What we’re about
HELP WANTED: No pay. Mostly thankless. Orphans preferred. (Be sure to click READ MORE for full info)::
Folks: For the upcoming, post-covid era would like to focus on smaller museums (the AIC, MCA, etc's are therefore excluded). Hopefully followed by a "after-party"/late lunch in the area?
There is NO limit on the museums/events we focus on (as long as there is a art factor): Art/Events? History/Art(NMMA)? Ethnic/Art? The War Between Dogs and Cats... in Art! haha.
Got ideas? Bonus points will go to those who would you like to be the event leader/host/docent. Let me know. NOTE: Hosting is really nothing more then being there "first" and saying "hi"!
jim
Our Mission Statement:
Everything about our group flows from our motto: "We are stranger's only once".
This group is for art, museum & live music lovers of all ilk's.
We call ourselves the Chicago Art Critic's Association - "CACA" for short. Its pronounced like a cat having a bad fur-ball moment. Why "critic's" you ask? All art, museum & music lovers are critics by default! Tell your friends and especially that "jerk at work" you are now a member-in-good standing of the Chicago Art Critic's Association! Watch their jaws drop.
1. Our mission is to attend gallery openings, fairs & cultural fests, museum's and music events in and around Chicago. Plus a few odd-lots Join us as we discover new talent, visit new & established galleries, munch our way through art fairs, visit museums, meet old and make new friends and - yes - have a wine or beer (or two) while exploring. What's not to like?
2. My background: As your organizer and fearless leader (coff, coff), I have been enjoying and collecting art since I was a kid - living in of all places: the art district of Santa Fe, NM, Historic Ocean Beach-San Diego, the Historic District of Pass-a-Grille, Fl (before it was discovered), Andersonville, Chicago (before it was discovered) and Europe (it was already discovered!) Bottom line: I've been kicked out of lots of cities, lots of state's, lots of countries and one very nice continent!
3. Have I bored you e'nuf about me? Good! Now I need to ask you for help. For 2022 do you have a SMALL museum idea? I would like to co-ordinate an event about once a month-ish (excluding November & December - due to the holidays). I'm a firm believer in the educational aspect of such events Hopefully with a docent?
I will keep an eye on cost's: An admission-donation fee of $5-20 is fine - not so for $50-100 - however there will be occasional exceptions. Lastly I will try as best as I can, to mix-up the event times (i.e.: weekday evenings, weekend evenings and weekend days.) When appropriate I will co-op with another group. Nothing is written in stone! Got something you wanna plug? Let me know.
4.. Finding me: In order to be spotted easily my standard outfit for most events, unless the event requires otherwise, will be a BLAZE ORANGE BASEBALL HAT and, usually, blue jeans. LOOK FOR THE HAT. Overall, it's not an exciting outfit, but it makes me feel pretty! My hair & mustache are koala grey (Some say "salt & pepper" - but they are mean, little people whose mothers don't love them.)
8. Here is a short article on "How To Buy Art" (Chicago Magazine - Sept. 2017): http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/September-2017/How-to-Buy-Art/
jim
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Special Tour of the Monastery of the Holy Cross in BridgeportMonastery of the Holy Cross , Chicago, IL
This is the final church tour of the season as we transition into outdoor walking activities! Join us for an exclusive private tour of the Monastery of the Holy Cross in Bridgeport, led by a knowledgeable guide. Immerse yourself in the captivating stories and insights that bring this beautiful landmark on the south side to life. Join us for a unique journey through faith and community!
The Monastery of the Holy Cross, formerly known as the Immaculate Conception Parish Church, is a prominent example of high German Gothic Revival architecture with historical connections to Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Established in 1908 as a German "national parish," Immaculate Conception served a diverse immigrant community until 1990. The church has remained largely intact, with minimal alterations to the original sanctuary, and a monastic choir has been added to the nave. Since 1991, it has operated as a Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery belonging to the Subiaco Cassinese Congregation, making it the only urban monastery in the country. The monastery feels like an oasis, whether you are religious or not. Every day, the monks sing the entire liturgy during Mass in both Latin and English, using Gregorian chant.
We will have a private docent-led tour through the church. Before the tour, we are allowed to walk around and take pictures. Since we are getting a private guided tour, there is a $10 fee per person. I will collect $10 from everyone and give it to the Monastery of the Holy Cross in appreciation of the tour. Please bring CASH for the donation! If necessary, I can accept Zelle, Venmo & PayPal so I can give one big group donation after the tour. All need to check in with me at the start of the tour & pay me directly~
The tour promises to be an enlightening event on a Saturday morning. It is an event that brings multiple meetup groups together! Although it's not exclusively a photo tour, there will be ample chances to snap pictures! Also, at the end of the tour, we are invited to watch the monks do a short [10 minute] chanted prayer service centered on the Psalms
After the tour, some of us will get lunch at one of the many nearby places:
Zaytune Mediterranean Grill 3129 S Morgan St. https://order.zaytunegrill.com/
Bridgeport Coffeehouse 3101 S Morgan St, http://www.bridgeportcoffee.net/
3 Little Pigs 964 W 31st Street https://www.eat3lp.com/
El Taco Azteca 3355 S Morgan St https://www.ordereltacoaztecabrifport.com/All are welcome to join! BRING CASH IF JOINING FOR LUNCH, AS SOME VENUES DON'T ACCEPT SEPARATE CHECKS!
The Monastery of the Holy Cross is an important early work by architect Hermann J. Gaul, a distinguished ecclesiastical architect from the early 20th century. Built between 1908 and 1909 for the German-speaking national parish of the Immaculate Conception, the church features a complex high-vaulted ceiling. It exemplifies the German Gothic Revival style, incorporating high Gothic design elements such as a high gabled triple-arch entrance, expressive gargoyles, and 14 intricately decorated Gothic-arched Stations of the Cross. The church is also recognized for its remarkable acoustic qualities. It was inspired by Germany’s Cologne Cathedral, the most significant religious structure in the hometown of the church’s architect, Hermann J. Gaul
In 1990, the parish was closed, and the following year, the Benedictine monastic community was invited to transform the building into a unique urban monastery. Although some of the original furnishings were lost after the closure, the monks have enriched the space by adding religious treasures, including altarpiece icons created in the traditional Byzantine egg tempera method by the internationally acclaimed iconographer Vladislav Andrejev.
**A Community of Contemplative Benedictine Monks in the City** The Monastery of the Holy Cross is a Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery belonging to the Subiaco Cassinese Congregation. Continuing a centuries-old tradition, the monks live according to the Rule of St. Benedict, seeking God through lives of prayer, silence, work, and hospitality.
As the only urban monastery in the country, the Monastery of the Holy Cross is home to ten Benedictines—nine monks (four of whom are also priests) and one novice. The monastery took over a parish that closed in 1989 when the Archdiocese of Chicago shut down dozens of churches and schools to reduce costs. Unlike most monasteries, which are located in rural areas where monks can farm or raise animals, the monks in Chicago had to find alternative means of supporting themselves.
Retreat visitors who appreciated their overnight experiences encouraged the monks to provide better, more permanent
accommodations. In addition to selling simple wooden coffins made by fellow monks in rural Indiana, the Chicago monks now operate two bed-and-breakfast apartments and a retreat house. https://chicagomonk.org/If you are taking public transportation, please check Google Maps for directions or use CTA trip planner. https://www.transitchicago.com/planatrip/
If you are driving, there is parking on 31st Street, Morgan, or 32nd Street with plenty of free side street parking. Just watch for permit-only areas.
PLEASE KEEP RSVP UP TO DATE AND DO NOT BE A NO SHOW!
- 7th Annual Toast of Uptown 2025 Wine Walk - A Sheridan Pk & Buena Pk Wine Walk!First Dental, Chicago, IL
Join us for the 7th annual Toast of Uptown Wine Walk - an afternoon of strolling and sipping in the Buena Park & Sheridan Park neighborhoods in Uptown - on Sunday, May 4th from 2:00 pm - 5:00pm! Let's kick-off the summer right! Sip and stroll your way through your favorite shops and restaurants along Broadway & through the Buena Park neighborhood! We will do the Buena Park Route!
BUY EARLY BIRD TICKETS NOW AS THE PRICE GOES UP & CAN SELL OUT! WE WILL DO THE BUENA PARK ROUTE!
$35 Early Bird tickets - on sale Mar. 1 thru Apr. 3
$40 Standard tickets - on sale Apr. 4 thru May 3 (based on availability)
$50 Door (based on availability)
TICKETS HERE: https://partners.exploreuptown.org/events/details/toast-of-uptown-2025-3942 -OR- https://uptownchamber.chambermaster.com/eventregistration/register/3942 - just click not a member to register for the event & PICK THE BUENA PARK ROUTE!We need check-in first! All attendees will receive both a wristband and wine tasting glass —simply present these at each stop along your chosen route for delicious wine samples. This wine walk will take you on a tour through the many businesses that call Uptown home. Wine selections have been generously curated by North Buena Deli & Wine and Rayan's Fine Liquors and Spirits. Small bites from local eateries will be provided at some stops along the route as well.
These are a lot of fun and a great way to check out the local shops, have some good wine and eat some goodies! Plus weather should be lovely for a spring afternoon stroll!
This is a joint event with several other meetup groups, so it is multi-group event!
#### 2025 participating businesses!
BUENA PARK ROUTE:
4108 N Sheridan Rd (check in spot)- First Dental Center 4108 N Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60613 (check-in)
- Jenny Tola State Farm 4083 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60613
- GNS Foods 4092 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60613
- Lakeside Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 4101 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60613
- All Strength Training 4117 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60613
- Klein's Bakery 4155 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60613
- North Buena Deli & Wine 4200 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60613
- The Bar on Buena 910 W Buena Ave, Chicago, IL 60613
- Jake's Pup in the Ruf 4401 N Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60640
- Epic Wine & Spirits 4411-13 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60640
- The Reservoir 844 W Montrose Ave, Chicago, IL 60613
WINE WALK DOES NOT END WHERE WE START. WE END ABOUT 4-5 BLOCKS FROM THE BEGINNING, SO KEEP THAT IN MIND IF YOU DRIVE AS YOU WILL NEED TO WALK BACK TO YOUR CAR!
If you are taking public transportation, please check Google Maps for directions or use CTA trip planner. https://www.transitchicago.com/planatrip/
If you drive, there is metered parking on Broadway & Sheridan. Some nearby lots. Limited free side street parking so watch out for permit only or tow zones!
PLEASE KEEP RSVP UP TO DATE AND DO NOT BE A NO-SHOW!
- Mingus, Minga, Mingum-The Music of Charles Mingus @Northwestern Univ Jazz $8Mary B. Galvin Recital Hall, Evanston, IL
Let's check out some great jazz at Galvin Recital Hal, which is part of the Bienen Ensembles- Northwestern University Jazz Ensemble on the Evanston Campus. This beautiful performance venue overlooks Lake Michigan, with a huge window on the stage for gorgeous views! TICKETS ARE ONLY $8 + fees for a great concert!! On May 6th the Jazz Ensemble performs: "Mingus, Minga, Mingum—The Music of Charles Mingus" This is a ticketed event!
BUY TICKETS NOW OVER HERE: https://www.music.northwestern.edu/events/northwestern-university-jazz-ensemble-4 OR https://ci.ovationtix.com/36542/performance/11601713?performanceId=11601713
PICK 5/6/25 7:30 pm show time - MY SEAT is F106
Or call the box office at 847-467-4000NOTE: $8 Tickets + fees! Assigned Seating. My seat is in row F seat 106, middle center of the stage. We can meet in the lobby before the show or over by our seats.
YOU MAY BE ABLE TO PURCHASE THE DAY OF THE SHOW AT THE DOOR!
**SPECIAL SEATING NOTE! PLEASE READ BEFORE BUYING TICKETS! **
• This is an Assigned Seating show.
• Event Host (Giovina) will be seated in the MIDDLE CENTER ROW F SEAT 106 at the Mary B. Galvin Recital Hall located Ryan Center for the Musical Arts
• Please feel free to choose a seat by the Event Host (Giovina) or choose a seat that best accommodates you. Plenty of seats near me in row F, behind in row G and even in front in Row E!ADDITIONAL TICKET BUYING NOTES:
• YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR BUYING YOUR OWN TICKET.
• DO NOT RSVP YES UNTIL YOU HAVE BOUGHT YOUR TICKET.
• REPEAT!! DO NOT RSVP YES UNTIL YOU HAVE BOUGHT YOUR TICKET.
• MAY BE ABLE TO PURCHASE AT THE DOOR ON THE DAY OF THE EVENTThis is a joint event with several other meetup groups, so it is multi-group event!
Presented By
Northwestern University – Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music at the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Center for the Musical ArtsLocation
Mary B. Galvin Recital Hall
Ryan Center for the Musical Arts
70 Arts Circle Drive
Evanston, IL 60208I may grab a quick dinner before the show at Prairie Moon in downtown Evanston, a few blocks from the NWU camps about 5:30 pm at 1635 Chicago Ave, Evanston, IL 60201 www.prairiemoonrestaurant.com
All are welcome to join for dinner! Just leave a comment so I know who to expect! BRING CASH IF JOINING FOR DINNER, AS SOME VENUES don't accept separate checks!
Mingus, Minga, Mingum-The Music of Charles Mingus
Darius Hampton, conductorWidely regarded as one of history’s greatest jazz artists, bassist, pianist, composer, and bandleader Charles Mingus was a pioneer in the post-bop genre. Over the course of his three-decade career, he collaborated with the likes of Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Max Roach, and Eric Dolphy. His recordings, including Mingus Ah Um and The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady, remain influential to this day, and in 1997 he was posthumously awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Mary B. Galvin Recital Hall - Located in the Ryan Center for the Musical Arts, this 400-seat hall features a 40-foot glass wall offering views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline. Undulating walls of Forest Stewardship Council–certified wood, covered with a thin layer of African moabi wood, provide optimal acoustics, and the hall is equipped with state-of-the-art sound and video equipment for recording. The Bienen School of Music’s facilities are among the best of any music institution in the nation.
The school’s three buildings—the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Center for the Musical Arts, Regenstein Hall of Music, and Pick-Staiger Concert Hall—form a musical village on the southeast corner of Northwestern’s Evanston campus on the shores of Lake Michigan.
Opened in 2015, the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Center for the Musical Arts is situated on the lakefront and integrates completely with Regenstein Hall of Music, with two connections between the buildings on each of Regenstein’s three levels. The Ryan Center’s three performance venues include the Mary B. Galvin Recital Hall, Shirley Welsh Ryan Opera Theater, and David and Carol McClintock Choral and Recital Room.
If you are taking public transportation, please check the website for directions or use Google Maps or CTA trip planner. https://www.transitchicago.com/planatrip/ OR US NU website for more directions https://wirtz.northwestern.edu/evanston-directions/
Metra & El: Take the Purple Line, exit at Davis St. Walk east. LEFT on Chicago Ave. Cross Sheridan. RIGHT on Sheridan. LEFT on Campus Dr. Also accessible by PACE buses
If driving, Patrons may park in the South Campus Parking Garage and the Segal Visitors Center garage south of Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Parking is free on weekdays after 4 p.m. and all day on weekends. Follow link on Northwestern's website for directions & parking info. FREE PARKING WE ARE AT Mary B. Galvin Recital Hall
DIRECTIONS & PARKING INFO: https://www.music.northwestern.edu/events/ticket-office
PLEASE KEEP RSVP UP TO DATE AND DO NOT BE A NO SHOW!
- Lincoln Park Uncorked 2025: An Armitage-Halsted Wine Stroll (EARLY BIRD TIX)Wintrust Bank Lincoln Park, Chicago, IL
We did this in the last 4 years and had a great time so let's go again! From the people who brought you the Savor Lincoln Park at the Theater on the Lake event! This is their wine-tasting event throughout the Lincoln Park shopping district! Let's check out this wine stroll as it is a lot of fun and a great way to support local LP businesses!
BUY YOUR TICKET NOW FOR THE BEST PRICE! $52 early bird price through 3/31, then $60 Prices go up closer to the date and they will sell out! USE LINK BELOW: https://lincolnparkchamber.ticketsauce.com/e/uncorkedarmitage25/tickets
More details here:
https://www.lincolnparkchamber.com/uncorked/Kick-off summer right! Sip and stroll your way through your favorite shops and restaurants along Armitage and Halsted!
BUY EARLY BIRD TICKETS NOW AS PRICE GOES UP & WILL SELL OUT!
Early Bird (through 3/31/25) – $52
General Admission (4/1/25 – 5/3/25) – $60
It’s Not Too Late (5/4/25 – 11:00 a.m. on 5/8/25) – $65
At the Door (if available) – $70
***This is a 21+ only event.***
TICKETS HERE: https://lincolnparkchamber.ticketsauce.com/e/uncorkedarmitage25/ticketsThis is a joint event with several other meetup groups, so it is multi-group event!
LINCOLN PARK — The wine festival, organized by the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce, also features many local restaurants and businesses in the area. Pedicabs will be available too!
Come out this May and explore Lincoln Park's local shops, restaurants, and wellness businesses as they shine at the annual Lincoln Park Uncorked: An Armitage-Halsted Wine Stroll. Enjoy curated red and white wine sample pours, paired with in-store specials and light fare all while strolling through one of Chicago’s most famous and historic shopping districts in the heart of Lincoln Park.
We check-in first to receive our wine glass and tasting guide, which will serve as our ticket to the event. We then go from business to business to taste wine and sample food bites as many offer treats with the wine!
These are a lot of fun and a great way to check out the local shops, have some good wine and eat some goodies! Plus weather should be lovely for a summer evening stroll!#### Stay tuned for additional details and participating businesses!
2024 Participating Businesses (2025 DETAILS TO COME)
Wintrust Bank (Check in here & get a wine glass/map)
Blowout Junkie
Capitvate Real Estate
Clean Your Dirty Face Lincoln Park
Delilah’s
elephant + vine
Guided Design Cabinetry & Interiors
Heron Agency
Lincoln Dental Lounge
Lincoln Park Chamber
Lincoln Station
Oz Park Wellness
Pour Decisions
Pretty Cool Ice Cream
Salon Edda
Scout Veterinary Care
Serpe Insurance Agency
SEV Laser
That Face
Vivid SmilesREMEMBER TO COME BACK FOR UPDATES AND CURRENT LIST OF 2025 PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES AS THE ABOVE SCHEDULE WILL CHANGE ONCE FINALIZED!
If you are taking public transportation, please check Google Maps for directions or use CTA trip planner. https://www.transitchicago.com/planatrip/ - easily accessible by bus and train
If you drive, there is limited parking since in Lincoln Park. Some metered parking & nearby lots. Best to use SpotHero or Parking Whiz for you safest bet and cheapest option!
PLEASE KEEP RSVP UP TO DATE AND DO NOT BE A NO SHOW!
