The world of entertainment lost four giants over the past month — Cloris Leachman (January 27), Cicely Tyson (January 28), Christopher Plummer (February 5), and Mary Wilson (February 8). Cloris Leachman received 22 Primetime Emmy Award nominations and won eight. For her performance in The Last Picture Show (1971) she won an Oscar for Best Featured Actress. Legions of fans will always remember her as Frau Blücher in Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein. She was 94. Christopher Plummer gave Tony Award-winning performances in such shows as Cyrano and Barrymore and appeared in countless films including the beloved The Sound of Music (1965) and Beginners (2011), for which, at age 82, he became the oldest actor to ever win an Academy Award. His work on television earned him seven Emmy Award nominations and two wins. He was 91. Cicely Tyson was best known for her portrayal of strong African-American women. Lauded for her performances on television, onstage, and in film, she received three Primetime Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, and an honorary Academy Award. She was 96. Mary Wilson gained worldwide recognition as a founding member of The Supremes, the most successful Motown act of the 1960s and the best-charting female group in U.S. history, as well as one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. She was a way-too-young 76. Spanning the entire showbiz spectrum, each of these shining stars more than earned their status as legends. Rest in peace, all.

The Skirball Center has always been a leader in interesting streaming conversations and lectures during the past year but now they have a delicious addition to their calendar – Passover Dishes to Go. Yes their expert culinary team (producers of the popular Skirball Suppers) will offer a variety of holiday specialties for takeout including ceremonial foods for the Sedar plate (a godsend if you’ve ever trolled Ralph’s for a lamb bone).  Highlights include traditional or vegan matzo ball soup, boneless whole chicken with rosemary stuffing and Grand Marnier orange sauce; roasted sweet potatoes with dried cherries; and apple walnut charoset.  Full menu and pre-ordering details on their website. For those looking for a little insight into the traditional (and not so traditional) chicken soup, tune in on March 24 for a virtual talk by James Beach Award-nominated chef Jenn Louis, author of The Chicken Soup Manifesto, in conversation with Evan Kleiman (KCRW’s Good Food).  They will explore how this comfort food staple is interpreted around the world.  The talk is part of the Skirball’s Words & Ideas series and is free but reservations are required. Click here. Another fun idea on the Skirball calendar is A Sing Along History class focusing on Yiddish Love Songs. Weekly starting March 23, you can enjoy the music and sing along to these songs of love that connected past generations of Eastern European Jews. Click here.

For more details on Passover Dishes To Go, click here.

What we’re missing is attending performances with other people around. Watching a first run film the moment it comes out in our leisurewear is immensely comfy, but there’s nothing like feeling the vibe of experiencing something with a community. Collective laughing, gasping, applauding. Wait no more, Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts’ Argyros Plaza presents March movie madness with four films in an outdoor cinema experience in the plaza.

Every safety precaution has been implemented, including establishing pods physically separated, from 1-3 people ($20/pod) , and up to 6 ($40/pod). Guests are advised to bring picnic fare, lawn chairs and blankets.

Once you’re in your pod, masks may come off and your group may celebrate being together to watch blockbuster classics like The Lego Movie starring Chris Pratt, Hidden Figures starring Taraji P. Hensen, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Hello, Dolly! with Barbra Streisand (Brush up on the soundtrack and sing along!) and Roman Holiday, starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. Films start at 6:30 pm Friday and Saturday nights.

For more details, click here.

Okay, I get it. You’ve been stuck inside for almost a year and now you want to burst out.  But what to do, where to go? I suggest Cronies Sports Grill, with four locations in Ventura County. Yes, it’s a sports bar with the usual abundance of large TV screens throughout, but it is so much more. As you would expect, there is a huge variety of beers on tap, but the one that stands out the most is the popular Smoking Cold Schommers, a full 20 oz. glass of pure joy.

Cronies serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They have a wonderfully large menu starting with a selection of early morning or brunch favorites — waffles, three egg omelets, potatoes, and freshly baked biscuits. A selection of appetizers is also featured. Why not start off with a basket of chicken wings? You can then work your way up to one of their delicious sandwiches, juicy burgers or a generous salad. You can even order a hot dog if that’s your thing. I’ve had their famous Reuben sandwich and highly recommend it. It’s large enough to share, but I don’t think you’ll want to. The dinner selections are equally tempting. They can brag about their flat bread pizza. It’s wonderful. So … for an excellent escape from the winter blues, visit Cronies, where you can eat, drink, sit back with friends, and relax. Outdoor seating and take-out are both available. Enjoy.

For locations and menu options, click here.