Feature
All CU,
All The Time
Best of 2001

Movies

Theatre
The Red Green
Show
By Chuck Koplinski

The Arts
Speaking Truth,
Making Art
By Jason Pitzl-Waters and
Jacqueline Enstrom-Waters

Food
Slow Food
By Laurence Mate
Best Bites
By Sarah Marx Feldner
Smart Bottles
By Michael Alberty

Music
Black Cat Music
By Doug Hoepker

FEATURE |

ALL CU, ALL THE TIME
Whether you’re returning to campus or new to CU this fall, we offer just one piece of advice: Pick up CU Cityview every week.

News, Issues and Opinion

Every week you’ll get a roundup of the biggest local news stories in News in Brief. Our features cover university issues, local development topics, schools and slices of life around CU that you won’t see covered elsewhere. And this being an election year, this fall you’ll find profiles of the key local elections.

In Muse-ings and Ravings, Pauline Kayes offers opinion on everything from snorkeling to schools. Columnists Jerry Landay (The Old Curmudge), and Carl Estabrook (News from Neptune) give their takes on the national and international scenes. Landay became a curmudgeon covering Watergate, among other stories, for CBS News, and teaching at UI, which finished him off. Estabrook teaches at the UI, and is running for the 15th Congressional District—which means you’ll have to wait awhile for News from Neptune, as he’s on leave pending the election.

And there’s the Engineer Guy, a.k.a. Bill Hammack, who teaches chemical engineering at UI. Hammack not only makes the engineering behind the technologies we use every day understandable, he makes their stories interesting.

Culture

There’s more of it around CU than you might imagine, and it doesn’t begin and end on campus. Every week, editor Jenny Southlynn assembles the best coverage of local arts, entertainment and theater around. Some weeks you’ll find art on the cover, and every issue the Scene provides comprehensive listings for art, theatre, dance, book signings, poetry readings, community events and more.

Reviews and previews of plays at the Station Theatre, Parkland College, the Virginia Theatre, the UI’s Krannert Center and even Illinois State University are featured regularly. Theater writers Carl Estabrook, Grace Godwin and Rebecca Palmore fill you in on the merits of local works, while previews offer an opportunity for readers to take a chance. Our features cover visual art, dance, theater (professional and amateur), local filmmakers, zine artists and more.

Southlynn—along with Jason Pitzl-Waters, Jacqueline Enstrom-Waters, Robert Clark, Bernard Cesarone and Patrick Martin—cover exhibitions from high art to low. The scene in CU encompasses everything from professionally installed exhibitions at the Krannert Art Museum, Parkland College Art Gallery, The Cinema and the Springer Cultural Center to spontaneous and energetic exhibitions like ArtAttack or the myriad of cafes, bars and restaurants that exhibit local fine artists.

Cinema-Scoping

Timely and comprehensive. Those are the two qualities movie editor Chuck Koplinski strives for every week in CU Cityview. East Central Illinois has a surprising number and variety of film venues, some under the radar of the casual viewer. Independent and foreign fare are consistently screened at the New Art Theatre in Champaign and the Avon Theatre in Decatur. A roster of classics and unique modern films appear at the Normal Theater in Normal. And the most current releases are presented with the best sound system outside of the Chicago area at the Lorraine Theater in Hoopeston. Added to the current releases at the local multiplexes (The Savoy 16 and the Beverly Theatre in Champaign which sports 18 screens), there’s no shortage of movie entertainment to be had, and we make sure to let you know of every unique film-going experience that’s available each week.

CU Cityview provides the most up-to-date reviews of new releases. We take great pride in getting you the scoop on new films so that you can make an educated guess about what you might want to see before heading out. In addition, rotating features appear periodically on the film pages, including Cult Movie Corner, which focuses on a unique or overlooked film readily available on home video. Look for other DVD reviews from time to time. Guilty Pleasures looks at films that may not stack up to traditional cinematic standards but still contain an intrinsic entertainment value.

Add to this interviews with filmmakers and actors working in today’s scene and you get the most comprehensive movie coverage in town.

Music

Since you need something to do during the week besides study, check out all the performances and concerts in town. Our Soundcheck section provides the most comprehensive CU concert listings (including all-ages venues), as well as listings for DJs. And our Area Concerts section keeps you up to date with all the big shows coming to town (The French Kicks, Neko Case, Victor Wooten, Mates of State). If you like free stuff, we give away tickets to the coolest concerts at The Canopy and The Highdive every week. If you’re the couch potato type, our Media Alert section keeps you posted on live music performances on late-night TV and local radio (WEFT, The Planet). And if you’ve got some spare change leftover from the bars, spend it on music at one of our local independent record stores (Record Service, Record Swap, Parasol). We review several CDs every week and provide a detailed list of new releases as well as the top sellers at Record Service.

For the dedicated music fan, you’ll find no better source of information on the local music scene. Music editor Doug Hoepker—with help from contributors M.S. Dodds, Seth Fein, Anne Heiles, Eric J. Herboth, Lyle Hodges, Nan Holda, Jamie Hutchinson and Sam Xu—cover the cool local bands (yes, we have a few of those in CU), as well as the jazz and classical scene. And look for interviews with the touring bands that come through town.

We can even help with planning weekends at home and road trips. Check out our Chicago concert listings, updated weekly with listings from venues big (Metro, Tweeter Center, House of Blues) and small (Abbey Pub, Schuba’s, Empty Bottle).

Words, Words, Words

The Words page features "Books of the Week," those highly recommended by our stable of avid readers/writers along with reviews, profiles on local authors, essays and other subjects of literary interest to our readers. Most of our reviewers are local. A few, like Terry Mathews and Michael Pastore, lend their reviews from the online BookLovers Review.

Wine and Dine

Culture goes hand in hand with good food and good wine. Smart Bottles by Mike Alberty is filled with wry humor, and offers really smart (wallet conscious) advice on the best wines to be found in the area. Through The Grapevine, by wine consultant Liz O’Neill Noel, offers down-to-earth information for wine aficionados and novices alike.

Laurence Mate brings the very best in CU and surrounds to the fore in his entirely wholesome column Slow Food. Mate helps you find everything from locally grown produce, to organic chickens/eggs, to old-fashioned butchers. Slow Food includes recipes, cookbook reviews, and a how-to on organic gardening and healthful meal preparation. Sarah Max Feldner, our resident explorer, highlights the best local cuisine and brings it home every week in Best Bites. There’s the home-fried chicken and apple dumplings at Apple Dumpling, the sumptuous pies at the Sadorus Pub Company....

May Our Readers Suggest...

Every year, our readers vote for the best CU has to offer. If you’re new to town, we can’t think of any better guide than their picks for the Best of CU. So here are the 2001 winners, and be sure to pick up CU Cityview for your chance to vote for the Best of CU 2002.

FOOD

Best Italian:
Dom’s Patio Villa
Cozy environment, friendly service. 301 S. Locust, C, 352-8444.

Best Mexican:

Dos Reales
Three-time winner with relaxed atmosphere and quick service. 1407 N. Prospect, C, 351-6879.

Best Asian:
Peking Garden
Authentic Chinese cuisine; lunch specials under $6. 206 N. Randolph, C, 355-8888.

Best Burgers:
Farren’s Pub & Eatery
Tavern fare, plus nightly specials that live up to their name.
308 N. Randolph, C, 359-6977.

Best Pizza:
Jupiter’s Pizzeria & Billiards
Eight-ball plus gourmet thin-crust pizzas. 39 E. Main, C, 398-5988.

Best Bar Food
Best Happy Hour: Esquire Lounge
Downtown Champaign anchor with damn good food and great bartenders. 106 N. Walnut, C, 398-5858.

Best Subs:

Jimmy John’s
The secret’s in the fresh-baked French bread. 43 E. Green, C, 344-6200; 807 S. Lincoln, U, 328-3100; 1511 N. Prospect, C, 359-6700; 1811 W. Kirby, C, 359-9100.

Best Meat and Potatoes:
Alexander’s Steakhouse
Where carnivores gather around the grill to cook their own steaks. 202 W. Anthony, C, 359-1789.

Best Seafood:
Red Lobster
Seafood at not-so-big prices in an unintimidating atmosphere. 1901 N. Prospect, C, 355-2577.

Best Sushi:
Miko Steakhouse
Whether you fancy eel or a California roll, check out Miko. 407 W. University, U, 367-0822.

Best Breakfast:
Le Peep
Omelets and zesty fried potatoes are among the best around. 2209 S. Neil, C, 352-7599.

Best Vegetarian:
Strawberry Fields
A one-stop shop for vegetarian food lovers. 306 W. Springfield, U, 328-1655.

Best Dessert:
Timpone’s
Could be "Best Bakery inside a Restaurant." Tortes, gelato and tiramisu among specialties. 710 S. Goodwin, U, 344-7619.

Best Fine Dining
Best Ambiance:
Radio Maria
Contemporary atmosphere, warm pleasant vibe, excellent cuisine. 119 N. Walnut, C, 398-7729.

Best Coffeehouse:
Café Kopi
Coffee, cakes, lunch, liquors—and Circles is right next door. 109 N. Walnut, C, 359-4266.

Best Bakery:
Mirabelle Fine Pastry
You might do as well in Europe. You might not. 124 W. Main, U, 384-6460.

Best Gourmet Deli:
Art Mart
Everything from Prosciutto di Parma to Double Gloucester to Andouille sausage. Lincoln Square Mall, U, 344-7979.

Best Caterer:
Classic Events Catering
Box lunches, high-zoot weddings and everything in between. 919 W. Illinois, U, 367-7118.

MUSIC

Best Radio Station:
WEFT 90.1 FM
No commercials, a diverse musical menu and you, too, can be on the air.

Best Local Musician/Band:
Absinthe Blind
Atmospheric rock band packs local venues and now makes waves outside CU.

Best Record Store:
Record Service
Campustown independent with helpful staff; great prices on new releases. 621 E. Green, C, 344-6222.

Best Music Equipment Shop:
Skins & Tins Drum Shop
Renowned throughout the Midwest to percussionists. 29 E. Main, C, 352-3786.

Best New Local Musician/Band:
The Beauty Shop
Mixing the pop-sensibilities of Elliot Smith with a reverence for Leonard Cohen and Nick Cave.

Best Local CD 2001:
Temple of Low Men—Degree of Slither
Guitar-heavy rock record with Brandon Washington’s patented expressive vocals.

BARS

Best Beer Selection:
Mike ‘n’ Molly’s
Beers, ales and ciders served indoors or in the beer garden. 105 N. Market, C, 355-1236.

Best Live Music Bar
Best Dance Bar:
The Highdive
Great local and non-local live music, plus DJ nights. 51-53 Main, C, 359-4444,356-2337.

Best Neighborhood Bar:
Huber’s
Old-fashioned, cozy, plus occasional live music. 1312 W. Church, C, 352-0606.

Best Liquor Selection
Best Place For A Quiet Drink:
Boltini Lounge
100 liquors, no blaring TV and great décor make for a great rendezvous. 211 N. Neil, C, 378-8019.

Best DJ:

DJ Resonate
AKA Scott Spear does electronic, dub, funk, hip-hop and fusion.

Best Bartender:
Bob Rowe
Rowe serves up one-liners, stories and jokes with your order. Ruby’s, 207 W. Clark, C, 359-8644.

BUSINESSES

Best Florist:
Rick Orr
The most artful and original arrangements you’ll find anywhere. 122 N. Walnut, C, 351-9299.

Best Tattoo Parlor:
Vision World Tattoo Studio
Twelve years of experience and body piercing, too. 104 W. University, U, 328-7131.

Best Salon:
Ippatsu
Cuts, coloring, facials, waxing and make-up. 10 E. Main, C, 356-6547.

Best Stylist:
Steven Fitzpatrick
Co-owner of Ippatsu. His business card says it all: "If we can’t make you look good, you’re ugly!" 10 E. Main, C, 356-6547.

Best Doctor:
Anne Robin, Planned Parenthood
Urbana native Robin has practiced at Planned Parenthood since 1981. 302 E. Stoughton, C, 359-8022.

Best Alternative Healer:
Tie: Ben Reynolds, Dr. Song
Ben Reynolds is the founder/director of Champaign’s Integral Body Therapy. 805 Haines Boulevard, C, 352-3179. Dr. Song is a well-respected doctor of Eastern medicine and an expert in acupuncture and herbology. 500 N. Walnut, C, 352-5432.

Best Auto Mechanic:

Peter B’s Automotive
Five-mechanic Urbana shop takes on all comers, foreign and domestic. 509 N. Lierman, U, 367-3821.

Best Bicycle Shop:
Durst Cycle
Two locations offer tandems, unicycles, child joggers, add-a-bike tandem and recumbents. 1201 S. Mattis, C, 352-3300; 1112 W. University, U, 367-3600.

Best Massage Therapist:
Bodywork Associates
Iron out kinks at its main location (407 Windsor, C, 351-1011), at The Fitness Center (2508 Galen, C, 355-8794), at Kane & Company Salon, or order an office call.

Best Clothing/Thrift Store:
Dandelion
Owner Sara Cook scours Chicago and St. Louis for the hippest retro threads for men and women. 9 Taylor, C, 355-9333.

Best Bookstore:
Pages for All Ages
Helpful staff, extensive children’s section, live music in the café. 1201 Savoy Plaza, Savoy, 352-7243.

Best Video Store:
That’s Rentertainment
The knowledgeable film-fan’s paradise. 4,000 DVDs and the latest mainstream and independents. 516 E. John, C, 384-0977.

Best Gift Shop:
Nic’s Basket Case
From gourmet foods to aromatherapy items, Nic’s has it. 219 N. Neil, C, 373-7926.

Best New Business:
Two Lounge
City feel, lots of beers and liquors, good food, live jazz and dancing. 2 E. Main, C, 359-3148.

OUT & ABOUT

Best Movie Theater:
Savoy 16
Surprisingly diverse roster screened in state-of-the-art auditoriums. 223 Burwash, Savoy, 355-9475.

Best Gym:
Gold’s Gym
One membership, two locations full of free weights, progressive resistance and cardiovascular equipment. 2000 Round Barn Center, C, 359-3476; 1305 E. Colorado, U, 344-4653.

Best Park:
West Side Park, Champaign
The first park in Champaign County (established 1859) provides a nice green alternative to the Quad. At University Avenue and Randolph, C.

Best Art Exhibition Site:
Krannert Art Museum
CU’s premier formal exhibition space has operated 75 years as a teaching museum at the UI. 500 E. Peabody, C, 333-1860.

Best Theatre Troupe:
Celebration Company
30 years of some of CU’s finest actors and productions. 223 N. Broadway, U, 384-4000.

Best Arts Festival:
Roger Ebert’s Overlooked Film Festival
Bigger and better every spring, now an institution at downtown Champaign’s reborn Virginia Theater.

THE ARTS|

Speaking Truth, Making Art: Amira Nuha and the AAASP
By Jason Pitzl-Waters and Jacqueline Enstrom-Waters

MISSION STATEMENT: The mission of the Afrikan-American Arts Saturday Program (AAASP) is to build community around arts and artists of all ages; develop an appreciation of the arts and art production; foster a positive, energetic attitude toward creativity in a fun, mutually nurturing environment with eager, accessible mentors; develop skills that enhance quality of life experiences including vocations in the arts; promote teambuilding through mutually stimulating relationships and friendships; expose youth and the community at large to the rich cultural heritage of Afrikan-Americans and the Black aesthetic.

Like many organizations, the AAASP has lofty and noble goals, but how to achieve these goals and enrich and educate a community is the question. For Amira Nuha, the director of the program and one of its instructors, it has been a lifetime goal to use her art to educate and inspire those who do not know the rich cultural heritage of African-Americans.

The seeds for AAASP came from Nuha’s earlier involvement in Chicago’s Urban Gateways art and education program. Nuha led programs at libraries and schools in the Chicagoland area, performing and talking about her art and culture to students of all ages. After years of supporting herself as an artist in Chicago, Nuha moved to Champaign-Urbana. Soon, aware that the artistic climate in Champaign-Urbana was very different from the one she’d enjoyed in Chicago, Nuha took on a job with the local university to support herself while she continued to perform and create.

Shortly after moving to the area, Nuha was asked by a storyteller to assist her with an educational program at a school in Homer, Ill. "I got a stack of letters from the kids about how excited they had been about seeing the drums and the costumes and my daughters performing with me," recalled Nuha. "But when I was through with the performance I looked around and I noticed that the adults had this look of shock on their faces that said, ‘What is this about?’" Nuha hypothesizes that performances that share real African American culture and art, as she believes hers do, put the onus on teachers to have a conversation with their students about things they may not be comfortable with. "One song I was doing was a Sweet Honey In the Rock song called, ‘We Who Believe in Freedom.’ It is always the last song I do." There is a line in the song that states "that until the killing of the black man, the black mother’s son, is as important as the killing of a white man." When Nuha sang out that line at the Homer school she remembers "their jaws dropped."

Later, after this incident, Nuha read about the discrimination suit at the local Unit Four schools and the climate survey that was done in connection with it. Nuha was disturbed by the comments some Unit 4 teachers made that they felt they didn’t need to learn more about African-American culture and that they didn’t want to deal with the topic in the classroom. Nuha suggests that these teachers were saying they want "color-blind" classrooms. Shaking her head, Nuha says that she strongly disagrees with this view. "I appreciate the fact that I’m black and that I have a culture," explains Nuha, "and I want other people to know we have a culture and a heritage." Nuha feels this wish for a "color-blind" classroom stems from a trend in schools to only deal with African-Americans "post-slavery, as if all the culture and history we have started when we got off the first boat. To me that gives children a sense of shame. Who wants to be the descendent of a slave? There is no mention of our history prior to that, the rich history that occurred in Africa."

These incidents convinced Nuha that there was a need to bring African-American arts and culture to the fore in the community. Looking at the racial climate highlighted by the Unit 4 case and the lack of affordable artistic education for children in the predominately African-American "north end" neighborhoods, Nuha decided to spearhead the creation of the AAASP. "Kids need this, all kids," Nuha explained. Nuha has also taken the necessary steps to become CPDU accredited. All teachers in Illinois are required to accrue a certain number of Continuing Professional Development Units (CPDU) per year as part of their on-going education. Nuha took the time to become accredited because of her strong belief that teachers need the exposure to African American arts and culture as much as, if not more than, the children.

The program not only aims to educate children about African-American art forms, but to bring the arts to African-American children as a viable career option. This two-pronged goal is well represented in the range of classes offered. Classes such as African Hair Sculpting, Hip Hop Dance, African Dancing and Instrument Making seek to open children’s eyes to some of the arts of African culture. Classes such as Digital Photography, Jewelry Making, Video and Graphic Design seek to expose the children to artistic fields that they might not otherwise get to try. Far from being merely crafts to help pass the time, Nuha sees these classes as having another function: "The purpose of the art we are doing here is to expose the children to possible careers in art." The graphic design students are making flyers for the African hair sculpting students to advertise their new skills and the photography students are taking photos of their hair creations to be used in a portfolio. The students are encouraged to see links between the different art forms and to see entrepreneurial potential.

Nuha feels that this program "allows (the children) to be with artistic mentors who are nurturing, supportive and it allows for smaller (mentor-to-student) ratios. The kids can put a lot into it and get a lot out of it." The class schedules are flexible to allow as many students from different areas or on different schedules to attend, so that as few as possible are left out of the unique education that Nuha and the other mentors provide. All the classes are open to children from all school districts and all racial backgrounds at no charge.

At first, the program was conceived as an eight-week summer session, which would culminate in a community festival. Once classes got started in June, the initial plan of only eight weeks to prepare for performance seemed too short a time to Nuha, especially if the children had never deeply engaged in these arts before. The plan was revised. Instead of a performance, parents, teachers and interested community members will be invited to a free open house on Saturday, Sept. 14. All who attend will be invited to see what each of the classes have learned so far and watch the classes in action. Afterwards, there will be a lunch and a group dialogue time. It is Nuha’s hope that teachers, parents and children will enter into a dynamic dialogue about African-American culture and its role in our schools. Networking between teachers and the art instructors will be encouraged to form plans for bringing the arts and artists into classrooms.

Despite these noble goals there have been and continue to be many stumbling blocks in the path of the AAASP program. "The struggles that I have had ... there seems to be a resistance to people from outside coming in with ideas, especially when you are talking about black identity, because I have been [mistakenly] described as a cultural nationalist," says Nuha. "It conjures up the image of not taking into account contemporary black identity. I don’t overlook that ... I’m just connecting these things and showing the roots of our culture."

The other significant stumbling block has been funding. At this point the program only has enough funding to continue through September. The housing authority of Champaign County and the Douglass Center have both given their support but possibly for a limited time only. This has been a major concern for the program as Nuha points out that "this is the only free arts program for black kids." This, Nuha worries, will create a situation where only the financially well off will be able to provide an education in the arts for their children. "If you’re someone like me who has kids with artist backgrounds and interests, but little means..." says Nuha, spreading her hands to beg the question. "I can’t afford to send my kids to Springer for art classes. To me they don’t provide the types of classes my kids would be interested in.

"I was planning on a year-long program, I’m still planning on that, and I’m hoping we can find some financial support from somewhere." Currently Nuha is trying to reorganize the group to file as a not-for-profit organization. The AAASP is currently searching for funding sources to apply for at the local, state and federal levels. Community support is welcomed in all forms. Ideas for funding as well as monetary donations are needed. In addition, more equipment is needed for some of the classes. The video class has three camcorders to work with but there are many more students who would like to take the class than there are camcorders. Donations of new or used camcorders would make it possible for more eager students to learn video skills. The graphic design class had hoped to put a design program on a Douglass Center computer so they could learn to edit digital photos and other skills, but permission could not be secured to do it. The program is looking for the donation of a used laptop so the students can continue to expand their design skills. "We are still looking for donations from any community member that may think this project is a good idea," states Nuha.

Reflecting on the program’s rocky but passionate beginnings, Nuha smiles knowingly about all the people who suggested the program was over-ambitious. "I am not a gambler. If I did not think this was something that would work, I wouldn’t have even attempted to do it. But I feel blessed because even though we didn’t have the kind of money we needed to get it started, we had these talented people who were willing and able to donate their time. I think that it counts for something, that we have these professional people who are willing to come in and work with these kids and they are not getting anything out of it other than the satisfaction of knowing they are helping these kids and sharing their art," confides Nuha.

Last Saturday, as Nuha and two of her daughters, who are also instructors for the AAASP program, were driving to the Douglass Center for another week of sharing their skills, Nuha spied two of their students. "It brought tears to my eyes," she remembers, "to see two young girls hustling down Bradley Avenue trying to get to class by 9 a.m., walking fast, and it just made me cry because these are the kinds of children the program was designed for, kids who really want an opportunity like this, who will run toward the chance."