Second to last stop on this week’s Brown Sign Tour and, this time, a place within walking distance of our city place – the beautiful Richard Driehaus Museum https://driehausmuseum.org/ As with all my other visits, I’ve walked past this place several times (usually when we’re off out in the evening in search of a restaurant) but this was going to be first time I’d stopped by, so I was excited. It opened at 10am and was only a short walk away, so I was there fairly soon after it opened up. My first impressions on walking through the front door…
Author: Sarah Holloway
Day 3 of my Brown Sign Tour and it takes me to another place I drive past on a very regular basis but have never visited – Graue Mill and Museum. https://www.grauemill.org. Here’s the history of Graue Mill (pronounced Grow-e) which is now the only operating waterwheel gristmill in the Chicago area. Frederick Graue was born in Germany, came to the United States and settled in Fullersburg, Illinois, in 1842. In 1849, he purchased the site of a sawmill that had burned down, along with his partner William Asche, and constructed a gristmill there. Asche later sold his share to…
So, fortunately this week promises to be a lot more fun than last week’s Theremini torture as Rod has generously bestowed a task upon me that will both get me out of the house and expose me to potential volunteer opportunities but also tick off my bucket list some of those Brown Sign places I drive past All The Time but have never visited! You know the score – you could live in a place for years but never go to that great tourist or cultural or artistic attraction that is literally down the street! That happened to me when…
Today’s destination for my Historic Places Brown Sign Week Tour was the Old Joliet Prison, about a 35min drive west of home. I thought it would have some interesting stories – plus there’s always a little morbid curiosity visiting places like this. I’d booked a guided tour for 11am (vs just walking around on a self-guided tour) and it was a good call, as the lady who did our tour happened to be married to a guy who used to be a prison guard at Joliet Prison when it was still operational. She was very passionate about the prison and…
After last week’s musical ordeal, I was really hoping that Rod would be kinder to me this week – and he was! Drumroll, please…. this week’s task is…. Yes – its to visit 5 local “brown sign” destinations. You know – those ones by the side of the road that you see as you drive past, but never stop at. So… this week, my task is to get our there and check a few off my touristic to-do list! The weather is gorgeous this week, so its going to be perfect for road-tripping. Thank you, Rod – all is (almost)…
Well then. What an incredibly frustrating week last week was. You may remember the task set for me, courtesy of Rod: Now… don’t ask me what prompted Rod to include that one in the first place. Maybe it was the idea of being able to play a musical instrument without needing to read music or learn which strings to pluck or keys to bash. Maybe its because I have a good musical ear from singing (some may even say I have *ahem* perfect pitch). Maybe I was afflicted with the delusion that I would discover some innate prodigious talent that…
Rod has spoken. My task for this week is….. “LEARN HOW TO PLAY THE THEREMIN” So Rod has tasked me this week with learning how to play the Theremin. Why? Nobody knows what drives Rod to set the tasks he does. He moves in mouseterious ways. And for those of you scratching your head wondering what on earth a theremin is – I guarantee its a sound you are familiar with, even if you don’t know what the instrument looks like or how it works. Click on this video below and I’ll prove it to you….. See – I told…
Before I dive into this week’s task, I’ve reflected more on what I’ve been calling “The Retirement Project” and decided that I’m actually going to call this crazy endeavor the “Stuff that Sticks” project instead. Because that’s basically what I’m doing – throwing a bunch of stuff at the wall to see what sticks vs what doesn’t. What do I want to incorporate into my post-working life vs “chalk it up to experience” and move on? I may become more systematic and scientific in my approach to trying out new stuff as I go along but, for now, I shall…
Rod has spoken. With all due pomp and ceremony last night, ManpanionTM reached into the very bowels of Rod and pulled out the first slip of paper….. Drum roll, please…. So… just in case you can’t read my dreadful handwriting, the task for this week is to “VOLUNTEER AT A LOCAL FOOD PANTRY” I’ve never done anything like that before – and I’m pleased that my first project involves giving something back to the community – albeit a very small gesture. So now, I need to do some research and find out more about food insecurity here in Chicago and…
Back in Chicago, enjoying the dog days of summer. Our last day in Sorrento was pretty unremarkable – more wandering about, eating pasta and trying to stay cool. The most exciting thing to happen on our journey home via Rome was navigating the local train system (pretty good) and staying in the world’s shittiest, overpriced airport hotel in Rome. I know its convenient – but 400 euros for 1 night in a crappy Hilton. Seriously. Don’t do it, people. We did, though, enjoy the most adorable construction sign we’ve ever seen on one of the moving walkways connecting the hotel…