Northern Illinois Weekender - 020621

Weekender NORTHERN

ILLINOIS

YOUR GUIDE TO ARTS & LEISURE IN NORTHERN ILLINOIS

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2021 • ShawLocal.com

SUPER BOWL SNACKING Pizza always a good pick for game time grub / 4

‘FLOCK TO THE ROCK’ See bald eagles and stay at legendary lodging locations

/ 3

ART EXPERIENCE

Immersive Van Gogh exhibit makes Midwest debut Feb. 11 / 5

UNCORKED

SHAW MEDIA

An expert taster shares favorite finds to consider adding to your own wine racks.

Shaw Media / ShawLocal.com • Saturday, February 6, 2021

2

By JAMES NOKES

Sparkling wine a perfect valentine pick

S

hane Moore knew exactly how he would spend his wine budget.

The winemaker at Oregon’s Gran Moraine had long been into Champagne and sparkling wines, so he quickly splurged on the best sparkling wines he could find on an elaborate, company-funded research project.

After Moore had worked for Gran Moraine’s parent company, Jackson Family Wines, for three years, and at Gran Moraine as its first winemaker for a year, it was time to put his research to the test.

He’d “asked for forgiveness and not permission,” and added a sparkling wine to the Gran Moraine lineup.

“There’s something so exciting about sparkling wine,” Moore said. “It’s such a sensory experience, not only the sound, but the bubbles. If you think about it, in the not too distant past, carbonation was such a novelty – and that’s built into our psyche as well. Then it’s just the deliciousness of sparkling wine.

It’s an experience like nothing else. It’s kind of hedonistic but, not really, because it’s subtle at the same time. It pairs well with sweets, confectionery, seafood and buttery popcorn.”

Which makes the Gran Moraine Brut Rose ($50) a versatile wine for Valentine’s Day. It has a pretty, light pink color, festive bubbles and subtle cherry, Meyer lemon and apricot flavors, and is the first wine or wine-inspired gift that could take the place of roses on Feb. 14.

Because he has freedom in the vineyard and in the cellar, Moore can dial in his vision for the wine.

His knowledge is still growing when it comes to properly farming the site, and he prefers to harvest the fruit that will go into sparkling wine as much as two weeks earlier than its counterparts. The result is a wine higher in acid, which keeps the flavors crisp and fresh tasting.

“We can plant whatever we want, we don’t have cropping rules like Champagne,” Moore said. “We can do whatever we want. I find it makes things more fun and liberating in many ways. All we had to do is get the right amount of acidity, bubbles and the perfect kiss of residual sugar in dosage. The brain does not perceive it, but when it’s not there, it’s lacking.”

Even though there’s more work and math involved to get the atmosphere and pressure just right, Moore still isn’t done. He adds 3% of still pinot noir to the wine from blocks that have small berries with high color and low tannin. The result is a romantically colored pink sparkling wine.

On the opposite end of the sparking wine spectrum is Sosie A Moment of Weakness ($35), a sparkling syrah that is a deep-colored purple. It’s got a little funk when opened that quickly blows off to reveal bold, brooding flavors of blackberry compote, baking chocolate and a meaty, iron-like note

Photo provided

Shane Moore is the winemaker at Oregon’s Gran Moraine. with a weighty richness.

From South Africa’s first producer of sparkling wine, the Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel Brut 2018 ($35) doesn’t have the pink or red color, but it is made in the traditional method. Simonsig started its Cap Classique program in 1971, and this wine has a sunny collection of tree fruit flavors; pear, apple and peach dominate on a crisp sparkling wine.

If the recent weather holds, and it’s a cold night,

the Very Dark Red 2018 ($24.99) is a hearty petite sirah and petite verdot. Loaded with black fruit and vanilla flavors, VDR has a big, round mouthfeel and tannins to match. It easily could be paired with chocolates or a steak.

• James Nokes has been tasting, touring and collecting in the wine world for several years. Email him at jamesnokes25@yahoo.com.

STARVED ROCK COUNTRY

3 SHAW MEDIA Shaw Media / ShawLocal.com • Saturday, February 6, 2021

Dedicated to growing the awareness of everything the Starved Rock area has to offer

Photo provided

Inviting accommodations await for “Flock to the Rock” visitors.

‘Flock to the Rock’ and stay the night

By RYAN SEARL

rsearl@shawmedia.com

W

hile this year’s “Flock to the Rock” festivities may look a little different, you can still save big by planning an overnight trip to see Starved Rock’s famed bald eagles. Book a stay at either Starved Rock Lodge and Conference Center or Kishauwau’s Starved Rock Cabins, and you will receive a free Welcome Bag and $20 gift certificate.

Running now through March 31, the Heritage Corridor Convention & Visitors Bureau’s “Flock to the Rock, Spend the Night” promotion gives you the chance to take home a complimentary swag bag and $20 gift card when you book a night at one of two legendary lodging destinations near Starved Rock.

Be one of the first 100 people to book a stay at either Starved Rock

Shaw Media file photo

Lodge and Conference Center or Kishauwau’s Starved Rock Area Cabins and receive a free Welcome Bag upon check-in.

The gift bags will include an official “Flock to the Rock” eagle backpack featuring the LaSalle County logo, and

will include a travel guide, luggage tag, miniature “Flock to the Rock” eagle, pen, and locally made hand sanitizer from Star Union Spirits.

You also will receive an invitation to the Visitor Center in North Utica, conveniently located near I-80, where you can redeem your invitation for a gift certificate valued at $20. These certificates can be used at popular Starved Rock Country drinking and dining destinations such as the August Hill Winery, 9th Street Pub, Uptown Grill and the Starved Rock Lodge Gift Shop.

This socially distant “Flock to the Rock” promotion marks the arrival of Starved Rock Country’s famous bald eagles. Every year, a small stretch of the Illinois River, located between Starved Rock State Park and the Illinois Waterway Visitor Center, becomes a temporary winter camp for the bald eagles.

The Illinois Audubon Society’s Plum Island Sanctuary, located at the base of the Starved Rock Lock, has been used as a wintering site for decades, giving guests a reliable chance at spotting the majestic creatures in their natural habitat. The island’s seclusion, sturdy trees and proximity to a non-iced-over section of the river, make Plum Island particularly desirable real estate for these feathered fliers.

Eagle season runs through the end of March, when this rare lodging program also concludes. Take advantage of the family-friendly, socially distant nature vacation by booking a night at Starved Rock Lodge and Conference Center or Kishauwau’s Starved Rock Area Cabins today.

For more information from the Heritage Corridor Convention & Visitors Bureau, visit heritagecorridorcvb.com or call 815-667-4111.

Shaw Media / ShawLocal.com • Saturday, February 6, 2021

SHAW MEDIA

4

Metro Creative

Fan Favorites

Pizza a great play for Super Bowl Sunday SHAW MEDIA

W

ith the Super Bowl just hours away, there’s still time to fine-tune your game-day strategy on the all-important food play. Any way you slice it, one of the perennial champs is pizza. Our readers share their top-scoring performance picks at local pizzerias.

DeKALB COUNTY Pizza Villa 824 W. Lincoln Highway, DeKalb www.pizzavilla.com 815-758-8116

COOK COUNTY Anthony’s Pizzeria 216 E. North Ave., Northlake Facebook at shawurl.com/3een 708-562-1321 Ledo’s Pizza 5525 S. La Grange Road, Countryside www.ledospizza.net 708-354-4500

DuPAGE COUNTY Paisan’s Pizzeria & Bar 2901 Ogden Ave., Lisle www.paisanspizza.com 630-922-4100

KANE COUNTY

Dough Brothers Pizzeria 20 W. Benson Ave., Cortland doughbrotherspizzeria.com 815-754-0000

Charlie Fox’s Pizzeria & Eatery 3341 W. Main St., St. Charles www.charliefoxpizza.com 630-443-8888

World Famous Pizza 142 E. Lincoln Highway, DeKalb jbsworldfamouspizza.com 815-756-8718

Riverside Pizza & Pub 102 E. Main St., St. Charles 630-549-6644 www.riversidepizzapub.com

Aurelio’s Pizza 330 W. State St., Geneva www.aureliospizza.com 630-262-8440

Sam’s Pizza 240 Washington St., Marseilles www.samspizzamarseilles.com 815-795-5755

La Pizza Via 914 Route 22, Fox River Grove lapizzavia.com 224-888-8100

KENDALL COUNTY

WHITESIDE COUNTY

Rosati’s Pizza 1985 Marketview Drive, Yorkville myrosatis.com/yorkville 630-553-5533

Angelo’s Pizzeria 2525 E. Lincolnway, Sterling angelospizzeria.net 815-625-6541

Georgio’s Chicago Pizzeria & Pub 75 E. Woodstock St., Crystal Lake www.georgiospizza.com 815-459-8888

Gonzo’s Rock & Roll Pizzeria LEE COUNTY 9 N. Main St., Sandwich www.gonzosrockandrollpizzeria.com Al & Leda’s Pizzeria 815-786-3322 325 W. Everett St., Dixon facebook.com/ Uncle Lar’s Pizza AlLedasPizzeriaDixon 108 W. Main St., #1431, Plano 815-284-3932 www.unclelarspizza.com 630-552-3535 Maria’s Pizza 420 W. Third St., Dixon LaSALLE COUNTY Facebook at shawurl.com/3eeo 815-288-6969 Bianchi’s Pizza 217 E. Norris Drive, Ottawa McHENRY COUNTY bianchis-pizza.edan.io 815-434-6887 Napoli Pizza Place Joe’s Station House Pizzeria 135 W. Washington St. Woodstock 617 E. Main St., Streator napoliswoodstock.com www.joespizzastreator.com 815-672-2204 815-338-2430

WILL COUNTY Cemeno’s Pizza 1630 Essington Road, Joliet www.cemenospizza.com 815-254-2500 Big Pauly’s Wood Fired Pizza 15412 Route 59, Plainfield www.bigpaulyswoodfiredpizza. com 815-267-6155 Freedom Brothers Pizzeria & Alehouse 11914 Route 59, Plainfield www.freedombrotherspizza.com 815-733-5626

SOAKING IT IN

5

T

SHAW MEDIA

he Immersive Van Gogh Exhibition invites audiences to step inside the iconic works of the post-Impressionist artist, evoking his highly emotional and chaotic inner consciousness through art, light, music, movement and imagination.

The art experience comes to Lighthouse ArtSpace Chicago, a new, three-story venue within the recently renovated landmark Germania Club Building. Due to popular demand, the U.S. premiere is extended through Labor Day, a news release stated.

Lighthouse ArtSpace Chicago is dedicated to immersive art presentations, merging the boundaries between entertainment and culture to give visitors the sense that they are encountering art in a whole new way.

Utilizing the building’s Victorian era architectural details, 35-foot-tall walls and multiple levels (including balconies), the venue will present vibrant immersive art exhibitions that surround the viewer on all sides.

The venue’s first presentation, Immersive Van Gogh, is a visually spectacular digital art exhibition, the release stated. The hour-long, walk-through experience has been designed with health and safety as a priority. Capacity will be limited in accordance with safety protocols. Additional safety precautions include touchless ticket-taking, temperature checks upon arrival, hand-sanitizer stations, social distancing markers throughout the venue, and digitally projected social distancing circles on the gallery floors to ensure appropriate spacing. All guests must wear a face covering at all times during their visit.

The attraction’s Italian creative team, who pioneered digital experiences in Paris, created a custom design to fit the gracious neoclassical architecture of the exhibition’s Chicago home. Immersive Van Gogh was designed by creative director and Italian film producer Massimiliano Siccardi, with original, mood-setting music by Italian multimedia composer Luca Longobardi, who provided a score that combines experimental electronic music with pure, ethereal and simple-seeming piano. Vittorio Guidotti is the art director.

Photo provided

Van Gogh orchards fill the digital art exhibition space. way of encountering art, as it quite literally surrounds viewers on all sides with the brilliant work of one of ■■ WHAT: Immersive Van Gogh the greatest painters of all time,” said Exhibition Corey Ross, co-producer of Immersive ■■ WHERE: Lighthouse ArtSpace Art Space, which operates the Chicago Chicago, 108 W. Germania Place, venue. “Both connoisseurs and new Chicago admirers of Van Gogh’s work are guaranteed a breathtaking perspec■■ WHEN: Feb. 11 to Sept. 6 tive on the influential artist’s oeuvre.

■■ COST: Tickets start at $39.99 for Merging state-of-the-art technology, adults, $24.99 for ages 16 and theatrical storytelling, animation and younger some of the finest works of art ever created, Immersive Van Gogh is a ■■ INFORMATION: vangoghchicago. uniquely mesmerizing experience that com, 844-307-4644 seemingly transports the viewer into the artist’s mind to see these timeless With more than 50 projectors illumi- works as never before.” nating over 14,000 square feet, visitors The premiere of Immersive Van will be encircled head-to-toe in Van Gogh, which opened in Toronto this Gogh’s brushstrokes and colors, includ- past July, received rave reviews from ing animated details from works such critics around the world, the release stated. The Toronto Sun pronounced it as “Self Portrait With Felt Hat” (1888), “The Bedroom in Arles” (1889), “Irises” “intense and emotional, cathartic and liberating” and Debra Yeo of the To(1889) and “The Starry Night” (1889). ronto Star reflected, “I wondered: could “Immersive Van Gogh is a new

IF YOU GO

projections of paintings on walls and floors be thrilling? The answer is yes.”

Both untimed and flexible ticket options are available for the attraction. The venue is accessible by public transportation and has ample parking in the nearby James House parking garage. For more information, visit vangoghchicago.com.

About Vincent van Gogh

Legendary Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) is one of the world’s best-loved artists. He painted more than 2,000 artworks ranging from ordinary household items and self-portraits to surreal landscapes.

Van Gogh was a post-Impressionist painter whose work – notable for its beauty, emotion and color – highly influenced Expressionism in 20th century art. He struggled with mental illness and remained poor and virtually unknown throughout his life. Van Gogh only sold one painting, “The Red Vineyards,” to his brother, Theo.

SHAW MEDIA Shaw Media / ShawLocal.com • Saturday, February 6, 2021

Immersive Van Gogh a unique art experience

Shaw Media / ShawLocal.com • Saturday, February 6, 2021

SHAW MEDIA

6

10 hot book titles to cozy up to in February

By BETHANNE PATRICK

Special To The Washington Post Eight of these 10 selections already will be on bookstore shelves by the time you read this, which means you’ll be ready to spend the entire month reading. Given the frigid weather sweeping the country, that might be a good plan.

“Animal, Vegetable, Junk: A History of Food, from Sustainable to Suicidal,”

by Mark Bittman

Bittman, acclaimed author and journalist, shows how our food choices affect our global economies, personal health and beleaguered climate. With a strong focus on how 20th century changes led us to early 21st century problems, this book is a manifesto for anyone who eats, which means everyone.

“Land of Big Numbers: Stories,”

by Te-Ping Chen

As a Wall Street Journal correspondent, Chen lived longer in Beijing than anywhere except her U.S. hometown. Her stories in this collection, following various Chinese characters, consider the very big question of what freedom means. The answers may surprise Chen’s fellow Americans.

“The Survivors: A Novel,” by Jane Harper

Those who are already fans of this Melbourne-based author will agree: Harper is to Australia what Tana French is to Ireland, a writer whose psychologically rich plots are matched by a deep understanding of place. “The Survivors,” set on the coast, centers on a man named Kieran, his absent brother Finn and, of course, secrets.

“The Removed: A Novel,”

by Brandon Hobson

Hobson’s 2018 novel, “Where the Dead Sit Talking,” was nominated for a National Book Award; perhaps his new book will win one. An enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation tribe, Hobson weaves his community’s folklore into the story of the Echota family, whose lives have been tragically altered by the death of their son.

“How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House: A Novel,” by Cherie Jones

Jones, a lawyer from Barbados, reimagines her home island as Paradise in her debut novel. The irony is that Paradise is anything but, especially for the characters whose hard work and impoverished lives sustain tourists’ idylls. An initial murder turns out to be the least mysterious event in a narrative that moves from present to

past and back again, showing cycles of abuse and redemption.

“Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019,” edited

by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain

Kendi (“How to Be an Anti-Racist”) and Blain (“Set the World on Fire”) present a 400-year history of African Americans. Ninety writers each take on a five-year period, illustrating it through essays, stories and more in a beautiful retrieval of voices once left unheard.

“Like Streams to the Ocean: Notes on Ego, Love, and the Things That Make Us Who We Are,” by Jedidiah Jenkins

The author of 2018’s bestselling “To Shake the Sleeping Self,” about the “quest for a life with no regret,” returns to start a conversation about the elements that give our lives meaning. Jenkins’s thoughts on ego, family, home, friendship, love, work, death and the soul include pithy ones like, “It can be hard to tell the difference between an outcast and a pioneer,” and “Your sense of self is built or broken by the company you keep.”

“Fake Accounts: A Novel,” by Lauren Oyler

A woman discovers her boyfriend is an internet conspiracy theorist, and she decides to leave him, fleeing to Berlin in hopes of beginning a new

life. But can she trust anyone, anywhere, given the magnitude of our lives online? The unnamed protagonist in Oyler’s debut functions as an everywoman for those whose digital footprints are deep.

“Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future,” by Elizabeth Kolbert (coming out Feb. 9)

In her Pulitzer Prize-winning “The Sixth Extinction,” Kolbert examined how human destruction has reshaped the natural world. In “Under a White Sky,” she investigates how human intervention might be the only way to save that world. She speaks to biologists, engineers, physicists and others whose projects – sometimes bizarre – offer hope.

“Moms Don’t Have Time To: A Quarantine Anthology,” edited by Zibby Owens (Feb. 16)

Host of the “Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books” podcast, Owens is a mother of four and the publisher of the online magazine “We Found Time.”

She gathers pieces from that publication here, by authors Sonali Dev and Chris Bohjalian and actress Evangeline Lilly, among others, who muse on love, sex, fitness, food and, yes, books, during the strange past year.

7

By PAM OTTO

Taking interesting dives into the natural world around us, Pam Otto opens new avenues of exploration.

Foxes spotted on the move day and night

I

’ll be the first to admit I’m not a Shakespeare scholar. In fact, in high school I had but one brush with the Bard (a miserable group project rewriting “Romeo and Juliet” in urban slang), and I managed to dodge him completely in college.

While I still have trouble fully appreciating his many great plays and poems, select phrases from William Shakespeare’s wondrous works are nonetheless embedded in my brain.

I swear, every time I find a raccoon skeleton – which happens more often than you’d think – I’ll hold the skull at eye level and assert, “Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio.”

Then there’s “To be or not to be” and “To sleep, perchance to dream.”

And the impetus for today’s discourse, “All the world’s a stage.”

(I wish I could say I’ve read “As You Like It,” but all I honestly know about the quote is what I derived from our high school yearbook committee, which used the words as its theme our sophomore year. “Act One, Scene One: Fall Football.” You get the picture.)

If we look at our natural world’s stage right now, two major players are dominating many of the scenes in northern Illinois: coyotes and great horned owls. Both are in the midst of their breeding cycles, with the former patrolling their territories in highly visible ways and the latter incubating eggs that will be hungry hatchlings sooner rather than later.

But if we peer beyond these center-stage stars, we see there is equally important business being conducted by two diminutive but dynamic groups that serve as a strong supporting cast: red foxes and eastern screech owls. Red foxes are on the same general breeding schedule as coyotes; and screech owls, while not nesting until April, are finding refuge in tree cavities, owl boxes and other assorted nooks.

A top priority for both species – given that they are targets for their larger brethren – is stayin’ alive. (Random and somewhat relevant fact: A few years before they hit the disco charts, the Bee Gees recorded a song called “Method to My Madness,” based on a line from Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” – “Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t.”)

Over the past two or three weeks here at Good Natured World Headquarters, our email inbox has received numerous reports of red foxes being seen at all times of day and night. A few correspondents expressed concern

Photo provided

The red fox, Vulpes vulpes, plays the role of mesocarnivore in a variety of habitats across northern Illinois. This fox is on the move in Plato Center. that the animals were active at times when “they should be sleeping,” but while a sighting in the middle of the day is unusual, it doesn’t mean the animal is ill.

Even though we think of them as nocturnal, red foxes often are described as being crepuscular, which means they are most active at dawn and dusk. But if the voles are busily tunneling under the snow at high noon (as they often are when temperatures are particularly cold), and a fox is hungry, there’s no reason why it wouldn’t go plunging after them in the bright midday sun.

However, in areas where humans are the dominant mammals, red foxes often will confine their movements to the overnight hours – the time when they’re least likely to encounter us raucous bipeds. Garbage night in particular is a good time to look for foxes in action, if you’re so inclined. These animals don’t eat trash per se, but the

cacophony of smells that accompany all those bins rolled out to all those curbs is hard to resist for foxes – and just about every other form of suburban wildlife.

Also present in those emails of concern was the question of whether foxes present any danger to cats, dogs or kids. (Interestingly enough, that was the stated order of concern, too.)

Vulpes vulpes falls under the classification of meso-, or medium-sized, carnivore. In Illinois, red foxes measure about 3 feet in length, including their long, fluffy tail, and weigh 7 to 18 pounds. So we’re not talking huge here. In fact, as a means of comparison, my cat Jimmy weighs 16 pounds; any fox foolhardy enough to mess with him would get what it deserved (from him and me both, as Jimmy’s a strictly indoor cat).

Despite carn- meaning meat-eating, the fox diet can vary quite a bit from season to season. In winter, it will in-

clude small rodents, rabbits and even chickens – if the hen house door is left ajar. In summer and fall when berries, plums, apples and other fruits become available, these items are added to the menu along with other seasonally variable items like eggs and fresh carrion. Note that neither dogs nor kids make the list; Jimmy-sized cats don’t either. Unattended kittens and small adult cats might though, and for this reason among others, it’s best that felines be inside pets.

Let’s see, where were we? Ah yes, all the natural world’s a stage. Yet we’re out of space, with screech owls still to make their entrance. We’ll take a brief intermission now, and reconvene next week for Act II and a look at tiny but mighty Megascops asio.

• Pam Otto is the outreach ambassador for the St. Charles Park District.

She can be reached at 630-513-4346 or potto@stcparks.org.

SHAW MEDIA Shaw Media / ShawLocal.com • Saturday, February 6, 2021

GOOD NATURED

Shaw Media / ShawLocal.com • Saturday, February 6, 2021

SHAW MEDIA

8

WOODHAVEN LAKES Private Recreational Campground

So Much to See. So Much to Do.

Hiking Trails. Woodlands. Nature. Lakes. WiFi. Pools. Crafts. Movies. Fitness Center. Prairie. Deer. Pavilions. Arcade. Mini Golf.

Day Camp. Tennis. Basketball. Live Music. Theme Activities. Fireworks. Painting Parties. Open Markets. Social Events. Volleyball.

Shuffleboard. Teen Dances. Car Show. Paddleboats. Sledding. Farmers Markets. Night Hikes. Campfires. Fishing. Tournaments.

Pickleball. Acoustic Nights. Wine & Cheese Social. Road Rally. Golf Outing. 5K/3K. Haunted House. Canoing. Anything That Floats.

Horseshoes. Petting Zoo. Wagon Rides. Aqua Zumba. Playgrounds. Karaoke. Family Fun Night. Coffee Hour. Clubs. DJs. Scavenger Hunts. Kayaking. Tug of War. Food Fairs. Picnics.

Sublette IL | 815-849-5209

www.woodhavenassociation.com

Call us for a tour!