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Downtown Auroran LO C AL C ULTUR E
eva luckinbill anne von ehr jen evans greta bell lisa manning
WOMEN WE LOVE spring 2013 art poetry recipe calendar
Downtown Auroran www.downtownauroran.wordpress.com Marissa Amoni Publisher and Editor
We live in a community of amazing women. In my West Side
Photo by Jill Amoni
neighborhood alone, I am surrounded by college professors, high school teachers, business professionals, artists, authors, entrepreneurs, politicians, and community organizers – all of whom are women. Of course, to be amazing, women need not have a high ranking career or impressive title, maybe they are just called “mom,” “daughter,” or “aunt.” Women come in all shapes, sorts, and sizes – and they never cease to impress me. We latch on to our mothers from birth and then grow to form meaningful and dynamic relationships – both positive and negative – with them and other women during our lives. When I was recently assessing some important female relationships in my own life, I was struck by how much even casual ones matter to me. Some relationships drive me to compete, some to laugh, some to nurture, and others to strive for excellence. But with all of them, there is a bond – a female bond. Over the past several years, I’ve bonded with many local women and the deepest bonds have been forged through a mutual love of art and community. My best friends share what my mother instilled in me: a passion for life. Three of my dear friends tell their stories of important female relationships in their lives in this issue’s cover story. Another shares her great grandmother’s treasured cookie recipe. You’ll notice the all-female theme in this issue, but we didn’t leave the men out. In Auroran Words, local rapper Etha shares his touching lyrics about not having a dad around, and what it means for his mother. This issue is my homage to the great (and large) posse of local women who make this city better every day. They inspire. They motivate. They create. They do. If you think you’re one of them, you are. See you downtown!
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Tony Scott Max Balding Amy Roth for the Aurora Public Library Copy Editors Eva Luckinbill Magan Szwarek Amy Perry Jen Evans Greta Bell & Flo Kat Anna Lentz & Lisa Manning Contributors Advertising and Submissions: E-mail downtownauroran@gmail.com. Summer Issue deadline: May 31. On the Cover: The Pressing by Anna Lentz, acrylic on canvas Downtown Auroran (DTA) is a local independent operation. We are focused on the downtown and its success – especially the burgeoning arts and culture movement. Opinions are encouraged and expressed, but they are not necessarily those of DTA. Downtown Auroran magazine is published three times a year, and over 2,000 copies are distributed free of charge throughout downtown and select locations in the Aurora area. Share it and recycle it, or add it to your collection. Join us on Facebook! Summer 2013 issue is available July 1. Please support the businesses that support us. Keep it local!
An eye for composition serves my mom well in her recent pursuit of fine art photography. My mom taught me how to appreciate the beauty in things that are often overlooked – from architectural details to the ruffle on an iris petal.
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Penny
Brittany Tripp is a multitalented artist who lives in Montgomery. She is inspired by nature and her two-year-old son, Parker. Tripp is currently working on illustrating her first children’s book.
Women We Love
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index
c over st ory
By Brittany Tripp
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features poetry by Amanda Koester Etha Karen Christensen
Jellyfish Blossom By Desireé Franklin
A u ro r a n Wo rd s
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DTA Profile: Anne Von Ehr
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Desireé Franklin is a self-taught artist who loves to draw unique sea creatures. She spends most of her days drinking coffee, with cat on lap, surfing the interwebs for jellies. dezeflow.weebly.com
Contemporary American Cuisine
Spring 2013
A r t i s t P ro f i l e
Dot to Dot Collective Show: Dot’s Dream House
"Be prepared to enjoy the most memorable dining experience ever." -- Chef Amaury Rosado
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C u l t u re S h o c k
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Table of Contents
Wed - Thurs: 5pm to 11pm Fri - Sat: 5pm to 2am
4 auroran words
10 book review
630.375.0426
5 locust report
11 artist profile
Make reservations online at www.chefamaury.com
6 cover story
12 recipe
10 downtown voices
13 culture shock
Chef Amaury’s Epicurean Affair
Downtown Auroran
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Auroran Words Ash
Feminist Lament
Leave the shade garden to Burn, Up the house Beneath, The old ash Age spots On shoulders I’ll leave, In sunny drought Flowers replanted I grow Without roots Return, No memory Holidays in, A house I never lived.
A flock of girls in high-heeled shoes Gawky flamingoes Tottering across the pier Bright colored birds Bodies pitched and rolling as if on the sea Struggling to remain upright maintain their balance Footwear meant for mannequins Frozen in a storefront window Trapped inside a glass display Draped across a silken sofa Captured beauties Objects meant as decoration Not living, breathing human beings
By Amanda Koester
By Karen Christensen
Amanda Koester recently returned to the Fox Valley area. She graduated from Columbia College Chicago and has appeared in readings and performances throughout Chicago. She’s currently a struggling writer collecting experiences across the Midwest.
Cut loose the straps Fling off your slippers Break the chains Reclaim the gift we won for you Lace up your sneakers Flat and tight Run fast and free. Karen Christensen recently retired from the city of Aurora, but she continues her work as a strong advocate of downtown Aurora. She has authored several books of poetry.
Crying Inside By Etha
I feel the rain... Oh trust, it’s pouring... Outside it’s dry... Inside it’s thunder storming. ‘Cause I been dreaming ‘bout my dad more... Which gets me sad more... Then I’m like, “What the hell you need a dad for!?” I know there’s SO MUCH to be glad for... But I also know it breaks my mother’s damn heart that we ain’t have more... Sorry for cursing - know she hear me But when I see her weary on my life - that gets me teary Y’all don’t hear me. I be crying inside. Etha, born in Chicago as Ryan Xavier Andrew Davis, started in music at age 13. He now calls Aurora home, and as part of Savage Pen Productions, Etha released his first studio album H.A.T.A.S. (Helpful Assistants to All Success) in 2009. The infamous song ”Ether” by Nas decided his stage name, “Etha.” Cari Ann Wayman is a 24-year-old photographer living in Chicago. Most of her pictures are self-portraits shot in abandoned houses. cariwayman.com 4
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The L o c u st R ep o r t Reporting the News and Gossip in Downtown Aurora •S ince the non-profit organization L.I.F.T. Aurora opened Culture Stock at 43 E. Galena Blvd., the used bookstore fills up six days a week with community events and cultural offerings. New this year is M.U.S.I.C Mondays which feature different local musicians every Monday at 6 p.m. and Aurora Language Table that welcomes bilingual speakers to an informal chat session every Wednesday at 6 p.m. Find Culture Stock on Facebook.
•R estaurant Row update: It won’t be Billy Goat Tavern or Luigi’s Pizza, but it could be Aliano’s if the stars align correctly in the coming weeks and months. The former Bacci Pizzeria spot along New York Street’s Restaurant Row might open as a second location for Aliano’s Ristorante. The Italian restaurant opened up its first spot in downtown Batavia last year. If the details are all worked out, Vernon LaVia will be the new landlord for Chef Amaury at 33 West and Aliano’s.
• Aurora resident and DAAM faithful Anthony Stanford will soon be signing books. This spring, Stanford will be promoting his first book, Homophobia in the Black Church: How Faith, Politics and Fear Divide the Black Community. Stanford, a nationally published freelance writer and contributor to Chicagoland radio, provides persuasive insight into the unique and pivotal effect that coming out has on the lives of African American LGBTs. The book examines the controversial question of whether the increasingly virulent and adversarial posture toward homosexuality in Black culture is inflamed by the Christian Right and social conservatives. The book can be pre-ordered on Amazon.
• New businesses: Hot Pechugas at 31 N. Broadway opened with some excitement at the end of January. The tamales/ pancakes/wings restaurant is operating with limited hours and we hope that doesn’t limit their staying power. Knightsbridge PME School of Cake Decorating will soon open in the old bank building at 35 N. Broadway. We’re still waiting for the paper to come off the windows at If These Walls Could Talk, a new frame shop at 32 N. Stolp Ave.
• I f you drive past at night, you’ll notice the windows on the third floor of the Elks Club building at Stolp Avenue and Benton Street are now flooded with light. Starting earlier this year in a partnership with the city of Aurora, Paramount Theatre is using the historic, city-owned building’s grand ballroom to rehearse their Broadway series musicals. Having the theater as a tenant could open up the old hotel to other cooperative uses.
•T his spring will bring a shot in the arm to the creative, grassroots Vacant Window Project that has empty storefronts starring as some of the hottest windows in downtown Aurora. The project includes over 60 locals and a handful of windows.
• A list to like on Facebook: Savage Pen Productions, Aurora Downtown, Alley Art Festival, The Light of the Heart: A Community Art Project in Aurora, IL
• The Yetee moved out of his cave and into more of an industrial warehouse over the winter. The Yetee creator Mike Mancuso needed room for his t-shirt business to grow and found a decent amount of space in the former Extreme Cycles building at Cross and River Streets. Our furry and lovable friend is now happily at home and will soon be welcoming guests for art shows featuring the finest in local screen prints.
Annie’s Om Towne Fitness yoga and pilates in downtown Aurora 14 W. Downer Pl., upstairs 630-234-4928
Breathe...you’re Om now. Spring 2013
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Cover Story As one of ten kids, my Aunt Chris didn’t have a lot of toys. Instead, she used her imagination, making paper dolls and sewing Barbie clothes. As a mother, Aunt Chris always had crafts for her daughters. Her home daycare kids also benefitted from her profusion of project ideas; at one point, they published a weekly newspaper. Aunt Chris divided the basement into separate office spaces with sheets; each child had a different job: editor, photographer, sports writer, etc. It depended on their interest; they loved it. When several dozen extended family members took annual vacations together for many years, Aunt Chris always had activities and crafts for the kids. One year, she hid gold coins in the beach sand and, as we kids found them over the week, we could run to spend them at her “gift shop.” For Aunt Chris, crafting has never been about creating a product to sell. When my cousin, Chrissy, died from cancer at 22, crafting was something Aunt Chris could do to keep her hands and mind occupied. She says crafting gives her a sense of purpose and makes her feel accomplished. She calls it “cheap therapy.”
Local artists share their stories of inspiration and artistic bonds of the female kind...
Aunt Chris never sticks to any one media. She’s gone through embroidery, quilting, watercolor painting, wood burning, leather tooling, and pre-internet, pre-Photoshop drawing on the computer. Once she conquers a skill, she is compelled to move on to something else. She says she has so many interests; there are other things she wants to try. “It’s just always fun to have some kind of project going.” In the early 90s, there was a bead shop in Ludington, Michigan where we took those summer vacations. The plethora of colorful beads from all over the world was our inspiration to create our own polymer clay beads. I remember sitting at her kitchen table, as an unhappy, hippie teenager, rolling out canes to slice into intricately patterned clay beads. I was there a lot because it was a safe, comforting place at a crazy time. Chrissy and I threaded many necklaces together and, after she died, Aunt Chris gave me Chrissy’s bead collection. Like everything else, this bead-making phase passed and didn’t come up again until this last spring, twenty years later. Aunt Chris was watching my five year old while I
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taught each week and they got serious about play dough. Frustrated that she couldn’t layer and cut the colors of play dough, Aunt Chris immediately bought some polymer clay; this inspiration evolved into a delightful and colorful obsession. She made hundreds and hundreds of Pandorastyle beads in impossibly complex patterns. She had so many of them that I egged her on to sell them at local markets. We ended up sharing booths over the summer and she always sold more than me. It’s been great to spend this extra time together. We have so much in common, as artists, voracious learners, and women too busy with ideas to be any kind of reasonable housekeepers. Written by Aurora artist and mother of three, Jen Evans, about her aunt, Chris Pawlowski, who resides on Aurora’s West Side.
I always encouraged my daughter, Flo, to follow her dreams because from a young age she was willing to work for those dreams. When she was eight, she wanted to join the circus so I found a camp for her (Circus Smirkus, a child circus) and I told her if she wrote a book of poems and sold them to help pay for camp she could go. She did, and when she was there she learned to ride a unicycle, juggle, climb a rope, and perform acrobatic moves. She also helped out other campers who were lonely and missed their families. I was impressed that she had this mighty courage and determination to try outlandish and difficult things but balanced this with great kindness and love towards others.
and support and her massive inner strength and wisdom she continually overcomes. At the age of 20, she will be graduating from Columbia College majoring in graphic design. I believe in her artistic eye and her solid performance in all things she takes on. I think she really is my hero and that she will find great worth and success in her lifetime. Written by Batavia artist and mother, Greta Bell, about her talented daughter, Flo Kat.
I’ve always loved having an artistic mom. I probably didn’t realize my mom was an artist until middle school when she started painting. Maybe that’s when she started realizing she was an artist too. However, she has always been an artist. Throughout my life, she learned and adapted many crafts and art forms. I grew up with a mom who built a clay oven in the backyard, who spent her winters felting hundreds of Santa ornaments, knitting, sewing quilts and clothing, and her summers filling plant beds with beautiful flowers and vegetables. I could never hope for a more amazing mom. Another upside of having a creative mom is that she will always support you in everything you do, and often encourage you to go off and explore less traveled paths. My mom believes in doing things, and she makes dreams come true. I’ve done out-of-the-ordinary things, from writing and making music from a young age, traveling on money made from an album I wrote, and forging my own winding path through school, to learning to weld and build furniture. I get that rebellious independence from my mom, both from her as a role model and through her support. We can all do really extraordinary things if we believe we can, and my mom is a particularly good believer. She has made my life extraordinary. Written by Flo Kat, a young Batavia-born musician, about her artistic mother, Greta Bell. continued on page 8
When Flo was 12, she wanted to learn to play the guitar. I found a teacher for her but she practiced on her own; I didn’t nag her. She simply asked that I remind her to practice so she wouldn’t forget. It did not take long before her poems began appearing in her songs. Flo’s music has brought great rewards to her and our community. Whenever she plays I become mesmerized while listening. It is a very emotional experience for me and I believe it would be even if I was not her mother. Her vision and strength of character led to her getting into college at 16 before even graduating from high school. The most amazing thing about Flo is there have been so many obstacles (and there still are) along her path that could have completely derailed her, yet with love Spring 2013
Downtown Auroran
Town & Country
Vicki McCoy Broker, GRI
Cell: 630.258.7201 Efax: 630.559.3056 Email: vickimccoy@remax.net http://www.vmccoy.illinoisproperty.com
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rehearsals. We went to museums, traveled, and attended concerts, ballets, and plays. My mom worked hard cleaning houses for us to have these experiences. She gave us the space to become who we are without asking much in return. It is now such a pleasure to witness her creative growth in the arts. She is a gifted artist and spiritual director who fabricates rattles out of deer hide, feathers, and sticks. She then adorns them with beads and paint. My grandma, in her last years, would sit by her daughter helping her to stuff and unstuff rattles, praising and playing each one.
Lisa Manning, Anna Lentz with baby Penelope and Peg Lentz in 2010
During a recent weekend in the woods, my sister and mom huddled over a table with brushes in hand. My mom’s brush danced between mini blobs of paint squirted onto the lid of a cottage cheese container and her unconventional canvas, a handmade rawhide rattle head. My sister’s brush quietly smothered water into her tray of watercolors before smoothly spreading the wetness onto the dry, receptive watercolor paper. I painted at my canvas, which rested on a chair-turnedeasel. My sister-in-law steadily maneuvered yarn with her crochet hook that manipulated a single strand into a scarf. This was her first attempt, having just learned from my sister. The weekend offered a break from the unceasing demands of caring for our families. We had the freedom, space, and time to create while nurturing and supporting each other. Growing up, my mom and grandma buzzed around the house scrubbing, dusting, washing, and feeding. The work was never done, and they were happy to do it. Being resourceful, these women infused creativity into their chores and work while never failing to love and care for us. My grandma hemmed dresses by hand, darned socks - so magically filling in the holes, and stitched the runs in her pantyhose creating sculptural ridges. She baked to perfection and gardened soulfully, always reminding me to save the water from the downspouts because the plants preferred the rainwater.
My mom also facilitates Soul Collage workshops. Soul Collage is a spiritual process that incorporates making collages from magazine images. Like Soul Collage, she has united spiritual growth in the making of art and often remarks that my sister and I are her teachers now. It feels good to return some of what she has given us. Today, my sister and I are both professional artists. My sister makes art and teaches out of her own studio, Nido Art Studio in Aurora. She has her own clothing line (Nido Threads), is a member of Dot to Dot Collective, and facilitates birthday parties. In addition to watercolor, she hand builds with ceramics, works with dyeing, appliquéing textiles, quilting, crocheting, and knitting, but ultimately she weaves together communities through various programming at her studio always generous with creativity and inspiration. Having learned everything from my sister, I make and sell art (paintings, weavings, stitched textiles) in Oak Park, blog about it, and do my best to instill the creative impulse in my own children. We are truly blessed that we can support each other as we learn, teach, and evolve as artists. Written by Aurora-born Anna Lentz (Pinwheel Anna online), now of Oak Park, Ill. about her mother, Peg Lentz; her grandmother, Anna Schalz; and her sister, Lisa Manning. Anna Schalz passed away last October at the age of 98. Lisa Manning operates Nido Art Studio at 514 Terry Ave. on Aurora’s West Side.
My mom adopted this ability to transform work into beauty. She enjoyed the challenge of creating a delicious meal from the scraps in the pantry or making a floral arrangement gathered from the yard. I would marvel at her ability to wrap a present so uniquely from various bits and pieces of paper, ribbon, and artificial flowers, which we kept stuffed in the drawer of our dining room buffet. Having been denied the piano lessons she had begged for, my mom resolved to expose us to the arts. She loved listening to us play the piano as she prepared dinner, she would send us around the corner to draw wild flowers in our neighbor’s garden, and faithfully deposit us at dance and theatre 8
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More than a cup of coffee... a place for minds to meet! Homemade soups, sandwiches and baked goods TRY OUR DAILY SPECIALS!
River’s Edge Café
Spring 2013
Downtown Auroran
14 W. Downer, Ste. 18 between River and Stolp 630.897.3343 theriversedgecafe.com
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D ow n t o w n V o ic es My Vision for Our New Library By Eva Luckinbill
As one enters the building, there is a buzz of activity
emanating from the various meeting rooms where programs, classes, and demonstrations are being held. Some library users are browsing through the thousands of audiovisual materials while others are downloading from specified stations to their own personal devices. In the children’s area, the youngest users are participating in a craft project, listening to stories in the special storytime room, or exploring the many manipulatives that enhance their reading readiness. On the second floor, adult and teen patrons are accessing the nonfiction print materials, attending a computer class in the lab, using public computers or free WiFi with personal devices, or exploring the technology in the media studio, replete with advanced music and film editing equipment. Many small collaborative study spaces are available around the perimeter of the floor. The third floor is reminiscent of the traditional library environment. Adult fiction materials, magazines and newspapers, and quiet reading zones dominate the area.
The Downtown Buy
Eva Luckinbill has worked for the Aurora Public Library since 1997. She became executive director in 1998. In 2009, the former BeaconNews building was purchased and demolished to become the future site of the new downtown facility. Read Luckinbill’s full essay on the new library on downtownauroran. wordpress.com.
Hanging on a clothesline, draped
under a tent, these t-shirts were an instant hit when The ArtBar debuted last summer at the Hop Juice Festival, lined up at the bus shelters adjacent to the parking lot at Two Brothers Roundhouse. Aurora artist and entrepreneur Lisa Manning designed the Aurora-themed shirts with Dot to Dot Collective, an artist trio that she formed with her sister, Anna Lentz, and local ingénue Joanna Goss. What: Aurora Bottles logo tee Inspiration: The city of Aurora’s dawn logo mixed with the Hop Juice Festival Price tag: $10 The hook up: lisa@nidothreads.com
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412 n lake street, aurora
Book Review Eight Girls Taking Pictures By Whitney Otto
Bestselling author Whitney Otto
(How to Make an American Quilt) guides readers through the 20th century from behind the lenses of eight female photographers in her intricately written collection of stories Eight Girls Taking Pictures. The fictional stories are inspired by real-life female photographers and document the exhilarating intersection of early-20th-century art and feminism in various romantic settings such as Paris, Berlin, San Francisco, and Mexico. At the center of each, is a fascinating woman who is often struggling with traditional gender roles and societal expectations. As she seeks to establish herself as a photographer, she finds herself in situations where the desire to create art is in direct conflict with the day to day realities of domestic partnership, motherhood and, in one case, homophobia amid the rise of Nazi Germany. Vivid writing and careful character development propel Eight Girls Taking Pictures and brings its locations to life, from the makeshift darkroom of the pioneering Cymbeline Kelley, to the Parisian portrait studio of Amadora Allesbury, to the New York landscapes captured by Miri Marx. Although not apparent from the beginning, the stories are interlocking; some more than others, but all in a manner that makes crystal clear the notion that the work of the earlier generations influenced the work of the artists that follow. Anyone with an interest in photography and feminism will enjoy this beautifully written collection and will likely put it down with a desire to research the lives of the real women behind the fiction. --- Magan Szwarek, Aurora Public Library
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A rt is t P r o file DTA profile: Anne Von Ehr Interview by Amy Perry
A rtist Anne
Von Ehr’s love of art and color shines through in her floral and landscape galleries located on her website, www.annevonehr.com. A resident of Aurora, she used to teach and do workshops all over, but she now focuses on her art while exploring new mediums. Currently, she is busy creating and evolving in her space at Gallery 44 in downtown Aurora.
Downtown Auroran: When did you decide to become a professional artist? Anne Von Ehr: I was always interested in art, and graduated from Western Illinois University with a degree in art education. After several career changes, I started painting seriously again about 20 years ago. I did not consider myself a professional artist until 10 years ago. While still maintaining my full time employment as a flight attendant, I was able to put in the time needed for (art) until I retired from flying two years ago. A career as a professional artist takes many hours of dedicated work, plus an equal amount of time promoting your work. This part is what keeps many artists from success. DTA: What is your favorite media? AVE: I am best known for my work in pastel. It is important for an artist to grow and evolve, sometimes this means developing new bodies of work in other media. I am currently working on some abstract paintings combining oil with cold wax and other mixed media. I am also working on oil landscapes now.
DTA: Do you have family members who are involved in the arts? AVE: My grandmother and my mother are both very creative people. My mom made jewelry, and I have one sister who also paints, does printmaking, and was a potter. In total, I have five sisters and four brothers, many of whom have a great deal of creativity. DTA: Let’s play “Five favorites.” AVE: (Color) Celadon. (Band) Bruno Mars or Owl City. (Year) 2013. (Artist) My 10-year-old niece. (Website) YouTube. Anne’s work can be viewed by appointment in her Gallery 44 studio, located at 50 E. Galena Blvd., and at Allen Pepa Architects, 121 W. Benton St., until April 1. Her work can also be seen at Atron Regen Interior in Champaign, Ill. She is available to teach semi-private classes on Monday mornings in her studio. For more information, call Anne at 630-801-0818.
DTA: Who are some of your favorite artists? AVE: I have a very eclectic list of favorites, ranging from American landscape painters to abstract expressionists, including Odilon Redon, John Singer Sargeant, Edgar Payne, Franz Kline, and Ann Templeton. I can’t have enough books of paintings. I also have artists I follow online. DTA: What would you be doing if you were not an artist? AVE: There were many years after college that I was not painting. During those years, I always did something in a related field. I got a degree in Interior Design and did that for years. I’ve also done flower arranging, gardening, and designed and made dance costumes for a small local dance group, anything to stretch myself creatively. Spring 2013
“It is important for an artist to grow and evolve." - Anne Von Ehr
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Great Gram’s Applesauce Cookies Contributed by Kate Purl – west of downtown
The recipe for these soft, cake-like cookies comes from my great grandmother’s hand-written cookbook. Her name was Betty Kelly, and her collection also features dishes from her friends and family, including Marie and Laura Oberweis, Helen Menzl, and Mary, Margaret, and Evelyn Bonifas (Great Gram’s sisters-in-law). I love flipping through the pages and imagining Sunday afternoons on Pigeon Hill - the women playing cards and making supper, the men hanging out at the Phoenix Club or Teddy Weiland’s tavern, the kids roaming the neighborhood playing games, some nice ham salad, a cocktail, and a delightful dessert. Great Gram was born and raised in Aurora, and she lived here for most of her life. Her first job was at the Pictorial Box Company on Lake Street, and she was the manager of St. Gregory’s bookshop on Broadway throughout its existence. When I see photos of Aurora in the 1920’s, I always picture a young Great Gram riding the street car to get popcorn down on Broadway. She was a kind, strong, intelligent, and talented woman, and I am honored to share one of the recipes she passed down through the generations of our family. Ingredients: • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (original recipe calls for shortening) • 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg • 2 cups flour • 1 cup applesauce • 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon • 1/2 tsp. salt • 1/2 tsp. baking powder • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
Directions: Cream sugar and butter in bowl, then add egg. Sift dry ingredients and add alternately with applesauce. Drop on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400 degrees until bottoms start to turn golden - about 9 minutes. When she’s not busy making paper mustaches, Kate Purl frequents the Aurora Farmers Market in search of her next meal. Purl whips up creative and healthful recipes for her family of four on a regular basis and chronicles the fun on her blog: thereluctanthippie.wordpress.com
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C u l tu r e S h o c k MARCH
AURORA 88s: MARCH BADNESS BOUT Sun March 10 at 7 Hard Core Corruption vs. The Glamazons! $10. Aurora Skate Center on Montgomery Road. Aurora 88s Roller Derby on Facebook. FLAVORS OF AURORA: STIRRED NOT SHAKEN - IRISH Fri March 15 from 5 to 8 A free cocktail reception featuring a mini-exhibit of the history and cultures of the newest citizens of Aurora from around the world. Free. David L. Pierce Art & History Center, 20 E. Downer Pl. (630) 906-0650. aurorahistory.net STORYTIME AT THE CAFE Mon March 18 at 11 The Aurora Public Library hosts an off-site storytime for children with books, dancing, and fun, plus a free treat. Free. River’s Edge Cafe, 18 W. Downer. No reg. needed. aurorapubliclibrary.org DOT TO DOT COLLECTIVE SHOW: DOTS DREAM HOUSE Sat March 23 from 7 to 11 The three Dots are back for a spring show with a domestic theme. Free. Nido, 514 Terry Ave. nidoartstudio.com
APRIL
ANDREA DAWN & TODD KESSLER AND THE NEW FOLK Fri April 5 at 9 Our famed downtown songstress and the man who received national stardom from TV’s The Voice. No cover. Two Brothers Roundhouse, 205 N. Broadway. twobrothersroundhouse.com CLASSIC MOVIE MONDAY: WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY Mon April 8 at 7 See one of the most scrumdiddlyumptious movies ever on the big screen. $1. Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. paramountaurora.com STOMP Sat & Sun April 13 & 14 A high-voltage spectacle combines dance and noise. Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. paramountaurora.com STORYTIME AT THE CAFE Mon April 15 at 11 The Aurora Public Library hosts an off-site storytime for children with books, dancing, and fun, plus a free treat. Free. River’s Edge Cafe, 18 W. Downer. 2ND 2 NONE 5K RUN/WALK Sun April 28 at 8 The race sponsored by the Aurora Food Pantry and Communities in Schools and benefitting the Food for Thought initiative will kick off at North River Street Park. 2nd2none5k.com
Need more art and culture?
MAY
DOWNTOWN AURORA TASTE Tue May 14 from 5 to 9 Multiple downtown eateries will participate in the annual Taste hosted by the Exchange Club of Aurora. To purchase tickets call (630) 415-1263. auroraexchange.org STORYTIME AT THE CAFE Mon May 20 at 11 The Aurora Public Library hosts an off-site storytime for children with books, dancing, and fun, plus a free treat. Free. River’s Edge Cafe, 18 W. Downer. MEMORIAL DAY PARADE Mon May 27 at noon Step off at Benton and River streets. Pre-parade ceremony starts at 11:15. aurora-il.org
JUNE
MID-AMERICAN CANOE & KAYAK RACE Sun June 2 at 9 Canoe down the Fox River from St. Charles or Batavia to Aurora. Ends at McCullough Park at Illinois Ave. and Lake St. (630) 859-8606. foxvalleyparkdistrict.org LOUCHE PUCE FLEA MARKET Sat June 8 from 9 to 4 Second Saturdays bring vendors of all things cool to the pedestrian brick alley known as Water Street Mall. Peruse antiques, collectibles, and more. Water Street Mall between Downer and Galena. norrisjeanne@gmail.com GREEN FEST Sat June 8 from 10 to 3 Aurora’s environmentally-friendly celebration brings music, speakers, activities, and more. Prisco Community Center, 150 W. Illinois Ave. auroragreenlights.org BLUES ON THE FOX WEEKEND/ RIVEREDGE PARK GRAND OPENING Fri June 14 from 6 to 10 and Sat June 15 from 2 to 10 Celebrate the grand opening of Aurora’s new outdoor amphitheater and park. Part of the city’s Downtown Alive! series. RiverEdge Park on Broadway. downtownaliveaurora.com AMPED UP ADVENTURE RACE Sun June 16 Local outdoor shop Paddle & Trail is looking for adventure seekers to bike, paddle and run the Fox River. ampedupadventurerace.com HOP JUICE FEST Fri June 21 thru 23 Three days of live music and great beer along with promotional and festival activities. Two Brothers Roundhouse, 205 N. Broadway. hopjuicefestival.com
LIMITED RUNS & SHOWINGS
DINOSAURS: THE ART AND SCIENCE OF PALEONTOLOGY Thru May 3 Fossils, site maps, and natural history themed art. Free. David L. Pierce Art & History Center, 20 E. Downer Pl. (630) 906-0650. aurora-il.org
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Spring 2013
Downtown Auroran
PARAMOUNT’S GRAND GALLERY: NCC STUDENT ARTISTS FEAT. LAUREN WOHLRAB Thru March 25 North Central College shows off their aspiring artists student exhibit. Free. Paramount Theatre’s Grand Gallery, 2nd floor, 23 E. Galena Blvd. paramountaurora.com THE AURORA STORY Continuing The Aurora Historical Society exhibit on the 2nd floor of “The DLP” tells the history of Aurora with vintage treasures and more. Wed-Fri, noon to 4. Free. David L. Pierce Art & History Center, 20 E.Downer Pl. (630) 906-0650. aurorahistory.net ART AT CITY HALL: STUDENT WORKS Thru Oct 11 Student artwork from five Aurora high schools is on display on all five floors. Open Mon-Fri, 8-5. City Hall, 44 E. Downer Pl. aurora-il.org RIVERFRONT PLAYHOUSE Call for current schedule. Riverfront Playhouse, 11-13 Water Street Mall, is a 90-seat, not-for-profit theatre located next to City Hall on the Water Street Mall in downtown Aurora. $12-$15. (630) 897-9496. Reservations recommended. riverfrontplayhouse.com
ONGOING EVENTS
DAMES Every Monday from 9:30 to 11 Join other Downtown Aurora Moms Engaged in Society with or without kids. Drink coffee and chat while the kids have fun in the play corner. River’s Edge Cafe, 14 W. Downer Pl. Suite 18. CLASSIC MOVIE MONDAYS Mondays at 7 Great, classic movies every Monday. $1. Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. paramountaurora.com STORYTIME Thursdays at 10:30 Stories for little ones courtesy of Ms. Karen. Free. Culture Stock, 43 E. Galena Blvd. Culture Stock on Facebook. DAAM! First Thursday of the month at 7:30 Join artists of all kinds at informal Downtown Aurora Arts Mixers. Various locations in downtown Aurora. Everyone is welcome. Find the Downtown Auroran group on Facebook for more information. ARTBAR FIRST FRIDAYS First Friday of the month at 6 Enjoy themed artwork by local artists along with music and drinks. Two Brothers Roundhouse, 205 N. Broadway. The ArtBar on Facebook. theartbar.org
CULTURAL STOPS
Culture Stock 43 East Galena Boulevard David L. Pierce Art & History Center 20 East Downer Place Aurora Regional Fire Museum 53 North Broadway SciTech Hands On Museum 18 West Benton Street
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Branching:Africa By Cheryl Holz
d n a t o $ 5.99 h fresh ! a z z i p large Try our
! e c I n Italia
Cheryl Holz is an artist at Gallery 44 in downtown Aurora. Her rural upbringing influenced both her aesthetic sensibility and her artwork, which is her homage to nature’s resilience, beauty, and diversity. She spends much of her non-studio time outdoors with her two dogs.
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On the corner of New York and Lake Street in downtown Aurora
Downtown Auroran
Spring 2013
Mondays: Live music @ 6 Tuesdays: Storytime @ 4 Weds: Aurora Language Table @ 6 Thursdays: Storytime @ 10:30
Check our Facebook page for more free, community events 43 E. Galena Blvd.
Books. Music. People. Culture.
Fitzpatrick Properties, LLC rental properties
Na me : Tony Scott Age : 36 Pets : 2 cats Occupation : reporter Hobbies : vinyl records, live music, movies
Adrienne Sandman Property Manager asandman@yahoo.com
481 Willow St Sugar Grove, IL 60554
DTA singles* shout out
(630) 631-2686
Females: Email Tony at anthonytscott@gmail. com * editor approved
PAUL & BILL’S
Auto Service & Car Wash Complete Automotive Repair and Towing 300 W. Galena Blvd., Aurora 630-896-4213 www.paulandbills.com Spring 2013
Downtown Auroran
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Watercolor By Valeria Torres
Valeria Torres is an eighth grader at Washington Middle School. She enjoys drawing in her spare time, and is inspired by her current art teacher, Samantha Oulavong. “What I want to be when I grow up is a photographer because I love to take pictures,” Torres said.
IN THIS ISSUE Poems by Amanda Koester Etha Karen Christensen Great Gram’s Applesauce Cookies by Kate Purl My Vision for Our New Library by Eva Luckinbill Photo by Cari Ann Wayman Artwork by Brittany Tripp Cheryl Holz Valeria Torres Desireé Franklin Submit your work to downtownauroran@gmail.com