"If you’ve tried and tried and just can’t have one of your own, adopt." Comment.

Borough Park native Debbie Brooks unveiled her spring line of handbags at Artexpo at the Jacob Javits Convention Center on March 3. Called the Crystal Butterfly Collection, Les Pappillon, prices for her bags range from $160 to $350, depending on the materials chosen by the customer. Comment.

Years after emigrating to Manhattan, filmmaker Woody Allen still credits his Jewish upbringing in Brooklyn for much of his inspiration and comic sensibility. Comments (2).

Joseph Losey’s 1963 film "The Servant," scripted by playwright Harold Pinter, tells a sinister tale of the scheming title character (played with nasty gusto by Dirk Bogarde) who gradually begins controlling his master’s very existence. Set in the modishly swinging London of the early ’60s, "The Servant" doesn’t seem to be the kind of movie anyone would necessarily think to make into a dance-theater piece. Comment.

Samm’s Restaurant and Lounge has been around for six years, gaining a reputation for fine, simple American cuisine with a few international touches. In May, Michael Brocking bought the restaurant and, like a smart businessman, decided not to fix what wasn’t broken. Comment.

A prisoner of war camp in Nazi Germany may seem an ideal place to set a tight, suspenseful drama. But it’s not so obviously the source of in-your-face comedy. Nevertheless playwrights Donald Bevan and Edmund Trzcinski found the setting perfect for both in their 1951 Broadway hit "Stalag 17." Comment.

The Roman Catholic tradition of St. Joseph’s Day, which falls on March 19, originated in Sicily during the Middle Ages. Comment.

For those of us over a certain age, the name Bobby Vinton brings back memories of long summers, slow dancing and perhaps a first kiss. When Vinton burst onto the music scene in the early ’60s, rock ’n’ roll was at its height - but so was the romantic love ballad. And Vinton, with his curly hair, heart-melting smile and beautiful blue eyes (think Frank Sinatra) crooned those gooey songs with a sincerity that went straight to our young hearts. Comment.