Archive for the ‘2010 April’ Category
Take it to the streets!
Chicago, Summer 2010 Quick Festival Guide.
By Jake Giles
Perhaps the best part of a Chicago summer is the abundance of festivals. After months of being trapped inside, the city spills into the parks and streets to celebrate music, food, and fun. Here are seven of the major outdoor festivals that make sticking it out through the winter to enjoy the heat worth every snowflake.
Chicago Pride Fest
When: June 25-June 26
Where: Halsted, between Addison & Grace, Halsted & Addison
What: Months of fitness and fabulousness go into the largest gay gathering in the state, and one of the largest in the world. Expected attendance this year is set at a record 500,000. With music, food, and the gayest parade you
Earth Day Pledge
Earth Day Pledge
by Dominic Garascia
Earth Day is April 22nd and it could not come soon enough. With the world in climate crisis we need to take collective action to reverse the effects of our changing climate. We must take responsibility for the earth that sustains us. It may be a redundant cliche but we all must think globally and act locally. Emerging from our winter hibernation we enjoy spring and the breath in the fresh air and we are reconnected with the environment around us. Living in an urban or suburban landscape it is too easy to become disconnected from Mother Nature. We often do not walk out the door breath in the air and say, "I love nature." But we all do, whether we realize it or not. For Earth Day this year I urge all of use to reexamine our connection to the environment. It must not be a conceptual place that we encounter only on a nature hike or a spring strawberry picking excursion. The earth is all around us. We eat breathe and drink nature everyday. If you are what you eat and we eat the fruits of the Earth, then how can we not have the utmost respect for Mother Nature. Once we conceive nature to be all around us and in everything we encounter, we will make more conscientious choices.
"But how," you ask, "what can I do, I'm only one person!" You may have hear it before but you can change the light bulbs in your house, buy energy star appliances the next time you make a purchase, buy green, or simply just walk somewhere instead of driving. For more ideas go to a http://billionactsofgreen.net there you can also join other like minded citizens. As this article goes to publish there have been over 5 million acts done. Small steps can make a big impact. Even take political action in support of the climate change bill, officially called the, American Clean Energy and Security Act to encourage a environmental policy shift. According to www.epa.gov you can save up 30% on your monthly energy consumption each and every month just by purchasing energy star appliances. And that's equates to a 30% money saving as well! The EPA urges us to simply pick five. Choose five simple things you can do. If everyone in America picks five, we will have 1.5 billion acts done to improve our world.
There is always more you can do. Conserve water. Turn off the tap when you are shaving or washing your face. Disconnect your downspouts from the city water system and connect a rain basin to water your garden. Join a community supported farm. Check out www.localharvest.org to find the nearest farm near you ? in most cases you can have a full box of fresh produce delivered to your door each week for the growing season for less than $400 per season. Not only are you reducing your carbon footprint by buying local, but your also supporting local farmers. In most cases local farms are organic and free of toxic pesticides and herbicides. Frequent a community farmer's market. Buy produce local, organic and fresh. Better yet, plant your own garden.
Make a commitment to plant trees. According to the EPA the current biomass of trees in the United States absorbs approximately 15% of annual carbon output from transportation. If every American family planted just one tree, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would be reduced by one billion pounds annually. Join an environmental organization, http://www.environmentamerica.org/ is a great one. Get out there and enjoy the spring, enjoy the earth. Better yet, host an Earth Day Party to bring awareness to the issue, go to www.earthday.net for more tips and ideas.
Take action, follow these concrete and legitimate steps each and every one of us can take part in. Whatever you do, just do not take advantage of the Earth. In everything you do just remember your connection to the Earth. Make April 22nd this year the day when we all pledge to taking positive steps to improve the environment.
Ready to Run?
Ready to Run?
Considering the Challenge of Completing a Marathon? Our Guide to the Path of Most Resistance.
By: Ian Millington
So, you're considering taking on the challenge of a marathon? Of course the first step is simply signing up. Then you'll tell everyone you know you are doing it and they'll all think you're crazy or laugh at you. Then you will either go through with it or, and surprisingly a lot of people don't, you won't.
It is estimated that only about 1% of the U.S. population have ran a marathon and that data is loosely based on the amount of participants that actually signed up to run. So completing a marathon is a pretty big deal but completing in a decent time is even better. Now don't get me wrong, my hat goes off to anyone that successfully completes a marathon but if it takes you longer than five hours and there isn't some extenuating circumstance as to why it took you that long ? you are doing something wrong. I mean let's be honest, no one wants to be Katie Holmes with a time of 5:29:58 – she clearly phoned that one in.
All that being said, the task of preparing for a marathon is not easy ? it costs a lot of money and it means that you will have to sacrifice some Friday or Saturday evenings to get up early the next day and run a ridiculous amount of miles for 18 weeks! Do I still have your attention? If I still do, I will tell you what to expect and what to look forward to, as it is actually a pretty enjoyable experience.
FAST AFFORDABLE HEALTH
TITLE: FAST AFFORDABLE HEALTH
by Jennifer Smith, RD, LDN
Life today is over scheduled, over planned, and over stressed with little time to focus on our health: especially what we eat. Our schedules make it difficult to fit in a good meal in the middle of the day when we get preoccupied with emails, business meetings, co-workers and family. Usually lunches contain vending machine snacks, fast food, or just more coffee, all of which are not the best choices for our health or our pockets.
Why can't we find time to nourish ourselves without wasting our time and money? With the right tools, you can. Follow these easy meals and strategies to get in nutritious and inexpensive meals that will fuel your body throughout your busy workday.
1. Plan ahead. Taking just 5 minutes the night before a busy day can be the difference between fast food or a delicious home-made meal. On your Sunday, make a large portion of chicken, rice, and a salad. Cut up veggies and put them in small plastic bags. Make small servings of your favorite nuts, crackers or cereal. The next morning just put a serving of salad or chicken and rice in a plastic container and you are ready to enjoy a healthy meal to keep your energy elevated and spending low as you go throughout your day.
2. Use your leftovers. If you are making a meal on a Monday night, make a double batch. Take the extra serving and portion them into small plastic containers to enjoy the next day at lunch. A warmed meal of last night's rice, chicken and steamed veggies is not only filling but will keep money in your pocket and leave you feeling much more satiated than your unhealthy alternative options of chips or candy.
3. Simplify. Don't make it complicated. Don't like cooking? No problem. Meals don't need to be filled with multiple ingredients, spices and measurements. Taking whole, basic foods with the right combination can be a very enjoyable and satisfying meal. Try a can of tuna, whole wheat crackers, 2 tablespoons of hummus and baby carrots.; Combine as you wish to get in a serving of protein, whole grains and healthy fats into your diet. So don't forget the basics ? who said a whole grain peanut butter sandwich, banana and yogurt wasn't satisfying?. It was when our moms packed it on our brown bags growing up!
Newsom's New Voice Wows on Three Disc Set:Joanna Newsom – Have One On Me (Drag City)
Newsom's New Voice Wows on Three Disc Set.
Joanna Newsom -?Have One On Me (Drag City)
by Jake Giles
Though the album title is?Have ONE On Me, it's ironic that singer-songwriter Joanna Newsom gave not one, not two, but?three discs of new music on her latest release. Clocking in at an impressive (but at times overwhelming) 2 hours, each disc contains 6 songs featuring motifs of new love, lost love, and lovelessness. Although the collection is a lot to take in, repeated listens reveal that each disc tells a story about a woman hopeful about her life. She may compare her struggles to a young renaissance dancer, mourn the loss of something she never had, but in the end she emerges independent and ready for what's next.
Darren Jones: "The biggest challenge of art is the unknown"
Darren Jones: "The biggest challenge of art is the unknown"
By: Alysse Dalessandro
Chicago-based artist Darren Jones always been interested in art, but it wasn't until he was laid off from his corporate job that he decided to take the leap and paint full-time. He says his corporate background helps him in the business side of art. Read what he has to say about his artistic inspiration and what he likes about the Chicago art scene.
Mint Male:. How did you know that you wanted to get into art?
Darren Jones:?I can't say that there was a moment where I said "I know I want to get into art", I believe that this was something inside of me that was always been there and it just took years for me to realize that instead of fighting it, to let it go and see what happens, pick up a brush and paint. I worked in the corporate world until I was laid off a year ago and although I was making both work together, I decided it was time to take the leap to paint full time and I have not regretted a moment since!
MM: What kind of training did you go through to be an artist?
DJ: My life experiences, traveling and growing up with a mother who paints in watercolor has been my education to develop as an artist. Experimentation and following that little voice inside the right side of my brain is my formal training as I am a self taught artist.
MM: For someone who has never seen your work, how would you describe it?
DJ:My art is a mix of contemporary, modern and impressionistic where I take everyday elements of nature and but my twist and style to it. I love heavy textures.
MM: I read that your draw inspiration in your work from your mother's garden. Can you describe how you find nature inspiring?
DJ: I really try to find the beauty in everything I see, but with nature there is not need to really search. I love the rawness of nature, the strength and the delicateness that you can find from something so simple as grass to something more complex like an iris or poppy. Nature itself tells some many stories and I like to try to take a snapshot of that story and expand upon it with my art. Many times when I find a location or a scene, I like to blur my eyes to allow the colors and elements meld together to imprint the image in my mind so I can reproduce it on the canvas.
MM: What materials do you use in your art and how does that contribute to the paintings' appearance?
DJ: I use a variety of materials and techniques to create different levels of depth and texture to each piece. I love texture and work in multiple layers to create different pieces of my collection. Many clients immediately want to touch the pieces to feel the art because of the textures. I use a various combination of recycled papers, wood fibers, paper fibers, sand from the beach of my family cottage, plaster, ink and acrylic paints, using a different combination for each piece.
MM: You work has been shown across the world from Australia to the Middle East to Europe and North America. Can you tell me about a particular show that was most memorable for you?
DJ: To me knowing my art is in private collections in countries around the world is one of the most amazing and most memorable. I love meeting people at my shows who are touched or moved by my art and learning their story and about their lives so that I learn what about my art connected with them and that makes me grown as an artist. It is those life moment stories that are the most memorable.
MM: Many artists say they struggle with the business side of their work. What do you find is the biggest challenge of being a full-time artist?
DJ: I think the biggest challenge is the unknown. You can plan all the art shows and openings, paint, paint and paint and hope that your art sells. Many artists say how the economy has effected art sales, but I have found the opposite as people find purchasing art is an investment and are always looking for the wonderful find. Something that has been very helpful for me with that is having a background from my previous life with the corporate world along with schooling in business. I am able to combine both schools of thought, taking the essentials of my education about marketing, sales and strategy and apply them to the business side of my art. You need to put yourself out there in order to sell, but of course the artist in me fights that too because you hope your art would sell itself.
MM: You showed your work at Chicago gay bar Sofo. How does you work relate to the gay community?
DJ: I am always open to showing my work at any venue that will expose people to works that they might not have had a chance to experience original art. I don't like to label artists or art, but being openly gay, I feel has allowed me to open up as an artist. I don't hide behind my art or my life. When I paint, I open up and let the paint flow from my hands and fall on to the canvas as an extension of who I am and not who people want me to be.
MM: How would you describe the art scene in Chicago?
DJ: I feel the art scene in Chicago is under appreciated, undervalued and underestimated but incredible and unexpected. There are so many amazingly talented artists in this city. I think that there can be such a focus on the New York scene, but making it in Chicago, you can make it anywhere!!
MM: If you weren't an artist, what would you be and why?
DJ: So I have already spent most of my life not as an artist, spending it in the corporate world, working in a office and a cubicle or school so at this point I cannot imagine my life being anything else but an artist, it is who I am, it is in my soul — I wouldn't want to be anything else.
