Country Magazine, August 2020

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“W

hat day is it today?”

Aquestion reserved for head injury patients or the elderly, but now, it is not that uncommon. Our worlds have been turned upside down and we are in an adjustment period navigating through the “new normal.” Similarly, the real estate market is asking, “What month is it?”

The dog-days of summer bring a slowing down period for people; long, hot, humid days, time to just kick back and relax, and, of course, prepare for the return to school. Predictably, during these days the real estate market mimics our lives; new listings slow down, closings are wrapping up before the school year begins, fewer showings and, in general, less activity. But wait? What month is it?

Wemay be living in the dog-days of summer, but the market has been turned upside down too. It’s performing like the usual April (not August!); the busy beginning of the active market season.

We are still seeing a flurry of activity in new listings, virtual and personal showings, with no sign of slowing down anytime soon. Take into consideration the urgency to be settled by the first day of school. School? Who knows? Homeschooling, e-schooling, returning parttime, full-time? All we do know is that with the uncertainty of returning to the classroom, the market isn’t feeling the pressure of that either.

There is a renewed interest in suburban living and the suburban lifestyle. As noted in last month’s article, the trend to move away from the city and take advantage of the beautiful and spacious suburbs looks as if it will stay with us for a while. This is your opportunity! Whether you are looking to put your house on the market or searching for a new home, now is the time.

The bottom line is we don’t know what the “new normal” is for ourselves, families, schools or for the real estate market, so my advice is Carpe Diem! Seize the opportunity this market is presenting to both Buyers and Sellers.

Warm Regards, Connie

If you would like to discuss your unique real estate needs confidentially, you may call or text me at 847.508.7775 or email connie.antoniou@sothebysrealty.com.

Michael A. Lovda, D.D.S. and Michael A. Lovda Jr., M.S., D.D.S

Source: BrokerMetrics LLC, Closed Sales Volume, Barrington MLS Area, 7-1-2019 to 6-30-2020

28317 GRAY BARN LANE, LAKE BARRINGTON / $1,199,900

295 FOX HUNT TRAIL, BARRINGTON / $799,000

51 WHITETAIL LANE, BARRINGTON / $798,900

302 E HILLSIDE AVENUE, BARRINGTON / $1,095,000

1009 OAKLAND COURT, BARRINGTON / $769,000

Photography by Dustin Halleck

THE CURATED HOME BEGINS HERE!

Beauty and detail result from thoughtfulness and planning. Our design experts are here to help you coordinate furnishings, drapery, floor and wall coverings, lighting and accessories to create a space that is truly your own. Schedule a consultation in-store or at home today.

To-the-Trade discounts available.

FEATURES

40 52

THE ART OF BEING BOLD

Victoria Celano credits formative years living in Barrington and the influence of her parents for the future she will be building in Washington, D.C. this fall.

48

GAME ON

Anthony Garcia of Passion for Polo in Barrington Hills talks about his own personal path to polo and what the current pandemic has meant for the “sport of kings.”

TOWARD EQUITY

Author and former Walgreens Chief Diversity Officer Steve Pemberton reflects on his experience with racism and how we can all pivot to fight forward.

VICTORIA CELANO IS SHOWN ON THE COVER IN A DRESS BY MARCHESA AND IS WEARING TED BAKER IN THIS PHOTO

CLOSETS

CLOSETS

CLOSETS

Call (866) ART-2-ORG (866-278-2674) for a free in-home design consultation and estimate or visit us online at closetfactory.com

Call (866) ART-2-ORG (866-278-2674) for a free in-home design consultation and estimate or visit us online at closetfactory.com

Call (866) ART-2-ORG (866-278-2674) for a free in-home design consultation and estimate or visit us online at closetfactory.com

Call (866) ART-2-ORG (866-278-2674) for a free in-home design consultation and estimate or visit us online at closetfactory.com

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THIS MONTH I WILL BE

PREPARING

For a safe road trip to the Jersey Shore

DENYING

The passing of time so quickly

READING

Lady Clementine, the story of the ambitious wife beside Winston Churchill, by

Marie Benedict

Welcome to August where the expression “the dog days of summer” seems especially apt this year. Let’s face it, life as we know it hasn’t been the same since March, and this summer has been “different” in ways both disappointing and illuminating. We’ve experienced FOMO (fear of missing out!) in real time—no kids camps and summer sports to speak of; no trips downtown to take in a Cubs or Sox game, or to attend one of Chicago’s quintessential summer festivals; and very limited outdoor events where we can embrace the summer with carefree abandon.

Still, there is a lot to celebrate during this unprecedented time—enjoying the simpler things in life, like time with family, gardening, and nature; businesses embracing the challenges with innovation and determination; and people realizing the importance of diversity on another level.

That diversity is reflected in the Barringtons and in this issue, which celebrates passionate, creative, tenacious people determined to make a difference in the world. Our cover story, “The Art of Being Bold,” features Barrington native Victoria Celano, who is poised to take the world on as she looks towards Washington, DC, where she’ll continue her work to help others in her consulting position with the esteemed Bain & Company this fall. Find out where this stylish go-getter gets her inspiration and drive.

“Game On” profiles Anthony Garcia of Passion for Polo in Barrington Hills. Despite the challenges with playing and hosting polo matches, “which is about having friends and family over,” according to Garcia, this polo aficionado and his team have found creative ways to play the season.

In yet another feature, learn about how

author Steve Pemberton, who writes about pivoting to fight forward against racism in his book, A Chance in the World, continues to advance his mission to help kids aging out of foster care bridge the gap to college. You’ll be inspired.

For staying at home, we’ve got delicious new recipes and inspiration for your home, beauty regiment, and wardrobe. For dreaming of the time when you can travel, read our First Class feature on the historic Cloister in Sea Island, Georgia. It’s definitely on my travel bucket list.

And, to finish things off, Parting Words introduces you to the Village of Barrington’s new Fire Chief, John Christian. He’ll bring his 30-plus years of fire service experience to keep Barrington residents safe and continue his longtime civic involvement.

Enjoy the last of these dog days of summer in our peaceful and bucolic community.

Elaine Doremus, Editor-in-Chief elaine@jwcmedia.com

Cloister pool

Steve and Tonya Pemberton

UP FRONT

CULTURE, MURMURS & STYLE

YOUR GUIDE TO ALL OF THE LATEST ON PEOPLE, PLACES, AND THINGS IN THE BARRINGTONS

Amy Tiernan Kane of Barrington Hills

GENIUS TOUCH

he quest continues. As we age, the skin loses collagen and elastin resulting in laxity, wrinkles, and sagging. Traditionally as a plastic surgeon we resort to surgery to remove or tighten loose skin. The trend over the past 20 years is for less invasive or minimally invasive treatments or procedures to treat these vexing problems.

Since I can’t operate on myself and I’m a bit of a control freak, I’ve invested considerable sums in state-of-the art technologies that can help reverse or delay the aging process. All of these technologies have been tested on me. The latest is Genius by Lutronic.

The trick in any of these technologies is to deliver energy beneath the skin to the dermal layer without injury to the surface skin. Genius uses unique and intelligent technology to help protect the top layers of the skin while providing real-time feedback during the procedure. This allows for treatments on all skin types and colors. We can deliver customized energy precisely to the dermis, and it creates micro-injury to jump start your body’s natural healing process to firm and renew skin. I can deliver precise customized energy where I want with less pain than any other previous technology.

Genius treatments help provide lasting unparalleled outcomes with intelligent RF (radio frequency) technology, delivering thermal energy through micro-needles into the dermis.

Treatment takes about one hour. A topical anesthetic is used. There is minimal downtime and mild redness and swelling for 24 hours. Results begin to show in 3 to 4 weeks. Any part of the body where there is laxity can be treated. Dramatic results may require multiple treatments. Typically 2 to 3 treatments give optimal results.

RETURN OF AN ICON

For additional information, visit skindeepmedicalspa.com or call Dr. Bloch at his Highland Park office at 847-432-0426 or Glenview location 847-901-0800.

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The brightly colored, playful SUZIE ZUZEK prints of Lilly Pulitzer’s clothing were a staple of American fashion in the ’60s, 70s, and ’80s—worn by members of society from Palm Beach to Nantucket, actresses, models, and stylish men and women all over the world. One could always spot a “Lilly” with its undeniable characteristics: clean, comfortable lines; bright, vivid colors; and fantastical designs. Whether at the beach, on the links, or at a cocktail party, these simple shifts for women and girls and jackets and trousers for gents were a preppy rite of passage. Pratt Institute–educated Suzie Zuzek’s artwork was the basis for most of the fabric designs used by Pulitzer from 1962 to 1985. Suzie Zuzek for Lilly Pulitzer: The Artist Behind an Iconic American Fashion Brand,1962–1985 is the first book introducing Zuzek the artist and presenting a selection of her designs, which included monkeys sipping martinis, dancing flowers, colorful seashells, and op-art geometrics that attracted the eye of such notables as Jacqueline Kennedy and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. It was thought that these designs were lost forever. Luckily, they were recently discovered allowing for a celebration of the previously unknown artist, her story, and her original watercolor drawings. © Suzie Zuzek for Lilly Pulitzer by Susan Brown and Caroline Rennolds Milbank, Rizzoli Electa, 2020. For more information, visit rizzoliusa.com.

BodyByBlochbodybybloch

Steven Bloch MDBodybybloch

MOTOR WERKS DRIVE-IN

Barrington families flocked to Motor Werks of Barrington on July 17 for special drive-in movie night. The luxury automobile dealership hosted a packed house for a showing of Back to the Future. But, what’s a movie without popcorn? Not only were guests treated to personal bags of popcorn, but individually packaged ice cream treats to make a night a bit sweeter. The evening played on classic drive-in movie experience, but social distancing measures were also implemented to keep guests safe. Because of the event’s success, Motor Werks has plans for another Customer and Employee Appreciation showing soon. What movie would you like to see at the next movie night? For more information, visit motorwerks.com.

AMY TIERNAN KANE

GREW UP IN NORTHERN NEW JERSEY BEFORE GRADUATING WITH A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN RETAILING FROM MIAMI UNIVERSITY IN OHIO. AFTER YEARS BUILDING A CAREER AT COMPANIES LIKE DILLARD’S CORPORATION AND ESTEE LAUDER, KANE MOVED INTO HER FAVORITE ROLE—MOM. KANE, WHO CALLS THE HAWTHORNE RIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD OF BARRINGTON HILLS HOME WITH HER HUSBAND, DR. JAMES M KANE, HAVE A BLENDED FAMILY WITH SEVEN CHILDREN—JENNA (32), JIMMY (31), CHAD (27), KATHLEEN (27), TARA (24), KATIE (24), AND JACK (19). THE FAMILY ALSO HAS A SWEET GOLDEN RETRIEVER NAMED HUDSON. AFTER YEARS OF VOLUNTEERING WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE STOW MONROE-FALLS JUNIOR WOMEN’S CLUB, THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF CLEVELAND, SETON CATHOLIC SCHOOL, ST. MARY’S CHURCH, BATTERED WOMEN’S SHELTER, AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY, SAINT ANNE PARISH SCHOOL, AND SAINT ANNE CATHOLIC CHURCH, KANE STEPPED INTO THE ROLE OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR FOR THE SAINT ANNE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY. HERE ARE A FEW OF THE PHILANTHROPIST’S FAVORITES AROUND COUNTRY AND TOWN:

EDITED BY KEMMIE RYAN / PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBIN SUBAR STYLING BY THERESA DEMARIA / HAIR AND MAKEUP BY SARAH SALTANOVITZ FOR DISTINCT ARTISTS

Mantra? I am strong. I am beautiful. I am enough. I’ve been fortunate in my life to have been blessed with beautiful girlfriends who have taught me this. Best grooming tip? Skin care, Skin care, Skin care. Guilty pleasure? Trader Joe’s sea salt caramels paired with a glass of Silver Oak cabernet sauvignon.

Favorite foods? It’s less about the type of food and more about the company. Music you love? Pop, country, and anything live. Best advice ever given to you? Be kind to people; treat people as you would like to be treated. My father taught me this at a very young age by example. Best advice you’ve given? From Mother Teresa: ‘We cannot

WHEN IN THE COUNTRY

Your style is? I dress for the occasion—sports, socializing, church, work, or date nights. Can’t leave the house without? Mascara, lipstick, and my phone … and now A MASK! Transportation? White sporty SUV. Driving music? 103.5. I always feel like a teenager driving to today’s top hits. Place to eat? Shakou, PL8, Francesca’s, or Barrington Hills Country Club. Shop? Glitz and Glam, Angelina’s, One Girl, Heinen’s. Best thing about country? Being safe and secure in our home. During this pandemic I am especially grateful! Worst thing about country? All my kids don’t live here. The perfect day is? Sunshine and being with my family.

all do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” Earliest memory? Being in a child’s bike seat on the back of my mom’s bike. I must have been two years old. When you wake up, you? Thank God for this day. Before bed, you? Tell my husband I love him and say my nightly prayers. What’s on your bookshelf? The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene. You can’t live without? The word of God. It is my pillar of strength in the best and worst of times. Love to escape to? Anywhere that has a view of water. It’s so therapeutic! Advice you would give to your younger self? Believe in yourself. Doubt will kill more dreams than failure ever will.

WHEN IN TOWN

Your style is? I dress for the occasion—usually it’s dinner with the kids, a Blackhawks game, or a romantic adventure with my hubby. Can’t leave the house without? GPS of some sort. I am directionally challenged. Transportation? I love to walk in the city and soak up all that it has to offer. Driving music? Inspirational podcasts. Place to eat? Steak 48, Momotaro, Piccolo Sogno. Shop? Intermix, Mira Couture, Bloomingdale’s. Best thing about town? Lake Michigan and my son Chad living there. Worst thing about town? What’s there not to love about Chicago? The perfect day is? A boat ride and dinner on the Chicago River with my husband and kids, which was also my birthday gift this year.

Lake Michigan, Chicago

Shakou

WHO WORE IT WHEN, WHERE, AND WONDERFULLY

AMY KANE Holly Ball 2019

MAYA

SAMANTHA HARRIS Cures Gala: Gateway Studio54

BEST DRESSED

A look back at some of our favorite fashions over the past year.

EDITED BY KEMMIE RYAN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BOB AND DAWN DAVIS PHOTOGRAPHY, IAN MCLEOD, MARK CAMPBELL PRODUCTIONS, AND ROBIN SUBAR

JENNIFER LAGONI, SARAH KUTKA Cheers to 50 Years

ERIN VONDRA Wizard of Oz: An Emerald City Gala

MARTA RAYKHSHTAT A Day on the Terrace: Fashionology

JEFF AND STEPHANIE APPLEBAUM Masterpiece19

WHY GUMS MATTER

region and the “gum disease” bacteria are among the findings. It is thought that the bacteria act to destroy that area of the brain in the way they destroy gums and bone around teeth.

We have known for years that gum disease increases your risk of cardio vascular disease. The same “gum disease” bacteria flow through the blood stream and attach themselves to the arteries and valves in and around your heart. With time, the plaque builds and closes off the arteries and gives rise to the threat of cardio-vascular disease.

WORDS BY DR. JAMES T. GAVRILOS

Alzheimer’s disease has touched the lives of so many. Researchers have not been able to clearly define a cause and effect for it. Despite the billions that have been spent on research, thousands of people are diagnosed with the disease each year and are given little hope for a cure.

A recent study has given researchers new hope in getting to bottom of this complex disease. Bacteria that cause gum disease have been isolated in the area of the brain that is believed to be causing the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.

A complex plaque of bacteria builds up in the brain in this

Past research has shown a link of cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s. Researchers knew that the two were correlated but did not have answers as to why. With the new information being brought to light, the studies are following the possibility of gum disease being the causative factor for both. In other words, the cardio vascular disease does not cause Alzheimer’s but rather gum disease is the contributing factor to both cardio-vascular disease and Alzheimer’s.

There is a lot left to do in this area of research. If future findings can show causation instead of correlation of gum disease and Alzheimer’s, then research will begin on methods to help stop or cure this horrible disease. In the meantime, you can help protect yourself by flossing every day and having your gums checked for gum disease by your dentist. Any sign of bleeding when you brush or floss your teeth is usually an indication of the presence of gum disease.

Dr. James T. Gavrilos is located at 129 Park Avenue in Barrington. For more information, call 847-381-4040 or visit barringtondentist.com.

With the connections between gum disease and Alzheimer’s disease, knowledge is power.

HOME STYLE

01 Amy Kartheiser Design, amykartheiserdesign.com 02 Society Social Althea Celadon Pillow, Society Social, shopsocietysocial.com 03 Tiffany Blue Crystal Glass, Tiffany & Co. Northbrook, 847272-5785 04 Flavor Paper Los Angeles Toile Wallpaper, flavorpaper.com 05 ARTICLE Svelti Grano Dining Chair in Laguna Orange, article.com 06 Charlotte Cases by Matouk, Bedside Manor Ltd Lake Forest, 847-295-8370 07 Arden Pink Chest, Walter E. Smithe Oakbrook, 630-285-8000 08 Venus Et Fleur Thalia Vase with Mixed Eternity Flowers, venusetfleur.com 09 Pale Lilac Linen Bedding by Pine Cone Hill, Bedside Manor Ltd Lake Forest, 847295-8370 10 AERIN for The Shade Store Kitchen, The Shade Store Chicago, 312-924-3796 11 Indigo Girl Decorative Pillow by Laura Park, Bedside Manor Ltd Lake Forest, 847-295-8370 12 Franny Side Table, Society Social, shopsocietysocial.com 13 Arper Catifa 46 Chairs, arper.com 14 Jonathan Adler Backgammon Set, Jonathan Adler, 312-274-9920 15 The Inside Modern Sofa in Canary Velvet, theinside.com 16 AERIN for The Shade Store, The Shade Store Chicago, 312-924-3796 17 ARTICLE Resa Sakura Pink Chair, article. com 18 The Inside Parsons Ottoman in Pink Linen, theinside.com

The ART of Being BOLD

VICTORIA CELANO credits formative years living in Barrington and the influence of her parents for the future she will be building in Washington, D.C. this fall. With a freshly minted MBA from University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and a consulting position waiting at the esteemed Bain & Company, this stylish go-getter is paving a path to success.

WORDS BY SHERRY THOMAS / PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK ISHMAN ART DIRECTION BY THERESA DE MARIA HAIR & MAKEUP BY DANA HAMED

Victoria Celano, shown in her downtown apartment in a Tory Burch dress, is headed to Washington, D.C. this fall

ometimes, it’s the small things in life that have a greatest impact on the people we turn out to be—little day to day interactions that seem ordinary at the time but end up being very profound.

In the case of Victoria Celano, a sophisticated, driven young woman who spent her summer finishing an MBA program at the venerable University of Chicago Booth School of Business, those ordinary moments are as simple as the memory of being on horseback at her parents’ property in Barrington.

Or of the leadership examples set by her parents Gerald and Robin Celano, who moved the family to Barrington just as Celano was finishing high school—in part because of her and her mother’s, shared interest in riding horses.

“They are my biggest advocates and my favorite people,” says Celano, who now lives in a stylish Streeterville apartment. “My parents are my biggest role models and they are both in careers where they are natural ‘helpers’.”

For Robin Celano, that’s 41 years as a pediatric nurse practitioner and her current position at Lurie Children’s Hospital; for Gerald Celano, it’s his work with the Chicago Police Department, from which he is now retired.

“My mom is a nurse through and through. She’s smart as a whip, incredibly good at her work, and a true giver. Working in pediatric neurology is such difficult work and she does it with empathy, grace, and strength,” says Celano. “She’s also an avid horsewoman and a nonstop worker. I’ve never seen her sit still—she’s constantly making whatever she chooses to do, better.”

Her father holds an equal place of prominence in shaping the woman she has become.

“My dad is also a full-time supporter for me,” she says “To this day, anytime I come home, at some point my car disappears and comes back washed and full of gas. During the pandemic he drove down to the city weekly to deliver delicious homemade pizza, pasta, and whatever else he and my mom made from scratch that week. He’s always there when you need him—anytime day or night. His loyalty is unmatched.”

It’s no wonder then that she found herself taking on roles as an advocate and champion for those whose voices were not being heard.

“When I was an undergrad, I interned at a resource agency for survivors of sexual assault and abuse,” explains Celano, who earned a BA in English,

Women and Gender Studies, and Biomedical Studies at St. Olaf College in 2013, while also serving as Captain of the Equestrian Team. “It was the first time where I saw the ideals that I learned about in theory being actively worked toward in the ‘real world.’ I met people whose daily job was to support strong families and communities, to empower women and girls, and to work toward a world free from violence and a world of equity.”

It changed her view of the world and charted a new path she might not have imagined before.

“Whether my work is in the nonprofit sector, business, or government, my motivation remains the same—to actively work toward a world where people’s lives are demonstrably better, especially for the most vulnerable among us.”

In the years since leaving St. Olaf and applying to the part-time evening program at University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Celano has held several positions in the nonprofit sector. Most recently, she worked at ALSAC/ St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital— an institution that’s leading the way the world understands, treats, and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

Making a difference in the lives of others is what drives her. But she says the MBA is going to be a critical tool in helping her be more bold, innovative, and effective in elevating those endeavors.

“Working in the social sector, I realized while there is much that nonprofits get right, there is also room for improvement, and different ways of thinking. In my first job out of undergrad—at the same sexual assault survivor resource organization where I interned—I was able to triple the number of survivors who we could serve in area hospitals through streamlining operations. While I created these process efficiencies without formal training, this helped me realize the greater impact I could have with the knowledge and tools from a formal business education,” she explains.

“I knew an MBA could give me frameworks and introduce me to new ways of thinking. In particular, the University of Chicago is known for encouraging students to challenge the status quo, embrace a highly critical lens, and innovate. It was the perfect school to push me to think differently, to consider case studies across different industries, and meet colleagues with diverse array of perspectives.”

“I MET PEOPLE WHOSE DAILY JOB WAS TO SUPPORT STRONG FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES, TO EMPOWER WOMEN AND GIRLS, AND TO WORK TOWARD A WORLD FREE FROM VIOLENCE AND A WORLD OF EQUITY.”

Victoria Celano, wearing Tory Burch, loves coming back home to Barrington to ride horses with her mother

Celano will take the influences of her Barrington family and the work she’s done so far with her to Washington, D.C. this fall as she takes on a consultant position at the prestigious Bain & Company, one of the world’s top management consulting firms.

“Bain & Company is an incredible firm and I am thrilled to be joining them this fall in Washington D.C.,” she says. “As a management consultant, I am looking forward to immersing myself in different industries and tackling some of clients’ biggest problems. Switching careers from nonprofit to consulting, especially at a top firm, is a big leap for me, but I am excited to lean into the growth.”

Knowing what we know about Celano, that “leaning into” is likely to be done with grace, humility, and elegance.

While her work is her passion, her family and the equestrian pursuits in Barrington that keep her grounded.

“Barrington is the perfect place to have horses and be an equestrian. My mother is an avid rider and taught me a love for horses and how to ride from a young age,” Celano explains. “I’m very close with my family, so spending time with them is very important to me. Visiting them at their Barrington home really feels like an oasis away from the business of the city—the serenity and respite I feel when I visit Barrington is something really special.”

As for her personal style, she likens it to a Booth tag line: “Be Bold.”

“My style parallels my personality—a mix of traditional, bold, eclectic, and quirky,” she says, explaining that she favors wearing all black with pops of color, fun shoes, dramatic statement dresses, and topping it all off with a good leather jacket.

“I love M.M.Lafluer,” she continues. “They have beautiful clothes for professional women especially those who are constantly on the go—their pieces are machine washable, versatile, travel friendly, and of course, make me feel amazing!”

Finishing graduate school and embarking on a bold new career in the midst of a pandemic hasn’t been easy, but Celano says she’s grateful for the lessons it has taught her.

“While the pandemic has been devastating, it’s an opportunity to rebuild some of how we work and connect,” she explains, noting the focus on company culture and how various companies responded during this crisis. “How a company reacts when something so large and unprecedented as a global pandemic happens is telling about the core of that company.  Do they take care of their employees? How do they handle furloughs and layoffs if it comes to that?”

Bain & Company, for example, lived up to its international reputation.

“I have not even officially started, and Bain has already gone above and beyond in their communication, support, and care,” Celano adds.

With graduation and the move to Washington, D.C. imminent, she’s taking comfort in that future that awaits her, while also reflecting back on the things that brought her to this point.

“In life and my career, I am constantly striving for ‘more” and “better.’ However, as I build my career, I try to be cognizant of the the words of civil rights activist Mary Church Terrell and ‘lift as I climb’,” she concludes. “Achievement falls hollow without a strong and motivating ‘why’ and my why is to use my platform, my knowledge, and my resources to help others.”

“ACHIEVEMENT FALLS HOLLOW WITHOUT A STRONG AND MOTIVATING ‘WHY’ AND MY WHY IS TO USE MY PLATFORM, MY KNOWLEDGE, AND MY RESOURCES TO HELP OTHERS.”

Shown in a dress by Ted Burch, Victoria Celano reflects on the future ahead

Why Choose Us

Yin Yang Pilates Lake Zurich

Certified Pilates Instructors

Personal Private One-on-One Sessions

Reformer, Small Group Classes

Group Fitness Classes

Restorative and Meditation Classes

Certified Yoga Instructors Our studio meets social distancing requirements!

our vision at is a simple one

We want to Enhance your Quality of Life using many methodologies including: Pilates, Yoga, Curatio, Sculpt, Meditation

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4 bedroom | 2.1 bathroom | Offered at $775,000

Exquisitely finished newer construction just over a year old with no detail spared! This home is truly designer worthy in its style and amenities. A gorgeous centered wrought iron custom staircase is the focal point when entering. An open concept allows you to entertain beautifully and enjoy.

Absolutely magazine worthy!

Maria Devins

Real Estate Broker

Top 10 Office Producer since 2012 Chairman’s Club 847.840.2520

maria.devins@bairdwarner.com

EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE

EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE

Benefits of Pilates for your Health

Reach Weight Loss Goals

Increase Flexibility and Joint Mobility

Enhance Athletic Performance, i.e. Golf, Tennis, Dance

Improve Posture

Improve Circulation

Decrease Back Pain

Post Rehabilitation of Injuries

Post Rehabilitation from Surgery

Experience Fluidity of Movement

We strive to not only condition and heal your Body but your Mind as well.

GAME ON

ANTHONY GARCIA of Passion for Polo in Barrington Hills talks about his own personal path to polo and what the current pandemic has meant for the “sport of kings.”

Anthony Garcia is shown at the Passion for Polo field in Barrington Hills

WORDS BY SHERRY THOMAS / PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK ISHMAN GROOMING AND STYLING BY THERESA DEMARIA / WARDROBE BY J. CREW

Much like other sports throughout the nation, nothing about this year’s polo season has been normal.

New restrictions and new protocol mean the ancient “sport of kings” enjoyed by so many in Barrington has looked and felt a little bit different.

“COVID-19 has been a damper to the polo season all over the world. It’s definitely something I wish was just a bad dream,” says Anthony Garcia, a veteran player with Passion for Polo in Barrington Hills. “We follow all the social distancing protocols, but polo is about having friends and family over, so it’s hard. We do get to hang out with our opponents after the games but not like in other seasons when we’d normally have a lot more guests at the games.”

All of that said, Garcia is thrilled to be back and playing the sport he loves.

“The crowd in Passion for Polo is a family-oriented crowd and a really fun group of people,” says Garcia, a Santa Barbara, California, native grew up playing polo with his father. “Polo is not only on the field but it’s also about the friends and family that spend time with us after. Polo is great.”

Like many in the Barrington area who love horses and the sport that showcases their beauty, he was hooked on polo at a young age.

“I moved to Chicago in 2002 because I was playing for Joe Ahern, former president of CBS/WBBM Channel 2 in downtown Chicago. We had met when I was playing in Santa Bar-

bara in the summer of 1998 for Team USA in the Federation of International Polo World Cup,” says Garcia.

He had played for Ahern in northern California with his Channel 7 KGO polo team. But when Ahern moved to Chicago in 2001 to run CBS, he brought Garcia with him.

“That’s where the leap of faith took place that moved me to the Midwest and eventually made Chicago my home,” explains Garcia, who lives in nearby Cary with his fiancé, Andrea del Rosario—an actress from the Philippines—and their two children from previous relationships, Bea and Bailey. “They are very supportive of my job and normally travel with me all over the world, wherever polo takes me. I’m very blessed.”

While Passion for Polo’s home field is on Old Sutton Road in Barrington Hills, the team has played in the UK, Asia and Argentina with plans to compete in Germany when the pandemic is over.

The team kicked off this year’s season last month with one of their favorite tournaments—the prestigious Butler Challenge Cup at Oak Brook Polo Club in Oak Brook. Viewing was limited capacity, socially distanced, “tailgate only” but everyone was thrilled to get back to the fields.

“Polo is a great group activity with family and friends that want to get out of the house, share a few drinks and laughs, and enjoy an afternoon watching the world’s most beautiful and adrenaline-fueled game,” says Oak Brook Polo Club Managing Director Danny O’Leary, explaining that matches continue there through September 27—culminating with the coveted USPA Butler International Cup. “People are excited

Anthony Garcia grew up playing polo with his father in Santa Barbara, California and is now a 5-goal player

“IT’S THE BEST SPORT IN THE WORLD AND THE BEST IS STILL TO COME.”

to put those sweatpants and t-shirts away from staying cooped up at home and get dressed up finally for once.”

Garcia says similar precautions are in place at the Passion for Polo grounds in Barrington Hills and other clubs in the area, including Barrington Hills Polo.

Even during this challenging time, he’s grateful to have found his place in Barrington Hills with Passion for Polo, first with Ahern and now with Frauke and Jan-Dirk Lueders— who caught the polo bug after attending polo school in Barrington Hills.

“Someone called me and said, ‘I have some friends coming looking for horses and I told them they were to come out and see me’,” he recalls. “I then replied and said, ‘sure thing … you know where I’m at.’ I was renting a barn in Elburn and Jan and Frauke Lueders showed up and the rest is history.”

Two horses became four, then six, then 10. That was five years ago. Since then, the Passion for Polo string has grown to 17, and Lueders have completed construction on the only regulation-size indoor polo arena in the Midwest. They have also developed a full-size outdoor grass field where they host friends and compete in regular tournaments throughout Chicago.

“A lot of people say the first impression of someone normally is the most important, and for some reason when I met Jan and Frauke, it was as if I had known them for 20 years,” says Garcia. “And until this day, they have become more like family to me and to my family as well.”

Garcia, who is a 5-goal polo player in his own right, worked side-by-side with the Leuders, not only to teach them the game of polo, but to partner with them to build a polo facility on their Barrington Hills property, acquire their own polo ponies, and establish the Passion for Polo team.

“I also play polo and manage for Congressman Mike Romero from the Philippines for seven months of the year, who owns the global port Air Asia polo team. Congressman Romero and Jan and Frauke have become very good friends because of polo and they happen to play in each other’s clubs,” he says. “I’m very happy to have been able to link my three patrons and that they get along really well. We actually won the Miguel Romero Memorial Cup together in 2019, which was one of the most memorable tournaments I’ve played and won in my career. It truly meant a lot to me.”

Today, Passion for Polo has one of the nicest privately

owned world-class, all weather, facilities in Midwest. The team travels all over America and to Asia, England, Argentina, together to play polo, and to teach polo to youth (including in the Philippines) who would not otherwise have the opportunity to learn the game.

Garcia—who allows his daughter, Bailey, to name all of his horses (which may be why he has one called Minnie Mouse and another called Peppa Pig)—has high hopes for what’s left of the season.

“I’m hoping we do well in the 12-goal league we are playing in our team with Jan and Frauke and Nino Obregon. It’s a very wonderful team we have had a couple years playing together already,” he says. “It’s the best sport in the world and the best is still to come.”

Follow Passion for Polo on Facebook for visit passionforpolo.info.

Passion for Polo is based in Barrington Hills and has played in the UK, Asia, and Argentina with plans to compete in Germany when the pandemic is over.

TOWARD EQUITY

Author and former Walgreens Chief Diversity Officer

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY MONICA KASS ROGERS

Steve Pemberton looks good in blue. It matches his eyes, a shade of cerulean quite like the sea waters off the coast of Portugal where some of his ancestors originated. The same blue twinkles up in the only little boy photo ever taken of Pemberton. Back then, in foster care, Pemberton knew nothing of his ancestry, his Irish American mother, or his African American father. His focus was survival, as he endured years of abuse in a broken foster care system he wouldn’t escape until his late teens. Leaving that behind, not only did Pemberton make his way to Boston College for two degrees, he went on to lead positive growth and change as chief diversity officer and human relations chief at global corporations, and to run for public office.

Pemberton’s riveting life story of intrigue and triumph, A Chance in the World, was first published in 2012, and made into a movie in 2018. The book was re-issued with an epilogue in 2018, and the young-adult version of the story comes out in April 2021. Because the book is now recommended reading for high schools and colleges nationally, Houghton-Mifflin Harcourt is creating a curriculum for it this fall. And it doesn’t end there. The, A Chance in the World nonprofit Pemberton and his wife Tonya founded in 2016 to help kids aging out of foster care bridge the gap to college, keeps growing. Through its influence, the Pembertons actively advocate for youth and at-risk populations in various capacities. And the many “human lighthouses” of hope Pemberton met along the way are the subject of the new book he is writing now—all while heading human resources at Framingham, Massachusetts-based Workhuman.

But today is not a writing day. Today, in the midst of great national unrest, Pemberton’s discussions will focus on social justice and equity for people of color. As we talk, the phone keeps ringing. One after another, corporate leaders call to ask for advice on how they can make shifts against racism. And Zoom conferences with youth organizations navigating through this time of foment are scheduled later. While each dialogue is different, the life-experience Pemberton draws from bridges them all. Issues of equity weave up, down, around, and through all aspects of his life: Beyond his youth journey as an underprivileged Black, there is the labeling and exclusion he experienced in college by peers who considered him too white to be Black, and too Black to be white. There is the daily vigilance he has to have parenting three teens who despite a privileged upbringing in the Chicago suburbs, experience racial profiling. There are his decades of leadership as a chief diversity officer at monster.com and Walgreens Boots Alliance, and, his frustrating experience running in Massachusetts for a seat in the U.S. Senate, a candidacy short-circuited by entrenched political systems that prevent new hopefuls from successfully challenging incumbents.

Speaking with Pemberton about battling racism individually and corporately, his overarching message is one of actionable hope, through courage and persistence, and a commonality we all have through struggle. Here is what he has to say.

STEVE PEMBERTON reflects on his experience with racism and how we can all pivot to fight forward.

Steve, you speak with a wide range of multicultural youth through organizations nationally. What are kids saying to you now? What are they feeling and expressing? There is a parallel of struggle that I faced and encountered as a young person that mirrors a lot of the challenges that young people are facing right now. Much of this is currently playing out in the Black Lives Matter movement. They are voicing waves of so many emotions: despair, hope, anger, sadness, frustration. Over all of this, there is an impatience to wait, and absolutely zero tolerance for the justifications people make about the wrongs that are continually happening. Many of these kids are experiencing the same things their

parents and grandparents went through. They are joined in that frustration by their white friends who know that their friends can be targeted by some police and white supremacists just because of the color of their skin. It is a very, very difficult thing for them to digest. So, they are not going to wait for change, they are actively pursuing it.

What questions are young people asking you? And how do you answer them? They ask, “How do you let go of the anger?” “How do you forgive?” “How do you deal?” “How do I move forward in my life?” What I aim for in my answers, is not to negate the anger, frustration, and pain, but to help the kids find

strength through the struggle—to pivot and focus on the fight forward. I tell them they are not wrong to feel these emotions, but that they now have to pivot that anger into something positive. Part of that pivot comes from knowing that there are skill sets they have developed that came from the very hardships they suffered. I think fast, for example, because it was a survival mechanism I developed as a child. I also had to focus on possibilities, rather than circumstances, which is how I still choose to face any situation, on any given day. The measure of who you are is not what you suffered, but how you pivot from it to fight forward. Some things are not our fault but they are our responsibility.

You have had decades of experience successfully leading global corporations to greater equity. Many are coming to speak with you now, seeking advice—what are you saying to those who are newer to the conversation? The first thing I say is, “Don’t spend a lot of time bemoaning the fact that you are not there yet or have a lot of work to do, or that you don’t think you have anything to contribute.” This is a great time to join the conversation. Corporate America is realizing that they have a responsibility not only to their shareholders but to the community they serve—and that means social justice. It’s a time of great reckoning. And we already see progress. In past times of civil unrest, corporations were incredibly cautious because they didn’t want to offend anyone. But now, there is recognition that there is a connection between the people who are protesting and the business community. Many are now making enormous contributions on matters of social justice because they feel that they have a responsibility to do so. And they are moving quickly. We saw a number of companies that immediately declared Juneteenth a company holiday once they realized the cultural significance of that day. And look at Amazon. They didn’t need a long delay to determine that there was bias against people of color in their facial recognition technology. They said, “We are going to suspend the practice now.” Corporate America now realizes that making statements of support alone is not sufficient. Actions are what effect change.

But shouldn’t discussions about race be within the personal sphere, not the workplace? There used to be a dividing line between personal and professional

Tonya and Steve Pemberton. Tonya Pemberton’s hair by Katie Korkus of Pascal Pour Elle and Makeup by Darlene Obiyan

life, but in these turbulent times, that line has been eliminated. Americans are hungering for conversations and solutions. The workplace might be the best place to have these conversations, especially because every other part of our society has been engaged in some form of segregation or polarization. Where else, in the course of a day, are you more likely to encounter people from multiple races, cultures, generations, and languages, all oriented toward a common goal? The workplace is the perfect place to have those conversations that are normally so difficult to get to.

What if we personally haven’t yet moved forward on more equitable treatment of others, let alone dealt with racism. What steps do we take? To begin? Understand that Blackness is not a burden to overcome but a beauty to be celebrated. Recognize that there are systemic issues that have long been the African American experience here and the perpetuation of that struggle is not because of a character flaw. I am constantly educating myself about causes and cultures outside my sphere. The disabled community is one example. I don’t need to have a disability to be a champion for the disabled. I do so because I recognize the common threads of isolation, being forgotten, being looked at as “other,” “less than,” or “different.” Those are struggles I can identify with.

What do you see as the biggest impediments to progress? People have an unwillingness to really wrestle with the core issues—to talk candidly about fears they have in a world that is rapidly diversifying. As a nation, we are far too quick to shift to justifications, and, “what about-isms” rather than saying, “This is not right and needs to change. Now.” Another impediment is the propensity to slide the scales that measure fairness, dignity, and morality depending on who is sitting on that scale. One of our key doctrines says, “We the People,” collectively. It does not say, “We, some of the People.” The lessons we teach our children about truth, fairness, and equality are absolutes. They shouldn’t change depending on race. When we go down the slippery slopes of justification, employing sliding scales when measuring fairness, justice and truth are impeded and our bedrock institutions become weaker. We have seen this happen repeatedly after the shootings of unarmed black men. Soon after each of these men

were killed, we saw articles appearing with details of each person’s past life. The insinuation, of course, was that they deserved what happened. That is amoral, untrue, unjust, and wrong.

But change is uncomfortable. Pain, even more so. And we are all masters at avoidance. What can you say to us about avoiding pain and discomfort right now? During my years involved in this work, I had two roles: to “comfort the afflicted,” and to “afflict the comfortable.” Being uncomfortable is how you grow. It’s how I grow. And on this issue, it’s important to realize that the pain and discomfort caused by racism is not going to go away. You can try to ignore, justify, or explain it away. But it’s still there. And at this time, we are much more aware of the pain racism has caused. It’s no accident that we are seeing the banning of the Confederate flag and that we are seeing monuments coming down. There is finally the realization that the systems and imagery that have been used to perpetuate racism are not accidental. They have been purposeful. We all have to deal with and own up to the pain that those systems and imagery caused. Only out of that reckoning can we build something new. And it’s not enough for the monuments to come down and flags to be removed. The bigger question is what will we put in their place? The path of avoidance, just saying “I don’t want to talk about it,” doesn’t work. Our greatest successes have come when we dared to do the hard things.

Despite the challenges, do you see this

as a time of great potential? I do. But there is a caveat in the word, “potential.” Potential refers to things that you can do, but have not yet done. In and of itself, potential is not the “end.” All it means is that the possibility for change is still alive. To realize that change, the urgent question now becomes, “What am I personally willing to do to make it happen?” That is the question in front of us right now. We have the potential to take this moment and turn it into a sustainable movement that can create a very different, more equitable reality for what it means to be an American. Our responsibility is not to justify or ignore, but to be consistent in our application of what it means to be one nation. To realize that there is a large group of people born in this country for whom life is infinitely harder. In all my years of working against racism, and thinking through the attendant issues, I have never been able to understand why, with the persistence with which Black Americans have fought to have meaning in America, we are not the source of admiration, or at the very least, respect. It should, at least, be that. Thinking of those that came before me, I leave you with this: Whatever successes anybody sees in me are not because I’m an exception, they are because I am a small reflection of the history, and culture of the Black experience in America, and of America herself. It’s a reason to be hopeful but that hope can only be realized when we stand together. It’s our only chance.

To support the work of A Chance in the World visit, stevepemberton.io/foundation.

Vaughn, Tonya, Quinn (with Milo), Steve, and Kennedy Pemberton. Photography by LeVern Danley

FOOD & TRAVEL

FIRST-CLASS DINING AND TRAVEL EXPERIENCES

ROCK AWAY A LAZY SUMMER DAY, DREAMING OF MEXICAN FARE AND A LUXURIOUS SEA ISLAND RESORT

Cloister Garden swing at The Cloister on Sea Island

BACKYARD FIESTA

RECIPE

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY MONICA KASS ROGERS

Cooking in the summer often means backyard grilling. For a quick, easy, and fun meal, tacos top the list of options. Served with your choice of salsa, and sides, marinated skirt-steak tacos and our grilled shrimp tacos, are a snap. Added bonus? Pretty and piquant, quick-pickled onions are the perfect hot-pink topper. Tips: Make the steak marinade first—the meat needs to tenderize for at least an hour. While your meat is marinating, prepare the red-onion quick pickle, which should also steep at least an hour. The shrimp needs a scant 15-minutes in its garlicky lime and chili soak before you place it on the grill. Buen provecho!

GRILLED SKIRT STEAK TACOS

1 ½ pounds skirt steak cut into strips

Marinade:

• Juice of two fresh limes

• ¼ cup vegetable oil

• 4 c loves of garlic, peeled and chopped

• 2 teaspoons chili de arbol powder

• 1 f resh jalapeno chili, seeds and stem removed, flesh of chili chopped

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

• 2 teaspoons fresh snipped oregano leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• ½ cup chopped cilantro leaves

Combine all marinade ingredients with skirt steak strips in a large plastic zippered bag. Massage skirt steak to coat well. Allow to rest for at least one hour, while you make the red-onion quick pickle. Grill skirt steak over high heat about 5 to 7 minutes.

GRILLED SHRIMP TACOS

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Marinade:

• 2 c loves fresh garlic, chopped

• Juice of ½ f resh lime

• 1 teaspoon fresh-cracked black pepper

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• Pinch of cayenne pepper

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Combine all marinade ingredients in a large zippered plastic bag, massage to coat the shrimp. Let rest for 15 minutes. Remove shrimp from bag and thread on to bamboo skewers. Grill shrimp about 3 minutes on each side over high heat.

QUICK-PICKLED RED ONION

• 1 large red onion, peeled, with ends discarded

• ¾ cup white vinegar

• ¾ cup water

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 c love garlic

• 3 whole peppercorns

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine vinegar, water, salt, and sugar. Heat to boiling stirring until sugar and salt have dissolved. Remove pan from heat and set aside. Slice onions into thin rings, toss in a bowl to separate. Fill pint jar with the onion rings; pour hot brine solution over the onions. Add clove of garlic and peppercorns to the jar. Allow open jar to cool on the counter. Within an hour, the onions will have taken on a beautiful pink hue and are ready to use. They are even better chilled for a few hours. Cap jar and store unused pickled onion in the refrigerator. The color will continue to deepen over time.

Taco assembly:

• 6 white corn tortillas

• ½ teaspoon vegetable oil (to grease skillet for warming tortillas)

• 2 f resh avocados, peels and pits removed and discarded, flesh of avocado sliced

• ½ cup your choice of salsa

• ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese

• ½ cup fresh cilantro, minced

• Q uick-pickled red onion

• Q uartered fresh limes, to garnish

Serve: Warm tortillas one at a time in a lightly greased skillet. Fill with grilled skirt steak or shrimp, avocado, and choice of salsa. Sprinkle with crumbled cotija cheese and cilantro. Top with pickled onion. Serve with fresh lime wedges and your choice of sides.

Enjoy a summery gourmet take on tacos.

TIME AND TIDE

Icringe to admit this, but the first time around, I did more than blink. If eyewitness accounts are to be trusted, I squeezed my eyes so tight you would’ve sworn I was girding my stomach for my first skydiving lesson.

WORDS BY PETER GIANOPULOS

Only I wasn’t airborne. My feet were planted on a firm patch of green grass in Sea Island, Georgia, standing still as a scarecrow. My left hand and wrist were sheathed in a leather gauntlet; my right hand concealed a sliver of raw quail meat pinched between my fingertips.

Perched on a nearby tree branch, a hungry Harris Hawk, named Mikee, waited patiently for a signal that lunch was ready to be served. Falconer Paige Hansen usually whistles to let Mikee know it’s safe to take off. But in this case, all I had

At the historic Cloister in Sea Island, Georgia, hawks fly, dolphins frolic, and the South’s most nature-friendly resort turns everyone into nature-loving adventurers.

The Cloister main entrance

FIRST CLASS

to do was raise my left arm, creating a de facto leather perch, and Mikee would be off.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a charter member of the David Attenborough fan club—or if you consider Lincoln Park Zoo your second home—nothing can prepare you for the sight of a hungry hawk streaking toward one of your limbs at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour.

As soon as I lifted my arm, Mikee sprung—her majestic mahogany feathers rippling in the wind—before she gently alighted, in two seconds flat, onto my arm with pinpoint precision. My eyes now opened wide, staring nose-to-beak with my new friend, I fed Mikee her sashimi and gently ran my fingers through her plumage with the same care I used to pet my little

Pomeranian as a child. I felt, in all honesty, like I’d made a friend for life.

That’s the amazing thing about visiting The Cloister, a sprawling resort located on Sea Island, the most picturesque of Georgia’s Golden Isles. Every day feels like a different Nat Geo TV series, only you’ve been given the starring role.

This resort, itself, has been in operation since 1928, when Hudson Motor Company owner Howard Coffin and his cousin, Bill Jones, first introduced the world to the beauty of this barrier island 70 miles north of Jacksonville, Florida. The history of this resort, which is now owned by billionaire Philip Anschutz, is worthy of its own book series. There are 16th-century Flemish tapestries, a grove of oak trees planted by American presidents and British prime ministers, and a one-of-a-kind conference table used during the G8, when Sea Island hosted the conference in 2004. It’s got it all. Virtually everything here has a backstory worthy of its own documentary.

The best news? It makes no difference if you’re an amateur outdoorsman or an inexperienced sportsman, a Yankee who’s never deigned to utter the phrase “y’all” or a seasoned architectural critic and Southern historian: You’re going to leave this place changed, having not only been pampered but introduced to experiences—and wisdom—you should have become acquainted with much earlier in life.

Some guests prefer to stay indoors, soaking in the resort’s manmade beauty. Take, for instance, the Colonial Lounge, the first jaw-dropping sight that greets visitors upon arrival to The Cloister. The multistory space—with its guild-hall ceiling, columned arches, and chandeliers shaped like metal wedding cakes—looks like it’s been frozen in time, preserving the

Children in Colonial Lounge

Falconry

Spanish Mediterranean designs that the resort’s original architect, Addison Mizner, unleashed in the 1920s.

Only, it’s not a relic. This stunning room was created from 2003 to 2006 by then CEO Bill Jones III and architect Peter Capone. Whole treatises have been written about the ambitious project, including the fact that the resort’s 650 rugs were hand-woven by artisans across Turkey.

For us, taking a guided history tour through The Cloister— one of five accommodations options open to guests—was like taking a stroll through life-sized re-creations of the Thorne Rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago. Every room is a portal into a different place and time. In the Georgian Room, guests dine on lavish tasting menus in a cream-colored room that feels plucked from the pages of a Jane Austin novel. There’s a walled herb garden that feels like the Alhambra. And then there are The Cloister’s rooms, which are pure Coastal Georgia elegance, complete with native sea fan and sand dollar artwork and scents of bergamot, sea fennel, and sandalwood that drift in the breeze.

For concrete-jungle urbanites like my family and I, however, the real glory of this place lies outdoors. We are the farthest thing from survivalists as you can imagine. But after a week out here, we were ready to go on a shopping spree at our local Orvis.

If you’re a little skittish about horses, as one member of our group used to be, all you have to do is jump atop a horse and trot your way down to Sea Island’s shoreline, where the skyblue waters shimmer like a sequined designer gown. You’ll never cower in your saddle again. We aren’t professional fisherman either, but after spending an afternoon with our fishing

Cloister pool

Colonial Lounge

FIRST CLASS

guide, Rob Hanft, watching dolphins and ospreys do water acts worthy of a Vegas Cirque, we were born-again seafarers.

As Rob told us, “Out here, there’s more catching than fishing.” I’m not sure all of us believed him until we witnessed our 10-year-old son reel in one fish after another. They were packed up, filleted, and then sent to the River Bar for our dinner that very night, when we feasted on seared trout with a side of lemony beurre blanc.

We made other friends along the way: a Eurasian eagle owl named Scout and a pair of yellow love birds named Wilma and Fred who sang love ballads to each other every morning in the resort’s conservatory. But it was only at the end of our trip that I realized the greatest gift that Sea Island had given us.

We were sitting in our favorite spot: The Cloister’s stunning courtyard, which mimics the Old World grandeur of a Medieval Spanish monastery. Sitting on the swing in the corner of the courtyard is a religious experience, no matter what your spiritual affiliation. Sunlight slices through the rounded arches and between the rustling oak leaves, etch-a-sketching illustrated patterns on the lawn.

Time was ticking. There was packing to do. A plane to catch. And a commute back home. But then my son said something I don’t hear very often anymore. He said, “Dad, can we stay outside a few more minutes?” And with that I slid my smartphone deeper into my pocket, watching Mother Nature stencil more shapes onto the grass, and gently swung onward, eyes now completely open, like a Harris hawk gliding in the breeze.

For more information about The Cloister and Sea Island, visit seaisland.com.

COME AND SEA

Sea Island offers an extraordinary array of outdoor adventures, all welcoming to amateurs and experts alike. Here are the most unique of the bunch.

HUNTING

Sea Island preserves unique sporting traditions, including quail shooting and dog-lead squirrel hunts, at the Broadfield, the resort’s 5,800-acre sporting club and lodge.

GOLF

In addition to offering three different golf courses, Sea Island’s 17,000-square-foot PGA Tour-worthy Golf Performance Center is a technological marvel, offering the same driving bays and swing tech that the pros use on the tour.

KIDS’ ACTIVITIES

The Sea Island Beach Club, complete with three pools, a water slide, five-mile stretch of private beach, bowling alley, oceanfront basketball court, and candy shop is first-class family fun.

FISHING

Inshore and offshore fishing trips, including kid-focused journeys, allow guests to reel in everything from redfish and trout to marlin and tuna.

ANIMALS

From May to September, guests can join local naturalists in patrolling for baby sea turtles and help protect them from predators and natural dangers, while Hawk Walks provide an unprecedented opportunity to interact with hawks and owls.

The Georgian Room

Offshore fishing

The Cloister Black Banks Terrace

MEDICAL SPECIALISTS AND HEALTH CARE

WORDS BY DR. CHIRAG PATEL PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK ISHMAN

Medical care has come a long way in the past 50 years. Our parents or grandparents would go to a family doctor that would handle most issues ranging from pediatric care, delivering a baby, and caring for the elderly. Obviously, those days are ancient history.

With the vast development of medical technology and advent of thousands of medications, almost all medical care is subspecialized. For example, if you have a complex skin issue, you go see a dermatologist and not the primary care physician.

While caring for our seniors, I have realized that utilizing the appropriate specialist in conjunction with our primary care/geriatric service, helps with outcomes, improves quality of life, and longevity. When a senior has a chronic cardiac issue like atrial fibrillation or congestive heart failure, we work closely with the cardiologist to help reduce exacerbations, lower emergency room visits, and hospitalizations. We work hard to coordinate the specialists’ recommendations in the outpatient setting to maintain great continuity of care. Again, this helps improve outcomes, reduces health care utilization and expenses, but most importantly, keeps our patients healthier.

The difficulty sometimes is getting the patient to their specialist’s outpatient office. It puts a burden on family members, like sons and daughters, to take time off from their work or day, to get a family

member to the appointment.

After hearing this feedback from senior community staff, patients, and families, we decided to create a specialty program within the practice. Now we are able to bring the specialist to the patient, in the senior communities.

Many patients are already comfortable with their current outside specialist, so we encourage that relationship to continue. The idea is not to take a specialists’ patient away from them, but to bridge the gap when patients can’t make it to appointments. Then communicating back with the patients’ longstanding specialist to help with care coordination and again improving outcomes.

The five specialties we are planning include cardiology, pulmonary, nephrology, neurology, and urology. Testing or procedures would still have to be performed at outside facilities such as hospitals, surgery centers, or specialists’ offices. With a structured health plan and consistent visits by the primary care and now specialty teams, I am excited to see what a difference we can make in our patients’ health and their families’ lives.

Hansa Medical Groupe has offices at 5250 Old Orchard Road, Suite 300, in Skokie, and in Chicago, 847-920-0902, hansamedicalgroupe.com.

Don’t Delay Your Care

We are open and treating patients following CDC guidelines.

VSI cares about the health and well-being of our patients. Vein Specialists of Illinois, a locally owned, independent medical practice is a leader in non-surgical, personalized treatment of venous disorders.

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PARTING WORDS

HAIL TO THE CHIEF

John Christian reflects on his new role at the helm of the Barrington Fire Department.

WORDS BY SHERRY THOMAS / ILLUSTRATION BY ROBERT RISKO

nities. In completing my research, there are so many positive attributes which include the professional and dedicated staff in the Village,” he says. “From the minute the opportunity arose, I had no question that I wanted to be part of it. I feel like I have won the lottery being able to serve as the Fire Chief in Barrington.”

If you review Christian’s credentials, you might agree the Village got lucky too.

The Chief brings more than 30 years of fire service experience, which began in Grayslake—where he paid his dues as a firefighter/paramedic in 1987 and became that community’s fire chief in 2009. He also served with the Beach Park Fire Protection District as part-time Deputy Chief from 2004 to 2009.

Christian is also a past president of the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association and is a veteran of the Illinois Army National Guard 1/131st Infantry (where he was honorably discharged as a sergeant in 1994). He is also an adjunct faculty at the College of Lake County, teaching fire service and business operations along with emergency management courses.

As a kid growing up in Grayslake, John Christian remembers the rush of a siren’s call, and watching the volunteer firefighters in his community spring into action to save lives and property.

“I was always enamored with firefighters and had a neighbor who was on the department,” says Christian, who was hired as the new Fire Chief in the Village of Barrington in early July, after an extensive search. “I can remember him responding to calls when the siren was activated in town to notify the firefighters of a call.”

While he doesn’t recall the rite of passage boyhood memory of riding on a fire truck, he does recall going to the local fire station for special events and the annual open house. “I never rode on a fire truck, but it was always a thrill to see the fire engines responding to an emergency,” he says. “My heart would always race watching them in action.”

When he started his college studies to pursue a business management degree, the idea of becoming a fireman never crossed his mind.

“My original plan was to finish college and become an accountant like my father,” says Christian, who recently moved to Barrington Hills with his fiancée, Trisha. “It was not until the first day I walked in the fire station to apply that I knew this was the only thing I wanted to do as a career.”

He has two grown sons, Lucas and Alec, who were raised in nearby Gurnee. Christian says he’s looking forward to putting down roots in the Barrington area and building a new life here.

“Barrington is a tremendous village with so many opportu-

But the resume continues. He’s a Rotarian, he’s a former member of the Greater Chicago Red Cross Heroes Program, and he’s held multiple executive officer positions. That list includes president of the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association, president of the Lake County Fire Chief’s Association and chairman of the Lake and McHenry Counties Specialized Response Teams. He is a member of the Illinois Fire Chiefs Emergency Medical Services Committee for the College of Lake County and the Lake County High Schools Technology Campus. He is a member of the Illinois Fire Chiefs Legislation and Transportation Committees and a member of Advisory Committees for the College of Lake County and the Lake County High Schools Technology Campus. And did we mention his numerous state certifications, including completion of the Executive Fire Officer Program through the National Fire Academy?

Both Village Manager Scott Anderson and Village President Karen Darch have welcomed him with open arms.

As for Chief Christian, he says he’s just glad to be here.

“I enjoy many aspects of the job …. Including working with likeminded professionals, interacting with the public, and responding to emergency calls,” says Christian. “Every day is different which makes this job very exciting.”

He hasn’t lived in Barrington long enough to have a “favorite thing,” but he’s loving what he sees, so far.

“Everyone has been very welcoming, and I am enjoying getting out and meeting folks daily,” he adds. “I look forward to getting more involved in civic activities moving forward. Having such talented and dedicated firefighter/paramedics makes my job very rewarding.”