Could somebody tell me why ribs are so complicated? Why is something so primal held to such scrutiny? The most likely answer to both questions centers on the fact that there are few things that can top a fabulous slab of spare/baby back/St. Louis cut ribs or rib tips. Nothing is more closely tied to …
Creating something new and different has been consuming a big chunk of the Neo-Futurists’ mission for decades. But something’s changed. Somebody pushed a button and all Hell broke loose. Now they’re as brilliant as they are funny. Riotously clever, frighteningly talented; a perpetual happening. If their July 1st production of Face/Off is any indication …
Flipping through the playbill and seeing that the subject matter dealt with refugees, my only hope was that Objects in the Mirror not be cheesy. Immediately my heart lightened when I saw Allen Gilmore was in the cast. I remember him most notably from his work with Congo Square and I miss seeing him as …
Even combing through her profiles on line, it’s still very hard to get a bead on how Valerie June became the performer she is. Having released her third self-produced album, The Order of Time, to critical acclaim, it’s her style that’s as beguiling as the beauty and candor of her songs. It sounds bluegrass, but …
Valerie June’s The Order of Time – Perfect Combination of Style and Substance Read More »
Thwarted from going to Robert’s Pizza and getting a little intimate with their highly-touted crust because the restaurant doesn’t open until 5; my surprise was not accompanied by a Plan B. Breakfast was a banana that had satisfied for all of 30 minutes hours ago. Headed back toward Michigan Ave. I looked up and saw …
Lots of people, when they see a soap opera coming down the road, high tail in the other direction. It may be a personal problem. And an unfortunate one because they might miss the decadently delicious Destiny of Desire playing at the Goodman. Telenovelas and soap operas come from the same place and in …
Sometimes going to a restaurant is like dating. You go out a few times and decide, “Yeah, this could be serious”. Goosefoot is like that; a great date. In many ways, it’s the classic upscale dining venue. Subdued dining room awash in good taste and subtle accents that add interest to the space. The …
Evanston’s restaurant scene sometimes seems as fluid as Manhattan’s with its constant flow of what’s hot and what’s not. Billing itself as an urban Thai kitchen, NaKorn on Orrington had the minimalist charm of a serious restaurant and an utterly charming waitstaff. Singing with flavor, the tapioca pearl crackers are enough reason to …
Sometimes you wonder how an idea flowers into a premiere. Victory Gardens production of Queen left a number of us in the audience pondering that question. The play’s concept couldn’t be more noble. Highlighting the global disappearance of bees, it followed the journey of two scientists whose groundbreaking work explaining that disappearance become suspect. If …
Leaving Ada St. after dinner a year ago, chef Joanna Stachon could claim rock star status as far as I was concerned. Her food was equal parts delicious, beautiful and revelation. Ada St. is not a fancy fancy place. Good bones with a little brick and wood noir thrown in. After being seated and …