Neighborhood Tourist August/September 2019

SPECIAL EXPANDED DINING SECTION INSIDE!

neighborhood

TOURIST AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2019

Pop, rock and picnics make Ravinia a local treasure Page 18

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Majesty along the Mother Road in the Heritage Corridor Page 9

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Art, music and food converge on La Grange’s West End Page 14

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Places to dine, drink and discover, for every occasion!

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An Eclectic Mix of Unique Decor, Custom Furnishings & Architectural Salvage

227 S. Third St., Suite 205 2 floor in the Berry House, Geneva 630-402-0072 • www.littleredbarndoor.com nd

SM-CL1672584

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You’ll

! e c a l p s love thi

The LITTLE

Happenings

TRAVELER AROUND THE WORLD IN 36 ROOMS!

FALL

FESTIVAL OF THE VINE

LIFE THROUGH THE LENS OF KODAK August 6

JACKIE, JANET & LEE PROGRAM | August 27 FALL MESH WREATH CLASS | August 28

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Wine Tastings: September 6-8.

Sample over 75 wines from around the world in outdoor tasting tents on our front lawn

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PERSONALIZED SANDBLASTED ROCKS | September 14 There’s always something fun going on at The Little traveler. Check out our website for details on these and many more events. littletraveler.com

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REPAIR EXPERTS CHAIR CANING Saturday, August 3; 10am - 4pm

CLOCK REPAIR Saturday, August 14; 10am - 4pm

CRYSTAL & CHINA REPAIR Wednesday, August 14; 10am - 4pm

LAMP & LIGHTING REPAIR Wednesday, September 18; 10am - 4pm

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*

* * = CHICAGOLAND’S

*

BIGGEST SELECTION

404 S. Third St. • Geneva, IL • (630) 232-4200 • www.littletraveler.com HOURS: MONDAY-FRIDAY 10AM-5PM, SATURDAY 10AM-5:30PM, SUNDAY 11AM-4PM

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STAFF

Summer yum!

It’s the middle of summer, and that means somewhere nearby, someone is grilling up something delicious.

Someone else is enjoying a tall cool beverage. And those are reasons enough to talk turkey – and burgers, and steaks, and beer and most of all…food with friends. (Because every meal is tastier when you share it with people.)

So in this edition of Neighborhood Tourist, we offer a special section dedicated to that very idea: sharing a meal with friends. We have great spots for girls’ night, guys’ night and family dinners. We have the low down on the best places for large groups, and super spots to grab a drink. Whatever you need, across the region, we know just the spot.

Beyond the table, we’ve got some super local events and happenings all across northern Illinois to keep you enjoying yourself, all summer long.

Check out a great piece on Ravinia, highlighting all this historic outdoor food and music venue has to offer, as well as interviews with scheduled performers.

Take the family on a treasure hunt for some amazing public art, from murals to sculpture, and discover your favorites in dedicated areas and along city sidewalks.

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Speaking of art, stop in at the La Grange West End Arts Festival, a collection of fine art, crafts, culinary arts, music and more to delight all your senses.

But it's still summer, so take in the great outdoors all along the Heritage Corridor. If you haven’t hit the Heritage lately, you don’t know what you’re missing! Food and drink, art and culture, and some of the most amazing outdoor spaces Illinois has to offer.

And if the rain dampens your plans, don’t let it dampen your spirits!

Celebrate Smithsonian Museum Day at special places of discovery around the region, from historic to artistic, museums for enthusiasts, horticulturists, animal lovers, and more, the greater Chicago area has a museum for everything, and everyone to enjoy!

All this and more is at the ready here in Northern Illinois, and at your fingertips in this month’s edition of Neighborhood Tourist. So get out there and enjoy your summer, and grab a great bite to eat along the way!.

J.TOM SHAW Vice President of Audience & Revenue

LAURA SHAW Publisher Daily Chronicle & Suburban Weekly Group

ALLISON LAPORTA Designer

JACLYN CORNELL Local Sales Manager Niche Products

Thanks for reading.

Sherri Dauskurdas Editor sdauskurdas@shawmedia.com

Additional copies of Neighborhood Tourist are available for $6.99 each.

Email your order to TOURIST@shawmedia.com

NEIGHBORHOOD TOURIST

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OUR CONTRIBUTORS WRITERS ¢ DIANE KRIEGAR SPIVAK

Diane Kriegar Spivak, a lifelong journalist and author of more than 5,000 published articles, after talking to literally thousands of people, she’s learned that everybody has a story to tell. From firsthand experience taking off at 500 mph with the U.S.A.F. Thunderbirds to an interview with the Archdiocese of Chicago’s exorcist, Diane shares the stories of real people - politicians, CEOs bishops, laborers, soldiers, toddlers, centenarians and even a clown or two.

¢ ALLISON HORNE

Allison Horne is a freelance writer who works full-time as an application director for 120 Sports in the West Loop. She graduated from Millikin University, where she played soccer and studied English, and went to DePaul for her Master's Degree in Journalism. Allison resides in Lakeview, Chicago but most of the time, she'd rather be hiking and exploring in Colorado (especially Telluride), or hanging out with her dog, Cooper, a boxer/shepherd mix.

¢ CHRIS WALKER

Chris Walker loves stories.

He’ll tell you how seeing Jane’s Addiction at The Riv in 1989 changed him, why Noah Baumbach’s “Kicking & Screaming” is his favorite film and why being a dad is one of the coolest things. He has

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plenty of great stories, but it’s writing and sharing yours that he loves doing most. When he’s not writing, you’ll find him parenting, watching or umpiring baseball, listening to music or reminiscing about his wiffle ball field.

¢ JON BILYK

Jonathan Bilyk has dedicated his career to finding and telling the stories of those around him in ways that not only inform, but entertain - and, as the case JULY be, drive people to act. Working as a journalist for almost a decade and a half, Jon has won numerous awards recognizing editorial excellence in business and finance reporting, science and technology reporting, news reporting, column writing and even an award for best sports story.

¢ DAVE GIL DE RUBIO Dave Gil de Rubio is an awardwinning writer with significant professional experience covering arts,entertainment and sports for a wide range of regional and national publications, including the Detroit Free Press,Sacramento Bee, Time Out New York, New York Observer, East Bay Express,American Songwriter and Long Island Weekly. ¢ KEVIN DRULEY is a St. Louis transplant who lives in the western suburbs with his wife, Shannon. What

Chicagoans call “pop,” he calls “soda,”although it’s really rather moot since he gave up such carbonated beverages for Lent in 1999. Kevinenjoys day tripping, reading, moviegoing and playing pickup sports.

He recently encountered recreational pickleball, and is over the moon.

¢ WENDY FOSTER has been a freelance writer for suburban and regional publications for more than 25 years. Believing that everyone has a story to share, she most enjoys focusing on human interest and lifestyle pieces. She has earned awards from the Illinois Press Association, including first place Best of the Press.

Wendy is the vice president of IVY Marketing Group, a 27-year-old firm specializing in content marketing for retirement communities and senior services. She is also the media director for Diveheart, a not-for-profit that offers scuba diving instruction and opportunities for individuals with disabilities and wounded veterans.

¢ ERIN SAUDER likes to set

the scene when it comes to storytelling. She wants to give her audience lots of details so they can feel like they were there. In conversation, this often means making long stories longer. When writing, luckily she has editors to help rein her in. As a freelancer

writer, Erin feels like she's never off the clock. But when she can get away from her laptop she's likely either walking her three dogs, making bad choices in the snack aisle at Target, or binge-watching the original "Beverly Hills 90120."

¢ VICKI MARTINKA PETERSEN loves to play tourist right here in the Chicago area. Vicki juggles being a mom with her full-time job in communications for a health care association in Chicago and freelance writing projects. When she's not riding the train or negotiating with her son to go to bed, Vicki enjoys practicing yoga, cooking, reading and volunteering. ¢ ALAN SCULLEY has been interviewing touring music acts for nearly three decades.

A graduate of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, he began his career as an editor/ reporter for the Suburban Journal newspaper group of St. Louis before starting his free-lance career in the early 1990s. His articles currently appear in about 80 daily newspapers and alternative weeklies nationwide, including the Orange County Register, Los Angeles Daily News, Sacramento Bee, Detroit Free Press, Virginian Pilot (Norfolk) and State Journal Register (Springfield, IL).

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T HE PATH TO BETTE R ORT HOPAEDI C CAR E STARTS HER E. Northwestern Medicine Orthopaedics offers specialized care, close to where you live and work.

Whether you need care for common injuries or complex issues, we offer a complete range of orthopaedic care including nonsurgical and surgical treatment options. From back pain to hand conditions to joint replacement, our nationally ranked orthopaedics program* combines innovation and expertise to get you back on the path to living a better life. To schedule an appointment, call 630.938.6100 or visit rmg.nm.org/orthopaedics

*Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital ranked #32 in Adult Orthopaedic Hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, 2018-19

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WHAT'S INSIDE ¢ RECREATION & SPORTS

9 MAJESTY ALONG THE MOTHER ROAD Steeped in history and natural beauty, the Heritage Corridor delights.

¢ ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 14 OFF BEAT AND OFF THE MAIN DRAG La Grange’s west side festival celebrates all kinds of art.

18 RESILIENT RAVINIA Historic and musically diverse, this outdoor music experience endures.

24 GOOD VIBRATIONS Beach Boys join the summer lineup at Ravinia 26 HOT HARMONIES Pentatonix bring pop favorites to life with a trendy a capella vibe.

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28 CHICAGO COMES HOME Upcoming Ravinia show to highlight fan favorites

40 ALL IN THE FAMILY Find meals to please and more at these family-friendly spots.

¢ DESTINATION DINING

42 A SEAT AT THE BIG TABLE Spots to dine with room for everyone.

32 GIRLS NIGHT OUT Find the perfect spot for evenings with the gals, mother-daughter dinners and more .

34 ON GUY TIME For dinner and drinks in a place that’s decidedly masculine, stop by one of these tasty local destinations .

36 COZY UP Discover date night dinner at three romantic locales.

38 CHEERS TO GREAT COCKTAILS Enjoy creative flavors and awesome ambience from these mixology masters.

¢ WHERE WE LIVE

46 ART, IN OUR MIDST Public art in northern Illinois a treasure trove for those who take the time to find it.

48 FREE PASS Celebrate National Museum Day at one of many great local destinations for art, history and culture.

54 HIT LIST An Editor’s Choice of not-to-bemissed things to do, see and enjoy around northern Illinois.

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Finding majesty along the Mother Road Steeped in history and natural beauty, the Heritage Corridor delights

By Vicki Martinka Petersen

Route 66 Hall of Fame

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f your ideal day trip entails the right mix of adventure, good eats and time spent outdoors, then pack up the car and pick a destination along the Heritage Corridor.

The corridor stretches alongside the historic 96-mile Illinois & Michigan Canal. Created in the 1800s, the canal helped position Chicago as a major city by connecting Lake Michigan to the Illinois River in LaSalle-Peru. From there, ships could travel down to the Mississippi River and on to the Gulf of Mexico. “Heritage Corridor is such a diverse area offering outdoor recreation at

state parks, thrilling action with places to zip line or watch car races, and rich with history,� says Bob Navarro, President and CEO of the Heritage Corridor Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Road trippers can find fun photo opps, cute downtowns chock-full of mom and pop shops, eateries to indulge in regional cuisine and a plethora of trails to hike or ride bicycles. You might even pick up a history lesson along the way.

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Skydive Chicago

August Hill Winery

Sports & Recreation

 I&M CANAL Many communities created along nature’s highway continue to honor their heritage as evident by the authentically restored buildings in downtown Lockport dating back to the mid- to late-1800s. Lincoln Landing, located 9th and Canal streets, is a beautiful open air park and museum.

The park shows the original I&M Canal lines and a statue of Abraham Lincoln contemplating the canal.

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For dining with a side of history, stop

by Public Landing, 200 W. Eighth St. in Lockport. The restaurant is housed inside the historic Gaylord Building, which was used during the 1800s as a construction depot for construction of the Illinois & Michigan Canal.

Be transported back to the 18th century with a stop at Isle a la Cache Museum, 501 E. Romeo Road in Romeoville. The museum explores Illinois’ stint as a leader in fur trading through interactive exhibits.

There are plenty of opportunities to explore the great outdoors in this area

Isle a la Cache

of the Heritage Corridor. Channahon State Park, 25302 W. Story St., serves as the official trailhead for the I&M Canal State Trail. The park offers visitors a chance to interact with a historic waterway, including a look at the original locktenders house at Lock 6.

For a glimpse of how Illinois looked as a prairie state 150 years ago, head over to the Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area, 5010 N. Jugtown Road in Morris. The prairie also provides nesting habitats for endangered or threatened birds.  ROUTE 66 One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 once covered more than 2,000 miles between Chicago and Santa Monica. The first 100 miles of the old Route 66 features stops along the Heritage Corridor.

“Route 66 represents a time when people traveled these two lane roads and would stop to speak with the locals and get a feel for the area,” Navarro says.

Public Landing

Catch up on the Mother Road’s history with a stop at the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum, 110 W. Howard St. in Pontiac. This repository features thousands of pieces of historic memorabilia, including signage and old gas pumps.

There’s nothing on a road trip like stopping to snap a shot at a roadside attraction. Many of original attractions from Route 66’s glory days are still around, including the Gemini Giant, located at 810 E. Baltimore St. in Wilmington. Named in honor of the Gemini space program, this 30-footstatue is one of the few Muffler Man statues still up today. For the ultimate “cell-fie,” head to downtown Gardner where visitors can go behind bars at the two-cell jail, built in 1906 and recently restored.

For unique dining, step back into the 1950s at the Polk-a-Dot Drive In, 222 N. Front St. in Braidwood. Diners can select their dinner music from the tableside jukebox and get their picture taken next to statues of 50s icons like Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe.

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WHY WAIT

for the

WEEKEND?

Located less than two hours from Chicago, it’s hard to believe that stunning scenic overlooks, majestic canyons and seasonal waterfalls are waiting for you to explore their beauty. All of this and historic Starved Rock Lodge are nestled within Starved Rock State Park located near Utica, Illinois.

Why wait for the weekend? Escape to Starved Rock!Take our suggestion and book a midweek getaway.You’ll find a greater sense of peace and quiet than you would on the weekends.Kick back and unwind in the indoor pool, hot tub and sauna or schedule a therapeutic,hot stone massage.

At Starved Rock Lodge, the past is powerfully present in the warm, old-fashioned hospitality that has never gone out of style. It’s been the hallmark of this charming destination since guests first stepped through the doors back in the late 1930’s. Built by the men of the Civilian Conservation Corps, the ambiance of yesteryear is still present in the Lodge and cabins.

Outdoor adventure awaits with a hike to the top of the Rock being first on the list of fun things to do.

Add a river cruise aboard the Eagle I with lunch or dinner included in your ticket price. Hike the trails on your own or go with an experienced guide like Geology Joe. He’ll tell you fun facts and turn your walk in the park into a wonderful memory.

A wide variety of midweek overnight packages are available from “History on Horseback” at Cedar Creek Ranch to the “Hops & Hideaway” option which lets you try craft beer at Tangled Roots Brewing Company.

ADVERTISEMENT

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Celebrate a special occasion and toast to it with Starved Rock Bubbly or visit August Hill Winery and see why their award-winning wines are among the best on the market.

Enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner in the Main Dining Room. Outdoor dining on the Veranda combines great food with the best view in LaSalle County.

There’s no better way to learn about the rich past of Starved Rock than on a Historic Trolley Tour (offered daily from June-October).One of the most popular activities are the musical tribute shows in the Great Hall.These matinees are paired with a delicious lunch buffet.From Nashville to Broadway,the talented vocalists will take you on a nostalgic walk down memory lane when you attend a “Tribute to the Stars” performance.

Call the friendly staff toll-free at (800) 868-7625 or visit the Lodge website to learn more: starvedrocklodge.com W H E R E T H E PA S T I S A LWAY S P R E S E N T T M

| 2688 EAST 873 RD ROAD | OGLESBY, IL 61348 | (800) 868-7625 | StarvedRockLodge.com 7/9/19 4:06 PM

Matthiessen Falls

Sports & Recreation

If fried chicken is your comfort food of choice, there are two great spots to get your fix. Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket, 645 Joliet Road in Willowbrook, has been serving motorists its famous fried chicken since 1946. Down the road is White Fence Farm, 1376 Joliet Road in Romeoville. The eatery is part museum with old cars and games lined up in the lobby.

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Racing fans can check out car races along the old Route 66 in Joliet. Chicagoland Speedway, 500 Speedway Blvd., hosts community events throughout the year, such as a trunk-or-treat. Its sister track, Route 66 Raceway, is a drag racing facility and home of the NHRA Route 66 Nationals.  STARVED ROCK It might not be the biggest park, but Starved Rock State Park is one of the busiest, Navarro says.

The park at 2668 East 873 Road in Oglesby offers 13 miles of trails for hiking. Spend the day fishing or hunting, or catch up on the area’s history with interactive exhibits at

White Fence Farm

the Visitors Center. The Starved Rock Lodge and Convention Center is the only lodging inside the park. Stay in the lodge or book a log cabin in the woods.

a snack platter with cheese, meats, crackers, grapes and olives. The tasting room at Illinois River Winery serves up more than 30 handcrafted wines.

Located a few miles south is Matthiessen State Park, 2568 E. 950th Road in Oglesby. Beautiful rock formations encompass this state park, where visitors can go camping, fishing, horseback riding, hiking and biking.

If beer is your beverage of choice, then partake in craft brew selection at the Tangled Roots Brewing Company, 812 LaSalle St. in Ottawa. The “farmto-foam” experience shows visitors how beers are made. Tangled Roots is one of the craft breweries found on the Heritage Corridor Ale Trail (www. heritagecorridoraletrail.com).

Whichever park you choose, at the end of the day there are plenty of eateries in the area where you can unwind. For dinner with a view, Captain’s Cove Bar and Grill offers breathtaking views of the Illinois River.

Located at 1 Dee Bennett in Ottawa, Captain’s Cove serves up a variety of fish from margarita Mahi and orange ginger salmon to Malibu coconut shrimp and potato crusted grouper.

After dinner, indulge in a glass of locally produced wine at August Hill Winery, 106 Mill St., and Illinois River Winery, 723 S. Clark St., both in Utica.

August Hill features three tasting areas for sampling wine selections and noshing on chocolate, bread or

“People can register and get a stamp when they check into local breweries for a chance to win prizes,” Navarro says. There also are trails for burgers and antiques along the Heritage Corridor, he adds.

Thrill seekers can get a unique view of Starved Rock as they descend down to Earth from 13,000 feet. Skydive Chicago, 3215 E. 1969th Road in Ottawa, offers classes for beginner and veteran skydivers.

Learn more about other Heritage Corridor destinations at www. heritagecorridorcvb.com.

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Arts & Entertainment

OFF-BEAT AND OFF THE MAIN DR A

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La Grange’s west side festival celebrates every kind of art

By Wendy Foster

F

or the 24th consecutive time, LaGrange will pay homage to all things creative as it holds its annual West End Arts Fest. The family-friendly event will take place on September 7 and 8 in the area around the Stone Avenue Metra Station.

“Each year, the West End Arts Fest does an exceptional job of wrapping up the community’s love of art in all forms,” says Barbara Cummings, executive director of LaGrange Business Association, which oversees the event.

The West End Arts Fest is the result of “a concerted effort by people to draw attention to the vibrant arts community in LaGrange, while also drawing attention to our historic west end,” says Cummings. In addition to visual arts, the event features culinary and performing arts as well as fine wine. “It’s really an appreciation for the finest things of life, and finding the art in all

sorts of ways.”

This year, Cummings says, the juried art show will bring in approximately 65 artists from throughout the Midwest. On display will be sculptures, paintings, photography, jewelry, pottery, and textile art. “In addition to professionals,” Cummings added, “we highlight student artists from Lyons Township High School. We’re right outside the front door of their north campus, so it’s a perfect fit.” Additionally, students from Nazareth High School are creating a mural on an outside brick wall of their building.

There will be a ribbon cutting for the work of art as part of the Fest.

New this year, will be a display of artwork created by clients of Helping Hand in Countryside. The not-for-profit organization provides programs and services for children and adults with developmental disabilities.

Clients in Helping Hand’s day program will be displaying and selling artwork, including

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R AG 2019 West End Arts Festival September 7th September 8th www.LaGrangeEvents.com Admission is free participants to wear while they’re painting. Bob Ross is trendy right now,” Cummings says.

framed canvases, ceramics, and notecards at the event.

Some of Helping Hands’ artists will be on hand to discuss their work.

As the West End Arts Fest has grown over the years, so too has the effort to make it increasingly interactive.

“This year, we’re bringing in sidewalk chalk art. Families can buy a sidewalk square and decorate it, and there will be chalk artists on hand to help,” says Cummings.

LaGrange business Bottle and Bottega is adding a fun interactive event. “They’re offering art instruction in the style of famous artist Bob Ross. Tickets for this will include a Bob Ross wig for

The product of LaGrange’s annual community art project will be auctioned during the West End Arts Fest. The project, which is sponsored by local businesses and is on display throughout the business district, changes every year. This year, the theme is Fun and Games in LaGrange, and it features whimsical pine tables that are hand-painted. Each has a checkerboard on top and is decorated. Some of the businesses have checkers or chess sets for people to use. Proceeds from the auction, which will be held on September 7th, will benefit local not-for-profit organizations.

The Art of Food Tent will feature culinary demonstrations from local chefs. ”The chefs are

passionate about their craft,” says Cummings.

An Art of Wine Tent will offer a selection of 40 varietals along with tastings and commentary from wine sommeliers, who Cummings says will speak to the intricacies of different wines,

ART OF MUSIC TENT JAZZ LINE UP  Saturday, September 7 10 a.m. | Nick Roach Quartet 12 noon | Badass Gumbo 2 p.m. | High Hat Second Line 4 p.m. | The Chandelier Swingers

Each year, the Fest’s Art of Music Tent serves up a salute to jazz. “We have a line-up of great musicians this year including one New Orleans jazz style group,” says Cummings.

7 p.m. | The Big Lagniappe

The setting of the Fest is very special. The historic Stone Avenue Metra Station “feels very unique and intimate…almost bucolic. It’s calming and serene and very beautiful. This event is really a chance to celebrate the arts while saying ‘so long’ to summer. It’s a fond farewell to the summer season and an entryway into the fall,” concluded Cummings.

ART OF FOOD Culinary demonstration (most are still tba) include Executive Chef Bret Bohning of fourteensixteen.

 Sunday, September 8 10 a.m. | Sato Music Studios 12 noon | Idle Oath 2 p.m. | The Corner Boys

ART OF WINE TENT Special wine tasting: $20/ person in advance, $25/ person at the door, includes 8 tastings and one complementary glass.

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COLLECTIONS Pixies On Main Thank you for making us One of Fox Valley’s Best Gold Buyers We stock a large variety of coin and sports cards and memorabilia supplies! We buy large and small collections.

R t. 2 5

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To Rockford

Kane Co. Flea market

We also feature Vintage Toys & Newer Toys, Star Wars & Legos

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HD Coins and Cards

Art. 64

720 E State St (Rt 38) Geneva, IL 60134

DQ

(630) 845-9291

Home - Gifts - Antiques - Furniture - Jewelry & More

227 S. Third St., Suite 101, Geneva ~ 630-457-5587

Me & Dad’s Toys

Kirk Rd

Randall Rd

SM-CL1672833B

Rt. 38

hdcoinsandcards@gmail.com You can also find us on Ebay, Ebay ID: hdcandc

We are located approximately 3 miles east of Kane County Fair Grounds on Route 38, across from Dairy Queen.

VISIT THE Specializing in French country/farmhouse furniture & home decor. Retailer of Fusion Mineral Paint, Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint and Iron Orchid Designs (IOD) products.

27W460 Chicago Avenue Winfield fromshabbytofabby.com 630.417.2331 Mon By Appointment/ Tues through Sat 10-5 /Sun 11-4 Bring this ad and receive 10% off your next purchase *excludes previous markdowns/FIRM/paint/paint products

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MUSEUM Located on Main Street in downtown St. Charles, the St. Charles History Museum offers exhibit on the history of The Makings of St. Charles.

You will find more than 10,000 photographs in its archive and 15,000 artifacts in its collection. If it's your first visit to St Charles or if your a long time resident you will find so much to learn about as you browse the Museum.

In addition to exhibit space, the Museum also features the Curious Fox Gift Shop. Take home a memorabilia keepsake from your day!

Come visit us and don't forget to sign up for our email newsletter for the latest news, events and Museum happenings!

215 E Main St, St. Charles, IL (630) 584-6967 stcmuseum.org

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SM-CL1671090

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Resilent

i v Ra

BY CHRIS WALKER

Artss & Entertainment

EVEN THE ROLLING STONES WILL NOT BE AROUND FOREVER. AS FOR RAVINIA, IT JUST MIGHT.

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a i n i v

AND WHY BET AGAINST NORTH AMERICA’S OLDEST OUTDOOR MUSIC FESTIVAL? IT IS ONE OF THE MOST MUSICALLY DIVERSE ESTABLISHMENTS AROUND THE AREA, AND REMAINS AS POPULAR AS EVER. Enjoy great food, drink fine wine and sit under the stars while listening to music – at the same place your parents, grandparents, and maybe even great grandparents, may also have enjoyed – all season long.

With a decorated history that is celebrating its 115 years in the heart of Highland Park, Ravinia and its three exceptional performance venues, which are situated on 36 acres, provide guests with a site where unforgettable memories originate. It does not matter if you have come out to see the nation’s finest orchestra, jazz, R&B, blues, the return of a classic rock legend or the latest chart-toppers. They all are at home onstage at Ravinia.

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Save the Date 61st Annual

Hill Family Fall Festival of Crafts

Thurs. Sept. 26th 9am to 4:30pm

300 Crafters Food Available $2 Admission At The Sandwich Fairgrounds Only Entrance:

1401 Suydam Rd. NO Pratt Rd Entrance

For More Info: 815-498-9688 Handicap Accessible

No strollers or carts allowed in the buildings

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“We’ve always offered a mix of classical and popular music,” says Nick Pullia, director of communications for Ravinia. “As the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, our classical presentations always brought the greatest artists of the world to our stages, but in the 1990s our nonclassical offerings became a little dusty, so over the past 20 years we’ve made a committed effort to elevate our popular concerts to the same vaunted heights of our classical lineup.”

While the Chicago Symphony Orchestra has a variety of shows remaining this season on Aug. 1-2, 7, 9, 17-18, other highlights include Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band (Aug. 3-4), Sarah McLachlan (Aug. 12), Sting (Aug-23-24), Michael Feinstein (Aug. 29), Queen Latifah (Aug. 31), Steely Dan (Sept 1-2), Lenny Kravitz (Sept. 7), Mary J. Blige (Sept.

13) and Morrissey (Sept. 14).

“We also offer a variety of dining opportunities from carts around the park, to a

grab-and-go market to fine sit-down dining,” Pullia says.

“That means that every time you come to Ravinia you can have a totally different experience, and my notion of Ravinia can be quite different than my neighbor’s.

“One day you might come to Ravinia for a rock show and sit on the lawn with friends who packed for a potluck, and the next you might come for a first date with reserved seats in the pavilion for a classical concert and threecourse plated dinner.”

Music always has been a component of Ravinia, even though it was a minor one during its humble beginnings with a pavilion where guests enjoyed classical music performances. The concept nearly failed.

But the music pavilion was just a small part of A.C. Frost’s plan for the land. Frost turned it into an amusement park with the hope that it would draw people, who would in turn ride his rail and thus stimulate business for the Chicago and Milwaukee

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Despite such attractions as a skating rink, room for dancing and dining, slides, swings, casino, hotel, a baseball diamond and more, his vision failed and the property went bankrupt in 1910.

Such an abrupt closure ended up being a blessing as the following year philanthropist Louis Eckstein purchased the property and established the Ravinia Company in 1911.

For the next 20 years, Ravinia Company was recognized as the home for opera during the summer months. When fans flocked to Ravinia in the 90s to see Willie Nelson and Tom Jones and Los Lobos and Hall & Oates, one has to wonder if they even realized that several decades earlier that international opera performers Lucrezia Bori, Claudio Muzio, Rosa Raisa and Tito Schipa, among others, were just a handful of the many talents that dominated the summer schedule.

Unfortunately, Ravinia was not immune to the devastation caused by the Great Depression and the resulting financial woes spelled doom and the company dissolved and the voices of those famous opera singers were silenced.

That looked like the end for Ravinia, as it was seemingly forgotten for the next four years, but once again the power of music combined with those who adore it, led to Ravinia’s resurrection in 1936 to the Ravinia Festival, as it continues to be known today, over 80 years later. It also became the summertime home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Throughout the remainder of the 1930s and ’40s, the festival continued to take shape while the Chicago Symphony Orchestra remained popular along with jazz performers, including Benny Goodman, chamber concerts and dance/ballet performances.

Disaster struck in the spring of 1949 when the pavilion

EGYPTIAN THEATRE •FALL 2019 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

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8:00PM

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7:30PM

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8:00PM

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FULL SCHEDULE AVAILABLE AT

WWw.egyptiantheatre.org 135 N. 2ND STREET • DOWNTOWN DEKALB, IL

FOR TICKETS VISIT WWW.EGYPTIANTHEATRE.ORG box office: 815-758-1225 ANNUAL SPONSORS: est. 1851

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caught fire, but a new pavilion was built the following year that provided an opportunity for more patrons to visit.

By the time Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young got to Woodstock in 1969, Ravinia was already in the midst of better serving the interests of a younger audience, as well as those looking for artists who were more mainstream. While classical and opera concerts remained a fixture in the summer lineup, there were more mainstream additions.

Janis Joplin played her last show in the Chicago area during her Ravinia appearance in August 1970, a show that was remembered as much for her music as it was for the large police presence and large cloud of reefer. Two months later and the singer of “Me and Bobby McGee” was dead of an overdose.

Aretha Franklin was certainly a big enough star to appear at Ravinia beginning in the late 60s, but didn’t make her Ravinia debut until 2003, but she performed eight times in Highland Park through 2017 before passing away in 2018.

Arts & Entertainment

“Ravinia became important very quickly because she knew there were lots of kids there, and one of the first things

she said to me was you know I never left church,” says Welz Kauffman, president and CEO of Ravinia. “It’s always going to be not just a star-making kind of experience for me but a chance to really connect to people. And the fact there are all these little kids and grandparents and parents and kids up on shoulders, parents and grandparents wanted their kids to see a legend, a real star.

In the 1980s, Ravinia established its own on-campus summer conservatory, Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute, where it began auditioning the most talented young professional musicians for 60 coveted slots for an immersive musical experience.

Today, Ravinia continues to be celebrated for its amazing history and what it offers every summer day.

“With more than 140 events between May 31 and Sept. 15, Ravinia presents a different concert every day, and very often, a different genre every day,” Pullia says. “Where else can someone find Steely Dan, flutist James Galway, the oratorio Considering Matthew Shepard, Mary J. Blige, Morrissey and animated film Coco accompanied by live orchestra, all in the same week?”

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As an enchanting destination since the days of Teddy Roosevelt, the mission of Ravinia is to present performances of a full range of classical music in its open-air Pavilion and enclosed recital halls, by the world’s greatest composers and musicians, along with a variety of other kinds of light classical, jazz and popular music; to maintain a beautiful park that is welcoming to all and attractive to families in which the music experience is enhanced by a beautiful environment and excellent dining opportunities; to enable gifted young performers to study under great teachers and perform in concert settings; and to develop broader and more diverse audiences for classical music through education and outreach programs and by maintaining affordable ticket prices.

A place as special as Ravinia does have its rules. Bring all the cans of Ravinia Brewing beers that you want, but you’ll

need to pack them in a cooler.

Prefer wine? Bring that as well, but don’t forget the glasses and a corkscrew. You can also bring along your favorite lawn or camping chair, blankets and even candles (citronella ones can keep the bugs away). And don’t forget cash for parking.

Ravinia also items to rent, including lawn chairs and side tables. º“We’re perfectly suited for the age of the mp3 player or Spotify where every listener curates their own music library across all genres,” Pullia says. “We’re the live-venue equivalent of your eclectic playlist. We’re also unlike other venues in that we offer a fivehour social experience that begins with food and drinks – whether you bring your own or dine in one of our restaurants – followed by the concert.

“Strangers set up picnics next to each other and leave as friends.”

OTHER OUTDOOR CONCERT VENUES AROUND NORTHERN ILLINOIS  RIVEREDGE PARK 360 N. Broadway | Aurora, IL www.riveredgeaurora.com

alcohol and coolers are not permitted onto the property.

The Greatest Piano Men (Aug. 2), Magic of Motown (Aug. 9), Frida Fest (Sept. 8).

Outside food is welcome, but only one soft collapsible cooler is permitted per guest. No alcohol or other beverages are allows in except for two sealed bottles of unflavored water.

Bottles must be a liter or less.

 BICENTENNIAL PARK 201 W. Jefferson St., Joliet, IL 60432 (815) 724-3761 www.bicentennialpark.org

Megadeth (Aug. 10), Dionne Warwick (Aug. 16), Annie Sellick and Pet Bergeson with Richard Smith (Aug. 25).

Fawell and Park Boulevards Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 www.atthemac.org

Bring chairs and blankets for hill seating. Rent chairs for $1 or bring your own. Concessions available so grab a cold beer and a hot dog and find a good spot to enjoy the show. Outside alcohol not permitted but you can bring a picnic basket of other goodies.

MAC concessions are available at all concerts and movies.

Concession menu includes: wine, beer, soda, special drinks, hamburgers, hotdogs, desserts, popcorn and snacks. Outside

Polka Night! (Aug. 15), School Daze & Beatles Night (Aug. 22), Season Grand Finale: Joliet Township High School Orchestra and Joliet American Legion Band (Aug. 29).

 MCANINCH ARTS CENTER

(MAC) AT COLLEGE OF DUPAGE

GENEVA’S FestivaL aL OF THE Vine SEPTEMBER 6–8, 2019

Cheers to you!

Geneva’s Festival of the Vine is the perfect blend of good wine, good food and good fun for the whole family. Taste wines from around ound the world. Sample mouth-watering specialties from Geneva’s acclaimed eateries at our Flavor Fare. Find unique gifts at our incredible edible Fine Arts and Crafts show. For events schedule and details, go to genevachamber.com. We hope to see you there!

A picture postcard .

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630-232-6060 • genevachamber.com

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MEET THE BAND

Good s vibration

Beach boys join outdoor summer lineup at Ravinia Arts & Entertainment

BY ALAN SCULLEY PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BEACH BOYS

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L

ast summer, Beach Boys lead singer Mike Love got together with former Beach Boys members Brian Wilson, Al Jardine and David Marks (as well as current Beach Boy Bruce Johnston) for a question and answer session on Sirius-SM radio to promote the service’s Beach Boys channel.

On the surface, it seemed like a gettogether that could have been quite awkward. Instead, Love said there were nothing but good vibrations that day.

“It was very positive, that whole gettogether. Nothing about that Sirius

thing was negative, as far as I can see,” Love said in a recent phone interview.

A key reason one might have expected a chilly atmosphere that day on Sirius goes back to a 50th anniversary tour in 2012 that ended in what seemed to be an abrupt manner. The move was widely viewed as a firing of Wilson, Jardine and Marks, and Love was villainized for the tour’s demise. Of course, that was nothing new for Love, who has been branded, mainly by fans of Brian Wilson, as one of the biggest jerks in music, largely for his treatment of Wilson (more

on that in a bit).

To his credit, Love was plenty amiable in this interview, spending a generous 45 minutes talking about, among other things, his recent solo albums and the Beach Boys, the group he co-founded in 1961 with three cousins, brothers Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson and friend Jardine. He responded directly to queries about the reunion tour and other issues that, as he put it in his 2017 autobiography, “Good Vibrations: My Life as a Beach Boy,” have made him the “anti-Christ” to Brian Wilson fans.

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BEACH BOYS are slated to perform at Ravinia with Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band on August 4

He maintains he didn’t fire anyone from the Beach Boys and that the 70 shows the group played exceeded the 50 that were required in the contract.

A main issue, Love said, was the cost of reunion tour. “(There was) lots of production, lots of trucks and buses and stuff like that, stuff that I was never consulted on,” he elaborated. “It’s not the way I like to do things. It sort of got out of control, as far as I was concerned.”

Another issue that has earned Love the ire of Wilson fans is the former’s early ‘90s lawsuit against Wilson, in which Love successfully gained songwriting credits to 35 songs. (Love wrote at least some of the lyrics for many early Beach Boys songs, including hits like ‘California Girls’ and ‘I Get Around’ and ‘Help Me Rhonda.’) It’s one of multiple lawsuits that have been filed over the years by Love against Wilson.

Love blames Wilson’s father, Murry, who managed the Beach Boys in the early years, for excluding him in the songwriting credits. Love said because Murry had passed away, his only recourse to get songwriting credits was to sue Brian Wilson.

In the end, Love won his case and he and his cousin settled on a reported payment of $5 million for Love’s share of the royalties.

The singer said he addressed this most famous of the lawsuits in his autobiography because he felt he needed to present his side of the story.

“There was always the perception that my cousin Brian did all the writing as well as the producing and stuff like that. That was not true,” Love said. “I was the co-author of so many of the big hits. It’s just an unfortunate thing that happens, a terrible thing, because you have your uncle and your cousin, I don’t think of cheating people,

Oscar Swan Presents

and yet there are plenty that do, and my uncle was one of them. And of course, my cousin, Brian, was powerless to do anything about anything that was regarding his father, who was very abusive. So it was just an unfortunate reality that happened in the early years of our group.”

That explanation doesn’t figure to change the minds of Love’s critics, and Love simply goes on about his business, leading the current edition of the Beach Boys through an extensive touring schedule. The group plays generous two-set shows that run two hours-plus each night, seeking to spread good vibes all the way around.

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In addition to touring, Love has also stepped up his recording activity lately. In 2017, he released a studio album, “Unleash The Love,” which featured unreleased songs he had written and recorded going back as long as a decade plus, as well a disc of Beach Boys hits rerecorded by the current group.

Love’s label, BMG, suggested doing the project, Love said.

“I’d had a stockpile of songs I’d recorded over the years, but I never put them out. BMG was willing enough to put them out,” he said.

Then this past fall, he released a holiday album, “Reason for the Season.” It featured three original tunes, a few lighthearted holiday favorites and five traditional songs recorded with four of Love’s children (Ambha, Brian, Christian and Hayleigh), a facet that made the album special for Love.

“The songs (featuring Love and his children) themselves were classic and beautiful,” Love said.

“I think we did a really great job.

It was a joy to sing harmony with my kids. I had a little lead part, too. So that emotionally was a really nice album.”

1800 West State Street, Geneva, IL 60134 (630) 232-0173 • nina@oscarswan.com www.OscarSwan.com NEIGHBORHOOD TOURIST

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Arts & Entertainment

Hot harmonies

MEET THE BAND

26

PENTATONIX BRING POP FAVORITES TO LIFE WITH TRENDY A CAPELLA VIBE

BY ALAN SCULLEY | PHOTO BY JIRO-SCHNEIDER

S

cott Hoying, vocalist in the a cappella group Pentatonix, admits that doing an album of current top 40 covers, such as the group’s latest album, “Top Pops, Vol. 1,” could be seen as a step back, considering it comes after a self-titled album on which the group upped the creative ante by recording only original songs.

“Yeah, there were a handful of fans that were like why would they go back to just top 40 stuff?” Hoying acknowledged in a recent phone interview.

But there were good reasons why doing their versions of recent pop hits, even if it would be seen as being less ambitious than the “Pentatonix” album,

was the right project at the right time for the group.

For one thing, the group realized that taking hit songs and reinventing them as a cappella performances was what fans like most about Pentatonix.

“We decided we wanted to kind of go back to our roots for a second,” Hoying said. “What started Pentatonix and what kind of blew us up was doing covers, kind of the charm of what we did. Then we kind of graduated into originals, which was great. But we felt like we, in some ways, had lost that original charm of Pentatonix. So this album was a way to bring that back.”

Hoying is right on the money in pinpointing that as the path that made Pentatonix a platinumselling success story.

The Pentatonix story goes back to 2011, when high school friends from Arlington, Texas Hoying, Kirstin Maldonado and Mitch Grassi decided to audition for the NBC show “The SingOff.” In learning that groups needed at least five members, the trio recruited bass vocalist Avi Kaplan and singer/beat boxer Kevin “K.O.” Olusola, to complete the lineup.

Pentatonix won season three of “The Sing-Off” – claiming the top prize of $200,000 and a deal with Epic Records. But before Pentatonix could even release

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an album, Epic dropped the group, feeling Pentatonix didn’t fit the label’s plans.

Undeterred, the group got signed by Madison Gate, a small Sony-owned label that mostly released soundtracks.

Madison Gate released a debut EP, “PTX, Volume 1,” in June 2012, followed that November by a Christmas EP, “PTXmas.” Around the same time, the group started a You Tube channel, on which it posted videos of songs (mostly their versions of hit songs like “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye, “Gangman Style” by PSY and “We Are Young”

by Fun), many of which went viral. But the big one was a medley of Daft Punk songs, which got 10 million views in the first week of its release in November 2013 and went on to top 150 million views.

With those achievements in hand, Pentatonix landed a major label deal with RCA, releasing a steady stream of music – three EPs, two holiday albums and the 2015 self-titled release.

But by 2017, the time for a pit stop had arrived. The wear and tear from six years of work prompted Kaplan to leave Pentatonix, and the group as a whole was ready to tackle some outside musical ventures.

“Basically, we had been going non-stop for six years,” Hoying said. “Then when Avi decided he needed to take time for himself and leave the group, we were like this is a good time, while we search for a new bass, which we don’t want to rush. We all can become creatively refreshed and do our own things.”

That’s exactly what happened. Hoying and Grassi released an EP by their side group, Superfruit, while Maldanado did a solo EP, “LOVE,” and performed on Broadway in “Kinky Boots.” And while those

projects were under way, Matt Sallee emerged from a pool of 80 applicants as the choice to replace Kaplan.

Not wanting a long gap between Pentatonix releases, doing an album of recent (or newer) top 40 covers became an idea that made practical sense.

“Doing an original album takes months and months.

We can do a cover album in like about a month or less,” Hoying said. “So not only did it (“Top Pop”) bring us back to our roots, it was more time efficient and it was during a pretty stressful time.”

“Top Pop, Vol. 1” is perhaps a bit safe, but is nonetheless entertaining, as the quintet deftly blends voices and vocally created beats and bass lines on such hits as Camila Cabello’s “Havana,” Charlie Puth’s “Attention,” Portugal, The Man’s “Feel It Still” and a medley of Dua Lipa’s “New Rules” and Aaliyah’s “Are You That Somebody?”

Now on tour in support of the new album, Hoying promised a show that runs about a half-hour longer than any previous Pentatonix show, a set list that encompasses “Top Pop, Vol. 1,” the self-titled album and more (figure a new non-album single, “Waving Through a Window” from the musical “Dear Evan Hansen” will be included), plenty of choreography and a visual presentation suited to the amphitheaters that are hosting the concerts, complete with huge video screens that emulate the cover of the new album.

“Since these crowds are so massive and these venues are so cool, we wanted our production to like really be big and extravagant so everyone all the way in the back can see the screens.

We wanted it to be an experience,” Hoying said.

for Summertime Sun & Fun! Summertime in DeKalb County offers plenty of fun in the sun for your family! Come join us for your stay and play weekend!

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877/335-2521 NEIGHBORHOOD TOURIST

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MEET THE BAND

COMES HOME

Ravinia show to highlight fan favorites

Arts & Entertainment

By Dave Gil de Rubio | PHOTO BY peter c. pardini

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here are many sides to a band like Chicago—a self-described “rock and roll band with horns,” a steady presence on MTV during the early to mid-1980s and an outfit that churned out ballads that often find their way into wedding vows and prom themes (I have personally experienced the latter).

And while the identity of this group can be debated, the one indisputable fact is that this outfit has enjoyed an unbroken string of longevity that not only dates to its 1967 founding, followed by the release of its 1969 debut “Chicago Transit Authority.” Fast forward five decades and Chicago has amassed an impressive canon; in addition to carving out a respected live show that’s come out of a combination of an unparalleled work ethic and relentless time on the road, Chicago has sold more than 100 million

records worldwide while amassing 47 gold and platinum records, along with 70 charting songs.

Driven by the four founding members— Robert Lamm (keyboards, vocals), Lee Loughnane (trumpet, vocals), James Pankow (trombone) and Walt Parazaider (woodwinds)—the band has not missed a year of playing live since the beginning. And while health concerns have forced Parazaider off the road and having his role filled by saxophonist Ray Hermann, the band has soldiered on— and is working on new material while touring. In addition to those players, today’s lineup also includes guitarist/ singer Keith Howland, singer/guitarist Neil Donell, keyboardist/vocalist Lou Pardini, percussionist Ramon “Ray” Yslas, drummer Wally Reyes and bassist Brett Simons.

While the band’s last tour focused on recreating 1970s critically and commercially successful sophomore bow “Chicago II,” the current road jaunt is centered on giving the people what they want.

“This year, we’re out performing with a 10-man line-up and we’re calling this tour, ‘Chicago and Their Hits,’ which is a bit of a misnomer because we’re not just doing hits. We’re doing songs that we want to do,” Lamm said in a mid-May phone interview. “There’s very little in the Chicago repertoire that’s performable on a night-to-night basis that most people are not familiar with. Even if you’re not a fan, you could hardly avoid Chicago’s stuff on the radio for at least four decades. Even now, certain aspects of the repertoire—the music is played somewhere in the world constantly. We’re very lucky. So that’s what people will be

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hearing.”

Given the band’s long and illustrious history, it was fitting that the group was the subject of a documentary, “Now More Than Ever: The History of Chicago,” which was released around the time of the band’s 2016 induction into the Rock & Roll of Fame.

The film perfectly chronicled the ups and downs of this wildly successful group. For Lamm, the organic way it came about helped define the end result.

“The director/cameraman was Peter Pardini, a thenrecent graduate of the UCLA Film School at the time. He happens to be the nephew of Lou Pardini, our other keyboardist and vocalist.

Peter traveled with us quite

talk about. For me, a lot of it is talking about the past, which is not something I particularly think about. I’m usually thinking about now and tomorrow.”

Chicago’s 2016 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame provided quite a bit of self satisfaction for Lamm. (“I felt vindicated for the band. I was very happy for the band. But none of that compared to how much fun it was to actually be in Brooklyn rehearsing and meeting some of the other inductees,” he said.)

As for Chicago’s longevity.

Lamm’s feeling is that it comes down to the basics.

“I credit the songs and the music. Obviously, the sound

Even now, certain aspects of the repertoire—the music is played somewhere in the world constantly. a bit,” Lamm explained.

“For a band this late in their career, we were still doing very interesting projects and returning to Europe after being away for 25 years, along with touring through Asia, along with a number of other things.

Peter was always around with a camera. Because he was sort of family, we were very comfortable with him being around. Every once in awhile, he’d ask to interview us in a way where he’d be off camera. That was a very comfortable situation and after a short while, we became much less self-aware and were very relaxed. As a result, after all these hours and a couple of years, he got us to talk about things we generally weren’t asked about and didn’t particularly

of the band is appealing to a lot of people. The way the horns are used is very different than what other bands do. The idiosyncrasies of the way [they sound]—and believe me, I really had a chance to consider that when we did ‘Chicago II’. Those aren’t even songs—those are compositions,” he said. “Who knows why ‘Saturday in the Park’ is so popular? I think that when I was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, I was, of course, asked to do something from Chicago, which I did.

I think I performed ‘Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?’ and I rehearsed with a New York session band, which was the back-up group. Even those guys said, ‘It’s a great song, man.’”

CATCH CHICAGO AT RAVINIA AUGUST 10 AND 11 NEIGHBORHOOD TOURIST

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The Classic Classic

13th - 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

14th - 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Car Show Show

A special Jazz Performance, the Michael Bazan Trio, will take place on Friday, September 13th, at 6 p.m.

Classic Automobiles Food Vendors Business Merchants/Booths Music Bouncy House More Family Friendly Activities

Baltria AutoGallery Gallery Auto Gallery Baltria Vintage Vintage Auto

4200 St, St. St. Charles, Charles,60174 60174 Charles, 60174 4200 E. Main St,

SEPTEMBER 13TH---14TH 14TH 13TH 14TH SEPTEMBER 13TH

Classic Automobiles Classic Automobiles Classic Automobiles Food Vendors Vendors Food Vendors Business Business Merchants/Booths Business Merchants/Booths Merchants/Booths Music Music Music Bouncy House Bouncy House House && More Friendly Activities More Family Family Friendly FriendlyActivities Activities

SEPTEMBER 13TH - 14TH

0 E. Main St, St. Charles, 60174 AA special Performance, special Jazz special Jazz Performance, Performance, by Trio, will take place on bythe the Michael the Michael Bazan Bazan Trio, Trio,will willtake takeplace placeon on Friday, 13th, at p.m.

Friday, September September Friday, September13th, 13th,at at666p.m. p.m.

ltria Vintage Auto Gallery 13th 13th---55 5p.m. p.m. --88p.m.

13th p.m. p.m.

14th 14th---10 10a.m. a.m. --44p.m.

14th 10 a.m. p.m.

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' Find the perfect spot for evenings with the gals, mother-daughter dinners and more

BY ERIN SAUDER

Have you been tasked with planning the ultimate girl’s night out and not sure where to start? Don’t worry.

We’ve rounded up some of the top spots in the area for you and your female crew to enjoy a libation, get your nosh on, catch up on life, take a selfie, and have some fun.

Destination Dining

 SIXTYFOUR - WINE BAR & KITCHEN 123 Water St., Ste. 105A, Naperville https://sixtyfourwinebar.com

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True to its name, this upscale riverfront hotspot offers 64 wines by the glass every day. And with a swipe of SixtyFour’s SmartCard, you and your girlfriends can select from three tasting sizes, including a 1-ounce taste, a 3-ounce half glass or a 6-ounce full glass, from the self-serve wine stations. Ready to get your nosh on? You and the gals will find plenty of options to make

your whole group happy. Pair your wine with the popular charcuterie and cheese plates, which are ideal for sharing. Menu fare also includes starters, salads and soups, small plate entrees, and main courses.

Gluten-free options are available.

If vino isn’t a favorite among some of your girlfriends, no worries.

SixtyFour’s offerings also include 64 local and regional craft beers.

You can wind down the evening by watching the sunset from the deck overlooking the DuPage River and Naperville’s vibrant downtown. The

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SUMMERS ARE PERFECT FOR

fresh salads At Kitchen Outfitters, we have what you need to prepare the best salads ever!

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SALAD

backdrop also makes it ideal for taking selfies to commemorate the night out with your besties. Not ready to end your evening just yet? Pair the view with an after-dinner drink and dessert such as Creme Brulee or Sticky Toffee Pudding. A late night menu is also available for one hour after the kitchen closes. Does your crew need to make it an earlier evening for your girls’ get-together? Check out SixtyFour’s Happy Hour where select food items are half off.  COTTO A LEGNA 500 S. Third St., #147, Geneva http://cottoalegna.com/ Looking for a fun spot for you and your girlfriends to paint the town red?

Head to Geneva’s quaint Third Street where you will find Cotto A Legna. The authentic Italian restaurant and wine bar is dubbed the “perfect destination to unwind.” Wood fire pizzas are a specialty, but the menu also features salads, bruschetta, pastas, sandwiches, charcuterie and cheese plates, risotti, main dishes, and handmade mozzarella.

At Cotto A Legna, nothing is made ahead of time. Each Instagram-worthy dish is made with the freshest, top-quality ingredients and specially prepared for each guest. Don’t forget to raise a glass to your girlfriends. Cotto A Legna’s drink menu features white-wine varietals such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Pinot Grigio, as well as reds including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chianti Classico, and Sangiovese, among others.

At any given time, visitors will also find eight quality draft beers on tap, as well as an array of girls’ night-friendly cocktails, including the pomegranate martini, blackberry mojito, and Bellinis.

Cotto A Legna’s decor is modern and fun, offering a warm and cozy atmosphere for you to put your stress aside, enjoy the time with your girl crew, and say ‘Salute.’  ADELLE’S FINE AMERICAN FARE 535 W. Liberty Drive, Wheaton https://www.adelles.com/ With a menu that features shareables, soups and salads, entrees, and desserts, Adelle’s is the perfect backdrop for a fun evening out with your girlfriends.

The restaurant’s dishes are handcrafted from fresh ingredients and the variety of options will sate even the pickiest of eaters. Looking for lighter fare? Consider the shareables such as gnocchi, tempura asparagus, or the Panko Portobello Mushroom Fries. Adelle’s berry salad is as fresh as it is tasty, with ingredients including cucumber, strawberries, blackberries, oranges, toasted almonds, oven dried goat choose, and raspberry vinaigrette, on top of a bed of mesclun greens. Entree fare includes steak, salmon, risotto, pasta, beer brined chicken, and pork tenderloin schnitzel, among other tasty items. Does your group have a sweet tooth? Consider the warm peach crisp with vanilla bean gelato, key lime pie topped with mangopineapple sauce or the chocolate truffle brownie topped with raspberry sauce and whipped cream. Adelle’s libations include handcrafted specialty cocktails and an eclectic wine list. You and your crew can also bring in your own wine for a corkage fee or save some money by hitting up Adelle’s on “No Corkage Fee Tuesdays.” Adelle’s also offers Happy Hour specials, including discounted small plates, as well as nightly bar food and drink specials.

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[TIME[ ON GUY

For dinner and drinks in a place that’s decidedly masculine, stop by one of these tasty local destinations

Destination Dining

BY ERIN SAUDER

34

Is a guys night out in your future?

If so, you might be wondering where you and the crew should go for an ultimate bonding experience.

We’ve rounded up some of the best venues in the area where your group can kick back with a pint of craft beer or a shot of whiskey and enjoy some mouth-watering culinary delights.

 OVERTIME BAR & GRILL BACON BAR 801 E. Roosevelt Road, Lombard https://otlombard.com Guys and bacon tend to go hand-in-hand. That’s why this Lombard destination is the place for you and your crew. The one-of-a-kind sports bar features one menu with items specifically created around — you guessed it — bacon.

Starters include bacon-wrapped mozzarella sticks, bacon ravioli, bacon and cheese gnocchi, and bacon wrapped wings, among others.

Main courses include the bacon stuffed burger, bacon meatloaf sandwich, and the bacon and fish taco. Those with a sweet tooth will find an extensive dessert menu, also featuring bacon, including the bacon brownie, bacon

Twinkie, bacon Oreos, bacon root beer float, and bacon chocolate ice cream. Get your drink on with a bacon cocktail. The Chocolate Piggy, for instance, is a blend of chocolate liquor and bacon vodka and garnished with chocolatedipped bacon and a brown sugar bacon rim. Not a huge fan of bacon? No worries. Overtime Bar & Grill also features a menu with appetizers, sandwiches, paninis, soups and salads, burgers, and wings, which aren’t centered around bacon.

Say cheers with a pint from the extensive beer menu or a martini. With a backdrop of high-definition televisions to watch football, basketball, UFC and boxing, this is the perfect place to kick back in a comfortable atmosphere and enjoy a night out with the guys.

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 NWB - NEXT WHISKEY BAR 4732 Main St., ​Lisle https://www.nwbars.com/ At Lisle’s Next Whiskey Bar, dubbed NWB, you and your crew can enjoy chef-inspired elevated bar and comfort food, classic whiskey, and bourbon cocktails in a space that combines southern charm with rock and roll. Start your evening with the house meat and cheese board, featuring a selection of meats and artisan cheeses served with grilled challah, hot apricot jam, stone ground mustard, chef’s selection of goat cheese, pickled cucumber-onions, honeycomb, and Marcona almonds. The poutine starter is also a crowd-pleaser. The concoction includes pulled pork and gravy, white cheddar curds, giardiniera, a sunny side up egg, and scallions on a bed of fries. Craving a burger? The Big Jer comes with two 4-ounce patties with an onion slice in between, Merkt’s cheddar, lettuce, tomato, and Thousand Island dressing. NWB’s mac n’ cheese dishes feature a housemade, four-cheese sauce which can

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be topped with pork belly or buffalo chicken. Looking for lighter fare?

NWB’s menu features shareables, soups and greens, and sandwiches.

Ready to tip one back? NWB offers a whiskey selection that is second to none. Feeling adventurous? Try an NWB whiskey flight. The libations menu also includes craft beer and wine. End your guy’s night out on a sweet note with dessert. NWB offers both a cast-iron S’mores dip or whiskey doughnuts which come with a whiskey caramel sauce.

With its relaxed and comfortable atmosphere and TV screens, NWB is an ultimate guys night destination.  D.C. COBB’S 226 Main St., Woodstock https://dccobbs.net/ The tagline for this McHenry County establishment says it all: ‘Burgers and Brews, It’s what we do.’ While D.C. Cobb’s is known for its gourmet burgers, menu fare also includes appetizers, salads handhelds, mac n’ cheese, and wraps. You and your crew can pair your meal with a

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pint of one of the 24 craft beers on tap. Craving red meat? D.C. Cobb’s eclectic burger menu features 20 different options. The Hart Attack Burger, for instance, features pulled pork, a fried egg, black forest ham, onion strings, barbecue sauce, and jalapenos on a pretzel bun. The Otis Burger comes with a fried onion ring, cheddar cheese, nacho cheese, cheese curds, and bacon. Want to take your guys night out to the next level? Take on The Challenger Burger, featuring three half-pound patties, American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and mayonnaise. Eat it in 20 minutes and you win a free Cobb’s hat. D.C. Cobb’s menu also features options for non-meat eaters, such as the Veggie Black Bean Burger and the Impossible Burger. The latter is made from all-natural ingredients including wheat, coconut oil, and potatoes.

Not feeling the suds? Besides beer, your group will find a full bar and an impressive whiskey selection. D.C. Cobb’s is the perfect backdrop for spending some quality time with the guys.

Outdoor Patio Monthly Food Specials Monthly Beer Dinners Seasonal Brews $3.50 Daily Handcrafted Beer Specials

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Cozy up –

Destination Dining

By Kevin Druley

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W

hat makes the idyllic destination for a date night dinner? Is it the cozy, personal spaces? The music played at tableside? A breathtaking view? All of the above? Romance is in the eye of the beholder (and practitioner), and so it goes with the romantic dining experience. The restaurants below remain popular among many couples, who each have their own reasons for returning and savoring some time with that special someone. Of course, the food has to be pretty good, too.

 MORRIS CHOP SHOP 701 N. Liberty St., Morris (815) 710-5006 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday 11:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday Closed Monday www.chopshopgrille.com Thursday night need not always be date night for you and that special someone, but those who take time for an evening out at the Chop Shop on Thursdays can enjoy quite the appetizing – and affordable – Date Night promotion. For $50, couples will enjoy a shared appetizer, two entrees, dessert and a select bottle of wine.

Restaurant staff update the offerings weekly on the Chop Shop Facebook page. As its name suggests, the establishment offers wood fired steaks and chops, along with fresh fish and seafood, oysters and a delectable collection of favorites including rotisserie chicken, fettucine Carbonara, lamb shank and burgers. Patrons also can choose from an enticing selection of beer, wine and cocktails, including margaritas, mojitos and sangrias. The Morris Manhattan features bourbon distilled in Evanston, as well as sweet vermouth, Angostura bitters, maraschino cherry and orange. Situated in downtown Morris, just north of the Illinois River, the Chop Shop also

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caters to couples who just happen to be gear heads. The restaurant is located in the heart of cruise night territory on every second Saturday night of the month through October. Indoor and patio dining options both offer a full bar. Beer, wine and cocktail offerings are frequently updated online.

option of having dinner delivered to their room for an additional $5 service fee, but food enthusiast couples may prefer the experience of The Chef’s Table, a spot positioned inside the kitchen and includes culinary demonstrations and explanations from chefs and other staff members as part of the meal.

 GOLDMOOR INN 9001 West Sand Hill Road, Galena Call or go online for reservations.

(815) 777-3925 www.goldmoor.com/dining-spirits

 ISABELLA ITALIAN CAFÉ 17211 S. Oak Park Ave., Tinley Park (708) 444-8555 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday www.isabellacafe.com

Just hearing the name “Galena” undoubtedly prompts different thoughts for different people. For some, it’s the intricate and unique shops. For others, it’s the beautiful, hilly terrain and is-thisreally-Illinois? views. However you ponder it, “Galena” seems to be synonymous with “getaway,” and the Goldmoor Inn holds true to that ethic. Sure, the nationally esteemed bed and breakfast offers a full, daily gourmet breakfast, but the menu is no less exquisite at night.

While the kitchen staff considers the Beef Wellington the signature dish of the house, patrons can savor numerous other favorites that rotate by the season and reflect the creative impulses of Goldmoor’s chefs. Recent, late-spring offerings included gulf red snapper, filet mignon, wild Ora king salmon, pan seared chicken Fresca, white Peking duck and a 16-ounce ribeye with separate selections of dry aging. As many visitors to Galena will attest, the overall experience around down can be enough to savor. Still, since you’ve traveled this far, you might as well also have dessert at the Goldmoor, which specializes in chocolate mousse and crème brulee. Guests have the

The Isabella website bills the restaurant as “the perfect marriage of authentic Italian food in a casual romantic atmosphere.” Come see for yourself while tasting the creations of Chef Carlos, a self-taught former dishwasher who boasts nearly two decades in the business. While Carlos admits his favorite dish is Osso Bucco with chocolate coconut torte for dessert, the Isabella menu includes a unique blend of classic Italian dishes and original creations alike. There’s plenty for you and your date to choose from, whether you’re craving pasta or something from the grill.

Other popular dishes include rigatoni with smoked chicken, penne porcini, fettucine salmon, grilled lamb shanks, veal limone, roasted duck and polenta encrusted Chilean sea bass. Reservations are accepted, and if the restaurant is particularly busy, those with parties of at least six – a “triple date,” as it were – may not be seated until everyone in the group has arrived. Be sure to check the restaurant website for updated weekly specials and more.

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Cheers to great cocktails!

Cocktail Enjoy creative flavors and awesome ambience from these mixology masters

Destination Dining

By Kevin Druley

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D

inner is over and you’ve settled your bill, but the night is still young and you’d like to stay out. Or maybe a visiting friend wants you to take them to a well-known destination for drinks. Either one of those scenarios might be a reason to check out any one of these spots for cocktails. Bottoms up!

1776 Restaurant 397 W. Virginia St. (Route 14), Crystal Lake (815) 356-1776 4:30 to 10 p.m. Monday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday 4:30 to 11:30 p.m. Saturday Closed Sunday www.1776restaurant.com Wine and spirits director Erik Nordstrom handselected the drink lineup at 1776, a fact worth bragging about considering the menu has a table of contents and spans nearly 20 pages. If you’re questioning that notion, don’t, because 1776 offers varied selections of each of the following varieties: sparkling wines; rose, Riesling and sweet white; white wines and blends; chardonnay; turley wines and ridge wines; pinot noir; domestic and global reds; merlot; cabernet franc and blends; cabernet sauvignon; large format bottles; wines by the glass; bourbon and whiskey; mezcal and tequila; scotch and cognac; after dinner and specialty cocktails; and craft, imported and domestic beer. For patrons who are unable or choose not to finish a bottle of wine – a 750-millileter bottle accommodates about four glasses, the menu states – 1776 offers approved wine bags that allow customers to bring the drink home. Beer connoisseurs can enjoy a handful of selections from local brewers including Crystal Lake Brewing and Half Acre Beer Company. If enjoying a cocktail or two brings out your appetite, 1776 makes fresh food from scratch daily, offering familiar favorites as well as vegan or allergy-sensitive menu options.

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Puddles belong in the street, not your basement

Brandy’s Fine Food and Cocktails

Common Good Cocktail House

1519 Water St., Peru | (815) 220-1744 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday Closed Mondays brandysperu.com

560 Crescent Boulevard, Glen Ellyn (630) 474-0932 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday Closed Sunday www.commongoodcocktailhouse.com

Heavy rains prompted Brandy’s to temporarily close its spot along the Illinois River in early May. A playful emoji showed a bearded man with glasses and a stocking cap aboard a rowboat, smiling as he used his oar to navigate heavy waters. The restaurant reopened a few days later, and thus continued a much more familiar and potable inundation: Martinis. Whether shaken, stirred or otherwise, Brandy’s offers several dozen varieties, which many patrons enjoy alongside popular dishes including swordfish, bison ribeye, fried or broiled cod and New York strip steak. Perhaps the ultimate indulgence would be two martinis and the Ultimate Seafood Platter for two: lobster tail with king crab legs, broiled scallops, shrimp, calamari and Louisiana crab cakes. Brandy’s marked its 10th year in business in late November 2018, a milestone that left numerous followers of its Facebook page to reminisce. Whether it’s been among central Illinois locals or suburban Chicago visitors to the Illinois River Valley, the restaurant has built a following that keys on a blend of unique cocktails and exquisite entrees.

Reservations are recommended and can be made for drinks only after 10 p.m.

Common Good co-owner Chad Hauge told Shaw Media in September that the cocktail bar’s brain trust wants “this space to be an extension of our living room. It’s about bringing people to the space and giving strangers a spot to sit next to each other and enjoy a drink together.” After testing their concept two years ago during a pop-up experience at The Beer Cellar in downtown Glen Ellyn, Common Good owners have continued to refine it since opening their doors in the fall of 2018. The intimate venue seats about 40 people and is located a short walk from the adjacent Metra train station, catering to locals and thirsty commuters alike. The drink menu includes craft beer and wine along with a small, curated selection of seasonal and classic cocktails. One selection that seems well-suited for summer is the Schrute Farms Soiree, a blend of pisco, elderflower, quince vinegar, tarragon, lime and supercarbonated water. A menu description of the Backyard Bougie – sesame gin, alpine liqueur, cucumber, celery, lemon and pet nat – suggest those who indulge in the drink may call to the pool boy, ‘Bring me another!’ Food is available through a partnership with nearby businesses; Blackberry Market and Marche provide food, Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits supply dessert and Five & Hoek Coffee take care of the “uppers” following a night of cocktails and, of course, conversation.

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ALL IN THE

MEALS TO PLEASE AND MORE CAN BE FOUND AT THESE FAMILY-FRIENDLY SPOTS

BY KEVIN DRULEY

T

 COLONIAL CAFÉ 1625 E. Main St., St. Charles | (630) 584-4647 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday 552 Randall Road, St. Charles| (630) 443-8338 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday through Thursday 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday www.colonialcafe.com Are the dishes piling up in your kitchen sink a harbinger to head out for dinner? Why not turn the tables and eat one? A sink, that is. OK, so maybe we’re getting ahead of ourselves – and the order of conventional dining – but it’s simply a challenge to mention Colonial Café and not pay homage to its iconic Kitchen Sink dessert: Two bananas; six scoops of vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream; chocolate, pineapple and strawberry topping all covered with whipped cream, toasted almonds and a cherry. To be sure, the delicacy that offers something sweet for everyone follows the lead of Colonial Café’s regular menu, which provides plenty of options for all the picky – or not-so-picky – palates in the

Destination Dining 40

he gang’s all here – and all hungry, it turns out – but you’d like to make the mess someplace else. Look to these spots for their fun and friendly atmospheres, plus a diverse bill of fare that figures to keep everyone happy. family, young and old. Out to breakfast? Choose from comfort classics such as biscuits and gravy or a breakfast burrito along with numerous omelets, skillet and eggs benedict options. Lunch and dinner is no different, as an array of burgers, sandwiches, salads and wraps line the menu to augment heartier entrees and fish plates. Colonial Café also serves beer, wine and cocktails along with bottomless soft drinks. As for the Kitchen Sink? You might spot the establishment’s famous Kitchen Sink vehicle at various summer festivals and concerts around the western suburbs this summer.  ALL ABOARD DINER 1510B W. 75th St., Downers Grove | (630) 3228960 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday www.allaboarddiner.com If keeping the children in your party in good spirits is a key element to a successful family dining experience, All Aboard Diner goes a long way to that end by embracing the restaurant’s

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railroad theme. All selections from the kids’ menu are delivered by train. Which hungry youngster (or parent) can’t get behind that?

Fun and colorful train accessories decorate the dining room, tables and chairs, as well, augmenting the experience. The menu at All Aboard Diner is an open-ended ticket of its own, and fittingly includes appropriate vocabulary. “The Starter Car” encompasses appetizers, highlighted by baked potato fries, which tops the familiar favorite with bacon, cheddar cheese and chives.

“The Dining Car” highlights entrees such as chopped steak, jumbo friend shrimp, tavern beer battered cod and All Aboard Chicken – grilled chicken breast topped with bacon, barbecue sauce, cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes and chives that is served with onion rings. “The Caboose,” naturally, is another way to introduce All Aboard’s desserts, which includes brownies, ice cream, cookies, sundaes and cupcakes.

Should your little one enjoy the restaurant enough and happen to

have a birthday coming up, don’t forget to ask your server about “The Party Car,” for parties. All children receive a cotton conductor’s hat, and the birthday child receives a bandana, to boot.  FREEDOM BROTHERS PIZZERIA AND ALEHOUSE 11914 S. Illinois Route 59, Plainfield (815) 733-5626 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday 11: a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday Closed Monday (Above are kitchen hours) www.freedombrotherspizza.com Owners and brothers Corey and Dave Svoboda have restaurant experience in their blood, so what better place to take a family than this brick oven pizzeria that is equally serious about its beer and rock ‘n roll music? While the playlist may change, the menu remains a constant, offering diners numerous

intriguing pizza options named for iconic rockers such as Elvis Presley, Tom Petty, Sting, Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin. Appetizers, salads and sandwiches also are among the dinner fare – and also aptly named.

Order the Grateful Bread if you’re jonesing for homemade stuffed bread with Fontina, Parmesan, extra virgin olive oil and a side of marinara. Is a weekday lunch a better option for a more impromptu family excursion? Freedom Brothers recently unveiled a “U Pic Two” promotion that allows diners to choose either a half sandwich or 8” personal, one-topping pizza and pair it with a house salad, soup, chips or pasta salad. The special costs just $9.95 and is good from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Freedom Brothers’ beer list, meanwhile, offers a diverse selection no matter the hour, and staff keeps the selection of tap, bottle and can options frequently updated on its website and Facebook page.

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A SEAT

at the

BIG TABLE Find a spot to dine with room for everyone

BY KEVIN DRULEY

While some restaurants strive to keep things relatively reined in, others thrive on big, bustling dining experiences where more is merrier. Here’s a look at some popular spots with plenty of room for a large group. Three isn’t a crowd, it’s simply a start.

Destination Dining

 FRANCESCA’S BY THE RIVER 200 S. 2nd St., St. Charles (630) 587-9221 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday www.miafrancesca.com

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While the Fox River might not be the Canale Grande of Venice, isn’t it rather appropriate that a streaming body of water run near this west suburban destination? Absorb the Italian cuisine and culture in a close-knit setting, choosing from such pasta dishes as spaghetti with mussels, rigatoni with Italian sausage, spinach and ricotta filled tortellaci with grilled chicken breast and gnocchi with pesto. Numerous entrees decorate the menu, too, including panroasted Alaskan halibut, sautéed monkfish, New York strip steak, salmon and sautéed chicken.

Groups craving an even deeper gaze into Italian dining culture may opt for one of Francesca’s event experiences. The restaurant’s Tavoli di Amici (“Table of Friends”) option offers a family style group setting in which staff interacts with the party during stages of an eclectic meal of three or four courses. Private and semi-private dining rooms are available for larger dining parties, as well. Whatever your pleasure, don’t forget dessert. In addition to traditional favorites such as tiramisu, Francesca’s serves chocolate cake with toasted marshmallow gelato, cheesecake with a pistachio cookie crust and cream puffs with pistachio gelato and chocolate sauce. A gluten free menu also is available for those watching their waistlines, and even includes gelato, sorbet and crème brulee options for dessert.

 DANCING MARLIN RESTAURANT 20590 S. LaGrange Road, Frankfort (815) 464-6646 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday 4:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday Closed Monday www.dancingmarlinrestaurant.com “Dining is a journey,” it states on the Dancing Marlin website. No wonder, then, that the space is so pleasingly decorated in a nautical theme.

The menu offers a plethora of choices in part because chefs and staff encourage sharing dishes with those at the table. Expect nary a groan from the help if you should make that stipulation. The sharing ethic includes wines – Dancing Marlin has 18 on tap – as well as craft cocktails, which blend familiar flavors with

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contemporary ideas to create a drinks that are all their own. On the seafood side, you’ll find a mix of usual fare (oysters and scallops) as well as more exotic delicacies, including ahi tuna nachos and grilled Spanish octopus served with herb roasted marble potatoes and chimichurri sauce. On Sundays from 3 to 8 p.m., enjoy Sunday Family Dinner, which offers “enough darn food to feed the family (well most families),” the menu promises. For $45, enjoy healthy helpings of chicken Cabernet, mac daddy, fried chicken and smoked sweet corn, as well as a choice of salad and potato. Reservations are accepted and encouraged.  DUSEK’S BOARD & BEER 1227 W. 18th St., Chicago (312) 526-3851 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday www.dusekschicago.com Take an old building in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago, add an ever-rotating lineup of creative entrees and drinks, mix it with a laid-back, vibrant atmosphere and the end result

is Dusek’s Board & Beer, a popular spot for city dwellers and suburban visitors alike. As for the spirits, choose from 12 house-made craft cocktails and about two dozen beers on tap, the latter of which rotate to match the season and the latest trends. Among the more unique entrees is choucroute, a dish of seared duck breast, duck and foie gras sausage, confit duck leg, sauerkraut, caraway pickled apples, confit potatoes and natural jus. If you’re in a seafood mood, Dusek’s offers six varieties of oysters as well as sea trout crudo, among other dishes.

While patrons figure to find fulfillment at Dusek’s on any night of the week, there are various specials on certain evenings. On “Tuesday Prix Fixe,” diners can enjoy a three-course meal for a fixed price of $33. Every Friday, the restaurant debuts a new featured dish to be paired with a select draft beer. If you’re truly looking to stop and smell the entrees – or perhaps take a stroll around the neighborhood – know this: Valet parking is available on most nights. Call the restaurant for additional details. Parking for up to five hours cost $20 with validation.

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WE RECYCLE

TVS AND MONITORS

Visit elginrecycling.com for more info.

Material recycling charges apply.

BUYING ALL GRADES OF FERROUS AND NON-FERROUS METAL. RECYCLING YOUR ELECTRONICS SAFELY AND SECURELY.

SERVING THE CHIC AGOL AND AREA FOR OVER 30 YEARS

DATA SECURITY IS OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY FOR ALL OF YOUR DATA CONTAINING DEVICES CALL US TODAY ABOUT OUR DATA DESTRUCTION SERVICES ERASURE AND SHREDDING | ON-SITE BUSINESS SERVICE Computers

Tablets

Floppy Disks

Laptops

Hard Drives (HD)

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External HD

Flash Drives

ALL LOCATIONS PAYING CASH FOR SCRAP METAL

When you mention NEIGHBORHOOD TOURIST, you will receive $5 OFF the recycling fee of each TV/monitor brought in to anyone of our four locations.

Discount cannot be combined with any other offers.

ELECTRONICS RECYCLING DIVISION

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847-741-4100 Elk Grove Township Recycling Center 145 S. Weiler Rd., Arlington Heights, IL (TRUCK SCALE)

Gilberts Recycling Center 161 Center Dr., Gilberts, IL (TRUCK SCALE)

Elgin Recycling Center 660 Schiller St., Elgin, IL Crystal Lake Recycling Center 5114 Terra Cotta Ave., Crystal Lake, IL (TRUCK SCALE)

R2- Responsible Recycling is a set of guidelines and principles to ensure your end of life electronics are recycled in an environmentally friendly, safe and secure manner.

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ART MIDST IN OUR

Public art in northern Illinois a treasure trove for those who take the time to find it

By Diane Krieger Spivak

F Where We Live

rom massive murals to kitschy constructs to true classic sculpture, Northern Illinois towns proudly display great public art treasures to find and enjoy.

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We offer a treasure hunt of just a few of these great works. Many locales are home to a collection, as are some of the downtown communitites. Take up the hunt with descriptions we have provided, and discover the art that helps define our communities!

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LINCOLN HIGHWAY MURAL | Dixon Welcome Center

Illinois Lincoln Highway Interpretive Murals.

The Illinois Lincoln Highway Coalition produced 35 interpretive murals along this national scenic byway and its corridor in northern Illinois. These depict the history, heritage and events of the highway and its impact on American travel, according to the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity.

CHECK OUT: Illinois Lincoln Highway Interpretive Mural - Dixon. The mural depicts the Army’s first transcontinental trek on the Lincoln Highway in 1919, featuring a young Lieutenant Colonel Dwight D. Eisenhower, convoy vehicles and military men having lunch on the courthouse lawn, notes the Coalition. Also highlighted is the Dixon courthouse and famous Dixon arch. The convoy was designed to test the reliability of military vehicles on various road conditions over long distances and eagerly awaited for a rousing welcome in towns along the route. For information on the other 34 murals, check out enjoyillinois.com, or call The Coalition at 630-256-3190

West Street Sculpture Park, Galena.

This park features more than a dozen large, welded steel sculptures scattered throughout two acres in a beautiful, natural setting, notes the park’s website.

Sculptures include two 40-foot towers, contemplative artworks, a giant tinkertoy, unique signs, and humorous assemblages. Maps are available to take a selfguided tour along the wooded paths. Pieces are identified by title and year at the sculpture sites. All art is the work of John Martinson, who opened the park and has an onsite studio. 620 S. West St., Galena weststreetsculpturepark.com.

CHECK OUT: Leaning Tower of Family Farming. Made of sections of round bale feeders, set at a 6-degree angle. Represents the uncertainty in today’s agricultural market. 2005-2006.

CHECK OUT: Big Ol’ Tinkertoy. Center hub is a semi wheel capped with steel plates and purple steel tubing. The piece has a green stem and yellow center.

VINLAND

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AWAKING MUSE

The Chicago Athenaeum International Sculpture Park, Schaumburg.

Located on 20 acres of meadow and forest in Schaumburg, the park, founded in 1988 as the nation’s only independent museum of architecture and design, is dedicated to the art of design in all areas of the discipline, architecture, industrial and product design, graphics and urban planning,” according to the Village of Schaumburg website. The site, inside the Schaumburg Municipal Complex, highlights the art of international and American sculptors chosen to fit the natural environment.

The garden was planned 20 years ago by the Greek architect and artist, Ioannis Karalias. Most of the sculptures, displayed in outside rooms, were bought and placed in the garden during the late 1990s and reflect the abstract, industrial aesthetic of that time, however, some works that are more evocative, for example the Vineland sculpture by the Norwegian artist, Jarle Rosseland, is a Stonehenge-like configuration that emulates an ancient Viking Ship that was once used to discover the Americas.

Located on the grounds of the Robert O. Atcher Municipal Center, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg, Illinois.

CHECK OUT: Awakening Muse, by Don Lawler, Meg White Sculpture Studios Inc. Awaking Muse is a sculpture, measuring 40 feet across and depicts a female figure inspired by Greek mythology. At a monumental-scale, this muse awakens from her sleep on the lawn of the Prairie Center. It is said that she whispers inspiration to any who sit in her hand.

CHECK OUT: Vinland by Jarle Rosseland, Oslo, Norway.

Vinalnd is a 22-ton stone monument comprised of eighteen stone and gold leaf pythons ranging from eight to eighteen feet tall. It commemorates the 1,000-year anniversary of the Viking discovery of the Americas. The sculpture takes the form of a ship and it measures the sun’s angle and height over the horizon, giving accurate measurements of the planets in the years 1000, 2000, and 3000.

Geneva Public Art, Geneva.

Geneva has a plethora of public art to seek out and enjoy on sidewalks, lawns and buildings. The Geneva History Museum sponsors a self-guided public art tour. Maps available in the museum website for download. Information provided by the Geneva History Museum.

Where We Live

CHECK OUT: Howell Power Wheel, 35 North River Lane, Riverside Receptions. This sculpture was made from the wheel that originally brought power from the river to the H.W. Howell Foundry Company in the late 1800s. The hydro-power wheel was preserved when the building was renovated in the 1980s.

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CHECK OUT: Daphne: Out of the Laurel Gone, 215 Fulton Street, Lannert Group.

Daphne was a Naiad nymph in Greek Mythology, who caught the eye of Apollo but was determined to remain unmarried. She turned to the river god, Peneus, and in response, Peneus turned her into a laurel tree. This bronze statue was created by Jeff Adams.

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Art along the Way, Wheaton.

Art Along the Way showcases a Musical Mare and Sensory Arch in the Sensory Garden Playground, which was designed for children with sensory processing disorders, according to the Wheaton Park District.

CHECK OUT: Musical Mare. The Musical Mare is “a monumental steel statue of a horse’s head” according to Geneva-based artist Joe Gagnepain. “When one gets closer they start to see all the different parts that make the striking statue.” Mallets on cords let children test the sounds and resonances produced by the sculpture’s various materials.

CHECK OUT: Sensory Arch , also by Gagnepain,The Sensory Arch is an eight-foot-tall steel horseshoe spanning the pathway into the playground, playing off of the scale of something small seen extremely large.” Peppered into the horseshoe’s holes are multicolored semi-transparent acrylic panels with symbols of the “sight, sound, touch, and imaginative concepts” found inside the playground.

Gagnepain’s preferred materials for his artwork are trash, such as “bicycle parts, plastic toys, antique metal pieces, car parts, and anything that can be scavenged to reduce environmental impact.”

PEACE RISING

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Looking for more?

The Rock Falls Sculpture Walk, Rock Falls.

everyone another day to work towards peace.

Kinetic sculptor David Montague from Minnesota has two sculptures installed at Fine Line. His hanging mobiles comprise of large smooth stones, meticulously balanced and hung from steel rods to create moving works of art.

Check out an entire exhibit on sculpture now through October 26 at the

The walk took place for the first time September 8, 2018, kicking off a yearlong sculpture exhibition at the Run Bike & Walk (RB&W) Park, featuring Illinois artists’ works that complement the park’s outdoor public space along the banks of the Rock River.

 FINE LINE CREATIVE ARTS CENTER IN ST. CHARLES In 2017, Fine Line put together their first outdoor sculpture exhibit, Sculpture on the Prairie, drawing artists from Illinois and the surrounding states. This year they have again welcomed outdoor sculpture onto their 12-acre grounds. Seven artists are participating in this year’s exhibit, which is an eclectic mix of works.

The exhibition runs for a year and displays a whole new set of works beginning Sept. 7, with a gala featuring activities, music, food, fine wine, craft beer, and interactive displays.

Artists will be on hand. Follow the Facebook page for details. RB&W Park, 301 West 2nd St., Rock Falls, Illinois, 715-622-1100. For more information, visit: https://www. visitrockfalls.com/what-to-do/sculpture-walk.html. View the park’s current sculptures through the end of August.

CHECK OUT: Nemesis, by Gregory Mendez, Decatur, Indiana. 2018. 7 feet. Made for the Rock Falls exhibit, from mild steel, in a technique called loading — adding and subtracting many small pieces welded together. Based on the winged goddess Nemesis from Greek mythology with a modern twist. Similar to Karma, with one hand up and the other down. “But I encourage the public to come up with their own interpretation of the piece. The public gains a greater appreciation of things when they can relate to it on their own terms.�

Of the seven artists taking part four are local. Bill McGrath from Batavia is one of the local artists. His piece entitled Bloom is the first sculpture you see as you drive into Fine Line. This delicate silver piece gently sways in the wind or when touched by the viewer. Bill is drawn to shapes, patterns, and the relationships among materials he encounters, whether they are in nature or human-made.

One of the most colorful pieces is by Jed Freels from Indiana. Titled Peace Rising, this bright yellow piece sign constructed from reclaimed steel stands seven feet tall.

Jed has said he hopes it serves as a daily reminder that every new sunrise gives

Fine Line is at 37w570 Bolcum Rd, St. Charles and is open Monday – Saturday 10am -5pm., and closed on Sunday and national holidays.

Things are really heating up at Fine Line Studios, check out our NEW Glass Blowing classes!

Silver Glen Road FINE LINE CREATIVE ARTS CENTER

Dean

Route 25

Bridge

Crane Road

Route 31

Randall Road Peck Road

Burr Road

Fine Line Creative Arts Center of St. Charles is now offering classes in Glass Blowing.

From beginner to advanced we have a class for you! Interested in learning more?

Red Gate Road

Stree

t

FOX RIV ER

Bolcum Road

W. Main Street (Rt. 64)

Check our website for more information, or call us during business hours (Monday - Saturday 10am – 5pm).

37w570 Bolcum Road

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St. Charles IL 60175

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www.fineline.org

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630.584.9443

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Studebaker National Museum Matt Cashore

Smart Museum

FREE Pass Celebrate National Museum Day at one of many great local destinations for art, history and culture

By Jonanthan Bilyk

I

n 1969, an art exhibit toured the world, opening the eyes of artists and art lovers across the country to the artistic inspiration possible through crafting.

Known as Objects: USA, the traveling exhibition (sponsored and organized with assistance from the S.C. Johnson Companies) offered up for view a host of unique art pieces crafted from ordinary, everyday materials: metals, ceramics, glass, wood and more.

On Sept. 21, the Racine Art Museum in downtown Racine, Wisc., will for the first time since 1969, bring together many of the pieces from that exhibition, credited with helping to lead to museums’ decision

to begin curating socalled contemporary crafts and leading to the establishment of the Racine Art Museum, which specializes in such craft art.

“That exhibition moved the field of contemporary crafts forward by leaps and bounds,” said Jessica Zalewski, marketing and publications

Castle Desk Racine Museum NEIGHBORHOOD TOURIST

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manager for the Racine Art Museum. “It was only fitting that this be the first show when our gallery will be filled with historical objects.”

And Zalewski said it was also fitting for the museum – known as RAM – to roll out the exhibition on Sept. 21, the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum Day. Across the country, museums of various sizes and styles will offer free admission in honor of the day, and a number of them will also use the day to present a range of programming and events to celebrate with visitors and show off their collections and offerings a bit.

Glen Ellyn Historical Society Randall Bullen Photography

The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art Photographer Cheri Eisenberg

In Racine, the RAM has participated in Museum Day for as long as anyone there can remember.

In the years since, Museum Day has come to also coincide there with the city’s fall festival, Party on the Pavement, drawing thousands of visitors to Racine’s downtown.

And the museum will offer its annual Rummage-O-RAM-ART sale, offering visitors the chance

to pick up unique craft objects, books and other items donated to the museum through the year specifically for the sale.

Further south, in Glen Ellyn, visitors can find the Willowbrook Wildlife Center. On Museum Day, visitors to the DuPage County Forest Preserve’s wildlife rehabilitation sanctuary won’t find any special programming necessarily, but will still be able to enjoy the Center’s abundant opportunities to “see native wildlife up close and learn more about them,” said Deb Humiston, a spokesperson for the DuPage Forest Preserve District.

“Visitors can look into the kitchen and nursery to see Willowbrook staff prepare specialized diets and care for baby animals, including eastern cottontails, raccoons, opossums and birds,” Humiston said. “The indoor exhibit area features fish, birds, toads, frogs and turtles.

“The outdoor exhibit area features native wildlife with permanent disabilities, including a bobcat, red-shouldered and

“Sip, stroll and shop your way through downtown Wheaton” Celebrate Summer with 12 tastes $35 person in advance/$40 per person at the event Must be 21 to participate. Must bring ID with you.

Tickets Available at downtownwheaton.com Thank you to our sponsors:

Thrusday, August 8 5:00 - 8:30pm SM-CL1667558

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red-tailed hawks, owls, a turkey vulture, a red fox, sandhill crane, a groundhog and raccoons.�

More than 120,000 people annually take the Wildlife Center’s self-guided tours of Willowbrook’s nature trails, exhibits and butterfly garden, Humiston said, and Museum Day helps to introduce many to what the Wildlife Center offers, she said. “Willowbrook is instrumental in helping the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County fulfill its mission to protect and preserve the flora, fauna and scenic beauty for the education, pleasure and recreation of its citizens,�

Humiston said.

Elsewhere, those seeking to enjoy Museum Day to its fullest can also make stimulating finds at: American Writers Museum, 180 N. Michigan Ave., 2nd Floor, Chicago. The museum is hosting two exhibits on Sept. 21, including: “Bob Dylan: Electric,� which celebrates Dylan’s song, poetry and prose from 19652016; and “Tools of the Trade,� an exhibit of typewriters and

AUGUST 3 WEST SUBURBAN SYMPHONY

other devices used by “renowned American writers.�

Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art, 756 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. The museum’s special exhibition, “Justin Duerr: Surrender to Survival,� will present a selection of drawings by Duerr, who in 2008 connected a series of detailed pen and marker scrolls to create “an elaborate story.

Smart Museum of Art, University of Chicago, 5550 S. Greenwood Ave., Chicago. Exhibits will include “Tara Donovan: Fieldwork,� featuring works by American artist Tara Donovan who “transforms mundane materials like plastic straws, index cards, rubber bands, Slinkys and sheets of mylar into elaborate, mindbending objects;� and “Samson Young: Silver Moon or Golden Star, Which Will You Buy of Me?� a trilogy of animated music videos exploring “varying concepts of social progress and utopia.�

Stacy’s Tavern Museum, 557 Geneva Rd., Glen Ellyn. The museum stands as a restoration of “an authentic 1840s wayside inn.�

Visitors will be offered a glimpse

AUGUST 11 FRENCH CONNECTION DAY

SEPTEMBER 7–8 REVOLUTIONARY WAR

into life in 1846 for innkeeper Moses Stacy, his family and guests.

Studebaker National Museum, 201 Chapin St., South Bend, Ind. The museum remembers the legacy of the Studebaker vehicles and their contribution to the industrial heritage of the South Bend area. Permanent exhibits include “the world’s largest collection of U.S. Presidential Carriages� and the museum’s “Military Collection,� including vehicles used by the U.S. Armed Forces from 1857 to 1964.

Haggerty Museum of Art, Marquette University, 1234 W. Tory Hill St., Milwaukee. Special exhibits will include “Ben Shahn: For the Sake of a Single Verse,� which will feature a portfolio of 24 lithographs from the collection of artist Ben Shahn, including “select passages from Rainer Marie Rilke’s only novel, ‘The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge.’� Shahn is recognized as a leading figure of the Social Realist movement.

Castle Pastoral | Racine Museum

SEPTEMBER 15 CANTIGNY CAR SHOW

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HIT LIST Not to be missed things to do, see and enjoy around northern Illinois

 Tip a glass at Festival of the Vine If you like wine…food with wine…wine, in anticipation of food, and enjoy some great live music to eat and drink by, then you shouldn’t miss the “granddaddy” of all wine festivals, Geneva’s Festival of the Vine September 6-8.

Hosted in the heart of one of the area’s most beloved historic downtowns, the annual Festival of the Vine, spanning four decades, has become a renowned local festival, featuring wines from around the world, mouthwatering specialties from local restaurants, and unique gifts at an expansive arts and crafts show.

 All Hail the Ale Trail If you’re more of a beer aficionado than a lover of wine (or if you just like both) consider a road trip along a great roadway of craft ales and lagers via the 2019 Heritage Corridor Ale Trail.

The trail reaches from Berwyn to Utica, as well as breweries in New Lenox and Wilmington.

Get started with the handy Heritage Corridor Ale Trail Digital Passport. This app showcases some of the best craft brew spots along the I&M Canal Heritage Corridor, and

allows you to earn prizes for visiting and making purchases up and down the Corridor.

Those visiting 10 unique locations, making a purchase, and “checking in” will receive a 2019 Heritage Corridor Ale Trail “Certified Beer Explorer” Pint Glass. Those visiting 20 unique locations, making a purchase, and “checking in” will receive a 2019 Heritage Corridor Ale Trail “Master Beer Explorer” Barrel Bag.

 Take your pup to BARKAPALOOZA Celebrate everything dog related at the 26th annual Barkapalooza. This half-day, family-friendly fest for dogs and their people will return to Lisle Community Park (1825 Short Street) from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. on Sunday, September 29.

This extremely dog-friendly event allows pet owners, prospective pet adopters, and all-around pet lovers to raise money for homeless dogs and cats Animal lovers can explore the Pet Expo at Barkapalooza, for a $20 donation fee. The Expo will feature a wide variety of pet-focused vendors and breed specific rescue groups.

There will be entertainment and activities for kids plus food truck vendors with both foods for humans and dogs.

Barkapalooza will occur rain or

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 Enjoy free Frida Fest fun for the whole family The MacAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage is hosting a daylong event honoring the work of Frida Kahlo, as a kickoff to the 2020 exhibition.

Enjoy live music, live visual art, live dance, authentic Mexican food vendors and more at the campus’s beautiful Lakeside Pavilion, including ring entertainment by Ballet Folklorico Quetzalcoatl, Mariachi Monumental de México and headliner Artrageous!

The event spearheads the Frida Kahlo 2020 Exhibition coming to the Cleve Carney Art Gallery in summer of 2020!

A celebration perfect for the whole family! The celebration is outdoors from 1 to 9 p.m. and admission is free.

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Knit Hats & Gloves | Jewelry | Pottery | Cards | Field Artwork & Antiques from Africa Toys | Tutus Large Variety of Yarn & Supplies Classes are scheduled & private lessons can be arranged, but complimentary advice is always available!

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DIAMOND IN THE RUFF

jewelry for you.... new beginning for them.

Join us Sept 7th • Adoption Pop Up Event • Take a best friend home or adoption fee will be donated • Donation drop off for the shelter

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