non sequitur Friday

cool music Mondays at Beverly Arts Center

BAC's Cool Music Mondays features jazz/fusion by the Sam Sinclair Trio on Monday 8/2, 7 to 9 p.m., 111th & Western. FREE

today at Blue Moon

Senior Bike Ride meets at 12:30 p.m.  Hosted by Beverly Bicycle Shop.  For more information, call Paul Weiss at 773-238-5714.

Beverly All Stars play from 7:30 to 10 p.m.  Enjoy dinner, drinks and dessert with some tasty jazz.  Want a little wine with dinner?  You can BYO for a nominal corkage fee.

Check it out at Blue Moon, 1742 W. 99th, just east of the Metra tracks.

CAPS meeting, beat 2221

If you live in Beat 2221 (87th St. on the north, 95th St. on the south, Laflin on the east, Western on the west), your CAPS meeting is at 7 p.m. on Tues. 8/3 (1st Tuesday of each month) at Christ the King School, 9240 S. Hoyne. If you have concerns you would like to discuss with the police, bring 'em here. 312-745-0620

thinking of trying car sharing?

I-Go is running a promotion now thru 7/31 that's a really great deal. Join for just $25 and get a $25 credit for free driving. To take advantage of this offer, just enter the promo code HOT FOR IGO in the Promotions section of the online application form. The $25 driving credit must be used within 30 days of joining.

Our Beverly I-Go location is at Ridge Park, 9625 S. Longwood. (Note: They reference the 96th St. address that marks the parking lot entrance.) The car's assigned parking space is in the parking lot between the fieldhouse and baseball diamonds.

If enough people join and regularly use an I-Go car in our neighborhood, one or more additional cars could be added. I-Go has been very responsive to demand in other neighborhoods.

If you only need a car for errands or social occasions, don't need one all day, and can plan ahead, car sharing can offer a very affordable alternative to owning, maintaining and insuring a car. I donated my car last year, and have used my bike, public transit and car sharing since then. It could be an option for you.

Beverly art feast today 11-6

The Beverly Art Feast is happening today, Sunday 7/25, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Featuring food by Cafe 103 and Calabria, face painting for the kids, music presented by the Music Station, performers from Beverly Arts Center, the Blossom Boys, and many other neighborhood businesses and organizations. Free admission. Come on down to 103rd St. near the Metra station and enjoy!

good news on 95th St.

The other day I was heading east on 95th St. and noticed a sign with an interesting bit of news. The railroad crossing at 400W, which has been in terrible condition for years, is finally to be repaired. According to the sign, 95th St. will be closed to all traffic at this location starting MONDAY 7/26. They're supposed to be done within a week.

We can look forward to smoother sailing from the Dan Ryan to Beverly very soon.

cool music Mondays at Beverly Arts Center

BAC's Cool Music Mondays features a DJ set by Ramsey Zabout on Monday 7/26, 7 to 9 p.m., 111th & Western. FREE

non sequitur Friday

Dick Buckley

It's been 2 years since Dick Buckley signed off the air.  I hear him occasionally in voiceovers, but I still miss his show.  *sigh*

* * * * * * *

I had written this item and was about to post it when I heard the news that Dick Buckley has died. R.I.P., Dick.  You must be in jazz heaven now, listening to the good old good ones.  Here's to you.

bottle bombs

A friend just sent me a link about an alarming problem: innocent looking plastic bottles filled with explosive liquid left in people's yards.  This is no joke.

Most of us would think nothing of picking up plastic bottles left in our yards.  Take a careful look next time you find one.  People are finding plastic bottle bombs in their mailboxes and yards.  Look for:

1.  Ordinary plastic bottle (from water or pop)
2.  A little Drano
3.  A little water
4.  A small piece of foil.

If you move it, it can explode very quickly, spraying you with acid.  It can blow off your fingers and burn your face and other body parts.  If you find a bomb with these elements, call 911 and don't touch it.

Click here to watch a video on the problem.  Here's a news story from another source.  Be careful out there!

movie at Ridge Park 7/22

You can see School of Rock at a free movie night at Ridge Park, 9625 S. Longwood, courtesy of the 19th Ward Youth Foundation and Chicago Park District.  Bring your blankets or lawn chairs, and don't forget your Off to keep those pesky mosquitoes away.  The movie starts at dusk, Thursday 7/22.

cool music Mondays at Beverly Arts Center

The Beverly All Stars will be doing a special show at Beverly Arts Center (111th & Western) on today 7/19 from 7 to 9 p.m. It's part of BAC's free Cool Music Mondays series, running through the end of August.

balloon fun

If you're looking for someone to create balloon art and entertain for a kids' party or other special event, you may want to check out Jami's web site.

green choices - saving water

After all the flooding we've had this spring, we're now at the other end of the scale - hot and dry.  It's a good time to think about saving water.  With increased suburban sprawl and growing water usage, the demand for Lake Michigan water keeps increasing.

Want to reduce flooding? Try rain barrels - this also means that you use less municipal water for watering your garden and lawn and put less back into the system that needs to be processed.  Removing concrete and asphalt and replacing it with stone or concrete pavers in a gravel bed, or permeable pavement, can significantly reduce the amount of runoff that goes into the streets and the sewer system.

And how can you reduce water usage, aside from obvious things like fixing drippy faucets and not running the water while brushing your teeth?

When you're running water waiting for your shower to heat up, put a bucket under the spigot.  If you have a two handle set-up, you can run that water at a trickle instead of full force.  You'll get hot water just as fast.  Save the water to use for watering your plants or flushing your toilet. If you use a dehumidifier in your basement, save that water for the same uses. You can also use it for watering your compost if you have a compost bin.

Got other ideas?  Feel free to share them in comments.

when bicycles ruled Chicago

Did you know about Chicago's role in the bicycle industry? This
article on Gapers Block is worth a read.

wild onions

Did you know the origin of the name Chicago?

And here's its namesake.

non sequitur Friday

a new community garden in Chicago

Community gardens have become havens in many Chicago neighborhoods. Whether they are vegetable gardens, providing healthy food in food desert neighborhoods, or gardens of flowers and ornamentals to nourish the soul, they help to make the city a better place to live.

Yesterday I attended the dedication of a new community garden in Englewood, the Heritage Station garden. It's part of a larger plan to create green space in the neighborhood.  One of the organizers of the project, Terina Cranshaw-Hodges, expressed hope that people could find peace in the neighborhood's green spaces and that she would like to see an end to violence in the neighborhood.  The celebration was a beautiful realization of the plans described in this CBS news feature from a year ago.

Several local musicians entertained the crowd.  My favorite was 11-year-old Max Lulich, a talented violinist.

This location has historical significance to Englewood, and to the African American people of Chicago.  It was formerly a train station, the location where many new arrivals from the South took their first steps into a new life in Chicago during the Great Migration.  Amtrak trains still pass overhead, although the station itself is long gone.

Camera crews from local TV stations were there to cover the event.  Here are links to stories by WGN (ch. 9) and ABC (ch. 7).

Stay Environmentally Focus'd, a grassroots organization, worked with volunteers, aldermen and Openlands, which helped them to develop plans for the space, get benches and other amenities, construct the garden, and get funding from the Exelon Foundation to pay for it.

I'm a strong believer that green spaces in the city (parks, gardens, and trails) can help to unite neighbors within a community and create bonds with other communities.  I hope that projects like this can help to promote peace and health in neighborhoods all over the city.

a visual feast for architecture buffs

The Art Institute of Chicago recently opened an exhibit of Louis Sullivan drawings and architectural artifacts, beautifully complemented by photos of his work.

Another Sullivan exhibit just opened at the Cultural Center, right up the street. It includes drawings, photos, models, and artifacts. I think this would make an amazing double header with the Art Institute exhibit. If I did them together, I think I'd check out the Cultural Center exhibit first.

If you really wanted to geek out on Sullivan, you could take a tour of the Auditorium Theater, too. If you've never been, it's a phenomenal tour, well worth a visit.

Wednesdays at Blue Moon

Senior Bike Ride meets at 12:30 p.m.  Hosted by Beverly Bicycle Shop.  For more information, call Paul Weiss at 773-238-5714.

Beverly All Stars play from 7:30 to 10 p.m.  Enjoy dinner, drinks and dessert with some tasty jazz.  Want a little wine with dinner?  You can BYO for a nominal corkage fee.

Check it out at Blue Moon, 1742 W. 99th, just east of the Metra tracks.

guilty pleasures

Time tripping on Youtube with Huey Lewis....

Workin' for a livin'
I want a new drug
Heart and Soul
Hip to be square (all the goofy close-up and wide-angle shots in this one amuse me)

Makes me wish I could time travel back to 1983 for a while. *sigh*

time to make some 311 calls

I got an answer from Ginger Rugai as to why so many tree pieces are still left on the parkways from the big storm 3 weeks ago. Due to the widespread damage and the fact that nearly every block in our neighborhood was hit, I think that many people assumed there would be a comprehensive block-by-block pick-up of storm debris. That would have been too logical and efficient.

She says that each remaining location needs to be reported to 311 so that forestry knows where to go. Let's make some 311 calls, folks! That debris needs to go.

CAPS meeting, beat 2211

If you live in Beat 2211, your CAPS meeting is at 7 p.m. on Thurs. 7/15 (3rd Thursday of each month) at Mount Greenwood Park Fieldhouse. 3721 W. 111th St. If you have concerns you would like to discuss with the police, bring 'em here. 312-745-0570

art opening/book signing at BAC 7/10

You can visit a special exhibit at the Beverly Arts Center. It's a celebration of the recently published book "Annie Bananie, My Forever Home" by Beverly author Monica Joyce with illustrations by artist Anne Farley Gaines. The exhibit will include other recent Gaines work.

The exhibit opening and book signing is happening from 6:30-9:00 p.m. tomorrow (Sat. 7/10) at BAC. See you there!

Green Ride on Sunday 7/11

The Green Ride, a bike tour of environmentally friendly sites in the 19th Ward is happening on Sunday 7/11, starting at 9 a.m., rain or shine. The event starts at Ridge Park (96th & Longwood), beginning with a Get Ready to Ride bike maintenance and safety workshop, followed by the tour of green and sustainable sites at 10 a.m. Click here for registration info and other details.

bike drive 7/10

Do you have one or more old bikes that you no longer use? Would you like to donate them to a good cause.

The 3rd Annual Beverly Bike Drive will be held this Saturday 7/10, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Beverly Bank parking lot, 1908 W. 103rd St.

bike race tonight (7/9)

Are you going to the bike race on Friday night? Check out the action. Here's more info from the BAPA web site.

non sequitur Friday

Hey, maybe it's a cliche at this point, but this Queen classic seemed like a logical choice in honor of tonight's Beverly Criterium race.

3 weeks later

Is anyone else wondering if and when all the tree branches and pieces left from the big storm 3 weeks ago will ever get picked up? I saw a lot of trucks picking up debris in the first week, but there are so many piles still there.

I can understand why some homeowners could lose patience and want to move the piles off their lawns, but blocking the street is NOT a good solution. Please don't block the street, folks. Make some phone calls instead.

Wednesdays at Blue Moon

Senior Bike Ride meets at 12:30 p.m.  Hosted by Beverly Bicycle Shop.  For more information, call Paul Weiss at 773-238-5714.

Beverly All Stars play from 7:30 to 10 p.m.  Enjoy dinner, drinks and dessert with some tasty jazz.  Want a little wine with dinner?  You can BYO for a nominal corkage fee.

Check it out at Blue Moon, 1742 W. 99th, just east of the Metra tracks.

CAPS meeting, beat 2213

If you live in Beat 2213 (95th St. on the north, 103rd St. on the south, Vincennes on the east, Western on the west), your CAPS meeting is at 7 p.m. on Thurs. 7/8 (2nd Thursday of each month) at Ridge Park fieldhouse, 9625 S. Longwood. If you have concerns you would like to discuss with the police, bring 'em here. 312-745-0620

free health screenings today thru Sunday, and 7/12

This year Walgreens has teamed up with the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) to bring basic health tests to cities across the nation. The AARP/Walgreens Wellness Tour is in Chicago now. The bus will be at the African Caribbean Festival of Life at 5500 S. Cottage Grove today, tomorrow (7/3) and Sunday (7/4) from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., providing FREE health screenings to anyone age 18 and older.

On Monday 7/12, the bus will be at the Walgreens at 2924 E. 92nd St. from noon to 7 p.m.

The bus provides six basic tests including glucose, cholesterol, body mass index, waist circumference, bone density and blood pressure. It only takes about 15 minutes, and Walgreens representatives will go over your results with you. These tests typically cost about $140, but the tour is completely free.

You do not have to be an AARP member to get the tests, but you can get a one-year free membership to AARP for completing the tests if you want.

Many diseases can be detected long before symptoms are seen. Early detection can help you stay healthier.

non sequitur Friday

household hazardous and electronic waste collection on Sat. 7/3

The Green Sanctuary Group of Beverly Unitarian Church will collect household hazardous waste and electronics for recycling Sat. 7/3, 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. in the church parking lot, 10244 S. Longwood Dr. (the Castle). For details on which items are accepted, click here and scroll down on the Green Sanctuary Group page.

Modest contributions to help offset transportation costs are appreciated. For more information, call 773-233-7080.

Beverly All Stars on July 4

Some of the band members will be in Nichols Park, 1355 E. 53rd St. in Hyde Park for a concert program starting around noon on July 4th at the end of the parade route. Come on by to see and hear the ensemble which will include the great JIMMY ELLIS, Paul Basa, Bernie Knowski, Maurice Cade, Bob Hodge, Steve Yates – an all star lineup for this free concert program.

hummingbirds

Here's a phenomenal PBS video, using some unique new cameras and techniques to add insight into the world of hummingbirds. REALLY cool stuff! Click here to watch it full screen.

CAPS meeting, beat 2221

If you live in Beat 2221 (87th St. on the north, 95th St. on the south, Laflin on the east, Western on the west), your CAPS meeting is at 7 p.m. on Tues. 7/6 (1st Tuesday of each month) at Christ the King School, 9240 S. Hoyne. If you have concerns you would like to discuss with the police, bring 'em here. 312-745-0620