June 2010

style & culture

What if Michael Jackson’s

DREAM FOR GARY died with him?

BY JEREMY GANTZ

june 2010

VER

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THE REASON WHY

LEONARD BERNSTEIN LOVED INDIANA visitshoremagazine.com THE TIMES

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INCLUDING Three Oaks is NUTS ABOUT OPERA Rick Kaempfer MEETS RINGO STARR A Master Luthier RESTORES THE SOUND

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contents JUNE 2010

165

Sounds Alive

BY TERRI GORDON, SETH HURD, SCOTT LAWSON AND MARK LOEHRKE

With stand-out performers in every category—including indie pop, jazz, theater, country, tropical, classical and cover bands—there is no genre too small or specialized for the Lake Michigan area music scene.

photograph courtesy of CANASTA

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The Ever-Lasting Life of Leonard Bernstein’s Hoosier Legacy BY MALLORY JINDRA Composer/conductor Leonard Bernstein developed a special relationship with Indiana University’s music school that will live forever through his generous legacy.

VISITSHOREMAGAZINE.COM

62

Just Dance BY CLAIRE BUSHEY

70

Back Home to Indiana? BY JEREMY GANTZ

73

Food, Lyrical Food! BY JANE DUNNE

The physical expression of movement to music stimulates the brain and the body to form a nurturing and healing double play.

Michael Jackson left Gary, Indiana, when he was in sixth grade. Although he had a strong desire to return as a teacher and inspirational leader, that dream may have died when he did.

Creative recipes inspired by musical odes to the fabulousness of food include beer and coffee steaks, apple pandowdy, Italian baked clams and tarragon shallot egg salad sandwiches.

XXXXX XXXXXX

8

contents JUNE 2010

30 40

32 81 22 CLICKS 42 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51

Holocaust Museum Awards Waterfront Oscar Night Mardi Gras Ball Indian American Center Gala Redmoon Anniversary Party Shedd Aquarium Benefit Vickers Goodbye Party St. Patrick Fundraiser Red Ball

HOUSE & GROUNDS 21

INTRO

22

LISTEN

24

26 0 VISITSHOREMAGAZINE.COM 1

28

30

32

34

The story of Carlos Hernandez Gomez and the music in the life of a syncopated jazzman-journalist.

For the Acorn Theater in Three Oaks, the guidelines for selling out the house for classical opera are simple: keep it accessible, do the best music and bring in top-notch performers.

MOTORING

Luxury brands lead the way in technologically advanced sound systems for audiophiles.

BY TERRI GORDON

LAST RESORT 96

36

HEALTH CLUB

40

HAUTE PROPERTIES

Why is music such an important motivator for your workout? You don’t think about it. Also, playlists for taking off and cooling down.

A factory gives birth to a new home for a music association’s studio spaces, sparking a unique rehabilitation of a 100-year-old building in the Benton Harbor Arts District.

Starstruck

BY RICK KAEMPFER

In the everyday world of rock ’n’ roll stars and radio, the Beatles still stand out, even Ringo.

GREEN NOTES The Save the Dunes Council and the Save the Dunes Conservation Fund were founded by Dorothy Buell with a clear mission. Consolidation saves money, time and the dunes.

The House on Firefly Hill An architect and his wife build a country retreat in Buchanan that combines historic traditions with green conveniences.

WHERE TO GO After a 30-year hiatus, the Shadowland Ballroom, Silver Beach Amusement Park and a hand-carved carousel come back to life in St. Joseph.

SHAW THOUGHTS

CULTURE NUT

81

Conductor Scott Speck has a mission to get out the music around the world, but especially in Michigan, where he can make a difference.

Richard Biggs, a master luthier, revives stringed instruments’ rich and vibrant sounds.

The musical lineup for this year’s Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail event at Weko Beach; Lyle Lovett returns to Frederik Meijer Gardens; and the Music Box concert, part of St. Joseph’s Box Factory for the Arts.

INTERVIEW

HOTSPOTS 52 76 86 94

Essential Events Bite & Sip Shore Things Shorecast

12 Publisher’s Letter 14 Editor’s Letter

photography courtesy of [clockwise, from top left] SCOTT SPECK, QUARTERNOTE LOFTS, JOE DURK, FREDERIK MEIJER GARDENS AND SCULPTURE PARK, JEFF GOULETTE

SHORELINES

publisher’S

letter

L

ike every parent on earth who has a graduation this year, I have mixed feelings about my youngest daughter leaving the nest for college in the fall.

Mixed is probably not the right word; guilty would be a little more accurate. While Julie and I are excited and proud of Shay (a top soccer player who got a scholarship), she is the last of six, so we are excited about the next phase of our lives without kids. Not that we don’t love them all, but 31 years of running across the country, living on fast food and communicating with my wife only by phone because she has one kid in Billings, Montana, at a soccer game while I have another in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, at a basketball or football game can take its toll. So do I feel a little guilty about my excitement that our last little baby will be gone soon? Yes. But nothing that won’t go away as soon as Julie and I measure for the hot tub, spend more nights in downtown Chicago on a whim and enjoy some traveling to places we “want” to go.

2 visitshoremagazine.com 1

In addition to summer family business, I have an endless list of fun distractions. The best one for April was the privilege of being asked once again to do a cameo performance at the Ivy Tech fundraising mystery dinner at Aberdeen. Though I am not very good at staying on the script, with some good coaching from my friend Bruce Leetz I was at least able to get my Miller Genuine Draft straight in the second scene. Thanks again to Cindy Hall and the folks on the board for the thespian opportunity, the good company, good food and hilarious time. It was a fun outing at the start of the good weather season.

I am the first to admit that sometimes I’m in such a rush to hit a deadline, be there for the opening ceremony or unable to stop myself from opening just one more email, that I forget about the real stuff, or take it for granted.

Music is one of those things that I love but don’t think much about, until I drive through a tunnel and the satellite disappears for a

minute that feels like an hour. I am an enthusiastic fan of just about every kind of music I can get my ears on, from ringtones to live rock. Like our “Motoring” columnist Jim Jackson, I’m always looking for the best sound system I can possibly get on wheels.

Music makes a bad day bearable and a good day that much sweeter. And, of course, there is no music like live music—I was lucky enough to enjoy a Black Eyed Peas concert at the United Center already this year—and there are more outdoor music fests on the calendar this summer. This issue is chock full of the work of musicians going on out there, and don’t forget the map in the back to help you navigate your way from concert to concert along the Lake Michigan coast.

Julie and I will be out there too with our extended family. The road to St. Joe and Southwest Michigan has become quite familiar to us in just a few years, and the list of what we must-see and must-do just grows.

BILL MASTERSON, JR.

Editor’S

letter

W

hen Shore’s managing editor Julia Perla had the idea that we should do a music issue in June, I joined in the enthusiastic agreement, even though I was secretly scared. Not that there wouldn’t be enough great stories out there to be written, and not that we don’t have dynamite and high-qualified contributors who have a repertoire of expertise on the subject. And certainly not that it wouldn’t appeal to our readers, who bombard us with information on where their favorite artists are going to be playing, urging us to come and see and hear this indie band or that incredible operatic soprano. I was scared that I don’t know enough, that I can’t keep up with the latest, the newest, the best; there is just too much new unbranded music out there. Then it dawned on me: it’s not just music I need to catch up with, it’s all of audio. As a listener, I need to make the leap to the next level.

4 visitshoremagazine.com 1

Almost five years ago, I had an iPod that I used for books and music in the car. For various reasons, prominently including operator error, I gradually gave up listening to books. I was just not traveling enough, and listening to an entire book can take a long time, even though it is great to hear the author’s voice.

And I was a klutz with the early iPods and never could find the time to get the CDs organized and functioning on that storage device. As far as having any control of the music in my house? Forget it. Selecting, buying and operating tuner, amplifier, speakers, audio devices of any kind, have always been in the alpha male realm of whatever household I’m living in, and in that way 2009 was no different from 1979.

But, of course, the technology moved on relentlessly. There is so much to hear on satellite that I have barely scratched the surface, and my phone is in perfect synchronization with my car radio. Who could blame me for wishing for a longer commute sometimes? So I started the catch-up phase of audio-techno transformation with upgrading the home computer speakers, and even though the speed of the

connection leaves something to be desired, I found I could completely enjoy Prince’s rendition of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” on YouTube.

Next, I have learned to make audio files of interviews that could be edited into podcasts that you will be able to access on our website. The final frontier will be programming, storing and accessing a music database in multiple locations in my house. I have done the research and started building the files. Pretty soon I’ll have the equipment. I know I can do it. Every 12-year-old on earth does this every day of his or her life. I will take back the music where I live.

Next on the list? The iPad (or maybe an economical Android tablet) that I can read or listen to a book or an article and the computer will remember where I left off! Some innovations are wonderful; others are perfect.

This falls into the perfect category.

Next month and next issue we will be outdoors constantly whenever and wherever possible. Until then, keep up with us at visitshoremagazine.com and by subscribing to our weekly e-newser.

Pat Colander

style & culture

Publisher Bill Masterson, Jr. Director of Product Development Christopher Loretto 219.933.3243 cloretto@nwitimes.com Senior Account Executive Lisa Tavoletti Illinois/Indiana/Michigan 219.933.4182 ltavoletti@nwitimes.com Account Executive Mary Sorensen Michigan 616.451.3006 msorensen@nwitimes.com Traffic Manager Tom Kacius Pre-press Specialists Maureen Benak Rhonda Fancher Tracy Hanson Advertising Designers Dave Annable Ryan Berry Kathy Campbell Jacqueline Murawski

Published by Lee Enterprises The Times of Northwest Indiana Niche Division 601 W 45th Street Munster, Indiana 46321 219.933.3200 Michigan/Indiana Sales 1111 Glendale Boulevard Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 219.462.5151

New Subscriptions, Renewals, Inquiries and Changes of Address: Shore Magazine Circulation Dept., 601 W 45th St, Munster, IN 46321, or 800.589.2802, or visitshoremagazine.com Reprints and Permissions: You must have permission before reproducing material from Shore magazine.

6 visitshoremagazine.com 1

Single copy price is $4.95.

One-year subscriptions $20 (8 issues) Two-year subscriptions $25 (16 issues) Three-year subscriptions $35 (24 issues)

volume 6 / number 4

Editor / Associate Publisher Pat Colander 219.933.3225 pcolander@nwitimes.com Art Director Joe Durk 219.933.3277 jdurk@nwitimes.com Managing Editor Julia Perla 219.933.3353 jperla@nwitimes.com Assistant Managing Editor Kathryn MacNeil 219.933.3264 kmacneil@nwitimes.com Designers April Burford, Matt Huss Online Editor Ashley Boyer Contributing Editors Jane Ammeson Heather Augustyn Lois Berger Sue Bero Robert Blaszkiewicz Christy Bonstell Claire Bushey John Cain Laura Caldwell Donna M. Chavez Tom Chmielewski Juli Doshan Jane Dunne Rob Earnshaw Jeremy Gantz Terri Gordon Dave Hoekstra Seth â&#x20AC;&#x153;towerâ&#x20AC;? Hurd Jim Jackson Rick Kaempfer Lauri Harvey Keagle Julie Dean Kessler Mark Loehrke Joey Marburger Sherry Miller Virginia Mullin Andy Shaw Fran Smith Megan Swoyer Sharon Biggs Waller Contributing Artists and Photographers Lloyd DeGrane Jennifer Feeney Richard Hellyer Callie Lipkin David Mosele Johnny Quirin Gregg Rizzo Christina Somers Robert Wray

Shore magazine invites readers and writers to submit ideas, comments and feedback through email at feedback@visitshoremagazine.com or the post office at Shore Magazine, 601 W 45th St, Munster, IN 46321, or 1111 Glendale Blvd, Valparaiso, IN 46383.

For advertising opportunities on our Michigan community pages, please contact

Mary Sorensen

616-451-3006

discover

Visit our modern but quaint shoreline resort community located on the shores of Lake Michigan in the heart of Harbor Country.

Ninety minutes from Chicago and just north of the Indiana border, our trendy shops, places to stay and eat, and recreational opportunities make us an ideal community to live or play.

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shorelines listen | shaw thoughts | culture nut | motoring | interview | where to go | green notes | health club | haute properties

>> intro <<

Richard Biggs

Master Luthier and Bow Maker

R

ichard Biggs peers into the violin, makes an adjustment to the wooden sound post inside with a small curved tool, and then hands the instrument back to the owner.

She begins to play, her eyes widen. The dull, tinny sound is gone. The violin now sings out with a rich and vibrant resonance.

Making a stringed instrument sound beautiful is all in a day’s work for master luthier and bow maker Richard Biggs of Porter, Indiana.

His shop on Lincoln Street is housed in the old brick post office, and customers can find him repairing, restoring, setting up and selling violins, cellos, violas, basses and their bows. His work is old school, with exacting skills that only a handful of people in the world have.

Biggs began as an artist, attending the American Academy of Art in Chicago. A violin shop was above, and he would often talk with the luthiers. Biggs began working on a few violins of his own.

“I’m a history nut, and there was living history in my hands,” he says.

“I knew I wanted to work with violins for the rest of my life.” Biggs earned a living as an art director until the late 80s. He turned his hand to stringed instruments full-time, becoming master luthier at Kagen and Gaines in Chicago under top violin maker Franz Kinberg. Biggs also learned the meticulous craft of bow making, and is now one of 200 bow makers in the world and a member of the prestigious Oberlin workshop. He moved to Porter in 2000. “I wanted more balance in my life and peace, and I have that here,” he says. “Chicago was a little hectic, and I’m a small town guy anyway! But my customers are from everywhere.”

Always up for a new challenge, Biggs recently brought his old-world skills to the golf industry, inventing an innovative, hand-made club called the Palm Putter. “Like a fine violin bow, the putter has balance,” he says. “The brass head has a vibration to it, a musical signature that gives the user feedback. You use it one-armed, like a violin bow, and it creates a more natural putting style.”

—SHARON WALLER

21

PHOTOGRAPH BY ROBERT WRAY

JUNE 2010

For more information, please visit biggsviolin.com.

shorelines >> listen <<

A longtime fan of the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, singer and songwriter Lyle Lovett returns to Grand Rapids Saturday, August 7, for a special concert honoring Fred and Lena Meijer and the gardens’ 15th anniversary. Lovett is one of the many performers featured at the park’s Summer Concert Series, which starts in May.

2 VISITSHOREMAGAZINE.COM 2

Lovett “loves the gardens and the intimate atmosphere of performing outside on the lawn,” says Amy Sawade, public relations specialist for Meijer Gardens, noting that Lovett has performed numerous times at the outdoor garden concerts held at the Meijer Gardens Amphitheater.

“And West Michigan has really responded to his friendliness and interaction with the audience. Almost every one of his shows has been sold out.”

The setting—a terraced lawn looking down upon the stage and surrounded by blooming flowers and shrubs, some of which have musical names like Adagio, Buddy Autumn Applause American Guy Ash, and Minuet Weigela— offers both great views and great acoustics and is the perfect place for music on a soft summer night.

Fireworks follow the opening ceremony and concertgoers are invited to bring a picnic, though no glass bottles or alcoholic beverages are allowed.

Also performing at this year’s concert series are Kenny Loggins, Umphrey’s McGee, Indigo Girls, Natalie Merchant and Chris Isaak, among others.

A portion of the tickets, which cost $85, goes to the gardens’ Annual Fund, which is matched 100 percent by Fred and Lena Meijer.

–JANE AMMESON

FOR MORE INFO // 888.957.1580/ meijergardens.org

Lyle Lovett

Toast the Coast Wine Festival

Melissa Etheridge

Umphrey’s McGee

Natalie Merchant

Indigo Girls

T

he eastern shore of Lake Michigan, a seemingly endless stretch of beach and dunes, is one of only four American Viticulture Areas, or AVAs, a region recognized for its unique wine-growing characteristics, in the state.

“Napa Valley and Sonoma are AVAs and so is the Lake Michigan shoreline, so what better way to celebrate Michigan wines than having a party on the beach to toast the coast?” asks Chris Moersch, whose Free Run Winery, located in Baroda, Michigan, will be providing tastes of their award-winning wines at the 5th Annual Lake Michigan Shore Wine Festival held on Saturday, June 19, at Weko Beach in Bridgman.

Designed to showcase the vintners on the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail, the event, which attracted more than 3,000 people last year, features live music with bands such as Ty Stone & Just Soul, Mighty Blue Kings, Midwest Hype, Ninth Street Bridge and Duke Tumatoe. Also on hand are local restaurateurs doing live chef demonstrations in a KitchenAid outdoor cooking area. Returning this year is the popular grill master/ chef Tom Weber from Double T’s Bar-B-Que in South Bend, cooking some of his specialties.

It all adds up to a day of sounds, surf and sun while tasting and sipping the best of what Southwest Michigan has to offer. –JANE AMMESON FOR MORE INFO // miwinetrail.com

photography courtesy of FREDERIK MEIJER GARDENS AND SCULPTURE PARK

MUSIC AT MEIJER GARDENS

SCHOOL OF ROCK IN ST. JOE AMONG THE MYRIAD OF GENRES AT ST. JOSEPH’S BOX FACTORY FOR THE ARTS IS THE MUSIC BOX.

–SCOTT LAWSON

For more information on the Box Factory for the Arts, visit boxfactoryforthearts.org.

–SCOTT LAWSON

23

a lot of action. A lot of stuff going on.”

MAY 2010

The Music Box is run by 31-year-old Mike Koch, a musician more interested in his students working together. “It’s a School of Rock kinda thing,” Koch says, referring to the Jack Black movie. The schooling focuses less on mastering notes and more on being a member of a team. “It teaches them how to play in the context of a band,” Koch says.

“What’s cool is they get to play together and they get to play music they want to play,” he says. “A lot of kids give up on music because they aren’t playing what they want to play.”

Koch has been involved with the Music Box for about a year.

He teaches guitar, piano and voice, while other instructors teach violin and guitar.

The Box Factory for the Arts focuses on celebrating all art, and music is a key component to it, according to executive director Mike Murphy. Every Saturday night, the Box Factory holds a concert for about $6 to $8 a ticket. “It’s amazing how many talented people are in this region,” Murphy says.

Murphy calls the BOX FACTORY Saturday night shows ART COMPETITION “diverse” and says This summer, the Michiana Annual more information Art Competition is taking place again should be available at the Box Factory for the Arts. The on the website juried art show opens June 11 and runs about upcoming through July 26; a total of $13,600 will be awarded to artists. performances.

Among the art being displayed will Writing songs is be paintings, drawings, ceramics, pasan important aspect tels, photography, digital art, watercolors, mixed media, fiber art and sculpof the way Koch ture, according to Berrien Arts Guild teaches, he says. “I’m Inc. executive director Mike Murphy. teaching more toward “Last year we had over 200 artists subgetting students to mit over 400 works of art,” Murphy says.

The first competition took place in be creative and create 2003. “Every year, we make our little music, rather than improvements and massages and try reproducing music,” to make it better,” Murphy says. “It’s he says. “I’m focusing grown to be quite popular. We have artists start clamoring for their brochures more on songwriting in January.” and improvisation.”

The Box Factory for the Arts is a One student has really nonprofit facility that concentrates on impressed Koch. Austin promoting artists and their work. Most aspects of it are free, including the exBucholtz, a freshman hibits. The Box Factory also has studios at Lakeshore High for thirty-seven artists at the location.

School, has written Visitors are encouraged to check the studios out as well. The Box Factory also and produced a song has a café and a gift shop with art imnamed “War.” ages from the Berrien Arts Guild artists. “‘War’ is like an Murphy, who has been in charge anthem for teens,” of the organization since it began in 2000, believes the many different types Koch says. “It’s pretty of art and artists are important for cool. He’s a superthe community. “I think the arts are talented kid.” important in every culture,” he says.

Private lessons with “It expands our minds and horizons and opens us to the beauty around us. It Koch are $25 a halffosters that feeling . . . of creativity.” hour or $40 for an Along with fostering visual arts, it hour. His assistants also features classes for writers and teach for $20 for a musicians. Murphy considers it a family-friendly facility. “It’s a lot of fun, half-hour session.

shorelines >> shaw thoughts <<

Memorial to a Music Man

“He was a throwback in the style of Chicago’s storied political reporters. He loved Chicago and he relentlessly sought to tell its story with the commitment to truth and the insatiable curiosity that any good reporter has to have.” —President Barack Obama

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arlos had a beat. A rhythm.

And a vibe. Even when the music wasn’t playing.

Because it emanated from his heart. And his soul.

Percolated in his brain. And played out, scat-like, as an aura. A persona. He was a walking syncopated jazzman. Who didn’t need an instrument.

On the whimsical days when he donned his trademark fedora, faux zoot suit and Coke-bottle glasses, he looked like a Puerto Rican gigolo. Or an Elvis Costello wannabe.

And when he did his spot-on verbal imitations of Chicago’s colorful politicians, you realized how easily he’d fit into a Second City spoof.

Carlos Hernandez Gomez packed a lot of life into his 36 years on this earth. Before the cruelest of fates, a virulent strain of colon cancer, tore through his body and ripped him away from us in January.

Carlos’s mom was Puerto Rican, his dad Colombian and his upbringing pure Chicago. So, in the best tradition of the melting pot he crisscrossed the cultural worlds with the grace of a figure skater.

He thought about becoming a priest. And his Catholic faith ran deep. But journalism trumped the clergy, and he found his calling as a political reporter.

Maybe you remember Carlos from WBEZ, Chicago’s public radio station.

Or CLTV, the Tribune Company’s cable station.

Or WTTW Channel 11, where he appeared regularly on Chicago Tonight and Chicago Week in Review.

He was a wonderful young journalist with an encyclopedic knowledge of the city’s turbulent political history. A fearless crusader for truth and justice who confronted the high and the mighty with the moxie and the cojones of a Murrow.

As the veteran political reporter at ABC 7, I fell into the role of occasional mentor, advisor and confidant. But Carlos didn’t really need me, because everyone in our little world wanted to help him succeed.

And now we’re helping in a different way.

Which brings us back to his other loves: Music. And Randi.

She is Randi Belisomo, his 28-yearold widow, the Southern Signora from Memphis who captured his heart when they worked together at CLTV. And did the heavy lifting during the torturous yearlong medical nightmare.

Music is how we said good-bye to Carlos. With feeling. And significance.

“Carlos died about a week after the earthquake in Haiti,” Randi recalls. “Even though he was in incredible discomfort, he was glued to the TV, watching the tragedy unfold. He literally wept at the images. I promised Carlos that I would build a well there in his honor and that’s what we’re doing. He knew the power of a simple thing like water— something we all take for granted—to transform lives.

His couldn’t be saved, but hundreds of other lives will be changed for the better when this well is built. That would have made Carlos so proud.”

Friends and admirers raised more than $15,000 at a musical tribute and silent auction at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn on April 8—the rock rolling in with bittersweet joy as four bands that included guys Carlos used to play guitar with when they were teenagers went back over the old playlists.

As his best friend and former bandmate Joe Farina recalls, “Carlos was an avid Beatles fan. He also loved the Who, the Kinks, the Small Faces and many other legendary rock bands that stormed on the scene during the 1960s ‘British Invasion.’

He knew as much about that as he did Chicago politics.”

Randi adds, “We used to talk about when he got better he should maybe change careers and pursue another dream as a DJ on satellite radio. He would’ve been wonderful at that.”

The list of prominent Chicago actors, musicians and entertainers who helped make the fundraiser an enormous success, and the well a reality, live on as a testament to Carlos’s impact on the Chicago scene.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Randi told the crowd.

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ne of his journalism buddies, Mick Dumke of the Chicago Reader, says that “I’m queuing up the soundtrack to Super Fly—Carlos loved both Curtis Mayfield and blaxploitation flicks—so I can add my ‘amen’ to it.”

“I’m in a unique position,” Randi says. “There aren’t a lot of 28-year-olds who’ve been widowed. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, but I’m so grateful for the years we had together.

TO DON ATE You I know we were contribucan send tions to: brought together for a Living Intern Water reason, and I know he P.O. Boxational 354 Houston was happy in the end. , TX 772 96 35 “Everyone deals Write “C a Hernan with loss at one time dez G rlos Memori omez or another, but some al” the memin people never find o. love. Our song was ‘My One and Only Love’ and that was true in every way.

At least I can say I’ve had that.”

We said good-bye with music. But the song was in his heart. And it plays on in ours. —ANDY SHAW

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>> culture nut <<

Opera at the Acorn MORE SHOWS THAT SELL

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hen Bob Swan first approached David Fink with an idea, Fink admits he thought Swan was a little nuts. Swan, an accomplished actor and opera singer, thought the Acorn Theater in Three Oaks, Michigan, where Fink is an owner and managing director, was the perfect place for more than staged readings, open-mic nights and local music. Swan envisioned arias filling the space of the centuryold abandoned corset factory turned 250-seat performance center.

“When Bob Swan first came to us and said that he thought our space would be great for opera singers, we said, ‘How would we get people to come to Three Oaks for opera?’”

Fink says. But with confidence in Swan’s abilities, Fink says they decided to begin the program and relied on the recognizable to help bring in audiences. “We started in about 2006 and decided to do something very familiar, so we did a Christmas show. We did some familiar operas and arias and brought in Isola Jones. We were able to help people realize that operatic, classically trained voices can be fun and interesting, not boring, and it has helped to build up our program to where most of our opera programs sell out,” Fink says.

For Bob Swan, who produces the series at the Acorn, the space at the theater was the perfect place to bring opera to both seasoned fans of the genre, as well as new audiences who may not find the music accessible in more formal settings. “When people come here and already know about opera, they’re not disappointed,” he says. “People say it’s as good as the Lyric Opera or better. We never charge more than $25, so

it’s affordable and we try to reach people. It’s casual chic. We talk about the performance and it’s accessible to people who may think it’s intimidating. We’re not highfalutin. We’re just about sharing the magic of music. I’ve turned a lot of people on to opera who thought they hated it or were dragged there by their wives, and they become big fans. It’s a great atmosphere. You can have a glass of wine in your hand or a beer and it’s very audience-friendly. It feels like a community.

You feel like you’re part of the opera.”

But have no doubt, it’s more than the space itself and the setting in Harbor Country that allow for this unusual opportunity. Swan says it’s also the performers themselves and the material that create the magic. “From the moment it started, it was popular. I get people to do stuff they’ve already done that they’re really good at, and they can display their wares. Part of the success of this program is because of the quality of the singers and because the kind of stuff we do isn’t always the most popular operas. We try to choose arias and do concert performances. I like to choose songs that are really beautiful. I take selections that are the best of from all of the operas I know of, and some I don’t know of, and what you get is a kind of compilation of the greatest songs ever written. It’s the quality of the songs, the quality of the singers, and the space.”

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pera at the Acorn is truly a community effort, Swan says. It may have been his creative spark that started the series, but since then, a lot of people have come aboard to continue the success.

“David Fink has given me a relationship of trust. The local businesses support us and help us take care of our performers. We pay them well and the businesses feed them well, put them up well, and they enjoy it. The Pokagon Fund has been very generous and supported us, and the New Buffalo Savings Bank has supported us since the beginning.

We’ve had some nice community support and from businesses and individuals alike,” says Swan, who is responsible for not only bringing in the performers, but doing the program’s promotions, planning the program, raising the money, and he says he does one more thing he enjoys: “I even get to sing.” —HEATHER AUGUSTYN

UPCOMING SHOWS AT ACORN JUNE 5 FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE Christine Steyer, Darrell Rowader and Philip Morehead

JULY 11 A NIGHT IN ITALY The Other Three Tenors (Franco Martorana, Warren Moulton and Simon Lee)

AUGUST 7 CARMEN Isola Jones SEPTEMBER 11 JACQUES BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN THREE OAKS! Robert Swan and Martha Cares sing the best songs of Jacques Brel and Kurt Weill, special guest appearance by Bonnie Koloc OCTOBER 15 FALL SHOSTAKOVICH TOUR Pacifica Quartet DECEMBER 18 CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

ALL PERFORMANCES AT 8PM EST TICKETS $25 107 GENERATIONS DR THREE OAKS, MICH. 269.756.3879 ACORNTHEATER.COM

shorelines >> motoring <<

Symphony on Wheels

Rolling harmony on the road and passengers of Infiniti automobiles, combining Bose’s successful surround sound innovations with the open-air driving bliss of the 2010 Infiniti G37 Convertible.

The Infiniti G37 has a power retractable hardtop that affords four-season driving comfort and comes available with a 13-speaker Infiniti Bose Open Air Sound System with AudioPilot 2.0 technology that automatically optimizes equalizer settings to compensate for unwanted road noise and changing driving speeds, while retaining genuine surround sound listening enjoyment for top-down touring.

Bose front seat personal speakers are built into the sides of the front seat head rests for immediate front surround sound audio quality regardless of the top’s open or closed position.

The 2011 M sedan is Infiniti’s halo car, with voluptuous exterior styling and a seductive interior that features a Bose Studio Surround audio system with digital 5.1 channel decoding, 14-channel digital amp and 16 speakers—including two personal speakers mounted in the shoulders of each front seat.

Infiniti’s Bose system also comes with Engine Harmonic Cancellation technology that neutralizes low-frequency engine sound in the vehicle’s interior courtesy of strategically placed microphones in the cabin.

The cancellation technology generates a signal, reproduced through the sound system speakers, that is acoustically opposite to the targeted engine noise.

The opposing sounds cancel each other out to create an exquisite and luxuriously quiet atmosphere in the Infiniti M’s five-passenger cabin. –JIM JACKSON

British BeoSound

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British luxury sports and performance auto manufacturer Aston Martin employs a Bang & Olufsen BeoSound DBS sound system with a 13-speaker Digital Signal Processing platform that produces 1,000 watts of power as standard equipment for the 2011 Aston Martin Carbon Black edition.

Bang & Olufsen’s BeoSound DBS system is developed exclusively for Aston Martin. The system is harmoniously matched—physically and acoustically—to Aston Martin’s DBS model with design that follows the inherent quality fit and finish of the car’s interior.

Loudspeaker grills are finished with smooth contoured aluminum surfaces that seamlessly flow with the fluid lines and curves of the handcrafted hand-stitched full leather cabin, resulting in a crisp appearance and clear audio performance at all volumes from any seat position.

The BeoSound DBS system showcases Bang & Olufsen’s patented ICEpower technology— a fusion of high power and hi-fi sound quality with ultra-compact design and sleek functional operation that utilizes motorized tweeter units that bookend the dashboard for 180-degree horizontal dispersion of high frequencies.

When the BeoSound DBS system is turned on, the twin acoustic lens speakers emerge from the top of the dashboard in swift silence, adding a touch of drama and technological panache to complement Aston Martin’s blueblood swagger. –JIM JACKSON

photography [this page, top and middle left] courtesy of BOSE CORPORATION; [bottom] courtesy of INFINITI; [top right] courtesy of BANG & OLUFSEN; [opposite page] courtesy of AUDI OF AMERICA

Ardent audiophiles savor tweeter and woofer advancement. So do premium automakers with the twelfth row-center sound reproduction of today’s high-fidelity automotive audio systems.

Admittedly, I am not an automotive audiophile. My musical ear leans closer to appreciating the throaty exhaust note of a Roush 427R Mustang, than punching up the volume to blast the block with “heavy metal” music from Ford’s “Shaker 500” audio system.

But, that’s me.

Builders of premium automobiles approach their cabin styling with the same passion as home interior designers.

The passenger Bose Open Air Surround System compartment is a blank canvas on which they serve to create an atmosphere of elegance, comfort and tranquility.

The soothing resonance of Bose Studio Surround a premium automotive audio system becomes the musical brushstroke that draws occupants into the harmonious serenity of ambient listening pleasure.

Massachusetts-based Bose Corporation is among the leaders in premium home audio systems and in recent years, has extended their spectrum of audio technology to driver

EUROPE’S SOUND OF MUSIC Britain’s luxury automaker Aston Martin and German automotive manufacturer Audi share an audio brand whose name could easily be mistaken for a Danish music duo— Bang & Olufsen. But to those who have an ear for high fidelity, Bang & Olufsen is an audio icon that sits on the highest tier of the finest acoustic systems in the audio industry.

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JUNE 2010

ang & Olufsen Automotive launched its first car audio system in the 2005 Audi A8 luxury sedan. Unique to the audio brand are small high-performance front speakers that automatically rise up from their flush position on the upper ends of the A8’s dashboard for sound projection that works in harmony with the 5.1 surround sound system in the cabin.

The second generation Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System, featured in the new Audi A8, surpasses previous achievements with superior sound performance, more power and a new design to complement and enhance the exclusive interior of the car with 19 loudspeakers—each driven by its own discrete channel of digital signal processing and amplification.

Rear seat sound performance is distinctly improved through the introduction of a three-way speaker system in each of the rear doors and a two-way system on the rear parcel shelf.

Loudspeaker grills for the midrange and woofers in both the front and rear doors are organically shaped, each formed by a single piece of aluminum for a flowing and integrated fit in the contours of Audi A8’s interior. –JIM JACKSON

shorelines Scott Speck

A WORLD-CLASS CONDUCTOR CHOOSES MICHIGAN Scott Speck is in his seventh season with the Muskegon-based West Michigan Symphony. But he is also a conductor very much in demand, having conducted at London’s Royal Opera House at Covent Garden, the Paris Opera, Washington’s Kennedy Center, San Francisco’s War Memorial Opera House, and the Los Angeles Music Center. His travels have taken him to lead performances of the symphony orchestras of Baltimore, Houston, Chicago (Sinfonietta), Paris, Moscow, Shanghai, Beijing, Vancouver, Romania, Slovakia and more.

I

n terms of classical music, what kind of music or which composers really turn you on? I think it’s fair to say that I feel a special affinity for the works of Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Samuel Barber and Brahms, composers whose works have a deep vein of emotion as opposed to those that are more clinical sounding.

Why is the emotion of the music so important to you? I really enjoy the conversation with the composer [when conducting]. I feel like I’m talking with the composer. Each of these composers have different personalities, and they’re all friends of mine. I have the ability to channel their emotions through my own being, through the enormously talented orchestra, and there to the audience. It doesn’t interest me so much to conduct a piece of music that is technically brilliant with no emotional content. The best thing, of course, is to have both.

One of the things you became known for is your writing of three “Dummies” books—Classical Music for Dummies and Opera for Dummies released in 1997, and the latest, Ballet for Dummies, released in 2003. Why did you set

FOR MORE INFO scottspeck.org westmichigansymphony.com

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MORE SHORE To read more about Scott Speck—including why the well-traveled conductor calls Muskegon home, the challenge of keeping up with the dancers when conducting ballet, and Hawaiian music in the lake effect gloom of the Michigan winter—please go to visitshoremagazine.com.

out to write these guide books for the general audience? It’s always been a huge mission of mine to spread the good word of classical music to a wider audience. This informs everything I do, my conducting first and foremost, my writing, and my work on radio. I just got asked to do a twenty-six-part series for Australia radio, one show a month for the next two years, basically. Spreading the good word for classical music is absolutely essential when for the very first time in the history of our nation, children, teachers and parents have not learned about classical music . . . There’s no one to tell today’s kids what they’re missing, which is potentially a tragic situation.

Why did that happen? The problem is largely the fault of [the promoters of] classical music itself . . . They promoted elitism over the second half of the 20th century until there was almost no audience left.

They went out of their way to make classical music inaccessible. There are still vestiges today, like the stupid, idiotic idea not to clap between movements. It’s absolutely idiotic. It’s a total construct of the 20th century.

Nobody would have dreamed of not clapping between movements . . . Brahms Symphony No. 4, when it was first performed, the third movement was such a success that not only did the audience clap, they demanded the orchestra perform an encore before the fourth movement was even played.

Here’s another idiotic idea: why in hell do we dress as 19th-century waiters on the stage? I understand a uniform that looks classy. The Beatles had one. [The tuxedos are] a repellent to 90 percent of our potential audience that does not yet come. Do we wear tuxes in our concerts? Yes. We haven’t come up with a better solution that we can afford.

So when you were the conductor of the Honolulu Symphony, did you wear Hawaiian shirts? We did all our casual concerts in Hawaiian shirts. It doesn’t have to reek of elitism. Classical music was popular music back then. —TOM CHMIELEWSKI

photograph courtesy of SCOTT SPECK

>> interview <<

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING FUN TO DO THIS WEEKEND? Shore’s own Joe Durk and Julia Perla talk about what’s going on in the Lake Michigan area, in the Shore Weekender video every Thursday. visitshoremagazine.com / nwi.com

WEEKENDER

with joe & julia

shorelines have two chariots and forty-eight figures.”

“The band organ we have was one of the original three that operated,” Schalon says. “It is the happiest music on earth. You can’t help but smile, because you know it’s going to be fun.”

>> where to go <<

Silver Beach WHERE MEMORIES GO ROUND

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ach figure on the carousel was sponsored by a different organization or individual and is a work of art. The carousel first operated for its inaugural ride for sponsors and invited guests on December 17, 2009. And on Labor Day Weekend 2009, guests got a taste of the rest of Silver Beach when the adjacent Whirlpool Compass Fountain opened to families, who frolicked in the refreshing summer spray along the beachfront. Also part of Silver Beach is the extension of Curious Kids’ Museum. The original location on the hill will not close or be diminished in any way; instead, a satellite location, called the Discovery Zone, is now open in the same building that houses the carousel.

Pat Adams, executive director of Curious Kids’ Museum, says locating the Discovery Zone at Silver Beach will be wonderful for the community. “It’s a wonderful project, and we became part of the project because it’s a chance to leave a legacy and impact a large number of kids and families.”

Discovery Zone has fifteen water activities, a climbing wall, a rope course, a toddle town boardwalk, the Walk on Water Blakley proudly virtual exhibit, and proclaims that special exhibitions the figures “are like Grossology— all hand carved.

The (Impolite) It’s an extremely Science of the fancy carousel. It Human Body. has a thousand Other lights, where most Silver Beach carousels only attractions include have five hundred. the Largest There are a lot of Kaleidoscope little details and in Michigan, touches.” the Silver Beach Museum and the Shadowland Ballroom. All attractions opened to the public on January 2, 2010, and since then, crowds have been lining up to relive a little of the past and make future memories. After thirteen years of vision and labor, the region benefits from the fruits of the labor of numerous groups and individuals. Schalon says, “It was tough, but we kept going, moving forward, keeping positive.

Every time we had a setback we found a way around it. Now everyone comes out smiling.”

rom 1891 to 1971, the Silver Beach Amusement Park in St. Joseph, Michigan, was the place to be, for kids, for dating teenagers, and for adults, too. But in the fall of 1971, the Silver Beach Amusement Park and adjoining Shadowland Ballroom went dark. The colored lights outlining the spokes of the Ferris wheel blended with the night sky on the abyss of Lake Michigan. The ghosts were silent in the haunted house, and the spinning saucers were still. But now, like a phoenix from the flames, Silver Beach has returned to St. Joe and the visiting masses, thanks to the dedication of many people, a little serendipity, and love for a lost carousel.

Suz Schalon, president of Silver Beach Carousel Society, says getting people on board to resurrect Silver Beach was a labor of love. “The county bought the actual beach and Berrien County owns it as a park. It’s the actual strip where the park used to be.” But thoughts of bringing Silver Beach back came in 1997, when someone found out that the carousel that used to operate at Silver Beach was still around and it was almost intact out in New Mexico. But when that carousel was purchased by another group in Washington State, organizers never gave up on bringing back the experience. Key to the process were Wyn Yore, Ken Kaszubowski, Ed and Marcie Schalon, David Whitwam, Robert and Elizabeth Warren, and Warren Gast and his wife Lou Gast, Whirlpool, and the City of St. Joseph, Michigan. They all worked together to secure the land needed for the concept, and were ready to reclaim their dream.

Carousel Works, Inc., located in Mansfield, Ohio, is the world’s largest manufacturer of wooden carousels. They met the Silver Beach Carousel Society and agreed to help organizers recapture what was lost. “We decided to go with a brand new carousel and we did six of the replica figures to pay respect to the original carousel,” says Kate Blakley, director of marketing for Carousel Works.

“They’re six white horses and were the most well known of the original carousel.

We worked with the board to design a mix of horse figures and menagerie figures and picked ones that can appeal to all ages, like a raptor, praying mantis, ostrich, tiger and lions. The board chose a mix of traditional figures and modern figures.”

Blakley proudly proclaims that the figures “are all hand carved. It’s an extremely fancy carousel. It has a thousand lights, where most carousels only have five hundred. There are a lot of little details and touches. They also used photographs from historians for their rounding board along the top of the carousel. They more

shore

—HEATHER AUGUSTYN

To read more about the exciting exhibits at Silver Beach, please go to visitshoremagazine.com.

PHOTOGRAPH BY JOE DURK

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shorelines >> green notes <<

Dunes Groups Merge MISSION STAYS THE SAME

T

wo local groups with long histories in the Indiana allowing tax deductions on contributions to the Save the Dunes dunes have merged, and leaders say Lake Michigan Council for that reason.”

Tax laws require nonprofit groups not to use more than 20 and its coast will be all the better for it. percent of the first $500,000 of their budget on lobbying efforts.

Members of the Save the Dunes Council and the “While the Conservation Fund had the same mission and board, Save the Dunes Conservation Fund in November it was the separation we had done on our own based on what was approved the merger of the two groups, which and what was not allowed,” Anderson became official says. “We were doing a lot of double on January 1. The bookkeeping and spending time and combined group is now known money paying each other. We had two simply as Save the Dunes. sets of accountants doing two sets of The Save the Dunes Council Founder Dorothy Buell paperwork and on and on.” began in 1952 and is credited The newly formed Save the Last year, the attorneys for with gaining national lakeshore Dunes has a tiny Ogden both organizations reviewed the status for the Indiana Dunes Dunes woman to thank for lobbying laws and IRS regulations National Lakeshore in 1966. their founding. ¶ Dorothy and determined the separation was The council was the lobbying Buell was a Wisconsin-born no longer necessary. “This will allow arm of the organization. The woman who spent summers us to accomplish what we need to Save the Dunes Conservation at a family cottage in the accomplish in a more integrated way,” Fund was established in 1994 dunes as a child. At the age Anderson says. as the nonprofit arm of the of 6—while living full-time One perk for supporters is all group, focused on watershed in Ogden Dunes—Buell penned a handwritten donations to the organization will now management and stewardship letter to U.S. Rep. Paul Douglas of Chicago, be tax deductible. efforts as well as sustainable pushing for the creation of a national park The benefit to Lake Michigan and development and education. in the dunes. She went door-to-door in the the dunes, Anderson says, is what “When we first had the Save tiny lakeshore community, urging neighbors is most important. “The money the Dunes Council and looked to get involved in the fight. She eventually we were spending doubling up on into [nonprofit status], there were had twenty-one women on board and in housekeeping issues can now be more some thresholds on lobbying 1952, the Save the Dunes Council was born. directly applied to our mission and that were not clear,” says Tom ¶ Buell was 80 when her dream became a everyone benefits from that,” he says.

Anderson, executive director of reality in 1966. She died at the age of 90 in California in 1977.

Save the Dunes. “We were not —LAURI HARVEY KEAGLE

SAVE SOME RAIN, SAVE THE DUNES

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A simple way to help preserve water quality in Lake Michigan is to capture the rain that runs off of your roof, according to Tom Anderson, executive director of Save the Dunes.

“Everyone has a downspout that can be redirected to a rain garden or rain barrel,” Anderson says. “Everyone can do their part.”

Rain barrels generally consist of 55-gallon plastic drums connected to downspouts in order to capture rainwater.

Collecting rainwater minimizes the need to treat water—that would likely

need very little treatment—through the sewer system. Minimizing the runoff also helps reduce combined sewer overflows and flooding and conserve water that would otherwise be used for watering plants and lawns.

“Look around your home and see if there are ways to have native plants next to the driveway so runoff can be filtered as it goes into the ground as well,” Anderson says. “Ultimately, it all adds up to make a better watershed and healthier Great Lakes.” —LAURI HARVEY KEAGLE

For more informati on on h watersheow to keep d s h e althy, please vis it the Dune the Save s website , savedune s.org.

More info on rain rmation available barrels is U.S. Env from the ir Protectioonmental n Agen at epa.gocy v.

shorelines >> health club <<

Motivation to Move

Why we can’t exercise without music

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or many people, music is such an integral part of their workout that they wouldn’t think of lacing up their running shoes or stepping on a treadmill without it. Jessica Matthews, MS, RYT, exercise scientist and continuing education coordinator for the American Council on Exercise (ACE) in San Diego, California, explains why music plays such an important role in exercise: “It provides a positive distraction,” she says. “Especially in the first few minutes when you’re working out after a long, tiring day. It helps to get you motivated and distracts you from negative emotions. Uplifting music can help you pick up the pace when exercising intensively. When you’re doing mind/body classes like yoga, calming music promotes feelings of relaxation and removes feelings of tension.”

There is a science behind the motivational qualities of music in sport and exercise. Costas Karageorghis, PhD, a senior lecturer at Brunel University in West London, England, published a study in 2008 in the Journal of Sport and Exercise SAFETY FIRST Psychology that said exercising while listening to music When running or improved the “feeling states” in exercisers and increased biking outdoors, endurance 15 percent overall. “If the study individuals kept in be mindful of time to the music, they enhanced their endurance,” Matthews your environment. says. “The exercisers felt pretty positive, even when the work Keep one ear bud was hard, because music helped them derive pleasure from out so you can be performing the task.” aware of traffic or Jason Greenbaum, an equities and commodities trader from people coming up Michiana Shores, Indiana, says that music helps him remove behind you. And the many thoughts that occupy his mind at the end of the day. always set your “Music lets me relax and focus on the volume at a healthy rhythm,” he says. “I typically work level to prevent out to something that has a higher hearing damage. beat which helps push me, or to something that has a lot of different instruments involved.”

Diane Burns, reading specialist at Aylesworth Elementary in Portage, is an avid runner and says that music has gotten her through several marathons and half-marathons. “Music gets me through hard runs; it keeps me going longer and stronger,” she says. “For marathons I have a playlist that includes both slower and upbeat tempos. I have a playlist for 5K runs that are all faster tempo. I have a pull-out song that really gets me through the later stages of the marathon—“Fighter” by Christina Aguilera.

Also, I love “Clocks” by Coldplay during a run; it just makes me think of strong running.”

So if you fall into the category of people who hate to exercise, try pairing it with your favorite songs. Music can turn a mundane, repetitive task into an enriching experience that you look forward to. –SHARON BIGGS WALLER

BUILDING A WORKOUT PLAYLIST Creating your own exercise mix can be a fun way to motivate and cue you throughout your workout.

Matthews suggests selecting songs to set and change your pace, such as a slow song for the warmup, up-tempo selections for the workout and a relaxing song for the cooldown. The Brunel University study found that music similar to your chosen exercise helps increase endurance, but it doesn’t have to match the beat perfectly.

Matthews says to always pick songs you enjoy and that have positive associations for you and keep you entertained. “If you don’t like club music, for instance, it can be too much of a distraction and provide a negative feeling.”

Also, mix it up. You can get used to the songs on your player, so hit the shuffle button or make a new playlist.

Workoutmusic.com and iTunes sell digital downloads of playlists geared to workouts such as treadmill, running, walking and yoga. Many are popular songs remixed with a fixed beat that fits the tempo of various activities. Free music can be downloaded from fitmusic.com or podrunner.com.

Upbeat Tunes for High-Energy Exercise • • • • • • • • •

Rusted Root // Send Me on My Way KT Tunstall // Suddenly I See Black Eyed Peas // Pump It Bon Jovi // Livin’ on a Prayer Madonna // Give It 2 Me Kanye West // Stronger Lady GaGa // Just Dance Matchbox 20 // How Far We’ve Come Christina Aguilera // Fighter

Tunes for Warm-up/ Warm-down or Cruising Speed • • • • • • • • •

Rihanna // Umbrella Jack Johnson // Upside Down Bob Marley // One Love Coldplay // Clocks Talking Heads // Wild Wild Life Black Eyed Peas // I Gotta Feeling Beyonce // Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) U2 // One Gorillaz // Dare

shorelines

Factory-Born Condo Palace

A HOME FOR A MUSIC STUDIO

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he Brammalls, which are no relation to the Trammels, came first in 1873 when the Benton Harbor canal was being completed, and the canal was quite a big deal at the time. In fact, Ken Ankli, who is part Brammall, has a beautiful framed drawing of a bustling dock on Lake Michigan where Harbor Shores is now, that looks like something right out of a Merchant Ivory movie (or the end of Alice in Wonderland).

In the late 1930s Ken’s great-uncle and great-grandfather were in the grocery business in St. Joe and went to work for Brammall, a metalworking plant in what was then downtown Benton Harbor, and that’s how Ken ended up in the metalworking industry, making widgets that do this and do that, many of the tasks being automotive-related. And then about 15 years ago, the neighborhood around the metal parts supply factory began to change for the better. An arts district appeared and disappeared and then reappeared, and buildings were rehabilitated and repurposed. Restaurants, cafes, art galleries, sculpture studios, vintage clothing and antique stores, glassworks, a wine store and a very happening live music bar called the Livery, started up on Brammall Supply’s doorstep.

“And I’m walking across the street one day,” Ken explains simply, “and I have this aha moment. I think maybe we can do something with all the extra space we have in the factory now that would be complementary.”

Coincidentally, there was a relationship that was struck up—Ken is telling this story to me and my friend Scott Elliott, who has long ago experienced these types of moments in Benton Harbor—between Ken and some people he met at an Art Hop who had a music program going at another building that the music people were on the verge of parting company with, leaving the music center without a home. “It seemed like a natural,” Ken explains. “It kind of answered how we could fit in the arts district. We had the space and the architect came in and we ended up with ten studio spaces on the first floor.”

As it turned out, that was a beginning, and Ken just kept remodeling. As he says, Chris Brooks, the architect, was “personality-wise” a good match for him. So they kept going and rehabilitating the spacious semi-lofts above the music studios, that Ken originally thought could be rented to young, creative professionals and he hasn’t been far off about that.

But to get back to the story of the rehab, he retained as much of the old building as they could, but they wanted to be LEED-certified, which meant making some changes. Ken did a construction blog, an anatomy of the renovation of what became the Quarternote Lofts,

which eventually took about two years from the time they started in 2007.

So Ken is showing Scott, who did a remake on the former Salvation Army building next door into the Citadel dance studio, and I some of the things he did to make these living units (apartment is definitely too small a word) so full of light, made of sustainable, salvaged and upgraded materials. There is a common area and a roof garden and a security door retrofitted from an old ice cream factory. The lighting, as Ken himself says, is “awesome,” only slightly more impressive than the floors, which are basically concrete treated with a coating that makes them durable, beautiful and easy to maintain.

The gigantic kitchens and bathrooms are outfitted with top-of-the-line everything, especially KitchenAid. (This worked out very well, when you consider that Ankli’s first tenant turned out to be a new hire at Whirlpool.)

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en says: “Sometimes when you don’t have a plan it just works out. This was as rewarding a project as I could imagine, but it was also stressful, and we worried about whether we got into it at the right time or the wrong time. Economically, it was somewhat stressful, but we had already gotten into it with both feet.”

And, as I predicted six weeks ago, while running my hand over one of the smooth new granite-like finished countertops, Ken didn’t have to be stressed out for very long.

All the units would be rented, I said, before this story was printed in the magazine. Then I read last night on Facebook that the last loft is gone. But, I also predicted he would have another project underway soon. So, we’ll see. -PAT COLANDER For more information, please visit quarternotelofts.com.

photography courtesy of QUARTERNOTE LOFTS

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holocaust museum awards, chicago • waterfront oscar night, grand rapids • mardi gras ball, valparaiso • indian american center gala, schererville • redmoon anniversary party, chicago • shedd aquarium benefit, chicago • vickers goodbye party, three oaks • st. patrick fundraiser, chesterton • red ball, mishawaka 1

memorable evening holocaust museum awards chicago

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photography by ron gould studios

Chicago area business leaders Jeffrey Aronin, David Speer and Fritzie Fritzshall were presented with 2010 Humanitarian awards at a celebration for the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center’s inaugural year.

Tom Brokaw hosted the gala, which drew 1,600 guests and raised $2 million for the cause.

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1 Bill and Linda Gantz of Winnetka with Barb and David Speer 2 Tom Brokaw with Margaret McCurry and Stanley Tigerman 3 Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White with Lexi Aronin 4 Gerald Bender, J.B. Pritzker, Sam Harris, and Mayor Richard M. Daley

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5 Jill and Phil Gattone 6 Rhyan Zweifler

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7 Dovie Horvitz, Dede and Sam Harris, and Doris Lazarus 8 Wendy Miller, Lauren Izaks, and Julie Avchen 9 James Williams, Rick Hirschhaut, and Evette Simon

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10 David Speer and Ruby Bridges

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all clicks compiled by sue bero

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celebrate cinema

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waterfront oscar night grand rapids photography by gregg rizzo

Waterfront Film Festival’s Oscar Night America event drew 150 guests to the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts to view the 82nd Academy Awards, which was aired live. “Red Carpet’’ arrivals kicked off the festivities that also included a silent auction. Waterfront’s is the official Oscar Night America event for West Michigan.

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1 Jaclyn Timmer of Holland with Kelly Quintanilla of Grand Rapids 2 Hopwood DePree of Los Angeles with Jen Rentschler of Grand Rapids

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3 Kyle and Robyn Henrickson of Chicago 4 Academy Award winner Eric Yang of Grand Rapids

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5 Krista Paulin and Craig Avery, both of Grand Rapids 6 Michelle DeSelms of Grand Rapids 7 Stephanie Webb of Lowell with Tara Kuhnlein of Stevensville 8 Ronnie Richards and Chris Byrnes of Holland

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9 Denise Pritchard of Rockford and Lauren Stanton of Douglas 10 Butch and Elizabeth TerHaar of Holland

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beads and masks mardi gras ball | valparaiso photography by gregg rizzo

Mardi Gras in Valparaiso?

Why not? Prevent Child Abuse of Porter County raised $9,000 during an 11th annual fundraiser at Old Town Banquet Center. The event drew nearly 100 guests who ate, drank, participated in auctions and were entertained by Steve Zana, radio personality with 105.5 FM.

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1 Linda and Phil Griffith of Valparaiso

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2 Bob and Cheryl Polarek of Valparaiso 3 Marian Eckert, Howard Gutenstein and Bill Eckert, all of Valparaiso 4 Leslie and Hank Curry of Valparaiso 5 Leigh and Nancy Ellis of Valparaiso

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6 John and Kathi Hill of Portage

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cultural bash indian american center gala schererville

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photography by bernie zemen

Some 750 guests filled the Halls of St. George in Schererville to celebrate and benefit the Indian American Cultural Center in Merrillville. India-themed food, fashions, dancing and auctions helped to raise funds for center programs and charities, among them victims of the Haiti earthquakes, and for building of a new temple.

1 Lejla Sunje, Prakruti Makam and Ajla Sunje, all of Chicago 2 Panna Barai of Munster, Sujata Barai-Chugh of Louisville and Nikita Barai of Munster 3 Tom and Lence Sarafin of Crown Point

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4 Tanaz Bamboat of Munster and Tracy Sult of Portage 5 Greg Fragakis and Jillian Dinkheller, both of Chicago 6 Venkata and Chandana Vavilala, both of Munster 7 Payal Keshvani and Roj Sultanian, both of Munster

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pleasant chaos

redmoon anniversary party | chicago photography courtesy of redmoon theater

Redmoon Theater’s 20th anniversary celebration was described as “a bombastic birthday celebration’’ complete with culinary delights from diverse kitchens, plus Lunatinis, songs, games, costumed performers, large shadow projections and more to “astound, astonish and completely amaze’’ guests.

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1 Bill Kim and Mindy Segal

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2 Alderman Walter Burnett, Jr., and Wendy Pashman 3 Chef Giuseppe Tentori 4 Sondra Karman, Tony Karman, and Lew and Susan Manilow 5 Sean Graney and Frank Maugeri

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6 Sean Kaplan and Christy Uchida

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jUNE 2010

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artsy frenzy

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shedd aquarium benefit chicago photography by brenna hernandez

More than 120 guests enjoyed delectable delights and cocktails and then joined the hunt after sizing up their prey—works of art donated from throughout the nation—during the Shedd’s Art Sharks event to benefit its educational programs. As names were announced, guests hurried to claim their prizes—reminiscent of a shark feeding frenzy.

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1 Jane Kopiwoda 2 Alison McNally 3 Kelly and Kathryn Mengel 4 Julie Rocap and Jenny Davidson

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5 Tracy Souder and Kathy Driggs

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6 Nora and Ian Larkin 7 Ted Beattie 8 Nancie King Mertz 9 Julie Trotter Clark and Mary Beidler 10 Andrew and Celia Sinclair

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fond adieu

vickers goodbye party | three oaks photography by jennifer feeney

Some 300 guests bid a fond farewell to Acorn Theater owners Jon and Jennifer Vickers, who are moving out of state after 15 years in Three Oaks.

Jon especially was noted for the silent film fest he conducted for ten years, for helping to start a local radio station and for other community services.

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1 Mario Zarantenello of Lakeside

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2 Susan Strieter and Candice Conley of Harbert 3 Lucy Tebbetts and Dave Davis of Three Oaks 4 Jon Vickers, David Fink, Jennifer Vickers, Ava Vickers, Maddy Gallagher and Kim Clark 5 Carolyn Koebel of Three Oaks with Tim Flynn and Dixie Inocencio of Benton Harbor

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6 Jim and Kelly Vickers of Harbert with Jeff Vickers of Saugatuck

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juNE 2010

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all class

st. patrick fundraiser | chesterton photography by robert wray

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St. Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School in Chesterton held a fundraiser that drew more than 300 attendees, benefiting the school with silent and live auctions. Guests enjoyed prizes, including vacations, a beach party and the chance to coach for a day with Valparaiso Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Homer and Bryce Drew.

1 Rachael and Jason Guiden of Chesterton

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2 Jeff and Lisa Hood of Chesterton 3 Betsy Maher of Michigan City and Rosemary Eaise of LaPorte 4 Randee Wheeler of Chicago, Katie Whalen of Chesterton and Lari Devereaux of Chesterton 5 Lisa and Craig Cromwell of Chesterton

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6 Jen and Jeff Nielsen of Valparaiso

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caring hearts red ball | mishawaka photography by gregg rizzo

It was a time of heartfelt charity for the 60 guests at the Village of Arborwood Association Red Ball Event as they gathered in Mishawaka. The semiformal benefit for the American Heart Association Northern Indiana chapter also offered beverages, dancing, live music, filet or crab dinners and a silent auction.

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1 Kath and Mollie Kohn of South Bend

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2 Mike and Lisa Eiser of Bourbon 3 Liz and Al Veldman of Granger 4 Gigi Green of Grand Haven, Kim Fennell of South Bend and Sandy Gray of South Bend 5 Jim and Hilda Hanley of Granger

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6 Jackie Zeyen of Granger and Cindy Switalski of South Bend

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essential EVENTS

HAPPENINGS 52

HAPPENINGS EXHIBITIONS 52 55 EXHIBITIONS FILM 56 54

PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE 54 56

INTEREST 58

Jun 8-13 An Evening with David Sedaris

Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N Halsted, Chicago.

312.335.1650. steppenwolf.org.

For eight performances only, the Steppenwolf welcomes back best-selling author and NPR humorist David Sedaris, who will be reading selections from his soon-to-be-released book Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk—A Modest Bestiary.

After the performance, Mr. Sedaris will be available for a Q & A and book/CD signing.

Also at the Steppenwolf, through May 23: The Brother/Sister Plays; through Jun 6: Endgame.

CAlenDAr CoMPileD BY Juli DoshAn

happenings Indiana

May 22 Night in Venice 2010—A Masked Ball, 6pm-midnight, Pottawatomie Country Club, 101 W 2nd St, Michigan City. 219.874.4900. lubeznikcenter.org. This Venetian Carnival-themed annual event is the premier fundraiser for the Lubeznik Center for the Arts. The perfect combination of culture, tradition and celebration, the event features a live band, dancing, entertainment, fine food, cocktails and a live auction. Proceeds benefit educational programs and exhibits at the center.

May 31-Oct 1 Quilt Gardens Tour, various locations, Amish Country. 800.377.3579. quiltgardenstour.com. This one-of-a-kind event allows viewers to visit seventeen large, quilt-patterned gardens planted with 90,000 annuals along the Heritage Trail. Walk through and enjoy being outdoors while learning about gardening and the intricate art of the quilt.

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Jun 4 17th Annual Beaux Arts Ball, Center for the Visual and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge Rd, Munster. 219.836.1839 ext 107. southshoreartsonline.org. The proceeds from this popular black-tie fundraiser—which includes live and silent auctions, cocktails, dinner and dancing, all to this year’s whimsical theme of “Alice through the Looking Glass”—will benefit South Shore Arts’ “everykid” Program.

Jun 5 2nd Annual Food and Wine Fest, noon-9pm, downtown Valparaiso. 219.462.0992.

Local restaurants, including Bistro 157, Bon Femme Café, Don Quijote, Pikk’s Tavern and Paparazzi, will be on hand to provide samples of their menu fare with five microbrews, wine, sangria and more.

Musical entertainment from the Conservadellics, Triple Dose, Funky MojoDaddys and C4 will be played throughout the event and children’s games are planned.

Jun 12 Rock the Runway, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, 101 W 2nd St, Michigan City. 219.874.4900. lubeznikcenter.org. This fashion event will feature the creations of emerging designers from Purdue University, Western Michigan University, the Art Institute of Chicago and Columbia College. The winning designer will have the chance to display his or her clothes in windows in Chicago.

Michigan

May 20-Oct 3 Niles Bensidoun French Market and Artisan Fair, every Thu, Sat 9am-2pm, downtown Niles. 269.687.4332. nilesmainstreet.org. This legendary open-air European public market comes to Niles, offering merchants selling food, arts and crafts, clothing and more.

Memorial Day-Labor Day Saturday Nights ALIVE, 6-8pm, downtown New Buffalo. newbuffalo. org. The New Buffalo Business Association presents live music every weekend, on the corner of North Whittaker and Merchant streets, next to the Information booth.

Jun 3-6 8th Annual Bluegrass Festival, Riverfront Amphitheatre, downtown Niles. 269.687.4332. nilesbluegrass.com. More than fifteen bands will perform on three different stages on the banks of the St. Joseph River at the 8th Annual Bluegrass Festival. The four-day event will also feature an all-star jam session, a pickers’ tent, workshops, food and kids’ rides.

Jun 5 Rhumbline Regatta, St. Joseph River Yacht Club, St. Joseph. 269.313.2256, 269.983.6393. rhumblineregatta.com. Now in its fourth year, the highly anticipated Rhumbline is the largest regatta in St. Joe. The public is invited to the accompanying festivities, which include a spare rib dinner and a party afterwards.

Jun 19 Lake Michigan Shore Wine Festival,

1-10pm, Weko Beach, Bridgman. 773.791.1809. miwinetrail.com. The public is invited to “toast the coast” at this 5th annual event as they sample award-winning wines from Michigan’s top winemakers. Live music amid the breathtaking scenery of Weko Beach is the perfect accompaniment to this summer beach festival.

Illinois

May 22 Goodman Theatre Annual Gala, 6:30pm, The Fairmont Hotel, 200 N Columbus Dr, Chicago. 312.443.3811 ext 586. goodmantheatre. org. Tony Award-winning and multi-Grammy Awardnominated performer Heather Headley will headline this black-tie event. Guests can enjoy a cocktail reception, dinner, dancing and Headley’s performance while raising money for the Goodman’s Educational and Community Engagement programs.

May 22 Human First 2010, 7:30pm, Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E Randolph, Chicago.

773.661.0787. centeronhalsted.org. Lily Tomlin will headline the performance at this gala that benefits programs at Center on Halsted, the largest LGBT community center in the Midwest. Oleta Adams will also perform and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel will make a special guest appearance.

May 28-Sep 6 Cirque Shanghai—Cloud 9, Pepsi Skyline Stage, Navy Pier, 600 E Grand Ave, Chicago.

312.595.7437. navypier.com. Cirque Shanghai returns for a fifth straight season with a brand new theatrical experience that features gravity-defying ladder balances, spinning platform roller skating, juggling, contortion, choreographed aerial daredevils on sway poles suspended high above the stage and more.

May 29-30 Randolph Street Market Festival, Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 10am-4pm, Beaux Arts Plumbers Hall, 1340 W Washington St or enter at 1350 Randolph St, Chicago. 312.666.1200.

photograph courtesy of ANNE FISHBEIN

The information presented in Essential Events is accurate as of press time, but readers are encouraged to call ahead to verify the dates and times.

Please note that Illinois and most Indiana events adhere to central time, and Michigan events are eastern time.

destination: ST.

JOSPEH

Unleashed

RT A in St. Joseph!

Who let the dogs out? We did!

Lead your pack to downtown St. Joseph this summer for a tail-waggin’ good time with our 34 painted pooches.

Come browse our shops or play in our new interactive fountain. Sit and enjoy a yummy ice cream cone. Stay at one of our comfortable hotels or B&Bs. Roll over and relax on our warm beaches. Your pups will beg for more.

For a FREE guide to more doggone fun, visit: St. Joseph Today Welcome Center 421 State Street • St. Joseph, MI 49085 (269) 985-1111 • info@sjtoday.org

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JUNE 2010

Memorial Day – Oct. 1, 2010 www.visithotdiggitydogs.com

essential EVENTS chicagoantiquemarket.com. Serious antique collectors, style-setters and shoppers will find the most decorative and wide array of merchandise from vintage to modern at the opening of the 7th season of Chicago’s Ultimate Antique Market, Indie Designer Market, Fancy Food Market, Vinyl Swap Meet, Global Goods Bazaar, and more.

Jun 3-Jul 22 Music without Borders, Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park, Chicago. 312.742.1168. millenniumpark. org. Eight double-bill concerts highlight this celebration of international music, featuring traditional folk and pop artists from around the globe. Jun 3: Balkan Beat Box with the Very Best; Jun 10: Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba; Jun 17: Dandana—A Celebration of Muslim Voices featuring Tinariwen with Monajat Yulchieva; Jun 24: Noche Mexicana—Doc Severinsen and El Ritmo de la Vida with Sones de Mexico Ensemble.

Jun 11 Totally Animal ’80s, 8pmmidnight, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N Clark St, Chicago. 312.742.2163. lpzoo.org.

Guests of Lincoln Park Zoo’s 25th annual spring benefit will enjoy cocktails in the Regenstein African Journey before desserts and dancing at the Foreman Pavilion. A DJ will be on hand to provide retro beats from 1985 for this wonderful evening, the proceeds of which will support the zoo’s world-class research and field conservation programs.

Jun 12-13 Wine Festival, noon-7pm Sat, noon-6pm Sun, Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe.

847.835.5440. chicagobotanic.org/ winefestival. More than 250 domestic and international wines from approximately 40 exhibitors will be available to visitors at this two-day festival, which will also include cooking demonstrations, wine seminars and live music.

Jun 15-19 Just for Laughs, various locations, Chicago. 800.745.3000. justforlaughschicago.com. More than 70 shows will take place at various locations throughout Chicago—including performances by Ellen Degeneres, Aziz Ansari, Denis Leary and Cedric the Entertainer—in this premier event.

Jun 16-Aug 30 Grant Park Music Festival, Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park, Chicago. 312.742.7638. grantparkmusicfestival.com. Now in its 76th year, the nation’s only remaining free outdoor municipally supported classical music series will start with a bang. Admission to the lawn and general seating section is free for all concerts. Jun 16: Vivaldi, Four Seasons; Jun 18-19: Beethoven, Mass in C Major; Jun 23: Pink Martini; Jun 2526: The Pulitzer Project; Jun 30: Muzyka Polska.

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Jun 19 An Evening with Robert Downey Jr., 6-11pm, The Ritz Carlton Chicago, 160 E Pearson St, Chicago.

312.846.2072. siskelfilmcenter.org. This tribute to the remarkable film career of Golden Globe winner Robert Downey Jr. comes as he receives the Gene Siskel Film Center Renaissance Award. A discussion with Downey and a special guest will feature clips from Downey’s films. Proceeds from the evening will benefit the center’s presentations, lecture series and discussions.

Jun 24-Jul 1 17th Chicago Underground Film Festival, The Gene Siskel Film Center, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, 164 N State St, Chicago.

312.846.2600. cuff.org. One of Chicago’s

leading film showcases, this event stands out on the festival circuit for having unique programming with accessible, savvy film and video that ignore the limitations of genre. Screenings are followed by great nights of parties, events and concerts.

Jun 25 Summer Dinner Dance, 7pm, Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe. 847.835.6944. chicagobotanic.org. The Chicago Botanic Garden’s Esplanade will act as the setting for this annual black-tie soirée, which will feature cocktails and hors d’oeuvres followed by an intimate dinner dance in the Rose Garden. Benefits from the evening will go toward the garden’s conservation, education and research programs.

exhibitions Indiana

Through Jun 20 A Selection of Recent Photography Acquisitions, Snite Museum of Art, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame. 574.631.5466. nd.edu/~sniteart.

This exhibit features a selection of recent additions to the photography collection from artists such as recent guest professor Antonio Turok, Vik Muniz, Jeff Crisman and more.

Through Jul 11 Twila Beahm—Busting Out, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, 101 W 2nd St, Michigan City. 219.874.4900. lubeznikcenter.org. Using humor and wordplay, artist Twila Beahm hopes to raise awareness of how women have been viewed, used and exploited because of their breasts. Each piece celebrates individual women’s triumphant spirit and strength in the face of dark subjects such as physical abuse, breast cancer and body image. Also, through Jul 11: Tony Fitzpatrick—No. 9 A Journey in Progress; Carl Holzman—New Still Lifes; Drawn to Tattoos.

May 14-Aug 8 The Art and Magic of Africa—Selections from the Lawrence P. Kolton Collection, Brauer Museum of Art, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso.

219.464.5365. valpo.edu/artmuseum. This exhibit, which includes masks, pottery, carved figures and bronzes from a variety of countries and tribes, will conclude the Brauer Museum’s 2009-2010 season. The African artwork and ceremonial objects have been collected by Beverly Shores resident Lawrence P. Kolton.

Michigan

Through May 23 Fear and Folly—The Visionary Prints of Francisco Goya and Federico Castellon, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, 314 S Park St, Kalamazoo.

269.349.7775. kiarts.org. Although their lives were separated by more than a century, Francisco Goya and Federico Castellon have more in common than most of their contemporaries. Both artists created dark and fantastic works, many of which will be on display in this exhibit. Also, May 29-Sep 12: Flowers in Art—Selections from the Collection.

Through May 30 James Allen French— Eclectic Imagery, Clark Lecture Hall and Gallery, Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve, 13988 Range Line Rd, Niles. 269.695.6491. fernwoodbotanical. org. James Allen French’s approach to nature photography creates images that celebrate the subject it captures while featuring compositional themes centering on patterns, textures and colors. Working only with natural light and no lens filters, French represents nature just as he found it.

Through May 31 Digital Art by John

Horwitz, Box Factory for the Arts, 1101 Broad St, St. Joseph. 269.983.3688. boxfactoryforthearts.org. This digital photography exhibit will be displayed in three parts in the Heartha Whitlow Gallery, Lady of the Lake, the Painted series and Pictures Every So Often. Also, through May 31: Same Artist, Different Days.

and bent steel pipes that soar up to 40 feet high so visitors are free to touch, walk through and even lie beneath the artwork.

Through Sep 30 Chihuly—A New Eden, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, 1000 E Beltline NE, Grand Rapids.

616.957.1580 or 888.957.1580. meijergardens.org. Thousands of colorful glasswork pieces from the legendary Dale Chihuly will adorn the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park as it celebrates its 15th anniversary. Chihuly’s second exhibition at this site will include chandeliers, glass towers up to 30 feet high, the sun, the moon, a rowboat full of glass and more. Designed to be fused with nature, these pieces will evolve with the surrounding nature as the season changes.

Chicago Street Theater, 154 W Chicago St, Valparaiso. 219.464.1636. ctgonline. org. Now in its 55th season of bringing live theatrical entertainment to the greater Northwest Indiana region, the CST presents a variety of plays and musicals each season, in addition to regularly scheduled theatre classes for both adults and children. May 28-Jun 13: The Heidi Chronicles.

Jun 11-Jul 26 Michiana Annual Art Competition, Box Factory for the Arts, 1101 Broad St, St. Joseph. 269.983.3688. boxfactoryforthearts.org. This juried art show—which attracted over 200 local artists last year—presents the works of artists from Southwest Michigan and Northwest Indiana, and is a fundraiser for the Box Factory. The opening reception and award ceremony will be held on June 11 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Illinois

Through May 30 Production Site—The Artist’s Studio Inside-Out, Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E Chicago Ave, Chicago. 312.280.2660. mcachicago.org.

The artist’s studio becomes the subject in this interesting exhibit, which features work that documents, depicts or reconstructs artists’ spaces. These works reveal how the studio functions as a place where research, experimentation, production and social activity intertwine. Also, Jun 26-Oct 17: Alexander Calder and Contemporary Art—Form, Balance, Joy. Through Jun 20 Matisse—Radical Invention, 1913-1917, Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S Michigan Ave, Chicago.

317.443.3600. artic.edu/aic. Nearly 120 paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints from a major turning point in Henri Matisse’s career will be on display at this world premiere exhibit. The first exhibition exclusively devoted to this period in Matisse’s life explores everything from his early working process to his revolutionary experimentation. Also, through May 31: In the Vernacular; through Jun 30: 500 Ways of Looking at Modern.

Through Sep 6 Mammoths and Mastodons—Titans of the Ice Age, The Field Museum, 1400 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago. 312.922.9410. fieldmuseum.org.

Through monumental video installations, interactive displays and the best-preserved baby mammoth in the world, museumgoers will be able to explore the lives of the fascinating creatures that once roamed the earth. Guests will learn the difference between the behemoth animals, what may have caused their extinction and how today’s scientists excavate and analyze their findings.

Through Jan 2011 Steelroots— Tobin at the Morton Arboretum, Morton Arboretum, 4100 Ill Rte 53, Lisle.

630.968.0074. mortonarb.org. This exhibit marks the first-ever comprehensive display of the Steelroots sculpture series by Steve Tobin. It is made up of fifteen dramatic sculptures created with massive rolled

performance Indiana

Footlight Players, 1705 Franklin St, Michigan City. 219.874.4035. footlightplayers.org. This community theater group has been entertaining audiences in Michigan City for more than 50 years with its productions of dramas, comedies and musicals. Jun 4-6, 10-13: The Importance of Being Ernest.

Horseshoe Casino, 777 Casino Center Dr, Hammond. 866.711.7463. horseshoehammond.com. World-class gambling and top-name entertainment combine to create an unprecedented experience at this 350,000-square-foot casino.

The Venue, the casino’s 90,000-square-foot entertainment facility, hosts some of the hottest Chicagoland entertainment. May 16: An Evening with Lucille Ball—Thank You for Asking; May 18-21: Charlie Prose; May 31: Vietnamese Divas Night; Jun 2: Nicole Jamrose; Jun 4-6: New Kids on the Block; Jun 11: Patti LaBelle; Jun 12: Wanda Sykes; Jun 13: That’s Italian; Jun 25: Comedians of Chelsea Lately.

The Memorial Opera House, 104 E Indiana Ave, Valparaiso. 219.548.9137. memorialoperahouse.com. As the name suggests, this renovated, 364-seat building—with red, white and blue stained-glass windows—was built as a living memorial to the Civil War veterans of Porter County.

Built in 1893, the theater has a rich history as a venue for musical and dramatic performances, including appearances by John Philip Sousa and the Marx Brothers. May 15: Billy Joel Tribute Show; Jun 4-6, 11-13: Nunsense.

The Morris Performing Arts Center, 211 N Michigan St, South Bend. 574.235.9190, 800.537.6415. morriscenter.org. The home of the Broadway Theatre League, the South Bend Symphony Orchestra and the Southold Dance Theater, the 2,560-seat Morris Performing Arts Center has enraptured audiences in the heart of downtown South Bend for more than 75 years. May 20: REO Speedwagon with Blue Oyster Cult; Jun 21: Harry Connick Jr. & Orchestra.

Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra, various venues. 219.836.0525. nwisymphony.org. Conducted by the charismatic Kirk Muspratt, this professional orchestra performs concerts that range in atmosphere from the whimsical pops series to the edifying and inspirational maestro series, many of which offer pre-concert discussions with the conductor an hour before the concert. May 20: A Cole Porter Celebration.

Star Plaza Theatre, I-65 & US 30, Merrillville. 219.769.6600. starplazatheatre. com. With 3,400 seats arranged in two intimate seating levels, the theater consistently hosts premier performers year-round.

With its convenient location in the heart of Northwest Indiana’s shopping and dining district and its proximity to the adjoining

The Theatre at the Center, Center for the Visual and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge Rd, Munster. 219.836.3255. theatreatthecenter.com. This theater, just 35 minutes from downtown Chicago, has the distinction of being the only professional equity theater in Northwest Indiana, and showcases the artistry of professional actors, musicians and designers from throughout the Midwest. Through May 23: I Do! I Do! Towle Community Theater, 5205 Hohman Ave, Hammond. 219.937.8780. towletheater.org. To honor its mission of nurturing and celebrating local talent in the arts, the Towle Community Theater presents exhibitions, theatrical productions and musical performances in the heart of downtown Hammond. May 14-16, 20-23: Kissing.

Michigan

The Acorn Theater, 6 N Elm St, Three Oaks. 269.756.3879. acorntheater.com.

The 250-seat Acorn is home to a carefully reconstructed, rare Barton Theater Pipe Organ and boasts bistro tables and occasionally offbeat entertainment options.

May 13: The Judy Show; May 21: Special Consensus; May 29: The BoDeans; May 30: Jeanne Scherkenbach; Jun 4: Tom Michael & Beckie Menzie; Jun 13: Hannah Free; Jun 20: What’s the Matter with Kansas?

Jun 26: Anne Harris Band; Jun 27: Dear Mr. Fidrych.

The Livery, 190 5th St, Benton Harbor.

269.925.8760. liverybrew.com. As its name suggests, the Livery is a former horse stable, residing in the Arts District of downtown Benton Harbor. Not content to just offer its twelve taps of microbrew, an outdoor beer garden, an appetizing soup and sandwich menu, and a coffee bar, the Livery is also a venue for an eclectic variety of musical performances. May 30: Midwest Hype; Jun 11: Sweetback Sisters; Jun 12: Whitey Morgan & the 78’s; Jun 18: Charlene Clark-Jones.

Mason Street Warehouse, 400 Culver St, Saugatuck. 269.857.4898. masonstwarehouse.org. The professional theater company at this “uptown theater in downtown Saugatuck” offers a diverse and intriguing array of plays and musicals in the heart of western Michigan. Jun 25Jul 18: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

Van Andel Arena, 130 W Fulton, Grand Rapids. 616.742.6600. vanandelarena. com. Ranked second on Billboard Magazine’s 2003 Top 10 Arena Venues for its size, this $75 million 12,000-plus capacity arena offers world-class family shows, concerts and sporting events to the increasingly popular Grand Rapids area. May 19: Nickelback; May 28: Daughtry; Jun 24: Chris Tomlin and Toby Mac Hello Tonight Summer Tour 2010.

Illinois

Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E Parkway, Chicago.

312.902.1500. auditoriumtheatre.org. A National Historic Landmark and a mainstay of Chicago architecture and theater since 1889, the Auditorium continues to provide unparalleled ballet performances and a variety of artistic productions. May 21-Jul 25: Fuerza Bruta—Look Up; Jun 12: On the Road with . . . KT McCammond.

Broadway in Chicago, various venues, Chicago. 800.775.2000. broadwayinchicago.com. A joint venture between the two largest commercial theater producers and owner/ operators in the U.S., Broadway in Chicago offers the finest of professional stage productions in multiple theaters, all residing in Chicago’s lively Loop. Bank of America Theatre, 18 W Monroe. May 19-30: The 39 Steps; Jun 2-6: Cirque Dreams Illumination; Jun 18-20: Jackie Mason—No Holds Barred. Ford Center for the Performing Arts/Oriental Theatre, 24 W Randolph. Ongoing: Billy Elliot the Musical.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Navy Pier, 800 E Grand Ave, Chicago.

312.595.5600. chicagoshakes. com. Prominently located on Navy Pier in Chicago, this venue mounts renowned productions of the plays of William Shakespeare, as well as works from distinguished American and international playwrights and directors. The theater’s mission to reach out to younger audiences is well accomplished with its offerings of children’s productions and student matinees. The architecturally dynamic structure houses both an engaging 500-seat courtyard theater and a 200-seat black box theater. Through Jun 6: The Taming of the Shrew; Jun 9-20: Itsoseng.

regional theater that is located on the campus of the University of Chicago. Its mission to “discover the power of classic theater” is realized in its intimate, 251-seat auditorium. May 13-Jun 13: Sizwe Banzi is Dead.

The Goodman Theatre, 170 N Dearborn St, Chicago. 312.443.3800. goodmantheatre.org. Since 1925, the Goodman Theatre has provided entertainment to the Chicago area; however, a new, state-of-the-art two-theater complex was completed in 2000—75 years to the day after the dedication of the original—and resides in the vibrant North Loop Theater District within walking distance of fine hotels and restaurants. Through May 23: Hephaestus; through Jun 6: The Good Negro; Jun 19-Jul 25: The Sins of Sor Juana

The Paramount Theatre, 23 E Galena Blvd, Aurora. 630.896.6666. paramountarts.com. The Paramount Theatre is an opulent historical landmark that boasts superior acoustics and luxurious seating, and offers an array of celebrity entertainers, world-class Broadway shows, challenging cutting-edge performances, and respected comedians. May 22: Synergy Brass Quintet; Jun 6: Glenn Miller Orchestra.

Pegasus Players Theater, 1145 W Wilson Ave, Chicago. 773.878.9761. pegasusplayers.org. Located in one of Chicago’s most historical entertainment destinations, this not-for-profit theater company strives to produce the highest quality artistic work and to provide exemplary theater, entertainment and arts education

Jun 9, Jul 7, Aug 4 Movies on the Green

8:30pm (dusk), Breidert Green, Kansas St, downtown Frankfort.

815.469.2177 ext 243. villageoffrankfort.com.

The seventh season of this free family movie series kicks off with Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, projected on a twelve-by-sixteen-foot screen. Free popcorn will be available at all movies, and in case of inclement weather, rain dates will be scheduled for one week from the original movie date.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Center, 220 S Michigan Ave, Chicago.

312.294.3000. cso.org. With two internationally renowned conductors, two award-inning composers-in-residence, and 107 talented musicians, this orchestra continues to impress local, national and international audiences during the more than 150 performances and events they play each year.

May 13-15: Yo-Yo Ma Returns; May 20-22: Mahler 5; Jun 2-3: Beethoven 8 & 5; Jun 5, 8: Beethoven 2 & 3; Jun 10-11: Beethoven 4 & 6; Jun 15-16: Beethoven 1 & 7; Jun 1819: Beethoven 9.

The Chicago Theatre, 175 N State St, Chicago. 312.462.6300. thechicagotheatre.com. The Chicago Theatre has been a prototype for area theaters since 1921. With its lavish architecture and an elegant stage, the Chicago Theatre seats 3,600 and stands seven stories high.

May 19-20: Conan O’Brien; May 27: Diana Ross; Jun 6: Liza Minelli; Jun 22-23: Harry Connick Jr. & Orchestra.

Court Theatre, 5535 S Ellis Ave, Chicago.

773.753.4472. courttheatre.org. The Court Theatre is a not-for-profit, professional

Harris Theater, 205 E Randolph, Chicago.

312.704.8414. harristheaterchicago.org.

Now in its fifth season at its home in the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park, this modern state-of-the-art theater guarantees that the audience will enjoy a wide variety of performances in an intimate setting. May 19: Fulcrum Point New Music Project Machines—Computers Come Alive! Jun 3-6: Hubbard Street Dance Chicago—Deep Down Dos. Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E Chicago Ave, Chicago. 312.397.4010. mcachicago.org. Reflecting the modern atmosphere of the adjoining museum, the state-of-the-art MCA Theater features elegant oak-paneled walls and tiered seating, guaranteeing that every one of the 300 seats can boast the best seat in the house.

May 15: Spring Benefit Concert; May 19: Ilya and Emilia Kabakov; May 22: Kerry James Marshall; Jun 1: Scott Burns; Jun 8: Brent Kimbrough; Jun 15: Hanah Jon Taylor; Jun 22: Julia Huff; June 29: Fred Anderson.

at no charge to people who have little or no access to the arts. Through Jun 20: The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!).

Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E Main St, St Charles. 630.584.6342. pheasantrun. com. Acclaimed throughout Chicago and the Midwest for its entertainment, Pheasant Run Resort features theater at its new Mainstage and Studio theaters, comedy at Zanies Comedy Club, and live music, entertainment, art exhibits and shopping at its own version of Bourbon Street. Through Jun 13: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

For more destinations, please go to visitshoremagazine.com.

JUNE 2010

West Michigan Symphony, Frauenthal Center for Performing Arts, 425 W Western Ave, Muskegon. 231.727.8001. westmichigansymphony.org. With eight pairs of concerts a year, the West Michigan Symphony has played a leading role in the region’s cultural community for almost 70 years. It has helped bring a renewed vitality and life to the center of Muskegon and with it, the historic Frauenthal Theater, a 1,729-seat venue with extraordinary beauty, excellent acoustics and sight lines. Jun

4-5: By Georges—Waving the Red, White & Rhapsody in Blue.

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Radisson Hotel, the Star Plaza offers a total entertainment package to area theatergoers. May 22: An Evening with Bebe & Cece Winans; Jun 11-12: Celebrating Donald Isley Tour 2010.

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SOUTH HAVEN

8 visitshoremagazine.com 5

The great composer had created some of the most influential music of the 20th century to come out of the United States in that room.

A slanted composing desk, a signed chunk of the Berlin Wall, and a conducting stool thought to have originally belonged to Brahms— all the possessions of a man with intense prestige in the classical music world.

But don’t forget his manuscript paper, batons, writing utensils, glasses, rocking chair and his ever-present ashtray; these things make up the heart of the room. This is the composing studio of the late American composer/conductor Leonard Bernstein. And as of early last March, the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music was chosen to house that composing studio.

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elected by both the Leonard Bernstein family and the Bernstein Foundation, the Jacobs School has promised to recreate the space, one of his only two main composing studios, in much the same way it existed at his home in Fairfield, Connecticut, during his life.

“It’s such an honor for us,” says Constance Cook Glen, Jacobs School opera lecturer and general studies in music coordinator. “It will have great potential to help performers as well as researchers.”

The contents of the studio will be made available to IU students and faculty, as well as community members, as both a celebrative testimony in Bernstein’s honor and as a teaching tool for students and Jacobs School guests.

“The studio is imbued with his personality,” Cook Glen says. “If you want to study the man, this studio is a great resource.” >>>

The EverLasting Life of Leonard Bernstein’s Hoosier Legacy WORDS By Mallory Jindra

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY

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he could move fairly effortlessly and successfully from one project to the next,” Webb says.

Bernstein also pursued music education through lecturing at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, and Harvard University. And several music schools around the country have world-renowned programs just as IU does. So why was IU chosen to receive the composing studio gift? The Indiana Jacobs School of Music has, to say the least, a very special teaching and performing relationship with Leonard Bernstein, and the composing studio only reiterates that bond.

“He was very impressed with the quality of both the faculty and the musicianship here,” Webb says. “He saw in this school an enormous ability to do everything, a huge depth and range of subject matter—we do operas, musicals, ballets, jazz, research, musicology—and he had so much that he wanted to do, too.”

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Leonard Bernstein’s continuation of life nd Bernstein really is a man worth studying.

Rarely has an American composer succeeded among the ranks of classical music’s best as much as Leonard Bernstein has. From 1958 to 1969, he led more concerts with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra than any previous conductor, also acting as its musical director. He took chances where other composers did not: biblical references from his Jewish heritage and jazz elements, as well as a flair for Broadway musicals, earned him a very unconventional and controversial reputation among his contemporaries. Bernstein’s musicals On the Town, Candide, Wonderful Town and West Side Story were his most well-known works—unusual for a highly revered classical music composer/conductor. “He was certainly the most incredible musician of the twentieth century,” says Charles Webb, former dean of Jacobs School of Music. “There were many excellent conductors, many excellent musicians, many great composers. But no one has excelled in all of that.”

Bernstein, as it turns out, had more than a few talented tricks up his sleeve. He was not only an established pianist, conductor and composer. His greatest legacy might have been formed through his effortless ability—and a hunger—to bring music and people together.

As his work shows, Bernstein was not afraid to use modern forms of media to connect the American public with music.

He earned the nickname “America’s Music Teacher,” as well as almost every award given in the educational television category with his fifty-three Young People’s Concerts. These televised music lessons, which aired from 1958 to 1972, were hosted by Bernstein and geared toward children, with titles like, “What is Sonata Form?” and “The Anatomy of a Symphony Orchestra.”

“You couldn’t be around him and not learn something,” Webb says. Webb has played a major role in orchestrating the many interactions between Bernstein and IU. Aside from his breakthrough TV series, Bernstein appeared in educational movies, authored both adult and children’s books on the logistics of music and wrote frequently in magazines and other print media. “He had a tremendous number of interests, and

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Performing and composing symbiosis t was 1977 when Bernstein’s relationship with IU began.

Then-dean of Jacobs Charles Webb was contacted

by Bernstein’s manager Harry Kraut when the Israel Philharmonic expressed a wish to honor Leonard Bernstein by touring his opera Trouble in Tahiti. They requested that the opera be performed by people who were the actual age the story required—a younger crowd. A trial run for the production was held in Bloomington at IU, and what resulted after they got the stamp of approval was an all-expenses-paid trip for thirty Jacobs School students to Israel for a whole month. “Bernstein was not directly involved in making that first contact, but from that point on, he remembered us,” Webb says.

Bernstein called on the music school at IU the second time in 1981, when he came to Bloomington at age 63 to write his second opera, A Quiet Place. “From what I know of his compositional style, he had periods where ideas came very quickly, and then there were periods when the ideas came slowly,” Webb says. “He came to Bloomington after a period of difficulty in his composing. That’s why he wanted to come—he wanted a new environment, a change of personnel. He needed something to stimulate him.” During his two-month stay, Bernstein composed at night and would then bring the work to campus the following morning to try out on students. “It was an interesting idea, a different way to compose,” Webb says. “He wanted singers to be able to hand the music back to him. He wanted that kind of feedback for his work.”

Webb, who currently resides in Bloomington, Indiana, enjoyed a close relationship with Bernstein ever since Bernstein first began working with IU. “I knew that if he came to the IU campus, he would be everywhere,” Webb says.

“He worked with conductors, singers, faculty and tons of the students, everyone.” Webb recalls frequent dinners and lively conversations shared with his family and the Maestro.

“What impressed me so much about Leonard Bernstein was his scope of knowledge—what he could recall at a moment’s notice,” Webb says. Bernstein expressed his appreciation and fondness for the Webb family by writing a chorale titled “Blessed Are the Webbs” and a movement of his last piece ever composed—Arias and Barcarolles—titled “Mr. and Mrs. Webb Say Goodnight.” Both compositions include the names of Webb, his wife and their four sons; Bernstein later mailed the original manuscripts of both pieces to Webb. “He was this

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Loss and legacy ebb, now retired, still lives only a few minutes away from IU’s school of music.

He is busy performing concerts all across the country, and he plays the organ for two services every Sunday at his Methodist church. His house is brimming with the influence of music.

The living room piano, the organ, the exquisite harp and the library with the “Blessed Are the Webbs” original manuscript proudly framed on the wall. “I could be myself around him,” Webb says. “He was very comfortable with my family. He could make you feel you didn’t have to act a certain way or seem smarter. He was just himself, and the other people were, too.”

Unfortunately, Bernstein let his addiction to cigarettes run wild, and the habit eventually killed him far earlier than when he should have died. “He had that terrible, terrible fault,” Webb says. “Somebody had to have a lighted cigarette ready when he walked off-stage after a performance. It was his biggest failing . . . it was something he needed every waking moment.”

But Bernstein’s collaboration with IU was a win-win situation for everyone involved and has proved strong enough to prevail long after his death. Bernstein saw many of his ideas come to life with IU’s help. “There was something in it for him and for the students,” says Mary Goetze, conductor and founder of IU’s University Children’s Choir. “There were several important careers that were launched from those events and that relationship.”

With his winnings from the Ernst von Siemens Music Prize, a prestigious award from West Germany, Bernstein created the Leonard Bernstein Scholarship at IU in 1987. Each year, two talented Jacobs School of Music students receive the scholarship. Many of the objects in Bernstein’s studio are priceless artifacts, including his stand-up composing table and his Brahms conducting stool, which was given to him by the Vienna Philharmonic on his 70th birthday. Other pieces of note include his thirty-nine Grammy nomination plaques as well as a signed chunk of the Berlin Wall, at which he conducted Beethoven’s 9th Symphony to the international orchestra during the wall’s collapse.

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More than a museum ernstein used the Fairfield, Connecticut, studio for composing the work of his last three decades, beginning in 1962. “He had an apartment at the Dakota in New York City,” says Phil Ponella, director of the IU William and Gayle Cook Music Library, “but he couldn’t get work done there because everyone knew where he was, and it was a bit distracting. He would go to the house in Connecticut when he wanted to compose.” IU’s room will contain many of his later scores, which were given to the school as a separate gift. Couches, chairs, lamps, artwork and even Bernstein’s telephone and pencil sharpener were included in the studio bequest. The detail in the room will hopefully prove to be just as stunning as if Bernstein were still alive today.

“It was part of our agreement with the Bernsteins that the room be open and used often,” Ponella says. “Our plan is to

offer the studio as a working space for the guest directors and conductors who are brought in to the Jacobs School.”

Webb sees the room not only as a priceless relic, but also as a great marketing tool. “We don’t want it to be just a museum room,” Webb says. “We want people to see and use it. We’d want to be able to show it to alumni, scholars, possible donors.

But we have to be careful with things like the Brahms stool— they need to be protected.”

Indiana University plans to break ground on a new building for the music school this coming spring. Until then, various pieces of the room will be displayed throughout the campus.

The type of relationship Leonard Bernstein enjoyed with Indiana University may never be duplicated. So when an honor such as hosting the Bernstein studio comes around, it’s important that the occasion be celebrated and recognized as a moment of pride for IU students and Indiana Hoosiers alike.

How Leonard Bernstein Showed Students the World Webb says, “The fact that Leonard Bernstein chose IU For his 70th birthday celebration in 1988, the as the primary musical force Tanglewood Music Festival in Massachusetts which could realize some asked Bernstein which of his works he wanted performed. When he suggested of his ideas is a tremendous his Mass (a 250-person production), the stamp of approval. We saw Boston Symphony replied that they couldn’t the fulfillment of many possibly afford it. Bernstein offered IU’s opera of his ideas. That can’t be department up to the Boston Symphony. bought.”

Heidi Vanderbilt-Brown was a member of the IU children’s choir who traveled Webb and his wife had to Tanglewood to perform. “I remember been invited by Bernstein the whole thing being very rustic,” says to attend a concert where Vanderbilt-Brown. “It was beautiful. It was he would conduct the all outdoors, and we had very little rehearsal Philadelphia Orchestra time, but he was there in the fourth or fifth row, wearing that great white scarf.” IU’s at the Kennedy Center performance at the concert proved to be for the Performing Arts. just what Bernstein had in mind. • Next After the concert, Webb stop France, for the 200th anniversary of watched in bewilderment the French Revolution the following year. as the musicians eagerly The French government planned to celebrate the opening of the Bastille Opera House on crowded around the Bastille Day with an opera. When the head Maestro, pleading with of the operation, Daniel Barenboim (of the him to come back soon to Chicago Symphony Orchestra), was fired conduct them again. “That’s due to cost overruns, half of the performers left with him. French president François very unusual,” Webb notes.

Mitterrand then called Bernstein for help, only “Most musicians don’t really to later learn that the new opera house would take a liking to whoever not be finished in time. Leonard Bernstein conducts them, because the had an idea. He suggested a five-day series conductor is the one who of concerts performed by the top five best student orchestras in the world—a youth is always pointing out what angle. “They asked him, ‘Well then, who they’ve done wrong.” One are the top five?’” Webb says. “Bernstein lone musician, though, was named the Philharmonic Orchestra of IU as off to the side by himself, one of them.” At Bernstein’s suggestion, one watching. “I approached hundred IU students embarked on another all-expenses-paid trip, this time to Paris. him, saying how unusual it was for that to happen,” Webb says, “and right away the musician said, ‘Oh, I can tell you why. It is because when he conducts, I feel like he’s conducting for me only.’”

Only a select few can radiate greatness from the tips of their fingers to everyone they touch like Leonard Bernstein could.

Indiana University proved to be a place that could keep up.

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whole inspiration for us to really give the most you can give, because that’s really what we saw him do,” Webb says.

WHY WE CHOOSE TO GROOVE

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It’s Friday night, and dancers are starting to shake and shimmy and swirl their way across the dance floors of three states. Cowboys bump in country honkytonks. Salsa dancers slickly move their hips in sexy, impossible ways. Swing dancers hoist their grinning, pop-eyed partners into the air. • If you stopped any one of them, grabbed a sweaty elbow and looked into surprised eyes, and asked, “Why are you doing this?” the answer you’d be most likely to get would be a smile, a raised eyebrow and a “Why not?” before whoever it was headed back to the floor for more sweat and more tunes. • It’s very unlikely you’d get the real answer. Because the real answer is so simple it’s not.

They’re doing it because it feels good.

BY CLAIRE BUSHEY

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eople who are passionate about dance—a group that includes instructors, therapists, choreographers and dancers—say that moving to music makes for a better workout than the gym, conveys the peace of mind that accompanies a vacation, and can grow your circle of friends and lovers. Jeremy Blair, a professional dancer and teacher in Chicago, sees it every week in the students in his hip-hop class. “They’re quiet when they come in, but they leave talking and laughing, and I feel everyone stands up straighter,” he says.

Coordinated movement, like music, stimulates our brains’ reward centers, wrote Columbia University neurologist John Krakauer in a September 2008 issue of Scientific American. Synchronizing movement and music “may constitute a pleasure double play,” although scientists aren’t sure exactly why.

The physical benefits are the most obvious. Sisters Ziba Lennox and Marisol Sarabia opened a studio in Wicker Park, MaZi Dance Fitness Centre, which specifically emphasizes how dance can help people tone abs and drop pounds. They tailor their classes to appeal to gym rats looking for a change. Thus, while they offer regular ballet classes, more popular is “Ballerina Bum Bootcamp.” The studio also offers Zumba, an aerobicslike dance class set to energizing Latin rhythms. Dance works the whole body, toning muscles, upping the heart rate and improving flexibility all at once.

Unlike the gym, which can grow boring, dance engages the mind as well as the body. Dancers memorize complicated step sequences and then perform those sequences to music; the practice can improve short-term

WHERE TO LEARN TO DANCE If your standard spot at weddings and black-tie galas is at the empty table rather than the dance floor, you might want to consider taking dance lessons. This area hosts an abundance of instructional facilities where you can learn.

Indiana

THE ACADEMY OF INDIANA BALLET THEATRE

8888 Louisiana St, Merrillville 219.755.4444. ibtnw.org Training school for Indiana Ballet Theatre.

Adult and children’s classes in ballet, jazz, hip-hop, tap, modern, lyrical, character, pointe and musical theater dance.

ARTHUR MURRAY DANCE CENTER

1205 W Lincoln Hwy, Ste 3, Merrillville 219.738.9041. arthurmurrays.net Arthur Murray—which has locations in multiple states—offers a full social dance menu, from Argentine tango to West Coast swing.

Michigan

THE ARMENTA STUDIO

955 Wealthy St SE, Grand Rapids 616.235.9642. armentastudio.com Adult and children’s classes in belly dancing, Bollywood/bhangra dance, ballet, salsa, hip-hop, contemporary, Zumba and yoga.

THE CITADEL DANCE & MUSIC CENTER

91 Hinkley St, Benton Harbor 269.925.9440.citadeldmc.org Adult and children’s classes in ballet, modern, tap, jazz, hip-hop, ballroom, African and Zumba.

memory, Lennox says. But more than that, dance forces participants to be mentally present—no worrying about the office, or what to make for dinner.

“It’s like when you go on vacation and you’re able to escape,” Lennox says. “That’s what a dance class does. Because you can’t think of anything else.”

The ability of dance to connect the mind and body has profound implications. Susan Imus heads the dance/movement therapy department at Columbia WHERE TO GO TO DANCE College in Chicago. The field, which has existed for fifty years, uses movement to assess mental and Looking to hit the dance floor, and not physical health problems, and then to address them. willing to wait for a special occasion to do so? Try one of these venues and get your Imus’s clients range from the stressed-out to the groove on in any genre you choose. mentally ill to quadriplegics. (“We would get their eyes to dance.”)

SWING For example, Imus worked with a woman suffering GRAND RAPIDS SWING Lincoln Country Club, 3485 Lake Michigan from a narcissistic personality disorder. She was Dr, Grand Rapids, Mich. grswing.com preoccupied with her looks but had no sense of who Dancing every Sunday. Lesson from 5:30 she was; Imus noticed she always leaned on things, to 7 p.m. Music goes from 8 to 10 p.m. $4 for the lesson, $8 for the dance. rather than standing up straight. Together, they created an “anger dance,” to give the woman new SALSA ways to assert herself. Eventually, this lead to her 2CALIENTES confronting her parents over related issues.

Social Dance Studio in Standale Village Mall, 4335 Lake Michigan Dr “We believe you can change the body to change Grand Rapids, Mich. 2calientes.com the mind,” Imus says. “If we’re making changes with Dances are held once a month; upcoming the visible reality of our lives, how profound is that? dates include June 26, July 10 and August 14.

Words alone are not enough.”

Beginner lesson starts at 8 p.m., intermediate

D

ance is a powerful mood elevator for every person, Imus says, because it boosts serotonin levels and releases endorphins, chemicals that contribute to ffeelings eelings of satisfaction and euphoria.

4 VISITSHOREMAGAZINE.COM 6

Coincidentally, or maybe not, those same chemicals appear when people fall in love, an Illinois occurrence that happens “often enough to notice” at LOU CONTE DANCE STUDIO 1147 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago the Arthur Murray Dance Center in Merrillville, says 312.850.9766. hubbardstreetdance.com Bethany Nelson, an instructor there.

Adult and teen classes in ballet, jazz, modern, About eighteen months ago, Nelson notes, tap, African, Pilates, yoga, Zumba and hip-hop. two pairs of dancers—neither pair romantically MAZI DANCE FITNESS CENTRE involved—started taking lessons at the studio. They 2001 W North Ave, Chicago ended up swapping dance partners, and forming two 773.278.9600. mazidancefitness.com new, romantic couples.

Adult and children’s classes with a fitness emphasis, including ballet, On a blind date, you play “the question game” and “Ballerina Bum Bootcamp” and Zumba. you feel awkward, Nelson says. Dancing allows you to get to know a person in a gentler manner. A physical connection is forged, and by the time a couple reaches the point of asking the questions that reveal a personality, the first-date awkwardness has vanished.

Dance can also provide a platform for estranged couples to rebuild their relationship. Nelson says she knew a husband and wife who came in for lessons with a gift certificate. The certificate had been purchased for an anniversary and never used, and it was about to expire. They used it up, and then bought more lessons.

Later, they told their instructor that when they’d first walked in the door, they had already signed divorce papers. They just didn’t want to waste the gift certificate.

“Through dancing, they got to know the person they once knew a while back,” Nelson says. “They ended up tearing up the papers and getting back together.”

lesson follows at 8:30 p.m. Music goes from 9 p.m. to midnight. $10 fee.

CONTEMPORARY DANCE

MOLLY SHANAHAN/MAD SHAK

Epiphany Episcopal Church 201 S Ashland Ave, Chicago. madshak.com Performances of Stamina of Curiosity—Our Strange Elevations from May 20-23 at 6 p.m. $30 per ticket.

COUNTRY LINE DANCING DC’S COUNTRY JUNCTION

3599 W 161st Ave, Lowell, Ind. 219.696.4955. dcscountryjunction.com Open from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, with a free dance lesson at 7:10 p.m.

Music starts at 8 p.m. $5.

BELLY DANCING JULIANA

3001 W Peterson Ave, Chicago. 773.334.0000 Belly dancers perform after 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. $18. (Drinks cost $9, and there is a two-drink minimum.)

HIP-HOP

CULTURE SHOCK CHICAGO

Millennium Park, Chicago cultureshockdance.org Performances throughout the summer at Millennium Park Family Fun Tent. June 12, July 15 and August 12 at 1 p.m. Free.

CONTRA DANCE

VALPARAISO OLDTIME DANCE SOCIETY

The New Valparaiso YMCA, 1201 Cumberland Crossing Dr, Valparaiso, Ind. chicagobarndance.com/valpo Dances are held every third Saturday of the month, except in summer. Family dances begin at 7 p.m. and switch to contra and square dances from 8 to 10 p.m. The society asks that dancers carry in clean-soled, nonscuffing shoes to wear, in order to protect the floor. $5 per person or $15 per family.

Music everywhere along Lake Michigan

JUNE 2010

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hen it comes to musical talent, the lakeshore area has plenty to be proud of. Humble musicians are coming out of the woodwork, performing not for money but for a chance to create and entertain. While there are literally thousands of bands and musicians we could have covered in our first-ever local music package, we could only select one each from a variety of different genres. These artists run the gamut of experience, style and audience, but they all have one thing in commonâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; a raw love for their craft.

indie pop CANASTA CHICAGO, ILLINOIS | canastamusic.com

“Our songs are structurally complex,” explains violinist Elizabeth Lindau, “so instead of referring to the verse, or the chorus, we make up little names—like the ‘breather’ section, or the ‘tease’ section.” Hence, the album title. It is their second full-length album.

Lindau, who’s been part of the group from the beginning, characterizes their music as orch-pop, or chamber-pop. “We definitely focus on melodies and harmonies,” she says. “When we perform live, we’re not improvising on stage, or jamming. That’s influenced by chamber, or classical, traditions where you’re performing a composition. It doesn’t sound orchestral necessarily, but it has this system of melodies and harmonies.”

And the sound? The sound is an eclectic mix of whatever instruments happen to be represented.

Lindau brings violin, keyboard and percussion.

Priest plays bass and trombone along with percussion and lead vocals. He also writes lyrics.

Jeremy Beckford plays guitar, while Ian Wilson and Ryan Tracy handle the piano and keyboards and Josh Lava plays drums.

Chicago-based, the band plays mostly Midwest locales. Their day jobs keep them local.

A bright spot in their career was playing a fundraiser where to see: for Barack Obama. Lindau followed his career, emailing her support and offering the s regularly The band play Tavern band for events or commercials. s ba hu Sc at hport Ave, The aide knew their work and (3159 N Sout e Livery th d an ) go ica Ch ). put them on the program. “So, nton Harbor (190 5th St, Be we got to play a couple songs and meet him,” she recounts. “It was incredible. He said, ‘I’ll have to put you on my iPod.’ So, maybe Obama is listening to us as he’s working out in the morning or something.” –TERRI GORDON

canasta

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF THE MUSICIANS

When the dot-com bubble burst, Matt Priest, then twentysomething, found himself out of work. His unemployment check, while not grandiose, covered expenses, but he was bored. On a lark, he rounded up some friends to play music. Now, seven years later, Canasta, as they call themselves, is still going strong and has just released a new CD called The Fakeout, the Tease and the Breather.

Jeff Brown

Valparaiso, Indiana jeffreycbrown.com

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jeff brown

–MARK LOEHRKE

classical

When she finished her undergraduate degree, Martha undertook a master’s program at the Cleveland Institute of Holland, Michigan Music, studying under one of the grand dames of harp, Alice Chalifoux. Then, she hit the real world. She traveled the country—“me and my car and my harp,” she says—and then the world. First came cruise ships, and then the Tokyo job.

Across from the Imperial Palace in downtown Tokyo sits the exclusive Palace Hotel.

Martha was playing there the night a beleaguered Swiss businessman came to relax and forget his day. The man, the Waldvogel in WaldvogelWarren, was intrigued by e: the woman playing the where to se harp, and Martha soon found herself making music in Switzerland. It was here she was able to relax olland with the H Piper” and find her own style. e t performs The harpis hestra at “Pops at th shed Orc Martha took on Boat Symphony at 8 p.m., at Eldean ichigan. students and recorded on June 17 e Dr) in Macatawa, M or (2223 S Sh some CDs. Still friends with Layer, she played some concerts with him—she still does. The duo, Stones Unturned, serves up classical, baroque and Celtic fare, with a special affection for the music of Irish itinerant harpist Carolan.

Three years ago the Waldvogels came stateside, settling in Holland, where she plays principal harp with the Holland Symphony Orchestra and is a harp instructor for Hope College.

Hope College recently announced plans for a new music building. “I’m really hoping some generous donors can make this building possible, so I may build a harp program and continue the traditions my teachers have passed on to me,” she says. –TERRI GORDON

Martha Waldvogel-Warren

maretl-hwa arren waldvog

JUNE 2010

tudies, surveys and statistics may point to jazz as a genre in decline, with an aging core audience and a lack of traction among the next generation conspiring to push a once proud and forceful American music form further into a dusty corner of the general public’s consciousness. But Jeff Brown sees it differently, and one look at the teeming itinerary of the versatile drummer and coordinator of jazz studies at Valparaiso University suggests that perhaps he’s right— maybe the state of jazz is, in fact, just a bit brighter than advertised.

Consider the present. In addition to his faculty work at VU, Brown’s rhythmic responsibilities as a performer and bandleader include a classic pianobass-drums trio, a traditional Dixieland quartet, a full-scale jazz orchestra, and Brown’s Music Bus—a traveling education program designed to bring the history of American music to life for school groups. This stylistic diversity not only keeps Brown’s calendar jumping, it also keeps his skills sharp as he tailors his playing and song selection to best fit the gig at hand.

For Brown, it’s a great way to explore the music from a variety of angles. “Musicians need to be able to adjust to various circumstances,” says the 40year veteran. “Each group has its specific joys and indigenous repertoire.”

As for the future of jazz, Brown sees the promise almost every day in his work with the aspiring musicians at VU. With the amount of material and instruction available these days—not to mention the enthusiasm of the students—he believes that jazz education, in particular, is as strong as it’s ever been.

This makes jazz itself something of a sleeping giant on the cultural landscape, which is why Brown tries to make sure his students will be prepared to capitalize when it awakens.

“I tell them to be open to new concepts and listen to as much music as they where to can,” he says, which see: in turn will help them adhere to his number one piece of advice: The Je plays ev ff Brown Trio “Prepare yourself for ery Wed nesday 5 p .m. the challenge so that (2405 E at Strongbow In at US 30) in n you are ready when you Valparais o. get an opportunity.”

Illinois native Martha Waldvogel-Warren always loved music. She learned piano and oboe growing up, but it was college that introduced her to her destiny. At freshman orientation, at Ball State in Muncie, Indiana, she met flutist Christopher Layer. The pair attended a recital together, the start of something big, a grand and glorious love affair for Waldvogel-Warren— with the harp. By the end of her first year, she’d replaced the senior harp major in the orchestra.

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jazz

Adam Wagner

Chesterton, Indiana adamjwagner.com

His parents didn’t own a piano, nor could they afford consistent lessons, but Chesterton native Adam J. Wagner is crafting a career in music.

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n high school, he received a small keyboard. “I couldn’t read music well, but I would spend hours learning the first eight measures of several songs,” Wagner says.

“In my college years [at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music], they had a fivestory building filled with grand pianos that could be accessed by students at any time. I would spend many hours late at night in those practice rooms finding my way around the piano keys.” Wagner : e where to se graduated from the Conservatory in 2005.

His education in songwriting was a lot of “trial by error.” turns to Wagner re diana “My desire to write In t Northwes fed my desire to ; check his periodically upcoming r play piano and vice website fo the area. concerts in versa. I would hear a song in my head, and then tell myself, ‘Okay, fingers, let’s figure out what piano keys you’re supposed to hit to make that sound.’”

He also spent years studying musical theater and was mentored by Craig Carnelia, a Tony-nominated lyricist for Working and Sweet Smell of Success.

Wagner’s songwriting has received acclaim. In 2005, he received the Cincinnati Entertainment Award for Best Alternative Program for his revue, Don’t Look Down at the Cincinnati Fringe Festival. His “Traci’s Song” was added to a songwriter’s showcase in New York City.

Don’t Look Down is available as a compact disc or for download online.

The idea of writing a musical is an idea he considers.

“The problem is usually I tell the story I want to tell in one song, and then move onto the next.”

Wagner, 26, spent the past spring directing Singin’ in the Rain in Helena, Montana, and has acted on stage and in the film Teeth. –SCOTT LAWSON

adganmer wa

country SMALL TOWN BOY

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KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN | smalltownboy.com

outhwest Michigan may not get much love as a country music hotbed, but it seems to suit Kalamazoo-based quintet Small Town Son just fine, considering how far guitarist/vocalist Kris Hitchcock and bassist/vocalist Dan Anspaugh have come in the seven years since they first started playing together in high school. With more than 150 local and national gigs on its 2010 itinerary and a debut CD released just last month, the group—which also includes Ian Szarafinski (lead guitar, vocals), Susan Belliel (fiddle), and Bill Justice (drums)—seems to be hitting its stride on the nontraditional country landscape of the upper Midwest. Here’s how Hitchcock sees it: On the Michigan scene: Outside of Nashville, I have never seen such a great environment for country music—the talent in this part of America is outstanding.

But it really comes down to the fans, and that is what can’t be beat. People around here love real music, and if it’s got a banjo or a fiddle, they don’t care as long as it’s good.

On what makes for a good country performance: You’ve gotta hear the words.

People love to rock and get out dancing, but country is a storyteller’s music. We play a lot of good-timing country—drinking, having fun, fishing, that kind of thing—but we also play some stuff to make you think.

On appealing to non-country fans: We’ve gotten that so many times over the years, or some form of ‘I hate country, but I love you guys!’ Yeah, we have a fiddle and yeah, we play songs about crops and farms, but we also cover ZZ Top and AC/DC, and when we write music, it’s not about twanging you to death. People are just looking for a great song, no matter what genre it’s listed under. –MARK LOEHRKE

smasllon town e:

where to se

rforms on The band pe 30 p.m. at 9: at 5 4June ver Saloon Whiskey Ri o Dr) in ag ic Ch 0 05 (4 , Michigan.

Grandville

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF THE MUSICIANS

theater

cover

tropical

THE UNIT

Northwest Indiana fansoftheunit.com

WAVERLAND

St. Joseph, Michigan | waverland.com Lots of people make mixes of music for road trips. But for Waverland’s Justin McIver and Ryan Kuhnlein, just programming a playlist into an iPod wasn’t enough. They decided to write and record a “spring break anthem” to listen to on a road trip through the Florida Keys.

At the time, both had played in other bands and were attempting to write very different styles of solo music, but the chemistry of the song convinced Justin and Ryan to become an “official” band. “We really felt that this style of music portrayed our lifestyles better than the types of music we were previously involved in,” Justin says. “The first song we wrote went on to become the title track to our debut record.”

Although the St. Joseph-based band is “officially” a pairing of Justin’s musical arrangements and Ryan’s lyrics, the duo sometimes play with a backing band of three to seven additional musicians. And even though they’ve been at it less than a year, local gigs haven’t been hard to find, as a local radio station started spinning Waverland before the band had put the finishing touches on their album.

The pair describes finding the time and money to play, record and perform as the most difficult part of being in a local band. Justin is currently in grad school, and Ryan is applying to medical schools. However, Justin and Ryan try to play as often as they can, even in places where the “beach sound” isn’t what the crowd may be expecting. “Just for fun last summer, we played open mic nights almost every Monday at the Livery in Benton Harbor. It might not have been the most fitting crowd for our style of music, but the crowd got into it. We even had a couple of bikers come up and tell us we sounded great!” –SETH “TOWER” HURD

Wild Cherry’s “Play That Funky Music.”

Sublime’s “Santeria.” Michael Jackson’s smash hit “Billie Jean.” Three different songs, from three different decades, in three very different genres, and often played back to back by Northwest Indiana’s favorite cover band the Unit, often alongside hits from the country and R&B charts. And occasionally sung, with the help of a wireless mic, on top of the bar or a table at a venue near you.

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he Unit—made up of guitarist Angelo Cicco, Buddy Pearson on bass and keys, and Bill Romer on drums—is able to cover such a vast array of songs because all three members professionally teach music. “Much of the set list is comprised from the three of us knowing bits and pieces of many songs,” Cicco says. “We often fuse them together in medleys or make it comical by improvising the lyrics or changing them.”

The band credits the highly involved live show, which they describe as “audience interactive” for their strong fan base. In addition to dancing on whatever’s available, Cicco will often invite members of the crowd to join him onstage, and will often change lyrics on the spot to fit the show’s surroundings.

At one point during each show, the band takes the “interactive” aspect to a level that almost none of their peers can pull off. “What do you want to hear?” Cicco will ask the crowd. Then, for better or worse, the Unit will launch into any song that the crowd agrees upon.

Their unforgettable live act has made the Unit a go-to e: where to se act for summer festivals in Michigan and Northwest Indiana, including rforms on The band pep.m. at Trio 9 Valparaiso’s Popcorn May 28 at Aberdeen Dr) 10 Festival and Jano Trattoria (2 so and on May Festival, alongside in Valparai the Lakeshore at 29 at noon l (51330 Rte 19) regular gigs in and Gril r Ba Hammond, Highland in Elkhart. and St. Joseph.

For Cicco, it’s in entertaining the crowd that he finds the inspiration to continue the band. “The most satisfying thing about the Unit for me is that feeling of playing music with good friends that I respect as musicians. My bandmates are two of the most talented musicians that I have ever seen and their level of performance has inspired my own musical abilities. I get to entertain people, play music, hang out with my friends, meet new and interesting people, and get paid all at the same time.” –SETH “TOWER” HURD

the unit

JUNE 2010

The group pe rfo at the Latin Fe rms on August 14 st Michigan, an ival in St. Joseph, d the Berrien Co on August 20 at un Berrien Sprin ty Youth Fair in gs, Michigan .

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waverland where to see:

Immediately after Michael Jackson’s untimely death in June 2009, his tiny boyhood home in Gary, Indiana, became a shrine. The front of the one-story, 600-square-foot house—the mind reels imagining the Jackson siblings living there—was quickly covered with flowers, teddy bears and heartfelt messages scrawled on posters and even on the outside of the building itself.

BACK HOME TO INDIANA? DREAMS AND REALITIES OF MEMORIALIZING MICHAEL JACKSON

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early one year later, a few tiny handwritten tributes remain on walls— left up by David Fossett, the cousin of Michael Jackson who is now the home’s caretaker—but nothing else marks the historic spot except a street sign announcing “Honorary Jackson Family Blvd.” A sign directs pop music pilgrims to 2300 Jackson Street (named after the president, not the family) from 25th Avenue, and then—nothing. After making the trip from Illinois on a recent overcast Sunday, a family of fans got out of the car, unsure of where to look. A neighbor had to confirm the address.

You might think Jackson’s family and the city of Gary weren’t interested in providing the millions of Michael Jackson fans worldwide with a memorial befitting the pop star’s life and legacy. You’d be wrong, of course— nothing holds out greater promise for reversing the

beleaguered, depopulated city’s fortunes than Jackson and his legions of obsessive fans, who would be happy to pay a few dollars to see where it all began forty-five years ago, when the Jackson Five was born.

“Obviously, this can’t be a museum, because it is a residential neighborhood,” Fossett said in March, while raking the yard. “I wish they would have something to give proper representation of Michael being from the city of Gary . . . The family would like to see something to mark their connection to it.”

NO PLACE LIKE HOME The lack of a museum is not for lack of interest on the part of Gary’s leaders. “We have the wherewithal, we have the love, and we have the land,” Gary mayor Rudy Clay said last October at a Las Vegas press conference hosted by family patriarch Joe Jackson. “In the end,” Clay said, “there’s no place like home.” He and

Words and photography by Jeremy gantZ

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illustration by ryan berry

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Jackson announced that the plan was to build a family museum and entertainment center on a 10-acre piece of downtown land donated by the city, which would also offer financial incentives.

A giant $10,000 check was handed to Jackson, commencing a fundraising campaign for the newly created Jackson Family Foundation, which will need to attract between $20 and $30 million to complete the project, according to Kim Bray of Asbury Park, New Jersey-based Sand and Stone Construction, who has reportedly met with Clay about building the facility.

A mission statement posted at JacksonFamilyFoundations.org says that the foundation’s goal is to pass on the vision of the Jackson Family by establishing the Jackson Family Museum & Cultural Center and Michael Jackson Performing Arts Center & Concert Hall; first in Gary, Indiana, and then to build centers in other cities and countries around the world to deliver Michael’s and the Jackson family’s message globally: “Peace, Love & Unity.”

This isn’t the first time big plans have been floated to commemorate Michael Jackson and his music. In 2003, Jackson made his final trip to Gary thirty-five years after moving away, and, while standing next to then-mayor Scott King and a horde of reporters, committed to helping his hometown build a performance arts center bearing his own name in downtown Gary.

That never happened, of course, despite meetings with Gary lawyer Jewell Harris Jr. to work out the nonprofit legal structure supporting the endeavor.

Jackson was charged with seven counts of child molestation in late 2003, and plans dissipated soon after without his visible support of the project and fundraising efforts. “Months after [the indictment], things got stalled,” Harris says, “and his focus got shifted from philanthropic efforts to legal issues.”

Plans for development had morphed into a “family museum” by the time Joe Jackson visited Gary City Hall in July 2008, but ironically—given that current plans were clearly revived by the pop star’s death—it now appears that the absence of Michael and his fundraising prowess are major obstacles to the project’s success.

Former Gary officials and longtime observers of Gary politics are hopeful the project will move from

project would have been a problem. We were fortunate at that time to deal with Michael Jackson himself,” he says. A few months later, Jackson surrendered himself to police in Santa Barbara, and that essentially became impossible.

THE MISSING LINK

conception to construction. But they’re also skeptical that will ever happen—and not because Gary’s basically been down and out since the Jacksons left town for greener pastures in 1968.

MICHAEL JACKSON VISITS GARY

“We have the wherewithal, we have the love, and we have the land. In the end, there’s no place like home.”

Mayor Rudy Clay

“I think it’s a big loss of Michael’s leadership.

[Michael] was a very top-down sort of guy in my experience. As kind of quiet and unassuming as he seemed to be, he actually called the shots.”

Former Mayor Scott King

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Jeff Kumorek remembers how much Michael Jackson liked his uniform. It was June 11, 2003, the last time the superstar set foot in his hometown, and the first time he had visited in decades. Kumorek, who was then deputy police chief and would later become chief, was wearing his dress police uniform while walking Jackson up to the mayor’s office in City Hall that day: a military-style tunic with a gold braid on the sleeves noting his rank.

“Naturally, I had my fancy uniform on,” Kumorek explains.

“He grabs my suit and says, ‘Hey. Nice uniform.’” (So nice, apparently, that it inspired Jackson’s trip to Star Uniforms in nearby Portage later that day, where he spent $1,000 during a 45-minute visit.)

Whether it was because of their uniforms or because Jackson appreciated the tight security the Gary Police Department offered his entourage, Kumorek and a handful of other policemen were invited to fabled Neverland Ranch in Santa Barbara a few months later in September, for an event to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation and other charities.

Harris was at the event, which featured Beyonce and Patti LaBelle, to witness Jackson’s charitable fundraising abilities and continue talking with the performer about plans for the Gary facility, which Harris says was to be an educational center above all else.

“He wanted kids to have an opportunity to express their creativity” in all the arts, says Harris, a Gary native and resident who now practices law in Crown Point. “That was the focus, as opposed to a museum or anything else.” Jackson, Harris says, wanted to visit the facility annually to instruct kids, who would be drawn from around the region rather than just Gary.

The city of Gary would donate the land, and Jackson would use his name and celebrity to raise funds for the project. “At that point, he was one of the biggest stars in the world,” Harris says. “I don’t think raising money for the

“Based on personal experience with [Michael], it’s obvious to me that it was something that he was really, really interested in,” says Scott King, who was mayor of Gary from 1996 to 2006, when he resigned to practice private law. Watching Jackson observe and instruct arts students perform at Gary’s Roosevelt High School that June day, “you really got a sense of the scale of his artistic abilities,” King says. “He was so taken with seeing these talented kids.”

Both King and Harris believe the focus of the Jackson project going forward ought to be on performing arts education, rather than simply a museum celebrating Gary’s most famous family. They agree that a Jackson center of some kind belongs in Gary—Jackson basically abandoned Neverland after police raided it in November 2003—and that the project could be a huge boon for the depressed city, which has never recovered from the erosion of an economic base tied completely to U.S. Steel.

“My hope as a citizen is that if the project is able to go forward without any burden being placed on citizens,” says Harris—who is surprised the city has not contacted him about his dealings with Jackson last decade—“it results in an economic development project, and not just a tribute to him.”

But the crucial question now, King says, is who’s going to move the project forward? “I think it’s a big loss of Michael’s leadership,” he says, noting that 80-year-old Joe Jackson, who has admitted to physically punishing his children, appears to have been left out of his son’s will. “[Michael] was a very top-down sort of guy in my experience. As kind of quiet and unassuming as he seemed to be, he actually called the shots.

I think it’s a missing link, the point person from the Jackson family. With all due respect, I don’t think it’s the father.”

Jackson Family Foundation president Simon Sahouri, whose Las Vegas Hollywood magazine published a special Joe Jackson commemorative issue last October to promote the museum project, declined to offer any details about a construction timeline or how much money has been raised.

“We are moving very fast on this project,” Sahouri says. Mayor Clay and his spokeswoman declined to comment on the status of the project.

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ack at the old Jackson residence, Michael Jackson’s cousin Fossett, who moved back to Gary from Los Angeles ten years ago, isn’t so sure things are speeding along.

“I’ll be honest with you, I haven’t seen any progress with this city. There’s nothing being done,” he says.

“I would love to see this city thrive again the way it was back in the ’60s,” he says. “There’s a lot of history in this city, not just Michael. There’s a lot of history, but we have no way to show it.”

If any city in America deserves some good news, it’s Gary.

But without the King of Pop around to push the long-delayed project to completion, it doesn’t seem likely that the Jackson family’s legacy will be officially marked in Indiana any time soon. In the meantime, devoted fans will keep passing through the city’s “Honorary Jackson Blvd.,” wondering if they’ve found the right house.

bite & SIP

FOOD FEATURE

BY JANE DUNNE

Steak, sandwiches, pies, crumbles, clams and shortbread are just a few of the delectable foods whose praises have been sung on Broadway, radio, television and the movies. Remember these? . . . And, by the way, “saveloy” is smoked pork shoulder.

, D O FO L A C LYRI !

D O FO c i s u M d e r i Cuisine-Insp

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bite & SIP

FOOD FEATURE Food, glorious food!

Hot sausage and mustard!

While we’re in the mood, Cold jelly and custard!

Pease pudding and saveloys!

What next is the question?

Rich gentlemen have it, boys, Indigestion!

Food, glorious food!

We’re anxious to try it.

Three banquets a day, Our favorite diet!

Just picture a great big steak Fried, roasted or stewed, Oh, food, Wonderful food, Marvelous food, Glorious food! ~from OLIVER!

Shoofly Pie and Apple Pandowdy Make your eyes light up, Your tummy says, “Howdy!”

Shoofly Pie and Apple Pandowdy I never get enough of That wonderful stuff! ~Dinah Shore

SHOOFLY PIE (8 SERVINGS) A dessert from the Pennsylvania Dutch. The pie’s unusual name is said to be due to the fact, because of its sweet ingredients, the cook would have to shoo the flies away when she set the pie on the windowsill to cool.

Pre-bought pastry shell for a one-crust 9-inch pie (or make your own) 1 cup all-purpose flour 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 egg, beaten 1 cup honey 3/4 cup cold water 1/4 cup hot water 1 teaspoon baking soda

BEER AND COFFEE STEAKS (4 SERVINGS) 12 1/4 1 4 3 1 1 1 1 1/2

ounces dark beer cup Worcestershire sauce tablespoon Tabasco boneless strip steaks, trimmed tablespoons finely ground espresso or dark coffee tablespoon chili powder (such as ancho) teaspoon ground cumin teaspoon sugar teaspoon salt teaspoon ground black pepper

In the morning, mix beer, Worcestershire and Tabasco in a large freezer-weight zipperlock bag. Add spices. Put steaks in bag, seal and chill in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours (or overnight).

Remove steaks from refrigerator about 20 minutes before grilling. Heat grill to high and let rack get good and hot. Brush and oil the rack, then grill steaks until darkly crusted and done the way you like, about 3 minutes per side for medium rare or 4 to

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Line a 9-inch pie pan with the pastry. Set aside.

In a food processor, combine the flour, brown sugar, butter and salt until crumbly. Remove 1/2 cup of the mixture and set aside.

Add egg to the mixture in the food processor; then blend in the honey and cold water.

Finally, add the hot water and baking soda to the food processor. Blend well and pour mixture into the pie shell. Top with the reserved crumbs.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool pie on a rack before serving.

APPLE PANDOWDY (6 TO 8 SERVINGS)

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The exact origin of the name of this New England dessert is unknown, but it could refer to its plain— or dowdy— appearance. It is delicious, especially topped with a bit of whipped cream.

Nonstick spray cups peeled, cored and sliced Granny Smith apples 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3

5 minutes per side for medium.

Let meat rest off heat 5 minutes to redistribute juices. Serve with yellow rice and a green salad with avocado and orange.

Pinch of salt 1/2 cup honey 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 pound unsalted butter 1/2 cup milk (or water) 1 egg, beaten

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 1-1/2-quart baking dish with nonstick spray.

Arrange the sliced apples in the dish and sprinkle with nutmeg, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Spoon the honey over the apples and cover the dish with foil. Bake for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and another pinch of salt in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a small pan or in the microwave.

Stir the butter, milk and egg together, beating well. Blend with the flour mixture until all is well combined.

When the apples have baked for 30 minutes, pour the batter over them. Re-cover with foil and return to the oven.

Bake an additional 40 to 45 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and the apples are soft. Serve warm or at room temperature.

ITALIAN BAKED CLAMS (4 SERVINGS) 16 cherrystone clams, shucked and left on the half shall (grit rinsed out and muscle removed) 1/2 pound backfin crabmeat, picked over for shells 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon minced shallots 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 4 tablespoons fresh chopped basil 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup grated Groviera or Gruyere cheese Salt and pepper, to taste Lemon wedges for garnish

from heat and add salt and pepper (sauce should be very thick).

Remove clams from the refrigerator. Top each clam with 1 tablespoon or more of sauce and arrange in a baking pan.

Bake clams for 10 to 15 minutes or until tops are lightly browned. Serve hot.

This was a real nice clambake, We’re mighty glad we came.

The vittles we et, were good, you bet, The company was the same! ~from CAROUSEL

Place the shucked clams and crabmeat in the refrigerator.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

In a saucepan, sauté garlic and shallots in the butter for 2 minutes over medium heat. Add lemon juice and basil. Simmer for 1 minute.

Stir in cream and simmer until thick. Add crabmeat and cheese, stirring until blended. Remove sauce

I don’t need music, lobster or wine, Whenever your eyes look into mine, The things I long for are simple and few, A cup of coffee, a sandwich And you! ~from MARGIE

TARRAGON SHALLOT EGG SALAD SANDWICHES (6 SERVINGS) 8

large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and finely chopped 1/2 cup mayonnaise plus extra for spreading on bread 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot 1-1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon 2 teaspoons tarragon vinegar or white wine vinegar Salt and pepper, to taste 12 slices seedless rye bread or 6 Kaiser rolls 3 cups tender pea shoots (3 ounces) or shredded lettuce

Mix the egg salad together, spread a little more mayonnaise on the bread slices, and make sandwiches with the egg salad and pea shoots or lettuce.

Put on the skillet, slip on the lid, Mama’s gonna make a little shortnin’ bread.

That ain’t all she’s gonna do, Mama’s gonna make a little coffee, too.

Mama’s little baby loves Shortnin’, shortnin’, Mama’s little baby loves Shortnin’ bread! ~Nelson Eddy

SHORTNIN’ BREAD (9-12 SERVINGS) If the lyrics of the song are right, this used to be made in a skillet with a lid. The dough for today’s shortnin’ bread is combined in a food processor or with a pastry cutter and is baked in the oven. You could practically make it in your sleep!

3 1/3 2 1 1

cups all-purpose flour cup sugar sticks unsalted butter, softened egg yolk tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Heat the oven to 325 degrees.

In a large bowl with a pastry cutter or in a food processor (using off-on movement) combine ingredients until crumbly.

Using your hands, form into a smooth ball and arrange evenly into a nonstick-sprayed 8-inchsquare baking dish. Prick the top all over with a fork.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden. Cool and then cut into squares.

JUNE 2010

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A cup of coffee, a sandwich And you, A cozy corner, a table For two.

A chance to whisper and cuddle And coo, With lots of huggin’ and kissin’ In view.

bite & SIP Butterfingers

2552 45th Ave, Highland. 219.924.6464 921 D Ridge Rd, Munster. 219.836.4202 Every day, Butterfingers prepares a selection of ready-toheat-and-eat entrées, along with freshly baked breads and salads, all without preservatives. The chicken almond salad has long been a crowd favorite, but the rest of the lunch menu is equally gratifying. What Butterfingers is best known for, however, is their famous desserts. The restaurant’s two pastry chefs—whose training hails from the Culinary Institute of America in New York, and Johnson and Wales in Rhode Island—create an array of gourmet desserts, which includes beautifully decorated and delicious cakes (the double chocolate mousse cake is a must), and an assortment of cookies and brownies, all of which have been satisfying dessert lovers for more than twenty-five years. And to every party planner’s delight, Butterfingers does offer catering.

Indiana

AMORÉ RISTORANTE AND 109 SUSHI & MARTINI LOUNGE 109 Joliet St, Crown Point. 219.663.7377. amore109. com. The ultimate two-for-one, this sleek restaurant features Italian cuisine on its first floor at Amoré Ristorante and Japanese cuisine, including sushi and sashimi, upstairs at the 109 Sushi & Martini Lounge.

But eating at one doesn’t preclude ordering off the menu at the other as the food goes both ways—up and down the stairs. Carnivores will want to try the monster-sized 20- to 22-ounce bone-in rib eye steak, the 16-ounce Kansas City bone-in strip steak or the braised pork shank osso bucco. Seafood lovers get to order lobster in a myriad of ways, including in the sushi, bisque and linguini as well as the decadent twin 6-ounce lobster tails served with drawn butter. Other seafood favorites are the seafood risotto piled high with shrimp, scallops, mussels and more lobster and the peppercorn-encrusted fresh ahi tuna. Save room for bananas foster, crème brûlée and a quadruple assortment of cupcakes—chocolate, vanilla bean, black and white (swirled chocolate and vanilla) and red velvet topped with cream cheese frosting.

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BARTLETT’S GOURMET GRILL & TAVERN 131 E Dunes Hwy 12, Beverly Shores. 219.879.3081. eatatbartletts.com. Bartlett’s is a new gourmet grill by husband-and-wife team Gary Sanders and Nicole Bissonnette-Sanders. Located in the heart of the National Lakeshore, Bartlett’s has a cozy but very modern ambience. The menu is an exceptionally creative take on upscale roadhouse-type food. Starting off the meal are appetizers such as andouille sausage corndogs and surf & turf potstickers, as well as family style offerings like Low Country spiced boiled peanuts and smoked venison sticks. Entrées include 5-hour pot roast, whitefish fillet and linguine bolognese, ranging in price from $10 to $20. The wine list is modest but well-crafted.

BISTRO 157 157 W Lincolnway, Valparaiso. 219.462.0992. bistro157.net. Trained in Paris at Le Cordon Bleu, chef

and owner Nicole Bissonnette-Sanders has created a menu of classics—like a decadent sautéed veal and gulf shrimp, a pork rib chop with apple horseradish ham, and an herb-rubbed roasted half chicken— combined with her own creative takes on nouvelle cuisine with a number of fresh fish selections.

Desserts include black chocolate-infused confections that have become standard for fine dining, and also sorbets and ice cream made from fresh fruit. There are some treasures on the extensive list of bottle wines, and many solid choices by the glass.

CIAO BELLA 1514 US 41, Schererville.

219.322.6800. ciaobellaonline.com. The cuisines of three different regions of Italy are featured at the newly opened Ciao Bella, a ristorante, pizzeria and wine bar. Patrons can sample a 12-inch gourmet pizza with a creative array of toppings like the Pizza Quattro Stagioni— tomatoes, artichokes, prosciutto and black olives—or the sauceless Pizza Al Fichi topped with goat cheese, figs and onions and drizzled with a balsamic glaze.

For those who like more traditional pies, there are thin-crust options with toppings such as sausage, fresh garlic, salami and jalapeños. Or try such entries as Ciao Bella’s signature dishes, Rigatoni Boscaiola— spicy Italian sausage and rigatoni noodles topped with a tomato cream sauce—and the Chicken Pollo Ala Romana, a chicken breast sautéed in a white wine sauce with roasted tri-color peppers and then sauced in a tomato cream. There’s also a great selection of seafood, pork and beef. Desserts change frequently, but the tiramisu is always on the menu. The extensive wine list focuses on European and Californian wines.

Delivery and take-out available.

DON QUIJOTE 119 E Lincolnway, Valparaiso. 219.462.7976. Proprietor Carlos Rivero’s authentic Spanish cuisine, lively and friendly atmosphere, and conviviality with his return customers make this downtown Valparaiso restaurant a destination for Chicagoans and Michigan residents alike. The exciting menu features dozens of small courses, including a well-known classic

paella with saffron rice and fresh-grilled seafood chunks. Grilled steaks and lamb and veal chops are abundant and cooked according to family recipes handed down for generations. The house specialty is a flan-textured vanilla cake. Lunch entrées average $15, dinner $25.

DUNELAND BEACH INN 3311 Pottawattamie Tr, Michigan City. 800.423.7729. dunelandbeachinn.com. Located in the wooded dunes just east of Long Beach, the cheerful dining room at this charming inn—which features well-spaced tables with white napery—buzzes with activity, especially on weekends. Starters may include calamari, Crab Louis, or grilled flatbread with such toppings as sautéed portobellos with garlic and carmelized shallots. Main courses—which come with soup or salad—include crab cakes with chipotle aioli, red snapper with citrus beurre blanc sauce or prime rib with horseradish sauce. An extensive wine list features selections in the $20 to $30 range. Key lime pie and cheesecake head the dessert list.

EVELYN BAY COFFEE COMPANY 3800 N Calumet Ave, Valparaiso. 219.510.5802. asipabove.com. This coffee shop—which feels like it should be nestled in the Rockies rather than in Valparaiso, Indiana—offers much more than its specialty teas and coffees, although patrons would be satisfied with just that. Its food menu is equivalent to anything you’d find at a gourmet café. Breakfast offerings include artisan bagels, fresh muffins and a breakfast wrap—which is made of scrambled egg, cheese, bacon or sausage and wrapped inside a grilled tomato-basil wrap. And for lunch? The California Dreamin’ Sandwich—turkey breast, swiss cheese, avocado, tomato, red onion and ranch cabbage on sourdough bread—or the Michigan Wrap—grilled chicken, romaine lettuce, dried sweet cherries, shredded parmesan and raspberry vinaigrette on a 7-grain wrap—are among the many choices that will delight the taste buds. Daily soups and fresh salads are available as well, as are dessert items like gelato, truffles and baked goods. Evelyn Bay also offers catering and

photograph by ROBERT WRAY

The information presented in Bite & Sip is accurate as of press time, but readers are encouraged to call ahead to verify listing information.

bite & SIP coffee and tea delivery, but you’ll want to indulge in an actual visit to this cozy establishment at some point.

GINO’S STEAK HOUSE 1259 W Joliet St, Dyer. 219.865.3854. 600 E 81st Ave, Merrillville. 219.769.4466. ginossteakhouse.com. The chefs at Gino’s, who have more than thirty years of combined experience, use only the freshest ingredients in their homestyle cuisine.

Starters include traditional minestrone soup from a family recipe, salads with fresh, locally grown produce, and crusty bread with crocks of butter. The nineounce prime steak tops the menu and is itself topped with Roquefort cheese in its most popular rendition. All main dishes are served with the restaurant’s signature marinated peppers, and entrées include fish and lobster delivered daily. The dessert menu features créme brûlée and various cheesecakes, but the housemade tiramisu is the highlight—a rich blend of coffee, chocolate and cream cheese flavors. A premium selection of wine, beer and cocktails is available at the full-service bar, and there is a special children’s menu so the entire family can enjoy the dining experience.

GIORGETTI’S RESTAURANT & PIZZERIA Washington Park, Michigan City.

219.809.4000. 20 N Whittaker St, New Buffalo, 269.469.9505. giorgettis.com.

Expanding on its successful takeout and delivery-only pizzeria in New Buffalo, Giorgetti’s has renovated the waterfront space that was, until recently, the Harbor Grill, at Washington Park’s Yacht Club facility. “When we say we have fresh homemade lasagna, it means we made our own noodles,” says general manager Steve Vargas, explaining the concept.

“When we say fresh fish, that means we get the whole fish and cut the fillets ourselves.” Using old family recipes, including one for pizza sauce that dates back half a century, the Michigan City restaurant not only serves the thin-crust pizzas which gained them such a following at their New Buffalo location, but they also offer an extended menu featuring Italian sandwiches with their housemade sausage and garden salads with romaine, tomato, green onion, black olives, Romano cheese and Italian dressing (made in house of course). Desserts change weekly but can include their killer tiramisu and chocolate chip cookies. Be sure to watch the sun set over the harbor while sipping a martini, a locally crafted beer, cocktails or a glass of wine on the outdoor patio that seats 75. There’s live music at night during the summer. “We’re family friendly,” says Vargas, noting that their most expensive item is $12 for the lake perch.

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GIOVANNI’S 603 Ridge Rd, Munster. 219.836.6220. giosmunster.com. This classic upscale Italian bistro is a local favorite, with charm, gracious service and an extensive menu.

Innovative selections include a variety of appetizers, and specials are paired with recommended wine by the glass. A crab cake salad with fresh mozzarella and Bibb lettuce is a staple for lunch, and all entrées are accompanied by hot and crusty garlic Parmesan cheese rolls. You can indulge in a traditional multi-course Italian dinner or order by the item. For lighter fare, soups, salads and inventive individual pizzas are served with cheerful dispatch. Sumptuous dinners include a renowned veal rollatini with Parmesan, mozzarella and pine nuts, and grilled pork medallions in a sherrywine sauce. The wine list is extensive but educational, and the desserts range from classic tiramisu to real Italian gelato. The cocktail menu is imaginative and ample.

Lunch entrées average about $12, while dinners cost $18 to $25.

MILLER BAKERY CAFÉ 555 S Lake St, Gary. 219.938.2229. For two decades this famous stop on the Lake Michigan shore has introduced the gateway community to the beach, and to the versatile and eclectic menu.

Part European, part New Orleans, and all clever. The lightly sautéed crab cakes and the signature molded polenta and pepper appetizer; wood-grilled steak with peppercorn sauce; salmon coated with a sweet tangy glaze; rack of lamb over garlic smashed potatoes; and cafe chocolate, a slab that tastes like the center of a truffle, are always on the menu. Selections of wines by the glass are as creative, and the waitstaff are connoisseurs of food and drink by hobby as well as trade. The bar has a complete martini and cocktail menu and frequently hosts live jazz on weekend nights. For a special occasion or telling secrets, reserve the very private table in the glassenclosed wine cellar. A two-course lunch averages $18, dinner entrées $25.

STOP 50 WOOD FIRED PIZZERIA 500 S El Portal, Michigan City.

219.879.8777. stop50woodfiredpizzeria. com. Just north of US Hwy 12 and west of New Buffalo, this café enjoys a well-deserved reputation— including being named one of the top four pizzerias in the Midwest by Rachael Ray magazine—for authentic Italian pizza baked “Naples-style” in woodfired hearth ovens. Customers return again and again—it’s only difficult to find the first time. The recipes are traditional, and the ingredients are fresh daily. In addition to the Napoletana pizza, sandwiches and salads are available to eat at Stop 50, or you can get your snack or meal to go. Try the banana peppers stuffed with housemade sausage or a fiery tomato and goat cheese dip with hand-cut fried chips. Owners Chris and Kristy Bardol, who rehabbed the 50-yearold beach community grocery store into a restaurant, stick to strictly locally grown food. Average entrée cost is $15, but you can make a satisfying light meal out of the generously proportioned starters at $8-$12. Now open is SodaDog, the Bardols’ newest venture, which specializes in authentic hot dogs and sausages and micro-crafted soda, all served via carhop service. SodaDog is located at 171 Highway 212 in Michigan City.

STRONGBOW INN 2405 E US 30, Valparaiso. 800.462.5121. strongbowinn.com. The menu at this classic institution still includes a wide variety of turkey selections, but with daily specials that include barbecued pork ribs, seafood choices, prime rib and other comfort foods, one would never guess that the bakery and restaurant started as a sandwich stand during the Depression. Many families have had Thanksgiving catered by Strongbow— the meticulously prepared traditional meal that can be ordered as take-out is virtually indistinguishable from that produced by a family team working in the kitchen for ten hours. Also, the bakery has exploded with a range of treats created daily, including cinnamon rolls, cakes, pies, brownies, fruit tarts, truffles, crème brûlée and strawberry napoleons. Lunch entrées average $8, and dinner is $18.

Michigan

BISTRO ON THE BOULEVARD 521 Lake Blvd, St. Joseph. 269.983.6600. theboulevardinn.com/bistro. This French

TABOR HILL WINERY & RESTAURANT 185 Mt Tabor Rd, Buchanan.

800.283.3363. taborhill.com. Tabor Hill Winery’s restaurant is all at once elegant, urbane and semi-casual.

Its windows afford ample, rolling vineyard views; the menu is sophisticated. Chef JohnPaul VerHage, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, gives a modified California-cuisine touch to signature dishes like raspberry chicken and the salmon wrapped in grape leaves. The extensive appetizer menu includes items like mini Morel Mushroom Pizzas and Kobe Beef Carpaccio.

Though the restaurant is easy to find—just a half hour north of South Bend and 20 minutes east of New Buffalo—it’s not always easy to get in. Reservations are suggested—but those who wander in unannounced can sip at the complimentary wine bar or purchase a glass and enjoy it on the stone terrace overlooking the vines. Tabor Hill produces a wonderful variety of award-winning wines, but for those who desire a harder libation, a full bar awaits.

WILD DOG GRILLE 24 W Center St, Douglas.

269.857.2519. Sam Kendall, coowner of the Wild Dog Grille, says their Italian-inspired cuisine, with a new-age twist, has been delighting the public ever since they opened their doors in June 2007. Start out with fresh spring rolls stuffed with crab meat and wrapped in a thin rice paper, or try the crab cake served with three dollops of Creole remoulade for a flavor enhancement. Another tasty option is the pesto spinach cheese dip served with flat breads fired fresh in the stone oven. Their trademark stone oven pizzas are fired in the best stone oven on the market for an old-world, thin-crust flavor. Freshcut steaks, such as the popular filet mignon and New York strip, are exceptional. Finish the meal with a vanilla panna cotta made from scratch from the chef’s family recipe, the Oregon berry cobbler or a Key lime tart. The restaurant has a liquor license, and the owners pride themselves on offering a laid-back atmosphere with the quality of high-end restaurants.

Prices go up to $25.95 for the filet mignon, with most selections under $20.

Illinois

BALAGIO RISTORANTE 17501 Dixie Hwy, Homewood.

708.957.1650. balagio-restaurant. com. Now in a new location, this popular Italian restaurant has changed its menu offerings, with many entrée prices now under $12.95. Some of the specialties created by chef/owner Mike Galderio include chicken scaloppini—thin breast cutlets quickly sautéed with white wine—Italian sausage and roasted red peppers served with braised escarole, and a salmon club sandwich with broiled salmon, crisp bacon, avocado, lettuce and tomato. There are also Galderio traditional family recipes like the chopped salad with chicken, salami and hearts of palm, housemade marinara sauce and spaghetti and meatballs. There’s an extensive wine list as well as live entertainment on Friday and Saturday evenings. Private dining is available for any group from 10 to 200, either family style or custom designed.

CIBO MATTO at THE WIT HOTEL 201 N State St, Chicago.

312.239.9500. cibomatto.therestaurantsatthewit.com.

At the corner of State and Lake, in the heart of the Loop, a new and beautiful fine-dining restaurant offers sophisticated traditional Italian dining with a twist. Cibo Matto means “Crazy Food” but there is nothing off the wall here—just plenty of innovation by Chef Todd Stein in a setting with many seating options: a 12-seat counter-height chef’s table overlooking the kitchen, cozy leather booths, or freestanding tables with views of the 2,000 bottle glass-enclosed wine tower. There are window tables with a western view and, above, a 30-foot ceiling fresco by prominent artist Todd Murphy. Start with a rabbit terrine served in two pancetta-wrapped slices over orange and white pureed carrots.

Try the short ribs topped with gremolata and served with a flavorful ricotta-creamed spinach, or the perfectly grilled veal tenderloin. Fish, pastas and desserts are all amazing. Dinner nightly, reservations necessary.

THE COURTYARD BISTRO 21 S White St, Frankfort.

815.464.1404. The ambitious menu is inspired by the cooking of Italy, France and the American Southwest, but this south suburban bistro adeptly meets the challenge of its own making while getting results that delight both newcomers and regulars. Signature dishes include Santa Fe lasagna and artichoke ravioli on the Neapolitan side, and onion tart and gorgonzola-seared beef tenderloin are straight out of a sidewalk café near the River Seine in Paris. The martini menu is as innovative as the food, and the wine list is better than average with interesting possibilities for complementing the entrées. The seafood is very fresh and well-prepared with garnishes and light sauces, and main dishes are economical in the $9-$15 range.

The atmosphere is always friendly and can range from celebratory for special luncheons on the weekends to cozy, romantic couple dinners in the evening. But it is the attention to detail at every level from customer comfort to the dessert selections and coffee service at the end of the meal that gets the repeat customers.

SIAM MARINA THAI CUISINE 80 River Oaks Center Dr, Calumet City. 708.862.3438. 1669 Sibley Blvd, Calumet City. 708.868.0560.

Chef-proprietor Tammy Pham has evolved into a legend for her mastery of a full menu with dozens of vegetarian options as well as traditionally spiced and marinated poultry dishes. The spring rolls and peanut sauce are prepared in-house daily, along with special soups. The authentic pad Thai has a loyal following, and fresh coconut works in many of the dishes, including dessert. A multi-course lunch averages $12, dinner $15.

JUNE 2010

WHEATBERRY RESTAURANT & TAVERN 15212 N Red Bud Tr, Buchanan.

269.697.0043. wheatberrytavern. com. Nestled on a bend of the slow-moving St. Joseph River just north of Buchanan—a town transforming into trendiness with its his-

toric downtown filled with eclectic shops—the owners of the recently opened Wheatberry Restaurant & Tavern see their place as a gathering spot for lovers of regional American cuisine. “We cook everything from scratch,” says Mike Hoyland, one of the restaurant’s owners. Besides a dedication to using the best of local farms and food producers, there’s also an emphasis on the smoked ribs, pork and chicken that come out of the large Southern Pride Smoker in the back of the restaurant. Other entrées include prime sliced sirloin topped with Wisconsin’s wonderful Mindoro Blue cheese, basil and toasted pine nut butter, as well as cedar-planked salmon and woodroasted chicken Vesuvio. Soups, sandwiches, salads and killer hamburgers, thick and juicy and cooked to order, are also on the menu. Dessert specialties include Texas sheet cake—a dense, rich brownie-like cake—and Key lime pie.

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bistro on Lake Michigan has a welldeserved and unrivaled reputation in Southwest Michigan. The view through the French doors overlooking the bluff is spectacular no matter what season, though dining outside on the porch has its own special charm, particularly at sunset or on a starry summer night. The interior of the dining room and cozy adjacent bar is impeccable, right down to the tinted water glasses, burnished wood and wood-burning fireplace.

The menu changes frequently to accommodate seasonal, fresh and available fruits and vegetables, much of which are grown locally, but the basic entrée list—created by executive chef Ryan Thornburg, who worked as the restaurant’s sous chef for three years when it first opened—is extensive. Thornburg returned last year after working as executive chef at Tosi’s Restaurant and then the Orchard Hills Country Club, to replace longtime executive chef Ali Barker, who moved from the area. Thornburg’s menu items include Horseradish Crusted Faroe Islands Salmon accompanied by sautéed spinach in a Michigan cherry vinaigrette, Steak Frites—a tallgrass 8-ounce top sirloin with pomme frites and herb butter— and Crispy Duck Confit with sautéed garlic potatoes and mixed greens dressed with an aged sherry vinaigrette. Prices are reasonable, starting at $17 for the macaroni and cheese made with aged white cheddar, mascarpone, gruyere and country ham topped with garlic bread crumbs, to steaks for around $30. Be sure to check out the Wednesday sushi menu for such delights as Black Dragon—broiled eel, shrimp tempura, avocado and cucumber with wasabi topikiko— as well as the choice of sakes.

Reservations are always helpful, especially on the weekends.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY

JEFF GOULETTE

the house on firefly hill

A FRIenDLY FARMSTeAD ReTReAT Perched atop a ridge overlooking twenty acres of protected woods is Firefly Hill, the country retreat of Kelly McGrail and husband Jeff Goulette. The name came after an early experience. “Shortly after we closed on the property,” Goulette says, “we were there enjoying the sunset on a June evening, and the fields began to positively glitter with fireflies—more than we had ever seen in one place before. Fortunately that has continued, so we are treated to a spectacular display almost every evening in the early summer.”

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A Chicago native, McGrail has fond childhood memories of her family’s summer home in Michiana. “You could make a run for it on the weekends and during the summer,” she recalls. “My mother and my siblings were [there] much of the summer, and my dad would either commute, or take long weekends.” She and Goulette wanted a similar getaway when they started looking for a place to build a home. They finally found their spot near Buchanan—a wide open space with nice views.

Goulette, an architect with Sullivan, Goulette & Wilson of Chicago, got to work. Inspired by old farmsteads they’d seen in New England, the pair knew what they wanted. They blended farmstead elements with Shaker traditions to create a clean, “loft-like” atmosphere. From the outside, Goulette wanted the house to resemble a “complex” of farm buildings. The ridge itself, and the sun’s movement, dictated placement. Goulette wanted to capitalize on light patterns for visual effect and for passive solar principles. The winter sun, for instance, is allowed in, while the summer sun is kept out. Goulette also wanted to make the most of the scenery.

Much of the home is only one room deep, so windows allow views of both front and back landscapes.

The focal point of the home is the kitchen. Here, family and friends can gather around an oversized island made of reclaimed gothic white oak. Silver “fork and spoon” chandeliers hang overhead. Beams and columns, salvaged from an 1880s mattress factory, impart a feeling of “age and history” to the home, Goulette says. Antique hardware and a farm-

An enclosed porch opens at both ends to allow good views and breezes, with protection from the sun. A wooden stairway spills from the upper level [opposite top] to the kitchen area, stopping partway down for a reading alcove and library. A long table provides ample space for meals, and windows galore open the room to the out-of-doors.

In the background, the kitchen sports an oversized island and work spaces. Antique Minton tiles and an antique mantel frame the fireplace opposite the bed in the master suite [opposite bottom].

Other antiques add patina to the room and windows offer vast views.

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Three small sinks— salvaged, perhaps, from a school—lie in wait, just the right height for visiting children.

Handpainted wallpaper dictated colors for the media room [opposite top].

The home’s only TV sits on an antique Chinese fixture—so long, it had to be brought in through the window! Against the night sky [opposite center], the outline clearly resembles the farm building complex Goulette strove to emulate. Back inside [opposite bottom], McGrail and Goulette found a couple in Wisconsin making tiles. They knew right away they were what they wanted to surround the living room’s Rumford fireplace.

17th Annual house sink contribute to the Celebration country atmosphere. of Home & Garden A long dining area and Firefly Hill is just one of adjacent living room comseveral homes on the 17th plete the main living space.

Annual Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & “We tried to keep it all open, Human Rights Celebration but create differentiation of Home & Garden to between spaces and functake place throughout Southwest Michigan on tions,” Goulette explains. A Saturday, June 12, 2010. ¶ Rumford fireplace in the living The home tour supports the room warms the space, as do organization’s affordable housing programs. “We radiant-heat slate floors. hope to have eight stops East of the kitchen is a this year,” says Suellen den that serves as a media Long, cochair of the event. room. Windows are minimal, “One of the stops will be an organic vegetable there is another fireplace, and farm that features a handpainted wallpaper covcontemporary greenhouse, ers one wall. “We wanted to [and a] storage house with cleaning and separate out the TV room,” cooling facilities.” ¶ Goulette says. “There’s one Tickets are available at TV in the house, so this is heartlandalliance.org, where we watch TV.” or from Lovell & Whyte in Lakeside.

Bedrooms are upstairs.

The master bath sports William Morris wallpaper, and a salvaged sink and tub. An open wood-burning fireplace goes through to the master bedroom. An 1890 mantel and antique Minton tiles frame the fireplace on the bedroom side.

There are ample guest bedrooms and bathrooms, including a suite geared for the younger set—visiting nieces and nephews have their own smaller-scale bathroom fixtures.

McGrail likes the “patina” lent by salvaged items—things like the sinks, the tubs and the old warehouse dolly that serves as a coffee table. Other items throughout the home enjoy new life, including a stained-glass window she found in the garage of her family’s home. “I toted it around for twenty years,” she says, laughing, “and finally put it in something.” It hangs in a window above the door to a powder room.

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june 2010

Both McGrail and Goulette enjoyed looking in local shops for just the right furniture and art. “One of the great ‘funs’ we had was going up and down Red Arrow [Highway] to places like Marco Polo, Lovell & Whyte, the Judith Racht Gallery, and Ipso Facto in Three Oaks,” she says. They are also grateful that contractor Dan Jacob had the patience and the skill to install their finds and help them execute their ideas.

The couple spends their “alone” time at Firefly Hill reading and gardening. “We both like to putter in the dirt,” McGrail says. “We can’t do that in the city.” They are anxiously awaiting the blooms of some 2,500 bulbs they put in (with help) along the drive. Great Dane Sophie gladly supervises.

A good deal of the time, though, they are not alone. “We have family and friends in the area,” McGrail says. “That very much went into the design of the house, because we wanted a comfortable gathering place for everybody to get together— a place where when it was just the two of us, we were comfortable, but where we could also have family over.”

shore THINGS Mill Pond Realty

747 Water St, Saugatuck, Michigan 269.857.1477. millpondrealty.com.

Mill Pond Realty provides real estate sales and vacation rentals in Saugatuck, Douglas, Glenn, Ganges and Fennville, Michigan. Owned by Laura Durham, the award-winning company has been recognized by the likes of Smart Money, Business Week and Where to Retire magazines. In addition to buying and selling services, Mill Pond’s rental management department can assist clients with earning income from a second home.

build Indiana

CK BUILDING & DESIGN CORPORATION 877.448.1516. ckbuildinganddesign.com. With more than 20 years of experience, the builders at this company specialize in custom homes and green building, as well as renovations and remodeling. CK Building works throughout Lake and Porter Counties in Indiana and Will and Cook Counties in Illinois.

HORIZON AWNING 2227 E US 12, Michigan City. 219.872.2329. horizon-awning.com. For more than 25 years, this company has built canvas and aluminum awnings for the home and business, plus custom boat covers. Canvas awnings are made of long-wearing, faderesistant fabrics, and the aluminum variety come with whimsical scalloped edges.

J KREMKE CONSTRUCTION ENTERPRISES 314 Spring View Dr, Porter. 219.309.0360. mygreenbuildingsolutions.com. This construction company specializes in sustainable eco-friendly and energy-efficient homes at reasonable rates. Aside from new construction, remodeling and land development, J Kremke Construction also provides maintenance for bank-owned properties.

6 VISITSHOREMAGAZINE.COM 8

MARUSZCZAK APPLIANCE 7809 W Lincoln Hwy, Schererville. 219.865.0555. For nineteen years, Maruszczak has been selling and servicing major home appliances in the Munster area.

Its broad inventory includes fridges, stoves, dishwashers, washer/dryers and more, made by virtually every brand in the market. The company is also factoryauthorized to service everything it sells.

NOVA BASEMENT SYSTEMS 465 N State Rd 39, LaPorte. 800.668.2026. nova-inc.com. For more than 30 years, Nova has been one of the largest basement waterproofing and foundation repair contractors in the area. The technicians here also specialize in crawl space sealing and sump pump installation.

TRAINOR GLASS COMPANY 202 N Dixie Way, South Bend. 574.855.2380. trainorglass.com. Since 1953, Trainor Glass has specialized in commercial glass and glazing. Their stateof-the-art glass can be installed just about anywhere, from partitions, walls and doors, to the shower and bath. Trainor serves all of Northwest Indiana and Southwest Michigan.

Michigan

WATER PLACE 188 W US 12, Ste 3, New Buffalo. 269.231.5153. The Water Place is a decorative plumbing and hardware products superstore. With whirlpools, faucets and cabinets, this has “everything you need for plumbing services.”

clean Michigan

FISH WINDOW CLEANING 4188 N Roosevelt Rd, Stevensville. 269.408.0400. fishwindowcleaning.com. The highly trained professionals here specialize in cleaning interior and exterior windows for both commercial and residential clients.

Pressure washing services are also available.

design Indiana

THE BEACH HOUSE 619 E 3rd St, Hobart. 219.942.0783. The 1,000-squarefoot showroom at the Beach House features “beachy,” cottage-style home furnishing and accessories. In the store’s lower level, the Wicker Gallery, custom orders are accepted. The store began as and still houses an upscale showroom of very current, high-quality, preowned furniture known as Like New. NO PLACE LIKE HOME 110 Elmwood Dr, Michigan City. 219.879.9140. 400 E Randolph St, Ste 3414, Chicago. 312.938.9140.

nplhinc.com. This eco-minded interior design firm has multiple specialties, including space planning, architectural design consultation, kitchen and bath design and renovations, custom cabinetry design and installation, and selection of additional materials, plus decorating and staging services.

Michigan

BAYBERRY COTTAGE 510 Phoenix Rd, South Haven. 269.639.9615. One of South Haven’s most well-known shops, Gwen DeBruyn’s Bayberry Cottage features home furnishings and accessories which include furniture, wall décor, rugs, florals and bath and body products. Interior design services are also available, and items can be special ordered if not in stock.

CUSTOMS IMPORTS 430 S Whittaker St, New Buffalo. 269.469.9180. customsimports.com. This exotic gallery hosts a large, distinguished inventory of global art, furniture and antiques from India, Indonesia, China, Morocco and Vietnam. Dee Dee Duhn’s new showroom features teak root benches, textiles, Indonesian pottery, unique new furniture and an extensive mirror gallery.

Claudia Labao’s Global Dreams jewelry—popular with the stars of Desperate Housewives—can also be found here.

GROUNDWORKES 15486 Red Arrow Hwy, Lakeside. 269.586.2133. groundworkes.com. Roger Boike, former master gardener at Susan Fredman Design Group, has branched out and started his own business in garden design throughout Southwest Michigan and beyond.

PRIEBE’S CREATIVE WOODWORKING 2113 Plaza Dr, Benton Harbor. 269.926.2469. priebeswoodworking.com. For more than twelve years, the craftsmen at Priebe’s have created custom cabinetry, countertops (in granite and quartz), entertainment centers, mantels and surrounds, and millwork. Priebe’s offers installation services, and a custom three-dimensional computer-

photograph courtesy of MILL POND REALTY

The information presented in Shore Things is accurate as of press time, but readers are encouraged to call ahead to verify the listing information.

SAWYER HOME & GARDEN CENTER 5865 Sawyer Rd, Sawyer. 269.426.8810. sawyergardencenter.com. The Sawyer Garden Center offers a large inventory of items for the garden, including annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees, plus a variety of high-quality lawn accessories. A large gift shop and gourmet shop—featuring produce, breads, sauces and cheeses— are also on site.

SEA GLASS COTTAGE 402 Eagle St, South Haven. 269.639.1200. seaglasscottage.com. As its name suggests, this specialty shop features hundreds of collected sea glass items, along with a tasteful collection of beach-inspired home furniture and décor. Purses, jewelry, sunglasses and other accessories are also available here.

drive Indiana

DORMAN GARAGE, INC. 1317 Lake St, LaPorte. 219.324.7646. dormangarage.com. With more than twenty years of experience, Dorman Garage specializes in classic car restoration.

Aside from offering restoration services, there is also a large inventory of restored classic automobiles for sale.

MAXIM POWER SPORTS 5901 E 81st Ave, Merrillville.

219.942.0548. maximpowersports.com.

This showroom, which spans more than 30,000 square feet, includes brands like Kawasaki, Polaris, Yamaha and Suzuki. It can suit multiple outdoor sporting needs, including street, dirt, watercraft and snow vehicles and gear. The parts and service departments are also helpful and knowledgeable.

SCHEPEL AUTO GROUP 2929 W Lincoln Hwy, Merrillville.

866.724.3735. schepel.com. This renowned auto dealer in Northwest Indiana offers new and pre-owned vehicles by Cadillac, Hummer, Saab, Buick and Pontiac.

The experienced sales staff, plus the extensive online inventory, help consumers find the car most suited for their needs.

Repair services are also available.

Michigan

RUSSELL’S FOREIGN CAR REPAIR 8754 US Hwy 31, Berrien Springs.

269.473.3088. This dealer alternative provides service, repairs and maintenance during the vehicle’s factory warranty and beyond. Russell’s Foreign Car Repair services all imported car makes, but specializes in upscale European and Asian vehicles.

eat Indiana

Michigan

KILWIN’S Multiple locations in Illinois and Michigan. kilwins.com. For more than 60 years, Kilwin’s has been a quality confectionery shoppe in northern Michigan, providing quality products and excellent services.

Despite growing throughout the United States and changing ownership, they still use only the finest and freshest ingredients in their hand-paddled fudge, custom chocolates and truffles.

SEASON’S HARVEST 13686 Red Arrow Hwy, Harbert.

269.469.7899. seasonsharvest.com. This quaint shop along Red Arrow Highway features natural gourmet provisions like barbecue sauces, salad dressings, dipping sauces and olive oil, among others.

Products can be purchased either online or at the shop, and gift sets are available.

give Indiana

OPULENT VODKA opulentvodka.com. This award-winning vodka, made of a grain distinctively native to America, is fermented and distilled “five times for a purity of less than 1 micron,” according to the website, which also hosts an extensive list of cocktail recipes.

RIBORDY LIQUORS 2 W Dunes Hwy, Beverly Shores.

219.871.1111. 1454 W Hwy 30, Valparaiso. 219.465.7507. This upscale liquor store features fine wines, top-shelf liquors, and import and craft specialty beers. Kegs and ice are also available.

ST. JOHN WINE & SPIRITS 9540 Poplar Ln, St. John. 219.558.8911. stjohnwineandspirits.com.

Both the connoisseur and the beginner alike will feel comfortable in this shop, which features a wide variety of fine wines, beer and spirits. The staff is trained to assist customers with selection needs, in order “to take the intimidation out of shopping for wine and spirits.” Wine tastings are held here often, and gifts and accessories are also available.

Michigan

DECADENT DOGS 505 Phoenix St, South Haven.

866.459.5437. This dog-exclusive boutique features high-end canine products, including designer dog collars and apparel, toys and gourmet dog treats. For the humans, dog-oriented gifts and décor items are also available.

LAMBRECHT’S LIQUORS 2926 Niles Ave, St. Joseph. 269.983.5353. lambrechtsliquors.com. Lambrecht’s features a comprehensive selection of wines, beers, spirits, cigars, pipes and tobacco products. Specialty items include beer and winemaking equipment and supplies and gourmet coffees and cheeses. Occasional tasting events and seminars are offered as well.

JUNE 2010

CHESTERTON’S EUROPEAN MARKET Corner of Broadway and Third Sts, Chesterton.

219.926.5513. chestertonseuropeanmarket.com. More than 150 vendors set up shop at this wellknown outdoor market, which features a wide range of products, including gourmet breads, cheeses and foods, along with plants, produce, rare books, accessories and gifts. Guests can also watch artists at work and enjoy live entertainment.

The market takes place every Saturday through the end of October.

GREAT LAKES CATERING 701 Washington St, Michigan City.

219.898.1501. greatlakescatering.com.

With a combined 75 years of experience, father and son Ed and Matt Kis have formed one of the area’s leading catering companies. A full range of services is available for all kinds of events, including catered foods and beverages, bands, tents, tables and more.

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assisted kitchen design service is also available.

shore THINGS Illinois

NATHALIE’S INTERIORS & GALLERY 2009 Ridge Rd, Homewood.

708.647.1177. A wide array of gifts can be found here, including Vera Bradley items, Pandora jewelry, Thymes fragrances, dishware, baby gifts, All That Jazz statues, and art by Edna Hibel, along with an assortment of art prints.

heal Indiana

CENTER FOR OTOLARYNGOLOGY 9120 Columbia Ave, Ste A, Munster.

219.836.4820. Bethany Cataldi, D.O., specializes in ear, nose and throat surgery and facial plastic surgery. In fact, she is the only female facial plastic surgeon in Northwest Indiana who’s been specifically trained in surgery of the face, head and neck. Dr. Cataldi’s expertise in such procedures exclusively ranges all spectrums, from topical treatments like skin peels, to hair removal, to full nasal construction.

DIGESTIVE DISEASE CLINICS Locations in Merrillville, Michigan City, Valparaiso, and St. Joseph, Mich.

800.422.9080. stomachdoctors.com.

Rakesh Gupta, MD, and his medical staff specialize in treating a variety of problems occuring in the stomach, intestines, pancreas, liver, gallbladder and esophagus.

The clinic operates with a philosophy of balanced management and will work with patients’ schedules to ensure treatment.

EAGLE EYE OPTIQUE 449 E Summit St, Crown Point.

219.662.1600. eagleeyeoptique.com. This optical boutique and private optometry practice—run by Gary W. Scearce, O.D.— specializes in eye care including spectacle lenses, contact lenses, and co-management of cataract and Lasik surgeries. The optical boutique features frames from designers such as Prada, Coach and Fendi.

NORTHWEST ORAL SURGEONS 601A US Hwy 30, Schererville.

219.322.0501. 548 Ridge Rd, Ste G, Munster. 219.836.0004. northwestoralsurgeons.com. Drs. Joseph Lovasko, D.D.S., and Paul Wolf, D.D.S., are oral and maxillofacial surgeons whose services include oral pathology, corrective jaw surgery, wisdom tooth removal, dental implants and more.

OBSTETRICAL & GYNECOLOGICAL ASSOCIATES, INC. 1101 E Glendale Blvd, Ste 102, Valparaiso.

219.462.6144. 3630 Willowcreek Rd, Ste 1, Portage. 219.364.3230. The boardcertified obstetrician-gynecologists—Drs. Short, Strickland and Murphy—at this clinic specialize in pregnancy care, family planning, infertility and menopause, along with general women’s wellness. Patients are made to feel at ease because of the clinic’s state-of-the-art equipment and a skilled staff.

PORTER HOSPITAL 814 LaPorte Ave, Valparaiso.

219.263.4600. 3630 Willowcreek Rd, Portage. 219.364.3000. 650 Dickinson Rd, Chesterton.

219.926.7755. porterhealth.org. Since opening in 1939 as a community-owned, not-for-profit hospital, Porter has served area families by providing quality care and programs.

With ten facilities in two counties, Porter provides health care that is recognized on local, state and national levels and offers a continuum of specialized services such as emergency/trauma, cardiology, family medicine, surgery, obstetrics, pediatrics,

orthopedics, oncology, sleep lab, physical rehabilitation care and more.

ST. ANTHONY MEMORIAL 301 W Homer St, Michigan City.

888.879.8511. saintanthonymemorial.org.

This acute care hospital, serving LaPorte, Porter and Berrien Counties, boasts an integrated healthcare network that is made up of an intensive care unit, a new birthing unit, emergency department, behavioral medicine, rehabilitation services, surgery units, oncology, pediatrics and a multidiscipline physician practice.

Illinois

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MEDICAL CENTER 888.824.0200. discover.uchospitals.edu.

Since 1927, the University of Chicago Medical Center has been one of the Midwest’s most reputable hospitals.

Aside from basic health care, the Medical Center consists of a children’s hospital, a maternity and women’s hospital, multiple outpatient facilities, and the renowned Pritzker School of Medicine.

invest Michigan

MUTUAL BANK, KATHY SELLERS 307 W Buffalo St, New Buffalo.

269.469.5552. bankwithmutual.com.

Kathy Sellers is a Mutual Bank agent who services both first-time home buyers and seasoned investors. Mutual Bank specializes in investments and wealth management for businesses and personal clients.

learn Michigan

OX-BOW Campus: 3435 Rupprecht Way, Saugatuck.

269.857.5811. Administrative offices: 37 S Wabash Ave, Chicago. 800.318.3019. ox-bow.org. This 96-year-old summer school of art and artists’ residency is located in Saugatuck and is affiliated with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Ox-Bow offers one- and two-week intensives for aspiring and experienced artists in six studio areas.

live Indiana

AVANT GARDENS 6833 Fail Rd, LaPorte. 312.455.2778. avgardens.com. An eco-friendly development, Avant Gardens features twenty home sites set on 103 acres of woods and natural prairie. The houses feature modern design, and owners can choose what level of green features to include in their home. The community itself includes a private clubhouse, in-ground pool, and a 60-acre wildlife and forest preserve.

CENTURY 21 MIDDLETON CO., INC. 219.874.2000. 1dwelling.com. Bonnie Meyer, an award-winning agent, is wellknown around LaPorte County for her real estate prowess. Featuring properties in Indiana and Michigan, Meyer has gained expertise on Lake Michigan and inland lake properties, city dwellings, farmland, building sites, land and residential development.

COLDWELL BANKER, DAWN BERNHARDT 748 E Porter, Chesterton. 219.241.0952. dawnbernhardt.com. Dawn Bernhardt is the go-to agent for homes in Chesterton’s luxurious Sand Creek subdivision, along with other properties in Porter, LaPorte

COLDWELL BANKER, DONNA HOFMANN 219.331.1133. dhofmann.com. Donna Hofmann specializes in helping clients with buying and selling lakefront properties in Ogden Dunes, Dune Acres, Porter Beach, Beverly Shores, Chesterton and Valparaiso.

HARTSFIELD VILLAGE 10000 Columbia Ave, Munster.

219.934.0750. hartsfieldvillage.com.

Hartsfield Village offers a full continuum of care that supports a variety of lifestyles, including independent living, assisted living, memory support and nursing care. Amenities include private patios and balconies, lounges, gardens, activity centers and fitness centers. Residents receive many benefits, such as laundry, housekeeping and dining services.

Michigan

AMERICAN HOMES, SHARON HALLIBURTON 4532 Red Arrow Hwy, Stevensville.

269.983.2526. sharonhalliburton.com.

For 30 years, Sharon Halliburton has specialized in property management, having been licensed as a real estate agent and a broker more than 10 years ago. Her expertise covers residential, lakefront and vacation properties, plus farms, golf courses and vineyards.

BRIDGEWATER PLACE 225 N Whittaker St, New Buffalo.

269.469.9500. bridgewaterofnewbuffalo. com. Two- and three-bedroom condominiums are available at this luxury development, which is situated in downtown New Buffalo. Amenities include a fitness center, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, elevated patios and a rooftop terrace with kitchenette.

COLDWELL BANKER RESIDENTIAL BROKERAGE 10 N Whittaker St, New Buffalo.

269.469.3950. coldwellbankeronline. com. This New Buffalo real estate firm features more than 200,000 properties in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin.

Both the in-office staff and the Coldwell Banker website offer multiple services and resources for buyers and sellers.

HARBOR SHORES REALTORS 584 Lake St, Saugatuck. 269.857.3900. harborshoresrealtors.com. Principal broker Tammy Kerr and team specialize in helping their clients buy and sell properties in the Saugatuck/Douglas area. Each of the agents are members of the National Association of REALTORS. HARBOR SHORES RESORT 269.932.1600. harborshoresresort.com.

Southwest Michigan’s biggest, most talked-about project is underway in Benton Harbor. The residential community will include a Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course, marinas, an indoor water park and a luxury spa. The property is surrounded by two rivers and five beaches. Custom homesites and cottages are available.

SHORES OF SOUTH HAVEN 300 Kalamazoo St, South Haven.

269.637.8555. shoresrealestate.com.

This reputable firm provides assistance with development, sales and leasing of condominiums, single-family, vacation and retirement home sales, along with lots, boat slips and commercial property.

Shores also manages and leases property for investor-buyers.

Illinois

DEWITT PLACE 900 N DeWitt Pl, Chicago. 312.642.7020. dewittplace.com. This 82-unit vintage building, built in 1924, offers corporate housing, temporary furnished apartment rentals and long-term temporary housing solutions. These studio and one-bedroom apartments come with a variety of amenities, including a fully equipped kitchen, wireless Internet access, DirecTV satellite service and an exercise room.

pamper Indiana

COSMEDIC SKIN & BODY CLINIC 210 E 86th Pl, Merrillville. 219.795.1255.

58 E Walton, Chicago. 312.377.3333. cosmedicclinic.com.

Available by appointment. Dr. James Platis, who has been featured on local and national news programs and has been applauded by Dr. Phil, specializes in all forms of surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures, particularly breast surgery, body contouring and facial aesthetic surgery.

Less invasive procedures include tanning, waxing and facials.

ELLE SALON 113 W 8th St, Michigan City.

219.874.3553. This upscale salon, situated in Michigan City’s historic district, offers full-service hair care, manicures, pedicures and facial waxing. Retail products include skin care, body care, a men’s line, wooden styling tools, a full line of Aveda products, and other calming items such as Aveda teas, candles and oils.

a full service eco-conscious design firm LAWRENCE ZIMMER

assoc.AIA

TIMOTHY JEFFRY SALON 2411 St. Lawrence Ave, Long Beach.

219.872.6567. timothyjeffrysalon. com. This quaint Aveda concept salon is situated near the lake in Long Beach and features hair and spa services, including unique options like hair damage remedies, exfoliating scalp treatment for men, Caribbean therapy pedicure and makeup application.

Michigan

HEATH & COMPANY 419 S Whittaker St, New Buffalo.

269.469.4247. This Aveda-concept salon is one of the familiar businesses greeting visitors to New Buffalo from the south.

Owner Rick Heath and his staff gel their expertise and friendliness, making a trip to this salon more of an experience than a necessity. Services include hair care, nail care, massage therapy and waxing.

YOGA GLOW 6 Linden St, Three Oaks. 269.697.4394. yogathreeoaks.com. This renowned yoga

portfolio and more info online at NLPHINC.COM michigan city

219.879.9140

chicago

312.938.9140

JUNE 2010

ORCHARD ON THE LAKE 269.695.9100. orchardonthelake.net. This Buchanan-based development—situated along the shores of the private spring-fed Pine Lake—will include thirty vacation homes that feature eight unique styles and range in size from 1,700 to 3,300 square feet, with three to five bedrooms. The property also features a community barn, heated pool, sundeck and nature trails.

PRUDENTIAL RUBLOFF PROPERTIES 439 S Whittaker St, New Buffalo.

888.257.5800. rubloff.com. Since 1930, Rubloff has been one of the premier real estate firms on the local scene. Serving clients all along Lake Michigan’s southern coast and beyond, the certified sales associates at Rubloff proclaim great success in buying, selling and renting properties along the lakeshore.

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and Lake Counties. The website offers an abundance of resources for both buyers and sellers.

shore THINGS studio features group yoga classes and private lessons for all levels, plus workshops every month. Patrons are encouraged to visit Yoga Glow’s website for class schedules, teacher bios and other yoga-related information.

party Indiana

DEVOTED WEDDINGS & EVENTS 219.309.1943. devotedweddings.com.

Owner Christina Page and her staff of professionals specialize in wedding and event planning—from a small baby shower to a large, full-scale wedding. A large array of party products are available as well, including invitations, accessories, favors and rentals.

JEFF BROWN TRIO 219.465.0638. jeffreycbrown.com. In the music business for more than 30 years, Jeff Brown has earned legendary status in the Valparaiso area and beyond. The Jeff Brown Trio, which performs a varied repertoire that is ideal for both listening and background music, is available for private functions throughout Illinois, Indiana and southern Michigan.

MARQUETTE PARK PAVILION 1 N Grand Blvd, Gary. 219.938.7362. This historic pavilion is one of the only event facilities in Indiana located right along the lakefront. Recently renovated in 2008, the pavilion can be rented for events of all sizes, from weddings to family reunions to business functions.

play Indiana

BLUE CHIP CASINO, HOTEL & SPA 777 Blue Chip Dr, Michigan City.

888.879.7711. bluechipcasino.com. The casino portion of Blue Chip features 65,000 square feet of gaming, all on one level, including more than 2,100 slot games and all the classic table games. Brand new to the facility is the 22-story Spa Blu Tower, which features a state-of-the-art hotel, luxury spa and convention center. Dining options include It’s Vegas Baby! and the Game, along with the fine-dining restaurant William B’s Steakhouse.

BRIAR RIDGE COUNTRY CLUB 123 Clubhouse Dr, Schererville. briarridgecc.com. 219.322.3660. The homes, condos and homesites on this country club property are situated among three ninehole championship golf courses, dining facilities, banquet and meeting rooms, tennis courts, a playground and an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

Michigan

FOUR WINDS CASINO 11111 Wilson Rd, New Buffalo, Michigan.

866.494.6371. fourwindscasino.com.

With 3,000 of the most recent types of slot machines and more than 100 tables games, including blackjack and craps, New Buffalo’s Four Winds is the only casino in the area that offers million dollar jackpots. This brand new casino also has the Midwest’s only World Poker Tour poker room.

P R E PA R AT I O N << shorebrideonline.com

NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK 319 Center St, South Haven. 269.637.8216. southhavenneedle.com. This cozy shop not only offers natural fiber yarns for knitting and crochet, but patrons can also hang out there to knit. There are several knitting and crocheting classes as well as group knitting events. Kits and gifts are also available.

OUTPOST SPORTS Locations in New Buffalo, St. Joseph, South Haven and Mishawaka, Ind. outpostsports. com. Whether bicycling, kayaking, surfing or simply sunbathing, any summer sports fan will find a large inventory of sporting products here. Owner JV Peacock emphasizes a life-isshort/seize-the-day philosophy throughout his inventory, events, lessons and staff.

Clothing, beach accessories and eyewear are also available.

are a theme at this historic hotel in St. Joseph.

From the plush furniture in the lobby to the comfort food at the Bistro, to the luxurious amenities in the hotel’s suites, the Boulevard offers more than just a place to stay. Business and fitness centers are also available for use.

CANDLEWOOD SUITES 2567 W Marquette Wood Rd, Stevensville.

269.428.4400. candlewoodsuites.com/ stjosephmi. With accommodations for overnight, corporate housing and relocation, Candlewood Suites appeals to the business traveler and vacationer alike. Each room comes with a full-size kitchen, high-speed Internet and a selection of DVD movies. Free laundry, a hot tub and fitness center and a private patio grill area are also available for all guests.

view Michigan

stay Indiana

DUNELAND BEACH INN 3311 Pottawattamie Tr, Michigan City.

219.874.7729. dunelandbeachinn.com. Nestled in a private wooded community on the beach, yet only minutes from Michigan City’s best shopping and dining, this cozy inn provides guests with comfort and convenience.

Also on the premises is Duneland Beach Inn’s fine dining restaurant, which features steaks, chops, pasta and seafood.

Michigan

THE BOULEVARD 521 Lake Blvd, St. Joseph. 269.983.6600. theboulevardinn.com. Warmth and coziness

BLUE GALLERY 16 S Elm St, Three Oaks. 269.756.9338. bluegalleryart.com. Run by owner and art director Judy Ferrara, this well-known gallery features the works of more than 15 artists, including local notables like Joe Hindley and Kellie Pickard. Several art-related events take place here, including a gallery walk every third Saturday of the month, when the facility is open until 9 p.m.

COWLEY FINE ARTS 315 State St, St. Joseph. 269.982.8077. cowleyfineartgallery.com. This art gallery represents more than 100 regional artists, with contemporary art, fine crafts and custom jewelry. Interior design consultation—by

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Locate Auto Dealers with Ease, in NW Indiana & Chicagoland AUDI

CHRYSLER

GMC

MITSUBISHI

TEAM AUDI • 50

ARNELL CHRYSLER • 14 U.S 20 & I-94, Burns Harbor, IN 866-593-0997 • www.arnellmotors.com

CIRCLE GMC • 65 1300 U.S. 41,, Schererville, IN IN. 219-865-4400 • IL. 773-221-8124 www.circleautomotive.com

1000 W. U.S. Hwy. 30, Merrillville, IN

3990 E. RT 30, Merrillville, IN (One mile east of the mall) 888-805-3689 • www.teamvwaudi.com

CENTER CHRYSLER • 41 11009 West 133rd Ave, Cedar Lake, IN 219-374-7171 • www.centercars.com

BUICK

HYUNDAI

SHAFFER MITSUBISHI • 43 219-736-2277 www.shaffermitsubishi.com

NISSAN

SHAFFER HYUNDAI • 43

GRIEGERS MOTORS • 5 1756 U.S. 30 West, Valparaiso, IN 219-462-4117 • www.griegersmotors.com

CIRCLE BUICK • 65 1300 U.S. 41,, Schererville, IN

1000 W. U.S. Hwy. 30, Merrillville, IN

SOUTHLAKE NISSAN • 34

219-736-2277 • www.shafferhyundai.com

Rt. 30, 1 Mile E. of I-65, Merrillville, IN

IN. 219-865-4400 • IL. 773-221-8124

888-966-4772 • www.southlakeautomall.co

WEBB HYUNDAI • 45

www.circleautomotive.com

THOMAS CHRYSLER • 11 9604 Indianapolis Blvd, Highland, IN 219-924-6100 • www.thomasautogroup.com

9236 Indianapolis Blvd., Highland, IN 219-923-2277 • www.webbhyundai.com

CHEVROLET

SUBARU OF MERRILLVILLE • 24

JEEP DODGE

ARNELL CHEVROLET • 14 U.S 20 & I-94, Burns Harbor, IN

MIKE ANDERSON CHEVROLET • 4

ARNELL JEEP • 14 866-593-0997 • www.arnellmotors.com

CENTER DODGE • 41 11009 West 133rd Ave, Cedar Lake, IN 219-374-7171 • www.centercars.com

The Chevy Giant on I-65 I-65 and 61st Avenue, Merrillville, IN

GRIEGERS MOTORS • 5 1756 U.S. 30 West, Valparaiso, IN 219-462-4117 • www.griegersmotors.com

17730 Torrence Ave, Lansing, IL 60438

RICHARDSON SUZUKI • 38 9110 Indianapolis Blvd., Highland, IN

219-374-7171 • www.centercars.com

219-923-4000 • www.richardsonsuzuki.com

GRIEGERS JEEP • 5

TOYOTA

1756 U.S. 30 West, Valparaiso, IN

219-462-4117 • www.griegersmotors.com

219-845-4000 • www.smithautogroupusa.com SMITH CHEVROLET - LOWELL • 7 700 W. Commerical, Lowell, IN 219-696-8931 • www.smithautogroupusa.com

TEAM TOYOTA • 44 9601 Indianapolis Blvd., Highland, IN

THOMAS JEEP • 11

THOMAS DODGE • 11 9604 Indianapolis Blvd, Highland, IN 219-924-6100 • www.thomasautogroup.com

6405 Indianapolis Blvd., Hammond, IN

SUZUKI

CENTER JEEP • 41

708-474-4990 • www.ridgewaychevy.com SMITH CHEVROLET - HAMMOND • 37

219-756-7900 • www.subaruofmerrillville.com

11009 West 133rd Ave, Cedar Lake, IN

219-947-4151 • www.mikeandersonchevy.com RIDGEWAY CHEVROLET • 1

1777 West, US Rt. 30, Merrillville, IN

U.S 20 & I-94, Burns Harbor, IN

ARNELL DODGE • 14 U.S 20 & I-94, Burns Harbor, IN 866-593-0997 • www.arnellmotors.com

866-593-0997 • www.arnellmotors.com

SUBARU

9604 Indianapolis Blvd, Highland, IN 219-924-6100 • www.thomasautogroup.com

219-924-8100 • www.teamtoyota2000.com TOYOTA ON 30 • 46 4450 E. RT 30, Merrillville, IN 219-947-3325 • www.toyotaon30.com

FORD

KIA

SMITH FORD • 36 1777 E. Commercial, Lowell, IN 219-769-1090 • www.smithautogroupusa.com

Rt. 30, 1 mi. East of I-65, Merrillville, IN

SOUTHLAKE KIA • 34

VOLKSWAGEN

866-639-8542 • www.southlakeautomall.com TEAM VOLKSWAGEN • 50

TEAM CHEVROLET • 48 1856 W. U.S. 30, Valparaiso, IN 219-462-1175 • www.teamchevyinc.com

THOMAS KIA • 16

WEBB FORD • 71 9809 Indianapolis Blvd., Highland, IN 888-869-8822 • www.webford.com

3990 E. RT 30, Merrillville, IN

9825 Indianapolis Blvd, Highland, IN

(One mile east of the mall)

219-934-2266 • www.thomasautogroup.com

888-805-3689 • www.teamvwaudi.com

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CROWN POINT

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CONTACT YOUR SALES REPRESENTATIVE TO FEATURE YOUR BUSINESS IN THE TIMES AUTO DIRECTORY CROWN POINT • (219) 662-5300 MUNSTER • (219) 933-3200 PORTAGE • (219) 762-1397 VALPARAISO • (219) 462-5151

shore THINGS visit Indiana

THE SHRINE OF CHRIST’S PASSION 10630 Wicker Ave, St. John.

219.365.6010. shrineofchristspassion. org. This peaceful, prayerful environment consists of an interactive half-mile winding pathway that takes visitors from the Last Supper to the Ascension of the Christ. The journey features 40 life-size bronze statues that are accompanied by a listening station that gives a description of the scene. The Visitor’s Center and Gift Shop carries a unique selection of books and gifts for people of all faiths.

Michigan

FERNWOOD BOTANICAL GARDEN & NATURE PRESERVE 13988 Range Line Rd, Niles.

269.695.6491. fernwoodbotanical.org.

Situated on 105 acres of cultivated and natural land, Fernwood is composed of gardens, forests and trails for visitors to peruse. An art gallery, fern conservatory, nature center, cafe and gift shop are also on site, and there are several learning and enrichment opportunities as well.

ST. JOSEPH TODAY 120 State St, St. Joseph. 269.985.1111. sjtoday.org. Visitors to St. Joseph will find a variety of helpful information—on shopping, dining and events—at this welcome center. St. Joseph Today is a nonprofit organization that assists and encourages local business and tourism development.

SILVER BEACH CENTER 333 Broad St, St. Joseph. 269.982.8500. silverbeachcarousel.com. Brand new to St. Joseph is this family-friendly center, which features an abundance of fun and unique activities for people of all ages. The primary attraction is the Silver Beach Carousel, a spectacular structure that features 44 colorful, hand-carved horses. Also at the center is Curious Kids’ Discovery Zone, the Shadowland Ballroom, Whirlpool Compass Fountain, and Michigan’s tallest kaleidoscope.

SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN TOURIST COUNCIL 2300 Pipestone Rd, Benton Harbor.

269.925.6301. swmichigan.org. The natural attractions of Southwest Michigan— the dunes, miles of scenic Lake Michigan beach, rivers and parks with hiking trails and biking paths—offer beauty in every season. The friendly staff at this nonprofit organization can assist travelers whether they seek solitude or a group learning experience.

wear Indiana

INDIAN SUMMER 131 S Calumet Rd, Chesterton.

219.983.9994. 126 S Whittaker St, New Buffalo, Mich. 269.469.9994. This women’s clothing boutique offers casual and contemporary clothing and jewelry from around the world. Indian Summer features brands such as Sympli, Jag Jeans, O My Gauze, San Miguel Shoes and Minnetonka. The new space in Chesterton offers a larger selection of summer apparel, jewelry and accessories, while the original New Buffalo storefront continues to feature its quality inventory for those on the other side of the lake.

LUX & MIE 404 E Lincolnway, Valparaiso.

219.464.3330. luxandmie.com. Fashions and accessories in contemporary, trendy and casual-chic styles come together at Lux & Mie, an upscale boutique owned by mother-daughter pair Kate and Jamie Salan. The fashionable selection appeals to both men and women, from high school age to those in their 50s and 60s. Featured designers include English Laundry, Covet and Wish Collection.

Michigan

CRESCENT MOON 413 Phoenix Rd, South Haven.

269.637.5119. Situated in downtown South Haven, this boutique features women’s apparel that ranges from dressy to casual to sportswear. Brands include Lole, Fresh Produce, and Pure. Also available are shoes, jewelry and home décor items, including Mariposa serving pieces.

DK BOUTIQUE 213 State St, St. Joseph. 269.983.7313. dkboutique.com. This contemporary women’s clothing boutique in downtown St. Joe offers limited edition designer apparel, cool new accessories and the latest designs in jewelry from Pandora Jewelry. With something for everyone, from teenagers and older, DK Boutique provides the most current styles that are full of flair.

EVE 319 State St, St. Joseph. 269.983.4372.

This boutique for women is a longtime favorite among visitors to downtown St. Joseph. Owned by Rachel Arent, Eve specializes in artisan-designed clothing and trendy jewelry and accessories. Some of the more popular designers found here include Linda Lundstrom, Lee Andersen, Sympli, Painted Pony and Fenini. Eve’s selection of linen clothing is wildly popular among customers.

MOXIE’S BOUTIQUE 321 State St, St. Joseph. 269.983.4273. moxiesboutique.com. This fun and festive boutique features women’s fashions, accessories and gifts. Apparel—from designers such as Belamie, Flashback Couture and Nic & Zoe—comes in a range of styles and prices. Many local artists’ works are available here as well, including handbags, scarves, jewelry, furniture and art.

JUNE 2010

ALBERT’S DIAMOND JEWELERS 711 Main St, Schererville. 219.322.2700. albertsjewelers.com. Besides the fact that Albert’s showcases 5,000 square feet of jewelry, the store in itself is an entertainment destination. A bar, largescreen TV, dance floor and karaoke are among the many ways that patrons can let loose while browsing every type of fine jewelry imaginable. Brands include Tacori, Bulgari, Cartier and Bez Ambar, and the store’s entire back wall is devoted to bridal jewelry and accessories.

AMY LAURIE’S ECLECTIC BOUTIQUE 613 N Main St, Crown Point.

219.661.8094. This boutique features clothing for women of all ages and sizes, including jackets, wraps, sweaters, evening wear, accessories and shoes. Owners Judith Kaye and Nancy C. Goodwin update the inventory regularly, while also offering frequent sales.

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artists Jane Cowley and Nancy Eggen—is another available service.

shorecast PREDICTIONS BY FRAN SMITH

For more astrological advice, be sure to check out Fran Smith’s regular blog on visitshoremagazine.com.

Gold medal-winning Olympic figure skater EVAN LYSACEK

[gemini] MAY 21-JUNE 20 KEY WORDS in June: You’re the One! At long last, it’s here.

The beginning of your personal New Year—that amazing cycle when all things either fall into their right place—or all things (especially relationships) begin anew. Or both—based on the speed with which you live your life. Luxuriate in this all-important month; yet pay very close (if not constant) attention to what is taking place—near and at a distance. Even the whole concept of Opportunity should be sought by you. It could easily be lurking nearby. SIDESTEP staying away from home base when that’s where you should be.

[cancer] JUNE 21-JULY 22 KEY WORDS in June: Closed-Door Calls, Meetings and Strategy-Planning Sessions. While you excel at this throughout the year, June is the ideal time in which to do little else. However, don’t fritter away your days with casual concepts—just for the fun of it. Be serious—really serious. Put together a strong game plan (possibly two) that will see you through the rest of 2010. You certainly have the skill and the imagination. And with the Twins of Gemini at your side, you’ll have an unlimited amount of good ideas to work with. SIDESTEP dwelling in the past—for hours on end. [leo] JULY 23-AUGUST 22 KEY WORDS in June: Your Secret Agenda. Okay, let’s get on with it. This is the sector in which the desires of your heart dwell. And because the planet Mercury (countless wishes) governs here—you’re often pulled in various directions, simultaneously, as to what you truly desire.

You even add the desires of those close to you—and those pull you in even more directions. Stop. This is the month when your list-making skills must be called into play. Write down items 1 through 10. Be specific. And be determined to follow that list. SIDESTEP an unwillingness to be happy. [virgo] AUGUST 23-SEPTEMBER 22 KEY WORD in June: The Summit. What’s involved here, in these warm summer months, is nothing less than a favorable new dimension within your career. This is important business—and you are not playing games.

However, you must ask yourself: is anyone else playing games? Given your high level of integrity, you rarely suspect this. Nonetheless, since a work-related advancement is part of your personal landscape, don’t hesitate to look around—and to question. Nothing obvious. Your smooth style should find the answers you seek. SIDESTEP a stony silence. [libra] SEPTEMBER 23-OCTOBER 22 KEY WORDS in June: Plans, Projects and People. This is fun, as long as you don’t wander off course. That means—stick to working with current situations and involvements. Do not drift into new situations and new involvements. Finish what is close at hand before you become curious about that attractive involvement over there—or that late-breaking development right next to you. None of this is easy. But if you want to win, you must stay focused—no matter how those summer breezes try to distract you. SIDESTEP an inflexibility in your attitude and your response.

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[scorpio] OCTOBER 23-NOVEMBER 22 KEY WORD in June: Revitalization, on all levels—mental, emotional, physical, financial and spiritual. How odd that the merry month of June—with all its high activity and laughter and frivolity—is the very month in which the formidable (often, very intense) sun-sign of Scorpio, the Scorpion, experiences a renewed love of life. Look further. Rose is the flower and pearl is the gemstone of June. That works. A black rose and a black pearl certainly illustrate the glamour that is Scorpio, the Scorpion.

SIDESTEP lingering on details that are of no significance whatsoever. [sagittarius] NOVEMBER 23-DECEMBER 21 KEY WORDS in June: New Alliances and New Agreements—possibly, the desired contract. The one thing that you have that no other sun-sign has—is your planetary ruler, Jupiter (Lady Luck). It propels you into everything that’s fascinating, fantastic and profitable.

And with just as much ease, lifts you out of the not-sogood stuff. You’ll certainly need Lady Luck this month to guide you through a cross-section of complex alliance and agreement matters. Listen well to her every word.

SIDESTEP even a hint of negativity—in your thinking and in your actions. [capricorn] DECEMBER 22-JANUARY 19 KEY WORDS in June: The Beloved Grindstone. In the traditional zodiac wheel, Capricorn, the Mountain Goat (forever climbing upward toward safety and success), governs the 10th house of career and advancement. It’s the house of the Chief Executive Officer (in astrology and in real life). Now, June is the month that highlights your work and its environment. So tread carefully, stay committed to your plan of action, and bring the success that you desire (always) to the center of the stage. It’s precisely what you do. SIDESTEP redoing a plan that was fine in the first place. [aquarius] JANUARY 20-FEBRUARY 18 KEY WORDS in June: A Very Good Month. Finally, something that’s really Big Fun. It’s the month of June.

And nearly everything of personal importance (to you) revolves around—and most certainly includes love, close relationships, creative matters and speculation—taking a chance. Gambling is present. Not only the gaming kind—but the gambling-with-your-emotional-life kind as well. Keep in mind: the planet Uranus (the unusual and the unexpected) rules your sun-sign. So watch every step you take. You never know. SIDESTEP ignoring your own superb intuition. [pisces] FEBRUARY 19-MARCH 20 KEY WORDS in June: Your Base of Operations—where you live and where you work. This is a complex place for you. Although your nature is low-key, and usually introspective—your home environment is often filled with great amounts of sound and movement. How did this happen? It’s Mercury (endless sound and movement), the planet that governs your 4th house of home and homerelated matters. It may be difficult. But it’s also good. No sound and no motion could cause the Fish to be very still, indeed. SIDESTEP allowing your leisure time to take over your thoughts. [aries] MARCH 21-APRIL 20 KEY WORD in June: Dialogue—in all forms. Never at a loss for words (unless you’re just too angry or too distracted to speak), you can easily jump into any ongoing conversation—at any point. This month, you’ll discover that your exact choice of words (both in their spoken and written form) is your most valuable weapon. That’s right! Weapon. Because right now, you’re in the midst of a major assault (primarily work-related) geared toward winning exactly what you want. Add humor. SIDESTEP putting off what needs to be done now—whatever form it takes. [taurus] APRIL 21-MAY 20 KEY WORDS in June: Addition and Subtraction—and every other method in which your financial affairs are involved. Now’s the time to focus completely on your budget and your record-keeping system. This is not one of those “leave it for a later time” cycles. This is a “do it right now—and do it accurately” moment. The month of June, ruled by the planet Mercury (all forms of communications), now demands that you take a thorough look at your finances. And create the solutions that you seek. SIDESTEP refusing to acknowledge the innate power of your own talent.

WANT MORE? please go to page 52 or visitshoremagazine.com for a full listing of the area’s best events and watch the Shore Weekender with Joe and Julia for the absolute best picks for a great weekend.

Jun 4 17TH ANNUAL BEAUX ARTS BALL Center for the Visual and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge Rd, Munster. 219.836.1839 ext 107. southshoreartsonline.org.

The proceeds from this popular black-tie fundraiser—which includes live and silent auctions, cocktails, dinner and dancing, all to this year’s whimsical theme of “Alice through the Looking Glass”—will benefit South Shore Arts’ “everykid” program.

Jun 5 2ND ANNUAL FOOD AND WINE FEST noon-9pm, downtown Valparaiso. 219.462.0992.

Local restaurants, including Bistro 157, Bon Femme Café, Don Quijote, Pikk’s Tavern and Paparazzi, will be on hand to provide samples of their menu fare with five microbrews, wine, sangria and more. Musical entertainment will be present throughout the event and chidren’s games are planned.

Jun 5 RHUMBLINE REGATTA St. Joseph River Yacht Club, St. Joseph. 269.313.2256, 269.983.6393. rhumblineregatta.com.

Now in its fourth year, the highly anticipated Rhumbline is the largest regatta in St. Joe. The public is invited to the accompanying festivities, which include a spare rib dinner and a party afterwards.

Lake Michigan

shore PICKS Jun 16-Aug 30 GRANT PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park, Chicago. 312.742.7638. grantparkmusicfestival.com.

Now in its 76th year, the nation’s only remaining free outdoor municipally supported classical music series will start with a bang. Admission to the lawn and general seating section is free for all concerts. Jun 16: Vivaldi, Four Seasons; Jun 18-19: Beethoven, Mass in C Major; Jun 23: Pink Martini; Jun 25-26: The Pulitzer Project; Jun 30: Muzyka Polska.

last resort

Starstruck

HOW I ALMOST LOST IT MEETING RINGO

by RICK KAEMPFER

I always imagined that one of the biggest perks of working in rock ’n’ roll radio would be meeting the musicians, singers and songwriters I admired. I met hundreds of them in my twenty-plus years in the business, and while most of them were very cordial and friendly, it was a bit of a letdown to see they were just normal people that just happened to be very musically talented.

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ranted, some were more normal than others (I wouldn’t put Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys in the “normal” category), and some were more musically talented than others (Sorry, Vanilla Ice, I calls ’em like I sees ’em), but meeting them was just a part of the job. I booked them as guests on radio shows, and prepped them for interviews in the green room, or I met them backstage at concerts, and our discussions were always very businesslike.

I never asked for an autograph. I never asked to have my picture taken with a rock star. It just didn’t seem to be a very professional way to conduct myself. That’s why I have no photographic or written proof that I met or worked with everyone from Aerosmith to Frank Zappa.

There was only one time that I lost my professional cool and became a quivering fan. I’m still a little embarrassed about it, but the keepsake I got in return is something I still treasure to this day.

I got an autograph from an actual living, breathing Beatle.

And I don’t even care that it was only Ringo.

The year was 1989. Ringo was touring the country for the first time in many years. He had assembled an

“All-Star Band,” and among the band members was Joe Walsh, the guitarist for the Eagles. Joe happened to be a good friend of Steve Dahl and Garry Meier (The Loop, AM 1000), and I happened to be their producer at the time.

Joe always stopped by the show when he was in Chicago. On this particular occasion, Steve joked that he should have brought Ringo along with him.

“Hey, man, I guess I could call him at the hotel, if you want,” Joe said.

Steve handed him the phone.

“Hey, Ringo, it’s me, Joe,” he said.

We could only hear Joe’s half of the conversation. “Listen, remember those guys Steve and Garry I told you about?

Yeah. Well I’m going on the air with them in a few minutes and they wanted to know if you would go on with them.”

There was a long silence as he listened to Ringo.

“Okay, man,” Joe said. He looked at me. “How do I put this thing on hold?”

I grabbed the phone from him before he accidentally hung it up (no offense to Joe, but that was a distinct possibility). I listened in to make sure Ringo was still there.

“Mr. Starr?” I said.

“Yes,” he answered. The Liverpool accent was a dead giveaway. I know this sounds completely pathetic, but I actually got a little weak in my knees when I heard his voice. (If you saw my ridiculous collection of Beatles-related memorabilia, you’d understand.)

“Um . . . you’ll be on the air with Steve and Garry right after these commercials,” I said. At that point I had to start breathing through my mouth, because my normal breathing functions had completely abandoned me.

“Right, then,” he said.

“Please hold.”

My hand was shaking as I hit the hold

button. Steve looked at me to confirm it really was Ringo. I nodded. When the commercial ended, Steve and Garry immediately put him on the air. What happened next was a pretty memorable opening thirty seconds of an interview.

“Do you have a delay system?” Ringo asked.

“Yes,” Steve admitted.

“You don’t trust me?” Ringo asked.

He sounded wounded. “Do you have any idea how many interviews I’ve done? Thousands. Don’t you think I can be trusted?”

“Of course,” Steve said. He leaned over and took the show out of delay.

“Is it off?” Ringo asked.

“Yes it is,” Steve confirmed.

“SHIT!” Ringo said.

I don’t remember what happened during the rest of the interview. I only remember that nobody was upset with him (this was in the pre-FCC crackdown days), because let’s face it, that was a pretty funny bit.

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t was a thrill for all of us to speak to him on the phone, but later that night Ringo actually showed up at the radio station in the flesh.

He was the guest on a national radio call-in show called Rockline, which was broadcasting from the Loop studios.

Just before the show began, my personal copy of Ringo’s greatest hits album was placed in front of him, and he signed it for me.

It remains my one and only rock ’n’ roll autograph.

Was it professional to ask for it?

Probably not, but somehow, I think the rock ’n’ roll radio gods will forgive me for this one little indiscretion. Especially after the “no more autographs” vow Ringo made last summer.

In retrospect, it looks like I chose the right moment to be unprofessional.