SUMMER PLEASURES

1. WATER SKIS

If you’re Swedish, you probably credit the countryman who in 1841 patented the vattenskids — or water skis — as the inventor of the sport. But the American Water Ski Association credits Ralph Samuelson, who in the 1920s strapped two boards to his feet and cruised across Minnesota’s Lake Pepin.

Water’s edge

IT’S OK TO GET PLENTY BOARD AT THE BEACH

— Water skiing: The choppy conditions on Lake Michigan prevent Chicago from being a water-skiing hot spot, but you don’t have to travel far. The Waters Edge Ski Club in Wilmington — about an hour southwest of the city — hosts competitions throughout the summer on local manmade lakes. The Ski Broncs cruise the Rock River around Rockford, putting on weekly summer shows for spectators and occasionally holding learn-to-ski clinics. In McHenry County, the Wonder Lake Ski Team wows fans. Learn more about local wave riding at the Illinois Waterski Federation (iwsf.waterski.org).

Of course, you can’t mention water-skiing in the Midwest without citing the Tommy Bartlett Show, which since the early 1950s has been putting on wet daredevil shows at Wisconsin Dells. When Lake Delton emptied last year because of a broken dam, the show was performed on land. The dam has been repaired, the lake is filled and fans and performers are eager to get wet again this year. tommybartlett.com

— Volleyball: Amateurs crowd the volleyball courts at North Avenue Beach, playing in leagues hosted by Chicago Sport and Social Club (chicagosportandsocialclub.com) and Sports Monster (sportsmonster.net). The professionals come to Chicago Aug. 27-30 during the 2009 AVP KFC Chicago Crocs Cup Championship, where the athletes’ outfits are as skimpy as that title is long. They play at Oak Street Beach, leaving the North Avenue Beach courts open for the rest of us.

— Cardboard Regatta: Many of the entrants in Crystal Lake’s annual regatta sink midway through the race. And they’re laughing as they go down. The America’s Cardboard Cup Regatta welcomes teams that spend the year crafting elaborate vessels — Viking ships and Oscar Mayer wieners — out of little more than paper and glue. The regatta also welcomes the foolhardy in a category that challenges entrants to build ships in the hours before the regatta starts. These ramshackle boats sink the quickest. June 27. Main Beach, Crystal Lake. cardboardcup.com

— Surfing: Chicago’s small but passionate community of surfers, windsurfers and kitesurfers brave the waters of Lake Michigan in Evanston and northwest Indiana, where breaks and gusts create conditions that sate locals until their next trip to the West Coast. The Evanston Windsurfing Association (evanstonwindsurfing.net) guides surfers up north, while in the Hoosier state the wet set gathers in the northern shadow of the Horseshoe Casino. “The conditions have been better in recent years,” says veteran Chicago surfer Scott Guhstorf. “And the locals have gotten better too.”

— Chris McNamara

2. WEED EATER

George Ballas came up with the concept of the now-famous string trimmer after taking his car to an automatic carwash — he thought the same spinning nylon filaments could be used to cut weeds yet not harm tree bark. He founded the Weed Eater company in Houston in 1972.

In the gardens

ADMIRE THEM, THEN PLANT YOUR OWN

— Lincoln Square Garden Walk: In addition to seeing more than 20 creative city gardens in the Lincoln Square neighborhood, attendees can get information on everything from eco-friendly pesticides to water collection methods from more than 17 environmental groups at the Green Fair. The event starts at 10 a.m. Aug. 1 in Giddings Plaza, 4731 N. Lincoln Ave. $10 donation. 312-286-0956.

lincolnsquare.org.

— Other garden parties:

51st Annual Dearborn Garden Walk: This walk includes a self-guided tour of more than 20 award-winning private gardens in the historic Gold Coast neighborhood, a narrated architectural walking tour of Dearborn Street and live jazz and classical music in select gardens. Dearborn and Goethe Streets, 1300 N. Dearborn St. $30-$35; July 19. 312-632-1241.

Malott Japanese Garden Summer Festival: This family-oriented event celebrates Japanese festivals known as matsura, which welcome summer. The festival includes music, storytelling, arts and crafts projects and more. Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Rd., Glencoe. Free; Aug. 15-16. 847-835-5440.

— Christine Badowski

How does your victory garden grow?

Has the economy got you thinking that a way to save some money this summer would be to start your own “victory garden” just like Michelle Obama? Rick Belding, horticulturalist at the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden, says there are many items you can plant that will keep you from having to dish out big bucks at the produce market, even if your back yard is the size of a postage stamp or you only have room for a pot on the stoop.

Here are a few vegetables he recommends:

Heirloom tomatoes: These are more nutritious and flavorful than most other tomatoes, but they don’t ship well and thus are more expensive in the store. However, they have a reputation for being easy to grow; and because they grow vertically, they don’t need very much space. Starting with a seedling plant, plant it in soil that holds water and drains well. Tomato plants are sun-loving, so keep it in a south-facing location and be sure to water it at least every other day. Keep the plants shielded from wind because wind wicks moisture off the plants. One plant can yield tomatoes throughout the summer.

Fingerling potatoes: At local grocery stores, these small, elongated and slightly knobby vegetables can cost $4 a pound or more. But they’re surprisingly easy to grow at home. Put a few inches of compost in a large pot, place a seed potato (with two eyes) on top of the compost and then cover with a few inches of straw and then a few inches of loose compost. Keep the pot in a south-facing location and keep the soil damp by watering at least every other day. Once the plant sprouts, cover with more straw. After 100 days, the plant will bloom; pull out the whole plant to get the potatoes.

Herbs: Fresh herbs are sometimes hard to find at local markets and costly when we do find them. Belding suggests getting a dark-colored, terracotta “strawberry pot” with a number of openings, and interplanting a variety of herbs. Most herbs like well-drained soil. Follow the instructions on seed packets and plant herbs with similar growth habits, such as thyme, oregano, rosemary and summer savory, in one pot. Cut herbs and use them in recipes throughout the summer; the plants will continue to come back quite well.

The Chicago Botanic Garden offers a number of gardening classes for anyone interested in learning more about planting vegetables or herbs. 1000 Lake Cook Rd., Glencoe, 847-835-5440. chicago-botanic.org

— C.B.

3. AIR CONDITIONER

Ancient Romans channeled aqueduct water through the walls of homes to cool them. Centuries later, Chinese Emperor Xuanzong constructed the Cool Hall, chilled with fans and jets of cold water, in his palace. In 1842, Florida physician John Gorrie invented a unit that employed compressor technology to create ice that cooled the air. Finally, in 1902, electrical A/C was birthed by Willis Haviland Carrier as a way to improve industrial printing conditions. We tip our perspiration-free hats to these cool characters, early A/C pioneers who helped make Chicago summers bearable.

Chilling out

ESCAPE THE HEAT, NOT THE FUN

— Adler Planetarium: Attendees at the Far Out Fridays (the first Friday of each month) are invited to the Doane Observatory, which houses three telescopes that peer into space, where the average temperature is 455 degrees below zero. adlerplanetarium.org

— Field Museum: The exhibit “Water” invites overheated guests to splash through interactive displays. Bodies cool while minds are illuminated by fog screens and ice sculptures. June 17-Sept. 20. fieldmuseum.org

— Shedd Aquarium: At the newly redesigned Oceanarium exhibit, guests can purchase a whale meet-and-greet, in which they strap on wader boots and climb into the Grainger Beluga Encounter Habitat — kept at a cool 58 degrees — to wade with the whales just like the trainers do. sheddaquarium.org

— The Art Institute of Chicago: The newly opened Modern Wing is the largest expansion in the history of the facility, designed to be an open space into which Chicago can peer. The Bluhm Family Sculpture Terrace invites guests to stroll amid artwork while sipping cocktails blended in the new restaurant Terzo Piano. Afterward, they can amble through the new Pritzker Garden, because summer nights are coolest when you’re outside. artic.edu

— DuPage Children’s Museum: Perhaps the silliest way to cool down in summer months is here. Pint-sized visitors are invited to the WaterWays Neighborhood, where they can splash in water tables, redirect rivers and enclose themselves in huge bubbles. Then, when fully doused, they can head over to the AirWorks Neighborhood, complete with wind tunnels and blustery “gardens” where they can manipulate the breeze — and dry off. 301 N. Washington St., Naperville. dupagechildrensmuseum.org

— Ice hockey: When it comes to playing hockey, you don’t have to mimic the Blackhawks’ season. At Lincolnwood’s American Heartland Ice Arena (847-675-2950) and Johnny’s Ice House near the United Center (johnnysicehouse.com), the ice is cold no matter the temperature outside.

— Chris McNamara

4. PLASTIC BAG

According to the Plastic Bag Association, the modern-day plastic grocery bag was designed in Sweden and originally called the T-shirt bag. It was introduced in the United States in 1972. Although more consumers are making “green” choices when shopping today, the Food Marketing Institute indicates that 96 percent of U.S. grocery stores still use plastic bags made of polyethylene. Eighty percent of polyethylene is produced from natural gas, a non-renewable resource.

Keep it clean

SAVE THE EARTH AND GET SOME SUN

You can join in these Chicago-area cleanup efforts:

— North Avenue Beach: This famed Chicago beach is just one of 25 beaches across the United States that is the focus this year of the Barefoot Wine Beach Rescue Project. Launched with the Surfrider Foundation in 2007, the project works to make beaches barefoot-friendly and has cleaned up 11 beaches across the U.S. to date. People can help by picking up litter, raking the sand free of glass, testing the water and assisting with other tasks. When all the work is done, volunteers (ages 21+) get treated to a celebration featuring live music, food and wine. The cleanup starts at 3 p.m. July 25. BarefootWine.com.

— Chicago River: For more than 10 years, Pete Leki and the Riverbank Neighbors have worked to clean up the banks of the Chicago River, including planting native vegetation and building a half-mile walking trail. Volunteers can join in the Summer Solstice Gathering to help in the cleanup effort and also enjoy musical performances by the Mighty Bullfrogs Community Choir and others. West Hutchinson Street on the east side of the Chicago River. 9-11 a.m. June 20. 773-463-8968. [email protected]

— Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore: The Dunes lakefront area stretches across three counties, 13 municipalities and eight townships and has more than 45 miles of trails. That’s a lot of land that needs volunteers to lend a hand and help clean up. The National Park System staff always welcomes individuals and groups who want to help maintain park trails and participate in other cleanup efforts. All tools and training provided. 219-395-1682. Lynda(underscore)[email protected]; volunteer.gov/gov

— Illinois highway system: The state highway system comprises nearly 17,000 miles of roadway. Not a day goes by when the average Chicago-area resident doesn’t see litter on the side of the road. The Illinois Adopt-A-Highway program partners volunteers with the Illinois Department of Transportation to pick up trash throughout the state. Groups of up to 10 people (ages 10 and older) can apply to clean up an assigned 2-mile section of highway. Each group is then committed to remove litter from its section of highway at least four times each year for a 2-year period. For more information and an online application: www.dot.il.gov/aah/default.html

— Christine Badowski

5. FRISBEE

The origin of the Frisbee, whether thrown with two-legged or four-legged friends, can be traced to the 1870s. That’s when William Russell Frisbie, a baker in Bridgeport, Conn., put the family name on the bottom of the tin pans in which his pies were sold. In the 1940s, Yale students began to throw and catch the pie tins for sport. In the 1950s, WHAM-O mass-marketed a plastic flying-saucer-like disc called the Pluto Platter. In 1958 WHAM-O trademarked the name “Frisbee” for the toy.

To the dogs

SPOTS TO GO WITH FIDO

Canine cruise: Mercury Skyline Cruiseline’s canine cruise provides you and your dog with some relaxing sightseeing time. The cruise starts at the southeast corner of the Michigan Avenue Bridge in Chicago’s South Loop and travels along the river and lakefront. Water bowls are on board, as well as newspaper-lined restrooms. Not only do passengers get the lowdown on the city’s history and architecture, but they also learn some of the best places in the city to take dogs. mercuryskylinecruiseline.com

PAWS Chicago Beach Party: You and your pup can storm the beach at Castaways, at the North Avenue Beach House, for the PAWS beach party All Paws on Deck. The party is an annual event you and your dog can enjoy adorned in your best beachwear. Canines can enjoy the gourmet dog ice cream and devour treats while their owners raise money for homeless pets at the silent auction. $150 per person in advance; $50 per dog. 6 p.m. July 23. beachparty.pawschicago.org

No need for a doggy bag: Scoozi, located in River North at 410 W. Huron St., has the perfect summer treat for those walking on two and four legs. Weather permitting, you and your pooch can dine out on the patio, where you get to choose from the Italian menu while your dog has his own menu, created by Chef Eric Young, with such dishes as Doggie Granita and Chicken Risotto. 312-943-5900.

Somewhere he can ‘Sit!’ and ‘Stay!’: The Amalfi Hotel offers a pet-friendly package, with such amenities as a doggie bed and bowl in your room, as well as a gift bag for your beloved canine. The hotel also can arrange pet-walking or pet-sitting services when you’re out on the town. 20 W. Kinzie St. amalfihotelchicago.com. —– Emily Capdeviell

6. ROLLER SKATES

Talk about making a bad first impression. In the early 1760s, John Joseph Merlin, a London musical instrument maker, had the brilliant idea of affixing heavy spools to the bottom of his shoes, in hopes of making a grand, rolling entrance at a chic society masquerade ball. Just one problem — no toe brakes: Merlin made an entrance all right, careening directly into a mirror, shattering it and sustaining serious injury. Though he set the cause of wheel-propelled footwear back several decades (the first patent for a skate wasn’t granted until 1819), Merlin will go down as the earliest poster boy for why a helmet is more than just a fashion statement.

Wheel world

GREAT PLACES FOR SKATING

Paths

Chicago: Lakefront Trail Path: The 18-mile path is accessible to skaters — and everyone else — so keep in mind that congested areas around Oak Street and North Avenue beaches can be tough to navigate. Skating enthusiasts recommend starting from Belmont and heading north to Hollywood Avenue or heading south from McCormick Place to 55th Street.

Cook County: North Branch Trail: Start at Devon Avenue (at Caldwell) and head to the Chicago Botanic Garden (at Lake-Cook Road). 17.4 miles. Salt Creek: Start at Brookfield Woods (31st Street, west of First Avenue) and head west to Bemis Woods South (Ogden Avenue, west of Wolf Road). 7.1 miles. Map at chicagotribune.com/trailmap

Parks

These skate parks are open to roller-skaters, in-line skaters and skateboarders.

Chicago Park District: Burnham Park, just south of 31st Street and Lake Shore Drive; Grant Park, at 9th Street and Columbus Drive; Wilson, Wilson Avenue and Lake Shore Drive; Logan Boulevard, 2430 W. Logan Blvd., under the Kennedy Expressway; Rowan Park, 11546 S. Avenue L; Vittum Park, 5010 W. 50th St.; West Lawn Park, 423 W. 65th St.

Deerfield: Jewett Park Skate Park, 836 Jewett Park Drive, north of Community Center. 847-945-0650. deerfieldparkdistrict.org/pkjewett

Glencoe: Glencoe Park District, behind the Park District building, 999 Green Bay Rd. 847-835-3030. glencoeparkdistrict.com

Tinley Park: Frankfort Square, The Extreme Skate Park, 16801 S. 80th Ave. 708-342-4200. tinleyparkdistrict.org. Also: Union Creek Community Park, part of the Frankfort Square Park District. 19900 S. 80th Ave. 815-469-3524. fspd.org/par-Union-Creek.asp

— Chris LaMorte

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7. DISCO BALL

Alternatively known as the mirror ball or glitter ball, the ever-popular disco ball has a mystifying past, though some trace its origins all the way back to 13th Century Venice, where skilled Italian craftsmen hand-blew glass for customers who believed mirror balls brought prosperity and warded off evil spirits, particularly witches. The current version gained popularity in nightclubs first in the 1920s and then again in the 1970s.

Dance clubs

IF YOU LOVE THE NIGHTLIFE

Sonotheque: Sound over function is the motto at Sonotheque, which features an “acoustically precise” sound system to showcase the myriad international bands and DJs who frequent this tiny, minimalist venue. Club nights vary from reggae and dub to hip-hop, house and disco. 1444 W. Chicago Ave. 312-226-7600. sonotheque.net

Club Foot: This dive bar features, among other things, cheap drinks, a friendly staff, an array of eclectic action figures and toys on the walls and a bevy of local DJs who play everything from obscure indie-rock and electro-pop to standout hits from the ’80s. What makes Club Foot so consistently fun is the off-the-cuff atmosphere that lets groups abandon the often-pretentious and expensive club scene for spontaneous dance parties. 1824 W. Augusta Blvd. 773-489-0379.

Smart Bar: For more than 25 years, Smart Bar has been the premiere dance club in Chicago, featuring an international roster of DJs and the best dance music you’ll hear in the city. Depending on the night, you can hear anything from Chicago house to Miami drum ‘n’ bass to minimalist techno and everything in between. 3730 N. Clark St. 773-549-0203. smartbarchicago.com

The Hideout: Located in the industrial corridor of the North Branch of the Chicago River, The Hideout is a local treasure for experimental music in a variety of genres. The Hideout Dance Party is a spastic affair featuring local and international DJs playing everything avant-garde yet danceable. Expect a packed, sweaty cluster of young, hip folk whose only concern is having a good time. 1354 W. Wabansia Ave. 773-227-4433. hideoutchicago.com

Britt Julious

8. ICE CUBES

Ice has always been around. It just took a few billion years for someone to make a buck off it. In 1805, Bostonian Frederic Tudor carved up his father’s frozen pond, hauling 130 tons of ice (using sawdust for insulation) to Martinique. Not only did half his shipment melt by the time he arrived, it was met with a decisive “meh” by the locals, apparently preferring their rum neat.

Only after the refrigerator/freezer became common in American kitchens did Guy Tinkham’s 1933 invention of the twistable, compartmentalized metal tray make putting miniature ice blocks in your drinks second nature. Your gin and tonic owes him a toast. —– Chris LaMorte

The Grass is Always Greener

From The Drawing Room, 937 N. Rush St., and mixologist Charles Joly

Serves 1

4-5 basil ice cubes (recipe follows)

6-7 plain ice cubes

1 1/2 ounces good quality gin (The Drawing Room uses Plymouth Gin)

3/4 ounce Aperol liqueur

3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons

Simple syrup

(recipe follows)

Fresh sprigs of basil, for garnish

Lemon peel, for garnish

1. Put basil ice cubes in an “on-the-rocks” or “lowball” glass.

2. Place plain ice cubes in a cocktail shaker. Add gin, Aperol, lemon juice and simple syrup. Shake 20 to 30 seconds and strain over Basil Ice Cubes. Garnish with fresh basil sprig and lemon peel.

Simple syrup: Mix 1/3 cup sugar and 1/3 cup water together in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil, stirring briefly to dissolve. Remove from the heat and cool completely. Syrup will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator. Makes about 1/2 cup.

Basil ice cubes: In a pan of simmering water, steep 3 sprigs parsley for 10 seconds. Add 8-10 basil leaves and steep for an additional 10 seconds. Remove and immediately transfer herbs to a bowl filled with cold water and ice cubes. Drain; place herbs in a blender with 1 cup ice cubes and 2 cups water. Puree about 30 seconds. Strain and squeeze through cheesecloth. Pour liquid into ice cube trays and freeze. Makes about two trays.

9. CHEF’S TOQUE

It’s believed that the chef’s hat, which dates back centuries, is fashioned after a king’s crown as an acknowledgement of the court chef’s high position. (Because a common method for overthrowing a monarch was to poison him, only the most loyal and trusted men were allowed to become court chefs.) —- Emily Capdevielle

Dining treats

REDISCOVER DELIGHTFUL FRIENDS

PHIL VETTEL, RESTAURANT CRITIC

When I was a kid watching entirely too much television, “summer reruns” meant a dismal stretch in which there was nothing on the air that I hadn’t seen before.

These days, when work and other responsibilities interfere with my TV time (I saw exactly one episode of “Seinfeld” in prime time), “summer reruns” represents an opportunity to catch up on missed experiences, and to savor anew something I’ve enjoyed previously.

So it is with dining. I’m forever chasing newly opened restaurants, but it’s nice to return to old favorites now and then. These previously reviewed restaurants represent my summer reruns, the experiences I hope to repeat in the coming weeks:

Vegetable tart, with onions, oven-dried tomatoes and Gruyere, savored on the outdoor patio at Perennial. 1800 N. Lincoln Ave., 312-981-7070.

Frozen-corn custard, with salted toffee and freeze-dried corn niblets, at Graham Elliot. 217 W. Huron St., 312-624-9975.

Asiago gnocchi with pieces of butter-poached lobster at Dan McGee. 330 W. Lincoln Hwy., Frankfort, 815-469-7750.

Antipasto platter of wood-roasted vegetables and meats at Piccolo Sogno. 464 N. Halsted St., 312-421-0077.

Spicy lobster deviled eggs at Tallulah. 4539 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-942-7585.

Champagne-poached peaches with anise-laced angel food cake and lemongrass ice cream at Maijean. 30 S. Prospect Ave., Clarendon Hills, 630-794-8900.

The raw bar at C-House. Affinia Hotel, 166 E. Superior St., 312-523-0923.

10. HAMMOCK

The origin of this sleeping apparatus goes back to Central America approximately 1,000 years ago. The Mayans are responsible for weaving the first hammocks out of the bark of the Hamack tree, and later, the Sisal plant. Thanks to the trade routes between Central and South America, the hammock soon was in nearly every native’s home. It was in 1492, when Christopher Columbus came to the New World, that Europeans discovered hammocks and used them for sleeping at sea. During naval battles, hammocks were rolled into tight bundles and placed into racks on the ship’s gunwales, serving as protection against small arms fire. —-Emily Capdevielle

Sun-lit

RELAX WITH GREAT BOOKS

JULIA KELLER cultural critic

Some books are best read by firelight. Some are best read by flashlight (just ask that 8-year-old girl huddled under the blanket after being ordered to bed — with one more chapter to go). And some are best read by sunlight.

The phrase “summer reading” has acquired the unfortunate connotation of lightweight triviality. Yet a summertime selection must be able to stand up to the pitiless scrutiny of a searching sun. Every flaw is revealed. Each implausible plot twist stands out. At high noon in June, there’s nowhere for a book to hide. If it doesn’t grab you, you just grab another one from your tote bag. (Check under the sunscreen bottle.)

The Tribune-sponsored Printers Row Lit Fest is an excellent place to kick off your happy binge of summer reading. The all-star lineup includes Elizabeth Berg, whose new novel “Home Safe” recently was published by Random House, and Neil Gaiman and Dave Eggers. June 6-7, 700 S. Dearborn St. printersrowlitfest.org

Once the fest is over, you can continue in a seasonal vein with “Near Death in the Desert: True Stories of Disaster and Survival” (Vintage), due out in mid-July. It’s a sweaty anthology of real-life adventures under the sun in places such as India and the Sahara Desert. And for fans of the stubbornly prolific Dean Koontz — more than 400 million copies of his books have sold worldwide, so it’s a big club — his latest novel, “Relentless” (Bantam), about a murderous book critic, is scheduled to be published June 1.

Another book fair:

At the Newberry Book Fair, you can browse more than 100,000 books in 60 categories, ranging from antiques to zoology. Many of the books cost $2 or less. Newberry Library, 60 W. Walton St. Free; July 23-26. 312-255-3510.

11. ELECTRONIC SYNTHESIZE

The first electric music synthesizer was developed in 1876 by Highland Park inventor Elisha Grey as an early prototype for the telephone. Named the “Musical Telegraph,” Grey’s device used a short piano keyboard to transmit a single-note oscillation, created by electromagnets, over a telegraph wire.

— Britt Julious

Tune time

OUR CRITICS’ MUST-SEE SUMMER CONCERTS

GREG KOT ON ROCK

Money’s too tight to mention, as the song goes, so this summer’s it’s important to find great music at a bargain price. You can’t beat free, and that’s what it will cost to experience a rare appearance by New Jersey’s finest-ever post-punk band, the Feelies, who will perform with the Icy Demons on June 29 at Millennium Park.

The Pitchfork Music Festival may not have the big-bang bucks of Lollapalooza, but it’s definitely a more affordable alternative, with another great lineup featuring more than 40 bands, topped by the Flaming Lips and a reunion by noise-rock hell-raisers the Jesus Lizard. The festival runs July 17-19 at Union Park, with two-day passes for $60, and $35 for a day (three-day passes are sold out), via ticketweb.com.

St. Vincent, a.k.a. Brooklyn-via-Dallas singer-guitarist Annie Clark, is going to make a lot of noise on year-end lists with her terrific new album, “Actor.” See her in relatively intimate confines June 7 at Epiphany, 201 S. Ashland Ave. $15; ticketweb.com

JOHN VON RHEIN ON CLASSICAL

At Millennium Park, Jay Pritzker Pavilion: The world premiere of Michael Torke’s “Plans” for chorus and orchestra, commissioned by the Grant Park Music Festival in honor of its 75th anniversary, launches the citywide Daniel Burnham Plan Centennial celebration. Carlos Kalmar leads the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus. June 19-20.

Edward Elgar’s great oratorio “The Dream of Gerontius,” based on Cardinal Newman’s poem about Catholic death and immortality, isn’t the exclusive preserve of British choral societies: Witness this rare Chicago performance by Kalmar with the Grant Park Chorus and Orchestra. July 31-Aug. 1.

Any performance of Gustav Mahler’s transcendent Symphony No. 9 is by definition an event, so you won’t want to miss the Grant Park rendition. Aug. 7-8.

All Grant Park Music Festival concerts are free. grantparkmusicfestival.com

At Ravinia Festival, Highland Park: This year more than ever, fans of vocal concerts will want to make Ravinia their summer “staycation.” Pride of place among a rich array of recitals goes to the complete Schubert song cycles as performed by the splendid German baritone Matthias Goerne, with pianist Christoph Eschenbach, in the Martin Theatre. July 27, “Die schoene Muellerin”; July 29, “Winterreise”; and July 31, “Schwanengesang.”

Broadway diva Patti LuPone joins James Conlon and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for an Evening of Kurt Weill, this season’s “Breaking the Silence” composer. Weill’s wry ballet with song, “The Seven Deadly Sins,” is paired with a selection of his Broadway gems. Aug. 8.

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Music director Conlon brings the CSO residency to a close with a concert performance of Verdi’s opera “Rigoletto,” starring Dmitri Hvorostovsky as the eponymous jester, Eglise Gutierrez as his daughter Gilda and Stefano Sacco as her seducer, the Duke of Mantua. Aug. 15.

HOWARD REICH ON JAZZ

“Ramsey Lewis’ Lincoln”: The eminent Chicago pianist — who’s also artistic director of jazz at Ravinia — presents the world premiere of a suite investigating Abraham Lincoln’s influence on music and culture in America. 8 p.m. June 12 at Ravinia Festival.

“Echoes of Dreams and Inspiration”: Chicago Improvisers Orchestra presents “Lincolniana” and “Sounds of Hope” suites. Elbio Barilari’s “Lincolniana” fuses jazz and classical idioms in honoring the 16th president. Barilari and Kahil El’Zabar preside over “Sounds of Hope,” which celebrates Barack Obama’s inauguration via robust jazz improvisation. 6:30 p.m. July 30, Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park.

Benny Goodman Centennial Celebration: Jon Faddis’ Chicago Jazz Ensemble, based at Columbia College Chicago, joins forces with clarinetist Victor Goines in a newly commissioned work evoking the spirit of Chicago native Goodman. Expect to hear a few Goodman-era classics as well. 6:30 p.m. Sept. 3, Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park.

The Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park is at Michigan Avenue and Randolph Street. Ravinia Festival is at Green Bay and Lake-Cook Roads in Highland Park. ravinia.org.

12. CLAPPERBOARD

“Action!” screams the director — and the clapperboard snaps at the start of a new take. The hinged clapperboard — two sticks attached to a slate board, on which the scene and take number are written — was invented in the early 20th Century, possibly by Frank Thring, head of Eftee Studios in Australia. The clapperboard’s purpose is to synchronize the audio and the video, because each is recorded on separate devices. — Emily Capdevie

Starry nights

OUR CRITICS SHARE THEIR PICKS ON SCREEN AND STAGE

MICHAEL PHILLIPS ON MOVIES

This summer at the Chicago Outdoor Film Festival in Grant Park, cinephiles and their various relatives will be treated to a shower (“Psycho,”Aug. 11), a lesson in cross-dressing (“Tootsie,” Aug. 24), a silent screen icon ready for her close-up (“Sunset Boulevard,” opening night July 14) and other indelible images. Then there’s “Duck Soup,” beginning at 8:52 p.m. July 21, starring Groucho, Harpo, Chico and the sometime fourth Marx brother, Zeppo (there was a fifth — Gummo — he never did a movie, though). A flop in its dark Depression-era day, the brothers’ final film for Paramount finds Groucho’s Rufus T. Firefly running the debt-ridden nation of Fredonia and waging war with the neighboring country of Sylvania, while fighting for Margaret Dumont’s honor, “which is probably more than she ever did.” “If you think this country’s bad off now, just wait till I get through with it,” Groucho sings. Does “Duck Soup” hit the highest Marx on film? I’d probably vote for a four-way mash-up of highlights from “Duck Soup,” “Horse Feathers,” “Monkey Business” and “Animal Crackers,” and let somebody else vouch for “A Night at the Opera,” but if you’ve never seen it with a crowd, the laughter’s a lovely thing to hear. Films start at dusk. Consecutive Tuesdays, July 14-Aug. 25. Free. chicagooutdoorfilmfestival.us

More outdoor movies: Movies in the Parks, the Chicago Park District’s annual series, takes place in more than 125 neighborhood parks and makes a great cheap date. This year’s lineup includes “Kung Fu Panda,” “The Longshots” and “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa.” Films start at dusk. June 12 through Aug. 30. Free. 312-742-7529. chicagoparkdistrict.com

MAUREEN RYAN ON TV

The arrival of summer means it’s time to head for Miami. Not the actual city, but the Miami that’s home to “Burn Notice,” the stylish, phenomenally entertaining spy caper that returns to USA Network at 8 p.m. June 4. This expertly crafted series is “The Rockford Files” meets the “Bourne Identity” and it features plenty of laconic comedy and a top-flight acting ensemble. The good news is, this is not one of those shows where you have to worry about learning a lot of background information before you plunge into a new season.

All you really need to know as Season 3 begins is that Jeffrey Donovan plays former freelance spy Michael Westen, who landed in Miami after being abruptly cut loose, or “burned,” by his espionage employers. Though he wasn’t pleased about getting that “burn notice,” at least Westen’s got his friends, weapons expert Fiona Glennane (Gabrielle Anwar) and Sam Axe (Bruce Campbell) to help him work a few odd jobs, all of them involving helping regular folks out of jams.

Mmm, summer and “Burn Notice.” They were made for each other.

CHRIS JONES ON THEATER

One of the deepest sensual pleasures of summer is the light, especially the evening light. In the worst frigid days of a Chicago winter, I imagine myself planted in a square in Paris or Istanbul, nursing a bottle of wine, staring out at people and watching the sun’s rays play textured red on a marble canvas.

Perhaps that’s why “The Light in the Piazza” is my favorite contemporary musical, although Adam Guettel’s ravishingly melodic score might also have something to do with it. Based on a New Yorker short story by Elizabeth Spencer, “Piazza” is the story of a woman who goes to Italy with her young adult daughter in 1953. Once arrived, the mother must decide whether to keep on protecting her daughter, who has some special needs, or set her free to enjoy summer love, and the pain that will likely accompany it.

I can’t wait to see “Piazza” in the round at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire this summer, with light spilling out on all sides.

Tickets are $45; July 22-Sept. 20. 847-634-0200. marriotttheatre.com

13. BIKINI

Although the modern bikini became a beach staple around 60 years ago, two-piece swimsuits were seen adorning Roman women in murals dating to 1600 B.C. Two Frenchmen, Jacques Heim and Louis Reard, are known for “re-inventing” the two-piece swimsuit in the 1940s by battling over who could make the smallest version. Reard’s version won: He named it after the Bikini Atoll, site of a nuclear weapon test, to describe the level of excitement the suit would generate.

— Emily Capdevielle

Looking cool . . . AND HOT

1. Jean Paul Gaultier printed maillot swimsuit, $395, at Ikram, Chicago. 2. Chanel rhinestone-encrusted sunglasses, $415, at Optica, Chicago. 3. Clear sunflower yellow tote with patent-leather trim by Kate Spade, $195, at Kate Spade, Chicago. 4. Yellow striped straw beach hat, $38, at J.Crew. 5. Tatami bubble-bum cherry thongs by Stella McCartney, $795, at Barneys New York, Chicago