Chicago Summer Fun Report July 2019

July kicked off with some out-of-town family and a visit to the Lincoln Park Zoo. It was a steamy day in Chicago but still a lot of fun that included several of our clan catching a breeze by taking a quick ride on the zoo’s vintage carousel.

Friday, July 12th we went with another couple to City Newstand Café in Portage Park to see THE GENERAL a silent film starring Buster Keaton.

The film featured live music expertly played on a synthesized organ by Jay Warren.

I’ve mentioned in another podcast that Chicago was for a short time the silent film capital of the United States.
THE GENERAL was not made in Chicago but it is truly a classic.

This movie may very well be the earliest train chase on celluloid and for that reason it’s easy to look at it and think – it’s cliché – – but then you are reminded that it’s cliché because this is the very movie every other movie that includes a train chase has copied or drawn information from.

One of my friends who was not sure what to expect said she enjoyed the experience 10 times more than she expected.

Afterwards, we headed over to Bistro 6050 on Irving Park for Crepes and Ice Cream.

Saturday it was pleasant and bit cooler when we took a stroll around Montrose Beach and Harbor stopping for lunch at THE DOCK and lounging in the grass at the top of Cricket Hill.

Sunday, July 14th we took a walk around the Square Roots Festival north of Lincoln Square between Montrose and Wilson. I remember this event as being much folkier in the past.

This year seemed much like every other street fair around the city with many of the same vendors and a similar lineup of pop musicians. It’s possible we missed much of the more eclectic music the day before or earlier in the day.

We were able to partake in a pop-up choir at the Old Town School of Folk Music led by two lovely ladies who separated the participants in first-floor auditorium into sections and led us in song which was interactive and fun.

Wednesday July 17th I attended the Northside Networking luncheon meeting held at The Breakers on the Lake, a popular senior apartment building on Sheridan Rd near Foster, to take part in some speed networking with fellow northside lakefront business owners.

Northside Networking is a great group that draws from about 5 chambers of commerce from Chicago’s north lakefront communities including Rogers Park, West Ridge, Edgewater, Andersonville, and Uptown.

Wednesday night we attended the opening of “Blinded by the Light” a soon to be released movie about a Pakistani teenager living in London who is obsessed with Bruce Springsteen.

The movie was screened at the Century Landmark Theater at the Century Center near Diversey and Clark. The film is directed by the director of “Bend it Like Beckham” and “Bride and Prejudice.” Look for my review which will be posted separately.

Because I spend a lot of time at the computer – – writing, making podcasts , and editing video I have to consciously make an effort to get up, get out and move around.

I often walk over the West Ridge Nature Preserve at Hollywood and Western to get some fresh air and exercise. You can look for the video I posted on our website last month, showing the unveiling of the new children’s area.

This week for air and exercise I drove over to Diversey and Kimball in the Avondale neighborhood to hear my good friend Stann Champion who was joined by Steve Kaiser in an outdoor dual guitar and vocal concert at the Woodard Plaza.

The chamber of commerce in conjunction with the North West Arts Connection presents musical events and other activities at this location every Thursday evening in the summer.

As I prepare this podcast I am also planning to see the musical play  NOW AND THEN at the Pride Arts Theater on Broadway just north of Irving Park. Look for my review which will be posted separately.

Just remember that Chicago is full of a lot of fun stuff to do all year but even more so in the summer months with scads of outdoor festivals and entertainment that adds to the already plentiful year-round activities.