Chicago Sun-Times

‘Dinosaurs,’ ‘Bugs’ invade Chicago area

Thu, 23 May 2013 23:16:00 -0500

Dinosaurs are big, bugs are small, right? Think again. This Memorial Day weekend, two separate family-friendly events upend the conventional wisdom about some of history’s most fearsome and fascinating creatures. “Dinosaur Petting Zoo,” by Australia theater company Erth, allows children to interact with a variety of realistic looking puppet dinosaurs as an Australian actor guides visitors through the “zoo.” In the suburbs, the Morton Arboretum in Lisle is hosting artist David Rogers’ “Big Bugs,” a 10-creature show that is part-art installation, part-science lesson. It’s a weekend to welcome summer by getting outside and touching some creepy crawlers. “Big Bugs” was …

Former heroin addict faces ‘my own kryptonite’

Fri, 24 May 2013 08:38:54 -0500

Doug Stvan had the look. His mom noticed his resemblance to the “Man of Steel” character. That’s why, when word came down a new movie about Superman would be shot in this area, a few suggested he try out as an extra. But doing so meant Stvan had to face “my own kryptonite.” To get to the casting call being held that June of 2011 on the West Side of Chicago, Stvan would have to drive through neighborhoods where for much of the last 12 years of his life he’d been buying and using heroin. Just a few months clean …

Tony Weisman on 50 years of celebrating patriotism and community

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:00:07 -0500

Fifty years ago, on a Memorial Day when I was 3 years old, my father Al Weisman taught me — and a small group of kids in our Lakeview neighborhood — a lifelong lesson about patriotism and community. A friend had recently given my father an American flag. But instead of just hanging it on the outside of our house, he donned a beat-up, tricornered hat and baton and led us all in a do-it-yourself parade. Carrying the flag, and accompanied by a little girl playing her violin, our ragtag group of pint-sized patriots marched around the block to honor …

Butterflies exhibit lands at Chicago Botanic Garden

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:03:27 -0500

Hundreds of brilliantly colored butterflies will soon dart around the “Butterflies & Blooms” exhibition at the Chicago Botanic Garden. As beautiful as they are to watch, they’re not just their for show, though. The exhibit, which runs May 25 to Sept 2, offers an opportunity to learn all about the life cycle and benefits of these fascinating creatures. On opening weekend, a booth will be set up where people can learn what to plant in their yard to attract butterflies. Horticulturist Courtney Quigley said that on opening day, 830 butterflies will float around the 2,800-square-foot white mesh enclosure on the …

Local dog brings comfort to tornado victims

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:55:24 -0500

An area minister and a golden retriever named Barnabas are part of a team of volunteers offering comfort to victims of Monday’s killer tornado in Oklahoma.

Carbonara is reworked into a warm-weather salad

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:27:48 -0500

Want the flavors of carbonara, but as a salad for summer? We’ve got it right here!

Wedding gift note goes over like lead balloon

Fri, 24 May 2013 02:25:00 -0500

Dear Abby: My husband and I attended the wedding of the son of some old friends in another state. Rather than buy the young couple a gift, we instead gave them a check for $1,000. Imagine our astonishment when a month later the following arrived in our mailbox: “Dear ‘Loretta’ and ‘Evan,’ “Thank you for the generous donation. We really enjoyed spending that money. If ever you feel like you have too much of it, we would gladly take it off your hands. “Love, ‘Mason’ and ‘Candace’” Abby, my husband and I have worked hard for many years in our …

Rachel Zoe’s tips for great summer hair

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:32:12 -0500

Manage your expectations when aiming for a good summer hairstyle, says Rachel Zoe, celebrity stylist and co-founder of DreamDry blow-dry salons. “Your hair will never come out exactly the same twice. Embrace it.”

Lauren Lein on how supporting local designers can save lives around the world

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:36:00 -0500

Recently, we all heard and read about the garment factory collapse in Bangladesh. At first, news outlets reported “some” lives lost, vastly underplaying the tragedy. But as the days went by, we learned that more than 1,100 workers lost their lives. When I heard the news, my mind raced back to a story I’d heard just a few months ago, when a fire in a similar Bangladeshi garment factory claimed more than 100 lives. I’ve been a fashion designer for most of my life, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the factory collapse and its innocent victims. These men and …

Want to include veggies at party? Try summer rolls

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:53:26 -0500

SARA MOULTON: Here’s a tasty — and handy — way to smuggle vegetables onto the picnic menu: fresh summer rolls. This Chinese dish involves filling a rice paper wrapper with a combination of raw vegetables, herbs, cooked noodles, protein, and sometimes fruit. And frankly despite the name (they sometimes are called fresh spring rolls, too) I consider them to be delicious in any season.

There’s more than meets the eye when sizing up weight issues

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:43:49 -0500

Is it possible some fat people want to be fat? Is it true that there are some diseases that make you fat? Is it impossible for fat women to buy rings over-the-counter?

Flavor variations on the classic taco

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:14:51 -0500

When salsa overtook ketchup as America’s favorite condiment in the 1990s, you had to know that “taco night” wasn’t far behind.

Wedding gift note goes over like lead balloon

Fri, 24 May 2013 02:51:21 -0500

Simple sips for summer days ahead

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:28:11 -0500

A good summer cocktail must be simple to assemble, and preferably from memory. It must be sweet and refreshing, but not cloying. It should welcome ice and not suffer noticeably as the ice melts. And it must be versatile enough to go with whatever is on the dinner menu.

Michelle McBride on the backlash from Angelina Jolie’s recent op-ed

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:29:49 -0500

Last week, in an op-ed piece in the New York Times, Angelina Jolie revealed that she had a prophylactic mastectomy after learning she’d inherited a gene mutation that gave her a high risk of developing breast cancer. Angelina shared her story in order to help others who might find themselves in the same situation, but many are claiming that she’s actually encouraging women to have mastectomies. As someone who’s had the same surgery, and who now counsels others about genetic testing and the options that follow a positive genetic test, I’m worried this backlash may undermine Angelina’s good intentions. For …

EP firefighter, storm chaser recounts Oklahoma devastation

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:18:39 -0500

When Danny Neal was a kid, thunderstorms and other severe weather terrified him. But for the past 15 years, the Evergreen Park man has sought out storms, taking impromptu trips in his spare time to areas of the country where tornadoes are likely to develop. He was just south of Moore, Okla., on Monday when a massive tornado ripped through the Oklahoma City suburb, and although he’s seen nearly 100 tornadoes, Neal said this one stood out in dramatic fashion. “It’s not so much the sight of a tornado, it’s the sound,” Neal said Tuesday as he and two fellow …