Norridge Harwood-Heights News

A Valentine’s Day dinner your family will love

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:56:01 -0600

Warm, gooey pizza is the perfect Valentine’s Day treat. Keep the good times rolling with this sweet dessert: Strawberry Sushi.

How digital culture changed dating

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:06:03 -0600

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Area shoppers swarm Target; snatch up Jason Wu fashions`

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:58:48 -0600

Local shoppers hit Highland Park Target store early for latest their designer collaboration. More than 30 fashionistas descended on the Jason Wu collection, clearing the racks shortly after the store opened at 8 a.m.

Chocolate for your wardrobe

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:00:03 -0600

Chocolate has powers. It’s been a magical food flavor for millennia. It’s been a holy substance for religious rites, as well as payment for taxes and goods. In modern times, the sweet delight most often serves as an offering to attract the attention — or procure the forgiveness — of the object of one’s affections. So it’s quite reasonable that several local chefs have combined their love of chocolate and their passion for helping others pursue culinary career ambitions in a tasty project to promote a worthy cause. Chocolate event Because sugar is the livelihood of most of these creative …

Teacher brings Yiddish music, stories into kids’ lives

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:14:57 -0600

They were playful songs she used to sing to her children in the car or at home, anywhere where she could put a smile on their faces. And anywhere where she could continue to teach them Yiddish. Dr. Khane-Faygl Turtletaub of Skokie always sang her made-up songs to her kids in Yiddish, a language she wanted to pass down to them. A Yiddish teacher at Northwestern University, Turtletaub is now trying to pass down her treasured language to other children as well. Her songs make up a vibrant new book/CD, “Yiddish Songs For Children.” “The first words my children ever …

Shadow dancing

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:59:13 -0600

It’s party time in Punxsutawney. On Feb. 2, Phil, the world’s most beloved groundhog, will let us know the prognosis for spring. If he sees his shadow when he ventures out of his hibernation burrow for the day, it’s cold and snow for six more weeks. If he doesn’t see it and stays to party, spring, everyone hopes, comes sooner. But no matter what Phil does, the folks of Punxsutawney, Pa. — and their tens of thousands of guests — will raise a glass to the prophetic critter. The Punxsutawney Area School District takes the day off, and this year …

Sendak world comes alive at library

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 04:24:12 -0600

It’s hard for families to get past the east side lobby of the Skokie Public Library these days. That’s where they’re greeted by the world of renowned illustrator Maurice Sendak. The national traveling exhibition, “The Worlds of Maurice Sendak,” will remain there through Feb. 26. Sendak illustrated more than 100 picture books including famous titles such as “Where the Wild Things Are” and “In the Night Kitchen.” In addition to displays of murals and books and most noticeably, an eye-catching “life-size” Wild Thing, the exhibition explores the history of this legendary creative force. As a child, he became fascinated with …

Art Institute of Chicago plans to increase docents

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:11:17 -0600

For the first time in three years, the Art Institute of Chicago is looking to add to its volunteer docent corps, part of a plan to increase the number of school groups visiting the museum.

Rice goes glam as risotto

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:58:58 -0600

Rice is the staple food for more than half of the human population. That’s according to the International Rice Research Institute. And chefs help us consume our share of that rice when they turn the humble staple into the gourmet delight known as risotto. “Risotto is easy to make and it can take on many different flavors,” said Luis Quiroz, chef de cuisine at Barrington Country Bistro in Barrington. A challenging part of the process can be ensuring that the correct amount of liquid, which usually consists of chicken or vegetable stock and white wine, is cooked into the rice. …

Next up for our book club is Skloot’s ‘Immortal Life’

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:54:00 -0600

The next book live chat for the Pioneer Page Turners online book club will take place at 7 p.m. Feb. 2 and will feature The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. Henrietta Lacks, an African-American tobacco farmer in the south, played a vital role in the development of the polio vaccine, as well as advances in gene mapping, in vitro fertilization and cloning. But she never knew it. Diagnosed with cervical cancer in January, 1951, neither she nor her family were aware that the doctor had taken cells from her cancerous cervix during her radiation treatments and sent …

Here be dragons

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:51:32 -0600

Flashy costumes parading through brilliant streets of Chinatown. Dancing lions and that colorful, undulating dragon. Endless food. Chinese New Year is anything but a drag. So ushering in Chinese year 4710 during the third week of January certainly won’t be. From crimson-hued cocktails to dumplings with fire-breathing hot sauce, chefs everywhere plan to welcome the new year of the dragon. Patrons will be seeing red at Big Bowl, which has a location in Lincolnshire. The restaurants, which will serve such Chinese New Year menu items as the aforementioned dumplings and spicy hot sauce, will run a drinks list during their …

Chicagoland Jewish High School Raises $500,000

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:36:03 -0600

More than 780 people came together on November 19 at CJHS’ commemorative gala, Celebrating 10 Years of Excellence, to recognize the school’s accomplishments over the last decade. The evening took place on the school’s grounds in a 13,000 square foot tent to accommodate the vast number of attendees. The CJHS jazz band entertained guests during the cocktail hour, while the choir led the national anthems and havdallah later in the evening. Visitors bid on silent auction items prior to the gourmet dinner and the start of the anniversary program. Later in the evening, event co-chairs Jennifer Flink and Lynn Schrayer …

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:39:16 -0600

BENEFITTING: The Josselyn Center, Northfield DATE: Sept. 24, 2011 LOCATION: The Arts Club of Chicago ATTENDEES: 155 RAISED: $120,000 …

Hot food trends for 2012

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:29:50 -0600

With the new year, foodies love to march out their trend lists. I eat these up. Experts like Sara Bonisteel from Epicurious and John Mariani from Esquire, among my favorites, have predicted the rise of The Old Fashioned, The Happy Diet and Sustainable Fish. They also tell us what culinary works are headed for a fall: cupcakes and pop-up restaurants. Popularity is fickle and affection is fleeting when it comes to food, but you can see patterns emerging over the years. I’ve decided to bite the bullet and share my own food trend predictions for 2012. Some of my selections …

Newspaper helps replace medals stolen in Wilmette burglary

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:59:17 -0600

Burglars stole about $30,000 worth of jewelry from Kristin Rodeno’s home late last year, but she says she doesn’t care much about that. Really. The bandits stole something else from her Wilmette house that she misses more than gold or diamonds. They stole the medals that prove she finished four marathons. They’re hard to earn, but you’d be lucky if a scrap dealer gave you a couple of nickels to rub together for any one of them. The burglars “probably just thought they looked cool,” Rodeno said. “I’ve gone to all the local pawn shops, like the one on Lake …

Lois Weisberg to receive Harvard Club’s annual award

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:40:30 -0600

At a small reception for its Board of Directors of The Harvard Club of Chicago, held at the Cliff Dwellers on Nov. 7, it was announced that Lois Weisberg would be the recipient of the Club’s Annual Award, which will be presented at The Annual Award Dinner of the Harvard Club of Chicago to be held on Feb. 11, 2012, at the Chicago Club, 81 East Van Buren, Chicago. Lois Weisberg of Chicago was the Commissioner of Cultural Affairs in Chicago from 1989 until January, 2011. She founded the Chicago Cultural Center and Friends of the Park, and was responsible …