House of Fine Chocolates closing on Oct 1st(Chicago)

House of Fine Chocolates and Bakery  opened it's doors in 1945 at 3109 North Broadway in Chicago.
On October 1st they will be closing their doors. Yes,it's the economy...
Sad but true.





http://houseoffinechocolates.com/homeflash.php

Ritz Camera to liquidate after 94 years

 Click here for the Chicago Tribune story:

Ritz Camera to liquidate after 94 years

Small Business week event at Chicago Cultural Center

CHICAGO CULTURAL CENTER HOSTS

CRAIN’S SMALL BUSINESS WEEK EVENT, OCTOBER 1

 

The Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Randolph) hosts the aptly named “Adventures in Running a Creative Business”, one of the first business development activities of Crain’s Small Business Week.  The seminar featuring Tom Duff, President of Optimus, Inc., Joe Shanahan, owner of Smartbar, Metro and Double Door, and restaurateur Donald J. Madia is Monday, October 1, 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. at the Claudia Cassidy Theater.

For more than 25 years, Shanahan has owned and operated such cutting edge music clubs that he presented artists such as R.E. M. and Smashing Pumpkins in their earliest appearances and it is still the club to play an impromptu set for established stars.  His insight and knowledge of talent as well as business operations, clearly contribute to Shanahan’s longevity on the Chicago music scene.

Optimus is a multi-faceted creative services company specializing in film editing and post-production work with locations in Chicago and Santa Monica.   It was voted one of the best places to work in Chicago by Crain’s Chicago Business and just this spring received the prestigious Hugo Excellence Award for Television Commercials.

Chicago-born Donald J. Madia has demonstrated the value of collaboration in order to execute his singular vision.  His uncompromising attention to detail and sense of unlimited possibility — informs some of Chicago's most admired restaurants and cocktail lounges including Blackbird, avec, The Publican, the Violet Hour and Big Star.

Topics will range from permits to promotion, attracting and retaining talent, and connecting Chicago to a global creative economy. The Conversation will be moderated by Carol Roth, a business strategist and author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Entrepreneur Equation.  Admission is free and the seminar concludes with a Q+A session.

The third annual Crain's Small Business Week is dedicated to small businesses area-wide, offering a variety of educational and business development activities along with opportunities to create partnerships to grow your business. 

Call: 312.744.7649

SISTER ACT Stars Chicago Actress Hollis Resnik

CHICAGO ACTRESS HOLLIS RESNIK AND TA’REA CAMPBELL

TO STAR IN NORTH AMERICAN TOUR OF SISTER ACT

SISTER ACT to play Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University Nov. 13 – Dec. 2, 2012

 Broadway In Chicago and producers Whoopi Goldberg, Stage Entertainment and Troika Entertainment are thrilled to announce casting for the North American Tour of five-time Tony Award® nominated musical SISTER ACT, starring Chicago actress Hollis Resnik as Mother Superior and Ta’Rea Campbell as Deloris Van Cartier. SISTER ACT will play the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University (50 East Congress Parkway) Nov. 13 – Dec. 2, 2012.

 

In addition to Ta'Rea Campbell (Book of Mormon, Lion King) as Deloris Van Cartier, Hollis Resnik (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Les Miserables) as Mother Superior, the North American Tour of SISTER ACT will feature Kingsley Leggs (Sister Act, The Color Purple) as Curtis Jackson, E. Clayton Cornelious (Wonderland, The Scottsboro Boys) as Eddie Souther, Lael Van Keuren (Sister Act) as Mary Robert, Florrie Bagel as Mary Patrick, Diane J. Findlay (42^nd Street, Promises, Promises) as Mary Lazarus, Todd A. Horman (Priscilla Queen of the Desert) as Joey, Ernie Pruneda (Sister Act) as Pablo, Charles Barksdale (Fat Camp) as TJ, and Richard Pruitt (42nd Street, White Christmas) as Monsignor O'Hara.

 

The company will also include Melvin Abston, Brian Calì, Alysha Deslorieux, Karen Elliott, Danny George, Blair Goldberg, Erin Henry, Wendy James, Trisha Jeffrey, Mary Jo McConnell, Ashley Moniz, Michelle Rombola, Jason Simon, Angie Marie Smith, Tricia Tanguy, Kelly E. Waters, and Dashaun Young.

“To hear people laugh and cheer the way they do at SISTER ACT -- a show people think they know but are pleasantly surprised to discover is not what they were expecting -- is a magical experience for a producer,” says Producer Whoopi Goldberg.  “Happily, audiences across the country will be able to get in on the fun this fall when Deloris and her fabulous sisters start spreading the love nationwide.”
“I couldn’t be more proud of the creative team and cast members that have made SISTER ACT such a critically-acclaimed and crowd-pleasing success on Broadway,” said Stage Entertainment U.S. CEO Bill Taylor.  “Our New York audiences have been absolutely amazing and I look forward to this fall’s tour and the next chapter in SISTER ACT’s wonderfully successful life.”

SISTER ACT received five 2011 Tony® Award nominations: BEST MUSICAL, BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (Alan Menken (music)/ Glenn Slater (lyrics), BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL (Cheri & Bill Steinkellner and Douglas Carter Beane), BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL (Patina Miller) and BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL (Victoria Clark).

 

SISTER ACT features an original score with music by multi-Academy, Grammy, Tony and Golden Globe Award-winning composer Alan Menken (Little Shop of Horrors, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid and Enchanted), lyrics by Tony and Academy Award-nominee Glenn Slater (The Little Mermaid), and a book by multi-Emmy Award winners Cheri and Bill Steinkellner (“Cheers”) with additional book material by Tony and Olivier Award nominee Douglas Carter Beane (Xanadu, The Little Dog Laughed).  Directed on Broadway by four-time Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks (Guys and Dolls, A Funny Thing…Forum, Smokey Joe’s Café), the production features choreography by Tony and Olivier Award nominee Anthony Van Laast (Mamma Mia, Bombay Dreams) and is based on the Touchstone Pictures motion picture Sister Act written by Joseph Howard.

SISTER ACT opened on April 20, 2011 at the Broadway Theatre (1681 Broadway) to rave reviews.  Elisabeth Vincentelli of The New York Post calls SISTER ACT, “One of the season’s happiest surprises! Off the charts and packed with goodies, to which we say: Amen!” Joe Dziemianowicz of The New York Daily News raves “A blessed event has landed on Broadway. Sister Act is a feel-good crowd pleaser worth celebrating. It keeps on purring from one happy moment to the next.”  Charles Isherwood of The New York Times says, “When the wimples start quivering and the nuns start rocking to raise the Gothic rafters, all’s right in the kingdom of musical comedy!” and Mark Kennedy of The Associated Press calls SISTER ACT, “In a word, divine. This is a musical that hits all the right spots, achieving something close to Broadway grace. It will convert you.”

When disco diva Deloris Van Cartier witnesses a murder, she is put in protective custody in the one place cops are sure she won't be found - a convent!  Disguised as a nun, she finds herself at odds with both the rigid lifestyle and an uptight Mother Superior.  Using her fabulous disco-ness and killer voice to inspire the choir, Deloris breathes new life into the church, but in doing so blows her cover.  Soon it’s nun-on-the-run time but she finds salvation in the heavenly power of her newly found sisterhood.  Based on the mega-hit feature film, SISTER ACT features an original Alan Menken/Glenn Slater score with a vast inspiration of musical styles from Motown, soul and funk to great big disco anthems and Barry White inspired musical comedy.   

 

SISTER ACT features scenery by Klara Zieglerova, costumes by Lez Brotherston, lighting by Natasha Katz, sound by Ken Travis and hair/wig designs by David Brian Brown.  The music department includes Musical Supervisor Michael Kosarin, Music Director Brent-Alan Huffman, and orchestrations by Doug Besterman. Casting is by Telsey + Company, Craig Burns CSA.

www.sisteractontour.com

#   #   #

WHOOPI GOLDBERG (Producer) is among the most well-known performers around the world. She shot to international fame with her Oscar-nominated performance in Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple, before embarking on a prolific Hollywood career with films such as Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Soapdish, The Lion King, How Stella Got Her Groove Back and, of course, Sister Act and its sequel. She has had success in virtually every area of entertainment, from film and television, to stage and recording, to radio host and best-selling author. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Ghost in 1991 and is one of a very elite group of artists who has also won the Grammy, the Golden Globe, the Emmy and, as Producer of the original Broadway production of Thoroughly Modern Millie in 2002, a Tony Award. She is currently moderator of the award-winning daytime talk show The View on ABC.

 

STAGE ENTERTAINMENT USA Inc. (Producer) Founded in 1998 by Joop van den Ende, Stage Entertainment is one of the world’s largest theatrical producers with bases in the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, France, Russia, Italy and the USA, and the owner of thirty venues across those countries.  Stage Entertainment employs over 4,000 people worldwide and over 10 million people visit a Stage Entertainment production or performance space each year.

 

Headed by Bill Taylor, Stage Entertainment’s US team recently produced the hit musical, SISTER ACT, on Broadway.  SISTER ACT received five 2011 Tony® Award nominations and rave reviews.  Stage Entertainment US is currently producing SISTER ACT on tour in the US and has several other new projects in development for Broadway and the road.

 

TROIKA ENTERTAINMENT (Producer) has been the innovator in touring musical theater productions for over two decades, producing shows throughout North America and the world. Each season, Troika tours to hundreds of cities across the U.S. and Canada. In addition, Troika produced in European markets including Russia, Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Central/South American and Caribbean credits include touring CATS in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Panama, Mexico, Venezuela, Costa Rica and Puerto Rico.  As the first U.S. production company to tour a musical in Mainland China, Troika has toured extensively across the Pacific Rim in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore, with productions of The Sound of Music, Swing!, 42nd Street and Chicago. The company is experienced in casino and leisure markets having produced for The Wynn, Caesars, Grand Casino, Hilton, Eldorado and Harrah’s (Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Biloxi, Lake Tahoe and Branson). Current and upcoming productions include West Side Story, Catch Me if You Can, Sister Act, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Shear Madness and The Wizard of Oz. With strong ties to the Broadway community, Troika prides itself on delivering top quality productions to audiences worldwide.

                                                                                          

TICKET INFORMATION

Individual tickets for SISTER ACT at Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University are $28-$103 and are on-sale now.  A select number of premium seats are also available. Tickets are available at all Broadway In Chicago Box Offices (24 W. Randolph St., 151 W. Randolph St., 18 W. Monroe St. and 175 E. Chestnut St.), the Broadway In Chicago Ticket Kiosk at Water Tower Place (845 N. Michigan Ave.), the Broadway In Chicago Ticket Line at (800) 775‐2000, all Ticketmaster retail locations (including Hot Tix and select Carson Pirie Scott, Coconuts and fye stores), and online at www.BroadwayInChicago.com

. For groups of 15 or more, call (312) 977‐1710. Tickets for groups of 15+ are on sale now.

 

For more information, please visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com

 

Interiors Photographer Scott Hargis e-book best bet for Successful real estate interiors photography

 


I've always been a fan of photographer Scott Hargis work. His advice and postings on various photography boards thru the years has earned him not only a phenomenal reputation with his peers but clients as well.

His specialty is architectural photography.Interiors,sweeping outdoor landscapes that once you've viewed his images,make you want to make you start packing and shopping for a picture perfect home just like the pictures he's created.

He's recently written an e-book,"The Essential Guide to: Lighting Interiors - Techniques for lighting with small flash" with his advice and techniques for getting the best images for various types of rooms.

The guide goes thru the gear he uses and why
Controlling exposures that include window and ambient light
Setting up lighting for various room sizes
Dealing with reflections
How to get the best exposure via post processing.


From the official website:
Here is the table of contents:
    •    Introduction
    •    Chapter 1 Fundamentals of Interior Flash Photography
    •    Chapter 2 Equipment
    •    Chapter 3 Basic Bedroom
    •    Chapter 4 Controlling Window Exposure
    •    Chapter 5 Master Bedroom
    •    Chapter 6 Master Bath
    •    Chapter 7 Lighting Larger Rooms
    •    Chapter 8 Lighting Larger Spaces - Seven Case Studies
    •    Chapter 9 Lighting Multiple Spaces
    •    Chapter 10 Advanced Reflections
    •    Chapter 11 Kitchens
    •    Chapter 12 Kitchens - Six Case Studies
    •    Chapter 13 Special Situations
    •    Chapter 14 Post Processing
    •    Chapter 15 Wrap-up
    •    Glossary


This is a step by step process that takes you thru a whole photo shoot and not just
random photos with camera setting info.

In the past,I've done interior photos for many clients,but there was a wealth of knowledge here that spawned other ideas that I was able to use in a client shoot soon after studying this guide.


I must admit,I am a fan of looking at interior photos of homes.My city has various upscale magazines that deal with the very high end market of condominiums and houses that sell  for millions of dollars.In these types of publications,the photos are all professionally done.

Yet when I see online ads and newspaper photo ads for properties being sold,it really would be in the best interest of the homeowner or real estate agent to hire a professional photographer or purchase the right equipment for the job and study these techniques.

Scott Hargis book would be their perfect 'how to guide' to better and quicker real estate sales by far.



You can purchase "The Essential Guide to: Lighting Interiors - Techniques for lighting with small flash" from the photographers website.It's a 108 page PDF file that can be read on your computer or mobile devices.

http://photographyforrealestate.net/lighting/

Upcoming events at Life Force Arts Center

Just in Beginning Astrology re-scheduled: starts Sept. 24! Himalayan Singing Bowls with Edward Farnham Wednesday, September 12, 2012 7 PM Suggested donation: $10 advance/$15 door Info/registration: info@LifeForceArts.org or 773-327-7224 Read Edward's article about Himalayan singing bowls in Transcendent Journeys ezine. This performance features overlapping layers of sound healing modalities, including Himalayan singing bowls, ganta bells, ting shaws (cymbals), gong, and mantra. The instruments are made by Tibetan monks both as a method of healing and as meditation instruments, as part of a highly symbolic spiritual process using an alloy of at least seven metals, including pure steel from asteroids that hit the world's rooftop in the Himalayas.  They are formulated by the monks to work on many planes of our multidimensional being and can facilitate emotional catharsis, the release of blocked energies, and healing from the physical to spiritual.  They sound beautiful with primary notes and layers of overtones.  Mantras are words of power that use the primal creative force of sound as primal emanations for affecting any facet of our universal experience.  Together the instruments and mantra can function on many levels for profound effect.  Edward Farnham has studied numerous spiritual and healing techniques, including Himalayan bowls and sound healing with Richard Rudis, and mantra with Thomas Ashley-Farrand and his wife, Margalo or Satyabhama, two of the world's foremost experts on Hindu mantra. Edward is a singer with the Chicago Gay Men's Chorus (www.cgmc.org) and a painter who attempts to use the creative force as a vehicle to the divine. More information Open Drum Circle with Cathy McManamon Friday, September 14, 2012 8 - 10 pm Suggested donation: $10 773-327-7224 or info@LifeForceArts.org Drumming is often called the heartbeat of Mother Earth.  Drumming has been shown to alter human brainwaves to an elevated state, reduce stress, speed healing, and just be plain fun.  Whether you have never played a drum before, have been drumming for years, or are somewhere in between, come join us for this open drum circle.  Drums of any kind, as well as shakers, tambourines, bells, sticks, vocals, body percussion, etc. are very welcome.  Some instruments will be available to borrow. Cathy McManamon is a musician who plays a variety of instruments.  A ritual drummer who enjoys supporting group energy and dynamics, Cathy has facilitated open drum circles and rhythm workshops at MuseCon, scout youth and leader events, and most recently at Life Force Arts Center.  More information Ancestors art exhibit ~ performances ~ events September 21, 2012 - January 8, 2013 Free admission to exhibit & Opening & Closing Reception Gallery hours: Mondays & Thursdays 1:30 - 6:30 pm & by appointment Info: info@LifeForceArts.org or 773-327-7224 Image: Sarcaphogas for My Mother (c) Marilyn Zimmerwoman   Honor and commune with the ancestors and explore the many meanings of heritage, lineage and identity at Ancestors, an art exhibit running September 21, 2012 - January 8, 2013 at Life Force Arts Center gallery, 1609 W Belmont, Chicago IL 60657. Opening Reception is Friday, September 21, 2012 from 6 - 10 PM. Closing Ceremony is Tuesday, January 8, 2013 from 7 - 9 PM. Workshops, performances and other events related to the theme of ancestors will also be held as part of the show. The exhibit celebrates ancestry of various kinds: biological, spiritual, geographical, cultural, ethnic. Contemplating one's ancestors is about belonging, acknowledging or discovering who you are and how you express yourself, and understanding the primal instincts of your beginnings.  Cultural expressions including art, music, architecture and fashion are connected to ancestors and their creativity over the generations. There is also the aboriginal concept that all of nature is "the ancestors". However diluted our conscious knowledge or awareness of them may be, ancestors influence us. More information   Mitchellini Avi with Pipe Dream Saturday, September 22, 2012 8 PM $10 advance/$15 at the door Info/registration: info@LifeForceArts.org or 773-327-7224   Mitchellini Avi with Pipe Dream  Swirling .....Soothing .....Bubbling .......Boiling  ........ Musical journeys with jazz, folk, Hindu, blues and psychedelic influences. Our path and goal as musicians is to be open channels for the spirit of music and to let that energy flow and live through us .....To use the sound vibrations and pulse of rhythm to elevate our spirits, and to share that transcendent unifying experience ..... More information Kriya Vedanta meditation with Swami Purnatmananda Giri Saturday, September 22, 2012 10 - 11:30 AM Free admission Today's Topic: Overcoming fear through Meditation Fear needs no introduction or definition. It is an ingrained quality in human beings. Most people accept living with fear as an inevitable outcome of being human. Fear comes in many forms. Fear of loneliness, fear of disease, fear of losing honor, fear of losing wealth, fear of uncertainty, fear of old age, and fear of punishment are some fears of which many of us are aware. The ultimate fear is fear of death. How can we live fearlessly? How can we constantly enjoy happiness and peace without having fear? What causes fear? How does it affect our lives? How can we overcome fear? We will discuss how meditation practice slowly takes to a state of fearlessness through right knowledge and understanding of our own self. Swami Purnatmananda Giri is a monk in the lineage of Kriya Yoga masters Paramahamsa Hariharananda and Paramahamsa Prajnanananda. More information Beginning Astrology with Lin Ewing 6 Mondays, September 24 - October 29, 2012 7:30 - 9:30 PM $180/$150 early registration by September 17 info@LifeForceArts.org or 773-327-7224 Read Lin's article on the basics of astrology in Transcendent Journeys ezine This 6-week beginning astrology course is designed for anyone who wishes to learn and master astrology. It covers the fundamentals of astrology and provides a solid foundation for more advanced astrological study.  There are no prerequisites for this course.   BEGINNING ASTROLOGY will teach you what astrology really is and how it works.  It will give you the skills to understand not only the planets, signs and houses, but also how everything relates and interacts through the "aspects" between them.  There are handouts/information given at each class meeting, and there will be a small amount of homework so that you have an opportunity to hone your skills.  When registering for the course, please give your birth date (month, day and year), the location (city, state and country if not the US) of your birth, and the exact time of your birth as it appears on your birth certificate.  This will enable the instructor to have your chart available for you at the 1st class so you can begin using your chart immediately. Astrologer Lin Ewing is the proprietor of Astrological Details, where she practices astrology and also gives Akashic Record readings.  www.astrologicaldetails.com  More information Siria Family Channeling  with Sharyl Noday  Thursday, September 27, 2012  7:30 - 9 PM  $25 advance; $30 at the door  Info/registration: info@LifeForceArts.org or  773-327-7224  This event is held once a month on a Thursday Read "The Channel and The Painter", an interview with Sharyl Noday by Liz Baudler in LFAC's Transcendent Journeys ezine Experience a wonderful spiritual healing with Sharyl and the Siria Family! If there is anything you want to change and improve in your life, any "stuck" places, this is the event that can do it for you energetically. You will see Sharyl go into trance and bring through the beings of light called the Siria Family, who exist on the spiritual plane. They are funny, warm and wise, and they are here to assist us in our growth, and release the blocks that are holding us back in life. Their goal is to create heaven on earth. Witnessing Sharyl channeling is truly something to behold; this is real trance work. The end of the session is a meditation led by the Siria Family. It is powerful; you will have a shift. These beings love to heal, and that is their purpose in coming. You can trust Sharyl and the Siria Family. Sharyl Noday is certified as an active Full Trance Channel and Channeling Teacher, and has over 25 years of study in metaphysics, multidimensioal consciousness and paranormal investigation. Please visit www.sharylnoday.com for more information. More information House on the Side of the Road movie & discussion with Susan Abbott Gidel & Jan Abbott Landow Wednesday, October 3, 2012 7 - 9 PM Suggested donation: $10 advance/$15 door Info/registration: info@LifeForceArts.org or 773-327-7224 Since 1848, the Abbott family has lived on a farm in Northwestern Illinois. Still in productive agricultural use, the farm was part of the Underground Railroad in the 1850's. Please join Susan & Jan for a movie viewing/discussion night on the book and documentary film about their ancestral home. Register in advance, and you will be provided with access to view the entire 30-minute documentary, "House by the Side of the Road." Then, the night of the event(s), we will gather to view the movie again as a group and discuss the influence and importance of our ancestors to our lives. http://amzn.to/MhE7IY   and  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=oGjfAzyWZrA More information Drumming the Chakras: Intro to Shamanic Journeying with Joan Forest Mage & Kevin Seymour Thursday, October 4, 2012 7 - 10 pm Suggested donation: $20 Info/registration 773-327-7224 or info@LifeForceArts.org Experience a powerful healing ritual as Shamanic Practitioners Joan Forest Mage and Kevin Seymour cleanse the chakras (energy centers) of each participant through singing and drumming. We will learn the ancient meditation technique of shamanic journeying to the spirit realm, gaining wisdom and healing from angels, ancestors, totem animals and other helpful spiritual beings. Beginners welcome, no previous experience necessary. Please wear comfortable clothing. Joan Forest Mage, founder and Executive Director of Life Force Arts Foundation, has served as a shamanic artist, healer and educator in her hometown of Chicago since 1995. Visit joanforestmage.com. Kevin Seymour is a Reiki and Shamanic Practitioner. He has studied Shamanism through Joan Forest Mage's Shamanic Training Program. More information Forecasting with Astrology: Transits of Pluto with Joseph Polise  Sunday, October 7, 2012 12 - 3 pm $55/$45 early registration by September 30 Preregistration required Info/registration 773-327-7224 or info@LifeForceArts.org  Read Joe's article "Analytic, Poetic Astrology" in LFAC's Transcendent Journeys ezine Joe Polise presents a series of classes on Forecasting with Astrology. Transits are the most popular astrological forecasting tool; while simple in concept, understanding both the salient and less obvious features of major transits is often challenging. In Transits of Pluto, we will review how the transits of this major planet influences natal horoscopes. How we distinguish orb of transit's influence, the relative "strength" of various transits, and other issues will be addressed. Please bring your own charts and an 21st century ephemeris. This is one of three seminars on Transits. The other seminars are Transits of Jupiter & Uranus and Transits of Saturn & Uranus.  Joseph Polise, C.A. NCGR-PAA, has been an active practitioner in astrology since 1990. He is vice president of Chicago's Friends of Astrology and Education Outreach Chair of Professional Astrologers' Alliance. More information Intro to Runes with Kiel Milner Wednesday, October 10, 2012 7 - 9 PM Suggested Donation:  $20 Preregistration required Info & registration: info@LifeForceArts.org or 773-327-7224 Join us for an introduction to the lore and magic of the runes, an ancient Norse-Germanic divination system. We will cover the basics about the runes of the Elder Futhark. No previous experience necessary. Please bring a set of runes if you have them, or rune sets will be available for purchase. This is one of three classes in the Lore & Magic of the Runes series with Kiel Milner. The other two are: Runic Divination - November 7; Bind Runes & Magic - December 5. Vitki Kiel Milner has been practicing runes for 20 years and is considered a rune master by the gods of this system. More information Understanding Astrological Interceptions with Lin Ewing Sunday, October 13, 2012 12 - 5 PM $100/$75 early registration by October 5 info@LifeForceArts.org or 773-327-7224 Read Lin's article on astrological interceptions in LFAC's Transcendent Journeys ezine. Accurately interpreting interceptions of signs and planets in an individual’s horoscope can provide great insights, yet little information about this topic has been available. In response, Astrologer Lin Ewing has developed this series of classes based on her years of investigating this fascinating subject. What is intercepted can be felt as a part of oneself that has not been allowed to express and can manifest as blocked energies and frustrations.  We will cover what an interception is, how it comes about in the chart and how to overcome obstacles and blockages posed by the interception. Part of the class will include interpreting charts containing interceptions.  Please bring your own charts with interceptions to share and discuss. Astrologer Lin Ewing is the proprietor of Astrological Details, where she practices astrology and also gives Akashic Record readings.  www.astrologicaldetails.com  More information Parting of the Veil - Shamanic Kirtan with Ananda Lila Saturday, October 20, 2012 8 PM $10 advance/$15 at the door Info/registration: info@LifeForceArts.org or 773-327-7224 You are invited to join Ananda Lila (http://antarshanti.com/anandalila) in creating a healing musical ritual to celebrate the Summer’s End or Samhain.  Let’s honor a time when the light of the sun, sustainer of life, wanes and move into the darkness of winter months. A turning point where the veil between the seen and unseen realms is thinnest, creating a shift in focus from the outer visible world to the inner unseen world. A time when our inner fire grows brighter allowing a potent opportunity for clearing and transformation. Come join us for a divine blending of Kirtan Chanting, Shamanic Ritual and Sound Healing. Together we will create a sacred space to honor our past and invoke our future.   More information Autumn Harvest Members Party Sunday, October 21, 2012 4 - 7 PM Admission: Life Force Arts Center Annual Membership ($25 and up) For info and registration: info@LifeForceArts.org or 773-327-7224 You and a guest are invited to LFA's Autumn Harvest Party! Make new friends or reconnect with old ones.  Enjoy socializing, food, fascinating presentations and complimentary readings and healing sessions from LFAC's best practitioners. Admission is an LFA Annual Membership ($25 and up) that includes invitations to four Members parties and other Special Member events like these each year. Each healing session or reading alone would cost more than a membership, what a deal! Group psychic readings with Aria Norman Reiki energy work sessions with Irma Cortez & Eva Rios (4 - 5:30 PM) Akashic Record sessions with Lin Ewing (4:30 - 7 PM) More practitioners TBA Refreshments and fun! More information Faces of the Dark Goddess with Szmeralda Shanel Sunday, November 4, 2012 10 AM - 4 PM $100/$85 early registration by October 31 (all materials included) Info/registration: info@LifeForceArts.org or  773-327-7224 Preregistration required As we approach the time of the ancestors and the thinning veil, we open to the wisdom of Dark Goddess. She is Tiamat, Oya, Sedna,  Nephtys, Kali, The Morrighan, her names are many.  In this workshop participants will create a sacred mask of a chosen Dark Goddess. Through mask-making, ritual, song, dance and storytelling we will meet , honor and celebrate the various faces of the Dark Goddess. This class is open to all, no prerequisites. Szmeralda Shanel is a visual, performance and ritual artist. She holds an MA in expressive arts therapy and has been working as a teaching artist for fifteen years. A priestess with the international Fellowship of Isis and Temple of Isis, Szmeralda is the founder of the Iseum of Black Isis, a temple dedicated to Goddess Spirituality and Sacred Arts. www.blackisisiseum.com This class may be taken for 5 NCBTMB credit hours** More information Connecting with Crystals with Steven Blaine Adams Tuesday, November 13, 2012 7 - 10 PM $55/$45 early registration by October 31 Preregistration required Info/registration: 773-327-7224 or info@LifeForceArts.org Read Steve's article about crystals in Transcendent Journeys ezine The art of healing with gemstones is thousands of years old. Shamans and medicine men knew the power of crystals and passed it down to the present day. This workshop is designed to give you essential principles and tools to build your relationship with crystals, and to understand and utilize their magical and healing properties. You will learn how to:  work with crystals for healing and empowering mind, body and spirit "program" stones: put an intention into a crystal to accomplish a goal learn color theory as a simple, effective key to the energies of stones cleanse stones of negative energy build relationships with your crystals so you can receive their messages, healing and positive energy Each student will apply what they have learned by working hands-on with the crystals to create a pendant or earrings as a charm for their own or another's healing. You will receive valuable handouts about planetary and chakra correspondences, crystals for aura protection, gem remedies for healing and more. Steven Blaine Adams is an artist and designer who works with natural materials like stones and crystals to create symbols with spiritual resonance. He is LFAC's store designer,  and is on the curatorial committee for LFAC's art exhibits. Steve creates spirit-based jewelry, and has been a Tarot reader for 30 years. This class may be taken for 3 NCBTMB credit hours** More information Team LFA Campaign continues! Monday, September 10 - Tuesday, October 30, 2012 LFA has a growing need to hire a paid staff in order to continue offering the powerful and exciting programs that are our hallmark. LFAC presents an average of twenty events each month, creates four exquisite art exhibits each year, and publishes hundreds of articles in Transcendent Journeys ezine.  So, we’ve come up with our Team LFA Campaign: fundraising to hire some of our most dedicated, currently volunteer staff as full-time employees.  It’s simple: if 400 LFAC supporters donate $25 each, we will have made our goal! Click here for more details and to donate.   LFAC's Gallery Hours: Mondays & Thursdays, 1:30 - 6:30 PM and by appointment   Classes available for NCBTMB credit hours** Life Force Arts Foundation, Inc. (Approved Provider Number 451592-11) is approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a continuing education Approved Provider. LFAC has FREE PARKING in Central Savings parking lot For complete calendar of events, please click here.

follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend  Copyright © 2012 Life Force Arts Center, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up on our sign-up sheet at LFAC or on our website. Our mailing address is: Life Force Arts Center 1609 W. Belmont Chicago, IL 60657