Ravinia Festival - Highland Park, IL

Ravinia Festival, the oldest outdoor music festival in the United States, is held at Ravinia Park in Highland Park, Illinois. It has been the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1936. A series of outdoor (and some indoor) concerts are held every summer from June through September.

Most attendees experience Ravinia on the 36 acre parkland and lawn. The unique setting allows for open seating and picnicking, where families and attendees can choose to use as much (or little) space as they need, with a powerful sound system broadcasting the live performance throughout the park. Most attendees choose to bring complete picnics and dinners to shows, with various lawn chairs, coolers full of food, blankets, candles, and lawn accessories in tow.

The Pavilion is a 3,200-seat venue where the park's major music events and concerts, including Chicago Symphony Orchestra performances, are held. Patrons can see the shows in a traditional concert setting in an open-air theater with state-of-the-art sound, video and lighting equipment or choose to sit in the lawn area and listen to the music while picnicking.

I chose to sit in the Pavilion for the concert I attended. This is the view from my seat! It was a little hard to see the musicians at the back of the stage but images from cameras filming the event were projected onto large television monitors. The music sounded the same!

Several restaurants (from fine dining to cafeteria-style) and food carts are located throughout the park. I opted for the caferteria-style Ravinia Market. While edible, the noodles and skewered chicken were far less memorable than the music performed at the concert.

I was impressed with the Ravinia experience and would definitely return. The lawn was packed with people at the beginning although most had left by the end of the concert since it had started to rain quite hard - a definite disadvantage of sitting outdoors. Lawn tickets are only $5 or $10 depending on the performance so it does make a high-quality musical experience accessible for anyone regardless of budget.

Jasmine 26 - Minneapolis, MN

Jasmine 26 (8 East 26th Street) has a contemporary take on Vietnamese food. Lunch and dinner are reasonably priced and seating is available either indoors or outdoors. There are familiar offerings of soup, salad, noodles, and rice along with several specialty entrees. I opted for a "safe" choice of fried rice although I later wished I had tried something more exotic. The happy hour menu has several good options at a very reasonable price, too.

Spring Rolls Wrapped with leaf lettuce, vermicelli noodles, bean sprouts, and mint in rice paper

sriracha fried rice Spicy fried rice with onion, green peas, diced carrots, & chicken

Allerton Park - Monticello, IL

Robert Allerton (1873 - 1964) stood to inherit a stockyard and banking fortune from his father, Samuel Allerton, ranked as Chicago's third wealthiest man of his day. Robert took an interest in literature, music, gardening, and visual arts from his step-mother (and aunt) after his widowed father married his late wife's sister. The family lived on Prairie Avenue, neighbors to the Marshall Fields, the Pullmans, and the Armours. Instead of going to college, Robert went with a friend to study art in Europe for over 5 years. Upon his return from Europe, Robert told his father he wanted to be a farmer. With his vast wealth, Robert's father bought land in Piatt County of Illinois. Through inheritance, purchase, and trade, "The Farms" consisted of 12,000 acres by 1914. He hired managers to run the farm while he built a home and gardens along the Sangamon river running through the tract. In 1946 he donated over 5000 acres including the home and gardens and land to provide income for the maintenance of the property to the University of Illinois. Today, approximately 1500 acres of "The Farms" comprise the Allerton Park & Retreat Center.

In 1898, Robert went to England to visit country houses and landscaped gardens. From this visit he planned his home together with friend and architect, John J. Borie. Construction began in 1899 and the house was more or less completed in 1900. The brick and stone exterior, the modified H plan, and the long gallery are all characteristics that recall seventeenth-century English precedents, in particular Ham House at Richmond, Surrey. Allerton wanted to see earth, sky, and water from every room. The main rooms open to terraces, lawns, and a formal pool. From his bedroom window, Robert could see the meadow, the reflecting pond, and the Sangamon River.

Several formal gardens surround the house. Each has a collection of statues, hedges, and other plantings. Many of these were designed in collaboration with his in-live architect and protege (and son, adopted as an adult), John Gregg.

Allerton is operated under the guidance of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The Allerton Mansion (Retreat Center) is used as a retreat and conference facility by University, state, and corporate clients. The natural areas of the Park are used by a variety of University departments, as well as other universities and conservation agencies, for environmental study and for participatory student interactions. Public programs, with a strong environmental emphasis, are available throughout the year. Private events, like weddings and picnics, can be held at the Park.

The Fu Dog Garden was originally designed in 1932 to display Robert Allerton's collection of Chinese Fu Dogs. Twenty-two blue, ceramic Fu Dogs are perched atop concrete pedestals which form the focal point of the garden. Opposing double rows of fir trees (44 in all) define the outer borders of the garden space and are under planted with clusters of white flowers. Although much of it has grown over since it was originally planted, a restoration process has begun.

The Gatehouse is at the entrance to the drive leading to the main house. Allerton Park is an intriguing place to visit. It is not customary to find this type of lavish living in the "middle of a cornfield." Yet, the place is no longer (if it ever was?) at its prime. Many of the gardens are overgrown and time has taken its toll on several of the statues.

Drake Brothers - Chicago, IL

Drake Bros. (140 East Walton Place) is one of five restaurants in the historic Drake Hotel on the north end of Chicago's "Magnificent Mile". The location serves breakfast or lunch overlooking North Michigan Avenue on the east and Lake Michigan and Lake Shore Drive on the north. Although more expensive than my usual choices, the food tasted good, the servers were attentive, and the atmosphere was comfortable.

New England Clam Chowder

Niçoise Salmon: white beans, tomato confit, olives, fried artichoke hearts, lemon brown butter

Monument Circle - Indianapolis, IN

The Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument is the focal point of "Monument Circle" in the center of Indianapolis, IN. The 284 feet tall neoclassical monument is made of oolitic limestone and bronze. It was erected to honor Hoosiers who were veterans of the American Revolution, territorial conflicts that partially led up to the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the US Civil War, and the Spanish American War.

(This picture borrowed from the wikipedia entry for the monument.)

Most buildings around the circle are rounded. The building below selected lights for the windows that fit the Independence Day theme.

Several restaurants are located on or near the circle. The entrance to the Indianapolis Symphony's home is on the circle. There is also a bank and radio station. The dome of the state capitol building is framed by the buildings lining the few blocks to the west of the monument.

Looking up at the statues on the monument at night (above) and toward the monument on a cloudy day (below).

Thriller

My interest in Michael Jackson's music has always been on par with my interest in the Salt Creek tiger beetle and the middle name of the youngest person to sign the American Declaration of Independence. In the last day or two it has been nearly impossible to look online or in the news without finding a reference to the "King of Pop." This video of one of Jackson's songs was made nearly a year ago and is interesting to me since it is one person, a cappella, on 64 different tracks.



The artist, François, writes: Here is a remake of the "Thriller" song that I've entirely recorded with my own voice, using 64 A'cappella tracks. There is therefore no instrument, synthetizer, beatbox, or even to sampler, but only the sound of my voice livened up with Reverb, Equalization and slight Chorus. Regarding looping parts, I've simply used the "looping" technique. I've accomplished this non-commercial project at home, only with a laptop , microphone, headphones and webcam. It's just an artistic challenge, accomplished during my hours of free time, whose purpose is to surprise my close circle and net surfers.

The Wordy Shipmates

Sarah Vowell's latest title, The Wordy Shipmates, is entertaining but more educational than some of her previous books (e.g., The Partly Cloudy Patriot, Assassination Vacation). Sarah Vowell's distinctive voice may be recognized as Violet in The Incredibles. Coincidently, but appropriately, I was reading Shipmates at the time of my trip to Boston. The book tells of the English Puritans that were part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Review experted from Publishers Weekly (posted on amazon.com): Essayist and public radio regular Vowell revisits America's Puritan roots in this witty exploration of the ways in which our country's present predicaments are inextricably tied to its past. In a style less colloquial than her previous books, Vowell traces the 1630 journey of several key English colonists and members of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Foremost among these men was John Winthrop, who would become governor of Massachusetts. While the Puritans who had earlier sailed to Plymouth on the Mayflower were separatists, Winthrop's followers remained loyal to England, spurred on by Puritan Reverend John Cotton's proclamation that they were God's chosen people. Gracefully interspersing her history lesson with personal anecdotes, Vowell offers reflections that are both amusing (colonial history lesson via The Brady Bunch) and tender (watching New Yorkers patiently waiting in line to donate blood after 9/11).

Provincetown Portuguese Bakery - Provincetown, MA

Portuguese immigrants came to Provincetown in the 19th century to work in the fishing and whaling industries. Today, nearly one-fourth of Provincetown residents claim Portuguese ancestries. Portuguese pastries can be obtained at the Provincetown Portuguese Bakery (299 Commercial St).

(left to right)

Malassada - Portuguese sweet fried dough.

Trutas - Sweet potato filled pastry with whiskey, lemon, sugar, and cinnamon.

Patinhas de Veado - Rum flavored sponge cake with Bavarian cream, cinnamon, and coconut.

Note to self: These weren't as tasty as I had hoped.

Provincetown, Massachusetts

Provincetown is located at the tip of Cape Cod. The town is known for its beaches, harbor, artists, and tourist destinations. There are fewer than 3500 year-round residents but the summer population can swell to over 60,000.

The pilgrims first landed at the location of present-day Provincetown. The Pilgrim Monument is the "symbol of Provincetown." Approximately 100 years old, this 252-foot tall campanile is the tallest all-granite structure in the United States.

Commerical Street is the main busines district of the town. Small shops are crowded side-by-side along the narrow street.

The houses in Provincetown are crowded together on narrow streets. Noted residents have included several artists or authors including Tennessee Williams, Jackson Pollock, John Waters, and Michael Cunningham.

There is an active fishing industry with many fishing boats docked near the town.

Four Burgers - Cambridge, MA

Four Burgers (704 Massachusetts Ave.) serves - you guessed it - four burgers! (Actually, they have a fifth and sometimes a sixth!) They are:

1. “Brandt Farm” Hamburger: lettuce, tomato, pickles (above right, with modifications including smoked Gouda cheese)
2. Organic Vegan Black Bean Burger: salsa & guacamole or mango BBQ sauce
3. Turkey Burger: apple & cranberry chutney, lettuce, tomato
4. Atlantic Salmon Burger: asian slaw, soy mayo, green leaf lettuce (above left)

You can choose either a Toasted Sesame Seeded or Whole Wheat roll for your burger. Sides include sweet potato fries, salad, or a couple other items that I have forgotten. The burgers are made to order and served with only a short wait. The small eating area is friendly and brightly lit. A mirrored wall on one side makes it feel larger than it is. I was disappointed by the sweet potato fries (the skins were still on them and, since they were cut thin, seemed tough) but the burger was excellent. Can you guess what the fifth burger is? (I think it was Bison.)

Boston Common & Public Garden

The oldest public park in the country (bought in 1634, set aside in 1640), Boston Common is a welcome splash of green in red-brick Boston. As a boy, philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson herded his mother's cows here on the way to school. Adjacent to the Common, Boston's "back yard" is the Public Garden, Boston's "front yard". (Frommer's: Boston Day by Day)

The 3-acre lagoon in the Public Garden is small but appears larger when standing on the edge due to the curving shore. It is home to pedal-powered Swan Boats, two pairs of live swans, and numerous ducks, who nest on the islands.

Boston's first equestrian statue guards the most dramatic entrance to the Public Garden. The 38-foot tall statue of George Washington is considered an excellent likeness of the first president, who was known as an outstanding horseman. The artist, Thomas Ball, was a Charlestown native who worked in Italy.

Freedom Trail

The 2.5 mile "Freedom Trail" through Boston guides visitors past the historic sites of the city. More than 1.5 million people walk the trail every year, discovering the Revolutionary past imbedded in a major modern urban environment. The Boston National Historical Park coordinates the activities along the trail including costumed interpreters and guides. The information below each photo comes from a pamphlet available from the Historical park (and other sources).

Massachusetts State House

The Massachusetts capitol is one of the signature works of the great Federal-era architect Charles Bulfinch. Samuel Adams and Paul Revere laid the cornerstone in 1795.
Granary Burying Ground
John Hancock, Paul Revere, James Otis, Samuel Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Benjamin Franklin's parents, and the victims of the Boston Massacre, as well as whole families of settlers ravaged by fire and plague, are interred in this old cemetery.

Established in 1660 yet not even close to being the oldest cemetery in Boston. It got its name from the granary that once stood on the site. In this era, life in the New World was daunting, and the skulls, bones, and scary animals that dominate its headstone decorations reflect that. It is interesting to note that many of the people died quite young by today's standards.

Old South Meeting House

Built in 1729 as a Puritan house of worship, the Old South Meeting House was the largest building in colonial Boston. in the days leading to the American Revoluation, citizens gathered here to challenge British rule, protesting the Boston Massacre and the tax on tea. It was here at an overflow meeting on December 16, 1773, that Samuel Adams launched the Boston Tea Party.

Old State House

Built in 1713, this historic landmark served as the seat of colonial and state governments as well as a merchants' exchange. The 1770 Boston Massacre occured near this bulding when British soldiers fired into a crowd of Bostonians.

Other sites along the trail include Faneuil Hall (old market building), Paul Revere's House, the Old North Church (of Paul Revere fame), Bunker Hill (Revolution's first major battle), and the USS Constitution houses in Charlestown Navy Yard.

Boston, Massachusetts

The "oldest major city in the United States," Boston is an interesting mix of old and new. The downtown area of the capital and largest city in Massachusetts is quite compact and has the historic elements of Paul Revere, John Hancock, and Benjamin Franklin beside modern hotels, shopping, and countless tourist sites. While Boston itself is fairly small (population about 600,000), it is the hub of a metropolitan area of of 4.5 million people.

Some tidbits about the Boston area:

• The Boston area is home to several universities including: Harvard, MIT, Tufts, Boston College, Boston University, Brandeis, and UMass-Boston.
• Boston has been home to: John F. Kennedy (and the rest of the Kennedy clan), Louisa May Alcott, Matt Damon, Benjamin Franklin, Edgar Allen Poe, and countless other recognizable names.
• Some of Boston's nicknames are: The City on a Hill, The Athens of America, The Puritan City, The Cradle of Liberty, and Bean Town.
• Several TV shows have been set in Boston: Cheers, Boston Legal, Ally McBeal, Boston Public, Dawson's Creek, St. Elsewhere.

Kenny & Zuke's Deli - Portland, OR

Kenny & Zuke's Delicatessen (1038 SW Stark St.) is a relatively new restaurant on the edge of the Pearl District in downtown Portland. This has a bright and cheery deli corner location in what was a dark, seedy bar (no, I hadn't been there - just walked by). A nice improvement to the neighborhood in my opinion! The pastrami on rye (above) should not be missed. The sandwich is enormous (less than half is shown above). The menu describes the pastrami: Cured 5 days, Smoked 10 hours, Steamed for 3 & Hand-sliced Just for You. Served with Pickle & Potato Salad, Cole Slaw, or Fries. Other menu options include a variety of sandwiches and breakfast options. Don't forget it is a deli so you also get Latkes, Challah French Toast, Cheese Blintzes, Lox, Bagels, Bialy, Reubens, Matzoh Ball Soup, Hamantashen, and other Jewish favorites.

Pittock Mansion - Portland, OR

The Pittock Mansion is perched in the West Hills about 1000 ft. above downtown Portland, OR. (Their website has more impressive pictures of both the house and grounds.) The 22 room French Renaissance château was originally built as a private home for The Oregonian newpaper publisher Henry Pittock and his wife, Georgiana. It is currently preserved by the city parks department. Visitors can enjoy a tour of the home or stroll the lawns and, on a clear day, have views of Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, and Mt. Jefferson.