I accidentally typed "Sumer", which is vaguely appropriate since the folks a few blocks over at the Oriental Institute are spending their summer making beer from an old Sumerian recipeI, however, have entered the 21st-century. I've bought an iPhone, nudged to it by the fact that my previous provider, U.S. Cellular, sold its local market to Sprint, ( Read more... )

Music has been on the agenda a lot recently. I went to hear Too Hot to Handel, a jazz/gospel version of Handel's greatest hit. It's been presented at the Auditorium for the past several years, but this was the first time scheduling allowed me to go. It was wonderful, particularly the mezzo, Karen Marie Richardson. They had some video, the first ( Read more... )

Honestly, I am going to try to do better at posting regularly. If nothing else, it will be easier for me to remember what I want to say!

Gosh, I last posted on Election DaySince then, I've been busy ( Read more... )

My local college alumnae group had arranged to gather at Millennium Park for dinner, conversation and the concert, which was George Fenton's Frozen Planet, music he wrote for the BBC program. The film was shown while the music was played and Fenton conducted.

It was an absolutely gorgeous night, in terms of weather. Low '70s and a very slight ( Read more... )

I have just come in from clearing a few inches of snow off the car. It's supposed to snow all night, and since I have a class in the morning, I wanted to get a head start. A friend of mine is supposed to be flying in from New York tonight to see her mom and her two kids (I say "kids", but they are college grads); I hope she makes it ( Read more... )

I am finding this year that I am attending far more holiday events than in the past. This is, I am sure, due to the fact that the logistics of going to and fro are easier now that I am retired. Depending on where I'm going, I can use public transportation and not worry about parking (where & how much!). I can go to events that start early or end ( Read more... )

I made it to this morning's farmers market and back just in time. I don't know whether it's going to keep up, but it has delayed the Air & Water Show. I have to keep an eye on that, as I am headed up to the north side later today, and need to decide how I'm going to get there (car, bus and el, train and el), which, in turn, depends on what I ( Read more... )

I had an appointment last Wednesday to get my teeth cleaned and examined, and since my dentist's office is right across the street from Millennium Park, I decided to go downtown early and enjoy the open rehearsal for that night's Grant Park Symphony concert. How lovely to sit in the sun and listen to Mozart and various Strausses! Conductor Carlos ( Read more... )

Three recent deaths:

Jean Dinning, who wrote Teen Angel:

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Bob Marcucci, who discovered Frankie Avalon:

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and Fabian:

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and Owsley Stanley:

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Seems like just yesterday . . .

I got home from a concert a short while ago, and now it's lightning-ing and thundering! Guess I made it home just in time. Yes, I skipped the Oscars in favor of Mozart, Hadyn, Beethoven and Schubert.

Fabulous production of Lohengrin at Lyric on Friday night. Five hours just flew by! Emily McGee was Elsa, Johann Botha was Lohengrin (though he ( Read more... )