NEW OLD STUFF: At 7 p.m. Monday, PBS' Antiques Roadshow begins airing its first of three episodes filmed during the show's stop in Little Rock last summer.
One of the items previewed on the show's website was an oil on Masonite painting of an Ozark hilltop by Olin Travis of Dallas circa 1947. The painting's owner said that about six years ago, her aunt gave it to her, explaining that she knew the Dallas artist in the 1940s and paid him $275 for the painting. The appraiser explained that the artist had married a woman from the Ozarks in about 1923; in 1926, he created an art colony there. The painting's value? About $10,000 for insurance purposes. The stunned owner's response? "Where's my chair?"
IN PURSUIT: How appropriate that during this leap year, one Arkansas woman, Rachel Tchen, 23, of Little Rock is pursuing an eligible man, 26-year-old Ben Higgins of Denver. She began as one of 28 hopefuls in front of millions of TV viewers on the current season of ABC's The Bachelor. To date, the Harding University graduate is still in the running.
According to folk traditions in Ireland and Britain, women may propose marriage only in leap years (also known as intercalary or bissextile years). In some areas, the tradition was restricted to allowing women to propose on the modern leap day of Feb. 29 or the medieval leap day of Feb. 24, while women in Finland are advised to propose only on Feb. 29.
Maybe Tchen should try this strategy? Unless, of course, Higgins has any Greeks in his family tree -- they consider it unlucky for couples to marry during a leap year and especially so on leap day.
Stay tuned at 7 p.m. each Monday to see how the stars align ... or don't.
A SPECIAL TRIBUTE: Remember Fox's American Idol contestant Charlie Askew of Little Rock from a few seasons back? He'll perform a tribute to the late David Bowie at the Rev Room in Little Rock's River Market District this coming Saturday. The 9 p.m. show, All Things Bowie!, will feature Askew as Bowie. Tickets are $10 for general admission, $15 for reserved seating and $20 for VIP passes. For tickets or more info, visit Arkansaslivemusic.com or call (501) 823-0090.
BOOKING IT: Little Rock author William B. Jones recently completed the final revisions for his new novella, Petit Jean: A Wilderness Adventure. Look for Little Rock-based Plum Street Publishers, founded by Liz Smith Russell, formerly publisher at August House Publishers, to release the hardcover edition in August.
PARKING IT IN LITTLE ROCK: Central High School in Little Rock will receive a visit from the director of the National Park Service, Jonathan B. Jarvis, on Feb. 2 to commemorate Black History Month, plus the centennial celebration of the National Park Service and its 407 national parks, which cover 84 million acres.
Contact Linda S. Haymes at (501) 399-3636 or lhaymes@arkansasonline.com
SundayMonday on 01/24/2016