non sequitur Friday

Variations on a theme...

non sequitur Christmas edition

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the latest at Two Mile

 Have you checked out Two Mile's expanded space and menu offerings? They have breakfast items and sandwiches for lunch, plus an assortment of drinks and pastries. 

Details here

the latest at Afro Joe's

 

non sequitur Friday

Variations on a theme

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Afro Joe's updated hours

 

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Afro Joe's happenings in November

 

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Just for fun...

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Variations on a theme...

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non sequitur special edition - Halloween

Variations on a theme...

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Variations on a theme, with some bonus tunes from Allison Krauss and Robert Plant

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Hyde Park Jazz Fest 9/23-24

 

Happening at multiple venues in Hyde Park this weekend.

Click here to view or download schedule. 

non sequitur Friday

a miracle on Western

 If you noticed construction at a number of intersections on Western today, you saw a miracle happening. These are new pedestrian refuge islands, places to stop when crossing the street to make it safer to cross the street. These can also help a bit with traffic calming.

I saw them under construction at the following locations:

105th St. near Nicky's and Horse Thief Hollow

108th St. near County Fair and DiCola's

110th St. in front of Clissold School, near Open Outcry

112th St.

113th St. by Kennedy Park and Smith Village

113th Pl by Kennedy Park and Smith Village

The one place I saw where we a median refuge island could be feasible and useful but I didn't see one under construction was 101st St., where it would be helpful for pedestrians going to/from Beverly Park.

For years I've wanted to see these to make it easier for people to access parks, businesses, schools and other locations more easily and safely without needing to walk blocks out of their way to cross at a stoplight. I hope these help to calm our usually fast and unruly traffic and make it easier for people to access destinations on and near Western without having to use cars. 

non sequitur Friday

Afro Joe's happenings in September

 

BAPA porch concert on Friday. 9/8

 The final porch concert is happening on the 9300 block of Damen (North Beverly) on Friday 9/8 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Bring your folding chairs and enjoy some tunes by Old School Neon and Mexican food from Bajarachera.

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Here's a taste of a few of the artists performing at this year's Jazz Fest.

Chicago Jazz Festival this week

 Chicago Jazz Festival is happening this week. Yeah!

Complete info here.

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Major Taylor Trail fundraising ride on 8/26

THe annual fundraising ride for the Major Taylor Trail is happening on Saturday 8/26. Major Taylor Trail Keepers is our 501(c)(3).  Funds raised go towards maintenance of public art and future improvements along the trail.

Event details:

Check in at Major Taylor trail head Dan Ryan Woods—87th and Damen
Grove 13 between Western and Damen on 87th Chicago, IL 60620 - map link

Schedule:
   8:00-8:30 a.m. Registration and check-in
   8:30-9:00 a.m. Tribute to Major Taylor and special presentation
   9:00 a.m. Ride starts

Cost is $35

Registration, click here.  Got questions? Email us.

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A few old faves

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Variations on a theme

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live music at Horse Thief Hollow on 8/4

 

Major Taylor Trail cleanup on Sat. 8/5

We're having a trail cleanup workday this Saturday from 9 am to noon in preparation for our fundraising ride on 8/26. Please join us if you're able.

Dress for yard work. We'll be picking up trash, trimming trees, etc. If you have work gloves, please bring those. Some will be available for those who don't have any. If you have a rake, loppers, etc., feel free to bring those along.

Sign-up link is here.  We'll meet by the Major Taylor mural where the trail meets 111th St. 

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1980

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Variations on a theme

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1980

live music at Horse Thief Hollow - today

 Live music in the parking lot at Horse Thief Hollow on 7/8. Bring your lawn chair.

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Variations on a theme...

BAPA garden walk on 7/9

 BAPA's garden walk is happening on Sunday July 9 from 10 am to 3 pm. (Rain date is 7/16.)

Enjoy a selection of special gardens in Beverly and Morgan Park. Check in is at Edna White community garden, 1850 W Monterey.

Get info and tickets here.

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Variations on a theme...

weekend events in the neighborhood

There's lots of good stuff happening this weekend.

99th & Walden block party on Saturday - info here

Live music (Railway Gamblers) at Horse Thief Hollow - info here

95th St. farmers market on Sunday - info here

Summer Solstice Uprising Market and Art Festival on Sunday - info here

Have a great weekend!

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Variations on a theme





The original:

Streets Calling bike ride/bike fest on 6/24

 

Out Our Front Door bike camping

Are you interested in bike camping? Check out Out Our Front Door, a local non-profit that offers bike camping rides to local and regional destinations, including family rides.

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Variations on a theme

Big Marsh arts fest on 6/17

 

Juneteenth family fest on 6/17

 

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A very eclectic set in honor of a new H.S. grad who's going to college to study nuclear engineering in the fall.

BAPA porch concert tomorrow night (6/9)

BAPA's porch concert is happening tomorrow night (6/9) from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at Park 581 in Morgan Park (map link here).

Click here for more info, including food vendors.

save the date - Juneteenth family fest on 6/17

 Save the date.

Streets Calling ride/bike fest on 6/24

Save the date.

 

Our trees need water

This May has been extremely dry. My back yard rain gauge has recorded NO measurable rain for about 2 weeks and only 1" of rain for the entire month. For comparison, last year we got 5.7" in May, with a similar amount in 2022, 8.6" in May 2021 and 11.1" in May 2020. It's normally a month where Mother Nature sets our trees up well to start the growing season, so this May has been a disaster for trees that are totally reliant on rainfall. In my travels around the neighborhood today, I saw a number of young trees that were planted in the last year or two that were showing significant signs of drought stress - brown wilted leaves and fallen leaves. Trees need extra help in the first 3 years after planting to ensure that they get enough moisture to establish a healthy root system and grow well. This means giving each young tree at least 5 gallons of water per week. Even if your trees are well established, they can suffer from drought stress and drop their leaves in these extremely dry conditions. I like to use a soaker hose encircling the trunk of an established tree, or a sprinkler if I'm also watering an adjacent garden bed. We give our trees a deep soak at least once a week when it's this dry. So many young trees have been planted here in the last few years, replacing trees that were removed due to poor health and/or storm. Those young trees need your help. Please water your trees in dry weather to ensure that they stay healthy and survive.

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Variations on a theme

Afro Joe's happenings in June

 

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Variations on a theme .... quite a contrast between these two.


I've always appreciated the bass player in this band, especially on this tune.

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Variations on a theme... I usually do these with different artists, but thought it would be fun to have 3 different interpretations with Sting.

BAPA porch concert on Friday 5/19

BAPA's porch concert is happening tomorrow night (5/12) from 6:30 to 8:30 pm on the Longwood side of Ridge Historical Society.

Click here for more info, including food vendors.

Major Taylor Trail ride this Saturday 5/20

Come join the trail ride happening on Sat. 5/20 starting at 9 am. We'll ride about 16-20 miles, depending on what we decide at the start of the ride. 

The start location is the Dan Ryan Woods trailhead by picnic grove 15, near 83rd and Western (north side of 83rd St).  Click here for map. 

Photo by Brenda Dixon

Click here for more info.

BAPA home tour this Sunday 5/21

  BAPA's annual home tour is happening on Sunday 5/21 from noon to 5 pm.

Click here for more info and to buy tickets. 

Metra grade crossing construction at 89th & Ashland

 I was passing by 89th & Ashland yesterday and notice signs warning of a 10-day closing for construction.

Construction starts at 7 am on Wed. 5/17.

Big Marsh arts fest - save the date

 

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Variations on a theme

BAPA porch concert moved to 5/19

The BAPA porch concert originally scheduled for tomorrow night (5/12) is switched to 5/19 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm due to rain in tomorrow's forecast. It's happening on the Longwood side of Ridge Historical Society.

Click here for more info, including food vendors.

BIA bird watching walk this Sat. 5/13

 

Afro Joe's happenings in May

 

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Variations on a theme

95th St. farmers market

The 95th St. farmers market starts this Sunday 5/7, 8 am to 1 pm.

Looking forward to it.

Save the date - Major Taylor Trail ride on 5/20

 There's a trail ride happening on Sat. 5/20 starting at 9 am. We'll ride about 16-20 miles, depending on what we decide at the start of the ride. 

The start location is the Dan Ryan Woods trailhead by picnic grove 15, near 83rd and Western (north side of 83rd St).  Click here for map. 

Photo by Brenda Dixon

Click here for more info.

Save the date - Beverly home tour on 5/21

 BAPA's annual home tour is happening on Sunday 5/21 from noon to 5 pm.

Click here for more info and to buy tickets. 

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His best known song- this is an oldie.

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Here's one from early in her career.

Friends of the Major Taylor Trail clean-up for Earth Day - this Saturday

Come out on Saturday 4/22 from 9 am to noon to help us clean up the trail and get things in better shape for the season.

We're meeting on the trail at 111th St. (between Morgan and Aberdeen).

Use this QR code to sign up, or go to the Eventbrite link below.

Eventbrite link

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This is the father and grandfather of Chuchito Valdes playing together.

Afro Joe's in April

 

save the date - Earth Day clean-up on the Major Taylor Trail

Save the date! Come out on Saturday 4/22 from 9 am to noon to help us clean up the trail and get things in better shape for the season.

We're meeting on the trail at 111th St. (between Morgan and Aberdeen).

Use this QR code to sign up, or go to the Eventbrite link below.

Eventbrite link

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Variations on a theme

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Garden exchange on 3/25

 The garden exchange is happening on Sat. 3/25 from 11 am to 2 pm at Morgan Park Presbyterian Church, 2017 W. 110th Pl. 

It's a free event featuring workshops, free seeds, a tool exchange, nature-based art activities for children, music and snacks.

More into at morganparkpres.org/garden. 

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native plant sale

 

Whistler Woods bird watching walk on Sat. 3/18

Want to get out in nature with a group of folks and do some bird watching? Head down to Whistler Woods this Saturday 3/18 at 10 am. Sign up link and more info below. 

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/major-taylor-trail-clean-up-day-2023-tickets-559520048527

Click on map to go to Google maps.

Friends of the Major Taylor Trail meeting on Mon. 3/20

Friends of the Major Taylor Trail are having an online meeting on Monday 3/20 at 7 pm. We're planning for spring and summer events.

Email maj.taylor.trail@gmail.com to get Zoom info for meeting.

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Bird walk at Whistler Woods Sat. 3/11

Afro Joe's is hiring - hiring fair on 3/13

 They're having a hiring fair on Monday 3/13 from 1 AM - 3 PM. 

Send your resume to awake@afrojoes.com to be given a time slot or you can walk in. 

They are looking for custodians, kitchen staff and cashiers. 

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Variations on a theme - now here's a tune I never imagined being covered by another band.



The original:

what's happening at Afro Joe's in March

 

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Bookie's event on 2/25

non sequitur Mardi Gras edition

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Variations on a theme

Bookie's is having a series of three fundraiser events for the upcoming Juneteenth Family Festival.

On Saturday, February 18th, they will donate 10% of ALL SALES to the festival. They're hosting THREE children's authors starting at 2:00 P.M. Come on by and support the festival!