I ♥ Faces--Bundled Up Tapping Maple Trees At North Park Nature Center

The challenge for this week's contest at I ♥ Faces is "Bundled Up".   It's hard to believe how bundled up and cold we all were, just last month.   This shot was taken on February 17th, when we learned how to tap maple trees and catch the newly running sap.   Every child got a chance to turn the drill and hammer the spot where the spile would be inserted and a bucket hung.  


We had the help and instruction of a grandfatherly, old soul, one of NPNC's dedicated corp of volunteers.   Ours was a former scout leader who taught us all about maple tree tapping and then led us in a rousing rendition of a song about eating worms.   "Nobody likes me.   Everyone hates me.   Guess I'll go eat worms.   Great big slimy ones.   Little bitty tiny ones.   See how they wiggle and squirm."

It's a timely shot, because this weekend is NPNC's annual and much anticipated 2 day Maple Syrup Festival!
  
Date: March 20-21, 2010 from 10am-3pm

Cost: Free

What's Goin' On: Come on out for sap and syrup tasting, music, storytelling, farmer's market, nature walks and syrup/ sap tasting at North Park Village Nature Center.   Pancakes and breakfast goodies are available for purchase and you can bet the fresh syrup will be liberally flowing.

5801 N Pulaski Rd
Chicago, IL
312-744-5472

Celebrate!

We were very excited that both kids made it to State in IPDGC tumbling, after our first few months of competitions this year.   At State, Dugan placed 3rd and won his 1st trophy!   

Sage placed 5th and won a cool, Olympic style medal with a green ribbon.

 

 February 27th, Fox Valley, Aurora   IPDGC  State Tumbling 2010

It's been a few full weeks of firsts.   Sagezilla got to be a flower girl for the first time, in her Grandma Peggy and Grandpa Leo's 20 year anniversary celebration.   As much as we love the music, theatre and art scene in Chicago, we always make time for family.   They are our past and our future and deserve to be well celebrated.

 February 20th, 2010 20 year anniversary recommittment ceremony

Now, Friday we're celebrating the end of 2 weeks of 3rd grade ISAT testing, Du-Jay's 1st dance (an old school 80's theme), and Du-Jay's actual 9th birthday.   

If that's not enough, that evening he has been asked to read one of his original works at 826CHI's kick off to Zine Fest week in Chicago!   He's chosen to share his piece from The Lost Sock Letters workshop I taught this past November.   So much to celebrate.

I ♥ Faces--Jump for Joy

 Brooklyn, playing in a north side Chicago park, at a school picnic.

Maybe you're jumping rope, jumping for a frisbee, or jumping over ever rising limbo sticks.   Maybe you're jumping on a trampoline, moon shoes, roller blades, a skate ramp, or your own two feet.   Nothing says "jump for joy" like good old fashioned, low tech fun in the park with friends.

Spring is officially less than two weeks away.   So spring up in the air, with a bounce to your soles and your winter weary soul.   And jump for joy.

Look For ChiIL Mama This Weekend: Home Depot Kids Workshop, The Cabinet,

Come on out to your local Home Depot today from 9-noon for free family crafts.   

 
We'll be making a rain gauge to see how all those April showers measure up.

We finally made it out to see Red Moon Theatre's remounting of The Cabinet last night, and it was phenomenal.   What's not to love about murder and madness in an ominous armoire.   I was amazed and amused to see a good segment of the crowd came in costume, ala Rocky Horror Picture Show.   We sat behind a dark haired girl in a long, white lace gown and a well padded boy with wrinkles drawn on his face and hair gelled straight up and whitened with baby powder.  Dr. Caligari lives!

It's been five years since we were first impressed by Frank Maugeri and company's stage adaptation of "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari".   Both then and now, we went to Facets Multimedia and rented the German Expressionist classic from 1919, right before heading out to Redmoon.   The characters and sets bear an excellent resemblance to their cinematic inspiration.  Redmoon's addition of narration, played on a scratchy, old Victrola, adds a whole new dimension to the violin heavy silent film.   

None of the puppeteers from the original production are in this one, but all came back at least once and consulted.   And Vanessa Stalling has risen from puppeteer to the position of director, this time around.   Another is currently involved in Looking Glass Theatre's Alice.   Despite different puppet masters, the same puppets from 2005 starred in this reincarnation, and they haven't aged a day.   After the show, be sure make use of Redmoon's open invite back stage, to check out the amazing sets, props and characters--live and created.

Through March 7th, 2010

    Thursdays 8:00 PM Price: $15
    Fridays 8:00 and 10:00 PM Price: $20
    Saturdays 6:00 and 9:00 PM Price: $25
    Sundays 3:00 PM Price: $20
Through April 4th, 2010

    Thursdays 8:00 PM Price: $15
    Fridays 8:00 PM Price: $20
    Saturdays 6:00 and 9:00 PM Price: $25
    Sundays 3:00 PM Price: $20

TICKETING INFORMATION:

Group Rate Ticket Price (Parties of 10 or more)—Call the Box Office to order your group discounted tickets!

A $1.50 service fee is applied to each ticket for all online and phone orders. If you would like to avoid the service fee, you may stop by our Box Office during business hours to purchase.

Box Office Hours:
    Monday (9am-5pm)
    Tuesday (9am-5pm)
    Wednesday (9am-5pm)
    Thursday (9am-9pm)
    Friday (9am-11pm)
    Saturday (2pm-10pm)
    Sunday (12pm-4pm)

Sold Out/Wait List Policy: Patrons may join the waitlist by coming to the Box Office in person up to one hour prior to the performance start time.

PERFORMANCE AND VENUE INFORMATION:

The running time is 60 minutes with no intermission.
The Box Office will open for ticket purchases and Will Call one hour before the performance. The Bar will open one hour before curtain. The Bar is cash only and serves snacks and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The House will open for seating 30 minutes before the performance.
Tickets are general admission. Patrons are advised to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to curtain for a seat of their choice. No late seating available. Those arriving after curtain will not be admitted.
Redmoon Central is located at 1463 W Hubbard Street near the corner of Grand and Ashland in Chicago’s West Town. Please look for Redmoon’s sign in front of a small parking lot. Walk through the parking lot. Redmoon is located on the left. Ample street parking is available, and handicapped parking is available in our parking lot.
Directions:
From 90/94 northbound: take Lake St (exit 51A) west; take a right on Racine and a left on Hubbard; Redmoon Central will be on your left.
From 90/94 southbound: take Ogden Ave (exit 50A) southwest to Hubbard; take a soft right on Hubbard; Redmoon Central will be on your left.
Via El: Harlem/Lake Green Line train to Ashland; walk north on Ashland, under the Metra tracks; turn right on Hubbard and walk 1.5 blocks; Redmoon Central will be on your right.
Via Bus: #65 (Grand) bus to Armour Street; walk one block south on Armour; turn left on Hubbard; Redmoon Central will be on your right. #9 (Ashland) bus to Grand Avenue; walk one block south on Ashland; turn left on Hubbard and walk 1.5 blocks; Redmoon Central will be on your right.

Again, this is not recommended for children under 13, or you might give your kids a lifetime fear of murderous marionettes!   But for a parents' night out, it can't be beat.

I ♥ Faces Hilarious Outtakes--I ♥ Lucy?!

It's Hilarious Outtakes Week at I ♥ Faces.

Click on the camera link below, for more shutterbug fun.