Remember in the movie “Mary Poppins” when Jane and Michael sing about “The Perfect Nanny”? “Have a cheery disposition . . . Never be cross or cruel . . . never smell of barley water,” the children chime. Barley water is a British soft drink, often flavored with lemon. The barley that I recommend as “The Perfect Side Dish” is plain old barley, the kind in the 1-pound bag that hides next to the dried beans and split peas on your grocery store shelf.

When people see the red slices on SCCC adjunct culinary instructor Melissa Doney’s grill, they might think she’s cooking her steaks too rare. Doney is just putting water on the fire — watermelon.

Protest music was alive and well throughout the entire New Yorkers Against Fracking concert Tuesday night in The Egg’s Hart Theatre.

The anti-fracking movement in New York is turning up the star power with a rally and concert hosted by actors Mark Ruffalo and Melissa Leo and featuring Natalie Merchant, John Sebastian, Joan Osborne and a host of other performers.

Schenectady Light Opera Company delivers a spectacular production of the musical comedy “Hairspray.”

Teen sensation Ingrid Michaelson shows her zany side at sold-out Egg concert.

Texas troubadour Ray Wylie Hubbard recounts life on the edge in concert at The Linda.

At age 95, Kirk Douglas is not too old to give e-books a shot.

Promenade and performance — during the spring, teenagers dress up for both. Junior and senior proms put young men and women in tuxedos and gowns. Plays put the same kids on stage for dramatic and comedic exercises — which sound like some prom experiences. In 1966 and 1970, local high school students were excited for both events.

John Cage's music inspires performance, program of musikFabrik at EMPAC.

Double play combinations are common in the Galway Central School District. There are 25 sets of twins in the 991-student school complex, grades kindergarten through 12. Fourth-graders Carter and Carson Scribner are the only identical twins. The other 48 kids are fraternal.

After 60 years of service in the Roman Catholic faith, Rosemary Endres, a Syracuse native and St. Joseph of Carondelet sister, is continuing to profess her faith and perform good works and shows no signs of slowing down. “They asked me if I wanted to retire and I said no,” said Endres, who spends most of her mornings Monday through Thursday working at the St. Joseph’s Church food pantry in Hamilton Hill. “I have so much fun here at the food pantry, and the volunteers are wonderful. I give them all the credit. They make it fun.”

The dozen or more people gathered for rehearsal at the eba Theatre in Albany on a recent Monday night weren’t your typical dance company. Despite their differences, there was an obvious camaraderie as the dancers joked around with each other and eba CEO and director Maude Baum between takes of the songs.

Lanford Wilson’s “The Mound Builders,” a challenging play now in an excellent production at Stageworks/Hudson, explores the fascination of the quick with the dead.

The New York State Museum in Albany was an exceptional institution long before it became the keeper of 9/11 objects and memories. The state-run facility is one of the largest and oldest museums in the nation. On Feb. 14, Mark Schaming stepped onto the museum’s timeline of history himself, as the state Board of Regents appointed him as new director.