Photographer captured Harlem’s heyday with taste and levity
African-American photographer James VanDerZee operated a portrait studio in Harlem from 1916 until 1982, chronicling the lives of residents and the Harlem Renaissance. His work is a wonderful document of middle-class African-American life. The Art Institute of Chicago has put together a fascinating collection of almost 100 of VanDerZee’s black-and-white photographs, which are on display…
A French flair
A few years ago, Springfield chef Stephane Perrin considered moving back to his native Normandy, France. Lucky for us, he decided to stay. After moving to the United States, Perrin worked in restaurants in Champaign and Galena before arriving in Springfield 10 years ago. After stints at the Illinois Country Club, the Sangamo Club and…
Seeing red
The big story from this week’s City Council meeting was supposed to be the sales tax. In a party-line vote, the council raised the city sales tax from 1 to 1.5 percent for a two-year period beginning July 1. The vote marked the first time since the tax was established in the mid-1980s that the…
Back in the ’30s, they played for keeps
Fans of such insipid pop-culture TV fare as Fear Factor, Survivor, American Idol and other staged, stultifying and overly orchestrated pabulum so mind-numbingly vacuous that you can actually feel your IQ score tumbling as you watch, know this: There was a time when they played for keeps. Remember the 1969 movie They Shoot Horses, Don’t…
People’s poetry
Reel Time Streetlights shine off February streets, slick between early spring rain — mid-winter thaw This day slips past me, steals time from us as Evening’s hours march quietly toward dawn Carry along dreams of sunshine behind Dark clouds shouldering aside morning’s light Grey-sky greets the day, pushes me toward work Away from the couch,…
Donnybrook
Expect an eastside political battle to heat up after one side formally accused the other of “a clear pattern of voting irregularities and possible fraud.” The accusation comes from Roy Williams, who is running for the Sangamon County Board in District 19 and for the committeeman post of precinct 119. In a letter to the…
Movie review
Starsky & Hutch parody isn’t quite the joyride it could have been Zebra Three is back, burning rubber and breaking rules just like in the old days in Starsky & Hutch, an amusing parody of the ’70s cop show. Paul Michael Glaser and David Soul literally pass the car keys to Starsky’s souped-up red-and-white Gran…
Grace about town 3-4-04
Confession: I love to cook. It started with bread-making. When I was four, Mom let me help bake bread. She always let me help because her mom never let her (my grandmother felt Mom would make a big mess). When my mother was eventually allowed to do a limited amount of cooking, Grandmother insisted that…
Knoepfle 3-4-04
cats in chelsea cat #ii meepy fine old white and gray oh marvelous cat sitting upright your four paws contiguous cat for a pharaoh to brag on or a master of zen to envy and who would dare bother you calling your name expecting that you would cuddle a peaceful afternoon in his arms when…
Torpedoed
I’m going to talk about Blair Hull, but I have to tell you a story first. Nobody thought Terry Link had a chance back in 1996. Link was running for an Illinois Senate seat in a Republican-leaning Lake County district. He was a surefire loser. But Link worked hard, and his Republican opponent wasn’t much…
Now Playing 3-4-04
Hey there, buckaroos! Let’s saddle up for a romp through the badlands of our bars and clubs, where the night never ends and the music never stops or, more than likely, the band starts late and the morning comes way too soon. Regardless, you only live once — so pack your bags and mosey on…
Mixed messages
With seven Democrats and eight Republicans running for U.S. Senate in Illinois, it’s not easy to stand out. It’s even more difficult when voter turnout for the March 16 primary is expected to be low, given the Democratic presidential contest is already decided. Are candidates getting the attention they deserve? Some have gone out on…
U. S. Senate candidates
THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES Seven Democrats are vying for their party’s nomination for U.S. Senate. GERY CHICOwww.gerychicoforsenate.comAge: 47Occupation: Attorney. Former board of trustees president, Chicago public schools. Former chief of staff to Mayor Richard Daley.Education: Bachelor’s in political science, University of Illinois at Chicago. Law degree, Loyola University.Residency: Chicago.The gist: Chico has reached out to teachers…
Celebrate Kingsolver’s work at “Together We Read” kick-off on Friday
One book. One city. In 1998, the Washington Center for the Book posed the question –“What if all Seattle read the same book?” Six years later we have the definitive answer. If the people in Seattle read the same book, then by gosh, the folks in Chicago would choose one too. Like dominoes, the cities…
Letters 3-4-04
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 CAUGHT BY THE GOB PILE I went to Hannibal, Mo., and picked…
Quick Takes 3-4-04
SHARE A MEAL Maldaner’s is one of seven restaurants that will participate in the state’s first Share-A-Meal event, sponsored by Community Shares of Illinois, a non-profit that represents more than 70 charities. Starting on Monday, March 8, through March 13, Maldaner’s will donate 30 percent of its lunch and dinner proceeds to Community Shares. Diners…
