ISSUE 276 Jan. 8–21, 2020
A L W A Y S
F R E E
2020 Reader-Submitted Photo Issue
Our City. Your Exploration. Every visit has its own story. Request a Free Visitor Guide and write your story at tourismcedarrapids.com
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PHOTO ISSUE 2020 READER-SUBMITTED
VOL. 28 ISSUE 276 Jan. 8–21, 2020
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Tartil Ali Pete Becker Celeste Broder Katy Brown David Busch Sandra Dyas Tressa Elgin Benjamin Farrar Hailey Ferguson Mark Fullencamp Teresa Galluzzo Steve Goldstein Elly Hofmaier Cierra Johannes Jane Kirsch Ben Lewis David Luck Peter Mullaney Cadry Nelson Phil Ochs Ariane Parkes-Perret Sid Peterson Janet Pollard Stacia Rain Peter Rodd Nick Rohlman Rebecca Sanabria Kristel Saxon Ashley Shields Ofer Sivan Tom Snee Harry Walker Zoë Woodworth
PUBLISHER MATTHEW STEELE DIGITAL DIRECTOR DREW BULMAN ART DIRECTOR JORDAN SELLERGREN MANAGING EDITOR EMMA MCCLATCHEY ARTS EDITOR GENEVIEVE TRAINOR NEWS DIRECTOR PAUL BRENNAN VISUAL REPORTER—PHOTO ZAK NEUMANN VISUAL REPORTER—VIDEO JASON SMITH STAFF WRITER/EDITOR IZABELA ZALUSKA FOOD & DRINK DIRECTOR FRANKIE SCHNECKLOTH DISTRIBUTION BRIAN JOHANNESSEN, DAI GWILLIAM, NORBERT SARSFIELD, NICOLE ELDRIDGE, THEO PRINEAS MARKETING COORDINATOR, GRAPHIC DESIGNER JAV DUCKER ENGAGEMENT EDITOR CELINE ROBINS ADVERTISING ADS@LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM LISTINGS CALENDAR@LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM CONTRIBUTORS DANIEL BOSCALJON, AUDREY BROCK, SHARON FALDUTO, MELANIE HANSON, KATIE KIESEWETTER, AARON LONGORIA, JOHN MARTINEK, JORDAN MAYLAND, TREY REIS, RACHEL STUKENBERG, TOM TOMORROW, PAIGE UNDERWOOD, SAM LOCKE WARD, KENT WILLIAMS SUBMISSIONS EDITOR@LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM DISTRIBUTION REQUESTS DISTRO@LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM CREATIVE SERVICES CREATIVE@LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM CONTACT (319) 855-1474, 623 S DUBUQUE ST,
Tressa Elgin: Iowa City, Nov. 25, 2019
F R E E
2020 Reader-Submitted Photo Issue
IOWA CITY, IA 52240
ISSUE 276 Jan. 8–21, 2020
A L W A Y S
4 - Interactions 8 - Brock About Town 10 - Photo Spread
Nick Rohlman: Iowa City, June 2018
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22 - Events Calendar 39 - Ad Index 41 - Astrology
43 - Local Albums 45 - Local Books 47 - Crossword
Little Village is an independent, community-supported news and culture publication based in Iowa City. Through journalism, essays and events, we work to improve our community in the Iowa City, Coralville and Cedar Rapids area according to a few core values: environmental sustainability, affordability and access, economic and labor justice, racial justice, gender equity, quality healthcare, quality education and critical culture. Letters to the editor(s) are always welcome. We reserve the right to fact check and edit for length and clarity. Please send letters, comments or corrections to editor@littlevillagemag.com. Little Village is always free; all contents are the licensed work of the contributor and of the publication. If you would like to reprint or collaborate on new content, reach us at lv@littlevillagemag.com. To browse back issues, visit us at 623 S Dubuque St, Iowa City, or online at issuu.com/littlevillage.
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INTERACTIONS LV encourages community members, including candidates for office, to submit letters to Editor@LittleVillageMag.com. To be considered for print publication, letters should be under 500 words. Preference is given to letters that have not been published elsewhere.
Village Meat Market and Cafe in Czech Village is closing Today the little market closed and now becomes part of CR history forever, right alongside Oettinger Music. Goodbye to candied bacon, the ONLY salmon I’ll eat and mom’s pancakes. Best wishes to a capable and dedicated staff. Lori and Mark—you created jobs, supported local musicians, sharing their music in a most unique venue, and followed your dream ... takes guts, more guts than most of us have. Well done, little store ... it’s a wrap. —Peg O.
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Lou sat me down and made me try a plate of chicken and waffles years ago. I thought she was crazy. I had no idea it was a delicious Southern staple. You will be missed, Lou! —Peter B.
Meet Pete Buttigieg’s silent protesters I am proud of the Iowa City/Coralville protesters who attended this campaign event. It takes courage to go into a room like that speak truth to power. It’s very disappointing that some Democratic politicians continue to ignore these issues, and the voices of grassroots activists. Keep up the good work! —Owen P. Let’s beat Trump. That is all. —Tim A. We had this debate in the car tonight. I like Warren. She’s who I feel represents me. Husband likes Buttigeig because he thinks he has what it takes to win. He thinks the Democrats’ downfall is, why pick the person we like instead of the person who can win. I think why vote for someone you don’t want to be
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S A M LO C K E WA R D
BETTER WRITE ABOUT IT! Send letters to editor@littlevillagemag.com president. What good is winning if you don’t win what you wanted? I don’t know, caucus season is going to be tough. —Katherine L. He handled the protesters very well...was proud of him! —Diane W. Nile Ethiopian Restaurant has closed Heartbreaking. This was one of my favorite restaurants in Coralville. —Melody D. Was truly a hidden gem. Delicious food and good service. —Brooke F.D. Letter to the editor: Iowa’s “missing” cyclists I’m a pedestrian in Iowa City and I almost get hit or ran off the sidewalk by cyclists pretty much everyday. The problem is only getting worse here downtown. They added bike lanes but nobody uses them. Nothing will change until someone is seriously injured and sues the city. —Damien B. First, nobody should be riding on the sidewalks downtown, that is banned. I’m with you there. I’m also with you that people shouldn’t ride on sidewalks because it isn’t a safe place to ride. But I’d push you on the bike lanes. The city did install bike lanes downtown but they are routinely (almost always) blocked by parked cars or trucks. When the bike lane is blocked by illegally parked vehicles, it functionally doesn’t exist. Nobody uses them because they are broken by people illegally parking. There either needs to be efforts to aggressively ticket and tow these cars or the lanes need to be protected, even with plastic bollards, to prevent people from parking in them. —Jacob S. I enjoy seeing bikes share our roads. Minimal fossil fuel consumption and pollution-free, plus (painting with a broad stroke) I generally love humans who
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INTERACTIONS S T R E S S F R A C T U R E S
JOHN
MARTINEK
bike. It doesn’t hurt to slow a vehicle down, move over, and respect their space on the road, same as I would a pedestrian or animal. And chances are good, if you’re getting mowed over on a sidewalk, you’re not hearing the “on your left!” callout that many bikers use. Earphones? Take them out. What if it’s my loved one on the bike? I’d appreciate the same gestures of respect. Chances are, you would too. —Katy G.B. Love the bike lanes. With cheapening e-bikes/scooters more Iowans should get on board. They may be surprised how fast they can get to work, and how close they can park. —Adam Album Review: Arthur Russell — ‘Iowa Dream’ Thanks for the review of my cousin’s latest compilation. Charlie (Arthur) was not everyone’s cup of tea, but for those of us who follow his world and vast catalog, it’s wonderful to see new followers come into the fold. I just visited his mom, my aunt, in Oskaloosa this past weekend and she’s doing great at age 96! —Rip R. Book Review: ‘Heart Notes’ by Caleb “The Negro Artist” Rainey
IOWA CITY EASTSIDE
I heard “Love Easy” read in person. That poem is worth the purchase price of the whole book. —Patrick M.
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INTERACTIONS Rep. Abby Finkenauer endorses Joe Biden for president
CSPS HALL 1 1 03 3 RD S T S E C E D A R R AP I D S, IA 52 4 01 (3 1 9 )3 6 4- 15 8 0
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Common Threads Sam Weis
I understand your commitment to Joe, but I believe Amy is the better choice for Iowa and our country. —Kay S.H.
these moderates will accomplish is to further disenfranchise our most vulnerable demographics. Gotta support Bernie, and all candidates dedicated to true systemic reform and economic justice. —Sam B.
And like all other impotent centrists, both are committed to forgetting America’s growing lower class. All that
Look on the bright side, she didn’t endorse Castro. That would have been awkward. —Brad F.
BROCK ABOUT TOWN
AUDREY BROCK
Welcome to the first Little Village of 2020! By the time you read this, I will be lying on a beach somewhere in the Caribbean, sunlight bouncing off my chalk-white thighs, blinding seagulls as they fly overhead. Yeah, yeah, I’m a traitor to my community. Before I commence guzzling Mai Tais and definitely getting through all those books in my suitcase that I’ve been meaning to read, I want to talk a bit about New Year’s resolutions. Normally, I don’t set them. For one thing, I’m already perfect. For another, there is no worse time to make a major life change than in the darkest, coldest part of the year, right after you spent a week with your extended family and at the same time as every other schmuck in America, so you can’t even get attention for it. That said, it’s recently come to my attention that your personal choices can impact the amount of time that you live and your quality of life. I thought that stabbing pain in my side was just my last roommate, finally getting his voodoo doll to work. With this confusing new information in mind, I decided to set a couple of resolutions. When it comes to dietary changes, most resolutions involve giving something up—alcohol, refined sugar, crab legs from the buffet at your favorite strip club—but for me, it’s about adding healthy things. For example, this year I’ve decided to start eating five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. I’m also going to start drinking coffee. That may seem counterintuitive, but at this point, anything’s better than chugging six to eight warm Diet Cokes every day. What about you? What are your New Year’s resolutions? What are you really excited about now that will make you feel like crying by February? I love how I talk like you can answer my questions. Anyway, whatever your resolution is, you’ll be way more likely to see it through if you go easy on yourself and take it one step at a time. For example, if you’ve resolved to read more, you’ve already got something to feel good about. You’re reading a magazine! Who cares if it’s mostly pictures? What are you, the reading police?
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READER POLL: Do you sleep with a top sheet on your bed?
NO 37.5%
YES 62.5%
Not my first choice, but at least he shares my views on putting kids in cages. Because that’s what we’ve been reduced to. —Jason A. Bruce Teague elected mayor of Iowa City Wahoo!!! What a perfect choice. Congratulations. —Brook E. Completely on board with Mazahir as mayor pro tem, too! Ms. Salih seems to know everyone and certainly has a gift for communicating priorities and hopes at the same time. —Nialle S. Ernst, Grassley and King sign legal brief encouraging the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade We can vote out Ernst and King in 2020, Grassley in 2022. They do not represent the majority of Iowans. —John M.O.
READER PERKS SHOP HALF-PRICE GIFT CARDS
Maggie’s Farm Wood-Fired Pizza — $20 for $10 Reunion Brewery — $20 for $10 Willow & Stock — $20 for $10 Raygun — $20 for $10 Home Ec. Workshop — $20 for $10 Red Pepper Deli & Grill — $20 for $10 Pop’s BBQ — $20 for $10 Ten Thousand Villages — $20 for $10 The Second Act — $20 for $10 Joseph’s Steakhouse — $20 for $10 Iowa Recovery Room — $60 for $30 Almost Famous Popcorn Company — $20 for $10 Design Ranch — $50 for $25 Café Dodici — $20 for $10 Groundswell Coworking — $15 for $30 / $75 for $150 Groundswell Cafe — $20 for $10
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Welcome to Little Village’s
2020 ReaderSubmitted Photo Issue The next 12 pages are packed with photos submitted entirely by our readers. Little Village has taken care not to crop, edit or change the images in any way. Submitted captions have been edited for style, length and clarity.
Clockwise from top left Peter Rodd: “Arms and Faces,” Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, September 2019; Nick Rohlman: “Miss Pickle Pageant,” Studio 13, Iowa City, April 2017; Nick Rohlman: “Polar Vortex,” Deadwood Tavern, Iowa City, January 2019; Sid Peterson: Mia Spitzer, a UI dance student and member of the dance team, dances in Halsey Hall, Oct. 24, 2019
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Clockwise from top left Ofer Sivan: Prairie Lights, Iowa City, 2008; Benjamin Farrar: Megan Gogerty in FEAST. at Riverside Theatre, October 2019; Mark Fullenkamp: Boonies Restaurant, Fort Madison, 2017; David Luck: “Early Morning, Campus Grill,” Iowa City, 1960s; Nick Rohlman: Iowa City, October 2017
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Clockwise from top left Tartil Ali: Downtown Iowa City during the first snowfall, 2019; Tartil Ali: A view from the bridge leading to the UI College of Public Health Building, 2019; Tom Snee: Sycamore Greenway Trail, Iowa City, September 2019; Janet Pollard: “Walnut husk,” Iowa City, 2016; Nick Rohlman: “Fixing the Refrigerator,” Iowa City, June 2018
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Clockwise from top left Kristel Saxon: “Iowa Farm Slumber,” rural Johnson County, August 2019; Katy Brown: Glendale Drive, after the first snowfall of the season, Iowa City, Oct. 10, 2019; Ashley Shields: Hickory Hill Park, 2019; Steve Goldstein: View from College Green Park, September 2019; Teresa Galluzzo: “By the Light,” Hickory Hill Park, Iowa City, October 2019; Celeste Broder: A tiny caterpillar on milkweed; Cierra Johannes: Iowa River, Iowa City, 2019; Ariane ParkesPerret: Sutliff Tavern, Johnson County, June 2004; Harry Walker: “Barry Phipps, Tire Shop,” Moline, Illinois; Hailey Ferguson: “A little taste of winter in fall,” Iowa City
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Clockwise from top left Pete Becker: “Jason”; Jane Kirsch: UI Art Building West, Iowa City; Rebecca Sanabria: Rabia Chaudry at Walker Homestead, Iowa City, September 2019; Sandra Dyas: Jane Huffman, Iowa City, 2019; Tressa Elgin: Iowa City, Aug. 3, 2019; Phil Ochs: Sunflowers, August 2019; Sandra Dyas: “Tom Becker and Jerry the Cat,” near Bellevue, Iowa, 2017; Peter Mullaney: Mimi Ke, “Movement at Hickory Hill,” Iowa City, November 2019
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV276 Jan. 8–21, 2020 19
Clockwise from top left Cadry Nelson: Iowa City, 2019; Ben Lewis: “Ralston Creek Renegades,” Maquoketa River, October 2019; Sid Peterson: The Iowa City Farmers Market in 2018; Ofer Sivan: “4th of July 2016,” Iowa City; Stacia Rain: “Screaming”; Elly Hofmaier: Birthday pie and a piñata at Gabe’s, Iowa City, December 2019; Zoë Woodworth: Coralville, July 4, 2019; David Busch: “Cally watching a deer,” Iowa City, 2019
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WHAT ARE WE DOING? STAFF PICKS: JANUARY 8–20, 2020
CEDAR RAPIDS/IOWA CITY THURSDAY, JAN. 9
Hazier Things Season 1 Release Party + Trivia Night CRANDIC Awards, including Best Craft Brewery, Big Grove Brewery in Iowa City will be kicking off their fourth annual Hazepocalypse series of delicious Hazy IPAs in traditionally spooky fashion. This year the beer releases will feature the theme of “Hazier Things,” which will take inspiration from Netflix’s hit series Stranger Things. This first party celebrates season one of the show with a “static and Christmas light chat” as well as free Stranger Things trivia from Andrew’s Bar Exam.
FRIDAY, JAN. 10
Generational Change Forum
Linn-Mar High School, Marion, 6 p.m., Free (registration requested) High
school student organizers from Linn-Mar, Washington, Kennedy and other area schools have put together this event to challenge local legislators and candidates to speak to the importance of youth issues and how they do, will or would address
Katie Kiesewetter
Big Grove Brewery, Iowa City, 7 p.m., Free Fresh off winning three Best of the
them. Among those slated to speak are Iowa Reps. Molly Donahue and Rob Hogg and U.S. Senate candidates Michael Franken, Kimberly Graham and Eddie Mauro. The event is free, but reservations are requested. #TheKidsAreAlright
FRIDAY, JAN. 10
The Tin Woman
Giving Tree Theater, Marion, 8 p.m., $2237 This 2015 play by actor-turned-writer
Sean Grennan is loosely based on a true story. It’s a comedy bound up in the aching that a family feels on meeting the woman whose life was saved through the transplant of their son’s heart.
TELL THE TRUTH CHANGE THE WORLD Send story tips and submissions: editor@littlevillagemag.com 22 Jan. 8–21, 2020 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV276
SATURDAY, JAN. 11
Iowa City Community Theatre Presents: Intimacy for the Stage 101
Johnson County Fairgrounds, Iowa City, 1 p.m., $15-20 Just 50 years ago, the practice
of having a formal fight choreographer for stage productions in the U.S. was just barely
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/CALENDAR
Planning an event? Submit info to calendar@littlevillagemag.com. Man and writer-director Jury to the Chauncey for a weekend of screenings and Q&As; the film has yet to be picked up for wide distribution, so these shows are a rare and precious opportunity to catch the film. Saturday’s event is already sold out, so get thee to a box office if you want to get a seat on Sunday. ––Emma McClatchey
getting started. Today it’s considered essential for the safety of both actors and audience. Intimacy choreographers and directors are about to have that same watershed moment. Physical safety and security is paramount, whether you’re making war or making out: It seems obvious in retrospect, but the formalized practice of teaching intimacy for the stage is just coming into its own. ICCT is bringing in intimacy choreographer Audra Yokley for this one-time workshop ($15 for members, $20 for the public) that will cover the basics of what her position entails (consent, communicating boundaries, etc.) as well as advice on when an intimacy choreographer is necessary. An essential workshop for actors, directors, stage managers and others. —Genevieve Trainor
Filmmaker Spotlight: Working Man
FilmScene—Chauncey, Iowa City, 6 p.m., $5 Iowa-born filmmaker Robert Jury wrote
the script for Working Man around 10 years ago, after moving back to Iowa from L.A., and in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. These influences are woven into Jury’s debut film about a disaffected Midwesterner laid off from his job at a manufacturing plant, and yet the story, performed by “a strong cast of veteran actors,� feels as “timely� as ever, according to a review in the Hollywood Reporter. FilmScene is bringing Working
still from ‘Working Man’
SUNDAY, JAN. 12
FRIDAY, JAN. 17
Downtown Hot Cocoa Crawl
Iowa City, 5 p.m., $15 Despite growing up in the Midwest, I’m not winter’s biggest fan. But there is one benefit to chilly, snowy
 2790 N DODGE ST., IOWA CITY (319) 569-1722
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV276 Jan. 8–21, 2020 23
WHAT ARE WE DOING? STAFF PICKS: JANUARY 8–20, 2020
CEDAR RAPIDS/IOWA CITY FRIDAY, JAN. 17 AND SUNDAY, JAN. 19, 2 P.M. Jav Ducker / Little Village
Madama Butterfly
Paramount Theatre, Cedar Rapids, 7:30 p.m. This will be the second opera I’ve
Penny Peach / Aaron Longoria
attended since October (also in my entire life) and I am extremely excited about seeing Puccini’s tragic masterpiece Madama Butterfly, hosted by Orchestra Iowa and performed by Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre, at the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids. Exploring the velvety, mirror-halled, ultra-lush theater is an experience worth having in itself. Add a tragic unrequited love story? I die. ––Jordan Sellergren
FRIDAY, JAN. 17
IOWA CITY OLD TRAIN DEPOT
nights: no judgement for drinking cup after cup of delicious hot chocolate, which is exactly what the Hot Cocoa Crawl promises. A ticket gets you access to hot chocolate and other winter drinks at a number of Iowa City businesses, which will also feature special discounts in their stores. With your ticket, you’ll also get a mug, small gift and tote bag. The event is open to all ages, but if you’re over 21, you’ll also get access to boozy hot chocolate! Make sure to get your ticket before sales end at noon on Jan. 17. —Izabela Zaluska
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Pollinators, Penny Peach, Scottie Feller
Trumpet Blossom, Iowa City, 8:30 p.m., $7 Quad Cities indie rock favorites
Pollinators will be making their Trumpet Blossom debut with this show, joined by the popular Penny Peach. Scottie Feller rounds out the bill. Reviewer Melissa Hanson said of Pollinators’ recent release Return Home that it “seems to be from an era that never
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existed, but should have.” “Energizing guitar riffs make you want to lace up your Docs and jam,” she wrote. “It sounds like Weezer before and after their pop makeover,” but with a thread of melancholy.
SATURDAY, JAN. 18
All In A Day Play Festival
Coralville Center for the Performing Arts, 7:30 p.m., $15 It’s baaaaaack! After
several years’ hiatus, one of the most popular theater events of the CRANDIC has returned, and this time, City Circle and Dreamwell theater companies are inviting the Iowa City Community Theatre crowd into the fun. If you’ve never done (or seen) an all-in-a-day, it begins the night before for the actors, directors and writers. They’re split up into teams and each writer draws a genre out of a hat.
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/CALENDAR
Planning an event? Submit info to calendar@littlevillagemag.com. Often there’s a phrase or an object they’re required to include as well. Then they go home and write their little hearts out for 12 hours. In the morning, the teams reconvene, and the actors and directors have another 12 hours to make the scripts a reality. It’s a fun creative challenge for the artists involved and a dose of pure hilarity for the audience.
roots in traditional style. The word “whippersnapper” comes to mind sooner than “prodigy.” But Julian Davis didn’t win those flatpicking and mandolin awards before he was even 18 for nothing. Once you hear him play, it’s clear he earned his place as a real rising star. His tone is clean, his nimbleness transportive. He’s got not just the skill but the soul of classic bluegrass, and he’s carrying it relentlessly forward into the present.
MONDAY, JAN. 20 Courtesy of Eggs on Mars
MLK Day of Service 2020
UAY and Mercer Park, Iowa City, 9 a.m., Free (registration requested) As part of
SATURDAY, JAN. 18
Eggs on Mars, Purple Frank, Dark Family
Trumpet Blossom, Iowa City, 9 p.m., $7
Self-described “lo-fi slacker-surf, garage egg pop” band Eggs on Mars from Kansas City will be an excellent snowy winter evening respite at Trumpet Blossom. Accompanied by Iowa City dream rocker Purple Frank and Quad Cities standouts Dark Family, this will be the perfect warm and fuzzy indie psychrock show to curl up with one of Trumpet Blossom’s excellent cocktails (or a PBR) and slow groove the night away.
SUNDAY, JAN. 19
Julian Davis & the Situation, Flash in a Pan
Gabe’s, Iowa City, 8 p.m., $10 You know,
it’s easy to be dismissive of a 20-year-old whose bio claims that he aims to bring new energy to a genre like bluegrass, which has had a hell of a revival lately despite its rigid
the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration of Human Rights Week, a collaboration between several community and University of Iowa organizations, the MLK Day of Service begins at 9 a.m. with a march from the United Action for Youth location a Eastdale Plaza to Mercer Park gym. Several service projects will be available to participate in all morning, and at noon, participants will gather together for speakers, performances and free lunch. All ages are welcome; anyone wishing to be part of a service project should register in advance. This year’s theme is the King speech snippet, “Let us build bridges rather than barriers.”
MONDAY, JAN. 20
Bachelor Viewing Party
Vue Rooftop, Iowa City, 6:30 p.m., $5 I
like to drink beers and yell at the TV with a group of like-minded individuals, but I don’t understand sports. So what’s a girl to do? Vue Rooftop’s Bachelor Viewing Parties provide just the answer I’ve been searching for. Your (read: like-minded individuals’) $5 ticket will guarantee seating at the party (read: TVyelling) and act as a voucher toward the food and bevs (read: beers) of your choice. Will these fame-hungry strangers find true love on national television? Will cocktails be thrown in faces?? Who will jump a fence this year??? Only one way to find out. —Celine Robins
CALENDAR EVENTS AROUND THE CRANDIC JAN. 8-21, 2020 Planning an event? Submit event info to calendar@littlevillagemag. com. Include event name, date, time, venue, street address, admission price and a brief description (no all-caps, exclamation points or advertising verbiage, please). To find more events, visit littlevillagemag.com/calendar. Please check venue listing in case details have changed.
THERE’S EVEN MORE
Use the Little Village app to discover events, invite friends and add plans to your calendar. LittleVillageMag.com/app
Wed., Jan. 8 Iowa City Open Coffee, Merge, Iowa City, 8 a.m., Free (Weekly) 1 Million Cups Cedar Rapids: New Year Celebration, NewBoCo, Cedar Rapids, 8:15 a.m., Free 1 Million Cups Iowa City: Amazon Logistics, Merge, Iowa City, 9 a.m., Free Burlington Street Bluegrass Band, The Mill, Iowa City, 6 p.m., $5 (2nd & 4th Wednesdays) Open Mic Night, Penguin’s Comedy Club, Cedar Rapids, 8 p.m., Free (Weekly) Karaoke with Vidal, Moco Game Room & Hot Dog Bar, Cedar Rapids, 9 p.m., Free (Weekly) Underground Karaoke with Spencer, Yacht Club, Iowa City, 9 p.m., Free (Weekly) Open Stage, Studio 13, Iowa City, 10 p.m., Free (Weekly) Late Shift at the Grindhouse: ‘Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer,’ FilmScene— Chauncey, Iowa City, 10 p.m., $4 (Weekly) LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV276 Jan. 8–21, 2020 25
EDITORS’ PICKS
Thu., Jan. 9 Therapy Thursday, NewBo City Market, 5:30 p.m., Free (Weekly) Iowa City Meditation Class: How To Transform Your Life, Quaker Friends Meeting House, Iowa City, 6:30 p.m., $5-10 (Weekly) Line Dancing and Lessons, Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon, Iowa City, 6:30 p.m., Free (Weekly) Novel Conversations, Coralville Public Library, 7 p.m., Free (3rd Thursday) Thursday Night Live Open Mic, Uptown Bill’s, Iowa City, 7 p.m., Free (Weekly) Daddy-O, Parlor City Pub and Eatery, Cedar Rapids, 7 p.m., Free (Weekly) Hazier Things Season 1 Release Party + Trivia Night, Big Grove Brewery, Iowa City, 7 p.m., Free Karaoke Thursday, Studio 13, Iowa City, 8 p.m., Free (Weekly) Vinyl Swap, Moco Game Room & Hot Dog Bar, Cedar Rapids, 9 p.m., Free (Weekly) DJ Loomer Thirsty Thursday Dance Party, Yacht Club, Iowa City, 10 p.m., Free (Weekly) Backroom Bass Sessions with Bruuuce, Gloom Trench, BEX, The Mill, Iowa City, 10:30 p.m., Free
DON’T MISS AN EVENT!
littlevillagemag.com/calendar
Fri., Jan. 10 NewBo Open Coffee, Roasters Coffeehouse in NewBo City Market, Cedar Rapids, 8 a.m., Free (2nd & 4th Fridays)
2 THURDAYS EACH MONTH 6:30–8:30 P.M.
$20 PER PERSON PER SESSION
SPECIAL RATE OF 3 SESSIONS FOR
$50
RESERVE YOUR SEAT AT THE WINE BAR. SEATING IS LIMITED, SO RESERVE YOUR SPOT EARLY BREAD MARKET • 225 S. LINN ST. • BREADGARDENMARKET.COM 26 Jan. 8–21, 2020 GARDEN LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV276
Generational Change Forum, Linn-Mar High School, Marion, 6 p.m., Free Friday Night Out, Ceramics Center, Cedar Rapids, 6:30 p.m., $40 (2nd Friday) FAC Dance Party, The Union, Iowa City, 7 p.m. (Weekly) Donnie Baker w/ Keifer Thompson, Penguin’s Comedy Club, Cedar Rapids, 7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m., $23-$26 ‘The Tin Woman,’ Giving Tree Theater, Marion, 8 p.m., $22-$37 (Opening night—through Jan. 26)
It’s the movies’ biggest night of the year and we want to celebrate with you! Predict the winners, compete for prizes, snack on bottomless Iowa popcorn and sip on delicious movie-inspired drinks. We’ll be broadcasting on both screens and announcing the winners of our annual Foscars awards!
EDITORS’ PICKS Dave Thaker Quartet, Sanctuary Pub, Iowa City, 8
IOWA CITY DOWNTOWN
p.m., Free Latin Night w/ FUZE, Yacht Club, Iowa City, 9 p.m., $5-10 (Weekly) SoulShake, Gabe’s, Iowa City, 10 p.m., Free (Weekly) Sasha Belle Presents: Friday Night Drag & Dance Party, Studio 13, Iowa City, 10:30 p.m., $5 (Weekly)
Sat., Jan. 11 Family Storytime, Iowa City Public Library, 10:30 a.m., Free (Weekly) Iowa City Community Theatre Presents: Intimacy for the Stage 101, Johnson County Fairgrounds, Iowa City, 1 p.m., $15-20 Free Movie: ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,’ Coralville Center for the Performing Arts, Coralville, 2 p.m., Free Family Folk Machine’s Community Folk Sing, Uptown Bill’s, Iowa City, 3 p.m., Free (2nd Saturday) L.U.N.A.R., Pooh H, Mavvy, Lil B Da D, and more, Gabe’s, Iowa City, 5 p.m., $10 Sweet Cacophony, Uptown Bill’s, Iowa City, 7 p.m.,
Open 7 days a week
$5-10 suggested donation Keifer Thompson w/ Tim Sullivan, Penguin’s Comedy Club, Cedar Rapids, 8 p.m., $13-$15 Mike Maas & Carlis, Sanctuary Pub, Iowa City, 8 p.m., Free The Collective, The Mill, Iowa City, 8 p.m., $8 Slim Chance & the Can’t Hardly Playboys, Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon, Iowa City, 8 p.m., $10 Elation Dance Party, Studio 13, Iowa City, 9 p.m., $5 (Weekly) Joe & Vicki Price, Big Grove Brewery, Iowa City, 9 p.m., Free
Sun., Jan. 12 Coralville WinterFest 2020, Iowa River Landing, Coralville, 1 p.m., Free Sunday Funday, Iowa City Public Library, Iowa City, 2 p.m., Free (Weekly) Shuttleworth Chamber Series: Metallic Frost, Coralville Center for the Performing Arts, Coralville, 2:30 p.m., $10-$25 Filmmaker Spotlight: ‘Working Man’ w/ Dir. Robert Jury, FilmScene—Chauncey, Iowa City, Sunday, Jan. 13, 6 p.m., $5 Dead Coast Presents: Jason Ringenberg, Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon, Iowa City, 7 p.m., $15-$25
Mon., Jan. 13 How To Build Neighborhood Districts From The Ground Up, Big Grove Brewery, Iowa City, 6 p.m., Free Open Mic, The Mill, Iowa City, 7 p.m., Free (Weekly) Comedy Open Mic with Spencer & Dan, Yacht Club, Iowa City, 9 p.m., Free (Weekly) 28 Jan. 8–21, 2020 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV276
WHAT ARE WE DOING? LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/CALENDAR
Dwight Juan Allen
QUAD CITIES
from China to create a multimodal experience with award-winning writer/editor Brian Clifton and deep-listening practitioner Rev. William Ellis Bradley. This stop includes local readers Ryan Collins, executive director of the Midwest Writing Center, as well as beloved Rozz-Tox alum (and a personal favorite of mine) Beth Roberts. —Melanie Hanson
Cryptostatic w/ Natural Oil, Nongrata, Rock Island Brewing Company, Rock Island, Saturday, Jan 11, 9 p.m., $5 Elizabeth Hager
fronts Cryptostatic with thundering operatic vocals over deep percussion and a heavy eight-string guitar. These local musicians embrace the theatrical history of metal, complete with a killer light show. Psych-metal fourpiece Natural Oil opens with RIBCo virgins, and all-around polite young men, NonGrata. —MH
enjoy, but there will also be a free taco bar! —Genevieve Trainor
Midwest Electronic Creator’s Convergence, Rozz-Tox, Rock Island, Friday-Sunday, Jan. 17-19
This inaugural, all-things-electronic convergence fills your weekend with live sets, workshops, a documentary film on the history of electronic music and a tour of analog heaven: Future Apple Tree Studio, right next door to Rozz-Tox. Featuring FBK, Golden Donna, Higgy, Idpyramid and more, this packed weekend gives plenty of opportunity to connect, learn and dance. Prices vary by event. Visit www.rozztox.com for details. —Paige Underwood
still from Royal Shakespeare Company’s ‘Twelfth Night’
Reading + Sound Art Collaboration, Rozz-Tox, Rock Island, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 8 p.m., Free J. Miller has come all the way
‘Twelfth Night,’ Village Theater, Davenport, Sunday, Jan. 12, 12 p.m., Free Hunker down
for the long haul with this trio of Twelfth Night screenings at the Village Theater. The first, kicking off at noon, is the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2017 production. At 3:15 p.m., the Globe Theatre’s 2013 version, with Mark Rylance and Stephen Fry, takes the screen. And at 7 p.m., the evening culminates with the wildly raucus 2017 production from Shakespeare’s Globe. Audience members are welcome to bring their own snacks to LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV276 Jan. 8–21, 2020 29
EDITORS’ PICKS Say Anything Karaoke, Gabe’s, Iowa City, 10 p.m., Free (Weekly)
Tue., Jan. 14 Open Mic, Moco Game Room & Hot Dog Bar, Cedar Rapids, 7 p.m., Free (Weekly) Blues Jam, Parlor City Pub and Eatery, Cedar Rapids, 7 p.m., Free (Weekly) Weekly Old-Timey Jam Sessions, Trumpet Blossom Cafe, Iowa City, 7:30 p.m., Free (Weekly) Karaoke with Vidal, Moco Game Room & Hot Dog Bar, Cedar Rapids, 9 p.m., Free (Weekly) Dance Party with DJ Jamaican Daddy, Yacht Club, Iowa City, 9 p.m., Free (Weekly) Comedy & Karaoke, Studio 13, Iowa City, 9 p.m., Free (Weekly)
Wed., Jan. 15 Iowa City Open Coffee, Merge, Iowa City, 8 a.m., Free (Weekly) 1 Million Cups Cedar Rapids: Corridor Connection Network, NewBoCo, Cedar Rapids, 8:15 a.m., Free 1 Million Cups Iowa City: PastPresent, Merge, Iowa City, 9 a.m., Free Burlington Street Bluegrass Band, The Mill, Iowa City, 6 p.m., $5 (2nd & 4th Wednesdays) Open Mic Night, Penguin’s Comedy Club, Cedar Rapids, 8 p.m., Free (Weekly) Underground Karaoke with Spencer, Yacht Club, Iowa City, 9 p.m., Free (Weekly) Open Stage, Studio 13, Iowa City, 10 p.m., Free (Weekly) Late Shift at the Grindhouse: ‘Slaughterhouse Slumber Party,’ FilmScene—Chauncey, Iowa City, 10 p.m., $4 (Weekly)
Thu., Jan. 16 Therapy Thursday, NewBo City Market, 5:30 p.m., Free (Weekly) Iowa City Meditation Class: How To Transform Your Life, Quaker Friends Meeting House, Iowa City, 6:30 p.m., $5-10 (Weekly)
fresh • local • organic
Come to Groundswell Cafe for healthy, fresh, and locally-sourced food. Your tips and donations provide meals for those who cannot afford to pay.
Located just off I-380! 201 3rd Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
319-200-2791 • groundswell.hub25.org/cafe 30 Jan. 8–21, 2020 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV276
Vegan and vegetarian options available!
Dow ntow n H ot Cocoa C raw l Fri, Jan. 17, 5 pm Downtown Iowa City
Brian Johannesen Album Release Party Fri, Jan, 31, 7 pm / The Mill
The Home Show
Feb. 7-9, Hours Vary / Coralville Marriott Conference Center
Cheers to 100 Years - United Way of Johnson & Washington Counties Sat, Feb. 8, 6:30 pm / Coralville Marriott Hotel & Conference Center
Winter Wine Party
Sun, Feb. 9, 3 pm / Brix Cheese Shop & Wine Bar
Think Iowa City Foodie Festival
Sat, Feb. 15, 6 pm / Coralville Marriott Hotel & Conference Center
The Domestic Violence Intervention Program's 23rd Annual "Souper Bowl"
Thu, Feb. 20, 5:30 pm / Coralville Marriott Hotel & Conference Center
Top Chef: Downtown 2020
Mon, Feb. 24, 5 pm / Graduate Iowa City
ON SALE NOW AT
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EDITORS’ PICKS Line Dancing and Lessons, Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon, Iowa City, 6:30 p.m., Free (Weekly) Novel Conversations, Coralville Public Library, 7 p.m., Free (3rd Thursday) Thursday Night Live Open Mic, Uptown Bill’s, Iowa City, 7 p.m., Free (Weekly) Daddy-O, Parlor City Pub and Eatery, Cedar Rapids, 7 p.m., Free (Weekly) Foundry Performance Laboratory Presents: ‘The Seafarer,’ Shores Event Center, Cedar Rapids, 7:30 p.m., $10 (Opening night—through Jan. 25) Live Jazz, Clinton Street Social Club, Iowa City, 8 p.m., Free (1st & 3rd Thursdays) Karaoke Thursday, Studio 13, Iowa City, 8 p.m., Free (Weekly) Vinyl Swap, Moco Game Room & Hot Dog Bar, Cedar Rapids, 9 p.m., Free (Weekly) DJ Loomer Thirsty Thursday Dance Party, Yacht Club, Iowa City, 10 p.m., Free (Weekly)
FIGHT FOMO! Find more events! Visit
littlevillagemag.com/calendar
Fri., Jan. 17 Downtown Hot Cocoa Crawl, Various Venues, Iowa City, 5 p.m., $15 FAC Dance Party, The Union, Iowa City, 7 p.m. (Weekly) New Primals, Dog Dave, Fickle Weather, Gabe’s, Iowa City, 7 p.m., Free ‘Madama Butterfly,’ Paramount Theater, Cedar Rapids, 7:30 p.m., $19-$69 (Also 1/19) Burlesque in the Black Box, Theatre Cedar Rapids, Cedar Rapids, 7:30 pm., $35 (Also 1/18) Greg Warren w/ Adam Degi, Penguin’s Comedy Club, Cedar Rapids, 8 p.m., $15-$18 (Also 1/18) Cole Peterson Trio, Sanctuary Pub, Iowa City, 8
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p.m., Free Cody Hicks, Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon, Iowa City, 8 p.m., $10-$20 Pollinators, Penny Peach, Scottie Feller, Trumpet Blossom, Iowa City, 8:30 p.m., $7 Latin Night w/ FUZE, Yacht Club, Iowa City, 9 p.m., $5-10 (Weekly) The Recliners, The Mill, Iowa City, 9 p.m., $7 SoulShake, Gabe’s, Iowa City, 10 p.m., Free (Weekly) Sasha Belle Presents: Friday Night Drag & Dance Party, Studio 13, Iowa City, 10:30 p.m., $5 (Weekly)
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DES MOINES
Jordan Mayland
JANUARY 8-21, 2020
‘Labyrinth’: Bowie Birthday Bash, Flix Brewhouse, SaturdaySunday, Jan. 7-8, 6:45 p.m., $5 I
Your Opportunity to Engage with Arts and Culture CulturalCorridor.org
typically prefer the classic movie-going experience. I don’t need servers sliding through the aisles dropping off fried foods, pizza and Coke refills to theater patrons while I’m trying to watch a movie. That being the case, I don’t frequent Flix Brewhouse, which has basically smashed the restaurant and theater experiences together into a nationally successful business model. But one must give credit where credit is due: Flix does a pretty decent job of planning their alternative programming around pop culture cues. January brings a screening of Jim Hensen’s 1986 classic David Bowie vehicle, Labyrinth, in memory of what would have been Bowie’s 73rd birthday—and everyone gets a slice of birthday cake.
Imagination and Machine Exhibit Opening at Des Moines Art Center, Tuesday, Jan. 10, Free It’s difficult to capture the spirit of
Kim will help you find your way HOME kimschillig@gmail.com 310.795.2133 V/T
Iowa without depicting the agricultural elements that have long shaped the state’s landscapes. In 1961, Romanian-born painter, Hedda Sterne, was commissioned by Fortune magazine to create paintings portraying the machinery of John Deere tractors for a feature in that year’s July issue. Sterne visited John Deere factories in Iowa and Illinois, ultimately painting seven pieces analyzing the qualities of individual tractor parts through
the scope of the human form. Imagination and Machine will put those seven pieces on display together in Iowa for the first time.
The Vahnevants Record Release w/ Bob Bucko Jr, DJ DJ TANNER, Heavy Gratitude, Vaudeville Mews, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 10 p.m., $5 The last time I saw
the Vahnevants play was on a sweltering June day in a messy studio in the Fitch building of the West End Arts District. The turquoise studio space had an entire array of potted plants threatening to overgrow the room entirely. Paintings stroked in warm hues lined the empty spaces on the walls between nail holes filled with burnt-up incense sticks. The Vahnevants crawled through their set of acid-washed guitar jams at a pace both loose and lackadaisical, as the crowd of art nerds and shoeless weirdos sat around, crosslegged, on broken amplifiers, second-hand blankets and an old, faded rug. Something about the title of the new Vahnevants record, Freakout People, just seems to sum up that whole experience succinctly. It may be the way the band carried themselves as they plucked through their set of psych-tinged howlers. Or it may be the smattering of freaks and weirdos watching. Either way, when I heard that’s what they were calling the new record, it immediately felt perfect. The band will celebrate the release of Freakout People as well as a vinyl reissue of their stellar debut album, Bum Out, Jan. 18 at the tried-and-true Vaudeville Mews. —Trey Reis LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV276 Jan. 8–21, 2020 33
Where Everyone is Welcome and Equal
February 16, 2020 • Coralville Marriott Hotel & Conference Center Plan your dream wedding at the Iowa Wedding Expo! All brides will be entered to win a wedding dress courtesy of Brides by Jessa! VIP: $20
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LITTLE VILLAGE HQ
623 S DUBUQUE ST, IOWA CITY
RECORD COLLECTOR 116 S LINN ST, IOWA CITY
THE MAKERS LOFT
125 S DUBUQUE ST, IOWA CITY
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/CALENDAR
Sat., Jan. 18
Greg Warren w/ Adam Degi,
Corridor Games on Demand
Penguin’s Comedy Club, Cedar Rapids,
Presents: Corridor Con 2020,
8 p.m., $15-$18
Cedar Rapids Public Library, 9 a.m.,
Abstract Forms, Chapter, Vestige,
Free
Brevity, Gabe’s, Iowa City, 8 p.m., $8
Family Storytime, Iowa City Public
Steve Grismore, Sanctuary Pub, Iowa
Library, 10:30 a.m., Free (Weekly)
City, 8 p.m., Free
Birthday Celebration and Arcade
Elation Dance Party, Studio 13,
Grand Opening, Critical Hit Games,
Iowa City, 9 p.m., $5 (Weekly)
Iowa City, 12 p.m., Free
Eggs on Mars, Purple Frank, Dark
Immigrant Foodways: Zemlovka,
Family, Trumpet Blossom, Iowa City,
Nat’l Czech & Slovak Museum, Cedar
9 p.m., $7
Rapids, 1 p.m., $15
Dolores Sparkles & Friends, The
Filmmaker Spotlight: ‘The
Mill, Iowa City, 9 p.m., $12-$15
Film Lounge’ Watch Party w/ Filmmakers, FilmScene—Chauncey,
Sun., Jan. 19
Iowa City, 2 p.m., Free
Artifactory Presents: January Art
The F’n Pantera Cover Band,
In The Afternoon, The Center, Iowa
Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon, Iowa
City, 1 p.m., Free (3rd Sunday)
City, 7 p.m., $15-$20
Sunday Funday, Iowa City Public
All In A Day Play Festival, Coralville
Library, Iowa City, 2 p.m., Free (Weekly)
Center for the Performing Arts, 7:30
‘Madama Butterfly,’ Paramount
p.m., $15
Theater, Cedar Rapids, 2 p.m., $19-
Burlesque in the Black Box,
$69
Theatre Cedar Rapids, Cedar Rapids,
Claire Adams, Big Grove Brewery,
7:30 pm., $35
Iowa City, 4 p.m., Free
120 E. Burlington Street, Iowa City 319-351-9529
FOOD, MUSIC & DRINKS KITCHEN OPEN 11 AM–11 PM QUICK LUNCH SPECIALS 11 AM–2 PM HAPPY HOUR 2–6 PM
ROOM RENTALS & CATERING AVAILABLE
UPCOMING EVENTS THU 01.09 Backroom Bass Sessions with Bruuuce
WED 01.21 CWJ Caucus Training
SAT 01.11 The Collective
WED 01.22 Talk Art
MON 01.13 Open Mic with J. Knight
FRI 01.24 The Host Country
FRI 01.17 The Recliners
SAT 01.25 IC Pride Trivia Fundraiser
SAT 01.18 Dolores Sparkles & Friends SUN 01.19 Horace Mann Fundraiser
SUN 01.26 LULAC 308’s Loteria Night
MON 01.20 Open Mic with J. Knight
MON 01.27 Open Mic with J. Knight
WED 01.22 Burlington Street Bluegrass Band
FRI 01.31 Brian Johannesen album release party
OPEN MIC EVERY MONDAY AT 8 PM BLUEGRASS EVERY 2ND & 4TH WEDS AT 7 PM KARAOKE EVERY TUESDAY AT 10:30 PM HIPHOP EVERY OTHER SUNDAY
ICMILL.COM LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV276 Jan. 8–21, 2020 35
TheWedgePizza.com Daiya vegan cheese & gluten-free crust available!
Winter provides a unique perspective and highlights the changing beauty to the outdoors. These colder months of the year allow for hiking, snowshoeing, wildlife watching, photography, and much more.
WINTER FUN
in linn county parks
www.thewedgepizza.com
SLEDDING
The area next to Red Cedar Lodge at Squaw Creek Park and a hill by Woodpecker Lodge at Pinicon Ridge Park are popular for sledding during the winter months.
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CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING
Jan. 31, 2020
Add a House Salad to Any Order ONLY
$689
Jan. 31, 2020
S. Riverside Dr. 319-337-6677 Delivery or Carry Out 36 517 Jan. 8–21, 2020 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV276
Linn County Conservation trails that are available for cross-country skiing include: Matsell Bridge Natural Area 5 miles Morgan Creek Park 3.8 miles Squaw Creek Park 3.5 miles Wickiup Hill Learning Center 3.3 miles Pinicon Ridge Park 1.5 miles 4” of snow is required for our equipment to be able to groom trails. Tracks are first “rolled” and then “groomed”. Hikers, horses, and dogs are encouraged to stay off the Nordic ski track.
WINTER SAFETY TIPS
Dress in layers for the weather Wear bright colors Keep hydrated Only venture on ice more than 4” thick
ICE FISHING
Ice fishing opportunities are abundant along the Wapsipinicon and Cedar rivers.
FIND OUT MORE AT LINNCOUNTYPARKS.COM
EDITORS’ PICKS Mann at The Mill: Horace Mann Fundraiser, The Mill, Iowa City, 5 p.m., $4-$8 Shadow of Intent, Signs of the Swarm,
WHAT ARE WE DOING? LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/CALENDAR
WATERLOO/CEDAR FALLS
Inferi, Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon, Iowa CIty, 6 p.m., $16-$25 Julian Davis & the Situation, Flash in a Pan, Gabe’s, Iowa City, 8 p.m., $10
Mon., Jan. 20 MLK Day of Service 2020, UAY and Mercer Park, Iowa City, 9 a.m., Free (registration requested) Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration, African American Museum of Iowa, Cedar Rapids, 10 a.m., $1 Rachel Stukenberg
Open Mic, The Mill, Iowa City, 7 p.m., Free (Weekly) Comedy Open Mic with Spencer & Dan, Yacht Club, Iowa City, 9 p.m., Free (Weekly) Say Anything Karaoke, Gabe’s, Iowa City, 10 p.m., Free (Weekly)
Download the events app: LittleVillageMag.com/app
Tue., Jan. 21 Convictions, Hollow Front, Abstract Forms, Kids Under Bleachers, Gabe’s, Iowa City, 6 p.m., $12 PAW Patrol Live! “Race to the Rescue,” Paramount Theatre, Cedar Rapids, 6 p.m., $22$113 (Also 1/22) Center For Workers Justice Caucus Training, The Mill, Iowa City, 6 p.m., Free Open Mic, Moco Game Room & Hot Dog Bar, Cedar Rapids, 7 p.m., Free (Weekly) Blues Jam, Parlor City Pub and Eatery, Cedar Rapids, 7 p.m., Free (Weekly) Weekly Old-Timey Jam Sessions, Trumpet Blossom Cafe, Iowa City, 7:30 p.m., Free (Weekly) Dance Party with DJ Jamaican Daddy, Yacht Club, Iowa City, 9 p.m., Free (Weekly) Comedy & Karaoke, Studio 13, Iowa City, 9 p.m., Free (Weekly)
rich history to offer its first ever 1920s-style, Prohibition-themed murder mystery dinner. The 21+ event includes entertainment and hors d’oeuvres; packages are available at varying prices that include room reservations. An optional open bar upgrade is available for $50, featuring 1920s-themed cocktails as well as beer and wine.
talk, led by Hartman Reserve naturalist Katie Klus, will cover the history and importance of snowshoes around the world and touch on modern snowshoes, including the brands available and the benefits of each. But the exciting bit is after the lecture, when attendees can go on a guided hike around the reservation, weather permitting (three inches of snow accumulation is necessary). There will be no charge for shoe rental at this event.
BYOBrass, Octopus College Hill, Cedar Falls, Saturday, Jan. 18., 8 p.m., $7 The nine-piece brass band
from the University of Northern Iowa brings their sassy, brassy sound once again to Octopus College Hill. Their high-energy sets cover a wide array of musical styles, from Americana to techno.
Illegal Smile w/ Feet to Fall Over; Sorry, Pluto, Spicoli’s Reverb, Waterloo, Saturday, Jan. 18, 7 p.m., $7 Cedar Falls act
Illegal Smile brings their high energy, early aughts-grounded sound over a town to Waterloo. Their heaviness benefits from a deep melodic underpinning that lifts them above some of the chart-toppers of the era they draw their inspiration from. Feet to Fall Over, also of Cedar Falls, and Cedar Rapids’ Sorry, Pluto round out the bill.
Black Hawk Hotel Murder Mystery, Black Hawk Hotel, Cedar Falls, Saturday, Jan. 18, 6:30 p.m., $75 The Black Hawk Hotel,
which began life as the Winslow House in 1853 and bills itself as the oldest continually operated hotel in the U.S., is trading on its
courtesy of Black Hawk Hotel
THERE’S MORE.
2nd Sunday Speaker Series: Snowshoeing!, Hartman Reserve Nature Center, Cedar Falls, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2 p.m., Free This
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV276 Jan. 8–21, 2020 37
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ADVERTISER INDEX 126 LOUNGE (44) ALMOST FAMOUS POPCORN COMPANY (42) BAO CHOW (29) BIOTEST (4) BREAD GARDEN MARKET (26) BROOK HOOVER (9) CAFE DODICI (23) CHOMP (23) CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS (2) CITY OF IOWA CITY (5) THE DANDY LION (36) DODGE STREET (29) THE ENGLERT (38) FILMSCENE (27) THE GAZETTE (8, 34) GROUNDSWELL (30) HEART CENTER FOR THE ARTS (47) IOWA CITY DOWNTOWN CO-OP (28) - REVIVAL - BEADOLOGY - DEADWOOD - DONNELLY’S - BARONCINI - PRAIRIE LIGHTS - RAYGUN IOWA CITY EASTSIDE CO-OP (6) - HAMBURG INN NO. 2 - SHAKESPEARE’S PUB & GRILL - ENDORPHINDEN TATTOO IOWA CITY NORTHSIDE MARKETPLACE (40) - OASIS FALAFEL - ARTIFACTS - HIGH GROUND - GOOSETOWN - BLUEBIRD
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- RUSS’ NORTHSIDE SERVICE, INC. - DODGE ST. TIRE - GEORGE’S - THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP - HAMBURG INN NO. 2 - WILLOW & STOCK - PAGLIAI’S PIZZA - EL BANDITOS IOWA CITY OLD TRAIN DEPOT (24) - THE CLUB CAR - TRUMPET BLOSSOM CAFE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH (31) ICCA (33) JOSEPH’S STEAKHOUSE (42) KCCK JAZZ 88.3 (31) KIM SCHILLIG (33) KRUI 89.7 F.M. (35) LEGION ARTS (8) LINN COUNTY CONSERVATION (36) OASIS FALAFEL (8) STUDIO VITALITY (8) MAGGIE’S FARM WOOD-FIRED PIZZA (46) MARTIN CONSTRUCTION (44) MICKY’S IRISH PUB (44) THE MILL (35) MOLLY’S CUPCAKES (23) NEW PIONEER FOOD CO-OP (32) NODO (33) PUBLIC SPACE ONE (39) RAPIDS REPRODUCTIONS (44) RAYGUN (48) REUNION BREWERY (26) THINK IOWA CITY (30) THE WEDGE (36)
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ASTROLOGY
BY ROB BREZSNEY
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I’m going to speculate that sometime in the next six months, you will experience events that years from now you’ll look back on as having been the beginning of a fresh universe for you. What should you call this launch? I suggest you consider elegant terms like “Destiny Rebirth” or “Fate Renewal” rather than a cliché like the “Big Bang.” And how should you celebrate it? As if it were the Grand Opening of the rest of your long life. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In 2020, I believe you will be able to summon the insight and kismet necessary to resolve at least one long-running problem, and probably more. You’ll have an enhanced ability to kick bad habits and escape dead-ends and uncover liberating truths about mysteries that have flustered you. Frustrations and irritations you’ve grudgingly tolerated for far too much time will finally begin to wane. Congratulations in advance, Aquarius! The hard work you do to score these triumphs won’t always be delightful, but it could provide you with a curiously robust and muscular kind of fun.
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PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Let’s say you wanted to dress completely in silk: shirt, pants, vest, scarf, socks, shoes, hat, underwear, all made of silk. And let’s say your dream was to grow and process and weave the silk from scratch. You’d start with half an ounce of silkworm eggs. They’d hatch into 10,000 silkworms. Eventually those hard-working insects would generate five pounds of silk—enough to create your entire outfit. So in other words, you’d be able to generate an array of functional beauty from a small but concentrated amount of raw material. By the way, that last sentence is a good description of what I think your general approach should be in 2020. And also by the way, dressing in silk wouldn’t be too crazy an idea in the coming months. I hope you’ll have fun cultivating your allure, style and flair. ARIES (March 21-April 19): “We are all hostages of the joy of which we deprive ourselves,” wrote poet Odysseus Elytis. Isn’t that an astounding idea? That we refuse to allow ourselves to experience some of the bliss and pleasure we could easily have; and that we are immured inside that suppressed bliss and pleasure? I call on you, Aries, to rebel against this human tendency. As I see it, one of your main tasks in 2020 is to permit yourself to welcome more bliss, to aggressively seize more pleasure, and thereby free yourself from the rot of its nullification. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): At age 22, Taurus-born Dutch citizen Willem de Kooning sneaked into the United States. He was a stowaway on an Argentina-bound freighter, and stealthily disembarked when the ship made a stop in Virginia. As he lived in America during subsequent decades, he became a renowned painter who helped pioneer the movement known as abstract expressionism. His status as an illegal immigrant rarely presented any obstacles to his growing success and stature. Not until age 57 did he finally became an American citizen. I propose we make him one of your role models in 2020. May he inspire you to capitalize on being a maverick, outsider or stranger. May he encourage you to find opportunities beyond your safety zone. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): When British novelist E. M. Forster was in his late 30s, he had sex with another person for the first time. Before that he had published five novels. After that, he produced just one more novel, though he lived till age 91. Why? Was he having too much fun? Looking back from his old age, he remarked that he would “have been a more famous writer if I had published more, but sex prevented the latter.” I suspect that sensual pleasure and intimacy will have the exact opposite effect on you in 2020, Gemini. In sometimes mysterious ways, they will make you more productive in your chosen sphere.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): “Every part of our personality that we do not love will regress and become hostile to us,” wrote poet Robert Bly. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t suffer from this problem at least a little. That’s the bad news. The good news for us Cancerians (yes, I’m a Crab!) is that 2020 will be a favorable time to engage in a holy crusade to fix this glitch: to feel and express more love for parts of our personality that we have dismissed or marginalized. The result? Any self-sabotage we have suffered from in the past could dramatically diminish. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): As a young adult, Leo-born Raymond Chandler worked as a fruit-picker, tennis racquet-stringer and bookkeeper. At age 34, he began a clerical job at the Dabney Oil Syndicate, and eventually rose in the ranks to become a well-paid executive. The cushy role lasted until he was 44, when he was fired. He mourned for a while, then decided to become an author of detective fiction. It took a while, but at age 50, he published his first novel. During the next 20 years, he wrote six additional novels as well as numerous short stories and screenplays—and in the process became popular and influential. I present this synopsis as an inspirational story to fuel your destiny in 2020. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The fame of Virgo-born Italian poet Ludovico Ariosto (1474-1533) has persisted through the ages because of Orlando Furioso, an epic poem he authored. It tells the story of the Christian knight Orlando and his adoration for a pagan princess. This great work did not come easily to Ariosto. It wasn’t until he had written 56 versions of it that he was finally satisfied. I suspect you may harbor an equally perfectionist streak about the good works and labors of love you’ll craft in 2020. May I suggest you confine your experiments to no more than 10 versions? LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Leonardo da Vinci worked on his painting “The Last Supper” from 1495 to 1498. It’s a big piece—about 15 by 29 feet. That’s one reason why he took so long to finish. But there was another explanation, too. He told his patron, the Duke of Milan, that he sometimes positioned himself in front of his painting-in-progress and simply gazed at and thought about it, not lifting a brush. Those were times he did some of his hardest work, he said. I trust you will have regular experiences like that in 2020, Libra. Some of your best efforts will arise out of your willingness and ability to incubate your good ideas with concentrated silence and patience. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): By 1895, Henry James had already published 94 books. He was renowned in the U.S. and England, and had written the works that would later lead to him being considered for a Nobel Prize. Then, at age 52, although he was not physically fit, he decided to learn how to ride a bicycle. He paid for lessons at a bicycle academy, and cheerfully tolerated bruises and cuts from his frequent falls as an acceptable price to pay for his new ability. I admire James’ determination to keep transforming. Let’s make him a role model for you in 2020. May he inspire you to keep adding new aptitudes as you outgrow your previous successes. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): When Sagittarian composer Ludwig van Beethoven created the Eroica symphony in the early 1800s, many observers panned it. They said its rhythms were eccentric, that it was too long. One critic said it was “glaring and bizarre,” while another condemned its “undesirable originality.” This same critic concluded, “Genius proclaims itself not in the unusual and fantastic but in the beautiful and sublime.” Today, of course, Eroica has a different reputation. It’s regarded as a breakthrough event in musical history. I’ll go on record here, Sagittarius, to say that I suspect you created your own personal version of Eroica in 2019. 2020 is the year it will get the full appreciation it deserves, although it may take a while. Be patient. LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV276 Jan. 8–21, 2020 41
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LOCAL ALBUMS
Body Punishment Body Punishment Presents: Oyster World BODYPUNISHMENT.BANDCAMP.COM
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ody Punishment surfaced on Oct. 27 with an EP—Body Punishment Presents: Oyster World—released on Bandcamp, which features Siren Song I-IV. The “about” section says, “Millenia old sea sirens surface with a vengeance and a taste for human blood.” Shortly thereafter, the group performed at Yacht Club—a costumed duo who resembled Vero Rose Smith and Gabi Vanek, notables in the Iowa City experimental music scene. Playing “experimental doom drone,” the two provided a set that disappointed only in terms of its truncated length. The setup works because Body Punishment is not a joke: Taking it seriously liberates the musicians to compose quality music. This much is clear on the four-track EP. Incorporating the maternal imagery of the sea into the genre of doom metal works well, recasting the ambient tones as the sorts of distortions one might suspect occur within the depths of the sea. The murmuring merperson, wailing in the waves, creates the kind of unnerving sensation one might experience when feeling suddenly at home when you’ve always been alienated. This sensation was augmented in Body Punishment’s live performance. The percussionist, clad in a shaggy brown suit, was wholly obscured from the audience in a
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way that allowed the performer an intimacy with the song, not the crowd. Rather than watching a performer, the audience could focus on the performance as a whole otherworldly presence unto itself. The creature aspect helped to anchor the guitarist/vocalist within a similar space: although more visible, in this context, the performer disappeared within the performance. The effect of it was less “spectacle,” an effect that exhausts itself when noticed. Instead, the costuming allowed the band to preserve its autonomy from its surroundings and thus produce a sound more wholly at one with itself than anything else. This worked particularly well given the depths from which Body Punishment stretches forth to produce its music. The occasional percussive pulses provide a contrast to the repeated guitar riffs and amplified tones that ground the distorted vocals. Simultaneously sparse and dense, befitting the genre, Body Punishment offers audiences a set of catchy songs that somehow both unmoor and anchor you. One of the most impressive parts of this debut is the set of discrete pleasures that the songs afford, akin to being lost in the individuality of waves crashing onto the shore. By stripping away the clutter that sometimes gloms onto glam metal, Body Punishment treats listeners to songs whose shifts of pitch and tone are all gems. Each layer of the four tracks shift in a gauzy dance that rewards repeat listens. Unhurried, Body Punishment allows the ideas incorporated in its tunes to slowly unfold, one at a time. Happily, the band has surfaced again, posting an online invitation for fans to find themes for future shows. One hopes that more recordings also loom in the band’s future, for our ears. —Daniel Boscaljon
Douglas Kramer Nye The End is Nye DOUGLASKRAMERNYE.BANDCAMP.COM
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oug Nye has been playing shows around Iowa City for almost a decade. A self-taught guitarist, singer and songwriter, he’s always had a resonant, deep baritone voice and an ear for bleak folk-tinged songwriting. His voice has become more confident even as his songwriting has turned more cryptic and playful. The End Is Nye marks his graduation into the upper echelons of Iowa singers/songwriters. “Folkwaves” has an oldtimey flare, stringing together names of beloved record labels: “He’s Flying Nun, she’s perfect Babylon. They freed the asylum and returned home to Eden.” Cultural references are scattered in the songs like easter eggs in a video game. The same three chords repeat throughout the song, but the echoey trumpet, guitar, organ and piano vary the texture and create a meditative mood. “Wearing Black” is a series of seemingly random images: “Wearing black on a sunny day. Watching flowers move in the wind.” The saxophone musings of Peter Balestrieri hold the song together, barely, as trumpet and banjo float in and out like strangers passing an open door. “Wearing Black” recalls both the quieter songs from the Velvet Underground and the carnival maximalism of Iowa City band Old Scratch Revival Singers. On “Middleton Prayer,” Nye
sings, “I’m on a mystery train searching for the Grail,” referencing Elvis’ rockabilly classic, “Mystery Train.” This evocative wordplay is embedded in a story with a bleak, almost gothic tone: “My skin’s getting pale, my soul’s in Hell,” followed by a reference to To Kill A Mockingbird’s Boo Radley. Though he usually performs solo in live settings, his songs on The End Is Nye are enhanced with a wide variety of instruments, including Balestrieri’s sax, Dan DiMonte’s trumpet and Skye Carrasco’s violin. The clean distinction between the song in foreground and arrangement in background is gone; the amalgamation of horns, strings and guitar dislocate the listener, while never becoming jarring or harsh. The End Is Nye pays homage to all Nye’s influences through the game of literally embedding their names in his songs. The cover art echoes this, placing Nye in a kind of Last Supper, surrounded by his heroes. This is a concept album of sorts, but with concepts closer to the dream logic of a David Lynch movie than something like The Who’s Tommy. The idea of death always floats close to the surface, sometimes explicitly, as in “Bury Me Deep.” In that song, Nye recites a series of burial wishes, recalling the cowboy song, “Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie.” But for all the wordplay, they’re still songs. Dark themes of mortality and despair rub up against paradoxically cheerful melodies. Nye’s thoughts might tend toward the bleak and hopeless when he writes, but his powerful voice and folksy melodies are gentle and inviting. He’s cheerful and mournful at the same time. It’s music for wintertime in Iowa: All is dark and cold outside, but Doug Nye builds a fire inside to keep us warm. —Kent Williams
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LOCAL BOOKS
Michael Zapata The Lost Book of Adana Moreau HANOVER SQUARE PRESS
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Model Earth, the tale within a tale central to The Lost Book of Adana Moreau, is a science fiction story that involves travel between multiple dimensions. It is the manuscript that Saul Drower finds in his grandfather Benjamin’s possessions after his death, and sets out to deliver to Maxwell Moreau, son of its author, Adana. The debut novel from University of Iowa graduate Michael Zapata that frames it also travels, but decidedly not in a science fiction sense. It is a distinctly realistic amalgam of multiple threads of meaning, examining notions of infection, memory, storytelling and loss. “If you think about it,” the old, mad pirate tells Maxwell, “everything is a disease. Youth is a type of disease-in-waiting.” The Lost Book of Adana Moreau is a type of axiom-in-waiting. It is sprinkled throughout with truth after truth, exquisite moments of arch language. How likely is it that every character has a deep wisdom to share—that insight is always no more than a page turn away? Well, if you accept the premise of this book, it’s pretty damned likely. The argument being made is that every person has a story worth hearing, if only we can each become better at listening. Zapata extolls that virtue again
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and again over the course of his multifaceted fable. He weaves it into every aspect of the lives he examines, including as the key trait of the primary influences on his main characters. Maxwell’s father is described on the very first page of the book as someone who “loved listening to most anybody who had a story to tell.” Saul is raised two generations later by Benjamin, a man described in the exact same words. “Every telling of an event is a portrait of the teller and not the event itself,” Javier, a reporter who joins Saul on his journey to find Maxwell, recalls Benjamin Drower advising him. This nugget of wisdom stands out as speaking of Zapata himself. What rises to the surface of this narrative are the stories that Zapata needs to put into the world—stories of true events, however fictionalized, that he is adamant be told. This book is deeply respectful of science fiction, yet it is also critical. Javier tells Saul, of the temptation to ponder alternate dimensions, “To think of all those other Sols on Earths we can never see is to relinquish her history, no matter how terrible. It denies her existence on this Earth.” Instead, Zapata clearly posits, we would do well to listen better to the multiple stories available to us here. Through litanies of the names of overlooked poets and science fiction writers of color, through multiple survival stories from New Orleanians in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, through deep and heartbreaking asides about Argentinian and Bolshevik revolutionaries, Zapata shows that the multiverses we crave are contained within each person, each event. Every new story we hear is a parallel universe in our own backyard, if only we cultivate the ability to listen. —Genevieve Trainor
The actions of the white characters in this book, especially Alix, all seem to make sense in the moment, but the more I sit with the consequences the less comfortable I feel with them. That’s a good thing for a white person like myself to understand. Reid’s characters are well defined and relatable, and the world she has created feels very real, whether we are in the tony suburKiley Reid ban home of the Chamberlains or Such a Fun Age in Emira’s shared apartment. The story ripples back through G.P. PUTNAM’S SONS the past, showing the reader how Alix Chamberlain came to be owa Writers’ Workshop the person she is, helped out—or graduate Kiley Reid has hindered—by someone from her written a timely and compast who has reappeared in her pelling debut novel. The action life. Emira is a wonderful characbegins when Emira Tucker, ter, who holds close to her heart a part-time babysitter, who is the cognitive dissonance of love black, is called in for emergency for the child she babysits and sitting services late in the evefear that she is falling into the ning for her white charge. They trap of being “just” a babysitter. go to an upscale grocery store, The white characters’ motiand the security guard hassles vations all seem reasonable to me, NOVELS LIKE THIS ARE AN a white person. IMPORTANT PART OF THE I question the choices some of PUBLIC CONVERSATION, AND the black characI WOULD RECOMMEND IT BE ters make. And ON ALL THE WHITE LADY then I step back and ask myself, BOOKGROUP LISTS THIS YEAR. what of my own baggage am I bringing here? What do I need Emira because she “doesn’t look to learn about what motivates like a sitter.” A bystander films Emira? the interaction on his phone. Novels like this are an importWhere the story goes from ant part of the public conversathere is far from predictable or tion, and I would recommend trite. The book switches perit be on all the White Lady spective between Emira, who is Bookgroup lists this year—if about to age off of her parents’ they’re willing to read with an health insurance but still doesn’t open mind. quite know what to do with her The film and television rights life, and her employer, Alix have also been optioned by Chamberlain. Emmy-winning actress, producer Are Alix’s desperate overtures and screenwriter Lena Waithe’s at friendship with Emira motiHillman Grad Productions and vated by her loneliness, having Sight Unseen Pictures; a film moved away from a growing would be sure to spark discussion career and a strong friend group among the well-meaning wouldin New York in order to raise a be white saviors of the world. family? Or is she being performatively woke? —Sharon Falduto
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M O N D A Y
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30. Home of Bates and Bowdoin 31. Bailiwicks 32. Quaint contraction 34. Knight job 37. Balconette or racerback, formally 38. Anti-corrosion option for cars 40. Chimney part 41. Nary ___ (zilch) 43. Bat ninth, say 44. Cousins of e-bikes 46. Word after pickle or pork 47. Country legend Ernest who played himself in Coal Miner’s Daughter 48. One of two in En attendant Godot 49. Jacket material? 50. Bog-derived flavor in some scotches 51. “Drop the Pilot” singer Armatrading 52. ___-Caribbean 53. Ramirez on the 2019 Hall of Fame ballot 56. Part of STEM: Abbr.
DOWN 1. Fire starter 2. Fictional race living in 38 A.D. 802,701 3. “... three men in ___” 41 4. Bromide 5. Gobsmacked 44 6. Sworn enemies of many populists 46 7. Extremely worn 8. Mia’s player, in Pulp 51 52 53 Fiction 9. Subject of some vehicle 57 checks 10. Joint 60 11. Intimidate 12. Rabbitlike animal of 63 the Himalayas 13. Around the Horn channel 21. Something that might 34. Aidan on Elementary 44. California city where be policed online American Graffiti is set 35. Calif. neighbor LV275 ANSWERS 23. Noodles in a 45. Sack 36. Reveal teppanyaki restau46. Body part that theoret37. Small protrusions ... rant ically could be racist but like the ones you’ll need to 25. Little miscues somehow never is complete this puzzle 26. Cantor’s co47. Tacky buildings? 38. 180s, casually worker 50. Brother bother 39. Final notice, briefly 27. Studio notice 54. Sch. that employed 40. Unbinds 28. Sonora sandsoccer coach Jorge 41. Interventions: A Life in The exhibition encourages visitors to see printmaking—or art making more wich Salcedo, arrested in of knowing and War and Peace memoirist, generally—as a matter not knowing; a testing of ideas; a redunder press pressure. the college admissions piloting of a hypothesis29. that Sees is proven 2012 scandal 42. This American Life host 35
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