wellsfargoprivatebank.com
Living with a disability can pose personal and financial challenges that are different for every family, which is why Wells Fargo’s Special Needs Trust Services are tailored to your specific needs.
Our support goes beyond investing and managing trust assets and is designed to help our clients lead more comfortable, secure, and fulfilled lives.
To learn more about Special Needs Trust Services, please contact:
Lisa Bertagna
Senior Private Banker—Market Leader
NMLSR ID 822011
400 Skokie Blvd., Ste. 510 Northbrook, IL 60062 224-306-5110
lisa.h.bertagna@wellsfargo.com
Colleen McCaffery
Senior Vice President, Wealth Advisor
NMLSR ID 629094
400 Skokie Blvd., Ste. 510 Northbrook, IL 60062 224-306-5111
mccaffc1@wellsfargo.com
Wells Fargo Private Bank provides products and services through Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., the banking affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company, and its various affiliates and subsidiaries. Brokerage services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. Trust services available through banking and trust affiliates in addition to non-affiliated companies of Wells Fargo & Company. Insurance products are available through insurance subsidiaries of Wells Fargo & Company and underwritten by non-affiliated Insurance Companies. Not available in all states. © 2019 Wells Fargo Bank N.A. Member FDIC. IHA-B09617 NMLSR ID 399801
7 Beds | 7.1 Baths • $5,950,000
1425NStatePkwy.info
Elegant Gold Coast mansion on a wide & deep lot. This stately home offers over 8600 square feet of gorgeous details & finishes throughout. The main level is wonderful for entertaining w/a gracious formal living room & a large formal dining rm. The gourmet kitchen is flooded w/sunlight. An adjacent eat-in space is surrounded by windows & overlooks the lovely outdoor space. Six ensuite bedrooms on the upper floors plus a fabulously finished library or den with a wet bar & fireplace. The lower level has a cozy media or family room and an additional guest suite that would be a great in-law or nanny quarters. 2 car garage plus a garage top deck w/lush plantings. This remarkable home is just steps from the lake & all that the Gold Coast has to offer!
1555
5 Beds | 4.2 Baths • $2,995,000
1555NAstor41EW.info
Enjoy spectacular, 360 degree views of Chicago in this 6000+ square foot home in the sky. Best views ever! This home occupies the entire 41st floor with direct views over Lincoln Park, Lake Michigan, and the Chicago skyline. Wide open living and expansive room sizes offer a sensational space for entertaining. Current chef’s kitchen with huge butler pantry and separate work room. Oversized master suite w/fabulous closet/dressing room and a gorgeous bath with custom poured concrete tub and sink plus a large shower. There are 4 additional beds, three full baths, and two powder rooms.
4 Beds | 4.1 Baths • $2,399,000
1220WWrightwood.info
Luxury abounds this extra wide brick & limestone home in a fab Lincoln Park locale. Ultra-wide foyer & gracious staircase lead to a fabulously ‘James Thomas’ designed home, perfect for entertaining. The front of the home features an expansive living room w/ southfacing windows for great light. The spacious kitchen has beautiful white Brookhaven cabinetry, intricate backsplash, honed granite counter tops, & all top-end appliances. Access the terrace & a true backyard directly from the kitchen. This home features a wide interior that allows for a rare 4 beds on one level w/ 3 custom baths including the luxe white marble master & fab closet. The lower level rec room can double as bedroom space w/full bath. Att 2 car gar+pkg pad.
3
Enjoy city, lake, and Navy Pier views from this impeccable, combined unit at 1300 Lake Shore Drive. This home offers many great spots for entertaining. Two gracious living spaces, one formal, one casual, each with a wet bar & sweeping lake views. A truly fabulous kitchen large enough for lakefront dining, plus a breakfast bar and plenty of updated counter and cabinet space. The spacious master suite offers west views, has a fabulous walk-in closet, and a spa bath w/dual sinks & separate tub/shower. Two additional bedrooms & two baths on the north side of the home. There is also a handsome paneled library or office. 1300 Lake Shore Drive is a full amenity building with twenty-four hour doorstaff, indoor pool, fitness center, & sundeck.
SOCIAL NETWORKING HUB
What are you searching for? Find it with @properties.
Thanks to the keen eye of local landscape designers, gorgeous grounds dazzle across the Shore. Here is a glimpse at just a few of the North Shore’s glam gardens.
Winnetka’s Kim Visokey creates functional and fashionable gardening goods for passionate gardeners young and old.
Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy—a Lake Bluff resident— lifted a starving, rabid fan base with his creativity and congeniality in his first year as an NFL grid boss.
ON THIS PAGE
Jody Michael Associates has been helping leaders and executives achieve their goals since 1997.
In this edition, CEO Jody Michael breaks down what executive coaching is, what to look for in a coach and how to unlock leadership, career and life potential.
Why should I hire an executive coach?
The short answer is, because you want to improve your performance; but there are many reasons why an executive coach might be the right answer for you:
1. You’re ambitious and driven to constantly improve.
2. You’ve plateaued and need that extra push to get out of your rut and back on track to be your best.
3. You have blind spots. Of course, you may not be aware of them until you begin working with a coach; but your coach will help you not only become aware of blind spots, but work with you to overcome them.
4. You’re avoiding an area of weakness that you haven’t been able to overcome; whether it’s crucial conversations or situational leadership, a coach can hold you accountable and give you experiential homework to help.
5. You’re challenged in some capacity at work. Maybe you’re on a performance improvement plan, you have a colleague or supervisor that you don’t know how to work with or you are facing some other political quagmire.
An executive coach is someone who specializes in developing an executive to optimize their leadership performance. At its very core, coaching is a catalyst for change. In some ways, working with a coach is like working with a personal trainer. In order to achieve results, you need to do the work, but the trainer brings the expertise to assess, direct, correct, motivate and support you along the way. A good coach will help reveal your blind spots and challenge your perceptions, introduce new ways of thinking and provide the tools you need to be even more successful.
How can coaching help me as a leader and as an executive?
Given that most of what we achieve in life is due not to our external circumstances, but to our individual operating systems (our thoughts, moods, perceptions and beliefs), perhaps the most fundamental work of a coach is to bring these deeply ingrained mental processes to the surface.
Coaching can help you understand the linkage between these processes, and your leadership abilities and gaps. A good coach enables you to:
• Improve situational leadership skills
• Increase your emotional intelligence
• Inspire and influence key stakeholders
• Build executive presence
• Increase employee engagement
• Embody and inspire accountability
• Achieve business results more quickly
• Navigate political minefields
Think about Tom Brady—he’s won six Super Bowls, but he still has a coach. In fact, some of the world’s most successful people continue to work with coaches long after they’ve become successful. Without a coach it’s easy to overplay your strengths, to stay in your comfort zone or neglect to build the range needed to reach the next level. To be a truly great leader, you need to break through performance limitations. Executive coaching helps facilitate those transformational breakthroughs by offering a perspective that is hard to see yourself. Essentially, executives are no different than athletes.
Is there a difference between executive coaching and other types of coaching?
Whether the focus is executive, career or general wellness, successful coaching approaches all share a common goal: to facilitate growth. When you’re able to achieve greater self-awareness, clarity, observational capacity and confidence, you achieve success in all
aspects of life. As a result, you find yourself finally able to get that coveted promotion, attract more income and cultivate emotional intelligence and executive presence. You’re able to connect with others and lead with greater impact and influence.
The lines between coaching, mentoring, counseling and consulting are often blurred; and indeed, the best coaches have skills and experiences that reflect this mixture. Ideally, a coach will have a background in some area of human behavior, such as psychology. Great coaches bring to the table extensive coaching experience, coaching credentials, targeted supplemental education and use of best practices in neuroscience, cognition and psychology, and if they are an executive coach—business acumen and strong leadership experience.
With over 1 billion dollars spent annually in America on executive coaching, it should come as no surprise that there have been many studies done on the effectiveness of having a coach. A recent survey by Pricewaterhouse Coopers and the Association Resource Centre found that the mean ROI in coaching was 7 times the initial investment. The International Coaching Federation (ICF) reports that “leaders who participated in coaching saw 50 – 70% increases in work performance, time management, and team effectiveness.” It’s clear that when it comes to influencing the bottom line—leadership matters—and coaching plays a huge role in developing leaders. Whereas coaching was once primarily
seen as a way to remedy an unfavorable situation, today the focus is on developing leaders and maximizing potential.
How do I know I’m getting a good coach?
Here’s important information that a large percentage of coaches don’t want you to know:
Coaching is an unregulated industry, which means anyone can call themselves a coach. While nothing speaks louder than a proven track record—including testimonials from satisfied current and past clients—there are some criteria that every coach should meet.
Look for a coach with professional credentials and qualifications, which indicate their level of training and professional development.
The ICF credentials are:
ACC: Associate Certified Coach, 100+ hours of paid coaching experience
PCC: Professional Certified Coach, 500+ hours of paid coaching experience
MCC: Master Certified Coach, 2,500+ hours of paid coaching experience These designations appear after a coach’s name. Next, look at leadership experience and business acumen. Extensive corporate and entrepreneurial experience are crucial skills that allow a coach to understand not only your personal but your business challenges as well. Good coaches help deliver measurable bottom line results.
Probably the most important thing is “good fit and chemistry”—it feels right. This is NOT to be underestimated.
From being too old, too damaged or too stuck in their ways, people often doubt that true change is within their reach. But the answer is, unequivocally, yes. People can change, as long as you have an authentic desire for change and a commitment to do the work. True change doesn’t happen by accident; it requires openness, perseverance and a high level of accountability. Change begins with developing self-awareness, followed by making better choices, implementing measurable micro-habits and repeating these behaviors until they stick. Most change attempts are unsuccessful as a result of people failing to understand and execute change technology best practices. This is where a coach can really help move the needle.
One of the most powerful things you can do every morning is to set an intention for the day. It’s a small effort with a big payback. When you go through life on auto-pilot, letting things “happen to you,” you are reactive. By contrast, setting a daily intention increases your awareness so that you can respond to situations in a very deliberate manner. This increased awareness is the first step toward making any change, however incremental.
Text “GET RESULTS” to 345345 and receive a free copy of our e-book: “Executive Coaching Best Practices”
We believe in you and your capacity to optimize your performance, decrease your stress and lead more powerfully. We say this with great confidence because for more than 20 years, we’ve been a catalyst for change, coaching thousands of individuals to transform their leadership performance.
Call us today at 773.275.5566 or visit jodymichael.com to learn more.
J.W. CONATSER
DUSTIN O’REGAN
SHERRY THOMAS
KEMMIE RYAN ELAINE DOREMUS
CONSTANTINE JAMES ALLISON DUNCAN
MONICA KASS ROGERS
TRICIA DESPRES, ALLISON DUNCAN, ANDREW FRANKEL, PETER GIANOPULOS, MITCH HURST, ELIZA JARVI, JAKE JARVI, BILL MCLEAN, ALICE YORK
JORDAN WILLIAMS
LINDA LEWIS
DOUG ADCOCK, AMANDA ALVARADO, AMEEN QUTTEINEH
REDDING WORTH
BRIGGI KNOX
JON MILLER, LARRY MILLER, ROBIN SUBAR
ROBERT RISKO MINDY KOVCO JULIE YOVITS
GRETCHEN BARNARD, JENNIFER STURGEON
RAHEELA ANWAR, EILEEN BENNIN, RENEE CROWN, JEFFREY EISERMAN, MAUREEN GRINNELL, DANA HUGHES, JOYCE BRUCE JIARAS, JILL KATZ, LEXIE KNOX, YOANNA KULAS, ARTHUR MILLER, MEREDITH MITCHELL, SANDRA CASPARRIELLO MURPHY, RONI MOORE NEUMANN, IBBY PINSKY, AND MONIQUE WATTS How
JWC Media accepts freelance contributions; however, there is no guarantee that unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, or graphics will be returned. All rights to the contents of this magazine are owned in full by JWC Media. Sheridan Road may not be reproduced in whole or in part, including but not limited to advertisements and articles, without written permission from the publisher. Sheridan Road assumes no respon sibility for statements made or opinions expressed by contributing writers, editors, or advertisers. However, comments or corrections or differing opinions are welcomed. The publisher reserves the right to edit and place all editorials and ads. © 2019 JWC Media
Ah, summertime! My favorite time of year. Long days, short dresses, dining alfresco, cool cocktails, and toasts to dear friends. In celebration of the season, our June/July issue is dubbed the Summer Issue where we explore the great gardens of the North Shore, hear green-thumb tidbits from garden goddess Kim Visokey, and sit down with Matt Nagy—the Lake Bluff resident and beloved Bears coach.
What better way to open the Summer Issue than with a fun soirée with beautiful jewels? Be hind the Baubles invites you inside an evening cele brating Kirsty Stone of Retrouvaí and Brent Neale Winston of Brent Neale jewelry. A t h e n e’s Ashley Quicksilver opened her gorgeous home for an enchanting evening of baubles and bubbly. Exchanging champagne flutes for novels, Shore vs. City highlights novelist extraordinaire Lisa Barr who shares her go-tos when she needs a break from penning award-winning reads. Continuing our literary theme, Newsworthy presents a reading list celebrating local talent. This summer I will be beach bound, with toes in the water and one of these books in my hand.
Moving from pages to paintbrushes, Art & Artist showcases Kristi Kohut’s talent. This bright sunny artist will warm your heart with her whimsical pieces. Swapping paint and paper for metals and gems, Trending’s Jenny Volkodav shares how she stays current between designing jewelry and filling Oscar swag bags.
metto trees, thickets of Spanish moss, and endless luxury with a stay at South Carolina’s Montage Palmetto Bluff. Moving to a bluff closer to home, Home Tour highlights a gorgeous Lake Forest estate overlooking Lake Michigan. With stunning views inside and out this treasure could be yours. We end our summer issue with the sage words of a young swimmer. MaryGrace King is someone to keep an eye on as she just might be the North Shore’s next Olympian. Go for the Gold MaryGrace, we are all rooting for you!
Feeling Islandy? Dinner Date visits Evanston’s Good to Go where you are sure to feel the Jamaican vibe with delicacies like Jerk Chicken and Coconut Shrimp. If Good to Go has you thinking “south,” First Class takes you there where you’ll find southern charm, groves of pal-
O’Regan dustin@jwcmedia.com North Shore garden by Craig Bergmann Landscape Design. Photography provided by Craig Bergmann Landscape Design. Dustin My daughter’s 8th grade graduation from Lake Forest Country Day School
Source: Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” list, February 2019. The ranking for this list by SHOOK Research is based on due diligence meetings to evaluate each advisor qualitatively, a major component of a ranking algorithm that includes: client retention, industry experience, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, including: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Forbes is a trademark of Forbes Media LLC. All rights reserved. Rankings and recognition from Forbes/SHOOK Research are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results and such rankings should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (also referred to as “MLPF&S” or “Merrill”) makes available certain investment products sponsored, managed, distributed or provided by companies that are affiliates of Bank of America Corporation (“BofA Corp.”). MLPF&S is a registered broker-dealer, Member SIPC and a wholly owned subsidiary of BofA Corp. Merrill Private Wealth Management is a division of MLPF&S that offers a broad array of personalized wealth management products and services. Investment products: Are Not FDIC InsuredAre Not
Winnetka’s Ashley Quicksilver opened her gorgeous home for an evening honoring jewelry design ers Kirsty Stone of Retrouvaí and Brent Neale Winston of Brent Neale jewelry. Warm breezes carried laughter over the lake while guests enjoyed light bites, glorious cool cocktails, and of course a bounty of baubles. Stone and Winston both lovely, engaging, and endlessly tal ented chatted with guests until the late evening hours. Quicksilver’s eponymous boutique a t h e n e carries both Retrouvaí and Brent Neale and also features a carefully curated collection of sensational styles for the sophisticated shopper. To see what is in-store, visit a t h e n e, 837 Elm Street, Winnetka, 847-441-1918.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBIN SUBAR
Designer Brent Neale Winston and Alexi Dohnal
Brent Neale earrings
Yoanna Kulas
Sheridan Road provides the North Shore’s comprehensive social calendar to see what’s doing and who’s doing it.
EDITED BY KEMMIE RYANTEMPEL LIPIZZANS’ 37TH PERFORMANCE SEASON
WHERE: Tempel Farms, Old Mill Creek
WHEN: Sundays and Wednesdays at 1 p.m.; Saturdays at 6 p.m.
TICKETS: $30 in advance with discounts available for children, active military personnel, and veterans. Advance VIP tickets are $75.
The Tempel Lipizzans’ stallions return for a 37th season presenting exquisite performances of equestrian dressage. This season the Tempel Lipizzans are also celebrating the 60th anniversary of the birth of the first Lipizzan foal at Temple Farms. tempelfarms.com
WHERE: Downtown Highland Park
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. TICKETS: $5 suggested donation.
Peruse works of art by more than 100 juried artists using a variety of mediums during a weekend-long outdoor festival. Enjoy live music and art demonstrations, great food from neighboring restaurants, and activities for artists of all ages. theartcenterhp.org/tac-festival-fine-art
ELAWA’S BEER GARDEN
WHERE: Elawa Farm
WHEN: 7 to 10 p.m.; VIP cocktail hour at 6 p.m. TICKETS: Start at $70 for
general admission.
Elawa Farm Foundation presents its second annual Beer Garden featuring beer tastings by local favorites and food tastings by City BBQ. There will also be fine wine and spirits for the non-beer drinkers. The summer bash will offer early admission for VIP guests and limited parking passes are available onsite. elawafarm.org
SHOWHOMES FESTIVAL: COOLER BY THE LAKE
WHERE: Three Lake Forest and Lake Bluff homes WHEN: 1 to 3 p.m. TICKETS: $100
Join Barbara Bliss of Showhomes North Shore-Barrington for an exclusive afternoon tour of three historic Lake Bluff and Lake Forest homes. Guests will enjoy light bites, sweet summer drinks, and musical entertainment while shuttles provide transportation from Lake Bluff Middle School to each residence. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Roberti Community House and Bravo Waukegan. showhomes-festival.eventbrite.com
WHERE: Theater on the Lake, Chicago
WHEN: 5 p.m.
TICKETS: $350 runway ticket; $500 two-day VIP ticket. Join JourneyCare for its first-ever Allstars of Project Runway event in Chicago, featuring five former celebrity designers from the Bravo TV
show and their 2019 collections during a fashion runway show. VIP tickets are available for an exclusive trunk show on Friday, June 28 at the Waldorf Astoria. VIP guests will have the opportunity to purchase one-of-a kind designs and meet the designers before the show. journeycare.org/runway
LAKE FOREST FESTIVAL & FIREWORKS
WHERE: Deerpath Community Park, Lake Forest WHEN: 5 to 10 p.m. TICKETS: Starting at $15 for Lake Forest and Lake Bluff residents. Non-residents are $20 each. VIP tickets available. Spend the Independence Day holiday supporting local pro grams made possible by the Lake Forest Parks and Recre ation Department. The fami ly-friendly evening will include food and drinks, live entertain ment by Bella Cain and Beatles tribute band Liverpool Legends, and conclude with a spectacular fireworks display. friendsoflake forestparksandrec.weebly.com/ festival-and-fireworks.html
WHERE: Chicago Botanic Garden
WHEN: 4 to 7 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday TICKETS: Admission is free. Peruse unique artwork from 95 juried artists in the beautiful Chicago Botanic Garden. All featured artwork will embody a botanic theme and enter-
tainment will be around every corner. amdurproductions.com/ event/chicago-botanic-garden-art-festival-2019
WHERE: Ravinia grounds WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
TICKETS: $49 for lawn in advance; $115 for pavilion in advance.
Country trio, Lady Antebellum, plays for the first time at North Shore summer staple, Ravinia. Enjoy a picnic on the lawn or head to the pavilion for a performance that’s not to be missed. ravinia.org
A FEATHERED AFFAIR
WHERE: Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago WHEN: 6:30 pm
TICKETS: Pricing starts at $850. The Women’s Board of Lincoln Park Zoo (LPZ) will host its annual Zoo Ball, this year themed “A Feathered Affair.” This LPZ’s largest fundraising event of the year and an event not to miss. lpzooball.org
CHALET
WHERE: Chalet, 3132 Lake Avenue, Wilmette
WHEN: 1 to 2 p.m.
TICKETS: $10 per child; parents are free.
Chalet hosts its new Chalet Sprouts program for chil dren and parents. Take a walk through the nursery while play ing I-spy following a lesson on plants and the sun. Make a sun catcher and enjoy a story while
soaking up the summer sun after a long winter. chaletnursery. com/collections/chalet-sprouts
A ROYAL BALL
WHERE: Estate of Adrian and Nancy Smith, 830 North Green Bay Road, Lake Forest WHEN: 6 p.m. TICKETS: $300 Citadel Theatre and Adrian and Nancy Smith host a summer gala fit for royalty at the Smith’s renowned David Adler Estate. The enchanting evening will feature live entertainment, great company, and decadent cuisine. citadeltheatre.org/gala
WHERE: Ravinia grounds
WHEN: 4:30 p.m. cocktail reception; 6 p.m. concert TICKETS: Starting at $750. Ravinia’s Annual Gala Evening hosted by the Women’s Board will feature Chicago native and musical powerhouse Jennifer Hudson and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in the only performance fundraiser benefiting Ravinia and
REACH*TEACH*PLAY education programs. ravinia.org/ page/galabenefit
OUT OF THE BLU
WHERE: Shedd Aquarium, Chicago
WHEN: 6 to 11 p.m. TICKETS: $150; $250 VIP Join Shedd’s Auxiliary Board for its signature fundraising event hosted by co-chairs Dana Waud, Caroline Conese, and Ronak Danak. Enjoy stunning performances, delicious tastings, and skyline views during this zero-waste event. sheddaquarium.org
2019 CHILDREN’S BRITTLE BONE FOUNDATION
GOLF OUTING
WHERE: Northmoor Country Club, Highland Park WHEN: 10 a.m. registration; 12:30 p.m. shotgun start; 5:30 p.m. reception.
TICKETS: $875 for golf and reception; $100 for reception only.
The Board of Directors of the Children’s Brittle Bone Foundation hosts its 28th annual fundraiser. Funds will directly fund research and provide necessary equipment to help improve the quality of life for people afflicted with Osteogenesis Imperfecta. cbbf.org
bard Street Dance Chicago, the Joffrey Ballet, Chicago Dance Crash, Chicago Human Rhythm Project, Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater, Robyn Mineko Williams, and Randy Duncan. Following the performances head over to the Hilton Chicago Grand Ballroom for a gala celebration and dinner. Proceeds will be donated directly to the Dancer’s Fund created by Chicago Dancer’s United. chicagodancersunited.org/dance-for-life-2019
WHERE: Port Clinton Square, Highland Park
10TH
WHERE: Everts Park, Highwood
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. TICKETS: Free admission Vendors from near and far vie for the coveted titles of Judges’ Choice, People’s Choice, and more. Don’t miss the creative concoctions while celebrating all things Bloody Mary. celebratehighwood.org
2019
WHERE: Auditorium Theatre, Chicago
WHEN: 6 p.m.
TICKETS: Starting at $300 for performance and gala recep tion. Starting at $15 for per formance only.
Celebrating 28 years, enjoy lively performances by Giordano Dance Chicago, Hub-
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. TICKETS: $5 suggested donation per person.
Celebrate Highland Park’s 150th anniversary with more than 260 of the world’s most celebrated artists over the course of the weekend. This year compete in a special poster contest celebrating the city’s sesquicentennial anniversary. amdurproductions.com/event/ port-clinton-art-festival-2019
JUNE 16 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 8Local authors pen sizzling new reads providing the perfect distraction for those sunny summer afternoons.
EDITED BY DUSTIN O’REGAN
Susanna Culkins
The first mystery in Calkins’ captivating new series takes readers into the dark yet glittering underworld of a 1920s Chicago speakeasy—The Third Door. Cigarette girl Gina Ricci is enchanted by the harsh, dangerous world’s sleek socialites, rowdy gamblers, and the brooding photographer. Whispers swirl about Gina’s predecessor, who mysteriously died and the photographer, Marty, warns her to be careful.
When Marty is brutally murdered, Gina is determined to track down his killer. What secrets did Marty capture on his camera— and who would do anything to destroy it?
As Gina searches for answers, she’s pulled deeper into the shadowy truths hiding behind the Third Door.
E. C. Diskin
A famous actor is shot within hours of returning to his small hometown in southern Illinois. The investigation into the shooting reveals that the actor had written a screenplay about growing up there, one that could destroy families, careers, and the reputations of some of its beloved citizens. By the end of the week, secrets and lies are exposed, a local hero is dead, and the least likely suspect is jailed for the crime, challenging the small-town sheriff’s perception of justice. It’s a shocking tale with multiple twists and turns, in an all-too believable premise.
Alice Weiss leaves her small midwestern town to chase her big-city dreams and unexpectedly lands the job of a lifetime working for the first female editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine, Helen Gurley Brown. Nothing could have prepared Alice for the world she enters. While pressure mounts at the magazine, Alice struggles not to lose sight of her own dreams as she’s swept up into a glamorous world of five-star dinners, lavish parties, and men who are certainly no good.
Rich Cohen
Handsome and charis matic, Albert Hicks had long been known in the dive bars and gin joints of the Five Points, the most dangerous neigh borhood in maritime Manhattan. For years he operated out of the public eye rambling from crime to crime. His criminal career reached its peak in 1860, when he was hired on an oyster sloop. His plan was to rob the ship and flee as he’d done before. But the plan went awry and the voyage turned into a massacre—leading Hicks to his last desperate flight. Long fascinated by gangster legends, Cohen tells the story of this notorious underworld figure, from his humble origins to the wild, globe-crossing, bacchanalian crime spree that forged his ruthlessness and his reputa tion, to his ultimate incarnation as a demon who terrorized lower Manhattan, at a time when pirates anchored off 14th Street.
A delicious, captivating novel about a woman from Chicago who jets off to France after her “perfect” marriage collapses, putting the broken pieces of herself back together while rediscovering her own joie de vivre—a lust for life, art, and passion. Her journey begins after the worst birthday ever, but perhaps that horrific evening might just be the gift of a lifetime.
An engaging novel about how love, friendship, and fam ily find a home at the Printed Letter Bookshop. One of Madeline Cullen’s happiest child hood memories is working with her Aunt Maddie in the quaint bookshop. But by the time Madeline inherits the shop, family troubles and her own bitter losses have hardened her heart toward her once-treasured aunt—and the now strug gling bookshop. Madeline intends to quick ly sell the shop but when her professional life takes an unexpected turn—and a hand some gardener upends all her preconceived notions—she questions her plans and her heart, and begins to envision a new path for herself and for her aunt’s beloved shop.
All available at the Lake Forest Book Store and Winnetka’s The Book Stall.
IS THE AWARDWINNING AUTHOR OF THE HISTORICAL THRILLER FUGITIVE COLORS—A SUSPENSEFUL TALE OF STOLEN ART, LOVE, LUST, DECEPTION, AND REVENGE ON THE EVE OF WORLD WAR II. HER SECOND NOVEL THE UNBREAKABLES DEBUTED THIS MONTH AND IS SURE TO GARNER AWARDS OF ITS OWN. HERE ARE THIS LITERARY LIONESS’S FAVES ON THE SHORE AND IN THE CITY.
EDITED BY DUSTIN O’REGAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBIN SUBAR HAIR, MAKEUP & STYLING BY CONSTANTINE JAMES
What’s on the horizon? Book tour Mantra? You Got This Best grooming tip? Sunscreen (learned after years of tanning with Baby Oil and a chrome-covered record album) Guilty pleasure? When I’m home alone… a fire, cappuccino (vino or bourbon after 5 p.m.), and a book Favorite foods? Does coffee count? you love? Andrea Bocelli (when writing), and Diana Ross (when getting dressed for a night out) Best advice ever given to you? The ordinary is extraordinary Best advice you’ve given? stand strong, and drink water Earliest memory? in-hand with my beloved grandmother (my forever bestie who is watching over me from Heaven’s kitchen) you wake up, you? Check that my college girls are safe, go over my TO-DO list, take out the dog, yoga stretches, then full on Go-Mode Before bed, you? Netflix binge. When my hubby falls asleep, I read under my covers What’s on your bookshelf? voracious reader, but Judy Blume’s Are You There God? It’s
Your style is? Retro ’70s—boots and jeans for day. Trendy colorful dresses for night Can’t leave the house without? Coffee, laptop, sunglasses Transportation? Range Rover Driving music? The Coffee House and PopRocks on Sirius— interspersed with U2, Fleetwood Mac, and Prince Place to eat? That Little French Guy in Highland Park Shop? Scout & Molly’s in Deerfield Best thing about the Shore? Community. I’ve traveled the world but this is home Worst thing about the Shore? Everybody knows…
The perfect day is? Coffee (nonnegotiable), a walk with my husband and dog, a successful day of writing, yoga, date night at Hole in the Wall, and ending with a good couch curl-up with my “Permanent Boyfriend” (husband)
, Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl, The Outsiders, and vintage editions of Nancy Drew have a permanent spot on my nightstand You can’t live without? Coffee, bell-bottom jeans, connecting daily with my daughters Love to escape The Caribbean and Napa Advice you would give to You ARE enough
Jeans, boots, a funky top, and a leather jacket. At night, a good pair of high heels. Friends joke that I could climb a mountain in heels if I had to (I could) Can’t leave the house without? My phone and vintage cocktail rings Driving music? Rock classics that I belt out in my own private car concert Place to eat? Tempo for breakfast, Three Arts Club for lunch, and Fig & Olive (mentioned in my new novel) for dinner Shop? Bucktown boutiques Best thing about the City? Art Institute’s Modern Wing Worst thing about the City? Parking The perfect day is? Brunch al fresco, a leisurely sunny lakeshore walk, finding a great little dress at an obscure boutique, an afternoon coffee, meeting close friends for dinner, drinks, and lots of laughs
Ravinia Festival
May 31–Sept 15
418 Sheridan Road
Bitter Jester ® Music Festival
June 7–21 / 7 pm
Port Clinton Plaza, 600 Central Avenue
July 4 / 4 pm
Wolters Field, 1080 Park Avenue West
Ravinia Farmers Market
Wednesdays, June 5–October 30 / 7 am–1 pm
Roger Williams and Dean Avenues
Ravinia Food Truck Thursdays
June 6–September 12 / 4:30 pm–dusk
Roger Williams, Dean and St. Johns Aves., Jens Jensen Park
Bags League at Food Truck Thursdays
June 20–July 25, August 1–29
Championship Match Sept. 5 / 6–8 pm
Festival of Fine Arts
June 22–23 / 10 am–5 pm
Sheridan Road between Central and Park Avenues
HP150 Sesquicentennial Big Bash
July 4 / 11 am–2 pm
Sunset Woods Park
Sidewalk Sale Days
July 25–27 / 9 am–5 pm
Sidewalks throughout Downtown Highland Park
Kids, Rigs & Heroes!
July 27 / 11 am–2 pm
St. Johns North Parking Lot (just behind Veterans Memorial at Central & St. Johns; entrance on Park Avenue)
North Shore Venetian Night
August 17 / 7 pm
North Shore Yacht Club
Port Clinton Art Festival
August 24–25 / 10 am–6 pm
Central Avenue and Green Bay Road
In her book The Inspired Caregiver, Tia Walker has written one of the most profound sentences about elderly care, “To care for those who once cared for us is one of the highest honors.” Although Helen Smekhov, then owner of At Your Service Eurocare, never read the book, she performed her caregiving with the highest honorable values for the seniors she served. After all, she was an immigrant from Russia with the determination to achieve a better life for her family in a free country.
Every day, Smekhov exemplified with love the best qualities of a dedicated caregiver addressing the personal and medical needs of her clients. They became her family. She listened to their sto ries and kept them company in the moments of loneliness and physical needs.
Eventually, this educated nurse and cultured lady realized that she could not be everywhere, and working 12 to 14 hours daily were not enough to provide her services to many families who reached out to benefit from her individual attention for their loved ones.
In 1984, she established her organization, At Your Service Eurocare, which provides caregiving services for dementia and Alzheimer’s care, diabetes care, and other types of care management. She made it her mission to identify other caregivers with the same passion and accountability.
Every person who has been employed by At Your Service Eurocare goes through a thorough background check and a diligent process of assessment, so that Smekhov can ensure that the qualifications and commitment of her staff to go above and beyond the duties described for the position. They all embrace her vision, and their vocation becomes their mission. It has always been about more than just earning a paycheck. It requires human kindness and concern about the person being challenged as they age and slowly lose the abilities to live independently and require support.
Then, she realized that many Home Health Agencies, which assumed the responsibilities of a more advanced medical care for her clients, did not deliver what they had promised. She ex pressed her frustration to her future partner Peter Mandellos, an accomplished engineer, and he decided to resign from his job to join the team, and create a home health agency to carry on her mission to deliver professional services to the community.
The caring team at Guardian Home Health/Hospice and At Your Service Eurocare celebrate the gift of life and giving— straight from their hearts.Helen Smekhov
Smekhov’s son Daniel, a DePaul University Business graduate, was also inspired to join the leadership team, and performed the job of three people to make the project a success. On the Home Health side, he runs the whole operation providing intake inside the office day by day.
In 2001, Guardian Home Health Agency was born to provide skilled nursing, speech, physical, and occupational therapy, medical social workers, and home health aides.
Mandellos, a loving family man, had worked hard to get educated in his chosen field. But he wanted to make his own contribution to the betterment of life for the seniors and others who received Guardian’s services and top-quality care. He decided to join Guardian to provide his compassionate leadership to run the business office affairs.
Mandellos says that this type of work is very rewarding, for he and his team are building collectively a suitable living environment for their clients in need of assistance and various levels of care.
In 2007, the partners expanded the services to include Hospice Care. They firmly believed that it was their obligation to offer a dignified and strong program for the last stages of life on this beautiful planet.
“Hospice is not a privilege, but it is our duty to offer a comfort in the terminal state of existence,” says Smekhov. “Every moment counts and people should live this moment comfortably, and for the family to enjoy their loved ones who are in comfort.”
All of the services provided by Guardian Home Health and Guardian Hospice are covered by Medicare insurance, and sometimes additional private insurance. The At Your Service Eurocare arm of the business is a private self-pay agency, when someone needs a caregiver.
The Guardian leadership team also adopted a hyper-local focus, deciding to provide their care and services only to those located on the North Shore and Northwest suburbs. They are proud to be the only agency on the North Shore that Medicare has awarded with a 5-star rating.
The three programs provide stable and rewarding employment to more than 150 skillful professionals. The staff nurtures long lasting relationships with their clients. They often say they feel appreciated and validated by both Smekhov and Mandellos, and the family members and the people they serve regularly express their thanks to all of the staff for making a difference in someone’s life.
They pride themselves on being accessible to clients, doctors, skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities—24 hours a day, seven days a week—including Whitehall of Deerfield, Glenview Terrace Rehabilitation Center, offices of Illinois Bone & Joint Institute, and North Shore hospitals.
Guardian and At Your Service staff participate in continuing educational sessions, and they discuss how they can improve for each individual case. It is a family gathering with a purpose.
In Smekhov’s Northfield office, three parakeets chirp softly. “It was snowing on the day of Yom Kippur 10 years ago,” she remembers. “We found a little parakeet in the snow, and I said to myself, ‘I think it is a good sign,’ so we took the bird in. Then, later, the bird needed company, so we got two more parakeets. I still think it was a good sign.”
It is apparent that Smekhov’s noble vision and Mandellos’ loving support have influenced the lives of thousands of seniors in the Northwestern Region of Chicago, and they have earned the respect and national recognition for their services. Along with their staff and their families, they celebrate the gift of life and giving from the heart. That’s a good sign for people in need of quality home health and hospice care.
Guardian Home Health, Home Hospice, and At Your Service Euro care business offices are located at 181 Waukegan Road, Suite 301, in Northfield. For Guardian, call 847-441-5020, or visit ghh1.com; for At Your Service Eurocare, call 773-545-5100, or visit northshore caregivers.com.
From the bright, bold work of a local artist to what is happening on stage, here is a fast pass to all that is trending
WORDS BY ALLISON DUNCAN / PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHELSEA MAZUR
Kristi Kohut’s art philosophy is quite simple: there are no rules. Using bold brights, shiny crystalline touches, mixed mediums, and unexpected materials, Kohut creates special pieces that radiate joy, all from the studio she established on the North Shore in 2014. Fast forward to today, and Kohut has collaborated with brands like Anthropologie and One Kings Lane; hosted pop-ups at Art Basel and in the Hamptons; currently has a waiting list for her originals and commissions through 2020; and her business is now well within the seven figures. Did we mention her recent installation at the grand opening of the famed Hudson Yards in New York? All of which, of course, shatters the myth of the starving artist.
But before she was the impressive entrepreneur she is now, Kohut worked as an art director in advertising on big campaigns for big brands. When her son was born, she decided to leave the world of advertising and create her own world, focusing on art. Instead of being restricted by what she feels is a one-sided gallery-system, Kohut bucked the norm at the time and began to think about her work as a brand, using the skills she’d learned in the advertising business and finding inspiration in the stories of other female designers, such as Tory Burch. With an entrepreneurial spirit, she opened her studio and began bringing her work to the world online.
“So much of the art world is behind closed doors or within intimidating galleries, and it’s part of my mission to break down the barriers that separate collectors and artists. Together we can figure
out what collecting means, not just in the grand scheme of things, but to them, personally,” says Kohut. “Because collecting art is nothing if not deeply personal. I love connecting one-on-one with collectors, so I started selling my art online and began sharing my story on Instagram. In one click, we could begin a dialogue, which could eventually lead to them owning an original and becoming a part of my collector family, which is really exciting!”
Kohut believes the traditional gallery model is shifting, as artists begin to sell directly to consumers and as the younger generations discover fine art. The direct-to-consumer approach was not only personally fulfilling for Kohut, but it was also a strategic decision to prove that fine art could be sold and scaled online. Her pieces now sell within minutes of being shared on Instagram or on her website, and the value of her work has increased 25 percent every year since 2014.
“I like to think I’m reinventing the way we interact with art,” says Kohut. “I know art can be expensive, and sometimes the investment just isn’t manageable. I want to help people own my work in whatever way they choose, whether it’s through the purchase of a $10,000 original or a print that they may ask me to personally embellish for them.”
So, she expanded, of course, and launched a collection of home décor and accessories, transforming her signature art into textile patterns, prints, pillows, wall coverings, rugs, poufs, trays, and more.
Kohut realizes that all of this is much bigger than her and as part of this philosophy, Kohut has woven giving back into the fabric of her business, whether that’s by mentoring younger artists or by financially supporting causes close to her heart. One such cause is FEED projects, with 1 percent of her profits going to FEED to help combat hunger and to the charities they support.
“I believe food is a fundamental right and a building block for everything else in life,” explains Kohut. “Each individual effort really does add up to create change and to make the world a bit better, together.”
Kohut finds inspiration from color, nature, and fashion. She loves butterflies, flowers, and bugs and considers nature the best artist. From childhood, hues flashed to her like a spark: the red strawberries in the garden hanging toward green grass, the blue
of a summer sky against a ripple of darker blue water, or a shiny ROYGBIV beetle on top of matte textured bark. To Kohut, every glance is a rainbow, drawing her in and fueling her energy.
In recent mixed-media, Kohut includes a floral Gucci scarf that was inspired by a Botticelli painting and originally made for Grace Kelly, combined with nature-inspired references like glitter and actual elements from nature: butterflies and flowers. She’s naturally drawn to the work of fashion houses, like Gucci, Mary Katrantzou, and Alexander McQueen, and other artists, like Ashley Longshore and Logan Ledford, whose works she personally collects.
“It’s easier today than ever before to start collecting because of the internet and social media,” says Kohut. “Follow different artists on Instagram, start a Pinterest board with works you like and that speak to you. When you step back and look at all of it as a whole, you’ll get a sense of what you like and are drawn to.”
Fans of Kohut love her ever-popular 3D Bloom series and her crystal-coated Symphonic Atlas work.
“Art is so subjective, and that’s what makes it fun,” says Kohut. “It’s like matchmaking. One can justify art as an investment but, ultimately, if it doesn’t give you that ‘I just have to have it’ feeling, it’s not worth it.”
Kohut’s success shows there is no one-size-fitsall solution to artistry—for her, fine art and digital commerce go hand-in-hand. She’s happy being an outlier—or, more aptly, an artlier.
For more information, visit kristikohut.studio.
Kohut at work in her Studio
Happy Hour Agate Rug
There is something for everyone this summer on stages from the city to shore, from thought-provoking drama and live performances for all ages to the most famous names in musical theater and future classics.
Lookingglass Theatre founding Ensemble Member David Catlin, the mind behind their award-winning and inventive take on Moby Dick, brings to life Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein this season. This gothic story of monsters and men, which blurs the line between the two, is sure to shock and awe. Expect originality and cutting edge creativity, trademarks of this imaginative Michigan Avenue company. (Through August 4, lookingglasstheatre.org)
Steppenwolf delivers two gripping stories of struggle to end their 2018 - 2019 run: Ms. Blakk for President and True West. The former takes us back to the Chicago of the early ’90s and to an unexpected presidential candidate, Ms. Joan Jett Blakk. Described as, “Part campaign rally, part nightclub performance, part confessional, and all PARTY!” Blakk is certain to be a unique experience for theatregoers. True West is the Sam Shepard-penned story of family estrangement and sibling rivalry. It is a revival of their hit 1982 Sinise/Malkovich-led production, the first Steppenwolf staging to travel to New York City. (Ms. Blakk: Through July 14, True West: July 5 – August 19; steppenwolf.org)
The Music Man: “Seventy-six trombones. One joyous musical masterpiece,” so described by the Goodman Theatre of their summer production of the classic, which first hit Broadway in 1957. Thought of as one of the sunniest musicals of all time, according to the New York Times, The Music Man weaves together one charismatic con man, an unlikely romance, and the power of a catchy tune. (June 29 – August 4, goodmantheatre.org)
Possibly one of the most polarizing plays to ever hit the stage, Cats has nonetheless endured, breaking multiple records along the way. Hitting the stage this summer at the Nederlander Theatre, this iconic Andrew Lloyd Webber musical has won seven Tony Awards and covered over 30 countries and 15 languages. With all new choreography, lighting, and sound design, it’s only just beginning to scratch the surface of its nine lives, just like its titular inspiration. (July 16 – August 4, broadwayinchicago.com)
Another pillar of the stage lands in Chicago this July: Les Misérables. Now in its 33rd year, the musical phenomenon inspired by Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel gets a makeover courtesy of Cameron Mackintosh, complete with stunning new scenery and staging. The Cadillac Palace Theatre’s “Les Miz for the 21st Century” is only here for a limited time, so be sure to act fast. (July 9 – 27, broadwayinchicago.com; ages 10+)
Also hitting the Cadillac Palace Theatre this summer is recent smash hit Come from Away. Based on the true story of the thousands of passengers stranded in Newfoundland in the aftermath of 9/11 and the locals that took them into their hearts, this new musical has been embraced by critics since its debut, hailing it as refreshing, transcendent, and full of joy. It will leave you with a newfound faith in humanity. (July 30 – August 18, broadwayinchicago.com; ages 10+)
Hedwig and the Angry Inch brings a rock and roll attitude to the world of musical theatre in Theo Ubique’s all-new production held in their all-new Evanston digs. Returning to its original cabaret setting, this staging of the worldwide sensation provides the authentic and raucous performance you’d come to expect from this over the top tale. (June 14 – July 28, theo-u.com)
Based on the beloved book by Roald Dahl, Matilda is the wonderful and wonder-filled narrative of a very special 5-year-old girl. Winner of five Tony Awards, and tied with Hamilton for the most Olivier Awards ever bestowed on a musical, this whimsical story, now at Drury Lane, will make you believe in magic. (Through June 23, drurylanetheatre.com; rated PG)
With their Kids Concerts series, Highland Park’s Ravinia festival provides family programming throughout the summer, from acrobatics and puppet theater to world dance, drum concerts, acrobatics, and more. This kid-friendly alternative to the festival’s main stage offerings is directly tied to their REACH*TEACH*PLAY® program, ensuring the accessibility of music education for all. (Through September 15, ravinia.org)
Designer JEN VOLKODAV is a frequent sight in the GBK Production pre-Oscars Luxury Celebrity Gifting Suite. Her signature jewelry designs have gone home with Hollywood’s best and brightest nestled in the event’s swag bag. Volkodav likes to think of her pieces as future heirlooms—one of a kind luxury designs with a colorful bohemian feel. Here is how this designer stays current between celebrity outings and studio stints.
EDITED BY DUSTIN O’REGAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBIN SUBAR HAIR, MAKEUP & STYLING BY CONSTANTINE JAMES“
Under Pressure by Lisa Damour Ph.D. It’s about the unique pressures and stress that our culture places on young women. I have four children in that age range, and in this day and age of being constantly ‘on’ and connected 24/7, I thought it would be an informative book.”
“There are a lot of individuals and groups that I follow, but on Instagram @micaela, @metalsmithsociety, @elanpottery, and @pantone are the ones where I find the most pleasure and information. Micaela Erlanger is a celebrity fashion stylist to some of my favorite celebs and I love seeing what she comes up with. Metalsmith Society is a wonderful community that shares useful information, tips, tricks, and tools. Leigh Ann Thompson is an amazing potter (I own many of her mugs), and Pantone gives me wonderful color inspiration. In addition to these, there are a few celebrities I follow who have been very supportive and kind to me in their posts and shout-outs of my work—@shanolahampton, @lesliezemekis, and @carriebernans.”
“I enjoy tons of different types of music and artists to fit my mood of the day, but recently I have been listening to a lot of Eddie Vedder, Of Monsters and Men, and Ed Sheeran. These artists inspire me to be creative, unique, and place my emphasis on my art without influence or distraction.”
We are Chalet, the North Shore’s lifestyle destination for bringing beauty and an oasis to your life. Discover how Chalet can help you transform your home through our unparalleled landscape design and our one-of-a-kind, natureinspired collections.
www.chaletnursery.com 847-686-3054
From an Evanston eatery’s Jamaica-inspired dishes to the South Carolina coast, here is a taste of the best of local cuisine and luxury travel
From the street, we could see this was the place to be. A raw wood plank exterior promises modern chef-driv en cuisine while two towering metal palm trees mounted to the front imply fruity island cocktails and addictive spices. The space is bisected into two separate rooms. The front, a lounge with a bar, TVs, and a fruit juice cooler seems the per fect spot to grab lunch or lean back with cocktails late into the evening; the back, a full dining room with another bar and a DJ booth for the events they fre quently host. One wall slides up to the outdoor patio, an inviting spot for a warm summer night.
Owner Tony Levy came to America from Jamaica at age 27 and brought his great grandmother’s recipe for homemade jerk sauce with him. Whatever you order here, get it slow cooked and
There’s no better way to slide into a vacation mindset than biting into their Coconut Fried Shrimp starter. It’s simplicity itself. Fresh shrimp, battered, rolled in fresh coconut shavings and breadcrumbs, and fried. The shrimp are fresh and juicy. The breading adds the perfect crunch and the coconut delivers a vibrantly sweet top note. A mango dipping sauce doubles down on the sweetness that blends beautifully with the seafood.
Good To Go is located at 711 Howard Street in Evanston, 847-8688226, goodtogorestaurant.com.
Good To Go is the perfect summer destination for intoxicating island flavors.
The Garlic Seared Salmon bridges the gap between savory island food and haute cuisine. The fish is superbly seared with deep garlic flavors. A fresh dill-infused tropical salsa of fresh fruits adds an impeccable counter presence to the salmon injecting a lovely lightness into the dish. A side of pumpkin coconut rice is so delightfully creamy that it practically acts as dessert on the plate.
This is the headliner. The chicken is marinated for two days and then slow-grilled. The aroma is mouthwatering. Great grandma’s homemade jerk sauce is rich and spicy, with a vinegar bite and a smooth sting to the back of the throat. Underneath is the tenderest chicken imaginable with a charcoal smokiness that made us want to order more the moment we’d finished it. A side of sweet grilled plantains and steamed cabbage cools the palate between bites.
When Lake Forest is “Home”, the choices can surprise you. Watch the Parade and whoop-it-up at the Lake Forest Day Carnival ... Hike? Bike? Picnic? In the 800 acres of community open space …. Sip wine or beer at the beach while the kids play in the sand. Ice cream, anyone? …. Enjoy Date Night at one of the many fun restaurants ...
Play a round at Deerpath Golf Course, then enjoy lunch on the patio … Meet an owl or feed a bobcat at the Wildlife Discovery Center … Cheer on a sporting event at the College, the High School or Rec ... Attend a symphony concert or a live theater performance … Check out the interactive exhibits at the History Center ... Shop! At more than 100 stores around town … Splash in or sail on Lake Michigan … Decisions, decisions …
WORDS BY PETER GIANOPULOS
Few resorts in the South make a more spellbinding first impression than the Montage Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton, South Carolina. Finding this resort, which includes a 74-room hotel set on 20,000 stunning acres, feels a bit like being let in on a closely guarded secret.
It’s the kind of place you have to get lost in order to find. Think Brigadoon with a Lowcountry zip code.
One moment, you’ll be motoring down a bucolic back road— past groves of palmetto trees, thickets of Spanish moss, and a heavy grey scarf of low-hanging fog—and then it will just appear, Lerner and Loewe-like, before your eyes. The mist will part and you’ll find yourself in one of the last undiscovered jewels of the South.
In terms of size, Palmetto Bluff is no boutique property. It’s one and half times larger than the island of Manhattan, nestled along the banks of the dream-inducing May River. It’s a chimera of a place: a nature reserve, a luxury resort, a playground for sports enthusiasts—not to mention a thriving residential community, where residents live in homes so achingly beautiful they look like they’ve been ripped from the pages of Southern Living magazine.
This may be the future of tourism. You visit. You fall in love.
And then immediately start calculating how you can build or buy your own place here so you’ll never have to leave.
For most, the seduction begins in the resort’s main inn, which was spruced up as part of Montage’s $100 million renovation in 2016. It’s pure Southern charm—right down to its bourbon milk jam snacks and Belle of the Ball makeup services.
The rooms themselves—whether you book a suite at the main inn or in one of the property’s standalone cottages—are built to slow time down to a Southern crawl. All suites—including the resort’s jaw-dropping Palmetto suite with its lagoon views and a portico balcony so spacious it would make Scarlet O’Hara blush—boast Italian linens, marble bathrooms, a soaking tub, and endless cups of Nespresso coffee.
Initially, we assumed we’d nest the days away inside, supping and sipping. Perhaps a honey-slathered buttermilk biscuit and a por chetta croissant for breakfast. Maybe a homey platter of the house’s fine shrimp and grits for lunch. Then dinner in the screened-in Octagon Porch, bookended by a few rounds of Chatham artillery punch cocktails in the inn’s grand old library.
But our greatest joy came from exploring the resort’s grounds, which blend the past, present, and future with uncommon grace.
This place has been speaking to its inhabitants for centuries, back all the way to Native American tribes who slurped oysters and fished in the May River. It so charmed a wealthy banker named Richard T. Wilson Jr. in 1902 that he preserved much of the land as a hunting ground, then poured a fortune into building a huge mansion here, only to see it burned to the ground in 1926.
Seeing a potential goldmine of lumber, leaders of the Union Camp Company bought the land in 1937 before doing the last thing you’d expect a group of savvy businessmen to do: They left it alone. They were so bedazzled they established a land-use plan to protect its ancient maritime forest, which is why the sounds of splashing pelicans and whittling woodpeckers live on to this very day.
This commitment to ecological stewardship was amplified by the land’s current owner, Crescent Communities, which founded a nonprofit called the Conservancy at Palmetto Bluff in 2003 to ensure it never loses its authentic glow.
Guests can sign on for conservancy tours detailing how food plots, hunting practices, and controlled burns help preserve the natural balance of flora and fauna. Preservation efforts down here go beyond the norm, right down to the choice of salt-water-tolerant grass at the resort’s Jack Nicklaus May River golf course as well as the hiring of an on-site archaeologist, Dr. Mary Socci, who excavates the land for artifacts and chronicles its history.
As one of our guides said to us, “This place is in a state of perpetual evolution.” He was right. Follow the sound of church bells and the sway of seagrasses and you’ll come to Palmetto’s Village Park Square, a tiny little slice of Southern Main Street USA complete with a post office, shops, and restaurants.
There’s history in that square. Visiting the ruins of Wilson’s burned down man-
sion is like slipping into the page of a Wordsworth poem. Nearby is a tiny non-denominational chapel, whose pews were constructed from local woods recovered from a bank damaged during the September 11 attacks in New York.
On you go, exploring a place where time bends itself to the will of nature.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like nightfall at Palmetto Bluff. As darkness descends, hundreds of gas lamps across the property slowly flame to life, casting a soft golden pall over the whole place. Light dances in the dark here, like the flicker of an old movie projector. It’s beautifully Gothic in a uniquely Southern way: spiritual without being haunting. Go to the wa ter’s edge and you’ll see stars as clearly as Native Americans did centuries ago, as if a pail of glitter was spilled across the sky.
At night, we roasted s’mores in various crackling fire pits. And some nights we took long extended house walks marveling at the million-dollar homes. But mostly we just delighted in getting lost, hoping that one day we could find our way back through the Southern mist to this Brigadoon on the bay.
For more information, visit montagehotels.com.
With astounding renovations that spanned the better part of a decade, meticulously executed in keeping with the original 1920s structure, and its ideal beachside setting, it is no wonder the Lake Forest home of Connie and Tom Duckworth is now one of the hottest properties on the North Shore market.
WORDS BY ALICE YORK
From the freestanding art gallery of a Lake Forest manor house to beloved family home, this Gothic-revival has been truly revived. Purchased by Los Angeles transplants Tom and Connie Duckworth at the start of the 1990s, they instantly fell in love with the property and its idyllic surroundings.
“When we first saw Lake Forest, it looked like a Hollywood set come to life. We knew immediately it was where we wanted to live,” recalls Connie. Tom right away saw the potential in the lakeside property, a piece of what had formerly been a grand estate.
The couple spent nearly a decade painstakingly designing and building a new house around the portion of the historical structure from 1928 that remained. Spearheaded by Tom’s passion for architecture, the result is a seamless blending of the old and new, authenticity the key ingredient.
In the process, they tracked down the original brick maker and brought in stone carvers to match the beautiful stone detailing of
the great room and limestone fireplace. Staying true to the period, the Duckworths sourced the light fixtures, much of the furniture, and the woodworking and paneling from England. “It was a labor of love to create a modern family home that respects the traditional craftsmanship of the design,” Connie explains.
The lakeside setting was another driving force behind the renovation, a feat of engineering accomplished in connecting the living quarters to the property’s 400 feet of beach by way of a 60-foot bluff. “We terraced the whole bluff all the way down to the lake, connecting the house and its large terrace to the water through patios and walkways. It’s the home’s most outstanding feature,” Connie says. “It creates uninterrupted movement from inside to outside—flexible space for entertaining family and friends.”
This entertaining space also includes another unique feature, the large 3-bay boathouse on the lake. While there is plenty of room for jet skis and kayaks below, the terrace that sits on top of the boathouse is spectacular for parties, and guests can easily travel between the main house to this beach locale.
Lest you think elegant parties for grownups are the only source for diversion, the basement and its dedicated spaces for crafting, games, and movies offers fun for all ages—with views of the lake, to boot. “In California, where we lived, kids can go outside and play, but here you need lots of space to entertain indoors. In this house you can do all kinds of things inside to keep children occupied all winter long,” she says, adding, “The way the floor plan circulates and the space is utilized, no room goes unused. Integrating spaces where lots of activities can flow was a priority for us.”
And Connie herself has been a model of integration: career and family, work with philanthropy, and the personal with the public. After 20 years with Goldman, Sachs, & Co., where she served as managing director and partner, notably the first female sales and trading partner in the firm’s history, she has turned her consider-
able talents to the world of philanthropy.
After the fall of the Taliban, Connie traveled to Afghanistan for the U.S.-Afghan Women’s Council as part of a presidential mission to ensure Afghan women had a proverbial place at the table as the country reestablished itself. In 2004, she founded ARZU, Inc. and serves pro bono as the organization’s chairman and CEO. ARZU, which translates to “hope” in Dari, the Afghan dialect of Farsi, has been her personal passion for almost 16 years. “It’s been a deep grassroots effort,” she explains. “We’re the tortoise, not the hare—we move slowly and carefully.”
The organization, which employs local Afghan women as rug weavers and provides access to education and healthcare, is seen as a part of the fabric of the village—all employees are local, and its weavers are seen as leaders in household and community. “The ability to earn a living is almost a human right. What it does for these women to pull themselves out of poverty and support their
households is amazing,” says Connie, a recipient of the UNICEF Chicago Humanitarian Award in 2012.
ARZU just recently merged with UK nonprofit Turquoise Mountain Foundation, founded by Prince Charles to help preserve authentic Afghan craft and architecture. “Both missions are preserving local traditional craft and both have been early innovators in this arena.”
ARZU rugs are available for purchase at Minasian Rug Company in Evanston or can be shipped across the country and the globe through the organization’s website. And for over a decade now, they could be seen decorating the floors of the Duckworth’s Lake Forest home.
The 6-bedroom home is now on the market, as the Duckworths step into their next chapter, listed at $12 million through Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices KoenigRubloff. “After we moved in, we had our oldest son. We raised all of our 4 children here. It’s been an ideal home—always full of kids,” she laughs. It is now ready for a new family to enjoy all it has to offer.
“It’s a house that’s been full of fun and people and love,” says Connie. And, certainly, a house full of history.
For more information, visit berkshirehathawayhs.com or contact Ann Lyon at annllyon@gmail.com, 847-828-9991. To learn more about ARZU, visit arzustudiohope.org.
Your Pella® Chicago team is ready to show you the right window or door for your home and budget. Whether wood, vinyl or fiberglass, let our Chicago team find the right product that fits your vision. Pella can help support the completion of your project - from a new construction install to a remodel project. Your home is unique, so you shouldn’t have to settle for an ordinary window or door.
Your Pella® Chicago team is ready to show you the right window or door for your home and budget. Whether wood, vinyl or fiberglass, let our Chicago team find the right product that fits your vision. Pella can help support the completion of your project - from a new construction install to a remodel project. Your home is unique, so you shouldn’t have to settle for an ordinary window or door.
Your Pella® Chicago team is ready to show you the right window or door for your home and budget. Whether wood, vinyl or fiberglass, let our Chicago team find the right product that fits your vision. Pella can help support the completion of your project - from a new construction install to a remodel project. Your home is unique, so you shouldn’t have to settle for an ordinary window or door.
Your Pella® Chicago team is ready to show you the right window or door for your home and budget. Whether wood, vinyl or fiberglass, let our Chicago team find the right product that fits your vision. Pella can help support the completion of your project - from a new construction install to a remodel project. Your home is unique, so you shouldn’t have to settle for an ordinary window or door.
Call today for your free in-home consultation and learn more.
Call today for your free in-home consultation and learn more.
Call today for your free in-home consultation and learn more.
Call today for your free in-home consultation and learn more.
6710 Broadcast Parkway, Loves Park, IL | (815) 397-6780
6710 Broadcast Parkway, Loves Park, IL | (815) 397-6780
6710 Broadcast Parkway, Loves Park, IL | (815) 397-6780
6710 Broadcast Parkway, Loves Park, IL | (815) 397-6780
840 Willow Road, Northbrook, IL | (847) 562-9275
840 Willow Road, Northbrook, IL | (847) 562-9275
840 Willow Road, Northbrook, IL | (847) 562-9275
840 Willow Road, Northbrook, IL | (847) 562-9275
1600 West 16th Street, Oak Brook, IL | (630) 571-6404
1600 West 16th Street, Oak Brook, IL | (630) 571-6404
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7805 West 159 th Street, Tinley Park, IL | (708) 633-9830
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*Study of homeowner perceptions of leading national brands. Study commissioned by Pella, 2019.
Pella is rated #1 by homeowners as providing the highest value.*
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Make your home worry free with Performance Fabrics by Loomcraft Textiles. Pet- friendly and stain-cleanable Velvets, Chenilles, and Flat Wovens, all without sacrificing a drop of elegance.
WORDS BY ANDREW FRANKEL
In today’s world, everyone strives to put their home on display without sacrificing luxury. While little kids, pets, and occasional wine spills happen inevitably, is there any way to successfully decorate a home without constant trips to the bank? At Loomcraft Fabric Outlet in Vernon Hills, performance is defined and allows you to truly live in your home without sacrificing luxury.
Loomcraft Fabric Outlet, tucked away on the same street as the post office and police department in Vernon Hills (645 Lakeview Parkway) is one of six Fabric Outlet stores nationwide. Loomcraft carries its own Private Label fabric line called Dorell Shield—a high performance, ultimate luxury brand that is exclusive to Loomcraft and its other Fabric Outlets in North Carolina, Delaware, and California. From velvets to suedes to flat-woven fabrics, this performance line covers all the fabric basics at a tremendous value. Loomcraft will also handle the pick-up, drop off, and custom upholstery or drapery.
Currently Loomcraft’s most popular item, the Royale Velvet is a performance lover’s dream. With the ability to clean any stain with just mild soap and contract-level abrasion of 100,000 plus double rubs, Royale’s buttery soft touch can thrive in any home, office, restaurant, or hotel. Stocked in more than 15 opulent colors, Royale is perfect for sofas, chairs, draperies, and headboards—
all of which can be ordered at Loomcraft’s one-stopshop location in Vernon Hills.
Loomcraft Fabric Outlet has been in Vernon Hills for more than 30 years and is going strong. Odds are your friends have heard of them, but maybe haven’t been back in a while to see their new Dorell Shield line. Now offering discounts on custom drapery, bedding, upholstery, and more—Loomcraft designers and installers will make visits to your home, office, or restaurant and make your dreams a reality with their exclusive line of Dorell Shield fabrics and fantastic custom workroom capabilities. Stop by the showroom to see Royale and while there don’t miss the 300,000 yards of in-stock fabrics. Loomcraft has all you need to create the perfect refresh for your home.
Loomcraft Fabric Outlet is located at 645 Lakeview Parkway in Vernon Hills, 847-680-1119, thefabricoutlet.com/VernonHills. For more information about Dorell Shield, visit Dorellshield.com.
Thanks to the keen eye of local landscape designers, gorgeous grounds dazzle across the Shore. Here is a glimpse at just a few of the North Shore’s glam gardens.
WORDS BY ALICE YORK
What makes a garden great? An estate not just a home but something extraor dinary? It is a subtle seamless quality and conscientiousness of balance that create an unforgettable garden. Fluid ity and facility are key, tying luscious landscaping to its brick and mortar center point, the goal. While one space ought to flow into the next to achieve maximum harmo ny, practicality is also a priority. Longevity and a sense of setting are all-important to a garden that will stand the test of time. This leaves theme and purpose: is this plot destined to be a quiet place for reading? A way to get from Point A to B with panache? Or an instant vacation to the meadows of the South of France, the En glish countryside, an Italian villa, or the mountains of Japan? The vision, the raison d’être, is what creates the wow; it is what makes a dream into a dream garden. Allow the beautiful spaces on the next few pages to be the inspiration to make your own garden great and your land a littler grander from this summer and beyond.
A family-owned garden destination, Chalet has been the gold standard in landscaping for generations. Founded in 1917, the Wilmette business honors its distinguished past through consistent quality and dedication, but this Innovator of the Year, so named by Garden Center magazine, has its eyes firmly set on the future. In the hands of Chalet’s landscape architect Robert Milani and his team, a plot of land is transformed into a place to celebrate. His creations are bold and colorful but also deliberate: thought is given not only to the interplay of texture and location but to seasonality and sustainability. Chalet is located at 3132 Lake Avenue in Wilmette, 847-256-0561, chaletnursery.com.
Chalet created this beautiful landscape design inspired by French Country gardens with organized hedges, and planting beds filled with colorful perennials. Masses of hydrangea and roses add color throughout the summer and fall, while boxwood hedges anchor the form of the garden year-round. The patio was constructed with Valders limestone and bluestone inlay for added detail.
This Italian country villa garden was inspired by the home’s simple architecture and clean lines. A gravel motor-court welcomes guests to the front door, while a stone stepping path leads to a private walled garden and seating area. The back yard boasts a formal pool and hot tub. Evergreen hedges were designed and installed within the garden to provide privacy and add structure.
For Craig Bergmann Landscape Design (CBLD), “The Art of Fine Gardening” is paramount. Situated in Lake Forest on the grounds of the historic Armour Estate, the design studio itself is a perfect example of a country garden that makes the most of its setting and feels right at home within it. It comes as no surprise, then, that the award-winning firm, which has been around for more than three decades, is best known for “establishing a true dialogue between the living garden and the architectural site.” Craig Bergmann Landscape Design is located at 900 North Waukegan Road in Lake Forest, 847-251-8355, craigbergmann.com.
At this historic home the existing pool and terrace were highlighted with a Great Dixter inspired pergola made from original clay roof tiles of the home, and the pool plantings and border garden were fully redone. Other design features included an Art Deco inspired fountain with zinc bowl cascading into a basin with carved limestone coping. The owner’s beautiful glazed terracotta four-season statues were also repaired and situated within a colorful perennial border garden viewed from within the residence.
From the intimate shade garden with gated entry views of the natural pond, to the covered terrace enveloped in the landscape, this home embraces nature to the fullest. The upper terrace garden embraces the home in flowers and capitalizes on the spectacular view to the pond. The motor court paving and foundation plantings strengthen the cloister effect of the Porte-cochère entry to the home, while wall systems provide screening, retention, and diffusion of public views to the yard.
Winnetka’s KIM VISOKEY creates functional and fashionable gardening goods for passionate gardeners young and old.
WORDS BY ALLISON DUNCAN / PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARIA PONCE
Although Kim Visokey wasn’t necessarily born with a green thumb, she’d later earn the nickname “Garden Freak”—a term of endearment, of course—from her children after falling in love with the gardens on her family’s one-acre Winnetka property when they moved in 20 years ago. Today, however, she’s a veritable outdoor expert and just last year launched a lifestyle gardening brand, Gar denFreak, with a line of functional and fashionable garden goods.
“I had ideas from working in my own garden about how products could be more efficient and forward-thinking,” says Visokey. “I like to use my hands when I work, so I created gloves that dry quickly and are webbed for dexterity, which are now our bestseller.” To fill out her line, Visokey offers some cool innovative product features: sun hats with removable/washable brow bands, gardening leggings with integrated knee pads, a picking pouch for harvesting, clipper cases with advanced neoprene design, and chic tunics for après-garden chill time.
In the spirit of GardenFreak, one that Visokey describes as fun and irreverent, the tunics are named after her gardening heroines: Mary Gibson Henry, Ganna Walska, Emily Whaley, and Ruth Bancroft—each stitched with cheeky phrases sewn into the sleeves and collars. Visokey’s own garden evolved as an extension of her homemaking, and she thought of the outdoors as the next frontier in design.
“I learned to garden by rolling up my sleeves,” says Visokey. “I also went to The Garden Conservancy’s Open Days, which was great inspiration for me. Gardens are meant to be shared. When my garden is having a good hair day, so to speak, I’ll tell my friends to come over because it’s not always like that, and I need to share it with someone.”
But the best part of her garden, Visokey explains, is that it performs well in all seasons. The intersecting spiral labyrinths are cut at two different heights, which then become sculptural with snow accumulation at the varying levels, and the circular shape feels like a warm embrace. It’s an embrace Visokey will miss, as she recently sold the home to move to the city.
“I feel so blessed that the new homeowner loves to garden,” she says. “Although I’ll miss the garden, I’m passing the baton to her and am excited to see how she makes it her own. I’ll be translating
“I had ideas from working in my own garden about how products could be more efficient and forwardthinking.”GardenFreak Thea Gardening Gloves
the passion I have for my original garden to new garden frontiers. Gardens are forever changing and so are the gardeners who tend them. That’s one of the great things about this pursuit—it’s like installation art— always different from season to season.” That said, Visokey will have to adjust her style for the smaller city spaces—her new home has a balcony, and she also has a new residence in Florida which means learning a whole new vocabulary of plants—a challenge she’s looking forward to. But, she says, there’s actually a trend in container gardening because of both the growing number of people downsizing and of those who want to have smaller, patio-size gardens. She also mentions increasing popularity for clustering pots with repetitions in color and texture to create a cohesive vignette and in native plants that are less maintenance because they’re meant to grow in our climate.
Her expertise means Visokey is often asked to provide tips and tricks for those new to gardening, and she’s quick to say that a garden is never done. “Gardens need constant tending,” she explains. “Every setting is unique with sunlight, soil, and drainage all impacting how well your plants perform. I had to move plants many times in my garden because I’d find they didn’t thrive in the original place. That comes with experience and realizing, as a gardener, that it’s a fluid process.”
Visokey’s children are now grown, but they’ll still call her for advice. Recently, her daughter passed a bodega in New York City and phoned Visokey to ask if the shop’s succulents would work in her north-facing window. Her son Luke, the youngest, texted Visokey to let her know he’d smelled mulch in the air while walking to work and that it reminded him of home.
“Part of the mission of GardenFreak is to inspire young people to garden,” notes Visokey. “Newcomers are afraid they don’t have a green thumb, and I want it to seem more approachable. I hope we appeal to the next generation of gardeners.”
To further support that mission, Visokey supports non-profits that help youth discover the joys of gardening, like KidsGardening.
org, an organization that inspires, supports, and connects educators and families by providing garden grants and curriculum to foster the love of gardening from an early age.
“There are a lot of benefits to gardening at a young age,” says Visokey. “You grow more than just plants, you grow self-confidence, and a sense of accomplishment. Seeing how kids react to the Chicago Botanic Garden—they’re skipping and happy—just evokes such a sense of joy.”
Visokey loves to spend time at Glencoe’s Chicago Botanic Garden, especially in the summer months and calls it one of her all-time favorite places. It’s a place to escape from the craziness of planning for the launch of new GardenFreak gloves in different sizes and colors later this year and from handling distribution in more than 15 states.
“It’s been a labor of love,” she says. “I had no experience ... this is just something I believe deeply in. For me, gardening is all about the feeling and ambiance created by combining plants and atmosphere. I just love it!” And we love watching her garden, both literally and metaphorically, grow.
For more information, visit gardenfreak.com.
“You grow more than just plants, you grow selfconfidence, and a sense of accomplishment.”GardenFreak Thea Gardening Gloves Visokey wearing a GardenFreak Picking Pouch
WORDS BY BILL MCLEAN / PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF CHICAGO
An 8 1⁄2-by-11-inch sheet of paper was Matt Nagy’s canvas in his youth. He did not use it to doodle. He did not use it (that would come later) to draw up football plays, some of them super serious, others wildly innovative. The grade-schooler and future Chicago Bears head coach attacked the canvas at various locations, home and away, with a pen in his native Pennsylvania.
Nagy signed his name on the piece of paper once, twice, three times, four ... until he ran out of room and had to flip the sheet to continue his artwork.
“I caught my son Tate doing the same thing, practicing his autograph several times, just the other day,” says Nagy, a father of four sons (with wife Stacey) and now a Lake Bluff resident. “I looked at his signatures on his piece of paper, shook my head and told him, ‘Too clean.’ ”
Tate’s daddy, the Bears’ 16th head coach in franchise history, guided Chicago to a tidy 12 wins in 16 games in his first season—a playoff season—at the helm. Signature moments? The imaginative offensive play caller in Matt Nagy authored many of them in the Bears’ National Football Conference (NFC) North division championship season, naming his gadget plays “Papa Bear Left,” “Santa’s Sleigh,” “Willy Wonka,” and “Oompa Loompa.” Fun. The former Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator (2016 - 2017 seasons) and Arena Football League (AFL) quarterback for four franchises had plenty of fun during a success-packed 2018 season. It culminated with his selection as the Associated Press’ National Football League (NFL) Coach of the Year. Nagy garnered 24 votes, well ahead of Los Angeles Chargers coach Anthony Lynn’s runner-up total of 10.
The honor left Nagy a tad embarrassed and disappointed. “The trophy,” he says, “should have had ‘Coaches of the Year’ on it, not ‘Coach of the Year.’ Two letters; it was missing two letters. My assistant coaches had a lot to do with the season we had, with our success, with our appearance in the playoffs. I’m big on ‘we,’ always have been. It’s all about ‘we.’”
Matt Nagy kicked off his Bears coaching career with a 1-0 record—more than eight months before Chicago’s 2018 season opener in Green Bay. Nagy won, rather handily, his introductory press conference at Halas Hall in Lake Forest. Stacey attended, as did the couple’s Sunday best-dressed boys (Brayden 14; Tate 12; and 10-year-old twins Jaxon and Jett). Nagy, behind a microphone and 39 years old at the time, came across in January 2018 as ... Matt Nagy—affable, genuine, engaging, funny, professional, transparent. You meet Nagy for the first time and he makes you
feel, almost instantly, like you’ve known him for decades. That’s a gift. He delivers it, often. In any setting.
“I’m a ‘people person,’” Nagy says. “I’ve always been that way. I’ve always been drawn to personalities. I love them all, the personalities of family members, of my friends, of my friends’ parents. My ‘people per son’ manner, I got a lot of that from my mom [Gail Stouch, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania]. She taught me to be myself and to be honest around people, to respect people.”
Matt and Stacey Nagy fell in love with the people along the North Shore well before they had unpacked their first box fol lowing the move. The City of Broad Shoulders sits south of the Suburbs of Warm Arms, the arms continuing to embrace the Nagy family at every turn. Nagy—a self-dubbed “sports junkie” while growing up in Manheim, Pennsylvania—has wanted to shoot two rounds of golf on the same day at a “cool golf course” for years, a quest that appears to be doable, given the striking links near Lake Michigan.
“The area where we live and work reminds my wife a lot of Wayne, right near Philadelphia, where we lived for a while,” says Nagy, who climbed from Philadelphia Eagles intern in 2008 to Eagles offensive quality control coach in 2011, before beginning a five-year coaching run (quarterbacks coach, followed by offensive coordinator) with the Kansas City Chiefs.
“The shops here are great, the train station, and the people ... the people here, I must say, are awesome, super awesome. We love the food, too, and the restaurants, though we haven’t hit them all yet. We also think it’s great how you can get to many places on a bike.”
It takes Nagy 9 to 10 minutes to travel from his Lake Bluff home to Halas Hall. The man is a Bear, entrenched already, his team having become relevant again under his leadership, the conversation at the water cooler on the mornings after Bears games having resurfaced as a popular topic again. The same man was a Baron at Manheim Central High School, a Blue Hen at the University of Delaware and a Dragon, Cobra, Force, and a Destroyer for various stretches in his AFL career.
Matt Nagy, Chicago Bear. Get used to it.
What he enjoys being more than anything else today? A father.
“I am never happier than when I get to watch my sons play sports,” Nagy says. “I’m perfectly content when I’m near right field, sitting alone, watching and cheering. Baseball, basketball, other sports, you name the sport, I want to be there for them. Brayden, I have to brag, is a really good golfer.
“I got some really good advice about being a father from my former colleague [David Culley, now the Baltimore Ravens’ wide receivers coach]. He told me it’s all about your presence as a father, not the presents you give your kids.”
“The shops here are great, the train station, and the people ... the people here, I must say, are awesome, super awesome.”Ryan Pace, Khalil Mack and Matt Nagy Nagy family
BY JUSTIN BARBIN PHOTOGRAPHY
PAGE 110
UNGALA, PAGE 100
The Joffrey Ballet celebrated its 17th annual signature event with a revamped UNgala, full of surprises around every corner.
PAGE 104
Hyde Park Day School mixed up its signature fundraiser this year with a spring garden party at the Ivy Room.
PAGE 106
More than 350 attendees, dressed in classic derby attire, enjoyed mint juleps and custom cocktails during the Children’s Place Association’s 2019 gala.
The Joffrey Ballet along with more than 800 of the critically acclaimed ballet company’s most devoted supporters gathered at the company’s 17th annual signature event, this year revamped as an UNgala. The evening, chaired by Laura Kofoid, Laudi
and
featured performances by company dancers from the Joffrey’s spring program entitled Across the Pond. Following the performance
were greeted by surprises around every corner including stilt-walkers, dancers, and playful cuisine.
Top allergists from The University of Chicago and Northwestern updated guests on the latest developments in research and treatments during Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE)’s annual luncheon and symposium at The Standard Club in April. Denise Bunning, Eun Lee Criswell, and Wende Fox Lawson chaired the event which highlighted FARE’s recently launched Contains: Courage™ Campaign. Supporters raised $300,000 during the luncheon, adding to the nearly $18 million raised since 2017.
hydeparkday.org
BY LEE LITASNearly 200 supporters gathered at the elegant Ivy Room in Chicago for Hyde Park Day School’s 2019 signature fundraiser, “A Garden Party.” Chairs Katie Burnside and Vanya Weglarz were back again this year and welcomed guests, dressed in fun spring prints, over cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while raising more than $215,000 for the school’s Bright Futures Scholarship Fund. The fund allows scholarships for bright children with learning disabilities to access the school’s specialized program, regardless of family means.
BY LEE LITAS
Guests were off to the races during the Children’s Place Association’s 2019 gala at Rockwell on the River. The derby-themed evening was led by chairs Melissa Recatto and Lauren Silverman, and emcees Susan Carlson of NBC5 and Marley Kayden of WGN-TV. More than 350 attendees, dressed in classic derby attire, enjoyed mint juleps and custom cocktails with dinner. Takeda Pharmaceuticals was awarded the 2019 Chicago Champion for Children Award.
Jamie Riccardi, Christina Hoffman
Writers Theatre hosted its annual WordPlay Gala at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago this year themed, An Evening of ’80s Icons. Gala cochairs Lori Muller, Sara Pfaff, and Mary Pat Studdert hosted the spirited evening full of 1980s themed performances, dinner, and fundraising. The 2019 Spirit of Writers Theatre Award was presented to the impeccably dressed Jennifer and Alec Litowitz.
WORDS BY MITCH HURST PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBIN SUBAR
Jena Radnay prepped for her real estate career by selling Big Macs.
Well, not exactly. After getting a nursing degree from Georgetown University, she thought she’d follow her dad’s footsteps into a medical career. Instead, Radnay accepted a position with a Chicago-based advertising firm where she worked on the McDonald’s account and helped launch new products such as salads.
Then the real estate bug bit.
“Around 2005 I started spending some time on the Internet checking out real estate listings and I became fascinated by the industry,” Radnay says. “I told my husband I wanted to quit my advertising job and he was very supportive.”
So she did, and when reality set in her husband questioned her sanity, but within a week she obtained her real estate license and went to work for Koenig and Strey. She quickly learned that her experience working on the McDonald’s account would come in handy.
“I had to be on top of my game every day, making presentations to the CEO and other executives,” Radnay says. “I had to organize my time, stay focused, and be able to interact with the top people at the company.”
That precision drives her real estate practice to this day.
“I control everything from the start to the finish line,” she says. “I’m full service. I don’t just hand off to the lawyers to close my deals.”
Though she’s a city girl at heart, in 2009 Radnay moved to the newly opened @properties office in Winnetka, drawn by the company’s culture and the support it provides its agents. A few years later she moved her family to the North Shore—and she has never looked back. In 2018, she became the first broker on the North Shore to close $120 million in deals in a single year.
“I love what I do, and it shows in my work ethic and my passion,” says Radnay. “I can’t imagine not selling real estate.”
She continues, “I’m a high-energy person and I like the fast pace of making clients happy and then moving on to the next one. As the saying goes, when you find your niche it doesn’t feel like a job.”
Radnay adds that, not being from the North Shore, she had to work extra hard to break into the market.
“I really had to earn my way and it feels good,” she says.
Radnay is focused on the high-end, luxury market on the North Shore, working with celebrities and other high-net-worth clients.
“It’s a tough market to get into and to maintain,” she says. “I’m very blessed to have my business.”
Radnay says most of her business is developed through wordof-mouth and that confidentiality is one of the keys to her success.
“I do deals that never hit the market,” she says. “I’m not looking for the accolades that come with big listings.”
When asked what best sums up her approach to her work Radnay replies, “Understated but direct. More importantly, I wouldn’t be the success I am today without the loving support of my parents. I do business the way they brought me up—with integrity—to care about people and do the right thing at the end of every day. And, forunately for me, I also inherited my high-energy gene from my late grandmother.”
Jena Radnay is with @properties, 30 Green Bay Road in Winnetka, 847-881-0200, jradnay@atproperties.com.
ome is where the heart is.”
That’s what the Roman philosopher Gaius Plinius Secundus, better known as Pliny to his friends, said nearly two centuries ago.
It’s especially true for homeowners who are thinking about remodeling. The idea conjures up a host of anxieties. It’s not just the money. Tearing up your house can be a fear-inducing experience.
That’s where The Airoom Companies comes in.
Founded more than 60 years ago and based in Lincolnwood, Airoom relieves the stress of remodeling your house by offering everything under one roof to transform what’s under your roof.
“We have the architects, the designers, and the builders,” says Michael Klein, Airoom’s CEO. “Clients don’t have to piece together the different experts required to get their remodeling project completed.”
Founded by Burton Klein in 1958, Airoom has completed more than 16,000 remodeling projects and currently has over 300 projects in the works.
Klein refers to Airoom’s business approach as a charet, which is an intense and collaborative time of design and planning to draft a solution to a problem.
“We work with speed and accuracy and we’re cost efficient,” Klein says. “We pride ourselves on state-of-the-art construction, whether materials are made in the U.S. or imported.”
Instilling confidence in clients that they’re going to get quality work is key to Airoom’s success. It guarantees all of its work and the fact it’s been operating for over 60 years—in a business with many fly-by-night companies—builds trust with customers.
“We guarantee the best design, the best process, the best value,” says Klein. “We have an unparalleled record of success.”
Airoom’s showroom in Lincolnwood features industry leading layouts for kitchens and bathrooms featuring high-end appliances.
The showroom houses a resource center to help customers think through their choices. It’s all designed to take the anxiety out of the remodeling and product selections process.
Kitchen remodels and home additions are two of the biggest categories of work for Airoom. They understand that tearing up your kitchen can be unnerving but their team approach puts clients at ease.
Airoom is active in the Lincolnwood community, sponsoring a little league team and community events.
“We pride ourselves on being personally accessible,” Klein says. “We’re family-owned, and that’s evident in how we help our clients.”
Airoom initiates projects with a free in home design consultation to understand a client’s vision. It’s a collaborative process involving the company’s architects and designers. They work with project managers to make each project a success.
“We deal with each issue so you don’t have to,” Klein says.
Projects that involve removal of a roof, such as construction of an additional floor, might require customers to vacate the house, but for most projects customers remain in the home. Sealing off areas under construction is a priority to minimize disruption for the client’s family.
“We understand our clients are worried about any remodeling project on their homes.” Klein says. “There’s always uncertainty, but we do our builds with confidence and our warranty puts our customers at ease.”
It all gets back to Airoom’s track record of success since it was established decades ago. Airoom understands your heart lives at home.
Airoom’s showroom is located at 6825 N. Lincoln Avenue in Lincolnwood, 847-268-4677, Airoom.com.
Everything under one roof to transform what’s under yours.FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Siobhan Reyna, Liz Wensel, Alan Owca, Sally Whelton, Tom Graham, Lynda Oertel, Maida Korte, Peggy Sorenson, David Shalkow, Maxx Klein, and Alesia Bentley
Recently a lot has been written and seen in the media regarding antibiotic over-utilization and resistant organisms.
First a few statistics. Drug-resistant infections claim approximately 700,000 lives a year worldwide. With the advent of antibiotics over one hundred years ago, hundreds of thousands of lives have been saved with appropriate antibiotic use. However, over the past 30 years more and more physicians and patients have utilized antibiotic treatment aggressively. There are many factors involved including, pharmaceutical marketing, patient expectations, physician shortened appointment time, and increasing antibiotic choices.
One of the pressures physicians encounter, on a daily basis, is less time with patients. As the appointment time shortens, it becomes harder to diagnose a condition. When a patient has an infection, it is much easier to start treatment helping with short term results, not factoring the long-term ramifications of antibiotic use. Through evolution, bacteria have learned how to combat various antibiotics. When a particular antibiotic is utilized, thousands of times across the country, we start to see antibiotic resistance.
Now we have antibiotic-resistant bac teria that create a much harder infection to treat, and sometimes cannot be treat ed with any antibiotic. This increases the overall mortality rate of bacteria related infections.
So what can we do about this very concerning problem? First, education for healthcare providers and the general public that the problem exists. Next, reduce antibiotic overutilization, and lastly encourage diagnostic testing to help guide treatments.
The seniors Hansa Medical Groupe cares for are often the most vulnerable to simple colds turning into pneumonia or worse. Prescribing an antibiotic early sounds like an appropriate treatment choice to help prevent complications related to infections. However, using antibiotics for bacteria in a case of a viral infection does not help treat and instead allows bacteria to learn how to resist that same antibiotic when used in the future. Taking extra time with our patients to try and obtain a diagnosis helps tailor the treatment.
The next time you have cold or flu-like symptoms and you go to the urgent care clinic or your primary care physician, ask questions before taking that antibiotic prescription. There are situations where antibiotic treatment of an infection is appropriate, but it is clear with the advent of resistant organisms or “superbugs” that antibiotics are overutilized.
Hansa Medical Groupe has offices at 5250 Old Orchard Road, Suite 300, in Skokie, and in Chicago, 847-920-0902, hansamedicalgroupe.com.
n the context of family law, people are best served when they are able to make their own decisions.” This is true whether it’s about a prenuptial agreement, a divorce, or other relationship problem.
That, Brigitte Schmidt Bell says, is the underlying philosophy of her family law practice, which is one of just a handful of law firms in Illinois that specializes in “Collaborative” law. Bell is a nationally recognized pioneer in both Collaborative Law and mediation. The two lawyers who work with Bell, Rita Ghose and Erin Purta, are also trained in Collaboration and mediation and active in those communities.
With traditional divorce litigation, the atmosphere in the court house and even in meetings is often combative, and clients spend time and money vilifying each other and battling over everything.
“Our Collaborative approach is a client-centered process and replaces combat with cooperation and vilification with respect,” Bell says. “We encourage and support clients as they work together to find solutions to their unique problems and issues. Every family is different, and helping clients be thoughtful about what works for them, not their neighbor or best friend or sibling or even the case they read about somewhere, is what we do.”
After graduating from Swarthmore College and University of Chicago Law School, Bell got her start working for Jenner & Block on the well-known antitrust case launched by MCI against AT&T in 1974. But she had gone into law to work with people and families, and hours and hours of silently pouring over legal documents and research in an office just wasn’t cutting it.
With a nod to her sister, a mediator with the Justice Department who had helped mediate the Boston school busing crisis in the mid-’70s, Bell trained as a mediator with the Center for Conflict Resolution and shifted into family law. For nearly 40 years, she’s used her skills as a mediator to help clients resolve their legal and relationship issues.
“If you look at family law, it really doesn’t give answers, it gives guidelines,” says Bell. “When considering a child’s best interests, for example, you’re asked to evaluate a child’s relationship with his or her siblings. But the law doesn’t say how to prioritize that factor or what weight to give it compared to the other 14 factors that are listed.”
She adds, “I believe that parents know what’s best for their children because they know them best, better than anyone in a black robe, who at best gets snippets of information about the children.”
The ideal outcome for Bell is that her clients come away with a parenting plan or contract that they file away and never have to refer to again because they have, in a sense, created it through their thoughtful discussions.
“The legal system is designed to make clients think the worst of each other,” Bell says, “but our Collaborative approach is designed
for people to find the best in themselves.”
Recently, Bell’s firm has been focusing on prenuptials to demystify the process of these contracts, which are often contentious and negatively impact relationships before couples tie the knot. They are often one-sided, the product not of discussion but of an imbalance of resources; they often focus primarily on potential future divorce. Bell encourages couples to consider using the Collaborative process or mediation to reach such agreements and broaden their scope, since doing so will lead to a deeper discussion of important issues that impact how the marriage relationship itself is conducted and not just a plan for divorce.
Bell admits the process can be particularly challenging when there’s financial imbalance in the relationship, but that’s all the more reason for the two parties to be satisfied with the outcome if it’s based on thoughtful discussion.
“What people don’t realize is that sometimes a prenup can extend a divorce proceeding,” says Bell. People enter into it to set the financial parameters for a potential divorce, but often what happens is that first they spend a year litigating only the validity of the prenuptial.
“The key with all of our work is sitting down and taking the time to listen to our clients and understand what matters to them and what they need,” Bell says. “That’s how we help them through the tough times.”
Brigitte Schmidt Bell, PC is located at 161 North Clark Street, Suite 1600, in Chicago, and at 500 Davis Street, Suite 1006, in Evanston, 312-360-112. brigittebell.com.
Collaboration is the key to success for Brigitte Schmidt Bell’s clients.
Many women have undergone some type of breast surgery, either for cosmetic or reconstructive purposes.
Most of these surgeries are very successful, but unfortunately for some, either the initial outcome fell short of their desire or over time the breast becomes distorted or hard.
In the case of breast augmentation, the body forms scar tissue around the implants which is normal. But sometimes the scar tissue contracts making the implant feel firmer. This is referred to as a capsule. The appearance also becomes distorted. Other complications include bot toming out, fold malposition, wrinkling and rippling, and symmastia. With time, sagging of the overlying breast tissue is not uncommon creat ing a disconnect with the underlying implant. And of course, a woman’s breast naturally will change shape and contour as the body ages.
Natural conditions such as lax skin elasticity, thin tissue, and multiple corrective procedures often pose technical and special challenges. If you are unhappy with the outcome of a prior surgery, a revision surgery may be in order. Patients need to understand that revision surgery is complex and technically demanding. There are limitations based on one’s anatomy and what can be achieved.
Technologies have evolved over the years to help correct the described complications and deformities that can occur. The use of Strattice is a soft, natural product that is designed to reinforce weak tissue and to support growth of your own tissue. Derived from porcine dermis, it’s a strong and sterile product.
Strattice when used for revision breast surgery acts as an “internal bra” to support and hold the implant in the desired location.
Advantages provided by this internal support are:
• Provides coverage and support of the implant
• Significantly reduces the rate of capsular contracture
• Acts as an “internal bra” to give better support and control implant location
• Provides an additional layer to mask visibility of rippling and wrinkles
• Becomes viable tissue without scarring or fibrosis
The one drawback of Strattice is that it is expensive, but in my experience it is well worth the cost if it significantly cuts down on the need for future revisions. For additional information, visit bodybybloch.com or Dr. Bloch can be reached at his Highland Park office at 847-432-0840. Follow us on social media:
Lake Forest’s MaryGrace King is a swimming phenom. At only 14, she is breaking records in the field, while also making her mark as a gifted writer, top student, and, potentially, successful computer engineer. A bright future lies ahead for this incoming high school freshman—an Olympic hopeful.
WORDS BY ALICE YORK / ILLUSTRATION BY ROBERT RISKO
Fourteen-year-old MaryGrace King has her sights set on Paris. The year? 2024. No, not for a college exchange program or future family vacation—the teenager is gearing up for next year’s Olympic trials, hoping to hit the world stage four years later. A dedicated swimmer since the age of 6, King is primed to achieve this ambitious goal. Top-10 in the state for almost every event in the sport since she was 9 years old, the talented athlete continues to get stronger with every year.
This type of elite athlete status does not come with an easy schedule. With a national IMX ranking of 34 in her age group, an IMX zone ranking of 4, and number one ranking in the state of Illinois, MaryGrace stays competitive through rigorous practice. During the school year, practice runs from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. after a full day of classes. Over the summer, she is in the water four hours a day, with an hour of strength training in between.
MaryGrace has been swimming under coach Michael Lawrence at the Lake Forest Swim Club—former home to Olympian gold medalists Conor Dwyer and Matt Grevers—since the beginning, and with Andrea Jane Block (AJ) at Lincolnshire Swim Club, the latter her “summer squad.” Distance events, such as the 400 IM, are her main focus, as well as the 800 and 1500 free categories, and open water swims. She rarely misses a practice.
MaryGrace considers both coaches to be mentors and also looks to the career of fellow swimmer Katy Ledecky for inspiration: “She has always been a role model to me. It’s so cool to see other women being recognized just as much as the guys, especially since she’s a distance swimmer like me.”
But MaryGrace—known to all simply as “MG”—is not just a swimmer, but a well-rounded young woman: a straight-A student, member of the National Honor Society, and student council at the School of St. Mary (she’ll start at Lake Forest High School this fall as a freshman). For now, she counts University of Wisconsin at Madison and Stanford among her college picks for 2023, computer engineering her potential major.
Out of the pool, she is also a talented musician and singer—a self-taught ukulele player and co-emcee of her school’s talent show—and an avid reader and writer. MaryGrace will participate in an application-only writing workshop this summer at Lake Forest’s Ragdale, one of the largest interdisciplinary arts communities in the country. Church is also an important part of her life—she serves at the altar most Sundays.
Giving back is also a priority for the soon-to-be high schooler. Though helping combat the issue of homelessness is the main cause she fights for, MaryGrace has volunteered in the past for Feed My Starving Children and has helped organize fundraisers through school for charities like Water For Life. This summer, she will lend her time to GLASA, the Great Lakes Adaptive Sports
Association, through assisting swim lessons for individuals with disabilities.
While MaryGrace looks up to her two older stepbrothers, younger sister Madison, 9, is decidedly following in her sister’s smooth wake, already breaking some of her big sister’s records in the under-10 category. “It’s cool to watch them work together,” says mother Sandi.
MaryGrace, however, is not just a role model for younger generations, but for all of us: her dedication, balance, humility, and grace should inspire anyone at any age. This summer, we can all take a cue from the talented teen to follow our dreams and move forward fearlessly, no matter how deep the water. As she says, “It will all pay off in the long run if you’re trying your best.”
Ferrari Lake Forest, a flagship of the Ferrari Brand, invites you to discover the new Ferrari Portofino: the perfect combination of sportiness, elegance, and comfort.
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