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Cubs can’t harness the wind in 10-6 loss to Diamondbacks

Cubs Hall of Fame pitcher Fergie Jenkins was challenged by 25+ mph gusting winds during his speech following the unveiling of his statue at Gallagher Way on Friday at Wrigley Field. It took a little dexterity for the 79-year-old Jenkins to hold down the flapping pages of his speech with one hand while holding the microphone in the other.

But Jenkins — a foremost authority on conditions at Wrigley Field — knew he didn’t have the biggest problem on this day.

“The wind is blowing out to right field — watch out, boys!” Jenkins said to laughter from the crowd at the unveiling. “Jeez –I pitched many a day coming up Addison and turning on to the ballpark and going, ‘The wind’s blowing out today.'”

Fergie’s warning proved prescient, as Cubs pitchers allowed seven home runs –including four off starter Kyle Hendricks — in a 10-6 loss to the Diamondbacks before an enthusiastic crowd of 31,235 at the Fergie Jenkins Statue Dedication Game.

The Cubs countered with four home runs of their own — from Patrick Wisdom, Jonathan Villar, Christopher Morel and Ildemaro Vargas — but all came with the bases empty.

Diamondbacks third baseman Josh Rojas hit three home runs — two off Hendricks and one off reliever Daniel Norris — as the Cubs (15-23) lost their third consecutive game after winning four in a row.

At his best, Hendricks is the pitcher you want on the mound at Wrigley Field in windy conditions — not only does he keep the ball down, but generally isn’t fazed by wind-blown homers. But he had no margin for error in this one.

“Today, I felt pretty good, to be honest — made a lot of good pitches,” Hendricks said. “They put some good swings on a couple of pitches I missed and that was really it.”

Rojas came into the game without a home run in 40 at-bats this season. He was 0-for-3 against Hendricks at Chase Field last Saturday.

“The first thing when I got there, everybody was talking about how it was a windy day,” Rojas said, “so I went out during [batting practice] to see how it was blowing out pretty hard, so I knew it was going to be a good day to get the ball in the air.”

Hendricks wasn’t as sharp as he needed to be. With two outs in the first inning,he walked Christian Walker and David Peralta to load the bases, and Jake McCarthy’s two-run single put the Cubs in a 2-0 hole.

Wisdom homered and Christopher Morel hit an RBI single for a 2-2 tie in the second. But Rojas and Peralta homeredn the the third inning to give the Diamondbacks a lead 4-2 lead they would not lose. Rojas hit a two-run homer off Hendricks in the fifth to give the Diamondbacks a 6-3 lead.

“He [Rojas] just put a couple off good swings on it — pitches I beat him with in [Arizona] and in his first [at-bat], too,” Hendricks said. “Maybe just pulled it a little more middle with fastballs. Just got to trust my changeup a little more and throw some heaters [inside].”

Trailing 9-3 in the seventh, the Cubs had a chance to get back in the game. After Morel and Ildemaro Vargas hit back-to-back homers, the Cubs trailed loaded the bases with two outs with a chance to tie. But Alfonso Rivas struck out to end the inning.

So if there’s any lesson, it’s that there’s only one Fergie Jenkins.

“It’s awesome seeing all the highlights that they’re always showing here,” Hendricks said when asked about Jenkins. “It really set the tone, the way he attacked hitters, not walking guys — that’s kind of what I try and do every time out. Obviously one of the best ever to do it and so deserving of what he got today. That [ceremony] was a pretty awesome moment.”

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White Sox dig in for another tough test

NEW YORK – The White Sox will have to wait a day to be reminded of how good they’ll need to be to enjoy a successful postseason.

The first game of a three-game weekend series with the big, thumping Yankees, the winningest team in baseball who showed the Sox how winning three of four games is done in Chicago last week, was rained out Friday and will be made up as part of a doubleheader Sunday starting at 2:05 p.m.

The Sox will take on the Yankees Saturday (12:05 p.m., NBCSCH) with Dallas Keuchel pitching against Nestor Cortes.

Johnny Cueto will make his second start for the Sox in the first game Sunday and Michael Kopech starts the nightcap. Kopech returned from the Paternity List Friday and will join the team Saturday.

Right-handed reliever Ryan Burr was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte to make room for Kopech on the roster.

The Sox have underachieved since getting knocked out by the Astros in four games in the ALDS last season, to where getting to .500 by taking three of five games from the Royals on the first leg of their road trip was notable.

It gets much tougher again with the Yankees, who, along with the Astros, make the Sox’ World Series goal look more than formidable.

“I don’t need a reminder,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said Friday when asked if playing the Yankees demonstrates the task that lies ahead. “It’s fresh in my mind enough that to get there you have to win games against teams. And then when you get there they’re all [teams] like that.”

“There” is the postseason. The Sox haven’t looked like a postseason team yet.

“Fortunately I can say [from experience] it is easily the most fun you can have,” La Russa said. “Because you’re playing the best that year and by definition there is no tomorrow.”

La Russa is resting players now to have them fresh down the stretch and for a possible October, when rest goes by the boards.

“You don’t have to risk giving some innings, you’re going to take your best shot every day,” he said. “It’s very freeing. And it’s exciting.

“Now, there is so much fun ahead we have to get there. And we have to understand how much we have to improve.”

The Sox haven’t had their full team together because of injuries, and many the healthy ones, especially on the offensive side, are underperforming.

Getting them right, getting Eloy Jimenez back from his hamstring injury and having Lance Lynn in the starting rotation, should help.

Lynn, looking at a return after the first week of June, faced live hitters for the first time at Yankees Stadium before the rain. So did left-handed reliever Aaron Bummer (knee). Bummer looked good enough, La Russa said, to warrant a possible return Sunday when he’s eligible to come off the IL.

Both pitched the equivalent of a full inning, and Lynn will throw two in similar fashion Tuesday at Guaranteed Rate Field, then another sim game five days after that.

“He’s feeling good, really good,” La Russa said.

If nothing else, the Sox arrived in New York Friday night in good spirits. Forced to wait on the plane for buses after a long day including travel, they turned it into a good time.

“They ended having so many laughs and so much fun you almost wouldn’t have minded if the bus was another 15 or 20 minutes late,” La Russa said. “It’s typical of what this club is.”

“The only thing we can try just to live in peace with ourselves and enjoy life,” Jose Abreu said.

“We have the group of guys to have a good run. We have talent, veteran guys, young guys. We all know what we need to do in order to perform the way we want to. It’s just on us to work hard every day and do what we know we can do.”

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A Trio of Chilled Soups

A Trio of Chilled Soups

Memorial Day is the unofficial start of the summer season. So whatever the temperature, it’s time to transition the kitchen, to replace hearty dishes like split pea soup and beef Bourguignon with main dish salads and grilled meat, poultry, fish and vegetables.
Chilled soups are also an antidote to summer’s heat and humidity. Some are vegetable based, others primarily fruit-based. But in virtually every instance, they’re seasonal to the max.
The following soups are three of my all-time favorites.
Gazpacho Mio
Serves 8
1 cup peeled tomato, cut in chunks (about 2 medium)
1 cup diced green pepper
1 cup diced celery (optional)
1 cup diced cucumber
One-quarter cup sliced green onion
1 tablespoon snipped parsley
1 teaspoon snipped chives, fresh or frozen
1 small clove garlic, minced
One-quarter cup wine vinegar
One-quarter cup salad or olive oil (I often decrease- or delete- the oil.)
1 teaspoon salt
One-eighth teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
2 cups tomato juice
Croutons
Combine tomato, green pepper, celery, cucumber, onion, parsley, chives, and garlic in a wooden bowl or food processor. Pulse, or chop, until the vegetables are the desired size. (I like my gazpacho chunky, as opposed to a puree.)
Minus the croutons, combine the vegetables with the remaining ingredients in a suitably sized container.
Chill for several hours or overnight.
Serve in mugs or bowls. Pass croutons separately for topping.

Note: This recipe is adapted from “Cooking with Love” (Houghton Mifflin Company, The Riverside Press 1965) by Florence Kerr Hirschfeld. The book was written prior to the introduction of food processors, so the original directions call for chopping the vegetables-by hand- in a wooden chopping bowl. Tomatoes are easy to peel. Simply drop the whole tomato into a kettle of boiling water. Within a minute or two, the skin will start to separate from the tomato. Using a large serrated spoon, take the tomatoes out of the water, and let them cool. Remove the peel, and proceed with the recipe.

Cold Mango-Orange Soup
Serves six

4 large mangoes, peeled and roughly diced
1 quart orange juice
1 quart plain unsweetened yogurt (not Greek)
One-half cup honey
3 tablespoons sugar (or more, if desired)
1 teaspoon dried coriander
1 teaspoon dried cardamom

In a blender, puree mangoes, orange juice and yogurt until smooth. Add honey, sugar, coriander and cardamom, and pulse in blender. Chill two hours or until ready to serve.
Note: This recipe is adapted from a recipe by Chicago-based chef Michael Tsonton.
Cold Beet Borscht
5-6 beets, cut into thin strips (use a hand grater or food processor)
Juice of two lemons
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2 quarts water
Boil the water.
Add the beets and cook for ten minutes.
Skim the residue and discard.
Add the rest of the ingredients.
Simmer for 30 minutes.
Chill before serving.
Place a dollop of sour cream in each bowl before adding the soup.

Note: I’ve had this recipe for so long that its source is nowhere to be found.

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Roger Angell, legendary baseball writer and longtime New Yorker editor, dies at age 101

NEW YORK — Roger Angell, a famed baseball writer and reigning man of letters who during an unfaltering 70-plus years helped define The New Yorker’s urbane wit and style through his essays, humor pieces and editing, has died. He was 101.

The New Yorker announced his death on Friday. Other details were not immediately available.

Heir to and upholder of The New Yorker’s earliest days, Angell was the son of founding fiction editor Katharine White and stepson of longtime staff writer E.B. White. He was first published in the magazine in his 20s, during World War II, and was still contributing in his 90s, an improbably trim and youthful man who enjoyed tennis and vodka martinis and regarded his life as “sheltered by privilege and engrossing work, and shot through with good luck.”

Angell well lived up to the standards of his famous family. He was a past winner of the BBWAA Career Excellence Award, formerly the J. G. Taylor Spink Award, for meritorious contributions to baseball writing, an honor previously given to Red Smith, Ring Lardner and Damon Runyon among others. He was the first winner of the prize who was not a member of the organization that votes for it, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

His editing alone was a lifetime achievement. Starting in the 1950s, when he inherited his mother’s job (and office), writers he worked with included John Updike, Ann Beattie, Donald Barthelme and Bobbie Ann Mason, some of whom endured numerous rejections before entering the special club of New Yorker authors. Angell himself acknowledged, unhappily, that even his work didn’t always make the cut.

“Unlike his colleagues, he is intensely competitive,” Brendan Gill wrote of Angell in “Here at the New Yorker,” a 1975 memoir. “Any challenge, mental or physical, exhilarates him.”

Angell’s New Yorker writings were compiled in several baseball books and in such publications as “The Stone Arbor and Other Stories” and “A Day in the Life of Roger Angell,” a collection of his humor pieces. He also edited “Nothing But You: Love Stories From The New Yorker” and for years wrote an annual Christmas poem for the magazine. At age 93, he completed one of his most highly praised essays, the deeply personal “This Old Man,” winner of a National Magazine Award.

“I’ve endured a few knocks but missed worse,” he wrote. “The pains and insults are bearable. My conversation may be full of holes and pauses, but I’ve learned to dispatch a private Apache scout ahead into the next sentence, the one coming up, to see if there are any vacant names or verbs in the landscape up there. If he sends back a warning, I’ll pause meaningfully, duh, until something else comes to mind.”

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2022 MLS season: Fire standing behind struggling goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina

Gabriel Slonina has made his decision. He’s going with the United States men’s national team.

Slonina, 18, announced Friday on social media he is committing to the US over Poland. A dual national, Slonina was recently named to Poland’s roster for its upcoming UEFA Nations League matches but has chosen to cast his lot with the United States program. Poland clearly wanted Slonina badly, as shown by coach Czes?aw Michniewicz traveling to Chicago to meet with him and present him a jersey.

Those overtures were rejected, and Slonina explained why. Though he discussed his pride in his heritage and what it means to be Polish, Slonina said “my heart is American.”

“This country has given me and my family all the opportunities I could ask for,” Slonina posted. “It’s pushed me and supported me through good and bad. I understand the privilege of wearing the badge, and the only time I’ll put my head down is to kiss it. America is home and that’s who I’m going to represent.”

Because of his age, FIFA rules allow Slonina to play in three matches for a national team before being bound to a country, so it’s possible he could change his mind in the future.

Slonina is part of a crowded US goalkeeping picture that includes Manchester City’s Zack Steffen, the Revolution’s Matt Turner (who will join English club Arsenal this summer) and former Fire standout Sean Johnson, currently the captain of reigning MLS Cup champion New York City FC. Poland is also strong in net, led by Wojciech Szcz?sny, the starter for Italian powerhouse Juventus.

But just because Slonina, who’s represented the US at youth levels, has made this decsion doesn’t mean all his major choices are complete. Slonina’s been linked with major European clubs, and with their transfer windows opening soon, the young goalie might be forced to decide between famous teams in the near future.

Slonina’s recent play for the Fire has raised questions about whether those outside factors have taken a toll. Last Saturday, Slonina’s late giveaway led to the Fire’s 2-1 loss to FC Cincinnati. Then on Wednesday against the Red Bulls, Slonina whiffed on an easy save for New York’s second goal, overcommitted on their stoppage-time equalizer and could’ve easily given away a penalty after contacting an opposing attacker in the Fire box.

After the Red Bulls match, coach Ezra Hendrickson was asked whether the external noise was affecting Slonina’s concentration.

“Maybe outside of the game but in the game I don’t think he’s thinking about all that stuff. He just happened to make some mistakes,” Hendrickson said. “You know, we all make mistakes as soccer players and it just happened to be that in that position of his, your mistakes are more dangerous, are more costly than someone missing a goal or something like that. But he’ll get out of it and we’ll make sure that he stays positive and stays confident.”

Perhaps that will be easier for Slonina with one major decision out of the way.

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The ball was flying as the Chicago Cubs honored Fergie JenkinsVincent Pariseon May 20, 2022 at 10:22 pm

The greatest Chicago Cubs pitcher of all time is Fergie Jenkins. He was so good that you would have to consider him to be Chicago royalty for the rest of time. On Friday, he was honored with a statue revealed outside of Wrigley Field before their game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Jenkins had a career that spanned from 1965-1983. Some of the best years (10 of them) were spent with the Chicago Cubs. He also spent time with the Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, and Boston Red Sox. Throughout his career, he was dominant.

He was the Cy Young Award winner with the Chicago Cubs in 1971. He was also a multi-time All-Star and eventually was inducted into the Hall of Fame. He is one of only a handful of players all-time to record over 3000 strikeouts and fewer than 1000 walks. It was great to see him honored in this way.

There was a game to be played as well. The Cubs were looking to tie their series with the Diamondbacks in this one but they would come up short as they were defeated by a final score of 10-6. It was as strange of a game as you could imagine for one big reason.

The Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks tied a Wrigley Field HR record.

This game tied the Wrigley Field record for most home runs hit in a game there. There were 11 total between the Diamondbacks and the Cubs. Unfortunately, seven of them were off the bat of Arizona players and four were off the bat of Chicago players. That wasn’t good enough.

Career home run No. 100 in career game No. 1,000 for @JRvillar6! pic.twitter.com/Z9py6RBn1j

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) May 20, 2022

Christopher Morel and Ildemaro Vargas go back-to-back! pic.twitter.com/7h0PVlocb8

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) May 20, 2022

THIRD HOMER OF THE DAY FOR @JoshRojass!!! pic.twitter.com/0iJQN86zH3

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) May 20, 2022

Kyle Hendricks was the most concerning part of this game for the Cubs. He gave up four of the seven home runs hit by Arizona. It just wasn’t his best game ever and performances like this are becoming more usual for him than he would like to see.

It was certainly a good hitting day in terms of weather so this isn’t all that surprising but you’d like to see Cubs pitchers keep the long ball down a little bit more. Maybe Jenkins could have gone out there and suited up for an inning or two.

This game did have a few exciting moments for the Cubs though. They had a chance to tie it at nine with a Grand Slam the game in the 7th inning but Alfonso Rivas struck out with the bases loaded. The threat was then over as there were two outs.

Willson Contreras also decided to get ejected for arguing balls and strikes with the umpire. Once he was tossed, he got his money’s worth as he drew himself a new strike zone around home plate and Gronk spiked his bat into the dirt. It was honestly incredibly entertaining to watch.

The Cubs now are losers of three straight to bring their record to 15-23. There are going to be stretches like this as they are going through a lot of changes. However, there are some exciting things to hang your hat on like the red hot play of Christopher Morel.

Morel had another awesome game as he hit his second career home run. He also added in another hit to bring his average up to .364. He had two RBIs as well to keep his insane start going for the Cubs. As long as he continues to hit like this, he will continue to get starts.

There are also a lot of great prospects to be excited about in the Minor Leagues. For now, it is fair to just enjoy the Fergie Jenkins celebration and see how some of these younger Cubs continue to develop.

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The ball was flying as the Chicago Cubs honored Fergie JenkinsVincent Pariseon May 20, 2022 at 10:22 pm Read More »

Downton Abbey: A New Era

Little of consequence happens in Downton Abbey: A New Era, but that’s sort of the point. Fans have never flocked to the long-running British period drama for action sequences or uncomfortable truths. Instead, they’ve found solace in the franchise’s well-worn aesthetic, mild conflict, and charmingly stodgy personalities. It wraps viewers up like hot tea and sensible brown tweed, lulling them into believing that the British class system is somehow romantic.

That easy comfort is certainly there in the new movie, which balances two different storylines. First, the Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith) discovers she’s been left a villa in the south of France. But why would a man she spent just a short time with 60-odd years ago leave her a villa? And what would a young lady have to have done to curry such favor? Half of the house scoots off to investigate, lounge around, and look lovely in the St. Tropez sun. 

Back at Downton, a film crew has moved in and is making a silent movie. The downstairs staff is starstruck, while Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) strikes up a friendship with the director (Hugh Dancy). Violet isn’t impressed with the movie industry, at one point quipping, “I’d rather earn my living down a mine.”

That’s not the only zinger in A New Era, which seems fairly aware of what fans are looking for at this point. It’s at times self-referential, and all of the actors seem to find it fairly easy to slip into their characters’ tics and traits. A few beloved underdogs get their just deserts this time around, and there a few brushes with actual tragedy. 

Downton Abbey: A New Era is cinematic escapism at its finest and perhaps that’s all it should be. Let other franchises save the world and move art forward. Downton is just here to look pretty. PG, 125 min.

Wide release in theaters

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Sales, sanctuaries, giardiniera, and Mortified

Looking for some things to do? Consider these options! We found some happenings all over the map this time around, including Evanston, Back of the Yards, downtown, Logan Square, South Shore, and the universe of the internet. 

FRI 5/20

The Unitarian Church of Evanston (1330 Ridge, Evanston) is hosting it’s annual rummage sale today until 6 PM and Saturday from 9 AM-1 PM. In addition to typical rummage sale staples like housewares, sporting goods, and small furniture, there will be clothing and accessories for all ages and genders including a “boutique” section with higher-end and designer items. Also expect a curated selection of decorative wares: pottery, collectibles, and other artier home goods. If you get hungry while shopping, light refreshments such as coffee, soda, and pastries will be on hand. The church has a parking lot, but ample parking is available on neighboring streets, too. Masks are requested while onsite. Go to the church’s website for more information and to find out about volunteer opportunities. (MC)

Elastic Arts (3429 W. Diversey, second floor) is celebrating 14 years of experimental music and other programming tonight at its fourth annual fundraiser. Since the pandemic, Elastic scaled back its programming and skipped hosting a benefit last year altogether. Tonight, the organization invites back both the joy and the support of their community to keep them going another year. There will be the usual fundraising fanfare: food, drinks, awards, and a silent auction (with donors ranging from Pitchfork Music Festival to Astral Spirits Records). Also on deck: a screening of archival footage from Elastic-hosted events, plus performances by Cristal Sabbagh’s Freedom From and Freedom To, Sam Lewis, Hearts and Minds with Chad Taylor, and DJ Major Taylor. The party kicks off at 7 PM, and it’s $50 to join. Whether you want to purchase a ticket or just make a donation, check out Elastic’s Website. (MC)

South Chicago Dance Theatrecelebrates its fifth anniversary with five world premieres in the company’s first appearance at the Harris Theater (205 E. Randolph). The pieces include: HYbr:ID Line by Ron De Jesús, a piece for 12 dancers inspired by by the artwork Unicolor (created by media artists Nibo and Carsten Nicolai) and using work by German musician and visual artist Alva Noto and a synthetic soundscape by electronic music artist Antye Greie; On A Lark by Stephanie Martinez of Chicago’s PARA.MAR Dance Theatre, which follows five dancers “as they flow between the daily monotony of life and escapism provided by entertainment”; Lit-anies by Crystal Michelle, an Ohio-based dancemaker originally from Augusta, Georgia, whose piece explores “rhythm, cadence and the Black American South perspective”; Coeurs Séparés by Wade Schaaf (founder of Chicago Repertory Ballet), a contemporary work inspired by “the tones and moods” of three works by Bach (Andante from Bach’s Organ Sonata No 4, Presto and Adagio from the Concerto in D minor); and In Lieu of Flowers by Kia S. Smith, founding executive artistic director for SSDT, a contemporary duet on grief, sparked by the loss of Smith’s father, south-side jazz legend Jimmy Ellis. The performance begins at 7:30 PM; tickets are $15-$50 at harristheaterchicago.org. (KR)

Somewhere Over the Border, Brian Quijada’s world premiere musical with Teatro Vista (the company’s first live show since the pandemic shutdown and the first under new co-artistic directors Lorena Diaz and Wendy Mateo), mashes up The Wizard of Oz with his mother’s story of her border crossing from El Salvador into the U.S. in the 1970s. The mix of fable and family history uses cumbia, Mexican mariachi boleros, American rock, and hip hop in the score. Quijada, whose 2016 solo Where Did We Sit on the Bus? incorporated hip-hop and spoken word in an exploration of his Latine identity, narrates the show; the cast of six is directed by Denise Yvette Serna. It runs through 6/12 at Windy City Playhouse (3014 W. Irving Park); tickets for tonight’s 7:30 PM performance are still available for $15-$49.50 at teatro vista.org. (KR)

SAT 5/21

Don’t let the gray skies scare you out of a little time outside. Just throw on a light jacket, then head to South Shore Nature Sanctuary (7059 S. South Shore) to help the organization plant 300 native plant seedlings. Getting these guys in the ground is essential to maintaining the Sanctuary’s biodiversity so all life there can continue thriving! The planting party gets popping at 10 AM, and no sign-up is necessary. All ages and abilities are welcome. (MC)

National Tap Dance Day is Wednesday, but you can get a jump on the action with M.A.D.D. Rhythms and Chicago Tap Theatre this weekend at the Harold Washington Cultural Center (4701 S. King). The two companies are teaming up to offer classes and workshops today from 10 AM-3 PM and a live performance of a new work, Bridging the Gap: One Step at a Time, tomorrow at 3 PM. (A virtual viewing of the latter will be available Sat 6/4, starting at 4 PM.) On Wednesday, they’ll be on the north side at the New 400 Theater (6746 N. Sheridan) for a screening of Bojangles (a biopic about legendary tap artist Bill “Bojangles” Robinson starring the late Gregory Hines) and a community shuffle; that kicks off at 6:30 PM. Information and reservations available through eventbrite.com. (KR)

What’s more Chicago than giardiniera? Well, lots of things—but there is a distinctly Chicago way to prepare Italy’s favorite pickled vegetable mix. At 11 AM, Fearless Cooking (4410 N. Milwaukee) is hosting a class on making this beloved regional condiment that’s not only a little “canning 101”: it’s also designed to help students sharpen their knife skills. For $100, participants will walk away with their own jar of homemade giardiniera, a six inch chef’s knife from Hammer Stahl, and expert advice on all things chopping, slicing, and dicing. Sign up through the Fearless Cooking website. (MC)

It’s a busy day at the Trans Chicago Empowerment Center (2753 W. Division). From 12:30-4 PM, the organization is providing free COVID-19 vaccines and boosters to everyone five and older. If you happen to need an HIV or hepatitis C screening, you can get that free today as well. From 2-6 PM, the center hosts Pillars: A Trans & POC Market. This event specifically centers vendors of color who are trans. Clothes, herbal blends, tarot readings, and more will be available for sale from local POC, trans, and nonbinary artists. More information about the center is available through their Facebook page. (MC)

SUN 5/22

Today’s the last day of this weekend’s Anime Central, an annual convention of anime, manga, and Japanese popular culture enthusiasts that attracts like-minded fans from all over the midwest to Rosemont. Expect exhibitors and vendors, a video game hall where gamers can try out the latest as well as cosplay gatherings, tabletop gaming opportunities, and more at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center (5555 N. River, Rosemont). The gathering is open today from 8 AM until a closing ceremony from 4-5 PM, and advance tickets are available. (SCJ)  

Vintage Garage Chicago (at the 1800 Maple Self Park Garage, 5th Floor, 1800 Maple, Evanston) only happens four times a year, and today is the first one of the season. From 10 AM-4 PM, wade deep into one of the biggest vintage round-ups in the area where people will be slinging everything from retro record collections to mid-century modern furniture. Tickets are only $6, and there is ample free parking onsite. (MC)

If you’re looking for a more “support local artists” vibe today, check out Jackalope Coffee’s Springtime Vendor Bazaar (755 W. 32nd). Over 20 vendors will be on hand selling items such as candles, stained glass, plant holders, and more. DJ This Margin Walker will soundtrack the event, which runs from 10 AM-4PM. (MC)

Free Fyre is a collective of artists and performers largely based in Tennessee, and they are currently traveling with the Rebirth Tour, a series of events designed to retell the story of the Harlem Renaissance and discuss the impact of this history on Black culture. On tonight’s Chicago stop for the tour, you can catch Free Fyre cofounders Cameron L. Mitchell and Jazzmin Mitchell performing spoken word and jazz at 21c Museum Hotel Chicago (55 E. Ontario) starting at 6 PM. The evening is free and open to all ages, but registration via Eventbrite is requested. (SCJ)

MON 5/23

Any day is a good day to show some love for the Pilsen Love Fridge. This food drop-off is community run–and conveniently located across from Casa del Pueblo grocery store at 1855 S. Blue Island! Please, no unpasteurized dairy, raw meats (including fish!), alcohol, leftovers, or foods without ingredients labels. Every week, the Love Fridge hopes to be stocked with some combination of produce, dairy, sealed packaged foods, eggs (with a use-by date), pastries, breads, table sauces, juices, and cured meats (also sealed, with a use-by date). Can you help? Check out the Love Fridge’s Instagram for a comprehensive list of do’s and don’ts to keep the fridge stocked safely. If you’re in the area and can’t donate, feel free to check on the fridge and tidy it up–or just help yourself if you need something. There are lots of ways to provide and accept neighborly love. (MC)

Ever had a public situation that made you feel like crawling into the nearest hole and waiting till everyone else went away? I won’t get started on my interpretative performance art addition to my junior high-era music summer camp’s all-camp recital here, but if I ever want to tell you about it, Mortified seems like the perfect place to do so. It’s a storytelling evening hosted by WBEZ featuring everyday people telling stories about their journeys of “personal redemption through public humiliation,” and if you can read that without being triggered, you’ll want to join the audience tonight to show your support to the brave souls who will tell their tales. This event is open to those 21 and up, and starts at 7:30 PM at Thalia Hall (1807 S. Allport). Advance tickets are available here. (SCJ)

TUE 5/24

Bird Show, a porch gallery in the 38th ward, is hosting a virtual workshop on how to “prairie-fy your parkway.” Radical community arts organizer Jen Delos Reyes will guide participants through the process of beginning a prairie patch–wherever you think it’s needed. On Bird Show’s Instagram, Delos Reyes explains, “About 60 percent of Illinois, approximately 22 million acres, once was prairie. Now about 2,500 acres remain.” As a bonus for artists out there: If you’re interested in showing at Bird Show, there will be a quick info session at the end of the workshop. The tutorial starts at 6 PM. To join, enter 873 9584 0959 on Zoom. (MC)

WED 5/25

To celebrate the launch of their new book by the same name, Haymarket Books is holding an online teach-in tonight at 5 PM called Community as Rebellion: Surviving Academia as a Woman of Color. Lorgia García Peña, Latinx studies scholar and the book’s author, will be joined by feminist scholar and activist Chandra Talpede Mohanty and author, activist, and UC Santa Cruz professor Angela Y. Davis to talk strategies for finding (or creating) liberatory spaces for women of color navigating the ivory tower. This event is sliding scale ($0-$25) with a recommended admission fee of $5. After registration, a link will be emailed the day of the event. (MC)

What’s up with redrawing the ward boundaries? Who did it help, who did it hurt, and why did it take so long? At 6 PM, Rachel Hinton of the Better Government Association, Chaundra Van Dyk of CHANGE Illinois, and Alex Nitkin and Erin Hegarty of the Daily Line will be at the Hideout (1354 W. Wabansia) discussing these questions and more. They’ll also discuss the myriad ways this will likely impact Chicago politics in the years to come. Those 21+ can get in on the conversation for $10. (MC)

Free Street Theater unveils its latest collaborative show tonight. In 57 Blocks, the ensembles from the company’s Pulaski Park and Storyfront ensembles in Wicker Park and Back of the Yards joined together to create this immersive play about their neighborhoods and examining education, immigration, and incarceration. Audiences start out at Free Street’s Pulaski Park home base in the fieldhouse, then board a bus to go down Ashland to the Storyfront (audience members who live closer to the Back of the Yards location will be offered a ride before the show to get them to Pulaski Park, and north side audience members can take the bus back to Pulaski after the show). The show features an ensemble of nine under the direction of Katrina Dion and Sebastian Olayo. The ensembles began working together digitally in October 2020, doing research based on personal stories as well as books such as Eve L. Ewing’s Ghosts in the Schoolyard and We Do This Til’ We Free Us by Mariame Kaba. In an interview earlier this spring, Free Street executive director Karla Estela Rivera said, “With our process, we work with our ensembles to identify the stories and the challenges that they face living within our Chicago communities. What emerged was the theme of education and the pathways and the pipelines that are currently existing for them. And then they began reimagining what the world could be in education, if it really serves them.” 57 Blocks runs through 6/18; tickets are free, but limited, with reservations available at freestreet.org. (KR)

THU 5/26

This week our Gossip Wolf columnists highlighted a new solo album from Emma Hospelhorn, who, in addition to her membership in the contemporary-classical group Ensemble dal Niente, has built a reputation as a reliable and prolific multi-instrumentalist by playing on recordings and live performances with collaborators like V.V. Lightbody, Katinka Kleijn, and others. Tonight Hospelhorn celebrates the release of The Carillon Towers, her new “pop-adjacent experimental folk” album under the name Em Spel. Openers Health & Beauty and Elenna Sindler will round out the evening, which starts at 8:30 PM at Constellation (3111 N. Western). Advance tickets are available for $15, and a streaming option will be available through the venue for $5. (SCJ)

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Downton Abbey: A New EraMarah Eakinon May 20, 2022 at 9:14 pm

Little of consequence happens in Downton Abbey: A New Era, but that’s sort of the point. Fans have never flocked to the long-running British period drama for action sequences or uncomfortable truths. Instead, they’ve found solace in the franchise’s well-worn aesthetic, mild conflict, and charmingly stodgy personalities. It wraps viewers up like hot tea and sensible brown tweed, lulling them into believing that the British class system is somehow romantic.

That easy comfort is certainly there in the new movie, which balances two different storylines. First, the Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith) discovers she’s been left a villa in the south of France. But why would a man she spent just a short time with 60-odd years ago leave her a villa? And what would a young lady have to have done to curry such favor? Half of the house scoots off to investigate, lounge around, and look lovely in the St. Tropez sun. 

Back at Downton, a film crew has moved in and is making a silent movie. The downstairs staff is starstruck, while Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) strikes up a friendship with the director (Hugh Dancy). Violet isn’t impressed with the movie industry, at one point quipping, “I’d rather earn my living down a mine.”

That’s not the only zinger in A New Era, which seems fairly aware of what fans are looking for at this point. It’s at times self-referential, and all of the actors seem to find it fairly easy to slip into their characters’ tics and traits. A few beloved underdogs get their just deserts this time around, and there a few brushes with actual tragedy. 

Downton Abbey: A New Era is cinematic escapism at its finest and perhaps that’s all it should be. Let other franchises save the world and move art forward. Downton is just here to look pretty. PG, 125 min.

Wide release in theaters

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Downton Abbey: A New EraMarah Eakinon May 20, 2022 at 9:14 pm Read More »

Sales, sanctuaries, giardiniera, and MortifiedMicco Caporale, Salem Collo-Julin and Kerry Reidon May 20, 2022 at 9:39 pm

Looking for some things to do? Consider these options! We found some happenings all over the map this time around, including Evanston, Back of the Yards, downtown, Logan Square, South Shore, and the universe of the internet. 

FRI 5/20

The Unitarian Church of Evanston (1330 Ridge, Evanston) is hosting it’s annual rummage sale today until 6 PM and Saturday from 9 AM-1 PM. In addition to typical rummage sale staples like housewares, sporting goods, and small furniture, there will be clothing and accessories for all ages and genders including a “boutique” section with higher-end and designer items. Also expect a curated selection of decorative wares: pottery, collectibles, and other artier home goods. If you get hungry while shopping, light refreshments such as coffee, soda, and pastries will be on hand. The church has a parking lot, but ample parking is available on neighboring streets, too. Masks are requested while onsite. Go to the church’s website for more information and to find out about volunteer opportunities. (MC)

Elastic Arts (3429 W. Diversey, second floor) is celebrating 14 years of experimental music and other programming tonight at its fourth annual fundraiser. Since the pandemic, Elastic scaled back its programming and skipped hosting a benefit last year altogether. Tonight, the organization invites back both the joy and the support of their community to keep them going another year. There will be the usual fundraising fanfare: food, drinks, awards, and a silent auction (with donors ranging from Pitchfork Music Festival to Astral Spirits Records). Also on deck: a screening of archival footage from Elastic-hosted events, plus performances by Cristal Sabbagh’s Freedom From and Freedom To, Sam Lewis, Hearts and Minds with Chad Taylor, and DJ Major Taylor. The party kicks off at 7 PM, and it’s $50 to join. Whether you want to purchase a ticket or just make a donation, check out Elastic’s Website. (MC)

South Chicago Dance Theatrecelebrates its fifth anniversary with five world premieres in the company’s first appearance at the Harris Theater (205 E. Randolph). The pieces include: HYbr:ID Line by Ron De Jesús, a piece for 12 dancers inspired by by the artwork Unicolor (created by media artists Nibo and Carsten Nicolai) and using work by German musician and visual artist Alva Noto and a synthetic soundscape by electronic music artist Antye Greie; On A Lark by Stephanie Martinez of Chicago’s PARA.MAR Dance Theatre, which follows five dancers “as they flow between the daily monotony of life and escapism provided by entertainment”; Lit-anies by Crystal Michelle, an Ohio-based dancemaker originally from Augusta, Georgia, whose piece explores “rhythm, cadence and the Black American South perspective”; Coeurs Séparés by Wade Schaaf (founder of Chicago Repertory Ballet), a contemporary work inspired by “the tones and moods” of three works by Bach (Andante from Bach’s Organ Sonata No 4, Presto and Adagio from the Concerto in D minor); and In Lieu of Flowers by Kia S. Smith, founding executive artistic director for SSDT, a contemporary duet on grief, sparked by the loss of Smith’s father, south-side jazz legend Jimmy Ellis. The performance begins at 7:30 PM; tickets are $15-$50 at harristheaterchicago.org. (KR)

Somewhere Over the Border, Brian Quijada’s world premiere musical with Teatro Vista (the company’s first live show since the pandemic shutdown and the first under new co-artistic directors Lorena Diaz and Wendy Mateo), mashes up The Wizard of Oz with his mother’s story of her border crossing from El Salvador into the U.S. in the 1970s. The mix of fable and family history uses cumbia, Mexican mariachi boleros, American rock, and hip hop in the score. Quijada, whose 2016 solo Where Did We Sit on the Bus? incorporated hip-hop and spoken word in an exploration of his Latine identity, narrates the show; the cast of six is directed by Denise Yvette Serna. It runs through 6/12 at Windy City Playhouse (3014 W. Irving Park); tickets for tonight’s 7:30 PM performance are still available for $15-$49.50 at teatro vista.org. (KR)

SAT 5/21

Don’t let the gray skies scare you out of a little time outside. Just throw on a light jacket, then head to South Shore Nature Sanctuary (7059 S. South Shore) to help the organization plant 300 native plant seedlings. Getting these guys in the ground is essential to maintaining the Sanctuary’s biodiversity so all life there can continue thriving! The planting party gets popping at 10 AM, and no sign-up is necessary. All ages and abilities are welcome. (MC)

National Tap Dance Day is Wednesday, but you can get a jump on the action with M.A.D.D. Rhythms and Chicago Tap Theatre this weekend at the Harold Washington Cultural Center (4701 S. King). The two companies are teaming up to offer classes and workshops today from 10 AM-3 PM and a live performance of a new work, Bridging the Gap: One Step at a Time, tomorrow at 3 PM. (A virtual viewing of the latter will be available Sat 6/4, starting at 4 PM.) On Wednesday, they’ll be on the north side at the New 400 Theater (6746 N. Sheridan) for a screening of Bojangles (a biopic about legendary tap artist Bill “Bojangles” Robinson starring the late Gregory Hines) and a community shuffle; that kicks off at 6:30 PM. Information and reservations available through eventbrite.com. (KR)

What’s more Chicago than giardiniera? Well, lots of things—but there is a distinctly Chicago way to prepare Italy’s favorite pickled vegetable mix. At 11 AM, Fearless Cooking (4410 N. Milwaukee) is hosting a class on making this beloved regional condiment that’s not only a little “canning 101”: it’s also designed to help students sharpen their knife skills. For $100, participants will walk away with their own jar of homemade giardiniera, a six inch chef’s knife from Hammer Stahl, and expert advice on all things chopping, slicing, and dicing. Sign up through the Fearless Cooking website. (MC)

It’s a busy day at the Trans Chicago Empowerment Center (2753 W. Division). From 12:30-4 PM, the organization is providing free COVID-19 vaccines and boosters to everyone five and older. If you happen to need an HIV or hepatitis C screening, you can get that free today as well. From 2-6 PM, the center hosts Pillars: A Trans & POC Market. This event specifically centers vendors of color who are trans. Clothes, herbal blends, tarot readings, and more will be available for sale from local POC, trans, and nonbinary artists. More information about the center is available through their Facebook page. (MC)

SUN 5/22

Today’s the last day of this weekend’s Anime Central, an annual convention of anime, manga, and Japanese popular culture enthusiasts that attracts like-minded fans from all over the midwest to Rosemont. Expect exhibitors and vendors, a video game hall where gamers can try out the latest as well as cosplay gatherings, tabletop gaming opportunities, and more at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center (5555 N. River, Rosemont). The gathering is open today from 8 AM until a closing ceremony from 4-5 PM, and advance tickets are available. (SCJ)  

Vintage Garage Chicago (at the 1800 Maple Self Park Garage, 5th Floor, 1800 Maple, Evanston) only happens four times a year, and today is the first one of the season. From 10 AM-4 PM, wade deep into one of the biggest vintage round-ups in the area where people will be slinging everything from retro record collections to mid-century modern furniture. Tickets are only $6, and there is ample free parking onsite. (MC)

If you’re looking for a more “support local artists” vibe today, check out Jackalope Coffee’s Springtime Vendor Bazaar (755 W. 32nd). Over 20 vendors will be on hand selling items such as candles, stained glass, plant holders, and more. DJ This Margin Walker will soundtrack the event, which runs from 10 AM-4PM. (MC)

Free Fyre is a collective of artists and performers largely based in Tennessee, and they are currently traveling with the Rebirth Tour, a series of events designed to retell the story of the Harlem Renaissance and discuss the impact of this history on Black culture. On tonight’s Chicago stop for the tour, you can catch Free Fyre cofounders Cameron L. Mitchell and Jazzmin Mitchell performing spoken word and jazz at 21c Museum Hotel Chicago (55 E. Ontario) starting at 6 PM. The evening is free and open to all ages, but registration via Eventbrite is requested. (SCJ)

MON 5/23

Any day is a good day to show some love for the Pilsen Love Fridge. This food drop-off is community run–and conveniently located across from Casa del Pueblo grocery store at 1855 S. Blue Island! Please, no unpasteurized dairy, raw meats (including fish!), alcohol, leftovers, or foods without ingredients labels. Every week, the Love Fridge hopes to be stocked with some combination of produce, dairy, sealed packaged foods, eggs (with a use-by date), pastries, breads, table sauces, juices, and cured meats (also sealed, with a use-by date). Can you help? Check out the Love Fridge’s Instagram for a comprehensive list of do’s and don’ts to keep the fridge stocked safely. If you’re in the area and can’t donate, feel free to check on the fridge and tidy it up–or just help yourself if you need something. There are lots of ways to provide and accept neighborly love. (MC)

Ever had a public situation that made you feel like crawling into the nearest hole and waiting till everyone else went away? I won’t get started on my interpretative performance art addition to my junior high-era music summer camp’s all-camp recital here, but if I ever want to tell you about it, Mortified seems like the perfect place to do so. It’s a storytelling evening hosted by WBEZ featuring everyday people telling stories about their journeys of “personal redemption through public humiliation,” and if you can read that without being triggered, you’ll want to join the audience tonight to show your support to the brave souls who will tell their tales. This event is open to those 21 and up, and starts at 7:30 PM at Thalia Hall (1807 S. Allport). Advance tickets are available here. (SCJ)

TUE 5/24

Bird Show, a porch gallery in the 38th ward, is hosting a virtual workshop on how to “prairie-fy your parkway.” Radical community arts organizer Jen Delos Reyes will guide participants through the process of beginning a prairie patch–wherever you think it’s needed. On Bird Show’s Instagram, Delos Reyes explains, “About 60 percent of Illinois, approximately 22 million acres, once was prairie. Now about 2,500 acres remain.” As a bonus for artists out there: If you’re interested in showing at Bird Show, there will be a quick info session at the end of the workshop. The tutorial starts at 6 PM. To join, enter 873 9584 0959 on Zoom. (MC)

WED 5/25

To celebrate the launch of their new book by the same name, Haymarket Books is holding an online teach-in tonight at 5 PM called Community as Rebellion: Surviving Academia as a Woman of Color. Lorgia García Peña, Latinx studies scholar and the book’s author, will be joined by feminist scholar and activist Chandra Talpede Mohanty and author, activist, and UC Santa Cruz professor Angela Y. Davis to talk strategies for finding (or creating) liberatory spaces for women of color navigating the ivory tower. This event is sliding scale ($0-$25) with a recommended admission fee of $5. After registration, a link will be emailed the day of the event. (MC)

What’s up with redrawing the ward boundaries? Who did it help, who did it hurt, and why did it take so long? At 6 PM, Rachel Hinton of the Better Government Association, Chaundra Van Dyk of CHANGE Illinois, and Alex Nitkin and Erin Hegarty of the Daily Line will be at the Hideout (1354 W. Wabansia) discussing these questions and more. They’ll also discuss the myriad ways this will likely impact Chicago politics in the years to come. Those 21+ can get in on the conversation for $10. (MC)

Free Street Theater unveils its latest collaborative show tonight. In 57 Blocks, the ensembles from the company’s Pulaski Park and Storyfront ensembles in Wicker Park and Back of the Yards joined together to create this immersive play about their neighborhoods and examining education, immigration, and incarceration. Audiences start out at Free Street’s Pulaski Park home base in the fieldhouse, then board a bus to go down Ashland to the Storyfront (audience members who live closer to the Back of the Yards location will be offered a ride before the show to get them to Pulaski Park, and north side audience members can take the bus back to Pulaski after the show). The show features an ensemble of nine under the direction of Katrina Dion and Sebastian Olayo. The ensembles began working together digitally in October 2020, doing research based on personal stories as well as books such as Eve L. Ewing’s Ghosts in the Schoolyard and We Do This Til’ We Free Us by Mariame Kaba. In an interview earlier this spring, Free Street executive director Karla Estela Rivera said, “With our process, we work with our ensembles to identify the stories and the challenges that they face living within our Chicago communities. What emerged was the theme of education and the pathways and the pipelines that are currently existing for them. And then they began reimagining what the world could be in education, if it really serves them.” 57 Blocks runs through 6/18; tickets are free, but limited, with reservations available at freestreet.org. (KR)

THU 5/26

This week our Gossip Wolf columnists highlighted a new solo album from Emma Hospelhorn, who, in addition to her membership in the contemporary-classical group Ensemble dal Niente, has built a reputation as a reliable and prolific multi-instrumentalist by playing on recordings and live performances with collaborators like V.V. Lightbody, Katinka Kleijn, and others. Tonight Hospelhorn celebrates the release of The Carillon Towers, her new “pop-adjacent experimental folk” album under the name Em Spel. Openers Health & Beauty and Elenna Sindler will round out the evening, which starts at 8:30 PM at Constellation (3111 N. Western). Advance tickets are available for $15, and a streaming option will be available through the venue for $5. (SCJ)

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Sales, sanctuaries, giardiniera, and MortifiedMicco Caporale, Salem Collo-Julin and Kerry Reidon May 20, 2022 at 9:39 pm Read More »