Sympathy to the family of Pete Thiesse. Pete and Joyce were just in town a few weeks ago for Carl Schwebl’s wake and funeral. His old friends got to see Pete one more time.
The family and friends of Cathy O’Connor Trage will again host a memorial evening in her honor at Fitzgerald’s. This year’s event will take place on March 29, from 7 p.m. til midnight. All proceeds will be given to charity in Cathy’s name.
On a lighter note, Skrine Chops will be featured on the Food Channel with Sandwich King! Hurry over to your tv because the Skrine episode will be seen on Wednesday, (that’s today if you got your “Review”) Feb. 5. Don’t know the exact time but if you watch “Sandwich King” you probably know.
On Sunday, Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. the Monticello Trio will perform at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in North Riverside. The church is located at 31st and DesPlaines Avenue, you can’t miss it.
If you are planning to attend the concert at Saint John here in Forest Park (305 Circle) at 4 p.m. you’ll be able to make both concerts. Forest Park musician David Richards is the pianist in the Monticello Trio, violinist is Tom Weyland and Ken Hummenyj, cellist. Works by Hummel, Bach and Gershwin are on the program.
You are probably still celebrating Chinese (Lunar) New Year so here are a few bits of information to go along with your celebrations. Chinese began practicing agriculture about 8,000 years ago. Millet was farmed in the north, rice in the Yangtze area. The Chinese produced ceramics beginning around 4,000 B.C. , at the same time they began the weaving of silk. Bronze was introduced about 2,000 B.C. To observe the new year you should eat food that looks like or sounds like gold or anything precious. Oranges are freely passed out during parties since they are the color of gold, and round in shape like gold coins.
Centuries & Sleuths always has great programs, but now that “Father Brown” is on tv on you may want to drop in on the “Wisdom of Father Brown” discussion at C&S Saturday, Feb. 8 at 2 p.m. That’s when the G.K. Chesterton Society of Chicago meets at 7419 Madison here in Forest Park. Another C&S special coming soon will be a combination of fiction and food when Flavour and C&S present author Karen Doornebos on Feb. 20 from 7 til 9 pm. She’s the Riverside-based author of Undressing Mr. Darcy. RSVPs are necessary for this one. Call 708.488.0808 to reserve a spot for yourself.
A few remarkable days in history that occurred on this week are the first appearance of the Beatles here in the U.S. on the Ed Sullivan Show, 1964. Seventy-three million people watched that show, more viewers than had ever watched any show. The “NewYork Times” first used the slogan “All the news that’s fit to print'”; “Death of a Salesman” premiered in New York in 1949, starring Lee J. Cobb as Willie Loman. Julia Child premiered on “The French Chef” in 1963, Thomas Edison was born in 1847.
Victor Borge told us, “A laugh is the shortest distance between two people.” He also said, “Seven days without laughter makes one weak.”
Special happy birthday wishes on the 7th of February to Hailey Marie Hemstreet!
Other birthdays this week are Stacey LoCascio, Ann Spence, Cherie Stewart, Michelle Rubio, Mike Lyons, Jr., Elene Collis, Corinna Jantz, Marilyn Gotsch, Cassidy and Frances McSheffrey, Karrie Schlichting, Kirsten Cursel, Paul Stahlke, Elisha Apilado, Tiffany Greenberg, Christine Marshan, Cedric Jaiver, Ian McSheffrey, Daniel Marote, Paula Peterson and Emmaly Sansone . Happy anniversary to Tim and Dorothy Gillian, Pam and ToddBower, Dorothy and Angelo Spinelli, Bonnie and Pat Cimiglia.
Happy Valentine’s Day! See you at the Community Center party? Lunch, entertainment, comedy?
Jackie is a former Chicago and Elmwood Park schoolteacher with an undying love for music, friendly pets and a host of life’s other treasures too numerous to list. She was born on the far southwest side of Chicago in a great neighborhood when it was a great time to be young.
