2-night getaway in Lake Geneva at Bella Vista Suites

By Randy Richardson

In advance of last year’s Chicago Literary Hall of Fame Silent Auction and Cocktail Party, I circled one listing in the auction catalog. That was a two-night stay at the Bella Vista Suites in nearby Lake Geneva, Wisc., donated by Chicago author Dan Burns (The First 60 Seconds, Sourcebooks).  I went into the auction with the mindset that I wasn’t going home empty-handed, and that even if I won nothing else, I would be high bidder on that Lake Geneva getaway package.

A little background: In high school and college, in the late 80s and early 90s, Lake Geneva was almost like a second home to me. I had two friends whose families owned cottages on the lake, and I became a regular on their guest beds and couches. Those trips to Lake Geneva, in part, inspired me to write Cheeseland, a coming-of-age novel released earlier this year by a new Chicago publisher, Eckhartz Press.

I had not been back to Lake Geneva in 20 years, so my eyes lit up when I saw the Lake Geneva getaway package in the auction catalog. The bidding for this package was, not surprisingly, competitive. I got outbid twice, and then decided to play it cool and wait until the end of the night. In the last few minutes, I placed what would be my final bid. I held my breath until the auction ended and breathed a sigh of relief and excitement when I saw that I had won.

Four months later, on a sunny, unusually warm February weekend, when temperatures hit near 60 degrees, I made the trip to Lake Geneva, along with two first-timers, my wife and 7-year-old son. We couldn’t have ordered up a better weekend getaway. The Bella Vista Suites are as charming as can be, nestled in the heart of downtown Lake Geneva and overlooking the lake itself. The room was cozy and spacious, the staff friendly and attentive. My son especially enjoyed the small swimming pool, which we had almost to ourselves.

Upon seeing that Dan Burns had once again generously donated to the CLHOF the 2-night stay at the Bella Vista Suites, you have to know what I immediately did. Yes, I’ve circled it on the auction catalog. I of course encourage others to do the same. Just know that you’re in for a bidding war, and that I don’t surrender easily.

An attorney and award-winning journalist, Randy Richardson serves as president of the nonprofit Chicago Writers Association. His essays have been published in the anthologies Chicken Soup for the Father and Son Soul, Humor for a Boomer’s Heart, The Big Book of Christmas Joy, and Cubbie Blues: 100 Years of Waiting Till Next Year, as well as in numerous print and online journals and magazines. The online publication Gapers Block named his debut novel, Lost in the Ivy, one of the notable Chicago books of 2005. His latest, Cheeseland, was praised by New York Times No. 1 Best-Selling author James Finn Garner as a “tragic tale” that “richly captures the bravado and heartbreak of damaged boys who grow up into damaged men.”

Breaker Press Helps Out with Auction Catalogue

By Donald G Evans

click here for website

Breaker Press is the little guy in the neighborhood that makes you wonder why you would ever go to a big guy.

For the second straight year, Breaker has donated printing services to the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame on the occasion of our biggest fundraiser. This allows us to again put together and produce a nice commemorative program to give out on the night of the auction and to keep for our historical records.

Rich Lewendowski runs the family printing business, along with his brother Mike and their two oldest boys, the juniors Rich and Mike.

Rich’s dad Dick started the business in his two-and-a-half car garage on 21^st and Walcott 35 years ago; within a year Rich had graduated from Kelly High School and began working with the old man.

Breaker was successful enough from the start to move into a much bigger space at 2421 S. Western Ave., where they’ve been ever since. It is the second longest running business between 18^th Street and Blue Island Ave.

From a relatively modest start, Breaker has grown into a small printer capable of incredible quality on jobs of all sizes. Breaker had two offset presses, a 100+-year-old letterpress and a dark room in the original garage space. Now it’s equipped with three state-of-the-art digital presses and several offset presses, as well as that original letterpress.

Rich has worked with a large variety of people in literary circles, including novelists, poets, copywriters and publishers. In most cases, Rich probably knows more about what needs to be done than his clients, and he shares his wisdom. He told me, “Doing perfect bound books is easier than ever if you have the right equipment and right software, and we have both. It’s cheaper now to do a hundred books than ever before.”

I’ve dealt with quite a few printers over the years, for a variety of reasons, but since we started using Breaker I don’t even bother to call anybody else. Rich and his family do beautiful work, they do it quick, and it’s fun to work with them. Above all else, they’re honest. When I want something done, I call Rich or go over to his shop and say, “Here’s the result I want.” He tells me my options and always tries to save the CLHOF money. Rich says, “I don’t let my customers waste money without telling them.”

Donald G. Evans is the founder and executive director of the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame. He is the author of the novel Good Money After Bad and editor of the anthology Cubbie Blues: 100 Years of Waiting Till Next Year. His short story collection An Off-White Christmas will be published by Simon & Schuster later this year. He is the current Senior Artist-in-Residence at Chicago's Cliff Dwellers Club and the Chicago editor of the upstart journal Great Lakes Cultural Review. He serves on the committee that selects the annual Harold Washington Literary Award recipient, as well as the Chicago Literary Advisory Council of the American Writers Museum.  

Ocean Haiku

By JoAnn Fastoff

In a quaint coastal town where the Russian River meets the Pacific Ocean, lie spectacular scenery, canoeing, kayaking, waterfalls and…Ocean Haiku.

Ocean Haiku is a magnificent rental residence located in Jenner, California, less than two driving hours north of San Francisco. The view of the ocean cannot be measured in dollars, and the beaches, cliffs and wildlife viewing cannot be surpassed. The home offers incredible sleeping for six (but can accommodate eight). For four days and five nights you too can fall under the spell of Ocean Haiku by relaxing on the deck with a great book and a glass of Russian River Pinot, or soaking in the therapeutic hot tub overlooking the breathtaking views.

The town of Jenner is very small but loaded with charm because it is the gateway to some of the world's most beautiful beaches, and home to beachcombers, fishermen, sunbathers and picnickers. Most of the homes are on the hillside overlooking the estuary. Long sandy beaches and secluded coves are features that make Sonoma Coast State Park one of California's most scenic attractions. In addition to tennis courts and a golf course nearby, stand Redwood trees, hiking and horseback riding trails. For those with a tourist bent you can enjoy shopping, art galleries, great seafood and even greater wine. Remember we’re talking Sonoma County wine!

 

Sincere thanks to our hosts, Amanda Fisk and John Andreas who once again are offering Ocean Haiku as an auction item for the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame’s (CLHOF) 2nd Annual Silent Auction & Cocktail Party. This is not your average home away from home!

(Haiku is a Japanese word meaning amusing diversion and small poem. Ocean Haiku is certainly a diversion. And charm? Pure poetry.)

Don’t miss CLHOF special guest host - actress and comedian Nora Dunn. This is an event you won’t want to miss! For more information: www.chicagoliteraryhof.org

Ocean Haiku as an auction item is available January – April, 2013


JoAnn Fastoff was born in and lives in Chicago. She has written extensively for Chicago, Philadelphia and New York publications. In addition she has written and produced three one-act plays for Off-Off Broadway in New York, was a former publicist for Grammy award winning group “Kool and The Gang”, written three novels and interviewed over 100 celebrities including Grammy award winning bluesman B. B. King and the late award winning photographer Gordon Parks. 

Jim Beam Basket For the Writer/Drinker

By Donald G. Evans

Victor David Giron knows the intimate relationship between drinking and writing. As co-owner of The Beauty Bar on 1444 W. Chicago Ave., Giron has herded hundreds of writers into his establishment to drink while enjoying literary readings, book launches, discussions, karaoke and fundraisers. His first novel Sophomoric Philosophy  helped give birth to a vibrant small press called Curbside Splendor, whose authors have all visited The Beauty Bar to drink and promote their literature.

As a writer, publisher and publican, not to mention Chicago Writers Association board member, Victor is intimately involved in our literary community, and has worked tirelessly to support and foster good writing. And good drinking.

For the second straight year, Victor called on his friends at Jim Beam to donate a beautiful spirits basket. At last year’s silent auction, people hovered around this bidding sheet more than any other, to the point where we sort of regretted not having chained it to the table. The basket is filled with all kinds of excellent Jim Beam goodies, including special whiskey blends, cognac and tequila.

Word to the wise: don’t try to drink the whole contents of the basket yourself; call up a bunch of writer friends, who will sure to help out.

***********************

Donald G. Evans is the founder and executive director of the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame. He is the author of the novel Good Money After Bad and editor of the anthology Cubbie Blues: 100 Years of Waiting Till Next Year. His short story collection An Off-White Christmas will be published by Simon & Schuster later this year. He is the current Senior Artist-in-Residence at Chicago's Cliff Dwellers Club and the Chicago editor of the upstart journal Great Lakes Cultural Review. He serves on the committee that selects the annual Harold Washington Literary Award recipient, as well as the Chicago Literary Advisory Council of the American Writers Museum.  

Christmas Concert at The Sanfilippo Estate

By Don Evans

The Sanfilippo Foundation has been a friend of the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame almost from its inception. As a brand new organization three years ago, Sanfilippo offered us the opportunity to host our first major fundraiser at its spectacular estate and director Greg Liefel and his staff held our hands all through the details that made it a memorable and profitable evening for our organization. More recently, this past March, the Foundation open its doors for our first Fuller Award, at which Gene Wolfe and a host of world-class writer friends celebrated until the late hours, even taking a spin on the carousel.

Again this year, the Foundation has made a generous donation to the silent auction—a pair of tickets to this year’s Christmas Concert on Dec. 7, 8, and 9. The evening features organist Dave Wickerham on the Mighty Wurlitzer with special guest William Powers, an opera bass-baritone.

Tickets do not go on sale for this concert until shortly after our silent auction Oct. 13 and will, as they always do, be gone in a blink.

The Estate is not open to the general public except through pre-arranged charity events and group tours. Anybody who’s ever had the rare pleasure of visiting the Estate spends most of their time saying “Wow!” and clicking their camera. The place is ceiling to floor amazing: an unbelievable collection of musical instruments in a splendid setting that is as elegant but a lot more fun than any museum you’ve ever visited.

 The high bidder on these tickets will get full value out of their donation even before the music begins.

http://www.placedelamusique.org/events.html

Donald G. Evans is the founder and executive director of the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame. He is the author of the novel Good Money After Bad and editor of the anthology Cubbie Blues: 100 Years of Waiting Till Next Year. His short story collection An Off-White Christmas will be published by Simon & Schuster later this year. He is the current Senior Artist-in-Residence at Chicago's Cliff Dwellers Club and the Chicago editor of the upstart journal Great Lakes Cultural Review. He serves on the committee that selects the annual Harold Washington Literary Award recipient, as well as the Chicago Literary Advisory Council of the American Writers Museum.   

Hansen House Mansion

By: Jon Andersh

For the second year in a row, The Centennial Houses of Lincoln Park has donated a one-night stay in their Hansen House Mansion.

One of Chicago’s premiere bed and breakfast destinations, The Hansen House Mansion is a Victorian home nestled on a quiet yet convenient street, steps from the south end of Lincoln Park and the north side of Old Town.

In 1886, architect Harald M. Hansen designed and built a row of townhouses along the north side of West Eugenie St., and chose to live in Number 164. Once known as “Pill Row” due to the large number of doctors living and working in the Hansen homes, it now retains only five of the original twelve due to “modernization” movements.

Fortunately, The Hansen House Mansion stands as one of these originals, and is in much the same, exquisite state as it was during the 19th century, as Hansen’s daughter lived in and kept up her father’s home until 1960.

Now labeled a Historically Significant Building, the home’s door is open to guests throughout the year, many or whom have chosen to return multiple times.  The Hansen House has also been utilized in many television shows, documentaries, and photo shoots due to its accurate representation of Victorian life and architecture.

The home’s Parlour Suite, featuring a kitchenette, rooftop deck, and two separate bedrooms, encompasses the house’s top floor. The Architect Quarters, the larger room on the second floor, has original ornate woodwork and stained glass. Across the hall, the Celestial Chamber also contains many of the home’s original architectural and design elements. All rooms throughout the house are also furnished with 19th century antiques.

The Hansen House Mansion not only features the vintage charm associated with its Victorian heritage, but also features modern amenities such as central air, house-wide Wifi, and a fully functional kitchen featuring reproduction Victorian appliances to match the character of the original home.

In addition to their generous silent auction donation, Fran and her husband Quincy Stringham have offered discounts to CLHOF guests visiting Chicago for the Nov. 30 induction ceremony. Last year, several members of Harriet Monroe’s family utilized this offer and were treated not only to the splendid accommodations, but a spectacular brunch.

Jon Andersh is a Junior at DePaul University where he is majoring in English and minoring in Journalism.  He is currently interning with the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame where he has spearheaded an effort to create a literary map of Chicago. Andersh is also traveling to London this upcoming fall to spend a semester at the University of Westminster where he will study British literature and travel writing. 

Alpha Phi Gamma Donates Sweets

               

By Hazel Afroilan

                 As a member of Alpha Phi Gamma Sorority, Epsilon Chapter, I thought it would be great for my sorority to participate in the event.  I asked my sisters to donate whatever they can and will be donating an array of desserts for the guests.  My sisters are more than happy to donate cake pops, decorated cupcakes, fruit tarts and brownies and I am even more excited for people to try them.

Epsilon Chapter Sisters at their National Conference in Chicago, 2012.

                As a member of this organization, we are proud to participate in the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame’s mission in raising awareness about Chicago literature.  We take pride in taking every opportunity to promote academic excellence and learn new things every day.

Alpha Phi Gamma volunteering at
 DePaul University's
Vincentian Day.

                As a multi-cultural Greek org, we are enthusiastic about staying involved in the community, actively participating in the fight against domestic violence (the organization’s national philanthropy) and promoting service in and outside of DePaul University.

                When approached about donating for the silent auction, Jennilyn Gabor, our 2012-2013 president, smiled and replied, “It would be a great opportunity for us to show how much our organization appreciates good literature and amazing art! We’d love to do it.” 

                For more information about Alpha Phi Gamma’s organization and sisterhood at DePaul University and other chapters, visit: http://alphaphigamma.org/.

Hazel Afroilan is a junior at DePaul University majoring in English and minoring in art history. She is currently interning at the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame and is leading the organization of this upcoming event. Afroilan is interested in creative writing, literature and the arts. Writing is something she humbly appreciates and learns from everyday and is taking advantage of the opportunity CLHOF has given her. Originally from a small suburb in Maryland, Afroilan has fallen in love with the city of Chicago and its expansive literary traditions.