I came home from snowy egrets, to snow on my roof!
Saint Petersburg, FL is really chill. It’s sophisticated without being snobby. I was visiting my brother at the end of April. We got lost in a Chihuly exhibit and film and never even made it across the street to the glass blowing demonstration.
My flight was cancelled coming back–after jerking me around all day–so United put me up at the Hilton in Tampa. I came home to daffodils covered in slush. I’d missed Independent Bookstore Day; after planning for weeks.
The next weekend was the Chicago Antiquarian Map, Book, and Ephemera Fair. This was the first time books and ephemera were included. Good things and not so good things;booksellers have specific needs. Let’s just say there are some growing pains. I did really like the ad I made for the program though!
A (very generous) friend gifted me a CSO ticket for that night, too. I had hours to kill between the map fair and baton drop.
Ever the flaneuse, I walked from the Newberry Library to Symphony Center considering 
my options. A light dinner, a little wine and then off to the symphony. But where? Too many (expensive) choices between there and there. I was not in the mood for the $15 half pour.
Then I remembered Remington’s! it’s right on Boul Mich and only a few blocks from Symphony Center. I stair-stepped the mile and a half there. Just in time for happy hour, I ordered the smoked trout dip and wine. A second glass of wine and a conversation about reading in bars with a fellow symphony attendee and it was time to go to Symphony Center.
I should have eaten Italian in honor of that night’s performance. Bizet’s Roma, Respighi’s Pines of Rome, and Berlioz’s The Death of Cleopatra where all on the program!
I finally got to see Muti conduct! Joyce DiDonato brought me to tears. She created a depth of sadness in Cleopatra that I have never experienced before.
Since January, I have been working on an essay about the Chicago Women’s Club. I was just about to wrap it up. Midweek, I headed to the Fine Arts Building to get some pictures. I Trespassed. Again. You’ll all have to wait a bit more now. Hopefully that will get me to finally finish! Here’s a little peek.
I got the faucet I wanted for Mother’s Day! My sons are the very best! Then, thanks to the generosity of the shipping fairies I got two soap dispensers when I ordered one! Thanks Wayfair! I highly recommend it!
There was this, too.
Finally I had the next weekend to myself. I had to go to
Target, so a walk through Rosehill Cemetery was a must! I spotted this lion at a house on Rosehill Dr.
Funny thing? This house used to belong to my wasband’s aunt. I met most of his family here for the first time.
I am making a Gallery here called “City Lions.” I’ll be including this one, definitely.
I met my skate boss at Cliff Dwellers later that week. I took this photo of the window washers as they retired their platform.
Our Olympic trials in Chicago hopes are dwindling. It’s just too much to get together in a very short time. It’s the changing of the guard, too. I am starting to work on the film festival in a few weeks, too.
I found a new walk this month! Since leaving Albany Park five years ago I have struggled with finding a new walk. I like to walk through quiet residential places, with older homes. My old favorite walk was through Ravenswood Manor; from Kedzie to Western Ave. It saved my sanity when I was a mostly single mom. It’s one of the biggest things I missed about my old neighborhood.
I was running early one day and got off the train at Fullerton. I stair-stepped my way through Lincoln Park and Old Town, walking up Halsted to get to the shop. I even found a very well-preserved ghost sign!
It took 45 minutes. It felt like home. I am working on doing it twice a week to start. That, plus the walk to the Armitage stop on the brown line a few times a week will hopefully bring me the long walks that crave.
That same day, a friend also tickets to Hamlet. I accepted immediately of course! I barely looked at the date but did hear “Friday.”
The third week of May was even busier. A friend came to install the faucet, I had my tub reglazed, Chicago Action Sports wanted a payment module installed, plus staff going to BookExpo. And there was an impromptu party at my house on Thursday. We were preparing for our garden weekend by drilling holes in our planters. After that, Matt and I had planned on wine and cheese at my house as a reward. Before I knew it Mike and Cady had joined us! Four really is a houseful for me! I love midweek gatherings!
When landed at Remington’s for Happy Hour and Hamlet I was astounded at everything that had happened that week. About halfway through a glass of wine I texted my friend.
“Should I order you a wine?”
“Are you at Remington’s?”
“Yes”
“Hamlet is NEXT Friday! I’m off today!”
I was secretly thankful. I had heard there was a large concert at Navy Pier and I was not looking forward to the crowd. And I was exhausted! I finished my wine, paid my tab and headed home.
Our weekend garden work at the building got cancelled. Rain. Again.
The last week, staff decided to not go to BookExpo (he’d never made a reservation). I had a plumber visit to repair a couple of small drips.
I learned how to do UPS freight because Mr. Volk’s Lincoln statue moved to New Hampshire. He was palletized and everything! I will miss him. But that’s the best thing about working where I work. It’s all ephemeral! Mr. Volk’s journey turned out to be one 150 years in the making. Read about it!
I was thankful for the quiet, especially after the week before.
The last day of May, Friday, was Happy Hour and Hamlet. I met my friend at Remington’s for wine and a light dinner. They we walked to Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Maurice Jones was probably the best Hamlet I have ever seen. I felt Hamlet’s pain deeper than I ever have. My absolute favorite thing about the production was Susan E. Mickey’s spot on costumes. Gertrude’s palazzo pant should be available at Nordstrom TODAY! Rosencrantz and Guildenstern could have used more warmth and humor and less frat boy and both were a bit flat but everything else about the production is very imaginative!
With the third trip to Remington’s I also became an accidental regular! I learned the are owned by the same restaurant group as Crosby’s. My son worked at Crosby’s for a while. In Chicago restaurant tradition, we are practically family!
We did get the garden work done, too. I try to spend at few hours every day. There is ivy to trim and weeds to pull. Mostly, though it’s about me finding a little time to connect with the earth and make my whole home much prettier.
I have to be patient though and give things time to grow.
Sylvia