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By liz, August 19, 2009 8:00 am

Photo Portrait of the Painter

Award-winning artist Michael Van Zeyl paints portraits by skylight in his Chicago studio.  He features deep-dish pizza with bottles of Heineken in his still-life paintings and emulates the techniques of 17th-century Dutch masters.  He talked to Funsherpa about light, doctors, and urban scenes.

F: How do you get the credentials to become a portrait-painter? Is it a matter of schooling, competitions, or experience?

Many years of practice working with live models. And taking workshops with other working portrait artists. Entering and winning competitions gives you the sense of security necessary to accept commissions.

F: How many sittings are necessary for a portrait?

1-3 three-hour sittings. I prefer to work from life but there is usually a conflict with the client’s schedule, so I work mostly from photos I take in my studio.

F: What is your favorite part of the face to paint? Why?

I would have to say the eyes – it’s where you see the most emotion.

F: Not everyone commissions a painted portrait. Why do you think people choose to have their portraits painted?

I think it’s a matter of tradition and honor.

F: How do you incorporate your own style into a portrait?

The application of paint is very personal. It’s nearly impossible to replicate another artist’s painterly stroke. I have many influences – Rembrandt, Velasquez, Van Dyke, Sargent, Manchini, Sarolla – and you might see little bits of them in my work. But the way I see and record what I see personalizes my work, because no on one can put paint down the exact same way I do. When I’m painting in a room full of 20 painters, we’re all staring at the same exact same subject but you get twenty different results. I think I just see things differently, interpret color differently, and compose a little differently – so I get a different result.

F: Do you ever ‘photoshop’ your subjects and make them look better?

Only when the client requests it. The client hires me to create an image of themselves or of how they wish to be remembered. Sometimes that does not strictly reflect real life. When doing a posthumous portrait, photos are compiled over a wide range of years to create the best image of that person.

F: You appear to have quite a few clients who are doctors? Why is that?

I’ve done work for the University of Chicago, Depaul, and Rush Hospital. The clients are typically not the doctors themselves; either the hospital board or the school commissions me. If a doctor steps down or retires, they give the portrait as a gift or honor that person by hanging it up on the wall of the institution.

F: What is your inspiration for still-life paintings? Do you arrange or spot the scene?

It’s a little bit of both. I have a variety of different props in the studio and I’ll arrange them to try and make abstract designs with light and shadow. I create color themes with different types of fruits, vegetables and backdrops.

On the website there’s one that I like – the painting of a Chicago-style deep-dish pizza and bottles of beer – that looks like an everyday set-up. My inspiration comes from the 17th-century Dutch masters; instead of painting antique objects, I try to incorporate modern-day objects and paint them using the techniques of the old masters.

F: What can a still-life painting tell the viewer? What is it meant to convey?

I like to think the themes of my paintings have something to do with light– the way light moves or the way it illuminates an object. It doesn’t matter if it’s a still-life, a figure, or a landscape: all my paintings are about light.

F: Do you think there is a better market for paintings of urban scenes?

I think people living in a metropolitan area are drawn to urban scenes, especially of restaurants, because they can connect with people – there’s a lot of movement versus a still-life painting. A painting with multiple figures is more interesting to people than still-life. But it’s hard to say – people are drawn to paintings for all sorts of different reasons.

F: What/where are your favorite places to paint in Chicago?

The two places where I paint are my north light studio in my home and the Palette & Chisel Academy of Art. I’ve been a faculty member there for 4 years and an an artist member for 12 years. It’s near the corner of Dearborn and Oak Streets; It was established in 1895 by students of the Art Institute. That’s my second home – I’m there 3 or 4 days a week painting from life, because they have 60 hours of live-model time.

F: Where are your favorite art galleries in Chicago?

I like the Ann Nathan Gallery because she represents contemporary figurative works. Frederick Baker represents me in Chicago – they have a great collection of old prints and drawings.

F: What paintings decorate your house?

The paintings on my walls are portraits I’ve done of family members as well as portraits of myself and my family done by other artists.

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By liz, August 17, 2009 8:00 am

Instructor Scott Szybowicz

With an amazing streak of Major surprises, maybe you can become the next Y.E. Yang and narrowly beat Tiger Woods.  Pro-golfer and instructor Scott Szybowicz shares his golf expertise with us.  He runs the Winning Edge Golf School in the Chicago area. Check out the Golfing Blog or take a lesson with him to analyze and improve your swing.

F: When did you start playing golf? How has the sport evolved since then?

I started playing golf at the age of 13. The evolution of the game has been vast!  Equipment is light-years ahead of where it used to be, and there is a better understanding of how the body moves during the golf swing. This greater understanding has led to more intelligent teaching methods.

F: In your experience, is there a certain body type or demographic predisposed to be good at golf?

No. There are outstanding golfers of all ages, shapes and sizes.

F: Besides practice, do you do any physical training to improve your game?

I actually work out more than I practice. Throughout the year I spend a great deal of time stretching and doing cardio on my road bike. In the winter, I add more strength training to my workout – core strength is extremely important.

F: What is your secret sauce to teaching beginners how to play golf?

I wish I did, but I do not have a secret sauce. Everyone learns a little differently so you need to focus on what is best for the individual.

F: Do you ever get frustrated when students aren’t able to hit the ball or don’t listen to you ?

Honestly, I have never gotten frustrated with a student’s performance; if anything, it makes me focus more, to help them. If a student is unwilling to use my knowledge, it is silly for them to be my student and I will politely make that point clear.

F: How much of golf is science versus art (since it seems that every move is more calculated and deliberate than most sports)?

Golf is a blend of both. In any sport there is a lot of science and calculation involved before you can make it look like art. When I played baseball in college, we used a lot of motion analysis – it just wasn’t as sophisticated as it is now.

F: What is your favorite area golf course?

My favorite golf course is Shore Acres Country Club in Lake Bluff: it is a wonderful place if you have the opportunity to play on occasion.

F: What was the best golf course you ever played on? What was your worst shot on that course?

I don’t like to use the word ‘best,’ but my greatest experience was playing the Old Course at St. Andrew’s in Scotland.  I missed an easy putt to shoot one under par.

F: How do you practice or teach golf in the winter with snow on the ground?

I teach indoors at a health club in the city and at White Pines Dome.

F: What sport would you say is most akin to golf?

There are a lot of similarities between golf and tennis and baseball.

F: How would you suggest livening up the sport for say, coverage by a national news network?

I have never thought about that… maybe by featuring a wider variety of players, rather than just “You Know Who.”

F: If you could advise the US PGA on attracting more young talent to the sport, what would you tell them?

I would make courses more kid-friendly. The USGA should not base rules about equipment on tour players. The USGA needs to base more decisions on what is best for the average player and on growing the game. (I will now get off my soap box.)

F: Why does the scoring system uses bird names?

I will have to get back to you on that.

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By liz, August 12, 2009 10:35 am

A few weeks ago, Funsherpa interviewed Tim Joyce, a comedian-in-training with Second City.  This week we talked to another Tim Joyce in the same line of work: a distinguished playwright/ actor/comedian and longtime resident of Chicago.  Tim has made a career out of stand-up comedy, writing, improv, acting, and teaching.  He has succeeded as a published author, speech-writer, and private comedy coach

You seem to have done it all! What aspect of your diverse career do you enjoy most: writing, performing, teaching, traveling…?

If you had asked that even three years ago, I would have quickly answered “performing.” But in the past few years I’ve been doing a lot more teaching, which provides inspiration and an outlet that I hadn’t expected. There’s a really sweet level of communication when teaching someone. So now I’d say it’s a tie: teaching and performing; with writing a close second.

Is comedy for the camera different than live comedy?

Live performing is actually very different that performing for a camera, whether it is comedy or drama. Cameras are intimate; they pick up tiny nuances that even the performer isn’t aware of, so you want to avoid being too broad. In a live stand-up situation, it’s almost impossible to be too broad.

What is it like to watch your plays performed? How much input/control does the playwright have?

I love watching my plays acted!!! It is a kick that cannot be described to see the levels actors and directors add to your work. They show you things you had no idea were there and make small choices that cause your work to shine.

I’ve been lucky to have a lot of input with my plays that have been produced. In every case, staged readings as well as workshops were necessary to get the working draft in shape. I’ve also worked with some really great directors who did a fine job shaping the material and the performances of the actors. A play – especially a new work – is a collaboration; I’ve been fortunate to have great collaborators.

We’ve recently interviewed another Tim Joyce who is taking classes at the Second City Training Center. How has Second City factored into your comedic career?

The Second City Training Center (which I attended in 1986/87) was a huge influence on me as an artist. It is not only a place that gave me a solid grounding in improv and more depth in performance, it is honestly the place where I believe I learned how to write.

You are also an experienced Shakespearean actor – what is your favorite Shakespearean character?

As a college freshman I got to play Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and it will always be my favorite role from any play. I also love the character and poetry of Richard II; in fact, I use a monologue from it for auditions.

What made you decide to pursue comedy over straight acting?

I wish I had a more sanguine answer…But it was money. Comedy pays better and there are more financial opportunities as a comedian and as a comic writer. It is an artistic challenge too, but it was a fiduciary choice.

How much research is involved in writing for someone else’s speech? Who have you written speeches for?

The speech writing I have done has been very corporate, it is largely a job of “punching up” executives’ existing speeches – making them less dry.

How did you go about writing a ’spoof’ of self-help books, especially with a co-author?

Carl Kozlowski, my co-author, is a former student of mine and an amazingly talented writer who has worked for the Tribune, Esquire, LA Times, and numerous other media outlets as a reporter. He and I were tipped off that there was an opportunity to write a self-help spoof and we put together some spec chapters and pitched it. Voila! Book!

Can you give us an overview of your teaching methods for comedy?

People often ask me how you can “teach” comedy when so much humor is subjective. Truthfully you cannot teach someone to be talented, but you can help them learn to edit and to focus their voice as a writer. My emphasis is on editing material ruthlessly and constantly asking yourself if you are saying what you want to say – what you think you are saying. The best comedy has no wasted words, and every word should audition to get into your act.

How do you juggle touring with raising a family?

It is hard. I do not have my own biological kids; I have two wonderful young women who came into my life through Hurricane Katrina. One has gone off to Boston to get her MBA and the other graduates in 2010 from college. I’ve been married for 26 years and I still miss my wife on the long trips. Staying emotionally grounded on the road is the single biggest challenge I face as a comedian. The road is inherently lonely.

Why did you decide to settle in Chicago? What do you think of Chicago’s comedy scene?

Studying at Second City was the major factor in my moving here. The comedy scene is always changing, sometimes it is up and other times it is down. The talent tends to move to the coasts after developing here, so the scene doesn’t stay the same for long.

What is your favorite Chicago improv club to either perform in or to see a show?

I still love seeing shows at Second City, especially the improv sets there. IO is pretty cool too. For stand up I like the Comedy Upstairs show at Fizz Bar and Grill….

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By liz, August 10, 2009 8:00 am

Alderman Flores

Politics isn’t business as usual at the first ward of Chicago – we talk to Alderman Flores about his environmental initiatives and Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Olympics!

F: You’ve been in office for 6 years now, how has the 1^st Ward evolved since you took over as Alderman?

The 1^st Ward has experienced incredible growth in residential and commercial development during my time in office. I find that more families are settling in our community, and that many of our neighbors have become more active and engaged in important neighborhood matters such as development, education, and community safety.

F: What are some of the things you’ve learned as an Alderman?

I have become a better listener and possess a better appreciation of how laws and policies affect everyday people. I also learned that we can never dream too big – we must continue to push boundaries and experiment with innovative strategies to make our city even better.

F: Chicago has a pretty bad political reputation. Are you doing anything to help change that image?

One cornerstone of my political beliefs is that government only works when citizens are informed and engaged. Two examples of legislation that I have passed to ensure transparency in Chicago politics are the TIF Sunshine Ordinance and the City Asset Lease Disclosure Ordinance. Both laws require the city to post financial agreements on the City of Chicago website for public view. In order to make Chicago a leader in transparency, taxpayers deserve to know where their money is spent.

Additionally, I host community meetings to solicit feedback on important Ward issues in the areas of community development and safety. I also hold open office hours and heavily rely on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to inform and engage my constituents.

F: One of the topics you are very passionate about is environmental responsibility and sustainability. How are you keeping the movement alive given the current economic challenges and perceived high costs?

I see environmental sustainability as a crucial factor in getting our economy back on track. As a result, I have focused on sustainability as we work to stimulate our local economy. While some might argue that living sustainably might have some upfront costs, those actions ultimately result in lower electricity bills, lower gas payments, cleaner air, and a more livable community. As Alderman of the 1^st Ward, I continue to promote the development of “green” buildings, holding workshops for development professionals to explain the true costs associated with green construction, and to expand public incentives for businesses and developments that are environmentally responsible.

F: How can we support the green movement in Chicago?

I believe that one important way to support the green movement in Chicago is through expanding the green marketplace. We should all support local businesses that buy and build locally and are good neighbors to their communities.

It is also key that residents help build a local economy that supports these types of businesses. That is why I launched GreenEconomyChicago.com, an interactive website which serves as an online platform for citizen-driven policy making. Participants can log-in and submit their ideas, build on others’ ideas, or share links to information related to building a green economy in Chicago.

F: If Chicago gets the 2016 Olympics, you will…

I will continue to advocate for the proper management of the 2016 Olympic Games and make certain that there is transparency and accountability. I will also work to ensure that all communities benefit from the Games. The Olympic Games can be an incredible benefit to the city if they are properly managed, and I am very hopeful that we are selected.

F: As a resident of Wicker Park, can you share with us some of the things you do there outside of politics?

I like to spend time with my son Teddy and wife Georgina visiting the local parks and eating at our great local restaurants.

F: Families usually move out to the suburbs, you are obviously still in the city. What are some of your favorite activities in the city with your family?

I enjoy the lake, the parks, restaurants, museums, and all of the unique neighborhoods.

F: Chicago’s best kept secret is…

Chicago’s best kept secret is Margie’s Candies in the Logan Square neighborhood. Margie’s has been around for a long time and is not much of a secret, but deserves mention because of its great ice cream.

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By liz, August 7, 2009 8:00 am

Alex of Andy's Music

The entrance to Andy’s Music spans a Belmont street corner in a welcoming way. The shop sign is too big to ignore: rather than walk beneath it, you detour into the store. Momentum carries you through the cluttered foyer into a room covered with pipes, flutes, sitars, and harps. The store extends back further, though you won’t find that out until later. When you discover the basement – filled with percussion instruments from every part of the world – you’ll realize you’d need days to properly explore.

If you haven’t already guessed, Andy’s Music is not your “standard, one-size-fits-all” music store: it’s an experience. They feature instruments along with their world music counterparts. For a musician, it’s heaven; even for a non-musician, immersion is irresistible. The employees are storytellers who can relate each instrument’s evolution. Funsherpa talked with Alex, a longtime partner and professional multi-instrumentalist:

How did this store evolve?

At first Andy’s Music was a neighborhood kind of place that sold guitars, keyboards, and drums – more standard-issue music technology. Andy was into many different kinds of music, but never had the time to travel around the world learning about it firsthand. Slowly but surely he began to change his retail business to acoustic and exotic products.

Around the same time he started a rental business to capture what’s commonly called backline rental, where you rent drums, keyboards, guitars to traveling acts that come through town. The rental business was built into its own establishment, and they deal with a lot of the main venues in town. Very frequently a band that is traveling through say, House of Blues will need something. Backline rental fills the gap between what the venue has, what the band has, and what they need.

What is your best-selling instrument?

Gongs have been a big part of our sales in the past year and a half. I’ve sold tremendous amounts of gongs to all different parts of the world, but mainly the US.

How do you import handmade instruments from countries all over the globe?

Andy has partners who are very experienced musicians with a keen understanding of what quality looks and sounds like. The problem was investigating the right vendors to collect sellable musical instruments – not just kitsch-kitsch from all over the world – and maintaining those relationships so as to restock the inventory. My secret to success is feeling out what people already know about world music and offering enough inventory to broaden people’s perceptions – instruments that can carry them from any point in their learning path.

I’m always learning myself and am always interested in what my customers have to say about world music that has affected them. The more I know, the better I’m going to be at choosing the right stuff for the store. I want to make people interested in instruments in a musical way and make them want to play it. That’s the hands-on approach that makes this store much more interesting and – so far – successful.

How do you find people to teach each indigenous instrument?

There’s a lot to be said for finding a good teacher who is close to the actual native tradition that built and created the instrument. When I was learning to play the conga drum, the guy I found didn’t speak English but was an unbelievable musician. We didn’t need to speak English – I came there to play conga. I tuned my drums; he tuned his drums; and he would say, ‘Salsa!’ and begin to play very slowly. When he heard me pick it up, he’d speed up the tempo; then I would go faster, and he would go faster…  Eventually I was playing so fast, I could barely think about my hands anymore. That kind of experience is invaluable, but it’s not going to be available to everyone.

There’s more community-based music making going on in America, which I think is a positive thing! Interest has been channeled into just hanging out and playing music – whether it be Irish music or hand-drumming or any kind of European folk music. You don’t have to be an expert at first – you can feel your way along. Drumming is just putting yourself in rhythm with a bunch of other players who may have many different levels of experience. Creating that kind of resonance is the next step to integrating world music, so that it becomes more understood and accepted in the first world.

What is the life of a professional musician like?

I got hired by these really good tabla players from India. I’ve studied raga, so I know a lot of raga forms. Raga music, to me, is a form of very meaningful improvisation, but they don’t consider it improvisation because they’ve learned the material and reproduce it without the page. If I can convince them that what they’re doing is improvisation, that can only affect their playing positively. But there’s a certain meat-and-potatoes practicality to learning songs: it’s a means of communication.

What is your favorite instrument in the shop?

Sitar is definitely one of my favorites. I was a classically-trained trumpet player as a child, so I studied a great deal about classical and jazz music. By the time I was in my mid-twenties, I was experimenting with all kinds of percussion instruments – conga, djembe – and then slowly but surely the more exotic, Arabic flavors of percussion. Now I’m basically a professional multi-instrumentalist that specializes in Indian music – the most compelling music for me to take apart and to learn about the universal structures of all music.

Can you trace characteristic variations in instruments based on the country of origin?

Many instruments have a very long and interesting musicological history; they go through stages where they were played by this group of people for these reasons, which affected the physicality of the instrument in this way, which led it to be introduced into this country several hundred years later. The other part of that story is how instruments like the Sitar have been put together hodge-podge over hundreds of years – developments in the music itself caused certain physical characteristics to be added to the instrument.

Even the word ’sitar’ is hybrid – just like a lot of Northern Indian music – because Northern India switched from a poly-theistic Hindu culture to a monotheistic Islamic culture. That changed their music irreparably, and the sitar is very much a reflection of that rupture. We’re all trying to reach those same tones and resonances, but it’s fascinating how varied our approach is to achieve the same aesthetic sound.

Has this shop found its place within the community?

Our family of musicians and artifact-finders stretches across the country and is always growing. We have 4500 square feet and yes, we do get a little busy on Saturdays, but there’s plenty more room for people to come explore, to experience different kinds of musical instruments and sounds.

On another note, we are interested in creating a museum of musical instruments, a specifically cultural experience. The role we play – where people can come in and have a hands-on experience with music from thousands of miles away – that’s a goal in and of itself: to make music more accessible to people. A museum is the best way we’ve been able to frame it.

Andy’s just started to open up his warehouse for performances. You think it’s crazy here, but he’s got even crazier, incredible, museum-level pieces scattered all about the place. It makes sense to buy a building and house everything in one place. We’re working all that out in the next few months – it’s an exciting time.

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By liz, August 3, 2009 8:00 am

Carlos Escalantes offers his ingenious empanadas

Who doesn’t love empanadas?  Certainly not someone who has discovered Lito’s Empanadas, a well-kept secret on Clark St. Empanada-expert Carlos Escalante earned his degree in business administration in Colombia and worked as a plant manager in Ohio before launching Lito’s two years ago.  He took the time to talk with Funsherpa about South American food, Colombian slang, and, of course, his unusual empanadas...

F: What is about an empanada? Why did you decide to build a business around it?

Well I’m from Colombia, where empanadas are really popular. I’ve always wanted to have my own business and knew empanadas could be a good idea. When I moved here I didn’t have enough money; I didn’t have the credit history to just apply for a loan. Around 2006 I started making them for my wife’s family – she’s from Wisconsin – and for my friends here. People liked them, so one day we said, “Why don’t we open an empanada place?” It took me seven years, but we finally opened in 2007.

An Awesome Empanada

F: What do you think of Chicago’s South American cuisine?

I’ve been to a couple of Colombian places like Las Tablas, and they are really good! But there wasn’t a take-out place like this in Chicago-

F: What is your favorite empanada?

That’s a tough one: I would have to choose between a few. We just have ten, but I love the Hawaiian one.

(We do too.)

F: If you could add another empanada to the menu of ten, what would it be?

I’m actually working on it right now!  I want to add one with shrimp and another with chorizo. There are so many things you can put in an empanada-

F: You said empanadas are popular in Colombia – are they usually associated with a particular meal? Or can they eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? (We hope so)

Where I come from, they are really popular for breakfast.  Some places are only open from 6am until 8 or 9 when they sell out, and then they are done for the day. That’s just for breakfast.

It’s not popular for lunch. Later in the day, that’s when people start looking for empanadas…

F: What is the most empanadas you’ve seen anyone eat in one sitting?

Six.

(Can’t say we blame them)

F: What other cuisine do you enjoy around Chicago?

I love hamburgers – that’s my favorite American dish. I’m happy at any place that has hamburgers.

F: We heard you previously worked in the auto industry – what made you decide to open a restaurant?

I was the plant manager for an auto-parts plant for five years: I started in Toledo, Ohio back in 2000. The owner decided to open a shop here in Chicago, and he gave me the opportunity to move here and be plant manager. So yeah, I was doing something totally different.

F: Why did you decide to move from Colombia to Chicago?

I finished a degree in business administration in Colombia in December 1999, and I had a friend living in Toledo, Ohio. I didn’t have many options in my country, so he said, “Well, why don’t you come up here and see what you can find?” I came to Toledo and ten days later met the owner of the auto-parts supplier in church. At the time, he was just looking for someone to sweep the floors, take the garbage out, load and unload trucks – I eventually showed him I could help manage people and assembly lines.

A year later he decided to expand  to Chicago. By that time, I was bored, frustrated, and thinking of going back to Colombia. Toledo, Ohio is a really small town with not many things to do.  So it was good timing when he said, “Well do you want to move to Chicago?”

F: Why did you choose to stay in Chicago and start a business here?

I love this city. They have everything here, and it’s not that expensive to live in, if you’re smart. I don’t complain about the winters much; it’s nice having four seasons – you just have to enjoy them.

F: What is your favorite Colombian Slang expression?

‘Tenaz’ – I don’t even think it’s in the dictionary, but we use it a lot in Colombia. When you’ve been in a tough situation, you say, “Tenaz!”

F: What is the rough English translation of “tenaz”?

When you say, “Really?!” [incredulously]

F: What is the future of Lito’s Empanadas? Any expansion plans?

Yeah!  When we decided we wanted to open, the first step was just to find a place. We found a place; we signed a lease; and that means you have to do it. To open the shop was really tough; to keep it running – that’s another thing. Now that it’s running, I have to go and find the next one…

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By liz, July 29, 2009 8:00 am

This Thursday (tomorrow) Chicago hosts a quirky, Ernie-endorsed fundraiser: the Windy City Rubber Ducky Derby.  Sponsored ducks will race along the Chicago river to raise money for Special Olympics.  We spoke to the people behind this ingenious campaign to inform Chicagoans about what they’ll see floating by on the river at 1:00pm tomorrow. Quack for the Cause!

Where did the idea for this kind of fundraiser come from?!

Special Olympics Illinois wanted to go ‘quackers’ over a fun summer fundraiser. And we have the perfect venue here for a duck race – the beautiful Chicago River!

Why do the ducks have sunglasses?

The ducks look very cool in their shades, plus the sunglasses complement their brightly-colored lips.

Will there be a starting line or a running – ahem, swimming – start? What is the ‘Duck Splashdown’?

The yellow Komatsu “duck truck” will pull up to the south side of the Columbus Drive bridge (after the north side has been raised) and dump 30,000+ little rubber ducks into the Chicago River.  Then it’s every duck for himself as they race to the finish-

How do teams keep track of their ducks?

It’s a little tricky to find your duck among the thousands of ducks in the River, but everyone knows their duck is in the lead.

Do participants get to keep their ducks after the race? What happens to all the ducks after the race?

All the racing ducks are scrubbed after the race and sent on to the next race in a far-away place. However, Special Olympics Illinois has duplicate souvenir ducks available for sale before the race on Michigan Avenue or on the website.

What can people do to ensure their duck wins?

Adopt lots of ducks for $5 each to benefit Special Olympics Illinois here (through July 29 at 4pm) or on Michigan Avenue starting at 6:30am on race day – July 30. You can also call to adopt ducks on race day morning by calling 1-877-9SPLASH.

Where should spectators watch? How visible is the race from Michigan Ave or the various bridges that cross the river?

Bring your lunch and camera and position yourself on either side of the river between Columbus and Michigan; it’s a great chance to experience the fabulous River Walk on the south side. The ducks will be corralled over to the north side of the river by a boom, so that river traffic can continue. A tugboat will spray water on the ducks to propel them to the finish line!

Have you caught any ducks cheating? What is the penalty for cheating?

Some ducks jump the boom and try to make a run to the finish line, but we have people in boats to scoop them up with nets and disqualify them from the race!

If ESPN were to cover this event, what highlights would they show?

No sporting event has a more dramatic start than this race. You can feel the excitement as ducks jockey for position along the edge of the boom and try to line themselves up to be the first in the duck trap halfway to Michigan Avenue.

Is there any plan to change it to a different animal anytime soon? Maybe dolphins?

Some of our Special Olympics athletes have suggested frogs, but then we would need lily pads also.

Does this fundraiser take place in other cities?

The duck race takes place in cities and towns all over the country, but we have the best one right here in Chicago.

Seems like a great fundraiser that benefits Illinois Special Olympics. Any other way people can get involved in helping the Special Olympics?

Special Olympics training and competition takes place all year round in 19 summer and winter sports, so we use lots of volunteers. There are many exciting fundraisers happening to benefit the more than 22,000 children and adults involved in the program in Illinois. Check out the website for information on getting involved and supporting Special Olympics.

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By liz, July 22, 2009 8:00 am

Genevieve Thiers has a head full of ideas and a voice to match. Gen moved to Chicago seven years ago to attend Northwestern University’s prestigious School of Music. At the same time, she was busy launching the country’s premier caregiving website, Sittercity.com. Since settling in Chicago, Genevieve has built Sittercity from the ground up and started an opera company on the side for good measure. In her spare time, Gen sleeps, reads, and explores Chicago…

F: You are a native of Philadelphia, and you attended college in Boston. What made you decide to base your business here in Chicago?

A few things: I love Chicago’s location—the center of the country. You can get anywhere without having to face a 7-hour flight. And it’s a gorgeous city! So clean, with lots of tall buildings. Second, my husband is from this area and wanted to get reacquainted as an adult. But the final reason is that – in addition to being a CEO – I am also a trained opera singer. I wanted to attend Northwestern University’s School of Opera night program from 2002-2004. Of all the opera schools I considered, it was the best choice.

F: Sittercity has markets in cities across the country: what characterizes Chicago in the care-taking industry?

Chicago was not different from other markets in that it desperately needed Sittercity! What was different was how the locals approached care. More families tended to hire family members: it’s a Midwestern trait. But I think when they saw Sittercity was literally safer than hiring the girl-next-door, that quickly changed. In fact I’ve seen grandparents in this area on our site to find a sitter, so that they do not have to be the primary caregiver!

F: In your opinion, what are the most kid-friendly neighborhoods in Chicago?

I think that Glencoe, Wilmette, Skokie, and Highland Park are lovely. There’s also some great areas downtown: Southport in Wrigleyville is a great place to raise kids. The great thing about Chicago is that it’s tough to find a not-so-nice place to live.

F: Babysitting – full-time or on the side – is a long-standing and respected line of work. How do you recommend parents and sitters use babysitting as a way to supplement their lifestyle?

I think babysitting and nannying should be considered full-time careers in the United States, and right now, that is not the case. In the UK it’s perfectly normal to have a career as a nanny: there are even degrees that support it. Here, it’s considered something you do on the side – a means to an end. I’d like to change that…  I know a lot of care providers who would like to feel that their work counts as a full-time career.

F: Did you ever think childcare might become your career?

No… but, thinking back, I am not too surprised it became mine! I am the oldest of seven kids and have clocked over 2500 babysitting jobs in my life. I used to reassure 2-3 moms a day that they should go out and have fun—at the age of 16! So it’s very natural that this would end up being my career. And I even sing! I’ve played both Mary Poppins and Maria in The Sound of Music.

F: What was your funniest babysitting experience as a kid or as a sitter?

M brother, sister, and I were once all booked for the same job. The mom was nervous none of us would come and so triple-booked it to be sure!

F: You’ve also opened up the Chicago opera industry by starting Operamoda, an opera company featuring innovative operas and young performers. How receptive have Chicagoans been to a revamped opera company, since opera is such a selective taste in the first place?

OperaModa’s mission is to support young emerging opera singers and American opera. Chicago seems to love the combination. We just finished a show with the Elgin Opera, actually—Menotti’s The Telephone. It was so delightful – I loved every minute of it! The Telephone was also performed by Daniel Peretto—a hyper-talented young Chicago baritone—and directed by Amy Hutchison from the Lyric Opera. I love that I’m able to sing in a great opera company in Chicago without having to travel the globe.

F: What is your favorite modern opera?

I adore Menotti’s The Telephone, but I’ve also loved playing Dorine in Kirke Mechem’s Tartuffe and Beth in Mark Adamo’s Little Women.

F: What are your favorite performance venues around Chicago?

The Athenaeum is lovely, but also rather expensive. The Harris Center here is phenomenal. It’s my dream to perform there, and also at some point on the stage of Chicago Shakespeare Theater at Navy Pier. They do stunning work.

F: Was it always opera? When did opera enter the scene?

I’ve sung since the age of 11; my twin sister played piano. We were a bit like the Von Trapp family—many of us are musical. I went abroad my junior year of college to Oxford University, and it was there that I fell in love with opera. Before that, I had mostly done musicals: The Secret Garden, The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, Fiddler on the Roof… But then I sang in a production of Carmen, and it was never the same. There’s something so sophisticated and complex about the opera sound. It’s like tasting fine wine after drinking wine coolers: there’s no going back.

F: What was it like going back to school in a new city? And music school, no less?

Wonderful! I was ready for a change. I launched Sittercity.com in Boston at the start of the Internet boom. It was very exciting to see how fast it caught on. But I wanted to sing opera too, so Chicago seemed like the perfect place—centrally-located with a great music school and, as a bonus, my husband Dan knew it well and was able to tour me around. It was love at first sight! The funny thing really was juggling my opera schedule with my business career. One time I had a situation where I sang Act 1 of an opera (in a nun costume, no less), changed into a suit to go downtown for a meeting, and dashed back in time to sing Act 3. It was hilarious.

F: What would you say Evanston is like relative to Chicago?

Quieter…I attended opera school there, and so drove back and forth for two years between Sittercity’s office downtown and Evanston. I think Evanston is lovely, but I’m a city girl. You can’t beat tall buildings, bright lights and a beach.