The North Shore Weekend, February 4th, 2023

-Will Rogers

THE IWC TOP GUN.

Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN. Ref. 3891: Developed for the elite pilots of the TOP GUN aviation school, our TOP GUN Chronograph goes from success to success. Its secret? Functional design, ultra-tough, highperformance materials and the exhilarating

BURDEEN’S JEWELRY

surge of adrenaline it delivers. Housed inside the rugged case made of ceramic is an automatic, IWC-manufactured 69380-calibre movement. All in all, a precision instrument for individuals destined to excel themselves.

IWC. ENGINEERING BEYOND TIME. SINCE 1868.

1151

·

WEST LAKE COOK ROAD · BUFFALO GROVE · ILLINOIS · 60089

10 le petit chef

An immersive new 3D dining experience at Fairmont Chicago redefines the meaning of "dinner theater"

11 travel back in time

Celebrate Highwood presents an annual 1920s themed fundraiser that goes back to the speakeasy era

11 top honors

Glenview Chamber of Commerce celebrates the work of the village's first responders and names Business Person Of The Year

11 think outside

Lake Forest Open Lands Association hosts a series of events to help you discover the beauty of the great outdoors

12 midwest escape

Just a few hours away from Chicago, you will find fun and adventure in this Indiana college town

LIFESTYLE & ARTS

14 catch the fever

Winnetka native Ann Hampton Callaway dishes on her new tribute to Peggy Lee

16 the man in the basement

A riveting French film explores the complex issues we all face in today's society

17 maybe i do

Celebrities abound in this rom com but it's lacking a solid plot and direction

18 #hashtag

Jenna Benn Shersher of Glencoe, founder of Twist Out Cancer, shares what's trending in her life

20 north shore foodie

Fresh red plums are used to create this delicious galette recipe

21 friends of prentice

The "Celebrate With Friends" benefit raises more than $650,000 for Northwestern Medicine Prentice Women’s Hospital

21 material pursuits

From a decadent new 260-page magazine for Porsche aficionados to a coffee table book about life in a French country house, we present this weekend's must-haves

LAST BUT NOT LEAST

22 sunday breakfast

Seventeen-year run of highly successful Loyola Academy football coach John Holecek ends fittingly—after another state championship

John

ADVERTISING @NSWEEKEND.COM

Jennifer Sturgeon

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Dustin O'Regan, Kemmie Ryan, Sherry Thomas

FASHION EDITOR

Theresa DeMaria

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Mitch Hurst, Bill McLean, Rex Reed, Monica Kass Rogers, Gregg Shapiro

DESIGN

Linda Lewis PRODUCTION MANAGER/GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Chris Geimer ADVERTISING COORDINATOR/GRAPHIC DESIGNER

PHOTOGRAPHY AND ART

Monica Kass Rogers

PHOTOGRAPHY

Tom Bachtell, Barry Blitt

ILLUSTRATION

Cheyanne Lencioni ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Conatser FOUNDER & PUBLISHER

MITCH HURST

Bryce Aron says it might sound cheesy, but his first words were, “I see car.” Those first words turned out to be prophetic.

Aron began watching Formula 1 races on television at a very young age. He grew up around cars (his family owns a Jaguar dealership in Lake Bluff) and he was always enamored with racing.

“Since I was 6 or 7, I wanted to race go-karts and I eventually thought to myself, ‘how do I pursue this as a career’,” Aron says. “My parents let me start karting at a local place called Chicago Indoor Speedway.”

Aron eventually moved from indoor karting to outdoor karting at a track near Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. By the time he was 13, he was hustling for sponsors to raise the funding to purchase a go-kart and a go-kart engine.

“I wanted to move up to the national racing series, which is definitely a tough thing to do when you’re 13 years old,” he says. “I sent out a lot of letters. For every 100 letters, I’d get 98 nos but then I’d get a few yeses.

That’s the way it works. I got a sponsorship from NAPA which was really appreciated, and they were with me when I started racing cars.”

When he was 15, Aron got his first taste of racing cars with some test runs on a small track in Pennsylvania. He says go-karts are much different than cars in the way they are driven, and while it was a jump, he got on top of it pretty quickly.

After just two days of practice runs in his first car, he competed in his first race and did well.

That same year, he finished third in the championship of Formula Ford—the first level of formula racing in the U.S.—and went off to England to race the British circuit. Initially,

he was too young to race but on his 16th birthday he obtained both his driver’s license and his FIA international racing license.

“I was really lucky to be selected by Team USA Scholarship. Every year they award two or three American drivers who then race in the iconic Formula Ford Festival and Walter Hayes Trophy events in England,” Aron says. “When you go overseas you want to make sure you’re going with a good team that’s willing to have you.”

In the U.K., Aron initially raced with Low Dempsey Racing in the British Racing and Sports Car Club (BRSCC) Formula Ford Championship, where he finished 5th in a COVID-shortened season in 2020. He joined the Carlin racing team in

2021 and progressed to the British Formula 3 Championship, and in 2022 had eight top-ten finishes with the Hitech GP racing

team. As far as his career progress, he’s feeling good.

“I feel like I’m on the right track. I’d like to win some more races, definitely the more the merrier in the case of motor sport,” he says. “It’s really about how you do now before you jump to Formula 2 that matters.”

When we spoke to him, Aron had recently returned from Japan where he participated in a few test days with teams from Japanese Super Formula Light, the Japanese equivalent of FIA Formula 3.

“It was really cool, definitely a big language barrier so the communication aspect was a challenge,” Aron says. “But I really enjoyed it, super nice people, very welcoming, and a cool environment to be in.”

As for what’s next, Aron is being recruited by three different teams for next season. All three are top tier teams that have previously won championships in different series. He’s got some choices to make, but the options are looking good.

“I’ll know what I’m doing in January and the season will start in March,” he says.

Wherever he ends up, his parents will be by his side.

“We always supported Bryce's dream, dedication, and talent,” says Aron’s mother, Alyson Aron. “Bryce made it happen and we were very much supportive, but it was up to him because we didn't have the racing background that a lot of drivers have.”

Jordan Aron, Bryce’s father, says when Bryce moved to the U.K. in 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic the situation was a little scary, but each success has brought more opportunity.

“There's a point where it's bigger than you and you just have to let it happen,” Jordan says. “In the U.K., Bryce worked with a well-known Formula 1 coach, and he was faster than the coach and the F1 drivers the coach had been working with.”

“As an American competing and living abroad it can be very isolating, and at young age Bryce has had to fight through a lot of adversity,” Alyson says. “In the end he persevered and proved himself, but it took so much tenacity and drive to succeed.”

Winnetka native Bryce Aron is a fast-rising star and working his way up the ranks of international Formula racing.

RECENTLY

LE PETIT CHEF

EDITED BY SHERRY THOMAS THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

At first it’s hard to imagine. A tiny French chef (only two-and-a-half inches tall!) is going to leap down to your table and guide you on an immersive culinary journey as you feast on a decadent five-course meal (with optional wine pairings). Impossible, no? But when the lights switch off and you are instructed to keep your plates and utensils at their exact spot, you’ll find yourself transported to a 3D foodie heaven reminiscent of the 2007 film Ratatouille (sans the rat).

“Le Petit Chef: An Immersive Dining Experience” debuted at the Fairmont Chicago’s Cuvée Room last month, bringing this globally renowned, virtual reality “dinner theater” experience to Chicago for the first time. Offered exclusively at Fairmont’s Millennium Park location in partnership with TableMation Studios, the cutting-edge Skullmapping technology combines gastronomy with jaw-dropping 3D animation.

Le Petit Chef literally (and visually) takes guests on a journey through all five-courses, from an exploration of tomatoes in the first course paired with Cottat Le Grand Caillou Sauvignon Blanc, to the main course of Butter Poached Beef with spinach, mustard seeds, caramelized onion, beets and bittersweet chocolate paired with Chateau Lassegue Saint-Emilion Red Blend, to the dessert of Hazelnut and Sea Salt Millefeuille with chocolate crémeux, burnt orange caramel and Nutella sand paired with Cyprès de Climens Barsac wine.

Throughout the 90-minute production, Le Petit Chef moves around each place

setting preparing the courses, with the help of 3D projection mapping, and tells a story of the history, ingredients, and techniques used to make each dish. Choreographed in real life, each inspired course is delivered in unison with the animation.

“We are thrilled to bring this unique dining experience to our guests, the city of Chicago, and the larger Midwest region,” says General Manager Clay Spencer. “The Fairmont Chicago culinary team has been working diligently to prepare for the unveil -

ing. We’re delighted for diners to experience this culinary adventure through animation. It is a dinner like no other.”

The animated gastronomic journey not only immerses you in the painterly world on Le Petit Chef (he has a Michelin star, of course) and the magical countryside of France but at times feels so real that you almost duck as heirloom tomatoes are harvested. As Chef moves from course to course, the hues and scenery change accordingly, casting vibrant color and artful canvases across the table.

Pricing per person starts at $155, exclusive of tax and gratuities, with an optional French wine pairing of $42. The first seating begins at 6 p.m. and the second at 8 p.m. every Thursday through Saturday,

through the end of 2023. If you have something special coming up soon (Valentine’s Day, anyone?), we highly recommend.

For more information about Fairmont Chicago and to book your dining experience at Le Petit Chef, visit fairmontchicago.com

An animated, 3D gastronomic journey awaits as Fairmont Chicago unveils a global dining phenomenon that reinvents the meaning of “dinner theater.”

Celebrate Highwood’s annual Roaring 2020s Jazzed Up Dining & Classical Cocktails fundraiser on March 4 evokes a speakeasy vibe from a century ago.

TOP HONORS

The Glenview Chamber of Commerce celebrated its Business of the Year and Business Person of the Year at last month’s after-hours event.

Glenview’s first responders were honored as the Business of the Year by the Glenview Chamber of Commerce last month at an event held to celebrate the best of 2022.

Jeff Thoelecke was also named Business Person of the Year.

In an ongoing effort to give back and build strong community, Celebrate Highwood is kicking off the 2023 fundraising season with its annual Roaring 2020’s Jazzed Up Dining & Classical Cocktails on Saturday, March 4, from 7 to 11 p.m. at Highwood’s 28 Mile Distilling Company.

Benefiting the Celebrate Highwood public charity operating fund, this one-of-a-kind evening takes attendees back in time to a 1920s speakeasy where men and women dressed, dined, and danced to the sounds of jazz.

Celebrate Highwood’s Roaring 2020sthemed event invites guests to don their best flapper dresses and The Great Gatsby attire, dance to the hip sounds of funk and hot club jazz with Mike and the Funktastics, enjoy swing dance performances, and learn the “Charleston” while enjoying dinner and classical cocktails reminiscent of the 1920s. Tickets include a classical cocktail open bar, dinner, dessert buffet, live music, and dancing, Roaring 2020s photo booth, and silent auction. Space is limited to 250, so pre-

registration is strongly recommended. Tickets can be purchased in advance at celebratehighwood.org for $85 until February 24 or $95 starting February 25. If available, tickets will be $100 at the door.

"Our Roaring 2020s Jazzed Up Dining & Classical Cocktails is the kick-off to Celebrate Highwood's 2023 fundraising and will support our operating fund to keep our family friendly festival and events going all year long," explains Brad Slavin, President of Celebrate Highwood.

Celebrate Highwood is a volunteer-run, nonprofit organization founded in 2016 to bring the community together to raise funds for local and national charities. By producing events that cater to the citizens, businesses, and visitors of Highwood, its goal is give back, build strong community spirit, and establish Highwood as the prime entertainment destination for dining, festivals, and events on the North Shore.

For more information, call 847-432-6000 or visit celebratehighwood.org.

Travel Back In Time Think Outside

As we count down the weeks until spring, Lake Forest Open Lands Association (LFOLA) is encouraging residents to “think outside” and explore nature with one of several winter events now through the end of the month.

Eco Crew, February 4

There’s still time to join LFOLA restoration ecologists in Eco-Crew, held 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, February 4, at the Everett Farm Nature Preserve. Volunteers of all ages (children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult) are welcome to participate by removing invasive species, cutting, hauling, and/or burning brush. Appropriate clothing and footwear is suggested. LFOLA will supply work gloves and any tools needed during the work day. For more information or to sign up, email volunteer@lfola.org.

“Not only do the Glenview first responders support our local businesses with fire safety inspections, retail theft prevention strategies, safety/security assessments, answering alarm calls, and CPR safety training, but their leadership and quick response helped multiple individuals in our neighboring community of Highland Park on July 4,” says Chamber Board President Mike Moylan.

Additionally, Jeff Thoelecke, President of Glenview Bank & Trust, has been awarded

2022 Business Person of the Year. Active on the Glenview Park Foundation and Youth Services Glenview/Northbrook Board, Thoelecke also volunteers with several other civic organizations.

“Jeff is a lifetime Glenview resident and, as president of Northview Bank and other local branches of the Wintrust Community Bank network, has forged a permanent presence in the Glenview business community,” says Jim Martin, Past President of Glenview Chamber Board. “His volunteer efforts have led him to several board positions of leadership with organizations such as Glenview-Northbrook Youth Services and the Glenview Park Foundation.”

The Chamber recognized the winners at its Business After Hours & Awards event held at Avidor on January 11. The community is invited to celebrate these individuals and other neighborhood organizations who embody the chamber’s mantra—With you, For you, Glenview.

For more than 95 years, the Glenview Chamber of Commerce has worked to ensure that Glenview is a great place to live, work, and own a business. It presents community events, runs business-building programs, offers leadership and other training, and generates several community publications.

For more information, visit glenviewchamber.com.

Indigenous Connections to the Land, February 8

Want to know what our area was like before its current settlement? Sign up for the “Indigenous Connections to the Land: Chicagoland Archaeology and Native American Past” lecture by Great Lakes Archaeologist, Dan Melone at the History Center of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff. Held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, February 8, the free event (suggested donation $10) will discuss the people of the pre-settlement Chicago period, and what was left behind. More specifically, Dan will present his prehistoric and historic findings from the region. Register online at lflbhistory.org.

Conservation Cocktails, February 10

Come explore the trails and quiet woods to find out what animals are awake and braving the cold winter night on this Friday night “Conservation Cocktails” hike at Mellody Farm Nature Preserve. Held from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., the cost for this event is $15 per person for members and $20 per person for non-members. Participants are advised to dress for the weather and feel free to bring snowshoes if there is at least 4 inches of snow on the ground. Register online at lfola.org.

Even in chilly winter weather, there are ways to enjoy the great outdoors while learning more about nature.

MIDWEST ESCAPE

BY MITCH HURST THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

Snow or sun. Slopes or sand. That’s what most people think of when they are pondering a winter getaway. Some prefer the warmth of the beach, while others yearn for speed on skis. Often overlooked is a third, much more convenient and practical option, especially for residents of the North Shore.

Five years ago, Bloomington, Indiana, celebrated its bicentennial. The home of the University of Indiana—and the Hoosiers— Bloomington has a population of 50,000 that doubles when the university is in session. It’s the students and the surrounding geography that make towns like Bloomington attractive to visitors looking for new adventures.

“Bloomington was built inside the middle of a national forest, so forest surrounds us. What's fantastic about it is we've got three lakes and hundreds of thousands of acres of timber and trails all around us for people to enjoy outdoor recreation,” says Mike McAfee, Executive Director of Visit Bloomington. “We're always ranked the top outdoor adventure town in the state of Indiana, so people come here from all over the place to hike and fish.”

Cycling is also a major outdoor activity in Bloomington. The University hosts its annual “Little 500” cycling race in April, a relay race that takes place on the cinder track at IU’s Bill Armstrong Stadium. There are also great mountain biking trails nearby.

“We happen to be located next door to Brown County, Indiana, which is really considered the best mountain biking in

the country east of the Mississippi River,” McAfee says.

Because of its geographic location, Bloomington is also a destination for hikers. Just 30 minutes from downtown Bloomington and the IU campus resides Indiana's only national forest. Comprised of over 200,000 acres, Hoosier National Forest features hiking trails as well as other nature activities to enjoy during any season.

“Glaciers cut through and they carved out what's called the Indiana Uplands region. We're right in the heart of that,” McAfee says. “The terrain is great for hiking, and it makes for a fabulous get away that's kind of unique and a change of pace for people from the Chicago area.”

McAfee says that for a town of just 50,000 permanent residents, Bloomington has a remarkably vibrant and diverse dining scene. Visitors can taste the world, with a list of restaurant options that include Turkish, Tibetan, Venezuelan, Burmese, Italian, Mexican, Thai, Chinese, French, and Japanese cuisine, among others.

In addition to its many restaurants and its outdoor recreational offerings, arts are an integral part of the local scene in Bloomington.

Art galleries dot the downtown area and the IU campus, and with IU boasting of one the nation’s top music programs, a cello or piano recital is never more than a few blocks away.

“What’s great is our university campus borders up right against our downtown and the big square in the area where everybody hangs out, called the Sample Gates,” says McAfee. “We're also a sporting town and it's pretty incredible right now. Both IU basketball teams are doing great, and our soccer team has won five national titles.”

What might be most appealing about Bloomington, especially this time of year, is the relatively mild weather. Sure, it’s still the Midwest, but visitors coming from the North Shore will find most of the time a light jacket, rather than a parka, will suffice for February in Bloomington.

“You can cycle year-round, and you can get outside and enjoy outdoor activities all year long,” McAfee says. “It's very affordable and easy to live here because it is still a small town and easy to get around, cheap parking, and cheap to stay in one of our many cool, boutique hotels or unique Airbnbs.”

Visitors can also opt to stay out on one of the lakes in a cabin, or on a yurt at the

Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center, which was opened by the Dalai Lama’s brother, who taught at IU years ago.

And Bloomington hasn’t forgotten about the kids. The Wonder Lab Museum is a science museum just for kids and there are trampoline parks. Some of the art galleries have kids’ activities and exhibitions geared toward them.

“There's a lot of live music for families and kids at some of the different venues and clubs in town,” McAfee says. “It’s very much a family atmosphere.”

McAfee says about two million visitors a year come to Bloomington, and plenty of those are during the winter. But the city wants potential visitors to know there is room for plenty more.

“Bloomington is a great winter escape with impressive international dining, cultural events, wineries, breweries, winter hikes, and some excellent birding and wildlife sightings,” he says. “It’s a destination to explore this winter.”

For more information about what’s happening in Bloomington this winter, go to visitbloomington.com.

Just a three-hour drive away, Bloomington, Indiana, offers couples and families the perfect spot to escape for a weekend of winter fun.

The Sample Gates serves as a gateway between the University of Indiana campus and downtown Bloomington.

The North Shore Weekend combines a local news digest of doings and reviews with stunning art and photography for which the NS Weekend is known, together with lifestyle features, which enriches the leisure time of our devoted Saturday and Sunday readership since 2012.

CATCH THE FEVER

We talk to Winnetka native Ann Hampton Callaway about her new tribute to Peggy Lee, released just in time for Valentine’s Day.

BY GREGG SHAPIRO THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

More than 30 years since the release of her debut album, jazz vocalist, songwriter, and Winnetka-native Ann Hampton Callaway shows no sign of slowing down. With well over a dozen albums to her name, including live and holiday recordings, as well as collaborations with her sister Liz Callaway, Ann is a prolific recording artist. Additionally, her songs have appeared on movie soundtracks, and more significantly on albums by Barbra Streisand. She’s even comfortable joking about what may be her most famous tune, the theme song to the popular ‘90s sitcom, The Nanny (starring Fran Drescher). As if that wasn’t enough, Callaway is known as a dynamic live performer who regularly tours with themed concerts. Her latest album, Fever: A Peggy Lee Celebration! (Palmetto), a musical love letter to Peggy Lee, is being released, fittingly enough on Valentine’s Day. Callaway was generous enough to make time in her busy schedule in advance of the album’s release to talk about her career and influences.

Ann, your artist legacy series has featured your musical tributes to Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and Linda Ronstadt ... …and Barbra Streisand. My (artist legacy series) recordings have been Ella and Sarah. Then I did a CD called Signature where it was a compilation of tributes to my favorite male and female jazz singers. I like saying thank you and I like studying people and finding out how to do a portrait of them musically that's still allows me to be myself as a singer.

Did Peggy Lee’s centennial, as well as the 20th anniversary of her passing, have anything to do with why she’s the focus of your new album Fever: A Peggy Lee Celebration!?

Yes. The centennial was very much a time when I thought I could finally do a serious portrait of her in the way that I gave the artistic attention to these other wonderful artists that I have covered. Since I've been a friend of the Peggy Lee family for so long—I met them in 2003. I had performed symphony concerts honoring her. I've learned so much about her over the years. She's been a lifelong influence for me. It seemed like the perfect time to do a serious musical portrait of her for my live concerts. When Missi from Palmetto Records asked me “What do you want to do?” We’d just finished a great run in New York and my previous record was Jazz Goes to the Movies. We did that recording a few months after we had done a long run and I found that it was such a great situation to record in because the band was so deep into the songs that it could be recorded in a day and it could be musically exciting and

satisfying. It was just the aligning of stars for me to be able to finally write my love letter (to Peggy Lee) through a recording, as well as a live show. One of the things that makes the record special is that because I'm friends with Peggy's granddaughter Holly Foster Wells, I had access to so many wonderful things, such as getting an unpublished poem by Peggy Lee and getting to write music for it and singing a song that had never been released as a recording before. Things like that that make it not just a bunch of Peggy Lee songs but something that tells a story about her life and shows the uniqueness of her contribution as a songwriter, which I think has been really a neglected part of her career in terms of people understanding what a huge difference she made in the industry.

Do you remember the first Peggy Lee song you ever heard?

I'm pretty sure it was “Fever.” That came out the year that I was born. My father (the late Chicago Tonight anchor, John Callaway) I think, had a little bit of a crush on Peggy. I just remember seeing that beautiful blonde lady with her pretty voice and thinking, “Wow, she seems really magical.” As I became a mature person and a person who loved jazz and great music, then I got to know who she was and what she was about. But “Fever,” and [music from] that whole time period, were some of

her best records, and my parents had a hefty collection of Peggy Lee albums, including that one.

With so many Lee originals from which to choose, how were you able to narrow it down to “I Don’t Know Enough About You,” “I Love Being Here With You,” “Johnny Guitar,” “Where Can I Go Without You?,” “Angels On Your Pillow,” and the “This Is A Very Special Day/It’s A Good Day” medley?

You have to understand that when I do these shows, I tell stories that help people to care more about her as a singer which helps the songs to have a lot more resonance. Some of the stories of my live show portray when she was finally getting to accept the fact that she did want to be a singer, and not just be a retired singer and a devoted wife and mother. She started writing with her husband, and those hit songs that she wrote, that’s a part of the storytelling. Her love affair with David Barbour, who was very much the real key to her heart, and yet kind of a tragic relationship, became a throughline in the story. How did she cope with it? How did she feel? How did she express herself? There's a lot of resonance in her life story that these songs reflect and that was one of the main influences of why I narrowed them down. Also, I just thought they were exquisite songs. I have two songs from her Peggy Lee Broadway show called

“Peg” in 1983. “Angels on your Pillow,” and the song that had never been released before, “The Other Half of Me,” are both from that show and co-written with Paul Horner, who is a wonderful composer who I don't believe has really gotten his due in terms of the quality of music that he writes. He’s a delightful gentleman who I have spoken with on the phone many times. I felt like since she wanted to write about her life in that show and share what mattered to her, that those two songs would be an excellent emotional source of resonance for the record,

When you approach Lee’s covers of songs that were written by others, did you feel pulled towards honoring her rendition or trying to leave your own mark, or maybe a combination of both?

It was definitely a combination of both, on “Fever,” and a few other pieces. Most of the record has my own stamp on things, but “Fever” is so iconic I didn't really feel like I could do much. I've heard many recordings of people singing “Fever” that did not come near what I think of as the sultry, sexy power of what Peggy Lee did. How I made that my own was I wrote a verse. She wrote new verses and a bridge to “Fever” to make it a hit song. I wrote about her and her relationship with Dave Barbour. We put piano in it that was not something she had in her rendition. Some of

the really iconic things that make people go, “Oh my God. I love that!” It's hard not to put a little bit of that in. My favorite arranger from that period is Nelson Riddle, and he did such great work for her. So, the duet that I do (on “The Glory of Love”) with John Pizzarelli, who is one of my favorite artists of my generation, was based on his arrangement of that. I think it has a very charming quality to it, and I didn't think I could do better.

Speaking of covers, Lee’s creative relationship with songwriting duo Lieber and Stoller resulted in one of her biggest hits “Is That All There Is?,” as well as entire album of their songs, including “Ready to Begin Again,” which was recently covered by fellow North Shore native Christine Ebersole on her new album

Oh, wow!

Had you considered recording any of the Lieber and Stoller tunes?

I recorded “I'm A Woman,” and I was not happy with it. I didn’t feel it was my best work, so I took it off the record even though I think it's such a great song. I had already recorded the Lieber/Stoller “Is That All There Is?,” which I thought I did such a lovely job of, on my album Signature. I didn't think I wanted to do another version for this record. It's an interesting piece because sometimes people don't understand how meaningful it was. I do that song in my live shows, but because I already thought I covered it well in that other record I didn't re-explore it for another record-

ing. I was very disappointed that “I'm A Woman” didn't sound better. It also didn't quite fit how the album evolved.

It’s sort of a sultry, beautiful listening experience. It’s romantic and it’s coming out around Valentine's Day. It seemed sort of jarring in the setting with the rest of the songs. It was a difficult thing to say, “All right, I'm cutting this song,” because I love it so much.

We’re talking a few days before Christmas, and my friend Dan recently turned me onto Peggy Lee’s stunning song “My Dear Acquaintance (A Happy New Year).” Do you have a favorite Peggy Lee holiday song?

That remains to be explored, but she has written some lovely pieces. That's a great idea for me to look at. I love that song. It's very charming. Who knows? I might sit at my piano and play it before the new year begins.

Have you started thinking about who’s next in the Artist Legacy series?

Right now, my legacy series is taking a little turn in the new year. After honoring one of the people who helped me have a road ahead to be singer/ songwriter, I'm going to be releasing a record later in 2023 called Finding Beauty of all my original songs. I’ve written some of these songs with great people like Alan Bergman. Melissa Manchester and I are working on the last song right now. I think because the pandemic made me feel like, “Oh my goodness, we don't know how long we have,” what's really important to me is that I have so many songs that haven't been heard or recorded, this is going to be a part of my life now where I want to give more attention to how I see the world, what I learned in my life, and what matters to me. It

takes a certain amount of courage to do something that people don't necessarily know they want to hear. Although people who come to my shows frequently tell me that their favorite songs are the ones that I wrote. Even though I have hits on Barbra Streisand's records and I've written with people like Carole King and many other wonderful people, it's still kind of a little bit of a secret of my songwriting. They just think I wrote and sang “The Nanny” theme [laughs]. But there will be other people that I want to portray. I did a lovely show about Judy Garland. This year is her actual centennial, and I would have loved to have done something on her, as well, in a recording. What I'd love to do is do all my divas and have a box set of these shows. I think that would be a really exciting project.

Finally, Oscar-nominated actress Michelle Williams has been cast to play Peggy Lee in filmmaker Todd Haynes’ Lee biopic Fever. What do you think of that choice?

I think it's a brilliant choice! She’s an incredibly exciting actress, especially when I saw her portrayal of Gwen Verdon in Fosse/Verdon She’s such an extraordinary actress. Her ability to create somebody who has many sides to them at the same time will serve her very well playing Peggy Lee. She has the sensuality, the intelligence, the vulnerability, and she has the power. I know how strongly Holly feels about her playing her grandmother. If Holly believes in her, I have no doubt she will give us a sensational performance, and probably get an Oscar nomination for it. That would be my guess.

THE MAN IN THE BASEMENT

RUNNING TIME: 1 hour, 50 minutes

RATING: 3.5 stars

BY REX REED THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

In the profound and deeply troubling French film The Man in the Basement, a man named Simon Sandberg (played by the amiable and ingratiating Jeremie Renier, a real discovery) sells a small cellar apartment in his co-op building to meet additional expenses needed for a new maintenance increase. The buyer, an exacting and thorny old coot named Jacques Fonzic (Francois Cluzet) who, according to contract, is supposed to use the space only for storage, takes advantage of Simon's postponement of the lease (a big mistake), and moves in and sleeps there, breaking the building rules and causing immediate problems for all of the other neighbors. He litters the courtyard with garbage, traumatizes the Sandberg daughter by accusing her of pretending to be Catholic to avoid admitting her family name is really Jewish, uses the rest room in the cafe across the street and never says "Thank you", instead calling the bartender a "dirty Arab". So, he's not only arrogant and rude, but a racist, too. Investigating Fonzic's claims that he lost a job as a history professor because he told the truth about falsified historic facts, Simon is appalled to learn that Fonzic was really fired in disgrace for teaching his students monstrous lies to support his own revisionist opinions about everything from the American Indians (they were really nice people destroyed by the greedy American government for real estate) to the Holocaust (six million Jews didn't die in World War II and the German concentration camps were a figment of somebody's imagination) to Joan of Arc (who was never burned at any stake) and Napoleon (who never died in St. Helena). In fact, he was terminated for teaching his students the Holocaust was a hoax that never existed at all.

Now that Simon Sandberg, who is Jewish but not particularly religious, is mortified that he has unknowingly sold real

estate of his own to an anti-Semite, he wants to cancel the sale. Fonzic refuses to return the keys. And he's supported on the internet by organized neo-Fascists spouting conspiracy theories and other online conservatives who martyr him for losing his job because of freedom of speech.

Lawyers are hired. In-fighting turns other residents of the co-op against each other, mouthing the old adage that there are two sides to every story. Family members fight among themselves and the daughter shocks them all by siding with the heinous heel who acts as the wedge between her family's sometimes unfair legal pursuits and their rightful need for justice. What the law teaches Simon is that in a free society, you can't prosecute anyone for right-wing thinking just because you don't agree with them. (The reverse is also veracious, but politicians are so corrupt today that they don't give decency, integrity, and fair play an equal shake. This is a film that should be required viewing on both sides of the Congressional aisle.)

The riveting screenplay by director Philippe de Guay (with an assist from writers Gilles Taurand and Marc Weitzman) examines the diverse issues that plague and divide the world we live in now and his smart, balanced direction will give you valid reasons to question your own political dynamics. Character revelations enhance the ideological issues boiling beneath the surface of a film so relevant to the alarming and unsettling times we wake up to daily.

The level of professional acting makes for an entrancing ensemble. Jeremie Renier and Berenice Bejo are perfect as the couple whose placid olives are invaded and challenged by the impact of radical thinking. My only reservation is the unresolved ending. Exhausted by the endless court battles, negative publicity, legal snafus, and personal defeats, the basement is empty and deserted, and the rightful owner still in question.

It's the kind of conclusion that plunges you into limbo and their lives will never be the same. But as it unfolds, The Man in the Basement is as provocative, intelligent, and suspenseful as anything you are likely to see this year.

Illustration by Tom Bachtell

Famed film critic Rex Reed weighs in on The Man in the Basement and Maybe I Do.

This riveting French film examines the diverse issues that plague and divide the world we live in today.

MAYBE I DO

Despite a star-studded cast, this poorly penned romantic comedy leaves much to be desired.

RUNNING TIME: 1 hour, 34 minutes

RATING: 2 stars

BY REX REED THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

Talky, labored, and lost in mediocrity, Maybe I Do is another sad example of what happens to seasoned pros when they hang around long enough to end up in material that is regrettably beneath them. They want to work to keep flagging careers alive, but with worthy vehicles so few and far between, they're forced to accept whatever lean projects come their way.

As much as I admire, respect, and look forward to seeing Diane Keaton, Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, and William H. Macy on the screen, this glamorous ensemble can do nothing to lift the deadly dullness of an alleged romantic comedy called Maybe I Do. With stars like these, this should be a cause for rejoicing. Instead, it seems doubly disappointing.

Badly written and clumsily directed by Michael Jacobs, it focuses (briefly) on an attractive young couple, Allen and Michelle (Luke Bracey and Emma Roberts), who, after debating, bickering and over-analyzing their relationship, decide to make a giant leap forward and tie the knot. There's one final knot to untie first—they must arrange a dinner to introduce their parents.

The big shock is that they know each other already. Michelle's father (Richard Gere) has been sleeping with Allen's mother (Susan Sarandon) for four months, and her mother (Diane Keaton) had a one-night stand with Allen's wimpy father (William H. Macy) after she picked him up in a movie theater. With no idea what they're in for, Sarandon and Macy go to Keaton and Gere's ghastly suburban house in Mamaroneck and what follows is controlled farce with everyone overacting in a script that is never remotely believable.

While all hell breaks loose, the rest of the movie forces them all to drive each other mad with interminable debates about guilt, infidelity, commitment, and the archaic value of marital vows. Each actor miraculously manages a few moments of splendid candor and revelation, but the film, restricted by its adaptation

by the director from his flop stage play, never succeeds in finding the necessary freedom to escape from an obvious claustrophobic, stage-bound narrative into something three-dimensional that might engage a viewer's interest beyond the proscenium.

Movies are not plays; they need room to grow and fresh air to breathe. Maybe I Do, a spin on the words exchanged since Day One at wedding ceremonies everywhere, never extends beyond cardboard.

The characters are all neurotic and miserable, but not in any interesting way—resulting in stilted dialogue that never comes alive, spoken in the style of phony monologues that keep you glancing at your watch. Daughter Michelle: "We have to decide whether we get married or break up." Michelle's father: "Honey, you can't think about spending your life with someone or never seeing them again, at the same time." Allen's mother: "Well, sure you can. Those are the choices." Each star gets a star-turn at pretentious blather. Macy: "Love is just a word we've attached to describe the feeling we won't really understand until we're old enough to look back on it—and wonder if we ever did." And what about Sarandon, who looks gorgeous and gets the worst lines: "You know what killed relationships? Antibiotics. 'Till death do us part' needed a re-write after penicillin." The whole movie needs a re-write, if you ask me.

What attracted an enlightened cast like this, liberated politically and sexually, to a film mired in naivete and dated ignorance is a mystery. All four stars have made careers playing hip, balanced, outspoken people in everything from American Gigolo to Looking for Mr. Goodbar and Boogie Nights. Now they're playing stale, clueless clods with no defining characteristics beyond the usual conservative cliches. And I fear they're doing it to make money and keep their careers afloat because they aren't being offered anything better to do. This is a crime that must be rectified at once.

Bottom line: despite a surfeit of mistakes, is Maybe I Do any good? Are you kidding? In the end, when each husband convinces his wife "the best part of the rest of my life is you," is cringe-inducing. Is it worth seeing anyway? Your move.

EDITED BY DUSTIN O’REGAN THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

#ON MY MOBILE

“In the morning, I wake up around 5:00 a.m. so that I can enjoy some peace and quiet before the rest of the house wakes up. I often read The New York Times, listen to NPR, and follow a few key influencers on Instagram. One of my favorites is Kate Van Doren, an extraordinarily talented artist based in Mexico whom I was matched with during Twist Out Cancer’s 2021 “Brushes with Cancer” event. Her ability to capture the human condition is unparalleled. I also love following my dear friend Ethan Zohn, a two-time cancer survivor and the winner of Survivor: Africa. He is a tremendous advocate in the cancer space and a wonderful mentor.”

#IN MY AIRPODS

“I am a music fanatic. Before my career in nonprofit organizations, I managed bands and booked tours for some of the world’s leading artists. I can be found listening to Melody Gardot, my dear friends Sam Barsh and Jesse Palter, Leon Bridges, Jon Batiste, Bon Iver, Ray LaMontagne, Paul Simon, Arooj Aftab, and Idan Raichel. My playlist reflects that I am a big lover of jazz and world music. If you follow me on Spotify, you will of course find me listening to some Blackpink, Spice Girls, and Raffi to appease my little ones at home.”

#ON MY NIGHTSTAND

“As a mom of two girls, Lilou (16 months) and Noa (7 years old), it is hard to find time to read for pleasure. The last book I read was Between Two Kingdoms, written by my dear friend Suleika Jaouad. Suleika’s stunning and heart-wrenching account of what life is like living between the kingdom of the sick and the kingdom of the well resonates deeply with me. On my nightstand, you will also find The Orchid and the Dandelion: Why Some Children Struggle and How All Can Thrive, written by Dr. W. Thomas Boyce. This book has provided me with important insights on how best to parent an extraordinary child who beats to her own drum.”

Glencoe native JENNA BENN SHERSHER is a 40-year-old cancer survivor, civil rights advocate, world traveler, and big dreamer. At the age of 29, she was diagnosed with Gray Zone Lymphoma, a rare form of cancer. Soon after completing treatment, she founded Twist Out Cancer, a nonprofit organization that provides psychosocial support to individuals touched by cancer through creative arts programming. Since its inception, the organization has reached more than 200,000 people around the world and is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Here is how Benn Shersher, an ambitious advocate stays on-trend.

ILLUSTRATION BY TOM BACHTELL

Red Plum Galette

For a lovely dessert, create this rustic plum galette with a flaky, buttery crust folded over juicy plums.

BY MONICA KASS ROGERS THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

Of the many juicy fruits that come with nature’s bounty, red plums are among my favorites. A simple galette is an easy way to highlight them. The word galette—French for “flat cake”—originated in the 14th century, and over the centuries the term has been applied to a wide array of sweet and savory treats, all baked on a flat, round crust. This red plum galette is a free-form pie with some almond flour added to the dough for a pleasantly flavored crunch. A light glaze of apricot preserves adds to the golden glow of the fruit. You can make this with other plum varieties or even fresh peaches. This versatile dessert tastes delightful when served warm with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or when served chilled and topped with crème fraiche.

INGREDIENTS

For the galette crust:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup almond flour

• 1 3/4 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water

For the red plum filling:

• 1/2 cup sugar, plus 1 teaspoon for sprinkling on assembled galette crust

• 1/4 cup almond flour

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 6 or 7 ripe red plums, halved, pitted, and cut into slim wedges

• 1/4 stick unsalted butter, cut into tiny pieces

• 1 egg mixed with 1 teaspoon water for egg wash

• 3 tablespoons smooth apricot preserves

METHOD

For galette crust:

Sift almond flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt into a wide shallow bowl. Cut in the unsalted butter until mixture resembles wet sand with some bits of butter still visible throughout. With a fork, stir in just enough ice water for mixture to start clumping together. Spread work surface with two overlapping pieces of plastic wrap. Tip crust mixture onto plastic. Gather up plastic around the mass and knead through the plastic to form a ball of dough. Spread plastic back onto work surface. Flatten dough into a round disk. Cover with two more overlapping sheets of plastic. Roll out into an 18-inch circle. Transfer crust with plastic sheets still intact, to a flat baking sheet or large, flat, and round pizza pan. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

For filling:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees with oven rack set to center position. Combine 1/4 cup of the sugar with the almond flour and all-pur-

pose flour to make “crust dust.” Remove galette crust from refrigerator. Remove plastic wrap from the top of the crust. Line a large sheet pan or pizza pan with parchment paper. Invert crust onto parchment. Remove remaining plastic wrap from crust. Sprinkle “crust dust” evenly over the dough, leaving the two inches nearest the edge bare. Place the plum wedges in a bowl; stir remaining 1/4 cup sugar into the plums. Pile the sugared plum wedges onto the prepared crust; dot with the butter pieces. Fold the edge of the dough up and over the plums nearest the edge to create a 2-inch border, pleating crust as needed. Brush edges of crust with egg wash. Sprinkle with remaining teaspoon of sugar. Bake the galette for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the fruit is very soft, and the crust is nicely browned. Remove from oven; brush fruit with apricot preserves. Cool galette to room temperature. Slide galette onto serving platter, removing parchment. Slice and serve galette on its own, warm with vanilla ice cream or chilled with crème fraiche.

FRIENDS OF PRENTICE

Friends of Prentice (FOP) hosted its 36th annual fall fundraiser with a “Celebrate with Friends” theme. FOP, a nonprofit organization working in partnership with Northwestern Medicine Prentice Women’s Hospital to fund innovative and leading-edge research benefitting the lives of women, raised more than $650,000. The fundraiser was held in person at Theater on the Lake and welcomed more than 400 of Chicago’s business and philanthropic leaders. The dollars raised will go toward awarding doctors and clinicians grants needed to continue their life-saving research across all areas of women’s health. friendsofprentice.org

MATERIAL PURSUITS

This weekend’s curated luxury trends.

TRIPLE ZERO

“Remember when car magazines were captivating?” asks the marketing team of a decadent (think suede-finish soft covers) quarterly for Porsche aficionados. “When they arrived on your door and you knew you had hours of quiet enjoyment ahead?” Yes, and yes, you might say. If so, the masterminds behind 000 Magazine (that’s triple zero) have an offer that might be impossible to refuse. Pete Stout and Alex Palevsky’s quarterly art journal devoted to all things Porsche aims to provide “long-form deep dives in order to create an alternative to a nice night out—as well as an elixir for today’s endless drop-down notifications and hyperlinks that bounce you right out of Its name is a reference to the marque’s three-digit model type numerology and a promise to explore Porsche from its origins without skimping on pages or possibilities. As a subscriber (get four issues per year, starting at $275) you can expect to receive 260 pages filled with extraordinary photos in lavish layouts, thought-provoking stories, unseen archival images, photos of original documents, and insider intel—delivered straight to your doorstep in a custom, oversized box. If you want to take it to the next level, opt for the LimitedS Edition, a collectible, hardcover version priced at $999 and limited to just 999 subscribers worldwide. Find out more at 000magazine.com.

FROM DIOR TO THE DRAWING ROOM

As France’s most prominent host and the artistic director of Dior Home and Baby Dior, Cordelia de Castellane is a leading ambassador of the Gallic lifestyle. Simply put, she is to French entertaining what Inès de la Fressange is to French style. Drawing from her illustrious career, family life, and lively social circle, she invites readers into her welcoming world of stylish hospitality in her book Life in a French Country House: Entertaining for All Seasons published by Rizzoli. Organized according to the seasons of the year— spring, summer, fall, and winter—the chapters uncover de Castellane’s tips and inspirations for living and entertaining à la française. With individual sections dedicated to seasonal tableware, recipes and menus, interior design, flower arranging, and more, readers will delight in learning how to recreate chic French style for special events and everyday occasions alike—from a summer lunch on the grass to an elegant Christmas. For more information and to purchase a copy, visit rizzoliusa.com.

LIVEWIRE PREVIEWS S2 DEL MAR ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE

The new S2 Del Mar™ model from LiveWire™, the all-electric motorcycle brand spun off by Harley-Davidson, will reach dealers in early 2023 with a price of about $15,000. The proprietary S2 ARROW architecture was created at LiveWire Labs in Mountain View, California, but the bike’s lean “street-tracker” styling has its roots in Harley-Davidson racing legend. Expected to weigh less than 440 pounds and to be powered by an 80-horsepower motor, the S2 Del Mar should be blazing quick–LiveWire predicts 0-60 mph in less than 3.5 seconds. The anticipated range in city riding is 100 miles. For more information, visit livewire.com.

Photography by Zoe Rain

HEATHER AND JOE NAPOLI, ALEX JACOBSON

KATE GIBBS, RONELLE BERLIN, ANGELA HUNSICKER, TRACY ROEMER

DONNA SOCOL, SHANNON FLAVIN, KRISTEN FIELD SARA DYM, NIK MOZOLEWSKI NEIL PEARLMAN, EDEN JURON, MORGAN GROTEWOLD

KRISTEN FIELD, JUSTINE LIEBLING

DAN AND NIKKI BLANK

END ZONE

Ex-Buffalo Bills linebacker John Holecek opts to step down and tackle his "next chapter" after coaching Loyola Academy's storied football program to three state championships in 17 years—including one in his final game.

BY BILL MCLEAN ILLUSTRATION BY BARRY BLITT

John Holecek’s winning percentage in armwrestling bouts against NFL Hall of Fame running backs isn’t anywhere close to the success rate (185-35, .841) he enjoyed in 17 seasons as Loyola Academy’s head football coach.

It’s at .000.

Chicago Bears great Walter Payton gripped Holecek’s right hand some 30 years ago and slammed it hard for the triumph, all while flashing a smile that temporarily blinded half the population of North America.

“My all-time favorite football player, absolutely, hands down,” Holecek says of the late icon. “I was 12 or 13 when Walter played for the 1985 Super Bowl champions. Loved those Bears. I was a linebacker in college (at the University of Illinois) when Walter, scheduled to appear later at an event on campus, walked up to me and my teammate Dana Howard and shouted, ‘Hey, tough guys!’

“Dana and I were known as the ‘H’ Boys,” he continues. “Walter asked us, ‘You want to armwrestle me?’”

Did they have a choice?

“I lasted between five and 15 seconds,” Holecek recalls. “Walter got me. Good thing Dana lost, too.”

Loyola Academy’s venerable football program suffered a major loss when Holecek, 50, informed the Wilmette-based Jesuit high school in December that he had decided to step down as coach, less than two weeks after guiding his Ramblers to the Class 8A state championship at Memorial Stadium—the same venue where he’d delivered resounding, pad-cracking, textbook tackles for the Fighting Illini from 1990-1994.

Holecek had also coached state-title squads in 2015 and 2018 and worked along the Ramblers’ sideline in four other state championship games since succeeding Carl Favaro in 2006.

“I’m going to relax, see what happens,” says Holecek, who got drafted in 1995 by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round (144th overall pick) and played for the franchise for six seasons. “We have a place in Michigan; maybe I’ll spend a lot of time up there after my last day at Loyola in June. I’ll also have more time for family and friends.

“It’s going to be different for me, for sure. I’ve been involved in football, in one way or another, every summer and every fall since I was 7.”

Holecek played football and baseball and wrestled at Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights. The lad could hit hard on diamonds, too. As a sophomore catcher on varsity, in a playoff game against Rich South High School, Holecek went 3-for-4 with a home run and a triple. The homer cleared the wall in dead center field and finally stopped rolling a month later, give or take a few hours.

But Big Ten football coaches coveted the skills and mindset of Holecek, the middle linebacker. He would focus on becoming the best gridder he could be, not the next Carlton Fisk. Holecek suited up for four bowl games at Illinois and ranks fifth in career tackles (436) at the school.

The 6-foot-2, 242-pound Holecek played for the Buffalo Bills, first under head coach Marv Levy and then under Wade Phillips, from 19952000 and joined the San Diego Chargers in 2001 and the Atlanta Falcons in 2002. He led the Bills in tackles (133) in 1998 and recorded a careerhigh 165 stops in 2000.

Two of Holecek’s most memorable professional highlights occurred in a game against the Miami Dolphins in 1999. Each involved future Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino, no less. Holecek sacked Marino, resulting in a fumble that was scooped up by a teammate and returned for a touchdown.

Holecek later picked off a Marino pass and returned the interception 35 yards.

Knee injuries and a busted right forearm ended his NFL career.

Holecek returned to his home state and served as a volunteer football assistant coach at St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago for two seasons.

Loyola Academy then welcomed him with big maroon-and-gold arms.

“I never thought I’d become a high school football coach,” admits Holecek, a Glenview resident since 2008. “I sort of fell into it. But I loved it, loved coaching intelligent, determined football players at Loyola, and loved the camaraderie I had with my assistant coaches each year.”

Holecek almost had to hand the reins over to an assistant coach before his first game at Loyola, a home contest against York High School in 2006.

“I couldn’t get off my couch at home,” Holecek

says. “I was sick. My wife (Patricia) told me to get checked out at the hospital. Found out I had meningitis. That was a stressful time for me, with three boys (Jake, Nick, and Luke), none older than 4, at home and my first Loyola football on my mind that week.”

Holecek made it to the Ramblers’ home stadium. But he had to coach from the press box because of his condition.

“I was thinking that everybody else must have been thinking, ‘What’s with this new guy? Why isn’t he on the sideline?’” Holecek says. “I wasn’t comfortable with who I was as a coach until my third or fourth season at Loyola.”

Holecek and his first crew survived York’s Dukes on that afternoon, taking an intentional safety late in a 30-29 victory.

“Fantastic game,” Holecek says.

Loyola Academy qualified for the state playoffs and went 7-4 in 2006. Holecek would never have to order his Ramblers to turn in their uniforms before the start of the postseason in any of the next 16 seasons either. Remarkable. Then there’s this: Loyola Academy lost a grand total of zero home games from 2012-2018.

Holecek’s 2015 club went 14-0, outscoring opponents by a combined 558-123. Average margin of victory: 40-9. Not fair. The Ramblers routed Marist’s RedHawks 41-0 in the state championship game.

“Students choose to attend Loyola because of the school’s great academics,” says Holecek, named USA Today “Coach of the Year” for the ALL-USA Illinois Football Team in 2018. “The athletic programs Loyola offers impress many of those same students. They like the way the two fit. Loyola students are respectful, and they’re men and women for others (St. Ignatius of Loyola’s fundamental belief).

“My biggest reward, as a coach, was each time I looked at a player and realized, yes, he gets it— he’s playing football for all the right reasons.”

Letters. Holecek gets plenty of them from former players.

“Some of the letters … they’re touching,” he says.

The coach’s eyes well up.

“One player wrote, ‘Thanks for taking a chance on me,’” he continues. “Another wrote, ‘When times get tough, I ask myself one question— What would Coach Holecek do?’”

Holecek revisits a lighter moment, this one involving his wife. They first met at the University of Illinois, where Patricia majored in dance and John doubled-majored in finance and football.

“She entered my dorm room one day and noticed my shoes on the floor, size 14,” Holecek says. “She said, ‘Those are huge. They look like trick skis’.”

Loyola Academy’s football program has some huge shoes to fill. They’re bigger than trick skis. Picture a pair of canoes.

It’s going to be different for me, for sure. I’ve been involved in football, in one way or another, every summer and every fall since I was 7.

John Holecek