New Eastside News September 2020

VOL. 8 NO. 9

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New Eastside NEWS H RIDING IT OUT Streeterville NEWS H CHICAGO STAR

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Chicagoans share some end-of-season goals CHICAGO TAR as summer of the S pandemic winds down

CHICAGO STAR

West Loop NEWS

Chicago police harness technology to fight crime

New Eastside NEWS Streeterville NEWS West Loop NEWS Page 6

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Fred Gipson pauses to reflect on plans for the remainder of the season. “Just relax and enjoy the rest of the summer with my girl,” he said. Photo by Daniel Patton

Tribune critic Michael Phillips on future of film Page 12

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New Eastside NEWS Streeterville NEWS HowLoop to Contact West NEWSUs info@chicagostarmedia.com 200 E. Randolph St. Suite 5100 Chicago, IL 60601 (312) 690-3092 Editor: Elaine Hyde elainehyde@chicagostarmedia.com Director of Brand Development Jay Kopp jaykopp@chicagostarmedia.com Managing Editor Daniel Patton danielpatton@chicagostarmedia.com Staff Writers: Angela Gagnon Nuria Mathog Copy Editors: Vivien Lee Bob Oswald Layout/Design: Bob Oswald Community Contributors: Jon Cohn

Subscriptions info@chicagostarmedia.com Advertising Contact Jay Kopp jaykopp@chicagostarmedia.com New Eastside News and Streeterville News are published by Chicago Star Media.

New Eastside News and Streeterville News are monthly papers that use community writers and contributors. The views expressed by community contributors are their own. Chicago Star Media does not take responsibility for third-party announcements or events. Chicago Star Media is independently owned and operated.

Published Sept. 1, 2020 Copyright ©2020. All rights reserved.

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| FEATURES |

Turn social distancing into a game Visualize Chicago-themed objects that match the six-foot required space between you and others

By Jay Kopp Staff Writer We all may be a bit tired of the constant reminders about social distancing and the six-foot rule currently being emphasized.

For some, this safety step has become a bit repetitive. So let’s shake things up a bit.

Social distancing can be fun if you make a game out of it. You can play at home, play with friends, or even compare notes with complete strangers. It’s a great conversation starter.

How to play? Visualize objects that roughly equal the six-foot required space between you and someone else. Remember when visualizing to use your “visual mask” and “visual gloves” and don’t forget to disinfect when you are done playing.

This is a special Chicago edition of the six-foot game, so feel free to post your own six-foot ideas with the hashtag #ChicagoStarDistancing. We will try and publish some of the best responses on the chicagostarmedia.com website.

Here are some ideas to get the ball rolling: Starting with the Chicago Bulls, how about the GOAT (greatest of all time) Michael Jordan when he stretches his arms out or half the length of the Chicago Bulls bench. It could be the circumference of the Bullimp, the Benny the Bull blimp that flies around the United Center. Or the athletic mascot Benny the Bull himself and his required six- foot personal space, remembering he needs room to do his famous standing backflip.

Other possible six-foot visuals? Five delicious Chicago deep dish pizzas lined

Chicago-themed items that are roughly the six feet required for social distancing in size (clockwise from top): the head of the Field Museum’s dinosaur, Sue; the Art Institute of Chicago’s “A Sunday on La Grand Jatte” by Georges Seurat; 15 bottles of Old Style; and the circumference of the Benny the Bullblimp. Photos courtesy the Field Museum; The Art Institute of Chicago. Photos by Bob Oswald

up side by side. Or the head of the Field Museum’s iconic dinosaur Sue? Maybe a CTA car measured horizontally, a kayak on the Chicago River, 10 bottles of Malort or 15 of Chicago’s finest Old Style bottles lined up in proper formation.

Maybe it is the Art Institute of Chicago’s “A Sunday Afternoon on The Island Of La Grande Jatte” by Georgas Seurat?

If you want to get really Chicago morbid,

how about the length of Al Capone’s body while laid out, complete with chalk lines around him?

The possibilities are endless so shoot us over some of your best ideas at ChicagoStarMedia.com.

Of course, you could always just visualize the person next to you who may be about six feet tall. But what fun would that be?

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A resident claims miniature plastic frogs are disappearing from the fishpond next to the Aqua Building on the east side of Lakeshore East Park. Courtesy of Pat Zeglen

Frogs disappearing from Aqua fishpond Miniature plastic frogs are disappearing from the fishpond next to the Aqua Building on the east side of Lakeshore East Park. “Do we have a frog thief in the New Eastside community?” asked Pat Zeglen, who has noticed a reduction in the decorative amphibian population over the course of the summer.

“They might be moved by persons unknown, but it was fun to see different configurations during my morning walks.”

Zeglen remarked that they made a pleasing complement to the natural beauty of the area. “The delightful fishpond, created and maintained by Aqua’s chief engineer Jerry, has been adorned with donations of frogs from a friend at Outer Drive East,” Zeglen said. “She has placed 13 frogs at the pond so far this summer.”

Hoping that a published account of her observation would inspire someone to return the wee creatures, she was delighted to find three new additions on Aug. 19. But a few days later, the trio had disappeared. Besides the frogs, Zeglen said that a “friendly alligator” has gone missing.

“When I see no frogs that were there the day before, it is quite disheartening,” she said. “Where have all the frogs gone? If returned, no questions will be asked.”

Locally produced ‘I Have a Name’ teaser released The Chicago Help Initiative (CHI) has released a teaser for its upcoming documentary, “I Have a Name.” Helmed by award-winning director Lucia Mauro (“Francis Xavier Cabrini: The Peoples’ Saint,” “One Year Later”), “I Have a Name” was produced by CHI, a nonprofit dedicated to serving the homeless founded by New Eastside resident Jacqueline C. Hayes.

Combining footage of Chicago with interviews of people living through and fighting against homelessness, the

preview shines a light on the issue in a moving and dignified way. The release date of the full documentary has been postponed from the original June 4 date because of the pandemic and other production requirements. However, no new date has been announced. “We felt it important to add a sort of epilogue to the documentary addressing how the coronavirus affected our mission,” Hayes wrote to CHI supporters in July.

View the trailer on Chicago Help Initiative’s website, chicagohelpinitiative.org.

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| NEWS BRIEFS | Police thwart protesters’ attempt to enter New Eastside

The Chicago Architecture Center is offering free exploration kits to visitors. Photo by Daniel Patton

Continued from page 3

New programs offered at the Chicago Architecture Center The Chicago Architecture Center has announced several promotions and family programs such as Free Family Exploration Kits that are available to visitors through Sept. 27. Offering enough supplies for up to three kids, the kits include a CAC backpack with colored pencils, stickers, a guide for their scavenger hunt through the Center’s galleries, and more.

Walking tour options have been reinstated in various neighborhoods, other parts of downtown and several suburbs.

My Social Circle private tours and Architecture Conversations custom tours are a great option for close friends and families who have isolated together.

The Chicago Architecture Center reopened July 3 with new guidelines for face masks, social distancing, and other health-related matters. For more information about the Chicago Architecture Center, visit architecture.org.

Chicago awards $2M in grants to 191 nonprofits Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) have awarded $2 million in operating grants to 191 Chicago nonprofit organizations through the

The city awarded $2 million in grants to 191 Chicago nonprofit organizations, such as the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, through the CityArts Program. Courtesy of Jessica Sieck

CityArts Program.

The annual program encourages Chicago-based arts and culture-focused organizations to attain excellence and financial stability by making general operating grants across all artistic disciplines. The general operating grants range from $2,000 to $30,000 and special project grants range from $2,500 to $56,200.

This year’s recipients include Cinema/ Chicago, the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, The Joffrey Ballet, and Lyric Opera of Chicago.

“The COVID-19 outbreak is devastating the creative sector, and the need is tremendous,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “In these very challenging times, the City of Chicago is supporting its local arts organizations through the CityArts Program, other cultural grant programs and the Arts for Illinois Relief Fund.”

During a clash that resulted in several arrests and injuries, Chicago Police prevented protesters from entering the New Eastside neighborhood on Aug. 15. The incident occurred as marchers in a demonstration to defund the Chicago Police Department and abolish ICE attempted to advance east of Michigan Avenue on Wacker Drive.

According to Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown, the escalation began when a participant assaulted an officer with a skateboard while attempting to conceal his identity with an umbrella.

“You can see on video,” he explained during a news conference. “The umbrella goes up.

Protesters put gas masks on. They change their clothing. You see the skateboard comes up, and the skateboard used as a weapon.”

The incident sparked “aggressive pushing into the police officers.”

“That was all under the disguise of umbrellas going up,” he said. “You can’t see into the crowd that that’s happening until something comes at you, a projectile or something … the method gives an advantage to those who want to mete out violence.”

Videos of the incident show police officers confiscating umbrellas within reach and throwing them away.

Navy Pier to close for the year on Sept. 8 Navy Pier has announced a “temporary closure” starting Tuesday, Sept. 8, and remaining in place until spring 2021. At

that time, the historic facility will reopen, provided that the “status of the pandemic” allows it to do so. Citing the “financial burden and impact of the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the organization,” Navy Pier President and CEO Marilynn Gardner said that the “very difficult decision” was necessary to “ensure the long-term success of (the Pier) and the communities it serves.”

She added that the move would also help “preserve the future of the many onsite businesses, which continue to face hardships of their own as a result of the pandemic.”

There are more than 70 local businesses located on Navy Pier, and most of them have experienced “significantly low attendance throughout the pandemic,” according to the release. After closing for nearly three months to comply with statewide pandemic orders, the majority reopened along with the Pier on June 10.

But the Centennial Wheel, Chicago Children’s Museum, and Chicago Shakespeare Theater have remained closed since March 16.

The absence of these “on-site cultural anchors”—together with capacity restrictions on restaurants, events, banquets and conventions—has prevented Navy Pier from “resuming full operations and offering full experiences to guests.”

It has also reduced a significant revenue source for the Pier, an independent, 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that does not receive any public tax dollars to support its operating costs.

Navy Pier’s temporary closure that will remain in place until spring 2021. Photo by Daniel Patton

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| COMMUNITY CORNER |

Doorperson of the Month Alexandria Ward, Aon Center

By Daniel Patton Staff Writer Aon Center Guest Services Representative Alexandria Ward combines charm and authority with the best of them. Greeting visitors, checking IDs and issuing passes, she is part of a team effort to guide people through one of America’s tallest buildings.

But that’s just the start.

Alexandria’s upbringing suggests she can do anything, and her current pursuits confirm it.

“I get a kick out of being creative,” she said. “I’m the silly one, but I’m very serious and professional at the same time.”

Alexandria was raised next to a fire station in Roscoe Village. On weekends, she and her little sister Kayla often pretended to be tourists in the downtown hotels they visited for fun with their mother, who worked at Evanston Hospital. She sang in the Chicago Children’s Choir in grade school; concentrated on music at Lincoln Park High School; earned a certificate in massage therapy from Olympia College; studied criminal justice at Westwood College; and worked in hospice and oncology at Evanston Hospital.

Her 13-year-old daughter is “a really good kid” who loves to cook and play the flute, and her 9-year-old son is a “mama’s boy” who she calls “my bug.”

Ward was working for the door staff of a Chicago residential property when a coworker suggested she contact the Experience Management division of JLL, the real estate services company with offices in the Aon Center.

“It was a really thorough process, my goodness,” she recalled. “There’s absolutely no way you’re going to be placed in a building unless your own personality matches the personality of the building.”

Ward calls the Aon Center team “the best thing about my job.” Pre-COVID, they would assist hundreds of people each day.

“We know the rules and understand what we’re supposed to do more than any other building where I’ve worked,” she said “These people really care, and it’s awesome.”

The pandemic reduced the number of visitors while increasing the amount of responsibilities that the team handles— plexiglass, masks, hand sanitizer, and gloves are part of the daily routine—but it has not diminished their effort and attitude.

“We’re checking in less workers than pre-COVID, but we’re still working really hard,” Alexandra said. “When I check people in, even though you might not be able to see it, I guarantee that underneath I’m smiling ear to ear.”

When the Aon Center shut down from March to June, Ward kept busy with Creations by KayZan, a catering business that she owns and operates with her sister Kayla.

“We were pushing out orders left and right,” she said. “People mainly were ordering Pineapple Bowls and sub sandwiches.”

The Jamaican-inspired Pineapple Bowl comes with chicken, shrimp, or steak and a side of rice or broccoli. The chicken and shrimp are cooked in the pineapple juice, and the whole creation is served in a hollowed-out pineapple.

Ward originally made the Pineapple Bowl for her daughter’s birthday, a luau party, and after a second creation of the dish, she posted a picture on Facebook.

“People started saying, ‘hey can I order that,’ and the next thing I know, I’ve got 16 orders,” she said.

An upcoming job for Creations by KayZan will be a 60th birthday party for 50 people, with dad helping to serve the food.

But it’s not all business for these sisters.

“After CPS shut down, schools weren’t able to give lunches to the kids, so we made 150 sandwiches out of our own pocket and gave them away on the corner of 75th and Constance by South Shore High School,” Ward said. “We took the surplus to the tent city in uptown.”

Now, she’s preparing her kids to learn at home during the upcoming school semester.

“My son takes Zoom classes and he is fine,” Ward said. “My daughter is going into eighth grade. I told her we’re going to start classes at 8 o’clock in the morning, work on each subject for 45

Alexandria Ward from the Aon Center is Doorperson of the Month. Photo by Daniel Patton

minutes, and take a 15-minute break in between. Their phones shut down at 9 p.m., so they cannot call or text anyone except myself, my mom, and my sister Sunday through Thursday.”

To nominate your favorite doorperson, email info@chicagostarmedia.com with their name and why you think they should be the doorperson of the month. Winners will receive a $25 gift card to Mariano’s.

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| NEWS |

Police harness tech to fight crime

By Nuria Mathog Staff Writer The intersection of technology and crime-fighting presents a unique challenge for law enforcement agencies in balancing community safety with individual privacy concerns and the potential for data misinterpretation.

Following a wave of looting and property destruction at businesses in Streeterville, River North and other Chicago neighborhoods on Aug. 10, the Chicago Police Department (CPD) posted video clips and images of persons of interest to its website, and requested the public’s assistance in identifying the individuals.

As of Aug. 24, more than two dozen felony arrests were detailed on the website.

The City of Chicago uses remotely-controlled POD (police observation device) cameras to capture footage of potential crimes. According to the CPD’s website, the cameras were implemented as a pilot program in 2003 and the technology has advanced through the years, including the ability to detect gunfire and send alerts directly to Chicago’s Emergency Management and Communications Center.

At this time, CPD spokeswoman Maggie Huynh said, there are no plans underway to upgrade the cameras for higher-resolution footage or acquire additional technology resources for this type of investigation.

She noted the CPD regularly monitors publicly available, open-source social media as part of its crime-fighting strategy.

On Aug. 14, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said police planned to create a 20-member taskforce to increase social media monitoring as part of an effort to deter future incidences of looting.

In an emailed statement, ACLU of Illinois Executive Director Colleen Connell expressed concern that social media monitoring by law enforcement holds “a number of dangers,” including opening the door to targeting on the basis of protected speech, association, race and neighbor-

An Illinois law prohibits law enforcement officers from using drones for surveillance without a warrant, except for specific circumstances, such as locating a missing person.

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

Police observation device cameras were used to capture surveillance footage that led to arrests in the Aug. 10 looting incident in Chicago. Photo by Daniel Patton

A Chicago Police Department vehicle is pictured in front of the Macy’s in Streeterville. Some police vehicles are equipped with technology allowing the city to compare license plates with a list of stolen vehicles. Photo by Daniel Patton

hood. The organization filed a lawsuit against the CPD in 2018, asking officials to turn over documents regarding social media monitoring software.

Police departments in other cities and abroad have employed sophisticated techniques to identify criminals.

The New York Police Department has some of the nation’s most advanced crime-fighting and surveillance resources, according to The New York Times. In addition to facial recognition software, the department’s resources include drones, cell phone trackers and license plate readers.

In Illinois, there are regulations governing police use of drones. The state’s 2014 Freedom from Drone Surveillance Act prohibits law enforcement officers from

using drones for surveillance purposes without a warrant, except in a few select circumstances, such as preventing acts of terrorism or locating an individual in a missing-persons case.

In recent years, support has grown for the use of police body-worn cameras. By 2016, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, nearly half of general-purpose law enforcement agencies had adopted the technology. The CPD completed an initiative to equip patrol officers with body-worn cameras in 2017.

Two years later, Chicago introduced the first of 200 patrol vehicles equipped with technology allowing the city to compare license plates with a list of stolen vehicles. That same year, the Denver Police

Department began using GPS vehicle pursuit darts, which launch GPS trackers at fleeing vehicles and allow police to follow the vehicles through an app, the Denver Post reported.

The darts were designed to deter dangerous police vehicle pursuits, which have claimed the lives of nearly 355 people in the U.S. annually from 1996 to 2015, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Locally, a recent notable high-speed chase fatality occurred in Lakeview this June, when a squad car pursuing a man wanted in a homicide case struck another vehicle, killing a woman and injuring several others. The squad car in question was not equipped with the darts, as the CPD does Continued on page 14

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Beauty services a different experience during pandemic

By Nuria Mathog Staff Writer The Illinois mask mandate is reshaping the way Chicago stylists perform traditional beauty services—and the way their clients approach make-up.

While in-salon makeup application may be limited to above the mask line, there are still plenty of techniques to make clients’ eyes stand out, Salon Snob owner Jordyn Olawumi said.

“Eyelashes are everything, because if you have limited eyeshadow, or none on, or no makeup, eyelashes make you look awake and alive, and it opens up the eye,” she said. “I think that’s very important, especially now that we all have to wear a mask.”

The mask rules have created less demand for makeup, but Olawumi is still helping clients with their hair needs by creating customized Salon Snob hair kits for at-home use.

Traci Fine, owner of Fine Makeup

Salon Snob clients pose during a July stop at the Streeterville salon. Courtesy of Salon Snob

Art & Associates, said her makeup techniques have largely stayed the same, but she is more cautious about maintaining a sanitary environment.

Fine goes to her clients to perform hair and makeup services, which requires extra safety measures.

Even prior to the pandemic, Fine said, she would mix products on a stainless steel palette to prevent cross-contamination. And because the makeup is designed to last for 10 to 12 hours, clients don’t have to worry about it transferring onto their masks, she said.

River North resident Lisle Berndsen hired Fine to do makeup for her engagement photos this summer. Both women wore masks for most of the appointment, and Berndsen said she felt comfortable briefly removing her mask to have make up applied to the lower half of her face. “My makeup stayed on all day and looked absolutely flawless despite the sweltering heat

and the fact that we were outdoors for most of the day,” she said.

Sarah Andersen, a broker specializing in Chicago home sales, relocations to Florida and lake homes in Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin, used Fine’s hair and makeup services during a photoshoot in July. “She was great to work with and did an amazing job understanding and delivering the concept we wanted to achieve,” Andersen said.

Andersen normally wears a simple CVS mask or a white handkerchief that barely touches the lips.

“I don’t actually give much thought to the style of the mask, but they do look like you are wearing underwear on your face, so I see people playing that up—lingerie for the face where there is a mysterious sex appeal to not knowing what you might be hiding,” Andersen said. “However, I haven’t played along with that game with my CVS mask.”

New Eastside resident competing in SEA Blue Run

By Daniel Patton Staff Writer New Eastside resident Alan Goldman will run something of a victory lap on Sept. 13. A prostate cancer survivor, he will be competing in the virtual SEA Blue Prostate Cancer Walk and Run. Now in its 16th year, SEA Blue is designed to raise funds and awareness for prostate cancer.

Traditionally held in Lincoln Park, the event attracted over a thousand participants in 2019.

Although the 2020 version will traverse a virtual course to accommodate COVID-era guidelines, Goldman plans to complete it while covering some real terrain (and, of course, ob-

serving safety precautions).

“I’m actually inviting a bunch of friends and family to run with me,” he said. “Then we’re going to head over the Hofbrauhaus in Rosemont to celebrate.”

Goldman, who works by day as a CFO for a downtown law firm, was “looking for something to be compassionate about” when he became involved with Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network, which is co-sponsoring the run along with Uropartners. After completing his first SEA Blue race “about four years ago,” he felt inspired to “contribute and give back.”

“They were looking for board members,” he recalled. “I submitted an application, went

New Eastside resident Alan Goldman is set to participate in the SEA Blue Prostate Cancer Walk and Run. Photo by Daniel Patton

through the committee, and I’ve been treasurer for the past three years.”

Several online activities will complement this year’s event.

“We’ll have thousands of people around the country running virtually and sending in pictures,” said Goldman. Afterwards, the post-race agenda includes a simulcast, educational speeches, and other various “things going on.”

Goldman, who will be completing a 5K, has been a runner for more than 30 years. He also exercises about six to seven times a week — “three to four days running and, every other day, I swim.” Although finishing the race should be a matter of routine, he recalls a time when it seemed impossible.

I was diagnosed with prostate cancer when I was 50,” he explained. “I’m 62 now, and thanks to an early diagnosis during a

routine physical, I was able to have many treatment options available to me.”

Now he runs to inform other men and their families about the abundance of support groups and educational programs designed to keep them healthy. “That’s what Us TOO is all about: providing support, education and advocacy resources.” he said.

Among the supporters cheering for Goldman will be his wife, daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter. His son will also be flying in from New York to run alongside him.

To help Alan raise funds for Us TOO, visit ustoo.rallybound.org/SEABlue2020/ AGFamilyandFriends.

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| FEATURES |

SUMMER BUCKET LIST End-of-season goals for Chicagoans

Steve Majerus

By Daniel Patton Staff Writer The end of a summer that never really happened is approaching. Although it passed without a lot of fanfare, many Chicagoans are determined to make the most of the dog days before nodding into autumn.

Streeterville resident Fred Gipson was preparing to ride to a Tinley Park motorcycle rally when he paused to reflect on the seasons. As owner-operator of an 18-wheeler, he has spent much of the summer transporting automobiles to destinations in the Midwest. Orders “slowed down a little bit” due to the pandemic, he said, but there were still enough to make it almost business as usual.

Gipson’s bluish-tan 2017 Harley Davidson Road Glide boasts a 30-inch rim on the front and a pair of woofers in back. Unencumbered by social-distancing requirements, it helped him add a lot of mileage to one of his favorite summertime activities, riding through downtown.

When asked about what he wants to achieve before fall, Gipson said, “Just relax and enjoy the rest of the summer with my girl.”

Freshly satisfied by a Margherita pizza from Loconda on Walton Street, Rachel Kijak and her second cousin Azalia Ellis were at the start of a busy weekend.

“Azalia’s here visiting me because her trip to the Netherlands was cancelled,” said Kijak, a nurse from Bridgeport. “So this is her getaway for something to do.”

Ellis, a high school student from LaCrosse, Wis., was supposed to live with a Dutch family and “experience the culture” through the Rotary International program.

Although the trip got nixed, she and Rachel were making up for it with a tour of Chicago.

“We’re going to go down to Chinatown to have dinner tonight. We’re going to go to the Museum of Science and Industry tomorrow, take a bike tour up through Lincoln Park. We’re doing everything,” Kijak said. “In a Chicago bucket list, we will complete it (during) our whole weekend here.”

Ian Exline and Priya Praveen

Alexandra Kopot and Kion Huggins

“It’s a lot different than where I’m from,” Ellis said.

“So it’s nice to see how things are here.”

Statistician Priya Praveen and chef Ian Exline have been taking advantage of the local outdoor picnic spots.

“One thing which we started doing this summer was having a lot of picnics,” Praveen said. “Very social-distancing picnics with our friends, like one or two: grab a blanket, pack lunch or dinner, and go and sit there and eat.” For leisure in the great outdoors, they prefer North Avenue Beach, Lincoln Park, Old Town and Navy Pier.

When it comes to staying in, Exline likes to “mix it up” by learning new tricks of his trade in their Streeterville home. “You’ve got to try to find ways to keep it interesting, keep yourself busy, pick up new hobbies, start baking bread, make pastries,” he said.

Before autumn begins, they’ve got their sights on the water. According to Praveen, the activity that would really complete the summer is “going to the beach.”

Exline agrees. “Actually swimming probably would be the bucket-list item,” he said.

Chicagoans Dominique Johnson and Mykeal Hood were waiting for an Uber on Michigan Avenue after making an impromptu purchase during a casual trip to the Magnificent Mile.

“We bought some hot sauce,” said Johnson, who works as a surgical assistant. “It’s from Pepper Palace in Water Tower Place.”

Both have sacrificed travel for the pandemic. Johnson

By summer’s end, musician Johnathan Howell hopes to get a million YouTube views of his song, “Follow Your Dreams.” Photos by Daniel Patt

skipped a trip to Las Vegas and Hood gave up a cruise, but they’re determined to make the best of it in Chicago.

“Before the summer ends, I want to go paintballing,” said Johnson, who often enjoys the activity with friends and family. “I would like to actually go jet-skiing,” said Hood, who works in a hospital in the city.

Musician Johnathan Howell is chasing an ambitious summer goal. “I just put the video for my song, ‘Follow Your Dreams,’ on YouTube,” he said. “If I can get a million views, that would be great.”

A smooth R&B track with a groovy bass line, “Follow Your Dreams” has earned nearly 6,000 views since premiering on Aug. 2.

Howell is an entrepreneur who resides in the Loop, but he prefers composing, recording and playing music. He studied music at the Chicago Conservatory when he was “a little kid” and got his professional start as the drummer for Chicago Express, launching a career that has intersected with artists such as Chaka Khan and Kool & The Gang. On weekends, he likes to set up his guitar and play for the people strolling along the Mag Mile.

“This is my love,” he said. “If they took this away, I don’t know what I’d do.”

It took a while for Steve Majerus’ summer to get rolling. As a partner at Island Party Hut, he kept his establishment closed to comply with city and state pandemic orders. Now that the venue and its fleet of party boats are up and running, he said nearby residents are

providing a re neighbors com One of the about the fall “We’re still Majerus said. people to com a pumpkin, p Pembroke P nian Village r summer buck in Barbados m end together “I usually d live in the mo whole goal wa Huggins su thinking for t visit Chicago, love it so far.”

In the Park something of tiful and peac like you’re no After gradu gy. Kopot pla “My summ next one is to

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| FEATURES |

Chicago couples say ‘I do’ to micro-weddings

By Nuria Mathog Staff Writer

Rachel Kijak and Azalia Ellis

Dominique Johnson and Mykeal Hood

egular source of relief. “We love having the me down,” he said.

Party Hut’s goals for the summer is all l. looking at having a pumpkin patch,” . “We’re trying to activate October to get me down, draw a face on a pumpkin, carve pick up their pumpkin for the season.”

Pines, Fla., native Kion Huggins and Ukraresident Alexandra Kopot fulfilled their ket list in mid-August. The Ross University medical students wanted to spend a weekin Chicago. don’t make bucket lists,” Kopot said. “I just oment. But now that I think about it, my as to get (Huggins) to Chicago.” urprised her to make it happen. “I’ve been the last two or three years that I need to ,” he said. “It surpassed my expectations. I ” k at Lakeshore East, they were able to have f a vacation within a vacation. “It’s so beauceful and family oriented,” Kopot said. “It’s ot in Chicago, but you’re in Chicago.” uation, Huggins wants to go into cardioloans to become a surgeon. mer bucket list is complete,” she said. “My o have him stay in Chicago.”

2020 has become the year of small gatherings, and major life events, such as weddings, are no exception. But with area venues offering micro-wedding packages, Chicago couples have no shortage of opportunities to make their big day a special and meaningful experience.

West Loop residents Kayla and Michael Belmont tied the knot July 17 in an intimate rooftop ceremony at the Loews Chicago Hotel in Streeterville. The couple met through a mutual friend while living in Boston and got engaged in May 2019.

They originally planned to marry in July in Naples, Fla. with 160-180 guests.

“About a month before, when the cases started rising significantly in Florida, we switched to Chicago at the last minute,” Kayla said. “So, we had three to four weeks to plan everything.”

Kayla and Michael were familiar with the Loews because Michael’s parents had a condo overlooking the hotel, so they decided to get married there.

The couple had around 40 people at their wedding and were able to take advantage of the hotel’s large terrace to set up socially distanced seats for the ceremony.

“It just looked like a traditional set-up,” Kayla said. “I didn’t think twice about it. I think part of it is that Loews is such a big space that we really were able to spread out.”

Kayla said it’s important not to stress about the little details.

“At the end of the day, we’re just thankful to have gotten married during COVID, and it’s definitely going to be something we remember for the rest of our lives,” she said. “And I don’t feel any sadness about not getting to have my big wedding.”

Melissa Cesario, director of catering and conference management at the Loews Chicago Hotel, said the hotel resumed operations July 7 and several couples have gotten married there since the middle of July.

Loews’ micro-wedding package includes private use of the rooftop terrace for up to four hours, a three-hour premium bar

Oliver the pooch accompanies Kayla and Michael Belmont as they tie the knot July 17 at an intimate wedding at the Loews Chicago Hotel. Photo courtesy of Kayla Belmont

package, a champagne toast, a bartender, a tent canopy with string lights, a ceremony set with white folding garden chairs, a microphone, speakers, mixer, lounge furniture, highboy and cocktail tables, barstools and lawn games. More information is available by contacting chisalesteam@ loewshotels.com.

“Having a smaller, intimate wedding allows couples to focus on their love for each other and celebrate with their nearest and dearest while they say ‘I do,’” Cesario said.

“It also gives them an opportunity to focus on elements of their special day that they may not have had in their budget originally for a larger affair, whether it’s the food, decor or venue.”

Chicago’s First Lady Cruises is able to accommodate weddings of up to 50 people.

While the company would normally have hundreds of cruises this season, because of COVID-19, staff members are anticipating fewer than 20 weddings, said Clare Agra,

the company’s director of charter sales.

“Our wedding package is much more affordable than other downtown venues, at a flat rate of $500, which includes the upper deck setup for your “I don’t feel ceremony and switch any sadness over to reception layout, a microphone and about not stand for their officiant getting to and a white ceremony have my aisle runner,” she said. big wedding.” Chicago’s First Lady Cruises offers an array Kayla Belmont of boats of different Bride sizes. The smallest boat, Lady Grebe, is “perfect for super intimate weddings of six guests or less,” Agra said.

“One of our brides was supposed to have a large wedding ceremony and reception onboard this June, but, due to COVID, adjusted her plans,” Agra said. “So she, her husband and their closest friends sailed on Lady Grebe instead and had a small, beautiful ceremony on the day they were supposed to be married originally. And next year, they’re coming back for their reception.”

The Mid-America Club hosted its first small wedding since the reopening on July 11, said Samantha Michaeloff, the venue’s private event director.

“We have a modified intimate wedding package,” she said. “If people need a place for a ceremony, we can accommodate that ... everything’s here. We’re like a one-stop shop, which is awesome. All they need to do is bring flowers and a photographer, if they want one, or if they want some sort of musical entertainment, we’re allowing that as well.”

The Mid-America Club offers a variety of different rooms that have been customized for maximum safety, depending on the number of guests, Michaeloff said.

“It’s ever changing, but we’re reminding people that we’re here and we’re open if you need us,” Michaeloff said. “We’re taking the proper steps and following all the guidelines to make sure that people, if they still want to have these celebrations, that we’re willing and able to accommodate them.”

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Foxtrot, Connect Roasters team up to fight hunger

By Nuria Mathog Staff Writer A new partnership between Foxtrot and a Chicagoland coffee company is assisting organizations providing food and other essential services during COVID-19.

All eight of Foxtrot’s upscale convenience stores now carry 12-ounce retail bags of Quarantine Coffee, a blend developed by Bourbonnais-based Connect Roasters. A portion of each sale of the coffee benefits the Greater Chicago Food Depository and Save the Children, an organization providing food and educational resources to children in rural communities.

Quarantine Coffee is also available as a $4.25 pour-over option at each Foxtrot store, and the Streeterville location offers an additional espresso version for $3. Bags are priced at $15 apiece.

The Chicago Cubs’ Ian Happ is also a Quarantine Coffee partner. Caleb Benoit,

Chicago Cub Ian Happ is a partner in Connect Roasters’ Quarantine Coffee project, which benefits organizations that offer food and other essential resources. Courtesy of Connect Roasters

founder of Connect Roasters, said he connected with Happ over social media, and the second baseman developed the idea to use the coffee to support COVID-19 relief efforts.

“He’s a big coffee guy and particular about what he drinks,” Benoit said. “He also has a strong desire to give back to the community and make a difference off the field.”

Through July, Quarantine Coffee sales have funded 6,574 meals at the Greater Chicago Food Depository and contributed $2,191 to Save the Children.

Spencer Young, Foxtrot’s general manager of the coffee program, said there were a “multitude of factors” that led to the partnership between Foxtrot and Connect Roasters, but most notably, helping the Greater Chicago Food Depository was a shared cause. Through part of March and April, Foxtrot donated the delivery fees for each online order to the organization.

“Beyond the philanthropic donations, it’s also just an incredible coffee,” Young added. “A perfect representation of a Guatemalan coffee—rich, well balanced, and very versatile.”

Quarantine Coffee is produced in the

Acatenango region of Guatemala. Benoit said the company wanted to showcase a Guatemalan coffee to highlight the country’s “approachable, delicious coffees,” and the coffee is also a nod to Connect Roasters’ on-the-ground connections with Guatemala—the company sells a Guatemala El Faro blend that benefits Mision El Faro, a nonprofit focused on health and education services.

Benoit launched Connect Roasters four years ago after embarking on several life-changing mission trips to the Dominican Republic. Seeing extreme poverty inspired him to create the company to “be part of the solution,” he said.

Young said Foxtrot is always looking for new partnerships and projects to aid the community, and the coffee sold at the company is sourced from Chicago-area businesses. Foxtrot’s primary coffee provider is Metric Coffee Roasters, and the company also carries Four Letter Word.

Summer Vib and Views

Await at Chicago’s Largest Rooftop Lounge Serving neighborhood eats and crafty cocktails

Streeterville Social is downtown Chicago’s go-to rooftop bar and lounge, serving refreshing cocktails and local fare with a unique view on the city.

Now open Thursday–Friday from 4pm–10pm | Saturday–Sunday from 2pm–10pm streetervillesocial.com | 312.840.6617 | 455 N. Park Drive

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Local CSO cellist awaits return to stage

By Angela Gagnon Staff Writer New Eastside resident Richard Hirschl has been a cellist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) for more than 30 years.

Although the pandemic has forced the CSO to cancel performances through December, the community has remained active.

“The pandemic has been catastrophic for the orchestra,” Hirschl said, “But the patrons and donors have been extraordinarily generous in supporting the orchestra, which I give thanks to God every day.”

Hirschl said the musical talent that brought him to the orchestra was “a gift from God.” But it also required a life-long commitment, supportive parents and talented teachers.

Hirschl’s mother was a church organist, and his father was an amateur cellist.

“I began music lessons at the age of seven learning to play the piano with my

mother,” he recalled. “But I was more interested in my dad’s cello.”

Hirschl’s journey to the CSO cello section includes playing for the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra and earning undergraduate and graduate degrees at The Juilliard School of Music in New York.

While at Juilliard, Hirschl learned from teachers like Leonard Rose and Channing Roberts. “Mr. Rose was among the most famous solo cellists alive at that time,” he said, “and Channing Roberts was a particularly gifted teacher.”

Hirschl landed the CSO job in 1989.

“Being a member of this orchestra has always been and remains a humbling honor,” he said. “I am constantly awed by the capacities of the colleagues with whom I am so fortunate to collaborate.”

Hirschl remains hopeful the season will resume in January, and he continues to find ways to keep his skills sharp until then.

“During the pandemic, I have been

relearning the Six Suites for Unaccompanied Cello by Bach,” he said. “Every time I return to one of the Suites, I am humbled by how much more I can find within them.

Addressing all six at one time has really inspired me.”

Hirschl performed some outdoor concerts this summer with colleagues from the orchestra. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle invited the group to play at Daley Plaza for Cook County employees, and they performed in Douglas Park for healthcare workers from nearby hospitals.

Hirschl and his wife have been playing in small ensembles for the limited capacity congregation allowed to gather at his church since June. He has also been teaching and working with his daughters, one of his favorite parts of being a musician.

“Participating in another cellist’s learning process is a fantastic challenge,” said Hirschl, who has instructed students ranging from

Chicago Symphony Orchestra cellist Richard Hirschl has been playing small outdoor concerts during the pandemic. Photo courtesy of Richard Hirschl

8 years old to adult amateurs. “Working through the good and the bad with another cellist provides valuable self-perspective to my own playing, capacities, and limitations.”

“I am among the most fortunate people I know,” Hirschl said. “My family loves living in the New Eastside, and we have deep friendships among our good neighbors that we hope to enjoy for many years to come.”

For the Love of Chicago! Is 2020 Almost Over?

By Vikki Kokuzian

If you are thinking what I’m thinking, you must be wondering, “What’s next?”

As an owner and Specialized Luxury Realtor of the New Eastside, so much has changed since my last article in June. Let’s not avoid the elephant in the room, but yes, the luxury condo market has slowed down.

What do people do when they are uncomfortable or uncertain about the future? They panic!

Undoubtedly, we are living through one of the most difficult experiences of our lifetimes. Ironically, the stock market and indexes have been relatively stable

considering the circumstances.

So now what? Well, the routes are there to take, and being a WGN Radio morning traffic reporter with The Bob Sirott Show, I can tell you many parallels between getting you from point A to point B on the roads and getting you from point A to point B in real estate. If you need help, please talk this out with me! What is your goal? Financially? Your lifestyle?

Are you planning to rent your whole life (Not such an amazing idea, but let’s talk!) or do you have a property that you can use as cash flow? Are you engaged and want to find a place to start a new chapter in your life? What is your why? Why do you do what you do everyday? There is a thought process behind every journey, with

certain speed bumps or detours along the way. I get it!

Each person will take a different route, but in the end we all want to end up at our most desired destination... HOME.

Vikki Kokuzian works and lives in New Eastside.

Vikki Kokuzian Global Luxury Condo Specialist Coldwell Banker Gold Coast 676 N. Michigan Ave. Suite #3010 Chicago, Il. 60611 Cell : 312.545.0076

Photo by Daniel Patton

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Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune Film Critic

By Daniel Patton Staff Writer As cinemas welcome viewers back and fans prepare for online premieres of highly anticipated films like Mulan, and Antebellum, one of America’s most noteworthy reviewers explains why movies are (almost) always worth waiting for.

Michael Phillips’ influence is rising as the stay-at-home era continues. Besides being the Chicago Tribune film critic, he is a regular contributor to WFMT’s Soundtrack, which highlights film, television, and video game soundtracks, and an occasional guest on WBEZ’s Filmspotting. It is difficult to estimate the number of households that rely on his opinion.

One of Phillips’ main goals as a critic is to explain why a film makes him feel the way he does. Without that “why,” he says, the review is meaningless. Besides earning him 100 or so appearances on the nationally syndicated At the Movies, the show made famous by Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and more recently presenting 100 or so films on Turner Classic Movies, the “why” supports his grateful outlook: “It’s so cool to be able to inflict your taste on the public.”

Why are movies important?

Film history means looking at where we’ve come from, and what we’re dealing with today in terms of technique, subject, everything. Movies are important because they speak a different language to everyone, and they show us the world a million times over. Also, it’s good to remember that you can, and should, hold more than one opinion about a movie to be honest about your reaction.

What is your method for reviewing films?

I take notes all the time. Sometimes I have to write right away and get a review to the editor in two, maybe three hours. Pre-COVID, I’d see a screening with an audience on Monday or Tuesday night; a film at the screening room at 10 a.m. or noon; and one or two other titles on Vimeo or via screener link. The great advantage when you have access to rewatching the film before writing is that you can rewind and really examine a scene.

If you do your job perfectly, what do readers get out of it?

I never go for perfection—satisfaction is tough enough!

But when I feel like I’ve done my job, it’s because the review works in one way for people who haven’t seen the movie but might see it next week. And it works a different way for people who’ve seen it, but want to engage in someone else’s response to it, agree or disagree.

What about vintage films coming back around?

With drive-ins becoming popular this year because of the pandemic, you can’t avoid Ferris Bueller if you tried, along with Jaws and The Goonies and the rest. We’ve all seen these things. So if I’m writing about the drive-in

Quick takes with Michael Phillips

Chicago Tribune film critic Michael Phillips at the Music Box Theatre. Photo by Daniel Patton

experiences in Chicago, and there are plenty, I sure as hell don’t need to grind through the plot of Ferris Bueller.

On that note, how is John Hughes’ work holding up?

As a 20-year Chicagoan, I find myself at odds with the John Hughes mystique. I just don’t love his movies. He certainly helped the careers of Molly Ringwald and Matthew Broderick and so many others. But there’s something facile about his stuff that never really clicked for me. You go back and revisit some of those films and you think, that’s a big load of North Shore White privilege. Also, the way he depicts high school cliques has a way of reinforcing those cliques rather than questioning them. So much that was made before the 21st century is sexist, racist, homophobic, misogynist, and patronizing to anybody who didn’t look like a ‘typical Caucasian.’ Then again, so much that was made THIS YEAR is sexist, racist, homophobic, misogynist and patronizing, too. I’m deliberately avoiding the use of the phrase “cancel culture” because I hate that phrase. It’s generally favored by zealots who miss the way things were, however they were.

What if you don’t like a film but you like the filmmaker?

Hiding your opinion doesn’t do anybody any good. If you’re simply honest and open to what a film has to say and what the filmmakers think and you have no ego about learning as you go, people appreciate where you’re coming from. But sometimes, I’m also talking to these filmmakers and hearing about the obstacles and challenges and your heart just kind of goes out to them. Before you write about the movie itself, you have to wipe the slate clean and write honestly and specifically about why it worked for you, or didn’t, or somewhere in between. There’s nothing worse

ALMOST FAMOUS Like it. Not quite clear on why some people treat it as a masterwork.

APOCALYPSE NOW Until the last 30 minutes, I love it.

BODY HEAT Entertaining, but not as good as the movies it’s ripping off, like “Double Indemnity.”

BLUE VELVET Love it.

INCEPTION Not one of the Christopher Nolan films I love. The premise, with its three different levels of time and physics, feels a little more like work than fun to me. Movies about deadline anxiety, you know, not my favorite. Nonetheless it’s a pretty gripping experience.

JOKER Hate it.

THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER Liked it and I like that director, Yorgos Lanthimos. His movies have a way of giving me the cold creeps, in a fully inhabited way.

LA LA LAND The film’s not perfect, but it has so much movie musical savvy going for it, and a lot of it’s beguiling. I wish Ryan Gosling hadn’t been chosen as the male lead – he’s only halfway up to Emma Stone’s level—but the director-writer Damien Chazelle has serious skills.

THE LION KING, ALADDIN (live-action remakes) Artistically lifeless, corporate-made extensions of the brand, but they certainly did the job for Disney, and a lot of people were pleased. I’m looking forward to seeing “Mulan” because the director Nikki Caro is a more interesting filmmaker than people generally assigned to these adaptations.

THE NAKED GUN Pretty funny, but the TV show (Police Squad) was better.

MOONLIGHT Fantastic. One of the few almost-perfect films of the last ten years.

PI Itchy, and grabby, but haven’t had the impulse to revisit it.

UNDER THE SKIN Not an easy film to watch, but I think about it all the time, and I wish more science fiction had the guts to relay a story secondarily (or poetically, or allusively) and as pure experience first.

Great musical score by Mica Levi, too.

—Daniel Patton

than reading a compromised review where the critic’s actual feelings can only be found by reading between the lines.

How do you describe a film you don’t like but you know other people will?

Critics deal with that all the time. In the case of The Hangover, I remember being basically the one guy not laughing at a preview screening. I’ve also been the one guy laughing when no one else was cracking a smile. I’m not there to be a weathervane for the public. I’m there to explain why I did or did not like something and what that film says or doesn’t say about filmmaking or where we are in the world. Sometimes I might reference a movie with Continued on page 14

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| LOCAL LEADERS |

Michael Phillips Continued from page 12

the same intentions as the one I’m writing about, but it’s one I responded to fully. And then you try to figure out the “why.” If the “why” is not in there, the review doesn’t really do the job.

What are the greatest compliments and criticisms you’ve ever received?

Ten, 11 years ago, when we were on At the Movies together, A.O.Scott and I did a New York morning show.

The other guest that day was Don Cheadle, an actor I’ve always loved. This was right around the time of The Blind Side, a film I just hated. The hosts asked us about the film, and I said something about it being patronizing garbage and everything wrong with using a White character to run a Black character’s story. It marginalized the protagonist in his own story. Cheadle said something about not being able to put it better than that, and that was a nice thing to hear.

I remember an email I got from Michael Bay. I’d written a piece about the Transformer films and the Bourne movies, about how they embodied certain right wing/ left wing ideas either under the surface or right there on the surface. Bay didn’t appreciate that characterization, but he basically just needed to express his own feelings, and he was pretty gracious about it, in the end. He said something about resenting that the piece was well-written enough to force him to read it through to the end.

Beyond that, I get a lot of really nice responses and a lot of “you’re a tool” hate mail, and I say: Bring it on.

How has film evolved during the pandemic?

Movies and television are all becoming one form of

entertainment. There’s stuff premiering on Netflix and Hulu and Amazon and Disney Plus that would’ve been in theaters six months ago. The big question is, will the public return as the theaters reopen? We’ll see. Nobody wants to take a chance on their health by going to the movies. The Music Box does a great job taking the cleaning protocols seriously. You feel safe there.

What kind of films will the current pandemic inspire?

It’s hard to watch anything without considering where we are in 2020. In a pre-COVID movie, everybody’s hugging each other or coughing on each other in tight spaces, for laughs. Interestingly, if you look at a hundred years ago, the movies did not really acknowledge the impact of the 1918 epidemic at all. They just wanted to forget it.

What films will the current political situation inspire?

If you look at all the movies made during and after the Iraq War, very few of them found a big audience.

The best of them, like The Hurt Locker, transcended politics and offered a visceral experience that did find an audience and also reminded people of just how good Kathryn Bigelow is. That story was pure life and death, over and over. If a movie like that had stopped dead to talk about the ramifications of the war and the validity of the administration, it wouldn’t have seemed truthful.

But the shadow of Trump is going to be heavier and longer than that of the Bush administration. Something tells me that the political divisions and the cultural divisions have become so deep, it’s going to take a generation to improve.

I don’t have much hope for common ground in the short run. I only hope that film remains a way for people to both escape the real world and confront it.

| NEWS |

Police tech Continued from page 6

not use this technology.

The use of facial recognition techniques in fighting crime has come under scrutiny in recent months amid ethical concerns. In May, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that facial recognition technology provider Clearview AI had ended its contract with the CPD. The company was the recipient of an ACLU lawsuit on grounds that its technology violated an Illinois law preventing past and present residents’ biometric information from being used without permission.

Major cities such as San Francisco and Boston have banned police and other municipal agencies from using facial recognition technology, and companies such as Microsoft have prohibited law enforcement agencies from using its tech for crime-fighting purposes.

“Any kind of umbrella artificial intelligence tool, whether it’s machine learning, whether it’s optimization algorithms, whether it is natural image processing, the issue is, how do you know what you know?” said Desmond Patton, a Columbia University associate professor of social work who has studied diversity, inclusion and equity in AI

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and the relationship between social media and gun violence. “We’ve already identified many issues with how these systems can’t accurately interpret Black faces.”

Patton recommended Chicago police question whether social media monitoring is the best approach and take into consideration the ability of third-party tools, artificial intelligence and human intelligence to actively interpret context. He said he would like to see this particular tool handled by community outreach organizations that focus on violence prevention and are more connected to what is happening on the ground.

Schedules are subject to change. Call venues to confirm event information. To submit events or advertise on this page, email info@chicagostarmedia.com Chicago Park District’s “Night Out—at Home” View performances by 2020 partners like Art Institute of Chicago, Environmental Encroachment, and Mandala South Asian Performing Arts. Online, chicagoparkdistrict.com/ night-out-at-home The Cultural Asset Mapping Project (CAMP) Background Join a community storytelling and data visualization project where Chicago artists and residents collaborate to better understand artistic excellence and cultural vibrancy in our communities. Online, chicagoparkdistrict.com/camp.

Through September

Strategy meeting will most likely be conducted virtually via Zoom. Contact the 18th District CAPS office for URL: caps.018district@chicagopolice.org OR (312) 742-5778. 6 p.m. free.

Sept. 5, 6, 8

Live on the Lake at Navy Pier Free live music in the Miller Lite Beer Garden.

Sept. 5 - Brian Allison, bq, and Katie Kadan (2-11 p.m.); Sept. 6 - Carpacho y Su Super Combo, DJ Papa G, and Gizzae (2-8 p.m.); Sept. 9 - Ana Everling, DJ Papa G, Kofi and the New Roots (2-8 p.m.). Free, 600 E. Grand Ave., (800) 5957437, navypier.org/eventsand-public-programs

Mad Hatter’s (Gin &) Tea Party An immersive experience including a welcome drink, three original cocktails, afternoon tea treats, and a Mad Hatter hat. Various dates and times, $65, 2239 S. Michigan Ave., madhatterginteaparty.com/chicago

Sept. 12, 26

Sept. 3

Sept. 23

Lake Shore Park “Pitch In for the Parks” The citywide volunteer cleanup effort comes to Streeterville. 9-11 a.m., free, Lake Shore Park Field House, 808 N. Lake Shore Drive, register online at eventbrite.com CAPS: Streeterville community police meeting The September Chicago Alternative Policing

Jane Addams Memorial Park “Pitch In for the Parks” The citywide volunteer cleanup effort returns to Streeterville. 9-11 a.m., free. 550 E. Grand Ave., register online at eventbrite.com Social Interactive Playtime at The Mid-America Club Lakeshore East Residents are invited to the 80th floor of The Aon Center for a safe night of networking at the Mid-America Club’s “Community in the Sky.” 5:30-7 p.m., free, 200 E. Randolph, 80th Floor, RSVP at (312) 856-9484 or email melissa.czyz@ clubcorp.com

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They said ‘try something new,’ so I did

F

or years I’ve observed nail and manicure salons throughout the Chicago area, wondering, as I pass each one, what exactly is the draw?

Jon Cohn COMMUNITY Can there really be CONTRIBUTOR that much demand for the health and beautification of fingernails and toenails?

During these virus-induced slow times, we are constantly reminded “it’s a good time to try something new.” I threw caution to the wind and took my now-questionable manliness into the Cuticle Nail Salon in the Village Market.

Yes, at the ripe old age of 64, I went to get my first-ever pedicure (a manicure seemed

Jumble HANEEV ESRRETO ATFSYIS

At 64, I got my first pedicure

too tame so I figured why not go crazy?).

This quantum leap was not without trepidation. My two main fears: I am ticklish in the feet and not sure how I would respond to all the touching and rubbing, and my toenails can look at times like the aftermath of a war zone. What would they think?

Both concerns were quickly deflated by the very nice, comforting and competent presence of store manager Gina, who assured me everything would be fine. Gina led me to the back of the salon (strategic location: good move) where I suddenly started to feel like a farm animal being led to slaughter.

The first step of the pedicure process was soaking my feet in hot water. Off to

a great start. Very soothing. I could have done that for half an hour and been a happy man. But no such luck, as my pedicurist Tina had other thoughts.

What followed was a veritable onslaught of foot therapy and reimaging.

First, there was the clipping of the nails (goodbye, war zone). Then some filing, a little scraping, cuticle clipping, more filing, a foot rub (thank goodness the mask I wore stifled some of my ticklish laughing), ointment treatment, a bit more scraping, another ointment treatment and, finally, a rather aggressive foot massage.

Pedicurist Tina was not only outstanding but also an interesting contrast. She was quiet, soft and shy on the outside, while her hands told a completely different story. They were strong, aggressive and demanding. I found this curious, if not

Jon Cohn gets a pedicure at Cuticle Nail Salon in the Village Market. Photo courtesy of Jon Cohn

somewhat humorous.

When the thirty-minute session concluded, my thoughts on my first-time pedicure? Not bad, not bad at all.

I walked out proudly, heading to the nearest shoe store in search of an opentoed pair of sandals so I could show off my new-look feet with those lovely well-rounded toenails.

Cuticle Nail Salon, 333 Benton Place, can be contacted at (312) 888-3627.

Jon Cohn is a New Eastside resident.

Community photo AWSLYA URVSEVI REYAD

The gathering of a ripened crop.

Previous puzzle answer: The hot, sultry period of late summer. DOG DAYS

Where am I? Do you know where this is?

Send photos and captions of things going on in the neighborhood to info@chicagostarmedia.com for a chance for your photo to be featured.

Photographers will receive $25.

If you think you know, email us at info@chicagostarmedia.com.

New Eastside

Streeterville

Answers to August Where am I? New Eastside: Courtyard behind Illinois Center. Streeterville: Cityfront Plaza. Congratulations to Cooper Holmes, Dawne Davenport and Cheryl Gardner Moore for correctly identifying the Streeterville spot.

Clouds hang in the sky as a tour boat travels down the Chicago River.

By Joy Carson, River North freelance producer

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