The All-New, All-Different, Practically-Downtown Chicago Housefilks!
Last Updated (Friday) July 13th, 2001
Ok, so it's an ambitious title, but a girl's got to start somewhere. :-> My name's Eloise, and
I've been throwing housefilks in the actual city of Chicago since November 2000 (as opposed to the
suburbs, DuPage County, or Milwaukee. I'm not objecting to the aforementioned ventures, I just
think we need more housefilks!) People kept saying on
various email lists and in other venues that if someone threw Chicago housefilks they'd come, so now's
the time to put yer filkin' where yer mouth is, as 'twere.
Some of you may now be asking, what's a housefilk? And for that matter, what's this
'filk' stuff she keeps talking about? Well, that's a pretty complex question,
but as a quick answer, a housefilk is a sort of party. People come over and share music - often music
with silly words, or about space or science fiction, or perhaps about meaningful, important topics.
You don't have to not come just because you don't sing or play an instrument, though - listeners are
welcome, as well, and remember, you can always request a song, genre, or topic you like from someone
more performance-inclined.
Obviously, I would like people to show up, so please feel free to pass this virtual flyer around to
anyone you think might be interested and able to come. If anything below isn't clear enough, please
email me at eloise@ripco.com and ask! If you put the word
'housefilk' somewhere in the subject or body of the message I'm likely to spend less time staring
at you blankly trying to remember where I know you from, or what this might be about. :->
Well, that's the flavor text. Below, the details:
Date
December 22nd, 2001, in keeping with the general principle of 'Fourth Saturday'. Also confirmed:
January 26th and February 23rd, 2002.
Time
Starts 5PM, with trailers-in welcome until midnight. If we get a good early start, hey, so
much the better, but I'm not going to kick people out. Basically, party continues until I or
one of the other people what live here get too tired to continue and we have a Great Dispersal.
We seem to tend to wind up between 10 and 11, on average; once, we went as late as 1AM. As a guest,
of course, you may leave whenever you choose :->
The Venue
My place, 1519 W. Taylor Street, Apartment #2; Chicago, IL 60607-4015. See the
Directions section.
I supply:
Location, rain-free venue, plenty of sitting space and things to sit upon, and a selection of
beverages (email me ahead of time at eloise@ripco.com if you
have special requests in that direction, otherwise I'll use my own household's tastes as guide).
Music stands are definitely on a 'bring it yourself' basis, so you've been warned. :-> If you need
anything else, email and ask, or bring it with you.
Highly folk-friendly, SCA-friendly, hymn-friendly, rock-friendly filk, with
an emphasis on fun and participation. Your intrepid hostess is a charter member of Compulsive Harmonizers
Anonymous, and is learning guitar. She's also a sucker for interesting words and/or anything funny, if
you're looking to butter her up, but pretty much anything goes :-> If you're an electrically-enhanced
musician, outlets are available and moderate amplification is not frowned upon; given how much the
neighbors blast their stereo, I'm rather looking forward to a taste of gander sauce!
Food
See above under Advantages; lots of takeouty places of
varying ethnicity are available quite close. My guy half-jokingly calls it an outdoor food court. When
people get hungry enough (or 7ish), individual or group outings in search of protein, starch, and sugar
will commence, with the spoils of the hunt to be dragged back to the cave and consumed with much
convivial grunting. Some of the local emporia will even bring it right to the door for a minor
surcharge, for those who don't feel like braving our traditionally-Chicagoan winter wind chills.
:
The closest El stop that's open on Saturdays
is the Blue Line's Forest
Park Branch, Medical Center station (the Cermak spur of the Blue Line is closed on weekends).
Get off the train and walk towards the eastern
entrance/exit (towards the Sears Tower). Go up the ramp and out through the spinning comb
things and turn right. Cross the street immediately south of the highway and turn left on
the far shore. When you hit Ashland (next major street), cross it and turn right again;
you're now going south on the east side of the street. Continue south until you reach Taylor;
cross it and turn left (east). We're halfway up the block - the big sign out front has a taco
on it and says Da Pasada. Head on up the Scary Iron Stairs and ring the doorbell associated with
the left-hand door.
You can also get here via the
#9 Ashland or
#12 RooseveltCTA busses; take the Roosevelt bus
to Ashland and walk north a block, then turn right. You're now going east on Taylor; see the very
last bit of the above directions. If you take the Ashland bus, get off at Taylor and head east on
foot, then follow the above last bit. Via Car:
Take your best route to the Ashland exit on the 290. Get off and head south to
Taylor Street. Turn left (east) and let off passengers and baggage in front of the building with the
Big Taco Sign that says Da Pasada. Then find parking (see above under
Disadvantages for details).