Well, despite the fact that February is Chicago’s snowiest month, it doesn’t look like we’re getting very much this year. El Nino seems to be doing what it does, bringing warmer and perhaps drier weather to the region. Yippee! Getting around town is so much easier when we’re not dealing with black ice from dusk until morning and wet slush during the day. As an extra treat, this year is leaping year, so let’s see what fun things we might do to celebrate. Undoubtedly there will be events requiring online reservations; please make them early, so we can enjoy life together.
We can start the month early with a visit to the McAninch Art Center, 425 Fawell Ave., Glen Ellyn, www.atthemac.org/, where today, Sunday, February 4th, we’ve got tickets to “The Outgoing Tide”, an award-winning play performed by Buffalo Theatre Ensemble. From the website we have this description:
“The story of one family’s struggle with memory loss and aging — sensitive, humorous and
uplifting…Chesapeake Bay. Gunner has a plan to safeguard the family’s future. Stunned, his
wife and son have other plans. Weaving both surprising humor and powerful emotion, this
highly relatable story will bring a tear to the eye as it poses thoughtful questions about personal
choice, and what it means to truly love someone.”
Many of us can relate, and I’m captivated by this story, aren’t you? These three actors just bring the whole thing to life. Don’t you feel as if you’re in the middle of what’s going on? This is what small theater is about.
Today, February 11th is Super Bowl Sunday. On our calendar this is the last official winter holiday, and we’ll be visiting friends in the neighborhood to watch the game, eat far too much food (laced with beautiful, wonderful, brutally spiced-up hot sauce) and talk to everyone about everything. Please take some time with your family or neighborhood friends and do the same.
Today, Wednesday, February 14th, is St. Valentine’s Day, gentlemen, so please be ready to surprise and thrill your Lady Valentine. You remembered reservations, right? Excellent. Arrive hungry, because it’s time for our special dinner at The Tortoise Supper Club, https://tortoisesupperclub.com, 360 N. State St. We can arrive at the same time and surprise our sweethearts with “You’re here, too? What a coincidence!” But this will be a very romantic dinner indeed, so please, gentlemen, get your own tables.
You’ve never been here? Oh, look around; isn’t this exactly what a “Supper Club” should be? Candlelit, warm, inviting, with a jazz era atmosphere and a roaring fireplace. Go settle down and order from the ala carte dinner menu. Whatever you order, prime rib, steaks, or fresh seafood with a twist, it will be perfect. Everything is made in the kitchen from, mostly, locally sourced ingredients. Treat your lady to one of Chicago’s best craft cocktails and don’t forget to get the attention of the Polaroid photographer who will capture your moment and give you a photo and a rose as a keepsake.
Now we’re off to Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier, 800 East Grand Avenue, https://www.chicagoshakes.com, to witness a bold, new production of William Shakespeare’s “Richard III”. Shakespeare turned his superlative talents to this story of royal resentments, a divided kingdom, and a charismatic, murderous, ambitious duke who will stop at nothing to become king. It’s an intense drama, sprinkled throughout with the bard’s trademark dark humor, puns and comic relief.
This is Edward Hall’s first production as artistic director and stars Katy Hall. Ms. Hall is a fine, Tony Award nominated actor who happens to be a Paralympic champion and bilateral above-knee amputee. Doesn’t she bring Richard III to life with all of his greed, ambitions and thirst for power intact? This is great, and I love Shakespeare’s humor thrown in unexpectedly. What wit! We expected to be intrigued, enthralled and exhilarated, and this play did not disappoint.
Happy Year of the Dragon! This morning Sunday, February 18th, we’re going to Chinatown first for an early brunch, then for the annual New Year Parade. We haven’t been to Chinatown in a while, so let’s make a full day of it. Meet us at the Nine Dragon Wall, at Cermak and Wentworth, about 9:00am. We can re-educate ourselves on the history and meaning of the Wall, and then cross beneath the Chinatown Gate. If we start with a walk down Wentworth Ave., we can stop right here at Chiu Quon Bakery, 2253 S. Wentworth Ave., http://www.cqbakery.com/, and indulge in a few tasty bites for breakfast. The BBQ Pork Buns always win awards, and look at everything else: I’ll have a curry beef bun, a lotus paste cake, and a Portuguese milk egg tart. Did I hear you order a pork, sausage and egg bun, along with honey noodles? That sounds so delicious. Shall we share a pot of tea? Are your noodles as good as they smell? Yes, thank you, everything really is good.
In the Chinese calendar it’s 4727, a year of the Dragon, specifically, the Yang Wood Dragon. The Dragon is the most powerful and auspicious of the animals in the Chinese Zodiac. Children born under this sign can expect to share in the dragon’s power. For the rest of us, this is a year of innovation, vision and growth. We should pursue dreams, express ideas and expand horizons. It is also a year to be loyal to friends, as well as generous, and compassionate to others. (Hmm, aren’t we always striving to be generous and compassionate?)
We have a few hours before things get crowded, so let’s stroll in and out of some of the art galleries here. Much of the art is amazing, just brilliant, I think. Don’t the way different artists use paint, acrylic and other materials in such a very wide range of colors and tones surprise you? You can almost feel the emotional power that goes into each one. Of course, dragons are a major theme in the galleries this year.
Let’s find a good place to watch the parade, it’s almost 1:00pm. Here they come, can you hear the bands? Check this all out: marching groups and bands from all over the area (I love marching bands!) Here come the traditional dragon and lion dancing teams, they are always exciting in the way they move and flourish their costume and banners. Now, can you see the colorfully decorated floats, and even Miss Chinese Chicago is waving at us, how often does that happen? Wow, even though it’s cold, this is a great experience, and we’re not done yet.
After all, it’s after 3:00pm, and we all seem to be getting a bit hungry. Perfect. Our next stop. Chef Xion, 2143 S Archer Ave., www.chefxiongrestaurant.com., is an authentic Szechuan restaurant where Executive Chef Xion has used his heritage and his considerable expertise to create a restaurant that reflects images of Szechuan’s geography as well as its culture. Szechuan has the reputation of being China’s spiciest cuisine, and oh boy, am I looking forward it. Who’s with me for this? How about Sliced Conch in Chili Sauce to start? Look at the presentation on that dish, wow! The Grilled Pork Ribs are labeled “Chef’s Special”, I certainly can’t resist that. Yeah, ho, this is really spicy hot. I love it. You’re having the Stir Fry Pork Kidney? That’s unusual; it looks and smells wonderful. There’s plenty on the table to share, please help yourself. We didn’t all order super-spicy food, did we?
Well, it’s about time to head home, but first let’s venture into the park to Shop Supermarket, 2121 S. Archer Ave. It’s on the way, and just look at all this stuff. You’ve been talking about trying some Asian cuisine in your kitchen – here is the place to stock up on spices, tools, and ingredients. Go for it!
Today, Friday, February 23rd, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago is bringing their Winter Series, entitled “Of Hope” to the Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave., https://mcachicago.org/, and we are absolutely thrilled to attend. You’re going to truly appreciate all three numbers on this program. In Love Infinite, by Randy Duncan, the full company of dancers are showing us a celebration of their community, sharing the fruits of intense hard work, and expressing ineffable love and joy. Don’t you feel it? It’s like all their energy is beaming right out to us.
Now we’ll see a Duet by Aszure Barton, who is bringing this World Premiere to the stage. Watch the dancers intertwine, separate smoothly, spin and leap so gently yet powerfully. Stunning, isn’t it?
This last number is my all-time favorite in the Hubbard Street repertoire: Dear Frankie. Created by Rennie Harris, it’s a stunning, bewildering, amazing non-stop tribute to Frankie Knuckles, the famous DJ and producer called “The Godfather of House Music” who birthed just about every aspect of electronic dance music culture, right here in Chicago. Look at this!! It’s joyous, wild, and full of gyrations that are impossible to follow. Watch the spotlight performers, but try to catch the action roaring around them at the same time. How on earth do all those dancers move in every direction across a small stage without knocking each other silly? This is just magnificent.
Let’s go back to the MAC,www.atthemac.org/, this evening, Sunday, February 25th, to hear the New Philharmonic perform “The Life and Music of George Michael”. Meet us about 6:30pm; the show starts at 7:00pm, and features the performance and sound of one of the biggest international stars of our time. Let’s get our seats and listen, sing, and dance along to his blockbuster hits. “Wake Me
Up Before You Go Go,” “Freedom,” “Faith,” “Careless Whisper,” “Father Figure”, and all these other tunes really do have us up and moving around. Don’t you love it?
It’s “Leap Day” today, Thursday, February 29th, that extra day needed every four years (in our Gregorian calendar), to adjust for the extra hours in our annual trip around the sun. Let’s have a little celebration to salute the lengthening of the days, our friends and families, and the good lives we have before us. Cheers!
Ladies, gentlemen, friends and readers, we have once again romped enthusiastically through the entire month. The days are longer, and (let’s hope) warmer weather is fast approaching. We’ll see you again next month.
