Culture | Jan. 2024
THE BUZZ: JANUARY 2024
By Erin Donaldson
MOUNTAINFILM ON TOUR
The perennially-sold-out Mountainfilm on Tour visits Lake Forest on January 26 and 27 at the John & Nancy Hughes Theater at Gorton Center. Join friends and neighbors for two days of inspiring films, handpicked from the Mountainfilm festival in Telluride, Colorado. Among other works, this year’s lineup includes:
WALKING ON CLOUDS
Walking on Clouds reveals the breathtaking and dizzying highline crossing between two hot air balloons above the city of Praia Grande, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
THE NINE WHEELS
Future mountain bike stars, Emric (10) and Raoul (13) Schneeberger are home-schooled by their parents, Toni and Laetitia. They live in their motorhome going from bike park to bike park across Europe, a decision prompted by the discovery of a neurodegenerative disease in Laetitia. The Nine Wheels explores what it is like to live life fully, one day at a time.
SOUNDSCAPE
Erik Weihenmayer, a global adventure athlete and author who is fully blind, ascends a massive alpine rock face deep in the Sierra Nevada. Using expert camera work and emotive, novel animation, the film is a surprising and soulful adventure in echolocation, touch and imagination.
For information and tickets, visit gortoncenter.org.
WINTERFEST
Gorton Center hosts its second annual Winterfest on January 26 and 27, this year themed Après Ski. Don your coolest ski attire—from cozy argyle to furry boots and beanies—and enjoy an “Après Mountainfilm” ambience before and after the Mountainfilm on Tour pictures. “Stuart Ski Lodge” offers cozy seating areas and plenty of places to enjoy food and drink. Lake Bluff Brewery will be on site both Friday and Saturday nights with craft brews and specialty “ski-style” cocktails. Food trucks, cocktails, friends, and great art make for the perfect winter weekend. For information, visit gortoncenter.org.
ELEGANT ESCAPE
Need a quick weekend away or ideas for hosting out-of-town family visiting for the holidays? We recently checked out the iconic Deer Path Inn in Lake Forest, a quick jaunt northeast on the shores of Lake Michigan. From proper high tea to gorgeous interiors filled with fine antiques, a sojourn at this National Register of Historic Places landmark (also recognized by Travel + Leisure magazine as one of the Midwest’s leading resort hotels) feels like a regal retreat to the English countryside. The hotel’s Local’s Only package offers a unique immersion into the best that Lake Forest has to offer—including a scavenger hunt through the city’s historic Market Square to collect treasures (valued at $250) at seven luxury retailers. You will also enjoy a two-night stay, Afternoon Tea Service, and dinner for two in The English Room. For reservations, visit thedeerpathinn.com.
CINDERELLA
GIOACHINO ROSSINI’S enchanting fairytale heroine returns to the LYRIC OPERA OF CHICAGO stage in classic style. CINDERELLA (LA CENERENTOLA) tells the story of the downtrodden daughter of a selfish father, Don Magnifico. When Prince Ramiro (disguised as his own valet, Dandini) meets her, they fall instantly in love, leading — after a few complications — to a heartwarming happy ending. Rossini’s score provides endless sparkle, with Cenerentola’s and Ramiro’s arias abounding in fabulous vocal virtuosity. There’s also hilarity, thanks to the antics of Magnifico and Dandini. Two rising stars, Vasilisa Berzhanskaya and Jack Swanson, will be joined by the incomparable Alessandro Corbelli to lead Lyric’s cast in Jean-Pierre Ponnelle’s world-famous production led by the exciting Taiwanese conductor Yi-Chen Lin. lyricopera.org
WINTER WALKS OF WONDER
While it is tempting to hit the treadmill or spend every January weekend in Naples, outdoor walks are brilliant for the spirit. A brisk trek around the Fullersburg Woods trail lifts the mood, provides a jolt of vitamin D, and activates the immune system. Winter nature walks also offer a new perspective on nature’s beauty. The soft sound of snow crunching underfoot, a glimpse of woodland creatures, even icicles frosted on branches are reminders that each season is beautiful. dupageforest.org
