Frank Brichetto

Chicago Correspondent

Friends and readers, it’s already May and the warm weather is fully upon us. Dress appropriately!

Before we get too far into our adventures this month, let’s plan ahead for Mother’s Day, May 14^th. This year, don’t send flowers to your mother. Yes, it’s Mother’s Day, but really, you can, and you know you should, honor the woman who raised you with more than a bunch of flowers that will soon wilt away.  Instead, join forces with us, as well as your siblings and significant others and take your mother to a concert (at the MAC, of course, www.atthemac.org/events). Order your tickets now or it will be too late.

We haven’t been to a blues club in a while, so tonight, Saturday, May 6^th, let’s travel out to the Harlem Avenue Lounge,  www.harlemavenuelounge.com, 3701 S. Harlem Ave., Berwyn. The owners are eager to tell us “We are a neighborhood Blues Bar with a Juke Joint atmosphere. We may not be the prettiest but we guarantee that you’ll have a damn good time! We are known for quality musicians that mingle with our diverse customers who enjoy the intimacy of our room. Many well-known Chicago Blues Musicians have graced our stage… So, skip the tourist traps and listen and feel the blues the way it was intended to be.” It doesn’t matter who is onstage, this is good, down-to-earth blues music, heartfelt and pure.

Today, Saturday, May 13^th, it’s finally time to “Switch On Chicago”, so let’s meet about 9:00am for breakfast at Pittsfield Cafe, http://pittsfieldcafe.com, 55 E. Washington St. We’ll enjoy our coffee, eggs and croissants while we talk and catch up like always, before we take the short walk to Grant Park for the annual opening of Buckingham Fountain. A gift to the city from Kate Sturges Buckingham, in memory of her brother Clarence, this is one of the largest fountains in the world, rising 25 feet (7.6 meters) from the water in the pool to the rim of the top basin.

Kate Buckingham worked closely with the technicians, achieving her desire that the fountain’s lighting would emulate “soft moonlight.”  She spent many hours, over many nights, experimenting with different colors of glass, wattages of light, and the control of the shifting colors, shining through and reflecting from the spraying and flowing water to produce the effects she wanted “— and indeed, there is a mystical aura around the lighted fountain suggesting moonlight— in fairyland,” according to a Park District brochure.

It’s daytime now, so we won’t see the spectacular color show, but we will see the geyser atop the uppermost basin spray a jet of water 150 feet into the air! Other jets gush from the mouths of seahorses, which represent the four states surrounding Lake Michigan. Water gushes and flows in spectular fashion, doesn’t it? Buckingham Fountain really is “Chicago’s Front Door” and what a marvelous entrance it provides.

It’s here! Today, Sunday, May 14^th, is Mother’s Day, and yes, it’s time to take mom to hear “The World-Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra” at one of our favorite venues, the McAninch Arts Center, (the MAC), 425 Fawell Boulevard, Glen Ellyn, https://www.atthemac.org/.  Often imitated but never duplicated, the World-Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra is a genuine national treasure, continuing the big band jazz legacy of one of the greatest dance bands of all time. Did you know that the original Glenn Miller Orchestra was awarded the first-ever gold record when over 500,000 copies of “Chattanooga Choo Choo” had been sold? Experience the unique swinging sound of this legendary swing dance band performing your favorites including “In the Mood,” “Moonlight Serenade,” “Pennsylvania 6-5000” and “Rhapsody in Blue.” Mom will love this and so will you. The show starts at 3:00pm; we’ll have a nice brunch beforehand, so please meet us there at about 2:30pm. Isn’t this exciting?

Let’s leave work early today, Friday, May 19^th, and meet about 3:30pm at Lincoln Park Zoo, www.lpzoo.org/, 2400 N. Cannon Dr. This is the East Gate; parking is right here. The zoo is still free, as it has been since the original opening in 1868. Isn’t this a welcome experience? Tax dollars, and private contributions, are working together for a good cause.

Let’s get maps, loosely chart a route through the park, and start with a visit to Regenstein Center for African Apes. The center, just like the rest of the zoo, is constructed to closely mimic the natural living spaces and conditions for endangered chimpanzees and western lowland gorillas. Chimpanzee and gorilla environments and the animals living preferences were researched for years to create effective habitat designs. The areas have fallen logs, living trees, flowing water, and about a mile of artificial vines for climbing and hanging. See, the chimpanzees even have real termites in real termite mounds. I wonder how that works?

Our next stop, over here, see? It’s the Kovler Seal Pool. The pool has an open-air design that includes everything a seal could want: a big pool with underwater space, man-made rocks and artificial kelp (both of which look and feel real to the seals), underwater lights that come on in the evening, and ground spaces that let resident seals decide between sunny and shady areas. Seals are always fun to see and hear; it turns out that they are quick learners, too.

Let’s not miss a thing, shall we? The Bird House is always amazing; how about that Inca Tern with its white “handlebar moustache”? The Small Animal and Reptile House is full of surprises like the White Faced Saki. Will you look at that? I never knew such a thing existed. We’ll keep walking and exploring, of course, visiting the Macaque Forest, the Wildlife Center for Lions and Big Cats, and now for the adult fun.

Oh, surprise! Didn’t I tell you? Today is Margarita and Sangria Fest, www.lpzoo.org/event/margarita-sangria-fest from 6:30pm until 10:00pm. Now we’re talking! Let’s have a sangria now and a margarita later, in between we can buy some of this marvelous food (just the smells are making me hungry).

You’d rather have a beer after all that walking in the warm weather? Go right ahead, in addition to beer, seltzer, wine and cocktails are also available along with all this food.

The gardens are beautiful and now is the time to enjoy them. There are no kids or strollers, a much smaller crowd, live music and a live DJ urging us all to join in the salsa and bachata dancing.  There are a few games too; care to try your hand in a corn hole toss?

We’re spending this weekend on gardening and house chores, so we’ll catch up again next week. See you then.

Friday, May 26^th, marks the beginning of the summer festival season in Chicago and throughout the Midwest. More importantly, it’s the weekend of Memorial Day, when we, here in the US, remember and honor all those who have fallen in America’s wars and turmoils. Let us also honor all the people of Ukraine, united so bravely in their war against the Russian invaders. The memorial is Monday, but let’s try to bring an attitude of peace and respect to everything we do for the next few days.

Today, Saturday, May 27^th, we’re going to the Belmont Sheffield Music Festival, https://chicagoevents.com/event/belmont-sheffield-music-fest/, yeah, baby! This year marks the 38^th time that the Belmont-Sheffield neighborhood has put music onstage, and this year promises to be particularly exciting. There are two stages, each with a full line-up of local musicians, cover and tribute bands, some jazz, some indie, and a few stellar solo vocalists.  Lots of food is on hand, beer, wine and other beverages are available, and there are rows of artists displaying their personal passion through hand-made creations. We’ll be taking something home, how about you?

Today, Monday, May 29^th, is Memorial Day, a time to gather the family together for picnic fun, barbequed food, cold drinks, and perhaps even some Chicago-style 16” softball.  Enjoy the time together, pause a minute, perhaps, in silent prayer, and really appreciate the life we enjoy.

Let’s do something very special for this time of year, what do you say? Please meet us at about 11:00am, today, Saturday, June 3^rd, at the Judy iStock Butterfly Haven, 2430 N. Cannon Dr. (That’s inside the Peggy Notebart Nature Museum in Lincoln Park.) This is a large, warm and inviting space where we can see over 40 distinct species of butterflies flitting and flying around in all their splendid, glorious and yet so fragile colors. Here are pools of water, blooming flowers, tropical trees and even some exotic birds from South America. We’ll take all of this in, watching, and at 2:00pm we’ll experience the “First Flight Butterfly Release” when newly emerged butterflies and moths take to the air for the first time. Isn’t this amazing to watch? Such beauty, unfolding right before our eyes, isn’t this spectacular?

Well, dear readers and friends, thank you again for joining in our monthly escapades. June is now upon us, so head out for your own adventures until we meet again.