NORTH SHORE DOINGS
Find out what's happening in your neighborhood pg5
NORTH SHORE FOODIE
Santa will enjoy these delicious Christmas cookies pg16
SUNDAY BREAKFAST
Glory is at the heart of Christmas, says Pastor Phillip Howell pg18
FRENCH FLAIR
Pascal Igbui, known in the beauty industry simply as Pascal, brings his vibrant energy and passion to serving his clients at Pascal Pour Elle in Glencoe. pg10
As Christmas draws near, I’m reflecting on a magical year.
To my clients who trusted me in 2024, Their loyalty and kindness I truly adore.
So Santa, I’m writing with one request, For another year that’s simply the best.
May 2025 bring more dreams to achieve, With the support of those who always believe.
Thank you, Santa, for all the cheer, And to my clients, the reason I’m here.
Wishing everyone love, joy, and delight, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
5 north shore doings
Your go-to guide for all the latest local events this month
6 jammin ' for joey
North Shore-based band, The Generations, will play tracks from its new album at a December 28 fundraiser
8 north shore
North Shore's father/son doubles team of Jerry and Brett Morse-Karzen nets another national title in Florida
LIFESTYLE
& ARTS
12 #hashtag
Meet Chicago-based author, journalist, and musician David Witter and find out what's trending in his life
13 september 5
Our critic Rex Reed shares a personal recollection from Black September, the harrowing night in Munich this film is based on
14 midnight at the manor
Deer Path Inn caps off its 95th anniversary celebration with a glamorous New Year's Eve soiree
15 weekend beauty
If you're still looking for holiday beauty gifts, we've got you covered
16 north shore foodie
This Classic Christmas Sugar Cookie recipe is ideal for putting by the chimney for Santa
LAST BUT NOT LEAST
18 sunday breakfast
Pastor and distance runner Phillip Howell walks writer through the meaning of Christmas
NORTH SHORE DOINGS
EDITED BY CHEYANNE LENCIONI THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
DECEMBER 21 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. Share your finds on social media for a chance to win extra prizes. wilmette.gov
DECEMBER 21 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 21 TO 22
EXPERIENCE LITTLE
WOMEN: THE MUSICAL (2022) WHERE: Online
Enjoy this Broadway HD, pre-recorded, virtual showing of Louisa May Alcott’s classic story of four sisters growing up in 19th-century Massachusetts. This Broad-
way musical premiered in London in this acclaimed production at Park Theatre in 2022. The musical can be viewed online and registrants will receive a special link to the performance. Registration is limited. lakeblufflibrary.org
DECEMBER 21
GUIDED PAINT CLASS: HANDPRINT GNOMES
WHERE: Highwood Library
From 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. come to the library to do a guided painting of a handprint gnome that you can either use for decor, or gift to someone special. Any age is welcome. highwoodlibrary.org
DECEMBER 22
SANTA AND MRS. CLAUS
BRUNCH WITH THE ELVES
WHERE: Wonderverse Oak Brook
Bring the whole family to meet Santa, Mrs. Claus, and their elves! Enjoy a jolly time with holiday-themed food, special photos with the Claus family, and plenty of festive cheer. Reservations take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and tickets are $45 per person. Children 2 and under are free. A portion of all brunch proceeds benefit Lurie Children’s Hospital. wonderversechicago.com
DECEMBER 22
HOLLY JOLLY CONCERTS
WHERE: Gorton Center
Lake Forest Civic Orchestra will make your season bright with these family friendly concerts. There is a 1:30 p.m. concert and a 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. concert. The first concert is 30 minutes; short and sweet for the little ones. Santa will also be joining in the fun. The second concert will feature music from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, paired with Leopold Mozart’s musical depiction of a sleigh ride through the snow. At the end of both concerts, narrator
Rebecca Prescott joins for a reading of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas and to lead the audience and orchestra in a holiday sing-along. gortoncenter.org
DECEMBER 22
LIVE NATIVITY
WHERE: Trinity Wilmette
Meet Trinity Wilmette at 4:30 p.m. to experience a retelling of Jesus’ birth with live animals, an intergenerational cast, and traditional carols. Advanced registration is required. trinitywilmette.com
DECEMBER 23
DECK THE TREES
WHERE: Mellody Nature Farms
Children can decorate trees at Mellody Nature Farms with ornaments and goodies for the animals from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Registration is required. A sibling discount is also available. lfola.org
DECEMBER 23 TO 29
GRAB & GO: PAPER STRIP POLAR BEAR
WHERE: Highland Park Public Library
Children ages 5 to 14 can create a beautiful winter scene fit for any polar bear. Using paper strips, create a polar bear friend and its colorful home. Materials will be provided. Pick up a kit at the Youth Services desk while supplies last. hplibrary.org
DECEMBER 23 TO JANUARY 1
HIKE THE HOLIDAYS
WHERE: Greene Nature Preserve
The gates will be open for all to enjoy Lake Forest Open Lands Association’s beautiful Greene Nature Preserve! lfola.org
DECEMBER 24
CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE
WHERE: Trinity Wilmette
From 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., join Trinity Wilmette and
guests for in-person or online holiday worship featuring candlelight, festive music, and a Christmas message for all ages. No RSVP needed. trinitywilmette.com
DECEMBER 31
WINTER CLASSIC
BLACKHAWKS DAY
WHERE: Weinberg Family Recreation Center
From 1:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m., Celebrate the Blackhawks on New Year’s Eve with open skating, hockey, special activities, and Blackhawks-themed prizes. All ages are welcome and this event is free to passholders. Non-passholders have an admission fee of $20 per person. glencoeparkdistrict.com
JANUARY 4
FUNKY MONSTER FRIEND
WHERE: Winnetka Public Library
From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., teens ages 12 to 18 can learn hand sewing basics and own their creativity while creating a felt monster. Registration for this program is required. wnpld.org
JANUARY 9
& FEBRUARY 6
BRUSH IT OFF
WHERE: Winnetka Public Library
From 4 p.m. to 4:45 p.m., youth ages 9 to 18 can enjoy light beverages and unwind while making art with friends. Registration is required. wnpld.org
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
JANUARY 24 TO 25
MOUNTAINFILM ON TOUR 2025
WHERE: Gorton Center
As part of its annual Winterfest, the Gorton Center will show Mountainfilm on Tour. The festival will begin at 6 p.m. on Friday with the film starting at 7 p.m. and continues on Saturday from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Mountainfilm will show a collection of documentaries curated from Mountainfilm Festival in Telluride, Colorado. Dress in your coolest apres-ski apparel, grab a warm drink, and hang out with friends in the lodge during this winter event. gortoncenter.org
FEBRUARY 7
DADDY DAUGHTER DANCE
WHERE: Sunset Ridge Country Club
Join the event of the
season where fathers and daughters can share in an evening of dinner, dancing, and making memories. Each girl will receive a goodie bag. Pre-registration is required for this event and early bird registration is open now through January 29. All registration after that window will have a 20 percent increase. The final registration date is February 5 at 5 p.m. northfieldparks.org
FEBRUARY 8 TO 22 FINDING NEMO KIDS
WHERE: Heller Nature Center
Highland Park Players presents Disney’s FINDING NEMO Kids. Performances are February 8, 9, 15, 16, and 22 at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 1:30 p.m. Tickets are available at highlandparkplayers.org
FEBRUARY 9
MUSIC INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO CHORALE GATHER YE ROUND
WHERE: Nichols Concert Hall
The Chorale joins forces with multiple choirs and instrumental ensembles for an all-Music Institute celebration. The concert will begin at 3 p.m. and is free for attendees. This is the second installment in a four concert series. musicinst.org
To submit your event for consideration, please email events@nsweekend.com.
Mountainfilm on Tour 2025
BY MITCH HURST
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
JAMMIN’ FOR JOEY
North Shore-based band The Generations will play tracks from its new Steve Albini-engineered album at a charity fundraiser on December 28.
Highland Park resident Rob Stepen was just leaving Guitar Center when he took time to talk to The North Shore Weekend about an upcoming performance by his band, The Generations, at 28 Mile Distilling Company in Highwood.
Stepen needed to purchase a new set of in-ear monitors for the show, which will take place on December 28 to benefit Joey’s Song—a nonprofit that supports epilepsy research. Joey’s Song was founded by Mike Gommol in honor of his son Joey, who passed away in 2010 just shy of his fifth birthday after suffering a debilitating form of epilepsy called Dravet Syndrome.
The charity uses music to inspire change and support families affected by epilepsy. In the past, the organization has partnered with artists such as Soul Asylum, Roseanne Cash, Jewel, Cowboy Junkies, Butch Vig, and many other prominent musicians.
Stepen, who comes from a musical family and has played in numerous bands over the years (including an early version of The
Generations), says the creation of the current The Generations, which formed in 2023, was a somewhat serendipitous affair.
“I've always played music. My parents really inspired myself and my brother and my sister,” he says. “My mom played accordion and keyboards and sang, and my dad played upright bass. At a very young age I learned how to play all these different musical instruments.”
In 1985, Stepen took his multi-instrumental talents—he is a drummer, keyboard-
Stepen reached out to another musician, Jim Perkowitz, who told him, “I gotta guy.’” That guy turned out to be the late music engineer Steve Albini, highly esteemed for his work with Nirvana, Foo Fighters, and other groundbreaking bands.
“I hook up with Albini, and he restored the tapes, then he asked me, ‘why don't you get a brand-new band and re-record these in my studio?’ When Steve Albini is telling me that I'm like, ‘sure’.”
Stepen says he’s always explored ways to use music to support charities. Last year a different band he played in along with three other groups raised more than $120,000 for pediatric brain cancer research. A mutual friend introduced him to Mike Gommol from Joey’s Song.
ist, and guitar player—to the studio to record two of his early songs. The finished tapes, recorded with the old analogue technology, ended up in his attic.
“I put them in a box when I got home and forgot about them for 38 years. Then last January I was rummaging around in my attic, and I ran into the tapes,” says Stepen. “It was like a musical time capsule and number one, I was like ‘how am I going to restore these? And number two, how am I going to listen to them?’ They were up in my attic for so long.”
Through Albini’s connections Stepen was able to get the tapes remastered and press vinyl copies of the record, titled An Alternate View, with Third Man Records in Detroit, which is owned by virtuoso guitarist and songwriter Jack White.
“The stars were aligning, everything was clicking, and I was just so humbled and grateful to have that experience,” he says. “The band members and I were pinching ourselves during our sessions with Albini because he liked to record as if it was live. It was just Impeccable. At that point I was thinking about the record release party and I really wanted to do something for a charity that involves kids and music.”
The two met and Stepen was touched by Gommol’s presentation, so much so that he told Gommol he wanted to organize the album release party around a benefit for Joey’s Song and its mission supporting childhood epilepsy research.
“It really pulled at my heartstrings,” says Stepen. “Mike wanted the memory of his son live on.”
The Generations record release party and fundraiser will take place on December 28 at 28 Mile Distilling Company, located at 434 Sheridan Road in Highwood. The event will be emceed by Lisa Fielding of WBBM Radio. Proceeds from ticket, album, and merchandise sales will be donated to Joey’s Song. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit robstepenmusic.com. For more details on Joey’s Song, visit joeyssong.org.
The Generations band will play selections from its new album, An Alternate View, at a fundraiser for the charity Joey’s Song on December 28 at 28 Mile Distillery in Highwood.
IN-SYNC PANTHERS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER AND MORSE-KARZEN FAMILY.
BRETT & JERRY
Morse-Karzen father-son duo scoops up another pair of USTA Gold Balls at a national clay courts tourney in Sarasota, Florida.
Regina Dominican HS hoopsters play as one, defeat rival Resurrection College Prep 70-48.
For most of the month of November, beginning with its first preseason practice, the Regina Dominican High School basketball team’s game against Resurrection College Prep was top
Even though the matchup wouldn’t be played
“Our rival,” says Regina Dominican coach Bob Newton.
“The Regina-Res game is always a big deal for both
“We used November,” he adds, “to gear up for Resurrec -
Newton’s crew still stayed focused before the showdown, winning
The Panthers then played razor-sharp team basketball against Resurrection’s Bandits
Brett Morse-Karzen stands 6 feet, 10 inches. His father, New Trier High School girls’ tennis coach Jerry Morse-Karzen, is
Neither will have to endure another growth spurt.
But last month in Sarasota, Florida, two things got taller—their heaps of career United States Tennis Association (USTA) Gold Balls for winning yet another fatherson national championship.
The North Shore pair of aces won four matches en route to the Super Senior Father/Son Clay Courts title, defeating Michael and Akira Morgenstern of Rockville, Maryland, 7-6, 6-3 in the final at The Landings Racquet Club on November 24.
“It was good to return to the winner’s circle down there,” says the 41-year-old Brett, referring to the partners’ mini championship drought at The Landings after winning seven straight Senior Father/Son titles there from 2013-2019.
“We faced some tough players.”
The 71-year-old Jerry, who also serves as tennis director at North Shore Racquet
Dame College Prep in Niles. Regina Dominican—the fourth-place team at last winter’s Class 1A state tournament— topped Resurrection 70-48 behind junior guard Jillian DeFranza’s 23 points and junior forward Olivia Fraterrigo’s 18 points.
“That was our best game against Resurrection since 2016,” says Newton, a Notre Dame College Prep graduate who had arranged—with the blessing of Resurrection—for the game to be played on his alma mater’s court.
“Our defense was fabulous, and our offense was spot-on.”
RDHS shot 49 percent from the field and got at least one three-pointer from six players, including five off the sizzling hands of DeFranza.
But the 5-foot-8 DeFranza did more than lead the victors in scoring.
Much more.
She also grabbed four rebounds and finished with six assists and six steals. That’s getting it done at both ends of the court.
Regina Dominican junior guard Natalia Cerrado contributed 10 points.
Club (NSRC) in Northbrook, and Brett, a 2002 NTHS graduate and assistant tennis director at NSRC, have amassed 45 Gold Balls together. They netted their first national title at the 2001 USTA Open Father/ Son Clay Courts.
Jerry now has a cartoonish 68 Gold Balls, having also won four with his late father, Richard, and 19 father/daughter championships with Becky; Brett has amassed 52 Gold Balls, including the seven he earned with other doubles partners at USTA agegroup events.
“My dad is 71, but he’s still got the best hands around,” says Brett, who was a three-time All-American doubles player at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota.
“Guys in their 20s and 30s try to test him in matches, but he’s always ready, always quick to respond with a reflex volley or an on-point lob.
“Dad even threw in a few underhand serves in our semifinal in Sarasota,” he adds. “That allowed him more time to get to the net and ended up being a match-changing tactic in our three-set win.”
“The exciting thing about us is it’s a young group (four sophomores, four juniors, and one senior) that’s hungry for more and believes that our results don’t define us,” Newton says. “We’re going through a process in the regular season that’s getting us as ready as possible for the state tournament.
“You have a bad game now, you get to play again,” he continues.
Two days before the Resurrection game, Fraterrigo poured in 21 points, on 10-of-15 shooting from the field, in a 45-17 defeat of visiting North Shore Country Day. Teammate Anna O’Connor, a 5-7 forward, came down with five rebounds and had four deflections.
“Anna,” Newton says, “typically has to guard our opponent’s tallest player. That’s hard to do when you’re 5-7, but she battles and she’s such a valuable post presence for us.”
The Panthers (6-5 overall, 1-0 in the Independent School League) defeated Niles North’s Vikings 50-17 in a Regina Snowflake Shootout game on December 14. DeFranza scored 13 points, and Fraterrigo tallied 11.
Brett Morse-Karzen, meanwhile, is an old-school doubles force, cracking a powerful serve and rushing the net to either crush a volley or smash an overhead. Points in doubles shouldn’t last more than five seconds in his world.
“I like to chip and charge, too,” the son says. “Basically, on every point, I try to get to the net as quickly as possible unless I’m already there when my dad is serving.” Brett’s might plus Jerry’s guile equals resounding success. And piles of Gold Balls.
Q & A with New Trier HS fencer Lucy Canel
A beat in fencing is a sharp tap on the opponent’s blade to initiate attack or threat of attack, according to discover. sportsengine.com
New Trier High School senior foil captain and Wilmette resident Lucy Ca nel, a third-year varsity member, knows a thing or two about striking as a musician.
instrument—fielded ques tions for us before a fencing meet at Stevenson High School last week.
fear in gymnastics?
Know that you’ve done your routines so many times and rely on your muscle memory. It also helps to tell yourself, ‘You can do this.’
started in fencing?
mom (Ra chel) told me fencing looked cool in the summer before my freshman year. And I like swords. Not many kids have fencing expe rience before they reach high school, so you have to be willing to try something new. I was bad at it for a while, making stupid mistakes. But I learned from them.
ing?
the angles are flipped for my op ponent. Sometimes I see fear in the eyes of my opponent when they see that I’m a lefty. When I spar with my teammates, they complain about
my counterattacks.
What percent of fencing is mental?
LC: It’s about 60 percent. Strategy plays such an important role in a duel.
How would you describe NTHS
BY
According to his own admission, Pascal Igbui is an adventurer. Born and raised in Paris, Pascal knew early on that he wanted to go into the hair business. At the age of 13, while in trade school, he fell in love with the industry and its creativity and passion.
However, there were obstacles to overcome.
Raised in an Orthodox Jewish family, the hair industry was viewed by his parents as a career for women; certainly not a suitable vocation for someone like him. His three years of trade and beauty school training and job as a salon assistant was also cut short by a mandatory year of service in the French Army.
However, by the time he was released, Pascal went back to the beauty industry and started working at a salon that was doing runway work— both in fashion shows and events.
“I was working for fashion houses like Chanel and Christian Dior behind the scenes, doing a lot of hair for the models on the runway,” says Pascal, who has owned salons on the North Shore for more than 30 years. “Otherwise, we were at the salon building up a clientele.”
Soon his duties began to fade away from hair and he was doing more runway work. He eventually said to himself, “this is not what I want to do.” Then an opportunity presented itself, one he couldn’t turn down.
“I had the chance to move to Chicago with my cousin, Charles Ifergans, and I said to myself, ‘Why not? Let's just take that opportunity to go to a different country and do my passion ... my gift’,” says Pascal. “So, I moved to the states in 1980. I didn't speak the language at all and couldn't be a hairdresser because I couldn't communicate with the clients.”
Pascal enrolled in English language classes at the YMCA and worked as a bus boy in a restaurant to make some extra money. After a couple years, he became fluent in English and started building up a clientele.
He partnered with Ifergans, who had become his mentor, to open a salon in Deerfield and built it into a robust, successful business. After a time, he decided he wanted to own a salon on his own and in 1990 he opened his first location in Chicago area.
“The rest is history,” he says. Over the ensuing decades, he built salons around the North Shore area but about 10 years ago decided he wanted to slow down. At one point he thought his daughter, Nat-
very well. It's time for me to slow down and travel the world.”
In addition to owning and running his namesake salon, Pascal has other artistic pursuits.
stimulated. The photography has been a great extension of my artistry because I'm very visual and I'm very fashionable.”
Then there’s the dabble in television. Unbeknownst to Pascal, daughter Natalie and a number of his staff entered his name for the reality television show, The Golden Bachelorette, filmed earlier this year and aired in the fall. Pascal was selected to be one of 24 bachelors on the show, which was shot in Los Angeles and Tahiti.
alie, might join him in the business. When she decided not to he scaled back and now just has the one salon in Glencoe.
“I'm at the age where right now I want life to be more about traveling than having the responsibility alone,” he says. “I'm getting not too young, and I feel like I've done
“I do a lot of photography. That's something I really enjoy. I’m a street photographer. I walk around with my camera and take candid shots of people,” he says. “I go to school once a week taking pictures to learn more about my trade. I feel like my mind and my body need to constantly be
“My daughter during vacation kept asking me questions. What do I like to eat? Where do I like to go?’” he says. “I didn't pay attention to it, but by the end of our trip I said, ‘Natalie, why have you been asking me these questions?’”
Three weeks later, Natalie called him and, with the caveat that she hoped he wouldn’t be too mad, informed him he had been cast. Though he enjoyed his time on the show, he ended up dropping out by choice because he didn’t feel a connection with the bachelorette, Joan Vassos.
“It was an incredible experience because the bonding between the guys was incredible,” he says. “I built up a lot of friendships.”
Amidst all of his adventure seeking, Pascal continues to infuse his passion and inspiration into Pascal Pour Elle. He credits members of his team for the salon’s success. He hires top talent straight out of beauty school so they can be trained early on in their careers in his philosophy and approach. He gives a special shout out to Lisa Elder Levin, Pascal Pour Elle’s director, whom he calls “the pillar of his salon.”
There’s an old saying that you can either chase life or let it let it chase you. One doesn’t have to expend much thought to understand, upon hearing his story, what side of the chase Pascal is on.
“When it comes to a career, some people end up settling a little bit and doing a job that they don't entirely like,” he says. “I think it's rare for someone to have a childhood dream and be able to carry that through. That's interesting to me,”
Pascal Pour Elle is located at 868 Park Avenue in Glencoe. For more information visit pascalpourelle.com or call 847-501-3100.
FRENCH FLAIR From PG 1
MITCH HURST THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
Pascal Igbui immigrated from France to Chicago in 1980 to work in the hair industry. He is the founder and owner of Pascal Pour Elle in Glencoe. PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATRINA WITTKAMP
BACHTELL
DAVID WITTER is a Chicago-based author, journalist, and musician. Growing up in Lincoln Park, he saw how the demographics changed from working class, white, and Puerto Rican to artists and hippies to millionaire "yuppies." This inspired an interest in Chicago and Chicago history. His six books, including Oldest Chicago, Chicago Magic, Distilled in Chicago, and his latest Amazing Chicago all feature the theme of history versus change. Witter's articles on Chicago history, music, and unique characters appear regularly in Newcity. His work has also been featured in The Washington Post, The Chicago Reader, Buddy Guy's Blues Letter, Living Blues Magazine, and The Copley News syndicate, Witter also grew up within blocks of many famous blues clubs, which has led to a lifelong love of the music, and he currently performs as part of the Mike Felten Band. Witter put aside his pen to share how he stays current.
#ON MY NIGHTSTAND
As a Board Member of the Society of Midland Authors and judge for the award in the History Category, my nightstand is quite full right now. Some of the titles at the top of the list include Country and Midwestern, The Burning of the World, and Without Warning: The Tornado of Udall Kansas.
Lately, I have been watching lots of replays of old sporting events as I love looking at the production, graphics, and especially the style and manner of the announcers and even the commercials. It is such a reflection of how our society has changed.
#IN MY EARBUDS
I listen to what is now called, "Americana," which may feature anything from the new alt country of an artist like Lizzie No, to the classic rock of Bob Dylan, or the country blues of R. L. Burnside. I have also rekindled an interest in the music of the Romany or Gypsies.
#ON MY MOBILE
EDITED BY REDDING WORTH ILLUSTRATION BY TOM
SEPTEMBER 5
The story of Black September, an incident at the 1972 Olympics when 11 Israeli athletes were held hostage and murdered by a group of Palestinian terrorists, is brought to life in this unbearably suspenseful new film.
BY REX REED ILLUSTRATION BY TOM BACHTELL
RUNNING TIME: 1 HOUR, 34 MINUTES
RATING: 4 stars
The massacre in Munich may be 52 years old now, but thanks to September 5—a meticulously researched, imaginatively directed, tightly edited, and unbearably suspenseful new film about an incident at the 1972 Olympics when 11 Israeli athletes were held hostage and murdered by a group of Palestinian terrorists while the world looked on—the story of Black September lives again.
Technically, you can’t label September 5 a documentary because it is scripted, and the roles of actual people are played by actors. But despite the new technology that allows us to view the issues in Munich that made international headlines, changed the way news was covered on live television, and swayed the path of history, I can tell you everything in this fantastic movie seems totally accurate and looks exactly the same as it did on September 5, 1972.
I should know. I was there.
It started, for me, as a routine assignment. On my way home from the Venice Film Festival, I stopped off at the Olympics at the invitation of renowned, prize-winning producer David L. Wolper, who made such memorable films as The Hellstrom Chronicles and The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
In Munich, he had invited eight of the world’s most illustrious and industrious film directors to each contribute 10-minute segments about the different aspects of the games that interested them most for a film to be entitled Visions of Eight
With the aid of British ace cameraman Walter (Tom Jones) Lassally, Arthur (Bonnie and Clyde) Penn was preparing a highly personal bird’s-eye view of the pole-vaulting
event. From Czechoslovakia, Milos Forman was structuring a humor piece, blending the decathlon with the high C in an operatic aria. Japanese genius Kon Ichikawa chose the world’s fastest humans, filming the 10-second, 100-meter dash with 35 different cameras, using a Japanese haiku poem for his script. Claude Lelouch, famous for his intimate love stories, trained his sights on 86,000 spectators in the Olympic stadium for the opening day ceremonies, John (Midnight Cowboy) Schlesinger focused on the 26-mile marathon race through the city of Munich, using 45 camera units operating 65 cameras from electric trucks because no gas fumes were allowed on the streets of the marathon course. Yuri Ozerov, the Russian director of Liberation, showed the pre-game warm-ups when the parents and coaches were gone, leaving the athletes alone with their fears, anxieties and prayers.
Germany’s Michael Pfleghar chose the subject of women, and Sweden’s Mia Zetterling shocked everybody when she chose the weightlifters and muscle men. “Because I’m a woman, they thought I’d choose the segment about the female athletes,” she told me, but this will be different from anything you will expect to see” and I remember following her to the Olympic Village restaurant where she copied down the day’s recipe for the superheavyweights’ menu: 1.2 million eggs for 12,000 sportsmen, four steaks per meal, and 42 pints of milk per day. “I have shot four hours o film to get my 10 minutes,” she said, “but I can assure you it will be very exciting.”
It was all very exciting, and Mr. Wolper made it more so by pinning on my lapel
the official badge that got me a room in the Olympic Village Hotel and access to all of the events. I had just watched Mark Spitz win his seventh gold medal (at a spot so close to the Olympic swimming pool that he got my pants wet from the splashing) when we all heard the shots ring out.
The word reached the ears of David Wolper’s 180-man staff. Two Israeli athletes had been killed, nine more were being held captive in their rooms, tragedy paralyzed the tradition of peace and safe conduct that always defined the Olympic competitions in the past, and Munich was a shambles.
This is where September 5 takes up the story. Everything else is electrifying.
Every angle is covered, from the control room of ABC-TV control room to the inside of the Israeli athletes’ apartment. All three networks were there, but the main focus is on ABC, where the rivalry between the news division and the sports team erupted into a contest behind the scenes to see who would take credit for calling the shots while more viewers watched than the number of people who sat glued to their sets when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon.
Director Tim Fehlbaum does a masterful job of hopping from one highlight to the next, capturing the essence of what I saw in person. Throughout the day, the vigil continued as ransom notes were sent out and demands were made while the German police became more and more hysterical, drawing guns even on the ABC reporters in the control room.
Despite press reports about the tightest security on the planet, I was able to re-enter
the Olympic Village by taking a simple passageway through the hotel kitchen and climb onto the roof of Building 31, where the Israelis were being held as prisoners. There, I watched Arab terrorists, their faces concealed in Ku Klux Klan-like masks, moving silently behind the windows. Then, at 10 p.m., I watched from my hotel window with reporters while the terrorists and the hostages left Building 31, entered the bus that unloaded them in front of the hotel, and boarded the three waiting helicopters that transported them to their final bloody, floodlit carnage at Fuerstenfeldbruck airport—past signs marked, to everyone’s horror, “This way to Dachau.”
It was a terrifying thing to live through, and even when I was watching it unfold from my hotel room in the Olympic Village, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. It’s all there again to see, hair-raisingly recreated in September 5. The movie is about the hostages, of course, and one of the most heinous events in sports history. But it’s also about the technical difficulties, 52 years ago, of covering an international event via satellite when each network was only allowed a few minutes of time to be on the air, as well as the moral question—how much tragedy can you show within the parameters of good taste?
The issues the film raises about journalistic integrity and broadcast morality make September 5 the most rivetingly responsible film about journalism since Steven Spielberg’s The Post. Not to mention the obvious fact that in light of the current political climate, this is a film of gravity that screams relevance, and one of the best achievements of the year.
MIDNIGHT AT THE MANOR
Deer Path Inn caps off its 95th anniversary with an inaugural New Year’s Eve event to celebrate nearly a century of hospitality and begin a much-anticipated centennial countdown.
BY SHERRY THOMAS THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
London has fireworks on the South Bank. New York City has the ball drop on Times Square.
“And now Lake Forest has ‘Midnight at the Manor’,” says James Barnett, General Manager of Deer Path Inn, a beloved Lake Forest boutique hotel that will kick off its 95th anniversary with a first-ever New Year’s Eve soiree. “From the very beginning, we really wanted the anniversary festivities to culminate in a New Year’s Eve celebration—something that would really cap off an exciting year where we got to not only celebrate a milestone, but also to try some new creative experiential programming.”
Its inaugural “Midnight at the Manor” event was specially designed to honor the Inn’s storied past and toast to a dazzling future. The hotel will be transformed into a winter wonderland for an evening of glamour that harkens back to its 1929 origins.
“We are taking over the English Room and Courtyard for the night and the goal is to welcome our guests with amazing food
and drinks, live entertainment, and a special moment to ring in the New Year—all delivered by our amazing team and their personalized Deer Path Inn touch,” explains Barnett. “This celebration blends nearly a century of traditional innkeeping with Deer Path Inn’s renowned taste for revelry.”
Guests will begin their evening at 7 p.m. with a cocktail hour featuring canapés, followed by a lavish buffet dinner that showcases indulgent selections including shrimp, caviar, and tenderloin. At midnight, a glittering ball drop and champagne toast will mark the arrival of 2025, with a DJ keeping the celebration going into the night.
“I am most looking forward to watching guests, both old and new, interacting with the space here in a new, fun way. And when they have had their fill of fun and frivolity, they only have to take a short elevator ride up to their home for the night, right here at the Inn,” says Barnett. “As we close out our 95th anniversary year, we’re excited to welcome guests and the community to be a part of this special moment.”
It's been a momentous year for the Inn as it begins looking ahead to a centennial celebration in 2029. In addition to being honored once again honored as the Best Resort in the Midwest by Travel + Leisure, Barnett and his team introduced some fun
and innovative new summer events.
“We saw great success from our Summer Soiree garden parties earlier this year, which we plan to continue as new traditions at The Deer Path Inn. I really hope the New Years Eve celebrations join these ‘new traditions’,” he says. “People have been celebrating at The Deer Path Inn for generations and Afternoon Tea really lends itself to getting together and creating memories. Whether it’s a special day out for a mother and daughter, or lifelong friends needing an excuse to catch up, the formal but fun nature of afternoon tea really facilitates this. And The English Room & Garden Room really are such a wonderful setting both during the holidays and throughout the year.”
Once the ball drops and officially welcomes 2025, Barnett says the Inn will begin counting down to an even bigger milestone—its 100th anniversary.
When the Deer Path Inn opened its doors in 1929, members of Lake Forest’s elite were reportedly clamoring in anticipation. And in many ways, this European-style hotel—a half-timber and stucco creation inspired by traditional manor houses in Chiddingstone, Kent—changed the city of Lake Forest forever.
The years that follow that historic debut flutter by like pages from society’s “who’s who.” Weddings were lavish. Birthdays were monumental. And the fashion shows and parties were the talk of the town.
Given that tickets were nearly sold out at press time, the Inn’s new “Midnight at the Manor” New Year’s Eve bash is already on its way to becoming another one of those famous “see and be seen” events.
“The 95-year celebrations were certainly a good warm up, but we do have even bigger plans for the centennial celebration,” says Barnett, adding that his team is already actively seeking memorabilia, photographs, or stories from people in the community. “I look forward to continuing our legacy while creating new memories and traditions that will last for years to come."
Tickets to “Midnight on the Manor” are available for $195 per person. A special package that features two tickets to the celebration and a one-night stay in a Noble King or Noble Double Queen room with breakfast included starts at $810. For more information, visit thedeerpathinn.com or call 847-234-2280.
LAST-MINUTE HOLIDAY GIFTS
EDITED BY ALLISON MELONE THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
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CLASSIC CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIES
BY MONICA KASS ROGERS FOOD EDITOR
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
When I was little, we had two favorite babysitters. One had the patience of a saint, and taught us to play gin rummy. The other loved to bake. This simple recipe for buttery sugar cookies was her go-to on the days before Christmas when she let us “help.” We’d gleefully cut out the cookies, covering them with nonpareils, dragées, and sparkling sugars—chasing any sugar pearls that rolled off the table and sneakily eating chocolate jimmies when she wasn’t looking. Somehow, our messy doings would still yield plenty of cookies to share. You can vary the result from more tender to crispy depending on the thickness of the dough you roll out, and how long you bake it. To get sparkling sugars to adhere, simply brush cookie tops with a little egg-white wash before sprinkling and baking. Or, pipe baked cookies with frosting and add a few dragées or sparkles then. Happy Holidays!
MAKES 5 DOZEN COOKIES
INGREDIENTS
FOR COOKIES
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup (two sticks) unsalted butter
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
FOR EGG-WHITE WASH
• 1 large egg white, 2 tsp water
FOR VANILLA PIPING SUGAR
• 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 Tbsp softened butter
• 2 Tbsp milk
METHOD
MAKE COOKIE DOUGH: Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a bowl. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth, add sugar, and continue beating until fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla and beat again. Turn dough onto a square of waxed paper or plastic wrap; flatten into a disk and chill for ½ hour.
MAKE COOKIES: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove dough from fridge and roll out to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut shapes out of dough and transfer to parchment-lined cookie sheets. If decorating with sprinkles, brush cookie tops with egg-white wash. Sprinkle with sugars. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until just beginning to brown at cookie edges. Remove from oven and cool cookies on cooling rack. If decorating with piping sugar, allow cookies to fully cool.
MAKE VANILLA PIPING SUGAR: Whip piping sugar ingredients together. Place in piping bag. Decorate cookies.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MONICA KASS ROGERS
RUN TO GLORY
To Pastor Phillip Howell of Embassy Church in Palatine, Christmas serves as a glorious reminder that the birth of the Messiah brightened a dark world and brought eternal hope.
BY BILL MCLEAN ILLUSTRATION BY BARRY BLITT
Nearly two decades before running and placing second in his age group at the 2024 Pumpkin Chase 5K in Lake Bluff, Phillip Howell—then Student Ministries Pastor of Calvary Bible Church in Bourbonnais—delivered his first sermon.
“Running the race,” he says, referring to the theme of his address that had nothing to do with passing other runners or summoning his finishing kick.
Howell, now the pastor at Embassy Church in Palatine, spoke of Hebrews 12: 1-2 to those congregants in 2006. Verse 2 reads, “And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
“Preaching,” the 39-year-old father of five says, “is an art and a science. What I often aim to do when I preach is take deep, powerful content and present it in a way that’s simple for all.”
It’s early in Advent, a time of waiting and preparation for the celebration of Jesus’s birth at Christmas. Blessed with a calm countenance and sporting a good listener’s patience, Howell fields questions about the meaning of Christmas for an audience of one while sitting in the lobby at the First United Methodist Church, which is also home to Embassy Church’s 150-170 congregants.
“Followers of Christ are longing now and looking forward to the day we once again get to celebrate that God’s word became flesh,” says Howell, who, at a lean 6-foot4, could still pass for the forward he was for basketball teams at Olivet Nazarene in Bourbonnais. “It still excites me, it’s still mind-blowing to me, that the Son of God walked among humans and turned the world upside down.
“There’s the invisible spirituality of God and there’s the visible Jesus, who revealed all of what God wanted to say to people on Earth,” Howell continues. “Think about words, spoken or written. You can crush a
person with them or you can make a person’s day with them. Words are extensions of one’s heart.”
Embassy Church first welcomed worship pers in early 2014, less than two years after Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. sent Howell to the Chicago area to partner with Edgewater Baptist Church and start it.
Embassy Church drew a diverse follow ing of 24 people in year one.
“At Embassy,” he adds, “we glorify Christ by making disciples of all nations. Bring ing nations together is an attractive element of our church. The word glory is a word of light, illuminating and shining. Jesus’s birth brought light to a dark world.
“We need to be reminded every Advent what we’ll celebrate on Christmas Day. Christ arrived, definitely. His existence proved there is a God and He is with us. ‘Immanuel’ means God is with us.”
A native of Southern Maryland, Howell attended Northern High School in Owings, where he met his future wife, Christine, and earned all-Calvert County and Player of the Year honors in bas ketball. Homecoming dance doubled as their first date. Their second date?
academically. My love for the Bible and its teachings exploded inside of me and turned into my calling. I couldn’t see myself doing anything other than spreading the word of
Howell ended up getting a General Studies degree, with an emphasis in sports ministry, after taking 36 credit hours of Bible classes. He then served, from 2006-2009, as Student Ministries Pastor of Calvary Bible Church in the Kankakee County village that’s home to ONU.
Howell earned his Masters of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, worked on staff with Campus Outreach at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and participated in a pastoral internship at Capitol Hill Baptist Church. In 2023, Howell completed his Ph.D. in Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri.
Residents of Palatine since 2015, Phillip and Christine are parents to five children, ages 17, 15, 13, 9, and 4.
“It is a privilege and a joy, as well as humbling, to be an earthly father,” says Howell. “Sure, there might be a bad or hard moment here and there while raising a child, but for every one of those—remember, we’re all imperfect—there are a thousand sweet, beautiful moments that I will always cherish.”
He similarly enjoys as many moving moments at Embassy Church, too.
“We want to be an embassy of heaven,” Howell says. “The ethnic diversity of our church membership excites us all. Twenty to 24 of our members are from countries outside the United States. An Indian and Pakistani got married in our church recently. So did a South Korean-German and Romanian.
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TheNSWeekend @ TheNSWeekend
“My birthday, on November 11th,” a smiling Howell says. “She made me apple pie.
“That’s when I knew I was in a serious relationship.”
Both attended Olivet Nazarene University and got married before graduation. Christine majored in Spanish, and Phillip started as a
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Michelle Crowe, Erin Donaldson, Dustin O'Regan, Kemmie Ryan, Megan Weisberg
FOOD EDITOR
Monica Kass Rogers
Physical Education major, hoping the degree would land him a teacher/basketball coach position at a high school in Maryland.
“My junior year (2005-2006) at Olivet Nazarene, everything was going so well in my life,” he recalls. “I was married, captain of the basketball team, and succeeding
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Cheyanne Lencioni, Mitch Hurst, Bill McLean, Allison Melone, Redding Worth
“Jesus,” he adds, “is for all people. Knowing Him anchors us and believing in Him lifts us.”
Embassy Church is located at 123 North Plum Grove Road in Palatine. For more information, visit embassychurch.net.
Monica Kass Rogers, George Pfoertner, Katrina Wittkamp
Bachtell, Barry Blitt ILLUSTRATION
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