Monthly Archives: February 2023

Monday Murals

26 Sunday Feb 2023

Posted by in Art, Monday Murals

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Azul, Chicago

I saw this mural on Elston Avenue in Chicago. It’s on a restaurant in an industrial part of town. You can see many more murals on Sami’s blog.

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Weekend Coffee Share

26 Sunday Feb 2023

Posted by in Weekend Coffee Share

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If we were having coffee this week, I’d like one with a design on top.

I’d tell you that it was a holiday week as Monday we had Presidents’ Day off. That meant I got to go to the Chicago Botanic Garden’s orchid show. It was just glorious, an absolute must-see if you’re in the area.

Mardi Gras

For Mardi Gras I went to my sister-in-law’s for dinner. We had Danish pancakes called aebleskiver. The Dane’s pancakes are round not flat. I had no idea.

Chicago Theater Week

This week participating theaters slash prices to $15 or $30; some even let people name the price.

Wednesday I caught the Lookingglass Theater’s Villette, based on a Charlotte Brontë novel that was recently discovered. I’m not a big Brontë fan. None of the sisters’ books is a big favorite of mine, but I did like this play.

Villette is a town where the play’s heroine, Lucy Snowe has no family or fortune to support her. She decides to take a ship to France to see if she can get better prospects. On board she meets a flibbertigibbet named convinces Lucy to give Villette, the town this debutante is headed for school, a try.

Villette does offer work and success to Lucy, but it the house where her school is located is haunted. The romantically skeptical Lucy does become enamored of her godmother’s son, whom she discovers happens to live there. The school’s aloof headmistress and her brother, a popular, yet professor provide the conflict any good play contains.

The best thing about Villette was the staging, which consisted of two sets of Japanese style doors across the stage. All these doors had old style handwriting and patterns in sepia tones which conveyed the era. The furnishings were moved around easily and deftly to create atmosphere.

In this play Lucy talks a lot. It seems like she talked half the time. I allow for this as it was based on a novel. Still more dialog and less monologue would be an improvement.

This was the first play I’d been to since the lockdown of 2020. It felt wonderful to resume playgoing.

This afternoon my aunt, sister-in-law and I went to lunch at a new favorite Greek restaurant before going to Once at the Writers Theater. Once blew me away. I’ll see it again next month. The Writers Theater let us name our price for tickets.

Reading

I’m reading The Adventures of Caleb Williams, which is an enthralling story about power and tyranny. Published in 1794, Caleb is a country boy goes into service for the wealthy , influential Mr. Falkland. Though everyone believes Mr. Falkland is the epitome of generosity and kindness. When Caleb discovers Falkland’s secret, not only does he learn of Falkland’s despicable acts, Falkland seeks to torture Caleb and keep him in his power.

I’m also reading a book about sisu, a Finnish concept that helps us use resilience to strengthen our character and alleviate our stress. Swimming in a cold lake in January is an example of sisu.

Once: Writers Theater

26 Sunday Feb 2023

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As part of Chicago Theater Week, I saw Once at the Writers Theater in Glencoe. I was blown away! Based on the art house film of 2007, this play is …

Once: Writers Theater

Which Way Challenge

18 Saturday Feb 2023

Posted by in Books, Which Way Challenge

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Korçe

If you see stone streets here, chances are it’s Albania.

To see more ways – highways, streets, alleys, trails, pass, waterways, rivers, stairs, boulevard, lanes, highways, by Waze, etc. – go to Alive and Trekking.