FROM THE HEART — MEMBER VERSION
The Newsletter of Lincoln Central Association — May 2020
Winner of
APEX Awards for Publication Excellence
in 2016, 2017, 2018, & 2019
|
|
Dear Neighbors:
Since the publication of LCA's March newsletter, lives have been turned upside down by COVID-19 and its relentless march across the globe. This hinge event is the most disruptive and transformative circumstance most of us have ever experienced. It seems likely that it will continue to be.
All of us worry about the health of family, friends and neighbors. We grieve for those who have lost their lives; we agonize over the devastating financial impact being suffered by many, including small businesses and furloughed employees. Each day, we become aware of new and unanticipated consequences that are, or will be, creating hardships for many. We ponder when life will return to “normal” and wonder what that "new normal" will be. Right now, there are still more questions than answers.
But, what we do know is that community and neighborhood remain vitally important. For that reason, LCA will continue its mission:
To inspire people to join together for the social, cultural and physical enrichment of the neighborhood. Our organization is, of course, doing our best to adapt to the circumstances as they exist today and will continue to do so as the situation evolves along the way. Rest assured, LCA's commitment to the neighborhood remains strong.
As you will read in this newsletter, we are finding new ways to engage with each other and with the neighborhood. We ask for your patience and support as we find our way forward. We will need your help.
From the Heart,
|
|
Kelly Dotson
President, Lincoln Central Association
|
|
It is with deep sadness that we report the death of highly regarded former LCA Board member Bob Segal who passed away on April 8 after a valiant three-year struggle with cancer. We offer our condolences to Bob's family and especially his wife of 24 years, Joan Lake.
In addition to serving on LCA's Board from 2016 to 2018, Bob was a longtime and valued member of LCA's Zoning & Planning Committee known for his thoughtful insights and commitment to historic preservation. Zoning & Planning Chair Anne Moore called Bob a
neighborhood treasure.
Bob's warmth and humanity will be missed be missed, but he will remain forevermore in our hearts.
|
|
A NOTE TO READERS ABOUT THIS EDITION OF THE NEWSLETTER
|
|
From the Heart ordinarily features mostly original content related to our neighborhood and surrounding ones as well as showcasing the work LCA does in the community. This issue, on the other hand, largely features curated content designed to be helpful during the time of COVID-19 in particular (though we hope much of it will be helpful and, in some cases, entertaining over a longer period of time).
Following the brief LCA and neighborhood updates immediately below, the remainder of the newsletter is broken into two parts. Part one is data and other information specifically related to COVID-19 from sources generally regarded as being credible and unbiased. While all of this information is readily available elsewhere, we’ve tried to assemble as much as possible all in one place to give readers a dashboard they can go to.
The second part is a guide to help you through these strange times. As it became clear that the sheltering in place order would be more extended than originally announced, LCA began creating a curated list of activities and resources across a variety of categories that can be experienced virtually. From travel to movies to arts & culture. From sports to cooking to music and much, much more, there should be something for almost everyone. Please share this newsletter with your friends.
We've also included a few reminders about the importance of supporting our neighborhood business whenever you can. They are a vital part of our community's ecosystem.
Have any great ideas for quarantine that we've missed?
Pass them along to us and we'll share in the next newsletter.
|
|
OUR HEART STILL BEATS STRONGLY DURING COVID 19
LCA Updates
|
|
BOARD AND COMMITTEES MEETING VIRTUALLY
|
|
On March 26, LCA's Board of Directors met by video conference for the first time in our history. Our April 23rd Board meeting was also held by video conference using
Zoom.
100% of the Directors, along with several additional LCA members, participated in both meetings. We were also joined at the April meeting by Erica Reardon, District Director for
Congressman Mike Quigley, as well as Congressional Aide aide Jessica Merritt.
|
|
LCA's April 2020 Board Meeting via Zoom
|
|
LCA's Zoning & Planning Committee, Chaired by Anne Moore, is also holding meetings via Zoom. The Committee's May meeting will be a virtual public meeting co-hosted with Alderman Smith to discuss a zoning matter within LCA boundaries. (See details below.)
|
|
REMINDER: VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETING | REZONING OF 1959 N. HALSTED
This Evening, Tuesday May 12, at 6:00 pm
To register send an e-mail to zoomregistration@ward43.org
|
|
You are invited to join
43rd Ward Alderman Michele Smith and LCA at a virtual community meeting to be held via Zoom this evening, Tuesday May 12th, at 6:00 PM to discuss a proposed rezoning of 1959 N. Halsted Street, a vacant one-story commercial building formerly occupied by Coldwell Banker.
J9 Wine Bar, located in the adjacent building to the north at 1961 N. Halsted, plans to expand its footprint onto the 1959 building. The new space would be roughly split between an expansion of the existing wine bar and a private membership club space.
See complete meeting details here.
|
|
SPRING ZING
AND
SUMMER SIPPER
BOTH CANCELLED FOR 2020
Due to COVID-19, LCA has regrettably canceled two of our popular annual events, the 7th annual
Spring Zing and the 6th annual
Summer Sipper both of which were scheduled for June. At present, other LCA events remain as previously scheduled.
|
|
MORE NEIGHBORHOOD UPDATES
|
|
VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETING REGARDING 2020 CENSUS
Today, Tuesday May 12, at 12:30 pm
|
|
Join 43rd Ward Alderman Michele Smith, 46th Ward Alderman James Cappleman and State Senator Sara Feigenholtz today, Tuesday, May 12th, at 12:30 PM to learn more about new ways to engage in your community and the importance of being counted in the 2020 census.
Click the image for additional details. To receive the Zoom link
click here:
|
|
LOOK FOR ANGELS ABOVE TODAY
Blue Angels First Responder Flyover Salute
|
|
The U. S. Navy's
Blue Angels will fly over Chicagoland today Tuesday, May 12, from 11:45 AM to 12:00 PM to salute the area's COVID-19 frontline first responders.
The route will begin on the South Side, loop over the City and western suburbs before finishing with a flight down the lakefront. C
The Blue Angels request that spectators watch the flyover from the safety of their homes rather than traveling to see the flyover.
|
|
LET'S MOVE FOR KIDS BY LINCOLN COMMON
Virtual Activities To Benefit Lurie Children's Hospital
Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17
|
|
Join Lincoln Common this coming Saturday, May 16, for virtual activities from 9:00 AM to 1:15 PM as part of
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago's
Move For Kids.
Over the weekend, do your own walk from Lincoln Common to Lurie Children's. Join the Lincoln Common Legacy Team, and donate to support the hospital's COVID-19 Support Fund.
Learn more.
You can also "Walk with" the
Lincoln Common Legacy Team on Sunday, May 17 in support of
Lurie Children's Hospital. Begin your walk at Lincoln Common (2345 N. Lincoln Ave) and end at Lurie Children's Hospital (225 E. Chicago). Remember, start and end your walk whenever you'd like and be sure to maintain appropriate social distancing along the way.
Learn more.
|
|
A GOOD NEIGHBOR
Sheffield Neighborhood Association Leads St. Mary's Relief Effort
|
|
PLEASE WEAR YOUR MASK IN PUBLIC
The Heart You Protect May Be Your Own
|
|
Lincoln Central Association believes it is important for neighbors to wear a masks when they are outside their home and unable to maintain an appropriate social distance distance. It is also now required by public order.
Alderman Smith has been an early and frequent advocate for the importance of neighbors
masking up. In fact, it is hard to find anything to say on the topic that the Alderman hasn't already said. Below you will find links to her
greatest hits on the topic as well as a video showing how you can make your own mask.
|
|
|
Learn to make your own mask
|
|
TRUSTED STATE & LOCAL COVID-19 INFORMATION SOURCES
|
|
We continue to be bombarded daily with information about COVID-19 via broadcast media, print media, and social and other forms of digital media, including email. To help manage information overload, LCA has assembled in one place links to official and/or trusted sources of state and local information related to COVID-19 and its impact on our community and beyond. We hope you find this dashboard helpful.
|
|
CITY OF CHICAGO INFORMATION
|
The Chicago Department of Health has established a call center to address questions from the public. The number is 312-746-4835.
Phone lines are currently staffed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m, seven days a week. Please note that this call center can not access COVID-19 testing results. For testing inquiries or results, please contact your health care provider. You may also email
coronavirus@chicago.gov.
|
Frequently Asked Questions About Chicago Stay at Home Order
|
COOK COUNTY INFORMATION
The Cook County Medical Examiner has established a new, publicly accessible,
COVID 19 dashboard which provides comprehensive information about Cook County fatalities related to the virus.
The data can be filtered by age, race, gender, zip code and more. The dashboard is updated at 6:00 AM and 4:00 PM each day.
|
|
STATE OF ILLINOIS INFORMATION
|
Click here or on the image to see Illinois' Governor. J. B. Pritzker's five phase plan for re-opening the state.
|
NEIGHBORHOOD & COMMUNITY INFORMATION
43rd Ward Alderman
Michele Smith and 2nd Ward Alderman
Brian Hopkins both frequently publish informative newsletters offerings providing valuable information for the community.
Click here to read to read Alderman Smith's most recent newsletters which includes everything you need to know about masks, opportunities to volunteer for community service and more. Sign up to receive the newsletter
here.
You can read the most recent issue of Alderman Hopkins' newsletter
here. It provides helpful information on a variety of COVID-19 related and other topics. Sign up
here.
DePaul University has set up a COVID 19 Updates and Guidance web page at
go.depaul.edu/covid.
|
|
LOCAL MEDICAL CENTER RESOURCES
Rush University Medical Center, Northwestern Medicine and Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago are trusted sources for accurate, up-to-date health & medical information. Each has developed an online resource center for COVID-19 which you can access below.
|
|
LOCAL MEDIA
The following local media outlets are making their coronavirus coverage free of charge on their respective websites.
|
|
TRUSTED NATIONAL SOURCES OF
INFORMATION
FOR COVID-19
|
|
In the age of COVID-19, conflicting information abounds. Facts are often drowned out by opinions and theories. New information continues to emerge daily. Now, more than ever, it is now important to rely on well-established, credible sources. LCA has organized several such sources in one place for your convenience.
|
|
|
COVID-19 is a rapidly evolving situation.
Cleveland Clinic is working with public health partners at all levels and will continue to provide
updated information as it becomes available.
|
|
TAKE CARE OF YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
|
|
Additional mental health resources are listed below:
|
|
|
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention has a guide to help manage COVID 19 related stress and Anxiety.
Learn more about how to manage your stress & anxiety here.
Learn how to survive social distancing and stay mentally fit during COVID in this
Psycom
article.
|
|
FACT CHECK COVID 19 RUMORS & AVOID SCAMS
|
|
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office (CCSAO) is working with law enforcement partners to alert the public of criminal and civil schemes that are aimed at exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic. Please exercise caution and practice the following steps:
|
|
- Before donating to a charitable entity, verify that the organization is legitimate through the Illinois Attorney General’s Office.
- Don't click on links in text messages, emails, or social media accounts that were unsolicited or from sources you don’t know.
- Anyone claiming to be a government representative asking for personal information should be reported to the IRS (phishing@irs.gov) or the CCSAO (312-603-8600).
|
|
- Stimulus checks will be provided directly by the IRS without any action needed from you.
- Be on the lookout for and report counterfeit goods and price gouging.
- Don't provide your social security number, birthday, or banking information to any entity, especially over the phone.
- Don't buy unverified vaccines, cures, or treatments for COVID-19. There are none.
|
|
Below are some additional resources to help fact check rumors and avoid scams:
|
|
COVID 19 AND PETS
Cats, Dogs & Tigers, Too
|
|
|
(Speaking of tigers, are you keeping up with the adventures of
Joe Exotic?)
|
|
PETS FOR YOUR VIEWING ENJOYMENT
|
|
COVID-19 may have temporarily clipped our travel wings, but that doesn't mean we can't still explore the world. LCA
is pleased to share with you many of the opportunities to virtually explore the most fascinating places in the world even while sheltering at home. Enjoy your travels!
|
|
A VIRTUAL JOURNEY AROUND THE WORLD
|
AirPano features 3,000 panoramas of more than 300 places of the Earth, including the North Pole, the Antarctic, volcano eruptions and even panoramas from the stratosphere.
|
Google Art & Culture's huge array of amazing free virtual tours are perfect for people who are itching to travel but can't. You can even
virtually tour great castles from home.
|
VISIT ITALY WITHOUT LEAVING HOME
|
For those who love traveling to Italy but are now unable to do so,
Conde Nast Traveler
has prepared
a guide
to help know what books to read, what films to watch and the right wines to drink to keep a bit of Italy in your lives keep a bit of Italy in your life while you are locked down in your living room.
More:
|
EXPERIENCE WORLD FAMOUS LANDMARKS
|
They’re closed for now but you can still take
interactive online tours to gaze over the edge of Machu Picchu, marvel at the Pyramids from every angle and much more.
More:
|
YOUR VIRTUAL TRAVEL GUIDE
|
Travel may be limited these days, but discovering incredible experiences from across the globe doesn’t have to be.
Get Your Guide magazine brings some of our top tours, activities, and attractions to you online.
|
THE HIDDEN WORLD OF NATIONAL PARKS
|
The exhibit allows users to take 360-degree tours of some of the following U.S. National Parks – all from the safety and comfort of home:
|
|
LIVESTREAM AFRICAN SAFARIS
|
Thanks to
wildearth.tv
, you can watch
live-streamed safaris
twice each day. The live sunrise stream broadcasts begin at 11:00 PM central time while the sunset streams begin at 8:30 AM central time.
More:
|
WATCH AFRICAN WILDLIFE BY LIVE WEBCAMS
|
Explore.org livestreams safari cams twenty-four hours a day. You can view as many as twelve came simultaneously, each of which is focused on a different gathering place for a large assortment of African animals.
|
Watch in real time as elephants, rhinos, hippos, giraffes and zebras gather at watering holes. You'll also be able to see lions and leopards, monkeys and apes, Nile crocodiles and many more.
Watch now.
|
TAKE AN AERIAL TOUR OF AMERICA
|
Take off on a thrilling flight across the country with
Aerial America
. This epic series offers rare glimpses of our nation's most treasured landmarks, all seen from breathtaking heights. From busy cityscapes to quiet landscapes, we capture the history and the pageantry of our amazing country, which is as diverse as the people who occupy it.
|
TRANSPORT YOURSELF TO FAR OFF LANDS
|
AN OUT OF THIS WORLD TRIP FROM NASA
|
NASA’s new Internet and social media special,
NASA at Home
, will show and engage you in the agency’s discoveries, research, and exploration from around the world and across the universe – all from the comfort of your own home.
|
|
A NEW GUIDE FOR ACTUAL INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
|
|
In light of the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on international travel, Trip.com launched the
COVID-19 International Traveler’s Guide, a one-stop information source designed to make planning travel safer and easier in a period of uncertainty.
|
|
ZOOM TO A BETTER MEMORY WITH BELMONT VILLAGE OF LINCOLN PARK
7 Secrets of Brain Science to Boost Your Memory and Stay Sharp
Today, Tuesday, May 12 | 12:00 CDT
|
|
Memory can be strengthened at virtually any age. Join LCA member
Belmont Village of Lincoln Park (700 W. Fullerton Avenue) as they lead you through the seven most commonly taught and researched strategies for improving your memory function in everyday life.
|
|
|
During
today's
Zoom webinar,
Belmont Village will also share the latest findings from neuroscience that have revealed new brain strategies that may surprise you. Space is limited. RSVP to Lauren Hollasch at
hollasch@belmontvillage.com or 773-868-8408. Get complete webinar details
here.
|
|
LINCOLN PARK FAMILY CARE
Serving City of Chicago North Side Residents
|
|
Lincoln Park Family Care owned and operated by LCA Lifetime members, Jeff and Ausra Robinson focuses on keeping seniors engaged, active, and happy at home to help them maintain a vigorous independence and enriched quality of life.
They pride themselves on offering not only highly qualified, compassionate caregivers, but offering those with compatible interests and goals to encourage mutual enjoyment with those they care for. This shows up in shared humor, satisfaction of intellectual curiosities, or just having more fun together. Learn more
here or by
emailing
Lincoln Park Family Care or by calling 773.724.0375.
|
|
During COVID-19 keeping children safe, educated and entertained is a priority for parents. To provide a helpful hand, LCA has organized a series of informational resources to help guide parents through this difficult time. We hope many of you find this information helpful.
|
|
Wired Magazine has assembled
a guide on how to entertain your kids during the COVID-19 pandemic and how to explain to them what is taking place.
|
The content includes turnkey teaching tools, with worksheets and quizzes for families or teachers, available at
timeforkids.com
.
|
On Thursdays (starting May 14th) Pathway to Adventure Council, Boy Scouts of America will be posting new video adventures for youth to do at home with their parents! Cub Scouts is for girls and boys (grades K-5). Materials and the schedule for the adventures can be found on
the registration page.
|
The Chicago Public School's
Office of Family and Community Engagement in Education has launched
Face 2 Face, a series of virtual workshops to help families navigate the new normal. Offerings will be curated by experts and will address multiple relevant issues, including: social-emotional support, parental stress, academics, arts, mediation, and technology support. Direct access to experts will be available to participants.
Learn more.
|
|
Comcast launches home schooling resources on Xfinity offering more than 2,000 hours of free educational content for schooling from K -12.
Learn more.
|
Common Sense
has launched a site called
Wide Open School that combines in one place comprehensive educational resources from publishers, nonprofits and education companies.
|
123Homeschool4Me4 has prepared a list of 101 fun things to do while in isolation with kids.
Check it out.
|
|
HAVE A HEART FOR OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES
|
|
SSA FUNDS NEW PROGRAMS TO ASSIST LINCOLN AVENUE BUSINESSES
Funds Administered by Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce
The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has forced businesses to quickly adapt to new social distancing guidelines and sanitation practices. The statewide
Stay at Home order has shifted operations for many businesses online in order to ensure the health and safety of customers and employees.
Recognizing these challenges, the
Lincoln Avenue Special Service Area (SSA) #35 is funding a health & sanitation new rebate program (
see details) and a marketing rebate program (
see details) to support business along Lincoln Avenue within the SSA's boundaries Lincoln between Webster & Diversey).
Additionally, the SSA has been funding additional security patrols along Lincoln Avenue within the boundaries from 10:00 PM until 5:00 AM nightly.
|
|
STAY INFORMED ABOUT HOW TO HELP NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSES
Support Our Neighborhood Businesses
|
|
It is more important than ever to support our local economy and to help those in need. As neighbors, we are all faced with an unprecedented challenge. Keeping our neighborhood businesses alive is essential to the quality of life in our community.
Follow the
Chamber of Commerce
on Facebook to learn more about promotions and other programs to assist neighborhood businesses.
|
|
THEY'VE HELPED US. LET'S HELP THEM
Food & Beverage With Heart
|
|
The food and beverage establishments below are among those that supported LCA last year (or this) via membership or sponsorship. Please keep them in mind when placing your order for pick-up or delivery.
|
|
SHOW THE LOVE FOR GEJA'S CAFE
|
For more than 50 years, LCA member
Geja’s Café has been a place of community, celebration and togetherness. They have also been a generous supporter of LCA and many other community organizations and initiatives. There are several ways you can show your appreciation to Geja's for their years of community support.
Delivery & Curbside Pick-up
Geja's is open for
No Contact delivery (via GrubHub) or curbside (340 W. Armitage Avenue) pick-up 7 days a week from noon to 8 p.m. See their
delivery menu. (In a section below, you can read about an exclusive
special delivery virtual winemaker's dinner organized by Geja's.)
Gift Cards
For every $100 gift card purchased through
Geja's website, they will add an
additional $25 to the gift card which can be used when Geja's is again open for in-restaurant dining.
Learn more.
|
Forty members of the Geja's family, pictured here, were furloughed in March due to COVID-19.
Geja's proprietor Jeff Lawler has established a staff relief fund as a means for those who are able to do so to help those who have been furloughed and their families. You donation can donate publicly or anonymously. Learn more
here.
|
GEJA'S VIRTUAL WINEMAKER'S DINNER
Saturday, May 16th | 6:30 PM
|
Geja's Cafe is holding their first ever
Virtual Winemaker Dinner on Saturday, May 16 at 6:30 PM.
There are only a limited openings for this exclusive virtual event, so
make your reservations now to take part in this first ever event while supporting a valued neighborhood business.
|
|
POUR A LITTLE HEART ON J9 WINE BAR
|
LCA member
J9 Wine Bar
(1961 N. Halsted), a sponsor of events at award-winning
Fire Station Park, is open for to-go purchases from 3:00-6:00 PM Mondays through Fridays and from 1:00-6:00 PM on Saturdays and Sundays.
Carryout is 25% off menu price. Email
sonya@j9winebar.com with your order and they will have it ready upon your arrival.
J9 Wine Bar thanks you for your support during this difficult time.
|
BE NEIGHBORLY TO CASATI'S MODERN ITALIAN
|
LCA member
Casati's Modern Italian (444 W. Fullerton Parkway) is offering
No Contact delivery or curbside pick-up Monday through Sunday from 4:00 to 9:00 PM. See the menu
here.
|
MAKE TANDOOR CENTRAL TO YOUR DINING
|
Our friends at
Tandoor Char House (2652 N. Halsted Street), who provided food for LCA's January Annual Meeting, are offering delivery and curbside pick-up from 4:00 to 10:30 PM on weekdays and from 11:00 AM to 10:30 PM on weekends. See the extensive Tandoor menu
here.
Read here about
Chef Faraz and the history of
Tandoori style cooking.
|
Our friends at
Cedar Palace Restaurant (655 W. Armitage Avenue), who sponsored several LCA events last year and sampled their delicious Mediterranean food to attendees, is open for delivery or pick-up Tuesdays through Fridays from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM and on Saturday and Sundays from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM. (There is no pick-up or delivery on Mondays at the present time.)
Cedar Palace thanks you for your continued support.
|
|
SUPPORT CHICAGO RESTAURANTS, WHILE RESPONSIBLY PRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING
|
|
We’re all in this together. Restaurants need your support. Fortunately,
Dining at a Distance makes it easy to find what restaurants in the Chicago area are open for take-out, curbside pick-up, or delivery during the lockdown of Chicago’s restaurants and bars during COVID-19.
|
|
Tipping was once largely about showing appreciation for good service, but many workers have come to depend on it. Ultimately, the size of a gratuity is a personal choice made by the giver, but considerations for gratuities in unprecedented times like these are provided in the articles below.
|
|
KEEP ARTS & CULTURE IN YOUR HEART
|
|
While cultural venues around the world continue to be closed, LCA wants you to keep arts & culture in your heart. To help you do just that, we compiled a wide variety of online resources which are available at no cost to help you enjoy rich cultural, artistic and educational experiences virtually at no cost. From theatre, symphony, and opera to museums, galleries and libraries to magic, comedy and circus, there's sure to be something for everyone. Enjoy the shows!
|
|
THEATRE, SYMPHONY & OPERA
|
|
STREAM THE METROPOLITAN OPERA
|
Each day, a different encore presentation from the
Met's Live in HD series
is being made available for free streaming on the Met website, with each performance available for a period of 23 hours, from 7:30 p.m. EDT until 6:30 p.m. the following day. The schedule will include outstanding complete performances from the past 14 years of cinema transmissions, starring all of opera’s greatest singers.
|
On Easter Sunday (April 12, 2020), Italian global music icon Andrea Bocelli delivered a live solo performance from Milan, Italy representing a message of love, healing and hope to the world. If you missed the live stream, you can watch the replay
here.
|
Expand your knowledge in the comfort and safety of your own home. Take a "Virtual Field Trip" to Chicago's favorite cultural institutions. These virtual trips capture the magic of the Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum, National Museum of Mexican Art, Museum of Science and Industry, DuSable Museum, Art Institute of Chicago, and Lincoln Park Zoo.
Visit the Hit Play Chicago website and take a virtual museum field trip today!
|
STREAM YOUR FAVORITE BROADWAY HITS
7 Day Free Trial to Broadway HD
|
Even if you can't make it to Broadway to see your favorite shows, there are still ways to enjoy them at home.
BroadwayHD
,
a new streaming resource, makes it easy to watch your favorite musicals from the comfort of your own living room or even on the go.
BroadwayHD
offers hundreds of titles, including new productions and classic ones, as well as concerts, plays, theatrical events, and behind-the-scenes specials that you can stream from your laptop, television, and smart phone.
|
YOU DESERVE A ROAL EXPERIENCE COMES
|
The
Royal Opera House
is offering a free program of curated online broadcasts as part of their #OurHousetoYourHouse series.
Full-length productions, musical masterclasses and glimpses behind the scenes can be seen for free any time, anywhere across the globe.
|
The
BBC has partnered with cultural institutions throughout Great Britain to create
Culture in Quarantine to offer virtual access to a wide variety of cultural activities from exclusive access to shuttered exhibitions and museums to an enhanced repertory of recent and new theatre, dance and opera performances
|
|
Though concerts have been canceled, the
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
offers a
variety of digital content
to help keep music in our lives.
Also from the CSO is
Maestro's Choice
, a series of broadcasts from the CSO radio archives as well as recordings from their vast discography.
Learn more
.
|
QUARANTINE IN CLASSIC FASHION
|
If you need a classic music fix while in quarantine, check out
Classic FM, a British-based online radio station and content channel devoted exclusively to classical music.
|
STAY IN THE ACT WITH BROADWAY SHOWS
|
There is a wealth of theatrical resources available where you can find live recordings of original productions from Broadway and beyond.
More:
|
THE SHOWS MUST GO ON
Watch Live Theatre
|
Andrew Lloyd Webber's back catalog of hit musicals will be available via the newly launched
The Shows Must Go On
YouTube channel, free of charge. Every Friday at 1 p.m central time, a full-length musical will be available to stream for 48 hours.
|
LACE UP THE DANCING SHOES
|
BRING LONDON THEATRE TO YOUR HOME
|
London's West End shows are now closer than ever with
National Theatre at Home
which allows theater fans to virtually access a number of productions from the theatre vis livestream.
Each production will be free and screened live every Thursday at 1:00 PM PT and will be available on-demand for seven days after that. Learn more
here. Additional free content from the National Theatre is available on their
YouTube channel.
|
Chicago Shakespeare Theater introduces
Shakes@Home—a new digital platform to connect you to the power (and magic) of the Bard! Updated each week with engaging & original content, you can explore education tools, artistic interpretation, and more.
|
|
ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM
The New Utility
|
|
Throughout this newsletter, you've heard us mention Zoom, the video technology that is allowing friends, neighbors and businesses to remain connected during COVID-19. Zoom has become so essential to life that many now consider it to be a utility.By this point, it is likely that most of you have already participated in a Zoom teleconference. If not, you likely will soon. We've provided a few helpful links to help you get the most out of Zoom.
The good news is that Zoom is easy to use. In fact, pictured here are LCA members Wayne Boulais and Christina Ross in a Zoom call. If Wayne & Christina can figure it out,
anyone can.
|
|
Zooming with LCA members Wayne Boulais & Christina Ross
|
|
|
MUSEUMS, GALLERIES & LIBRARIES
|
|
ULTIMATE GUIDE TO VIRTUAL MUSEUMS
|
TOUR 2,000 MUSEUMS & GALLERIES ONLINE
|
Google Arts & Culture features content from over 2000 leading museums and archives who have partnered with the
Google Cultural Institute to bring the world's treasures online.
|
TOUR 2,000 MUSEUMS & GALLERIES ONLINE
|
DPLA's
new web catalog allows anyone to browse and directly download any of the more than 6,300 ebook titles available on DPLA’s
Open Bookshelf. Choose from classic novels, children’s books, textbooks and non-English titles, all for free, with no login or library card needed
|
VIRTUALLY EXPLORE THE SMITHSONIAN
|
|
THE MUSEUM OF THE WORLD AWAITS
|
A collaboration between the
British Museum
and the
Google Arts & Culture Lab,
The Museum of the World
is an interactive experience through time, continents and cultures, featuring fascinating objects in human history.
|
SEE CHICAGO ART INSTITUTE FROM HOME
|
Wherever you are, whatever the time, the
Art Institute of Chicago'
s
online resources
are available to connect you to their collection of art from around the world—whether you’re seeking inspiration, community, or a little adventure.
|
CHICAGO LIBRARIES COMES TO YOU
|
The
Chicago Public Library system has a variety of resources which can be accessed remotely during the COVID-19 crisis.
|
6,000+ FREE eBOOKS & MORE
|
JSTOR, the famous digital academic library, is making 6,000 of its eBooks and over 150 journals open for anyone to read. Check out the
free content from
JSTOR
|
FREELY ACCESSIBLE MEDIA COLLECTIONS
|
Artstor is the most extensive image resource for educational and scholarly use.heir content free to the public during the COVID-19 crisis.
Access the content.
|
|
In times like these, it can be difficult to find humor or see the magic that continues around us. We can't even run away and join the circus anymore. But, we hope the resources we have provided below will bring a little more joy, laughter and wonderment into your life.
|
|
During quarantine,
Comedy Central
is making a variety of content available
on their website. They also offer a wide variety of humor on their
YouTube channel.
|
JOIN THE CIRCUS
Get a Free Membership to CirqueConnect
|
Cirque du Soleil is offering an escape from everyday life through the delight and whimsy of their shows.
By taking advantage of a free membership in
CirqueConnect, you will be transported into a world of awe-inspiring show footage. Learn more about
CirqueConnect.
Watch Cirque performances below:
|
|
LIVE FROM QUARANTINE, IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT
|
After 45 years, the producers of
Saturday Night Live have demonstrated they can still learn new tricks as evidenced by their airing of new episodes, presented via Zoom, with the entertainers performing remotely with most sketches pre-taped. Watch the virtual episodes
here.
.
|
GET STATIONED FOR LAUGHTER
|
BRING THE MAGIC TO YOUR PARLOUR
|
The Magic Parlour's Dennis Watkins is performing two types of magic shows during quarantine. There is no cost for either show.
Each Monday, Watkins posts a new episode of
Magic Mondays on
The Magic Parlour's
Facebook page. The show teaches viewers how to perform magic with everyday items found around the house and shares magical history. And, every other Thursday at 6:00 PM, Watkins live-streams
Magic Parlour Happy Hour, on the
Facebook page. The next episode of the happy hour will be live-streamed on May 14th.
You can watch prior episodes of both shows
here.
|
While you're sheltering place why not take a dive
Off the Deep End into magic with
Penn & Teller as they perform a variety of illusions in various locations around the Caribbean, most of which were done underwater or involved marine animals. See more Penn & Teller magic
from back in the day.
|
|
MUSIC FOR POPPIN' & ROCKIN' & COUNTRY HEARTS
JAZZY, FOLKSY & BLUESY ONES TOO
|
|
Just because we’re keeping our distance doesn’t mean the music has to stop. In fact, quarantine is a perfect time to surround yourself with the music you love or to explore new artists or genres. There are lots of opportunities to stay in tune during this time. We share a few below:
|
|
Stay tuned as new streams are added daily.
|
The Recording Academy's
Grammy Museum is closed for now but they are making much of their content available online for music fans to enjoy via their
Museum At Home.
Visit the museum now.
|
|
Concert promoter
Live Nation invites you to join them daily for live streams from around the globe with
Live at Home.
Live at Home allows you to follow artists live from their homes as they share music, stories, and more. Fresh entertainment content is added daily.
|
The annual
New Orleans Jazz Fest was postponed, but
WWOZ, the
Guardians of the Groove, in New Orleans came to the rescue with
Festing in Place, a virtual jazz festival featuring music and interview segments highlighting the music, food, crafts and heritage of New Orleans and Louisiana.
|
|
Below are some additional resources to help you find the music you love:
|
|
There is no shortage of movies, documentaries and TV shows to stream during quarantine. There are even a variety of ways you can watch movies and other streamed content with friends who are quarantined elsewhere. What a world we live in.
|
|
WATCH NETFLIX REMOTELY WITH FRIENDS
|
|
|
Netflix Party
is a new way to watch Netflix with your friends online. Using an extension for the Chrome browser,
Netflix Party
synchronizes video playback and adds group chat to your favorite Netflix movies and shows.
Read
this guide
to learn how to watch movies with friends while social distancing.
|
|
Kast is a free app that allows up to 20 people to gather in a group and speak on audio and video and up to 100 spectators to do the same. It works with Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, video game streaming like Twitch, and pretty much every other streaming app. Even better, those watching can text chat while they watch. Learn more
here and here
|
|
MORE WAYS TO STREAM WITH FRIENDS
|
|
MORE STREAMING SUGGESTIONS
|
|
GET WIRED UP FOR STREAMING
|
|
A GLOBAL FILM FESTIVAL COMES TO YOU
|
The exclusive online event will feature films from more than 20 festivals including
Cannes Film Festival,
International Film Festival,
Tribeca Film Festival,
New York Film Festival,
Sundance Film Festival and many, many more.
|
|
HAVE A HEART FOR DOCUMENTARIES?
|
|
Although there are many excellent guides to content available for video streaming, fabulous documentaries are often overlooked. LCA has curated a list of sites that offer thousands of documentaries that can be streamed at no charge.
|
|
SPEND SOME TIME IN HEAVEN
|
Documentary Heaven provides a wide variety of free very documentary films sourced from all over the internet. They currently have thousands of free, thought-provoking documentaries for you to choose in a broad range of categories.
|
Top Documentary Films has curated more than 3,000 documentaries, mostly full-length, and has published them on it's website.
The documentaries areorganized in 25 different categories, searchable by keywords, sortable by rating, comments, and title.
|
STREAM DOCUMENTARIES 24/7
|
Documentary 24
features eleven categories of free, full length documentaries you can stream from their website. No download or subscription is necessary.
|
43 CATEGORIES OF DOCUMENTARIES
|
DocumentaryTube
offers thousands of free, full length documentaries. across 43 categories.
|
|
Broadcast by PBS stations since 1983,
FRONTLINE is investigative journalism that questions, explains and changes our world. FRONTLINE is the winner of 91 Emmy Awards and 22 Peabody Awards.
|
The History Channel is unlocking its vault and providing one month free access to more than 2,000 commercial free documentaries and series.
Learn more,
|
Documentary.net
offers free and legal film streaming of documentaries from all around the world without regional and technical limitations
The films can be viewed on PCs and Mac computers as well as on laptops or mobile devices like Android powered smartphones and tablets or iPhones and iPads. Users can browse through various genres or select from different lengths: less than 10min, 11-30 minutes or longer than 30 minutes.
|
|
WHAT'S COOKING IN QUARANTINE?
|
|
While we hope neighbors will patronize local food and beverage establishments during lockdown whenever possible by taking advantage of delivery and pick-up options, sometimes you want a home cooked meal. And, whether you've always wanted to learn how to properly slice and dice or need ideas for innovative recipes and pairings, there's an online class for you. Fortunately several sources have curated lists of the best ones—most of which are provided at no cost—which we share below:
|
|
SERVING UP ONLINE COOKING CLASSES
|
The Kitchn is serving up 20 online cooking classes offering everything from knives and boiling eggs to preparing full meals as part of their
Kitchn Cooking School. Get started at your leisure.
|
There is no cost to any of these classes and you can even show up in your pajamas.
|
FOR THE THRILL OF COOKING
|
SPOILER ALERT
: If your cooking interests involve meat or butter, you can safely skip this one.
|
|
SEE YOUR PANTRY IN A NEW LIGHT
|
When you've been cooped up at home for weeks on end and constantly cooking, even family favorites can become a bore. Maybe, it's time to sign up for some virtual cooking classes.
|
During the COVID-19 quarantine, many top chefs around the world are sharing their wisdom with the masses, launching social media cooking shows and tutorials to teach viewers how to cook and bake, as well as creating a forum to ask questions and connect during these socially isolating times.
The Manual has curated what they believe to be
The Best Online Cooking Classes and Tutorial from Chefs.
|
Whether you are dining in or dining out, cooking for a family or for yourself, healthy eating is an important consideration during COVID-19.
The Daily Meal, a source for information on all things food and drink, provides a wealth of information on how to manage your food choices during this time.
|
|
GET BACK INTO THE GAME WITH CLASSIC SPORTS MOMENTS
|
|
Even with all sports leagues currently on hiatus, fans still have a wealth of viewing content free of charge thanks to the enormous video archives of leagues, collectors and fans. LCA has assembled a variety of sources making it easy for the sports fans to relive the most exciting moments in sports history
|
|
TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME
|
Free Access to MLB.tv & MLB Archives
|
Stream the 2018 and 2019 archives free on
MLB.tv
for a limited time. Log in or create an account to start watching.
Learn more
.
|
The Vault is also providing free access to highlights and historical games, including both regular-season and post-season games dating to 1952.
More:
|
Free Access To
Baseball Digest's
Archives
|
As fans await the return of baseball on the field,
Baseball Digest
has unlocked its archive
and made its complete inventory of more than 800 issues from 1942 through 2019 available to baseball fans at no cost online.
We hope during these unprecedented times this may, in some small way, help fill the void until we can all return to the ballpark.
|
REVIST GREAT HOOPS MOMENTS
|
March Madness may have been canceled this year but you still experience the magic of
buzzer beaters and major upsets from prior NCAA championship tournaments.
March Madness Moments from the NCAA gives you free access to complete game broadcasts, classic highlights, vintage interviews, exclusive features, and more.
|
NBA League Pass Free Preview
|
With the 2019-20 NBA season on hiatus, the NBA and Turner Sports are providing all fans with a free preview of
NBA League Pass
, the league’s premium subscription-based product.
Learn more
.
|
NBA Hardwood Classics features many of the most historic games recorded on videotape or film in National Basketball Association history. The content includes vintage playoff games, slam dunk contests, NBA All-Star games, and more.
More Classic NBA:
|
Watch the 1972 NBA vs ABA All-Star Game
|
Watch the 1972 NBAAll-Star Game
|
|
ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?
|
Get in the Game With Free
NFL GamePass
|
Until May 31st, the NFL and Verizon are providing free access to
NFL Game Pass
.
NFL Game Pass offers an extensive library of football programming for fans. This includes access to past regular and postseason NFL games, previous seasons of award-winning
NFL Films series such as
Hard Knocks and
A Football Life, and exclusive
NFL Game Pass
Film Sessions with some of the league's star players and coaches.
|
Game Pass also includes access to the
NFL Films
archive featuring historical documentaries, highlights, original documentaries and much more.
|
You can relive the greatest games, the best stories and the most ridiculous moments in National Football League history at
NFL Throwback.
|
Score Big With Classic NCAA Football
|
If you're a college football fan, you can get your fix of classic games from back in the day while sheltering at home.
|
So while you anxiously await the 2000 college football season, why not catch up on memorable moments from the past with these
Classic College Football Games.
|
THE PUCK STOPS HERE
Face Off With
NHL.tv
|
During social distancing, the National Hockey League and
NHL.tv are helping fans stay connected to the league's players and the game by providing free access to unique content and archived games.
Learn more.
|
Fans can enjoy a curated collection of
NHL Original Productions content, from the critically-acclaimed, behind-the-scenes programs
Road to the NHL Winter Classic,
Behind The Glass and
NAll Access, to full-length classic NHL games dating from the 1950s to present day.
More Classic NHL:
|
Hockey Worth Fighting For
|
|
LISTEN FREE TO EXCLUSIVE, FREE HISTORIC RADIO INTERVIEWS WITH SPORTS LEGENDS
|
|
These recording are available free of charge on a rotating basis
in this section of the LOC website. The interviews currently in rotation include a
1990 interview with legendary UCLA basketball coach, John Wooden; an
interview with baseball of Hall of Fame major leaguer Hank Aaron conducted by Barr in 1999; and the
last radio interview granted by Mickey Mantle prior to his 1995 death, and many more,
Additional interviews can be found
here.
|
|
From the Heart has received
APEX Awards for Publication Excellence in 2016, 2018, 2018 and 2019. In total the newsletter has received eight
APEX Awards since 2016. Additionally,
From the Heart has been named a
Constant Contact All-Star for 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 based on the open rates and other metrics associated with this newsletter in comparison to other Constant Contact clients.
|
|
Winner
APEX Awards for Publication Excellence:
2016, 2017, 2018 & 2019 (eight awards total for newsletter)
|
|
Winner of
Constant Contact All-Star Awards
in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 & 2019
|
|
|
|
|
|
|