Forest & Bluff, April 2023

LFCMpartners@atproperties.com LFCMPartners.com

ANN LYON 847.828.9991 alyon@atproperties.com

Award winning agent for 17 years. Bachelor of Architecture. Practiced architecture for 20 years

JEFF FOLKER 847.504.6182 jfolker@atproperties.com

20+ years in corporate sales & consulting, 2-term member of LF District 67 School Board.

KIM CAMPBELL 312.434.9372 kimcampbell@atproperties.com

Master of Banking & Finance, Stonier, Wharton, U of Penn. 25 years in Comm. Bank & Mang.

JENNIFER MOWER 847.345.6600 jennifermower@atproperties.com

30+ years in sales, development and customer service. Lifelong Lake Forest Resident.

334

5+2 Bed, 6.1 Bath // $2,449,000

This gorgeous stone French Provincial home with slate roof was completed in 2009 and features the highest quality of materials, finishes & details throughout.

Ann Lyon 847.828.9991 or Cynthia Passalino 847.652.8139

1810 SUNSET LANE BANNOCKBURN 5 Bed, 7 Bath // $1,295,000

Wonderful Mid-Century Modern lakefront home on 8+ acres. Perfect for a buyer looking for land, privacy, and the opportunity to transform a large, classic home into a modern day showpiece.

Ann Lyon 847.828.9991

#1 AGENT AND #1 TEAM IN LAKE FOREST 2020, 2021 & 2022 *

EVERETT ROAD LAKE FOREST

7

Spectacular custom-built home that offers luxurious North Shore living w/seasonal lake views in desirable Fort Sheridan! Experience privacy and awe-inspiring views of nature on a quiet cul-de-sac w/conservancy to the south and Lake Michigan to the east. Enjoy entertaining family and friends in the spacious, sun-filled rooms w/tranquil sounds of Lake Michigan in the background, relaxing on the wrap-around terrace. This entire home exudes warmth, elegance and comfort, featuring an incredible floor plan, high ceilings, extensive architectural details, and exquisite materials. Perfectly situated on professionally landscaped grounds w/10,200+ sq ft of beautifully finished space across three levels of living, this home includes 7-plus spacious en-suite bedrooms, 6.1 bathrooms, and a gourmet kitchen w/high-end appliances and wonderful finishes, a breakfast area, great room, and terrace for fabulous entertaining. The formal dining room and living room flank the foyer w/an exquisite bridal staircase. The library is located off the gallery near the great room. The 2nd floor has a gorgeous primary suite w/additional sitting area, two walk-in closets, and a dressing room. The primary suite has a designer bathroom w/luxury marble, premium cabinetry, faucets & lighting. The second floor has 3 additional en-suite bedrooms, and a second floor sitting room/office. The 3.5 car attached garage includes abundant storage and opens to the mudroom near the butler’s pantry and kitchen. The walkout lower level has amazing living space w/additional kitchen/bar area, office, en-suite bedroom, workout space, entertainment area and add’l patio. Welcome home to luxury living near the lake!

Ann Lyon 847.828.9991

MAY 6 - JUNE 4

ALL PROCEEDS BENEFIT IWS FAMILY HEALTH

For additional event information and to purchase tickets, please visit lakeforestshowhouse.com

(tickets are limited in number & must be purchased in advance)

JUST LISTED 3481 BRADLEY COURT HIGHLAND PARK

Bed, 6.1 Bath // $2,649,000

Friday, April 14th - Sunday, April 16th

CHICAGOLAND’S MOST ANTICIPATED BRIDAL JEWELRY EVENT

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

A ppointments encouraged. Visit razny.com for more details.

Gemini

Coda di Volpe | Old Pueblo Cantina | Sophia Steak

|

Pomeroy | Buck Russell's | Pizza by Sal | DeNuccis

EXPLORE NATURE

Over 16 miles of trails and 7 nature preserves open 365 days a year. Please join us and connect to nature today.

JWCMEDIA.COM

“ART

Editor’s Note

When putting together the issue before you, the Latin origin of the word April came to mind. Aperio, which translates to “open up” (just like a spring flower bud), is a reminder—literally and metaphorically—that this is the month when the seeds of the goals we planted earlier this year begin to come to full bloom.

On our cover we have Mary Vitt of Lake Forest, a woman who exemplifies work ethic and determination. Turn to The Portrait as she shares the story of how her working class roots drove her success in the elevator industry. It’s a month of renewal and reflection, and one of my favorite features in this issue honors the memory of a woman who the world will not soon forget—Victoria (Vicki) Mills of Lake Forest. As you will read in the pages ahead (if you didn’t already know), she was not only the life of every party, but one of the most generous people you have ever met. Never asking for recognition or anything in return, Vicki was an example of selflessness. A great lesson for those who have so much, living by her example, much is expected in return. I hope you enjoy reading Viva la Vicki, written by a friend close to the family.

Our three other features this month follow that same example of giving back. Art of Caring, the sig-

nature fundraiser hosted by The Women’s Board of Catholic Charities returns after a three-year hiatus. Embracing the mission of serving those in need, regardless of faith, this organization changes the lives of so many.

Art and creativity have been said to heal, inspire, and express one’s inner self. On April 28, Ragdale Foundation will hold its annual fundraiser, “Novel Affair,” celebrating both established and emerging artists.

The 2023 Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens kicks off May 5 with a new level of excitement. Its beneficiary, the Lake Forest Chapter of the Infant Welfare Society, raises money for the Infant Welfare Society (IWS) of Chicago.

Not to be missed this month is our Well-Traveled section. The world famous resort Amangiri is truly “A Magical Sanctuary in the Wild West.” Celebrities have been flocking to this resort and now we understand why. Read all about it and book your ticket to have an experience of a lifetime.

We hope you enjoy this April issue and have a month filled with sunshine and inspiring experiences. Happy Spring!

THERESA DE MARIA Editor in Chief

Photography by Susan Bowlus

Amangiri, Swimming pool

Amangiri, Spa

Navajo sage smudge stick

Mary Vitt wears orange satin jumpsuit by alice + olivia from Neiman Marcus. Shot at Exmoor Country Club

Thinking of selling?

FORESTBLUFF.COM

J. W. CONATSER FOUNDER & PUBLISHER jwc@jwcmedia.com

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FOREST & BLUFF IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY

©2023 Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker System and Dawn McKenna Group fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. *Source: #1 Team in Illinois among all brokerages ranked by Wall Street Journal RealTrends The Thousand 2022.

The Good Life

Musings on What’s Doing And Who’s Doing It

The HOW on living your best life, engaging in meaningful activities, and building relationships in the community

Amangiri Excursions through the Iconic Mesa Rock Slot Canyons

TAKING FLIGHT ASKA™ A5 is a real flying car—the world’s first electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle (eVTOL) that can drive on roads and literally fly. The ASKA™ A5 is powered by a proprietary power system that features battery packs and a gasoline engine that acts as an onboard range extender. This dual energy source delivers a 250-mile flight range and drastically increases power source reliability. ASKA™ can drive on roads and take off vertically from a compact space like a helipad or by conventional runway takeoff and landing. Unlike any vehicle ever developed, this four-seater flying car is the size of a large SUV and combines the best in modern automotive and aviation design with a high level of safety. A pilot’s license is required; training is included in the $789,000 price of the vehicle. An On-Demand ride service (targeted for 2026) will feature a fleet of ASKAs™ operating on demand in major cities and their surroundings. Free early bird registration is open now. In January 2023, a fully functional model of ASKA™ debuted at the CES show in Las Vegas. The company is progressing with FAA-type certification and ASKA™ is targeted to launch in 2026, subject to standard regulatory certification. ASKA™ is now available for preorder at askafly.com/pre-order.

FOODIE HEAVEN Here Here Market is the next-generation marketplace for true food enthusiasts and drink aficionados. The platform’s curated gift boxes and artisanal products create memorable food moments by delivering items from notable and up-andcoming independent chefs, restaurateurs, food artisans, and mixologists directly to shoppers’ doors or as gifts nationwide. You’ll find a wide variety of unique, gourmet food sourced directly from places like Stephanie Izard’s This Little Goat and Sarah Grueneberg’s Monteverde as well as thoughtfully curated food and drink gift packages including the Female Founders Collection, Crème de la Crème, Exclusive Restaurant Tour, Master Sweets, and the James Beard Chicago Alumni Deluxe Edition. hereheremarket.com

F&B Loves

REKINDLE THE FLAME There are some meals that are so good they stick with you for a long time. Every single dish is memorable, and the wine pairing make it even better. If it’s not on your spring bucket list, it should be. After a three-year renovation, the beloved Three Embers restaurant is back at the Lincolnshire Marriott Resort. Celebrating Midwest cuisine with simple, locally grown and sourced, farm-fresh ingredients, this modern eatery integrates influential flavors from various regions throughout the world. threeembersresturant.com

Sea scallops at The Three Embers Restaurant, Lincolnshire

Patrick-t.+FALLON

Gift box from Here Here Market

About Town

PUPPET SHOW

WHEN: April 2

WHERE: John & Nancy Hughes Theater, Gorton Center

“It’s Okay To Be Different,” three contemporary stories by New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Todd Parr, will be adapted and staged in a life-sized puppet show by Mermaid Theatre for the 2022-2023 season. gortoncenter.com

METROPOLIS OBOE QUARTET

WHEN: April 14

WHERE: Gorton Center

Metropolis Oboe Quartet, a part of the Rendezvous Arts Series, features the works of Chicago composers Lee Kesselman, Scott Stevenson, and James Stephenson, along with visual artist Faith Humphrey Hill. gortoncenter.com

AN EVENING WITH URSULA PIKE

WHEN: April 14

WHERE: Lake Forest History Center

Enjoy author Ursula Pike in conversation with Kim Vigue, Executive Director of the Mitchell Museum on the American Indian. They will discuss Pike’s book, An Indian Among Los Indígenas: A Native Travel Memoir, with a book signing to follow. lakeforestlibrary. org/event/evening-ursula-pike

VICTOR GARCIA JAZZ

WHEN: April 15

WHERE: Gorton Center

Acclaimed soloist Victor Garcia appears at Gorton Center for an intimate evening of jazz—cabaret style and candlelit in the beautiful Stuart room. gortoncenter.com

EARTH DAY PARTY

WHEN: April 18

WHERE: Lake Forest Library

Celebrate and learn ways to love Planet Earth by decorating your own reusable tote bag, planting seeds, and going on a scavenger hunt during this Earth Day Party. Ages K-4. lakeforestlibrary.org/ event/earth-day-party-grades-k

The Good Life

KAREN MORGAN—A NIGHT OF COMEDY

WHEN: April 22

WHERE: Gorton Center

This comedy performance is an amazing “GNO” (girls night out) or bring your hubby. Either way, you are sure to be entertained, uplifted, and laugh the entire evening! gortoncenter.com

REPERTORY DANCE ENSEMBLE

WHEN: April 23

WHERE: Gorton Center

North Shore Repertory Dance Ensemble, consisting of dancers ages 11 to 16, presents its 2023 Spring Showcase. The dancers train year around in ballet, jazz, modern, contemporary, and pointe—producing works based on originality, style, technique, and each dancer’s exploration of movement. These pieces represent the versatility of their talents, incorporating everything from quick steps to subtle nuances. gortoncenter.com

ROCK THE SPIRIT

WHEN: Saturday, April 29

WHERE: Ferrari of Lake Forest Live rock music and entertainment from District 67 student musicians—presented with the backdrop of the sleek supercars in the stunning Ferrari automotive gallery— will be an alluring night out for all District 67 parents. Co-Hosted by

Sam Trace and Johanna Naismith, this Rockin’ event will include live music, food, beverages, a carefully curated auction, raffle items, and a live paddle raise to raise funds for the Spirit of 67 Foundation. spiritof67foundation.org.

35TH ANNUAL ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION RITA HAYWORTH GALA

WHEN: May 13

WHERE: The Four Seasons Chicago

For three decades, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan has inspired millions of people around the globe with the story of Rita Hayworth—a Hollywood legend whose life was cut short by early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. The Rita Hayworth Gala has grown into a multi-city event, raising critical funds for the Alzheimer’s Association’s care, support, and research programs, while bringing awareness to a disease that affects more than 6 million Americans and more than 11 million family members and friends who serve as dementia caregivers. Since its inception, the Rita Hayworth galas have raised more than $85 million, helping the Alzheimer’s Association make significant progress toward its vision of a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementia. alz.org/chicagogala.

“In Full Bloom: A Meditation on Paradox” opens at The Gallery in Lake Forest on April 4, running through the end of June. thegallerylf.com.

SATISFIED BUYERS AND SELLERS ARE WHAT MATTERS.

“We had been working with another agent/company while trying to find a house in a very competitive market and we were unable to get anywhere. My husband found Cory and we were able to get the house of our dreams in a great location and at a competitive price. Cory knows the Chicago North Shore market very well and has important

relationships with other agents which enabled us to negotiate on a house we thought was out of our reach. Thanks to Cory’s persistence we not only sold our house at a good price but he leveraged his contacts to ensure we didn’t compromise on our purchase. Thank you Cory!”

The Good Life

The Portrait

words by Mitch Hurst / photography by Katrina Wittkamp hair and makeup by Frances Tsalas

3 people you would like to have over for dinner? Patrick Swayze, because I’m obsessed with him from the `80s. Kyle Richards (from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills) because I love her. And Mother Teresa.

At 39, with a husband, two kids, and a full-time position at Schindler Elevator Corporation in Chicago, Mary Vitt says her “to do” list is what propels her through the day.

“It’s kind of how my brain is wired because the life I’m living is nuts,” Vitt says. “The more I am challenged and the more I get done the more rewarded I feel. It’s like dopamine for me.”

One does not anticipate a career in the elevator business, but Vitt says her workingclass background served her well when she landed a coveted spot in a leadership program at Kone Elevetor after graduating from The Ohio State University. Elevators are a generational business.

“The grandpa works there, the dad works there, the son works there,” she says. “I come from a really blue collar family in Cleveland so it’s an industry that I can relate to.”

Vitt is now a Senior Account Manager with Schindler Elevator Corporation in Chicago and says the work is challenging but she draws satisfaction from solving problems, and there are few problems like a stuck elevator.

“In many ways, I’m like an elevator doctor. I don’t just sell one product. Every single elevator in our portfolio, it’s very technical and electrical,” she says. Vitt lives in Lake Forest with her husband, Andrew, and their two children, Mackenzie and Michael.

Favorite meal to make at home? My husband actually does 90 percent of the cooking but I’m very good at making gourmet salads.

What is the favorite thing about your job? Elevators are one of the most vital industries—besides cars, trains, airplanes—of transportation. People often call me when they’re stuck in an elevator but I rely on front line individuals to assist in that facet. What inspires you, both professionally and personally? I am really goal driven. I’m a working mom and it’s really challenging to balance both work and kids. I keep a list of things I want to accomplish and once I get those checked off, I’m extremely happy. Biggest challenge as a working mom? Time management. You have to be able to effectively plan your day and if things do not go to plan, you have to be able to pivot, reevaluate, and just understand what your priorities are. Key values that you think are important to your kids to learn and live by? There’s no substitute for hard work is definitely an important one, and this is a big universe, and my kids need to think outside of themselves and leave the world a better place. Also, to be generous. Favorite meal to make at home? My husband actually does 90 percent of the cooking but I’m very good at making gourmet salads. Favorite recreational activities? Places to travel.? As a family, we love to ride bikes together. My husband and I like to play golf. We’re a big skiing family and we go to Snowmass every year. In the summer I like to hike. Favorite thing to do in Lake Forest? I love to go to Lake Forest Beach with my kids in the summertime right before or after dinner. It’s more quiet and so beautiful down there. Favorite television series? I loved Ozark; it was fantastic, but I will always say Schitt’s Creek. It was nice therapy during the pandemic. So funny and light. Preferred music choice? All different types, but it needs a beat. Early bird or a night owl? Early bird. Advice you would give to others? Everyone has to earn their racing stripes. You’re not going to go from entry-level to CEO. Dogs or cats? Dogs, but my husband doesn’t want a dog, so we don’t have one. Which three people would you want to share one of your gourmet salads with? The late Patrick Swayze, because I’m obsessed with him from the `80s. Kyle Richards (from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills) because I love her. And Mother Teresa.

Early bird or night owl? Early bird.

I

Favorite television series? I loved Ozark; it was fantastic, but I will always say Schitt’s Creek. It was nice therapy during the pandemic. So funny and light.

Lake Forest resident Mary Vitt points to her working-class roots as the foundation for her successful career in the elevator business.

Favorite recreational activities? Places to travel.? As a family, we love to ride bikes together. My husband and

like to play golf. We’re a big skiing family and we go to Snowmass every year. In the summer I like to hike.

The Portrait

Sonia Afonso

Mary Vitt wears orange satin jumpsuit by alice + olivia from Neiman Marcus. Shot at Exmoor Country Club

THE NEW LOVE LANGUAGES

HERE’S THE PERFECT GIFT FOR YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER

The greatest gift anyone can give is love. Love is the foundation of our purpose and the reason for our ambitions. Few retailers understand this as profoundly as the jeweler. Year after year, clients visit their boutiques to honor the most important romantic and familial relationships in their life. One local jeweler has proudly served as Chicago’s source for engagement rings and fine jewelry for over 70 years—Razny Jewelers. Generations of families choose Razny Jewelers to celebrate their engagements, anniversaries, and new bouncing bundles of joy.

Of course, no two people are alike and the ideal gift for one may be entirely different for another. In this article, the Razny Jewelers family and team guide us in finding the perfect gift for our wife, husband, boyfriend, girlfriend, or significant other. No matter their love language, rest assured that a box wrapped in an iconic Razny bow is the present those closest to you will treasure for a lifetime.

ROMANTIC GIFTS BASED ON FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES

WORDS OF AFFIRMATION

“I LOVE YOU” goes a long way with someone who prioritizes affirming language. Express your affection with fine jewelry that will remind them of your sincere words throughout the day. Among their collection of diamond jewelry decorated with that famous four-letter word, our favorites include a beautiful18k yellow gold chain necklace by Razny Collection that says “LOVE” with diamonds in the most elegant script.

QUALITY TIME

Assure your love that you value time spent together by gifting them a Swiss timepiece they’ll cherish forever. Razny Jewelers is proud to be the only Official Patek Philippe Jeweler in Illinois. Their three-story location in Chicago’s downtown Gold Coast neighborhood is one of only two concepts of its kind in the nation—showcasing both Rolex and Patek Philippe timepieces under one roof. Razny Jewelers also offers timeless watchmakers such as Cartier, Breitling, TAG Heuer, and Tissot throughout their four boutiques. From brief moments spent cuddling on the couch to hours enjoying thoughtful conversation, a watch from Razny Jewelers is the perfect reminder that each minute matters.

TOUCH

A spontaneous kiss or a protective hug may be all your partner needs to feel the most loved. Extend the warmth of those moments by giving them a ring to wear on the finger that holds a direct path to the heart. The “ring finger” is thought to be the digit having the “vena amoris,” literally “vein of love.” We adore the “moi et toi” style that further symbolizes the bond of two hearts. However, you may be ready to give them the most meaningful ring they’ll ever wear. If so, Razny Jewelers will help you find the perfect engagement ring and wedding band, no matter your budget or style.

ACTS OF SERVICE

For some, nothing speaks louder than action, specifically generosity. For this person, there are more than a few options:

• Design a custom piece based on their interests. Start with a sketch or allow the designers at Razny Jewelers to help you craft something truly one of a kind.

• W hat about a custom ombre piece highlighting their favorite color in various gemstones? For the perfect push present, look no further than a sparkling pink or blue sapphire eternity band.

• Name bracelets are also a fantastic choice. Let your partner or child’s name shine on a gold bracelet, or display a custom message such as the date of your anniversary.

• Schedule a VIP shopping session, and the team at Razny Jewelers will have the champagne ready. They even invite you to plan ahead by creating a personalized wish list.

RECEIVING GIFTS

Deceptively, this one can seem easy, but remember that a person who values gifts tends to appreciate the insight the giver has into the receiver’s true self. So, take your time, be thoughtful, and allow an expert to help. Consider gifting a necklace displaying “Baby” spelled in diamonds for the new mom or unforgettable diamond studs, which go with everything and fit everyone.

No matter who you’re shopping for or their specific love language, Razny Jewelers looks forward to helping you make their dreams come true!

To learn more about Razny Jewelers, visit razny.com.

The Good Life

INSPIRED TO CREATE

words by Janis MVK / photography by Lisa Sciascia / hair and makeup by Leanna Ernest

Kate Feather is the epitome of creativity. Armed with a rich background in the arts, Feather has made a successful career in visual and architectural design. But having a knack for art isn’t lost on her family. Not only has she dabbled into different avenues of art including drawing, painting, and working in both interior and retail design, Feather’s husband, Jonathan Zalben, is a film and television composer, and her son, Liam, is a musician and actor.

She attributes her love for the arts to her formative years in Lake Forest. Growing up, Feather was trained by pillars of the Lake Forest arts community including Anne Flynn at Gorton through the Deerpath Art League and Richard Hjortness at Lake Forest High School. “I was so lucky to experience their mentorship and also the close-knit community of kids who studied visual arts together in Lake Forest,” she says.

As a child, she pursued drawing and painting at the Art Institute of Chicago and later at Yale University. But recognizing her social nature, she found she was not cut out to be an artist who could work alone in a studio. She decided to try a career in architecture which opened doors in various aspects of the creative world.

“My parents introduced me to architecture growing up and I spent time touring historic buildings and homes,” says Feather. “It was a bit of a religion in my family.”

Later, backed with a degree, she made her way from Boston to New York where she worked at top residential firms and worked in-house at several fashion brands. Working for Ralph Lauren and consulting for others in retail architecture, fixture design, and visual merchandising, Feather loved retail flagship architecture’s immersive and theatrical quality. “I loved the permission to use color and to think through how people really experienced design,” she says.

Now Feather serves as the Design Director at Arteriors, a furniture and lighting company based in Dallas— which has found its way into many Lake Forest homes via the industry’s top interior designers. The brand’s

eclectic style appeals to Feather’s energetic nature. Leading a small team designing everything from accessories to upholstered seating to chandeliers, Feather leads the launch of over 300 new products twice a year. “I structure our team like a design studio and strive to be like the very best mentors I had in my art classes throughout my life,” she says. “We push ourselves to be super creative and pull from artists, architecture, and fashion while looking for white space in the market and the sweet spots of pieces our customers want and need.”

Aside from the arts community in Lake Forest, the buildings and physical environment have been a constant influence on her work. “When I worked in residential firms in New York City, the grand homes and the specific and thoughtful proportions of architects such as Howard Van Doren Shaw and David Adler were constant references,” she says. “Even if you don’t live in one yourself, these buildings really are in your blood if you grow up around them.”

Inspiration also comes from her family.

Her husband, a composer, and her son, a budding actor, always keep her on her toes. Together the family takes advantage of the buzzy creativity New York City has to offer.

“We’re quick to bounce ideas off one another,” she says. “My son is quick to ask me what I’m working on and to let me know what pieces he thinks are the ‘most interesting’ or ‘not so modern,’ which is his way of saying, you can push yourself a little further.”

“My parents introduced me to architecture growing up and I spent time touring historic buildings and homes...”

Lake Forest native Kate Feather makes her passion for art and architecture a family affair.

“I

Amazing, last available lot in upscale neighborhood! 1.46 acre in private, quiet cul-de-sac is ready for your new construction dream home. Close to Metra and “Settler’s Square” and all that Lake Forest has to offer. $724,900 Brunhild Baass 847.804.0092

849 FOX TRAIL COURT, LAKE FOREST

Looking for a good investment in these crazy times? BUY LAND! Select among four remaining half-acre vacant lots in popular Arbor Ridge; convenient to Everett School & Park, shopping, the train, and more. Scan the QR code for the video or call me. “I Dig Dirt!” $363,000-$443,000 Deborah Fischer 847.309.9119

PREMIUM LOTS IN LAKE FOREST

INVEST IN LAND OR BUILD!

Saving the best for last! Gorgeous vacant land, the only lot available in popular South Carroll Meadow, a prime location in the heart of Lake Forest, convenient to everything! Set on 1.47 acres, with stunning views of meadow and forest, it overlooks McIlvaine Meadows Open Lands Preserve. $750,000 Deborah Fischer 847.309.9119

501 YORKTOWNE LANE, LAKE FOREST

NEW LAND LISTING!

Move right in to this super cute and fully updated ranch! Beautiful kitchen overlooks the large fenced in yard and patio. Hardwood fl oors throughout the open fl oorplan fi lled with natural light. 2 bedrooms/1 bathroom. $389,000 Pat Carollo 847.951.8817

401 ADELPHIA AVENUE, LAKE BLUFF

UNDER CONTRACT!

love our Lake Forest o ce!! We are so fortunate to have such a great group of agents who are very supportive and collaborative. BHHS Chicago is also very supportive and proactive in keeping us informed and supplied with the latest technology. — KIKI CLARK

In our

company,

you are not one of many; you are one

of us.

COMING SOON!

1222

W DEERPATH ROAD, LAKE FOREST

Stunning Colonial in desirable Meadowood neighborhood. 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath. Recently renovated custom kitchen includes the best of the best. Enjoy all the freshly updated baths. Over half an acre of fenced and professionally landscaped yard. Close to Lake Forest Open Lands’ trails. $915,000 Kim Shortsle & Carleigh Goldsberry 847.987.5702

NEW LISTING!

11 LINDEN AVENUE, LAKE FOREST

Great neighborhood! Cul-de-sac location in Cherokee Elementary School District. Traditional 4 bedroom, 3 full bath home. Fresh new look with white kitchen, quartz countertop, stainless appliances, breakfast table space and built-in workstation with custom cabinetry. $599,000 Kiki Clark & Polly Richardson 847.804.0969

CAN’T FIND IT? BUILD IT!

COMING SOON

Don’t miss the opportunity to build your dream home on this stunning almost 2-acre lot! With plenty of space and a beautiful location, this lot is perfect for new construction. $875,000 Elizabeth Jakaitis 847.840.7842

UNDER CONTRACT!

1140 PINE OAKS CIRCLE, LAKE FOREST

Light and bright, maintenance-free townhome in desirable Pine Oaks Circle neighborhood. 3 bedroom, 2.1 bath with a first floor primary suite. Freshly painted throughout and generous room sizes. Easy flow! Pine Oaks is close to shopping, dining, Starbucks and Metra train. $599,000 Kiki Clark & Polly Richardson 847.804.0969

UNDER CONTRACT IN 5 DAYS!

1175 OLD COLONY ROAD, LAKE FOREST

Great opportunity to build on gorgeous property in an established neighborhood. Property has been cleared of trees and ready to go. Design the home of your dreams. $265,000 Kim Shortsle & Carleigh Goldsberry 847.987.5702

3314 BERWYN AVENUE 86, NORTH CHICAGO

Completely remodeled 2 bedroom condominium, just completed. Lofted bedrooms have been enclosed and spacious walk-in closet added. Enjoy common amenities including pool, clubhouse, tennis courts, onsite designated parking, and guest parking. $124,000 Katie Davis 206.484.1220

WESTLEIGH MEADOW

The newest offering from Lake Forest Open Lands—Westleigh Meadow—is conservation at its finest as it unites two local nonprofits in the name of preserving and stewarding natural landscapes.

words by Ann Marie Scheidler / photography by Katrina Wittkamp

Often when it comes to conservation, timing is everything.

In 2020, Lake Forest Open Lands (LFOLA) was about to begin restoring a 17acre property they had acquired in 2007 that had sat largely untouched for 13 years. Located in the middle of a residential neighborhood at the heart of Lake Forest, Westleigh Meadow had been part of one of the community’s last working farms. Its prairie, upland, woodland, and wetland habitats had become highly degraded since the farm was shuttered in the early 2000s.

Coincidentally, after several years of searching for an affordable and geographically accessible conservation project, the Lake-Cook Chapter of the Audubon Society inquired about working with LFOLA on Westleigh Meadow. LFOLA was very interested in collaborating on the restoration as well as having the Lake-Cook Audubon’s expertise on creating bird-related activities to bring people to the site.

Illinois Audubon Society is a nonprofit organization that practices conservation, but also enjoys bird watching and studying birds and wildlife. Organized in 1897, the Illinois Audubon Society is the state’s oldest conservation organization that functions as a land trust to protect and enhance Illinois’ unique habitats and to educate the public about them.

“We had this idea that Westleigh Meadow could be our first universal access site that was intended for birding engagement,” says LFOLA President Ryan London. “Folks of all abilities will be able to enter this site and traverse all of the trails and boardwalks. This piece of property is really unique in what it offers as a bird habitat.”

The partnership between the two organizations kicked off in earnest the spring of 2021. Lake-Cook installed eight Eastern Bluebird boxes, funded an LFOLA-installed Purple Martin system, and recruited dedicated monitors for both projects. In June 2021, a Lake-Cook volunteer began monitoring resident and breeding birds in an effort that has identified 32 nesting species to date.

“You need to have people watching these sites and seeing that things are going as they should,” says long-time volunteer for both LFOLA and Lake Cook Audubon Maureen Marsh. “We discovered we have 21 new Purple Martins since the system was installed on the site, eating bugs for us naturally.”

London also notes that how birds respond to Westleigh Meadow

gives the restoration team important information. “The birds give us so much feedback on the work we’re doing,” he says. “We can see what they like and what they don’t.”

The Westleigh Meadow project marks the first-grant based partnership of an Illinois Audubon Society chapter with a local nonprofit organization like LFOLA. The Lake-Cook Chapter, which covers Lake and Cook counties, not only participated in workdays at the site but also contributed funding for habitat restoration and equipment through a grant secured for the project by Illinois Audubon in September 2021. The Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation’s Community Stewardship Challenge Grant promised to match up to $7,000 raised at a 3-to-1 ratio for a total of $21,000. Lake Cook Audubon raised that $7,000 in just seven weeks and by July 2022 had also exceeded the 400 volunteer hours required to qualify for an additional $4,000 in grant funds. The sum plus an additional $5,000 for prescribed burn equipment included in the original grant brought the chapter’s total contribution to $30,000.

“Normally, a nonprofit like ours would only go through all that work if it benefited their own land,” says Jo Fessett, Executive Director of the Illinois Audubon Society, which owns and manages 17 sanctuaries throughout the state. “This truly is a volunteer success story and a land trust’s dream scenario.”

With the accessible design of Westleigh Meadow complete LFOLA is actively raising funds to begin the trail construction. LFOLA hopes that work will be complete sometime in early 2024.

Westleigh Meadow is a continuation of LFOLA’s commitment to engaging the community creatively in its conservation efforts. An Earth Day celebration, the Native Plant and Tree Sale and Cattails & Cocktails are among the many opportunities LFOLA provides for residents this spring to become involved in stewarding local natural treasures. There is nothing LFOLA appreciates more than when neighbors reach out and express interest in preserving their properties in ways that are in harmony with the organization’s restoration measures.

“We really see all of Lake Forest as one connected matrix of habitats,” London says. “We look forward to more of our community joining us in preserving it.”

To learn more about the Westleigh Meadow and how you might become involved with LFOLA, visit lfola.org.

Since its establishment in 1967, Lake Forest Open Lands has permanently preserved, restored, and maintained more than 900 acres of local native landscapes including prairies, savannas, woodlands, wetlands, and ravines for the benefit and enjoyment of the local communities. There are over 16 miles of walking trails that are open to the public year-round. Considered a leader among land trusts, Lake Forest Open Lands often serves as a resource to other emerging conservation groups in communities nationwide. In 2009, Lake Forest Open Lands became the first Illinois land trust to be accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, a mark of distinction in land conservation.

LFOLA is an independently funded conservation and educational organization devoted to the acquisition and stewardship of its natural landscapes, and to ensuring all generations have a meaningful, lasting connection to nature and to the land. They strive to engage and expand the community’s commitment to the preservation and conservation of the community’s historic and highly unique natural landscapes.

Heather Decker, Maureen Marsh, and Ryan London standing with their gator at Westleigh Meadows

PAGING DR. E

Sports psychologist Elizabeth Lombardo helps athletes discover the skills to rewire their brains for optimum performance.

words by Mitch Hurst / photography by Lisa Sciascia

During the pandemic lockdown, Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo found herself frustrated and exhibiting behaviors that, she says, were “not me at all.” So, she gathered herself and wrote the book, Get Out of the Red Zone, to answer the question of why good people do bad things. The book helps athletes—and non-athletes—discover how to manage stress, transforming them from the inside out where they feel happier and more confident both personally and professionally.

Lombardo, or “Dr. E” as she’s known to clients, is one of the premier sports psychologists in the country and is the founder of EleVive Sports Psychology, a practice that helps athletes and others manage the mental aspect of their games and lives. She holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and a master’s degree in physical therapy and is also a regular media contributor and professional speaker.

Lombardo works with athletes, and partners with parents and coaches, to help athletes reach their full potential. The “red zone” referred to in her book is the space in the brain where negative thoughts are allowed to creep in. The underlying cause of the “red zone” is stress.

Parents, she says, can play a critical role in helping kids avoid the red zone because parents are the biggest influences in their children’s lives. It’s important they have the tools to guide their kids in situations where stress can be a big factor. This is particularly vital in an era where parents are financially and emotionally invested in their kids’ success. Parents have their own red zones, too.

“Once we give parents some training, it’s very useful in helping them better support their children,” she says. “When parents lose it, that’s a great example of being in that psychological red zone—the high level of stress, not thinking and acting rationally.”

“Parents badly want their child to be successful so when their children’s performance is not going the way they want, sometimes they react in a particular way,” Lombardo says. “If they took a step back, they would realize that is probably not the best approach.”

“I have a philosophy, my view of the world, that the majority of people are very good people,” she says “We just don’t always act all that great and we don’t always act that great because we get in the red zone. The best thing as a parent that you can do is empathize with your child when they don’t do well and support them emotionally.”

Lombardo says the lessons she shares in Get Out of the Red Zone—and in her practice—don’t just apply to athletic activity. Stress is always hovering, whether it be at work or in our personal lives. It’s a fact of life. Best coping with it requires the tools and discipline to keep it under control.

“I work with professional athletes, and I will tell you my athletes who retire, if they haven’t had this sense of purpose or sense of worth outside of their sport, we’ve got a lot of work to do,” she says. “We want to help our children see that sport is part of their lives and there’s a lot they can learn from it that will help them in life, such as perseverance, teamwork, and overcoming challenges.”

Lombardo got her start as a physical therapist but pivoted to psychology because she realized the importance of mindset. Scientists estimate we have 60,000 thoughts a day and the majority are not objective and are not fact-based. They are beliefs or interpretations or assumptions. She says we act on those and a lot of times they’re not even true.

“What is completely lacking for kids and parents is mind skills training—how to really make the mind work for instead of against you,” she says. “My relationship with my children has been completely transformed since I started applying them in my life, and I see it consistently when my parent clients start using them in their households.”

Contact EleVive today by visiting elevive.com.

Wellness

Elizabeth Lombardo

AMANGIRI

Add this magical sanctuary in the Wild West to your summer travel bucket list.

words by Theresa De Maria photography provided by Amangiri

As vacationers seek out their summer pursuits, discovering a destination that guarantees plenty of sunshine, open-air environments, and endless opportunities for adventure—and wellness-focused experiences is paramount.

Amangiri … mic-drop.

After being greeted by our driver from Amangiri at the small discreet airport in Page, we traveled in style (an immaculate Mercedes) to the resort. The ride was practically silent as our jaws were on the floor taking in the breathtaking desertscape of red and beige ridges, mesas, and gorges. We had talked about the prospect of visiting Amangiri, the celebrity-visited minimalist resort, for the past few years and finally made it.

Climbing the steps up to what is not your typical resort registration, we were struck by the clean-lined architecture paired with the beauty that Mother Nature created. We couldn’t hold in our excitement blurting out, “oh wow, that’s amazing” comments at every turn.

Greeted as if we had just arrived home, we felt completely welcomed and knew this was going to be an experience hard to forget. After the brief registration, we were on our way. Passing by the pool, which happened to be engrossed by a giant rock, our host said, “If you want to take a dip at midnight, feel free to do so. Think of this as home.” OK, that’s on the list of must-do’s!

Amangiri, at every angle, uses the landscape to its advantage as art. In every room throughout the resort, including the guest suites, you need no reminder that you are amidst gorgeous nature. The open-air spaces, large picture windows, and passageways are mesmerizing.

If it’s thrills you are seeking, you have come to the right place. Offering an opportunity to get close and cozy with the terrain is a Via Ferrata experience, which was invented centuries ago in the Italian Alps. Amangiri’s “Cave Peak Stairway,” affixed to rock face, is a series of cables and ladder rungs allowing you to climb across 120

Amangiri, Pavilion & swimming pool at dusk

Amangiri, Mesa home

Amangiri, Desert view suite

WELL TRAVELED

steps that span 200 feet in length and hover 400 feet above the rugged desert. If you’re an adrenaline junkie, this is for you!

We decided to explore the property at our own pace along the 12 miles of trails, offering the opportunity to work up our appetite for dinner while enjoying the archaeological and natural wonders.

Along our hiking journey we came upon the tented retreat of Camp Sarika, the sister property to Amangiri. The camp’s cluster of 10 canvas-topped pavilions, each with their own private plunge pool, is an enclave of meditative seclusion. We made a reservation at the restaurant there where the chef prepared a special dinner tailored to our personal tastes and preferences.

Food is paramount for both me and my guest and we were left with nothing to desire. For lunch we enjoyed our personal wood-fired pizzas which were outstanding, but pizza was just the beginning. The use of the wood burning stove was part of many our dining experiences, including the mesquite-smoked duck, a fire roasted pancake (more like a giant doughnut) and a 21-day-aged duroc pork chop, We ate whatever we wanted when we wanted which just made the experience continue that at-home touch. This included late night in-room s’mores which we cooked over a personal open-fire grill while star gazing.

This experience wouldn’t be complete without multiple visits to the Amangiri Spa. A short distance from the world’s most incredible pool is this incredible labyrinth of water and concrete. We both agreed we needed this to replenish ourselves and thus signed up for a couples massage with seaweed wraps, concluding with a sage burning chakra cleansing. This was followed by a sound bath in the yoga room where we were both transported to what felt like another world. We felt like a combina-

tion of putty and revitalized when we were finished. The following day we returned close to sunset to enjoy the water pavilion with a sauna, steam room, a cold plunge pool, and an intimate jacuzzi set against sandstone cliffs to enjoy the sun falling behind the most incredible redrock mountains.

Amangiri, set in the true Wild West, with its near mythical attributes is the ideal destination for those looking to push the boundaries of adventure while engrossed in the most peaceful and intimate of settings.

It was easy to recenter and to find serenity. It’s not a

mistake then, that in Sanskrit aman means “peace” and giri translates to “mountain.”

As we walked away from the resort towards our vehicle taking us back to Page airport there was just one way to describe the experience: “That was at a whole new level.”

Amangiri aerial view

Amangiri Hiking and Via Ferrata

CORPSE REVIVER NO. 2

Weekend brunch is the ideal time to shake up this classic cocktail—crafted to ease the pains of overindulgence.

words, photography, and recipe by Wendy Franzen of Fletcher & Fork

Corpse Revivers belong to a family of cocktails from the late 1800s, created as a cure for hangovers. Corpse

Reviver No. 2—the most famous of the bunch—gained popularity when the recipe was printed in Harry Craddock’s classic compilation, Savoy Cocktail Book (1930). Craddock—who was head barman at London’s grand Savoy Hotel while penning the book—suggested drinking four in swift succession to “un-revive the corpse again.” Though I caution against that line of thinking, I wholeheartedly advocate for serving brunch guests this refreshingly tart and wellbalanced cocktail.

serves 1

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ounce dr y gin

• 1 ounce Triple Sec

• 1 ounce Lillet Blanc

• 1 ounce f reshly squeezed lemon juice

• ½ ounce absinthe, for rinsing

• 1 Luxardo cherry

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pour absinthe into a well-chilled coupe glass, swirling to fully coat interior walls. Discard any excess and place cherry in the bottom of glass.

2. Add gin, Triple Sec, Lillet Blanc, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake until well-chilled.

3. Double strain into prepared glass.

At the Lake, on the Golf

and

Based upon the belief that clients’ needs vary, JH Collective relies upon a support core of superb marketing and technology teams, bringing you the best of the best. Lead by Janis Hartley, a leading Geneva Lakes real estate agent with 20 years of experience, JH Collective aims first and foremost to be a trusted resource and real estate advisor to you, our clients and customers.

JH Collective represents decades of experience in many property types. We are adept negotiators and highly respected, award-winning REALTORS® guiding you to the best possible outcome in your real estate transition.

HOT CROSS BUNS

words, photography, and recipe by Monica Kass Rogers

O“ne ha’ penny, two ha’ penny, hot cross buns!” was once a British street-vendor cry heralding the sale of spiced and fruit-studded buns traditionally eaten on Good Friday. When I was a little girl, I loved the American version of these buns, soft and warm, with snow-white icing crosses piped over their glossy tops.

Although the buns are now imbued with Christian symbolism (crosses for Christ’s crucifixion, citrus peel for the bitterness of his last drink, and spices for his shroud) food historians tell us the buns have pagan roots. Ancient Romans offered cross-marked buns to their moon goddess Diana. And before that, Saxons baked buns etched with horns in a cross-shape meant to represent the four quarters of the moon’s cycle.

In the centuries since, superstitious Britons have credited the buns with all sorts of good luck charms: Curing illness, protecting from shipwrecks, warding off kitchen fires, and more.

Although the buns are usually made with just raisins or currants, I like versions that include additional dried fruits and candied fruit peel. Our recipe plumps a mix of seedless black raisins, sultanas, dried apricots, and sweetened dried cranberries in hot rum. That, plus a few tablespoons of home-made candied citrus peel. The dough is spiced with a perfectly balanced mixture of freshly grated nutmeg, Jamaican allspice, ground cinnamon, and clove.

The buns are best eaten hot from the oven, but it does take a long time to make them, so, well-wrapped and then warmed the next day, they are still delicious.

Yield: 1 dozen buns

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CANDIED CITRUS/MARMALADE

• 2 seed less clementine oranges, cut into thin wheels

• 1 f resh lemon, seeds removed, cut into thin wheels

• 1 cup water

• 1 cup sugar

FOR THE DRIED FRUIT MIXTURE

• 1/3 cup rum

• ½ cup seed less black raisins

• ¼ cup sultanas (golden raisins)

• ¼ cup dried apricots cut into small pieces

• ¼ cup dried cranberries

• 2 Tbsp candied citrus peel, (from recipe above,) cut into tiny pieces (save the marmalade portion to serve with the buns)

FOR THE DOUGH

• 1 ¼ cups whole milk warmed to room temperature

• 2 large eggs plus one large egg yolk (reserve white to glaze buns)

• 6 Tbsp butter, softened

• 2 tsp active dry yeast

• ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• ¼ tsp Jamaican allspice

• 1/8 tsp ground cloves

• 1/8 tsp f reshly ground nutmeg

• 1 ¾ tsp salt

• 1 Tbsp baking powder

• 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour

FOR THE EGGWASH

• 1 Egg white (reserved from dough ingredients)

• 1 Tbsp whole milk

FOR THE ICING

• 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp confectioners’ (powdered) sugar

• ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract

• 1/16 tsp salt

• 4 tsp whole milk

Method

Make the candied citrus peel/marmalade: Combine 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a small pot over medium high heat. Add sliced clementines and lemon. Once mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the citrus slices are translucent and the liquid in the pan has cooked down to become a marmalade. Cool.

Make the dough: Butter a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Set aside. Mix dried fruit together in a microwave-safe bowl; add rum. Cover with plastic. Heat in microwave for 1 minute. Set aside.

Measure flour into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough-hook attachment. Remove 2 Tbsp of the flour to a small sauce pan. Whisk ½ cup of the 1 ¼ cups of warmed milk into the pan set over medium high heat. Cook the mixture, whisking continuously, until it thickens. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Remove 1 more Tbsp of the remaining warm milk to a small bowl. Mix with yeast. Set aside to bloom yeast. Stir spices, salt and baking powder into the flour. Add cooled thickened milk/flour mixture, 2 whole eggs plus 1 egg yolk, butter, brown sugar, baking powder, and yeast. Knead mixture with the dough hook until soft and elastic. Remove dough from mixer bowl and knead a bit more. Pat dough into a large flat circle. Stir 2 (or slightly more) tablespoons of the snipped candied citrus peel with the plumped mixed fruit. Spread the fruit mixture over dough. Repeatedly fold and knead dough until the fruit is mixed throughout the dough. Butter a large bowl; place dough in bowl. Cover and set dough bowl in a warm, draft-free place to rise for 1-1/2 hours. Divide the dough into 12 balls. Place dough balls three across in the prepared baking pan. Cover the pan and allow buns to rise for another hour until buns have puffed up a bit. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk egg white and whole milk together; brush over the buns. Bake buns for 20 to 25 minutes until a deep golden brown.

Remove buns from the oven; cool slightly and then turn out of pan. Once cooled, whisk together icing ingredients to make a thick frosting. Place in a piping bag; pipe an icing cross on the top of each bun. Allow crosses to set slightly. Serve buns split and buttered with a little of the marmalade reserved from making the candied citrus peel.

#1 Brokers at BHHS Chicago—Lake Forest

NEW LISTING!

NEW LISTING!

with Mona and Flor

How is the market? Due to record-low inventory, our current local market favors sellers. As the spring selling season unfolds, more buyers exist than houses are available for sale.

How do Lake Forest and Lake Bluff home values compare to last year? The average sale price in Lake Forest has increased by 30% in the last 12 months. Lake Bluff’s average sale price has increased by 32% in the past 12 months.*

As a result of increased demand for homes in our area and low inventory, we are negotiating multiple offers at all price points. The current average market time for Lake Forest is 90 days, slightly more days than the peak last year but still favoring sellers. Lake Bluff’s average market time is 32 days.*

Our best advice if you plan to sell in 2023? Get a head start. Engage us early in the process—we prefer to collaborate with our clients from the start. We offer advice to get your home ready to sell, and create a marketing strategy based upon your needs and timeline. We don’t want our clients to spend time or money on unnecessary updates that won’t optimize their return. Decluttering and neutralizing a home can go a long way in getting a home in show-ready condition.

Are you buying this year? Be prepared! We recommend that you get nancing in place. Have your lender produce a pre-approval letter if you plan to get a mortgage. Understand your “must-haves” vs. your “nice-to-haves.” Expect a competitive environment. Multiple offers are the norm and swift action is essential. Engage us early to discuss the market conditions at your price point. As local experts, we understand the nuances of the market, know about off-market listing opportunities, and will guide you in constructing competitive offers.

If you would like us to answer your questions, please give us a call!

*Source,MRED3/16/23

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BOOK IT

Ragdale Foundation celebrates 15 years of hosting its “Novel Affair” fundraiser, an annual celebration of established and emerging young artists.

words by Mitch Hurst

IN 1976, poet Alice Judson Hayes founded the Ragdale Foundation, a nonprofit artists’ community that provides a peaceful place for artists to work. The foundation was established on the grounds of the Ragdale estate in Lake Forest, built by Hayes’s grandfather and noted Chicago Archi-

tect Howard Van Doren Shaw in 1897.

Hayes passed away in 2006, but her legacy and influence lives on. Fifteen years ago, the foundation launched “Novel Affair,” an annual event that celebrates established and emerging artists and raises important funds to support the foundation’s work. This year’s event will

Ragdale

take place on April 28 and 29 and feature 10 established and emerging writers, an accomplished poet, and a storied music photographer.

On Friday, April 28, a cocktail reception will be held at Shoreacres in Lake Bluff, during which guests will have the opportunity to mix with the artists, hear artists’ remarks, and ask questions. The Friday evening event will close with a book signing.

A sit-down dinner will take place at the Ragdale estate on Saturday, April 29. Artists will join guests for engaging and informative conversation, followed by a dessert reception.

a part of is very supportive,” says Fine. “For a job that is a lot of time spent by yourself at your computer, years of working on a project and you don’t know if it will see the light of day, having that community support is so important.”

One of the participating writers at the year’s Novel Affair will be Chicago-based novelist Julia Fine. Fine is the author of two well-received novels, What Should Be Wild and The Upstairs House. Her third novel, Maddalena and the Dark, will be published in June.

“My work has spanned a variety of different topics, but in general it is focused on women throughout history and untold stories,” Fine says. “There’s often a tinge of gothic and horror to it.”

Fine grew up in the Washington, DC area and moved to Chicago to attend Columbia College in Chicago. Now that she’s established herself with a third work of fiction on the way, we asked Fine if she could describe the influences that got her to this point. She mentions a kindred spirit, Stephanie Delman, founder of Trellis Literary Management. Delman, a literary agent, was striking out on her own when they first met and the two hit it off.

Through Trellis, Fine has discovered not just an agent and friend but a community that defies the typical competitiveness and lack of peer support that can so often be found in the art world.

“I found that the literary community that I have become

Fine got connected with the Ragdale community fairly recently. She had known about the foundation for a while, but with two young children the residency programs just weren’t a possibility. She says the residencies are the ideal situation for writers during which they have no responsibilities or commitments other than to focus on their craft.

“I’ve gotten to do a night there, but my goal is that once my kids are a little more self-sufficient, I would really like to be able to take advantage,” she says. “I do know many people who have done the full residency there and have gotten so much work done.”

Having a place where more seasoned writers who are further along in their careers can rub shoulders with writers who are just getting started is “magical,” Fine says. Kindred spirits who are all on separate missions but collectively trying to achieve the same thing.

“The hardest part I think is getting the project finished,” Fine observes. “Everybody is working on a project that feels impossible and so your relative success thus far doesn’t matter quite as much as what you’re doing in that moment, which is a really nice thing.”

Ragdale’s “Novel Affair” will take place on April 28 and 29. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit ragdale.org/novelaffair.

Julia Fine Photography by Michael Zajakowski

The Garden Gate

SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY

by Elizabeth Lombardo, Ph.D.

VIVA LA VICKI

A tribute to the life of Lake Forest society icon Victoria K. Mills, who embraced every moment with sparkle and grace.

words

by

Nicole Crews

photography provided by the Mills family

IN DEATH AS IN LIFE, Victoria K. Mills was dressed to the nines for her swan song.

The reigning sparkle queen of Lake Forest for nearly 50 years orchestrated her exodus from this world on January 23 with the same grace, kindness, and Southern charm that she bestowed upon all who knew her.

“She always wore Angel Eau de Parfum by Thierry Mugler or Joy,” says Susan Jasper, one of her besties, “but she’d throw a little dime store perfume in there from time to time and people thought it was from the finest perfumier in France.”

Jasper says this is a typical juxtaposition from the woman who could wield a golf ball-sized diamond on her petite frame and pair it with a piece she bought for ten bucks in Chicago’s Koreatown.

“Vicki had her own style, so she became her own designer. She would take off the rack dresses and suits and embellish them with lace, embroidery, feathers, fur, and crystals,” explains Jasper, who met Vicki in 1977 when they both moved to Lake Forest. “She customized everything because she couldn’t find what she wanted in stores. The exception to that was Moschino—whom she adored for his whimsy.”

“Mom never met a crystal she didn’t like,” says Margueritte Jackson, Vicki’s eldest daughter, who recalls how accepting her mother was of her tomboy, sweatshirt ways. “She always said, ‘Just be authentically yourself and be happy!’ so I became a Boy Scout Leader and left the fashion bonding to he and (my sister) Deidre.”

Jasper laughs about the same disparity of dress at their first meeting at a Lake Forest Welcome Wagon society luncheon.

“Here I am in a turtleneck and tweed and this vision of big hair and sparkles trots across the room and says to me, ‘Are you the girl who is in charge of the Disco Club? I think we should do it together!’,” she says. “So, we left and went to Morton’s bar and that is how the Napkin Club started.”

The Napkin Club, as Jasper tells it, began with the planning of a disco party with the details inscribed on, you guessed it, bar napkins. It progressed to weekly Monday night meetings at Vicki’s, where the girls—an ever-expanding group— would

meet and plan weekly and monthly events, still literally taking notes on Vicki’s bar napkins.

“We called Vicki ‘The Dog Pound’ because she picked up every stray. Eventually, there were about 30 of us if you include husbands,” she laughs.

Including husbands was a top priority for Vicki. She felt she hit the jackpot when, in 1973, she met and married the love of her life, Jim Mills—founder of Medline Industries. Jim adored Vicki and told her she was beautiful every day. He even hid a gift for her each day, calling himself the “Good Fairy.”

“Mom was the last of the great hostesses,” says Jackson, “She entertained Dad’s businesspeople constantly and she made it all a fairy tale. I think at last count, 8,000 Medline customers spent the night at the house.”

Vicki’s devotion to Jim helped him grow his business into the successful, nationally known medical supply company. Jackson says that when Jim started Medline, “it was going upstairs” but Vicki “turned it into an escalator” with her corporate hostess mastermind. Jim’s son, Charlie, brought it to its elevator status. (Medline, now based in Northfield, reported $21.4 billion in sales in 2022. Charlie has been CEO since 1997.)

This half-century of business entertainment, friendships, parties, pranks, and kindnesses are the stuff of legend.

“Everyone had different themes and seasonal events, but Mom’s extravaganzas were the Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve,” says Diedre Grubb, Vicki’s (now California-based) youngest daughter, a faithful partner in crime when it came time to dress up and party. “There’s a photo of Vicki getting nuns to play liar’s poker.”

Jasper loves to tell the story of Jim hiring a guy for a party to arrive in a trench coat with a briefcase with a million dollars in it handcuffed to his wrist as a gift for Vicki.

“It was wild! Jim and Vicki were the Gatsbys of the ‘70s and ‘80s and their generosity and kindness was infectious,” she adds.

Vicki’s friends say she wouldn’t let them be sad or speak bad around them. Any time they were down, they

Mills Family

“She always said, ‘Just be authentically yourself and be happy!”’

A young Vicki Mills

Jim and Vicki Mills heading to a gala

would say “Get on the Vicki train!” Every day of the week was a fabulous and off-the-rails ride for Vicki, her friends and family—and anyone else she picked up along the way. She had dinner and lunch plans in constant rollicking rotation. This made life with Vicki magical, and every moment was celebrated with pomp and circumstance.

Vicki’s story began in Roanoke, Virginia, with her parents Adolph and Ruth Krisch. She was a wild child with a taste for adventure—including sneaking her parents’ car out for joy rides and corrupting her younger cousin, Freddie, by having him put drinks in his mailbox before she hit dances at Virginia Military Institute.

She was summarily sent to boarding school after these stunts, but never finished high school or attended college. Vicki was too busy schooling the world around her in how to live!

Cousins from Roanoke were an important part of her life. Vicki had reunions over the last 30 years at her Lake Forest home. She was the glue-on glitter that held the family together.

The home itself is a Georgian Colonial manse built by architect Henry Ives Cobb, renowned for many of Chicago and Lake Forest’s stately homes.

When it was originally erected in 1895, the Mills mansion, known as Pembroke Lodge, was on a larger piece of ground that included what’s now Deer Path Middle School and several other houses.

When Vicki got her hands on it in the ‘70s, she began her own embellishments to the interior that veer between tasteful, neutral formal rooms and explosions of primary colors that rival the Vegas Strip circa 1980. In fact, the primary suite is modeled after Caesar’s Palace with finishes in black, white, and gold, statuary and columns.

Today, the 15,000-square-foot-plus estate (which is set to go on the market) includes seven bedrooms, eight full bathrooms, three half-baths, four fireplaces, a swimming pool, an English garden with historic statues and pool house, as well as a six-car garage and hidden panels whose secrets may never come to light.

The mansion was a true showplace for Vicki. She had her own gift of collecting objet d’art from the sublime to the self-described ridiculous. From kitsch to couture, diamonds to dirtcheap baubles, furniture, ac-

cessories, art, and accoutrements spanning the bridge from the iconic to the absurd—Vicki’s procurements were not for the timid. She was close with the late interior designer Richard Himmel, and “she loved everything that he did,” says Jackson. “She loved HomeGoods just as much as she liked the (Merchandise) Mart.”

Vicki’s wardrobe amassed an airplane-hanger-sized room in the Lake Forest home with spillage into every closet in the multiple bedroom home. In fact, her Moschino collection was curated into an exhibit at the Mint Museum of Craft & Design in Charlotte, North Carolina, where her daughter Deidre lived for many years. Her 100-plus collection of Judith Leiber bejeweled bags led to a long friendship with Judith and her husband Gus. Vicki’s closet was even the inspiration for a fashion column called “Walk-In Closet” that ran in a regional magazine for 10 years.

Vicki was always the belle of the ball, but never failed to make her guests, employees, and everyone around her feel special and appreciated with gifts, tokens of appreciation, and an inherent and genuine warmth.

“Mom gave to people—not just charities. It gave her exceptional pleasure to give people money—even total strangers,” says Grubb. “She put her signature Vicki heart on all of her gifts.”

“Those hearts are all over the city,” says Jasper. “The valets at the Deerpath Inn and the waiters at E.J.’s plastered them all over their stations because she was constantly tipping them 20s and 50s that she kept in her bustier!”

Rick Esp, who tended the Mills’ property and lives for about 23 years says they treated him like one of their children.

“They even threw me a wedding! Jim said, ‘if you want me to attend you are going to have to do it here,” he says. “And that’s just how they were— generous.”

Esp, who was privy to the details of the fetes orchestrated by Vicki, loves to tell the story of how Inglenook Chablis was Vicki’s drink of choice for 30 years (it was on tap at the bar), and when the family went on vacation to France, Jim spent a small fortune importing cheap California Chablis to French wine country.

“She was a woman who could have anything she wanted, and she really loved a Big Mac,” says Esp. “We would take the Rolls through the drive through at McDonalds once a week!”

He says the couple would also be in black tie regularly attending charity events, hosting parties, and seeing friends. “They lived life fully.”

Grubb loves to share the couple’s famous exodus.

“Every night at the end of an event, Jimmy would say to Vicki, ‘Say goodnight, Vicki’ and she would say ‘Goodnight Vicki’ and that would mean it was time to go.”

So, goodnight Vicki—planet Earth will be boring as hell and considerably less sparkly without you.

Vicki and her daughters

Jim and Vicki Mills

Victoria Mills

“Art of Caring” Returns

After a three-year hiatus, the Women’s Board of Catholic Charities is thrilled to revive its signature fundraiser on Saturday, April 29, at Exmoor Country Club.

words by Ann Marie Scheidler photography by Lisa Sciascia

Catholic Charities co-chairs Joanie Reynolds, Natalie Reinkemeyer and Jane Hinton-Kedo. Wardrobe provided by The Lake Forest Shop

IT’S BEEN TOO LONG—too long since civic, philanthropic, and community donors have been able to gather to support Catholic Charities and its critical programs and services throughout Lake County.

“We are so excited to get together for the ‘Art of Caring’,” says Jane Hinton-Kedo who is co-chairing this beloved event with Joanie Reynolds and Natalie Reinkemeyer. It will take place on Saturday, April 29 at Exmoor Country Club.

With more than 50 years of service to the Women’s Board of Lake County among them, Hinton-Kedo, Reinkemeyer, and Reynolds truly embrace the organization’s mission of serving those in need, regardless of faith, race, gender, or ethnicity.

“The clients that Catholic Charities works with are not only deserving, but extremely grateful for the help,” Reynolds explains. “Catholic Charities is a life-changing organization. I feel so blessed to play a small part in helping those in need. I find so much fulfilment being a member of the Woman’s Board.”

Reinkemeyer found her way to Catholic Charities of Lake County when she was looking for an opportunity to actively help people in need.

“I remember the first meeting I attended where a spokesperson from each program within Catholic Charities talked about what they did and what we could do to help,” Reinkemeyer says. “I was so impressed with the scope of their mission and all of the hands-on opportunities where our help was needed within Lake County. I immediately signed up to take a ‘Meals on Wheels’ route to see for myself how I could make a difference. During COVID, food deliveries became even more critical to the people who were at risk. Catholic Charities did not waver in its determination to keep their food program going during that difficult time.”

This year, Lake Forest’s Barb and Ron Kelner have offered to serve as the honorary chairs for the event that promises a cocktail reception, short program during dinner, a spectacular lineup of live auction items, followed by live music and dancing.

“I think Catholic Charities is a well-run organization that is a good steward of the money we raise,”

adds Reinkemeyer. “They make sure that the proceeds support services and programs for housing, counseling, food and nutrition, veteran support and senior services. I can’t say enough about this organization and how proud I am to be a part of it.”

Each year, the Irene Leahy McMahon Award is presented to a Women’s Board member who has given unselfishly of her time and talent to the Women’s Board activities and to Catholic Charities. This award is intended to honor those who continue Irene’s legacy of dedication to Catholic Charities in the true spirit of service. Mary “Buffy” Rock will receive the award posthumously at this year’s event.

“Buffy was one of the most humble and compassionate women I have ever met,” Reynolds says. “Buffy loved being a mom to her three wonderful daughters and was a lifelong nurse. The Women’s Board of Catholic Charities was near and dear to her heart. She enjoyed delivering Meals on Wheels, purchasing and delivering much needed items for the Welcome Home Program, and assisting with the Art of Caring auction committees through the years. Most importantly, Buffy never wanted any recognition for her service. Her commitment to Catholic Charities was steadfast and brought her so much joy. I am so looking forward to the evening when Buffy’s family accepts the award on her behalf.”

To learn more about the work of the Women’s Board of Catholic Charities or to purchase a ticket or sponsorship for “Art of Caring,” visit catholiccharities.net/events/art-ofcaring.

Iren Leahy McMahon

SHOWHOUSE SHOWSTOPPER

The 2023 Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens kicks off May 5 with a new level of excitement as the signature fundraising event returns for the Lake Forest Chapter of the Infant Welfare Society.

words by Ann Marie Scheidler photography by Maria Ponce hair and makeup by Cathleen Healy

THERE ARE SOME HOUSES that are special, and there are others that are spectacular. The 2023 Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens promises to be the latter.

“We were looking for our next house as we were still giving tours at the last one,” says Sondra Douglass, co-chair of this signature fundraising event for the Lake Forest Chapter of the Infant Welfare Society, along with Kathy Allen and Jennifer Durburg. “When we were presented this house, I knew we had a potential winner.”

Douglass’ wishes weren’t in vain.

The home at the center of this year’s event was designed by renowned architect Walter Frazier in 1969. Famous for his stylish and livable classic residences along the North Shore, Frazier’s designs are noted for their refined elegance and fresh design perspectives. Twenty-one of his homes can be found throughout Lake Forest and Lake Bluff.

This year’s Showhouse—owned by one family until 2022—is set on nine acres of beautifully landscaped property, including a fiveacre conservation area.

The 16-room red brick, structure features two low, flat-roofed, one-story links leading to two temple-like wings on the east and west. The first-floor primary bedroom wing has a flexible arrangement of five rooms, and there are six additional bedrooms and 4.3 baths. All south-facing main rooms open to a blue-stone patio and gracious lawn.

As if the main house wasn’t enough, there is a charming threebedroom, two-bath caretaker’s cottage; an additional outbuilding with garages, workroom, kennels, and two-finished rooms with a half bath, kitchenette, and fireplace; and a separate three-car garage.

“Having more spaces to design allows us the opportunity to feature the work of more designers,” Douglass says.

The Lake Forest Chapter of the Infant Welfare Society raises money for the Infant Welfare Society (IWS) of Chicago. Founded in 1911 with a mission to provide fresh milk in response to high infant mortality rates, IWS now provides an array of medical services to Chicago’s underserved men, women, and children through its Logan Square clinic.

Key to this fundraiser is the generosity of the designers and the vendors who support their room designs. At any Showhouse proj-

ect, interior designers and landscape architects pitch the co-chairs on the rooms and outdoor spaces they would like to redo. It’s an opportunity to reimagine a space, while showcasing a designer’s ability create without the traditional limitations.

“Putting together a cohesive Showhouse is like solving a massive, gorgeous, three-dimensional puzzle,” says Lake Forest chapter president Chrissy Davis, who is tasked with reviewing the long list of designers and landscapers who apply to participate in the Showhouse—and then assigning more than 30 of them to individual spaces. “We ask each designer to give us at least four options of spaces they would like to decorate, and we do our best to give them one of their choices. It’s always interesting to see which rooms are most in demand.”

This year, one of the most coveted spaces to design within the house was the two-story entry way and staircase. This spot was assigned to Winnetka’s Sarah Vaile.

“This is our fourth Lake Forest Showhouse and our second consecutive partnership with de Gournay,” says Vaile, owner of Sarah Vaile Design, of the famed wallpaper manufacturer. “For this Showhouse, we have collaboratively designed a custom colorway of de Gournay’s Jazz wall covering, a collage inspired by the work by famed French artist Henri Matisse. It’s full of energy and color. The organic shapes are cut from heavily textured linen cloth and are then hand embroidered onto a matte painted silk base. Since the foyer space is very large and spans two stories, it will require many, many yards of this precious fabric to cover the walls.

“And, the Rug Company has generously donated an ivory runner with black motifs for the foyer’s striking floating staircase,” she adds. “The runner is geometric and abstract and plays beautifully with the wall covering.”

Now that she is among the “veteran” designers at the Showhouse, Vaile remembers where she was sitting the first time she made the cut to be interviewed for this project.

“Being a part of the Lake Forest Showhouse is so special to me,” she explains. “Not only is it one of the most reputable Showhouses in the country, but it’s a truly unique experience for a tremendously important cause.”

Vaile is in good company with a number of noteworthy designers and landscapers, including this year’s honorary chairs—Ashley Whittaker and Timothy Whealon.

Whittaker is an Elle Décor A-List interior decorator who has

run her design business in New York City since 2006. Described as the “neo-traditionalist,” she reveals her fresh and modern perspective on traditional design and architecture in all of her work, which is characterized by colorful, pattern-filled rooms. Her first book, The Well-Loved House: Creating Homes with Color, Comfort and Drama, was published in September 2021 by Rizzoli.

Whealon is a Sotheby’s trained Elle Décor A-List interior decorator. His work is rooted in classicism, with a modern twist and an emphasis on fine and decorative arts. His designs are enhanced by both his extensive knowledge of the international art and antiques market and by his team of skilled artists and craftsmen who create many of the custom furniture pieces found in his signature interiors. The first monograph of his work, In Pursuit of Beauty: The Interiors of Timothy Whealon, was published by Rizzoli in 2015.

Whittaker and Whealon have been friends since early in their careers. They share a love of antiques and an artful mix of the high and the low. Together they have embarked on many shopping excursions filled with an abundance of laughter and fun. They look forward to discussing their friendship, anecdotes from their travels, and their shared passion for design at the keynote lecture for The Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens on Monday, May 8.

“The special events that will be part of this year’s Showhouse are exceeding all of our expectations,” Allen says as the Showhouse events coordinator, noting that SPACE 519’s The Lunchroom will be offering salads, boxed lunches, baked goods, specialty coffee, and tea over Mother’s Day weekend and closing weekend. “After not being able to host any events during our

COVID Showhouse year, it’s so wonderful to be planning gatherings again.”

At the top of the list of not-to-be-missed events at this year’s Showhouse, the Preview Party will take place the evening of Friday, May 5.

“The Preview Party has always been a special, excitement-generating part of what we create for the Showhouse experience—but this year promises to be our absolute best,” Allen says. John des Rosiers, owner of the jdR Family of Companies—including Inovasi and the Other Door, is underwriting all the food and drink for the party, providing it from his various area restaurants and staffing it with his team. He will also debut his new tequila, Cambio.

“Our community is important to me,” des Rosiers explains. “Inovasi is turning 14 years old this year if you can believe it. I’ve always been a part of the Preview Party and am thrilled to contribute in a bigger way this year. It will also be the first time a lot of people will be sampling our tequila. It’s perfect timing that the Preview Party falls on Cinco de Mayo.”

In addition to offering specially crafted cocktails using Cambio, des Rosiers will offer tastings of a selection of wines available through his Lake Bluff shop, jdR wine & beer. The wines will be available to order at the Preview Party, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Infant Welfare Society.

“We have a lot of energy and excitement surrounding our partnership with of the Showhouse this year,” des Rosiers adds. “We’re thrilled this event is back.”

To purchase your tickets to the Showhouse or to any of its special events, including the Preview Party, visit lakeforestshowhouse.com.

Showhouse Tour chairs Sondra Douglass, Chrissy Davis, Jennifer Durburg, Kathy Allen

AN EVENING OF HOPE

photography by Ian McLeod

For over 43 years, Boys Hope Girls Hope, a competitive Residential Scholarship program for academically-motivated kids from families living at or below the federal poverty level, has provided group homes, tuition, college scholarships, and wraparound support to assure scholars reach their college dreams and fulfill their human potential. On February 4, our nine high school seniors, dozens of alums, and enthusiastic donor community gathered at the Four Seasons Chicago to celebrate another successful year, introduce friends to BHGH, and raise more than 25 percent of the organization’s annual operating budget. The Buenos Aires-themed gala featured tango dancers, Ken Arlen’s Indigo Orchestra, a buzzy casino, and a high-energy crowd of supporters.

John & Sharon Hofman, Jennifer & Danny O’Shaugnessy

Emma Rucker, Elaine Rucker, Olivia Rucker

Magliochetti Family

Brendan Jaquay & Jennie Gault

Andy & Jordan Shackelford, Jaime & Nick Christopher

Lan Huynh, Melanie Kom

Steve & Christy King

Katrina Wittkamp, Theresa DeMaria

Tasha Wallace, Lindsay Doyle

Stephanie Draper & Mike Halkitis

Richard Rivera, Rhea Martin, Neville Cordon Palao

Dionne Miller, ABC7 Eyewitness News Sports

Andrea Doan, Brooke Cornell, Katie Santucci, Nicole Rubin

Eric Tengler & Kate Harken

Kelli & Bill Handel

Katherine Ring, Nora Hughes, Kiley Reardon

LET’S VOTE!

photography by Ian McLeod

On February 3, the Lake Forest Caucus gathered at Lake Forest Ferrari to celebrate the Caucus’ mission and 88 years of successfully serving Lake Forest residents. Lake Forest High School student volunteers took the opportunity to ask Caucus Committee members what they found impressive about Randy Tack as their chosen candidate for the next Mayor of Lake Forest.

Anna Belova, Dan & Dez White

Richard & Leanna Walther

Evelyn Cooper, Michelle Green, Wes Ingold

Beth & Bruce Barger

Janet & Matt Nagel

Magdalena & Arthur Wesołowski

David & Joi Hunt

Ferrari dealership in Lake Forest

Robert Lansing, Dr. Stanford

Randy Tack, George Pandeleon

Robin & John Powers

WHERE MAGNIFICENCE BEGINS

All floor plans shown are for illustrative purposes only. Floor plans may not depict final design of units as constructed and may not be drawn to scale. All sketches, renderings, architectural models, materials, plans, specifications, terms, prices, conditions and statements, including estimated timeframes and dates, contained herein are proposed only and are not intended to constitute representations. Developer reserves the right to make modifications in its sole discretion and without prior notice. All photographs and renderings are merely intended as illustrations of the activities and concepts depicted therein as interpreted by the artists. Developer makes no representations regarding any view and/or exposure to light at any time including any existing or future construction by either owner or a third party. Square footage and ceiling heights are approximate and may be based on various measurement methodologies, subject to construction variances and tolerances, as well as redesign, and vary from unit to unit (and may vary from floor to floor). This brochure shall not constitute a valid offer in any jurisdiction where prior registration is required and not yet fulfilled. Where used, developer shall mean Tribune Tower West (Chicago) Owner, LLCand its affiliated entities and their respective managers, members, directors, shareholders, partners, agents, affiliates and employees.

THE LOYOLA PROJECT

photography by Ian McLeod

Sponsored by Northwestern Mutual, Gorton Center recently hosted an exclusive screening of The Loyola Project. The documentary film told the story about the 1963 Loyola Ramblers and the racial barriers they overcame on the way to a national championship. This film is one of the greatest untold stories in the history of college basketball.

Lorena Gonzalez & Michael Gandy

Ron & Anaya Adams

Sean & Jacintha McEwen, Christa & Jeremy Sloan

Bill McLean, Theresa DeMaria, Tim Hender, Cathleen Healy

The Atrium at Gorton Center

Tom & Norma Thorelli

Eva Rice, Margie Smith

Sean Patrick Kane & Erica Kane

Lulu Keil, Ryan Rice, Adah Bodine

Virginia & Zac Goodspeed

Tim Hender, Catherine LaPlante, Joe Guin, Chuck Wood, Ron Adams, Anaya Adams

LFHS Boys Basketball Team

Lake Forest Chapter of the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago hosts

BARE BONES

photography by Ian McLeod

On February 8, the Lake Forest Chapter of the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago hosted its “Bare Bones” party at the site of the 2023 Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens. The party served as the kick-off event for the showhouse, which will open daily to visitors May 6-June 4. The Bare Bones celebration gave over 250 board members and their guests the opportunity to explore the home in its stripped-down condition—prior to what is sure to be a major design transformation. Following the event, the onsite work begins for almost 35 interior and landscape design firms who have been invited to design rooms or outdoor spaces at this year’s Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens.

Brooke Tagliaferro, Whitley Herbert, Jill Borega

Jen Manning, Krista Hugill, Katie Fitzgerald

Lisa Johnson, Betsy Lewins, Laura Probst

Katy Collins, Cece Gottman, Meghan NortonCiara Frost, Michelle Van Der Woert

Missy Berger, Kathy Allen

Brooke Tagliaferro, Whitley Herbert, Jill Borega

Julie Traub, Jessica Erikson, Mouna Pullian, Susan Palkovich, Sandy Szafransh

Yvonne Bruce, Jamee Kane

Annie Atzeff, Chrissy Davis

Marie Woods, Michelle Taubensee Wendy Franzen, Whitley Herbert, Pim Alley

WIDER INFLUENCE

words by Mitch Hurst photography by Lisa Sciascia

Steve Robnick is a self-professed plant nerd, which might have something to do with why he (eventually) became a middle-school science teacher. Robnick studied botany at Miami University in Ohio but took a winding road on his way to a career in education.

After a short stint working for a logistics company in Chicago, he decided to go back to school for a master’s degree in education. It was his days as a youth swimming coach in Oxford, Ohio that led him to switch careers.

“During college I coached swimming. I was a swimmer growing up, and then I went back, and I coached my club team and that’s when I first started working with kids,” Robnick says. “That’s where this idea formulated that I should go on to education, just because I really enjoyed setting goals with kids and helping them achieve them.”

He started his education career teaching 7th and 8th grade science at West Ridge Elementary school in Chicago. After five years, he made the jump to Lake Forest Country Day School (LFCDS), and he’s happy he did.

“It’s a very close-knit school community with people who really partner with each other for the greater good,” Robnick says of LFCDS. “I think we have excellent personnel and the resources we have here just from a teaching perspective allow you to be effective.”

Being able to walk into the classroom every day knowing that you have the opportunity and the tools necessary to make a positive difference in each of the students, Rodnick says, is key. Individual time with each student is not something that happens everywhere. That’s what he enjoys most about teaching at LFCDS.

In January, after teaching science for five years, Rodnick was appointed Head of LFCDS’s Upper School, which serves grades 5 through 8. He says the opportunity to widen his impact and influence on students was a major factor in seeking the position.

“The reason I wanted to do this is I think I bring to the table, in terms of my philosophy and what motivates me, what is needed at the school at this time,” he says. “In this position, I get to support a larger number of students, faculty, and parents.”

Robnick says there hasn’t been anything he’s found more rewarding or satisfying than when he’s working with a student who comes up against a roadblock and he’s able to help them persist through it.

“You help them grow and help them learn and then the light bulb turns on,” Robnick says. “When things click, and they finally understand, and you see that look of recognition that they get it.”

With his background as a science teacher, Robnick says, he

finds it important for kids to understand how to think critically. The ability to interpret data and to understand what is valid and what is not is critical in today’s day and age.

“We have to give kids that foundational background, how to ask questions, and how to come up with answers on their own,” he says. “Outside of my own personal satisfaction I get from the job, it’s just really important that kids and adults know how to do that, and that was my motivation for becoming a teacher.”

After five years of teaching science at Lake Forest Country Day’s middle school, Steve Robnick was named Head of Upper School in January.

Lake Forest Country Day School is located at 145 South Green Bay Road in Lake Forest, 847-234-2350, lfcds.org.

Steve Robnick

For private dining inquiries, please contact Nina Abuja, Director of Private Events at: Nina@lecoloniallakeforest.com | 847.474.1500

words by Steven Bloch, M.D.

The jawline is one of the most important facial features when perceiving facial traits including attractiveness. The jawline creates facial balance and frames the face aesthetically. This is true for all genders. In extreme cases, surgical intervention is warranted and can achieve drastic results. In more subtle cases, before now there was not a reasonable and effective treatment available. Now with the introduction of Volux XC and Voluma both FDA-approved for chin and jawline augmentation, subtle to moderate jawline deficiencies can be addressed with an office injection.

In the younger patient, mild to moderate structural deficiencies can be addressed with injections to add definition. Results usually last 1 - 2 years. This is usually cost-effective and may be a nonsurgical alternative.

In the older patient, there are subtle and notable changes to the jawline as a result of the aging process. A prominent sign of aging is the appearance of jowls. Jowls are excessive skin and subcutaneous fat that drops or sags along the jawline. Jowls result from loss of skin elasticity, laxity of the facial muscles, and repositioning of facial fat.

With age, the mandible (jaw) reabsorbs causing the mandibular angle to increase. Also, the pre-jowl region of the mandible may develop concavity that contributes to the appearance of the jowls. A facelift addresses some of these signs of aging but does not address bone resorption. Tweaking along with injectables to augment the jawline after a facelift is a nice little adjunct to complete the look. Emface muscle stimulation is another highly effective treatment to improve muscle tone and jawline definition and can be effectively combined with Volux to define the jaw.

Defining the jawline requires the eye of an artist, the skill of a sculptor, and the knowledge of a surgeon. Choose your provider carefully.

For additional information, visit www.skindeepmedical spa. com or call Glenview location 847-901-0800.

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Steven Bloch MDBodybybloch

The Last Word

BONNE SANTÉ

Lake Forest native and wellness coach Alison Brown Graf reflects on family, the art of giving back, and empowering her clients to live their best lives.

words by Sherry Thomas / illustration by Tom Bachtell

Those who grew up on the North Shore know there is a universal code to do good in the world and help others as much as possible. For many families, it’s an unwritten rule and a way of life. Alison Browne Graf, one of three girls raised in Lake Forest by Anne and Jeff Browne, says gratitude and giving back is a shared family value. “It doesn’t have to be in a major way. Little things count and everything matters,” she says. “We live in a community where that’s so common. That’s what makes this town so special.” While her parents now divide their time between Lake Forest and Georgia, Graf and her sisters Brooke Davis and Amy Marsch all live in Lake Bluff. You could say it’s a real family affair. “Between us, we have 10 kids,” explains Graf, who works as a wellness coach and fitness instructor at Bird Barre & Cycle in Lake Forest. “I like to say that we’ve helped raise each other’s kids.” She and her sisters also volunteer together for local causes, including Reading Power, Fill a Heart 4 Kids, and PADS. “It’s really important to be grateful for what you have,” adds Graf. “To me, it’s a privilege.” Among the things she is most grateful for are her children—22-year-old Emma (a senior at Boulder), 18-year-old Sheppard (a senior at Lake Forest High School), and 11-yearold Ryder (a 6th grader and Lake Bluff Middle School)—and husband Tyler Graf, a high school classmate who she reconnected with and married right after college. While she is looking forward to a big family vacation in France’s Cote d’Azur region this summer (with her sisters and their

families, along with her parents) she’s also excited about expanding her wellness business and helping more people improve their lives. “I love helping people create simple, practical habits to improve their health from the inside out,” adds Graf, who sells and markets Arbonne products in addition to her work as a fitness instructor. “I’m also totally passionate about showing others how to leverage their time and earning power utilizing tools they already have. Being able to make an impact on others while making an income is a gift that I never take for granted!”