Inside a runner’s mind
Perhaps it was the heat. By 9:30 in the evening, one would normally expect the sweltering fever and thick humidity of the day to dissipate, but the sultry blanket of summer seemed to defiantly drape itself over the park even as the waning crescent of moon slowly climbed into the night sky. Full of root…
Pasta with Brie, Fresh Tomatoes, Garlic and Basil
This is a family favorite, something all three of my grown children still make now that they’re on their own. It’s good when still warm, but equally good at room temperature, making it perfect for picnics and potlucks. 3 c. coarsely chopped, seeded fresh tomatoes 1 T. kosher or sea salt 8 oz. brie —…
Jalapeno Mayonnaise
2 T. minced pickled jalapeños and 1 T. of the pickling liquid 1 large free-range organic egg 1/4 c. chopped scallions 1 T. sugar 1 tsp. kosher or sea salt 1 1/2 c. vegetable oil, preferably canola (do NOT use olive oil) Put all ingredients in the container of an electric blender or food processor…
Fighting myths about the undocumented
While vacationing in Flagstaff earlier this month, I was heartened to discover that if the new, repressive immigration law takes effect in Arizona today, that fair city won’t be snooping at shoes or using other creative means to guess immigration status. In much of the rest of Arizona, however, the controversial SB 1070 will make…
Jeff Sable and the Sable Band
From humble beginnings in southern Illinois as a rockin’ country cover band, Sable now charts on the record listings and performs at major festivals while making the march toward music stardom. Known best locally as the house band at Fast Eddie’s near Alton, the group, fronted by Jeff Sable on guitar and vocals, keeps climbing…
Cohen: ‘Illinois needs honesty, not perfection’
Illinois hasn’t heard the last of Scott Lee Cohen. After winning the Democratic Party’s nomination for lieutenant governor in the February primary election, Cohen bowed out of the race, and he is now running for governor as an independent instead. Last week, he met with the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce as part of his…
Cajun Macaroni Salad
Many macaroni salads are bland and boring. Not this one, which gets its kick from the jalapeno mayonnaise. Don’t hesitate to make this if you don’t like spicy heat. Just use mild or medium pickled jalapenos, which are widely available. Even the regular ones only make this slightly hot; the mild/medium variety just add flavor,…
Who pays for Quinn’s campaign-by-governing?
I was looking through Gov. Pat Quinn’s campaign finance reports the other day and saw that he went way out of his way to list even the tiniest in-kind contributions. “In-kind” donations means that instead of giving cash, somebody contributed goods or services to a campaign. Reading through the report I saw the $8.28 spent…
The makeup of yesteryear
I recently learned a new reason why I’m glad I didn’t live in the 1800s — 19th century cosmetics. I became enlightened about this topic after attending an interesting 3½-hour seminar during the Old State Capitol’s Civil War Encampment weekend on June 12, which drew about 75 reenactors here, according to site manager Justin Blandford.…
Salami, Chickpea and Wilted Greens Pasta Sauce
This one is best served warm, but the sauce is just a matter of assembling the ingredients and cooking them while the pasta drains. You can vary this recipe by using other types of canned beans for the chickpeas and/or canned tuna or clams for the salami. Approximately 1 1/2 c. salami, pepperoni, or other…
Historic stagecoach stop to be burned down
An old white building stands in Buffalo, about 15 miles east of Springfield, as a sign of a different time. Its stately porch and a smokehouse behind it give credence to its place as a relic of history. The house was built around 1840 and it is now scheduled to be burned down. “It’s really…
Rapid fire facts
Something new and lively, happening in cities and towns around the world, starts up in Springfield Aug. 5. Locally coordinated PechaKucha Night will consist of nine creative Springfieldians each giving a six minute and 40 second (20 slides, 20 seconds each) presentation. Pecha Kucha (pronounced pe CHAK cha and based on the sound of chit…
Local roots
Filmmaker and Hollywood actor Rick Hall (whose credits include Curb Your Enthusiasm, 24, Without a Trace, Seinfeld, Saving Grace) along with his wife Laura, pianist and band leader on Drew Carey’s Who’s Line Is It Anyway?, make a stop in Petersburg July 30. The evening begins with an indoor 7 p.m. showing of Rick’s critically…
Anatomy of an Advice Goddess
Every week, Amy Alkon provides IT readers with her spin on romantic problems in her syndicated column The Advice Goddess. The column, which received the first place award for commentary last month from the LA Press Club, can sometimes be as much a sounding board for Alkon’s brassy personality as a forum for practical advice…
Grinning bankers
Like ugly on a toad, banker greed just can’t be rinsed off, no matter how much regulatory soap you use. Last week, Congress enacted new rules to govern America’s huge banks, thus completing Washington’s response to the unbridled Wall Street greed that crashed the financial system and crushed our economy. The regulatory reforms were hailed…
Can’t beat pasta to beat the heat
It’s too darn hot.I’d like to sup with my baby tonight,Refill the cup with my baby tonight.But I ain’t up to my baby tonight,’Cause it’s too darn hot.From It’s Too Darn Hot! – Cole Porter, 1948 Hopefully by the time you read this it will have cooled down some, but right now the temperature is…
Neighborhood cuisine
Learn from one of Springfield’s best chefs, as Caitie Barker offers a Farmers Market Feast cooking class. The group begins with a walk to the farmers market, located approximately two blocks south of the restaurant, to buy seasonal produce. Based on what is available, a menu will be created. Back at Caitie Girl’s, everyone will…
Boarded properties flying under city’s radar
The walnut saplings growing from the foundation of the house at 920 S. 11th St. in Springfield have grown so large, they obscure most of the house. Whitewashed plywood covers the door and windows of this dilapidated bungalow, and rust stains the siding where the gutters have given up, leaking rainwater from the rotting roof…
Salt needs seasoning
Originally tailored for Tom Cruise, Phillip Noyce’s Salt is a Cold War thriller combined with Hitchcock’s wrong man premise fashioned as a piece of pulp fiction. Think The Manchurian Candidate on steroids and you have some idea of what you’re in for. Having opted for Knight and Day instead, Cruise can consider his choice a…
End of July jewels
Here we are nearing the end of July 2010 with a good forecast for upcoming live music. As August begins we head into the Decatur Celebration and then the Illinois State Fair as major music fronts, with occasional scattered area county fairs, plus pop-up shows all over town worthy of attendance. This Thursday heralds the…
SIT, STAY, GO
After a year loyally escorting Wade Kammin to work, to the grocery store, to restaurants and more, Lilly, a service dog in training, is about to leave Springfield for her higher education. Bred by nonprofit group Canine Companions for Independence (CCI), the golden retriever will eventually be given free of charge to a physically disabled…
It’s not the heat but the stupidity
“Springfield,” wrote the St. Louis Republican 120 years ago, “offers a pleasant retreat during the hot summer months to those living in the cities of the South.” This is perhaps the single most astonishing assertion about Springfield that I have encountered in 40 years of reading about the city. “Sultry,” my Beardstown grandmother used to…
A neighborhood’s call to arms
Full of hope and energized by the progress they’ve made so far, Enos Park residents faced discouraging news last week as planners quantified the neighborhood’s current plight: The number of homes in poor condition exceed those in good condition. “This is the call to arms that we’ve got to do something here,” says John LaMotte,…
Letters to the Editor 7/29/10
OPEN BIRTH RECORDS No state has ever guaranteed, by law, the anonymity of relinquishing parents [see “Birth records opened, but not enough,” by Jackson Adams, IT, July 15]. But all states do have laws to protect every individual’s privacy, which is a different thing entirely from anonymity. The vast majority of birth parents and adoptees do…
Sorcerer casts an enchanting spell
Sometimes, having low expectations is a good thing. Knowing that the brain trust behind the National Treasure movies, actor Nicolas Cage and director Jon Turteltaub, were collaborating to turn The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (that would be the Mickey Mouse segment from Fantasia), into a feature film filled me with dread. That the advance buzz on the…
