The North Shore Weekend, April 13th, 2024

BE A VET FOR A DAY!

Meet our vets and learn about what our veterinarians do every day to keep our pets healthy and happy at our interactive event for children and families!

S A T U R D A Y

April 20th

Starting at 10:00am

Limited capacity, check out our website to register!

www.pets4.com

661 Central Ave, Highland Park, IL 60035

NEW! This one-of-a-kind experience is designed for girls who love to dream, build, and create. Campers explore and discover entrepreneurship, innovation, and design thinking as well as how to make a positive impact in their community. Our campers walk away with the skills to succeed in and shape the future.

During the two-week camp girls will learn:

• The basics of entrepreneurship including idea generation, market research, business planning, and funding

• The skills to design their own for-profit or non-profit venture

• Creative problem-solving skills

• College readiness skills

• Confidence by acquiring and showcasing their new-found entrepreneurial skills, taking intelligent risks, and fearlessly pitching their ideas Entrepreneurship & STEM Summer Camp FOR

The Entrepreneurship & STEM Summer Camp is offered at Gorton Community Center, Lake Forest.

Go to girlgonnalaunch.org to sign up!

SPACE IS LIMITED.

A career in advertising. It’s what Lisa Wolfe always wanted. Until it wasn’t.

“I had known that was what I wanted to do since I was in high school,” recalls Wolfe, a Lake Forest resident. “To have that kind of clarity at 15 was pretty remarkable, but once I got into the industry, I realized that the dynamics of corporate life were not a good fit for me.”

Born into a military family that was always on the move, Wolfe spent many summers peeling wallpaper and clearing out renovation debris as her mother made yet another house a home. “I thought of that as a hobby,” says Wolfe. “I didn’t know there were actual interior designers out there.” But those early experiences took root and when Wolfe decided to leave the advertising world, she set her sights on a design career. “I knew I had an innate talent—I understood what looked good—but I needed to understand the ‘why’... the principles and theories behind design,” she relates. “Harrington College of Design offered an associate’s degree so I jumped in headfirst.”

That was twenty years ago. Today, she operates Lisa Wolfe Design, a thriving,

am definitely a ‘more is more person.’ I want layers and layers of color and pattern and texture.”

An avid traveler, Wolfe always keeps an eye peeled—not for trends, but for extraordinary motifs and forms that might inspire future projects. “The things I find follow me,” she notes. “I’ve gone back to photos for door, window, and staircase detailing. I was in

carriage house built in 1869 and transformed into a residence around 1914 by the prolific architect David Adler, who designed many of the country estates on the North Shore “We bought it about a year ago after writing the owner a letter and right now, I am my own guinea pig as I go room by room,” relates Wolfe. “I am trying things I haven’t asked my clients to do. For example, right now I have

“lean and mean” boutique firm offering bespoke residential services. Like any design pro worth her salt, Wolfe always puts her clients’ desires first, but she readily admits that her own taste informs what she does for homeowners. “I do have a personal style. I love fabric, I love wallpaper, I love vintage lighting. I’m obsessed with anything French It’s just the way I’m wired and that comes out in the recommendations to my clients. I

France, in the Loire Valley, and visited a chateau that had a ‘mourning’ room painted black, adorned with skulls and thorny crowns. All very heavy, but there was something so beautiful about it. That’s been in my head since 2016 and I want to use that idea to create a custom wall treatment for a bathroom in my own house.”

Wolfe and her husband, architect and contractor, Mark DiGanci, live in a former

tassel trim, sit atop a deep plum Persian rug. The tall windows are capped with lambrequins spun from a chartreuse floral pattern, and two antique chandeliers—acquired on a trip to Italy—drip deliciously from the high ceiling. The dining room is a study in color, from the blue of the dining chairs and the green of the freewheeling botanical wallpaper to the pale purple pendants of the Turkish chandelier. Throughout the home, bold contrasts rule, as in a bedroom where the ceiling is painted in an almost aubergine shade and the walls are awash in an aqueous green and blue dragon paper.

Wolfe says that determining what to do next in her new home can keep her up all night, pondering the possibilities. “My home is my safe, happy place and even though it’s going to be more like a jewel-toned explosion versus a beige palace, it calms me to my core. I feel a special connection to this house every time I walk in, like I’m finally home.” The house is Wolfe’s dream home, a property she had missed purchasing years ago. Now that it is hers, she is going to get it just right. “Designing my home is more like an epic tale that is slowly unfolding and revealing itself in big powerful ways,” she explains, “but with a business to run, it’s going to take time.”

some white walls that I actually love. And I am someone who never wants white walls. But I have come to realize that there is a power and romance in white. But knowing me, I’ll get antsy and likely change it down the road.”

That said, Wolfe has not relinquished her love for color and pattern, for rooms that pulse with visual interest. In her sun-soaked living room, a pair of custom sofas upholstered in a pale sapphire fabric and sporting a

She and her husband sold a lot of their possessions before moving in, as the house is not only smaller than their previous residence, “but it has a quirky layout, with radiators, window seats, and lots of closets to work around,” notes Wolfe. “We simply need less, but that means everything has to count. I’m a big fan of repurposing your precious things— stenciling or painting tables, recovering chairs, turning favorite drapes into something else.” Less doesn’t mean, however, that there isn’t room for beautiful new pieces nor that the search for that perfect wallpaper must end.

For more information, visit lisawolfedesign.com.

Dining room table and chairs from Anna’s Mostly Mahogany. Fabric on chairs is Osborne & Little. The antique wall sconces are from 1stDibs. Wallpaper is Schumacher. Green side couches are from Heritage Trail Mercantile. Round yellow pillows are Ashley & Sloane. Photography by Michael Kaskel

Foyer with Schumacher wallpaper. Window treatment fabrics are Cowtan & Tout with Samuel & Sons trim. Mirror is Ashley & Sloane and table and side chair are from Anna’s Mostly Mahogany. The side chair fabric is Pollack.

Guest bedroom outfitted with a custom headboard in Schumacher fabric. Wallpaper is Schumacher, throw pillows are Ashley & Sloane, and custom swagged headboard fabric is Romo Fabrics with Samuel & Son trim.

Primary bedroom with bed by Noir, bedding by Bedside Manor, and antique side tables.

NORTH SHORE DOINGS

mantic story and music of the man once called the “Poet of the Piano.” writerstheatre.org

APRIL 13

SPACE WEEK

WHERE: Lake Bluff Library

In honor of the recent solar eclipse, the Lake Bluff Library is hosting Space Week! Children can come to the Youth Department and partake in specially themed activities and crafts. This is an all-day event on April 13 and it is free for participants. lakeblufflibrary.org

NOW THROUGH APRIL 30

JULIE COWAN ART

EXHIBIT

WHERE: Vivid Art Gallery

Support local Evanston artist, Julie Cowan, throughout the month of April with her exhibit titled, “Translucent Botanicals and Transparent Architecture.” Cowan’s art explores the beauty of botanicals and architecture through a translucent lens. The gallery will include Cowan’s work along with 25 other artists and will be on display until April 30. vividartgallery.net

NOW THROUGH MAY 12

MONSIEUR CHOPIN

WHERE: Writers Theatre

Storyteller, musician, and Chicago favorite Hershey Felder makes his Writers Theatre debut with an original script and live performance of Chopin’s gorgeous masterpieces. Days after the February 1848 revolution, Frédéric Chopin is teaching a piano lesson in Paris. Set in the Polish pianist/composer’s intimate salon, Chopin shares secrets about the piano and himself with his students—as well as playing some of his most beautiful and enduring compositions. In a tour de force performance, the beloved virtuoso actor/pianist, Felder brings to life the ro-

APRIL 13 TO 14

IL FURIOSO

WHERE: Various Locations

The Newberry Consort is hosting a series of Renaissance music influenced by the life and art of Venetian painter Jacopo Tintoretto, presented in collaboration with the early music group Incantare. This visually and aurally sumptuous program explores music by Italian composers from the Venetian School, juxtaposing musical works by Andrea Gabrieli, Gioseffo Zarlino, Nicola Vicentino, Leonora Orsina, Maddalena Casulana, Diego Ortiz, and Giovanni Priuli against visual art by Tintoretto and other Venetian artists such as Titian, Veronese, Bellini, and Bassano. A mixture of opulent antiphonal works for instruments and voices balances small-scale improvisatory solos, dances, and canzonas that mirror the richly hued textures of the paintings. newberryconsort.org

NOW THROUGH APRIL 15

NORTH SHORE ART LEAGUE WATER! SHOW

WHERE: Community House

The North Shore Art League Water! Show is back for its fourth year. This themed art show is on display through April 15 on the second floor of The Community House. Artwork is available for purchase and a portion of all proceeds go towards funding The North Shore Art League. northshoreartleague.org

NOW THROUGH APRIL 25

“YOU’RE NOT REALLY SEEING THIS”

WHERE: Evanston Art Center

Artists Kelsey Merreck

Wagner and Bryan Northup have partnered for a new exhibit at the Evanston Art Center. These pieces are made of post-consumer plastics, including shopping bags, shrink wrap, packaging, computer cables, Styrofoam, and other manners of plastic waste. Through their work, the group hopes to bring attention to the problem of plastic’s toxicity to the environment. The exhibit will run through April 25. evanstonartcenter.org

NOW THROUGH APRIL 21

TITANIC: THE EXHIBITION

WHERE: Westfield Old Orchard

Experience the story of the Titanic in a new exhibit featured at Westfield Old Orchard, running Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Guests will be able to traverse the Grand Staircase, see recreations of the ship’s interior, view artifacts from the ship, and more. The Discovery Gallery will give a glimpse at what archaeologists saw when they discovered the wreck of the Titanic. This exhibit also pays homage to the SS Eastland Disaster, which is the largest loss of life in a single shipwreck on the Great Lakes. Tickets are on sale now. thetitanicexhibition.com

NOW THROUGH SEPTEMBER 7

CIRCUSVILLE: PLAY

UNDER THE BIG TOP

WHERE: Chicago Children’s Museum

Bring your kids to the Chicago Children’s Museum to play at the circus! Children can try their hands at all of the vital roles in a circus: star of the show, ticket taker, acrobat, hot dog vendor, and more. Props and costumes for families will be provided. The circus will be in town until September 7. chicagochildrensmuseum.org

NOW THROUGH OCTOBER 13

“SHTETL

IN THE SUN”

WHERE: Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center

In the late 1970s, photographer Andy Sweet took numerous photos of Holocaust survivors living hopeful and joyous lives in South Beach, Florida. Through his images, it provides a poignant display of life after tragedy. The Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center’s exhibit, “Shtetl in the Sun: Andy Sweet’s South Beach 1977-1980,” celebrates Sweet’s work as a tribute to those who lived during that time. The exhibit will run through October 13. ilholocaustmuseum.org

APRIL 14

TIME TO DANCE

WHERE: North Shore School of Dance

The North Shore School of Dance will be hosting its Time to Dance class for women over the age of 50. This day of free dance classes encourage mobility. There will be a morning session from 10 a.m. to noon and an afternoon session from 1:30 p.m.

to 3:30 p.m. Each class will be preceded by a 30-minute orientation followed by four 20-minute classes covering ballet, modern, tap, and fitness. Ten-minute transitions will be in between the classes to chat and recuperate. There will be light refreshments provided after the sessions. The classes are free, but registration is required. Participants should wear clothes they can easily move in and socks, ballet shoes, or gym shoes. time-to-dance.org

APRIL 14

ORION CONCERTS

WHERE: Evanston

The Orion Ensemble rings in its 31st season with three “Parlez-vous Française?” concerts in April. The Ensemble will welcome guest violist Stephen Boe for a program featuring works by Françaix, Franck, Vieuxtemps, and Fauré. The final performance will be held in Evanston April 14. It will highlight French and Belgian chamber music at its finest. Tickets are $30 for general admission, $25 for seniors, and $15 for students 13 and older. Children

12 and younger are free. orionensemble.org

APRIL 17

ANIME & MANGA CLUB

WHERE: Highwood Public Library

Join Highwood Public Library for its monthly Anime & Manga Club from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. This month, teens will learn about the art of origami and the story of Sadako, who tried to create 1,000 paper cranes. The club will meet in the Highwood Library Makerspace. highwoodlibrary.org

APRIL 17

STUFFED ANIMAL SLEEPOVER

WHERE: Wilmette Public Library

Children are invited to bring their favorite stuffed animal friend to the library for a sleepover. From 6 p.m. to 7:15 p.m., children 4 to 8 years old can bring a stuffed animal they won’t miss sleeping with to read a story, make a craft, and prepare their plushies to camp for the night. The next

EDITED BY CHEYANNE LENCIONI

NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

Church of Universal Acceptance, Julie Cowan, featured artist at The Vivid Art Gallery

Continued from PG 8

morning, children can pick up their friend, who’ll have photos of their overnight adventures at the library. Parents and caregivers of children must remain in the library during the program. Registration is required. wilmettelibrary.info

APRIL 18

SPRING PLANT & TREE

SALE

WHERE: Mellody Farm

Nature Preserve

From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on April 18, Mellody Farm

Nature Preserve will be selling plants and trees native to the Lake Forest area. These plants can go into “problem spots” where the ground is too saturated, sunny, or dry and replace invasive species. Pre-orders for plants will open April 15. lfola.org

APRIL 18

PLAINS & CRANES

WHERE: Glen View Club

Witness the beautiful work of nature photographer

Michael Forseberg’s 30-year career at 10:30 a.m. at Kenilworth Garden Club’s spring luncheon. Forseberg will give a presentation about the images and stories that shaped his career. His images have been featured in Audubon, National Geographic, Nature Conservancy, and Sierra magazines. Tickets are available now. kenilworthgardenclub.org

tasting and hors d'oeuvres from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Glen View Club in Golf. All proceeds will benefit the building of an outdoor classroom for Rowe School. There is a smart casual dress code; no denim allowed. A streamlined checkout feature will be included this year using the Square app for purchases. Tickets are $95 each. Raffle tickets are also available for purchase. uncorkedfornush.com

APRIL 20

CELEBRATE EARTH!

WHERE: Lake Forest Open Lands

Celebrate Earth Day with Lake Forest Open Lands from 10 a.m. to noon. Explore the natural world through activities for all ages and abilities. This event is open to everyone, though children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Participants will enjoy birding, exploring wetlands, plant identification, herpetology, restoration, games, and guided hikes. This event will happen rain or shine. Registration is required. lfola.org

APRIL 21

A CENTENNIAL BIRTHDAY PARTY

WHERE: Kenilworth Historical Society

drinks from a bar, and festive cupcakes. Registration is required for this event. kenilworthhistory.org

APRIL 21 THROUGH FEBRUARY 25

“KENILWORTH CENTENNIAL HOMES”

WHERE: Kenilworth Historical Society

Explore the history of Kenilworth’s oldest homes and celebrate its architectural significance with a dynamic exhibit that chronicles the evolution of residential development in the village. The homes featured in this exhibit were built between 1889 and 1924. kenilworthhistory.org

APRIL 23

ADULT MYSTERY BOOK DISCUSSION

WHERE: Glencoe Public Library

Enjoy an adult mystery book discussion from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Hammond Room. Ann Walters will lead a book discussion on Donna Tartt’s The Secret History Registration is required and encouraged as soon as possible so the library can order copies for everyone. glencoelibrary.org

APRIL 24

The Winnetka-Northfield Chamber of Commerce’s 46th Annual Recognition

Lunch returns from 11 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. This event will include a meal, silent auction, and a fashion show. Outstanding contributions by local citizens, businesses, educators, and public servants will be celebrated. Tickets are on sale and registration is required. wngchamber.com

APRIL 25 TO 28

THE MUSIC MAN

WHERE: Community House

mental health scholarships through the Inspire Counseling Center’s locations in Kenilworth, Lake Forest, Northbrook, and Evanston. All funds raised benefit the programs and services of Inspire Change for Mental Health. inspirecounselingcenter.com

APRIL 26 TO 28

THE ONE OF A KIND SPRING SHOW

WHERE: The MART

APRIL 27

“SHAKIN’ & STIRRED”

WHERE: 28 Mile wwDistillery Co.

The Women’s Board of Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital will host “Shakin’ & Stirred,” an upscale casual event raising funds to support nursing education. Co-chaired by Catherine Bernardi, Jeni Hoogasian, and Anne Stewart, the event will feature cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and the band Hello Weekend. lfhwomensboard.nm.org

APRIL 28

ARTEMIS CHAMBER

ORCHESTRA CONCERT

WHERE: Trinity Episcopal Church

APRIL 19

UNCORKED!

WHERE: Glen View Club

Enjoy an evening of wine

Join the celebration of Kenilworth’s 100-year-old homes from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. This event coincides with the opening of Kenilworth Historical Society’s new exhibit, “Kenilworth Centennial Homes.” It is free to the public and will include complimentary appetizers,

MORNING BREW: BEYOND BARRIERS

WHERE: Suite Escape

Join Brooke Skinner Ricketts, founder and president of Beyond Barriers, for a Morning Brew discussion titled “Unlocking Potential, Igniting Success.” Beyond Barriers is a Career Fitness program designed to transform professional women into leaders. From 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., Ricketts will tell her story over coffee and share what inspires her to create a more equitable workspace.

Registration is required for this event. lfsuite-escape.com

APRIL 24

WINNETKA-NORTHFIELD ANNUAL RECOGNITION LUNCH

WHERE: Sunset Ridge Country Club

Come see the musical the Smithsonian Institute calls “one of the great glories of American pop culture.” The Music Man follows the story of Professor Hill, a schemer pretending to be a boy’s band leader who falls for the town’s music teacher and librarian. The Children’s Theatre of Winnetka will open their show at 7 p.m. on April 25 and continue at 7 p.m. on April 26, 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. on April 27, and the show will close with a show at 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. on April 28. Tickets are on sale now. mycommunityhouse.org

APRIL 26

INSPIRE CHANGE FOR MENTAL HEALTH

WHERE: Sunset Ridge Country Club

Inspire Change for Mental Health celebrates its premier Spring Gala with cocktails, entertainment, a silent auction, and dancing. Inspire Change for Mental Health is a nonprofit organization offering

Chicago’s favorite spring shopping event is returning to The MART. This year’s One Of A Kind show and sale will showcase more than 350 artists and makers spanning more than 20 categories including jewelry, ceramics, apparel, fine art, bath and body, home goods, and gourmet items. Tickets are now available online. oneofakindshowchicago.com

APRIL 26 TO 27

MORE THAN A NOVEL AFFAIR

WHERE: Shoreacres and Ragdale

Artemis Chamber Orchestra is holding a free spring concert, “Souvenir de Florence,” at 3 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church. Enjoy beautiful music from Fisher, Sibelius, and Tchaikovsky. Seats can be reserved online. artemischamberorchestra.org

MAY 3

GLENCOE UNDER THE STARS

WHERE: Northmoor Country Club

Join Family Service of Glencoe for its annual benefit at 6:30 p.m. in Highland Park. Guests will enjoy a festive evening under the stars that includes a chef-curated menu, dancing, silent and live auctions, a paddle raise, and a motivational program about maternal mental health and its effect on the community on all levels. Funds from this evening will directly provide critical support for community mental health services. Tickets are now available.

GlencoeUnderTheStars.org

Ragdale will be hosting two fundraiser events at Shoreacres and Ragdale Campus. The April 26 fundraiser will be at Shoreacres in Lake Bluff and will feature cocktails, hors d’oeurves, discussions with the artists, and a book signing. Tickets are $150 per person, $350 tickets include reserved seating and a special gift. There is a cocktail party attire requirement and no jeans are allowed. The April 27 fundraiser is on Ragdale campus and will feature a cocktail party and seated dinner with featured artists. Tickets are $500 and include a signed book copy and a special gift. Tickets are limited for both events and on sale now. ragdale.org

To submit your event for consideration, please email events@nsweekend.com.

Plains & Cranes. Photography by Michael Forseberg

Celebrate Earth

North Shore Consignment Day

Wednesday, April 24

Our Specialists will be traveling throughout the North Shore collecting Jewelry, Handbags, Watches, Silver and more for auction consignment or outright purchase. Please contact us to schedule a private in-person or virtual appointment.

Diamond Clip Bracelet. Est. $30,000-50,000. Diamond Ring. Est. $150,000-200,000.

Boucheron Paris Diamond Brooch.

Est $25,000-35,000.

BY MONICA KASS ROGERS THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

LOCAL FOODIE ICON

Oaken Bistro + Bar’s menu by new chef is inventive yet rooted in classics.

Proudly situated within The Forester, the boutique hotel concept by Hyatt Place that has brought a breath of fresh air to Lake Forest as the first hotel to open in nearly a century, Oaken Bistro + Bar would seem to most to be a typical hotel dining experience. From first bite, however, both hotel guests and neighbors alike have quickly learned that the experience is anything but ordinary. Exceeding expectations on the culinary scene in the age of the “foodie” is no small feat, but with new Executive Chef Christian Alejandro at the helm, it’s set as the standard for this North Shore destination.

Whether shaping satisfying new brunch offerings, or vibrantly flavored dinner creations, Alejandro sets the culinary bar high. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, with his culinary degree in International Culinary Arts and years spent in New Orleans, means the dishes Alejandro creates hit the sweet spot in Oaken’s globally influenced American bistro theme.

Take for example Alejandro’s bone-in chicken breast with charred scallion risotto, poblano supreme sauce, grilled lemon, chive oil, and toasted breadcrumbs. First featured as a limited-time Oaken entrée of the month, the dish had “just the right amount of kick and our guests could not get enough of it,” says Alejandro. “So, we added it to the daily lunch and dinner menu and now they can enjoy it whenever they visit.”

In step with Oaken’s rich wood-cloaked contemporary design—befitting the beauty of Lake Forest’s natural habitat—the restaurant’s dinner menu sections are aptly dubbed as “Saplings” (lighter fare), salads, “Timber” (mains), “Seedlings” (sides), and desserts. From the light offerings, Alejandro’s Beef Tenderloin Empanadas with chimichurri, lemon, and tomato sauce are the most popular. Atlantic Salmon with silky potato puree, wild mushrooms, and beurre rouge takes the top spot in the mains, with truffle fries dunked in chimichurri aioli as the can’t-getenough snacking favorite. And for dessert? Guests love the coconut crème brûlée.

Becoming integrated with and adding fun to the Lake Forest community is a top priority at Oaken. To keep things fun and fresh, Oaken is constantly adding new events. The Oaken Weekday Happy Hour and Friday night live music, for example, are year-round offerings that change with the season. “We’re always doing fun, seasonally themed events that tie to local businesses and guests,” says Alejandro, “such as the Valentine’s Day Calligraphy Class we did with Sip & Script, the winter mixology class we offered, and our participation in February’s Lake County Restaurant Week with a special threecourse prix fixe menu.”

This month, Oaken is pleased to unveil its new Oaken Rewards Club. As with other loyalty programs, participants earn points for dining at Oaken; one point for every $1 spent. Once rewards club members reach 250 points, they’ll earn an extra $25 credit plus fun freebies on birthdays and anniversaries. To encourage participation, Oaken is kicking off the program with a special $25 bonus just for signing up.

“As my first time working under the Hyatt umbrella, it’s been an incredible experience to dive in with a property as unique as The Forester,” Alejandro concludes. “I love cooking and providing the best experience to our diners and have found the same driving force within the team here at Oaken. We look forward to seeing you here!”

For more information on Oaken Bistro + Bar or to sign up for the Oaken Rewards Club please visit oakenbistro.com.

Keenly aware of the need to balance proteins, vegetarian, and gluten- free options to meet guest preferences and dietary needs, Alejandro and his team at Oaken have ensured that most menu items have a glutenfree option, as well as including plenty of vegetarian options. The gorgeously hued and flavorful Late Harvest Salad— one of three gluten-free, vegan salads currently on offer, is a popular toss of nutty farro, sweetly roasted carrot, parsnips, and beets, with apricots, pistachios, and whipped ricotta.

Chef Christian Alejandro

A sampling of the menu offered by Chef Alejandro. Photography by Monica Kass Rogers

CARRYING ON

The renowned classic rock group, Kansas, will bring its 50th anniversary tour to Waukegan’s Genesee Theatre this weekend.

BY MITCH HURST THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

You know all the hits. You might even know all the words.

“Carry On My Wayward Son.” “Dust in the Wind.” “Point of No Return.”

This weekend, on Saturday, April 13, the band that brought us these classic rock anthems will be giving long-time fans—and new ones, too—what they want when they make a stop at the Genesee Theatre.

Kansas has been on an extensive tour of the country to mark its 50th anniversary, a remarkable achievement given the ups and downs of the business we call rock-and-roll.

The stop in Waukegan marks a homecoming of sorts for lead singer Ronnie Platt, who replaced veteran Kansas vocalist Steve Walsh about a decade ago. Platt grew up in west suburban Bellwood and now makes his home in Lombard.

Platt says that despite the length and grueling nature of the current tour, the experience of playing 50 years’ worth of Kansas tunes has been rewarding.

“It has been absolutely fantastic. We have been on a streak of sold-out shows, which has just been over-the-top,” Platt says. “It has been so much fun, time is flying by, and I’m so anxious to play Waukegan because it’s homebase for me and I can see my friends.”

One of the challenges of being in a band with the longevity of Kansas is that it can feel, to the audience, like a tribute band unto itself. The Kansas catalogue is filled with radio-friendly hits, but Platt has also recorded fresh material with the band over

Early in his musical career, Platt played in popular cover bands on the Chicago summer festival circuit, and then replaced Walsh as the lead singer in the band Shooting Star. He’s somewhat bemused by the fact he has replaced Walsh in two different bands. But the experience prepared him well for his current role.

the past few years, giving their current live show a contemporary kick.

The Kansas cast has turned over throughout the years (and decades), but Platt views the band’s cannon more like classical music. It’s the notes that stand out, and the current players are just breathing new life into them.

“Right before my first show with Kansas, I’m watching television, and the “Behind the Music” program comes on.

It’s the story of Styx and they’re interviewing Lawrence Gowan, who took Dennis DeYoung’s place as lead singer,” Platt says. “People in the audience were not very nice to Lawrence. They were yelling, ‘Where’s Dennis?’ So, this is on my brain when I’m taking over for Steve Walsh. I’m thinking, ‘I’m gonna have to move around on stage and wear a flak jacket’.”

Platt says he resigned himself to the idea if he could make half of the Kansas audience happy, he would count that as a win. Judging from the success of the current tour, he’s doing just fine.

“It’s really about the music. There’s no particular standout personality that takes the music over,” he says. “When you think of Aerosmith you think of Steven Tyler. That’s not the case with Kansas. When you think of Kansas you just think about the music.”

The history of Kansas is well-known to classic rock enthusiasts. The band fractured in the late 1970s when co-founder Kerry Livgren converted to Christianity and decided he wanted to write music that was more aligned with his newly realized faith.

Livgren’s conversion was a considerable departure for a band that had, early in its formation, staged a concert and given away free beer in order to attract a large enough audience to impress a music executive from New York.

But the band also introduced some musical innovations to the rock genre. Like Ian Anderson, who somehow managed to incorporate the flute into the music of Jethro Tull, Kansas brought the fiddle into the mix with all of those electric guitars. They rocked, for sure, but they also infused a little rural, down-home Kansas porch music into the mix.

“Part of the reason I think Kansas is going to continue regardless of who the musicians are is because of the music,” Platt says. “Beethoven’s not around, but symphonies are still playing his music. The music stands out and it’s sustainable throughout generations. I really feel that way about Kansas.”

Kansas play the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan on April 13. For tickets, visit geneseetheatre.com.

The classic rock band Kansas brings its lengthy 50th anniversary celebration tour to Waukegan’s Genesee Theatre this weekend. Photography by Todd Jolicoeur

Chicago area native Ronnie Platt is vocalist for Kansas on the band’s current live tour.

CABRINI

An emotionally captivating new film tells the story of Mother Cabrini, the first American saint in history.

BY REX REED

ILLUSTRATION BY TOM BACHTELL

RUNNING TIME: 2 HOURS, 25 MINUTES

RATING: 3.5 stars

Mother Cabrini, one of the most powerful, influential and inspirational women who ever lived, has always been one about whom much is guessed and almost nothing is known. Now, with the meticulously researched and unavoidably mesmerizing film biography Cabrini, we get a sprawling work that fits together pieces of the jigsaw that was the life of the dirt-poor Italian immigrant who bucked unbelievable odds to become the first American saint in history, worshiped to this day as the Patron Saint of Immigrants.

I’m neither Italian nor Catholic, but I was glued to this massive achievement with unwavering fascination, finding it thoroughly and emotionally captivating.

Between 1889 and 1910, more than two million Italian immigrants flooded the American borders. They were destitute, illiterate, and spoke little or no English. Not since the Civil War had so much prejudice, fear, resentment, and hatred been unleashed.

One of the few people who came to their aid and tried to help them survive was a frail girl with tubercular lungs but strong determination named Francesca Cabrini. When she returned to Italy, she appealed to no higher authority than the Pope for permission to start a series of charities to help the desperately sick and needy—an “empire of hope” she hoped to begin in China.

With the provision that she forget about the East and move to the slums of New York instead, Pope Leo X III surprised everyone—including his disapproving team at the Vatican—and plunged Cabrini into her own quagmire of jealousy and distrust aimed at

women in general and nuns in particular. Undeterred, with only the bravery and resolve of five other inexperienced nuns to protect her, Cabrini led them into the cold, heartless alleys of New York, where they faced disease, starvation, poverty, and unthinkable cruelties. From here, the film catalogues a chamber of epic horrors. The stark settings, the backbreaking toil, the filth and indignity these six women of God had to endure, the hostilities they were forced to overcome, are so dutifully recorded that I couldn’t take my eyes off the action.

First they were befriended by a dubious priest and a prostitute named Vittoria. With little more than guts, Cabrini dedicated herself to winning over more converts concerned with prayers for a better life for children and the disenfranchised—persuading politicians, the clergy, and the liberal press to write about the truths that plagued the city and the immigrants in it.

The New York Health Dept. was shamed into investigating the plight of children living beneath the cobblestones in makeshift sewers. In addition to the orphans, Cabrini took on the responsibility of saving a bankrupt hospital. Acquiring abandoned estates and turning them into functioning institutions that saved lives when no funds were available, she was something of a saint long before she was ordained as one.

The horrifying prejudices she faced daily are hard to take, watch, and even believe. But one feverish thing Cabrini does in addition to telling a darn good story is depict America as the same land of evil, violence, and self-

serving cruelty it always has been—and, as the headlines attest, still is today.

Very few films depict America as the same Democratic bastion of freedom, equality and pride I was taught to love and respect in school. Cabrini, like so many other historic indictments, shows it for the shameful, complicated, not always admirable gumbo of political cross purposes it was and remains.

A number of commendable merits contribute to why this film works so diligently—the sober, clear-eyed direction by gifted Alejandro Monteverde and the fact-based screenplay by Rod Barr. They both repeated their chores on Sound of Freedom, the Christian-themed action epic with Jim Caviezel as a government agent dedicated to rescuing children victimized by sex traffickers that became one of 2023’s highest-grossing surprise hits.

I also liked the burnished period cinematography, and the cast of great supporting actors, including Giancarlo Gianinni as the Pope, David Morse as American archbishop Corrigan, and John Lithgow as the hostile mayor of New York. Worthy of special praise is the valiant centerpiece performance by Cristiana Dell’anna as a Cabrini of uncommon understatement and gritty charisma.

Mother Cabrini died at 67, is buried above the Hudson River, and canonized in the Vatican. At a time when movies exist in honor of the strangest oddballs everywhere, I can think of no one more worthy of a lifechanging biopic.

You can keep your Barbie. I’ll take Mother Cabrini.

Highland Park’s JESSICA

MERAR is on a mission to spread awareness for pediatric cancer and raise funds to support local children battling cancer. As a Certified Child Life Specialist, Merar has been on the front lines of care at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago for 15 years. In 2020, she saw the need for Dragonfly, an organization that supports pediatric cancer patients and families, to have a physical presence in the Chicago area. As the Director of The Dragonfly Foundation Chicago, Merar collaborates with social workers, child life specialists, and those who work directly with oncology patients at eight local children’s hospitals. From fulfilling day-to-day essential needs such as gas cards, grocery cards, household essentials, and toys as well as connecting families and providing opportunities outside the hospital walls, Dragonfly aims to offer support when it is needed most—during diagnosis, throughout treatment, and beyond. Dragonfly’s biggest benefit of the year, “Night of Courage: Dragonfly Derby” is coming up on Saturday, May 4. To learn more, visit fundraiser.bid/dragonflyderby24. Here is how this passionate advocate stays on-trend.

#ON MY NIGHTSTAND

I am a serial book quitter. I have a major problem of starting books and never finishing them. I currently have Jodi Picoult’s Mad Honey on my nightstand just begging to be read— I do love her style of writing and how she weaves themes throughout her stories. I am also trying to get through various articles for my Kellogg nonprofit management course.

#ON MY MOBILE

My social media apps are a confused mix of influencers, other nonprofits in our space with whom we love to partner, news outlets to keep up with worldly issues, TikTok to fuel my daughters’ passion for dance, and a hefty dose of healthy recipes and lifestyle tips. Perhaps I should put my phone down so I can finish those books on my nightstand.

#IN MY EARBUDS

I am a sucker for house/dance/EDM. Give me some Kygo and I am one happy lady. I choose music over podcasts any day and am always singing in the car—much to the dismay of my family.

made my move

As the real estate market evolves, it’s more important than ever for buyers and sellers to have access to innovative resources that lead to success. That’s why I recently joined @properties Christie’s International Real Estate, the #1 brokerage firm in Chicagoland.

Whether you or someone you know is moving down the street, across town, or even cross country, I welcome the opportunity to help and always appreciate your referrals.

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Serving Chicago, North Shore, Lake Geneva and Wisconsin

847.702.9686

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Source: total marketshares Chicago 2023

EDITED BY DUSTIN O'REGAN ILLUSTRATION BY TOM BACHTELL

CHOUCROUTE with PORK CHOPS & APPLES

BY MONICA KASS ROGERS

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

Whether it’s ‘kraut on a Reuben sandwich, or an elaborate choucroute garnie, pork with fermented cabbage is an enduring pairing. This delicious one-dish meal—thick pork chops in apple studded Bavarian sauerkraut with dumpling-like pillows of soaked bread and a sprinkling of caraway—is a play on the best of those traditions.

Appreciation for such dishes is long-lived in my family. When my Dad was a young boy in the 1930s, transforming a big barrel of slivered, salted cabbage into naturally fermented sauerkraut was an annual family endeavor. Grandma Lydia and Grandpa Al sliced big heads of the fresh, green chou into the barrel, and scattered salt in measured handfuls while Dad and his brother Emil mashed it all down with a huge wooden pestle. Weighted down, the mixture would mellow in its juices over time, to be paired with pork in one or another family meal preparations.

When I received a reader request from a woman trying to replicate a dish her great aunt Caroline used to make with bread, pork chops, sauerkraut, and apples, I set to work to create this dish. I use Bavarian sauerkraut because it’s more mild than other varieties I’ve tried and doesn’t require rinsing. That, plus thick-cut pork chops with a nice fat cap on them, a fresh onion, good crusty bread (I like ciabatta or pugliese), and firm, tart-sweet apples (I used Michigan Evercrisp). The sprinkling of caraway seeds is optional but adds a wonderful flavor accent.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 4 thick-cut pork chops with a generous fat cap on them

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 3 Tbsp butter, divided

• 1 yellow onion, peel discarded, medium diced to make 1 cup

• 1, 24-oz jar Bavarian sauerkraut (I used Hengstenberg Bavarian-style Sauerkraut with Wine)

• 2 firm, tart-sweet apples, peeled and cored, chopped to make 2 cups

• ¾ cup apple juice

• 2 to 3 thick slices day-old ciabatta or pugliese bread, cut into good-sized cubes to make 4 cups

• ½ tsp kosher salt

• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• Several sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, stems discarded, leaves minced to make 3 Tbsp

• 2 tsp caraway seeds (optional)

Photography by Monica Kass Rogers

IT’S TIME TO STRETCH & GET IN SUMMER SHAPE!

Summer is around the corner! Enjoy increased range of motion, increased mobility and eliminate chronic pain. . .all within the convenience of your home!

Do I need to have any special equipment at my home?

No! Josh is a mobile personal trainer and travels to the convenience of your own home with all the equipment you need for a good workout.

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Fascial Stretch Therapy is a neuromyofascial manual therapy method that focuses on the connective tissue system rather than isolated muscle treatment. FST therapists assess active, passive, and resisted range of motion in functional positions and movements.

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METHOD

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Add olive oil and 1 Tbsp of the butter to a large sauté pan over medium heat. Brown pork chops on all sides and edges. Set chops aside.

Reduce heat to low. Add onions and remaining 2 Tbsp of butter to pan and cook, stirring occasionally until onions are very soft. Add 2 Tbsp water to pan; scrape off any fond from the bottom of the pan. Stir in sauerkraut.

Place chopped apples in a microwaveable bowl with ¾ cup apple juice. Cover and microwave for 2 to 3 minutes until apples are tender but not mushy. Add apples and juice to sauerkraut and onions. Stir in minced parsley. Add cubed bread and caraway (if using.) Mix well until bread cubes have soaked up pan juices. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon some of the sauerkraut mixture into one end of an ovenproof casserole dish. Firmly pack a pork chop next to this, fat side up. Continue filling dish, alternating sauerkraut mixture and chops, and finishing with the last of the sauerkraut, until all is incorporated. Cover dish firmly with foil. Bake at 275 degrees for 1-½ hours. Remove foil. If desired: Increase oven heat to broil setting to brown chop tops a little more, for 1 scant minute. Serve hot.

GELMAN’S REALM

Comedian/actor/writer Brett Gelman—a Highland Park native and Murray in Stranger Things—becomes a first-time book author with the release of The Terrifying Realm of the Possible.

BY BILL MCLEAN ILLUSTRATION BY BARRY BLITT

Brett Gelman grew up in Highland Park and usually ordered a jumbo char dog, a classic hot dog, and cheese fries at Michael’s.

But the comedian/actor/writer, who appeared as Pig Parker in the “Vow of Silence” episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm in 2011, savored something even more than his favorite fare at the iconic restaurant on 2nd Street. Gelman relished time—every delicious minute—in Highland Park High School’s theater department under the tutelage of Scott “Shall” Shallenbarger.

“It was an amazing department, really advanced, when I was there,” says the 47-yearold Gelman, who portrayed Martin in the BBC comedy Fleabag and is Murray Bauman in the Netflix series Stranger Things. “Scott Shallenbarger was a great teacher and inspiration; he brought out the artist in me—a socially paralyzed and awkward, strange kid— and the artist in so many other teenagers.

“Performing in the school’s Black Box Studio,” the 1995 HPHS graduate adds, “was my salvation, my chance to produce creative moments.”

Gelman’s latest work is a book; his first. It’s The Terrifying Realm of the Possible: Nearly True Stories (HarperCollins, 2024, 255 pages). To say the book of short stories is creative is to say a book has pages. Gelman crafts diary entries, love letters, poetry, and scenes from a play. It’s funny, edgy, delightfully quirky, and not rated G. Readers get to meet five characters, emphasis on character for each: Abraham Amsterdam (the child), Mendel Freudenberger (the teenager), Jackie Cohen (the adult), Iris Below (the senior), and Z (the dead).

Z gets hit by a bus, dies, and meets God and Satan.

“God stood tall, a perfect blend of all genders and races,” Z observes. “To put it simply, God looked like a beautifully magnificent Everything.”

Satan, to Z: “I’d love to take you on a tour of the facilities, but I’m just swamped. Be-

sides, what good is a tour really going to do except upset you even more.”

“It’s definitely autobiographical, with a lot of it made up,” says Gelman, a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. “But everything in the book comes from a true place. I mess with form; it’s not all prose. Woody Allen’s book Feathers influenced me because it messed with form. So did some of David Sedaris’s early work.”

A sample of Gelman’s poetry in the book’s Freudenberger story: “I don’t know if I’m real/And if I’m real I don’t know for how long/Life should be a song/Instead it’s a mess/ And there’s no broom/No mop.”

On the voices of demons inside young Abraham’s head, Gelman writes, “They filled his inner ears like an orchestra of broken instruments and goats screaming.”

Gelman was encouraged by HarperCollins Executive Editor Stuart Roberts to tackle the challenges of writing a book shortly after Fleabag won six Primetime Emmy

John Conatser FOUNDER

pride. Working on it revitalized my self-actualization and the multifaceted artist in me.”

Now a triple threat (comedian/actor/ writer), Gelman hopes to soon add “director” to his stockpile. Weeks after Hamas’ attacks against Israel last October 7, Gelman discovered he’d been bestowed a

“I took up the fight against global antiSemitism,” Gelman says. “That gets my juices flowing. I guess that means I’m now considered an activist.”

There’s nothing in his book about the fight, but a local bookstore chose to cancel a Gelman book tour stop in

fiancée, singer/songwriter/actor Ari Dayan. Brett and Ari plan to get married in Tuscany in June.

“This is my biggest book tour turnout to date,” Gelman told the audience at the reform synagogue’s Elise and Lee Sacks Family Social Hall.

“We’re living through a crazy nightmare,” he added later. “Yes, I’m angry about the cancellations and upset that protesters have been calling bookstores with a threat like, ‘Don’t let that person speak or we’ll do something.’ Too many protesters are pro-ignorance.”

Gelman also shared memories of his bar mitzvah in Northbrook, what he liked to watch as a youngster to assuage his chronic condition of nervousness, what his favorite sound in the world is, and the man he’d like to portray in a movie someday, among other topics.

His bar mitzvah: “Junior High day, the best day of my life. I was thinking, ‘It can’t get any better than this.’ I was proud of my parents and my parents’ friends that day.”

What he watched to escape: “Comedies. They helped me relax. I enjoyed Dan Aykroyd and John Candy, as well as Mel Brooks and the Marx Brothers. The Marx Brothers’ movie A Night at the Opera made me want to do what I’m doing now.”

His favorite sound: “Laughter. It’s the best sound. All my family members are comic geniuses who inspired me. I grew up in a family addicted to laughter.”

All my family members are comic geniuses who inspired me. I grew up in a family addicted to laughter.

Awards following its second and final series in 2019.

“A book of short stories appealed to me because I’d written one, iBrain, and then performed it live,” Gelman says. “The book took me about three years to complete, with six months devoted to writing. A lot of procrastination. Every author needs a great editor, and I had one in Stuart. I’m so happy with the book and really proud of it. It was an act of Jewish

March because of security concerns, per published reports. Scheduled appearances in Los Angeles—where Gelman lives—and San Francisco got scrubbed, too. North Shore residents Robyn Tavel and Marcia Blumenthal Fields heard about the local decision and arranged for Gelman to speak at Am Shalom (People of Peace) in Glencoe on April 2.

Nearly 400 people attended the event, including Gelman’s mother, Candace, and his

Linda

Chris

Maria

The ultimate role: “To portray Yitzhak Rabin. His story needs to be told.”

But Brett Gelman loves being Brett Gelman nowadays. His fiancée isn’t just the love of his life; “Ari,” he says, “is the greatest person I’ve ever known. She’s a completely brilliant artist who deeply inspires me all the time.” And the man who played Alistair Grumps in the 2022 film Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile and spoke during the March for Israel at the National Mall in November makes people laugh and think.

“Most of the people I hung out with in high school would be surprised at what I’m doing now,” Gelman says. “If they’re not, they’re lying.”

The Residences of Geneva Lake Groundbreaking and Grand Opening Weekend April 13-14 ONLY A FEW LAKE-FACING UNITS REMAIN!

All are welcome on Saturday and Sunday, April 13 and 14, 12:00 - 4:00 pm

Tour the NEW RGL Sales Center in the Abbey Resort (next to the Waterfront restaurant). Learn about this exciting new residential community in the heart of downtown Fontana!

PHASE 1 DELIVERY EARLY 2025. PRICED FROM $1,379,000.

For general information, please contact Yvette Howard at 262-729-2801 or howard@RGLfontana.com.

For information on spring Grand Opening events, please email maria@RGLfontana.com.

“We knew for years that when we were finally ready to sell our house, Cory was our guy! He was extremely responsive to our needs and timelines and helped us to sell our house fast! His expert area knowledge was extremely important to us, and we could not have asked for a better experience. Thank you Cory!!”

- The Kluge Family