Weekend focus: Chicago

What’s better than a gorgeous summer weekend? Here are some things I’m checking out and you can too.

Farmers markets on Saturday.  Corn,  tomatoes and peaches, yes.

Movies. Lots of things in theaters, but if you’re staying home, I strongly recommend two political films that are streaming on Netflix and Amazon.  Brother Outsider: The Story of Bayard Rustin, is a biopic about the little-known civil rights and gay activist who was a force in  organizing the MLK 1963 March on Washington. Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing still holds up as a story about race relations and attitudes in Brooklyn. My film group discussed it this week (Hi, CFLXers!) and found it still very potent.

Community events. Ginza Festival at Midwest Buddhist Temple.  Japanese food (grilled teriyaki chicken is a specialty), artisans and entertainers (taiko drummers, classical and folk dance). Saturday and Sunday.

Theater.  I recommend Slow Girl at Steppenwolf — a thought-provoking, quiet play with terrific performances by William Petersen and Rae Gray.  Also Inventing Van Gogh at Strange Bedfellows.  Here’s my review of the latter.  And I recommend Rooms: A Rock Romance at Broken Nose Theatre.  I loved that one.

I don’t recommend Belleville at Steppenwolf.  I know it got great reviews, but to me it was tedious. And the knife thing?  Really.  That was Chekhovian overkill.

Want to argue with me about anything?  Come on.  You must disagree with some of my opinions.  Comments, please!