November 2, 2017: The End of an Era

This morning's meditation. 

To put it lightly I’m devastated about the end of Chicagoist. It’s where I met my husband. It’s where I found my voice. It’s where I found my people. It’s a hit to the entire Chicago media landscape and unfortunately just the latest loss in the bigger decimation of written journalism.

Writing has been my heart for the last decade and now my outlet is gone. I don’t know what the future holds, but I can only hope that I one day find another outlet where I feel like I fit so well. Even as the site changed over the years, we were still a community. I met so many different people with some similar interests and some widely different ones, but we were a family, and we were and are friends.

Given the time of year, I have to look back and be thankful for all Chicagoist has given me. It made me a better writer, gave me more confidence, I got to interview amazing people, got to see world class performance art on a regular basis, I got recognition for my hard work, a reputation for my dance and music writing and curation of a running events guide. I met so many amazing people that I feel lucky to still have in my life.

Onward to the next chapter.

8 Of My Favorite Things To Do In Chicago This Weekend

Well, I wrote this, so I may as well publish it somewhere. Here's 8 fun things to do in the city this weekend. 

Revolution Craft Show

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 3

SOFA EXPO: More than 80 galleries converge for SOFA Chicago at Navy Pier’s Festival Hall this weekend. Contemporary art and design including glass blowing, ceramics, wood, glass, fiber, jewelry, metal, design, painting, photography and more will be showcased at the long-running “Sculpture, Objects and Functional Art and Design” fair. Tickets are $20 in advance.

RED BULL SOUND SELECT FESTIVAL: Red Bull Sound Select has chosen Chicago for it’s 30 Days Festival. That’s right, a full month of music, photography and more all over the city. In addition to concerts, the festival is highlighting local outlets including Fake Shore Drive’s 10th Anniversary show and the Crate Diggers Record Fair. Tickets are $15 or less per show. Check out their website for more information and schedules.

CINEPOCALYPSE: Horror film fans will flock to Music Box Theatre for the debut Cinepocalypse Genre Film Festival beginning Thursday. The Chicago-based festival runs through November 9 and includes films like Sweet Virginia and Beyond Skyline. Visit Music Box’s website for the full schedule.

LEAGUE OF LADY ARM WRESTLERS: The Chicago League of Lady Arm Wrestlers is back with CLLAW XXVIII: Fall of the Patriarchy at Logan Square Auditorium. Watch Dr. Beverly Crush-her, Elton Brawn, Lady MacFist, returning CLLAW champion WinaFight Sanderson and more face off for the title. Tickets are $15 in advance.

CHICAGO CARTOONING LEGEND: Chris Ware isn't yet 50, but he's already cemented his reputation as one of the great treasures of modern cartooning and the graphic arts. He initially grew to fame drawing strips for both Newcity and the Chicago Reader. If Ware's name doesn't ring a bell, his work on his Acme Novelty Library and Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth—or even more recent pieces for The New Yorker—should. Ware has just published Monograph, which appears to be part memoir part history lesson? The publisher describes it as, "A flabbergasting experiment in publishing hubris, Monograph charts the art and literary world's increasing tolerance for the language of the empathetic doodle directly through the work of one of its most esthetically constipated practitioners." Trust us, it's probably great. Ware will be appearing at Quimby's this Friday to sign copies of the new book, so you can see what it's all about for yourself.


SATURDAY NOVEMBER 4

CHICKEN + CHAMPAGNE FEST: Join a dozen award-winning local chefs as they fry up the main course for Kendall College Trust’s Fried Chicken and Champagne Fest from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The third annual fundraiser for the educational nonprofit features dishes from chefs Dylan Lipe (The Budlong Hot Chicken), Christine Cikowski and Josh Kulp (Honey Butter Fried Chicken and 2015 and 2016 People’s Choice Award winner), Ryan McCaskey (Acadia and 2016 Golden Hen Award and Best Table Decor winner) and more. Tickets start at $85.


SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5

REVOLUTION CRAFT SHOW: Shop more than 45 local artists at the Revolution Craft Show this Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. There will be vendors with jewelry, decor and of course beer at the Revolution Tap Room event. They’ll also have food trucks parked out front. Free.

CEMETERY TOUR: Take a tour of the Bohemian National Cemetery after the gates are locked with this event from the Chicago History Museum. Historian Al Walavich will lead the tour highlighting the historic gatehouse, magnificent mausoleums, and emblematic treestone grave markers. BYO flashlight or head lamp. Tickets are $25.

It's been a summer.

It's been a hell of a summer. And not all in a hella-good way. But I'm here and I'm still getting out. This weekend was Lollapalooza in Chicago and it's bigger than ever. Four days of non-stop music and bros in CamelBaks and Trixies (do we even call them that anymore?) in little more than bralettes.

If I never see another CamelBak or bralette it will be too soon. #lolla #lollapalooza

— Michelle Kopeny (@shellster129) July 31, 2016

There ARE great things about this festival, and I must love them more than I hate the negatives because I keep going back for more. This year a few of those things were Jane's Addiction, Grimes, Vic Mensa, HAIM, Con Brio and LCD Soundsystem, which were my favorite acts of the weekend. Getting there close to noon or 1 p.m. every day, I put in nearly 40 hours of music in just four days. I might be crazy, but I love the submersion where the only thing I really have to think about is what band I'm going to see next and how long it's going to take to get there. And when I'm going to eat. Fuel is important when you're walking 10+ miles a day.

Anyway, I think it might be impossible anymore for me to go to a music festival without sharing something about it, so here are the links to our 2016 coverage on Chicagoist (with Annie's awesome photos):

Lana Del Rey Closes Lollapalooza Day 1

Lollapalooza Day 2 Belonged To Radiohead And The Struts

Vic Mensa Gives A Show-Stopping Tribute To Laquan McDonald For Lolla Day 3

LCD Soundsystem And HAIM Close Out An Epic, Long Lollapalooza 2016

Party Proof Lips

Party Proof Lipstick in Kitty

I don't normally do beauty product posts, but I'm so into this lipstick that I use, I had to share. It's ModelCo's Party Proof Lipstick. ModelCo is an Australian company that I found is not super easy to get in the US, so that might add to it's allure. It's not super easy to find all products/colors on their website either, and since they ship directly from Australia, shipping is expensive (but you can get a discount when you sign up for their email list) (and pps, their lip products are half off right now).

The story starts with my sister's Birchbox (quick no-thanks to Birchbox for turning customers on to products that are nearly impossible to find again). She got the lipstick in the color Kitty and gave it to me. It's a neutral pink that gives my natural lip color just a little boost and looks great with my skin tone. The lipstick itself is a cream that stays moist on the lips, but still lasts and keeps the pigmented color. It also has a nice fresh scent, which isn't all that important, but a nice little perk. It's become my every day go-to. Here's the direct link to the product with a matching mini lip liner.

Even though it's hard to tell what colors really look like when shopping online, I took a chance and ordered the lipstick in Coachella Crush as well. It's a matte orange-coraly-red that's so-hot-right-now and I thought might look good with my skin tone--and be a nice addition to my summer look.

Busy Bee

I've been a busy bee this year! When I'm home, almost every hour of the week is filled with work, writing and studying (plus gym and yoga), but luckily I've been able to vacation quite a bit, too. It's been a challenge to budget my time so strictly, but it's nice to feel accomplished while still having time to really relax without feeling guilty that I should be working on something. 

Here are a few images from my recent trips to Mexico, Florida and Michigan:

San Miguel de Allende

Parroquia Arcangel in San Miguel

Got to see an old friend who lives nearby in Mexico.

Our pool at Beach Happy

On the beach in Port St. Joe, Florida

Port St. Joe

Goldberry Woods Bed & Breakfast in Union Pier, Michigan

Our room: Sassafras

Now Playing: "Born Again Teen"

I'm loving this song. I keep hearing it on 93XRT when I'm in the car (my new Beetle Bug!), and I'm not even in the car that much. At first I thought it was a new Annie Clark song, but it's Lucius. I remember walking past them at Lolla last year, and I liked their look, but I didn't know anything else about them.

They've got a show coming up at Metro, but it's sold out. Sadface. Maybe I can find a way to go!

Dads

Last week we came home to frozen pipes after a trip to Mexico (more on that coming soon), making for an unwanted dramatic end to a trip that already had plenty of it's own drama (thanks, United Airlines). The next morning that same pipe promptly burst after thawing out, and with no shutoff valve to our building (thanks, landlord) we spent the day with two plumbers and water spraying all over our basement. All is good in the end though, nothing was ruined and we have a four foot section of brand spanking new copper pipe. 

Situations like this aren't usually that bad since I'm pretty handy around the house, thanks to my dad. When I was younger, he was always showing me and teaching me stuff that I didn't care about at the time, but that knowledge sticks and when the shit hits the fan (literally or figuratively), you can access it when it counts. Like when your pipes bust and you need to act fast. I may never change my own oil again, or change a tire, but I could if I had to. I watched that guy finish our family home's basement all on his own, so I could tell you a thing or two about hanging drywall. 

So, when I was installing our new insulation around the new pipe, taking precautions Dad would be proud of, I decided to thank him. I don't talk to my family as often as I should, so I thought he would appreciate an out of the blue text. 

Thanks, Dad, for teaching me as much home repair stuff as you did.

Happy New Year!

Sisters together on Christmas.

Hope everyone had a nice holiday break! Mine was wonderful, I had just enough time to relax at home, spend time with family and friends and get a little bit of work done. Still lots to do though! 2016 will probably be another busy year as I work towards a few career and personal goals.

As for resolutions, I don't generally make any, though I suppose it's a good time to focus in on the improvements we're always trying to make in our lives. Here are some of the things I'm currently working on: read more, sleep more, more me-time, more focus and intent, more kindness towards myself and others and continuing my effort to eat healthy. Oh, and be more assertive and say what I want.

Try to be Shakespeare...

"Try to be Shakespeare, leave the rest to fate."

This was another quote read by my yoga instructor that perked me up. She described the meaning as not comparing yourself to others, but it reminded me of an article I recently read by Mark Manson called "In Defense of Being Average." The take away from the story 'was shoot for greatness, but be content with mediocrity.' It's a really great read that pinpoints how today's limited attention only allows for the extreme and can make us feel inadequate when in reality, most everyone falls somewhere in the middle, just like us. Real happiness lies in contentment when we embrace just that and--wouldn't you know it--stop comparing ourselves to others. 

You are not a tree.

I talk about leaving Chicago all the time. I don't know if I ever actually will, but after all these years here, the city has lost a lot of the allure that it had for me in the beginning.

Then I recently saw this quote on facebook (originally shared by Kenny Rogers) and decided I've either got to stop complaining or do something about it. Lots of life decisions to be made in the near-ish future, so we'll see what happens.

Now Playing: Otherwhile

Digging this new Otherwhile album because, well, I love Stevie Nicks. I found their song "Die Hard" in Spotify's New Music Friday playlist today and it sounds just like the one with the scarves.

I can't find much about them, but apparently the band is led by former Ra Ra Riot cellist Alexandra Lawn, and in this Brooklyn Vegan article from last year they list Fleetwood Mac and The Pretenders as influences. ORLY.



Another song that stood out in the New Music list today was Donna Missal "Keep Lying," but I don't know anymore about her. Could just be an initial reaction. TBD.

"Are you SAD?"

A co-worker asked me this yesterday, referring to the seasonal depressive sads, and it got me thinking.

The last few weeks have been pretty rough for me, but for no particular reason. Yeah, weather has been getting colder and my public transit commute has been a special kind of hell lately, so I thought I was just feeling down because of that. But I feel like everything I attempt, whether it's as simple as getting to work or just trying to plan ahead a little bit is met with resistance. In short I've just been feeling generally down and discouraged. And angry. I have a lot of anxiety and anger, too. Plus my focus has been almost nonexistent, even writing and editing this post is hard to care about.

It's been especially bad since the daylight savings time change almost two weeks ago, so maybe the shorter days and lack of daylight combined with the other stuff really is affecting me. I always feel this way this time of year, but I think I'm more attuned to it this year since I'm working out more and not drinking alcohol as much to distract me.

For this very reason, I planned an extended warm getaway for the tough winter months, but that's still a couple months away. I've finally decided to get one of those phototherapy light boxes that a friend who goes through the same thing recommended, so hopefully that helps some. I'll go ahead and make a check-in appointment with my old therapist, too.

Anybody else got the sads? How do you deal with it?

Happy Back To The Future Day!

It's here. October 21, 2015. We're now officially in the future.

So many articles, interviews and playlists popping up about my favorite movie(s) Back to the Future and the predictions made for what is now present day. USA Today is even issuing a novelty copy of it's news paper (but not til tomorrow since, ya know, it was the next day's news that Doc had). I got up and ready early this morning to see the core cast interviewed on the Today Show complete with DeLorean. (I promise I'll get back to normal tomorrow, guys.)

Tonight to celebrate, I think I'll stop by Emporium Arcade Bar where they're unveiling the new Twin Pines Mall beer collaboration. Obviously it's a "heavy" IPA with spruce tips... They'll be showing the movies and the Cubs NLCS game, which is a wholenother story.

Back To The Future Day Is Nigh

As the world already knows, the Cubs beat the Cardinals to advance to the NLCS, putting them one step closer to fulfilling the 2015 'Back to the Future II' prophecy. They're two games down to the Mets, but they come home tonight, so there's still hope.

I wrote a little something for the occasion for Chicagoist, basically wondering if we're in the right timeline according to the movie, or if we're in the skewed alternate timeline where a blonde butthead hotel entrepreneur rules...

It might look like I'm a Cards fan rooting for the Cubs, but I'd call it more of a plea. A plea to a baseball team to prove that we're in the correct space time continuum. Ok, maybe I'm really just a big fan of the game and of the Back to the Future movies.

'Back To The Future' Day Is Upon Us, But Which Timeline Are We In?

Go Cubs?

It's MLB Playoff season! Today is a big day for the Cubs because the newish Wild Card single playoff game will determine whether they have a shot at the World Series.

In fact, if not for this new playoff game, they wouldn't even have a chance. They're technically third in the division, meaning that division winners the Cardinals are automatically in, and number two Pirates would be the wild card rounding off the NL playoffs under the old rules. So I guess MLB is getting exactly what they wanted--the wild card game is making baseball more exciting.

Things are even crazier this year, though. These three teams--the Cardinals, Pirates and Cubs--actually have the three best records in the entire league. But the playoffs aren't made of the best by total numbers.

But wait, there's more! It dawned on me the other day that the Cubs could clinch the NL pennant on Back to the Future Day (October 21, 2015). It's scheduled to be game 4 of the NLCS. According to the movie, the Cubs would have already won the World Series by this date, so it's not completely fulfilling the prophecy, but it's eerily close. I mean, I'm not saying that Robert Zemeckis predicted the future or anything. There's a lot of stuff from Back to the Future II that hasn't happened, but there is a guy that looks just like Old Biff running for president...

Back to the Future Day is October 21, 2015

It all comes down to tonight's game. Personally, I'd love to see the Cubs move forward. They'd play my home team the Cardinals next in the NLDS, which would be super exciting (and stressful) for me living in Chicago while rooting for the rivals. And I can't say I wouldn't be excited to see the Cubs go all the way. I'd like to see what happens to this town if they did, and I guess you could say that after 106 107 years, they're due.

You'll never see me cheer for them, but I wouldn't hate it.

Fun City Stuff

I talk A LOT about wanting to leave Chicago. Ever since I hit the decade mark and felt that I had earned my stripes, my excitement for the city has waned. Are the winters worth it? The hour-plus four mile commute? Sure it makes us feel tough and deserving, but for what?

Where would I go? Exactly. I'm still trying to figure that out. I know that I would miss the easy-access culture and always-happening events in the city that I take for granted now. For example: two events this week that I'm very excited about attending!

solarise. (photo by braden nesin/chicagoist)

First, Wine Under Glass at Garfield Park Conservatory. I love wine and I love the conservatory. Win Win! They've also got this really rad light art installation up for the next year called solarise: a sea of all colors. I'm excited to see it in person.

Then tomorrow night I'm going to the Museum of Contemporary art for their new after-hours series, Prime Time. I've talked about the Best Summer Ever, the year my friends and I spent a lot of time at the MCA, including the old after-hours party, First Fridays. This new series will happen less often, but sounds like it will be even more of a spectacle.

And capping off the weekend? Circus Cats.

Super-duper-moon

We ventured outside for a rare celestial event last night, a total lunar eclipse with a supermoon. It's an event that hasn't happened in 33 years and won't happen again for another 18. We had our fingers crossed for a clear sky, and when we went out at first, we saw nada. Clouds everywhere. It was a beautiful night to be outside though, temps right around 70 degrees and dry. 

As we walked home from the 606 elevated trail (where we went to get a good view), we could intermittently see some of the moon, and we realized the eclipse was happening, the shadow was slowly covering the moon and it looked like a crescent. The moon was still white, which I didn't understand because everyone was saying how it was going to be this red/orange blood moon.

We grabbed a blanket from home and headed to the park nearby. Then, at the end of the hour, the clouds completely cleared and there it was. The the red harvest moon! I guess the shadow had to be completely over the moon to create the red glow, and I'll admit it was pretty cool.

Conversations with a two year old

This is my best friend's son. Isn't he just the cutest? They live in a different city, so I don't get to see them very often. It's tough because he's growing up so fast that he almost looks like a different kid every few months when I see him. And of course there's that selfish part of me that doesn't want him to forget who I am.

Thank goodness for FaceTime! This week I got TWO calls out of the blue because he decided he wanted to talk to me! We talked about baseball, ice cream, naps, castle and man...all the cool stuff that two year olds are into. And of course the guy with the drums (my husband).

Hopefully I'll make it into town soon to see them in person!

Festival Season In The Bag

Riot Fest 2015 is over* and thus closes another music festival season, or zips up the bag as it were. I always pack up my music fest wares, credentials, schedules and whatever else into a ziploc bag, and at the end of the summer I throw it into a box in my crawlspace.

I've never been much of a scrapbooker, as much as I wanted to be. I still have a half-finished scrapbook from high school, with all the other crap intended to go in it in a box with the book. I'll get to it one day... riiiight... It's usually when I'm looking for something specific in the box that I come across all those old memories (what day/time did so-and-so play at Lolla 2005???). Or when I move, but I've been living in the same place for almost six years now.

Who knows, maybe one day I'll have kids that will enjoy going through the boxes, trying on my wristbands and checking out the bands on the schedules noting who made it big and who they've never heard of.


*here's our Chicagoist coverage:
Day One
Day Two 
Day Three

Interviewing Me

Riot Fest returns to Chicago today, which reminded me about an interview I did at the fest last year with indie leather crafting co. In Blue Handmade. This time it was me being interviewed, which was weird since I'm normally on the other side asking the questions, but I think I did ok! They asked me about writing and journalism as part of their Between The Lines series where they talk to all types of writers--journalists, poets, songwriters, etc.

Thanks again to Katie and the In Blue Handmade crew for reaching out and being so cool to work with!