st to Sunday the 3rd. Find the full programme at www.stonedreams.org Joining us in the studio is the Rosa Brignone from Time for Equality, who tells us about another event happening
Local writers and poets far away help us get our creep on for Halloween night! And the studio MUST have been haunted – an odd hiss appears on the recording that was NOT there during the live show.  And one guest started levitating. No, not really. But there is a hiss. In the studio from Luxembourg’s Writers Who Talk asbl are Oana Marangoci, Benjamin Coles, Rett Perera and Lada Redley, and myself too – Wendy Winn. Benjamin Coles, while a talented writer himself, read works from published works by two of our local writers who couldn’t join us – Percy
Happy Hour goes Wilde tonight as New World Theatre cast members Anne Rasimus, Hayley Dawsen and
Michèle Foley-Rohen talk about the upcoming production of The Importance of Being Earnest
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