Grape expectations
So many, Illinois is to wine what Nevada is to tuna — the connection doesn’t seem natural. But as Illinois farmers, especially families who can’t compete with corporate-owned agribusiness, seek alternative land use options, grape and wine production grows more popular by the year. Road warriors in search of a great two-day getaway will discover…
Shawnee’s stone forts
Southern Illinois was inhabited as early as 10,000 years ago by people attracted to the region’s abundant natural resources, plentiful game, and numerous shelter bluffs that offered refuge from the elements. Chert, used to fashion stone tools and weapons, was also prevalent in the region. Back in the Woodland period of American Indian history, about…
Restaurants to satisfy every craving
Untitled Document Springfield offers dozens of places to grab a bite — from hot dogs on a stick to Eurasian bistros. Sure, we have all your favorite chain restaurants, but there are plenty of places that are unique to the capital city. Here’s a selection of some favorites. Asian A Taste of Thai 3053 S.…
letters 6-3-04
Letters policy We welcome letters, but please include your full name, address and a daytime telephone number. We edit all letters for libel, length and clarity. Send letters to: Letters, Illinois Times. P.O. Box 5256. Springfield, Illinois 62705. Fax: (217) 753-3958. E-mail: editor@illinoistimes.com MAYOR SHOULD TAKE CHARGE As the former executive director of Contact Ministries,…
Door county
Once the school doors close, summer travel fever strikes with a vengeance and travelers such as my family hit the road. Although it’s a bit of a drive — four or five hours north of Chicago — the scenic beauty of Wisconsin’s Door County is well worth the trek. It’s like traveling to coastal New…
Springfield outdoors
You’ve been doing a lot of walking, mostly from one historic site to the next. It’s not really the legwork that wears you out — you’ve simply taken in all the details a mind can absorb. Tourism can be exhausting. If you need a change of pace, why not check out one of Springfield’s more…
Besides Abe…
The Air Combat Museum showcases the role of military aviation with an array of aviation memorabilia, including the gun sight from a Messerschmitt 109, and historical aircraft, including a Beechcraft AT-11, used to train bombardiers in World War II; a P-51; a Vought F4U-5 Corsair; and a Soko Galeb, Yugoslavia’s first jet. Watch aircraft being…
A great place to live
Springfield and Sangamon County aren’t just great places to visit; they’re also great places to live. The capital city and the nearly two dozen smaller communities located in and around the city make up a county that offers many attractive reasons for you to make the Land of Lincoln your home. In addition to being…
An untour alternative
If you have ever taken a tour — to visit the Old State Capitol, to see and smell the ethnic neighborhoods of Chicago or San Francisco, to pay homage to the sights of New York or London or Paris — you know that it can be a wonderfully trying and totally tiring experience. Six years…
Summer books
Looking for a good book to tote to the beach this summer or to pack as part of your picnic? Staff members at Lincoln Library, Springfield’s public library, were happy to share their suggestions. The Bridge by Solomon Jones (St. Martin’s Minotaur, hardcover, 320 pages, 2003) This dark, realistic mystery, set in the housing projects…
The seat of Illinois government
ILLINOIS STATE CAPITOL Construction began on the sixth and current Capitol in 1868 after officials determined that more space was needed for government business. The building took 20 years to complete and cost $4.5 million. The first legislative session in the new Capitol was held in 1877, but the structure wasn’t finished for another decade.…
Summer fun in the capital city
In your hands you hold the famed Summer Guide, provided as a service to you by the hardworking and ever-caring folks at Illinois Times. For more than 20 years, readers have turned to us for help in their time of need. Where do I go? What do I do? How do I find my way…
Chi-town
“Chicago is an October sort of city even in spring.” So wrote the late author Nelson Algren, who chronicled the city’s vast underworld of street hustlers, ward bosses, and mob heavies. But in the summer, Chicago sheds its tough-guy veneer and transforms itself into a kind of carefree resort town. Sunbathers and volleyball players take…
Regional oddities
Gas prices are through the roof, and you’re not inclined to zip across the country to take in the sights. Luckily, there are plenty of unique places to visit within an hour’s drive of the capital city. You can motor north to Atlanta to view the revamped “Tall Paul” statue that used to grace a…
The center of Illinois art
Untitled Document HOOGLAND CENTER FOR THE ARTS Now named after the family that nurtured Family Video stores to nationwide prominence, the former Masonic Temple began its new life on Dec. 31, 2003, as the city’s premier arts venue. As home base for more than 15 arts organizations, with four performance sites, two art galleries, and…
Welcome to Springfield
Early in 2007, several hundred journalists from around the globe came to record U.S. Sen. Barack Obama’s announcement of his intention to seek election to the U.S. presidency. In the weeks that followed this media frenzy, thousands of images of our fair city appeared on countless television programs and in magazines across the continents, serving…
California or bust
Friday. Two-twenty in the morning isn’t my usual time for writing stories; ordinarily my head is on the pillow and my eyes are closed under my sleep mask. But here I am in the forlorn Kansas City railroad station, waiting, waiting, waiting for the train to arrive — so far, two hours late. Our big…
Summer theater
Summertime on area stages always seems to hark back to the old days of summer stock — big tried-and-true musicals, comedies, light fare. That’s mostly the case for the summer of 2004, but a few interesting, new works are floating around out there, too. • The Springfield Muni Opera opens the season this weekend with…
Something’s always happening
Here are some Springfield a events to check out. For the most complete list of area events, turn to Illinois Times, the free news and entertainment weekly of Springfield (217-753-2226, www.illinoistimes.com). Additional information also is available from the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau (800-545-7300, www.visit-springfieldillinois.com). APRIL 1 The Star Keeper A performance from four puppeteers,…
Where to go for live entertainment and fun
The entertainment nightlife of Springfield and surrounding communities is diverse and robust. In other words, if you want it, it’s here and it’s excellent. Blues, folk, jazz, rock, country, dance music, and karaoke are all well represented on any given night in central Illinois and the capital city. Solid local acts playing original and cover…
A capital crime in the capital city
In her last book, Nine Nights on the Windy Tree, Martha Miller introduced Bertha Brannon, a Springfield lawyer who finds herself involved in a mystery. It was a good read, and I was looking forward to meeting Brannon once again in Miller’s new book, Dispatch to Death. Miller, who lives in Springfield, uses the capital…
Now playing 6-3-04
What? June. How did that happen? Last thing I remember it was winter and it was snowing. Not exactly, but here we are almost halfway through 2004. Hey, there’s no time for wallowing in the past. We have things to do. Let’s do ’em. Enjoy some music in the great out-of-doors this week. Start off…
Grace about town 6-3-04
Last week (which feels like approximately 100 years ago), I wrote that “Grace Talk #2” would take place on July 9-10. This was grossly erroneous and wildly premature. This is because I’ve decided to do an encore performance of “Grace Talk #1.” One night only, your final chance to see it, at 8 p.m. Saturday,…
Prairie notes 6-3-04
Most of us natural-farmer types were pleased when the USDA announced that it would develop a set of regulations — the government’s form of a blessing — for organic farming. But many small, diversified producers are now backing away from certification by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It’s not so much a problem with the…
Knoepfle 6-3-04
sandalwood poem #4 my anger is hidden I speak in whispers my spirit is ill waiting for an angel who will tell us what will become of us I say the wind beats me down my soul does timid a dead hydra a withered flower my brain recoils you look at me you consider…
Plant a row for the hungry
This summer, many vegetable gardeners will have buckets full of tomatoes, cucumbers by the armload, and zucchini coming out their ears. Many successful gardeners take for granted their ability to grow vegetables, forgetting that many people do not have access to fresh vegetables and fruits. Enter Plant a Row for the Hungry, a national program…
Movie review
Newest Potter film sets the standard for the series Told at a breakneck pace and sporting a stylistically somber look lifted directly from film noir, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban proves the most satisfying entry yet in the series of film adaptations of J.K. Rowling’s immensely popular books. Fans of the novels often…
Aldermania: Review board twist
In what has become a depressing trend, the most exciting public moment of this week’s City Council meeting came when a citizen serenaded aldermen — this time with two stanzas of “America.” But when the council goes into executive session and stays almost an hour, it raises the possibility that maybe something meaningful is happening…
Just for fun
You did the right thing, for sure. You brought them here to learn about history, Lincoln, the Civil War — yadda, yadda, yadda. But kids are kids. And it’s a fact: All Lincoln and no play make Jack and Jill dull youngsters! How’s about a wild ride down a water slide, a spin on a…
Kids in the Lou
f you’re traveling with kids this summer, you’ve probably braced yourself for the relentless refrain of Are we there yet? Portable DVD players and video games can stave it off for a few miles, but the only guaranteed muzzle for the AWTY? whine is a resounding answer, “Yes!” That happens sooner, of course, if your…
Discovering the man behind the myth
Nearly two centuries after his birth, Springfield’s best-known resident remains a revered icon, a leader who bore the weight of destiny to his untimely demise. Born in dire poverty and self-educated, Abraham Lincoln rose to lead our nation during its darkest time. His words inspired Americans during the Civil War, and they inspire us today.…
Get your kicks on Route 66
There’s something about Route 66 that confounds the “more is better” school of thought. It may be Illinois’ biggest tourist draw, yet it’s so small-scale and affordable. You can spend a whole day on the Mother Road and not turn loose even $50. In the process you’ll probably make a friend or two. Almost certainly…
Fired up
From now until Labor Day, there’s no better way to enjoy the warm days of summer than an outdoor meal. Firing up the grill for an outdoor barbecue is one of America’s favorite pastimes. The aroma, the appeal of the great outdoors, and the taste of a meal hot off the grill combine to yield…
quick takes 6-3-04
THE PEACE MEAL Don’t be surprised if the next nun you see is looking a wee bit peckish. Beginning this Friday, and every Friday, the Dominican Sisters of Springfield are joining an international fast for peace in Iraq. “We felt we needed a strong symbolic way to express our solidarity with the Iraqi people,” says…
Summer Guide calendar
ONGOING EVENTS Wednesdays and Saturdays Old Capitol Farmers Market Adams Street between Fifth and Third streets. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. (544-1723) Thursdays Farmers Market on the Square Taylorville. 2-6 p.m. (824-3555) Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays Jacksonville Farmers Market Lincoln Square, 901 West Morton, Jacksonville. 7 a.m.-noon. (245-7589) www.jaxfresh.org Tuesdays and Saturdays Uptown Farmers Market Washington Park,…
Quirky museums near Springfield
It takes more than a big rock on a ring finger to dazzle the eye — the smaller jewels arranged around it help make an even better impression. So it is with unique museums that surround the capital city. If you’re looking for diversion on roads less traveled, and you have the time, we recommend…
Summer cinema
The summer movie season is upon us, and that means more popcorn on the screen than in the bucket. You can count the original ideas on one hand, what with the endless array of sequels, remakes, updates, and rehashings flooding the multiplexes. Check your brain at the ticket booth and come back for it in…
The shrinking governor
In a spectacular reversal of fortune, the Chicago Tribune reported last week that Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s job approval rating has dropped to just 40 percent. In February, a Tribune poll had Blagojevich’s approval rating at 55 percent. The numbers add up to some real trouble for the governor. For over a year, political insiders have…
