Baltic Christmas Day 14 - Dainava, in concert

Today on Day 14 of 24 Days of a Baltic Christmas, an invitation! 

Kviečiame į Dainavos adventinį kalėdinį koncertą “Gimė mums žodis” kuriame šalia kitų kūrinių atliksime šią nuostabią adventinę grigalinę giesmę “Veni, Veni Emmanuel” (“Ateik, ateik Emanueli”). Įrašas iš Dainavos 2015 metų koncerto.

gruodžio 21 d., šeštadienį, 7 v.v.

Švč. Mergelės Marijos Gimimo bažnyčioje

6812 S. Washtenaw, Chicago, IL

Daugiau informacijos - http://dainava.us/tema/renginiai

Koncerto metu bažnyčios aikštė ir visa apylinkė bus saugoma Illinois Homeland Security tarnybos.

Koncerto lankytojams bus galima veltui statyti mašinas Holy Cross Hospital (Švento Kryžiaus ligoninės) automobilių garaže (įvažiavimas iš 68-tos gatvės).

Dainava invites you to its Advent-Christmas concert “Gimė mums žodis” (To Us the Word Was Born). Among other pieces, they will perform a beautiful rendition of the traditional Gregorian chant Veni, Veni Emmanuel (O Come, O Come Emmanuel).

This video performance is from Dainava’s 2015 concert…

The concert is on Saturday, December 21 at 7pm at the Nativity B.V.M. Church: 6812 S. Washtenaw, Chicago, IL.

During the concert, the church square and the surrounding area will be guarded by Illinois Homeland Security, and parking will be free in the Holy Cross Hospital parking garage (68th Street entrance). For more information, please see their website.

We invite you to pause during your holiday preparations, and enjoy the tranquility of the season, as you listen to excerpts from the Holy Scripture & Lithuanian poetry, and await the Christmas miracle.

Thank you to Aida Gust for the information! I wish the distances weren’t so great and we could attend! Maybe Atlanta needs a concert choir?

Tomorrow on Day 15 of 24 Days of a Baltic Christmas, a piparkūkas experiment…

Our favorite Children's Garden - Morton Arboretum

Our visit to the Morton Arboretum to see the Troll Hunt art installation included some time spent in the Children’s Garden, the award-winning, 4-acre, interactive, educational, and super-fun garden. Filled with numerous different areas of exploration, the Children’s Garden is the most fantastic nature-themed play area I have ever had the chance to explore!

The Children’s Garden has two main areas: Backyard Discovery Gardens and Adventure Woods. The two are linked by a Central Plaza, and have ten smaller, themed gardens within. Engaging and interactive activities abound throughout, and just outside the Children’s Garden is an additional Maze Garden, a one-acre puzzle of hedges, complete with lookout tower.

“At The Morton Arboretum, imagination lives, curiosity grows, and kids flourish in the Children’s Garden. Splash through secret streams, climb colossal acorns, and slide down giant tree roots all day long. Explore, learn, and play among trees and the natural world.”

Leaf Station at the Morton Arboretum Children's Garden

Upon entering, stroll the Kids' Tree Walk and Tree Finder Grove, and spin the one-ton kugel ball in the Central Plaza.

Then head into the Adventure Woods portion of the garden. There you'll encounter Wonder Pond, Under the Trees, Grotto and Secret Stream, Grassy Meadow, and Evergreen Walk and Lookout.

The kids spent more than an hour playing in the stream, building dams and waterfalls. The Lookout was another favorite spot, complete with hanging bridges and multiple vantage points to the Children's Garden, seemingly located far up in the tree canopy. 

The tadpoles that hatch each spring in Wonder Pond are American Toads. This is a natural occurrence, but if you asked the kids, each glimpse of a tadpole was a magical happening! Bring a dry change of clothes if being dry is important to you, otherwise keep playing and the kids will be dry by the time they get in the car... unless they find the stream!

Next, in the Backyard Discovery Gardens area: Curiosity Garden, Bloom, Zoom, & Sprout, Every Which Way, and the Windmill Garden. The Every Which Way Garden allowed the moms to sit down and rest for a bit, while the kids played among tree 'roots', examined live pollinators in the monarch waystation, and learned how it feels to be a plant being watered in the giant mister - yes, you'll have to give them another hour to dry out again!

The Children’s Garden hours vary by season; please visit their website for more information. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult while visiting the Children's Garden, and there is an employee stationed at the entrance to help monitor that kids don’t leave the garden without their parents.

In addition to the Maze Garden, there are two other nature play spaces on our grounds: Mud Kitchen and Word Garden. Visitors to the Arboretum through the end of 2018 can also participate in the Troll Hunt; see my post Hunting for Trolls at the Morton Arboretum.

Hunting for trolls at the Morton Arboretum

My last visit to the Morton Arboretum was a lifetime ago, but when I heard about the new art installation “Troll Hunt,” I knew we would be making the trek to Lisle during our sojourn in the Midwest. What more appropriate way to become reacquainted with the arboretum and hunt for trolls, than with best friends from my days in the UIUC forestry program? Of course a relaxing day strolling the paths of this Chicagoland institution wasn’t in the books – we hit the trails with three moms and eight kids, severely outnumbered but in for a fantastic adventure.

Meet Little Arturs!

The six trolls and one troll hideout is the work of Danish artist Thomas Dambo, and are crafted entirely from reclaimed wood and natural materials. The 15 to 30 foot tall sculptures serve as protectors of our environment: “The trolls share the Arboretum's desire to care for trees; however, they seem suspicious of humans. We need you to join the investigation and help trolls and humans come to understand each other. What will you discover when you join the hunt?”

Sneaky Socks Alexa had a 'human trap' set up, and was lying in wait to set it off...

“Troll Hunt” first opened in the spring of 2018, and will be on exhibit through 2018 and possibly into 2019. Bearing a resemblance to the trolls of European folklore, the enormous statues were a huge hit with the kids; we spent all day at the arboretum, split between troll hunting and the Children’s Garden.

Rocky Bardur is right off the parking lot - seems like someone parked a little too close!

Step one: Pick up the Troll Hunter's Handbook when you arrive. The trolls are located between two feet and ¾ of a mile from the nearest parking lot, spread over the Arboretum’s 1,700 acres; to see all the trolls, the total hiking distance is six to seven miles. A Morton map and the Handbook will help you find a logical route to visit the trolls, as well as provide prompts to find a clue for each troll; this will allow you to locate the Troll's ‘secret hideout,’ the seventh part of the installation. We opted to visit a few of the closer trolls by foot, and then drive to the remaining sites; see this link for info on accessibility and closest parking lots. You can also rent bicycles (or bring your own), as well as buy tickets to the troll tram; the 1½ hour tour takes you to 4 trolls with less than ½ mile walk at each.

The Troll Hideout

Step two: Try not to spend all day at the Troll Hideout! Once you’ve found all the trolls and filled in the blanks in the Troll Hunter’s Handbook, put your heads together to figure out where the hideout is located. It’s a short hike in but worth every step! There is a giant tepee structure for troll strategy sessions, and everything from a giant-sized mancala game board with pine cone pieces, to a troll-size toothbrush and other troll essentials! The kids took turns posing in the cauldron, banging the giant drum, cooping one another up in the human-size trap, and holding conferences in ‘troll court’. I spent my time admiring the imagination and craftsmanship behind every little detail of the hideout, photographing the shadows created by the tepee, and covering my ears whenever someone found the drum!

FYI: Morton Aroboretum has a Reciprocal Admissions Program with Hatcher Woodland Gardens in Spartanburg and the South Carolina Botanical Gardens, as well as the North Carolina Arboretum – please visit the website for more details. http://ahsgardening.org/gardening-programs/rap/find/statebystate Or, visit on a Wednesday for $5 off an adult ticket.

Troll Hunt, a Fairy Tale

A Chicago Botanic Garden Sunset

We found ourselves on the north side of Chicagoland with a few hours to spare, the hot sun having morphed into a more-manageable evening light. While on that end of the city, we decided to make a stop at the Chicago Botanic Garden; during the summer months the gardens are open until 9pm, allowing for a twilight stroll in cooler temperatures.

Lilies in the Native Plant Garden

The Chicago Botanic Gardens are known worldwide, despite being less than 50 years old. The origins can be traced back to the Chicago Horticultural Society which was founded more than 100 years ago, and today the CBG is owned by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County and operated by the Chicago Horticultural Society. Although it had been at least a dozen years since my last visit, I knew we were in for a treat and was very much looking forward to refilling my batteries in this urban oasis.

Fountain in the English Walled Garden

Situated on 385 acres east of the Edens expressway (just north of the Skokie Lagoons), the garden is unique in that it contains six miles of shoreline, with nine islands offering a wide range of formal and more casual gardens. Although a couple of hours are not enough to see the gardens in their entirety, it is just enough for a walk around the main island through some of the more intensely managed areas.

After emerging from the Visitor Center we crossed the bridge over to the main island and started our visit in the Crescent and on the Esplanade. The views toward North Lake and the fountain were aglow in the soft evening light, and we stuck to the shoreline to reach the Native Plant Garden.

A lotus flower blooming in the Heritage Garden

The Aquatic Plant Garden is really unique, waterlilies blooming on both sides of a pier that zigzags through the water. Adjacent to it is the bulb garden, which offered some of the most fantastic color on this particular visit.

A rainbow of colors in the Bulb Garden

We crossed back through the Landscape Garden, emerging near the Circle Garden. The boys were not so excited about crossing the bridge to Spider Island once I told them it was named after the giant arachnids that live on the island (jk folks), but we persisted, and the dappled sunlight on the birches reminded me of the Latvian forests that are in every Latvian’s heart.

Bonsai!!!

We cut through the Regenstein Center to see the Bonsai Collection. There are over 200 bonsai that are displayed on a rotating basis, including a Japanese white pine that has been trained for at least 100 years.

We walked around the rose garden, and the boys took turns photographing, sniffing and splashing in the fountain.

The east end is my favorite portion of the island, as paths meander and crisscross - many secluded benches, walled gardens and quiet spots just waiting to be found. We skirted the Dwarf Conifer Garden and crossed the bridge to the Japanese Garden, admiring the oranges and reds of the setting sun through the manicured pine trees. These 17 acres include three islands, but only two are open to the public; the third symbolizes paradise, in sight but elusive.

Once back on the main island the boys insisted on following the rushing waters of the Waterfall Garden up to the pond at the top of the hill. The sun started dipping below the trees, and we raced twilight in our decent.

We explored the English Walled Garden and Oak Meadow knowing our time was almost up, enchanted by the emergence of fireflies and the soft glow of the Garden’s globe lighting. Before long we crossed back to the Heritage Garden, soaking the last bit in before crossing the bridge back to the Visitor Center and the city…

English Oak Meadow

The Cubs Fly the W!

I don’t know much about baseball, but here is what I do know:

1. I’m from Chicago, and the Cubs are my team.

(and that of my cousins, who headed to Wrigleyville Sunday - lucky ducks!) 

2. They play at Wrigley Field, the oldest stadium in the National League (1914). Formerly known as Weeghman Park and Cubs Park, it’s been Wrigley since 1927. I prefer chewing gum over “Guaranteed Rate Field” – come on, Comiskey!

3. In 1906 the Chicago Cubs won a record 116 games before losing the World Series to the Chicago White Sox, and then in 1907 & 1908 they won it all, becoming the 1st Major League team to play in three consecutive World Series (and the 1st to win it twice)….

4. …and the Cubbies haven’t won a World Series since. That’s 108 years, the record for longest period without a World Series championship.

5. The first three games of the 1945 World Series were played in Detroit, the last four in Chicago. During game four Wrigley ejected Billy Sianis who had come to the game with two box seat tickets – one for him and one for his goat. And so was born the Curse of the Billy Goat when Mr. Sianis uttered, “The Cubs, they ain’t gonna win no more.”

6. Black cats, wet gloves, Steve Bartman… the curse continues despite Billy Sianis himself attempting to reverse it.

7. Fast forward to the year I was born, when Harry Caray became sportscaster for the Cubs. His tradition of singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during the seventh-inning stretch has continued after Caray's death, with guest celebrities occasionally singing along to Caray on the jumbotron. For example, Eddie Vedder on game five…

8. …which was the first World Series win at Wrigley in 71 years.

9. At the end of the 1991 season Harry Caray said; “Well, a lot of things happened today, and they were all great and they were all thrilling and they were all dramatic… Sure as God made green apples, someday, the Chicago Cubs are going to be in the World Series — and maybe sooner than you think.”

10. Yesterday, Addison Russell’s grand slam (bottom of the 3^rd) was the first in the World Series since Game 2, 2005, and the first ever by the Cubs in the World Series.

Which all brings me to this – tonight is the night. Will the Curse of the Billy Goat be finally reversed? Will my boys forever know Zobrist as zobirste? Will the W fly once more?

All right! Lemme hear ya! Ah-One! Ah-Two! Ah-Three! Take me out to the ballgame, take me out with the crowd; buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack, I don't care if I never get back.Let me root, root, root for the Cubbies, if they don't win, it's a shame. For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out, at the old ball game! Let's get some runs!

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill is home to University of North Carolina, forming the “Research Triangle” along with Durham (Duke University) and Raleigh (North Carolina State). Although we’ve been in/around Chapel Hill a few times while living in Greenville, I had never seen the campus. We explored the North Carolina Botanical Gardens one morning a couple weeks ago (operated by the University of North Carolina), and when Roberts was liberated from his work obligations we picked him up and headed to downtown Chapel Hill, a town founded specifically to serve the University.

Coincidentally we picked up a NC jersey at a consignment sale last month

Kenan Memorial Stadium is home to the North Carolina Tar Heels. There has been an unwritten rule since the Stadium opened in 1927; the stadium can never be taller than the surrounding pine trees. With a current capacity of 63,000, the largest number to ever fill the stadium for a game was (before the 2011 expansion) a standing-room-only crowd of 62,000, when the Tar Heels hosted the Florida State Seminoles in 1997.

Specifically chose this picture because you can't see Mikus isn't wearing pants

Adjacent to the stadium is the 172 foot tall bell tower. Dedicated to John Motley Morehead (class of 1891) and Rufus Lenoir Patterson II who funded the bell tower’s construction, the tower was dedicated on Thanksgiving Day, 1931. Up in the belfry are fourteen mechanized bells, which replaced the carillon of twelve manually operated ones some time ago. Traditionally a few days before commencement, seniors get the chance to climb the tower, but on our visit the door was securely locked and we could only imagine the view of campus afforded from the top. Dr. William C. Coker, the first Professor of Botany at the University, designed the hedge and lawn surrounding the tower, with peeks of the stadium down the southeast hedge row.

Continuing north we came to Professor Coker’s legacy, the 5.3 acre Coker Arboretum. The boggy pasture was originally developed as an outdoor classroom for the study of trees, shrubs and vines native to the State, until the 1920’s and following decades when Dr. Coker added many East Asian trees and shrubs. Today the collection ranges from flowering trees and shrubs to bulb and perennial displays, featuring a 300 foot native vine arbor and a Metasequoia (dawn redwood).

After an ice cream stop for the boys we finished our UNC tour at Top of the Hill Restaurant and Brewery. The pub opened in 1994 and was one of the first microbreweries in the state, and these days is possibly one of the best places to be after a UNC win due to the view of Franklin Street. The infamous “bonfire” celebrations occur when students and fans spill into the street from the bars, restaurants and dorms along Franklin, resulting in occurrences such as after a 1982 game when the street was literally painted blue. In 2009 after winning the men's NCAA championship over 45,000 people crowded Franklin Street.

Top: view from Top of the Hill, bottom: a Franklin Street bonfire (source here)

All three Research Triangle teams are in the tournament this year, and all have fared well so far. Tomorrow UNC (seeded 4^th) will face off against  Wisconsin, while Duke (1^st seed) plays Utah and NC State (8^th seed) upset Villanova for a game against Louisville on Friday. Maybe we’ll see them meet up in the semifinals or finals!

Top of the Hill mascot wearing #23

* A small part of me is cheering on University of North Carolina, just because that’s where my childhood home-town hero played three seasons of basketball. A couple years after his Tar Heels won the national championship in 1982, Michael Jordan joined the Chicago Bulls.

A Cubbies fan in Greenville chimes in

Today Wrigley Field turns 100, and the Cubs are planning a season-long party! Retro uniforms like the ones worn today on the 100^th birthday game against the D-backs are just part of the "Party of the Century,” with specialty food, bobbleheads, special guests and more planned for the length of the season. I’m originally from Chicago, and although I haven’t been to a game in ages, the Cubbies have my support this season.

Source here

As part of the celebration, "Throwback Sunday" games will include retro toy giveaways for children, and for each decade-themed Friday home game the first 10,000 fans at Wrigley will receive a bobblehead honoring key individuals or events from that decade. A golfer's night during the 1950s homestand last Thursday commemorated Sam Snead hitting the center field scoreboard with a golf ball, and collectible cups and helmets will be offered with food and beverages during the themed decade games. Sounds like a collector’s dream, doesn’t it?

Source here

The ballpark was built in 1914 at the Clark and Addison street location for $250,000, and was originally named Weeghman Park after Chicago Federals owner Charles Weeghman. It was home to the Chi-Feds (later the Chicago Whales) of the Federal League, and the first game was April 23, 1914. When the Federal League folded in 1915, Weeghman found the investors to purchase the Chicago Cubs. Among those investors was William Wrigley Jr., and in 1919 the park was renamed Cubs Park when Wrigley bought Weeghman’s shares. The name was changed once again in 1926 to Wrigley Field, and in 1937 it received the makeover that made it what it is today, with the now-famous bleachers, scoreboard and ivy.

Source here

To learn more about Wrigley Field's 100 years you can visit WrigleyField100.com, which highlights each of Wrigley Field's 100 great moments as they're unveiled. Happy birthday to Wrigley, and good luck to the Cubbies!!! Now, if only they could win the Series for the first time in over a century...

Loose in Miami Beach!

With the sun low in the sky and the crowds probably gathering in Mallory Square for the daily sunset celebration, we found ourselves 170 miles northeast crossing the Julia Tuttle Causeway to Miami Beach. Since we would pass through Miami on the way back to Fort Myers, we had contacted friends who live in South Beach and arranged to spend the last night of our vacation there. Located on a series of natural and man-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the city has been one of America's top beach resorts since the early 20th century and the Art Deco Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. We were hoping to get a quick feel for the area, made popular by TV show Miami Vice and featured in movies such as Scarface and The Birdcage.

Wanting to be within easy travel distance of South Beach but to avoid the prices of the hip hotels, we ended up at the completely unique Freehand Miami. The hostel, located in the classic 1930’s Art Deco Indian Creek Hotel, caters to individual travelers as well as groups. Offering private rooms and shared rooms, it is easy to book based on individual needs and budgets. Our “standard king” had a private bathroom, free wi-fi and breakfast, and was luxurious in every way but the price. Those traveling alone can opt for either a “shared quad” or “super 8,” and in addition “private quads” and “bungalows” are available.

The highpoint of Freehand Miami is the common area. In the lush tropical courtyard chaises and tables are tucked between palms and colorful vegetation, an outdoor pool reflecting the crystalline blue of the sky. We enjoyed drinks from the specialty mixology bar in the warm December night, the city blocked out completely in this private retreat. A historic house on the property is currently being restored, with plans to transform it into a restaurant and bar; The House, scheduled to open early 2014, will complement the hostel theme and feature a rooftop garden above the Kitchen Pavilion. There is a Freehand Chicago opening in my hometown next year too, right in the heart of downtown; I'm excited to see if they succeed in bringing the Miami Beach vibe to the 1920's Art Deco building in River North. 

After drinks our party headed to South Beach (also known as SoBe, or simply The Beach), and enjoyed a casual dinner overlooking the Bay. The boys made quick friends, and together the four kids ran around until the late hour brought us back to the hostel. We slept soundly, stomachs full and tired after a long day, awaking well-rested and ready to start the new day.

We joined dozens of other travelers downstairs in the lobby for breakfast, once again admiring the common area but this time in daylight. The boys were crushed that we were not going to be able to try out the pool until we told them we were headed for the beach.

We headed south to South Pointe Park, hoping to avoid the crowds on Lummus Park beach but enjoy the same view, sand and surf. On the way we enjoyed the Art Deco scenery, getting a quick taste of the aesthetic of Ocean Drive before winding up at the very south tip of Miami Beach. The park was a perfect choice for us: no crowds, excellent beach, restrooms and a shaded playground. We watched cruise and cargo ships passing through to the ports, jumped endless waves, people-watched and dug in the sand until it came time to leave. Though Miami Beach had given us a final chance at beach time in December, Christmas was awaiting us back in Greenville. As we crossed MacArthur Causeway and wound our way through Miami and the Everglades, the sun on my shoulders and the saltwater around my ankles quickly became more a dream than a memory.

The Christkindlmarket, Cloudgate and Chicago Cultural Center

When you’ve only one week in Chicago and the majority of that is spent with family, there isn’t a lot of time left for sightseeing. I grew up in Chicago and so only a few of the typical touristy things hold any draw for me, but seeing as the holidays are just around the corner and we had one day to ourselves – off we went! We hopped on the brown line in Lincoln Square, giving the boys their first ride aboard the el train, and soon were downtown with the rest of the holiday crowds.

Our destination was the 18^th annual Christkindlmarket. I first attended this German American holiday market while studying German in high school, and that very first one (1996) was held in Pioneer Court. The very next year it moved to Daley Plaza and has been there ever since, attracting an estimated 1 million visitors every year. With a large Christmas tree, choirs, dance groups and Santa, it is a great place to get into the holiday spirit… if you can stand the crowds. Best get there early if you would like to sample the kilometerwurst or glühwein, especially if you would like your mulled wine in one of the souvenir mugs. There’s an aftermarket on ebay, I tell you. In previous years I have enjoyed looking around to see what the various vendors are selling (one year I even worked there), picking up toys and ornaments for Christmas presents. This year, with four impatient boys (my brother Māris met up with us for the morning) we headed east.

The former Marshall Field & Co. building now houses Macy’s, and although the window displays aren’t as grand of a story as my nostalgia permits me to believe, the boys enjoyed the hoopla. With large crowds, moving parts and shiny objects in the windows, street musicians banging away and giant trumpets overhead, it was easy to feel overwhelmed by the big city-ness of it all. We made our way inside, braving the Black Friday crowds in hopes of buying a single box of Frango Mints. After taking one look at the line for the elevator I turned on my heels and we got out of there, as quick as those chocolates would have disappeared.

Māris knew the perfect place to stop in for a breather, the Chicago Cultural Center. The largest undertaking of the Tiffany Glass & Decorating Co. in history is located in this very building that thousands of tourists pass by every year on their way to Millenium Park. The glass dome consists of 2,848 faceted glass jewels cut in a fish-scale pattern, and even on a cloudy day the room was bright as day. The rest of the hall is immaculately decorated as well, featuring Tiffany’s patented favrile technique mosaics.

We stopped at the Bean (Cloud Gate) because how could we not as no visit to Chicago is complete without a stop there (source: Noras tētis), watched the ice skating for a bit, then headed even further east into Lurie Gardens. Soon our fingers were feeling the cold and our boys were feeling the lack of nap, and so we reluctantly marched back to the closest el stop. Although it was nice playing tourist for a day, I was glad to get back to Lincoln Square and warm up with a cup of coffee at my grandmother’s house….