I confess... I shoot rock stars and I carry wipes #Cottonelle #LetsTalkBums #ad

Disclosure:  This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cottonelle, but all opinions and anecdotes are mine.

I confess... I shoot rock stars and I carry wipes.   So, when Cottonelle called, and asked me to sample their cleansing cloths and toilet paper, and talk to you, I was happy to partner up for a sponsored post.   

I just covered all 3 days of Lollapalooza and now this weekend I'm off to 3 days of North Coast Music Fest then on to Riot Fest.  My job covering music festivals means I often get to interview touring musicians, film live shows, hang out back stage and shoot pit photos front and center. 

Then there's the less glamourous side.  Music fests can mean up to 100,000 people, which means portalets and lots of em, even in the VIP and press areas.   And they may or may not have toilet paper by the time the last notes fade and my day of coverage is done.   That's not a fun gamble to take!   

Then there's the double whammy of covering Summer Camp Music Fest which I do every Memorial Day Weekend, and other huge camping music fests. It's on site tent camping and portalets 24/7 for 4 days!  So let's get Brit for a moment and talk bums, 'cause it sounds so much cuter than butts, especially with an English accent. 

London-based immersive journalist Cherry Healey is partnering with Cottonelle to encourage consumers to open up about their bathroom behaviors and “makeover” their old toileting routine. 

• Talking about bathroom habits can be embarrassing but you may be missing out on a better way to get clean. That’s why Cottonelle is partnering with Cherry Healey to get people to talk about the way they wipe.

Funniest Portalet Stories:

I may be barefoot, but I didn't forget the cleansing cloths!

Back in the day, I once rollerbladed miles to a big music fest downtown with my boyfriend at the time, only to find that I only had ONE shoe in my backpack when I got there!   The other one had fallen out on the way.   The bulk of the fest was on grass in Grant Park so I was fine barefootin' it, with a little caution.   Fine that is, until I had to pee and the idea of going shoeless on a heavily used fest potty floor was more than I wanted to attempt.   A mutual friend of ours (not the boyfriend) offered me his shoes.   A few years down the road we were dating.   Now we've been happily married 13 years! 

How ya gonna wipe?!

• I've seen a musician duck into a portalet with a full sized sousaphone.   

• I've taken two kids under the age of 5 into a portalet simultaneously and come out with my sanity intact.   You better believe I brought cleansing cloths. 

• I've managed days of dawn to dusk Renaissance Faire coverage spanning 3 states & requiring more than a few portapotty trips in a corset and ankle length skirt.  How did they hold up all those skirts and reach back in a tight corset in the Renaissance days?!   After unsuccessful contortions, I gave up and unlaced.   Yay for cleansing cloths for the seat before and myself after.  

Got a good portapotty or cleansing cloth story of your own?   We'd love to hear it.  Add it below in the comments section.

Cottonelle wants to get North Americans talking about their bums and on the road to a better way to clean “down there”  by using the Cottonelle Clean Routine. The Cottonelle Clean Routine combines the use of Cottonelle Toilet Paper and Cottonelle Flushable Cleansing Cloths. With the help of a sleek, newly designed dispenser for Cottonelle Flushable Cleansing Cloths, keeping a clean bathroom routine is easier than ever.

Baby Wipes Grow Up:

Cottonelle, sent me a 4 pack of Cottonelle Ultra Comfort Care Toilet Paper and one dispenser of Cottonelle Fresh Care Flushable Cleansing Cloths to check out and I've gotta say the new dispenser design is great.   It's standing upright, taking up less space than the baby style rectangles, but the same cleansing cloth package fits.   Now for the "do they dry out" test....   So far so good.   I hate it when the wet wipes get dry!   I got in the habit of pairing wet wipes & toilet paper during music fests and camping trips, and never stopped.   At home or away, it's a fresher, cooler clean.  So, why not?!

Cottonelle's Ultra Comfort Care Toilet Paper is thick and soft.  Back in the day, when I was newly out of college and struggling to pay the rent with a string of freelance writing and acting gigs, my roommate and I were cutting corners and buying generic things to scrape by.  Still, she was adamant about not cheaping out on toilet paper.   She told me cheap TP is generally scratchy, falls apart and ends up not being a deal at all, because you have to use so much more of it.  So we bought the best toilet paper we could find and ate Raman Noodles to make rent.  

Let’s talk about your bum! What weirds you out about most wipes? You aren’t opposed to using wet towelettes on your hands after a meal, so why use only toilet paper on your bum after you go? 

Poll Finds America is Ready to Talk Taboo Topics―Well-Known Toilet Paper Brand Sets Out to Start this Conversation

Cottonelle Brand Teams Up with Documentary Filmmaker to Get People Talking… About their Bums  

As bath tissue maker Cottonelle looks to open the door on bathroom conversation, toilet talk is about to go mainstream. That’s right, Cottonelle wants to get North Americans talking about their bums and on the road to a better way to clean “down there”  by using the Cottonelle Clean Routine -- combining dry toilet paper and flushable wipes for a cleaner, fresher experience. With the help of London-based immersive journalist, Cherry Healey, Cottonelle is helping consumers to open up about their bathroom behaviors and “makeover” their old toileting routine. And with a sleek, newly designed dispenser for Cottonelle Flushable Cleansing Cloths, Healey is set to start the conversation now.  

It’s true that nothing will leave you feeling cleaner and fresher than the Cottonelle Care Routine. This combination provides a clean you can feel throughout the day so you’ll be ready for anything. Unfortunately, since bathroom habits are not something that people regularly talk about, many people don’t know that there is a better way to feel clean and fresh than just using toilet paper alone. According to a recent survey, one third of Americans find “wiping your bum” to be the most taboo topic likely because more than 50 percent of us say we were raised not to discuss what happens behind the bathroom door. However, it seems America is ready to open the door to this topic since 80 percent of Americans say they would be comfortable talking about bathroom habits with others. Ready or not, Healey is here to talk bums.

“These things can be embarrassing subjects, but that’s why I’m here… so we come out from behind the bathroom door to talk about it!” Healey explains.  And talk about it she will. The commercial program launches this week with Cherry Healey leading the conversation on bathroom habits. Integrated marketing efforts span across media placements, retail and shopper marketing, public relations, digital and advertising to drive awareness and encourage consumers to “Talk About Your Bum” on and offline. 

As a documentary filmmaker, Cherry isn’t afraid to talk about things that others may shy away from. Her humor and charm have helped people open up to her about all kinds of “taboo”-yet-common experiences – from sex to childbirth. As a user of the Cottonelle Care Routine herself, she’ll combine her professional and personal experience to talk to everybody, everywhere about their bums, and how they can use the Cottonelle Care Routine to be ready… for anything. 

Ironically, while some people are hesitant to talk about bathroom habits, many of us have a habit of talking while in the bathroom. More than 60 percent of us talk on the phone and nearly 40 percent email while on the toilet. Cottonelle knows all too well that bathroom habits aren’t discussed as often as they should be. “As progressive as our society has become, we know that most consumers are not discussing the details of their bathroom routine,” says Mike Haley, Cottonelle Marketing Director. “That’s why we’re teaming up with documentary filmmaker Cherry Healey to start this conversation about using dry and moist and help people open up and understand that there’s a better way to feel clean and fresh in the bathroom versus dry alone.”

The Cottonelle brand feels so strongly about the importance of highlighting better bottom care that it updated the flushables’ packaging to an upright, durable dispenser as well as the name - from “wipes” to “cleansing cloths” to better reflect the role they play in a care routine. The flushable cleansing cloths are designed specifically to work with Cottonelle toilet paper to fit into your current bathroom routine. The brand hopes that both of these changes along with Cherry Healey’s mission to get people talking taboo topics will further help normalize the Cottonelle Care Routine among adults. 

The goal is for the Cottonelle Care Routine to become a regular bathroom habit, so much so that having wipes on hand become part of bathroom etiquette. Right now, most Americans agree that not wiping off the seat (94%), forgetting to flush (92%) and not refilling toilet paper (74%) are offensive bathroom behaviors. One quarter (25%) of Americans agree that not having flushable wipes is offensive but that number could increase as more people adopt the routine.

• Experiencing is believing. Incorporating cleansing cloths into your bathroom routine may feel weird at first but ultimately, it’s a clean and fresh feeling that leaves you ready for anything.

Visit Cottonelle Brands Facebook page to talk with Cherry and others about the Cottonelle Care Routine and then try it for yourself.

About Cottonelle Brand

The Cottonelle brand provides innovative comfort solutions for perineal personal care. Cottonelle toilet paper is available in three forms: Cottonelle Ultra Comfort Care, Cottonelle Gentle Care and Cottonelle Clean Care. To help people feel cleaner and fresher than with toilet paper alone, the brand offers Cottonelle Fresh Care flushable wipes and Cottonelle Gentle Care flushable wipes enriched with Aloe & E. For the latest product information, visit www.cottonelle.com.

About Kimberly-Clark

Kimberly-Clark Corp. (NYSE: KMB) and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Every day, nearly a quarter of the world's population trust K-C's brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in more than 80 countries. 

To keep up with the latest K-C news and to learn more about the Company's 141-year history of innovation, visit www.kimberly-clark.com  or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.  

• Cottonelle Toilet Paper and Cottonelle Flushable Cleansing Cloths are designed to work together for a clean you can feel. Join the conversation on Facebook and try the Cottonelle Care Routine for yourself.

Are you ready? Don’t be shy! Visit http://www.facebook.com/cottonelle to learn more about the Cottonelle Clean Routine and join the clean routine conversation.

Cottonelle wants to get you talking about your bum and on a better way to clean “down there” by using the Cottonelle Clean Routine. By combining the use of Cottonelle Toilet Paper and Cottonelle Flushable Cleansing Cloths, the Cottonelle Clean Routine is a revolutionary way to keep your bum cleaner.

Disclosure:  Thanks again to Cottonelle for sponsoring this post, written by me on behalf of Cottonelle.  All opinions and anecdotes are mine.

TONIGHT: Pretty Muddy Pre-Party at Bar Louie in River North & Race Details For 5K and Family Editions 7pm #mudrun #5K

Who says pretty n muddy are mutually exclusive?!   Not us.   ChiIL out with loads of local bloggers, press and women who are ready to run the Pretty Muddy 5k in Chicago next weekend and/or the Family Edition.   

ChiIL Mama and Sagezilla are going to do the all new family run.   Check it out.   It's not too late to register.   We've been promoting Pretty Muddy for the last two years, but we had a music fest to cover last year and didn't get to run.   So this will be our first!   When I began talking about doing Pretty Muddy, my 10 year old daughter really really really wanted to do it too.   She was bummed the age limit for the 5k is 14+ by race day (under 18's need a parent or guardian present too).

Pretty Muddy's newest “news” is the Pretty Muddy Family Edition!   

Are you a moms that would like to have your family be part of the event?   This one's for YOU.

·         Family Edition is 1 hour of “Family Waves” every 10 minutes, taking place after the “Female-only Waves” have commenced for the day.

·         This wave is for women, their kids, and even their hubbies!

·         Children must be 6 years old, and at least 48 inches tall in order to participate.

·         Children 13 and under MUST be accompanied by an adult (18+) throughout the entire course.

·         Those women that choose to participate in one of the “Female-only Waves” can run again with their families for free in the “Family Waves”.

·         All finishers will receive a medal!

Click here for all the official info about the Pretty Muddy Women Only 5K and the Family Edition.   Then register on line or in person tonight at Bar Louie.   I double dog dare you!

FLASH GIVEAWAY-- 3 FREE Pairs of Tickets To Dirty Dozen Brass Band & Van Ghost at Bottom Lounge THIS Sunday #NCMF13

ChiIL out with ChiIL Live Shows and enter here through midnight TONIGHT 8/29 to win a pair of tickets to this official North Coast Music Fest after show!  (3 pairs available/ $24 value each). 17+
Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter.   

**a Rafflecopter giveaway**

Disclosure:  Thanks to NCMF and Bottom Lounge for kicking us review & giveaway tickets for our readers. 

Bottom Lounge

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band featuring Van Ghost

Sunday, Sep 01, 2013 10:00 PM CDT  Bottom Lounge, Chicago, IL 17 years and over

Call me old school, but I still dig bands that play INSTRUMENTS, and Dirty Dozen Brass Band can PLAY.   Don't get me wrong, I do my best work on a silver Macbook Pro.   And I've got nothing against DJs.   Still, there's nothing like some down n dirty R&B and New Orleans brass to get your groove on to!

Whether you scored tickets to the sold out North Coast Music Festival or not, anyone can go to the after shows.   And even better, ChiIL Live Shows can get you there for FREE!   We're your music source in Chi, IL and beyond.    Check back with ChiIL Live Shows like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often for great giveaways, free downloads, original content video band interviews, pit photos, tour coverage, music reviews and more.

*Click here for some of our past original photo filled coverage on local Chicago favs, Van Ghost.

*Click here to check out Dirty Dozen Brass Band via their YouTube Channel.

To describe how the Dirty Dozen Brass Band has arrived at its 35th Anniversary, trumpet player Gregory Davis employs a tried-and true New Orleans-centric analogy: “It ends up being like a pot of gumbo – you drop in a little okra, drop in a little shrimp, you drop in some crabs. Before you know it, you’ve mixed in all these different ingredients and you’ve got a beautiful soup. That was our approach to music early on and it still is today.”

Baritone sax player Roger Lewis — who, like Davis, has been with the combo since its inception in 1977 — echoes that sentiment: “It’s a big old musical gumbo, and that probably made the difference, separating us from other brass bands out of New Orleans. It put a different twist on the music. We were not trying to change anything, we were just playing the music we wanted to play and not stay in one particular bag.”

An appetite for musicological adventure, a commitment to honor tradition while not being constrained by it, and a healthy sense of humor have brought the world-traveling Dirty Dozen Brass Band to this remarkable juncture in an already storied career. To celebrate its 35th, the band is releasing Twenty Dozen, the septet’s first studio release in six years. The new album, cut at the Music Shed in New Orleans, reunites the band with producer Scott Billington, who helmed DDBB’s first major-label release, Voodoo, in 1989. 

It’s a resolutely upbeat effort that seamlessly blends R&B, jazz, funk, Afro-Latino grooves, some Caribbean flavor, and even a Rihanna cover. Twenty Dozen mirrors in flow and feel a vibrant DDBB live set. The disc reaches an exuberant peak with a medley of New Orleans staples, including a particularly high-spirited rendering of “When the Saints Go Marching In.” The final track – or, as Lewis puts it, “the after-party” – is an audience encore favorite, the ribald “Dirty Old Man,” with Lewis doing an outstanding job in the title role. 

Twenty Dozen, says Lewis, is “classic Dirty Dozen. It’s got something for your mind, body, and soul. We’re gonna get you one way or another.”

Disclosure:  Thanks again to NCMF and Bottom Lounge for kicking us review & giveaway tickets for our readers. 

Also check out these Fri/Sat night NCMF after shows at Bottom Lounge:

ACT OUT: Redmoon FREE Summer Finale in Humboldt Park & Original Video Interview With Frank Maugeri 9/7 #redmoon

Redmoon has been a favorite of ours for decades!   They're an integral part of the Chicago Theatre scene and never cease to amaze. They're back at it again with a big, FREE finale to their summer series on 9/7.   ChiIL out with ChiIL Mama and be there.   Highly recommended!   Check out our original video interview with Frank Maugeri and others who collaborated on Chicago Children's Theatre's spring production, The Elephant and The Whale right here.   We interviewed Frank as part of our ongoing series on "HOW CREATIVES PARENT AND HOW PARENTS CREATE".  We're so excited to bring you our original video interview with the Co-Directors of The Elephant and The Whale Frank Maugeri (Redmoon) & Leslie Buxbaum Danzig (500 Clown) and with actor, David Catlin (Lookingglass).   All 3 are parents and theatre professionals and they graciously took time out of their busy lives for an interview with us about the show.  They also shared their on insights on "How Creatives Parent and How Parents Create" for ChiIL Mama's long running series on the theme.  (Chicago Children's Theatre's World Premier Collaboration 5/2013)

Redmoon culminates its Summer Park Series - a Night Out in the Parks event  in the historic Humboldt Park with a special reception open to the public to honor Allstate Insurance Company and it collaborators and supporters on September 7th, 2013.  "Allstate is proud to be a part of these amazing Summer Park events, which showcase so many talented young Chicago performance artists who are bringing joy and fabulous entertainment to communities across the city," said Vicky Dinges, vice president of corporate social responsibility at Allstate. "Our company is strongly committed to supporting Chicago's vibrant and diverse cultural arts because they deliver positive, life enriching experiences for our youth and Chicagoans of all ages." The Humboldt Park event begins with an hour-long free drum and poetry workshop, taught in collaboration with the Bucket Boys and poets from Young Chicago Authors (YCA).  Participants are then invited to parade through the park alongside Redmoon's newest machine - the Sonic Boom - a massive, 16 ft. tall transforming mobile boom box conceived by Redmoon's Producing Artistic Director Frank Maugeri.  The parade leads into a community celebration that is a mash up of music by DJ LMS, spoken word poetry, drumming, dancing, and a free meal of pizza and fried chicken.    The event will also include a special performance by artists from YCA's Division St. Project, a year-long project grounded in non-fiction creative writing and verse journalism.   YCA teaching artist Malcom London and Division St. Project Storyteller Nita Tennyson will share poems inspired by the project, followed by a song by Angie Citali.  As the conclusion of Redmoon's Summer Park Series, the event will include a special reception to honor the series' key supporters and collaborators, including Allstate Insurance Company, the Pritzker Traubert Family Foundation and the Chicago Park District. "Mayor Rahm Emanuel's Night Out in the Parks initiative looks for ways to engage people in their communities," said Michael P. Kelly, Chicago Park District General Superintendent and CEO.  "Redmoon was a great example of this. We witnessed how participatory art transforms parks into spaces for creative and positive activities." Over 8,500 community members participated in Redmoon's Night Out in the Park events.   Under the design and directorial leadership of Maugeri and Artistic Associate Will Bishop, Redmoon and its team of collaborators brought community celebrations to a lineup of 10 public parks on the South and West Sides of the city.  This included Sherwood Park in West Englewood, Columbus Park in Austin and Midway Plaisance Park in Hyde Park. "The Sonic Boom [and the Summer Park Series] is re-establishing the parks in Chicago as a center for culture and community," said Kevin Coval, Artistic Director for the Young Chicago Authors.  By sharing a poem over the Sonic Boom's 10,000-watt speaker system, dancing to the music of DJ SuchNSuch - or simply joining their neighbors for a meal -community members from throughout the city joined in this spectacle celebration.   "The parade was a great idea... [the kids] who got the opportunity to perform feel like superstars," said Solomon Smith, Meyering Park Supervisor.  "They're still talking about it." The Park Series has been a part of Redmoon's larger summer effort to create unexpected spectacular events and community celebrations throughout Chicago - all outdoors and all for free.   Since May, Redmoon has brought its contraptions and performers to 24 free outdoor events - from Evanston's Fourth of July Parade, to Pilsen's Low Rider Festival, Boystown's Market Days, and Homan Square and North Lawndale's Peace March and many more.  In total, Redmoon's summer work reached over 55,000 people. Redmoon invites all to the culminating Humboldt Park event to celebrate this extraordinary summer of free spectacle and community building.

EVENT DETAILS: Date:  Saturday, September 7, 2013 Location:  Humbolt Park, 1440 N Humbolt Dr. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:  4:30pm - Free drumming and poetry workshops for community members  6:00pm - Free community meal and reception  7:15pm - Humboldt Park community parade begins  7:30pm - Redmoon's show begins  8:30pm - Event conclusion  To RSVP:   Contact rsvp@redmoon.org  ABOUT THE SUMMER PARK SERIES Redmoon's Summer Park Series was part of Mayor Rahm Emanuel's Night Out in the Parks initiative supported by NATO Legacy funds, and was presented thanks to the generous support and civic vision of Allstate Insurance Company, Chicago Park District, The Pritzker Traubert Family Foundation, The 1111 Foundation, The Ebert Foundation, Bacci Pizza, KFC, Dance All Night, and many others. ABOUT DIVISION ST. PROJECT A Year-long project grounded in non-fiction creative writing and verse journalism. 15 story finders meet weekly to engage in research and writing inspired by Studs Terkel's Division Street: America. The students are scouting the length of Division Street from the far East to the far West of the city, collecting and re-telling the stories of today's Chicago via anthology, video, recording and/or live performance. Join the movement and walk the miles traveled.  ABOUT REDMOON Redmoon's mission is to transform the experience of our urban landscape through spectacular events that disrupt everyday life and promote community, creativity, and democracy. Founded in 1990, Redmoon transforms streets, stages and architectural landmarks, bridging international, economic, cultural and generational boundaries with unique brand of Spectacle: public art form that is equal parts pageantry, gadgetry, puppetry, robust physical performance and visual art.

Original Red Baraat Video Interview & Lotus Music and Arts Festival September 26-29 in Bloomington, IN

Downhome Cosmopolitanism: The World’s Cultures Converge in Idyllic Hoosier Town, Thanks to Ingenious Lotus Music and Arts Festival 

Indiana has a secret. Hidden in one of America’s great small towns—complete with idyllic courthouse square and thriving main street—is an unexpected hub of global culture. From Tibetan monasteries to Afghan and Burmese eateries, Bloomington goes beyond the laid back cosmopolitanism of most Midwestern college towns.

The cornerstone of Bloomington’s global side is the annual Lotus World Music and Arts Festival (September 26-29, 2013). An annual, nationally recognized world music event celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, Lotus transforms Bloomington’s quaint downtown into something that combines the elements of a street fair, carnival procession, and massive block party. The music—ranging from meditative solo performances to high-energy Swedish hip hop or Balkan funk—powers the evening, drawing together town and gown, and the entire surrounding region.

Click here for the full 2013 schedule.   

Here at ChiIL Live Shows Red Baraat (playing Saturday) are particular favorites of ours.   

Check out our original video interview with the band below.

Red Baraat and Matt Jennings, interspersed with live, Red Baraat show footage, from Schubas in Chicago, 4/16/12.   Shot in HD by Bonnie Kenaz-Mara for ChiILLiveShows.com.   Red Baraat is Bhangra Funk Dhol 'n' Brass www.redbaraat.com/ led by dhol player Sunny Jain; based in Brooklyn, New York.

Catch them live:  Lotus Music and Arts Fest

Red Baraat

Saturday

Brooklyn-based Red Baraat took Lotus by storm when they first played the Festival back in 2010, and we’ve been trying to get ‘em back ever since. “A fiery blend of raucous Indian bhangra and funky New Orleans brass.”  {More …}

Lotus also offers an educational component to local children/teens year-round.  It's actually quite brilliant from a ticket-sales perspective.  With workshops and performances, Bloomington youth grow-up familiar with music from around the world, expanding their tastes to include foreign language-pop music and international trad/roots.  You should have seen the mighty throng of teenagers screaming for Movits (Swedish hip-hop-jazz) last year and Bomba Estereo (Colombian electro-champeta) in 2011.  

It's amazing Bloomington has been able to pull off an International, multicultural fest of this magnitude for 20 years where 5-6 continents are represented.  The logistics of securing visas, navigating travel restrictions, shipping instruments, etc. is daunting but well worth the effort! Though it's rare, local and/or international politics sometimes prevent musicians from playing in the US.  The band Staff Benda Bilili is one example of a cancelled act, due to international travel restrictions last year.  

“The thing about Bloomington is its small size and its big contingent of arts and culture and academics,” explains festival communications director LuAnne Holladay. “Indiana University acts as a magnet that draws people from all over the world anyway. You can be completely disinterested in the arts, but still understand that there’s more here than the usual Midwestern culture.”

Lotus has boosted the power of Bloomington’s cultural magnetism, bringing in internationally acclaimed artists as diverse as red-hot pranksters Balkan Beat Box and electro-cumbia club stars Bomba Estereo, soul icon Mavis Staples and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Afropop stars like Baaba Maal,Habib Koite and Vieux Farka Toure. In short, the festival has hosted nearly every major name and every possible sound.

This eclectic, open-eared musical approach has deep roots. Bloomington has long been a music town, from the days when native son Hoagy Carmichael penned his classics, to IU’s stellar Jacobs School of Music and Archive of Traditional Music (second in size to the Library of Congress for traditional recordings), to the present flourishing of indie rock labels with international clout (Secretly Canadian, Jagjagwar, and Dead Oceans, darlings of the indie rock world, are all based in Bloomington). Yet the scene has its distinctly global element, inspired by and inspiring Lotus. Bloomington is home to Salaam, an Iraqi-American ensemble able to shift from centuries-old Bagdad modes to moving original pieces; Ghanaian master xylophonist and educator Bernard Woma, who has played for the likes of Nelson Mandela and Bill Clinton; I.U. world music percussion professor Michael Spiro, world-renowned for his Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian performances and recordings; and Irish flute player Grey Larsen, highly respected in Celtic music circles.

It’s one thing to run a festival every year, but Lotus has done far more for Bloomington than merely bring on the global good times. It runs an educational outreach program/celebration every spring for more than 10,000 elementary students in southern Indiana, as well as regular world music shows year-round. It has been instrumental in boosting the spirit of Bloomington’s quirky downtown, right down to playing a crucial role in saving its architecturally and historically significant main-street theater, now a centerpiece of Bloomington’s performing arts. It has helped bring art out of galleries and museums and collections, and to the town’s streets and parks. And Lotus helped spawn a consortium of music festivals spanning the middle of the country, in Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison, Minneapolis, and Cedar Rapids.

With a natural ingenuity characteristic of Lotus, the visual component of the festival’s vivid musical offerings sprang very organically from the festival itself. Though Lotus had long tried to add a visual arts component, mostly through traditional art shows, no one felt satisfied with the results and with the art’s isolation from the rest of the festivities. Then, one night, festival director Lee Williams saw a striking, colorful backdrop a performer had brought with him. “Something clicked,” Williams recalls. “Our visual art approach flowed from that backdrop. It became all about taking arts to the street, bringing it outdoors, doing it on big scale.” Outdoor installations include family-friendly projects festival-goers can help create, as well as an arts village.

Taking it to the street didn’t end with art installations. Another beloved, much anticipated element of Lotus came about equally as spontaneously. “One night, Gangbe Brass Band from Benin just walked out of the tent where they were performing and played their instruments as they went down the street,” Williams remembers fondly. “Because it’s Bloomington, the audience followed of course. Everyone loved it. Then we started doing processions.”

The community shapes the festival, just as the festival has shaped the community. Sparking a whole new level of curiosity, people come to Lotus not for big names and headliners—though there are those—but simply because they want to hear something new, and they know it will be good. “The specialness of Bloomington and Lotus comes from our audience,” says Holladay. “Because of what people have access to, they are willing to try lots of new things. They are primed when they walk into a concert, to give an artist a try, to accept something for what it is, and really get into it.”

That’s how Hanggai, a folk-rock band from Inner Mongolia, wound up with a huge fan base in the Midwest. Or how quirky Swedish MCs Movits can get hundreds of screaming fans, from college kids to grandparents, bouncing on the pavement. Or how Swedish roots virtuosi Väsen became hometown heroes—to such an extent, Bloomington’s mayor temporarily renamed a downtown street in their honor. “We’re able to develop artists now,” notes Williams. “They get a posse in Bloomington, and can build from here.”

“Lotus has the best of both worlds,” explains Canadian cross-cultural banjo virtuoso Jayme Stone, “the buzz of an outdoor festival atmosphere and the pristine ambiance of an indoor one, with beautiful venues and great sound.” "The Lotus Festival is a great place to hear good music that you didn't even know existed,” Väsen’s Olov Johansson enthuses. “It's also a really friendly festival for meeting other musicians, as well as music lovers in the audience, since performers and audience walk the same streets in between the different venues. Heja Lotus Festivalen!"

“I’ve never been in a community where people just love it, as much as people love Bloomington,” comments Mike McAfee, head of Visit Bloomington (visitbloomington.com) and long-time Lotus Festival fan. “I know so many people who just had to move back here, or who couldn’t help but stay after they finished school. They felt a powerful connection, thanks to our big-city amenities and events like Lotus.” It’s a connection that’s open to anyone, quick visitor or life-long resident.

A slice closer - Edge of Belgravia opens first warehouse in the USA Right Here In Chi, IL #foodie fun

The Lime Ceramic Knife series slicing a steak for the grill "We can now supply the rapidly growing demand for our knives across the pond with no need for overseas shipping  costs and delays," says Freddie Ostlund, Director at Edge of Belgravia.  Edge of Belgravia is opening its first warehouse in the USA. The location is Chicago, Illinois. From there, our chef knives will reach Beverly Hills in three days and Manhattan in just two. From SW1 to the meat city, Edge of Belgravia knives will now be a slice closer to the enthusiastic American consumers.     The location is not only logistically superb but the link to sharp knives could not be better.  More meat used to be processed in Chicago than anywhere else in the world,  supplying markets and restaurants across the country with top notch nosh. In the same way, Edge of Belgravia’s chef knives are set to proliferate effectively across the gigantic country. With our uniquely designed knives to hand, there’s no excuse not to get slicing that steak for the grill. The warehouse in Elk Grove Village outside Chicago is a state of the art fulfillment and distribution centre. It is operated by American Cargo Express which is a leading third party warehouse operator as well as freight company. All US consumers are in excellent hands. To order our bold British knives with more ease than ever before, visit our website: www.edgeofbelgravia.co.uk Our knives will reach Beverly Hills in three days and Manhattan in just two The warehouse in Elk Grove Village outside Chicago is a state of the art fullfillment and distribution centre. US consumers could not be in safer hands!  The demand from the US market has surged. The US warehouse is a natural response to the increasing demand. Friend on Facebook Follow on Twitter

PLAY LOCALLY: Urban Adventure Quest Chicago Coupon #Spon

Disclaimer:   Thanks to Urban Adventure Quest and US Family Guide for giving us a chance to review their scavenger hunt.

ChiIL out with ChiIL Mama and experience the fun of an Urban Scavenger Hunt in downtown Chi, IL!   We haven't had a chance to check it out yet but we're super stoked to try it.   You can't beat educational AND fun...

This Smart Phone guided adventure lets you and your family experience the fun of the Amazing Race in 2-3 hours.  You solve clues and complete challenges while learning about the city in a fun new way.  This family friendly adventure is appropriate for ages 7-70 and is perfect to get the family out on a day of doing and learning. Start on your schedule and play at your own pace and the game keeps track of team points .  

Register on-line at www.UrbanAdventureQuest.com Save $10 With Promo Code: USFAMILY.  

This exciting approach to seeing and learning about the city has really taken off with families around the country.

Cost: $39.20 for a team of 2-5 people after Promo Code: USFamily

When: Play anytime during daylight hours

Save $10 with Promo Code: USFAMILY:  http://www.UrbanAdventureQuest.com

Disclaimer:   Thanks again to Urban Adventure Quest and US Family Guide for giving us a chance to review their scavenger hunt.

Don't Get Lost In The Castle #BackToSchool

404,000+ Going Back To Chicago Public Schools Today And Two Of Them Are Mine!

Happy back to school day.

Yeah, I know some of you have been back for weeks.   Some don't start till after Labor Day.   Still, for over 404,000 kids in Chicago Public Schools, today's THE day.   As of 2011/12, there were 404,151 kids in CPS, and two of them are mine.



I've got a 7th grade son heading off to a brand new school today.   He was one of only 120 lucky kids to test in to the Selective Enrollment Gifted program at Lane Tech, one of the best schools in the country.  He's a bit nervous about going from a small, public Montessori school of 420 to an enormous school of 5,000+ that spans a city block!   I'm hoping he'll settle in and warm to the idea, but for now I'm excited enough about it for both of us.   It's a tremendous opportunity and he's set for the next 6 years now.   Woo hoo!  No stressing about getting into a stellar high school.   He'll be doing freshman classes, working 2 years above grade level, with the potential to graduate with a bunch of AP class/college credits!

It's a bittersweet start, as my kids' current elementary that we adore does go through 8th, and many of the friends he's been in school with since age 4 are staying.   He would have, too, if we left it entirely up to him.   Still, once he adjusts, the Jr. High resources are SO much better that I don't have any doubt it's the right choice.   

When school ended in June, the elementary kids made care packages with silly photo booth dress-up photos and notes for all the students leaving.    Among the usual slew of "We'll miss you" notes, there were some creative stand outs.   
"Don't worry about the desks.   Just keep Juggling."
Tucker 

"Just think about it like it's Tepig University."  Mariza

Here are two of our favs from twin sisters who are in different classrooms and wrote the same thing unbeknownst to each other!

Twin-think?   Great minds...

Cha cha cha changes
Du-Jay will have a day of firsts today ...lockers, changing classes, daily city bus rides without the family, all new classmates (except 2 girls from elementary school who also got in), changing for gym class, metal detectors, ID lanyards, even desks! (Montessori kids work on rugs on the floor or communal tables), and more.

Some things remain the same
My daughter starts 5th grade and much remains unchanged for her.   In the Montessori model, classrooms are grouped in 3 mixed grades and kids stay with the same teacher for 3 years, so Sagezilla will be back with the same teacher/classroom this year, with a new batch of incoming 4th graders to mentor.   

This is the year that counts for Jr. High selective enrollment  though, so game on for grades & ISAT scores.   She'll face more academic challenges, but much will be familiar.   Of course we want the best education for our kids... doesn't everyone?!   But we're pretty chill about the grades and don't do private tutors, or pressure our kids to perform.   We advocate, protest & vocally support better schools system wide.   And with our kids, we just love, encourage and help where we can.

Our daughter's passion is still gymnastics.   She's on the competitive team and we just got a new bar/beam/mat for home practice off of Craigslist, to supplement the 4 days a week she has team work outs.  If anyone we know needs more outgrown toys for kids birth-9, speak up.  We've given away loads of things all along, but the attic playroom is turning into gymnastics central & tween/teen "playroom", so we're doing another BIG purge!   Anything not spoken for by friends will be donated to a local women's shelter.

Craigslist photo via the seller whose daughter is on to an obsession with hockey, which works out great for our kid, who is all about gymnastics.

Got any back to school rituals or traditions?

In the past, we've gone to Margie's Candies for ice cream to celebrate the first day of school.   My Mom used to bake us a chocolate cream pie to mark the start of every new school year when I was a child.   This is the first year I'll have kids in 2 different schools across town from each other, and one has gymnastics right on the heels of the school day ending, so our revelry will have to wait.

Here at ChiIL Mama we wish you and yours an awesome transition back to school.   Check back with us like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often for tons of fall fun in Chicago, nationwide back to school giveaways, photo & video filled features, interviews and lots of original content.