FRIDAY, APRIL 4
SATURDAY, APRIL 5
A JOYOUS TRADITION
North Shore teen Viva Boresi returns to the cast of Goodman Theatre’s iconic production of A Christmas Carol for her second year, joining fellow Evanston native and director Jessica Thebus for a Chicago holiday celebration like no other. pg16
WEEKEND READS
This cookbook from Teighan Gerard is one of five recommended reads for December pg21
-Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
WHERE THE HOLIDAYS
Feel Like Home
Experience the magic of the holiday season in Elkhart Lake, where timeless traditions make you feel right at home. Wander through the Old World Christmas Market, ride through snowy streets on a horse-drawn wagon, and watch little ones marvel at festive workshops. Savor special moments with Breakfast with Santa or Brunch with St. Nicholas and his reindeer, and let Holiday Musical Revues brighten your spirits. From heartwarming moments to festive fun, Elkhart Lake is your perfect holiday getaway. Explore more holiday experiences and vacation packages at ElkhartLake.com
8 north shore doings
Your go-to guide for all the latest local events this month
10 north shore sports
New Trier High's Ben Crane takes care of swift business at his final prep cross country meet, winning the Class 3A state title last month in convincing fashion
LIFESTYLE & ARTS
14 #hashtag
Maggie Schmieder, founder of Bitty Balm makeup, shares a few of her favorite things
17 weekend home
Get ready to cozy up for winter with these warm home accessories
18 north shore foodie
This caponata recipe is the perfect addition to your holiday menu
20 time travel
Step into the 1923 Morse Ely mansion and five other properties this weekend
21 weekend reads
Lake Forest Bookstore shares five books for your December reading list
LAST BUT NOT LEAST
22 sunday breakfast
Ferrari Lake Forest COO Adam Mancuso is all revved up about serving as VP/trustee for USA Boxing Foundationks
NORTH SHORE DOINGS
EDITED BY CHEYANNE LENCIONI THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
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
"WHISTLE-STOP
WONDERLAND" HOLIDAY
EXHIBIT OPENING
WHERE: History Center
Lake Forest-Lake Bluff
Enjoy model-train exhibits from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. along with hot chocolate and snacks. Guests can see this exhibit free of charge from December 7 to January 25 free of charge in the Education Hall. RSVP now. lflbhistory.org
DECEMBER 7
TREE LIGHTING AND HOLIDAY MARKET
WHERE: Kenilworth Assembly Hall
Join Santa and Mrs. Claus from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. for Kenilworth’s tree lighting and holiday market. Carolers will provide music. kenilworthparkdistrict.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 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
DECEMBER 7
ANDREW BIRD TRIO
WHERE: Ravinia’s Martin Theatre
At 7:30 p.m., the Andrew Bird Trio will make its debut Ravinia performance with Sunday Morning Put-On Guests will be immersed in a mid-century small-group jazz music. Gates open at 4 p.m. and tickets are on sale now. ravinia.org
DECEMBER 7
DUKE IT OUT! NUTCRACKER
WHERE: Nichols Concert
Hall
The Music Institute of Chicago (MIC) celebrates the holiday season at 11 a.m. with Duke It Out! Nutcracker, its annual music and dance program for families. This one-hour version of The Nutcracker alternates between Tchaikovsky's original score and the jazz version by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. An interactive musical instrument petting zoo for children takes place at 10 a.m., welcoming audience members to try out instruments featured in the Tchaikovsky score. musicinst.org
DECEMBER 7, 13 & 14
MARIANI LANDSCAPE’S HOLIDAY SHOPPE
WHERE: Mariani Landscape, Lake Bluff Mariani Landscape’s Holiday Shoppe is back. The popular Lake Bluff event features an extraordinary selection of Christmas trees, holiday decor, fresh greenery, and seasonal arrangements. Highlights include a visit by Santa and his sleigh, hot chocolate, and cider with a bonfire for s’mores, exclusive holidays decor, and container arrangements.
marianilandscape.com
DECEMBER 7 TO 8
SANTA’S MAILBOX
WHERE: Mallinckrodt Park, Wilmette
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
DECEMBER 7 TO 15
LETTERS TO SANTA
WHERE: Northfield Community Center
Children can write letters to Santa and receive a reply from the big man himself.
Share wishes, ask questions, tell Santa about your year. Letters can be dropped off at mailboxes in the Northfield Community Center. Include your mailing address so Santa can write back. northfieldparks.org
DECEMBER 7 TO 31 GAME OF GNOMES SCAVENGER HUNT
WHERE: Downtown Wilmette
Set out on a fun adventure throughout Wilmette. Twelve holiday gnomes are hiding among the window decorations of 12 stores throughout Wilmette. Fill out the game card with names as the gnomes are found. Once you have all 12, turn in the game card at the Game of Gnomes drop box at the Wild Child Toy Shop. Entries will be eligible to win a Shop Wilmette Gift Card. A new winner will be picked each week in December. Share your finds on social media for a chance to win extra prizes. wilmette.gov
DECEMBER 7 TO JANUARY 5
LIGHTSCAPE
WHERE: Chicago Botanic Garden
Chicago Botanic Garden’s
annual Lightscape event is back. The gardens have been transformed into dazzling light displays to enjoy this holiday season. Beautiful first-time installations and returning favorites like the light chapel decorate the trail nightly. Tickets can be purchased on the garden’s website and slots are available on first-come, first-served basis. Drink and food will be offered within the gardens along the trail. chicagobotanic.org
DECEMBER 7 TO JANUARY 5
PHOTOGRAPHING FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
WHERE: Driehaus Museum
Explore the fascinating collection of Frank Lloyd Wright’s early photography in this brand-new exhibit. It will include images by leading photographers who documented his work as well as photos taken by the architect himself. Wright’s fascination with photography allowed him to pursue his hobby and use it as a technique of making his architecture accessible to the public. This exhibition offers insight into how photography influenced public perception of his work. driehausmuseum.org
DECEMBER 7 TO FEBRUARY 25
“KENILWORTH CENTENNIAL HOMES”
WHERE: Kenilworth Historical Society
Explore the history of Kenilworth’s oldest homes and celebrate their architectural significance with a dynamic exhibit that chronicles the evolution of residential development in the village. The homes featured in this exhibit were built between 1889 and 1924. kenilworthhistory.org
DECEMBER 8
RED INVITATION EVENT
WHERE: Participating stores
Participating businesses in Winnetka, Northfield, and Glencoe will be hosting extended hours for holiday shopping. Residents of these villages will receive a special invite in the mail that includes a map and QR code. Businesses that will be open for this event will have red balloons in front of their stores. wngchamber.com
DECEMBER 8
HOLIDAY HOME TOUR
WHERE: Lake Bluff History Museum
Jump start the holiday season with Lake Bluff History Museum’s Holiday Home
Mariani Landscape's Holiday Shoppe
Elf Invasion Pub Crawl
Tour. From 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., guests can pick up new decorating ideas, visit two holiday boutiques in historic homes, and enjoy the creativity and tradition of their neighbors. Tickets are $50 each. lakebluffhistory.org
DECEMBER
8
THE RODNEY MARSALIS
PHILADELPHIA BIG BRASS
WHERE: Ravinia’s Martin Theatre
At 1:30 p.m., enjoy a performance from North America’s premier large brass ensemble at Ravinia. Through
its frequently rotating collective of associate artists, the Philadelphia Big Brass reflects the diverse makeup of musicians in American culture and the notion that music is a gift to be enjoyed by everyone. Doors open at 11 a.m. Tickets are available now. ravinia.org
DECEMBER
12
WARMEST WREATH WISHES
WHERE: Winnetka Public Library
Get into the holiday spirit by creating whimsical wreaths out of paper from
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Hot tools will be used during this adult program. Registration is required. wnpld.org
DECEMBER
13 TO 15
A LATIN AMERICAN CHRISTMAS CONCERT
WHERE: Evanston and Chicago
The Newberry Consort is pleased to present A Latin American Christmas concert in Evanston and the Little Village and Uptown neighborhoods of Chicago. Inspired by A Mexican Christmas, this production will include both sacred and secular music from the 16th through 18th centuries in Peru, Spain, and Guatemala. The dialogue for this play will be read in Spanish and will include English supertitles. Tickets are $25, $10 for students, or free for children under the age of 16 with the purchase of an adult ticket. This concert will be held at St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church in
Chicago on December 13, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Evanston on December 14, and the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago on December 15.
newberryconsort.org
DECEMBER 14
ORNAMENT WORKSHOP FOR KIDS
WHERE: Gorton Center
From 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. create three handmade ornaments at Gorton Center in Lake Forest. All materials will be provided. This workshop is for ages 7 to 12. gortoncenter.org
DECEMBER 14, JANUARY 11 & 25
CHOO-CHOO AND CHEWCHEWS HOT CHOCOLATE PARTY
WHERE: History Center
Lake Forest-Lake Bluff
The History Center will host three hot chocolate parties from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Hot chocolate, cookies, and desserts will be served and
scavenger hunts, coloring stations, and other kid-friendly activities will be available.
Everyone is welcome to attend this free event. RSVP now. lflbhistory.org
DECEMBER 31
MIDNIGHT AT THE MANOR
WHERE: Deer Path Inn
Deer Path Inn is transforming its English Room
and Courtyard into a winter wonderland. Guests will enjoy a New Year’s evening of glamour, fine dining, and live music. Cocktail hour begins at 7 p.m., followed by a lavish buffet dinner. Tickets are available now.
thedeerpathinn.com
HOPE IS
To submit your event for consideration, please email events@nsweekend.com. With
When Seemingly Impossible Blood Cancers Become Treatable
A Latin American Christmas Concert
BY BILL MCLEAN
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER
Lilla Szilvassy hails from Hungary, Lindsay Farbman calls Glencoe home, and Angel Allen attended school in New York last year.
But all three Lake Forest Academy (LFA) student-athletes have something in common—they love to play basketball.
And it certainly showed at last month’s Cougar Classic at Vernon Hills High School. Each captain played an integral role in five games, helping the Caxys go undefeated en route to the tournament title.
“They love to compete together and they love each other,” ebullient LFA coach Tameka Carter said after her squad defeated Lake Forest High School (LFHS) 62-46 in the teams’ round-robin tournament finale on November 26. “Not just my captains; all of my players.
“Did you see how they all swarmed toward each to celebrate right after the win?”
Szilvassy, a senior, scored at least four points in each quarter and finished with a
CAN-DO CAXYS
Lake Forest Academy’s girls’ hoops team goes 5-0, captures Cougar Classic at Vernon Hills HS.
team-high 17 points to go with her gamehigh 13 rebounds. Farbman, a junior, poured in nine points, while Allen, a senior transfer from Levittown, New York, tallied all nine of her points via three-point launches.
“Angel Allen,” Carter said of her savvy guard, “has such good court sense. Lindsay Farbman’s game has evolved from that of an offensive player to one who carries us defensively.”
The coach lauded Szilvassy for making a smooth transition—on and off the court— from Hungary to her new environs in the U.S. The power forward is a legit doubledouble (points, rebounds) threat in each game.
“Our team chemistry is very good, and so is our coaching staff,” Szilvassy said. “Team breakfasts have helped too, making us even closer.”
LFA freshman forward Akshara Ginjupalli scored eight points, one more than teammate Blanka Devai’s total. Devai is
BEN THERE, WON THAT
New Trier Township High School senior Ben Crane races to state cross country title, clocks 13th-fastest time in Illinois history.
Back in June, more than two months before the start of the boys’ cross county season, New Trier Township High School (New Trier) coach Matt Sloan made his best runner, senior Ben Crane, visualize running the Detweiller Park course in Peoria.
Detweiller serves as the stage of the Class 3A Illinois High School Association (IHSA) state meet.
“I made more use of mental imagery this year to help Ben prepare for the state meet,” says Sloan. “Ben would get in a relaxed position on the ground and I’d describe the race. I’d then have him see the clock at the one- and two-mile markers, all while hearing coaches cheer him on as he executed his exact race plan.”
On November 9, with Crane no longer imagining, he scooted toward Detweiller
another native of Hungary. LFA (5-0) trailed only once— 5-2, at the 6:16 mark of the first quarter—and led LFHS 27-17 at intermission. An 11-3 run in the third quarter upped the Caxys’ advantage to 38-22. The Caxys attained their biggest lead, 60-32, on a bucket by Beatrice Franklin with 3:53 left.
“Our defense, especially our help ‘D’, makes us tough,” Allen said.
Junior guard Charlie Axus net ted a game-high 18 points, including a trio of three-pointers, for LFHS (2-3).
Park’s finish, all alone, and saw two of the most important people in his life—parents Brian and Laura.
“Mom was crying happy teardrops, and Dad was pumped up,” recalls Crane, who had separated himself from the rest of the lead pack with about 1,200 meters left. “Four hundred meters from the fin ish, I knew I’d win it. It felt surreal at that point.
“I’d been thinking about that race for a long time.”
Crane, the third-place finisher at the 2023 state cross country meet, won in a program-record time of 14 minutes, 3.4 seconds, more than eight seconds ahead of the runner-up. The victorious time ranks 13th all-time in IHSA history.
“Ben,” Sloan says of the Wilmette resident and Brigham Young Universitybound runner/accounting major, “developed into a mature and astute racer, from a talented and gritty freshman hanging with the top athletes to a runner dictating the pace at the front with confidence.”
Only three other New Trier male cross country runners had accomplished what Crane had. Weymouth Kirkland won state twice (1959, 1960), and Mike Collins and Leland Later topped the field in 1965 and in 2011, respectively.
“I worked hard to develop my finishing kick with a lot of speed work and lot of miles in general,” says the 5-foot-10, 130-pound Crane, who logged 800 miles while training during the summer.
“I wanted to be fit at the end of races.”
Crane followed up his state feat spectacularly one week later, finishing first at the NXR Midwest Regional in Terre Haute, Indiana, with a 5K time of 14:46.03. The field featured reigning champions from other states.
“Ben has a powerful combination of being a hard worker and competitor,” Sloan says. “And he’s an outstanding young man. Teammates and coaches in our program, and even athletes and parents from other teams, have commented on how impressed they are with his sportsmanship.”
#ON MY NIGHTSTAND
Running a business occupies a lot of my time, but I committed this year to putting my nose back in a book. As a teacher and published author and illustrator of children’s books, I love reading. One of my favorite classics in high school was Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence, so I picked up her novel Summer, which is set in New England, where I traveled last summer with my girlfriends from Ravinia. As I wrap up the last few pages of Summer, I will be moving on to The Measure by Nikki Erlick.
#ON MY MOBILE
My photos app is currently acting as Bitty Balm’s living history. To capture the beauty of a product, beautiful photographs are a must! It’s fun to look back through the evolution of the product over time seeing my daughters involved in the process with me and appreciating each moment of this passion project’s journey. Many of those pictures and clips find their way to Instagram. We are very active on Instagram and are continually working to increase brand awareness.
#IN MY EARBUDS
I am having a moment with Holly Humberstone. She is an incredible singer/songwriter from England. I saw her live at The Vic last Spring and the show was magical. I am usually tuned into Sirius XMU or Alt Nation on satellite radio. When I am formulating Bitty Balm I tend to play classical music to attune my focus. We love listening to vinyl records at home too—no earbuds required!
Highland Park’s MAGGIE SCHMIEDER is the founder of Bitty Balm, a dye-free/better-for-you makeup that is “Makeup on Purpose.” Schmieder formulated Bitty Balm to be paraben, phthalate, fragrance, synthetic dye, and lake dye free. She recognized a gap in the market for the cleanest, limited ingredient, specifically dye-free makeup, amid the current skin care and makeup craze. As a beauty brand founder, Schmieder has made it her goal that Bitty Balm provides women with a beautiful, better-for-you makeup balm. Bitty Balm is innovative, multi-purpose, safe for eyes and lips, and provides all over face color and shine. This makeup guru sets aside her color palette to share how she stays on trend in a colorful world.
EDITED BY REDDING WORTH ILLUSTRATION BY TOM BACHTELL
BY SHERRY THOMAS
“Hey Mom, I want to be famous,” a 4-year-old Viva Boresi declared to her mother, Melissa Foster, one day on the way to a North Shore preschool.
“She had just shot a role in a student film and really liked it,” explains Foster, herself an acclaimed theater artist, voice specialist, and faculty member at Northwestern University’s School of Communication. “She said ‘Mom, I want to have fans!’”
Nearly a decade later, Viva is well on her way to making all those dreams come true. In addition to landing an agent and roles in multiple professional theater productions and national advertising campaigns, the 13-yearold Evanston girl is back on stage for her second year performing in Goodman Theatre’s beloved production of The Christmas Carol
“It’s a truly amazing experience,” says Viva, an 7th grader at Haven Middle School in Evanston who appears in multiple roles in the show, including Emily Cratchit. “I cried when I found out I was being invited back for a second year. I really enjoy being able to take part in such a special Chicago tradition.”
She is directed by another Evanston native and self-described “theater kid,” Jessica Thebus, who has returned for her fifth year at the helm of the production.
“The first one I did was the radio show dur-
its own personality, its own history, and you’re entering into it. As a director, not only would you not want to change everything, but it’s impossible to change.”
Set in Victorian London with a spectacular set and costume design, Goodman Theatre’s production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas
ing the pandemic and I’ve done the last four since,” explains Thebus, daughter of the late stage actress Mary Ann Thebus and an alumna of the legendary Piven Theatre Workshop. “Something that’s so delightful about working on A Christmas Carol is that as an artist, you’re in this kind of dance with something that has
Carol has been captivating Chicago audiences since 1978. One thing that is new this year is the introduction of theater veteran Christopher Donohue as businessman Ebeneezer Scrooge.
As the 1843 story goes, Scrooge’s hefty bank account is only matched by his hatred
for the holidays. But one fateful Christmas Eve, he is visited by four ghosts who take him on a spectacular adventure through his past, present, and future—charting a personal journey that ends with kindness, compassion, and redemption.
“It’s very special to be working with a new Scrooge. My favorite part is when Scrooge becomes kind in the end. He’s dancing around in his bedroom, he’s finally at peace, and he’s finally happy,” adds Viva, who made her Goodman debut last year sitting singing alone on the stage as the curtain went up, only to be joined by other cast members to perform a peace carol in Latin—just weeks after the Israel-Gaza conflict began. “I was ecstatic that I got to be a part of it. I feel like not many actors get to do that in their entire lives.”
Thebus praises Viva’s performance both last year and in the current production, which runs through December 30 in Goodman’s Albert Theatre.
“That was a lot of pressure for someone so tiny,” says Thebus, explaining that even though the Dickens classic will never change, she tries to present the Victorian story through the lens of what’s happening in the world. “This year, the opening is very female centered. The narrator is a woman, the storyteller is a woman ... and that’s important to me, that image.”
She had a similar artistic vision when she brought the story to life as a radio play at the height of the pandemic.
“It spoke to that moment in history. We’d all been alone and it opens with a man alone by the fire and then the separated people joining together,” notes Thebus, who like many
Chicagoans, has been going to see A Christmas Carol at the Goodman since she was young. “There was something about that time that was very humbling and really inspiring, how people still found ways to create art. These images we present are really important.”
Language is another prominent theme of this year’s production.
“We have a wonderful deaf performer playing Mr. Fezziwig in a scene done in American Sign Language,” adds Thebus. “To me, A Christmas Carol is a feast that everyone is invited to. You don’t have to celebrate Christmas. You can celebrate togetherness in the coldest, darkest season of the year. The table is big, the feast is welcoming, and everybody is invited.”
For Viva, who often leaves the show to groups of flower-wielding friends and other admirers, the role has been “the highlight of my life ... so far.”
As for what comes next, she says it’s likely a return to school “to make up some of that missing work” in the new year, along with auditioning for new roles through agents at Stewart Talent and performing in the Wilmette Children’s Theater production of Matilda
“I feel very lucky,” she adds, crediting the influence of her both mom and dad, Matt Boresi (who also works in theater) for her success. “I’m just filled with gratitude and looking forward to the future.”
A Christmas Carol is playing at Goodman Theatre though December 30. For tickets, visit goodmantheater.org.
A JOYOUS TRADITION
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
Standing in back: Daniel José Molina, Gregory Hirte and Amira Danan. Sitting in front: Henry Lombardo, Isabel Ackerman, Robert Schleifer, Ava Rose Doty, Viva Boresi, Susaan Jamshidi and Wai Yim.
Anthony Irons, Christopher Donahue, Ava Rose Doty, Xavier Irons, Henry Lombardo, Isabel Ackerman, Viva Boresi, Tafadzwa Diener, Susaan Jamshidi. PHOTOGRAPHY BY LIZ LAUREN
BY MONICA KASS ROGERS FOOD EDITOR THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
CAPONATA
Delicious, easy-to-make, no-forks-required, healthy, and beautiful, caponata hits all the marks—making it one of my favorite appetizers for holiday entertaining. Silky with caramelized baby eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, onion, and garlic plus the bright briny flavors of capers and olives, caponata can be served warm or cold. Mound it on slices of fresh baguettes and you’re all set.
INGREDIENTS
• 5 or 6 small (5-inch-long) eggplants (I used both baby globe eggplant and fairy tale eggplant), cubed
• ¼ cup olive oil, divided
• 2 small onions, peels discarded, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, core and seeds discarded, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, core and seeds discarded, chopped
• 1 lb. fresh Campari tomatoes, rinsed well
• ½ cup mixed Greek olives (pitted) coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup capers
• 1 ½ Tbsp coconut palm sugar
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1 fresh French baguette, sliced
ROAST EGGPLANT Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Discard stem ends of eggplants. Leave skins on. Cube. Spread cubed eggplant on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with half of olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in 375-degree oven for 20 minutes until soft and caramelized.
COOK VEGETABLES While the eggplant roasts, add remaining olive oil and the chopped onion to saute pan over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp water, cover and cook, removing lid to stir occasionally, until onion is well softened (about seven minutes.) Remove lid and add garlic. Continue cooking, stirring often until garlic has softened. Add chopped peppers. Stir. Cover and cook until peppers have softened.
Add whole Campari tomatoes. Cover pan and continue cooking until tomatoes have heated through. Remove lid and using a potato masher, smash tomatoes. Remove roast eggplant from oven and add to the pan, stirring to incorporate. Sprinkle sugar over the vegetables and stir in the vinegar. Reduce heat to medium low and cook an additional 10 to 15 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan, until you have a thick, glossy mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Caponata is good served warm, or, refrigerated for a few hours and served cold.
TO SERVE Place caponata in a serving bowl. Slice baguette into rounds. Mound caponata on the baguette slices. Serve.
METHOD
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MONICA KASS ROGERS
602 Dundee Rd, Glencoe
A lovely brick home, unique in its charm and elegance. Step inside to a stunning entryway foyer, the very heart of the home, which brings in natural light from all directions. Gorgeous hardwood flooring and rounded archways beckon you into the living spaces. Nestled in an ideal location, this home is just steps away from Downtown Glencoe, the Old Chicago Botanic Gardens, Lake Michigan, transportation, recreation, and schools.
Please reach out to Glo or Zack for more information on this gorgeous home.
TIME TRAVEL
Step into the elegant 1923 Morse Ely mansion and five other Lake Bluff properties this Sunday on the Lake Bluff History Holiday Home Tour, an annual fundraiser for the Lake Bluff History Museum.
BY ADRIENNE FAWCETT THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
Have you ever been in a mansion that has just two bedrooms and no hallways? Now’s your chance! One of Lake Bluff’s premier historic homes will be open to visitors as part of the Lake Bluff History Museum Holiday Home Tour—held from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. this Sunday December 8.
This 1923 home and five other beautiful properties will be decked in their holiday finest for the tour, which literally gives visitors an opportunity to walk back through time.
Back in 1914, Carolyn Morse Ely commissioned architect David Adler to build her manor home in Lake Bluff. It was an unusual request for a prominent architect of the era, especially given that the client was a divorced, single, and socially prominent middle-aged woman.
With that in mind, Adler designed Ely’s home in the French style “for a woman living alone with many servants.” At 7,200-squarefeet, it had ample quarters for the staff but no family bedrooms other than Ely’s and a guest bedroom located at the far end of the second floor. The residence included several very formal spaces for entertaining, reflecting her lavish social lifestyle. It is said that Adler took inspiration from the Pavillon de La Lanterne, an 18th century hunting lodge on the grounds of Versailles in France. Ely’s commission incorporated La Lanterne’s “enfilade” style of architecture where interior doors are aligned with connecting rooms along a single axis, thus no hallways.
The French Renaissance Revival mansion was uniquely situated between two ravines with two gatehouses, called cottages, at the entrance to the drive. Completed in 1923 after some delays due to World War I, it was an elegant home one room deep with sunlight flooding in from French doors. Ely retained
Frances Adler Elkins, sister of the architect and a renowned interior designer in her own right, to collaborate on furnishing her new abode.
However, records show that Ely did not live long at her country manor dream home. She sold it to DeForest Hurlburd, president of the
Elgin Watch Company, and his wife in 1928, moving first to an Adler-designed apartment in Chicago, then later to Lake Forest—taking up residence in a 1927 French Country home where she hosted debutante teas, engagement parties, and other social events.
The Hurlburds lived in the mansion until 1953. DeForest Hurlburd had the north wing with its tower moved directly across the lawn to the west and sold it to a friend. While Ely’s time at the Lake Bluff mansion was brief, her imprint on Lake Bluff architecture has extended into the 21st century.
The five buildings on the original Morse Ely grounds—manor house, north wing, orangerie, and two gatehouses—are beautifully maintained private homes. The Morse Ely
and its
In addition to this historic jewel, the Lake
Bluff History Holiday Home Tour includes stops at a circa 1870 Camp Meeting Association building; a pioneer family home from 1880; a Lake Bluff summer cottage from 1890; a lovingly remodeled Depression-era ranch house from 1933; and a new home from the early 2020s.
Since 2010, Lake Bluff History Museum has been hosting the home tour to celebrate the season, showcase lovely architecture, and raise funds for the Museum’s archives, programs and exhibits. It’s a great opportunity for guests to get in the spirit of the season while enjoying the creativity and traditions of houses decorated in holiday style. Guests also can visit three holiday boutiques in historic homes featuring a variety of décor, jewelry, clothing, sweet and savory gifts, and more.
The Lake Bluff History Museum Holiday Home Tour begins at Lake Bluff History Museum, 127 E. Scranton Avenue in Lake Bluff. Tickets can be purchased at lakebluffhistory.org/events.
This 1923 mansion was built for Carolyn Morse Ely
mansion
six remaining acres are on the National Register of Historic Places.
WEEKEND READS
DECEMBER READS
Eleanor Thorn, owner of Lake Forest Book Store, shares her favorite books to kick off the holiday season.
BY ELEANOR THORN
Ililum by
Lea Carpenter
Lake Forest Book Store is located at 662 N. Western Avenue in the historic James Anderson building. For more information, call 847-234-4420 or visit lakeforestbookstore.com.
The unnamed narrator of this propulsive new novel grew up unhappy and lonely. As a young woman she is unwittingly recruited by the CIA and MI6 to be an asset in a covert operation. Brilliantly compelling, this is a spellbinding and unexpectedly poignant story.
Cabinet of Curiosities by
Aaron Mahnke
Based on the hit podcast, Mahnke has created a collection of tales of the wonderful, astounding and downright bizarre people, places, and things throughout history.
What If?
by Randall Munroe
This is the 10th anniversary edition of one of the store’s bestsellers. Chock full of hilarious and informative answers to important questions you probably never thought to ask.
Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf by Ben Hogan
The completely overhauled and refreshed edition of the timeless golf classic.
by Tieghan Gerard
The latest cookbook from bookstore favorite Teighan Gerard is full of recipes for the fall and winter months.
Half Baked Harvest Quick & Cozy
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
UP AND ADAM
Two-time Golden Gloves champion and COO of Ferrari Lake Forest Adam Mancuso is driven to help USA Boxing return to the top of the world rankings.
BY BILL MCLEAN ILLUSTRATION BY BARRY BLITT
That the USA boxers won only one medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris still galls Adam Mancuso.
“Not only that,” says the COO of Ferrari Lake Forest in Lake Bluff and two-time Chicago Golden Gloves champion in the Masters division (2015, 2016). “The medal we won was a bronze.
“Can you believe that? I can’t.”
USA boxers dominated in the ring at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, collecting nine gold medals, one silver, and one bronze. The late Pernell Whitaker won a gold and became a four-weight professional boxing champ.
Evander Holyfield, an Olympic bronze medalist 40 years ago, would reign as a pro champion in the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions.
Nothing would thrill Mancuso more than watching his country’s boxers match or exceed that 1984 11-medal haul at the 2028 Summer Games in … Los Angeles.
Should those boxers—eight men and eight women—return the United States to the pinnacle of the sport, Mancuso will have played a vital role in the reemergence. A 1996 Lake Forest High School graduate and the father of three daughters, the 46-yearold son of Rick and Shelley Mancuso was elected a trustee of USA Boxing Foundation in October 2023, and six months later the foundation named him vice president. Through its individual and corporate investment arm, Team28, USA Boxing Foundation needs to raise $1 million a year for the next four years to directly support the programs that are needed to achieve its ambitious goals. Team28 is designed to bolster the 2,500 boxing gyms nationwide through grants and development programs, identifying top talent and fast-tracking promising pugilists toward peak performance for the next Summer Olympics.
It also provides select boxers with access to elite coaching, training, and competition.
“Let’s go! Let’s get USA Boxing back to
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where it should be—No. 1 in the world,” says the impassioned Mancuso, a Shotokan Karate black belt achiever who started training as an amateur boxer in 2013 at Krav Maga in Highland Park; won his first Golden Gloves championship belt three years later as a 6-foot-2, 177-pounder nicknamed “Da Bomb”; and retired with a 4-1 record. “A boxing gym can be a bastion of hope for kids, from every demographic, looking to escape adversity and find a pathway to success. But box ing is woefully underfunded compared to other major Olympic sports in the U.S.
“And, unlike
A boxing gym can be a bastion of hope for kids, from every demographic, looking to escape adversity and find a pathway to success.
in the U.S.,” he adds, “boxing is a statesponsored sport in many of boxing’s topranked countries in the world today.”
Mancuso couldn’t knock out his boxing jones after his final bout. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he and two friends turned a space at a vehicle storage—located a little more than the collective length of a few semi-trailers from the Ferrari Lake Forest dealership—into a mini boxing gym.
“It was getting cold outside and my buddies and I had a ton of boxing equipment,”
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“The workout consists of traditional boxing movements, focusing on balance and certain sequences,” says Mancuso. “Boxing components strengthen the brain-body connection, which benefits those with Parkinson’s. Boxing is a brain game more than it’s a body game, even though any boxer will tell you that you had better be in the best shape of your life before entering a ring.
“Parkinson’s disease,” adds the Lake Forest resident, “is an invisible opponent. When you box, you’re facing a foe that you can see.”
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Spectators got to witness a 39-year-old Mancuso fight for only 34 seconds when he challenged Dave Pineda at the Highwood Rec Center on July 22, 2017. Pineda was the reigning Chicago Golden Gloves Masters division champion at the time.
Mancuso won by TKO in the penultimate fight of his brief but remarkable career.
“I will always love boxing,” says Mancuso, who majored in Communications and Broadcast Journalism at the University of Denver and earned his MBA at Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. “The confidence that boxing builds in a boxer is mega. I’ve learned so much about the sport, as well as what our country is doing to gear up for 2028, since USA Boxing Foundation and CFC Collective (a Vail, Coloradobased consulting firm) reached out to me to serve an organization that directly supports amateur boxers at a national level.”
His wife, Dr. Shayna Mancuso, is a board certified OB/GYN physician and head of women’s health, US Medical Affairs, Astellas. Their children are Bria, 18; Elise, 15; and Demi, 10.
Adam Mancuso intends to train for a major event next year, but he won’t have to wear his Everlast boxing gloves while competing in it.
He plans to go the distance as a Team Lurie Children’s charity runner at the 2025 Chicago Marathon.
Father, husband, COO, national foundation trustee/VP, boxing trainer, and distance runner.
No wonder Mancuso wakes up every day at 4:30 a.m.
“It’s a very manageable time commitment for me,” Mancuso says of fulfilling his USA Boxing Foundation responsibilities. “I’m fortunate enough to be able to give back to boxing, to give my time and energy to something that became such an integral part of my life more than 10 years ago.”
For more information, visit usaboxingfoundation.org. Adam Mancuso’s email address is adam@usaboxingfoundation.org.
Monica Kass Rogers, George Pfoertner PHOTOGRAPHY Tom Bachtell, Barry Blitt ILLUSTRATION
