Location Change! Icescape now at Lee Street Beach

Winter HeARTh 2: IceScape

Saturday, March 8, 12-4 p.m.

Lee Street Beach

Bundle up and bring bursts of color to the bleak (but beautiful) icy landscape of Evanston's Greenwood Street Beach, because what's a better way to protest the cold by celebrating community during our second Winter HeARTh event?

Bring your friends, family your own food coloring (all-natural preferred - check out Whole Foods' options), and super-soaking water-blasters of choice. We'll also be freezing water balloons to create spheres of color - so bring any extra balloons you've got laying around too!

What is the Winter HeARTh anyway?

The Evanston Public Art Committee is trying to get folks out of their homes and into public places this winter to encourage community-building and creativity to enliven what can be the solitary cold months. We are aiming for all of these events to be inter-generational and fun for all. We are also asking community members to help us help each other by bringing their own supplies. Not only will this let you really leave your mark on these art projects, but you'll be able to teach others with the supplies you've become an expert in using - that way even our neighbors who may be arts-and-crafts newbies can come and join as well.

Spread the word, spread the warmth!


For more info and a map visit the Facebook event page here.

If you attend the event, help create a buzz on social media and upload your photos with #icescape

Update: Loving my walkable life but getting a ride home is nice too

Today I celebrate out loud and on this blog how walkable my life is. Is walkable a word? The walkability of my everyday life? Who cares! Today, I am not getting into a car, at all. And in addition to not getting into a car, I am busy and taking care of several important things!

Here is a list of all the important (and not so important) things I will do today without getting into a car:

• Go to work
• Go to the dentist
• Go out to dinner with friends

All of these activities will take place within a five mile radius of my home and it has taken almost two and a half years to create this reality. (Granted I used to live in New York City and didn't own a car for six years, my life now includes a car and living in a suburb outside a city.)

My job search involved a Google Map and a business search of companies within a 5 mile radius of my front door. And when I asked for a dentist recommendation for my new insurance plan, I specified that I would only take recommendations I can walk to. And when friends ask where we can meet for coffee or lunch, I always ask for places I can walk too.

I am thrilled to be living in Evanston with its infrastructure to support my walkable needs. My quality of life is much higher now that I have commuting choices and I'm grateful that I'm healthy enough to be able to choose walking as a major means of transport.

Update: After dinner it was late and cold so I hitched a ride home in our friend's car. I can't be too agro and say "no thanks" as I think that's bad manners and just weird. And to address one reader's comments regarding weather, it has not been a bummer for me to walk in this weather mainly because I cannot drive in this weather, at all. I've yet to write the blog post about the Evanston PD having to drive my car out of a snow bank that I smashed into. It's still too painful. 

P.S. That's not me in the photo, it's just a random woman walking down the street in Evanston. I do that, take photos of strangers on the sly especially if they look this cute - short dress and tall boots!

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Thank you for reading my blog Evanston Newbie, a blog dedicated to helping you too fall in love with the City of Evanston, just like I did. If you have any questions or need to get in touch with me about this blog, Evanston, or anything else you can email me at thelisadshow@gmail.com. Also feel free to send me announcements about upcoming Evanston events and I will promote them here!

Photos: Noyes Cultural Arts Open House

More than 200 people flowed through the Noyes Cultural Arts Center on Saturday night in celebration of Open Studios and art! What a fantastic night. Congratulations to all the artists who did such a fantastic job creating activities and fun for so many people. Click here to visit the event page on Facebook to see more photos. 

To learn more about the Noyes Cultural Arts Center in Evanston, visit http://www.cityofevanston.org/arts-culture/noyes-cultural-arts-center/

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Thank you for reading my blog Evanston Newbie, a blog dedicated to helping you too fall in love with the City of Evanston, just like I did. If you have any questions or need to get in touch with me about this blog, Evanston, or anything else you can email me at thelisadshow@gmail.com. Also feel free to send me announcements about upcoming Evanston events and I will promote them here!

Knitsplosion a Colorful Success

Congrats to everyone who showed up at the Evanston Public Art Committee event, Knitsplosion! And congrats to Jason and David!

This Saturday: Noyes Cultural Center Open Studios

The diverse artists who have studios at the Noyes Cultural Center are opening their doors for the public to visit.

Artists of all disciplines will be present: painters, printmakers, actors, dancers, singers, and acrobats. The event is family-friendly, and free art activities will be offered for kids. Food and beverages will also be available.

Contact Sarah Kaiser-Amaral at (773) 318-0163 for more information.

Saturday, Feb. 15, 4-7 p.m.
927 Noyes St.
Evanston, IL 60201

Celebrate Black History Month in Evanston

From the City of Evanston website:

Black History Month begins February 1. Celebrate with us!

Local organizations and groups are invited to submit Black History Month events and programs for posting on the City of Evanston's website. Information should be sent to Community Engagement Specialist Charliese Agnew at cagnew@cityofevanston.org.

Click here for a full month of events.  

Northwestern also has a long list of events, click here to visit the calendar.

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Thank you for reading my blog Evanston Newbie, a blog dedicated to helping you too fall in love with the City of Evanston, just like I did. If you have any questions or need to get in touch with me about this blog, Evanston, or anything else you can email me at thelisadshow@gmail.com. Also feel free to send me announcements about upcoming Evanston events and I will promote them here!

Saturday: Public "Yarnbombing" Event at the Evanston Public Library

Press Release from the Evanston Public Art Committee

Come participate in a public "yarnbombing" event at the Evanston Public Library on February 8th. Knitters, crochet-ers, and fabric artists of all ages and experience levels are welcome to join as we bring string and color to the halls and streets around the Library.

BYOY - Bring Your Own Yarn (remnants, old favorites, etc.), needles, and supplies! This will be an opportunity to share what you have, whether it be supplies or crafty wisdom - we invite both! And start knitting today! We will try to incorporate prepared and recycled projects into the installation.

Have an old, "ugly" knit sweater laying around the house that you wouldn't want anyone to wear? We want that too! We'll put it to good use...or at least creative use.

What is "Evanston HeARTh" anyway?

The Evanston Public Art Committee is trying to get folks out of their homes and into warm public places this winter to encourage community-building and creativity to enliven what can be the solitary cold months. We are aiming for all of these events to be inter-generational and fun for all. We are also asking community members to help us help each other by bringing their own supplies. Not only will this let you really leave your mark on these art projects, but you'll be able to teach others with the supplies you've become an expert in using - that way even our neighbors who may be arts-and-crafts newbies can come and join as well.

Spread the word, spread the warmth!

Saturday, Feb. 8, noon - 4 p.m., Evanston Public Library, 1703 Orrington Ave.