WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!

COMING IN NOVEMBER

Register for these programs by calling 773.248.8700 or e-mail

celebrate@lincolnparkvillage.org

Payment is due in advance.

Let the Village office know if you need a ride!    

As the Village grows, from time to time events with limited attendance are fully subscribed with a waiting list.  If you wish to participate in any event, please sign up early. You can do this by calling the office or going to the Member Web Site.  Just select "Events" from the menu on the left and follow the prompts.

FITNESS

T'ai Chi

Mondays

10:00 - 11:00 AM

Whole Foods, 1550 N. Kingsbury

Nia

Thursdays

10:30 - 11:30 AM

Church of the Three Crosses

333 W. Wisconsin St.  

Members - $40 for each

series of 8 sessions  

or $7 per session  

Non-Members - $15 per session

 Series continues; join anytime.

Hatha Style Yoga
Mondays

7:00 - 8:15 PM 

Church of the Three Crosses

333 W. Wisconsin St.  

Members & Guests - $15

Basic Meditation
Saturday, November 19
9:15 - 10:30 AM
Hosted by Ellen Stone Belic

Members & Guests - Free  

To register for events, e-mail celebrate@lincolnparkvillage.org.

THE ADVENTUROUS VIOLINIST RACHEL BARTON PINE AND
ARS ANTIGUA

Saturday, November 12
8:00 PM

Francis W. Parker School - Diane and David B. Heller Auditorium
2233 N. Clark St.

Members and Guests - $15 

Celebrated violinist Rachel Barton Pine has developed another, recent love. It's the viola d'amore--the "viola of love"--a 14-stringed hybrid of the violin and viola da gamba that set 17th-century hearts aflutter. In his treatise on violin playing, Leopold Mozart wrote that it sounded "especially charming in the stillness of the evening." Pine's curiosity in the instrument developed in her late teens, and three years ago she began performing on it publicly. In this concert, Pine, early music ensemble Ars Antigua, and director Jerry Fuller showcase this cousin of the violin in a romp through its repertoire, including works by Telemann and Vivaldi.

To register for events, e-mail celebrate@lincolnparkvillage.org.

ARTISTS' TALK AND RECEPTION     

Sunday, November 13

2:30 PM   

(Open Reception)

Old Town Art Center
1263 N. North Park Ave. 

Members and Guests-Free.  

Enjoy viewing painting and sculpture and chatting with artists from the group, Hexagon. The collective of six Chicago women artists was formed three years ago and includes Carol Brookes, Judy Petaque, Susan Redeker, Maureen Warren and Village members Sheila Ganch and Mynra Knepler. As a group, Hexagon has exhibited at the Harold Washington Library and the Noyes Art Center in Evanston. Members have exhibited widely both locally and nationally.

To register for events, e-mail celebrate@lincolnparkvillage.org.

LEARN ABOUT
M.A.S. & A.S.A.P. 

Tuesday, November 15 

7:30 PM 

Members and Guests-Free   

The program is run by Mark Smaller, Ph.D., an adult and child psychoanalyst, under the aegis of the Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis. He will speak about "his kids" at Morton Alternative School (M.A.S.)--their lives, families, aspirations and capacities--and how Analytic Services to Adolescents Program (A.S.A.P.) is moving kids forward and changing the trajectories of their lives.  

RSVP directly to Nancy Marks, 773.975.9764, or nancymarks@hotmail.com.

VILLAGE COFFEE    

Wednesday, November 16  

7:00 - 8:30 PM 

Members and Guests-Free    

This informational event will educate interested parties on the benefits of becoming a Village   

 To register for events, e-mail celebrate@lincolnparkvillage.org.

CHICAGO IN FICTION:  

Saturday, November 19
2:00 - 3:30 PM
Hosted by Lois Baron
Members - Free, Guests - $5

We will discuss books that take place in various Chicago neighborhoods and time periods. Attendees will follow this schedule:

November 19, 2011 
Hosted by Lois Baron   

The Adventures of Augie March
by Saul Bellow

No Meeting in December 2011

January 21, 2012 
Hosted by Sandy Gartler
An undetermined novel  

by Sara Paretsky    

We will individually choose a crime novel by Sara Paretsky that takes place in Chicago (perhaps in a part of Chicago you know well). Fire Sale visits the Far South Side neighborhood in which her heroine, V. I. Warshawski, grew up. Guardian Angel is about the gentrification of a North Side neighborhood.

February 18, 2012  

Chicago 
by Alaa Al Aswany   

March 17, 2012 

April 28, 2012 

 Chicago during the reign of the first Daley.

May 19, 2012   

Sister Carrie
by Theodore Dreiser  

To register for events, e-mail celebrate@lincolnparkvillage.org.

A DISCUSSION ABOUT LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE      

Sunday, November 20, 3:00 PM

Hosted by the Campbells

Members and Guests - Free  

Join Steve Greenberg, an expert on long-term care insurance, to discuss the ins and outs of long-term care insurance and whether it is right for you.

To register for events, e-mail celebrate@lincolnparkvillage.org.

COMING IN DECEMBER

Register for these programs by calling 773.248.8700 or e-mail

celebrate@lincolnparkvillage.org

Payment is due in advance.

Let the Village office know if you need a ride!    

As the Village grows, from time to time events with limited attendance are fully subscribed with a waiting list.  If you wish to participate in any event, please sign up early. You can do this by calling the office or going to the Member Web Site.  Just select "Events" from the menu on the left and follow the prompts.

MANAGING THE HOLIDAY HIGHS AND LOWS    

Friday, December 2
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Rush Professional Building 

5th Floor 

Members and Guests - Free  

Lean ways to identify the signs and symptoms of depression and to manage stress. Discover tips and strategies for combating holiday blues. 

To register for events, e-mail celebrate@lincolnparkvillage.org.

GREAT CONVERSATIONS: DISCUSSING GREAT BOOKS 

Monday, December 5
7:00 - 8:30 PM 

This month's readings are   

Locations:
The Ibsens will meet at the home of Aviva Futorian
The Emersons will meet at the home of Dick Karlov

Please RSVP.

Members Only - Full
(Let the office know if you are interested in subsequent offerings.)      

To register for events, e-mail celebrate@lincolnparkvillage.org.

VILLAGE COFFEE    

Tuesday, December 6  

7:00 - 8:30 PM 

Members and Guests - Free    

This informational event will educate interested parties on the benefits of becoming a Village   

 To register for events, e-mail celebrate@lincolnparkvillage.org.

SCRABBLE!

Sunday, December 11
2:00 PM
Hosted by Sandy Gartler 

Members and Guests - Free  

Now that winter is on its way after such a gorgeous fall, we're planning another Scrabble Sunday. We want to bring in all interested Village Scrabble players and their friends.

To register for events, e-mail celebrate@lincolnparkvillage.org.

OUR THIRD ANNUAL ZOO LIGHTS AGLOW AND A HOLIDAY MEMBERS' PARTY 

 Members Only - Free  

Our annual holiday celebration is sure to be festive. Wander through the Zoo all aglow for the season, then adjourn to the warm and welcoming home of the Elkins. Enjoy seasonal treats and good fellowship.

To register for events, e-mail celebrate@lincolnparkvillage.org.

TEA AT THE RITZ 

Tuesday, December 13
2:30  - 4:00 PM
Ritz Carlton Hotel
160 E. Pearson St.

Members and Guests - $35
CASH ONLY,
does not include tax or tip 

Elegant tea in a beautiful room. Cakes, sandwiches, scones with cream and jam and your choice of teas.  

RSVP by December 12 at 10:00 AM 

To register for events, e-mail celebrate@lincolnparkvillage.org.

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE:
LIVE AT THE BIOGRAPH! 

Friday, December 16, 8:00 PM
The Biograph Theatre
(2433 N. Lincoln Ave.)

Members and Guests - $33    

Join George Bailey and his guardian angel Clarence for this wonderful holiday story. This live-radio play adaptation by American Blues Theater includes live Foley effects and a cast of seven playing all of the roles.  

American Blues Theater 

Make your
reservation by December 9th.

To register for events, e-mail celebrate@lincolnparkvillage.org.

EVE OF THE EVE
DINNER AND SHOW  

Friday, December 30

Time: TBD
Pegasus Restaurant
130 S. Halsted St.  

Members and Guests-$30 per person      

Celebrate the eve before New Year's Eve with a family-style Greek dinner and show by
acclaimed jazz performers Anne Burnell (the Village's beloved Nia teacher) and Mark Burnell and their band, along with guest singers and performers.

 To register for events, e-mail celebrate@lincolnparkvillage.org.

How to Shop on Amazon
and Help Support the Village

Shop for Lincoln Park Village on Amazon!    

The Lincoln Park Village Store gives you access to practically everything you can buy on Amazon, which isn't just about books and music.  Amazon is a huge online department/grocery/drug store with products in such categories as Jewelry, Kitchen and Housewares, Apparel and Accessories, Tools and Hardware--and much more.  It has printer ink cartridges, vitamins, soup, hair brushes--you name it, Amazon's probably got it. To help you shop smarter, Amazon also provides very useful customer reviews of many of the products. (You might learn, for instance, that this particular humidifier has a tendency to break down, or that those towels are not as fluffy as they ought to be.) 

Best of all, when you do your shopping via the Village link to the Amazon marketplace, a portion of what you spend will go to support the Village. Not only that--most orders of $25.00 or more ship free!

Tell your friends and family, too. It's easy!

Just log on to Amazon via our Web site, www.lincolnparkvillage.org
and from the menu at the top of the home page, select "Store".

Click here to log onto Amazon via our Web site.

All the convenience of Amazon and support for the Village, to boot--this is a win-win if there ever was one!

I. Food!     II. Opera!     III. The Strategic Plan!

I. Food!

Village member and volunteer Cruz Figueroa

Village members sample other members' food creations. Photos by Susan Nelson

II. Opera!

After dinner, Village members were treated first to opera highlights by two spectacularly talented first-year graduate students at the DePaul University School of Music. Having student opera singers is an idea that originated with members Phil Matsumura and F. Marion Hulett. Before singing, each student told about the aria s/he had chosen. (And after their performances, they and their accompanist also led the audience in a spirited "Happy Birthday" to Ruth Ann Watkins, Village President.)

From left, DePaul opera singers Steven Wallace and Audrey Kohler with accompanist Codrut Birsan

 Mezzo soprano Audrey Kohler sang "Non piumesta" from La Cenerentola (Cinderella) by Rossini. Audrey, from Grover Beach, CA, graduated summa cum laude from Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory of Music in Ohio in 2010 with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance. She aspires to a career in opera.

Tenor Steven Wallace chose "La Donna e mobile" from Verdi's Rigoletto. A Chicago native, Steven began singing in his church choir when he was four years old. He received his undergraduate degree in music from the University of Las Vegas and spent ten years in Brooklyn, NY, before enrolling in DePaul's graduate program.

Both were accompanied on the piano by international Emmy Award-winning composer, pianist and opera singer Codrut Birsan. Born in Brasov, Romania, Codrut began piano lessons at the age of six and won the Romanian national piano competition when he was 14. An opera singer as well, he moved to Chicago this year with his wife Emily Birsan, a soprano with the Lyric Opera's Young Artists Program.

A special thanks goes to Jane Bunnell, vocal coordinator and associate professor of voice at the DePaul School of Music, who arranged for our talented performers. Be on the lookout for more quality offerings from DePaul's world-renowned

School of Music.

III. The Strategic Plan!  

After wishing Ruth Ann a happy birthday, members settled back to hear about the work of the Village's Strategic Planning Task Force.* 

When Lincoln Park Village was founded, a similar task force created a plan to guide the launch and the first three years of the Village. At that time, the strategic plan was about an idea. Now, nearly three years later, the plan is about reality--the reality of how to sustain the Village so it can thrive as we move into the future.

Through a disciplined process that allowed them to consider all areas of Village activities, the current 12-member task force eventually was able to distill its ideas into five key areas that are essential to sustainability:

• Membership
• Marketing/Branding
• Structure
• Partnerships/Relationships
• Finance

Each of these key areas was explained at the meeting, and members were invited fill out forms on each chair with their own ideas and suggestions. These will be passed along to the two or three members of the task force who are assigned to each of the key areas, and who are in the process of developing specific initiatives to be executed over the next three years.

The goal is to present the completed three-year Strategic Plan for the Village board's approval in early February. The goal after that is to begin implementing the plan, which is intended to ensure the viability and relevance of our Village for years to come.

Village members Dick Karlov and Sandy Gartler

Village members enjoy the potluck.

* Task Force Members are Laurel Baer, Dianne Campbell, Jane Curry, Char Damron (co-chair), Larry Elkins, Barbara Koren, Irving Miller, Ed Rose, Greta Salem, Bob Spoerri, Peggy Walker, and Ruth Ann Watkins (co-chair). 

Keeping Connected:    

Time to Get Started!  

By Barbara Sandler

It's that time of year when leaves turn and days shorten. Whispering winds remind us to zip our coats. Get a flu and pneumonia shot.

Aisles of Snickers Bars and Kit-Kats, Batman costumes and Tinker Bell are empty now, replenished by shelves stuffed with plump Butterballs, pumpkin pies, fresh cranberries.

The hum of holidays hangs over us! With pictures popping inside our heads of reveling relatives and listening friends who gather at our doorsteps, like surprise guests. Surrounding us with their long, soothing hugs and voices forever familiar. We take to heart these soft hints of history, the savory smells of tradition, stubbornly refusing to ignore them.

And so the quest begins: the rush to resurrect relationships. Sparked by this season of being thankful, which aches with urgency as intense as an old romance. We long to re-connect with family, with friends; people we know or, used to. Meant to reach for and didn't.

But it feels unmanageably hard! We're too spread out; inaccessible and occupied. It would take a Village! And, thankfully, we've got one ... to point out options with today's far-flung families and distant friends. Which is best--roaming the traditional postal system or cruising the information highway?

No surprises here.  We live in age where staying connected is easier than ever.  But we shouldn't let reluctance, or being busy, or timidity keep us from reaching out.  The answer to that age-old question, "If not now, when?"  is ... NOW!

Cautionary Note: Techies have it made! The world is their network, just a click away. All they need is a computer and some fingers. But for the rest of us, it takes stealth and planning. Some real, old-style creativity--even an actual pen and paper, commemorative stamps and envelopes.

U.S. Mail

To make this feel cozy first pour yourself a mug of coffee, a cup of tea, a glass of wine or a cold beer. Have a photo on hand or in your head. Make it personal--say you miss them and what's happening in your life. Imagine yourself telling a story, having a real conversation.

To children, keep it simple. Comments and questions about things kids do. Decorate with lively and whimsical stickers. They're all the more treasured! Kids love getting letters in the mailbox, addressed especially to them with even more stickers.  

Holiday Letter

Address these to a circle of people you want to stay in touch with. Choose a couple of events that give your friends a glimpse of what life's been like for you or your family. Always end the letter with a handwritten personal note, maybe with contact information and definitely with greetings for the holiday season.

Holiday Cards

Remember to include a personal greeting!

Photos

Enclose them in cards or letters. They can establish the subject of the note or stand alone as a great bonus.

Post Cards

Great for trips, sure. But send a local card, to give people a sense of place and maybe to prompt a special memory.

Hallmark Cards

Pick something that resonates, that brings on a laugh and tells people you're thinking about them in words that will capture the sentiments of your relationship. Or even one that sings to them!

Care Package or Forget-Me-Not Box

Anything goes! The smallest objects show you care. Inexpensive trinkets signal you're thinking about the person and let them know they're special. Make it more mysterious by individually wrapping each gift. Or leave a gift behind at the end of a visit, with a list of clues to find it. Like a treasure hunt!

The Telephone

Simply pick up the phone the way you've been meaning to--only this time, do it! Even a quick call can get you caught up and let someone know what you're up to.

Audio and Video Recordings

A new outlet for old connections. Record a storybook--a music tape of your child playing an instrument, a month of milestones or daily activities--whatever sounds like fun or feels important.

E-Mail

It's a lot quicker than the postman and a handy way to reach across the globe. Transmit news instantly! (Assuming the recipient reads it!)

Skype

Makes you feel as if you're all in the same room. A Web cam lets you conference together with far-away people. At first, kids might seem like as if they're actors in a movie, but after they forget, it's hilarious! Watch them walk off the screen and keep right on talking!  

Are you doing anything different for the December holidays this year? If you are, please let Susan Nelson know, so we can include your ideas in a special article for the December Newsletter.

Please reply to susan.nelson.editor@gmail.com.

Just About Restaurants is a new, self-directed group that grew out of the Village Food Adventurers' group. It's all about experiencing interesting restaurants with a small group for good talk and good food. The group's next outing will be to Turquoise, 2147 W. Roscoe St., on Tuesday, November 15th, at 7 PM. If you would like to join, please contact susanhoeksma@gmail.com by Sunday, November 13th. If you would like to be on the Just About Restaurants e-mail list, contact Susan, and she will let you know about future outings.