Living, Breathing and Loving Chicago
As the weather gets colder (or in today’s case…warmer!) and the day light is harder to come by, we sometimes forget how beautiful Chicago can be. Whether it is an unusually cool summer or a freezing winter, let this picture help remind you why we are proud to call Chicago “Home”.
Gorgeous panorama I took of Chicago's skyline from Adler's observation deck
Dev xx
by guest blogger Ruthie Freeman (no relation to Paul Freeman, mentioned in the article!)
Courtesy of Chicago Sinfonietta
There were really two ways the Chicago Sinfonietta could go with Laughter. Somehow, draw on the humor of classical music itself, or, use it as a backdrop for the naturally charming Maestro Michael Morgan. Wisely, the Sinfonietta did both: its lighthearted collaboration gave an opportunity to showcase musical composers’ giddier moods and an example of showbiz professionals demonstrating their verve. Part of the Chicago Humanities Festival’s exploration of the theme laughter, the Sinfonietta’s November 2nd audience was lucky enough to experience the one night only performance.
It’s easy to wonder what role an orchestra can play in a festival devoted to levity, but the answer lies within the Sinfonietta itself.
Founder and musical director Paul Freeman began the Chicago Sinfonietta twenty three years ago in response to the dearth of opportunity for classical musicians of color. In 1987, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra was all male and all white. Talented and top-notch of course, but a bunch of white guys nonetheless. Even now, less than 3% of musicians in the top 1,000 orchestras are people of color.
Approximately half of the Sinfonietta’s staff, musicians, Board of Directors, and audience are people of color. The orchestra is also gender-balanced, believing truly in “excellence through diversity.” Whatever it is that people typically think of classical music, Paul Freeman has certainly begun to change it. An orchestra with the spark and tenacity to break down institutional barriers most definitely does not shy from pushing the boundaries of what its music is really about.
Don’t forget to check out our “Chicago Locals” page to find out more about Chicagoans we meet.
Photo courtesy of Audarshia
Here is the latest on Rob Levitt, head chef at Mado:
http://makingchicagohome.com/chicago-locals/
Dev xx
Last Thursday, 29 October, The Chicago Tribune reviewed Rob and Allie Levitt’s restaurant Mado, giving it an “Excellent” rating. You can check out the article, here. On the day when the article came out, I was just coming into Mado to help out for the morning.
Every other week, a whole hog is delivered to Mado, sans head, and Rob and company break it down for consumption. This week, I am giving you a sneak peek inside the kitchen to see how this process is accomplished.
Last week, I featured an article on butchering sheep and based on reader feedback, it seems people really are interested in learning how their food gets from farm to table. For the record, the pictures that are after the jump are not as graphic as last week’s, but do feature blood, the insides of a pig and they show, in detail, how a pig gets fabricated into something edible. Please be warned.
Again, I hope this serves as a guide for those of you who are interested in the butchering process.
Of course, as always, thank you to Rob and Allie Levitt for allowing me to help in the kitchen and to Rich Hawley for being such a great kitchen mentor. Thank you.
Making Chicago Home is trying to make itself better. We understand that blogs need constant tweaking to make sure that both the readers and the writers are getting the most out of the site, so we are calling on readers to answer one question:
What should be the focus of Making Chicago Home?
Our baby blog is only eight months old and we would be honoured to hear your feedback. Please take one minute to answer the one-question poll and if you are so inclined, to comment on the bottom of this post.
Best,
Devin Kidner xx
PS, If you choose “Other” please let us know what you have in mind – we love suggestions!!!
Took this picture in Little Italy in Chicago on Friday, October 30. The clouds were hanging really low in the sky and made the Sears Tower look spooky.
Dev xx
Here at Making Chicago Home, we would like to wish you a Happy, Spooky and Safe Halloween!
Dastardly Jack, this year's jack-o-lantern! Ain't he cute?!
Dev xx
Happy (almost) Halloween, Chicago!
Decked out house in Gold Coast Historic District!
This is my favourite holiday and I tried to find some information on Chicago’s history with Halloween to put in this article. I hope you learn something new and are able to come out to Green City Market this Saturday at 9am to take my very special Halloween-themed market tour where I will fill you in on all of the Halloween traditions associated with local foods! Everyone is invited…just look for me dressed like Little Bo Peep!
A preview of my Little Bo Peep costume for Halloween 2009.
The earliest known reference to ritual begging on Halloween in Chicago was in 1920.
On 23 October 1921, Jane Eddingon of the Chicago Daily Tribune wrote the article “Halloween Fal-Lalls and Fare”, which discussed the popular Halloween candy of the time:
There was a profusion, even a confusion, of candies in orange and black. There were orange gumdrops, orange jelly beans, orange buttercups, and chips and hard candies. And there were black (licorice) gumdrops and jelly beans and buttons and all possible devices that were ever seen in black candies…There were lovely and dainty opera sticks in both orange and black, tied often with ribbon and for the center of some of the endless arrangement of these things in Halloween candy boxes–witch and black cat decorations on them–and ultimately tied with wonderful pompons of black…ribbon.
Chicago newspapers in the early 1920s reported that children of Chicago would go out on Halloween in costumes and be rewarded from neighbours with with nuts and candies for their rhymes and songs. Unfortunately, not every child (or adult!) was nice and vandalism became the prevalent “trick” on Halloween nights. This continued to grow through-out the 30s in Chicago until one day Chicago put an end to the shenanigans. In 1939 at the start of World War II, Chicago entertained the idea of banning Halloween. In 1942 the Chicago City Council banned Halloween for the duration of the war, substituting “Conservation Day” in its place.
CLICK BELOW TO READ MORE!!!!
The very idea of the Victorian photocollage goes against much of what we are taught to expect from this straight-laced, prim and proper era. We think corsets and strict posing, not sharp wit and fun-loving sensibilities. And why shouldn’t we? The Art Institute’s new exhibit, Playing with Pictures: The Art of Victorian Photocollage, shows us why we’re so mistaken.
Upon first glimpse of these bizarre collages, you cannot help but feel that you are now part of some private joke over a century in the making. Family photos are trimmed, save the heads, and placed in drawn bottles, pasted on the bodies of animals, decorating drawn frames and playing cards. The magnitude of the collection suggests this was a popular art form. The pleasant shock at which I, along with other viewers, displayed while absentmindedly strolling through the gallery still has me shaking my head in disbelief. We were all a bit betrayed by history.
To understand this new world of surreal-structure and depth-defying imagery, I had to put myself in the shoes of artist Marie-Blanche-Hennelle Fournier, featured in the collection. Little is known about the eccentric Madame B, but, it is widely speculated that she employed her craft to garner favor with social groups. More Bewitching artist than social Butterfly, Madame B was arguably an innovator and felt quite smug with her new documented truths. And what greater form of rebellion from her life as a diplomat’s wife, than to be a quirky artist. Standing there in gallery, we all understood that.
The joke was that Madame B and others saw the rest of the world for what it was, and told everyone to stop taking themselves so seriously. A young boy riding a heron, or a joker scattering family portraits in a meadow subverted expectations and gave way to the absurd. It is a message that had many viewers smiling and nodding either for the sheer hilarity of the work, or for the continued relevance of one looking to upset the bourgeois standard.
For the Art Institute, where permanent exhibits range somewhere from Napoleonic furnishings to Egyptian pottery, this was a welcome, albeit sarcastic, change. Madame B’s album will be on permanent display, whereas the rest of the exhibit will enjoy a shorter viewing through 2010.
As one of the first looks into a new kind of artistic inspiration, the Victorian photocollage remains an unexpectedly fascinating testament to historical documentation. Look for it on your way to Renaissance jewelry.
-Ileana
Michael Morgan, guest conductor for Laughter! Picture courtesy of the Chicago Sinfonietta
I am going on a music binge!
This Monday 2 November at 7.30pm, I am attending the Chicago Sinfonietta’s presentation of Laughter! This performance should be an interesting one, given that the orchestra will explore the humourous impulses of composers and “laughter” itself.
But what makes this orchestra performance different from others? For starters, there is a piece being performed called Dead Elvis. Intrigued? Me, too! Dead Elvis is a sarcastic twist on a Stravinsky classic, Histoire du Soldat (The Soldier’s Tale) and was inspired by Elvis Presley. Lewis Kirk will be playing Elvis…errr…the bassoon that represents Elvis, who is tempted to sell out and become a Hollywood glamourpuss.
If the King doesn’t interest you, then maybe the Brazilian-inspired Le Boeuf sur le Toit (Ox on the Roof) will: It is inspired by Brazilian popular music. Rounding out this lively and fun repertoire is Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony, which re-creates the feel of people dancing in the streets and the sound of bagpipes and country ballads.
It will be held at Orchestra Hall, Symphony Center at 220 South Michigan Avenue. I already have my tickets, but if you would like to attend, visit the Chicago Sinfonietta’s website for purchasing information.
See you there!
Dev xx
