Holidays, Seasonal
May 31st, 2021 – Memorial Day
Let us not forget to embrace the spirit of Memorial Day weekend.
A time to honor service members and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms. A debt the nation may never repay in full but have and will continue to change the lives of every single citizen in the United States of America.
Have a safe and happy Memorial Day,
Your CUI Team
Events, History
Chicago History Museum: International Women’s Day

Today marks International Women’s Day, which recognizes the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.
The first National Woman’s Day was organized by the Socialist Party of America and observed on February 28, 1909. The following year, at the second International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen, Denmark, it was proposed that there be a celebration on the same day every year for women to advocate for their demands. International Women’s Day was honored for the first time on March 19, 1911, in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. By 1914, the day was agreed globally to be observed annually on March 8, which it has remained ever since.
The way the day has been recognized varies from country to country. In the early years, it was often a day for marches, where women protested for the right to vote, to hold public office, and for equitable working conditions and pay. In the US, the day has moved away from its origins within the labor movement and is often used to recognize women’s achievements. In Chicago, March 8 has been a day that numerous women’s organizations have hosted rallies, programs, and other celebrations.
Women’s activism has a rich history in the Chicago area. Chicago women have chosen to challenge unfair employment policies, structural racism, and a lack of political representation. Chicago History Museums’ online experience Democracy Limited: Chicago Women and the Vote offers a glimpse of recent and distant moments when Chicago-area women mobilized for change, part of a long history of activism and protest.
Image: Women march down State Street for the first women’s liberation march since 1916, May 15, 1971. ST-20003470-0019, Chicago Sun-Times collection, CHM © Sun-Times Media, LLC. All rights reserved.
Opera
Lyric Music & More: Sole e Amore (Sun and Love)

Sole e Amore (Sun and Love) is just around the corner! Warm up your February with beautiful, heartfelt songs from your favorite Italian composers. Lyric Music Director Designate Enrique Mazzola and members of the Ryan Opera Center Ensemble perform lesser-known musical gems by Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini, Verdi, Puccini, and Mascagni, selected with love by Maestro Mazzola.
Events, Sport
Super Bowl LV
Watch the ultimate showdown between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, February 7, 2021 at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.
The Weeknd will be the Halftime Show headliner.
This year attendance will be limited to 22,000 fans in the stadium.
Gifts & Floral, Seasonal
Valentine’s Day Gifts

Contact your CUI Concierge today to assist you with securing the perfect gift for your loved one! Valentine’s Day is just around the corner!
Museums, We Recommend
The Art Institute of Chicago

The Art Institute will reopen its doors on February 11th to visitors with limited capacity.
The Monet and Chicago exhibition is now extended through June 14th and Bisa Butler: Portraits exhibit will also be available for viewing through September 6th. Both exhibits were recent additions when the museum closed in November due to state mitigations.
Secure your tickets with your CUI Concierge!
Leisure & Recreation, National & International, Travel & Transportation
Martinique Named The World’s Top Emerging Destination

The French Caribbean Island of Martinique was named the world’s top emerging destination in 2021 by TripAdvisor. Due to the global pandemic which has heavily impacted the travel industry in 2020, traveling to the Island has been closed to non-EU visitors. But Martinique is more than ever on the radar of the US travelers, as their next choice of destination.
A few can’t miss attractions include Jardin de Bala, Grande Anse des Salines, and Habitation Clement.
Wine "Insight"
Dom Georges Vernay, Coteau de Vernon 2018 Condrie

A white wine that is sure to warm a white-wine drinker during the winter. Condrieu is arguably the northern Rhône’s most distinctive wine appellation. It offers deep flavours of apricot and blossom but it’s also avoury, with tension that may well be granite-influenced.
Serve it with deserving food.
Events, Opera
Lyric Music & More: 265th Birthday of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Today marks the 265th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, one of the most prolific and influential composers in history. To celebrate the occasion, we bring you a lovely excerpt from Idomeneo. Though not as well known as The Marriage of Figaro or The Magic Flute, this opera is filled with gorgeous melodies that reach deep into the soul of each character. In this scene, the captive princess Ilia, portrayed by soprano Janai Brugger, thinks of her lover Idamante and asks the breezes to carry her love to him.
Plus, learn more about Mozart with 15 facts about the great composer, hear artists such as Bobby McFerrin, Julia Bullock, and Lawrence Brownlee talk about their experiences as classical musicians, test your knowledge of opera characters, and preview a new album from baritone Will Liverman.
History, Holidays
CUI Celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Born in Atlanta, Georgia on January 15th, 1929. He was a pivotal advocate for African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement in the United States.
King experienced racism from an early age, and those events stayed with and eventually brought him to a life of activism. After graduating college with a doctorate degree in theology, King became a pastor in Alabama. He began a series of peaceful protests in the south that eventually changed many laws dealing with the equality of African Americans. King gave hundreds of moving speeches across the country, and in 1964 was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
On April 4th, 1968, Dr. King was shot and killed while in Memphis, Tennessee. Although his life ended that day, the work that he had accomplished changed the nation. King will be remembered not only for his commitment to the cause of equality for African Americans but also for his profound speeches that moved so many.
Few Quotes by Dr. King:
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.“
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.“
“Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.“
“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.“
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?“
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.“