Smile Politely: Full Site

Welcome to the New Smile Politely

Smile Politely Editors — 2009-01-12T01:00:21+00:00

Welcome back. And thanks for being patient while we packed up for the holidays to take a little breather and redesign our home on the web.

Scroll down. Click around. Some things are different. Others are the same, but look a little sharper.

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Cher’s autograph

P. Gregory Springer — 2012-05-23T13:00:35+00:00

Tao Te Ching, verse 21

Since before time and space were,
the Tao is.

The 65th Cannes International Film Festival opened this week. I can smell it: sand and suntan oil, the perfume of supermodels lingering in elevators, the oxygen rush in the flower-bedecked Palais, endless free espresso shots at the Brazilian film market, the creamed spinach at the townie restaurant down the side street, wild strawberries and thyme on the Provencal hillside, the ooze of Camembert, the sweaty crush of paparazzi...

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Big Grove Tavern set to open with farm-to-table focus

Susanna Kline — 2012-05-23T11:00:23+00:00

“It’s kind of cool getting to know your farmer … petting the cows at Kilgus [Farmstead],” said Jessica Gorin, Executive Chef of Big Grove Tavern, which will open May 31 on the ground floor of One East Main in downtown Champaign. Gorin, a chef for 14 years and proponent of using local food, makes the farm-to-table concept a reality for the new restaurant by visiting many local farms to meet the farmers and source the ingredients.

Photo by Justine Bursoni

Although taking the place of Jim Gould Restaurant, Big Grove Tavern’s renovated space and concept both depart completely from that of the former. With double the bar space and about half the seating in the restaurant, the place feels warmer and cozier than its cavernous predecessor. The menu features classic-style comfort food, but with a modern, elevated twist. The beer list reflects as many local, yet diverse, craft beers as possible, with all being Midwestern brews.

The chef

Gorin, a timely transplant from California, arrived in town with a tenure-track professor husband and a desire to find an executive chef job as fulfilling and as focused on local foods as the one she had in San Francisco. Even though she had an early interest in food and recalls trips her parents took her on by, “the place where we had the pidgeon … or the rabbit stew,” she said she didn’t start out hoping to become a chef, but a scientist.

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Derby Girl Doubleheader: The ‘Paign gets their first victory of the season

Meghan Whalen — 2012-05-22T23:38:29+00:00

On Saturday, the Twin City Derby Girls hosted their home opener with a doubleheader bout at the U of I ice arena, with the Damagin’ Dames edged by the Aurora 88s, 90–79, and the ‘Paign winning over the Boneyard Bombshells, 117–83.

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A Separation poses essential questions

Chike Coleman — 2012-05-22T12:59:15+00:00

A Separation is the kind of movie that you only need to experience once because it’s just that special. The film was written, directed, and produced by Asghar Farhadi. It stars Peyman Moadi, Leila Hatami, Sareh Bayat, Shahab Hosseini, and the director’s daughter Sarina Farhadi.

The film centers around Nadir and Simin who are newly separated parents to an 11 year old daughter named Termeh. The big conflict of the story involves the decision of whether the family should move to another country or stay in Iran and take care of Nadir’s Alzheimer ailing father.

The depth of this picture comes from an incident that occurs early on in the film. This incident brings forth questions of religion, morality, and the importance of survival and self-preservation.

The characters in this film are so rich with detail and emotional frailty that it is nearly impossible not to root for the family suffering from the fallout of this very difficult incident. A Separation knows how to control the emotions of the audience at every turn. The turmoil the family goes through in the film’s two and a half hour running time is nothing short of cringe worthy.

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SP Radio Podcast: C-U Flea arrives

John Steinbacher — 2012-05-22T11:00:57+00:00

Download this week's episode here.

On this episode of Smile Politely Radio, we talk to C-U Flea organizers Cole Rabenort and Millie Wright about their brand new flea market in Urbana. Debuting this Saturday at the old location for Parasol Mail Order, C-U Flea will be a bi-monthly community flea market that will feature clothes, original artwork, handmade collectibles, houseware, etc. Plus, there will be food, DJ's and bands. We discuss how this all got started, the type of vendors to expect and what to look for in a good flea market.

All ages concert with live bands begins at 3pm:
Co-ed Pageant
Hathaways
Deathtram

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The Rainbow Connection: May 21–27

Tracy Nectoux — 2012-05-21T13:00:15+00:00

MONDAY, May 21

WHAT: Nekromancy

WHERE: Chester Street Bar

WHEN: Monday, May 21, 9:00 p.m.–2:00 a.m.

Every Monday, DJ SorceryKid, crafts a continuous audio-visual mixshow of the latest and the greatest in dark alternative and underground dance music.

Doors: 9:00 p.m.
Cover: $2.00
Age: 19+

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The Overture: May 22–28

Patrick Singer — 2012-05-21T11:00:56+00:00

WHAT: Kevin Elliot, John Coppess

WHERE: The Clark Bar (free)

WHEN: Tuesday, May 22nd at 7 p.m.

The singer/songwriter showcases at The Clark Bar continue with a couple solid dudes. Elliott released an album back in November and Coppess has been on a few of these bills in the past couple of months, so they seem to be chuggin' right along.

Listen: Kevin Elliott: "The Right Thing To Say"

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Champaign pulls rug from under food trucks

Joel Gillespie — 2012-05-18T17:00:12+00:00

Zach Ware, owner of the Crave Truck, thought that he had all of his ducks in a row regarding compliance to the City of Champaign's food peddler regulations (available online here, Chapter 25). When he was starting his business in August 2011, he worked closely with Champaign City Clerk Marilyn Banks to make sure he was licensed properly as a transient food peddler, filling out the necessary paperwork and paying a $225 annual fee.

Ware even went so far as to engage Mayor Don Gerard and CPD Sergeant Donald Shelton, who, Ware says, "both gave me the go-ahead to park at meters in Champaign." In the months since he began operating his business, which sells street waffles and coffee, he's never been cited or even approached by city officials or police officers letting him know that his business was doing anything outside of city code.

So, when Ware visited the City offices to renew his license, it came as quite a surprise to learn that he was not allowed to park in metered spaces (or anywhere in the City right-of-way), and that his $225 annual fee was now $1,350 ($225 each for every employee who handles money, of which Crave Truck has six).

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The Market Watch: May 19, 2012

The Market Watcher — 2012-05-18T15:00:14+00:00

So everyone is safely graduated and ensconced in their summer sublet or is living it up, summer-style, in their usual digs, correct? It totally feels like summer out there, even though it's May. And the best thing to do on a summery Saturday morning is head to Urbana's Market at the Square over at the corner of Illinois and Vine from 7:00 a.m. to noon. It just feels good to roll out of bed at a respectable hour and go, all sleepy-eyed and sporting your favorite t-shirt (and shorts, too, don't be gross), ready to pick out some food for the weekend/into next week and maybe some breakfast to bring to the slackers back home. Back in the olden times, MW did just this — get up, find Market-appropriate clothing, grab tote bags, buy food and baked goods, and redistribute to the slackers at home, which at that time included a spouse and two young children. Occasionally, we would all return as a family. There are lots of ways to enjoy the Market, y'know?

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