The Deromedi family on the award-winning suspension bridge that bears their family name.
Fine Furnishings
LIFESTYLE & ARTS
A BRIDGE TO CONSERVATION From PG 1
BY ANN MARIE SCHEIDLER
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
When Roger Deromedi semi-retired in 2006, he turned his sights to the ravine on his property in Lake Forest.
“Our portion of the Mayflower Ravine had been scoured down four-to-five feet in the last 100 years,” explains Roger, a Lake Forest resident for more than 30 years. “The sides were collapsing. The trees were falling in. The ravine really needed remediation and restoration. Our property’s landscaping was originally designed by Jens Jensen in 1913. I was fortunate enough to find his original drawings for this property in the University of Michigan Archives and we used those as a starting place for our restoration plan.”
Roger quickly found himself becoming an expert in all-things ravine restoration, because the project required permits from the City of Lake Forest, Lake County Stormwater Management, Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.
“Any waters going into Lake Michigan are considered waters of America and fall under the purview of the Corps,” he explains. “Happily, in the 15 years since we completed the work, nothing has moved. All of our stabilization and naturalization have held up well.”
What might be a surprise to many is that Roger and his wife Sandy do all of the maintenance of the ravine themselves.
“It’s a huge labor of love that we can do together,” explains Sandy, who says their evening wine walks around the ravine typically reveal the next day’s gardening assignments. “There is a real learning curve to know what native species do well in the different parts of the ravine. Our Mayflower Ravine is a very special place for our family. We love seeing our grandchildren enjoying nature in the ravine.”
When current Lake Forest Open Lands Association (LFOLA) President Ryan London was tapped to oversee the restoration of the Jean and John Greene Nature Preserve several years ago, one of his first calls was to Roger.
“The restoration of the ravines in the Greene Nature Reserve was a very large project, and I was happy to share with Ryan what I learned from my restoration,” says Roger, who is a long-time member of the LFOLA Board of Governors. “I knew based on what I had done with our ravine whether or not certain design aspects were the best. The end result of the Greene Nature Preserve is really fantastic and a great asset for Lake Forest.”
Sharing their passion for nature with their children and grandchildren is important to the Deromedis. Walks over the award-winning Deromedi Family suspension bridge in the Greene Nature Preserve
is one of Sandy’s preferred things to enjoy with them.
“I love taking pictures on our hikes in the shadows of the bridge,” says Sandy, who has a well-trained ear for the different bird
sounds in the preserve. “Lake Forest Open Lands is truly such a gift to the community. It delights us to be able to point out different plants and birds to our grandchildren on our walks.”
The Deromedi family. PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARIA PONCE
NORTH SHORE DOINGS
EDITED BY CHEYANNE LENCIONI THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
NOVEMBER 9
KAREN MORGAN COMEDY NIGHT
WHERE: John and Nancy Hughes Theater
Enjoy a night of comedy from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. filled with nostalgia when rocks were pets and the carpet was shag. Everyone will love this clean comedy show. Tickets are on sale now. gortoncenter.org
NOVEMBER 9 TO 15
PUMPKIN COMPOSTING
WHERE: Northfield Community Center
Don't trash your pumpkins; compost them! Bring your pumpkins to the Northfield Community Center parking lot to be recycled into compost. Painted pumpkins are accepted, but be sure to remove any non-organic items, such as candles, stickers, and other decorations. northfieldparks.org
NOVEMBER 9 TO 19
TUESDAY ON THE TRAIL
WHERE: LFOLA forest preserves
From noon to 1 p.m., join Lake Forest Open Lands Association (LFOLA) for a guided hike each Tuesday at lunchtime. One of LFOLA’s experienced field educators will lead an interactive tour through a different preserve each week highlighting the specific habitat, plants, trees, animals, and birds that call the preserve home. lfola.org
NOVEMBER 9 TO 17
ELECTION SIGN
RECYCLING
WHERE: Northfield Community Center
Did you know that lawn signs cannot go in your curbside recycle bin? Since they are usually made of a plastic/paper composite that cannot be separated, they are
impossible to recycle. But Go Green Northfield (GGNF) is here to help. Drop off any hard lawn signs and their metal stakes in the marked containers at the Northfield Community Center or Village Hall through November 17, and GGNF will deliver them to Chicago Logistic Service in West Dundee. From there they will be distributed to area nonprofits that repurpose them as tech packaging and solar light boxes for disadvantaged communities around the world. northfieldparks.org
NOVEMBER 9 TO 10
ANTIQUES + MODERNISM SHOW 2024
WHERE: The Community House
The Community House Woman’s Board is proud to present the return of its fall fundraising event in its 52nd year! This celebrated, three-day shopping event is renowned for bringing together preeminent dealers from across the United States and Europe specializing in home furnishings, fine art, and jewelry exclusively available for purchase from recognized specialists. There is a preview party on November 7 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The shopping days are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on November 8, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on November 9, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on November 10. The A+M Show is the ultimate destination for interior designers, treasure hunters, and collectors alike! All proceeds from A+M Show benefit the Community House, a nonprofit organization providing recreational, arts, and educational programming to people of all ages. Tickets are on sale now. mycommunityhouse.org
NOVEMBER 12
DATE NIGHT CRAFT WORKSHOP WHERE: Wilmette
Community Recreation Center
Get crafty with your significant other or fly solo at Wilmette Community Recreation Center’s 7:15 p.m. Date Night Craft Workshop. Create stuffed owls or native Illinois birds. No sewing experience is needed as all steps will be guided. This program is for participants ages 16 and older. Registration is required. Tickets are $25 for residents and $31 for non-residents per person. wilmettepark.org
NOVEMBER 13
SEASONAL TREE WALK
WHERE: Chicago Botanic Garden
From 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., enjoy Chicago Botanic Garden’s final seasonal tree walk of the year. This month, participants will visit a different section of the garden and learn about the trees unique to that area. Dress for the weather. Registration is $24 for members and $30 for non-members. chicagobotanic.org
NOVEMBER 14
A VETERAN’S PERSPECTIVE ON TRANSITIONING TO THE WORKFORCE
WHERE: History Center Lake Forest-Lake Bluff At 7 p.m. retired Navy
NOVEMBER 23
HOLIDAY LIGHTING
WHERE: Port Clinton Square
From 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., the annual holiday lighting event will take place. Special guests and activities will be featured. enjoyhighlandpark.com
NOVEMBER 24
THE MUSIC INSTITUTE
CHICAGO CHORALE
WHERE: Nichols Concert Hall
returns for its 90th anniversary from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. The parade will travel up State Street from Ida B. Wells Drive to Randolph Street. Witness the best Chicagoland has to offer including marching bands, festive floats, majestic equestrian units, and a diverse array of cultural performance troupes—all led by notable Chicago hosts and a special visitor from the North Pole. chicagothanksgivingparade.com
Captain Jim Hawkins will share his experiences transitioning from the Armed Forces to the civilian workforce. Captain Hawkins will discuss ideas and perspectives that work to educate the public on support systems for attracting and hiring Veterans and military spouses. This event is free to the public. Registration is required. lflbhistory.org
NOVEMBER 17
ARTEMIS CHAMBER ORCHESTRA CONCERT
WHERE: Nicholas Hall, Music Institute of Chicago
Enjoy a free concert by the Artemis Chamber Orchestra, titled “Sonnenberg Suite.” General admission seats are available now. artemischamberorchestra.org
NOVEMBER 22 TO DECEMBER 8
SANTA’S MAILBOX
The Gazebo in Mallinckrodt Park
Mail your letters to Santa at the magical mailbox in Mallinckrodt Park. With your letter, include a selfaddressed and stamped envelope so Santa can write you back. All letters must be dropped into the mailbox by December 8. wilmettepark.org
At 3 p.m., The Music Institute Chorale opens its 2024–25 concert season with “Clap Your Hands,” featuring music for choir and brass, including Daniel Pinkham’s Christmas Cantata. Admission is free. musicinst.org
NOVEMBER 27
LAKE FOREST SCOUTS HOCKEY PUCKS & POMS FUNDRAISER
WHERE: Lake Forest College
Scouts Hockey's Pucks & Poms kicks off the holiday break with its annual evening of games and entertainment the night before Thanksgiving. Each of the three Scouts Hockey teams play backto-back and with announcers, music, spirit wear and concessions sales. During intermission of the Varsity game, the Lake Forest High School Varsity Dance Team performs. This year Varsity and JV Gold will face off against Hinsdale at 6:45 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., and JV Blue will play at 5:30 pm. This is a free event with opportunities to give to GLASA (Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association) throughout the evening, including a 50/50 raffle. scoutshockey.com
NOVEMBER 28
CHICAGO THANKSGIVING PARADE
WHERE: State Street, Chicago
The award-winning parade
DECEMBER 7
ELF INVASION PUB
CRAWL
WHERE: Downtown Highwood
Don’t miss Highwood’s 5th annual Elf Invasion Pub Crawl. This fun event starts at 2 p.m. and runs until the affiliated bars close. Participants will start at 28 Mile Distilling Company where they will get their Elf Troupe Assignment and follow their Elf leader to Teddy O’Brian’s, Broken Tee Brewing Company, Toadstool Pub, and the legendary Wooden Nickel. Registration is encouraged for one of the five Troupe groups that leave every 45 minutes between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. There is a $20 registration fee and space is limited. celebratehighwood.org
DECEMBER 7
COOKIE & COCOA CRAWL
WHERE: Ravinia District
Kick off the holiday season with warm cocoa, festive cookies, and tons of fun. From 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., kids can pick up their cookie collection bag and redemption tickets in Jens Jensen Park. Visit local participating businesses throughout the district and enjoy the festive decorations. Santa will also be in attendance.
enjoyhighlandpark.com
To submit your event for consideration, please email events@nsweekend.com.
Chicago Thanksgiving Parade
WITH HONORS
Retired Army Colonel Gilman “Gil” Lloyd Clark has been serving his country most of his life, continuing that mission to his adopted hometown of Lake Forest. We spoke to this proud veteran about his work with the local American Legion and what patriotism means to him.
BY
He is a man of stories, a distiller of detail, each one weaving a thread that ultimately brings the conversation back to that thing that he loves so dearly—a mission to protect and serve his country.
Gilman “Gil” Lloyd Clark of Lake Forest is a member of what some call America’s Silent Generation. They were the ones who born during the Great Depression and watched the tragedy and triumph of World War II as children, growing up with a very unique view of the world and the meaning of what it means to be a patriot. “If you look at patriotism in this country, it’s at a low point in my lifetime,” says Clark, who volunteered to serve as an enlisted man in the U.S. Army from 1955 to 1957, followed by more than a decade serving in the U.S. Army Reserves and another stint in active duty from 1973 to 1990. “We need to reignite that in the next generation. We need American history taught to every student so they understand the
monumental sacrifices that have been made in developing this country.” Clark moved around throughout his military career, a path that brought him to Fort Sheridan from 1975 to 1980. He was living on base with his family but as fate would have it, a house on Green Bay Road became available in what he calls an “estate sale.” He and his late wife bought it and rented it out to other military personnel as he continued his military career, moving back in 1991. And it was around that time, the summer of 1992, that Clark received a letter inviting him to join American Legion Post 264. “Today many of my closest friends are Post members with whom I have been fortunate to know and share many meaningful events and moments,” says Clark, who in addition to placing flags out in the city on Memorial Day and other holidays, has volunteered at countless community celebrations, including Lake Forest Day. He feels a particular connection to his fellow Post members
on Veterans Day, a holiday he says is still misunderstood by many. “Memorial Day is a solemn remembrance of those who died in the service of our country. Veterans Day honors all of those who have served, from World War II to today. It’s a recognition that you did something for the country that only a very small percentage of the population has done,” says Clark, today a widowed father of four children and five grandchildren. In early October, he was among a group of veterans who flew to Washington, D.C. on a Lake County Honor Flight. It was the perfect way to celebrate a life of service—one he remembers every time he joins fellow Post members to put out American flags in the community. “When I see those flags on the street, it’s a very uplifting feeling of what a great country this has been and is. The sacrifices that lie behind that flag are just phenomenal. It’s a reminder of who we are and we should be as a nation.”
WEDDING PARTY
The Marriage of Figaro, Mozart’s comic upstairs/downstairs masterpiece, opens with an all-star cast this weekend at Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Chicago theater legend Barbara Gaines, who founded the Tony Award-winning Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) and served as its Artistic Director for 37 years, makes a return to Lyric Opera of Chicago this weekend to oversee her vision for Mozart’s comic upstairs/downstairs masterpiece, The Marriage of Figaro. This breathlessly paced classic tells the story of love, lust, seduction, infidelity, and ultimately, forgiveness—all set to some of the most sublime and memorable music ever written. Gaines, who won three Best Director citations from The Jeff Awards during her time at CST, directs the piece she originally conceived for the 2015/16 season. Erina Yashima makes her debut conducting the Lyric Opera Orchestra. Running now through November 30, this ticklish twist on tying the knot features an all-star cast who together explore the perils of temptation, the grace of forgiveness, and the triumph of love.
It’s the day before Figaro and Susanna’s wedding and things in the Almaviva house are going wild. The servants are bickering and Susanna is trying to evade the
advances of the Count and marry her true love, Figaro. Zany antics ensue, people jump out of windows, and wily trickery creates a mood of frilly, fun chaos that in the end imparts a great moral message about love and fidelity. Clever disguises and absurd mix-ups keep the laughs and surprises coming while Mozart’s shimmering score delivers some of the most beautiful melodies in all of opera, from its efferves-
cent overture to the fairytale finale. Slovakian bass Peter Kellner makes his Lyric debut as Figaro. Chinese soprano Ying Fang is Susanna, the role in which she made her debut at London’s Royal Opera House earlier this season. Italian soprano Federica Lombardi makes her Lyric debut as Countess Almaviva, bringing her star power with the role to Chicago following her acclaimed interpretations in
London, Vienna, New York, Rome, and Munich.
Canadian bass-baritone Gordon Bintner makes his Lyric debut as Count Almaviva. American mezzo-soprano Kayleigh Decker is Cherubino. American mezzo-soprano Sarah Mesko makes her Lyric debut as Marcellina. American bassbaritone Nicholas Newton is Dr. Bartolo and American tenor Brenton Ryan, who performed at Lyric as Monostatos in The Magic Flute in the 2021/22 season, is back to wreak havoc in another Mozart opera as Don Basilio. American bass Matt Boehler makes his Lyric debut as Antonio. All performances of The Marriage of Figaro are dedicated to the memory of Sir Andrew Davis (1944–2024), who served as Lyric’s Music Director from 2000 to 2021 and whose Lyric career at Lyric included 34 performances of The Marriage of Figaro, one of his favorite operas, including the premiere of this production in the 2015/16 season.
Colonel Gilman "Gil" Lloyd Clark
SHERRY THOMAS
ILLUSTRATION BY TOM BACHTELL
BY BILL MCLEAN THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER NORTH SHORE SPORTS
Pick a swimming event, any event.
Lake Forest High School (LFHS) junior Abby Houlihan has swum in it. A sprinter at the beginning of her career, the versatile and adventurous Houlihan climbs start blocks these days for middledistance and distance races.
“Abby is always willing to compete in any race for the team,” says LFHS assistant varsity coach Samantha Medland, who swam for New Trier Township HS teams before graduating in 2011. “She has come around to understanding that distance swimming is one of her strengths.
“And she’s a role model and a natural leader, with a great attitude,” the coach adds. “I consider her a dream athlete because she asks for feedback after races.”
At the North Suburban Conference (NSC) girls’ swimming meet at ZionBenton HS on November 2, Houlihan placed 10th in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 2:11.9 and followed that up with a 10th-place showing (5:52.32) in the 500-freestyle event.
“I’ve developed grit through
ABBY’S ROAD
Houlihan’s swimming journey at Lake Forest High School has been eventful.
swimming,” Houlihan says after admitting the sport did not appeal to her initially.
“I’m in the water all the time, training and working hard. Our team is a small group, but it’s mighty-ish. I like the one-on-one attention our three coaches (Medland, varsity coach Dave Gray, and JV coach Sandy Jardine) give all of us.”
The spotlight shone on Houlihan before the start of the NSC meet in Zion. She’d been chosen as Lake Forest High School’s NSC Sportsmanship Award
Q & A with New Trier HS diver Ava Raese DOGGED FEAT
recipient, and a meet official recognized each of the honorees at the seven-team meet.
“Abby is always there for others,” says Jardine, a Kankakee native who swam distance races at Illinois State University. “Very upbeat, too. I remember her being open to swimming the 500 free for us.”
Houlihan also churns out of the water, playing the violin for the school orchestra and running Crafts For A Cause with co-founder Matthew Kim. The philanthropic pair launched the club in October 2023.
“We meet with other students once a month at school and make cards, bracelets, and holiday ornaments for patients in hospitals and veterans,” Houlihan says.
Lake Forest High divers Taylor Gaston and Ella Boudveau finished eighth (307.05 points) and ninth (297.95), respectively, at the NSC meet.
Determined New Trier sophomore Liam Kelly claims state title in debut appearance.
Why in the world does a dog named Bogey live where the reigning Class 3A boys’ golf state champion calls home?
Let’s let the champ, New Trier Township High School sophomore and Winnetka resident Liam Kelly, explain.
“So, there’s me, my sisters (Avery and Harper) and my parents (Adam and Erin),” Kelly begins. “That’s five at home.
When we got our Australian Labradoodle, it
became six. A six on a par-five hole in golf is a bogey.
“My dad came up with the name Bogey for our dog.”
The 5-foot-10, 140-pound Kelly unleashed his sound, smooth golf game at the two-day state tournament last month, carding way more birdies and pars than bogeys en route to the second 3A state title by a Trevian in three years (Johnny Creamean, 2022) at The Den at Fox Creek Golf Course in Bloomington.
In his debut state-meet appearance October 18-19, Kelly—the varsity’s No. 8 player as a freshman in 2023 and the Central Suburban League South medalist in 2024—shot a four-under-par 140 (71-69) and beat runner-up Kieran Low of Evanston Township HS in a playoff hole.
One of Bogey’s walkers paced New Trier (589 strokes) to third place in the team standings. Hinsdale Central HS (588) edged Evanston (588) via the fifth-score tiebreaker for the team title.
“All I wanted, all season long, was to
help my team win state,’ Kelly says. “So close. We were so close. The individual state championship? I’d never thought about it.”
The unflappable Kelly shrugged off a pair of early bogeys in the first round, notching three straight birdies at the end of the front nine. On his first hole in round two, Kelly rolled in a 35-foot birdie putt from the fringe.
“Liam’s poise on the course is second to none,” NTHS coach Pete Drevline says. “He’s calm, cool, and collected under pressure situations. Liam’s game plan at state was simple: hit fairways and greens. He was able to stay on task for 36 holes better than anyone else in the field.
“Liam,” the coach continues, “was a sponge late year, learning from some great upperclassmen, and banked that information for this year. We expected him to be a force in our lineup this fall and he certainly made the most of his opportunities.”
NTHS junior Logan Keeter finished in fifth place (two-round total of 142) at state.
Dad swam. Daughter dives.
“I was a gymnast before I became a diver,” New Trier High School senior diver and two-time state qualifier Ava Raese says. “After second grade, my dad (T.R.) told me, ‘Try diving.’ It wasn’t swimming, but it was close.”
T.R. Raese hit the water and swam hard for Hinsdale Central HS teams in the late 1980s, helping a Red Devils quartet win the 200-yard medley relay state title in 1989. Now he gets to sit and watch Ava plunge to success off the boards.
“Ava,” NTHS diving coach Bruce Kimball says, “is athletic, a top-notch kid, and a great teammate. Ava gets genuinely excited for her teammates.”
Raese finished third (421.75 points) at the Central Suburban League South diving meet on November 2.
The challenges of diving?
AR: New dives can be scary. If you mess up, it hurts. And you do all you can not to get lost in the air. So much goes into each dive. You’re thinking about five things at the same time, including the approach, form, and the dive itself.
best describes Coach Kimball?
two? Kind, patient.
after you nail a dive?
has always been my favorite subject.
one. Who’s at the table?
time, I’d like to have dinner with my mom (Angie) when she was my age. I’d ask her, ‘So what’s going on?’
New Trier diver Ava Raese
New Trier sophomore Liam Kelly
Lake Forest High School junior Abby Houlihan
Chef Thierry Lefeuvre
MUSSELS IN WHITE WINE + PERNOD
BY MONICA KASS ROGERS FOOD EDITOR THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
Classic preparations of moules marinières (sailor-style mussels) go back centuries in France and Belgium, requiring nothing more than mussels, shallots, white wine, and butter. Chefs worldwide have tweaked the traditional recipe, adding herbs, sometimes cream, and, in my favorite rendition, garlic, gorgeously ripe tomatoes, and Pernod.
Pernod, the anise-flavored French liqueur, goes so well with mussels that I’ve never been able to return to the “just with wine” version. I’ve specified three pounds of mussels here, allowing one pound for each person for dinner, or there’s plenty for six guests if serving as an appetizer. Be sure to have crusty baguettes to soak up the buttery broth. Or, do as the Belgians do and serve with fries and good beer.
SERVES 3 FOR DINNER; 6 FOR APPETIZERS
INGREDIENTS
• 3 pounds mussels, scrubbed clean under running water
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine (I used pinot grigio)
• Small bunch fresh thyme sprigs
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 medium shallots, peeled and sliced thin
• 3 cloves garlic, minced to make 2 tablespoons
• 1 large (or 2 small) very ripe heirloom tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons Pernod
• Small bunch fresh parsley leaves, minced to make ¼ cup
Clean mussels
Remove and discard any “beards” (the byssal threads that mussels use to anchor to surfaces) by pulling the threads firmly toward the hinge of the shell until they release. Once well-scrubbed, place mussels in a large bowl of water and rinse again until water runs clear.
Steam mussels
Add the wine to a heavy-bottomed 4-quart enameled pot or Dutch oven. Add mussels and thyme sprigs and cover pot. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat. Immediately reduce heat to low and simmer for five minutes until the mussels have opened. Discard any that haven’t opened. Using tongs, remove mussels and thyme sprigs from pot and keep warm. Do not discard cooking liquid. Pour the liquid from the pot through a fine mesh strainer to remove any grit and set aside to make sauce.
Prepare sauce
In a sauté pan over medium heat, add butter and shallots. Sauté shallots for three minutes until softened. Add garlic and sauté two minutes more. Add the reserved mussel cooking liquid. Roughly break the ripe tomato into pieces and add to the pan. Simmer until the liquid has reduced a bit. Skim off any foam. Stir in 3 tablespoons of Pernod and half of the minced parsley. Simmer for two more minutes.
To serve
Spoon a bit of sauce into three (or six) serving bowls. Divide mussels between the bowls. Top with the rest of the sauce, tomatoes, garlic, and shallots. Sprinkle with the rest of the parsley. Serve hot with crusty bread for dunking and have bowls on hand for discarded shells.
METHOD
NORTH SHORE FOODIE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MONICA KASS ROGERS
GOODRICH
Michael Keaton gets high praise for his poignant portrayal of a suddenly single father and owner of an art gallery that’s going bankrupt.
BY REX REED ILLUSTRATION BY TOM BACHTELL
RUNNING TIME: 1 HOUR, 50 MINUTES
RATING: 3.5 stars
One of the things I like best about watching Michael Keaton on the screen in movies good or bad (and especially in human and often hilarious comedies like Goodrich) is the rare and gratifying skill-set he shows us in his acting.
He’s a master of the kind of uniquely personal leading man character filmmakers no longer have much interest in—a real-as-breathing combination of calloused toughness and warm sensitivity many stage actors work to perfect but few film actors get the chance to try.
Men on the screen are expected to cohere to the kind of one-dimensional masculine clichés moviegoers applaud—the twofisted graduates of the Nautilus School of Dramatic Art that keep muscles toned and brains safe from any activity that might challenge the IQ. Both the male and female personality traits all men have but most men hide, disguise or camouflage used to be attractively personified on the screen by actors as diverse as Van Johnson and Robert Walker—and, to some extent, by Glenn Ford, Paul Newman and Cary Grant—in roles Humphrey Bogart and John Wayne could never play.
From Batman to 007 and an endless
parade of assorted spies and secret agents who blow up cars and slap women around, three-dimensional male characters today seldom exist beyond the pages of Marvel Comics. A man who can cry? Screenwriters don’t know how to write one and actors can’t play them. At the movies, real men don’t exist. That’s where Michael Keaton comes in.
In Goodrich, he plays Andy, the highprofile owner of a struggling boutique art gallery in Los Angeles so caught up in the distractions of business and the demands of social life that he has unwisely forgotten to share himself with the people who love him. When his wife phones him in the middle of the night to inform him she’s checked into a 90-day rehab treat her addiction to drugs, an illness he didn’t even know about, he freaks out, then drives to the posh, expensive hospital for distinguished addicts he’s paying for without knowing it, and discovers she’s also left him.
Suddenly, after ignoring everything about parenting throughout two marriages, he finds himself in the awkward, terrifying position of taking on the responsibility of raising a pair of 9-year-old twins—first feeding his son Chinese takeout, which the boy is
allergic to, then facing an unsympathetic blank wall when he turns for help to his estranged, pregnant, 36-year-old daughter Gracie (a wonderful Mila Kunis), who has her own problems.
On top of that, the art gallery that keeps them all afloat is suddenly facing bankruptcy. Balancing stress, juggling his mounting responsibilities, and finding himself gobsmacked in his new role of father to multiple-age children, Goodrich faces disaster at every turn, with results both harrowing and fraught with tenderness and compassion.
There’s one very funny scene in which Goodrich stays home at a great cost to his business and, in an attempt to be a better person, agrees to watch a movie with them, then labors to explain Casablanca.
There’s no way to avoid the resemblances of this film to one of Keaton’s biggest past successes, Mr. Mom, but it’s consistently more intelligent and original. This is due in no small part to the writing and direction of Hallie Meyers-Shyer, the daughter of Nancy Meyers and Charles Shyer, the innovational husband-wife team responsible for such memorable and enduring comedy classics as Private Benjamin and Baby Boom
The skills she’s learned from her parents are refreshing and numerous. But it is Michael Keaton who keeps the film balanced and beautifully timed, his face so full of emotion and feeling that he lets you know what he’s thinking even without words. The film matches his charm with an abundance of charms of its own, exploring a lot of characters without ever straining credulity, all played by a superb supporting cast that includes Andie MacDowell as the first Mrs. Goodrich, Carmen Ejogo as a customer who almost saves the gallery from its inevitable demise, Keven Pollak as the business partner who succumbs to the demands of financial logic, Michael Urie as a divorced gay man with a terminally ill child of his own, and Laura Benanti as the new and hopelessly despondent wife in rehab. Each one is diagrammed just enough that you get to know them about them without overstaying their welcome. Some of them support Goodrich, others disappoint him, one even ruins his business but never stops smiling—but none of them leaves him untouched. Or you.
By the time Frank Sinatra sings “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” you’ll be hard to suppress a tear yourself.
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SOARING SPIRITS
The Honor Flight Network, including the Chicago hub, has partnered with Southwest Airlines to thank veterans via trips to Washington, D.C., since 2009. Casey Menchaca tells us why this is so meaningful.
BY BILL MCLEAN ILLUSTRATION BY BARRY BLITT
It gave former Honor Flight Chicago CEO Mary Pettinato the chills every time she watched war veterans return to Midway Airport after their Day of Honor in Washington, D.C.
Hundreds of supporters had congregated at the gate to welcome the heroes with thunderous cheers and runway-wide smiles. The travelers were at the end an eventful day, having awoken in the wee hours and visited memorials and the National Air and Space Museum between flights to and from the nation’s capital.
“Long day,” Pettinato told The North Shore Weekend in 2015. “But you know what? When they get back to Chicago and see all these people, they’re not tired at all. They look like they’re 17 years old again. I get chills when I look at the veterans’ eyes as they attempt to shake every hand they see at Midway.
“One veteran told me, ‘I wish I were a human octopus so I could shake every hand.’”
Some nine years later, Casey Menchaca’s grandfather, Vietnam War veteran John Heald, exited a plane and absorbed the same hero’s welcome, the same overwhelming warmth, and the same rounds of applause that drowned out the roars of departing jumbo jets. Mr. Heald had taken an Honor Flight and returned home with profound gratitude.
“He told me it was one of the most special experiences in his life,” says Menchaca, Southwest Airlines’ senior corporate responsibility specialist who oversees Southwest’s partnership with the Honor Flight Network, which includes Honor Flight Chicago and 127 other U.S. hubs.
The collaboration began in 2009.
“One of my teammates shared a story with me,” says Menchaca, who’s based in Utah and has worked for Southwest Airlines since 2017. “He said a veteran had never experienced a traditional homecom-
ing after a war. It was painful how he’d been treated. The Honor Flight helped him open up for the first time through the special con nection it had provided.”
Honor Flight Chicago’s mis sion, per its website, is to honor, thank, and inspire by building awareness and appreciation of the debt of gratitude America owes its veterans for their service and sacrifice for
flights, according to Honor Flight Chicago Director Doug Meffley. Its final flight in 2024, on October 23, was the 119th with Southwest Airlines.
The 2025 seven-flight season begins in April. With hubs in 45 states, the Honor Flight Network has transported more than 300,000 veterans to Washington, D.C, since it took off in
Since 2009 Southwest Airlines has donated 14,150 Honor Flight round-trip tickets to local hubs, at approximately $400 per ticket—or $5.5 million. Customers have contributed their Rapid Rewards points to Honor
A lot goes into creating special memories for such heroes, as it should, and our local chapters handle everything they do for Honor Flight veterans with the utmost care you’d expect.
our nation. The centerpiece of its programming is the Day of Honor in Washington, D.C., visiting memorials built in tribute to the service of veterans from World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
The Day of Honor is provided at no cost to veterans.
Honor Flight Chicago’s 2024 flight season flew 801 veterans on a combined seven
Flights to recognize the bravery and patriotism of veterans.
“Our hundreds of employees who support the Honor Flights consider it an honor to create a once-in-a-lifetime experience for veterans,” says Menchaca, a Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native whose manager lives in Winnetka. “Two relatives of an Honor Flight veteran served as Southwest Airlines flight
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Cheyanne Lencioni, Bill McLean, Ann Marie Scheidler
attendants on his flight to Washington, D.C. I know of a veteran whose son was his Honor Flight pilot. A lot goes into creating special memories for such heroes, as it should, and our local chapters handle everything they do for Honor Flight veterans with the utmost care you’d expect.”
A small army of World War II veterans living at Lake Forest Place recounted their Honor Flight experiences for The North Shore Weekend in 2015, including the watercannon salutes over the aircraft from firemen standing outside the plane in Chicago and in Washington, D.C.
The late Jim Copenhaver, who served for 15 months as a radio operator in Guam, had received, like other veterans, dozens of letters penned by loved ones, friends, and others, during a touching Mail Call session near the end of the flight home. The sight of the stacks of envelopes must have lifted the spirits of the veterans even higher and transported them to a time when reading heartfelt, handwritten words served as a great escape in wartime.
“One of the many wonderful things about the experience was the attitude of the volunteers and their genuine kindness and sincerity,” Copenhaver said a few days after his April 8, 2015, Honor Flight. “What so many people did for me that day impressed me.”
Earl Frederick, sitting near Copenhaver and other veterans at Lake Forest Place, still could not believe the scene he had witnessed and the welcome he and his comrades had received after returning to Chicago.
“That was phenomenal, the reception we received at Midway,” Frederick told The North Shore Weekend more than nine years ago. “People from all walks of life were there for us—sailors, grandmas, kids, motorcycle guys. I’d never seen anything like it. Never. “I’d never seen so many American flags in one place.”
Visit honorflightchicago.org and honorflight.org for more information.
Michelle Crowe, Erin Donaldson, Dustin O'Regan, Kemmie Ryan, Megan Weisberg
FOOD EDITOR
Monica Kass Rogers
Casey Menchaca
WASSAIL! An Irish-American Christmas Apollo’s Fire
SUNDAY MORNING PUT-ON
Andrew Bird Trio
A VERY BRASSY CHRISTMAS
The Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass
HOLIDAY DINING FESTIVE MARKET
Make reservations in the Park View Restaurant to enjoy cozy winter dining—Ravinia will be decked out for the holidays to welcome your celebration with friends or family!
Ravinia will open before these December performances with free entry for visitors to browse The Festival Shop’s holiday market, toast to the season from a warm drink bar, and enjoy festive photo ops around the park.