Chicago Freebies!

Do you love to be a tourist in your own town? Are you planning a trip to Chicago and wanting to take in some of the most popular destinations, but shocked by the ticket prices?

Not to worry, all the museums and other hot spots offer free days and Little Merry Sunshine has the list (just like we did in 2008). Mark your calendar now and make sure you take advantage of these freebies. If you live in the area, this is a great way to take advantage of what some of our high taxes pay for.

From The Local Tourist:

Adler Planetarium:

• January 5, 11-15, 19, & 26
• February 2, 8-12, 16 & 23
• March 2, 9, 16 & 23
• April 20 & 27
• May 4, 11, 12, 18 & 25
• June 7-11
• September 7, 13 - 17, 21 & 28
• October 5, 12, 19 & 26
• November 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30
• December 7, 14 & 21

Art Institute of Chicago:

• Free Thursdays 5 to 8pm until Memorial Day and after Labor Day
• Free in February

Chicago Children's Museum:

• 1st Sunday of every month free admission for children 15 and under
• Free Thursdays 5 to 8pm for everyone

Chicago History Museum:

• Free every Monday

Field Museum of Natural History:

• 2nd Monday of every month
• January 13, 14, 19, 20, 26, 27
• February 2, 3, 10, 11, 16, 17, 23, 24
• March 2, 3
• June 2, 3
• August 24
• September 15, 16, 21, 22
• October 5, 6, 13, 14, 19, 20
• November 2, 3, 10, 16, 17, 30
• December 1, 7, 8, 15, 16

International Museum of Surgical Science:

• Free on Tuesdays

Jane Addam's Hull House Museum:

• Always Free

Loyola University Museum of Art:

• Free on Tuesdays

Museum of Contemporary Art:

• Free on Tuesdays

Museum of Contemporary Photography:

• Always Free

Museum of Science & Industry:

• January 4 - 8, 11 - 15, 18 - 22, 25 - 29
• February 8, 14
• March 18
• April 19 - 23
• May 3
• June 7 - 11
• August 30
• September 7 - 14, 20, 21, 27, 28
• October 4 - 6
• November 11
• December 6

National Museum of Mexican Art

• Always free (donations accepted)

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum:

• Free on Thursdays (donations suggested)

Shedd Aquarium:

• January 4, 5, 11, 12, 16 - 21, 25, 26
• February 1, 2, 8, 9, 15 - 19, 22, 23
• June 14 - 18
• September 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28
• October 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26
• November 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30

Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows

• Always free

Swedish American Museum

• Free on second Tuesday of every month

Ukrainian National Museum

• Always free, suggested donation of $5

From the Chicago Symphony Orchestra:
The Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s training orchestra for young, preprofessional musicians, has announced its 2009-2010 season of free orchestral and chamber music performances at Symphony Center and in neighborhoods throughout Chicago.

Concerts at Symphony Hall

Music director of the Toronto Symphony and principal guest conductor of the Detroit Symphony, Peter Oundjian leads Civic for the first time on Monday, Feb. 8, 2010, at 8 p.m., in Mahler’s Seventh Symphony. The Civic Orchestra has performed this symphony only once previously, in 1991.



On Monday, March 8, 2010, at 8 p.m., Leo McFall conducts “Lullaby for Hans” by CSO Mead Composer-in-Residence Mark-Anthony Turnage—a tribute to his mentor Hans Werner Henze—and Sibelius’ Symphony No. 5. McFall, who has studied with and assisted CSO Principal Conductor Bernard Haitink, made his Civic debut in April 2009.



Colnot returns to the podium on Monday, April 5, 2010, at 8 p.m., for a program of enchanting works, featuring Mendelssohn’s Overture to “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Ravel’s “Gaspard de la nuit” and Stravinsky’s “Le chant du rossignol” (Song of the Nightingale).



Civic’s 2009-2010 season closes Monday, May 24, 2010, at 8 p.m., with a virtuosic program led by Larry Rachleff and featuring CSO Concertmaster Robert Chen in Beethoven’s Violin Concerto—heralding the CSO’s Beethoven Festival, which begins the following week. An integral part of the Civic training program is the opportunity for young musicians to collaborate with and learn from their professional mentors in the CSO. This concert concludes with Bartók’s great Concerto for Orchestra.



Preconcert Conversations are given before all Civic Orchestra concerts at Symphony Center, beginning 90 minutes before the performance, in Grainger Ballroom. Tickets for all Civic Orchestra concerts at Symphony Center are free but required. Seating is general admission, and there is a non-refundable $1 per-ticket service fee. Tickets for these concerts can be reserved by calling 312-294-3000.

Performances in the Community

The Civic Orchestra’s 2009-2010 season features dozens of free performances throughout the city. On Sunday, May 2, 2010, at 3 p.m., the orchestra and conductor Edwin Outwater present a free, all-Beethoven concert at South Shore Cultural Center in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood, in anticipation of the CSO’s June 2009 Beethoven Festival. This concert also introduces pianist Adam Kim, winner of the 2009 CSO Youth Auditions, as soloist. Part of the Institute’s continuum of opportunities for active participation in music, the annual Youth Auditions identify one talented 14-to-17-year-old musician to perform with the CSO as well as with Civic and through other avenues.



Chamber ensembles from the Civic Orchestra present many free educational concerts in neighborhoods across Chicago, as part of the MusiCorps community-engagement program. MusiCorps’ “In the Park with Civic” series—free, interactive chamber concerts for families with children ages 5 and up—take place in Chicago Park District locations, including Gage, Harrison, Indian Boundary, Kosciuszko, North and Washington parks, and at the National Museum of Mexican Art.

Chamber ensembles and repertoire will be announced at a later date. 

All Civic Orchestra chamber performances are free, and tickets are not required. For more information about MusiCorps’ “In the Park with Civic” concerts, please visit civicorchestra.org or call 312-294-3803.



MusiCorps is generously sponsored by United Airlines. “In the Park with Civic” is presented through a partnership with the Chicago Park District.

Ten Again: Coming of Age in Arlington Heights Book Reading at Prospect Hts. Library

Hey kids! One of our favorite English teachers from Hersey, Mike Bellito, will be at the Prospect Heights Public Library TOMORROW (Thursday, September 10th) reading from his fantastic book Ten Again!

I've told you about this delightful book before (and here and here) and promised a review, which I swear is coming next week (really). So just trust me when I tell you that you don't want to miss this opportunity to hear Mr. Bellito read from my favorite book of the summer (oh, sorry, that might be a review spoiler!). I had the pleasure of attending his reading at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library in May. Listening to him read Ten Again, I was immediately taken back to my creative writing class at Hersey where Mr. Bellito first shared the stories of his childhood - riding bikes to Cock Robin, riding the roller coasters at Riverview, and watching matinees at the original Arlington Theatre.

From the Prospect Heights Public Library website:

Join author and former John Hersey High School Language Arts teacher, Michael Bellito to discuss his fictionalized memoir,"Ten Again", the endearing story of a young man’s coming of age set in Arlington Heights during the 60’s. Michael Bellito taught at Hersey High School for 32 years and currently teaches at Harper Community College. Book sale and signing after the program.

Location: Borland Meeting Room, PHPL, 12 N. Elm St., Prospect Heights
When: Thursday, September 10th at 7pm
Registration: Click here to register.

Call your friends and take your kids. It's a fun (and free) event. Trust me.

Oh, and buy some copies of his book. Trust me.

Summer Fun on the Cheap!

I'm sure I don't have to tell you, but times are tough. We're all trying to save money any way we can. Carpooling and biking to work are on the increase. Recession gardens are all the rage. Many people are taking staycations rather than vacations this summer.

In spite of it all (or maybe especially because of it all), we still need to have some fun now that the weather is warm (or almost warm). To help you and me have fun this summer, the National Park Service has created Fee-Free Weekends at 100 National Parks across the country!

Imagine taking the kids to Yosemite National Park for FREE if you're in California. Or how about going to the Grand Canyon if you're in Arizona? Are you land-locked in the Midwest? That's okay. Stop in at Jefferson National Expansion Memorial National Memorial in Missouri and check out the Gateway Arch. Of course, for all you Watervale families, you can go to Sleeping Bear Dunes for FREE! Eastcoasters have lots of options too. If you're in the DC area, you simply must go to Harpers Ferry. I had the best first date I've ever had there. In Florida, go to the Everglades.

To avoid entrance fees, just visit June 20-21 (Father's Day Weekend), July 18-19, or August 15-16 (I'll organize the field trip from Watervale to Sleeping Bear Dunes this weekend).

Enjoy!

Have Fun On The Cheap!

There was a great article in today's Daily Herald about fun stuff to do on the cheap. Of course, most of it was family oriented and didn't really apply to me since I'm single, but it got me to thinking about fun cool stuff to do this summer that won't cost much.

One of my favorite things to do is visit the various festivals, including my favorite, Frontier Days in Arlington Heights. Many of them have free entertainment that is often outstanding. Two years ago, my girlfriends and I saw Rick Springfield for FREE at Frontier Days. We got there at 6am, put out our blankets, and ended up getting sprayed with his sweat in the front row as he danced on stage shirtless. That was a good night and it was the only free concert he did all summer. Although the official entertainment schedule won't be released until Memorial Day, there's a rumor going around (here and here) that Eddie Money and Blues Traveler are two of the acts at Frontier Days this July.

I recently met two women who've started a great website called Kidwinks that is packed with all the kid-friendly activities in the Chicago area.

What will you do on the cheap this summer?

Suburban moms learn new ways to be thrifty in difficult times
by Jamie Sotonoff, May 17, 2009

When they're grocery shopping, Carla Cruit's husband isn't always concerned about price.

"He'll say, 'Oh, it's only 25 cents more.' So I'll say, 'Well, then, reach in your pocket and throw 25 cents out the window.' Would you do that? No. But that's basically what you're doing when you think that way," said Cruit, a mother of two from Vernon Hills.

Cruit is among thousands of suburban moms who are tightening the purse strings in an effort to reduce the family budget. Industry experts estimate that women make roughly 80 percent of all household spending decisions, so they're the ones learning new ways to be thrifty during these difficult times.

"Some moms - and dads - say, 'I'm not very good at this. I've never budgeted before,'" said Kelli Underwood, director of child and family programs at the Center for Contextual Change in Skokie. "People are learning that they have some choices, and some power, on how to get through (the recession)."

Cost-cutting is fun for some parents and stressful for others. Being forced to adopt a new lifestyle, mindset or habit is always tough.

"When you're in that situation, you feel so alone and ashamed and embarrassed," Cruit said. "But you know what? Take all that away. It is what it is. It's not anybody's fault. We think we should be able to do and have it all, but maybe that's not realistic. Good things happen, bad things happen. But good things will happen again."

We surveyed suburban moms (and a few dads) for some of their best money-saving tips. Here are some of the highlights:

• "Kids Eat Free" promotions. Restaurant meals are a luxury for money-strapped families. But it can be more affordable at restaurants with "kids eat free" promotions.

Coupondivas.com and MyKidsEatFree.com lists chain restaurants with kids eat free promotions, organized by day. Coupondivas has printable coupons for free kids meals at places like Uno's Chicago Pizza. coupondivas.com/kids-eat-free/.

Since their list is incomplete, be sure to inquire at your favorite restaurants, where they might have kids eat free nights they don't widely publicize.

Another idea? Dinner at IKEA. A family of four can dine for less than $15 on organic pasta, Swedish meatballs or 50-cent hot dogs.

• Cook more. During the Depression, women cooked hearty family meals with just a few cheap ingredients, like pasta and potatoes. For recipes, watch 93-year-old great grandmother Clara Cannucciari, a Melrose Park native, on her wildly popular YouTube cooking show, "Great Depression Cooking," youtube.com/user/DepressionCooking. While sharing her memories of the Depression, she makes dishes like "Peas and Pasta" and "Egg Drop Soup." Her cooking lessons are now on DVD, at greatdepressioncooking.com, and her first book, "Clara's Kitchen: Wisdom, Memories and Recipes from the Great Depression" is due out in November.

• Deals on kid activities. For many kids, a train ride is entertainment. Since kids ride Metra free on weekends, Naperville dad John Cuccinotto buys a $5 weekend pass, packs some snacks, and takes his kids on a train ride. They go to different nearby towns, explore what's around, maybe stop at a park, and then hop back on the train and return home.

"Super bonus for dads: it offers moms some quality hours of peace," he said.

Cristin Newton, a mother of two from Gurnee, saves money by visiting the downtown museums on their free admission day. She also likes the monthly deal at Rink Side in Gurnee, where for the $2 cost of the skate rental, you get free skating, food packages and crafts.

Mount Prospect mom Wendy Gatewood takes her kids bowling at Brunswick Zone for $1.29 per line, and gets a receipt for three free games after 1 p.m. on Sundays. She bought the kids bowling shoes - a little big, so they'll last longer - to save on the $4 per pair rental cost.

And, to repeat the obvious: get videos, games and books free from your local library. Most libraries also have museum discount cards you can check out.

• Buy things used. It's eco- and wallet-friendly - not to mention trendy - to reuse things, especially clothes. Can you get an Eileen Fisher sweater for $16? A business suit for $25? It requires time to sort through the racks and a careful eye for stains or tears, but Cruit says you can. She's found amazing deals on like-new, designer-name items at local thrift shops, including the Salvation Army store in Mundelein [and Arlington Heights].

Buying used books, furniture and sports equipment also will save money. Hunt craigslist.com or stores like Play It Again Sports, which has several suburban locations.

• Do things your mom used to do. Remember how your mom and her friends sat around the kitchen table drinking coffee, rather than meeting out at a local coffee shop? Or how you'd be forced to bring your lunch to the ballgame or museums? That's probably why your parents have money in the bank now. One mom suggested buying a bag of Starbucks coffee for $8 and then brewing enough for everyone.

• Have birthday parties at home. Another old-school option: rather than cough up nearly $500 for water park or restaurant parties, simplify. Borrow a karaoke machine and order pizza. Invite girls to show up in their fanciest clothes and have a tea party using mismatched china tea cups from thrift stores. An outdoor cookout at the local forest preserve is another cheap option, where kids have room for games like soccer, red rover or tag (heads up: a permit may be required).

• Share resources with your friends. Swap a few games or videos for a week with another family. Offer to trade services with friends who are mechanics or hair stylists.

• Base your meals on what's on sale. The grocery store is a big money drain for many families, so a little planning and coupon cutting can go a long way. For example, buy a whole chicken rather than just chicken breasts and use the leftovers for a second meal. Stay out of the prepared, pre-cut and frozen food sections, where you pay extra for convenience. A good Web site for free samples of grocery items is freebies4mom.com.

• Bargain. Summer camp is expensive. But if you offer to volunteer, some camps will offer free or reduced fees. Want to keep your gym membership but can't afford to? See if there's a class you can teach or a part-time job you can work in exchange for a discounted membership.

• Conserve energy. Lower utility bills by turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth, lowering the thermostat a degree or two, and turning off the computer and unplugging appliance when they're not in use.

To save money during the Depression, Cannucciari said her family used only one light at night. "The light we used was over a big table in the main room The whole family would end up gathering around the light to do homework or read a book. It was nice to be all together as a family each night," she said.

• Think outside the box for a vacation. You know how so many friends say, "You should come visit sometime?" Well, this is the year to do it. To help make a summer family vacation more affordable, think about going somewhere where you can stay with friends or relatives.

Or, consider a home swap. Either swap with friends, or find one through Web sites like homeexchange.com or homeforswap.com.

iPhone, Therefore I Get Off

Ladies, do you ever find yourself with an "itch" when you're out and about, but don't have your Rabbit with you?

Apple and iPhone have come to your rescue! Just whip out your iPhone, download the new "Touch Me Less" application for free at the iTunes store and voila! Your Rabbit is now unemployed!

According to iTunes:

Explore the potential of your iPhone and take pleasure to a new level! Touch Me gives you the ability to harness the power of your iPhone to provide yourself or your partner with a fantastic soothing experience.

This "Less" version with two separate controls. If you are looking for more controls and custom Presets, you might want to consider our full blown version "Touch Me" ($0.99).

What Business is Fully Erect During the Recession?

That's right . . . condom makers!

Recession seems to put people in the mood for condoms
By Charisse Jones, USA Today

With a crippled economy forcing millions of cash-strapped Americans to entertain themselves at home, it's not surprising that one particular product is seeing a sales increase — condoms.

While car purchases plummeted and designer clothes mostly stayed on the racks, sales of condoms in the U.S. rose 5% in the fourth quarter of 2008, and 6% in January vs. the same time periods the previous year, The Nielsen Co. reports.

The sales bump squares solidly with one of the nation's most common trends during any recession: nesting. At the same time, condoms make for a relatively inexpensive form of birth control at a time many cash-strapped families are hesitant to grow.

"If people don't have the money to go out to a fancy dinner or are looking to cut back, Trojan gives them some real affordable ways to stay in and make some great memories together," says Jim Daniels, vice president of marketing for Trojan, the nation's No. 1 condom maker.

Contraception may also be more popular during a time when families are stretching dollars and want to avoid having more mouths to feed. "Obviously people in general want to avoid … unintended pregnancies," Daniels says. "But in a down economy those costs are even more burdensome to bear."

Pam Piligian of Fitzgerald+CO, the ad agency for Durex condoms, says that condoms are "recession resistant."

Still, condom sales increased at a slower rate in 2008, going up 2.3% over the previous year, compared with a 5.5% increase just three years ago, according to research firm Information Resources. Marketers say they are aware of the need to continue reminding consumers that condoms are an inexpensive and healthy way to have fun.

Piligian says that in a nod to the poor economy, Durex placed coupons last weekend in newspapers and is making more coupon offers on its website, trydurex.com.

Carol Carrozza, vice president of marketing for Ansell Healthcare, maker of LifeStyles condoms, says that her company may incorporate the idea of nesting into future campaigns, along with a focus on new products.

"We're mulling both … and trying to determine what kind of products and marketing strategies we can come out with that will help people during these recessionary times," she says.

Trojan says the message that it's good to cocoon is already part of its promotions, and it will spend more on advertising this year than last as it launches a multimedia campaign to promote two new products.

Trojan 2Go, a thin plastic case with a condom inside, hits store shelves this month while a new condom, Trojan Ecstasy, is scheduled for sale in the spring.