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SUNDAY BREAKFAST
WEEKEND WEATHER
Saturday, High 74, chance of showers 60% Saturday night, Mostly cloudy, low 62 Sunday, Partly cloudy, high 76, chance of showers 50%
Peyton Merrill is excited about Bunny & Babe's second location in Winnetka P18
NORTH SHORE FOODIE Spice up summer cooking with Tarragon Chicken Salad P16 FOLLOW US:
NO. 456 | A JWC MEDIA PUBLICATION
FOR THE LOVE OF BREAD NORTHFIELD COUPLE LISA AND JIM CHALLENGER ARE BAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. BY ALLISON DUNCAN THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
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At the height of the pandemic last spring, avid bread baker Jim Challenger and his wife, Lisa, decided to bake bread every day for their North Shore community until the pandemic reached its end. They lasted 55 days—baking daily upward of 16 loaves from their home kitchen—but then had to slow down. “Bread has been the backbone of communities for centuries,” says Jim. “It’s a way to show and share love. People were bringing loaves to their 90-year-old parents in nursing homes, and bread baking became a viral quarantine sensation. You couldn’t find bread, flour, or yeast at the grocery store for months.” The Challengers still bake 20 to 60 loaves each week, using the revolutionary cast iron bread pan they developed under the name Challenger Breadware—which launched in 2019 and sold out almost immediately. To this day, their flagship bread pan is in hot demand and ships worldwide. Jim designed the upside-down Dutch oven with home bakers in mind. Made in Wisconsin and seasoned in Indiana, the pan features a shallow base for loading dough, a sealed environment to create the perfect amount of steam, top handles to easily remove the cover mid-bake, and a deep cover with plenty of room for your oven spring. “When I designed the pan, I thought it’d be something I could use and maybe give to friends but never considered it as a viable business,” recalls Continued on PG 10
Jim and Lisa Challenger at Blue Moon Farms. PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATRINA WITTKAMP
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THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
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THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
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THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
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THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
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INDEX
LIFESTYLE & ARTS
CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Returning to Ravinia for its 85th summer residency 15 concerts over 6 weeks | JULY 9 – AUGUST 15
and welcoming
MARIN ALSOP in her first season as Ravinia’s Chief Conductor & Curator
14 home is where the art is
Lake Forest artist Susan Lawson Bouma reflects on the last year from her new home studio
16 north shore foodie
This Tarragon Chicken Salad recipe works on a summer sandwich or served on lettuce
John Conatser FOUNDER & PUBLISHER
ADVERTISING Jennifer Sturgeon
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Wendy Franzen, Dustin O'Regan, Kemmie Ryan, Sherry Thomas, Megan Weisberg
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Alison Duncan, Monica Kass Rogers, Bill McLean
DESIGN Linda Lewis PRODUCTION MANAGER GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Chris Geimer ADVERTISING COORDINATOR
LAST BUT NOT LEAST 18 sunday breakfast
Peyton Merrill to launch another Bunny & Babe boutique—two doors down from the original space in Winnetka
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
PHOTOGRAPHY AND ART Barry Blitt ILLUSTRATOR Monica Kass Rogers PHOTOGRAPHY Robin Subar PHOTOGRAPHY Katrina Wittkamp PHOTOGRAPHY Cheyanne Lencioni ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT ALL ADVERTISING INQUIRY INFO SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO 847.370.6940 & JENNIFER@JWCMEDIA.COM FIND US ONLINE: DAILYNORTHSHORE.COM LIKE US ON FACEBOOK! © 2021 THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND A PUBLICATION OF JWC MEDIA 445 SHERIDAN RD., HIGHWOOD, IL 60040
Marin Alsop
more Ravinia.org For Infomation
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THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
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NEWS FOR THE LOVE OF BREAD
From PG 1
Jim. “Now, there are so many new bakers who discovered the hobby in 2020 and have stuck with it. It’s a challenging craft to learn, but you always have something with which to feed your family and friends.” Jim started baking bread nearly five years ago, through hosting Friday night pizza parties for the Challenger’s five kids and their friends. Sharing food, he says, has always been a major component of their family life. So, when the couple started seriously considering a move to realize their dreams of farm living, they added a standout entertainer’s kitchen to the musthave list. “We dreamt of a country lifestyle, but we were unwilling to leave our town,” says Lisa. “Here, we have the appeal of living in the country but are still five minutes RIGHT: The Challenger’s signature loaves of bread. BELOW: Jim Challenger. PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATRINA WITTKAMP
away from Whole Foods. Our property, Blue Moon Farms, sits on over three acres and we also bought the land next door, which borders the Chicago River. It is filled with trees and wildlife, and we wanted it to stay undeveloped.” The pair worked with local architect and builder Timm Martin—a former New Trier Township High School classmate and longtime close friend of Jim’s— to execute their vision of a dreamy modern farmhouse in Northfield with touches of Napa Valley-inspired architecture, like an oversized fireplace and an abundance of natural stone accents. Throughout the three-year build, the Challenger’s business continued to grow into what is now a burgeoning lifestyle website, artisan breadware brand, and viral social media destination. Take, for example, a recent TikTok shared by Lisa showcasing what the Challengers dub “Community Bread Day,” when the couple distributes homemade loaves of bread to a list of 100 plus people (including the pastor of Northfield Community Church) who have requested a loaf. The video reached over one million people. With that kind of reach, Lisa often fields texts, emails, and direct messages from fol-
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Boule in Pan. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAYLEN PRATER
lowers about their home design, so they worked with Martin to sell the scalable plans online. Now, a fan in Louisville is replicating their exact house with just a few tweaks. Most people, of course, have no need for an 18-foot kitchen counter or an Continued on PG 12 THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
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“A particular pleasure at this stage of my career is working with the children of my friends, and the friends of my children.”
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THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
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NEWS FOR THE LOVE OF BREAD
From PG 10
in-home conservatory. For the Challengers,
They also have plans to make a triumphant return to in-person events with bread baking workshops, a fall festival, and long-
Jim Challenger at work baking bread. BELOW: Challenger Breadware pan. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAYLEN PRATER
those features are essential. “We run our business from home, so we needed extra space to develop recipes, film content, and host events and classes, like a breadmaking course we introduced last year with local bakers including Greg Wade, lead baker at Publican Quality Bread and a James Beard Award winner,” says Lisa. “We use the conservatory as our office. It has a potting kitchen and opens to an indoor/outdoor bar, too.” The U-shaped home resembles a giant, albeit gorgeous, barn with 27-foot ceilings, an open concept floorplan, and indoor/ outdoor living, all centered around a beautiful courtyard complete with fire pits, a screened-in patio, and no shortage of seating for family and friends. When we spoke, they had grilled crab legs the night before to enjoy outside. And for their five-year wedding anniversary this year, they’re planning a seafood boil and oyster shucking class—the first time they’ll bring their extended clan together since pre-pandemic. They’d had a small 35-person wedding in Charleston with a “blue moon” theme—Jim proposed on a blue moon and they have matching blue moon tattoos—and had initially planned to reunite in South Carolina but, they’ll settle for the perfectly apropos Blue Moon Farms instead.
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ABOVE: Challenger living room at Blue Moon Farms. RIGHT: The kitchen at Blue Moon Farms. PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATRINA WITTKAMP
term, regular bread giveaways. First up, the duo just launched an online “baker’s classroom,” where Jim can share his tips and tricks for creating the perfect loaf of bread. It’s a science and an art, after all. They are also expanding the Challenger Breadware brand to include everything a budding baker needs to bake better bread, like gloves, aprons, and so much more.
“We love what we do and have so many lofty goals for the future,” says Jim. “Ultimately, though, everything comes back to sharing love and sharing bread.” For more information about Challenger Breadware, visit challengerbreadware.com.
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THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
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LIFESTYLE & ARTS
HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS WHEN PANDEMIC LOCKDOWN MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR SUSAN LAWSON BOUMA TO PAINT IN HER VERO BEACH STUDIO, THE ARTIST DID NOT GIVE UP DOING WHAT SHE LOVES. INSTEAD, SHE CREATED A NEW PLACE TO WORK—STEPS FROM THE FRONT DOOR OF HER LAKE FOREST HOME. BY SHERRY THOMAS THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
For nearly 50 years, Susan Lawson Bouma’s proverbial “happy place” has been in front of a canvas. The colorful, oversized abstract paintings she creates are bold, infused with energy and movement and often left without titles so those who acquire them can make their own artistic interpretations. “I rarely name paintings,” says Bouma, who moved to Lake Forest with husband, Robert, and their young family in 1979. “People can look at them and see what they see and feel what they feel. I believe naming my paintings is limiting because it influences the viewer.” She accidentally discovered a passion for painting in the 1960s when she was called in to substitute for a New York City public school art teacher who walked out after the students threw paint in class. She spent the rest of the year as the school’s art teacher and has been devoted to developing her skills as a painter ever since, studying art in America’s major cities: New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. A native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa (also home to the legendary Grant Wood, most famous for his iconic American Gothic painting), Bouma started out by studying the masters in oil—drawing inspiration from visits to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Art Institute of Chicago, as well as Sotheby’s and Christie’s auction catalogs. Focusing on French impressionists Monet, Cezanne, Matisse, and John Singer Sargent, as well as American impressionist painter Frank Benson, she learned about color mixing and composition. About 15 years ago, Bouma became interested in abstract painting after watching an artist friend pour paint on an unprimed canvas on the floor of her studio. This led Bouma to study American abstract expressionist painters Helen Frankenthaler and Joan Mitchell. It also led her back to the classroom. Under the guidance of Deborah Gooch, a notable Vero Beach-based artist and teacher at the Vero Beach Museum of Art, Bouma began to hone her skills. After a few years of studying with Gooch, Bouma was invited work beside her in her studio— the Vero Beach studio she maintains today with three other artists. “When I came back from Florida early in the pandemic, I didn’t realize that I would be away from my studio for nearly a year,”
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Susan Lawson Bouma in her Lake Forest studio. PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATRINA WITTKAMP
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THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
LIFESTYLE & ARTS explains Bouma, who majored in English and History at Coe College before moving to Manhattan, where she studied art at the New School and later earned a master’s degree at New York University. “I was anxious to paint but no room in my home was suitable. That’s what led me to the garage. While it’s a bit shabby, it has high ceilings and good light—even an old-fashioned sink. On warmer days, I could open the garage doors.” This would not be Bouma’s first home studio. When she and Robert bought the 1918 home more than 40 years ago, they created a space to paint on the third floor by adding a skylight. As time has passed, this room became the sewing room, and the wrapping room, and eventually the storage room. But Bouma had found a new place to paint: a studio at Gorton Community Center that she shared with a group of likeminded female Lake Forest painters in the ’80s and early ’90s. The group was critiqued weekly by the chair of Lake Forest College Art Department professor Michael Croydon, whose sculptures are displayed prominently around Lake Forest. Bouma donated one of her pieces to this year’s “Cattails and Cocktails” auction to benefit Lake Forest Open Lands Association. Given everything that’s happened over the last year, she is particularly excited to continue sharing her work with others. “I’m thrilled when someone connects with one of my paintings,” says Bouma. “The thought of my work on display in someone’s home is powerful and gratifying.” Bouma, who served on the Board of Trustees of the Vero Beach Museum of Art for six years and is still involved in the Vero Beach art community—including a solo show in 2019—feels she was fortunate to
have a place to work during the pandemic. Artists rely on the community and camaraderie with other artists and Bouma was happy to paint on occasion with Lake Bluff artist Vanessa Clarke, a recent graduate of the MBA program at the Art Institute, who had to give up her studio in the city due to the pandemic.
Even her grandchildren came to paint— most often 8-year-old Nelly Herbert, daughter of Whitley Bouma Herbert, who lives around the corner. “She came over to paint a canvas for her THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
mother for Christmas and I said ‘Nelly, would you like a few pointers?’ and she said ‘No, thank you.’ She wanted to do her own thing and I thought that was great,” Bouma explains. “But I know Nelly is proud of me. Whitley overheard her on a Zoom call for school and she was holding up a painting and announced, ‘My Nana is an artist’.” A fully vaccinated Bouma was able to return to her studio in Florida this spring. “Having the garage space is what got me through COVID. It really did,” she adds. “I missed the give and take and energy of having other artists around but to be able to just walk out the door to the garage and look at the painting I was working on and put down a few strokes and sit down and think about it … it was truly a gift.” For more information about Susan Lawson Bouma, visit susanbouma.com. SATURDAY JULY 10 | SUNDAY JULY 11 2021 |
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LIFESTYLE & ARTS
NORTH SHORE FOODIE
TARRAGON CHICKEN SALAD BY MONICA KASS ROGERS THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
Herbs are the best thing about my garden. Lilac and sage, lemon thyme and basil, tarragon and dill. They greet me every morning with their cheery fragrance. French tarragon—with its curly roots, narrow green leaves and aniselike scent—is a favorite. It adds lovely flavor to this classic chicken salad. To make it, I grill chicken breasts and thighs that have marinated in garlic and herbs, whip up homemade tarragon mayonnaise, and mix all together with red grapes, toasted pecans, celery, and a bit of red onion. It’s great served in lettuce cups or as a sandwich filling.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MONICA KASS ROGERS
INGREDIENTS
METHOD
FOR THE TARRAGON MAYONNAISE
• 1 ¼ cup sunflower oil (or substitute vegetable oil) • 2 cups fresh tarragon leaves whole, plus 2 Tbsp minced • 1 large egg at room temperature • 1 tsp good quality Dijon mustard • 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar (aged is fine) • 1 tsp superfine sugar • Salt and finely ground pepper to taste FOR THE CHICKEN
• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs • 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts • 2 tsp each salt and fresh cracked pepper • 2 Tbsp each fresh tarragon leaves, thyme leaves, parsley leaves, minced
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• 3 cloves minced garlic • Juice of ½ fresh lemon • Finely grated zest of 1 lemon • 2 Tbsp olive oil FOR THE SALAD
• 3 ribs celery, finely diced to make 1 cup • ½ small red onion, finely diced • 1 cup halved seedless red grapes • ¼ cup chopped toasted pecans • 1 head butter lettuce • 2 Tbsp very finely minced tarragon leaves • 1 cup Tarragon mayonnaise (save 2 Tbsp to spread on sandwich bread) • Salt and pepper to taste
MAKE TARRAGON MAYONNAISE: Blend sunflower oil with 2 cups of tarragon leaves until very smooth. Place in small pan over medium heat. Heat for one minute. Pour oil and herbs into a fine mesh strainer over a small pitcher. Set aside to cool. Discard tarragon leaves from the strainer. In the bowl of a food processor, combine mustard with egg and remaining 2 Tbsp of minced tarragon leaves until smooth. With motor running, add the herbed tarragon oil in a slow, steady trickle to the egg and mustard until the mixture whips up into mayonnaise. Stir in sugar. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove mayonnaise to a bowl and refrigerate. MAKE CHICKEN: Rub salt and pepper into the chicken thighs and breasts. Allow to rest while you mince the
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herb leaves and garlic. Massage herbs and garlic into the poultry— adding the lemon juice, grated lemon zest, and olive oil. Set aside to marinate for at least ½ hour while you chop the vegetables for the salad. Grill chicken and set aside to cool enough to handle. Chop grilled chicken into small pieces. Set aside. MAKE SALAD: Combine diced celery, onion, grapes, pecans, and minced tarragon leaves with the diced chicken and tarragon mayonnaise. (Reserve 2 Tbsp of the mayonnaise to thinly spread on bread if you are making sandwiches with the salad.) Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve salad spooned into lettuce cups, or layer butter lettuce on bread, croissants, or baguettes and top with the chicken salad. THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
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S U N D AY B R E A K FA S T
MORE THAN A NAME PEYTON MERRILL’S WINNETKA BOUTIQUE—ALONG WITH A SOON-TO-OPEN SECOND SPACE— BOASTS INDELIBLE QUALITIES THAT GO BEYOND ITS DISTINCTIVE SOBRIQUET, BUNNY & BABE. BY BILL MCLEAN ILLUSTRATION BY BARRY BLITT
Peyton Merrill needed two items and her husband, Topher, to come up with a catchy name for her first boutique in 2020. She sat in the couple’s Winnetka home, with a pen in her hand and a notebook on the kitchen table. Peyton brainstormed and doodled, hoping something she had scribbled would pop off the page. Sensing his wife could use a nudge, Topher asked, “Who has inspired you?” Peyton stopped scribbling and let her mind race. A history buff since earning her degree in that subject from Roanoke College in Virginia, she thought of Bunny Mellon, an American style icon, art collector, and talented landscape garden designer who died at age 103 in 2014. Mellon’s best friend was Jackie Kennedy. The White House Rose Garden? JFK asked Mellon to redesign it in 1961. Bunny hopped to it. “I also thought of Babe Paley,” Merrill says of the late American socialite, Vogue fashion editor (1938-1947), and International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame inductee in 1958. “Bunny and Babe were true icons and America’s first ‘It’ girls.” Bunny & Babe. Bingo. Merrill’s modern North Shore boutique with the alliterative name opened last winter at 555 Chestnut Street in Winnetka. It houses her carefully curated collection of women’s readyto-wear, shoes, accessories, and home selections. “Quick, simple, easy to remember,” says Merrill, 51. “Hearing my husband’s question in the kitchen that day was all it took to help me focus and think of a name that would reflect the boutique’s essence. “On many issues related to business, he’s my go-to.” Bunny & Babe customers won’t have to go too far from the shop’s original, 1,800-square-foot space to visit its second, 1,600-square-foot location, set to open in mid-August. Two doors down, to be exact, at 559 Chestnut Street. “It’ll be an exciting space, with more of a casual vibe,” Merrill says, adding her venture hurdled the challenges of the pandemic cleanly and enjoyed its most profitable month in May. “We expanded because there’s such potential out there. We’re attracting all ages
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to our store, from 13-year-old girls to women in their 70s, and we’ve hit the sweet spot in the market—our customers want more of what they are loving. “This new space,” she adds, “will allow us to expand our offerings in terms of designer mix and price point. We will be able to accommodate both discerning women and their savvy daughters—and provide gifts, too—all in our two neighboring spaces.”
I knew I could run a boutique. Opening one was not daunting to me. The most challenging aspect of it, initially, was the buying side because that was new to me. But I found those challenges fun and exciting; I still do.
Peyton Merrill
The daughter of George, who worked in the computer industry, and J.E., who served as creative director of her advertising agency, Merrill grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut, and, at age 14, landed a job in sales at a Benetton. “I was obsessed with fabrics and colors,” Merrill says. “I remember my mom, also an artist, being into fashion as a form of expression.” Peyton then developed a passion for history at tiny Roanoke (a liberal arts college with approximately 2,000 students) in Salem, Virginia. Books about the Kennedys—Jackie Kennedy referred to her husband’s presidency as an “American Camelot”—World War II, and the Vietnam War enthralled her. She devoured a steady diet of biographies, too, in addition to the reading assignments in her classes each semester. “Roanoke,” she says, “provided me with a well-rounded education. I loved my professors.”
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Merrill worked in fashion in D.C. for a couple of years, before establishing herself in the field of visual merchandising at Ann Taylor, J. Crew, and Thomas Pink. She was the head of visual merchandising at Thomas Pink in London after moving there with Topher— a Winnetka native and Roanoke College graduate—following their wedding in 1997. The couple called England home for five years. “Living in London opened my eyes to a lot of things,” says the mother of three (Chloe, 20; Brooks, 18; and Charlie, 15) and Winnetka resident since 2004. “I learned all about branding from Thomas Pink’s director of marketing and how important it is to create a company mantra that’s clear and succinct. And Topher and I traveled all over Europe on the weekends. I took an art history class at Sotheby’s, visited museums, and checked out antique shops in Paris and Brussels.” From 2016-2019, Merrill ran an interior design business stateside before launching Bunny & Babe. “I knew I could run a boutique,” she says. “Opening one was not daunting to me. The most challenging aspect of it, initially, was the buying side because that was new to me. But I found those challenges fun and exciting; I still do.” Bunny & Babe currently offers Hunter Bell, LoveShackFancy, Kule, Loeffler Randall, FARM Rio, Poupette St Barth, and more. Home and tabletop from Amanda Lindroth and jewelry from Mignonne Gavigan and ASHA round out the unique boutique’s selection. Additional designers introduced in the new space will include Blaze Milano, Cinq a Sept, Ciao Lucia, For Love & Lemons, and more. “We’re always looking for new brands,” Merrill says. First-time Bunny & Babe customers won’t just feel at home upon entering Merrill’s; they’ll also feel as if they had just entered … a home. “It’s a colorful and happy and welcoming place, with sky-blue wallpaper,” Merrill says. “Our fitting rooms have sofas and are like living rooms. People come in and don’t feel intimidated, but so much of that has to do with our attentive team of 10. What’s more important than customer service? “I get to work with awesome people. I feel fortunate every day.” Bunny & Babe is located at 555 Chestnut Street in Winnetka with plans to open its second location nearby at 559 Chestnut Street in midAugust. For more information, call 847-9993255 or visit bunnyandbabe.com. The boutique also does business through its Instagram @bunnyandbabewinnetka. THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
1884 Cooper Lane Highland Park
5 BED | 5.1 BATH | $1,499,000
Uniquely designed, highly upgraded, custom-built, all brick newer construction home with all of today’s amenities. Tremendous attention to detail throughout & a truly spectacular 3/4-acre property on a quiet & private cul-de-sac. Simply stunning & extraordinary - see full tour & details at www.1884cooper.info
THE MARKET IS HOT - DON’T MISS OUT! U N D E R C O N T R AC T
PENDING
COMING SOON
77 MacArthur Loop, Highland Park
980 Half Day Rd, Highland Park
451 Green Bay Rd, Highland Park
1220 Rudolph Rd, Northbrook
5 BED | 3.1 BATH | $1,299,000
4 BED | 3.1 BATH | $670,000
3 BED | 2 BATH | $299,900
3 BED | 3 BATH | $369,000
Expanded, remodeled & exquisitely restored Ft. Sheridan Captain's Mansion showcasing yesterday's charm yet seamlessly enhanced with today's desirable amenities.
Sunny colonial w/ open floor plan on quiet, secluded cul-de-sac w/ stunning nature preserve views!
Solid brick & cedar split level home in popular Ravinia ready for your remodeling ideas. Tons of potential & great value!
Rarely available 3 bd / 3 ba in gated Condos of Northbrook. Immaculate, spacious, neutral & nicely updated unit w/ beautiful treetop, pond & neighborhood views.
F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N , T O S C H E D U L E A S H O W I N G O R F O R A F R E E A N A LY S I S - C A L L , E M A I L O R T E X T
Expert North Shore Broker patdenenberg@atproperties.com
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Expert North Shore Broker laurahara@atproperties.com
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spectacular opportunity NEW PRICE
elegance redefined 1444 KAYWOOD LANE, GLENVIEW 5 BED | 6.1 BATH | 3.5 CAR GARAGE | 1444KAYWOOD.INFO TheotokosPanagia
TheotokosPanagia
jradnay@atproperties.com 312.925.9899
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| SATURDAY JULY 10 | SUNDAY JULY 11 2021
connie@conniedornan.com 847.208.1397
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