May Evanston Events

Thursday, May 1: May Day Rally + Better Off Read Book Club

I was able to attend a bit of the afternoon rally at Fountain Square once I wrapped up work meetings. The Mayor of Evanston gave some opening remarks.

Later in the evening, I went to the Better Off Read Book Club at the library. The selection for this month was Long Island, which I mostly enjoyed although it was hard to empathize with several of the characters. But it was great to discuss the book with others and start to make some new local connections. Unfortunately, I'll miss the next few meetings since we'll traveling or in Sac, but I definitely plan to re-connect when we're in Evanston for the fall.

Saturday, May 3 & Sunday, May 4: Lakeshore Shuffle 5K, Coffee at the Lake, Man of La Mancha

Mr. E and I walked the 5K Lakeshore Shuffle on Saturday morning since I'm not able to run anymore, even this type of shorter distance. The weather was still a bit chilly but beautiful! 

On Sunday morning, my friend R drove up to meet me for coffee and tea at the Lake. We took advantage of the indoor kiosk space and then walked along the Lake for a bit. In the afternoon, Mr. E and I went to the final performance Man of La Mancha at the Wirtz Performing Arts Center. The show was amazing, and the setting in an immigrant detention center was so evocative and emotional. We were both in tears after the finale! We asked a staff member if we could buy one of the big posters because we wanted to remember this experience, but unfortunately they weren't for sale. So instead, Mr. E grabbed one of the smaller flyers from the men's room for us to take home and frame. 

Thursday, May 8: Spring Sip & Stroll

We visited several downtown businesses as part of the Spring Sip & Stroll, including the new Herson's Barbershop, where we met the super-friendly owner who assured me that he's very comfortable doing women's short cuts. I ended up making an appointment with him later in the month since I'm still trying to find a good local salon within walking distance of our apartment. (I was very pleased with his service and pricing!)

Thursday, May 15: Arts & Craft Beverage Crawl

We were supposed to join up with our friends M & L for arts & craft beverage crawl along the Main / Dempster mile, but unfortunately I was having a multiple migraine week and wasn't feeling up to being social or any sort of adult beverages. Mr. E enjoyed the get together, including dinner at Kuni's, one of M & L's favorite Japanese restaurants.

Saturday, May 17 & Sunday, May 18: Dinner at Eataly + Hubbard Street Dance

My sister J was in town for the weekend for a work event and invited us to join her small team dinner on Saturday evening at Eataly in downtown Chicago. We met up with her a bit early for some family chatting and then enjoyed getting to know some of her close colleagues. Unfortunately, the dinner experience overall was subpar due to lackadaisical service and undercooked pasta (at a pasta specialty restaurant!). Mr. E had some words with a manager and got our bill reduced by nearly 2/3, which was covered by J's company. I think they appreciated our "contribution"!!!

On Sunday afternoon, we headed back to downtown Chicago for the Spring Series performance by Hubbard Street Dance. Once again, the company was AMAZING! I had watched several of the pre-show interviews and sneak peeks online, which helped to really appreciate some of the pieces and better understand the creative process behind-the-scenes. Coincidentally, this series was at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park, just down the street from where Mr. E's mom lives, but since she was already in France with Mr. E's sister and brother-in-law, we didn't have a chance to meet up with her.

Friday, May 30: As It Is In Heaven

As one of our final Evanston activities before returning to Sac for the month of June, we went to see As It Is In Heaven at the Wirtz Center. We both enjoyed the strong performances, including all of the singing and instrumentals, but the script and subject matter weren't quite as compelling compared to other shows we've seen so far at this space. We're looking forward to the announcement of next season's offerings and hope to add several to our calendar.

Scenic Views

The late Spring continued to provide lots of scenic views, including lots of forsythia and pansies and many multiple-bunny siting days. We also had some gorgeous sunsets and sunrises (with surfers in the Lake -- brr!) along with some VERY weird thick fog that hung around all day. We thought perhaps this was an annual weather event in Evanston, but according to the locals, it was unusual for them, too!