Bold Plans. Big Dreams.

Do you know about the Burnham Plan Centennial? No? Click here to learn all about it. As part of the Centennial, members of WRBN and RP/WRHS have been attending workshops and sharing our neighborhood history with the Indo-American Heritage Museum to create a tour of Devon Avenue which will take place on May 16 as part of the 11th Annual Great Chicago Places & Spaces (GCPS) festival .

Kumbha Mela

Anyone who's visited West Ridge knows that our Devon Avenue offers the experience of a trip to the Subcontinent, minus the inconvenience of an international flight. And, as we've mentioned before, the word "bungalow" has deeps roots in India: in Gujarati it's known as bangalo, from Hindi, bangla is a "low, thatched house," and the term "Bengalese," is used to describe a "house in the Bengal style."

On Friday I was the guest of members of our local Indo American Heritage Museum at the opening event for this wonderful photography exhibit:

Sacred Waters: India’s Great Kumbha Mela Pilgrimage, March 6 — July 19, 2009

Journey to India with photographer Jean-Marc Giboux, and discover the creativity and splendor of the largest human gathering on earth, the Kumbha Mela pilgrimage.

Four times every 12 years, for just a few weeks, enormous and vibrant communities form at rivers believed to transform into divine nectar. Witness these fleeting, joyful gatherings, and discover their dazzling processions, theatrical performances, and the athletic and devotional practices of holy men. Then, proceed with the pilgrims to the culmination of their journey—a bath in sacred waters.

Through photographer Giboux's arresting images, glimpse the diversity of India and the complexities of Hindu religious life, on display at The Field Museum.

On another note, only vaugely related to bungalows (see November 11, 2008 post), while at this event I was excited to see Maria Pinto, Mrs. Obama's couturier of choice, looking every bit the designer in a fab, fitted green suit.

Window Box meeting on March 5th

Join the Northtown Garden Society for their next meeting on Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 7:00 PM. Neighbors Ann Glapa and Jo Stavig will give a slide presentation called "Beautiful Window Boxes All Year Long". Please note that the meeting will take place at the Northtown Public Library 6435 N. California. There is plenty of street parking.

And, check out Jo's website, Urban Prairie Planters with window boxes cleverly named after our local streets. That's one of her custom container styles (the Washtenaw, I believe) in the photo above.

West Ridge Bungalow Worms

Last Thursday we had a full house at the North Town Library to listen to our garden panel speak. (Thanks again to David, John, Chris and Kim -- you all rocked our landscaping worlds, and Kim, I will never forget your "parsley around the roast" description of the typical Chicago front yard evergreens!)

There was a lively discussion of all things green, but when John mentioned worm composting I didn't hear much of a response.

At the risk of never having anyone accept a dinner invitation to our house again, allow me to introduce you to the smallest and hardest working members of our household -- the worms.

I first learned of worm composting via this great online booklet offered by the Shedd Aquarium.
Later, I met up with Master Composter Ruth Melulis who set me up with my first little colony of Red Wigglers. They've been living happily in our pantry even since.

See that grey plastic bin? That's it, right next to the rest of our recycling containers. That's where they live. They're not messy or smelly, and in the winter it's definitely more convenient to slip food scraps to the worms than walking them out to the compost bin.

Come on neighbors, if New Yorkers can do it, so can you.

Dreaming of spring...

Bungalow Garden and Landscape Design meeting this Thursday

Greetings Bungalow Neighbors,
Our first meeting of the year is on February 19 (Thursday), 7:00 p.m. at the Northtown Public Library, 6435 N. California Ave. We have a stellar panel of landscaping and garden design experts who will be talking about designing for small bungalow yards/gardens, and answering our questions:

Panel:
John Eskandari is the Buyer/Manager of the Trees & Shrubs department at Gethsemane Garden Center in Andersonville, where he shares his passion for woody plant material with clients. John is also an instructor at Northwestern University’s Landscape Design & Management program, teaching classes on Sustainable Landscape Design and Succeeding with Plants.

Chris Gent's beautiful West Ridge bungalow garden, complete with ponds, was featured on a past Northtown Garden Society Garden Walk. Chris is a registered Landscape Architect and works as Deputy Director of Planning and Development for the Chicago Park District.

David Gianneschi currently works as a horticulturalist for Hoerr Schaudt, and is known for his talent in creating distinctive planting designs that harmonize with the design intent of a landscape and the bio-region of the site. David's career has also included freelance landscape design, workshop presentations for the Historic Chicago Bungalow Association, and serving as Technical Advisor for HGTV's "The Seasoned Gardener".

Kim Kaulas (Kim Kaulas Inc., Landscape Design and Installation) has designed many gardens in West Ridge and neighboring areas, and is a popular speaker with garden groups on topics such as year-round landscaping and small space gardening. Kim has taught at the Chicago Botanic Garden for many years, and will be teaching a new course on 'Bungalow Garden Design' for the Botanic Garden at the Lincoln Park Cultural Center later this year.

Please join us for this special evening, and be sure to bring all your bungalow garden questions!
Jo & Maribeth, WRBN Co-chairs

Winter in WR

We're having record low temperatures here in Chicago and everyone I know has had more than their fill of winter. Witness the layers of snow on our patio table and bird feeder that grows taller by the day...

WRBN Holiday Party on Saturday 1/17

Join WRBN at our 5th annual progressive potluck party starting at 5:30pm on Saturday, 1/17/09. Three WRBN members will open their homes and we'll travel between them feasting on appetizers, chili, and desserts. Home locations will be revealed after you RSVP to Maribeth.

Please let us know what you'll bring when you reply - appetizers, chili, a side dish or a dessert.

Ice and soft drinks will be provided, otherwise bring your own beverage of choice.

Paper and plastic will be available, but in an effort to "green" our party we encourage everyone to bring your own reusable glasses, plates and flatware.

Your $15.00 per household 2009 WRBN dues will be collected at the door.

Best wishes for 2009!
Jo & Maribeth
WRBN Co-chairs

Doors & Limestone detail

Today I was finally able to take a walk around the neighborhood without the fear of snow, ice, torrential rain or high winds. Like it or not, winter in Chicago offers a little something for eveyone. Enjoy these shots of limestone details on buildings around the 6700 blocks of Artesian, Campbell and Maplewood.

Holiday lights and confused robins

If only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun, who goes out in 20 below temps at 7:00am on a Sunday? That would be me, on my way to work this morning. I made a quick detour off of my regular route to swing by Carter and Donna's place on the 5800 block of N. Washtenaw in hopes of getting a good shot of the fab illuminated peace sign they've suspended in a tree in front of their house. Look closely and you'll see it hanging over the car, drive by at night for the full effect.

After exiting the parking garage at Soldier Field I spotted the first robins of...winter?


And once inside, the warm glow of more holiday lights in a magnificent Chicago 1920s landmark building. Definitely worth the trip.

Teco or no?

This week I had the pleasure of meeting with Silvia, the daughter of architect Edward P. Steinberg. Mr. Steinberg designed one of my favorite buildings on Devon Avenue shown in the photo above. This structure was built in 1929-30 for a man by the name of Tilensky and features some wonderful terra cotta details including charming owls perched over the entrance. Check it out next time you're on Devon, it's at the corner of Claremont.

The Steinberg family lived in this building that Edward designed and built on Winchester in Rogers Park. It's currently on the market, you can see a virtual tour here. That's Larry in the photo, he's another Steinberg relative that I met in the fall. Larry & Silvia are both so nice and each told me some great stories about growing up in Rogers Park.

So, what about the Teco, you ask? Well, when I met with Silvia, she had this big urn in her front hallway serving as an umbrella stand. When we were talking about the old place in Rogers Park, Silvia told us that this piece, along with its mate in storage in her basement were originally at the entrance of the family home. Look at the photo of the building and you can just imagine them there.

Silvia has always wondered if these are Teco pottery. We managed roll this one over to look at the bottom, no easy feat as it weighs about 50 lbs. There are no marks on the bottom, just a drainage hole. So, you Teco experts out there, what do you think?