The North Shore Weekend, June 3, 2023

8 how our garden grows

Chicago Botanic Garden lands the largest grant in its history to fund plant conservation research and restoration

10 comrade in arms

With 70 percent of crimes involving a vehicle, this new technology helps local police track down offenders

LIFESTYLE & ARTS

16 one hand, one heart

West Side Story returns to Lyric Opera of Chicago this weekend, running through June 25

18 #hashtag

Wilmette resident Erin McCarthy shares her path to creating one-of-a-kind designs, along with what's trending in her life

20

material pursuits

From Tiffany & Co.'s "Landmark" on 5th Avenue to a bespoke timepiece featuring Spider-Man in flight, add these items to your "most wanted" list

LAST BUT NOT LEAST

22 sunday breakfast

North Shore native and comedian Jimmy Carrane lost his father and became a father in the same year— at the age of 52—and addresses both occasions at his Father's Day weekend shows at the Laughing Academy in Glenview

We're committed to being a part of the community we've served for over 60 years. That's why each June we donate a portion of sales to Cancer Wellness Center, an organization that provides support for cancer survivors and others living with cancer.

In 2016, we donated a kitchen, flooring and more to the Cancer Wellness Center, and each year we continue our commitment by contributing a portion of proceeds from June sales.

Discover what they do and how you too can help @ cancerwellness.org

John Conatser FOUNDER & PUBLISHER

ADVERTISING @NSWEEKEND.COM

Jennifer Sturgeon

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Michelle Crowe, Dustin O'Regan, Kemmie Ryan, Sherry Thomas, Megan Weisberg

FASHION EDITOR

Theresa DeMaria

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Mitch Hurst, Bill McLean

DESIGN

Linda Lewis PRODUCTION MANAGER/GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Chris Geimer ADVERTISING COORDINATOR/GRAPHIC DESIGNER

PHOTOGRAPHY AND ART

Tom Bachtell, Barry Blitt

ILLUSTRATION

Cheyanne Lencioni ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

@

HOW OUR GARDEN GROWS

The Chicago Botanic Garden has received the largest grant in its history to advance its plant conservation research and restoration.

BY MITCH HURST THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

The Chicago Botanic Garden (CBG) is lot more than what visitors see when strolling through the property. Not unlike a zoo, where visitors can observe the animals, a lot happens behind the scenes to preserve the animals and ensure their health. Plants require similar care, and at the CBG that care is rooted in scientific inquiry and research.

The garden’s research work recently received a transformational boost with a $21 million grant from The Negaunee Foundation, which will provide $3 million a year over seven years to greatly enhance the CBG research staff’s capacity to study and preserve plant life. The grant continues the foundation’s long commitment to the Garden’s preservation efforts.

Scientists estimate that by 2050, the planet could lose up to one-third of its plant species as natural landscapes disappear. This impacts pollinators, animals, fungi, and other organisms that depend on them, with drastic consequences for human life.

The gift will accelerate CBG’s work as a global leader in the fight to save plants from extinction and protect the natural habitats that sustain our world—among the most critical issues of our time.

“The gift supports both ex situ or off site conversation work, meaning our seed banking and our collections, and the way we keep plants safe outside of their native habitats,”

says Kayri Havens, Ph.D., the CBG’s Chief Scientist and Negaunee Vice President of Science. “We’ll be hiring a new Curator of Ex Situ Conservation who will ensure that our seed bank and our pollen bank is curated to the highest standards.”

The gift will also support some grantfunded work Havens and her team have been

doing to modify the stud book approach used by zoos that also applies to plant life. It’s the way zoos keep track of which animals are genetically related by tracking their pedigree and lineage and making sure they don’t breed animals that are closely related.

“We have not done that type of research at the Botanic Garden, but problems associ-

ated with inbreeding are just as strong within plants as they are in animals,” says Havens. “This will allow us to be more thoughtful genetically about how we maintain plants in living collections.”

She says another area the latest grant will fund is workforce development and restora-

Continued on PG 10

Chicago Botanic Garden’s internship program will get a boost with the recent grant from The Negaunee Foundation.

Researchers Andrea Kramer and Matt Evans in the natural area of the garden.

Pollination patterns is a key area of research for Chicago Botanic Garden.

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tion. CBG has a new program called SENA (Stewardship and Ecology of Natural Areas), which is an internship program that has a big training component to it to bring new people into the workforce and to diversify the workforce for conservation and restoration of natural areas.

“We do that with hands-on learning in our own natural areas, our woods, our prairies, our shorelines, and our lake,” Havens says. “That prepares them for careers with landmanaging agencies, forest preserve districts, and more.”

The grant will also allow the CBG to fund a new position, Director of Conservation Impact, that will help the organization translate its science for policy use.

“We do a lot of great science here at the garden and we’ve been doing it for decades but it’s really hard to get that science used

by people in terms of how they manage their land,” Havens says. “How does that affect local, regional, and national and global policy?

This position will help us move the needle on making sure our work is applied.” How will the public benefit?

Two-thirds of the garden’s acreage are natural areas. With the new resources CBG will be able to better manage those areas. Fewer weeds, more native plants, and the grounds will become more beautiful to those who come and visit.

“The natural areas will also be more ecologically healthy which to me is the more important thing. It’ll support wildlife and ecosystem services, flood control, and other areas that are really important for us and our neighbors,” says Havens.

The $21 million grant will also bring some important attention to the garden’s conservation mission, and likely allow the garden to leverage it to reach out to other potential, additional donors.

“Success breeds success, and this kind of puts us on the map with other foundations,” Havens says. “Hopefully it will encourage them to consider us as well.”

COMRADE IN ARMS

New technology is helping the Lake Forest Police Department prevent potential criminal activity.

BY MITCH HURST THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

Seventy percent of crimes involve some type of vehicle, and using a new technology that employs cameras to capture license plates of stolen cars is helping Lake Forest police and Lake Forest communities tackle crime.

The technology was created by Atlantabased Flock Safety and involves swiftly matching license plates that may be in federal and state crime databases to catch car thieves and other cars owned by those involved in criminal activity.

This past April, the technology matched the plate of a convicted sex offender who was near Lake Forest Academy property. Lake Forest police pulled over Glenn P. Stevens of Libertyville, and he was released on the scene pending an investigation. The investigation showed that Stephens had been on campus property, including close to the school’s fitness center, which is a Class Four Felony in Illinois in violation of his sex offender status.

Stephens also had a warrant out for his arrest for not properly maintaining his records in the Sex Offender Registry, and in May the same technology was used by Vernon Hills police to apprehend him. His bail was set at $200,000 for a charge of entering school property in violation of his sex offender status.

Rob Copeland, Deputy Chief of Police

for Lake Forest, says the ALPR (Accurate License Plate Recognition) System aids the Lake Forest Police Department’s efforts not just to nab criminals but to prevent crimes from happening.

“A lot of the crime that occurs in our town comes from outside our town and a lot of the offenders use stolen cars to drive into town to commit those crimes,” Copeland says. “Sometimes they're driving a stolen car into town to steal another car, a better car, or they're driving a stolen car into town to commit a burglary or some type of theft or property crime.”

Many towns started putting up the ALPR cameras because it gives police an early warning. On one side of it, the stolen car is coming into town, and it allows the police to start moving toward where that car could be and start checking subdivisions to potentially locate the stolen car and prevent a crime from occurring.

“The flip side of that is if a crime does occur at three in the morning and the car is leaving and we don't have a suspect’s information, it's possible to use the cameras to check license plates in order to possibly identify an offender,” says Copeland.

There can be a brief time lag because a car has to be reported stolen and entered into the federal National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database or the Illinois Secretary of State database. Then it has to make it into the Flock Safety system.

“If we have a car stolen this morning and we enter it right away, if that car is driving

through Vernon Hills, it's going to hit on Vernon Hills cameras,” he says. “We then have a better opportunity to locate the car and apprehend the offender.”

Flock Safety was founded in 2017 by CEO Matt Langley and was born out of Langley’s frustration over unsolved burglaries at the time in his Atlanta neighborhood, even though there were doorbell cameras in many homes in the area.

“He started digging around and wanted to understand how law enforcement actually solve crimes,” says Holly Bielin, Flock Safety’s chief spokesperson. “What he found was whether it was actually a vehicle involved in a hit-and-run or a drive-by shooting or someone taking a vehicle to the scene of a crime, since 70 percent of crimes involve a vehicle, the license plate can be

a key piece of evidence in preventing or solving it.”

Today, Flock Safety works with both police departments and communities to deploy its technology to keep towns safe. While it’s not brand new, its predecessors are prohibitively expensive. Neighborhoods can pay a few hundred dollars installation fee and utilize the Flock Safety system for $2,500 a year. It was, in fact, a private neighborhood camera that identified the car of the sex offender on Lake Forest Academy property in April.

“We seem to be adding more and more cameras every year,” Copeland says. “Right after the story popped in April, we had two more homeowner’s associations reach out to us and ask us if we could come talk with them about it.”

Plant seeds are stored in frozen conditions in the garden’s lab in Glencoe.

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BY MITCH HURST THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

As the old saying goes, the camera adds 20 pounds.

Video conferencing use that increased exponentially during the pandemic revolutionized the way we communicate and spawned a number of trends. Home offices were converted into studios. Innovative, waist up wardrobes were invented to offer an aura of professionalism. For the most part the business world adapted to these new technologies and continues to do so.

But there was another outgrowth of the migration to video communications. Many people didn’t like the way they looked while Zooming or FaceTiming. The up close and personal view of their own appearance on camera caused them to re-evaluate how they look.

Enter Dr. Steven Bloch, M.D., the founder of Body by Bloch in Highland Park. Bloch is an internationally recognized, board certified plastic surgeon with more than 40 years of experience. He says there are a number of trends that are currently influencing the field of plastic surgery, and a big one is the emergence of video calling.

“I would say as more people are doing conversations over video platforms like Zoom, they're concentrating on their faces, and most people don't look very attractive on a Zoom,” Bloch says. “I think it has led to a significant increase in the number of nose jobs and face lifts. It is not uncommon that people come in and say, ‘I hate the way I look on FaceTime or Zoom. I hate my neck.

amount of what he wants to achieve, with, say, a tummy tuck, is more than just removing the abdominal apron (excess skin and fat around the abdomen).

“Now we want to tighten the underlying muscles and combine it with some liposuction and some additional skin tightening in order to create a more defined athletic appearing body,” Bloch says. “It's like most things in plastic surgery or actually most things in the world. It doesn't just occur. It evolves.”

Bloch says his criteria for the many years that he’s been in practice is an evolution based upon what technologies are available. He says it's not like all of a sudden, some miracle emerges. He keeps raising the standards so that he can more closely approximate the ideal outcome.

One new technology Bloch using is called Emface.

Emface involves two energies that are applied to the face. It heats up the tissue to promote collagen production, but it still gives an intense stimulation to the underlying muscle. What he’s seeing as part of the aging process is that the facial muscles as we age get a little bit sloppy, and the length of the muscle increases. If the muscle increases, then the overlying tissue begins to sag.

“When we do a face lift, it’s really a tightening of the soft tissue. It isn't doing that much to the underlying muscle,” Bloch says. “But now what we're doing with Emface, which is a non-invasive procedure, is the patient goes through a series of treatments, and we can show that the stimulation of the muscle actually increases the muscle tone, causing a shortening of the muscle and a lifting of the overlying skin and soft tissue.”

The concept of the evolution of technology in the plastic surgery is akin to teeth

changer because it just works,” he says. “The results with Emface are more subtle. I've done it myself and I've seen the improvement. I like it, and I believe in it. I think it's going to be a game changer as part of the anti-aging concept.”

The protocol for Emface is four treatments in the course of a month, then a rest period for about three months. Follow-up

It's not just living longer. As important is the quality of life for many people has significantly improved. At the end of the day, it's not how long you live, it’s the quality of your life, Bloch says. Most people who come in who want to have something done, they say, “I feel younger than this person staring at me in the mirror.”

“Our concept in terms of face lifts has

treatments, assuming patients like the results, are about one treatment every three to four months in order to maintain the look. Bloch says one should realize Emface isn't for everyone. It is not going to replace a face lift, but it may put off the time before a facelift is needed, and it might prolong the lifetime of a face lift.

“Let's say a year or so after the facelift, you start a patient on an anti-aging program in order to maintain the result, and you would use the new Emface technology that really has just been out since January,” Bloch says. “At least in my practice it has taken off. We've probably treated close to 80 people already. The results of it have been very encouraging.”

Another new technology that Bloch has incorporated into his practice is called CoolPeel, which is a Co2 laser that doesn't cause the thermal damage that traditional Co2 lasers cause.

“Consequently, the healing time is much faster, and you can also adjust the level and intensity of ablation (the surgical removal of body tissue),” he says. “That has been a very effective laser treatment in order to improve skin tone, texture, and fine lines with much less downtime as compared to other technologies.”

Perhaps the most fascinating trend that has emerged the past decade or so is the fact people are aging and becoming more aware and more self-conscious of their appearance at a later age, and they trying to do things in order to stay in shape.

kind of changed, too. Whereas earlier facelifts were mostly dependent on a suspension of the tissue, now it's more of a lifting rather than a suspension,” he says. “What does that do? It creates a more natural look.”

The ideal, in his mind—the ideal cosmetic result—is that patients have achieved a more youthful appearance, but it looks totally natural. No one should even know that they’ve had anything done other than the fact that they just look better.

Bloch says those seeking to improve their appearance through cosmetic surgery should first and foremost find a doctor they can trust, one who communicates well and listens to patients and is inquisitive about their desired results.

“I would tell them the best way is to take the time and effort and come in and actually be evaluated,” he says. “It's also important that whoever they go to, that doctor takes the time to listen to what they want and their perception as to what the outcome is.”

It's then the challenge of the doctor to come up with techniques and procedures that in their estimation is going to give the patient the best result, that's going to last the longest, with the least amount of downtime and risk. At the end of a day, to come up with something that a reasonable human being thinks is cost effective.

I hate my nose’.”

Another trend in plastic surgery relates to heightened standards, partly due to new technologies. Body contouring and body sculpting has always remained fairly stable, but Bloch says he continues to up his standards for the criteria he uses to determine optimal outcomes for his patients. The

whitening. Bloch says people weren't aware of the color of their teeth until a really effective treatment came along to correct it.

“Our concept of aging is changing too as technologies such as Emface become available. I'm predicting that Emface will become as popular as Botox. The results aren't as earth shattering as Botox. Botox is a game

“We are seeing people who are healthy, leading active lives, and coming to us at older and older ages and asking to have things done, whether it be a face lift or a body-contouring operation,” says Bloch. “You look at these people and based on a medical history, there’s no reason not to do it. The oldest person now that I've done a face lift on is 91. She's in great shape.”

“It's impossible for them to go through the Internet and to do an assessment on their face as to everything they need. The occasional patient is really well educated and comes pretty close to it, but it doesn't replace a professional opinion,” Bloch says. “Patients don't always have to do everything that is outlined, but they should at least have an overview of what is possible.”

Body by Bloch is located at 1160 Park Avenue West, Suite 2E in Highland Park. For more information, call 847-432-0840 or visit bodybybloch.com.

Emface

CoolPeel

Magnificent David Adler Estate

Located in the heart of Lake Forest, Suffield House is considered one of renowned architect David Adler’s most important country homes. A collaboration with his designer sister, Frances Adler Elkins, this 15,000 sqft French-inspired East Lake Forest residence on 5.4 acres is loaded with priceless, perfectly preserved architectural features including imported English paneling, antique Chinese oil paintings, exotic marbles, ornate plaster moldings and ornamentation, original light fixtures, nine fireplaces, custom millwork, and a handsome Versailles patterned hardwood floor. With a 4-stop passenger elevator and central air conditioning, this home was ahead of its time.

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ONE HAND, ONE HEART

West Side Story returns to Lyric Opera of Chicago this weekend, featuring a sizzling cast, smoldering choreography, and an iconic Broadway score played by the Lyric Orchestra.

EDITED BY SHERRY THOMAS THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

When a lavish new production of the Broadway classic, West Side Story, hit the Lyric Opera stage in Chicago in 2019, it sold out performances and wowed local critics.

Praised as both “a suite of searing, soaring melodies,” and “musical theater euphoria,” the 1957 musical that retells the story of

Romeo and Juliet on the backstreets of New York City was the perfect marriage of Leonard Bernstein's music, Stephen Sondheim's lyrics, and the Lyric Orchestra playing the original orchestrations.

This weekend, the tale of two teenagers in love from two communities in conflict

returns to Chicago in a coproduction of Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, and the Glimmerglass Festival. West Side Story opened Friday, June 2, and will continue running through June 25.

The Broadway musical masterpiece begins with Tony and Maria, each from different backgrounds, meeting unexpectedly. As their

Krupke."

Featuring almost 100 artists, West Side Story promises to be an unforgettable musical theater experience on a theatrical scale only Lyric Opera can offer as the highly anticipated musical turns to Chicago’s biggest stage.

Ryan McCartan and Kanisha

friends and family battle with one another, Tony and Maria long for "a place for us ... somewhere."

Their songs illuminate every scene and permeate our culture, from the romance of "Maria" and "Tonight" to the exuberance of "America" and the humor of "Gee, Officer

Feliciano, both in their Lyric debuts, take on the roles of star-crossed young lovers Tony and Maria.

McCartan is well known for originating the role of JD in the Off-Broadway cult classic Heathers: The Musical, and previously starred on Broadway as Fiyero in Wicked and

Marie

Hans in Frozen. On screen, he has been seen as Diggie on the hit Disney Channel Show Liv and Maddie and in a recurring role on The CW’s top-rated series The Winchesters

castmate Brett Thiele with his impassioned portrayal of Riff, the leader of the Jets.

The production also introduces Chicago audiences to Yurel Echezarreta (Broad way’s Moulin Rouge, Head Over Heels din, and Steven Spielberg’s film of  Story) as Bernardo. Renowned music direc tor James Lowe will conduct this timeless masterpiece featuring members of the Lyric Opera Orchestra and Chorus.

Internationally distinguished theater and opera director Francesca Zambello re turns to Lyric for this production after her critically acclaimed West Side Story Zambello’s other Lyric credits include  encia en el Amazonas (2021/22), the Broad way classic Show Boat (2011/12), T und Isolde (2008/09), and Salome (2006/07).

Feliciano made history as the first Latina Christine Daaé in the long-running Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera. She made her Broadway debut in Lincoln Center Theater’s Flying Over Sunset, originating the

Set designs are by Peter J. Davison with costumes designed by Jessica Jahn and lighting designed by Mark McCullough. Lyric’s production will feature choreography by Jerome Robbins from the Broadway premiere, recreated by Tony and Emmy Award-winning choreographer Joshua Bergasse.

roles of Ann and Judith.

Broadway at Lyric fans will hail the return of Amanda Castro and her electric embodiment of the iconic role of Anita, joined by fellow original Lyric production

Tickets for start at $30

EDITED BY SHERRY THOMAS ILLUSTRATION BY TOM BACHTELL

Hailing from Orange County, California, current Wilmette resident, ERIN MCCARTHY, is living her lifelong dream of working as an artist, designer, and small business owner. About four years ago, McCarthy had an “aha” moment when she realized her fine art photographs of flowers, plants, trees, lakes, and streams could be digitally manipulated into surface pattern designs for textiles and wallpaper. An avid interiors lover with a certificate in Interior Design from the Interior Designers Institute in Newport Beach, California, McCarthy thought that if she could launch a business selling her designs (as well as her original photographs) to interior designers and homeowners alike, she could play a small part in beautifying peoples’ spaces. Having worked her whole career in nonprofit organizations and the real estate industry, McCarthy was feeling the need to be more creative when she found herself on hiatus from the 9 to 5 while raising two small children circa 2010. It was at this point McCarthy picked up a digital camera, enrolled in a class with the late, great photography teacher Richard Stromberg, and embarked on a decade-long journey of professionally photographing everything from children to commercial spaces to interiors.

In 2019, McCarthy reached out to her friend, Mindy Turitz, a veteran of the fashion and home decor industry (as well as a Kellogg School of Business grad), to see if the two could team up to take McCarthy’s designs to the marketplace. Turitz was game and MERINDA Studio was born.

MERINDA Studio turned three last fall and design additions include Wanderlust, a collection inspired by Mexico, wallpaper borders, and several brand collaborations. Most recently, the brand introduced a limited-release art collaboration with ARCH, a popular vintage, garden, and home store in Winnetka.

#ON MY NIGHTSTAND

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah. I am obsessed with this series on Netflix that chronicles two young girls growing up in the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s. I love the way the narrative jumps back and forth between their middle school and middle-aged years. After watching the series, I had to go back and read the novel.

#ON MY MOBILE

I am on Instagram several times a day when I have a few minutes to spare in the carpool line or waiting for one of my kids while they are at a sports practice. For interior design inspiration, I love @klinteriors, @aspoonfulofbenjamin, and @andrewjhow. I am trying to cook more and love @whatsgabycookin and @thegiadzi for recipe inspiration. I can also be found texting my kids, husband, friends, and Mindy all day long or competing with my husband to see who can get Wordle in three tries or less.

#IN MY EARBUDS

I am always listening to a podcast (or four!) while I’m out walking my dog or doing chores around the house. I like Raising Good Humans and Zen Parenting Radio, both of which help me think about some of the issues I face as a mom to two teenagers. I also like the Business of Home podcast to stay on top of industry trends. And I can often be found rocking out to my Taylor Swift playlist on Apple Music.

This weekend’s curated luxury trends MATERIAL PURSUITS

SPIDEY-TINGLING TIMEPIECE

Since 2021, the iconic Audemars Piguet watch brand has been partnering with Marvel to bring the world of pop culture and entertainment into what have become limited edition, highly collectible pieces. Audemars Piguet was founded in 1875 in the heart of the Vallée de Joux, a region of Switzerland just north of Geneva where farmers in the 19th century dedicated their days to producing watch parts such as wheels, bridges, springs, and semi-precious stones during the long winter months. The result is a bespoke brand famous for creating some of the world’s most complicated and highly finished mechanical movements. Its latest collabora tion with Marvel marries that provenance with a friendly neighborhood superhero legend—none other than SpiderMan himself. Presented in a 42 mm titanium case contrasted with a black ceramic bezel and crown, the Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Spider-Man” appears as the suspended hero of this timepiece. Combining ancestral expertise with futuristic technology, this 42 mm titanium and black ceramic timepiece is a feat of openwork and highlights the brand’s boundless creativity. Limited to 250 pieces, this model also embodies Audemars Piguet’s desire to forge links with different cultural universes, seeking inspiration beyond the world of Haute Horlogerie and drawing from the world of pop culture. Expect to pay at least $215,000 or more for this limited edition timepiece. For more information, visit audemarspiguet.com/com.

Just Closed

TIFFANY & CO. UNVEILS ITS NEWLY REDESIGNED NEW YORK CITY LANDMARK

The newly transformed flagship on 57th Street and Fifth Avenue, now known as “The Landmark,” reintroduces the world to a new Tiffany & Co. through custom artwork, never-beforeseen jewels, and immersive displays. The Landmark, one of Manhattan’s largest stores, marks the luxury retail institution’s first holistic renovation of the store since it first opened its doors in 1940 and is home to the largest collection of Tiffany High Jewelry in the world. To commemorate the reopening of the store, Tiffany & Co. is also set to debut a range of exclusive designs and one-ofa-kind creations, including a new design for the legendary 128.54-carat Tiffany Diamond. Ten floors of magnificence offer fine jewelry and design enthusiasts everything from extraordinary diamond watches and limited-edition home objects to eyewear inspired by the Tiffany® Setting engagement ring. For more information, visit tiffany.com.

INNOVATIONS IN WELLNESS

Grand Geneva Resort & Spa in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin is launching a new Innovations in Wellness retreat this October 19 to 20. In collaboration with Milwaukee’s Golden Rey Integrative Medical Center, this new retreat is designed to activate and reconnect the mind, body, and spirit while focusing on key wellness elements including nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress management. All this, while also supplying guests with a personalized wellness experience and their very own wellness concierge. With its WELL Spa + Salon, fitness center, and a plethora of outdoor and indoor activities on the 1,300-acre campus, Grand Geneva is a one-stop destination for relaxation, active lifestyle, and wellness year-round. Innovations in Wellness will incorporate several of the resort’s facilities in this new fall retreat—CBD massages, sports activities, and nutrition-focused culinary demonstrations led by the resort’s chefs. The event will also offer select therapies from Golden Rey Integrative Medical Center including hyperbaric oxygen therapy and IV nutrient therapies. To book your spot, visit grandgeneva.com/wellness/innovations-in-wellness.

HERE’S … JIMMY!

North Shore native and comedian/storyteller Jimmy Carrane—an alumnus of the ImprovOlympic and an avid fan of the standups on The Tonight Show back in the day—is set to perform a unique Father’s Day show at The Laughing Academy in Glenview.

BY BILL MCLEAN ILLUSTRATION BY BARRY BLITT

In 2016, at the age of 52, Kenilworth na tive and longtime standup comedian/improv teacher Jimmy Carrane lost his father to pulmonary fibrosis, got attacked while stand ing on a pew and delivering an unwanted eulogy at the ensuing funeral, and became a first-time father.

It wan an eventful year for Carrane to say the least, filled with one blessed “up”—the arrival of daughter Betsy—and several pain ful “downs.”

“My relationship with my father (Robert) was complicated,” says Carrane, now 59 and a resident of Evanston. “He was very likeable but, as a workaholic lawyer and real estate developer, wasn’t around much at home. And he spent 33 months in federal prison for embezzlement, which embarrassed me. My family didn’t want me to speak at his funeral, but I prepared a eulogy anyway.

“My father’s death hit me harder than I thought it would. I cried while writing the eulogy. Then, at the funeral, a stranger in a gray suit pushed me off the pew. I couldn’t believe it. I was shocked. Winnetka police officers ended up showing up at the church.”

Three months later, Carrane and his wife, Lauren, welcomed Betsy into the world. A fatherless man was suddenly a father.

Carrane, a 1982 New Trier High School graduate, plans to recount his challenging childhood and share a rookie father’s lighter moments and hilarious observations on Father’s Day Weekend during his one-person show, “World’s Greatest Dad(?),” at The Laughing Academy in Glenview.

Delightfully sarcastic and self-deprecating, he is scheduled to perform once (7:30 p.m.) on Friday, June 16 and twice (7 p.m. and 9 p.m.) on Saturday, June 17.

Each show promises to be part laugh-outloud funny, part poignant.

“It is very cathartic for me, doing the show,” says Carrane, who first performed it in 2019 before sold-out crowds at The Second City’s Training Center in Chicago, and later staged it at The Elgin Fringe Festival and the Chicago-based SOLO SUNDAY storytelling series.

“I discovered that sharing pain with an audience makes for a good story,” he continues. “My father would come home late at night

and usually head to his bedroom to read the newspaper. I wanted attention from him. But he was always supportive of my career in

around me. My teachers? Not so much.”

While attending Columbia College Chicago as a marketing major, Carrane took improv

Carrane, who took improv classes with the late Chris Farley and, in the 1990s, performed improv alongside future household names Mike Myers, Rachel Dratch, David Koechner, Andy Richter, and Tim Meadows, among others. “I found myself able to fit in because I was around so many like-minded people.”

His first one-person show, “I’m 27, I Still Live at Home and Sell Office Supplies,” opened in 1991 at The Annoyance Theatre in Chicago and emerged as a hit for more than 18 months.

“Every part of that show’s title was true,” the former salesman says.

But many of Carrane’s comedy peers became wildly famous and he did not, leaving him bitter, depressed, and a regular at therapy sessions (sometimes twice a week) when he was in his 40s.

“I told my therapist, ‘I’d like medication that will make me famous,’” Carrane cracks. “That’s not how it works, I discovered.”

He married Lauren, now a consummate public relations professional, 11 years ago. Carrane knew Lauren was the one for him when she was suffering terribly during a visit to Florida.

“Lauren,” Carrane recalls, “got food poisoning. Her health scare scared me. I was scared of living my life without her in it.

“That’s when I knew I was in love with her.”

Carrane’s therapist suggested that Jimmy and Lauren have a baby to bring more joy into their life as a couple and thereby supplant Jimmy’s depression over not being famous at the national level.

Betsy turns 7 in July.

“I really wanted fame because I thought fame would make me happy,” says Carrane, the author of two books, including Improv Therapy, and the seven-year host of Studio 312 on Chicago Public Radio—a show-within-a-show on WBEZ’s 848, where he interviewed a slew of celebrities, including Conan O’Brien, Cindy Crawford, and Jeff Garlin.

“As a father,” he adds, “I feel fulfillment without being famous. And with Betsy around, I no longer worry about just myself.”

Jimmy Carrane will perform his one-person show, “World’s Greatest Dad(?),” at The Laughing Academy, 3230 Glenview Road, Glenview, on June 16 (7:30 p.m.) and June 17 (7 p.m. and 9 p.m.). Purchase tickets ($25 each) at thelaughingacademy.com. Call 847-724-2787 for information. For more information about Carrane, visit jimmycarrane.com.

I really wanted fame because I thought fame would make me happy. As a father, I feel fulfillment without being famous. And with Betsy around, I no longer worry about just myself.

Jimmy Carrane

Highland Park

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