Aydin Dincer is an artist who just happens to own Evanston’s Prairie Joe’s restaurant. His specialties are palette-painting, interior design, Photoshop and food.
Aydin Dincer
On November 10, Aydin made a presentation as part of Evanston’s NEW STUDIO monthly series. THENEWSTUDIO is an artistic gathering of individuals 45 and older who wish to present their works and share knowledge. Naturally, we at Ageless North Shore are big fans and have attended their presentation with artists Linda and Stuart Shayman and writers Lee Reilly and Louis Weisberg.
Last December 14, we sat down with Aydin Dincer and Beth Snyder who is a writer and poet as well as one of the founders (along with Stacey Brailov Foisy) of THENEWSTUDIO. We brought our cameras and video recorders and found out what we missed at the presentation.
This is what we knew: Prairie Joe’s serves diner-American, vegetarian, Mexican, and eclectic cuisine. Great BLTs and milk shakes as well as hummus, falafel, burritos, and Aydin’s delicious specials.
The interior of Prairie Joe’s changes all the time. There is artwork by customers or Aydin or from garage sales or possibly from Mars. You can see album jackets, stuffed animals, bobble heads, what-not shelves, landscapes on lampshades, balsa wood airplanes and a genuine fake fire place.
When we went, Prairie Joe’s had a festive holiday air. Lots or tinsel and holiday lights.
Here is what we didn’t know.
Aydin Dincer was born in Turkey. His father worked for the UN as a hydrologist. Aydin went to a boarding school in Nigeria. Before that he was in boarding school in Holland but that didn’t work out. We never found out why. He traveled around Europe in the 70s before moving to the US..
Aydin bought Prairie Joe’s in 1981 after previously working at Jilly’s and at Rosie’s in Wilmette.
Beth said that Aydin began his presentation at THENEWSTUDIO by discussing his morning routine.
Aydin's "literary impressionism"
Aydin: I get up really early in the morning and watch our street. Nothing much happens. And I record it. I record how many cars pass by. Where they park. Who gets out. Where did they walk to. What lights turn off and on in different houses. What animals I could see. Sometimes I record everything in 5 minute intervals. I record leaves falling down. Whatever.
Beth: Is that kind of meditative for you?
Aydin: Well, it is. Recording things. Keeping track. Then I write things that are on my mind. Temperature. Snowing.
Beth: It’s your literary impressionism.
Aydin: Nothing really happens. I expect big things to happen but it’s always the mundane.
Aydin sent us a sample page. Something is happening, but we don’t know what it is. And some of the writing is in Turkish.
(from Prairie Joe's photoshop gallery)
In 2007 North Shore Magazine selected Prairie Joe’s as having the “KITCHIEST WALL ART.” Aydin is quoted as saying, “”Come to eat, and watch my psychotic episodes.”
To paraphrase J. Hendrix, “Are you experienced? Have you ever been experienced?” Well we have! And really liked the pasta with feta cheese, the burritos and the cool stuff on the walls.
Prairie Joe’s is open Monday through Friday 6:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Saturday 7 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Sundays from 9 a.m. till 1:45 p.m. 1921 Central Street, Evanston.
The next THENEWSTUDIO program is January 12 featuring James Kjelland from Northwestern University. Kjelland will speak about the physics of sound production. For more info, click here.
Are you familiar with one of Wilmette’s early famous artists, Marie Koupal Lusk? I’ve extensively researched Marie over the years, being that my parents own one of her original oil paintings ~ a gift from Marie personally to one of her former neighbors along Michigan Avenue, Wilmette (an Aunt of my Father). Marie’s historic home along Michigan Avenue (810 Michigan) is long since gone, however I continue to have an interest with all items pertaining to this area. Came across your interesting website today. Here’s a piece I wrote about Marie which references Wilmette:
http://my-over-the-fence.blogspot.com/2008/04/tracking-down-mystery-of-painting.html
Thank you for leaving your post about the painting and your search for Marie Koupal Lusk. I like your research and persistence to uncover the “mystery” Aunt!
Thanks, Don. I’m happy to have come across this website!
Since the article was written, I’ve learned more about Aunt Mathilda Siegrosser. She and her husband lived at 809 Michigan Avenue (their home has long since been demolished and a new structure is there). They lived directly across the street from Charles & Marie Lusk (810 Michigan), which is now part of the park land. Aunt Mathilda was related by her first marriage to a Dr. Labendzinska who died in his 40′s and thus, she remarried to Joseph Seigrosser.
Mystery solved. Why she ended up with Marie’s painting of the Wilmette shoreline, is probably as simple as a friend giving a gift. Mathilda died in the 1940′s, and the painting was passed along to my Dad’s family.
Wilmette and the north shore will always remain dear to my heart due to the family connection and the artistic community it represents.
Kind regards,
Linda
But can Aydin still play the accordion?