Downers Grove Magazine March 2023

Terri Doney

Designated Managing Broker

Tamy Bobbitt

Associate Managing Broker

Almost to the Finish Line

No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn

When I was younger, my parents prided themselves on taking us all over the country, from Maine to California and everything in between. Our family joke is that we saw every fort across the nation. Let’s just say lots of time was spent in the back of the station wagon (with no seatbelts).

Although we put a lot of mileage on that wagon, it is nothing compared to Don Parrish. Valerie Hardy, Contributing Editor, had the opportunity to spend time with Don to gain insight as one of the most traveled people on the planet. And luckily, we get to showcase a small piece of his adventures on these pages. As summer travel plans are underway, think about Don Parrish and his thoughts – “one of the greatest joys of travel is discovery.”

Everybody is Irish in March. So, of course, we need to pay tribute to one of the most festive holidays of the year. From Irish Dance to information when traveling to the emerald-isle, enjoy our shout-out to the Irish.

Did you also know that this month is also Women’s Month? During this time, all are encouraged to celebrate the vital role of women in American history. We drill down a bit more locally as we share the story of Lottie O’Neill and her groundbreaking efforts during the 1920s in the state of Illinois.

Alison Henderson is one of fewer than 30 Certified Movement Pattern Analysts worldwide. Since 90% of communication is nonverbal – and most of our movement patterns remain unchanged through our adult lives – you may need to work on building nonverbal rapport, whether that is with a co-worker, spouse, or friend. Read Alison’s tips on body language in our “Home Grown” feature.

With spring around the corner, that means one thing – yard work. Personally, I do not have a green thumb which is why we asked The Morton Arboretum to give us some tips and tricks on how to make a garden bloom. We also highlight outdoor landscape trends, from evening gardens to big, bold foliage houseplants to bring the indoors outside.

As wedding season kicks into high gear, Kristina Taheri, owner of Kristina Taheri Special Events, weighs in on what she sees in the world of wedding planning, from venues to flowers. We also feature local industry leaders in our “House & Home” feature. Learn the inside scoop on their successful journeys and the “face” behind the name. Our “Chef Showcase” also features Dan Moody, the chef behind the new Texas-style BBQ restaurant in Naperville, Smokeshow.

Giant Steps, a therapeutic day school, has serviced students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for the last 25 years. Since 2012, the school has extended services to adults with ASD through the Canopy Adult Day Program held at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove. Thanks to owner Jerry Rich and his donation of space, the program offers adults with autism a variety of leisure and occupational experience. Thanks to Giant Steps for sharing their progress as they expand their program to accommodate more individuals as we celebrate National Autism Awareness Month in April.

Enjoy the issue, and happy reading. Cheers!

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Anne Healy Associate Publisher anne@HinsdaleMag.com

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ON THE COVER: Don Parrish at the Conway Reef located southwest of the Fiji Islands. Don is holding up one finger to signify that he had just become No. 1 on the Most Traveled People list.

TRENDS -

PHOTO BY KRISTIN LA VOIE PHOTOGRAPHY

In full

BLOOM

Make your garden grow this spring

BY JULIE JANOSKI, PLANT CLINIC MANAGER AT THE MORTON ARBORETUM

Gone are the days of using a calendar to decide when to provide care for your trees and plants. A month-by-month gardening checklist is no longer recommended – or even necessary. Unpredictable weather due to climate change has rendered the calendar an unreliable resource. For example, in some years, the last frost date is in May; in some years, it’s in February. Sometimes the area gets lots of moisture in the spring; sometimes, it’s droughty.

Instead, The Morton Arboretum’s Plant Clinic encourages gardeners to observe what is happening in their own yards.

For example, check soil temperatures for good times to plant and mulch; keep your eye on the amount of rainfall your yard gets or use a rain gauge to know when to water your plants. Observe indicator plants, which will let you know there is a problem (the canaries in the coal mine), to understand when certain pests and diseases pop up; and start monitoring Growing Degree days, which measures the accumulation of heat that can be used to predict plant and insect development rates during the growing season.

If that all seems like too much work, take a shortcut by subscribing to the Plant Clinic’s northern Illinois Plant

Health Care Report, published bi-weekly from April through September on the Arboretum’s website, mortonarb.org.

Now that you have a foundation for yard monitoring, here’s a list of the Plant Clinic’s Top 10 things to do in your garden in the spring and summer.

OBSERVE AND EVALUATE

Spring is a perfect time to see what’s going on in your yard. This needn’t be tedious. Pick a nice day and stroll around. (Tip: enjoy a cup of coffee or glass of wine during the process.) Every time you look at your garden critically, you learn something and understand how to make it better. Take notes or photos and ask yourself questions, like, did some plants not return after the winter? Are there areas that are flooded for days at a time? Is that shrub beyond saving?

You may save yourself a lot of time, effort, and money by observing your garden and only doing what is needed when it is required. For instance, most plants in northern Illinois only need annual fertilization if they are particularly heavy feeders or your soil has been tested and lacks specific nutrients. Many newer cultivars are pest or disease resistant and don’t need regular pesticide applications. Annual pruning may not be required if you have selected plants that will only get as big as the space you have.

GARDEN CLEAN-UP

Waiting until spring to clean up the garden has several advantages. Unraked leaves left over from winter have several benefits. They protect the root zones of plants during cold periods, provide good insects with debris for overwintering, or birds may eat the seeds or fruit from uncut plants. Resist the urge to work in the garden if the soil is wet, as that can damage the structure of the soil, leaving it compacted. Like humans, plants need air and water, which are absorbed through their root systems. Compacted soil doesn’t have the porosity – or air holes – needed for that process to take place.

START A COMPOST PILE

Composting allows you to keep garden waste on your property and – when used properly – can supply your garden with a steady supply of nutrients. It doesn’t have to be complicated or even put in a pre-made bin. Use chicken wire and stakes, an old garbage can with holes punched in it, or stacks of bricks to corral your compost pile. To learn more about composting, visit the Arboretum’s website and search “composting.”

CREATE NEW GARDEN BEDS

Planting more gardens can benefit your health, enjoyment of your yard, and the environment. By creating new garden beds in the spring or early summer, you will have all season to enjoy them. Start a small vegetable bed to encourage

healthy eating at your house. Create shade and eliminate some lawn space by planting a tree with a garden around it. Eliminating lawn space will save you money and time, as it requires water, fertilizer, and regular maintenance. Encourage pollinators, such as bees, butterflies, and other insects, by planting a garden that provides needed food sources, like the nectar from flowers.

PUT DOWN A LAYER OF MULCH

(or don’t!). Mulching provides numerous benefits for your plants, such as providing an insulation layer, conserving soil moisture, improving soil fertility, preventing erosion, and reducing root competition. However, mulching doesn’t necessarily have to be done every year. Check to see how much of the old mulch is still there. If there is still a three- to four-inch layer around trees and shrubs and a one- to two-inch layer in perennial or groundcover beds, put off mulching until the fall or next spring.

Do the Weeding Early. Small weeds are so much easier to control than fullgrown weeds. Being somewhat vigilant about pulling weeds early in the season will lessen the overall amount of effort required to keep the garden clear of invaders throughout the year.

PLANT AND TRANSPLANT

Spring has traditionally been considered the time to plant, but as long as temperatures have warmed, it’s not too hot, and you will be available to water them, you can plant throughout the growing season in this area.

Plant or transplant trees and shrubs once the soil temperatures reach about 45 degrees to allow their root systems to start growing immediately. Divide perennial plants at this time as well, but wait to divide spring-blooming perennials until after they bloom. Warm-season vegetables, annuals, and containers should wait until the last threat of frost has passed. The AVERAGE frost date in northern Illinois is

around Mother’s Day, but it has ranged from March to early June.

WATER WHEN NEEDED

Watering on a schedule can sometimes create more problems than it solves. Overwatering plants can leave the roots gasping for air and encourage diseases. Watering frequently but lightly may not supply trees and shrubs with adequate moisture. The best schedule for watering plants is need-based. Check the soil regularly by inserting a hand trowel or your finger a few inches into the soil to see if it’s dry. If the soil is still moist, you don’t need to water them yet. Watering deeply and less frequently will allow it to reach the root zone, giving you better results.

PRUNE EVERGREENS, AND SPRING FLOWERING TREES AND SHRUBS

Most plants are best pruned when dormant – during winter or early spring. Evergreens put on new growth in the spring and are best pruned after winter is over. For trees and shrubs that bloom in the spring, waiting to prune until soon after they bloom will eliminate the risk of pruning off the flower buds.

RELAX! No garden is perfect. Bugs chew holes in leaves; plants don’t always grow the way you expect; new trees and shrubs can take some time to reach their full potential. Having a little tolerance for imperfection can lead to a garden that requires fewer inputs and lower maintenance, giving you more time to relax and enjoy it.

Julie Janoski is the manager of the Plant Clinic, a leading source of science-based advice about trees, plants and landscapes at The Morton Arboretum. Call or email your tree and plant questions at 630-719-2424 or plantclinic@mortonarb.org. ■

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A Pattern of GIVING

Local citizens were warmer this winter thanks to donations from Stitch to Share

BY VALERIE HARDY PHOTOS BY 726 VISUALS

Knitting is woven into the fabric of Lorene Schlie’s identity. “I never can remember not knitting,” said Schlie, a longtime Downers Grove resident and the founder of Stitch to Share, a local charitable knit and crochet group.

While Schlie does not explicitly recall learning to knit, she believes it was a skill passed down to her at a young age from her mother. Schlie continued knitting into her adulthood, on her own and as part of a group at her church.

She enjoyed being part of a collaborative knitting group, but when her church group shifted to making only one type of item, Schlie decided to take her knitting in a different direction. “I was at the library one day, and I thought, ‘I could start my own group,’” Schlie recounted of her decision to initiate a knitting group based at her local library. “So I went home, started sending emails, and voila!”

Meeting since 2018, Stitch to Share gathers the third Saturday of each month from 9–11a.m. at the Downers Grove Public Library. Schlie said the group is open to anyone and is “come as you want, leave as you want.”

STITCH TO SHARE FOUNDER LORENE SCHLIE MODELS THE SLOUCHY HAT STYLE THE GROUP MAKES SPECIFICALLY FOR TEENAGERS. SHE SAID HER OWN GRANDCHILDREN HELP HER KEEP UP WITH THE TRENDS.

Stitch to Share operates under only one rule: “We knit for charity,” Schlie said. “If you want to knit for yourself, that’s great. Just do that at home.”

There is a place for at-home knitters within the Stitch to Share structure, though. Crafters sometimes stop by the library the third Saturday of the month to donate yarn or knit or crocheted goods they made previously but opt not to stay for the group’s meetings.

However, according to Stitch to Share member Mary Kay Stoor –who joined the group after learning about it when the members set up shop at the Downers Grove Farmers Market one Saturday last June in honor of World Wide Knit in Public Day – socializing with other members is one of the highlights of being in the group.

Members also enjoy the flexibility to choose what patterns to use and what items to make, and they appreciate the opportunity to learn new stitches and patterns from each other.

Learning was central to Schlie’s vision for the group. Individuals need no prior experience to join Stitch to Share. “We will teach you how to knit – or crochet,” Schlie said.

For those unfamiliar with the two methods, knitters use two needles and

stitching, “there is a bin of knitting supplies in the children’s department at the library, and a sixth grade boy came up to knit with us one Saturday,” Comstock–Koresch said.

Stitch to Share’s goal is “to keep Downers Grove and other nearby communities warm in the chilly winter months,” and those who join are typically both creative and kind.

stitches take on a ‘V’ shape, while crocheters use a single hook to make more knot-like stitches.

Stitch to Share invites prospective members to try either form, noting that it is never too early or late to learn. Vicki Comstock–Koresch, a member of the group, learned to knit as a teenager. To expose more children and adolescents to the art of

The group provides baby blankets and hats to Northwest Family Center in Winfield, chemo caps to the Good Samaritan Bhorade Cancer Center in Downers Grove, and hats and scarves to students in need within Downers Grove Grade School District 58 and a neighboring special education cooperative. District 58 Community Relations Coordinator Megan Hewitt expressed deep gratitude for the 30 hand-knit hats and scarves Stitch to Share donated to students in the district this year. “Each donation had a beautiful unique design, making it extra special for the recipients,” Hewitt said.

Stitch to Share also makes spa cloths for distribution through Crafty Angels, a charitable knitting/crocheting ministry in Chicago.

In addition to creating handcrafted items for people of all ages, Schlie explained that Stitch to Share also “likes to knit for the pets. We don’t want to throw anything away, and we can use some of the scraps [to make blankets to donate to local rescue centers].”

Each month, Schlie takes home all the items knit or crocheted during and between the group’s meetings. She washes them then brings them back for the group to sort and distribute.

Schlie joked that her house is often “like a JoAnn Fabrics annex,” but she does not mind. “It’s about helping,” Schlie said. “Not about credit [or convenience].”

For more information, contact Lorene Schlie at ljschlie@gmail.com. ■

"Our only rule is that we knit for charity.”

– LORENE SCHLIE

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movement MATTERS

Body language expert Alison Henderson provides nonverbal communication coaching and analysis

BY VALERIE HARDY PHOTOS BY 726 VISUALS

Whether on stage, on Zoom, or in the conference room, individuals across multiple industries can benefit from Alison Henderson’s body language expertise. Through her firm, Moving Image Consulting, Henderson helps clients overcome the modern challenges of digital and face-to-face communication.

Henderson is one of fewer than 30 Certified Movement Pattern Analysts in the world. This credential, coupled with her theater background, has led Henderson to more than two decades of training others about the nuanced ways in which humans send and receive body language signals and how

AT HER TEDX WRIGLEYVILLE TALK IN 2020, ALISON HENDERSON FOCUSED ON DIGITAL BODY LANGUAGE.

PHOTO BY MALOOS PHOTOGRAPHY

ALISON HENDERSON OF MOVING IMAGE CONSULTING IS A LEADING EXPERT ON BODY MOVEMENT PATTERNS.

ALISON HENDERSON’S ADVICE for Increasing Nonverbal Value in Virtual Meetings

Back Away from the Computer

Otherwise, it feels to those on the other end of the video conference like you are literally invading their space. Moving back just a couple inches can go a long way toward creating comfort.

Hands Up!

Visible hand gestures make speakers appear more trustworthy. This may be a bit more challenging for men than for women, however, since men tend to gesture at waist level while women gesture higher up. Gesturing with your palms up also contributes to being perceived as more open.

Show Some Shoulders

There is a lot you can tell just from the position of people’s shoulders. Soften your shoulders and use more upper body movements to invite increased collaboration and strengthen relationships.

Shift Slightly Sideways

Online, everybody is two-dimensional. By rotating your position by 45 degrees or so, it will immediately make you appear more three-dimensional and, thus, more human.

Zap that “Resting Zoom Face”

When just listening, we tend to be very neutral in our facial expressions. However, some may perceive neutral expressions across the barrier of the screen as anger or criticism. To alleviate anxieties inadvertently caused by “Resting Zoom Face,” instead, give periodic nods, subtle smiles of encouragement, or other nonverbal signals that you would use more naturally in face-toface meetings.

Check for Changes

In virtual communication, similar to during in-person conversation, major shifts in someone’s movement pattern may signal deception. If someone who is typically still begins gesturing wildly, or someone who is nonverbally animated suddenly shuts down in terms of body movement, it may be a telltale sign they are lying. Be cautious when trying to catch a child in a fib through altered body language, however, as movement patterns do not generally solidify until early adulthood.

nonverbal behavior connects to the decision-making process and relationships.

It is not always easy to achieve better presence – be it in presentations, meetings, or interviews – Henderson said, but effective “nonverbal behavior can be learned and practiced until real magnetism and authenticity are achieved.”

According to Henderson, nonverbal communication is underemphasized in our society. “We hear body language is 75 percent or even 95 percent of our communication –depending on where you read it –but we still put priority on verbal [language] in school, in executive writing, in business classes…” Henderson said. “It’s still more of the written word than the physical embodiment of what you’re saying, but we have to be thinking about this whole other piece.”

This “other piece” is nonverbal messaging. Henderson urges people to listen with their eyes. Close visual listening is particularly helpful as “everyone has a signature movement pattern, which is like a fingerprint,” she explained.

These unique movements allow people to be easily recognized, even from afar, and are “why it is possible to caricaturize people – like on ‘Saturday Night Live’–really nailing that celebrity or politician’s movement pattern,” Henderson noted.

Henderson educates her clients on which movement patterns they can control, as much body language is subconscious. Gestures are more controllable, and therefore changeable, than some other forms of body movement.

However, even when people are able to alter their body language, they may not be able to change how others perceive their nonverbal communication. This is because there are psychological roots to how certain movements are received. “For every experience we have, our brain is trying to find a former experience that can help categorize what we have seen,” Henderson explained.

For example, someone could consciously attempt to make a positive first impression, but if they remind the person on the other end of the communication of their “third grade teacher they couldn’t stand,” Henderson said, even all the right moves might fall short.

That said, with Henderson’s coaching, clients increase the likelihood of achieving desirable interpersonal outcomes. In the case of sales teams with which she works, when they present themselves more intentionally and effectively read and respond to “the signals of what’s coming from the other side of the table, their interactions are more productive and they can close the sale faster,” Henderson said.

Henderson not only guides others to enhanced nonverbal communication, she also practices what she preaches – perhaps most publicly in the TEDx Wrigleyville Talk about digital body language she delivered in 2020. She also coaches other TEDx Wrigleyville speakers.

Henderson’s unique skill set also makes her a sought-after body language expert to provide commentary about public figures’ facial expressions, postures, and

“That’s why I would much rather look at a video than a snapshot.”

other nonverbal behaviors. Body language can tell a lot about what is “going on in a person’s mind or what type of leader they are,” Henderson said. “If [a media outlet] is doing a story about mayoral candidates, I might be asked to watch the footage and then predict what type of leader they will be.”

In January, she was quoted in a Newsweek article for her analysis of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s body language and what it might convey about their relationship. Henderson cautions against reading too much into nonverbal elements in photographs, though. “Body language is contextual,” she said.

When not consulting or conducting body language analyses, Henderson may be found writing or teaching. She authored two books: “Reducing the Drama in Business Relationships: Understanding Why People Act the Way They Do” for corporate professionals and “Closing the Distance in Distance Learning: A Teacher’s Guide to Online and Mask Communication” for educators seeking to create connection with their students, even when separated by a screen.

Henderson is an educator herself, teaching theater appreciation and improvisation classes at the College of DuPage. She is also a mother to a high school junior and college sophomore. Henderson and her family reside in Downers Grove.

For more information or to connect with Alison Henderson, visit www.movingimageconsulting.com. ■

“Nonverbal behavior can be learned and practiced.”

– ALISON HENDERSON

ALISON HENDERSON TALKS WITH A GROUP OF WOMEN ABOUT NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION DURING A SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT.

SENATORO’NEILL’SGAVEL,USEDTOOPENANDCLOSEMEETINGS ASTHEPRESIDENTOFTHEHINSDALEWOMEN’SREPUBLICANCLUB,IS

SPECIALCOLLECTIONS

HOLMAN O’NEILL

Illinois’ first female legislator is the eponym of O’Neill Middle School

BY MAUREEN CALLAHAN | PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE DOWNERS GROVE MUSEUM

March is Women’s History Month.

Downers Grove was home to one of the most memorable women in the history of our state. One hundred years ago, once-ordinary Downers Grove resident, Lottie Holman O’Neill, rose to become the first woman to serve in the Illinois State Legislature, initially as a Representative and eventually a Senator.

O’Neill was born in 1878 in Pike County, on the Mississippi River bordering Missouri. A pioneer in her time, she earned a business degree, after which she moved to the Chicago area. Soon after, she married Irish-Australian immigrant William O’Neill, with whom she had two sons. The family settled in Downers Grove in 1908. Interested in pursuing a career, she was

inspired by Representative Jeanette Rankin (R-Montana), the first woman elected to Congress in 1916.

O’Neill first got involved as a voting rights activist during the debate over the Nineteenth Amendment. 1913 saw women granted the right to vote, however, only for President. O’Neill made it her mission that women be permitted to weigh in on the entire ballot. Her labors paid off in 1920 as Illinois became the first state to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment.

But for O’Neill, it wasn’t enough. If timing is everything, hers was perfect. It was 1922. Downers Grove’s League of Women Voters was searching for someone to run for the Illinois General Assembly. Of the seven women who originally expressed interest, the other six withdrew due to their husbands’

dissidence. William O’Neill wholeheartedly supported Lottie’s intention to run and encouraged her to throw her proverbial hat into the race for the Illinois House of Representatives.

Still hoping another woman would come forward, O’Neill did not file her candidacy until two hours before closing time. In the end, her belief that some woman must serve in Springfield to work for legislation that affected the home overrode any reluctance.

Her victory on November 7, 1922, was also her forty-fourth birthday. Downers Grove rose to the occasion to celebrate Representative O’Neill, as much a hometown hero as a woman could be at that moment in time. The Chicago Tribune  reported that “the village was in gala attire all through the day. Stores were closed, but all parking spaces were

SENATOR O'NEILL IN HER DOWNERS GROVE HOME AT 741 SUMMIT ST.

SENATOR O'NEILL AT A YOUNG REPUBLICAN TEA EVENT

STORED INTHE

LIBRARYOF WHEATON COLLEGE.

filled by supporters who came to help celebrate.” A torchlit parade through the streets led to the public library, where O’Neill addressed supporters.

Over a thousand women from all over the state trudged through the ice and snow to Springfield two months later to witness the swearing-in of the first woman to the Illinois General Assembly.

The crowd cheered, sang, and blew horns from a packed gallery as O’Neill marched down the flag-draped aisle and assumed her hard-won seat in the fifth row. It was the third day of January 1923. Her husband led the chant, “District 41, District 41, woman’s work has just begun!” Her territory, the forty-first district, ran from Elgin in Kane County, southwest through DuPage and Will Counties, to the Indiana border.

O’Neill served as the only female in the General Assembly for her first two years. Her courageous spirit seemed to represent not only the women of her district but all women of Illinois. The forward-thinking legislation she proposed considered not only female interests but humanity in general.

Her experience as a homemaker proved useful when a public utility argued against restoring a higher standard of heat units for its cooking gas. “I baked my own bread before going into politics,” O’Neill said when she testified in front of the Illinois Commerce Commission, “and I know the ovens are not satisfactory for properly browning the bread.”

O’Neill sponsored 13 bills during her first year in office. Only three passed. Although slightly discouraged, she persevered, submitting bills each year for causes in which she believed. The early years of her career are recognized for her significant interest in the welfare and education of women and children. In her own words, she fought for “care for mothers and babies, better

teachers and schools, aid for the delinquent girl and improved industrial conditions for women.”

An eight-hour workday for women and the ability for them to serve on juries in Illinois were two notable successes. An advocate for parks and recreation, as well as disabled children, she also championed civil rights legislation. Having believed students should have a strong understanding of civics, she supported legislation that required all eighth–graders to pass a Constitution test. O’Neill was a fierce nationalist and a lifelong pacifist.

After an unsuccessful run for the Illinois Senate in 1930, she returned to the House for the next 20 years. Her second attempt in 1950 resulted in victory, seating her as Illinois’ first female Senator on her seventy-second birthday. Senator O’Neill opposed growing state budgets, excessive regulations, and wasteful government spending. She gained popularity as her career progressed. She served as a delegate to the 1956 Republican convention and

years of service in the Illinois General Assembly. At the time, she was the longest-serving female elected official in America. By that time, she had earned such respect from her colleagues that she was nicknamed “the conscience of the Senate.”

O’Neill declined an offer to have a statue of her likeness placed in the Illinois Statehouse upon her retirement, as she did not want a sculpture of herself placed across the rotunda from Richard Barr, the “scoundrel” who defeated her in the 1930 Senate primary race. However, friendsimpressed with O’Neill’s spunk and successful career- had a statue placed there after her death in 1976. Her wish to not be placed across from Barr was honored, however, with their statues positioned on the same side of the rotunda. Richard J. Daley stands between them.

Outside of the legislation she worked to pass, O’Neill’s legacy is memorable as one that shook things up in Springfield.

Noted by Jean Moore in the  Wheaton Daily Journal  (January 18, 1983), “the seating of the 44-year-old housewife, mother, and businesswoman in the House of Representatives presented an immediate problem for the third floor, which had been an all-male domain for more than a century. There was no restroom for women on the third floor, which houses both the Senate and House chambers. The installation of Mrs. O’Neill forever changed the face of the State Capitol and state politics.”

is remembered for her outspokenness on federal and state issues.

O’Neill was unseated by Harris Fawell in 1962. She retired after 40

O’Neill’s accomplishments and bravery paved a path of opportunity for generations of women with political aspirations. Her legacy inspires the students who pass through the doors of O’Neill Middle School each day to dream big and have the courage to follow those dreams. The eponymic name reminds Downers Grove of a forward-thinking homemaker who became an Illinois legislator. ■

"These women have told you what I stand for- legislation with humanity.”

– Lottie O’Neill, acknowledging her supporters before taking her oath as Illinois’ first female legislator.

LOTTIE O’NEILL, ILLINOIS’ FIRST FEMALE LEGISLATOR

Wolowick Women's Health is now open in Downers Grove. Dr. Karen Wolowick has been a practicing OBGYN for over 17 years. She aims to reconnect with the more intimate and rewarding aspects of women's health and spend more time with patients to make a difference.

TOP

TRAVELER

Don Parrish

is a world champion of extreme travel

BY VALERIE HARDY PHOTOS COURTESY OF DON PARRISH

Downers Grove has been home base for Donald (Don) Maltby Parrish, Jr. for four decades, but he is frequently halfway across the world. For Parrish, travel is not vacation but rather sport, and he is among the world’s most decorated players.

Ranked No. 1 on the Most Traveled People (MTP) list for the first time in 2013 and for much of the past decade, Parrish is part of an elite population of systematic and extreme travelers. The MTP Master List currently has 1,500 distinct regions. This number significantly increased following the recent incorporation of regions of another competitive travel club, NomadMania, into the MTP Master List. Along with the rollout of the enhanced list of destinations, MTP bestowed a new honor -  MTP Pioneer - onto Parrish and the nine other top travelers since the organization’s inception 17 years prior.

DON PARRISH VISITED ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN IN APRIL 2022.

DON PARRISH SWIMS WITH A DOLPHIN IN CURACAO.

According to the MTP website, MTP was “founded in 2005 to create a community and standards body for extreme travelers…people who aspire to go ‘Everywhere.’”

“Everywhere” is comprised of all the countries in the United Nations (UN), “…territories, dependencies, island groups, isolated islands, and enclaves and exclaves,” the MTP website documented.  Almost all countries are subdivided into regions or political subdivisions, Parrish said.

Parrish has traveled to most locations on the MTP list, including some remote and rarely visited destinations, like islands used solely for military, weather or scientific research, or commercial fishing purposes. In 2016, he visited one such destination: Marion Island, a biological, environmental, and meteorological research site located in the Indian Ocean, over 1,000 miles southeast of Cape Town. The 23 employees on Marion Island “see, at most, one ship per year,” Parrish said.

In 2007, he traveled to Iwo Jima, an island in the Pacific Ocean, about 760 miles south-southeast of Tokyo. Civilian travel to the island is restricted to only one day per year, and Parrish was honored to visit for the annual Reunion of Honor Ceremony, which pays tribute to American and Japanese warriors who fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima.

Another ceremonious trip for Parrish was to the South Pole, which he visited in 2011 for the hundredth anni-

versary of Roald Amundsen reaching it, the first human to do so. There he met the Norwegian Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg, now Secretary General of NATO.

He has also ventured to destinations many would deem too unappealing or perilous to consider visiting. Parrish and another traveler visited Somalia in 2010, but, Parrish said, “our regular travel agent, who got me to Cuba and North Korea, told us we would get kidnapped and refused to be involved. So we hired four armed guards...”

Parrish also visited Abbottabad, Pakistan in 2011, on the tenth anniversary of 9/11, just months after Osama bin Laden was killed there.

Parrish’s wanderlust originated in his youth, and his extreme travel developed over multiple decades. Born in Washington, D.C. during World War II and raised in Dallas, Parrish, now 78, took his first solo trip when he was 10 years old. He flew to Chicago to visit a family friend, and that is when the world began to open up to him. “I saw my first Thunderbird, first Egyptian mummy, first German submarine,” he said.

Adding fuel to his budding passion for  travel, a few months after his Chicago trip, Parrish received Richard Halliburton’s “Complete Book of Marvels,” a book about an explorer who travels all over the world, experiencing notable adventures like swimming through the Panama Canal and climbing the Great Pyramid of Egypt.

Fast forward a few years to 1959, and Alaska and Hawaii were named states. Parrish, a self-proclaimed patriot, decided to visit each of the 50 states, which he accomplished in 1980. This was his first time to travel systematically (to strive to visit every location within a specific category).

At this point, Parrish was well established in his telecommunications career at Bell Laboratories in Naperville. He knew immediately that receiving his job offer from Bell Labs in 1966 was “one of the most important days of [his] life.”

He started his career in software development working on Electronic Switching Systems, including a “two-year tour of duty (1972 – 74) as a second level Switching Manager at Illinois Bell, responsible for Aurora and surrounding towns.” In 1966, he was promoted to Supervisor at Bell Labs. In 1977, he was one of five founding managers in the newly created International Switching organization. As the planning manager, he played a key role in market entry in localities such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, South Korea, China, the Netherlands, Singapore and Japan. He said, cumulatively, he probably spent five full years on business trips during his 35-year career.

Parrish took his pension in 1996 and fully retired in 2001, but not before logging 60 business trips to Japan. “But that was only one country,” Parrish said. “Business travel is in-depth, focused on winning contracts and technical details of implementation.”

While his travels expanded after his retirement, even before his post-re-

WHILE AT A PRIVATE GAME RESERVE ON THE ISLAND OF MAURITIUS IN 2013, DON PARRISH PARTICIPATED IN A TWO-HOUR WALKING WITH LIONS GROUP EXPERIENCE.

DON PARRISH AND JENS STOLTENBERG, NOW SECRETARY GENERAL OF NATO, CELEBRATE THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DISCOVERY OF THE SOUTH POLE.

tirement trips and his extensive business travel, Parrish had begun filling his passport. For example, after studying German for two years (in addition to one year of Russian), Parrish arrived in Germany for the summer of 1965. Parrish told himself, “Not a word in English!” as a rule for the duration of his stay, and he said immersing himself in the German community and language “was a transformational experience.”

“Germans were pleasantly shocked to meet an American who could speak German and refused to speak English,” Parrish added. Something that struck him was that Germans told him emotional stories about World War II, and he later realized that they might not have told him as much if they had to speak to him in English.

Learning of Parrish’s prior travels, his International Switching colleagues considered him somewhat of an anomaly, as working or studying abroad was not common at the time. “I may have been the only member of the department with a passport when I started,” he said.

As Parrish’s travels for business and pleasure increased in number, more people took notice, including an executive with whom he worked. Parrish said, “One morning, [he] came in and gave me a Tribune article about the Travelers’ Century Club...and said, ‘You’re the only person I know who might qualify for this club.’”

The Travelers’ Century Club (TCC) is the oldest travel club and is focused on systematic travel. Individuals must have visited at least 100 of the countries on the TCC list to qualify for membership. Parrish met the requirements, and soon after the executive had shared the article, Parrish paid $35 for membership and, less than a year later, signed up for his first TCC trip – to Cuba.

other members asked him what his “number was for Cuba,” he said. Confused, he asked what they meant, then

Parrish was the most junior member when he joined, but he quickly learned the TCC ropes. On the 2001 Cuba trip,

learned of the common extreme travelers’ practice of logging the number of TCC destinations they have visited.

Parrish now keeps copious travel records, no small feat given he has visited all 330 destinations on the TCC list. He has also traveled to all 193 UN countries, one of only 300 people to have done so. Additionally, he has visited all 266 UN+ countries and 615 of the 1,154 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

for travelers who go everywhere… countries unheard, unrecognized or unreachable.” ETIC functions to allow “country collectors” to connect and exchange travel tips. For admission into ETIC, individuals must have visited a minimum of 100 UN countries.

Parrish explained ETIC is the best place for extreme travelers to meet. Another way he connects with fellow globetrotters is through the Circumnavigators Club. Founded in 1902, per its website, Circumnavigators is for people who have traveled around the world, “crossing every meridian of longitude in the same direction.” The Club’s website also noted that its members “view travel as a way to inform themselves, to learn about

In 2017, Parrish received an award for visiting each of the countries on the TCC list; this was the culmination of a half-century of travel for him. Since then, the TCC continued to expand its list, but due to Parrish’s extensive travels, he had previously visited each of the additions.

On the heels of his TCC recognition, in 2018, Extreme Traveler International Congress (ETIC) named Parrish Champion of the World. According to its website, ETIC was founded in 2008 as “the get-together

social issues and to have a good bit of fun in the process.” Based on this definition, Parrish (who joined in 1989, as the 3,582nd member) epitomizes being a Circumnavigator.

Parrish thrives on the challenge of completing competitive travel lists and loves adventure, but a primary driving force for his travel is a desire to learn: about history, wildlife, nature, his ancestry, and local cultures and people. Parrish does not have a favorite destination – “if it’s the best place ever, what’s left?” he commented – but some

“One of the greatest joys of travel is discovery.”

– DON PARRISH

DON PARRISH SHOWCASES HIS ETIC LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD TROPHY IN FRONT OF HIS PRINT OF BRYAN LARSEN’S “TERRA INCOGNITA” PAINTING, WHICH PARRISH DESCRIBES AS “A TRIBUTE TO HUMAN DISCOVERY.”

of the places that stand out most to him are because of the connections he made there.

While Parrish enjoys group travel, he said he meets more people when he travels individually. “If we’re traveling together, we’ll spend most of our time talking to one another, but if you travel alone, you’ll talk to the locals,” he said.

When he visited Romania and Bulgaria in 2014, it was his ideal way of traveling: “just me and a driver guide, someone who knows all about their country.” These drivers taught Parrish so much, he said, “and they also expressed that the unique itinerary developed for my  unique travel objectives meant that they had seen things in their own country that they had never seen before.”

As a veteran voyager, Parrish knows what makes for and interferes with enjoyable travel. He cautions against following too many lists with too many entries: “If you list every single this, every single that, then you feel obligated to visit just those things… [and] one of the greatest joys of travel is discovery.”

Parrish appreciates what he discovers on each of his trips, but extreme travel can be quite difficult. It took him five attempts before he successfully completed a visit to the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), the last destination he had left on the TCC list, in 2017. BIOT, a group of islands that are United Kingdom territory, has no permanent civilian residents, and travelers must secure a license to visit.

When he traveled to Marion Island, where it rains 320 days per year and has such strong winds no trees can grow, the trip there took nine days (filled with seasickness) on a small charter ship with only four travelers and four crew members. He said “after three glorious days hiking the island, seeing penguins and conversing with the staff, the return trip was eight days.”

Parrish is no stranger to nautical travel – he said he “may have spent something close to a year on ships” – but he acknowledged the best-laid plans may be foiled if the only way to make land is by sea, and wind or water conditions are uncooperative. For example, he failed to make a landing on Bouvet Island, a sub-Antarctic volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean.

A descendent of five Mayflower passengers, Parrish’s zest for travel may be hereditary. He received his first passport in 1965 and is currently on his 15th, with no travel regrets. While the pandemic briefly interrupted travel, Parrish is back to his usual jet-setting, and he is not excessively worried about his next destination. “But COVID is still an issue, and the war in Europe restricts travel,” he said. “You can think of everything that can go wrong, or you can say, ‘I’m still going to go for it where I can.’”

For additional information about Parrish and his travels as well as about the three scholarships he founded and more, visit donparrish.com. ■

DON PARRISH’S TOP 5 TIPS

to take travel to the next level

1Do area planning. If you go to a region, visit multiple countries and as many World Heritage Sites as possible. For some specific World Heritage Sites in and beyond the United States, visit www.donparrish.com/UNWorldHeritageVisits.html.

2 With a “safe” trip, like a cruise in the Caribbean or visit to Hawaii, try an adventure like ziplining, hang gliding, or taking a hot air balloon ride.

3 Make a trip to a foreign city more adventurous by taking random walks. Challenge yourself by trying to find the way back to your hotel (but always have a card from your hotel to show a taxi driver just in case you get lost).

4Strike up conversation. Try out that foreign language you studied to get directions. Sometimes this will result in making friends and really learning more about that place. Also, ask other travelers what they have enjoyed seeing in that city that you should not miss. “Once, on a plane, I went down the aisle and asked, ‘What should I see here?’”

5Remember, people can get killed taking chances, so just don’t be stupid. “In my early twenties, I did some free rock-climbing, and I had one fall of 8 or 10 feet. I could have missed that ledge and fallen another 60 feet.”

TO MAKE A LANDING ON MARION ISLAND, DON PARRISH AND OTHER TRAVELERS MUST BE LIFTED FROM THE WATER VIA A HOIST SYSTEM.

Rich Support

Giant Steps and the Canopy Adult Day Program provide services for individuals with autism spectrum disorder

BY VALERIE HARDY

Based in Lisle, Giant Steps is a therapeutic day school certified to exclusively serve students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as their primary diagnosis. Since its inception in 1996, Giant Steps has upheld its commitment, as noted in its vision statement, to “providing individuals with autism spectrum disorders, and their families, superior educational and therapeutic services focused on improving the quality of daily life from early childhood through adulthood.”

The Giant Steps day school offers elementary, junior high, and high school programming, with the central goal of enhancing students’ ability to interact, communicate, and develop both aca-

demic and daily living skills. Giant Steps takes an individualized and integrated approach, incorporating five key components: autism education, various therapies, recreational activities, life skills training, and other guidance and support for individuals and families touched by ASD, as well as training for schools and other community organizations that support individuals with autism.

These programs at Giant Steps are available to students up to the age of 22; per federal law, public school students with special needs who have an individualized education program (IEP) are entitled to special education services until they reach the age of 22. However, that does not mean

individuals’ need for educational and transitional supports ends when they turn 22 years old.

Theresa McClear, a Hinsdale resident, described the challenges that face young adults with autism and their families after the students age out of programs like the ones at Giant Steps. McClear’s 23-year-old daughter with autism lives at home, and McClear explained the difficulty her family had trying to find work opportunities and adult day programs for individuals beyond age 22 that were appropriate for her daughter’s needs. Many programs “have long waiting lists,” she said, and “many parents have to stop working to support their adults with disabilities.”

McClear praised Giant Steps for extending services to adults with ASD through the Canopy Adult Day Program held at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove. Founded in 2012, the Canopy program was largely possible thanks to the donation of space at the world-renowned Rich Harvest Farms golf course and estate courtesy of the property’s owner, Jerry Rich.

Dr. Sylvia Smith, Giant Steps Executive Director, expressed deep gratitude for Rich’s generosity. “I still have a hard time believing he is so selfless,” Smith said. “A remarkable thing about Jerry is that he doesn’t have anyone in his family that has special needs or autism. He is just doing it because he sees a need.”

Rich, a self-made entrepreneur who developed an integrated computer system for Wall Street traders, is a golf enthusiast. When he initially learned about the adult day program through Giant Steps and that its participants were learning golf skills on asphalt, he wondered why. When he met some of the participants, “he just kind of fell in love with [them,

and wanted them to have greater access to natural space for golf and other activities],” Smith said.

Most programs for adults with autism are in “industrial areas with very little green space around,” Smith said. “What Jerry has given us is green space.”

Not only did Rich donate land and building space for the Canopy program’s use, but he also donated four golf carts. “Our guys would do anything to ride in those golf carts,” Smith

said about the joy the Canopy participants get from riding in the carts.

The Canopy program affords adults with autism a vast variety of leisure and occupational experiences on the Rich Harvest Farms grounds. One of the most notable elements of the program is participants’ access to horses at the Christine’s Dream Equine Center, an equine therapy program offered through Giant Steps in partnership with Rich Harvest Farms. Through this program, participants engage in a variety of activities appropriate for their interests and

“Patterning and layering of skills is really important.”

–DR. SYLVIA SMITH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GIANT STEPS

THE RICH HARVEST FARMS PONDS PROVIDE A BEAUTIFUL BACKDROP FOR LEISURE AND LEARNING.

CANOPY PARTICIPANTS AND STAFF ENJOY FISHING ON THE RICH HARVEST FARMS PROPERTY.

ONE OF CANOPY PARTICIPANTS’ FAVORITE ACTIVITIES DURING THE SUMMER IS RIDING THE GOLF CARTS ALONG THE PATHS AT RICH HARVEST FARMS.

readiness. They can learn grooming and other non-riding horsemanship skills, horseback riding, and other targeted educational and vocational skills at the Equine Center.

Canopy participants also spend time in the community – for example, going to eateries and learning to order from the menu – in order to continue cultivating their life skills. Smith articulated the importance of accessible programming for adults with ASD in order to avoid gaps in service. “Patterning and layering of skills is really important,” Smith said. “Without reinforcement, their learning regresses rapidly.”

The Canopy program serves participants ranging in age from 22 to 37. “We do not take anyone 8-10 years older than our oldest participant,” Smith said, adding that after their time in programs like Canopy, many individuals with ASD “will go into a residential program, because as they age, their parents are aging too.”

Currently, the Canopy program can only support 60 individuals. “Because the need is so great, and the waiting list is long, Canopy is raising money to build an activities center that will help them grow their Adult Day Program with the capacity of servicing 150 adults per day,” McClear said.

The Canopy Capital Campaign is in place to raise funds for a new and expanded program. The fundraising goal is approximately $7 million.

To help with the Canopy program’s fundraising efforts and to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Giant Steps organization, the Silver Jubilee Gala is being held on April 22 at 6 p.m. at the Embassy Suites in Naperville, “just a skip and a hop from our school,” Smith said. At the Gala, guests will be able to take pictures in front of a car from Rich’s extensive collection.

Visit mygiantsteps.org to learn more or make a donation. ■

A QUICK Q & A with Canopy program benefactor Jerry Rich

Downers Grove Magazine: How did you come to connect with Giant Steps and the Canopy Adult Service Program?

Jerry Rich: I connected with Giant Steps on the recommendation of two longstanding Members at the golf course I own, Rich Harvest Farms. They worked for Navistar, whose worldwide headquarters is located very close to Giant Steps. Through this connection, I learned that there were an incredible number of individuals living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who were going to age out of state and federal support. As soon as they turned 22, they often had nowhere to go except back home, where they would lose the social, vocational, and personal skills they developed at places like Giant Steps.

I heard of Giant Steps’ plan to combat such an issue in the form of their Canopy Adult Services Program, but, at the time, they didn’t have a dedicated space for it. I own 1,820 acres out in Sugar Grove though, so I was more than happy to offer it up for the advancement and expansion of Canopy. Currently, they utilize the building I own at 264 S. Main St. in Sugar Grove. In the future though, I have put aside land behind St. Katharine Drexel Catholic Church in Sugar Grove for Giant Steps to build an ASD-specific community to serve the long-term needs of adults impacted by autism.

Downers Grove Magazine: Why was it important to you to support this program and its participants?

Jerry Rich: When I was just 10 years old, I sought work at a local golf course where I met a man who welcomed me onto the course and taught me about caddying. This man could have easily dismissed me, but instead gave me a pull cart and a chance to learn the game. That day, I made $1.10 in tip money, but, more importantly, I fell in love with golf, fueling a life-long passion for the sport. I credit that man with changing the entire course of my life. I see my partnership with Giant Steps as offering these individuals living with ASD the same opportunity I was given in my youth — a chance to grow and thrive.

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Longer days hint at spring and time spent enjoying the balcony, porch, or yard. We’re longing for warm breezes filled with the scent of moist soil and the cheerful sight of bright flowers. The seed catalogs are piling up and seducing us with rich color photos and promises of tasty treats. We’re getting ready for the gardening season with these top trends.

Porching It: We’re moving from the backyard to the front porch. More and more folks are decorating the porch with comfy furniture, welcoming signs, and colorful containers. Transforming the porch can be a wonderful way to transition from indoor to outdoor living. We’re turning front porches into fun neighborhood hangout spaces filled with plants and flowers. Relax, refresh, and meet the neighbors!

Container Gardening: From the balcony to the backyard, gardening in

INTO

ACTION Spring

Landscaping Trends for 2023

BY HEATHER PRINCE

containers makes growing plants accessible for everyone. There’s a plant for every situation from the sun to shade. Plus, there are so many options you can easily find a container that fits your personal style and space. Garden centers are filled with new selections plus tried-and true favorites. Try mixing in colorful leafy greens like Swiss chard, kale, and lettuces with your flowers for

easy salads only a quick snip away.

Color Up: There’s no shortage of color trends for this year. Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2023 is Viva Magenta. We love this vivid, saturated hue for its joyful, fresh vibe. There are heaps of flowers and piles of foliage plants in magenta to mix and match in beds or containers. In addition, The Garden Media Group has named terracotta as their Color of the Year 2023. Echoing the con

PHOTO BY SERAFIMA LAZARENKO

tinuing popularity of all things 70s, terracotta is a classic neutral. Try terracotta pots on the porch filled with magenta rex begonias to knit these color trends together and give yourself a warm colorful garden retreat.

Evening Gardens: On the flip side of bright colors, is the trend toward evening, white, or moon gardens. An evening garden can be a thoughtful way to welcome yourself and loved ones home at the end of a long workday. If you’re looking for an outdoor respite once the sun goes down, consider transforming an area into a garden filled with white blossoms, silver foliage, night-blooming flowers, fragrant herbs, and a spot to sit. Finish your peaceful oasis with a lantern, tabletop fountain, or solar lights for a little evening sparkle.

Taste of the Tropics: Big bold foliage is trending in houseplants and is still popular outdoors as well. Bring those houseplants outdoors for the summer or add vertical structure with palms, bananas, cannas, and elephant ears. Many of these big beauties can be overwintered indoors or enjoyed as a summer fling. Toss in some tiki and make your own tropical cocktail lounge!

Flowers Flowers Flowers: As you’re planning your garden beds and browsing those seed catalogs, do you love bouquets of flowers? A cutting garden is a terrific trend for folks who love to bring the garden indoors. Most of the flowers we love for the vase prefer full sun, but get creative with foliage, grasses, and branches, too. You can also dry some of those beautiful blossoms to create one of the hottest trends – dried flower arrangements. Perfect for bouquets, wreaths, and crafts, dried flowers can last for years when properly cared for.

Grow Up: As yards and garden spaces get smaller, think about growing up. Trellises, arbors, and fences

are terrific spots to add climbing vines to soften hard edges. You’ll also find colorful ceramic wall pockets to hang plants and various living wall systems. Check out new varieties of narrow shrubs for hedges in tight spaces. In a sunny spot, create an espaliered living fence of apple or pear trees and enjoy flowers, fruit, and privacy.

Eat Well: Growing your own herbs, fruits, and vegetables, either in the ground or in containers, is still the number one gateway to a rewarding garden hobby. We love our fresh veggies – doesn’t everyone have at least one tomato plant? Try adding berries this year with new varieties bred for small spaces and, yes, containers. Mix your edible plants into your flower beds and borders to take advantage of sunny spots and add fresh textures.

Feed Everyone: With monarch butterflies now on the Endangered Species list, planting for pollinators has become a priority for gardeners. Native plants have steadily become more popular and available in garden centers and via mail order. There are many cultivars available but choose with care. For example, we love our echinacea but look for classic daisy-like flowers instead of doubles or triple petals to welcome

bees and butterflies. Plant any color, but the flat open flowers offer the most nectar. Add a wide variety of flowers, from small, clustered blossoms to big tubular spikes, to attract the broadest array of beneficial bugs, pretty butterflies, and jewel-like hummingbirds.

Water Wise: Climate change is impacting our yards and gardens in every season. Store spring rains in rain barrels for summer dry spells and have the kids paint them for instant garden art. Spruce up your space and add habitat for pollinators with a rain garden while helping keep your basement dry. Create a beautiful patio with permeable pavers and control rainwater by directing excess runoff to thirsty plants. ■

EXPERT'S INPUT

Tips and trends from local industry experts

"Sleek designs incorporating more outdoor living features is the current demand for backyards. By expanding the design and functionality of porches, patios, and decks, you can enjoy the year-round enjoyment of outdoor spaces. Firepits, heaters, TVs, and covered spaces bring the warmth of the indoors outside. Partnering with an experienced firm, who can navigate the infrastructure needed, makes the process an enjoyable experience for homeowners."

– Mike Kehl, Bruss Landscaping

PHOTO BY KATHY SERVIAN

Ronak Patel is who you can trust.

Wedding TRENDS

BY KRISTINA TAHERI

There are ever-changing trends for a lifetime event that has remained fundamentally the same. A couple meets, love happens, and a proposal is forthcoming. Excitement ensues as dates are set for engagement soirees, showers, ceremonies, and receptions; all celebrating a new life together for the bride and groom-to-be. The wedding planning begins! But where to start?

Let’s look at some specific trends for 2023.

SIZE:

Micro weddings are not necessarily going away after trending due to the pandemic. These charming events are not always about saving money, but about the intimacy which can be created by a ceremony shared with those closest to you.

That being said, after the wedding boom year of 2022, we are now seeing a trend toward maximalism in décor, lighting, music, food, and guest count in response to the pent-up demand and shortage of options of the past three years. Let’s go bold is on the mind of many!

VENUES:

2023 is about reinventing the wedding rush of the recent past. There is now slightly more time to lock in a choice of venue and available dates. The more relaxed process of seeking a location and personalization should enhance the experience. For those desiring a destination wedding, the dollar is presently strong and travel restrictions are

PHOTO BY KRISTIN LA VOIE

easing substantially. A villa in Italy surrounded by vineyards, a historic Spanish Parador with mountain views, or a tropical beach in Costa Rica are all, more than ever, within reach. Scatter the event with local cultural touches, and your guests are sure to be delighted.

DATES:

Couples have recently had to realize that flexibility of dates, days of the week, and time frames could be a plus in planning. More venue choices are available on a Friday or Sunday. Late morning or early afternoon ceremonies allow guests to rest up for a festive nighttime reception. A sophisticated champagne brunch in a chic setting with jazz playing or a rustic Ralph Lauren-inspired outdoor lunch with interactive entertainment can be memorable and

unexpected settings following the ceremony.

DÉCOR:

Mirrored or artistic dance floors with dramatic overhead ceiling décor are in vogue. Large ceiling fixtures in brass, crystal, or drum shades draw the eye up. Swaths of lush mixed florals hanging over the bridal table or other clustered areas define the spaces for added dimension. And while classic soft bridal pallets of white mixed with organic green foliage or textured neutral tone-on-tone decor are timeless, vivid colors are coming on strong for 2023. Flowers in sophisticated but seasonal shades of deep purple, hot pink, sunny gold, or vivid orange are adding excitement. And, if patterned linens, custom lounge seating, espresso martini bars, and rockstar bands sound like a night of disco;

that may well be the appeal for some party-on clients. Whimsical designs and esthetics are taking center stage as this year progresses.

And let’s not neglect the importance of many bridal couples’ thoughts toward more stainability. Eliminating items of single use, preferring large potted plants placed around the room for refreshing décor, and donating floral arrangements after the reception to note a few.

INVITATIONS:

No longer just a destination wedding concept, guests today may receive a suite of invitations. Formal requests to attend events such as themed icebreaker welcome parties, rehearsals, the main draw, or a day of golf or spa activities for those with spare time may be extended. Many recent invitations are showing high-touch personalities like custom water-color crests, witty wording, and vibrant hues for 2023, yet online response tracking is a-ok with our tech-savvy couples.

FASHION AND JEWELRY:

Brides are starting to go all out in whimsical gowns with an emphasis on their personalities. From classic Kate Middleton to chiffon ball gowns with full sleeves to flowing florals. Silk pastels are everywhere in flattering baby blue, pink, and ivory. Veils are going longer and edgy slits are showing up in full gathered skirts. The attire change to a chic white cocktail-length dress with feathers or the satin pantsuit adds unexpected sophistication. And brides may be curating their outfits in white to complement each special event ranging from the engagement party to the big day.

The wedding party is more frequently encouraged to show their own personality. Given general guidelines for individual selection of attire based on color, fabric, or pattern, bridal attendants’ own style can be more clearly appreciated. For men at the party, more velvet, dark blue, and even dark green is becoming more popular this year.

CATERING:

The oversized wedding cake is back and heavily decorated. Multiple tiers

PHOTO BY OLIVIA LEIGH

PHOTO BY STUDIO THIS IS

are showing up with texture, décor, sentimental toppers, and swirls of cascading flowers. Ethnic food trucks for snacks toward the tail end of an outdoor tented wedding are catching on and vegan and vegetarian dinner options at receptions are more popular than ever. Brown bars, carts of specialty drinks rolled between guests, and interactive food presentations will be big this year.

BEAUTY:

Brides are leaning toward a more natural look in skin, make-up, and hair. A more sophisticated version of their typical hairstyle is being buffed up for the day. The same is being done with makeup as it is being professionally applied. Makeup that is too unnatural or a heavily sprayed and pinned up hairstyle does not offer today’s brides the feeling of wanting to look like themselves…but just a little more glamorous!

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Many bridal couples now want to capture this magical time more naturally. They want fewer interruptions for posed groups and formal photos. The bride walking solo prior to joining her parents halfway down the aisle, friends bent over with laughter, the young ring bearer nearly dropping the rings, or an elegantly dressed guest looking suspiciously at her ten-year-old in his first suit as he sidles dangerously close to the wedding cake. Candid shots more realistically capture the day. And don’t forget the couple’s pet pooch which has become a big part of the festivities. In Blur Motion style or vivid realistic photos, time is lovingly preserved.

Kristina Taheri, of Kristina Taheri Special Events, is located in Hinsdale, Illinois. With over twenty years of planning and executing elevated wedding, social and business events, Kristina is equally comfortable working with clients hosting intimate gatherings or hundreds of guests in a luxury hotel or trendy setting. Educated at Cornell University in hospitality management and having lived and worked in France, New York, San Francisco, and now Chicago for a decade, Kristina incorporates sophisticated trends in her work and pairs with some of the hottest venues and talents in the area. Her personalized service takes each client’s unique inspiration into account to present flawless events.

GIFT REGISTRY:

Gifts of fine China, crystal, and candlesticks are taking somewhat of a backseat. Couples now seem to be opting for more casual household pottery and goods as well as items such as camping gear, funded experi-

ences, or donations to personally meaningful organizations.

In summary, we advise our couples to always consider fresh, current ideas but balance choices so that your wedding tips towards timeless vs. trendy. ■

EXPERTS' INPUT from local industry expert Magnificent Milestones

"It's fun to be fun! While I prefer traditional text for the main invitation, I enjoy weaving whimsical wording into the accompanying pieces such as reply cards and additional inserts. It provides an extra touch of personality from the couple to their special guests."

www.magnificentmilestones.com

– Kara Gordon, Owner + Designer, Magnificent Milestones

PHOTO BY OLIVIA LEIGH

NEW BBQ

on the BLOCK

Why did you decide to become a chef?

My first job was making pizza; since then, I have never strayed from the restaurant industry. I took culinary classes while in high school, which fortified my decision to pursue a degree at Kendall College in Culinary Arts. While attending school, I took every opportunity to work at various restaurants. When I graduated, I started at Scott Harris Hospitality’s Davanti Enoteca. It opened my eyes to a whole new world of Italian food. It was life-changing for me.

What are the characteristics of Texas-style BBQ?

One of the main characteristics of Texas BBQ is smoking large cuts of meat with a simple rub - not a heavy BBQ sauce. Brisket is the prime example of Texas BBQ that is almost always seasoned with just salt and pepper (the more pepper, the better to increase the nice bark on the exterior). Let it smoke low and slow, and it will be a beautiful and delicious meal.

Name the three kitchen gadgets you can’t do without. The three items I rely on most are a stand mixer with grinder attachments, a sausage stuffer, and a robocoupe. Sausage making has been my side passion, and I hope to expand on it throughout the years with Smokeshow BBQ in Naperville. Also, a robocoupe is a versatile tool for making sauces, dressing, prepping vegetables, and shredding cheeses.

Will you incorporate any menu trends at Smokeshow?

Wagyu beef and A5 Kobe are amazing products as they are, but we will focus on other areas to enhance our brand at Smokeshow, utilizing heritage breeds when possible and local farms.

Also, we plan to offer vegetarian and vegan options off the smoker, including our signature BBQ jackfruit or an array of other smoked vegetables - with more options to come.

At the end of 2023, what do you think you will be most proud of regarding the opening of Smokeshow?

I have always had a passion for BBQ. Playing with my smokers in the backyard and working on my rubs and sauces over the years has been a passion of mine. Opening Smokeshow allows me to showcase my skills for our newest concept at Scott Harris Hospitality. By the end of the year, I will be most proud of developing a new restaurant brand that diversifies our portfolio and the opportunity to demonstrate my talents. We can’t wait for the community to come out and give us a try!  ■

Catching up with Dan Moody, Smokeshow Master Pit Partner and Chef Partner, Scott Harris Hospitality Corporate Chef

PHOTO BY ERIC KLEINBERG

Our convenient, new Drive-thru Lab and Vaccine Service is open in Downers Grove. Now, it’s easier than ever to get your lab tests and COVID-19 tests and vaccines completed.

4 Simple lab tests and vaccines by appointment*, including rapid strep tests, bloodwork and COVID-19 tests and vaccines

4 A three-lane, enclosed drive-thru that protects you from the weather while our team comes to your vehicle

4 Convenient online scheduling 24/7 for vaccines and most lab tests

4 Services for patients of all ages – newborns and up *Physician orders are required for all lab tests.

To make an appointment or learn more, visit EEHealth.org/drive-thru.

DRIVE-THRU SERVICES 2205 BUTTERFIELD ROAD DOWNERS GROVE

Weekdays | 6:30 am – 6:30 pm

Weekends | 6:30 am – 2:30 pm

The Western Suburbs Step into IRISH DANCE

OMG’s dance card is full- of success, camaraderie and positive life lessons

BY MAUREEN CALLAHAN

The Irish year is planned around St Patrick’s Day. Nothing could be truer for Eileen Mulhern O’Kane and Coleen Mulhern Malloy, sisters and proprietors of Westmont-based OMG (Onórach Mulhern Geraghty) School of Irish Dance. And there’s no downtime on the horizon. Once the whirlwind of St Patrick’s Day performances and parades has passed, the sisters will accompany 28 of their dancers (18 American and 10 Irish) to Montreal, less than three weeks later, for the Irish Dance World Championships.

Anyone who has spent even a little time in the company of these two former world champion contenders knows that the success of their dancers is largely due to their dedicated teachers. Now about to embark on their

From beginners to world qualifiers, they each get the same attention.

Obviously, hard work and consistency are the hallmarks of champions. Dancers must put their time in. But long before that, the happiness of the dancer came first, not the promise of talent. All students are paid the same careful notice. “If they come into the studio, we’ll make a dancer of them,” said Eileen. “How far they go is ultimately up to them.”

It’s true. From the start, OMG teachers take the rapport with their students seriously. They respect the children while keeping the tone light. They’ve learned, over the past two decades, how to read kids. Achievement will follow, particularly for little ones starting out, if

OMG SCHOOL OF IRISH DANCE, 2023 WORLD QUALIFYING CLASS

PHOTO BY 726 VISUALS

MAEVE AND RORY HONE THEIR JUMPS WITH THE BEGINNING JIG.

19th trip to World Finals over the last 23 years, one thing has never changed: the mantra that every student matters.

they’re having fun. Games and contests are worked into classes to head off boredom or frustration. If concepts don’t come right away, other methods are employed until it clicks.

As they progress, challenges put out to students are met. “This is how success is built,” stated Coleen. So it goes, with one year leading on to the next. Often, beginners evolve into world champions.

The methods taught by OMG are traditional, with an eye toward beauty and aesthetics for the girls. The traditional male approach to Irish dance is one of strength. This is the presentation in the “lads only” classes, which teach beginning boys strong fundamentals apart from the girls. The tried-and-true learning techniques, along with the school’s integrity of practice, stand out in the world of Irish dance.

These qualities, coupled with the fondness Coleen and Eileen have for their students, prompted a group from the Twin Cities to recruit them a few years ago. The group had observed OMG’s teacher-student interactions at competitions over the years. They wanted to hire the sisters. Already juggling full schedules and

children of their own, they began trading off flying to Minneapolis on Wednesday mornings and returning late the same evening. The Minnesota branch of their school was born. Just before the lockdown, they were noticed once again by another school that also liked their style. Brian Geraghty- the “G” in OMGreached out and convinced them to merge with his enterprise in Dublin and Roscommon, thereby launching the Irish branch of the school.

And the “O” stands for “onórach,” the Gaelic word for “honorable.” It’s no misnomer.

Eileen and Coleen Mulhern are the youngest two of a family of seven siblings. For them, like many children of Irish immigrants, “the dance” has deep

an amazing teacher, not only of dance but also of the fiddle and tin whistle. “Flatley built up so much confidence in his students,” Eileen recalled. “He really gave us the dream and the means to attain it, not only in dance but music as well.”

Under Flatley’s tutelage and alongside the world-renowned Liz Carroll, both sisters qualified for the World Irish Music Championships. They were able to make only one such journey in a year; however, their performances on the world stage were limited to dance.

roots. Their first steps were taken at family events to keep up the old-world tradition. Having shown promise at an early age, friends suggested to their parents that they enroll the girls at Dennehy School of Irish Dance, one of the few organizations training competitive dancers at the time.

“Our parents had never even heard of competitions for Irish dance,” Eileen laughed. “So, when my teacher suggested they take me to New York for Oireachtas (regional finals), our parents didn’t know what to say.” It was all downhill from there. Eileen won Oireachtas every year that she competed, with Coleen turning up similar results. Both hold medals from World Championships.

Along the line, they began to train with the legendary Michael Flatley, who later went on to Riverdance fame. They remember him fondly as

Eileen and Coleen realize that every child who enters the studio will likely, at some point, finish Irish dance. But their joint hope is that it stays with their students, in some capacity, throughout their lives. “The life lessons of hard work, cooperation, and respect will do them well not just for dancing but for their education and, eventually, their professional lives,” said Coleen. “It’s unlikely they’ll be able to do every dance forever, but hopefully, they will always be able to identify and relate to it.”

Please visit OMG’s school website at  www.omgirishdance.com for more information. ■

IRISH

SCHOOLS

Bentley Academy of Irish Dance

https://bentleyacademydance.com/

McNulty School of Irish Dance

http://www.mcnultyirishdancers.com/

Trinity Academy of Irish Dance

https://www.trinityirishdance.com/

“Every child needs a success story in life, a way to feel positive. We’re not just teaching kids to dance; we’re giving them a positive experience.”

– EILEEN MULHERN O’KANE, CO-OWNER OF OMG SCHOOL OF IRISH DANCE

OMG DANCERS ALWAYS PLACE WELL AT OIREACHTAS (REGIONAL FINALS).

HOUSE & HOME

Finding a house is a significant undertaking and a major milestone. As a long-term investment, house hunters are faced with a myriad of decisions to fulfill their dream home vision.

Luckily, the western suburbs offer a variety of neighborhoods to choose from that fit a range of lifestyles. Thankfully, it is also home to many local expert resources, including realtors who advise their clients through the

buying or selling process and interior designers who help create a harmonious and functional space. If looking to modify a current home, architects may map out a new layout and design, or professionals that remodel, renovate and restore are available to assist.

Hinsdale Magazine Group proudly features some of these noteworthy local industry leaders in this edition to help make your house your home.

ALEX Abramowicz & MEREDITH Van Syckle

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago

The dynamic duo of Alex Abramowicz and Meredith Van Syckle of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices work as a team to understand their client’s goals, whether that be price, timing, or privacy. As residents of Downers Grove, both are active in the community, extending their network to provide exposure to both off-market buyers and sellers that may match active clients.

Alex started his career in customer service and new constructions, whereas Meredith spent several years

working in corporate finance. Their extensive exposure to the real estate market ranges from helping first-time buyers and sellers, investment properties and new construction to restoring historic homes and design .

“Our client relationships are very important to us. We strive to build trust with each of our clients by providing consistent and professional communication while giving honest, upfront feedback,” said Meredith. Alex added, “Our goal is to be our client’s ‘forever agent,’ and a trusting relationship is crucial.”

The key to their success? Helping their clients create a unique story about their homes. Tapping into their creativity, their goal is to sell a lifestyle, not a house.

Using technology and social media, they ensure prospective buyers picture themselves living in the home and neighborhood. Although high-quality photos online are the digital gateway to the house and offer a virtual “first showing,” the goal is to keep that solid first impression as they walk through the doors.

“Our clients’ homes are ready when they hit the market and our marketing plan is in place, showcasing everything the home and neighborhood have to offer,” said Meredith.

“At the end of the day,” said Alex  “the goal is to help prospective homebuyers visualize life in their new home.” ■

MARY BRAATZ

RE/MAX

Coach. Advisor. Realtor. Mary Braatz's role as an agent with RE/ MAX has evolved over the years to encompass more than just being a "salesperson." Active in real estate for the last 36 years, Mary ensures that buyers find a home that meets their needs and that sellers accept the best offer to reach their goals.

Mary grew up in a Chicago bungalow in the city and moved to Downers Grove in 1980 with her husband, Rich. They purchased Rich's grandfather's home. As a first-time homebuyer, Mary recalls, "moving into my first house with fresh eyes and enthusiasm – getting to know my new hometown of Downers Grovewas such a fulfilling experience."

Today, Mary is still just as passionate about her community. "I love Downers Grove and wouldn't want to live anywhere else," she said. "I feel fortunate to be able to work in my hometown." Bumping into past clients along the streets is one benefit, but knowing that she has helped them with a big life decision, whether moving into a new home or leaving a long-cherished family home behind, is the ultimate reward.

Now living in the heart of Downers Grove in her dream ranch home, Mary has seen many changes to the community - for the better - as a resident and in her profession. "Downers Grove has become more vibrant over the years; we no longer have empty storefronts like we did in the 1980s. That growth has helped Downers Grove remain a popular destination for homebuyers."

Throughout her career, Mary has had many adventures. She once was doing an open house when the wind blew the front door open, and two white cats escaped. They were hiding in piles of snow in the yard, and Mary had to lure them back into the house magically. "I used my cat whispering skills to get them back inside that day," she recalls.

One thing is for sure, as her journey continues, there will surely be more adventures ahead. ■

CRISP DRISCOLL

Seasoned veterans Tracy Driscoll and Diane Crisp joined forces thirteen years ago and never looked back. With over 40 years of combined experience, The Driscoll Crisp Realtor Team has become a top-producing duo in the Western suburbs by teaming up to build trust, exceed expectations and provide uncompromised service to their clients.

“Between our extensive network, deep local knowledge, and extensive understanding of the industryincluding the latest products and technology - we know our business inside and out,” said Driscoll. Added Crisp, “We plan to sell real estate for a long time…relationships we build with our clients has been the most rewarding part of our careers.”

The most significant changes they have seen within the area include the bustling downtown, high-density living options close to the train and shops, and an increase in new construction. With over $125 million in sales, they have seen plenty of homes. When showing houses, “we do have storage envy, and some kitchens are simply a dream,” said Crisp. Driscoll’s tip when buying a first home? “Your first house may be your forever home due to the relationships you build with friends and neighbors and a school your kids love. You may never want to leave.”

As for the future? “We have built such a strong partnership together. We love being owners of Platinum Partners Realtors and being part of the number one overall real estate company in Downers Grove,” said Driscoll. “Our competitive nature will continue to push us to work hard every day so we can continue to be top producers in the area,” said Crisp. The future is bright indeed. ■

PHOTO BY ABIV PHOTOGRAPHY

ucts, he left the corporate world to venture into his own design business. Today, he has people throughout Chicagoland and also works with clients nationwide to design, decorate, and renovate their spaces.

His goal is to make spaces feel classic and curated. According to Chad, “I like to create spaces that are contemporary but also timeless. Your space should feel current but also stand the test of time. Nobody wants to redo a kitchen every five years.” Lately, Esslinger has incorporated the trend of warmer, richer colors and materials in his work, with sterile and pristine spaces taking a backseat. “The home means different things to different people these days and it needs to

CHAD ESSLINGER

Chad Esslinger Design

BY LIFELENSANDLOVE PHOTOGRAPHY

To Chad Esslinger, the most rewarding part of his job as an interior designer is the partnership he formulates with people and families to make their house a home. “It is a special thing to be invited into a home and help a vision become a reality,” he said. From choosing paint colors, furniture, and décor - to designing layouts and specifying products and materials for home

renovations and new constructionshis clients are his inspiration and the spaces he creates are extensions of their personalities and experiences.

A native of Illinois, Esslinger has expressed an interest in creative projects and home design since a young age. He graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Industrial Design. After spending years in the development of home décor prod-

be productive and functional, but also a sanctuary to escape. It must be a place to gather with family and friends but also might need to function as a workspace, some or all of the time,” he said.

Esslinger is no stranger to personal projects, either. The design project nearest and dearest to his heart? “My own home,” he said. “It was built in 1999 and when we moved to Downers Grove in 2014, it had all the original finishes and features. Over the years, we’ve updated just about everything with just a couple more rooms to renovate.” ■

PHOTO

her client, seeing a project come to fruition after months of planning, demo, construction, and installation is the most rewarding. At times, she also uses design to comfort families who have endured a loss. “I feel like it’s my calling to help these people heal and move on,” she said.

Trends she sees today include black kitchens - from cabinets to accessories – to the incorporation of tech-

GENTILE MICHELE

nology such as voice commands or shower remotes. But one thing remains the same. Michelle’s goal is to align relaxation and beauty in everyday spaces. To stay calm, focused, and functional, “your space should reflect that feeling,” she said.

Michelle Gentile Interiors + HOME

Michelle Gentile, the owner of Michelle Gentile Interiors and Maple Home Market in downtown Downers Grove, always goes with her instinct when it comes to design. “I almost wanted to call my company Intuition Interiors because of my ability to see things how they should be. I trust my instincts.” And the clients she serves are grateful. As a full-service interior designer and

planner, she helps coordinate selections and color palettes for various spaces. Her passion? Designing window treatments, bedding, artwork, and styling with accessories.

When designing, the most critical factor to Michelle is sincerity. “I work best with people with whom I have a genuine and sincere bond. Knowing them – and what makes them happy – helps with my design,” she said. Working in tandem with

Besides a brief stint in Boston early in her career, Downers Grove has been Michelle’s home most of her life. Currently, she resides in the community with her husband and four children and is involved in various organizations serving as a Brownie Troop leader and a member of the Hinsdale Historical Society. Next up? This year, Michelle will simplify her two businesses into one - Michelle Gentile Interiors + HOME. As her company continues to grow, her role does as well. “Working on a project with clients is a journey, and I continue to look forward to telling their personal stories through design,” she said.  ■

PHOTO BY 726 VISUALS

PAGELS ELAINE

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago

If you’re looking for a home in Downers Grove, Elaine Pagels is the one to help you make your dreams come true. Thanks to her local knowledge and palpable love of Downers Grove as a resident herself, the right home almost finds you. Elaine and her friendly, capable team at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices (BHHS) Chicago are just the people to help you navigate the search for a new home and discover all our community has to offer.

For Elaine, real estate is a family affair. As a third-generation broker, she comes by it honestly. Her mother’s aunt was the first woman in Indiana to obtain her real estate license. Her mother followed in those footsteps, becoming a broker and starting a boutique firm in Hinsdale. Over the years, they merged into a team with BHHS. Elaine’s daughter, Brita, ushered in the fourth generation of family realtors when she joined the firm.

Elaine and her team genuinely enjoy meeting with clients and listening carefully to their needs. She has a first-hand understanding of the process of moving and the needs of clients before, during, and after the move, which she learned from being relocated three times with her husband's job. Frequent check-ins and follow-ups ensure they always do their best for the client.

Navigating the process of getting your home ready to list is a stressful process, but Elaine and her team make the process simple through their guidance and action plan. She has an eye for analyzing a home from a buyer’s perspective and guiding homeowners with ideas to

showcase their property in the best possible way. There is nothing like having a capable realtor at your side to help minimize the headaches and stress of moving. “To be invited into a client's life and home is an honor, so we do our very best for them.” ■

PHOTO BY ASHLEY SUMMERS

STEVE

after their build is paramount.  “We don’t just walk out of our client’s lives when we hand over the keys,” he said.  Oakley’s proven  track record of new business stemming from client referrals is a testament to this commitment. Success also starts with accountability. The entire team at  Oakley feels a deep responsibility to work hard to keep their clients’ best interests in mind.  Finally, predictability and efficiency. “We pride ourselves on being  on schedule or

SOBKOWIAK

Oakley Home Builders

While cruising through the streets of the Western Suburbs, there is a strong likelihood that you will pass a house designed by Oakley Home Builders. For the last 19 years, Steve Sobkowiak, co-owner, has worked with over 200 clients  to make their vision a reality through the creativity that designing a custom home entails.

Sobkowiak grew up in Downers Grove and attended Montini Catholic High School. A proud University of Iowa alum, he majored in marketing and human resources.  A brief

stint in the corporate world led him to his future business partner, Ryan Dunham, and the two started Oakley Home Builders in 2004. Their time on the corporate ladder allowed them to master project management, sales, and  taught  the importance of accountability.  The result? “We were convinced that we could create a more efficient custom build process by transferring what we learned from the corporate world into a new industry, and I believe we successfully accomplished that,” he said.

The key to their success is predicated on three key principles.  First, dedication to clients before, during, and

earlier. Our business is constantly evolving and we  are  always working  to improve our processes to deliver on our promises to clients.”

Sobkowiak himself is a proud Oakley homeowner, but his favorite project to date is the  Downers Grove home  he built for his parents. With insider knowledge of how his parents and extended family would utilize the home, he was thrilled to be able to execute their vision.  Today, he gets to experience their joy firsthand.

Now expanding into Naples, Florida, Oakley Home Builders has broadened its operations to the sunshine state to meet the needs of clients.  “It’s a well-known vacation spot for  area  families and  it just felt like  a natural fit  for us,” Sobkowiak said.  ■

LEZZA SPUMONI & DESSERTS INC.

SINCE 1905 ITALY HASN’T BEEN THE SAME!

It all started with a very special spumoni created and lovingly produced by Lezza Spumoni & Desserts, Inc. The origin of this spumoni is Naples, Italy and the recipe came to Chicago’s West Side with Salvatore Lezza in 1905. The recipe has remained with the family for over 100 years!

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544 Spring Road, Elmhurst, IL 60126 lezza.com

BAND TOGETHER

Downers Grove North showcases its talents in London

The Fine Arts faculty and students from Downers Grove North (DGN) performed in the London New Year’s Day Parade and Choral Festival which was broadcast to tens of millions of homes worldwide on January 1, 2023. The DGN Trojan Marching Band was part of the parade and music ensembles from DGN performed several concerts in London. The “Tag Along Tour” allowed over 150 family members to travel to London to watch the parade from the grandstands.

VISIT IRELAND

Rugged coastlines, windswept landscapes and legendary hospitality

For a relatively small island, Ireland’s influence is far-reaching. Scores of immensely talented dancers, musicians, and artists either call this island-nation home, or have descended from it. The chill in the air is not for the faint of heart, but there’s plenty of wool for sale, and the world-renowned warmth of new friends understates it.

Read on for a few suggestions of places to visit in this land of celebrated poets, playwrights, storytellers, saints, and sinners. These are the people who discovered-or invented-humor, so relax and don’t plan to take much seriouslythe Irish certainly don’t!

OUTDOOR SITES

The Burren, County Clare

You’ll come away with an understanding of why “burren” evolved from a Gaelic word meaning “rocky place.” Walk on the giant limestone slabs, pick some of the wildflowers

BY MAUREEN CALLAHAN

growing between them, and take photos of the giant dolmen (stone, megalith monuments) that dot this moon-like landscape. You’ll likely visit the Cliffs of Moher and The Burren is only 40 minutes inland.

Giant’s Causeway, Country Antrim

Drive to the area, then get out and walk some of Europe’s most rugged coastline. This 33-mile stretch consists of thousands of tightly-packed hexagonal shaped columns that slope down

into the sea. It feels like the edge of the earth. Walk 30 meters above the water across the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, that binds the mainland to a tiny island of the same name.

Rock of Cashel, County Tipperary

AKA “St Patrick’s Rock,” it’s among Ireland’s most significant historic sites. Here, St Patrick converted King Aengus to Christianity in the fifth century, although most of the remaining structure dates to the 1200s. Surprisingly, many of the walls are still intact and worth a wander. Sunset is a great time to explore the castle-like cathedral structure and ancient graveyard.

LIBATION TOURS

Guinness Brewery, Dublin

Start thinking of the toast you’ll offer as you raise a pint of the freshest Guinness on earth. By the end of the 250-year-old stout’s 7-story museum tour, you’ll understand why it’s the world’s highest-selling libation.

PHOTO BY JASON-MURPHY

Old Bushmills Distillery, Country Antrim

The word “whiskey” evolved from a Scottish-Gaelic phrase meaning “water of life.” After 400 years, Bushmills takes triple-distilling whiskey as an art. Take in a tour of Northern Ireland’s scenic, jagged cliffs, then stop in to warm up with a glencairn of Northern Ireland’s smoothest whiskey.

Vintage Tea Trips, Dublin & Cork

Although tea is not a libation, it’s Ireland’s most available beverage. Therefore, it’s worthy of an entire afternoon. Sip your favorite kind as you tour either Dublin or Cork on a vintage, two-story bus. Sit back in time while you nibble local pastries and listen to jazz.

ISLANDS

Blasket Islands, Dingle Peninsula

The ideal place to escape the modern world, with plenty of unspoiled nature. Visit on a sunny day, via the ferry ride from Dunquin, West Kerry. It is a good place to bird watch and catch glimpses of dolphins and whales. Visit the abandoned stone houses.

Aran Islands, County Galway

The ancient forts on top of these islands’ cliffs are some of Ireland’s oldest archeological remains. The islands first became populated when Oliver Cromwell’s decrees made the mainland dangerous for the Irish people. Listen to hear traces of Ireland’s native tongue as you visit the 38 national monuments found here.

Skellig Michael, County Kerry

Home to the ancient St Fionan’s Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this archeological settlement is definitely worth the trek. Climb the 600-plus steep, uneven steps to the top to understand how this community of monks lived a cloistered- but likely fit- existence until their departure 800 years ago.

EXPERIENCES

The Quiet Man Cottage & Museum, County Mayo

It’s almost possible to hear the banter of John Wayne and Maureen

O’Hara while visiting an exact replica of White O’Morn, The Duke’s cottage from this country’s most iconic film. Walk back into 1950s Ireland as you visit this “Graceland” of sorts. Hop on a walking tour of filming locations from here. Locals tell tales of how the whole town (and virtually all of Ireland!) was included- one way or another- in John Ford’s Hollywood masterpiece.

National Famine Memorial, County Mayo

On the banks of Clew Bay, pause for a moment at this somber, bronze memorial to the “coffin ships,”- vessels which earned their names from the number of people buried at sea while attempting to flee Ireland during the potato famine. Human skeletons depicted as the ship’s rigging are a stark reminder of food insecurity and those desperately seeking passage to the United States.

Titanic Belfast Museum, Belfast

This museum showcases the world’s most recognizable ship from the exact spot from which it was designed, built and launched in the Belfast shipyards, now known as Maritime Mile.

MERRY-MAKING

Doolin, County Clare

Doolin is renowned as the unofficial capital of traditional Irish music and dance. Music sessions- informal, often unplanned meet-ups of random musicians- happen every evening in the area. Though they often look like groups of musicians huddled together, very informally, locals love when Americans show interest, so bring your fiddle, bodhrán (Irish drum), or tin whistle and join in.

Piper’s Corner Pub, Dublin

This place is the real deal, as Gaelic is actually spoken here. The pints and tunes are always flowing. Uillean pipers (Irish version of the bagpipes) use this as a home base. ■

KILEANY AND THE BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPE OF INIS MÓR ISLAND IRELAND

At DGCS parents have confidence that their children are cared for because they are challenged academically while building strong character and ultimately grow into the person God created them to be.

Friday, April 14th - Sunday, April 16th

CHICAGOLAND’S MOST ANTICIPATED BRIDAL JEWELRY EVENT

S hop the area’s largest collection of women’s and men’s wedding bands from the bridal industry’s top designers.

Appointments encouraged.

Visit razny.com for more details.