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Judy’s Evanston top five for June 21, 2012
Updated: July 23, 2012 6:43AM
Ed. note: Here’s Judy’s pick of coming community activities in the Evanston area, spiced with a little commentary.
Yoo-Hoo, Carrie Underwood … A Summer Sing-Along will take place at 7:30 p.m. June 27 at the Music Institute of Chicago’s Evanston East Campus, at 1490 Chicago Ave. The program will be Mozart’s “Regina Coeli” and Haydn’s “Lord Nelson Mass.” Tickets are $10. Note: The sing-along will have an optional free rehearsal at 7:30 p.m. June 26. For more information call (847) 905-1500, ext. 100.
What?! They’re calling audience members raising their voices in glorious unison to perform Mozart’s “Regina Coeli” and Haydn’s “Lord Nelson Mass” a “Sing-a-long”? What’s next? A down-home, country-style croonin’ of that ol’ “Hallelujah Chorus”? How ’bout a rockabilly version of Verdi’s “Requiem”? Oh, esteemed Music Institute of Chicago, don’t call these majestic performances sing-alongs; I much prefer referring to them as “Hoot ’n’ Holler Hoedowns” and so should you.
Paging local artists, and maybe me. A Super Sidewalk Sale where retailers and national chains set up shop with great deals will take place on July 28 and July 29 in downtown Evanston. Local Evanston artists who are interested in displaying and selling their wares should contact the Downtown Evanston office at (847) 866-6319. There is a $75 fee to participate, and the set-ups are required from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 28 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 29.
What exactly are “wares”? I wasn’t sure, so I looked up the word and found it defined as: merchandise, articles, commodities, products, stock, stuff … that’s it! Stuff! That’s what to call my very own pottery and ceramics – stuff! Modest in intention, unassuming in execution, void in artistic merit. So attention! Come and purchase Judy’s wares - showing absolutely no craft, no ability, no talent. Just a bunch of stuff for sale.
Well, he was. And probably still is. The Keepinitreal book group will discuss “The Orchid Thief” at 7 p.m. June 26 at the Evanston Public Library, 1703 Orrington Ave. From Florida’s swamps to its courtrooms, the book follows one deeply eccentric and oddly attractive man on his possibly criminal pursuit of an endangered flower. Determined to clone the rare ghost orchid, John Laroche leads author Susan Orlean on an unforgettable tour of America’s strange flower-selling subculture. Copies of “The Orchid Thief” are available at the reader’s services desk on the second floor; stop by or call (847) 448-8620.
“ … one deeply eccentric and oddly attractive man … “ Hmmm. I, myself, may have come across attractively eccentric men or eccentrically attractive men or deeply odd men or oddly deep men, but I don’t recall ever meeting a deeply eccentric and oddly attractive man. Oh, wait – yes, I do seem to remember one, but I just called him a weirdo.
I’m a tree! Sort of. There’s still time to sign up for figure skating classes for all ages at the Robert Crown Center. The fees vary based on class level. For more information and to register, call (847) 448-8258.
I’m taking a figure skating class to learn a specific skating technique that has so far eluded me - how to stay upright more than 15 seconds (my current record) before pitching forward, backwards, even sideways onto the ice – a move I’ve cleverly disguised as resembling a proud oak being axed down in a forest (I often yell, “Timber!”). Ice skating as a metaphor for the wanton destruction of nature – you read it here first.
Last time I’ll play tennis with my hero. There are a variety of tennis classes for adults and youth offered by the Evanston Recreation Division this summer, as well as a tennis mini-camp for ages 4 and 5 that stresses the importance of having fun in a noncompetitive atmosphere. For more information and to register, visit cityofevanston.org/parks-recreation or call (847) 448-8237.
“ … a tennis mini-camp that stresses the importance of having fun in a noncompetitive atmosphere.” That sentence so impressed me that last week, when I played in a doubles game and kept flubbing and losing points, I turned to my partner and said, quite proudly, “My tennis game stresses the importance of having fun in a noncompetitive atmosphere.” Then he slammed his tennis racket onto the court.
