Videos: National Museum Of Costume

Discover the strange and spooky side of aviation and space at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center's Annual Air and Scare! This annual event features trick-or treating, hands-on activities, face-painting, costumed Star Wars characters, and much more. Visitors can even go in costume! With more than twenty activity and discovery stations and six candy stations, Air & Scare has something for everyone in the family! For the youngest visitors there will be story times, face-painting stations, and hands-on activities. Older kids will enjoy simulator rides and seeing the SR-71 Blackbird that plays a key role in the movie Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Some of the spooky activities planned for that day include: the Alien Blood Boil Discovery Station, Witch Story times, a Halloween Tattoo Station, demonstration of a Mars Rover with Martian Roadkill, and Creepy Crawley Robots.

Swiss Alps part 12 Zurich part 3. A great way to begin the second day is take yet another leisurely stroll along the main lane of Niederdorfstrasse to its end at Ramistrasse, catching a few more sights you might not have had time for the first time around. This busy pedestrian path is endlessly fascinating any time but in the morning has a serene mood since most of the shops do not open until 10:00 a.m. It is such a special street you will find it worthy of repeat visits throughout your stay in Zurich, rain or shine. This area is very easy to explore on your own, but if you feel a need for additional historical insights about the Old Town there is an organized 2-hour walking tour leaving from the tourist information office in the main train station at 3:00pm daily, and also 11:00am Thursday-Sunday in the summer. GROSSMUNSTER As you continue along the main pedestrian lane of the right bank you will reach the main historic site of town -- the Great Cathedral, or Grossmunster, a huge Romanesque church dating back to 1106. This is where the Protestant Reformation began in Switzerland with the fiery sermons of Huldrych Zwingli in 1519, two years after Martin Luther began his crusade in Germany. An earlier church on this site was reputedly founded in the early 9th century by Charlemagne, the Holy Roman Emperor. The monumental Romanesque interior is rather plain, stripped of all pictures during the Reformation, but be sure to appreciate the stained glass and Switzerland’s largest crypt with its large statue of Charlemagne. Look for the small cloister, reached through an outside door to the left of the cathedral entrance. The cathedral is the symbol of Zurich, with its two huge 15th-century towers topped by 18th-century domes. If feeling energetic you could walk up the west tower for a stunning view across the city. Leaving the Grossmunster, proceed a few blocks along the last stretch of this main pedestrian lane, now called Oberdorfstrasse, then turn left on Ramistrasse to visit the Kunsthaus art museum, just five minutes away. KUNSTHAUS Zurich’s main art museum not only showcases a large variety of Swiss work, but has a fine collection of paintings by Europe’s great masters that cover a wide range of styles and periods. By themselves, the penetrating blue eyes in Van Gogh’s self-portrait painted in his final year could make your visit worthwhile, but there are also dozens of Impressionist works and other pieces, housed in a newly-expanded building. Modern artists represented include Picasso, Matisse, Klee, Munch, Leger, Miro, Giacometti, Magritte, Kandinsky, Mondrian, Rothko and Bacon. There is also a select sample of Late Gothic, Dutch, Flemish, Italian Baroque and Venetian paintings, including works by Canaletto, Rembrandt, Rubens, Domenichino and van Dyck. While most travelers are not familiar with Swiss art, this museum offers a fine opportunity to appreciate some excellent pictures by Johann Heinrich Fussli, Ferdinand Hodler and other native painters. It can be quite satisfying to discover relatively little-known artists like these who are rarely exhibited outside Switzerland. The Kunsthaus is small enough to breeze through in an hour, but the art-lover will want to stay twice as long. Those hungry for more art can explore some of the hundred galleries scattered through town. UNIVERSITY DISTRICT Walk behind the Kunsthaus to the busy Heimstrasse, then turn right on Kunstlergasse which leads in a few minutes to the University of Zurich, Switzerland’s largest, with a campus that includes the Zurich Polytechnic and University Hospital. Together, these academic institutions have produced more Nobel Prize winners than any other city in the world. The collection of fine buildings is enlivened by energetic students and staff moving along to their next engagements. Located on a hill several hundred feet above town, the campus offers good views of the city and the Alps beyond. The Polybahn, an antique funicular, can take you downhill to the town center or you could walk the short distance in ten minutes. SWISS NATIONAL MUSEUM Behind the train station, the country’s largest museum occupies a huge Neogothic castle built a century ago and houses a grand display of history illustrating the full length of human culture in Switzerland from the Stone Age up through the 1940s. Two vast floors with lofty ceilings take up most of a city block and offer 80 different galleries filled with remarkable art and artifacts. Take a chronological approach by starting with Neolithic stone tools, pottery, burials and colorful displays describing life before agriculture developed here, over 5,000 years ago. Continue into the medieval exhibits with many rooms of Gothic religious art, weapons and furnishings. Upstairs, the Gothic-vaulted Armory is the most impressive single space, showcasing suits of armor, old cannons, battle murals and related paraphernalia. Decorative arts on display cover a wide sweep of history with ceramics, jewelry, silver, embroidery and costumes. Most spectacular of all are the series of period rooms brought here from various castles, palaces and mansions, assembled with their original dark wooden walls and intricately carved ceilings, along with beautiful windows, furniture, chandeliers and accessories. Walking through these ancient rooms is like traveling back five centuries to the Renaissance, for you are totally immersed in the displays rather than merely looking at objects sealed up in glass cases. SHORT BOAT TRIPS When finished with the museum, you could catch a one-hour boat tour from the dock next door and cruise along the Limmat River through the middle of town, giving you a swan’s-eye view of the neighborhoods you have been walking through. The ride in a glass-topped boat continues into the lake and along the shore to Zurichorn Park and Enge Hafen before returning to the museum dock, with a variety of alternate itineraries available. Another fun option is to borrow a free bicycle from the train station and peddle around town. Simply put down a refundable deposit and you can take a break from walking for a while. It’s an effective way to expand your range and see some of the city beyond the center with minimal effort. Alternatively, you could round out the day with a shopping expedition along the Bahnhofstrasse, followed by a great meal. There are sometimes evening musical events offered at the Opera and other theaters in town. OTHER OPTIONS A wide variety of day-trips available from Zurich to nearby towns and mountains could take up much of your third day: these include boat rips on the lake, rail journeys to nearby towns or a short jaunt up to the nearby mountains for a view. LONG BOAT TRIPS The main boat operator, Zürichsee Schifffahrt, has 17 motor boats for tours ranging from 1 to 7 hours, with meal and snack service on board. (www.zsg.ch) Several long boat tours leave from the lake docks at Burkliplatz where the river leaves the lake, with itineraries to the far end of the 25-mile long Lake Zurich or to points in between. A popular route is the two hour cruise to Rapperswil, whose medieval Old Town enjoys a picturesque setting on a peninsula, complete with 13th-century castle, fortified wall, pedestrian town center, children’s zoo, lakeside promenade and museum. The boat passes many wonderful, lake shore homes, stopping at a half-dozen quaint villages along the way. You could make the journey to Rapperswil by train in just 15 minutes, or combine a boat trip there with a rail return. Another lovely boat option is the 90-minute nonstop circle cruise from Zurich to enjoy the lake atmosphere and views. TRAIN TRIPS An easy visit from Zurich is to the nearby mountain-top at Uetliberg, 2,858 feet elevation, with a fine view of Zurich, the lake and the Alps. It takes just 40 minutes to reach from Bahnhofstrasse by walking to the Selnau train station and taking a short rack railway ride up the hill. From here you could take various hikes through the woods, including a 2-hour stroll along the ridge to Felsenegg, where you can take a cablecar down to the S-Bahn for the short ride back to Zurich. Another nearby town with wooded trails and views is Sihlbrugg, just 30 minutes south of Zurich by train. Zug and Chur are two other major towns within a reasonable distance from Zurich. The former only takes 25 minutes to reach by rail and offers one of the country’s prettiest and largest pedestrian Old Town zones, with cobblestone lanes, hundreds of medieval buildings, a castle, museum and plenty of restaurants. As usual, you could rent a bicycle at the train station to gain an easy overview, then do some walking in the town center. Claimed to be Switzerland’s oldest city, Chur is 90 minutes southeast of Zurich by train and also has a lovely medieval town center for pedestrians. Just follow the red footsteps on the pavement from the station and you’ll be in the old center in 10 minutes. Worthy of special attention are the Cathedral and Bishop’s Palace, but the main appeal is the extensive jumble of old lanes lined with historic homes, charming town squares, little fountains and flower boxes in a perfect setting. Day-trip possibilities from Zurich are endless in this transportation hub of Switzerland. Of course, another fine option is simply to stay put in Zurich and continue your walking explorations, discovering more hidden corners of this incredible city.

In 1966, Barbra Streisand made pop music and TV history. Here's the column Rex Reed of the New York Times wrote the next morning following what may have been Streisand's most famous television appearance.

COLOR BARBRA VERY BRIGHT
by Rex Reed

New York Times, March 27, 1966

While Streisand sings, the world stops. She is only 23. yet her name is spoken around the home as often as Jello. The money she makes would put a dent in the national debt. Her first TV special was a milestone. Her second should have even greater impact. She turns records into gold, theaters and concert halls into mob scenes and on TV alone, during the next 10 years, she will make $5-million plus. To hear her sing is like getting the message from special delivery.

Her success, like most successes, brings pressures with it. For one thing, she hates being interviewed, distrusts all photographers and is as nervous about publicity as she is about her own performances. Reporters covering her second CBS-TV special, "Color Me Barbra." to be shown this Wednesday night, 9-10 P.M., even had running bets on just how late she would be for each interview. The answer was almost always: very.

The damp, gray hotel room in Philadelphia is charged with tension. The reporter's date was for one o'clock; it is nearly three. Somewhere, in a suite high above, Barbra is pasting sequins on her eyes. She wanted Pablo of Elizabeth Arden, but he takes too long. Barbra hates to sit still that long. In the corner, a kindly CBS press agent pours Scotch from a bottle sent up by room service. People come and go, telephones ring mysteriously. Everyone smiles nervously. The taping is scheduled to begin at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in two hours. "Barbra is very unpredictable; to tape songs for the show, we rented a studio from 7 to 10 last night; I got home at four A.M.," says the press agent wearily.

People drop by to give opinions. "She sings more subtly now," says her personal publicity girl, a pretty blonde with pierced ears. "She used to sing her guts out; at the end of 'Happy Days' she sounded like she was screaming. She'd never do that now. When she was in 'Wholesale' she used to beg the press agent to get her interviews so she could get a free meal. Reporters used to stare in horror at the table piling up with hors d'oeuvres, three appetizers, two soups, celery tonic, tomato juice, a main course, and four selections from the dessert tray. Now everything's going so smoothly she only worries about details, refinements. She knew her work so well in 'Funny Girl' she never worried about the singing, but about the dust on the plastic flowers or why the blue light failed on Cue 82. Her closing night she was still giving notes to the orchestra on what they were doing wrong."

Word comes, from on high, that the star is ready for her audience. Three-and-a-half hours late, she plods into the room, falls into a chair with her legs spread out, tears open a basket of fruit, bites into a green banana and says to the reporters, "Okay, you've got 20 minutes."

What's the new show like? "Like the old one. They're like book ends. The first one was great, ya know? So this one's gonna be close as it can be. What do I know from TV? I hire the best people in the business, then I let them do everything for me. I don't take chances. I'm paying the bill, it's my problem, right? I coulda got some big name stars to clown around just like everybody else does on their specials, but who needs it? I got complete creative control here, so I do it my way, right?"

How will the show differ from last year? "Instead of Bergdorfs, the first part's in a museum," she says, munching on a bunch of grapes. "I move around in front of the paintings and sometimes I turn into the paintings, get it? The costumes are mostly designed by me, borrowed, rented, or re-made from my old hock-shop wardrobes. The second part's in a circus, and I sing to all the animals. The last part's the concert. Just like last year's. Different songs, same feeling."

Eight people have moved into the room. All of them check their watches and make her very nervous. Some of them answer her questions for her. Barbra does not like the image that comes with being a glamorous star, volunteers one. "She doesn't like parties; she's afraid people ask her because she's a celebrity, not because they like her."

"Yeah, like this party for Princess Margaret, you know? Elliot, my husband, even wore a tuxedo. We were so miserable we cut out for a Ninth Avenue delicatessen, my favorite restaurant, where they still got great greasy french fries and the best rice pudding in town. No raisins, you know what I mean?

"Listen, all my life I wanted to be famous. I knew from nothing about music. I never had a Victrola 'til I was 18. I used to buy clothes in thrift shops. Now I don't go there anymore because people bother me. Besides they've gone up. I always dreamed of a penthouse, right? So now I'm a big star I got one and it's not much fun. I used to dream about terraces, now I gotta spend $500 just to convert mine from summer to winter. Let me tell you, it's just as dirty with soot up there on the 22nd floor as it is down there on the bottom."

At 5 P.M. the museum closes and the cameras are ready. An armada of armed guards line the doors with name tags for everyone official. Disgruntled reporters and unhappy photographers line up in a Renaissance hallway for clearance. "Barbra gets very upset if anyone who isn't official watches her, says a cameraman. Outside, the Philly branch other fan club peers through the beaded glass windows carrying a sign that reads. "Welcome Barb. Barbra even has a fan club in prison," offers the press agent.

OP-ART GOWN

At 7:30 Barbra emerges in a floor-length, op-art gown of hand-sewn sequins in 20 colors and six-inch triangle earrings with bolts of lightning through them like Captain Marvel emblems. Mondrian eyes sharpened with mascara and boyish hairdo slicked back behind her ears, she is ready for the first number. A 25-man production crew, a trained nurse, her personal staff and a few favored members of the press watch as bongo drums blare from portable speakers and Barbra shimmies past walls filled with Cezanne watercolors and Matisse still-lifes shaking on their brackets. The number is repeated a dozen times before choreographer Joe Layton bounces through in white tennis shoes and white turtle-neck sweater crying, "It's awful. It needs work."

By 9:30 the test pattern is adjusted and the color cameras are ready for the fourth tape of the first song. A cameraman crushes out a forbidden cigarette on a valuable piece of 100-year-old Rumanian oak while a guard isn't looking. "Let's go, Barb!" "I gotta get up?" cries the star. Hard looks from Joe Layton. Barbra gets up.

"She's not dumb," says a CBS official. "She heads two corporations — one packages her specials, pays her everything, then the profit she makes is the difference between her expenses and what CBS pays her. This includes her salary. It's a one-woman show, so it would be very weird if she was not the boss."

By 11:15 she comes out in a floor-length black satin maid's outfit with white over-apron, which she designed herself. Elliot Gould, her husband, arrives, wearing an official label so the guards will let him in. Barbra runs past 12 pillars and up 35 stone stairs singing "Yesterdays." Then she collapses in a corner eating hot pastrami, sour green tomatoes, kosher pickles and stuffed gefilte fish from paper containers. "My gums hurt," she cries.

The crew throws color cables over the balcony of the museum's Great Hall, missing by inches a valuable Alexander Calder mobile and a priceless 17th-century Flemish tapestry. A museum official screams.

Barbra's manager, Marty Erlichman, comes over. Marty is a friendly, bear-like fellow who discovered her at the Bon Soir fresh out of Erasmus High School, a smart, skinny, big-nosed girl who had a 93 average and a medal in Spanish. When he met Barbra he was a little-known talent agent working on Broadway. Now he heads his own company. "For nine months I tried to get her a job. Every record company in the business turned her down. 'Change the clothes, change the nose, stop singing the cockamamy songs.' Now it'll start all over when she hits Hollywood to make Funny Girl. They'll want to make her into Doris Day. But she sells the public Barbra, nothing else. She's never been bastardized or exploited. The main thing she's gotta learn is not to trust too much. The public is very fickle. Ten million people love you when you're an underdog on the way up, but nine and a half million of them hate you when you hit the top."

FANS APPEAR

At 2 A.M. a group of teenagers appeared at the museum with a kettle of hot chicken soup. "Just give it to her," they yell through the locked doors. "Could she just wave?" Barbra is busily chewing sour green apple gum (her current favorite) in a lavender and silver Marie Antoinette costume with lavender wig and purple ostrich plumes. "Get rid of them. They follow me everywhere. Sometimes they get my autograph three or four times in one night. Whatta ya think they do with all those autographs?"

The action continues through the next day, with no sleep. Barbra works very hard. Others stop to rest, but her extraordinary energy carries her through. Barbra playing a guillotine scene in the French Revolution. Barbra doing "something based on Nefertiti." Electricians and reporters curl up on tabletops and behind potted palms, catnapping "If the star gives up, everybody gives up. I gotta keep smiling," says Barbra.

Gradually, the bits and pieces, the long shots and closeups, the takes and retakes that make up a smooth-looking show are assembled.

Back in New York, part two was achieved through sheer tenacity. Barbra danced out onto a three-ring circus set. A baby elephant named Champagne roared so loudly that a baby llama nearby did a somersault. Barbra sang "Funny Face" in an orange ringmaster's costume. The horse reared, the penguins got sick under the hot lights and had to be carted off to a refrigerated area behind the set. The leopard refused to pose.

Barbra had to worry not about being trampled to death but when to come in on cue. The show was behind schedule and the overtime was costing the star money. Four electricians chased a pig across the set and damaged part of the backdrop. The only light moment came when Barbra sang to an anteater named Izzy. "He must be Jewish," she said, as they touched noses.

More than 30 hours were spent on the circus segment, which runs only a few minutes on screen. Barbra's temper exploded. "Too many people not connected with the show." "Too many people staring at me " The press was removed to the control room.

By week's end there was nothing left to tape but the concert portion of the show. Barbra came out in a pale creamy gown with pearl drop earrings and pale lipstick, standing on a white spiral staircase under blue-turning-lavender lights, switching on the charm for an audience of teased hair girls and screaming teen-age fans—clowning, joking, kibitzing with her little dog Sadie ("a hooked rug that barks"). The magic shone through. Barbra became the public figure-gamine, appealing.

By midnight some 200 hours of hard work were over. The grips packed up the set was struck. "Great show! She'll make millions on the re-runs," said a control-room engineer. "Give me Julie Andrews any day," said an electrician, wiping his forehead. In her dressing room, the star of the show was told she could finally go home to bed and for the first time that week, Barbra Streisand was on time.

END

CHICAGO IRISH CRAIC host, Commissioner Frank Avila of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, interviews Tim McDonnell, Executive Director of the Irish American Center Center, 4626 N. Knox Avenue, Chicago, IL 60630, 773/282-7035 about their upcoming activities. Tim is a first generation Irish American with a great passion for Irish history, music, and traditions. He holds a BA in English from Wake Forest University. McDonnell’s diverse background and experience in Marketing, Development, Consulting, Sales, and Irish Studies make him an asset to the Executive Director position. On top of his experience and an amazing professional reputation, he brings an unquestionable passion for all things Irish along with a boundless energy for everything the Center represents. "Céad Mile Fáilte" The Irish American Heritage Center is one of the premiere Irish cultural organizations in the United States. It is a destination for people of Irish descent as well as those who wish to learn more about the Irish heritage. There's no place quite like the Irish American Heritage Center when it comes to providing the very best in Irish culture through the arts, history, education, dance and social outlets. "A Hundred Thousand Welcomes!" Incorporated in 1976, the Irish American Heritage Center is a non-political, non-denominational, and not-for-profit charitable organization dedicated to preserving Irish heritage, culture and tradition. The Center serves as a resource for the Chicago area, as well as national and international communities. The IAHC is governed by a sixteen-member Board of Directors, which is elected to four-year terms by the membership. Currently, membership stands at more than 1,500 households. • 86,000 square feet on 3.7 acres (a full city block). • 658 seat theatre. • Museum with world-class Belleek collection. • The Fifth Province, an authentic Irish pub featuring live music on weekends. • IAHC Library – a unique collection of Irish books with some extremely hard to find items plus an entire collection of books in Gaelic – the traditional Irish language. • Art Gallery for special exhibits. • Social Center. • Other rooms available for community gatherings, weddings, anniversaries and other private events. • The Shapeshifters, a resident theatre group. • The Irish Heritage Singers, who perform nationally. • Legacy of Erin, children’s choir. • St. Patrick’s Day Festival. • Irish American Heritage Festival, a 3-day event in July. • Concerts featuring top entertainers. • Irish step dancing and Ceili (folk) dancing. • Music lessons provided by the Academy of Irish Music. • Gaelic language lessons. • The Irish School for children 6-16. • The Claddagh Group, for adults. • Tir Na N’Og, for senior citizens. • The Nimble Thimbles quilting and crafting group. • Genealogy sessions. • Irish Heritage lectures and poetry readings. • Book signings and special literary events. • Special movie screenings. • Community events. • Handicap accessibility modifications. • Interior artwork on the first floor. The Irish American Heritage Center’s Libraryopened its doors to the public in January 2006. The library includes books, periodicals, newspapers and audiovisual materials that focus on every aspect of Irish and Irish American life. One of the physical highlights of the library is the literary border, designed and hand painted by artist Edward Cox and researched by Peg Reid. The border wraps around the ceiling and includes the names of well-known writers of Irish descent: Arthur Conan Doyle, William Faulkner, F.Scott Fitzgerald, Henry James, Sean O'Casey, Edgar Allen Poe, George Bernard Shaw, John Steinbeck, Bram Stoker, Oscar Wilde, William Butler Yeats, Brendan Behan, Sean O’Casey, Flannery O’Connor, Oscar Wilde, C. S. Lewis, Henry James, Joyce Kilmer, John Steinbeck, Veronica Guerin, Maeve Brennan, Ellen Berlin, Dorothy Day, Alice McDermott, Joyce Carol Oates, Jack London and more. It serves as an invaluable way of learning about Irish and Irish American leaders who established academic institutions, founded movements and spread ideas that have impacted Irish American culture forever. The Irish Heritage Singers will hold their annual concert this fall at the Irish American Heritage Center. Slainte and Shalom: Our Blended History Through Music and Dance is Sunday, November 15th at 3pm. Tickets are $15 for IAHC members, $20 for general admission and children 12 and under are free. The concert is a fundraiser for the Irish American Heritage Center. This unique concert features Irish and Jewish music, dance and culture, celebrating the blend of the two cultures that co-exist in Ireland. The concert is inspired by the film Shalom Ireland, a documentary about Ireland's remarkable, yet little known Jewish community. The film was shown at the IAHC in 2007 and joined together nearly-sold out crowds of Chicago’s Irish and Jewish communities. The Irish Heritage Singers will be joined by guest performers, Jewish choir, Kol Zimrah, the Jewish Community Singers and the Edgar Gabriel Eclectic Ensemble, performing Klezmer music.Kol Zimrah is a volunteer civic chorus serving the metropolitan Chicago area. The mission of Kol Zimrah is to sustain and interpret the great tradition of Jewish choral music, to serve as a musical resource for the region and to encourage the composition of new Judaic choral works. Tickets can be purchased at the door or by calling 773-282-7035, ext. 10. Malachy McCourt, Michael Patrick MacDonald, Black 47 and Maura O’Connell are just some of the names appearing at iBAM!, an Irish book, art and music celebration held over Halloween weekend; October 30, 31 and November 1 at the Irish American Heritage Center. This festival is a fundraiser for the Irish American Heritage Center and its Library. Sponsored by Irish American News, the Irish American Heritage Center and theirishbookclub.com, iBAM! features book signings, panel discussions, art exhibits, lectures, theatre performances, live music and Irish dance, by Irish and Irish-themed authors, artists and musicians. Utilizing every floor of the IAHC, both days feature a dazzling array of cultural talent for children and adults alike. Highlights include a multi-media presentation on the life of Bram Stoker, the Irish writer who gave the world Dracula; and specifically for children, a Halloween show on Saturday afternoon, a costume parade and face painting. iBAM! opens at 11am each day and runs until 9pm. The cost to attend iBAM! is $5. Children 12 and under are free. On Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1, the festivities kick-off at 11am with a full Irish Breakfast, catered by Winston’s. The cost is $12 for adults and $6 for children and reservations are required. Food and drink will be served all day and a relaxing place to enjoy a cup of tea or a refreshing pint while reading your new purchases will be available. iBAM! kicks off the weekend with a special, black-tie optional, dinner in the IAHC’s beautiful new Grand Ballroom on Friday, October 30. The entertainment is headed by the inimitable Malachy McCourt and includes live music and the first ever iBAM! Cultural Arts award ceremony where five individuals will be honored for their outstanding contributions to Irish American culture. The dinner is from 6-11pm and the cost is $100. Reservations are required. iBAM! Features Music Concerts On Saturday, October 31, celebrate All Hallows Eve with New York City Irish rock band Black 47 in concert at 7pm. Tickets are $20 ($15 for members of the IAHC) and can be purchased at the door or by calling the IAHC office at 773-282-7035 or visiting the IAHC website at www.irish-american.org. Sunday evening, Maura O’Connell, Grammy-nominated, Irish born folk singer, will perform at 7pm, tickets are $20 ($15 for members of the IAHC) and can be purchased at the door, by calling the IAHC or visiting the IAHC website at www.irish-american.org. Special offer for iBAM! attendees: for every $50 in books or art purchased, attendees will receive a free ticket to one of the concerts of their choice, while supplies last! For more information or to purchase tickets to select performances, visit www.irish-american.org or www.ibamchicago.com. UPCOMING PERFORMANCES Shapeshifters Theatre opens its 2009-1010 theatre season with a production of Moll, a comedy by Irish author John B. Keane. Moll is set in the 1970’s,in a presbytery in the small Irish parish of Ballast, where Canon Pratt finds himself in need of a new housekeeper. One applicant, Maureen “Moll” Kettle, arrives with a shining letter of recommendation from her former employer. Canon Pratt happily hires her on the spot, much to the dismay of his curates, who have the uneasy feeling that Moll brings with her a sense of foreboding and calamity. Moll is directed by Robert Ayres, and opens at the Center on October 2 and runs through October 25.Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 3 pm. in Theatre 306 on the 3rd floor. TIckets are $10 for IAHC members and $15 for the general public. The Museum Museum acquisitions include a magnificent collection of Belleek Parian China; a tapestry by Lily Yeats, sister of W.B. Yeats; a historic chair commissioned by the Irish Fellowship Club of Chicago on the occasion of the visit of U.S. President William Howard Taft on St. Patrick's Day, 1910; a square grand piano dating from the late nineteenth century; an exquisite collection of Irish Lace; the first organ from St. Patrick's Church in St. Charles, Illinois; and a series of historic maps showing the Irish contribution to European culture from the sixth to the twelfth centuries. Due to our extensive collection, a docent must accompany all visitors and tour groups through the museum. It is also open during selected programming, special events and art exhibits. Call the Center office to arrange for a museum tour. UPCOMING EXHIBIT The IAHC and Windy City Arts present the annual art exhibit of the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (sow-en) and the Mexican Day of the Dead celebrations this fall in its Art Gallery. Artist Frank Crowley is the curator of the exhibit. Samhain/Day of the Dead: Artists' Ofrendas is a group show that celebrates the festivals of the Celtic Samhain and Mexican Day of the Dead. Both festivals participate in the birth, death and resurrection cycle. Samhain was a Celtic festival in northern Europe that took place after the harvest and the beginning of winter. It has developed into what we call today Halloween. During the Day of the Dead festival, families make visits to cemeteries. They bring food, flowers, pictures and candles for an ofrenda, or offering, to celebrate the memory of the deceased. These ofrendas are also set up in their homes. This year, artists will create an ofrenda, in the style of the Mexican Day of the Dead, dedicated to a favorite Irish author, visual artist or musician. The IAHC ofrendas will concentrate on the artistic work of the selected Irish artist. Samhain/Day of the Dead: Artists' Ofrendas runs from Friday, October 23 through Sunday, November 15. Gallery hours are Saturday and Sunday from 1-4pm or by appointment. There will be an opening reception from 6 to 9pm on October 23. Artists participating in the iBAM Festival October 31 and November 1 will also participate in the exhibit. Special gallery hours during iBAM! are Saturday, October 31 from 1pm-8pm and Sunday, November 1 from 1 to 6pm. During iBAM, there is a $5 entrance fee. All other gallery dates and hours are free. Samhain/Day of the Dead: Artists' Ofrendas The Fifth Province The pub is open every Friday and Saturday night and friends can gather to grab a pint and sit by the fireplace. Pub food, like fish and chips, onion rings, corned beef sandwiches and Irish sausage are available for those wishing to grab a bite to eat. The building is wheelchair accessible. The pub is open to the public on Friday and Saturday nights and live music begins at 9pm. There's plenty of free parking and rarely a cover charge, making this one of Chicago's hidden gems. Fifth Province hours are Friday, 4pm-1am and Saturday 5pm-1am and pub food is served from 6pm to 10pm. The Fifth Province is also available for party rentals for your special day. For more information on renting the Fifth Province, call the office at 773-282-7035. Stop by this authentic Irish Pub, located on the first floor of the IAHC, for all the best in Irish entertainment. The museum was officially opened by the President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, on October 13, 1991.

Our visit begins in Lucerne, one of the world’s prettiest towns, set on a beautiful waterfront, along the shores of Lake Lucerne and the River Reuss, surrounded by majestic mountains. They truly have it all. Lucerne is deservedly the most popular destination in Switzerland, famous for its well-preserved Old Town, consisting of many blocks of medieval buildings richly decorated with painted murals showing village life in olden days, making this like an outdoor art gallery. Two days will be plenty of time to enjoy Lucerne, using it as your home base for travels by train and boat to nearby sights. Temperatures are very pleasant in May, reaching the 60s and 70s, for Lucerne sits at an elevation of just 1,300 feet. Some of the nearby mountains do reach 10,000 feet, with snow-covered glaciers, but the temperatures in town are very comfortable. Many restaurants and cafes have outdoor seating in fair weather, some of them on the beautiful banks of the Reuss River that flows through town, so it is really nice to sit in the fresh air and enjoy your meal. Day One: walking tour in the Old Town. Day Two: trip to the top of Mt. Titlis; afternoon free for shopping alternative options, boat ride and excursions to Rigi, Pilatus. DAY ONE: Explore the town. We will arrive in the afternoon, and after resting up at the hotel, take an orientation walk. The historic center of Lucerne is an extensive pedestrian zone, filled with interesting shops, restaurants, and ancient buildings. The steep gabled roofs, covered with strong wooden shingles to ward off the winter snow, complete the picturesque scenario. Automobiles are not allowed into this large historic zone, so you can wander the cobbled lanes without fear of getting run over. The shopping is fun, with many items that are pure Swiss in character, like music boxes, chocolates, watches, cuckoo clocks, cowbells, beer steins, hand-carved wooden statues, costumed dolls, cheese, knives, embroidery, linens, music, and you can also find very good deals on clothing. The two main watch shops are Bucherer, a multi-story extravaganza, and Gubelin, facing each other on the lakefront at Schwanenplatz. You can’t get lost in this small place — the Old Town is surrounded on one side by the river and lake, and on the other by a hillside and ancient fortified wall, which you can climb. Feel free to wander. TWO COVERED BRIDGES: In the heart of Lucerne is its major landmark, the 560-foot long Chapel Bridge, or Kapellbrucke, the oldest covered bridge in Europe, first built in 1333. But in 1993, after 660 years, this Lucerne icon was destroyed by fire, only to be rebuilt by the efficient townspeople within a year in the original style — and by now has weathered to a mellow patina that once again looks hundreds of years old. The heroic rise from ashes symbolizes Swiss pride in their past and modern ability to get things done. Even here, it sometimes takes forever to repair old buildings or construct new ones, but the quality upon completion is unsurpassed. Adjacent to the bridge is the 110-foot high Water Tower, also nearly 700 years old, the most photographed image in town. For the best picture, lure some swans into your foreground with the bridge and tower behind. The Mill Bridge is a smaller covered bridge two hundred yards south along the river, built around 1408, notable for its series of paintings, “The Dance of Death,” whose jangling skeletons of the Black Death make you feel lucky to be alive. The clever Swiss have once again harnessed the waterpower that originally gave this bridge its name, and created a modern electricity-generating turbine, underwater and completely invisible. Both bridges also served as part of the medieval fortifications that surrounded the town. The old fortification wall still survives from the Middle Ages, built around the same time as the two bridges, between 1350 and 1408. Called the Musegg Wall, it has nine towers, three of them open free to the public, and a section of wall you can walk along for the most spectacular view looking down on the town. This is worth your effort, and easy to find, with a path just beyond the Mill Bridge that takes you there. LION MONUMENT: The other landmark we shall see on our orientation is the huge Lion Monument, carved deeply into the sandstone cliff to commemorate the 1792 death of 786 Swiss mercenary soldiers that were trying to defend King Louis XVI in Paris. Completed in 1821, it depicts a noble, mortally wounded lion, regal but dying from a spear thrust in the ribs, making a grand tragic statement of historic pride carved in stone. Mark Twain toured Lucerne and called this “the saddest and most moving piece of rock in the world.” The Old Swiss House, one of the best restaurants in Lucerne, is located in front of the Lion Monument, so have a look at their menu and consider having a gourmet meal here on one of your nights in town. With its traditional half-timbered wooden beam construction dating back to 1859, this is truly a landmark of Lucerne. They serve the best Wienerschnitzel, sinfully sautéed with a stick of butter right at your table, or superb fresh fish from the lake, and many other items from an extensive menu. Comfortably elegant, the cozy interior is a perfect setting for a memorable meal. The Hoffkirche, or Collegiate Church, is another attraction in this part of town, on a hill overlooking the lake, four blocks south of the restaurant. This Catholic church was built in the gothic and Renaissance styles during the 17th century and has a rich interior with many carvings and wrought-iron works, and a cloistered courtyard next door. SMALL LANES AND PLAZAS: Walk the few blocks back into the center of town along the main pedestrian shopping street, Hertenstein-Strasse, and head for the Kornmarkt, a small square with the Old Town Hall, built in 1602 with two distinctive styles that mirror Swiss cultural heritage: Italian in the lower section, echoing the Florentine Renaissance, and a Bern farmhouse wooden shingle pitched roof. An excellent restaurant for simple Swiss sausage meals is here, Pfistern, with a rustic wooden interior, or tables outside on the lower terrace along the river. The Picasso Museum is also on Kornmarkt, with a display of prints by the modern master and 8 paintings. You will discover several other peaceful small plazas in the middle of the Old Town, where cobblestone pedestrian lanes come together and form a charming open area, ringed by ancient buildings and sidewalk cafes, with a fountain in the middle. Small independent shops, and a few department stores, make this the prime retail section of town. DAY TWO: Train to Mount Titlis; boat ride. Enjoy your rich buffet breakfast that most hotels in Switzerland offer, and relax over coffee. Be sure to try the dark breads if you are a whole-wheat fan, made fresh each morning in the town’s excellent bakeries. Lucerne is in the German-speaking eastern part of Switzerland and they love dark bread. The banks of Lake Lucerne offer a most picturesque walk, through manicured gardens, past picnickers, swans, fishermen, bobbing boats, and tree-lined paths. This stroll is especially dramatic at sunrise, when the water turns to gold. On Tuesday and Saturday mornings you will see the farmers’ market, with cheeses, breads, fruits, produce and pretty flower stalls, which stay open through mid-day. After the refreshing sunrise excursion head back to your hotel for breakfast and prepare for your day’s activities. BOAT RIDES: You could take a longer boat ride and go all the way to the end of the lake at Fluelen, which takes about 3 hours, and then take a one-hour train ride back to Lucerne. No matter which route you decide upon, you will be rewarded with a relaxing experience and wonderful scenery along the shores of the lake. Light refreshments are served on board, and some of the larger ships have a restaurant with typical Swiss cuisine. There are several large, old-fashioned paddle wheelers that offer an elegant atmosphere that hasn’t changed in the last hundred years. If you have a Eurail Pass the boat rides are free, or if you pay, the price varies between $15 and $100 depending on your route and whether you go first class or second. We call it Lake Lucerne, but the Swiss name is Vierwaldstattersee, which means “lake of the four forest cantons,” referring to the four communities that joined together back in at the start of the 14th century and created the beginnings of Switzerland. This takes us back to the time of the legendary William Tell, who defied the ruling Hapsburg authorities and was then forced to shoot an apple from his son’s head, leading to a rebellion that ousted the corrupt government and to Swiss independence. Since that medieval confederation of Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden and Lucerne, 19 more cantons (states) joined the nation, which reached its present size after the start of the 19th century and the defeat of Napoleon. A thousand years of complicated intrigue and changing alliances have resulted in the modern country we find today, neutral and secure in the middle of the Continent. You can do one of the lake excursions and still have time in Lucerne for shopping, or visiting a museum. The Swiss Transportation Museum is the largest such display in the country, but it is best for those who are very interested in seeing many kinds of old trains, cars and planes. It is two miles outside the city and can be reached by public bus, or boat. If you enjoy pedaling, there is a lovely bicycle excursion you could take along the northern shore of the lake, in the direction of Tribschen, passing through a couple of little villages along the way. There is a sandy beach and swimming in the chilly water for the brave souls. The 8-mile round trip take about two hours, and you can rent bicycles at the train station. ACROSS THE RIVER REUSS: There is also a small section of the Old Town on the other side of the river, so walk across one of the pedestrian bridges and have a look around the area near the Jesuit Church. This pretty church, built between 1666 and 1673, was influenced by the Italians, decorated in the baroque style by Toriano and Toricelli, two artists from the Italian-speaking southern part of Switzerland. Next door is the Ritter Palace, originally used as a Jesuit residence, but later converted into Lucerne government offices. It has a surprising Tuscan courtyard on the interior, so stop in for a free look. Another nice attraction of this side is our favorite chocolate shop, Au Chocolat, on Pfister-Gasse Street. They fill the pralines by hand with sinfully rich creams that will melt your soul with delight. Also called truffles, the stuffed chocolates of Lucerne rival those of Belgium, and will stay fresh for a few weeks, so they are an excellent present to bring home. The History Museum on the same street has a small display about the region. While you are in this neighborhood across the river, you could take the funicular ride up to the Hotel Chateau Gutsch for another spectacular view over the town, and then go for a walk in their forest, followed by dinner in the hotel’s elegant restaurant, with the gentle sounds of violin music in the air. There are many other dinner options in Lucerne, ranging from a simple sausage meal to a full-on gastronomic extravaganza. I would suggest the latter at one of a half-dozen superb restaurants for at least one, maybe two of your nights here to take advantage of the gourmet opportunities of this town. We leave Lucerne after breakfast and catch the train to Interlaken, enjoying a very scenic two-hour ride through beautiful mountains, and along the shores of Lake Brienz.