Northern Illinois Weekender - 092620

Weekender NORTHERN

ILLINOIS

YOUR GUIDE TO ARTS & LEISURE IN NORTHERN ILLINOIS

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2020 • ShawLocal.com

ROAD TRIP

More than 300 regional shops taking part in Vintage Shop Hop / 3

COFFEE CULTURE Jeremiah Joe opens second café in Ottawa

/ 4

WALK IN THE PARK History and natural wonders tempt visitors to explore this fall / 5

Shaw Media / ShawLocal.com • Saturday, September 26, 2020

SHAW MEDIA

2 STREAMING THIS WEEKEND

AP photo

This combination photo shows Millie Bobby Brown (from left), Neil deGrasse Tyson and Public Enemy’s Chuck D and Flavor Flav. This week’s new entertainment releases include “Stranger Things” breakout star Brown getting her first starring role in the Netflix film “Enola Holmes,” Neil deGrasse Tyson spreading his wisdom on Fox, and Public Enemy releasing “What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down?”

‘Enola Holmes,’ Public Enemy, Bonnaroo on tap

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week.

Movies

“Enola Holmes”: It’s somewhat fitting that “Stranger Things” breakout Millie Bobby Brown gets her first starring role in a Netflix film, “Enola Holmes.” To be fair, it was supposed to be a theatrical release from Warner Bros. before COVID took its toll on the release calendar. But it’ll reintroduce her to the base that made her famous.

Brown plays little sister to Sherlock (Superman himself, Henry Cavill) in this adaptation of the Nancy Springer mystery series.

“Judy”: Miss out on Renée Zellweger’s Oscar-winning turn as Judy Garland? Time to get happy because “Judy” just came to Hulu. Inspired by the Peter Quilter play, “End of the Rainbow,” “Judy” looks at some of Garland’s last years of life, in late 1968 and early 1969, during a series of shows in London when her star has faded in the U.S., and she’s seen as a tragic liability. Zellweger makes the late icon come alive again with profound vulnerability, sadness and

a wickedly dark sense of humor. And while her voice might not be an exact match, she captures Garland’s spirit and verve.

– Film Writer Lindsey Bahr

Music

Public Enemy returns to legendary record label Def Jam to release “What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down?” The 17-track album features a number of hot acts, including Nas, Run-DMC, Mike D and Ad-Rock of Beastie Boys, George Clinton, Rapsody, DJ Premier, Black Thought and Questlove of The Roots, Cypress Hill, Ice-T, PMD, YG and Daddy-O. The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival was supposed to take place in June in Tennessee but was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. This week, though, the festival is launching Virtual ROO-ALITY, a three-night live broadcast featuring new performances as well as content from the Bonnaroo archive. The final installment of the event starts at 4:30 p.m. Sept. 26 on YouTube. Virtual ROO-ALITY includes new performances from Bruce Hornsby, Action Bronson, Chromeo, Tank and the Bangas and Ingrid Andress, and appearances from David Lynch, Paramore’s Hayley Williams, Big Freedia, Charli XCX and Laura Jane Grace. Archival performances will air from acts such as James

Brown, Metallica, The White Stripes, Dave Matthews Band and Alabama Shakes.

With the blink-182’s Travis Barker in the executive producer chair, rapper and rocker Machine Gun Kelly released his fifth album on Friday.

“Tickets to My Downfall” features 15 tracks, including collaborations with Halsey, Trippie Redd, blackbear and Iann Dior. The single “bloody valentine” won him the MTV Video Music Award for best alternative last month.

Outside of music, the 30-year-old entertainer can be seen in the recent Netflix film “Project Power,” opposite Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

– Music Editor Mesfin Fekadu

Television

All those feeling stuck in place by the pandemic, here’s your chance to soar across the universe. “Cosmos: Possible Worlds” returned for its third season at 7 p.m. Tuesday on Fox. Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson hosts the series produced, written and directed by Ann Druyan, who worked with Carl Sagan, her late husband, on the groundbreaking 1980 “Cosmos” documentary. The newest installment, created in partnership with the National Geographic Channel, promises to reveal “previously uncharted realms,” including worlds that humans may one day inhabit. NatGeo

had first dibs, airing the series earlier this year, but such worthy escapism is worth revisiting.

PBS’ “Frontline” series continues its three-decade tradition of examining the two major party presidential candidates with “The Choice 2020: Trump vs. Biden.” The documentary offers what’s described as “interwoven investigative biographies” of President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, looking at what shaped the candidates’ lives, how each approaches power and their view of America’s future. The two-hour film is available at pbs.org/frontline and on YouTube.

Amber Ruffin, a writer-performer for “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” is taking center stage with “The Amber Ruffin Show,” which debuted Friday on the Peacock streaming service. Ruffin wrote and appeared on Comedy Central’s “Detroiters,” and is a regular narrator on the channel’s “Drunk History.”

Her new show, she said, is a chance to do sketches, songs and jokes about “this terrible time we call now!” Her halfhour program is part of what Peacock has labeled a “topical” comedy block, which includes newcomer “Wilmore” with Larry Wilmore. Meyers is among the executive producers for Ruffin’s series, with nine episodes ordered.

– Television Writer Lynn Elber

3

treasure hunt

Vintage Shop Hop to uncover deals and rare finds while shoppers travel – can be found on the event’s blog page at www.vintageshophop.blogspot.com. Information also is available through www.facebook. intage shoppers, your special weekend is just com/vintageshophopevent. around the corner.

“We just lay it out on a plate for them,” Campos More than 300 locally owned shops said. throughout northern Illinois and southern She describes the weekend as “a road trip on Wisconsin will take part in a Vintage Shop Hop on steroids.” The event stretches from the Mississippi Friday and Saturday, Oct. 2 and 3. And on the other River on the west to Lake Michigan on the east, goes side of winter, the event returns March 5 and 6, 2021. north to Stevens Point in Wisconsin and south to In its seventh year, the attraction brings together Interstate 88 in Illinois. antique malls, boutiques, pop-up shops, barn sales Participating shops are required to have in-store and home décor and consignment shops for two promotions for the weekend, such as demonstradays’ worth of deals and demonstrations as part of tions, discounts, giveaways, raffle drawings, meeta self-guided road trip experience for vintage and the-artist events, ideas on re-purposing old items, antique lovers. games and more. Many go beyond those offerings “It’s tourism in its most raw sense,” said event to include free refreshments and beautiful displays, organizer Ann Campos, who started the Vintage Campos said, with some reserving special vintage Shop Hop with 180 shops and has seen it grow in finds to put out during the weekend. popularity. Originally hosting a Shop Hop in the Shops have offered pop-a-balloon and spin-thespring only, she now presents two a year in both the wheel discounts, paint demos and free swag bags, spring and fall. she said, while others create punch-card promo“This is the kind of thing that’s great for a dayca- tions. tion,” she said. “It makes for a very fun day for the Many shops, including those in Woodstock and shoppers. And this is [a time] when the shops really Crystal Lake, often join together for promotions, need our money.” she said. Businesses participating along Route An interactive Google map and master list of 14, stretching from Arlington Heights on the east shops – printable and accessible on mobile devices through Barrington, Crystal Lake and Woodstock to

By JAMI KUNZER For Shaw Media

V

the state line, are popular draws during the event, she said.

The outing encourages shoppers to explore not only areas in their own state but their neighboring state, as well, she said. Many of the shops are set in historic and unique buildings, quaint downtowns, century-old barns and a countryside brimming with history.

In the past, shoppers have made a weekend of it as part of a group of friends, Campos said, some even wearing matching T-shirts.

“The event kind of sells itself,” she said. “It’s just a fun road trip day, and, in the meantime, they’re supporting small businesses.”

The event’s Facebook page has grown to more than 30,000 followers since its beginning, said Campos, who organized the Shop Hop after outgrowing a vintage event called Nellie’s Barn Sale in her hometown of Roscoe, Illinois.

Vintage shopping has become trendy thanks to the many hit home-makeover television shows and magazines, Campos said, and that has contributed to the popularity of the Shop Hop. “I have no way to measure [the number of shoppers],” she said. “I just know from feedback I receive from the shops. Some shop owners tell me it’s the busiest day by far hands-down of the entire year in their store.”

SHAW MEDIA Shaw Media / ShawLocal.com • Saturday, September 26, 2020

Photos provided

More than 300 locally owned shops throughout northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, including dozens of local destinations, will take part in a Vintage Shop Hop on Oct. 2 and 3.

STARVED ROCK COUNTRY

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Shaw Media / ShawLocal.com • Saturday, September 26, 2020

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Dedicated to growing the awareness of everything the Starved Rock area has to offer

Ryan Searl photos - rsearl@shawmedia.com

Jeremiah Joe Coffee has opened a second location in Ottawa along the historic I&M Canal, and has included drive-thru service.

Calling coffee connoisseurs to Jeremiah Joe’s new café

By RYAN SEARL

rsearl@shawmedia.com

G

etting a delicious cup of coffee before your trip to Starved Rock State Park just got even easier. Jeremiah Joe Coffee, a local favorite roastery and café in Ottawa, has opened up a beautiful second location in town along the historic I&M Canal.

Located at 101 E. Canal Ave., the immaculately decorated new café boasts both ample indoor seating, for proper social distancing, and a convenient drive-thru for people in a hurry.

Those familiar with Jeremiah Joe’s flagship café won’t be surprised by the new location’s combination of sleek design and funky decor.

A whitewashed Italianate-style facade around the entryway and windows pops against the charcoal-gray-painted brick building. Once inside, you’ll be struck by a gleaming tile counter, quirky hanging light fixtures, an angled checkerboard floor and a half-vaulted

ceiling that makes the shop feel much larger. The design is both modern and entirely unique, a natural extension of the cozy atmosphere carefully cultivated at the first café.

Located at 807 La Salle St., in the heart of tree-lined downtown Ottawa, Jeremiah Joe Coffee’s flagship café and roastery has been providing delicious fresh-brewed beverages to the region since 2002. With a full menu of coffee and espresso-based drinks, made from five signature house blends of imported coffee beans, Jeremiah Joe long has been a favorite among locals and travelers alike.

The shop features an ever-changing

selection of new and unusual drinks.

The staff members also offer a smaller menu of seasonal beverages and flavor shots, giving you the perfect fall pickme-up. The comfortable shop has ample socially distant indoor and outdoor seating, great natural lighting, a stage for music performances, a rotating display of locally produced art, and plenty of outlets for charging all of your devices. A line of fresh biscotti and other tempting treats occupy the front of the counter, but most of the attention on Jeremiah Joe’s menu is focused on the creation of a delectable cup of coffee.

Jeremiah Joe drinks are the definition of hand-crafted – they roast all of the signature blends that end up in their coffee and espresso drinks on site. Big bay windows toward the back of the shop give you a glimpse at the roasting process. For those particularly interested in how it’s done, you can even book a tour of the Jeremiah Joe roasting facility.

Expect to find a similarly sprawling menu at the new location. A

smartly decorated menu features all your favorite drinks, from mochas to lattes, from smoothies to matcha, there’s a delicious beverage for just about everyone at Jeremiah Joe. The stretch of the historic I&M Canal that runs directly in front of the Canal Avenue location soon will become a recreational hot spot. Since 2003, plans have been in place to reimagine a half-mile stretch of the waterway for use as a public park.

Guests at Jeremiah Joe will be able to watch kayakers paddle past the front windows, and cyclists pedal along the towpath. The lion’s share of the work involved in the project already has been completed; city officials have said that we could see a water-filled canal as soon as November.

For more information, be sure to follow Jeremiah Joe Coffee on Facebook. The Canal Avenue location currently is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Monday through Saturday, and is closed on Sunday. To learn more, visit jeremiahjoecoffee.com.

5

HAPPY TRAILS

History and natural wonders tempt visitors to explore

By KELSEY O’CONNOR For Shaw Media

Head outdoors this season and experience all that northern Illinois has to offer along some beautiful trails.

ILLINOIS & MICHIGAN CANAL TRAIL, LOCKPORT

History buffs and nature lovers alike will enjoy a stroll along the I&M Canal Trail. The almost 80-mile trail follows the banks of the I&M Canal, with an old canal towpath that runs from La Salle to Lemont. The La Salle trailhead is located near a historic canal lock, and hikers will find markers explaining the history of the canal at nearly every mile of the trail. You’ll also pass by several notable sites, such as the Marseilles railroad depot, Joliet Iron Works Historic Site, Lemont’s limestone quarries, the historic M.J. Hogan Grain Elevator, and several state parks.

MORAINE HILLS STATE PARK, MCHENRY

With an abundance of wildlife and rare plants, Moraine Hills State Park is a lush, ecological treasure situated along the Fox River. The park’s name is derived from a geologic formation

known as a moraine, an accumulation of boulders, stones and debris deposited by a glacier. The park offers 10 miles of trails separated into four unique routes. The 3.7-mile Lake Defiance Trail will take hikers on a scenic route around the 48-acre lake. One of the few glacial lakes in the state that’s still largely undeveloped, Lake Defiance is a pristine place to spot the wide array of creatures that live in the wetlands.

DICK YOUNG FOREST PRESERVE, BATAVIA

With stretches of prairie, wetlands and woodlands, this ecologically complex park is considered a window into the origins of the region’s landscape. A rich diversity of flora and fauna thrives within the park.

The Nelson Lake Marsh on the east side of the preserve lies in a depression caused by glacial ice that existed on the site millennia ago. Explore all that the area has to offer on the intertwining trail system. Nelson Lake Trail is an easy 2.57 miles of mowed trail that circles the marsh.

Hikers will enjoy the site’s peaceful beauty, ever-changing surroundings, and opportunities to spot rare and endangered creatures.

WAUPONSEE GLACIAL TRAIL, JOLIET

Escape your urban surroundings on the 22-mile stretch of trail that will take you back in time, named for a glacial lake that once encompassed the area thousands of years ago. Today’s visitors can take in sweeping views of the open prairie and farmland. The route follows the path of two former railroad lines and passes through several historically significant local areas. Begin near the Interstate 80 overpass in Joliet, and quickly leave civilization behind as you stroll by vast fields of corn, a herd of bison, and across a trestle bridge from 1902.

BUFFALO ROCK STATE PARK, OTTAWA

This majestic park is perched on a bluff that was once an island in the Illinois River. Hikers exploring the 298-acre park can follow the River Bluff Trail. It runs high along the bluffs with two observation decks that offer sweeping views of the riverbed below. The 2.6 mile loop is a peaceful and well-maintained gravel path that’s appropriate for hikers of all ability levels. Observant visitors might even spot the buffalo that lives in the park.

CASTLE ROCK STATE PARK, OREGON

Nestled on the banks of the Rock River, this rugged park features rock formations, ravines and sandstone bluffs. Six miles of marked hiking trails wind through the park, allowing visitors to enjoy the scenery and catch glimpses of local wildlife.

One good route is the Castle Rock North Trail, a moderate 3.5 mile loop.

Changes in elevation can make the route slightly rigorous for novice hikers. But your effort will be rewarded with views of beautiful wildflowers and open ranges.

SAW WEE KEE PARK, YORKVILLE

This extensive natural area comprises 134 scenic acres with a plethora of wildlife, including deer and bald eagles. The park’s compact trail system meanders throughout the hilly terrain. One popular route is the Saw Wee Kee Trail that skirts the Fox River for about 5 miles. Though the trail is considered moderate, hikers should be ready for the rugged terrain.

The curvy dirt trail has plenty of ups and downs, rocks and roots, making it popular with mountain bikers.

SHAW MEDIA Shaw Media / ShawLocal.com • Saturday, September 26, 2020

Photo provided

UNCORKED

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An expert taster shares favorite finds to consider adding to your own wine racks.

Shaw Media / ShawLocal.com • Saturday, September 26, 2020

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By JAMES NOKES

Rarefied sparkler shines on Italian wine scene

W

hen the Stelzer family decided to make sparkling wine, they knew it was an uphill climb.

Italian wines with bubbles are dominated by prosecco in the marketplace.

But in the shadow of Mount Calisio, the elevated vineyards of Maso Martis have produced wines made in the Classic Method that rise up to the level of their more heralded French or American colleagues who make sparkling wine.

On a late-morning Zoom call with Alessandra Stelzer, the director of marketing and hospitality, the Maso Martis Trentodoc Brut ($40) was the perfect way to kick off the day.

“It’s a hard job to try and sell Italian sparkling wines made in the Classic Method,” Stelzer said. “Everyone knows prosecco. Everyone knows Champagne.”

The Maso Martis Brut had crisp green apple, honey dew lemon and brioche bread flavors. An iron-like minerality cut through the fruit fla-

Photo provided

In the foothills of the Dolomites mountain range in northern Italy, the Stelzer family makes unique sparkling wine using the Classic Method. vors, and a mellow creaminess added to the mouthfeel.

“I love the elegance of pinot noir,”

Stelzer said. “The grape is difficult to work with, but the nose elevates the wine.”

It was a wine that would pair well with creamy white cheeses, buttery popcorn, garlic and butter shrimp, oysters and creamy white sauce pasta dishes. Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve aren’t that far away now that fall has officially arrived.

Maso Martis also could be an aperitif or part of a holiday toast. Champagne as good as this sparkling wine can carry at least twice the price tag.

“The aim of the family from the beginning was to create a sparkling that represents them,” Stelzer said. “Then we wanted to create a top reserve wine for that purpose. We’ll never stop. Our aim is to have the highest quality wine that is unique to its vineyard. We are a family of hard workers. We are in the vineyard everyday. There are very few holidays taken.”

Planted in 1990 with chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier and pinot bianco, the organic vineyards are in the

foothills of the Dolomites mountain range in northeastern Italy. The rocky soils are well drained, and the influence of the snow-capped mountains helps regulate the day- and nighttime temperatures.

“It’s an amazing area to make wines using the Classic Method,” Stelzer said. “The Dolomites give a lot to the grape. They protect the vineyards from storms. It’s always windy, and there is no humidity. We are lucky because the rocks in the soil are very important for drainage.”

Fruit and vegetable gardens surround the family house on the property, and Stelzer said it’s “easy to live in paradise” when asked to describe the property.

“It’s beautiful,” she said. “Our dogs get to run between houses, and everywhere you look you see mountains.”

• James Nokes has been tasting, touring and collecting in the wine world for several years. Email him at jamesnokes25@yahoo.com.

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By PAM OTTO

Taking interesting dives into the natural world around us, Pam Otto opens new avenues of exploration.

Spined spider earns name of Micro Athena

W

hen was the last time you got a face full of spider web?

If you live in northern Illinois and have walked outside recently, particularly in the early morning, I’d imagine you could measure that interval in hours or maybe even minutes. As I’ve said before, fall is spider season, and right now these crafty weavers are everywhere.

As we continue our occasional series on Araneae, or the true spiders, I’d like to introduce you to a personal favorite – one that I’ve come face to face with many times. Say hello to little Micrathena gracilis or, as I like to call them, the spiny butts.

Adorned with five pairs of pointy projections, also known as tubercles, sticking out from her backside, the female spined Micrathena looks pretty ominous – until you stop to consider that she – the larger of the two genders – measures under a half inch in length. Sure, with legs thrown in, she might stretch out to 3/4 inch or so, but as spiders go, this species does not grow to a particularly threatening size.

And those spines? I couldn’t find a definitive source that states what the spines specifically are there for, but I did come across the writings of a few other nature nerds like myself who conjectured that the adornments make the spider look less palatable and therefore less likely to be eaten.

(I can just imagine the sign at the Migratory Bird Café that reads, Today’s Special: Micrathena – Eat at Your Own Risk.)

While the female gracilis anatomy always includes those 10 spiny tubercles, the rest of her look is somewhat variable. She might be black and white, or brown and yellow; her abdomen may be dark colored with light spots, or light colored with dark spots.

And the males? They look nothing like their mates. Quite small – less than 1/4 inch in length – they have a whitish and spine-free abdomen that is flattened and elongated. Well, as elongated as it can be and measure 0.18 inches.

Getting back to the female, her underside, or ventral side, usually is dark and always is cone shaped. In fact, it reminds me of the stylus on my groovy 1970s-vintage turntable. At the tip lie the spider’s spinnerets, important organs on which her survival relies.

Every morning around dawn, Ms.

Photo provided

Micrathena gracilis typically spins her orb web across woodland paths at a height that often corresponds to that of a human face. This particular spider, however, chose to anchor the web next to the fireplace in a picnic pavilion.

Micrathena sets about spinning a brand new, delicate orb web made of very fine silk filaments placed close together. The iridescent strands glint in the filtered sunlight typical of her woodland habitat, and I kid you not, look a lot like a compact disc – which makes the abdomen’s resemblance to a record needle somewhat ironic, doesn’t it?

The web is suspended somewhere between 4 and 7 feet from the ground, a distance that also can be interpreted as “face height” (as many morning woods walkers will attest).

Provided nothing other than insects crashes into the web, the female Micrathena will spend her day suspended near the center, relying on her dappled coloration for camouflage. But then, as dusk nears, she launches into cleanup mode, gobbling up those protein-packed silk strands.

She leaves only a few straight pieces of outer framework, and retreats to an edge where she spends the night.

The next morning at dawn she begins

anew, spinning silk and waiting for more insects or faces to happen by.

Even if you’re not a fan of spiders, you have to admire the female Micrathena’s work ethic. And if that’s still not enough to sway you, surely you can take pleasure in knowing that her CD-esque web is finely detailed for a reason: Her main prey is little Diptera, as in mosquitoes.

This small marvel’s awesome web-spinning skills also are responsible for its genus name. Micrathena is a combination of two Greek words – micro, for small, and Athena, the goddess of war but also other things including arts and crafts and particularly spinning and weaving. (Mythology fun: Arachne was another talented weaver who challenged Athena; the myth has many variations, but all of them end with Arachne being turned into a spider.)

(Bonus fun: Arachne clearly is where the taxonomic group Arachnida got its name. But while all spiders are arachnids, not all arachnids are

spiders. The class also includes scorpions and other eight-legged wonders, including daddy longlegs, aka harvestmen, who, believe it or not, are not spiders.)

M. gracilis occasionally pops up in neighborhoods, especially those near wooded areas, but its preferred habitat is woodlands with understory shrubs that will support its webs. With that said, females are pretty mobile and will move around quite a bit in August and September, choosing a new web site (not the internet kind) every week or so.

It’s not often that you have the opportunity to come face to face with a representation of a genuine Greek goddess. But now is the time … Keep your eyes open when you’re out and about; you might be lucky enough to run into a magnificent Micro Athena.

• Pam Otto is the outreach ambassador for the St. Charles Park District.

She can be reached at 630-513-4346 or potto@stcparks.org.

SHAW MEDIA Shaw Media / ShawLocal.com • Saturday, September 26, 2020

GOOD NATURED

Shaw Media / ShawLocal.com • Saturday, September 26, 2020

SHAW MEDIA

8

fall in love

with Heritage Harbor

see vacation rental special below

Pontoon Boat Rentals

Waterfront Dining

Vacation Rentals

Experience Fall at Heritage Harbor. Harbor Inn’s Mid Week Fall Special (September and October) includes: Book a two-night stay (valid Sunday thru Friday) and receive a $25 gift card to our waterfront restaurant Red Dog Grill, a $25 gift card to one of the following local food and beverage establishments: B.A.S.H., Tangled Roots Brewing Company or Catseye Wine Bar AND a 15% off coupon to our Heritage Harbor Gift Shop located inside Red Dog Grill.

Book your stay by calling 815-433-5000 ext 2 or onlilne at www.visitheritageharborinn.com