Sailing vacation packages that make charters easy and accessible for non-sailors are now available in the British Virgin Islands, Martinique, Tahiti and the Seychelles.
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Dream Yacht Worldwide, the world’s leading yacht charter company, is bringing its successful crewed yacht product “Easy Crewed” to 4 new destinations this summer. The concept that was specifically designed for those new to chartering launched last year in Greece and Croatia and is offering easy-to-book, flexible, and price-competitive sailing vacation packages.
The “Easy Crewed” charter program builds upon the company’s highly successful “Cabin Cruise” vacations for singles and couples, currently offered in more than 15 idyllic destinations worldwide.
The Cabin Cruise concept was pioneered and developed by Dream Yacht Worldwide in the effort to make sailing vacations accessible to travelers unfamiliar with yacht charters. The Easy Crewed offering is a natural evolution in this endeavor, extending the concept to feature private yachts for groups of family and friends up to ten.
The addition of the British Virgin Islands, Martinique, Tahiti, and the Seychelles as Easy Crewed charter destinations offers guests even more flexibility regarding their preferred vacation destination and together with Greece and Croatia creates a unique blend of Mediterranean, Caribbean and exotic locations available to choose from.
A one-week charter trip will let guests explore breathtaking coastlines, ancient ruins, crystalline waters, amazing local cuisine with fresh ingredients, and countless dazzling islands that can only be reached by boat.
Those planning their yacht charter vacation need only choose a destination and boat type based on their preferences and number of people in their travel group. Monohulls and sailing catamarans from 38’ to 54’ are among the yacht choices, all with comfortable private guest cabins with ensuite or shared baths. Easy Crewed Charters come complete with an experienced local skipper and watersports equipment including a standup paddle board and snorkeling gear. The skipper works with the guests to plan a custom itinerary that accommodates desired activities, day stops and night anchorages.
For additional comfort guests can choose to add a hostess/cook, air conditioning, and meal packages to include all breakfasts and lunches or even all meals in more remote cruising grounds. These meal plans cater to the guest’s specific preferences.
Easy Crewed Charters are currently available to book for Summer 2023 and beyond. As an example, the one-week package prices start as low as $630 per person for 10 guests aboard a 47- to 56-foot monohull in Croatia and $1023 per person for 10 guests aboard a 43- to 47-foot monohull in the British Virgin Islands.
About Dream Yacht Worldwide – The World’s Leading Ocean Tourism Company
Part of the Dream Yacht Group, we were founded by Loic Bonnet in 2000. We set out from the start to revolutionize the industry by making sailing accessible to all. Originally launched in the Seychelles with just six boats, Dream Yacht Worldwide now has one of the largest charter fleets, and more than 50 exciting destinations worldwide, including the Caribbean, Bahamas, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Asia, Americas and Europe.
It’s time to get ready for National Burger Day coming up on August 25th. So, to get ready here are some burger and other food stats:
America loves its burgers, but there is a debate over how we like them and where we should put our cheese. RTA Outdoor Living (RTAOutdoorLiving.com), the leader in custom prefabricated outdoor kitchens and cooking appliances, has released the results of a study that reveal what Americans really feel about burgers, hot dogs, BBQing, pizza and more.
The survey of over 1,000 people from coast to coast revealed the best level of “doneness” for a burger is medium, with 40% of respondents agreeing. More men (43.1%) than women (36.8%) were into medium doneness while more women (23.2%) than men (11.6%) wanted well-done burgers. In a cheeseburger, 15% of respondents feel the cheese should go UNDER the burger! Really?! Almost 19% of men want the cheese under the burger
– In a cheeseburger, 15% of respondents feel the cheese should go UNDER the burger! Really?! o Almost 19% of men want the cheese under the burger
– The best level of “doneness” for a burger is medium, with 40% of respondents agreeing o More men (43.1%) than women (36.8%) were into medium doneness while more women (23.2%) than men (11.6%) wanted well-done burgers
– “Drumsticks” are the clear favorite amongst wing eaters, far ahead of “flats” o Drumsticks are the winner with 2 in 3 respondents preferring them
– Boneless wings are more popular than bone-in wings o Despite a clear love for drumsticks, 63.4% of respondents chose boneless over bone-in wings
– 57% of respondents say hot dogs are sandwiches o A higher number of boomers (63.5%) say so than Gen Z (50%) o 60% of men think a hot dog is a sandwich, while 52% of women agree
– 56.7% of respondents say grilling is the best method to prepare a hot dog o Surprisingly, 12.6% think it is microwaving is the best way o Grilling is 10% more popular with females (62.5%) than males (52.2%) o 27% of those ages 18-23 feel that boiling is the best method
– 10% of Americans think that squares are the best way to cut a pizza o While 90% agree that the traditional triangle is the best way to get a slice, 10% do like the squares
– 47.5% of respondents put pineapple on their pizza, meaning just 52.5% of pizzas are safe from certain doom o 60% of those 18-23 will not put pineapple on their pizza
– 18% of Americans eat pizza with a fork and knife
– 3 in 4 prefer the crispiness of edge brownies while 24% want 100% gooiness of the center brownies. Good thing there are 4 edges and 1 center per tray
With less than five months to go until December 25, it might be hard for some of us to get into the Christmas spirit. (Sometimes it’s hard to think as far ahead as dinner, so we get it.) However, there are some unique places where it’s never too soon to get the (snow)ball rolling. One such place is Branson, Missouri, where visions (of sugarplums), plans and schedules for the destination’s annual transformation into one of America’s most Christmassy towns are already well under way.The spectacular two-month Ozark Mountain Christmas celebration kicks off in early November and is filled with lights, music and merriment for the young and the young-at-heart.
Branson has officially been celebrating Ozark Mountain Christmas since 1988, making this year its 35th anniversary … though the celebration has become bigger and brighter each year. If you’re in need of some convincing about why a trip to Branson should make it onto your Christmas list, here are just a few reasons:
1.5 million lights are located in the “Christmas in Midtown” section of Silver Dollar City’s “An Old Time Christmas.” This concentration of lights is more than 20% of the 680 miles of lights dazzling guests at the park during this time of year.Photo Credit: Silver Dollar City
1. Silver Dollar City’s An Old Time Christmas
This 1880s-style theme park’s “An Old Time Christmas” event features the largest concentration of lights in Branson … more than 6.5 million, to be exact (equating to more than 680 miles of lights)! Between November 4 and December 30, visitors can stroll among the massive displays of twinkling lights, including the concentrated 1.5-million-light “Christmas In Midtown” walkthrough and Joy On Town Square light-to-music synchronized display, featuring an eight-story Christmas tree with larger-than-life LED projections. Many of the park’s award-winning rides are open during the festival, along with Broadway-style live holiday productions, festive home-style meals and seasonal treats. Plus, Rudolph’s Holly Jolly™ Christmas Light Parade, winds its way through The City’s streets.
Located in heart of Branson’s Entertainment District, this year’s brand-new community Christmas tree, “Evergreen and Ever Glowing” will be located in the same complex as the Branson Ferris Wheel.
2. Christmas Trees … and Treasure Hunts!
With more than 1,500 Christmas trees throughout the destination – including those at Silver Dollar City – Branson’s Christmas Tree Trail is truly spectacular. Each year, theBranson Christmas Coalition – yes, it’s a real organization – unveils a themed community Christmas tree in November. This year’s theme has been announced as “Evergreen and Ever Glowing,” and will celebrate the destination’s balance of nature and neon. A colorful spectacle from top to bottom, all 39 feet of the 2023 tree will be adorned with nearly 6,000 lights and a neon sign wishing the world a “Merry Ozark Mountain Christmas.” Located in the heart of Branson’s Entertainment District, the “Evergreen and Ever Glowing” tree will be centrally positioned in front of the Branson Ferris Wheel. Consider this detail your one and only location-based clue, because visitors are invited to participate in a brand-new Christmas tree treasure hunt to find the remaining biggest and best trees in Branson. Starting on November 1, the most unique landmark Christmas tree displays in Branson will include GPS identifiers. Visitors who want to explore America’s Christmas Tree Trail can take fun holiday quizzes, snap photos and enjoy a hide-and-seek challenge along the way.
3. Brilliant Lights
Multiple Christmas displays can be found shining brightly throughout this Ozark Mountain destination, too. Here’s a sampling of annual events (though some websites aren’t quite ready for 2023 yet):
With two miles of LED displays, Let There Be Lights at Promised Land Zoo earns the title of “longest Christmas display in the Ozarks.”
Lights of Joy is a 1.25-mile drive-thru experience featuring both traditional and whimsical displays, including the nativity scene as well as a Christmas safari.
Shepherd’s North Pole Adventure at Shepherd of the Hills features a walk-through experience of thousands of twinkling lights, in addition to a visit with Santa, Christmas activities for the family and more.
Here’s a look at a handful of the world-famous fruitcakes that are baked in the Fruitcake & Jelly Kitchen each year at College of the Ozarks.
4. Fruitcake
Earning its title “Hard Work U,” College of the Ozarks allows full-time college students to work in exchange for the cost of their tuition. And you might mistake some of them for Santa’s elves, since they bake about 25,000 world-famous fruitcakes in the Fruitcake & Jelly Kitchen each year. Mail-order offerings include such items as a the traditional “World-Famous College of the Ozarks Fruitcake” in addition to fruitcake bites, lemon pound cake, a gluten-free fruitcake and a four-pack cake sampler gift box. (Note: visitors can shop for handcrafted items – including fruitcake – at the Keeter Center Gift Shop and online here.)
5. Festive Accommodations
Throughout December, Chateau on the Lake, Branson’s modern-day “Castle in the Ozarks,” gets its guests into the holiday spirit with activities like caroling by the fire, story time, holiday movies and more. It’s also home to an amazing candy village made by the Chateau’s culinary team and displayed in the hotel’s lobby. From November 6 through December 31, Big Cedar Lodge hosts “Home for the Holidays,” during which overnight guests can take in 2 million holiday lights on display across the property, in addition to such seasonal festivities as a tree-lighting ceremony, family campfires, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and a Christmas Chapel Service.
6. It’s Within a Day’s Drive for Half of the U.S.
Nestled in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri, Branson sits right in the middle of the U.S.A. – making it within a day’s drive for about half of the American population. And if you don’t fall into that radius, a longer road trip or flight to experience an Ozark Mountain Christmas is sure to be worth the memories you’ll make. While it may feel too early to jingle all the way into your inbox with such messages, we hope we’ve taken the guesswork out of where you can get into the Christmas spirit this year. Please feel free to file this for when you’re ready to sip cocoa and jump into all things Christmas. Explore Branson will continue adding Christmas events and experiences as they’re confirmed. For the most up-to-date lineup of Christmas events this year, visit www.ExploreBranson.com/Christmas.
About Branson, MissouriBranson is a one-of-a-kind family vacation destination nestled in the lakeside beauty of the Ozark Mountains with dozens of live performance theaters; three pristine lakes; championship golf courses; an international award-winning theme park; family attractions and museums; a Historic Downtown district; shopping galore; a full range of dining options; and a host of hotels, motels, resorts, RV parks, campgrounds, and meeting and convention facilities. Branson is located less than one day’s drive for a third of the United States’ population. It’s also accessible via flights to the Branson Airport (BKG) and nearby Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF).
Call 1-877-BRANSON for help planning your next vacation, convention or reunion. See more athttp://www.explorebranson.com
From Hoosier History Live the Award Winning Show by Nelson Price; Produced by Molly Head.
“I love that there are still inns where Lincoln stayed,” says travel writer Jane Ammeson, who has been a popular Roadtrip correspondent on Hoosier History Live for several years.Although her radio reports, magazine articles and books cover a range of historic topics, Jane has narrowed her focus in her newest book,Lincoln Road Trip: The Back-Roads Guide to America’s Favorite President (Red Lightning Books).As most Hoosiers know, Abraham Lincoln grew up in southern Indiana. As a 7-year-old, he and his family moved from Kentucky to the wilderness area that became Spencer County; the Lincolns arrived in 1816, the same year Indiana achieved statehood.We will reach beyond the boundaries of Indiana when Jane joins Nelson as a studio guest to explore some of the inns, homes, mills and recreated historic sites with a connection to Lincoln (1809-1865), his extended family and the historical events associated with his life.
Our itinerary for the show will include traveling to Kentucky to explore the Old Talbott Tavern in Bardstown, which opened as an inn in 1779. Abe Lincoln was about five when he stayed at the inn; according to Lincoln Road Trip, it is considered “one of the oldest taverns in continuous operation in the United States and the oldest stagecoach stop west of the Allegheny Mountains.”
Guests at an inn in Corydon, Indiana’s first state capital, included Josiah Lincoln, Abe’s uncle. Josiah (the brother of Thomas Lincoln, father of the future president) visited the Kintner Tavern after he moved to Harrison County to establish a 160-acre farm near Corydon in the early 1800s, according to Lincoln Road Trip. Although the original tavern was destroyed by a fire, its owner, Jacob Kintner, later opened the Kintner House Inn, which still stands. And here’s another Lincoln-connected bit of trivia about Harrison County: Because there are no direct descendants remaining of Abraham Lincoln – the last, his great-grandson Robert Todd Lincoln Beckwith, died in 1985 – descendants of Josiah Lincoln are considered, as Jane puts it, “among the closest living kin of the greatest American president.”
Many of Josiah Lincoln’s descendants continue to live in Harrison County or nearby.Thousands of visitors from across the country have seen the burial sites of Abraham Lincoln’s mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, and his older sister, Sarah Lincoln Grigsby, at the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial in Spencer County. The site includes a recreation of the log cabin the Lincolns built when they moved to the Little Pigeon Creek settlement in the wilderness. “It was a region with many bears and other wild animals still in the woods,” Lincoln recalled later in life. “There I grew up.”Our guest Jane Ammeson notes that the Lincoln family was related through marriage to the extended family of frontier explorer Daniel Boone. So Lincoln Road Trip highlights historic sites associated with the Boones, which we also will explore during our show.
These sites include Squire Boone Caverns in Harrison County, which Jane describes as a “magical and mystical” cave system with an underground waterfall. Squire Boone, Daniel’s younger brother, lived near the caverns in southeastern Indiana for the final 11 years of his life. When he died in 1815 at age 71, Squire Boone asked his children to bury him in one of the passageways of the cave system.
Today, Squire Boone Caverns is a popular tourist attraction, and visitors often stop in the area that includes his casket.Also during our show, we will explore the Colonel William Jones State Historic Site near the town of Gentryville in southwestern Indiana. Jones ran a general store during Abe Lincoln’s teenage years, employing him as a clerk and discussing political issues with him. After the Lincoln family moved to Illinois, Abe Lincoln spent the night at Jones’ house during a return visit to Indiana.During the Civil War, Jones was killed at the Battle of Atlanta in 1864, his former clerk serving as commander-in-chief. The house in Gentryville, which Jones designed in the Federal style, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
A special post from guest blogger and cruise specialist Kathy Witt takes us aboard for a most unique cruise experience.
An embalmer’s technical reference handbook—and the machine that accompanies it. The exquisitely sculpted ballerina from “Black Swan” standing en pointe. And a mythical harbinger of doom that evolved into the centerpiece of an annual festival attended by 20,000 people from around the world.
One of the biggest draws of a river excursion with American Queen Voyages (besides the luxury-level experience, genuinely friendly crew and outstanding cuisine) are all the unexpected surprises on the itinerary. As the vessel calls at one charming river town after another, a mix of highlights—museums, bustling markets, scenic parks, historic homes, Main Street shopping—offer variety and allure. The specific attractions of a given destination are detailed during a daily port review, and all are included as part of the line’s guided hop-on hop-off tours.
Especially intriguing are discoveries aboard the American Countess’ Ohio River voyage between Louisville, KY, and Pittsburg, PA, that include a taboo topic, a creature from the paranormal realm and one of the world’s finest collections of miniatures.
IT’S A SMALL WORLD
No matter your age, your inner child will be hooked upon seeing the world-class fine art collection, numbering more than 15,000 pieces and in 1/12-scale, in Maysville, KY, a picture-postcard river town whose downtown is lined with yesteryear architecture punctuated by church steeples. The Kathleen Savage Browning Miniatures Collection at the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center is an extraordinary sight to behold.
Wander through the Palladian-style gallery filled with miniature houses, room boxes and vignettes—each showcasing exquisite and historically accurate re-creations right down to the tiny accessories, like a pair of vintage roller skates and a key to tighten them; building materials such as bricks on the Russell Theater’s exterior; and authentic carpets made on real looms.
In the “Lincoln Herndon Law Office,” the artisan room box replicates the office Abraham Lincoln shared with his partner, right down to the miniscule handwritten documents scattered across the desktop. The necklaces, bracelets and baubles in the “Savage & Sons Jewelers” room box are made with authentic gold, gems and crystals. Tiny copper pots and pans hang from the wall in the kitchen of “Le Plaisir De Venice” and itty-bitty puppets dance at the end of strings held by the toymaker in “McTavish Toys & Fairy Garden.”
The collection’s pièce de résistance is the re-creation of Spencer House, the magnificent eighteenth-century aristocratic palace and ancestral home of Princess Diana. Three floors showcase the fine furnishings and decorative arts objects that are true to the mid-1700s era and the exterior replicates the home’s neo-classical architecture.
RUN, DON’T WALK: IT’S MOTHMAN!
“What stands six feet tall, has wings, two big red eyes six inches apart and glides along behind an auto at 100 miles an hour?” asked reporter Mary Hyre in a November 1966 newspaper article. Hyre was covering the spectral sighting of a creature that became known as the Mothman, first seen hovering over an abandoned government WWII ammunition manufacturing facility—dubbed the TNT area—north of Point Pleasant, WVA, and later dubbed a harbinger of doom.
Coverage of Mothman sightings held the nation in its grip for more than a year. Every time the winged creature was spotted, tragedy seemed to follow in its wake, including the Silver Bridge collapse 10 days before Christmas in 1967, which resulted in the deaths of 46 people. The sightings spawned dozens of newspaper articles; a New York Times bestselling book, The Mothman Prophecies, written by journalist and UFOlogist John A. Keel; the 2002 movie of the same name, starring Richard Gere and Laura Linney; and a 2017 documentary, “The Mothman of Point Pleasant.”
The legend of the Mothman is recounted at the world’s only Mothman Museum. Memorabilia includes a recreation of Harris Steakhouse—considered a time capsule of 1960s Point Pleasant—which would eventually become known as the Mothman Diner. The museum’s small theater runs the documentary on a loop.
Outside, a 12-foot-tall, polished steel sculpture of Mothman standing atop a landscaped pedestal shows off his claws and glowing red eyes. And every third week in September, 20,000-plus visitors from around the world converge on Point Pleasant for the Mothman Festival (www.mothmanfestival.com).
‘KEEP EXERCISING. WE CAN WAIT.’
A little gallows humor framed and hanging on the wall of the garage greets those arriving at the Peoples Mortuary Museum. Tucked in a residential neighborhood in Marietta, Ohio, it was one of the most unexpected stops on American Countess’ itinerary—and a real eye-opener for those who braved a visit.
The museum began as a place for William Peoples, current owner of and a funeral director at Cawley & Peoples Funeral Home, to store his antique car collection. Peoples had a particular interest in hearses and several of them are parked in the museum among the caskets, funeral equipment and clothing, mourning jewelry and other artifacts.
The collection dates back to the late 1800s, when funerals were typically held in private homes and the collection’s ice box coffin would have been the casket of choice. (Embalming wasn’t yet the customary practice.) An infant’s coffin illustrates the design—narrow at the feet and wider at the shoulders—that got it dubbed the “toe pincher.” It is fitted with a small removable cover for viewing and fancy hardware, including ornamental screws and handles, to allow a more personal touch to the coffin.
Also in the collection are a Sayers & Scovill Horse-Drawn Hearse from 1895, a 1934 Studebaker Presidential Hearse and a 1927 Henney Hearse called “Miss Henney” that has appeared in several Hollywood movies, including Woody Allen’s “Radio Days,” Neil Simon’s “Brighton Beach Memoirs” and “Get Low,” a 2009 movie with Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek and Bill Murray.
SEE THE TREASURES OF SMALL-TOWN AMERICA
American Queen Voyages’ 245-passenger American Countess is a paddlewheel boat with contemporary design. Photo: Karan Kiser
Book an American Queen Voyage (AQV) to find the unexpected in America’s river towns. Besides including unlimited guided tours/shore excursions, AQV cruise fares include unlimited beverages, including wine, spirits, local craft beers and specialty coffees; open bars and lounges, including a morning juice bar; locally sourced and regionally inspired cuisine; and live, daily onboard entertainment—which is among the very best on any body of water anywhere—plus enrichment programming
AQV also now includes pre-paid gratuities and port taxes and fees in its fares. Additionally, a one-night pre-cruise hotel stay with free transfers between hotel and vessel is part of the cruise package.
Voyages are on authentic paddlewheel riverboats, boutique exploration vessels and expedition ships on America’s inland waterways and Great Lakes and shores from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts to the Yucatán Peninsula and Alaska.
Award-winning writer Kathy Witt is a monthly cruise, travel columnist and the author of several books, including Cincinnati Scavenger: The Ultimate Guide to Cincinnati’s Hidden Treasures and Secret Cincinnati: Guide to the Weird, Wonderful and Obscure.
Love the idea of an ice cream road trip? Then why not join Drumstick in celebrating its 95th anniversary and get the chance to win a new road trip vehicle. How easy is it to win? Grab your car keys and head out on the open road, traveling to all 11 stops on The Great Drumstick Summer Road Trip. Those completing the quest get the chance to win and customize a Drumstick vehicle of their dreams.
Didn’t know you had a Drumstick vehicle of your dreams? You will after considering such options as a cobalt blue exterior or interior lighting, a motorcycle with a sidecar that doubles as a freezer, or a glove compartment that keeps Lil Drums cold and within reach?
Drumstick will hook you up with the ability to build your vehicle to accommodate your next adventures with Drumstick handy.
According to Ohio State University, the ice cream drumstick (not to be confused with the chicken drumstick) was invented by brothers I.C. and J.T. (Stubby) Parker of the Drumstick Company of Fort Worth, Texas, in 1928. The Parkers wanted to provide prepackaged ice cream cones but found that the cones became too soggy before they could be shipped to sellers. To solve their problem, they reached out to Ohio State food scientists who quickly came up with the idea of coating the cone in chocolate – and the drumstick (so named because someone thought it looked like a fried chicken leg) was born. Subsequent innovations included adding chocolate to the inside rather than the outside of the cone.
Although Ohio State was not paid for the original work on the drumstick, Tom Parker, Stubby’s son and I.C.’s nephew became a longtime supporter of the university. The Parker Food Science and Technology Building is named in the family’s honor.
Flash forward to modern times. The Drumstick now comes in a variety of flavors and sizes—caramel, vanilla, chocolate, vanilla fudge, banana split…well, you get the idea. As for sizes, think classic, king size, mini drums and lil’ drums. And for those who don’t like or can’t have nuts, peanut-less Drumsticks.
HOW THE ROAD TRIP WORKS
Join one of Drumstick’s biggest fans, Dr. Umstick, as he reveals his personal ultimate summer road trip, the Drumstick Road Trip.
Each stop is inspired by the iconic Drumstick sundae cone we all know and love, whether you’re smiling at the Smiling Peanut in Georgia, checking out the World’s Largest Chocolate Fountain in Las Vegas, or visiting Drumstick HQ in Oakland.
How to enter? At each stop on your Road Trip, snap a photo or video with a Drumstick or Drumstick box and post it to Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #DrumstickRoadTrip and tagging @Drumstick.
Can’t hit all stops? No problem. Even if you can only make it to a few stops, be sure to tag Drumstick and you’ll automatically be entered for a chance to win a YEAR’S SUPPLY of sundae cones or iconic Drumstick merch. Each post is an additional entry.
The Drumstick Road Trip started June 21st and runs through the last day of summer, September 22nd.
Special Guest Blogger Kathy Witt, an award winning author and journalist, takes us on a trip to historic Salem, Massachusetts in the following post:
Enter the rustic kitchen at Daniels House and step through a portal into late 1600s Salem, known then as Salem Town. Ritual protection marks are etched into the wood of the heavy door—the double V for Blessed Virgin Mary and the Blessed B—to protect the house and those who lived within its walls from evil spirits.
The fire in the massive open-hearth fireplace would have burned round the clock, licking at heavy cookpots and kettles. The house, built 350 years ago by a sea captain, sheltered its occupants from sun and rain, but it was sweltering in the summer and freezing cold in the winter. When night fell, the room was plunged into darkness, the only light source the flames of the candles burning down in their candlestands.
“If you want to know what it was like to live in Salem during the Witch Trials of 1692, this room is it,” said Vijay Joyce, whose background is in architectural history and historic preservation.
Joyce developed and conducts the tours and events that take place at Daniels House, www.danielshousesalem.com, including the new interactive “Inside the Daniels House” tour where visitors are treated to a full sensory experience: seeing the conditions in which the home’s former occupants worked, lived, played and prayed; hearing the stories of neighbor turning on neighbor; touching the China, sitting on the furniture, stepping into an abyss of darkness on the root cellar’s stacked granite stairs; smelling peppercorns—a highly prized seasoning proudly displayed on front parlor table; tasting strong and smoky Souchong black tea, a favorite brew among New England seamen.
Play:
Salem’s story is best enjoyed on tours like “Inside the Daniels House.” From candlelight, kid and trolley tours to movie sites, foodie and ghost tours, there is no shortage of ways to walk into Salem’s past—and no two experiences are alike.
On Witch City Walking Tours, www.witchcitywalkingtours.com, see what is considered Salem’s most haunted building. It sits on the site of the jail, where Sheriff George Corwin once interrogated, tortured and carried out the death sentence for those accused of witchcraft.
Stop by Witch House, former home of Witch Trial Judge Jonathan Corwin (the sheriff’s uncle), one of the few structures in Salem with direct ties to the trials. Hear the story of the tween and teenage girls who set in motion one of America’s darkest chapters, where 19 innocent people were hanged at the gallows and one (Giles Corey) was pressed to death.
“Twelve-year-old Ann Putnam accused 60 people herself,” said tour guide Jeremiah Hakundy.
On Spellbound Tours, www.spellboundtours.com, founder, guide and professional paranormal investigator Dr. Vitka takes visitors through the streets at night to share the supernatural side of Salem—tales of vampirism and paranormal activity, of hauntings and horrors related to one of the cruelest of Witch Trial judges, John Hathorne, and a young girl who may have been buried alive. Pray you don’t see the specter of Giles Corey at the very site he was pressed to death at the age of 81.
“Legend says that when his ghost walks, tragedy follows close behind,” warned Vitka.
Stay:
Salem’s newest hotel is the Hampton Inn Salem Boston, www.hilton.com, featuring a bright, modern feel and an ideal location within walking distance of all Salem’s restaurants, shops and attractions. Among amenities are an indoor pool, fitness center and attached heated garage with valet parking. The third-floor breakfast area is clean and well maintained and has individual booth seating, each with its own flatscreen television.
Besides presenting a number of outstanding tours—including “Terror Next Door,” which takes place through August and focuses specifically on the Salem Witch Trials—the Daniels House, www.danielshousesalem.com, is also a bed and breakfast inn. In fact, it is America’s oldest bed and breakfast inn, offering four individually decorated guestrooms—each expressing a different facet of the house’s history. A Continental breakfast is served in the atmospheric settings of the antique-laden front parlor and the ancient kitchen, the oldest parts of the home.
Eat:
Drop by Turner’s Seafood, www.turners-seafood.com, for a crabcake appetizer and a Smoked Old Fashioned. The restaurant, famous for seafood entrées like Wild Atlantic Haddock Piccata, Hake Marsala Dinner, made with local Gloucester hake, a mild white fish, and a seafood medley featuring local haddock and sea scallops, is located in historic Lyceum Hall. This coveted piece of land is presumed to have once belonged to Bridget Bishop—until she was accused of being a witch.
Witch City’s Walking Tours’ Hakundy summed up the plight for those accused: “Half the village accused the other half—that is, the half who had land. A couple days after you were accused, all your property would be sold at auction, while you were sitting in jail awaiting trial.”
Other fun foodie stops: Lulu’s Bakery and Pantry, www.lulusbakeryandpantry.com, for chocolate croissants and lattes; Red Line Café , www.redlinecafesalem.com, for ham and cheese crepes; and American Flatbread, www.americanflatbread.com, spread out in a former Goodyear tire repair shop and offering candle pin bowling alley and monster flatbreads with flavor combos like maple fennel sausage, sundried tomatoes, mushrooms and caramelized onions topped with mozzarella and parmesan, garlic oil and herbs.
Treat: Grab a table at artisanal chocolate shop, Kakawa Chocolate House, www.kakawachocolates.com, for a flight of chocolate elixirs and a tasting that is velvety-smooth exquisiteness. Drawing on chocolate’s long history, Kakawa’s chocolatiers recreate original Mesoamerican, European and Colonial chocolate elixir recipes: Tzul, a rich mix of dark chocolate and caramelized milk chocolate; French lavender, highly scented, exotic and semisweet; Zapoteca, complex, unspiced, bittersweet—less and less sweet as the elixirs move toward 100 percent real chocolate.
The elixirs are paired with house-made whipped cream, light, fluffy and delicious. All the historic elixirs as well as the artisan chocolates, ice cream, milkshakes and other sweet treats are handmade onsite, and exclusively in small batches.
Part of the fun of being in Salem is immersing yourself in its history through its many tours as well as museums, including the Salem Witch Museum, www.salemwitchmuseum.com, where illuminated dioramas draw visitors into Salem’s dark period, and the Witch Dungeon Museum, www.witchdungeon.com/witchdungeon.html, with its dramatic live performance of a witch trial adapted and created from historical transcripts from 1692.
Equally enthralling are attractions like Court Orlok’s Nightmare Gallery, a wax museum of filmdom’s monsters—Lon Chaney’s Phantom of the Opera, Halloween villain Michael Myers, Bette Midler’s Winifred Sanderson of Hocus Pocus, parts of which were filmed in Salem—and indie bookstores like Wicked Good Books, www.wickedgoodbookstore.com.
“Especially with history, knowing something about what you hope to see and experience before you go makes the reality more understandable once you get there,” said Roach, currently working on Six Men of Salem. “In reading about these women, I hope readers will see the characters as real people rather than stereotypes or symbols, individual human personalities. I also hope the setting makes more sense to the readers, that the difficult circumstances of their times make better sense of their different reactions both wrong and right.”
No matter how the narrative unfolds, Salem bewitches with its blend of mystery and magic, myth and the macabre.
A favorite app on Turner’s menu is the crab cake made with local Jonah crab and blended with seasoned crumbs and a hint of Dijon and served with crunchy Napa slaw and house-made remoulade sauce.
Instructions
Combine all ingredients except the crabmeat and saltines.
Whisk together to make a loose batter. Fold in the crushed saltines and crabmeat. Mix well.
Let sit refrigerated for 30-45 minutes minimum. (Can hold for 3 days refrigerated.)
Separate into 4-oz portions (recommended) or the size portions desired.
Place the cakes on a greased cookie sheet and bake in a 375-degree oven for approximately 12-15 minutes or until golden brown on the top.
Leave the cakes in a rustic scoop.
Serve with tartar sauce or favorite mustard and lemon.
Kakawa Chocolate House, a specialty chocolate company located in the beautiful high desert town of Santa Fe, New Mexico, describes their passion is authentic and historic drinking chocolates elixirs. Historic drinking chocolate elixirs include traditional Pre-Columbian, Mesoamerican, Mayan and Aztec drinking chocolate elixirs; 1600’s European drinking chocolate elixirs, Colonial American and Colonial Mexican drinking chocolate elixirs. Kakawa Chocolate House drinking chocolate elixirs are representative of these historic recipes and span the time period 1000 BC to the mid-1900s AD.
“If you were visiting friends in Mexico you might be served a frothy concoction like the recipe below which has been made in one version or another for, literally hundreds of years,” said Kakawa Chocolate House owner Bonnie Bennett. “Feel free to tweak for your tastes; that is part of the fun, and each family will make it slightly different.” Makes four servings.
Ingredients
3.5 cups of whole milk – If you prefer dairy-free, substitute unsweetened Almond milk.
6 oz of rough chopped dark chocolate, at least 65%, and 70% is ideal or up to 80%. Buy the highest quality cacao you can as this will dramatically change the taste and texture.
2.5 TBSP of finely chopped or ground Piloncillo sugar, a traditional Mexican brown sugar often found in cone shapes, or substitute coconut sugar or honey (3 TBSP).
2 TBSP Canela (Mexican cinnamon)
1 tsp of vanilla
1/3 tsp ancho chili powder – You can also use traditional Guajillo, which is milder, or reduce amount. If you prefer more heat, use cayenne chili powder.
Instructions
Warm the milk slowly on the stovetop. Do not boil. Once very warm, add sugar, Canela and chili. With a whisk, mix and blend these into the milk mixture, continue blending until sugar is incorporated. Allow mixture to continue to warm further, until steam begins to come off the surface but just before a boil.
Turn the stove off and add chocolate and vanilla, blend until chocolate has melted and all ingredients are mixed.
Create a froth with vigorous whisking, either with a traditional Molinillo or a conventional whisk. The froth is a delicious part of a traditional Mexican hot chocolate.
Divide into cups and serve. Fresh whipped cream or even 1 oz of Kahlua coffee liqueur (for an adult-only version) can be added at this stage if you like.
Kathy Witt
Writer/Author
SATW Society of American Travel Writers│Authors Guild
Arizona Science Center is hosting a public event – An Evening With Dr. Jane Goodall – on Friday, June 2, 2023 to release the world premiere of the large-format film: Jane Goodall – Reasons for Hope. Dr. Goodall will be onsite at Arizona Science Center where she will share stories about her time in Arizona and the knowledge she’s collected over more than 60 years as a global conservation and humanitarian icon. Multiple ticket options, beginning at $150/ticket, are available for the event and space is limited.
“We hope you join us as we welcome Dr. Jane Goodall back to the Science Center and feature her latest large-format film: Jane Goodall – Reasons for Hope,” said Guy Labine, The Hazel A. Hare President and CEO, Arizona Science Center. “Uplifting, inspiring films like this help light a spark of imagination in all viewers.”
Jane Goodall – Reasons for Hope is based on Dr. Jane Goodall’s philosophy of hope for the world and all of life on it, including both the natural world and its human inhabitants. Dr. Jane Goodall is a renowned British-born ethologist, environmentalist, animal-rights activist, conservationist, author, educator, UN Messenger of Peace and founder of the Jane Goodall Institute. The film is a Science North production in association with Jane Goodall Institute, by award-winning documentarian, David Lickley.
The film takes the viewer on a journey that highlights good news stories that will inspire people to make a difference in the world around them. Thanks to Arizona Science Center’s local connections and partnerships, the internationally–distributed film features a number of climate change initiatives taking place in Arizona. For example, Dr. Goodall finds hope in Arizona Public Service (APS)’s efforts to advance alternative energy, including renewable energy generation that is enough to power an entire city Additionally, the first commercial-scale “Mechanical Tree” at Arizona State University removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The film also highlights the untapped potential of young people and how the Roots & Shoots program works in 65 countries to create change in their communities.
“Arizona Science Center is proud to help share the innovative efforts taking place in Arizona to address climate change,” said Anita Theisen, Arizona Science Center Board of Trustees Chair. “Thanks to the support of our local sponsors and partners, we are proud to premiere this film highlighting the number of climate change initiatives taking place in our state.”
Arizona Science Center is a Jane Goodall – Reasons for Hope theatre production partner, generously supported by APS and The Rob and Melani Walton Foundation.
The mission of Arizona Science Center is to inspire, educate, and engage curious minds through science. The Center, located at 600 E. Washington Street in downtown Phoenix, features more than 300 hands-on exhibits, live demonstrations, a range of interactive online science content, the state-of-the-art Dorrance Planetarium, and the five-story Irene P. Flinn Giant Screen Theater, exciting science programs for people of all ages. CREATE at Arizona Science Center®, adjacent to the main building, is a 6,500-square-foot community maker space that provides workshops, including 3D printing, laser cutting, woodworking, and sewing. Arizona Science Center offers programs for all ages, including CAMP INNOVATION, Teen programs, Professional Development and Learning for Educators, and much more. To learn more or to reserve tickets, visit azscience.org or call 602.716.2000.
About Science North
Science North is Northern Ontario’s most popular tourist attraction and an educational resource for children and adults across the province. Science North maintains the second – and eighth-largest science centers in Canada. Science North’s attractions include a science centre, IMAX® theatre, digital Planetarium, butterfly gallery, special exhibits hall, and Dynamic Earth: Home of the Big Nickel. Science North, in partnership with Laurentian University, offers North America’s first and only comprehensive Science Communication program, a joint Master’s and Graduate Diploma program. As part of its mandate, Science North provides science experiences throughout Northern Ontario including outreach to schools and festivals, summer science camps, and more, and has a permanent base in Thunder Bay providing outreach to the Northwest. Science North is an agency of the Government of Ontario. For information, visit sciencenorth.ca.
About Jane Goodall Institute
The Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) is a global, community-centered conservation organization founded in 1977 that advances the vision and work of Dr. Jane Goodall in over 30 countries worldwide. We aim to understand and protect chimpanzees, other apes, and their habitats, and empower people to be compassionate citizens in order to inspire the conservation of the natural world we all share. JGI uses research, community-led conservation, best-in-class animal welfare standards, and the innovative use of science and technology to inspire hope and transform it into action for the common good. Through our Roots & Shoots program for young people of all ages, now active in over 60 countries around the world, JGI is creating an informed and compassionate critical mass of people who will help to create a better world for people, other animals, and our shared environment. Learn more at janegoodall.org.
For those who love supper clubs, then check out The Del-Bar, a supper club in the Wisconsin Dells celebrated their 80th anniversary on June 1st with the release of one of their most popular dishes, Shrimp de Jonghe. A Chicago classic created by the de Jonghe brothers in the late 1800s, Shrimp de Jonghe is one of the most classic of classic supper club dishes and interestingly, for as delicious as it is, is typically served only in the Chicagoland area.
Wisconsin is the epicenter of supper clubs, probably boasting the most in the nation.
It’s not just food and drink, she says. Supper clubs tend to be less about family than couples, lighting can be neon on the outside and dimly lit—or should we say atmospheric inside.
As far as I know there are no chain supper clubs, instead, according to Bergin who is a travel writer and author, they’re locally owned and often have been in the same family for generations. Sure, there are some in big cities, but often they’re in rural, even out-of-the-way places. And they don’t skimp on the food.
Of course, what makes a supper club in Wisconsin might differ in other states, but in the Midwest, it’s more the rule that they offer a friendly atmosphere, making you feel like you belong to—yes, you guessed it—the club.
“I think at a supper club, you immediately feel like you belong,” says Bergin, who is also authored xxx
Del-Bar checks many of the boxes. It was founded Jim and Alice Wimmer, the grandparents of third-generation owners– Amy Wimmer and Anne Stoken. In 1943 the Wimmers bought a roadside diner situated between Baraboo and the Wisconsin Dells (hence the name) that was in actuality a cabin with room enough for six tables.
Jim, a former quarterback for the University of Wisconsin who grew up in rural Wisconsin Dells, was all gung-ho about the buying the place. Alice less so. But he pointed out she had a degree in Domestic Science from the University of Wisconsin and also was a pretty good cook.
And so they took the plunge. Obviously the current restaurant is more than a converted cabin. Designed by James Dresser, a protégé of Frank Lloyd Wright, he designed homes throughout the country but many can be found in Wisconsin including not only Del-Bar but also Fields at the Wilderness, also in the Wisconsin Dells.
Taliesin Preservation describes Dresser’s design of the Del-Bar as featuring {strong geometry in its design, with the triangle as a repeated element, including on the sign out front, which literally points diners into the restaurant. The building’s construction materials also reinforce its connection to nature and the prairie. Exterior stone walls continue inside, giving way to large expanses of glass. The warmth of another natural material, wood, harmonizes with the earth tones of the restaurant’s color palette, which can be found both inside and out. Another design principle James absorbed from Wright, the use of compression and release, is easy to see and feel at the Del-Bar: Intimate, low-ceilinged spaces open to larger, soaring expanses.”
To celebrate 80 years in business, Del-Bar is releasing two recipes including their hot bacon dressing that they serve with their spinach salad and has been on the menu since almost day one.
The Del-Bar’s Hot Bacon Dressing
Serves approximately 20
1 pound bacon – cut up and browned(grease drained off)
1/2 cup 0nion – chopped and sauteed
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustart
Combine first three ingredients and bring to a boil.
Lower heat to low and add sugar and simmer for a few more minutes.
Turn the heat off and add mayonnaise and mustard.
Stir until dissolved.
The Original Shrimp de Jonghe Recipe:
According to The Del-Bar’s website “As we continue our 80th year celebration, we are excited to reveal the history and recipe for The Del-Bar’s Shrimp de Jonghe recipe. Shrimp de Jonghe has been a staple among Chicago cuisine dating back to the late 1800’s and legend has it that this recipe was acquired at Binyon’s, a famous Chicago restaurant, which held the Original Henri De Jonghe recipe. Second generation Del-Bar owner Jeff Wimmer seized an opportunity to bring a Chicago specialty to the Dells area in the early 70’s and it has been a staple on our menu since then! Enjoy! Or continue to let us do the cooking!
This recipe yields one loaf of de Jonghe Bread which is plenty to cover up to two 9×13 casserole dishes or if you are doing individual ramekins as we do, you will have plenty to freeze and it will keep for a month.
Ingredients:
1 load bread- remove crusts, use dough hook in standing mixer to make into crumbs
2 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 teaspoon dry chives,
1 teaspoon dry tarragon
2 teaspoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon black pepper,
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
1/3 cup garlic
1/3 cup shallots
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
Cream butter with the Worcestershire sauce, chives, parsley, black pepper, salt, and Tabasco.
Mince the garlic and shallots with a food processor or by hand.
Then sauté on low heat for five minutes with 1/2 cup butter.
Combine all ingredients into mixer with dough hook.
Form into loaf and refrigerate 24 hours. When ready to assemble, season shrimp with salt and pepper.
Slice de Jonghe bread thin, top shrimp (5 for ramekin size) or fill a casserole dish with shrimp and cover with thin slices of bread.
Brush bread with butter and bake at 450°F for 10 minutes and then broil until bread is browned.
The Art Institute of Chicago has a full slate of spring/summer programming. (Neighborhood: The Loop)
The Arranged Flower: Ikebana and Flora in Japanese Prints (until July 9, 2023) – Ikebana is considered a form of Japanese high art, reflecting the principles of minimalism, asymmetry, and the appreciation of space. The arrangements are designed to create a sense of balance and harmony between the flowers and the environment in which they are displayed. Today, Ikebana is practiced by people of all ages and backgrounds in Japan and around the world. There are many different schools and styles of ikebana, each with its own unique techniques and aesthetic principles. Several works on display are surimono—privately commissioned prints circulated among members of poetry circles on special occasions—featuring representations of this practice.
Van Gogh and the Avant-Garde: The Modern Landscape (May 14 – September 4, 2023) – Between 1882 and 1890, five artists—Vincent van Gogh, along with Georges Seurat, Paul Signac, Emile Bernard, and Charles Angrand—flocked to villages on the fringes of Paris. Each artist explored the use of discrete brushstrokes and strong colors in innovative ways, and in turn developed novel styles of painting: Divisionism, Pointillism, and Cloisonnism. More than 75 paintings and drawings from this intensely creative period—many from private collections and rarely publicly displayed—come together for this insightful presentation.
Ellsworth Kelly: Portrait Drawings (July 1 – October 23, 2023) – It is not surprising that an artist’s work reflects their artistic influences and friendships. In the case of Ellsworth Kelly, his drawings show the impact of the artists he encountered during his travels to Europe in the 1940s, such as Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. This exhibition spans most of Kelly’s 70-year career, showcasing his evolving and wide-ranging approach to both portraiture and drawing.
Remedios Varo: Science Fictions (July 29 – November 27, 2023) – The exhibition brings together more than 20 paintings created by Varo during her time in Mexico from 1955 until her death in 1963. These paintings offer a glimpse into Varo’s distinct and diverse practice and are supplemented by additional materials from the artist’s archive, including large-scale cartoons, notebooks, sketches, detailed studies, ephemera, and personal possessions. Varo was a key figure in the Surrealist movement, and her work reflects many of the movement’s core values and beliefs. Furthermore, the exhibition marks a milestone in the museum’s efforts to expand the borders of the global Surrealist movement, as it is the Art Institute’s first solo exhibition dedicated to a woman Surrealist painter and to a woman artist working in Mexico.
Chicago History Museum’s exhibit Millions of Moments: The Chicago Sun-Times Photo Collection (until December 31, 2023) features 150 images from the Chicago History Museum’s Chicago Sun-Times. It is a first look at highlights from five million negatives spanning the 1940s-early 2000s, one of the largest newspaper photograph collections ever acquired by an American museum. As the Museum continues to process negatives from this extraordinary collection, new images will be shared through their online portal, CHM Images. (Neighborhood: Lincoln Park)
Back Home: Polish Chicago – Opening May 20, 2023, the exhibition features more than 90 artifacts and documents as well as more than 100 reproduced photographs to help tell the story of the Chicago area’s vibrant Polish communities from the mid-1800s to today. Explore personal narratives, music, community involvement, as well as art installations from five local Polish artists. Guided tours are available for groups of 10 or more.
Cleve Carney Museum of Art and the McAninch Arts Center (MAC) at the College of DuPage will present Warhol: Featuring Andy Warhol Portfolios: A Life in Pop / Works from the Bank of America from June 3 – September 10, 2023. The Warhol exhibition will feature 94 works from “Andy Warhol Portfolios: A Life in Pop / Works from the Bank of America Collection” on loan through Bank of America’s Art in our Communities® program. Aside from the Bank of America collection, which will be on display in a dedicated space in the exhibition, there will also be over 100 works from the College of DuPage Permanent Art Collection. Educational and interactive elements will include a biographical exhibition highlighting key points in Warhol’s life and career, video installation, a Children’s Print Factory area, Studio 54 and Silver Cloud Room experiences, and Central Park-inspired outdoor space, creating an immersive, multifaceted exhibition focused on the life and work of one of the most influential artists of the past century. (Glen Ellyn, Illinois)
The Field Museum’s newest exhibition First Kings of Europe (open through January 28, 2024) explores how ancient farming villages led to the earliest tribal kingdoms in Europe, gathering together more than 700 exquisite objects from the Neolithic, Copper, Bronze, and Iron Ages. The countries represented (and collaborating in this exhibition) include Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia. Highlights include some of the oldest gold treasures in the world from the cemetery of Varna, the gold crown of a Thracian prince, masterpieces of swordmaking and armor, weapons, jewelry, and more. (Neighborhood: South Loop / Museum Campus)
Harry Potter: Magic At Play extends its worldwide debut run in Chicago through September 4, 2023 at Chicago’s iconic Water Tower Place. The first-of-its-kind experience allows fans of all ages to engage with the Wizarding World like never before through 30,000 square feet of hands-on magical interactivity including games, exploration, sensory activations, and more that celebrate Harry’s own journey in discovering the wizarding world. Guests can explore the Dursley’s living room, step onto a boat and prepare to cross the Great Lake, attend some of Hogwarts’ most beloved classes, practice Quidditch fundamentals, and more. (Neighborhood: Magnificent Mile)
The Hyde Park Art Center’s new exhibit, Destination/El Destino: a decade of GRAFT, the largest exhibition to date of the Puerto Rican artist, educator, and community organizer Edra Soto, will be on display through August 6, 2023. The exhibition features a new large-scale commission of the artist’s GRAFT series with porous sculptures, documentary photographs, drawings, and games that activate the Art Center’s indoor/outdoor main gallery. (Neighborhood: Hyde Park)
The Illinois Holocaust Museum presents The Girl in the Diary: Searching for Rywka from the Łódz Ghetto (May 18 – September 24, 2023). In I945, a diary was discovered in the liberated Auschwitz-Birkenau Camp written by Rywka Lipszyc, a 14-year-old Jewish girl documenting her life in the Łódz Ghetto between October 1943 and April 1944. More than 60 years after its discovery, the diary traveled to the United States, where it was translated to English, supplemented with commentaries, and published. Rywka Lipszyc’s diary, a moving memoir of life and adolescence in the Łódz Ghetto, is the focal point of this exhibition. Selected excerpts of the diary are supplemented by expert commentary from historians, doctors, psychologists, and rabbis. Blended with original artifacts and fleeting candid photographs of others’ lives in the ghetto, these commentaries help us understand the experiences Rywka describes in her diary. Through historical artifacts and documents, interactive touch screens, documentary videos, and exceptionally rare photographs, The Girl in the Diary explores the story of a young girl’s fight for survival in the Łódz Ghetto and reconstructs what might have happened to Rywka after her deportation to Auschwitz and beyond. There are no known photographs of Rywka. She exists for us only through words she wrote. (Skokie, Illinois)
Lighthouse ArtSpace Chicago’s current exhibition Mozart Immersive: The Soul of a Genius (running through the end of May 2023), has Massimiliano Siccardi, immersive art installation pioneer, using state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence as inspiration to craft astonishing visuals inspired by the 18th-century destinations of Mozart’s world. With video direction by Vittorio Guidotti, legendary dancer and actor Mikhail Baryshnikov’s tortured portrayal of Leopold, Mozart’s father, will enthrall audiences. Luca Longobardi re-arranged and recomposed 17 selected works from Mozart’s repertoire for the eclectic soundtrack, which also features exclusive music from the Italian composer and was recorded by a 45-piece symphonic orchestra and conducted by four-time Grammy®-nominated Constantine Orbelian. (Neighborhood: Lincoln Park)
Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) welcomes Gary Simmons: Public Enemy (June 13 – October 1, 2023), the first comprehensive career survey of the work of multidisciplinary artist Gary Simmons. Since the late 1980s Simmons has played a key role in situating questions of race, class, and gender identity at the center of contemporary art discourse. Notable for his early application of conceptual artistic strategies, Simmons exposes and analyzes histories of racism inscribed in U.S. visual culture. This exhibition covers thirty years of the artist’s career, encompassing approximately seventy works. (Neighborhood: Streeterville)
This summer, visitors can also enjoy “Tuesdays on the Terrace” when it returns from June 13 – August 29, 2023. This annual, free summer concert series on the MCA’s Anne and John Kern Terrace Garden highlights artists from Chicago’s internationally renowned music community. For the first time, this year’s roster of performers extends beyond a purely jazz focus to include more diverse genres and styles that have unique Chicago roots, incorporating hip-hop, house, blues, bomba, and more.
The Museum of Science and Industry is celebrating its 90th anniversary with a series of exciting events including the museum’s first Meet Her! (Katya Echazarreta) event on May 13, 2023, which celebrates the first Mexican-born woman to go to space. Katya Echazarreta is featured in “Mission Unstoppable” on CBS, hosted the YouTube series “Netflix IRL,” and recently was honored with her own Barbie. She’s also an accomplished electrical engineer who worked at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. (Neighborhood: Hyde Park)
Stage 773’s new immersive walk-thru experience, WHIM, blends carefully curated cocktails and a world where every art form comes together – paintings, music, sculpture, street art, and live performance – all by Chicago artists. The experience includes the “Lobby of Second Chances,” the “Second Shots Bar,” and the “Enchanted Forest,” featuring a live performance stage and a giant enchanted tree towering over it all. (Neighborhood: Lakeview)
WNDR Museum, Chicago’s original immersive art and technology experience will, starting May 12, 2023, debut a three story immersive infinity installation by the globally iconic Yayoi Kusam. Featuring a series of floating yellow and black polka dots alongside walk-in and peep-in installations, Dots Obsession will fill WNDR’s atrium and transport visitors into Kusama’s obsession with polka dots, repetition, celestial bodies, and the experience of the infinite. (Neighborhood: West Loop / Fulton Market)
About Choose Chicago
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Although her radio reports, magazine articles and books cover a range of historic topics, Jane has narrowed her focus in her newest book, 
“It was a region with many bears and other wild animals still in the woods,” Lincoln recalled later in life. “There I grew up.”Our guest Jane Ammeson notes that the Lincoln family was related through marriage to the extended family of frontier explorer 
