Palatine man's book takes a look at the '70s through movies

Want to take a nostalgic look at what it was like growing up in Palatine in the 1970s?

Then you might want to crack open Palatine resident Tim McGlynn's book, "Now Playing at a Theater Near Me."

McGlynn describes the book as a humorous collection of coming-of-age stories combined with movie back stories and trivia from the 1970s.

"The stories are based on real-life incidents from my years as a student at St. Theresa Elementary and Palatine High," McGlynn said.

"While the characters in the book are fictitious, they represent a combination of my friends and classmates between the years 1964 and 1976."

There are 11 chapters, each based on a specific movie and local theater that were popular at the time, he said. Some of the stories involve movies playing at the 53 Drive-In in Palatine and The Meadows Theater in Rolling Meadows.

"These stories reflect the awkward and sometimes embarrassing moments from my school years," McGlynn said.

The book grew out of user comments McGlynn had written for the Internet Movie Database Web site.

"I seemed to find myself providing details on the movie-going experience rather than the film itself," he said.

As a music teacher for 27 years, McGlynn, who is the choir director at Schaumburg High School, found he needed a creative outlet. His wife, Misty, suggested he write a book.

Now, 18 months later -- after two editors and literally hundreds of rejections -- the book is a reality.

"Now Playing at a Theater Near Me" is available from Amazon.com and the Barnes & Noble Web site, www.bn.com. It may also be ordered from any Barnes and Noble store.

Taste of New Orleans: Creole Stomp will perform at 8 p.m. today at Cutting Hall, 150 E. Wood St.

The theater will be decorated for Mardi Gras, and Gumbo A Go-Go will be handing out samples. Tickets cost $10 for adults, $8 for students and seniors.

And just as a personal aside, I recently ate at Gumbo A Go-Go, one of the new restaurants here in Palatine. Now, I am a certified wimp when it comes to spicy food, but I really enjoyed sampling some of their not-so-spicy selections.

Gumbo A Go-Go is at 45 N Bothwell St.

Putting on the heat: Whole Foods Market in Palatine is teaming up with six local fire departments to host a Firefighter Chili Cook-Off from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Customers will have an opportunity to sample each of the various chili and vote for their favorite; meet the men and women who protect our communities on a daily basis; and receive fire education tips.

The winning fire department will receive a $250 donation to their fire prevention education fund.

Fire departments being represented are from Hoffman Estates, Huntley, Lake Zurich, Mount Prospect, Palatine and Villa Park

Whole Foods Market is at 1331 N. Rand Road.