Alan May, Coldwell Banker Evanston Realtor, North Shore Realtor

On my recent trip to downtown Chicago... we walked Millenium Park.

Our walk brought me to this vantage of the Millennium Park bandshell... the Pritzker Pavilion.

It's an impressive site... designed by world renowned artist / architect Frank Gehry.

Millennium Park has come to be as much of a symbol of Chicago as the former Picasso statue, and is the showpiece of downtown Chicago.

If you get a chance, come see it. As you can see, there are speakers suspended over the entire grassy area, where people can sit on blankets to experience any of the concerts. Because the speakers are spread throughout the park, attendees get a singularly wonderful audio experience, along with the beauty of the pavilion itself.

Located right in the heart of downtown Chicago... with some of the most impressive architecture as a backdrop, the Pritzker Pavilion and Millennium Park are well worth the experience.

Over the weekend, my wife and I had the opportunity to visit the new wing of the Art Insitute of Chicago.

We first walked through Millenium Park, where we encountered a lovely young couple... freshly engaged and excited... we crossed the bridge from the park directly into the new wing.

We started on the third floor, which contained a phenomenal collection of masters.

Sometimes, when visiting an art museum, one piece of art generates a visceral response. You find yourself drawn to it, for an unknown reason. All roads lead there.

While this was a quick visit, this one image held my attention. It was Marc Chagall's 'White Crucifixion' (1938). I was a student at the Art Institute back in the early 70's, and had seen this image before... but it didn't hold my attention then, as it did now. I did a little research on this painting, wondering what lead to it's painting, and why it would demand my attention today.

As typical, in a Chagall painting, there were floating images around a central theme. In this case Jesus crucified on a "t-shaped" crucifix, surrounded by images of Jews being treated poorly. Jesus himself dominates the center of the canvas, hanging on the cross modestly covered by a Jewish prayer shawl (A tallit). He calls our attention to the fact that Jesus is/was Jewish, and being painted by a Jewish artist. Yes, the same Jesus that the Christians revere. Floating over his head, the Hebrew mocking reads "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews", his head surrounded by a halo... an image we've become used to seeing.

In the upper left, we see the Russian army... coming to save Jesus?? or to participate in additional persecution of the King of the Jews and his people? Marc Chagall was a supporter of the 1917 revolution in Russia, hoping that the revolution would bring Peace and justice to a thoroughly oppressed Soviet/Jewish population. But that didn't occur, and the oppression continued, so we can presume that this band of Russian army no-goodnicks, is not there for support.

In the top right corner we see a Jewish synagogue burning while the German flag flies, and a brown-shirt with swastika armband calls for more flames. The year this was painted, was the infamous year (1938) of the Nazi Kristallnacht, when mobs burned down synagogues, and torched Jewish homes and businesses. Shops were ransacked, their windows broken (Kristalnach... crystal night... the sound of broken glass), homes and businesses ransacked, Jewish cemeteries desecrated and Jewish families dragged out into the streets to be publicly humiliated. Subsequently many Jews were arrested and deported to concentration camps. Even though Marc Chagall was then living in Paris, this painting clearly reflects his knowledge of what was occurring in Nazi Germany.

At the bottom right of the image, we see a Torah (the five books of Moses) in a pose that shows it absorbing all that's happening... and a transient Jew gathering up the Torah, and miscellaneous holy books lying around on the ground, so that their wisdom and reverence will not be lost to the ages.

And at the bottom left, a boat filled with Jewish refugees makes its way to Palestine in an effort to begin again. They are calling for help, their homes (above their heads) aflame at the hands of the Russian army. The unusual angles of the homes representing the clear turmoil they feel.

Above Jesus, a collection of hovering Jewish figures float and talk about what's going on... are these Rabbis discussing the events historically... are these patriarchs lamenting the current situation... does this represent the diaspora (Jews worldwide) discussing current events... we don't know.

This painting raises more questions, than providing answers... but it's clearly angst-filled and passionate. This is one of Chagall's masterworks... and it sits not far from one of his better known works (shown to the right) the "praying Jew", painted earlier in 1923. Two powerful pieces, in the same gallery (part of the Art Institute's permanent collection)

(btw... please forgive the colour distortion of the close up images... we were allowed to take photographs, but only without flash, therefore the large variation in color... the top image is much closer to the true colour)

Traditionally, Jews have a slight aversion to water in general.  You know, some of that biblical stuff...  Noah and the flood.... Jonah and the whale... and even the parting of the red sea.  Sends chills up my spine. And we're not known for being particularly "handy"... (God knows how Noah was able to follow all of those instructions... "20 cubits, by 40 cubits, by 180 cubits.."... heck ... what's a cubit?)

"And go out and gather up each and every animal two by two"

"Riiiiiggghhhhht.  Am I on Candid Camera?"

Anyway, this leads me to the "boats are not one of the hobbies that I'm drawn toward". But that doesn't mean I'm not willing to live vicariously through the hobbies of others.... so when good friends of our, who own a 24.5 foot sailboat at Montrose Harbor invited us to join them for dinner on the pier, and a quiet evening of sailing, last year... we of course accepted, and had a lovely time.  The water was smooth, the night was cool... he didn't perform any maneuvers designed to impress his passengers (or make them throw up)... it was nice.  Thanks to Cap'n Steve and first mate Anne.

Cap'n Steve loves his boat.  He drives past Montrose Harbour twice daily (to and from work), and often stops for his coffee on the way in, or works off the boat in the slip.  His boat is his respite, his place to relax... even though the boat had seen better days.  So we were a little concerned for Cap'n Steve's mental well-being when his boat accidentally "caught fire" in the Montrose Harbour slip.  (conveniently enough, someone caught it on camera, and posted it on youtube, nicely annotated by Cap'n Ron from G pier ... here it is):

Believe it or not, that small fire (or what appears to be a small fire from the outside) totalled his boat.  I wasn't aware that the materials used to build a boat today, cannot withstand the heat of a fire, and melt easily and quickly... apparently creating quite a stench.  And when our heroic Chicago Fire Department was done with the boat... it had 3.5 - 4.5 feet of water INSIDE (not the recommended location for water, on a boat).  The insurance company deemed it totaled... Cap'n Steve and first mate Anne weren't sure they were going to replace their boat.  It hadn't been a good business year (we can all relate to that), and it was an expense they just didn't need right now.

But Cap'n Steve was fortunate enough to find someone selling a used 30 foot boat (don't ask me the styles, or type... I don't know... Jewish non-sailor- remember?) with a larger engine, wider berth, bigger everthing... for a reasonable price.... So Cap'n Steve and crew took a car around the lake to Michigan (where the boat was dry-docked), had it looked at, surveyed (the boat version of an inspector), and approved... bought it and sailed it across the lake (a 9 hour tour... a 9 hour tour) - who sang that?

Anyway, the upshot of this, is that we were invited to her inaugural sailing from Montrose Harbour last night.  Again, dinner on the dock, and an evening out on the water... the lake was smooth, the night was cool... a beautiful sunset reflecting off of all the buildings of downtown Chicago.  Cap'n Steve and first mate Anne are back in their groove.  They intend to name the new boat "the Phoenix"... for obvious reasons. Thanks for a lovely evening.

Last weekend, Coldwell Banker co-sponsored Customer Appreciation Day.

We had the participation of most of the vendors and stores on western Central street, and had a lovey turnout. The new Restaurant Bonsai was handing out samples of their fare, (they're not even open yet, so it was a nice preview) their egg roll and chicken satay were delicious!

Casteel Coffee gave out coffee, cookies and muffins...First Bank and Trust, Hartigan's, Olde Neighborhood Grille and North Shore Eye Center were present with samples, coupons, snacks, and desserts and we even had the Evanston Fire Department show up with a Fire Truck... allowing people to have photos taken of themselves dressed up like a fireman. Fun!

Did it rain on our parade?

It did not! We had a small break in the weather last night, as Coldwell Banker and PHH Mortgage sponsored our offices' Summer Night-Out, at Ravinia. It rained earlier in the day, and as such, we arranged for a tent (provided by UBS). The weather held off... we we threatened by a few sprinkles... and then a rainbow emerged and the evening was saved.

We spent the bulk of the evening on the lawn, overlooking the giant screen. We listened to Pat Benetar and Blondie (the consensus was that Deborah Harry held up better than Pat Benetar over the years), and rocked out to some familiar anthems... Love IS a battlefield!!, and hearts are still made of glass, and yes, they're still eating cars!!!

Cornelia, Greg, Lambert & Linda provided sandwiches, chicken and pasta, and a good time was had by all.