Chicago Lifestyle Podcast & Video Blog
What do you know about Richard Hunt and his Monument to Ida B. Wells? How about Madison Hemings the son of Thomas Jefferson? Do you know much about the practice of “redlining” and how it kept people segregated and denied Black Americans the ability to …
In this hilarious musical riff on Romeo and Juliet by Mark Saltzman directed by Bernard Rice at the Skokie Theatre, Romeo has awakened from a 400-year slumber to find his beloved Juliet long turned to dust. Instead, he finds a teenaged American tourist Bernadette Penza …
Across from Millennium Park on Michigan Avenue between Washington and Randolph Streets on land donated by Civil War Veterans in 1893 stands what used to be Chicago’s Main Public Library.
Re-imagined in 1977 as the Chicago Cultural Center it is host to more than 1,000 programs and exhibitions each year covering a wide range of the performing, visual and literary arts.
Aside from the tons of marble and exquisite mosaics that adorn its walls, the most magnificent feature and favorite among visitors for over 100 years is the famed 38- foot-diameter Tiffany Dome said to be the largest of its kind in the world.
You’ve probably seen ’em. Signs like Throop, Goethe, Paulina and Devon but how do we say them in Chicago and why? Here is a short video from WBEZ that at least tries to tackle the “why” as well as some of the “how.” My friends …
What are you willing to sacrifice to be the light in someone else’s life? This story by Chicago-based playwright Reina Hardy is partly about getting in touch with our better nature, rejecting a poor self-image, overcoming your own self-doubts and negative inner dialog and indeed …
Be sure to enjoy the podcast and the accompanying photos at the bottom of the page.
You don’t need to be an architectural expert to simply look around and enjoy the various styles and building materials that combine to make up Chicago’s diverse urban landscape.
There is probably no better place to begin your observation than the Old Town / Gold Coast area with its abundance of 19th Century wood and brick buildings harkening back to the the city’s roots side-by-side with glass and steel modern, post modern, late modern, and millennium modern examples both large and small.
In these two neighborhoods in the heart of the city you will easily find single family homes and multi-family structures ranging from two to over two hundred units, as well as a myriad of commercial structures some of which were built for their specific purpose and others that have been redeveloped to meet the changing needs of a growing metropolis.
This activity was inspired by Open House Chicago which takes place every year in October and according to their website featured more than 150 sites in 20+ neighborhoods across Chicago and nearby suburbs. My choices were selected from a list of suggestions that were part of this year’s Open House Chicago Program.
As a result my tour is in no way a comprehensive look at the area but instead is an opportunity to take a peek at some of the often overlooked gems that are lurking under our nose on a daily basis.
During the weekend event visitors are treated to some special access and information provided by onsite experts however there is no reason not to follow my tour at any time during the year. In addition I have included a few bonus items not on the suggested list of venues that I spotted along the way.
So lace up some sturdy shoes, put on your earbuds and join me on my podcast walking tour or review the pictures below then sit back in a comfy chair to enjoy my three and a half mile stroll around the Old Town / Gold Coast area observing some of its lesser known features.
[Photos and tour by Reno Lovison]
Holidays have a unique way of punctuating our lives. Through this activity we assess alliances, trade information, and mark the passage of time. In The Long Christmas Dinner written by Thorton Wilder, presented by TUTA Theatre in Chicago we join an affluent Midwestern family, sometime …
Mike Royko was an outspoken Chicago journalist, who in the 1960s through 1990s railed against the political machine and championed the cause of the underdog with the same zeal he displayed toward his beloved Chicago Cubbies. Mitchell Bisschop’s roughly two-hour performance as Royko serves as …
Reno Lovison, Executive Producer comments on the documentary Time Passages by Chicago filmmaker Kyle Henry who tenderly reviews his relationship between himself and his mother, whose memory is slowly slipping away due to dementia.
Looking at other people’s lives is always interesting. We can’t help but to compare our experiences to theirs perhaps in a quest to see if we ourselves are “normal.” – – Are they the outliers, or are we?
The 86-minute documentary Time Passages was screened as part of the 60th Chicago International Film Festival in October 2024. For festival information visit ChicagoFilmFestival.com For film information including other screenings visit timepassagesfilm.com
An aspiring African American actress, Vera Stark (Ashayla Calvin) works as a personal maid to fading 1930s movie star Gloria Mitchell (Caitlin Jemison), once known as “America’s Little Sweetie-Pie.” The two have a close relationship and have a shared struggle to find success. However, due …
This is a film review of “The Light of Truth: Richard Hunt’s Monument to Ida B. Wells following the Chicago artist’s creation of a monument to the civil right champion and woman’s suffrage leader. The film premiered at the 60th Annual Chicago International Film Festival …
Letter writing is more akin to internal dialogue and can have a kind of naked intimacy that is difficult to achieve in the flesh.
This is a smart biographical drama providing us a glimpse into the lives and thoughts of two interesting, actual people, who through their own words demonstrate to us the value of friendship and human connectedness.
Dear Elizabeth by Remy Bumppo Productions is at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago through November 17, 2024. Runtime is about 100 minutes with one 10 minute intermission. For information visit RemyBumppo.org.
Reviewer: Reno Lovison
Elizabeth Bishop – Leah Karpel
Robert Lowell – Christopher Sheard
Director – Christina Casano
Assistant Director – Eduardo Xavier
Scenic Designer: Catalina Niño
Lighting Designer: Max Grano De Oro
Costume Designer: Kotryna Hilko
Sound Designer: Chris Kriz
Projections Designer: John Boesche
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