Cherish the Ladies come to Frankfort

Nimble of knee and fleet of foot, loose-limbed Irish dancers kicked up a joyful time Sunday afternoon at Lincoln-Way North High School's Performing Arts Center during the featured performance of Cherish the Ladies, the famed Irish folk music troupe. They performed as part of the school district's "Spotlight Series" before a crowd of more than 600.

Whether mournful or mirthful, to my ear Irish folk tunes have always borne the tone and tenor of the brogue itself.

There was plenty of mirth from band leader Joanie Madden throughout the show. Telling the audience one of her dancers was a Chicagoan, the young lady revealed her true roots grew from Northwest Indiana soil.

"But I live in Lincoln Park now," she added, to chuckles from the audience.

"They don't seem to be impressed by that," Madden replied.

The South Side Irish, they're a hard lot they are!



Dennis Robaugh can be reached at dennis@southlandsavvy.com

New Red Dragon Cafe in Tinley

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Red Dragon, a new restaurant that features food from China, Thailand, Korea and Japan, has opened at 16651 S. 80th Ave. in Tinley Park. Red Dragon offers delivery and carryout and will eventually add catering. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 to 9 p.m. Sundays.

For menu information, visit their web site or call (708) 532-3388.

Deal of the week
Denny's is offering free original Grand Slam breakfasts from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday. The chain made the same offer last February and served more than 2 million meals. To find the nearest Denny's, visit Denny's web site.

Praise for paczkis
Paczki Day is Feb. 16. From years past, we know that everyone has a favorite bakery for the pre-Lenten doughnuts. Share your favorites with us, just drop me a line at bobbong@hotmail.com or leave a comment. I'll print your favorites in time for Fat Tuesday.

Jenny McCarthy a 'false prophet' for her views on vaccines and autism

Only Jenny McCarthy could get the New York Times and Fox News to share the same opinion. The Mother McAuley grad, class of 1990, is provoking ire and derision throughout the blogosphere over her anti-vaccine advocacy when it comes to autism.

The South Side native hasn't fired back - yet.

Motherlode in the New York Times is labeling Jenny one of the "false prophets of autism."

And Fox's Greg Gutfeld suggests "there should be a vaccination for stupidity."

Meanwhile, the managing editor of Slate's "XXfactor" takes aim at Chicago's St. Oprah and McCarthy for dispensing fraudulent medical advice.

Writes Jennifer Grose:

McCarthy is an advocate who believes that vaccines played a role in causing her son's autism, and just a few days ago the only research that showed that vaccines and autism were linked was completely discredited. Who knows how many people have not vaccinated their children and potentially caused a resurgence of disease because of McCarthy's misinformation?