Things to Do in Lyons

By recording the many people, inventions, and achievements of Silicon Valley, the Silicon Valley Historical Association forms a compelling argument that the Northern California–based tech movement is the Renaissance of our time. The association amasses commentary, interviews, and photographs from industry founders and experts to document Silicon Valley’s far-reaching impact on the world at large. Like Gutenberg’s printing press or the birth of the first carrier pigeon, the rise of the home computer has connected billions, marking a sea change in the primary ways people communicate.

The association’s research covers a multitude of subjects, from the invention of the microchip to the basic histories of some of the biggest names in the industry, such as Google, eBay, and Apple. Its documentary, Silicon Valley, condenses 20 years of the association’s work into a five-part series that discusses what makes for a successful company while recalling how many slices of pizza could fit into the earliest disk drives.

Simply put, Players Sport & Social Group helps more than 50,000 people each year get together, meet new friends, and have fun. The two-decade-old company has more than doubled in size in the last five years, due in no small part to the wide variety of sports leagues and clinics that it offers at venues throughout the city. Teams or individuals can sign up for sports ranging from dodgeball to beach volleyball to games of "bags," otherwise known as cornhole. Players can check their weekly standings online and review each sport's rules, learning exactly what is considered a foul in kickball or how to dispose of a football opponent's captured flag by burning it in a respectful ceremony.

The company also hosts and sponsors social events such as happy hours, fundraisers, and the Luau: a 2,500-participant grass-volleyball tournament with DJ music, food, and beer. Similarly, The Big Deal volleyball tournament offers the same mix of munchies, brews, and live entertainment, but on the sands of North Avenue Beach.

Memories & Beyond's papers, dies, stamps, tools, and classes equip crafters with all the materials and skills needed to preserve precious keepsakes. Underneath an enormous red sign reading "scrapbooking," 6,000 square feet of ribbon and stationery unfold before visitors, helping them to chronicle distant journeys with an extensive travel section or show off regional pride with a wealth of Chicagoland-themed papers. Each Friday and Saturday night, hobbyists gather amid the account machines, die cuts, and tables of the crop room to craft and share drinks and snacks. Classes hone basic and advanced scrapbooking skills sets, from matching basic colors and patterns to constructing stunning gift cards from layered paper or documenting memories before they even happen.

Robert Birnecker and Sonat Birnecker-Hart are devoted to the art of distilling. For Robert, it’s a family tradition: he still treasures memories of his grandparents’ award-winning Austrian distillery, where he often helped out as a child. A graduate of Oxford and the University of London, Robert's wife, Sonat, gave up a tenured academic position to pursue the couple’s dream of making their own spirits from scratch. Today, Robert and Sonat’s award-winning Koval Distillery is the first to open in Chicago’s city limits since Prohibition. There, they blend classic, mainstream techniques with contemporary, indie methods, ensuring quality by using only certified organic and kosher ingredients grown in the Midwest.

Using a Kothe potstill custom-made and hand-built in Germany, the husband-and-wife team produces small-batch spirits, including five original white whiskeys made from rye, oat, wheat, millet, and spelt mash. They also distill Lion’s Pride aged whiskeys, plus a selection of liqueurs and brandies, such as bierbrand made with Dynamo Copper Lager from neighbor Metropolitan Brewing. These spirits have won multiple local and national awards, from Whisky Magazine’s 100 Greatest Distilleries to Visit to the Chicago Reader’s Best Local Distillery.

Zuri Wine Tasting's wine enthusiast Tuanni Price and her staff travel far and wide to introduce groups to their new favorite vintages. During in-home tastings, customers can create candy-cane-colored lips with the help of reds and whites such as pinot noir, syrah, and riesling. After setting up a wine bar with the night's choices and glasses, specialists offer information about each selection along with pours. Light snacks such as crackers, cheeses, and chocolate cleanse palates between sips and intertwine delicately with the nuanced wine flavors.

In the past, Zuri Wine Tasting has also organized special events such as blindfolded wine tastings and tastings paired with movie screenings. Wine tours chauffeur groups on a motor coach from Los Angeles to Solvang, where they enjoy a mimosa brunch followed by a tasting at Rideau Vineyard.

Despite a close encounter with a hammerhead shark, Learn Scuba Chicago's Captain Bob just keeps on scuba diving. The aquatic expert got an up-close peep of shark teeth on his very first Caribbean dive, yet has scarcely taken his flippers off since. Captain Bob leads diving courses, which range from thrilling dips for beginners to rescue-diver certifications. Students plunge into indoor pools at Water's Edge Aquatic Center in Bensenville, the UIC campus, and Northeastern Illinois University campus, with open water dives held at Kankakee's Haigh Quarry. Depending on the course, Learn Scuba Chicago lends or sells student equipment such as masks, fins, snorkels, and gills.