In the Frunchroom: Elaine Hegwood Bowen

Posted on April 17, 2016 by Scott Smith

We’re honored to have two readers who hail from Englewood in this edition of The Frunchroom. The first is veteran journalist and author Elaine Hegwood Bowen.

image1Elaine is a native South Sider who has covered both Chicago’s urban and suburban areas. Elaine has been writing for the Chicago Crusader since 1994. In her book, Old School Adventures from Englewood–South Side of Chicago, she shares her recollections of what life was like growing up in Englewood, when her parents migrated to Chicago in the early 1950s and purchased a home in 1959.

She grounds her stories in exciting childhood adventures, as well as the cultural and political happenings of the time. Elaine has taught at City Colleges of Chicago and Roosevelt University, where she earned undergraduate and graduate journalism degrees. Her book, and its universal theme, has been covered in local and national broadcast and print media. Most recently, Elaine participated in the “Let’s Talk About Chicago” panel as part of the African Diaspora International Film Festival at New York’s Columbia University. Elaine also covers local and national film festivals and also pens movie reviews for FilmMonthly.com.

Elaine will be reading a story about a 1964 Red Buick Riviera and what it was like to enjoy the shopping mecca that was 63rd Street. Join her on Thursday, April 21st at 730pm at O’Rourke’s Office.

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In the Frunchroom: Tim Baffoe

Posted on April 13, 2016 by Scott Smith

We’re entering our second year at The Frunchroom, we’ve begun expanding what it means to tell stories of the South Side and how it means the North Side, West Side and beyond. But we’re starting off with someone very local.

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Tim grew up in Beverly/Morgan Park, attended St. Cajetan’s and Mt. Carmel and now resides in Mt. Greenwood. He began his college career as a Theater major at the University of Iowa (“my skills were deemed too high and my GPA too low”) and eventually earned his high school English teaching degree from Governors State University (where he’s finishing a Masters in English).

He is in his ninth year teaching at St. Rita High School where he is the chair of the English Department. He also created and moderates the school’s satirical newspaper, The Natir.

In 2011, Tim auditioned for 670 The Score’s annual “Score Search” competition. Morgan Park resident and 670 program director Mitch Rosen gave him the nod and he’s been a columnist for 670TheScore.com/CBS Chicago ever since. His column “Patrick Kane Is Not Your Friend” was the most trafficked piece on the site in 2015.

Tim’s work has also appeared at the Chicago satirical publication The Heckler, Baseball Prospectus and Sports Illustrated’s site The Cauldron.

A true Renaissance man, Tim has spent most of the 21st century as your friendly neighborhood pizza delivery driver/superhero despite a rare, non-medical aversion to cheese. He’ll be discussing that noble vocation when he hits the stage on Thursday, April 21st at 730pm at O’Rourke’s Office.

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Volume five of The Frunchroom: Behold the spring

Posted on March 20, 2016 by Scott Smith

You survived the winter. Come out and celebrate the arrival of warmer temperatures and green as far as the eye can see with five new readers at The Frunchroom – April 21st at 730pm at O’Rourke’s Office.

Fuchroom_vol5We’re officially into year two of The Frunchroom with our spring show. The support from the neighborhood and the larger live lit community in Chicago has been amazing. As you know, our goal is to tell stories of, by and about the South Side – from people who have a unique perspective on it. 

We continue to operate in partnership with The Beverly Area Arts Alliance. Be sure to visit their website to learn more about two great upcoming events: Uprising Craft Market at Blue Island Beer Co. on April 3rd and Neighborhood Magic at Ridge Historical Society on April 8th.

Without further ado, here’s the lineup for the next Frunchroom:

Tim Baffoe
Sports columnist, high school teacher, pizza driver, Ginger

Elaine Hegwood Bowen
Writer

Bill Savage
Editor, writer, Northwestern professor

Angel Simmons
Author, speaker, ccolumnist, co-host of Do Not Submit – Englewood

Carrie Williams
Editor, Tribune Content Agency; Writer, Daily Southtown

We’ll have bios and more info about our readers in the coming weeks. See you on April 21st.

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Everything you need to know for Volume IV of The Frunchroom

Posted on January 21, 2016 by Scott Smith

Our 4th volume of The Frunchroom opens Thursday! Here’s what you need to know.

+theFrunchroom_vol_IV_LetterWho are the readers?

Lolly Bowean
Writer
James Finn Garner
Humorist, Politically Correct Bedtime Stories and Rex Koko, Private Clown
Andrew Huff
Founder, GapersBlock.com
Grace Kuikman
Editor, The Villager; Facilitator, Longwood Writers Guild
Mario Parker
Writer, Bloomberg News

What’s the time? 730pm

Where’s the place? O’Rourke’s Office (11064 S. Western Ave.)

Is it free? It is! But if you want to bring a few dollars to donate to the Beverly Area Arts Alliance (see below) then everyone will think you’re smart and good-looking and generous.

Are there seats? Yes, but it’s limited. So get there early. Otherwise, wear shoes for standing.

Where do I park? The Leona’s lot on 111th St. (trust me, it’s fine) or there’s usually street parking available on Western or 111th.

How do I get there via transit? Take Metra’s Rock Island line to 111th St. Walk west toward Longwood then up the hill and keep going until you hit Western Avenue. Make a right and you’re there.

Where can I eat? Get to O’Rourke’s early and order in from Waldo Cooney’s or Leona’s and you can get a 20% discount. Manzo’s Burgers is also nearby. If you don’t mind a walk there’s Home Run Inn Pizza up the street or Horse Thief Hollow for an after-show meal.

What are the stories like? Some are sincere, some are tongue-in-cheek. One may be a call-to-action, another might make you think. One might be historical, one might make you remember a place you haven’t been since childhood. Basically, like having a conversation with someone you haven’t seen in a while. You can listen to stories from our first event here.

Who’s helping you with this? I’m producing this in partnership with The Beverly Area Arts Alliance (or The Alliance, for short). They’re a great non-profit and you should check out some of their other upcoming events including the latest installation of Art on Tap: Lust For Life! at Horse Thief Hollow. A reception will be held Tuesday, January 26th from 7-10pm.

A big thanks to Monica Wilczak, Sal Campbell, David Barsotti, Chris Wilczak and Lizzy Benner who’ve given this event material, financial and moral support. And a huge thanks to O’Rourke’s Office for hosting us. (Thank them by purchasing beverages and tipping profusely.)

And, of course, huge thanks to all our readers and, in advance, to you for coming.

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In the Frunchroom: Mario D. Parker

Posted on January 19, 2016 by Scott Smith

Our final reader for The Frunchroom this month is Mario D. Parker, a writer for Bloomberg News in Chicago, covering energy and also general assignment and breaking news stories across the Midwest.

  At Bloomberg, he’s reported on economic decline in Appalachia, the resurgence of coal mining in southern Illinois and the impact of Mexican cartels on Chicago’s drug trade. Mario’s work has been recognized by the Chicago Headline Club, the Society of American Business Editors and Writers and the National Association of Black Journalists.

He began his career with Bloomberg in its Washington bureau as a general assignment reporter, after graduating from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. His essays have been published in the Washington Post and the Christian Science Monitor and he’s a contributing writer to Dear Dad: Reflections on Fatherhood, a book of essays curated by author and journalist John W. Fountain.

A Maywood native, Mario now lives in Chatham. He will be reading about his experiences attending church on the South side.

Join Mario and the rest of our readers this Thursday the 21st at 730pm at O’Rourke’s Office. 

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In the Frunchroom: Grace Kuikman

Posted on January 18, 2016 by Scott Smith

A little more than a year ago, the Beverly Arts Alliance threw a New Year’s Ever event called Speakeasy. Four writers – me, Erin Shea, Adriennne Samuels Gibbs and Grace Kuikman – did a live reading of their work and it functioned as a kind of demo version of The Frunchroom. Three of those four writers have read at previous versions of The Frunchroom and the fourth joins us this month.

Grace KuikmanGrace Kuikman started her career as a feature writer on a daily newspaper in Arkansas (long story), and been a freelance writer her whole adult life. After several freelance assignments for the paper, she took over as editor of The Villager for the Beverly Area Planning Association (BAPA) when her oldest child was still a baby. He is a grown up now, and Grace still enjoys learning and writing about the people, places and institutions that make Beverly Hills/Morgan Park one of Chicago’s best neighborhoods. In addition to her journalistic writing, Grace writes short stories and poetry, several of which have been published over the years. She founded and edited BAC Street Journal, the literary magazine that published for five years at the Beverly Arts Center, and is founder/facilitator of the Longwood Writers Guild, a critique group for serious adult creative writers.

Grace will be telling us about the time she went to a wedding…and almost died. Hear her story of celebration and peril at 730pm this Thursday at O’Rourke’s Office.

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In the Frunchroom: Andrew Huff

Posted on January 17, 2016 by Scott Smith

As I mentioned, we have two North Siders reading at The Frunchroom this month. The second is a man who spent the last twelve years chronicling news and culture for all of Chicago and now runs two of the most visible live lit events here. He’s a person who truly knows what it means to drive-thru the city, examine its mechanics, look under the hood, slow down and see how all its neighborhoods merge across the grid.

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Andrew Huff is the former editor and publisher of Gapers Block, an award-winning Chicago-centric news and events webzine he co-founded in 2003. A serial early adopter, Huff created his first webpage in 1996; launched a blog in 2001; and joined both Flickr and Twitter in their infancy.

In addition to Gapers Block, he has also been a professional blogger for corporate clients, a professor of online journalism, a copywriter for academic websites, and a PR professional for everything from indie rock bands to the Northern Trust. He hosts 20×2 Chicago, a show in which 20 interesting people have two minutes each to answer one question, and the cohost of Tuesday Funk, an eclectic monthly reading series held the first Tuesday of the month in the upstairs bar at Hopleaf in Andersonville. Find out what else he’s up to at me3dia.com.

Andrew, a resident of West Ridge, will read about his relationship with the White Sox and Comiskey Park.

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In the Frunchroom: James Finn Garner

Posted on January 16, 2016 by Scott Smith

The goal of The Frunchroom is to tell stories of, about and by the the South Side. But we also strive to connect all of Chicago’s neighborhoods to each other and celebrate our similarities, rather than highlight our differences.

To that end, we invite storytellers from all parts of Chicago – including the North, West and East Sides – to share South Side stories. For our next event on January 21st, we have two North Siders, the first of whom has South Side roots.

21584_10153973825975757_4061315553004877893_nJames Finn Garner was born and raised in Detroit, but because his parents were from Beverly and Blue Island, he just considers his childhood as being a stint overseas. In his 20s, he kicked around various comedy venues on the North Side, both as a performer and host. It was from one of these variety shows that his best known work, Politically Correct Bedtime Stories, was born. Originally rejected by 30 different publishers, PCBS spent more than 60 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list, was translated into more than 15 languages, and spawned two successful sequels.

His current writing projects include the seminal clown noir detective series starring “Rex Koko, Private Clown”. The series thus far includes Honk Honk, My Darling (Book of the Year, Non-traditional Fiction, Chicago Writers Association 2011), Double Indignity, and The Wet Nose of Danger (Book of the Year, Non-traditional Fiction, CWA 2015). He has also recorded the first book as an episodic podcast, performing more than 20 characters.

In recent years, he has scratched the performance itch by appearing at numerous live lit venues, including The Paper Machete, Write Club, Funny Ha-Ha, Louder than a Mom, Essay Fiesta, and You’re Being Ridiculous.

For The Frunchroom, James will tell us about a contentious piece of real estate on 57th Street that will prove very insightful for those from Irish-American families.

Along with his wife and two soon-to-be-college-age children, he lives on the north side in Lincoln Square. He asks that you not hold it against him.

See James and the rest of our readers on January 21st at O’Rourke’s Office at 730pm.

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In the Frunchroom: Lolly Bowean (Take 2)

Posted on January 15, 2016 by Scott Smith
Tribune columnist Lolly Bowean photographed at Tribune's studio in Chicago on Monday, Sept. 22, 2014. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune)

(Photo: Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune)

We’re excited to bring five new writers to The Frunchroom on January 21st at O’Rourke’s Office. As always, we like to feature a vibrant mix of writers, performers and storytellers.

If you were at our last event in September, you may remember Lolly Bowean was scheduled to read but was unable to make it due to a work conflict (breaking news waits for no one). But her piece is so good, I didn’t want to pass on having her so we’re trying again this month.

Lolly is a general assignment reporter from the Chicago Tribune who has a particular focus on urban affairs, youth culture, housing, minority communities and relations and, specifically, African-Americans in Chicago.

During her tenure, she has written about the death of Nelson Mandela, how violence is lived in troubled neighborhoods, and the 2008 election and inauguration of President Barack Obama. She also covered Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the last gathering of the original Tuskegee Airmen. Before joining the Tribune, Bowean covered suburban crime, government and environmental issues for the Times-Picayune in New Orleans. She has written for the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal and the Boston Globe.

For The Frunchroom, Lolly – a resident of West Chatham – will talk about her experiences biking around the South Side.

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Volume four of The Frunchroom: Fight the winter doldrums edition

Posted on December 22, 2015 by Scott Smith

+theFrunchroom_vol_IV_LetterEventually the temperature outside will match the date on the calendar. And come January you’ll have cabin fever and be looking for a reason to leave your house.

We’ve got you covered.

The next edition of The Frunchroom will be January 21st at 730pm at O’Rourke’s Office (111th and Western in Morgan Park). Come see and hear five new readers and warm yourself with winter cocktails by the fireplace in O’Rourke’s back room.*

Here are the five readers telling stories of the South Side at this edition of The Frunchroom:

Lolly Bowean
Writer

James Finn Garner
Humorist, Politically Correct Bedtime Stories and Rex Koko, Private Clown

Andrew Huff
Founder, GapersBlock.com

Grace Kuikman
Editor, The Villager; Facilitator, Longwood Writers Guild

Mario Parker
Writer, Bloomberg News

* OK, technically, the fireplace doesn’t ever have an actual fire in it but maybe you can pretend.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more updates.

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