Chicago tips

Two Terrific Exhibits Just A Bit North In Wisconsin

art, culture, travel

There are two unusual art exhibits going on right now in Wisconsin.  If you have a bit of extra time off during the holiday season this is a perfect  and adventuresome way to spend it.  Check out their January closing dates below so you don't miss out!

One of the best art exhibits I've ever seen (and you can guess I'm a veteran of many) is at the John  Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, about 2.5 hours from Chicago entitled Sublime Spaces. & Visionary Worlds. The Kohler has made it a special mission to save environmental art.  They've salvaged sites that were threatened with demolition and restored others enabling them to remain in place.  This wondrous exhibit (you can get an idea from these two photos, courtesy of the Center) takes up the whole museum, located in downtown Sheboygan.  You'll see in depth work from quite a few artists including a whole and very unique house belonging to Loy Bowlin, the self-proclaimed Rhinestone Cowboy who lived and dressed the part, even riding around his hometown of McComb MS in his similarly themed Cadillac.

There are woodcarvers represented and a mind-boggling assemblage of "healing machines" (photo at left) fashioned by Emory Blagdon, a reclusive Nebraska farmer.  The whole exhibit has the aura of fantasy lands come to life via the massive efforts of chief curator Leslie Umberger and her staff.

If you're lucky, Leslie herself may be giving a tour.  Call ahead to find out.  However, printed info on each artist is available on site, a user friendly device that I wish were used more frequently in museums.

Another exciting exhibit is on view in Milwaukee at the Santiago Calatrava designed Milwaukee Art Museum.  That's the one you've been meaning to visit anyway, the one with the sunscreen  that opens at noon daily, emulating the wings of a bird overlooking its' perch on the shores of Lake Michigan.

The current exhibit is of the work of Martin Ramirez;  a collection of (mostly) large drawings by this Mexican immigrant to California in the early part of the last century.

Ramirez was recently called "simply one of the greatest artists of the 20th century" by The New York Times.  Mr Ramirez spent most of his adult life in a mental institution that became a kind refuge for him to pursue his artistic obsession.  A doctor at the hospital recognized his genius and saved some of his drawings.  More were recently discovered, causing a small furor in the art world.  Now some drawings (photo at left) are in the permanent collections of both the Whitney Museum and The American Museum of Folk Art in New York.

There was a recent exhibit at the latter that has traveled to Milwaukee with some particularly marvelous additions from the collection of Jim Nutt and Gladys Nilsson, Chicago artists who were early admirers of Ramirez' work.

Warning:  The exhibit at the Kohler, www.jmkac.org closes in sections, beginning January 6 and the Ramirez exhibit at the Milwaukee Art Museum, www.mam.org closes January 13.  There are plenty of lodging accommodations and good restaurants in both cities.   Have fun!

Escape To South Beach

travel, architecture

A bit embarrassed to admit it since most of Chicago had to suffer through those snowy cold days, but we recently took off to points south to soak up some glorious sunshine.

Decided on the South Beach section of Miami Beach and booked an art deco apartment through florida sunbreak.com.  (They're hurried, but make clear exactly what you're looking for and hold your breath.)  We lucked out w/a one bdrm. condo, well-located and furnished in a cool way.

It is definitely weird here.  Since the days of Miami Vice this area has been up and down a few times.  Right now I'd say it's in between in a particularly interesting way. 

All kinds of people visit Miami Beach, esp. South Beach.  Rich and near rich, poor and near poor (many ride the 25 cent South Beach local bus where they're inclined to chat with strangers as if they're old friends.)  People from Latin America, Europe (particularly Italian and French) and the good old U.S.  Gays and straights;  young and old;  some very "out there" get-ups appear along the Lincoln Mall, but mostly it's this hearty stew  of absolutely everyone.  It's sometimes pretty hard to differentiate between locals and tourists and that's part of its' many charms.

Parking is ghastly here so unless you're addicted to valet style, I'd recommend walking and biking.  Latter is very doable for us.  I even managed 3 bags of groceries that way, 2 in basket, 1 dangling from my arm.  Last night we went to the opera in Miami by public bus, a scene in itself, especially in the evening.  A concert we attended there with Yo Yo Ma as soloist elicted rave reviews for same in this weekend's NYTimes.

Besides music in two newly built pavillions in downtown Miami we ate at tons of outdoor cafes and restaurants including a swell one on the patio of the Blue Door at the Delano Hotel.  The public spaces at the hotel are really marvelous, replete with intimate conversational spots and off-beat furniture meant to show wear and still look good.

We did succumb to lunch indoors at the Versailles, (see photo at left) a middle class Cuban hangout in Little Havana. The decor is from a time gone by, complete w/ lots of mirrors, waitstaff dressed in green and yellow to match the drapes and traditional Cuban cuisine such as roast pig (lechon) with plantains and rice and "oxtail with veal stew" and yucca w/onions.  When I told the headwaiter I needed a table for "dos" he corrected me, suggesting that only if I asked for a table for "two" would I get a menu in English.

A driving trip to the Everglades yielded viewings of a variety of large water fowl and several alligators, courtesy of our National Park Service guide.  My friend Sophia Sieczkowskiz and I couldn't pass up a large produce stand on the way back, "Robert Is Here" (305.246.1592) where we bought the best strawberries ever, those huge Florida avocadoes, scrumptious locally grown grapefruit, a yummy papaya, some key limes to flavor the former and a flavorless guava.

We took an incredibly informative tour of portions of the Art Deco district with Scott Timm, the director of programs and outreach at the Miami Design Preservation League.  The league, www.mdpl.org was originally organized in 1976 by Barbara Capitman.  Her dedication and zeal and that of others led to the preservation of a very large district, a miracle really, given the tendency to raze, develop and "modernize" so prevalent in that era.  The city, with some difficulty but eventually to its credit, was persuaded and the result is a real boon for architectural preservation and tourism as well.

It turned out that the regular tour guide for this non-profit's Art Deco Tour wasn't available that day so Scott subbed.  He's, by his own admission, passionate about this Miami Beach treasure trove and facile with explanations.  If you're interested in a tour I'd definitely call ahead and see if Scott might favor you with a tour.  After ours,  I looked at all the buildings we passed in a different, more informed light.

Almost forgot Jimbos.  (see photo of Jimbo denizens at right)  My son Daniel laughed and laughed about this place with a twinkle in his eye, knowing that his father and I will go pretty much anywhere.  He gave us good directions but warned it is tricky to find.  He recommended smoked marlin but when we got there they were all out and we were on our own.  Look for the wrecked school bus, Dan said.  Don't pay for parking, he added.  It's on the way to Key Biscayne.  Put these in Google: Jimbos, marlin, Miami, beer and you'll get directions.  You'll definitely be surprised on arrival.

Seduced And Abandoned By The CTA

services, travel

For many, many years I have blithely taken the subway and the "L" from the Fullerton station.  Downtown to the loop via both the red and the brown lines;  the orange and blue lines (eventually) to Midway and O'Hare.  The system was pretty darned good.  Dumbly, I assumed it would always work.

There was indeed fair warning.  Construction was on the horizon to expand the brown line to accommodate the ever burgeoning population adjoining those tracks.  Two more cars were needed.  Fair enough I figured.

BUT, I didn't reckon on the horrific clout and dishonesty of the CTA as well as the very long term construction.  I have alternatives (I guess)  but what about those who don't?

A number of years ago there was a definite clue in the form of a fake democracy.  Community meetings were announced and held.  These proved to be nothing but a chance for people to think they had input but mainly it was to let the CTA tell us what they were going to do regardless of what anyone had to say.

The Fullerton station (the one I use most) was going to be expanded to a ridiculous length and breadth:  a whole block long and very wide, encroaching on land to the east since it was impossible to build further west.  That's because DePaul University had built a parking lot smack up against the existing tracks, despite an agreement they'd had with nearby residents to advise them of any such plans in advance.  This seemed an odd coincidence.  Is it relevant that Mayor Daley is a DePaul graduate?

Some architects and interested neighbors investigated and discovered that the proposed huge size of the project was not necessary to fulfill the need for handicapped accessibility, as claimed. They took some pains to show this to the CTA.  Then they were ignored.

Recently I heard on the radio that there was going to be full tilt construction of the Fullerton station beginning in April and that commuting time would be doubled to one hour from a half hour at that time and continuing on for an indeterminate time.  One hour to travel 24 blocks south??? The whole project is scheduled for completion in 2009!

Sneakily the construction already begun was wreaking havoc with commuting well in advance of the announced delays.  There were numerous "cracked tracks" somewhere along the route, and "electrical outages" necessitating delays, when such occurrences were almost non-existent previously.  Surprise, surprise!  Other mysterious problems, causing additional delays grew more frequent.

You can visit the CTA's website at www.transitchicago.com and find out some things.  Of course it's the CTA's PR program at work.  You can actually discover some existing changes and advance plans which I'll admit does help. Such as the fact that both the Montrose and Addison stations are currently closed and will be for some time.

I love the suggestion to "frequent local businesses" when they're engulfed in scaffolding and construction materials.  If those aren't business killers I don't know what is.  Solving such a dilemma is a real challenge.

So here's my question.  Why all the dishonesty?  Sure commuters were going to suffer, but why not be honest about what was going on and why not try to minimize the scope of the project when it was entirely doable?  Was there fear of an uprising, a revolt?  Why must the CTA be run like a fiefdom?

If anyone has some good answers, lots of people would like to hear them.

Check Out Big City Menus Online

food and drink, travel

Wow, this site is a huge help!  It's menupages.com and from it you can peruse a current (we hope) menu of the place you're thinking about patronizing.  Cities to sleuth out are Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

It goes without saying that you can look up many, many restaurants by name here.

I suggest going to "how to use this site" in the upper right hand corner just to get acquainted.  Usually I go right to "Browse" on the top menu bar. 

There's a choice of an on screen menu and a printable one as well.

If you're in the mood for a very specific thing, there's even a "find a food" search listed by neighborhoods.

Additionally, you can request that they list the menu of a particular restaurant and they'll "go and get it."  Unsurprisingly there's a section for restauranteurs to list themselves and to advertise.

Chicago Tips Visits Santa Fe

travel

Santa Fe offers so much for a visitor that it's easy to lose sight of the original marvels of this unique place in the U.S.  Two special aspects of Santa Fe are the absolutely glorious landscape which you only get a taste of on your way north from the Albuquerque airport.  When you head further north beyond Santa Fe itself you get a fine view of the distant purplish mountains and mesas.  This is Georgia O'Keeffe territory and it's easy to see why she was so mesmerized with this land.  There are plenty of nooks and crannies all around and one could explore endlessly.

The second is the merging of three highly different cultures:  Native American, Hispanic, originally descended from the Spanish and of course "Anglos".  Each has its' own traditions.  Happily, Native Americans have enjoyed a resurgence of pride in recent years.  This was very evident to me in the last week as I visited the annual Indian Market, a two-day summer fair of crafts from tribes and pueblos both near and far.

Tourism has definitely made an impact on this town which is why it's important to me to search out the real stuff...the owners of a silver repair and leather shop for example who are "Western Stunt Entertainers" on the side, marvelous hikes, strenuous bike rides, fine fishing and so much more.

My good friend Lynne Moor, in upper photo, is a former Chicagoan who has lived in Santa Fe for many years now.  She introduced me to a swell new restaurant with nary a tourist in sight, Mariscos La Playa, a casual fresh seafood place at 537 W. Cordova, 505.982.2790 just across from Trader Joes's that tourists haven't yet found.  We went early for lunch (12 noon) to be sure of a place.  The staff couldn't be more welcoming.  I had one of the three different ceviche (raw seafood, in this case barely cooked) combos two days in a row since I had to let my husband in on this find.  The place is brightly painted with hand-carved chairs and booths.

Shrimp and fish tacos are reputedly excellent and there are a variety of other choices.

I highly recommend Cafe Pasqual's at 121 Don Gaspar.  For dinner (the only time they take reservations) the sophisticated chefs and the chef-owner Katharine Kagel always prepare something you've never tried before.  They have a new cookbook out for sale at the desk with recipes you can sample right there. There's a line and a list for breakfast and lunch but we happened to park nearby on our way elsewhere, left our name for 1PM and were seated right away.

The Rooftop Cantina at  Mark Miller's Coyote Cafe at 132 W. Water, 505.983.1615 is a hip place to have a delicious casual meal outdoors as the sun sets.  (I had duck quesadillas) The Cafe itself is renowned and more serious but I haven't tried it lately.

We love it in August, despite the crowds because you can attend performances at both the esteemed Santa Fe Opera, fantastically sited in the mountains just north of town and the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival which took place between July 16- August 21.  The closing concert of the latter featured  two well known musicians, Pinchas Zukerman, violinist and Yefim Bronfman, pianist.  Open rehearsals are a special feature so we could listen as the players perfected their upcoming offerings for the next evening's all Mozart concert.

Be sure to put all this in your travel folder for next summer especially if you're a classical music aficionado.

Mag Mile Hotel Coup!

travel, services

A Seattle family I know is planning a Chicago trip this summer and I mentioned to Leanne, the mom and chief planner that they might want to try the Red Roof Inn which is conveniently located at 162 East Ontario, just half a block from Michigan Av., and in the midst of many things to see and do.  I felt a bit responsible and thought I should make a personal foray there for the sake of us all.

Amazing.  A family of four can stay here in a small suite comprising two separate rooms for  $149.95 plus tax.  Rates can be as low as $129.95, depending on the date needed.  Rates for a single room with king size bed begin at $109.

The king suite consists of a decent sized bedroom with a king size bed, a lounge chair and a tv.  The adjoining living room is smallish but has a pull out sofa/double bed combo, another lounge chair, a desk, another tv, a microwave and a refrigerator-freezer in which you might even be able to store ice cream.

There are two separate bathrooms!

Please be advised, this is not a luxury setup but it's clean, has everything you really need and the additional advantage of a marvelous location.  You can easily walk to the historic Water Tower, the Oak Street Beach, the MCA, tons of shops including one of the few Apple stores extant with classes and lots of help and a number of movie theaters.  There's a swell food court at Water Tower Place, a grocery store, (Bockwinkel's) and a drug store (Walgreen's) very nearby. 

Around the corner is Coco Pazzo, a swell Italian eatery with an outdoor cafe when the weather is good. The hotel itself does not serve breakfast but provides coffee and tea from 6 to 10AM.

Red Roof Inn, 162 E. Ontario, 312.787.3580.  Valet parking available but $$$$.  Access redroof.com for more info.