Planit Style 01-27-13

01•27•13

PlanitNorthwest.com

READ ON Area libraries increase access with online tools

Road Trip

Columnist Sue Neuschel sees what’s brewing in Milwaukee

Let’s

talk

First friday event launches 2013 gallery season at the dole

Communities gather for good conversation at local Lifetree Cafés

PlanitNorthwest.com • Sunday, January 27, 2013

| PlanIt Style |

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boomer beat

Questions? Email sueneuschel@att.net

Sue Neuschel PlanIt Style is published each Sunday by Shaw Media, P.O. Box 250, Crystal Lake, IL 60039-0250.

Periodicals and postage paid at Crystal Lake, IL 60014.

Style Editor Valerie Katzenstein 815-526-4529 vkatzenstein@shawmedia.com

Features Editor R. Scott Helmchen 815-526-4402 shelmchen@shawmedia.com

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announcements Births, engagements, weddings and anniversaries are printed for free in the Planit Style section every Sunday in the Northwest Herald.

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Photos not accompanied with a self-addressed, stamped envelope will not be returned. They may be picked up at the Crystal Lake office after publication.

To complete a form online, visit PlanitNorthwest.com/ forms. Call 815-459-4122 for information.

ON THE COVER

Michael Moehrlin of Marengo at Lifetree Café.

Josh Peckler – jpeckler@shawmedia.com

Something’s brewing in Milwaukee As Ben Franklin once said, “Beer is proof God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Where better to test Franklin’s wisdom than Milwaukee, the “beer capital of the world.”

Recently, my husband and I discovered a unique way of learning about the importance of beer to the culture of the Midwest. On a day jaunt to Milwaukee, our first stop was the Best Place Pabst Brewery Historical Tour, where our host was an ambitious and rambunctious boomer named Jim Haertel.

While a student at Marquette University, Jim developed a passion for saving our connection to the past. By word of mouth, he learned the surviving buildings of the Pabst Brewery were slated for the wrecking ball. Today, several of those buildings have been saved and are being used for new purposes ranging from condominium living to college classrooms.

For his part, Jim was able to raise the capital to save the heart of what once was a sprawling industrial complex, the Pabst Corporate Office and Business Center.

The building stands out. It is crowned by turrets, ornamented with leaded windows and stained glass and surrounds a courtyard where warm weather visitors come to socialize and enjoy a variety of brews.

As we took a tour of the building, we were delighted by Jim’s flare for delivering what he calls “ah-ha moments” – Did you know the Chicago fire helped grow the beer industry in Milwaukee? – and “ha-ha” moments – Did you know Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer never won a blue ribbon, but it did win the gold medal for beer at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893?

One of the funniest features of the tour is getting a chance to view old black-andwhite TV commercials for beer. It will leave you wondering whether Americans ever really dressed and acted that way.

Yet, if you were a child in the 1960’s, the words and tunes of the advertising jingles will jump into your mind as though you heard them just yesterday.

Oh, by the way, the old brewery built in

Photo provided

The Captain Frederick Pabst Mansion on Milwaukee Avenue in Milwaukee is one of the most meticulously and accurately restored mansions in the country. the 1800’s is no longer operational, so do not expect to see the actual brewing process on this tour. The tour costs $8, and it is best to call ahead to confirm tour times at 414-630-1609.

After the tour, we headed to the historic German Mader’s Restaurant on Third Avenue near the river. Mader’s restaurant opened in 1902 and is decorated with antiques from the 14th century including a Medieval suit of armor and a historic beer stein collection. Two favorite lunches are the German Sampler featuring Rheinischer sauerbraten, Wiener Schnitzel, beef goulash with spatzle and red cabbage and the Roast Pork Shank, the No. 1 favorite for more than 100 years.

It is a delicious skinless shank with apple demi-glaze served with sauerkraut and red potatoes. The food is absolutely scrumptious and worth the price, and the wait staff is warm and friendly.

To complete our day (and still get home in time for dinner), we took a tour

of the Captain Frederick Pabst Mansion on Milwaukee Avenue. This has to be one of the most meticulously and accurately restored mansions in the country, if not the world. While we were there, they were rehanging a painting that had been cleaned and restored. It was so big, scaffolding had to be set up.

Each room is unique and tells the story of a family who was immensely wealthy thanks to the brewery and yet also afflicted by tragedy and sorrow. We left the mansion with a true appreciation for the incredible craftsmanship of our forefathers and mothers and their amazing aesthetic taste. For information on touring the Pabst Mansion, call 414-9310808.

• Sue Neuschel shares her experiences as a Baby Boomer, offers unique places to visit in and around McHenry County.

She can be reached at sueneuschel@att. net.

$10 Large, 3 Topping Thin Crust Pizza Not valid with any other offers. Must present coupon.

Pick up only. Expires: Jan 31, 2013 222 N. Western Ave • Carpentersville • 847-426-3700

Family Special: 18” 2 Topping Pizza, Mozzeralla Sticks & 2 Liter Pop: $19.99

847-426-3700

Not valid with any other offers. Must present coupon.

Pick up only. Expires: Jan 31, 2013 222 N. Western Ave • Carpentersville • 847-426-3700

222 N. Western Ave (Rt. 31) • Carpentersville, IL

Same Great Food Since 1953

4502 W. Elm St. • McHenry

(815) 363-1974

3525 Diamond Dr. • McHenry

(815) 385-3820

335 S. Eastwood Dr. • Woodstock

(815) 338-9499

8FOOD EVENTS To have a home and garden or food events listed in Planit Style calendars, visit PlanitNorthwest. com/forms and fill out the Calendar Listings form. Submissions also may be mailed along with a contact name and phone number to Calendar Listing, the Northwest Herald, P.O. Box 250, Crystal Lake, IL 60039-0250, or emailed to planitnews@shawmedia.com.

Ravioli With Fried Sage, Asparagus and Walnuts

McHenry County ONE-DAY CULINARY CLASSES, Feb. 5-26, Lakeside Legacy Arts Park (Dole Mansion), 401 Country Club Road, Crystal Lake. Offered

by McHenry County College Continuing Education Department. All classes run 6:30 to 9 p.m. Schedule: Feb. 5, Knife Skills (Course ID:NCUS33002);

AP photo

Better than butter, ghee adds rich flavor to meals

By J.M. HIRSCH The Associated Press Why not just use butter?

Fair question, especially since ghee is going to be more trouble to find (it’s hidden in your grocer’s international or natural foods aisles) and you’ll pay way more for it ($5 or more for a 7½-ounce jar).

Despite that, it’s an easy answer – because ghee is a rich indulgence that is so totally worth the effort and expense.

Ghee is a form of clarified butter. It is butter that was heated until the milk solids separated from the liquid. Then it was heated some more, until the liquid evaporated and the solids began to brown.

The result is a thick, yellow-brown paste with a nutty and intensely – Are you ready?

– buttery flavor. But it’s true. This is butter on steroids.

It’s easy to make your own, but most of us won’t.

Ghee originated in India, where the heat spoils conventional butter. Clarifying it prolongs its unrefrigerated life from a couple weeks to many months.

When to use it? Given the price, not every day. But this is the stuff to reach for when you want to be seriously slapped around by buttery goodness.

As in making the very best popcorn.

Ever. Here’s why: Not only is the flavor of ghee richer than standard butter, it also has no water. Butter is 15 percent water; that water makes popcorn soggy. Use ghee and you get rich flavor, not wet kernels.

Ravioli With Fried Sage, Asparagus and Walnuts Start to finish: 20 minutes Servings: 4

10-ounce package fresh cheese ravioli 3 tablespoons ghee Pinch red pepper flakes 5 large fresh sage leaves (left whole) 1 bunch asparagus, bottoms trimmed, cut into 2-inch lengths 1/3 cup toasted walnuts, lightly chopped Salt and ground black pepper, to taste Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil.

Add the ravioli and cook according to package directions, then drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the ghee.

Add the red pepper flakes and sage leaves, then fry until the sage is crisp.

Remove the sage from the pan and set aside.

Return the pan to the heat and add the asparagus.

Saute until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the walnuts, toss well, then add the drained ravioli and toss again.

Crumble the fried sage leaves into the dish, then season with salt and pepper.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 414 calories; 212 calories from fat (51 percent of total calories); 24 g fat (11 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 71 mg cholesterol; 37 g carbohydrate; 13 g protein; 5 g fiber; 431 mg sodium.

Feb. 8, Latin Cuisine (Course ID:NCUS82002); Feb. 9, Chicken Basics (Course ID:NCUS11002); Feb. 12, Valentine’s Day Treat Box (Course ID:NCUS73002); Feb. 15, Morning Meals (Course ID:NCUS83002); Feb. 19, Cupcake Workshop (Course ID:NCUS53002); Feb. 23, Semi-Homemade (Course ID:NCUS84002); Feb. 26, Pastry Class (Course ID:NCUS67002).

Cost: $65 a class. Registration and information: 815-455-8588.

Regional LAKE GENEVA SCHOOL OF COOKING CLASSES, 727 Geneva St., Lake Geneva, Wis. Schedule: Course pricing per person. Registration and information: 262-2483933 or www.lakegenevaschoolofcooking.com.

8HOME EVENTS McHenry County McHENRY FLEA MARKET, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, 3705 W. Elm St. (formerly Sullivan Foods), McHenry. Indoor flea market featuring more than 85 vendors. Open all year long.

Admission: $1 or free with one paid admission and a nonperishable item for the FISH food pantry.

Information: 815-363-3532 or www.mchenryfleamarket.net.

Regional ANTIQUE & COLLECTIBLE MARKET, second Saturdays and Sundays, Lake County Fairgrounds, Peterson & Midlothian roads, Grayslake. Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Sunday. Admission: $6 adults, free for children younger than 12. Information: 715-526-9769 or www. zurkopromotions.com.

KANE COUNTY FLEA MARKET, first weekends, Kane County Fairgrounds, Route 64 and Randall Road, St. Charles. Hours: Noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. Featuring hundreds of dealers. Food served all day. Admission: $5 adults each day, free for children younger than 12. Free parking. Information: 630-3772252 or www.kanecountyfleamarket.com.

NORTHERN ILLINOIS ANTIQUES DEALERS ASSOCIATION ANTIQUE SHOW, 53rd annual, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 16 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Feb. 17, Forest Hills Lodge, 1601 W. Lane Road, Loves Park. Once again 40 professional dealers from throughout the Midwest will be offering quality antiques and collectibles from the 19th and early 20th century. Food available.

Admission: $6. Information: 815761-1444 or www.niadaantiques. com.

“Come for the Food, Stay for the Entertainment”

1402 N Riverside Dr. McHenry, IL 60050

815-578-8360

Every Friday and Saturday RSVP Recommended!

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| PlanIt Style | Sunday, January 27, 2013 • PlanitNorthwest.com

Sundaysupper

PlanitNorthwest.com • Sunday, January 27, 2013

| PlanIt Style |

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talk town of the

Residents share stories, conversation on topics ‘to feed your soul’ at Lifetree Cafés

Y

ou’re welcome just as you are. Your thoughts are welcome. Your doubts are welcome. We’re all in this together. God is here, ready to connect with you in a fresh way.

With these words, conversations begin at area Lifetree Cafés throughout McHenry County.

Hosted at various locations in Marengo, Crystal Lake and Huntley so far, the cafés originated from a ministry effort that began about five years ago in Loveland, Colo.

They often are hosted through churches, but they’re meant to draw everyone, including those who don’t regularly attend church.

People are invited to come together at no cost to share “an hour of stories and conversations to feed your soul.”

They’ve talked about angels, Mormonism, spirituality versus religion, suicide, gay and lesbian marriage, hardships, anything and everything.

They’re topics people like-

Story by JAMI KUNZER jkunzer@shawmedia.com

Photos by Josh Peckler jpeckler@shawmedia.com ly won’t talk about elsewhere, including the church.

“A lot of the churches feel that they need to do something in the community, but it’s no longer sufficient to sit inside your church and wait for people to come,” said the Rev. Keck Mowry, senior pastor of Marengo United Methodist Church, which began hosting a Lifetree Café at Flatlander Market about a year ago.

Another Lifetree hosted by the church is scheduled to begin Feb. 4 in Huntley.

Studies have shown negative attitudes toward churches in general, Mowry said.

“Lifetree is an effort of churches to engage the community, to start a conversation and build relationships,” he said.

“This is also an effort to get out and do something good for the community,

to help people understand that the churches really do genuinely want to be friendly and care and reach out in a nonjudgemental way.”

Rekindling the art of conversation

A Christian publishing company, Group Publishing, tested the café concept for a couple of years before extending an invitation nationwide.

About 300 Lifetree branches exist across the country, and it is constantly expanding.

“It’s remarkable – we’re growing about two a day,” said Craig Cable, Lifetree national director.

Cafés are operating in Canada, and the group is piloting one in New Zealand, he said. The goal is to create a Lifetree in every community and at college campuses, he said.

When the concept began, organizers felt people had lost the art of conversation, Cable said.

“We were becoming more and more isolated, more

Participants talk with one another Monday during a Lifetree Café meeting at Flatlander Market in Marengo.

Lifetree Cafés are meetings held across the country where people can meet and talk about everything from politics to prayer.

Eric Vance of Union puts his hands out to catch an egg Monday during a Lifetree Café meeting at Flatlander Market in Marengo. lonely in our communities,” he said.

“It was an opportunity to bring people back out of their homes into physical communities, not online – a safe place where people were welcome,” he said.

Designed as intimate atmospheres to never draw more than 50 people at a time, the cafés average about 20 to 30 people, depending on the topic.

A recent “My Angel Saved Me,” discussion packed Flatlander Market in Marengo as those in attendance shared stories of encounters with the potentially supernatural.

Eric Vance of Union told of the time something made him stop in his tracks, turn around and fetch his motorcycle helmet he rarely wore.

That day, he was in a motorcycle accident, the helmet and its face mask left extremely dented and scratched.

A regular at Lifetree, Vance said the cafés helped him get to know people he sees regularly. Instead of casual conversations, they’re learning more about one another.

“Sometimes, you walk away learning something about yourself,” he said.

Creating comfortable atmospheres

Willow Crystal Lake began its Lifetree about five years ago through the volunteer

effort of Sheila Halasz, of Crystal Lake.

The church now hosts two different locations in Crystal Lake, with a special room renovated at Willow Creek into a coffee house atmosphere to make those who attend comfortable.

“It’s been such a neat outreach for people that just don’t have other avenues,” Halasz said. “They have a lot of spiritual questions or just want to be with people.

This is just fitting a need no church can fit or no other group can fit.”

Started around the same time as Willow Creek’s, a Lifetree hosted by The Pointe in Crystal Lake also features a coffee house-like room refinished by the outreach center.

The cafés include videos featuring interviews created by national organizers in Loveland, followed by conversations.

Future Lifetree topics include the showing of “Schindler’s Youngest Survivor,” gun control, terrorism, “Is Marriage Obsolete?” and “The Art of Listening.”

The conversations end with Bible references, but the idea is not to force religion on those who attend.

“This is not where we want to sit down, open a Bible and say, ‘This is what you should believe,’ ” Pointe Director Bob Dorn said. “It’s about asking questions.”

“

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| PlanIt Style | Sunday, January 27, 2013 • PlanitNorthwest.com

A lot of the churches feel that they need to do something in the community, but it’s no longer sufficient to sit inside your church and wait for people to come. ... Lifetree is an effort of churches to engage the community, to start a conversation and build relationships.”

The Rev. Keck Mowry (right), senior pastor of Marengo United Methodist Church

Join the conversation • 6:30 p.m. Mondays at Flatlander Market, 125 S. State St., Marengo. Hosted by Marengo United Methodist Church. For information, call 815-568-7162. (Grill closes at 6 p.m.)

• Coming Feb. 4 – 10:30 a.m. Mondays at the Community Room at PNC Bank, 13300 Route 47, Huntley. Hosted by Marengo United Methodist Church. For information, call 815-568-7162.

• 7 p.m. Wednesdays at Conscious Cup Coffee, 5005 Northwest Highway, Suite 100, Crystal Lake. Hosted by volunteers affiliated with

Following are the times, days and locations of area Lifetree Cafés

Willow Crystal Lake. For information, call 224-512-1261 or 815-715-5476.

• 4 p.m. Saturdays at Willow Crystal Lake, 220 Exchange Drive, Suite A., Room 107, Crystal Lake. Hosted by volunteers affiliated with Willow Crystal Lake. For information, call 224-512-1261 or 815-7155476.

• 6 p.m. Sundays (date soon may change) at The Pointe, 5650 Northwest Highway, Crystal Lake. Hosted by The Pointe. For information, call 815-459-5907.

For information on Lifetree Café, visit lifetreecafe.com.

PlanItNorthwest.com • Sunday, January 27, 2013

| PlanIt Style |

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Tough guys like warm toes, too

Medical Associatesof

Crystal Lake

Winter athletic gear adapts for comfort

By SAMANTHA CRITCHELL The Associated Press NEW YORK – So many outdoor enthusiasts seem fearless: They climb the biggest rocks, hike the highest points, ski the steepest trails and do unimaginable things with their snowboards. But they don’t like doing it with cold fingers, a chilly wind at their back, or a chafed chin.

It’s those little things that can stop you in your tracks, say outerwear insiders, so designers and manufacturers have worked to satisfy them.

There are zipper “garages” at the top of parkas to keep metal from rubbing against the skin; fabric flaps cover the rear ends of snowboarders who spend quite a bit of time with their backsides in the snow; and curved elbows so climbers’ jackets don’t ride up when they extend their arms.

A ponytail opening on hats and hoods is now a common option, and some gloves and mittens have miniature wiper blades for goggles.

Talk about cushy – there is ergonomic padding in expedition-worthy socks.

“Details are everything. ... Every little detail adds a little bit of an advantage to an experienced climber, skier,” said Greg Thomsen, managing director of Adidas Outdoor USA. “Just because you’re tough doesn’t mean you don’t want to keep warm.

If they’re comfortable, athletes can go to the next level.”

Ed Schmults, CEO of Wild Things, a technical outerwear brand, adds: “If your fingers or toes are cold, you’re not having a good time. In that way, gear should be neutral.”

Athletes, whether they are serious mountaineers or weekend skiers, don’t want their clothes to be a distraction, adds Neil Munro, product director of The North Face Summit Series. They want to put all their energy into their sport, he says.

Among the new North Face features are lightweight

An Adidas blue Terrex Icefeather jacket

A Wild Things women’s Insulight jacket Photos provided

down – arguably the biggest trend in the outdoor market, Munro says – that’s been combined with a synthetic fiber so when you wear a backpack the feathers don’t get pushed away from the core and subtle prints that add friction to slippery waterproof shells to keep the backpacks from moving around.

A little touch, such as fleece-lined pockets, takes less technical know-how but can have just as much impact, Munro said. “Who doesn’t want fleece-lined pockets?”

Meanwhile, Adidas has shaved off fabric bulge – that, says Thomsen, can affect a climber’s important view of below – and has employed “body mapping” to put ventilation and insulation where they’re needed.

“Athletic clothes” is a broad term, Schmults notes.

It’s everything from the “jaws-of-death skier” to the “dog walker” and everyone in between. All those people share many of the same concerns: They want to be as warm as possible, as comfortable as possible and as stylish as possible.

“When you live in a cold climate, you’re wearing your ski jacket or parka 50 percent of the time or more,” said Sarah Perel, sales manager for the Montreal-based brand Pajar. “You want it to work and you want it to look good.”

Dr. Salzmann, Dr. Kaul, and Dr. Shah have joined together to form Medical Associates of Crystal Lake

Specializing in Internal Medicine We Welcome New Patients HOURS: Monday thru Thursday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Fridays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Occasional Saturdays 9 a.m to Noon.

Medical Associates of Crystal Lake 460 Coventry Lane, Suite 204, Crystal Lake, IL

815-455-1344

By JAMI KUNZER jkunzer@shawmedia.com

An upcoming First Friday event will allow you to experience all the Dole Mansion has to offer for the first time, even if you’ve been there before.

The free event from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday features art, live music, a cash bar and light appetizers along with tours of the mansion as a launch of the 2013 gallery season for Lakeside Legacy Arts Park, 401 Country Club Road, Crystal Lake.

Organizers say the season will begin with one of the most intriguing exhibits to date, “Midnight Fields,” featuring the work of local artists Connie Sonnenberg and Kendall Wallor.

Dimly lit, it will be an atmosphere “we don’t often see with our own eyes,” organizers say. It will remain on display through Feb. 22.

“They are not just putting art on the wall,” said Erin McElroy, advancement coordinator for Lakeside Legacy Foundation. “They’re designing the whole experience. ...

When you walk in the doors at First Friday, you’re going

Photo provided

A recent event at the Dole Mansion in Crystal Lake. to feel like you’re coming into ‘Midnight Field.’ ” Both artists worked together to create the ambiance and theme, including art created with a lush, dark palette.

Connected to the equestrian world, both artists feature reflections of horses.

Sonnenberg, of Crystal Lake, also creates pet portraits, among a wide variety of artwork, including oil acrylics and some dabbling in water colors and pastels. (www.artbyconnie.com) Winner of the “Best of Acrylic 2012” at Barrington’s “Art in the Barn,” Sonnenberg has never before

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displayed work at the Dole, although she lives nearby.

“I was so ecstatic, I can’t tell you,” she said.

Along with her display, Sonnenberg will offer smaller prints for sale at more affordable prices.

Wallor describes her work as having “a dark yet romanticized feel to it that is meant to grab and hold its viewers captive while they become pulled into the infinite stage of the painting and its creative environment.” (www. kendallwallor.moonfruit. com) Along with the artwork, the event will feature live

acoustic performances by guitarist Steve Middaugh, as well as guitarist Mark Piekos and his three-person band, “Northern Blonde,” featuring Summer Hallenstein on vocals and Dan Phelps on guitar.

Northern Blonde performs everything from Delta Blues to country blues to older country to newer country to contemporary rock, Piekos said.

“We run the gamut,” he said.

Often, events at the Dole have featured piano accompaniments, but organizers wanted to showcase all that goes on at Lakeside, including various music lessons.

They sought out singer/songwriters.

The goal is to draw in regulars as well as those who’ve always wondered what’s going on at Lakeside, McElroy said.

“A lot of people say they live around here and never come in,” she said. “This is their chance to come in. ...

This is definitely a good introduction, or if you’re excited about art and live music, come over.”

LIFE’S A

TRIP!!

Feb 23 Mar 9 Apr 17 May 9 Jun 15 Jul 25 Aug 1 Sep 13 Oct 12

Mystique Casino Luncheon Cruise with Chicago Flower & Garden Show Church Basement Ladies Chicago’s Firehouse Dane County Farmers’ Market Brewsin’ to Cruisin’ Classic Oldies Cruise Lena & Galena Autumn Color Train

For all the details and/or a complete tour list including flyaway and extended tours:

www.vangalderbus.com

Van Galder Tour & Travel

800.747.7407

Photo provided

“Fawn” by Kendall Wallor.

If you go WHAT: First Friday featuring art, live music, cash bar and light appetizers at the Historic Dole Mansion WHEN: 5 to 8 p.m. Feb. 1 WHERE: The Dole Mansion at Lakeside Legacy Arts Park, 401 Country Club Road, Crystal Lake Information: Visit www. lakesidelegacy.org or call 815-455-8000. After the gallery opening, guests can buy tickets to Roger Reupert and Friends interactive jazz concert in the Listening Room at Lakeside Legacy Arts Park.

Tickets cost $10, and seating is limited. Call the box office at 815-455-800.

| PlanIt Style | Sunday, January 27, 2013 • PlanitNorthwest.com

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See the Dole in fresh light at First Friday

PlanItNorthwest.com • Sunday, January 27, 2013

| PlanIt Style |

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Photos provided

The North Suburban Digital Consortium is used by several library districts including those in Algonquin, Crystal Lake and McHenry. It provides thousands of e-books, audiobooks and videos for library patrons to download for free.

Readers win with online access More people visiting libraries than ever – just not always in person

By JAMI KUNZER jkunzer@shawmedia.com More patrons are using area libraries, though they’re not always walking through the library doors.

Visits to library websites through computers and mobile apps, as well as the use of e-books, are on the rise based on studies and firsthand accounts from area librarians. A recent Pew study reports about 13 percent of Americans 16 and older used a mobile device to visit a library website during the past year, up from 6 percent in 2009.

Still, library officials stress, don’t count out the draw of an actual book in hand.

“We do have a virtual library where you can get content 24/7, but we have a lot of people that still like the print books,” said Kathy Lambert, public relations manager for the McHenry Public Library District.

“I don’t think e-books are at the point where they’re going to take over.”

Many still don’t realize they can get e-books for free through links available on library websites.

In McHenry, for instance, patrons have access to 5,728 downloadable e-books, as well as 4,107 downloadable audiobooks and 364 downloadable videos through the North Suburban Digital Consortium, a service used by several library districts including

Algonquin Area Public Library and Crystal Lake Public Library.

Many times those with tablets and such end up buying e-books through stores.

“We have all the same titles a book store might have,” Lambert said.

The library even loans out pre-loaded Nooks with more than 300 titles on each, she said, and more titles are added The Huntley Area Public monthly.

Library recently added Patrons often will a mobile app that bring in their tablets and allows patrons to check smart phones to get asout items or download sistance on how to access e-books using their the library catalog, she smartphones or tablets. said.

Create a user account at “It’s not just young huntley.bibliocommons. people,” she said. “We com. have senior citizens that come in and say, ‘My grandson bought this Nook for me for Christmas,’ and we walk them through it.”

And yes, e-books definitely are catching on with younger generations, based on a report commissioned by children’s publisher Scholastic Inc. The report found 46 percent of respondents ages 9 to 17 had read an e-book as of 2012, compared with just 25 percent in 2010.

Still, about 80 percent of those respondents continue to read print books.

Overall, library officials say, circulation of basically all materials has been growing annually.

More people do tend to use the library during a down economy, but it’s difficult to pinpoint exact reasons for the growth without speculating, said Linda Price, public relations director for the Crystal Lake Public Library.

“I like to think it’s a good library, and we know what we’re doing,” she said.

In Crystal Lake, library use has grown disproportionately to the population since 1991. In 2001-02, the city’s population was about 38,000 and circulation was 655,559. Ten years later, the population had gone up only a couple thousand, while circulation had reached nearly 1,015,274.

Area libraries continue to meet the demands of technology, expanding websites and improving access.

The Huntley Area Public Library recently added a mobile app that gives patrons the means to check out items using their smartphones or tablets.

“You can come in and do all the great things you’ve been able to do for the past 20 years, but at the same token, we’re seeing more of an increase for people being able to use their mobile devices to do anything,” said Doug Cataldo, marketing and technology specialist for the library.

Along with that, the circulation of e-books in Huntley has increased 90 percent in the past year, he said.

Those using the online books range from 7- or 8-year-olds to their parents to senior citizens, including many from Sun City, said Pamela Cardenas, e-book librarian.

“I think it will continue to grow for several more years,” she said. “Just the amount of devices that come out probably contributes to it. I think now there’s a device probably for everybody.”

• The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Legend of a literary agent

Kerouac’s agent releases memoir

By HILLEL ITALIE The Associated Press

NEW YORK – The legend of Sterling Lord dates back to 1952, when he was just getting started as a literary agent. Into his basement-level office on Park Avenue walked a young man wearing “a light weather-resistant jacket with a lightweight checkered shirt underneath.

“He was striking looking – ‘diamond in the rough’ was the phrase that came to mind,” Lord writes in his just-published memoir.

It was Jack Kerouac, and wrapped inside a newspaper was the manuscript for what became “On the Road.”

Lord is now 92 years old and still keeps regular hours, at the bright, downtown offices of Sterling Lord Literistic Inc. His clients have ranged from Ken Kesey to the creators of the Berenstain Bears. He has lunched with Jackie Kennedy, played tennis with Katherine Graham and had the will to say no to Lyndon Johnson when the president was seeking help to get a book deal.

His memoir is called “Lord of Publishing” and his peers see nothing out of line about the title. His name means “respect,” “gentleman agent,” a “class act,” said fellow agent Jane Dystel.

“This is a guy who has been around a very long time, through many iterations of our business, which is constantly changing, and has survived,” said Dystel, whose agency’s clients range from Starbucks CEO Howard Schulz to best-selling crime writer John Locke. “He does it with real determination and skill, in a very low-key style,

but determined.”

When Lord met Kerouac, the young Beat already had published a novel, “The Town and the City.” But he was having a harder time with his second book, starting with the way he had written it. “On the Road” was born on a 120-foot scroll he was known to unfurl on a publisher’s floor. Not all dared to read it, but Lord did and found something fresh and dynamic, a jolt to the growing conformity of the times.

So he took the book on and suffered the rejections, including one from a Knopf editor who thought “On the Road” was not “saleable” or “well-made.”

Kerouac was ready to give up, but not Lord. By the mid-1950s, he had sold excerpts to The Paris Review and New World Writing. Viking Press agreed to publish the novel, for an advance of $1,000. “On the Road” was released in 1957, The New York Times raved, and Kerouac became a hero for a generation of adventurers.

The business remains stimulating for Lord, an improbably fit-looking man whose agency handles books by Rachel Maddow, David Mitchell and many others. He sees a strong future for e-books and has been working with the digital publisher Open Road Integrated Media to make sure older works by Jimmy Breslin, the late Howard Fast and others are available in electronic format. He also turned to Open Road for an even more challenging project: His own book.

A memoir had long seemed a natural and in 1999 he signed with PublicAffairs to write one, its working title the more

Week ending Jan. 20

HARDCOVER FICTION 1. “A Memory of Light” by Robert Jordan (Tor) 2. “The Fifth Assasin” by Brad Meltzer (Grand Central) 3. “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn (Crown) 4. “Tenth of December: Stories” by George Saunders (Random House) 5. “The Husband List” by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin’s) 6. “The Third Bullet” by Stephen Hunter (Simon & Schuster) 7. “The Racketeer” by John Grisham (Doubleday) 8. “Collateral Damage” by Stuart Woods (Putnam) 9. “Kinsey and Me: Stories”

by Sue Grafton (Putnam/Marian Wood) 10. “Cross Roads” by Wm. Paul Young (Faith/Words)

AP photo

Literary agent Sterling Lord speaks during an interview in his New York office. Lord is now 92 years old and still keeps regular hours, at the bright, downtown offices of Sterling Lord Literistic Inc. His clients have ranged from Ken Kesey to the creators of the Berenstain Bears. businesslike “Agents’ Fees.”

But after years of trying, with a ghost writer on hand, he and PublicAffairs each were dissatisfied. Lord made two critical decisions: He would write the book himself, and he would release it through Open Road, whose cofounder is former HarperCollins CEO Jane Friedman.

Interviewed recently at his office, Lord credits his endurance to moderate living, good genes and decades of competitive tennis. Time has been held back, too, by one the great

blessings of earthly existence – making good money doing something you love. Agenting was a job he never dreamed of having as a child, but became a calling he couldn’t imagine living without.

“A number of things about this business have really caught me and made it a compelling interest,” he said. “First, I’m interested in good writing. Second, I am interested in new and good ideas. And third, I’ve been able to meet some extraordinarily interesting people.”

NEW RELEASES “Suspect” (Putnam), by Robert Crais What it’s about: Los Angeles police officer Scott James is injured and his partner killed while on the job. Maggie, an 85-pound German shepherd trained to sniff out explosives, is injured and her handler killed when a bomb detonates. Months later, Scott and Maggie, both hobbling from their wounds, are united as a new team in the Los Angeles police department’s K-9 platoon.

Verdict: Crais unwinds his plot slowly at first, devoting the first

half of the book to developing the relationship between the two damaged but determined partners. But in the second half, the suspense is high and the pace blistering, culminating in an action scene as hot as anything in a “Lethal Weapon” movie. Still, the best part of the book is the interaction between Scott and Maggie as they struggle to overcome PTSD; learn to trust, love and rely on one another; and discover that each offers the other the best chance for a new start in life. – The Associated Press

Find more literary news and full reviews of new releases at PlanitNorthwest.com/books.

HARDCOVER NONFICTION 1. “Shred: The Revolutionary Diet: 6 Weeks 4 Inches 2 Sizes” by Ian K. Smith (St. Martin’s Press) 2. “Killing Kennedy” by Bill O’Reilly (Henry Holt and Co.) 3. “My Beloved World” by Sonia Sotomayor (Knopf) 4. “Eat More of What You Love” by Marlene Koch (Running Press) 5. “I Declare: 31 Promises to Speak” by Joel Osteen (Faith/Words) 6. “No Easy Day” by Mark Owen (Dutton) 7. “The Plan” by Lyn-Genet Recitas (Grand Central) 8. “The End of Diabetes” by Joel Fuhrman (HarperOne) 9. “Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust” by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter) 10. “The Virgin Diet: Drop 7 Foods, Lose 7 Pounds, Just 7 Days” by J.J. Virgin (Harlequin) MASS MARKET PAPERBACKS 1. “Odd Interlude” by Dean Koontz (Bantam) 2. “Return to Sender” by Fern Michaels (Zebra) 3. “The Columbus Affair: A Novel” by Steve Berry (Ballantine) 4. “Montana” by Debbie Macomber (Harlequin Mira) 5. “Big Sky River” by Linda Lael Miller (Harlequin HQN) 6. “Catch Me: A Detective D.D. Warren Novel” by Lisa Gardner (Signet) 7. “10th Anniversary” by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro (Vision) 8. “Full House” by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin’s Press) 9. “Left for Dead: A Novel”

by J.A. Jance (Pocket Books) 10. “Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Choke Point” by Peter Telep (Berkley) Source: Publishers Weekly

9

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thepuzzler ACROSS 1. Copper and zinc alloy 6. Uproar 10. Move a little 15. Puccini opera 20. Tragic lover 21. Track 22. The Pentateuch 23. Bolster 24. Improve 25. Service branch 26. Deliver a speech 27. Bean plant 28. Hankering 29. Sour 31. News 33. Flaubert’s Bovary 35. Elderly 36. A gemstone 37. Onetime 39. Ogle 41. Drew a blank 44. Horse’s gait 45. Abbr. in citations 48. Spiked 53. Take without right 54. Signaled 55. Felt hat 57. “The Magic --” 58. Fabricated 59. Dwindle 60. Curved path 61. Traveled 63. River in Ireland 64. Before, poetically 65. Donated 66. Baby canine 68. Exchange premium 70. Corn spike 71. Road 72. Acrobat’s garment 74. Place of exile 76. Gannet 79. “The Sheik of --” 81. Period 83. Most senior 87. Prize 88. A1 89. Lunch in a can 91. Goldbrick 92. Degrade 94. “From Russia -- Love” 96. Tropical fruit 97. Windy 98. Slight error 100. Oozing 102. Kind of school, for short 104. Beanie 107. Ran away 109. Hoist 110. Lump of dirt 111. -- of averages 114. Told a tale 116. Cleveland’s lake 118. Of each hundred (abbr.)

119. Rivers or Crawford 120. Claret 121. Standard of perfection 123. Reveal 125. Destitute 126. Ship of 1492 127. Cent 128. Astonish 129. Conversation 130. Argue over trifles

131. Holiday time 133. Struck with horror 136. Tome 137. Burden 141. Concern of bettors 144. -- and rave 145. Long, long time 146. Moray 149. Open, as a flag 151. A Titan 153. Defunct political acronym 155. Golf score 157. Kettle 158. Damp 159. -- of passage 160. Efface 161. Went wrong 162. Mawkish 163. Sign over a door 164. Tracking system DOWN 1. Donkey’s cry 2. The Eternal City 3. You said it!

4. D.C. VIP 5. Fizzy drink (2 wds.)

6. Weak 7. Fat 8. Prepare to fire 9. Laminated board 10. Tempest 11. Vast multitude 12. Levin or Gershwin 13. Destiny 14. A pronoun 15. Gift for dad 16. Russian girl’s name 17. Punch 18. -- as you are 19. Filled with wonder 23. Frolic 30. Popular pet 32. Table scrap 34. Motley assortment 36. Monster 37. Liberate 38. Alert color 40. Folklore creature 41. Rage 42. Eskers 43. Ill-behaved 44. Melody 46. Drag 47. Length times width 49. Cakes and -50. Remedy 51. Lab burner 52. Antlered animal 54. Warning 55. Fingerboard ridge 56. Brilliance 59. Lacking color 60. Cry at sea 62. Mahjong piece 65. “Lord of the Rings” wizard 66. Dictionary name 67. Portend 69. Indebted 71. -- and Penates 72. -- lazuli 73. Humming sound 75. Make sense (2 wds.)

76. Low 77. Be in debt

78. On the -80. Tier 82. Heavy cup 84. Golfer Ernie 85. Rigid 86. Endeavor

90. Tulip tree 93. River in Africa 95. Piles 96. Pole on a ship 99. Read 101. Select

103. Howard or Perlman 104. Bit from a movie 105. -- de-camp 106. Hammer part 108. Force 110. Kitchen worker

111. Concatenate 112. Poker stake 113. Erosion 115. Aykroyd or Fogelberg 117. Flightless bird 119. Jar 120. Candle part 122. Caustic solution 124. Literary collection 125. Lea 126. Trailblazer 129. Light brown 130. Scary yell 132. Electrical unit 134. Seize 135. Too fast 136. Flat hat 137. Old instrument 138. Nonpareil 139. At a distance 140. Trick 142. Stops up 143. Greek portico 145. Wine city in Italy 146. Mild oath 147. “Born Free” lioness 148. Sneering look 150. Pole 152. Sass 154. Playing card 156. Genus of macaws

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PlanitNorthwest.com • Sunday, January 27, 2013

| PlanIt Style |

12

thepuzzler ACROSS 1. Pie choice 6. Level 10. Seemingly (2 wds.)

14. Fast car 19. Texas landmark 20. Allude 22. In a frenzy 24. Get away from 25. Revolving part 26. Where Greeks once gathered 27. Picture 28. Analyze grammatically 29. Fencer’s sword 30. Types 32. Fries-to-be 34. On your -35. Track events 39. Starchy tuber 41. Easily controlled 43. Violin maker 45. Cousin to a pessimist 47. Blunder 48. Not quite right 51. Dance about 53. Gadget 55. Enthusiast 56. Impair 59. Very bad 61. Island in Venice 62. Membership charges 64. Word of warning 66. Glorify 68. Circular object 70. -- on the Mount 72. Blend 73. Comment 75. Coral island 77. White sale item 79. Run before the wind 80. Upperclassman 82. Charged particle 84. Ancient drug of forgetfulness 86. Cut 88. Stared 90. Kind of processing 91. Police surveillance 95. Contender 97. Sheen 101. Difficulty 102. Tea-growing state 104. “A Boy -- Sue” 106. Cleric 108. Cockpit occupant 110. Crowd 112. Section 114. Rope for a cowboy 115. Beautiful man 117. Antiquity 118. -- avis 120. Household servant 121. Playing card 122. Calendar abbr.

124. Water bird 126. Mean 128. Indeed!

129. Word in arithmetic 131. Brown ermine 133. Devoured

This puzzle originally appeared Jan. 20. It is being reprinted due to an error.

135. Sluice valve 139. Mood 141. Ancestry 145. Not at all fat 146. Trap 148. Thin candle 150. Dressed 151. Caper 153. Humidor item 155. Building locations 157. One at -- -158. Direct 159. Notched, as a leaf edge 160. -- Jessica Parker 161. Poe’s bird 162. Equine 163. Let it stand!

164. Stem joint 165. Long lock DOWN 1. Reduced 2. Marry in secret 3. Supply food 4. One-celled organism 5. Likewise not 6. Monk’s title 7. Lower limbs 8. Under way 9. Patio 10. “What Kind of Fool -- --?”

11. Peckinpah and Waterston 12. Unsuitable 13. Compute 14. Certain voter (abbr.)

15. Deity’s incarnation 16. Chocolate substitute 17. A Ford 18. Pee Wee or Della 21. Moth-eaten 23. Of a wood 31. Mailed 33. Scour 36. Mischievous child 37. Nobleman 38. Steady and sober 40. -- -- Janeiro 42. Tribal emblem 44. Kind of ink 46. Woo 48. Finished 49. Repairs 50. Gas jet 52. -- del Sol 54. Dud of a car 56. Walk in unison 57. Quibble 58. Marsh plant 60. -- vital 63. Did a farm job 65. Bridge position 67. Hoodwink 69. “King --” 70. On an incline 71. China neighbor 74. Asian country 76. Fibber 78. A slackening 81. Rule the -83. River in Russia 85. Twangy

87. Aggressive 89. Not quite dry 91. Contemptuous 92. Claw

93. Old Greek contest 94. Mystical card 96. Memorize 98. Streetcar

99. Work by Elia 100. “Sweet -- O’Grady” 101. Quarrel 103. Customs

105. Male duck 107. Gives silent assent 109. Like a wallflower 111. Under, poetically 113. Ordeal 116. Ditties 119. Opposing one 123. Subtlety 125. Oafish fellow 126. Visionary 127. Place of refuge 129. Funds 130. Steps 132. Gather together 134. Sweet liquid 135. Instant 136. Slow, in music 137. Western 138. Rye fungus 140. Stylishly old-fashioned 142. Sakes --!

143. Sports 144. Perfect places 147. Facilitate 149. Peruse 152. Exclaim 154. Soak, as flax 156. That girl 157. Skill

Dear Abby

Questions? Visit dearabby.com

Godparents-to-be have been replaced Dear Abby: My fiancé’s friend “Art” and his wife, “Julie,” just had a baby. While Julie was pregnant, she asked my fiancé and me to be godparents. Although we could not attend her baby shower because of a previous commitment, we contributed several gifts as well as a quilt I had made.

A few weeks later, Julie posted on her social networking site she was thankful for her baby’s godparents and named an entirely different couple – not us. I am offended. If she had discussed her reason for the change with me, I would have understood.

But there was no dialogue, and to this day I have never received so much as a thank-you for our shower presents.

I would like to distance myself from Julie, but without damaging the relationship between Art and my fiancé, who thinks I am overreacting and should let it go. What are your thoughts? – Not A Godmother

Dear Not A Godmother: Julie may have been upset you and your fiancé didn’t attend the baby shower, or she may have spoken too quickly when she asked you to be godparents and didn’t have the courage to say so.

Whether you can let this go only you can decide, but I do think before you make up your mind, you should have a chat with her and clear the air – if only because your fiancé and her husband are such good friends.

Dear Abby: My husband’s younger sister, “Cindy,” is mentally ill. She has caused tremendous problems in the family. She has been arrested too many times to remember and now is on five years’ probation for injury to a child. My in-laws continue making excuses for her and are the worst enablers I have ever known.

My husband once urged his dad to put Cindy into a group home or program that will take care of her because his parents are getting up in

years. They refuse because it would mean they’d have to have Cindy officially committed, and they think there still is some magic doctor out there who will fix her.

Can my husband do anything as a last effort before something happens to one of his parents, or she winds up in jail? – Sad In Texas Dear Sad: Your husband should try to convince his parents to get some family counseling. It might help them accept that their daughter needs more help than they are equipped to give her.

An outside, objective person should weigh in so Cindy can get the professional help she so obviously needs.

If she is physically, psychologically or emotionally abusing her parents, Adult Protective Services can step in to be sure they are protected. When your in-laws pass away, if your sister-in-law becomes a danger to herself or those around

straight talk

her, a family member can request a commitment and psychological evaluation.

Dear Abby: A number of years ago, when two of my sons got married, I paid for two lovely rehearsal dinners among other wedding costs.

Both marriages ended in divorce.

Now they are both engaged again and planning weddings for next summer. My question is, how many rehearsal dinners do I have to pay for? And how many other wedding expenses am I expected to pay for the second time around? – Mother Of

Grooms In Virginia Dear Mother Of Grooms: From now

on, you do not have to pay for anything. The expenses should be paid for by your sons and their brides-tobe, especially if their fiancées have also been married previously.

• Write Dear Abby at www. dearabby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

Questions? Visit northwestcommunitycounseling.com

Rick Atwater

Support gives strength to deal with loved ones with addictions Mr. Atwater: My son has had a drug and alcohol problem for more than 10 years now.

He used to be a heroin addict and overdosed twice.

He went to treatment and stopped using heroin, but he didn’t stop drinking or smoking weed. Then two years ago, he was arrested for fighting at a bar, so he decided to stop drinking. He still smokes weed and, according to him,

occasionally does coke. He also has a prescription for sleep medication I know he abuses and also anxiety medicine I know he sells.

He hasn’t been in trouble in the past two years and works part time delivering packages. He says because he’s so much better now, I should stop bugging him about his continued use. I’m afraid things will go back to the way they were, but he is

better.

What do you think?

Dear Reader: There’s the obvious response, which is that if you’re addicted to something, you have an addictive illness, including anything mood or mind altering. But I know you (and he) already know that.

He’s playing the shell game. Addiction is an illness whose main symptom is denial. The strongest allies of

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denial are rationalization and justification, the two main culprits of the thinking part of the illness. A good definition of insanity is using a rational thought to justify an irrational act, which is what both of you are doing.

The second and more difficult part of the answer is to suggest you get some support to straighten out your own thinking, perhaps through Al Anon. That way, if your

son wants to continue his lifestyle, you will become more able to make things a little less comfortable for him where he is.

Assuming he still lives with you, you may begin to encourage him to move out on his own to see if his way really works in the world.

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14

Couples seek local-food menu, on-farm weddings

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The Associated Press Robert Pollock started hosting weddings at his Buttermilk Falls Inn and Spa as a fluke. He bought a 1764 house on about 100 acres in the Hudson Valley, north of New York City, and one of the guys he hired to do work on the property needed a place for a wedding, so Pollock agreed.

“Of course, it poured rain, but we got through it,” he recalled.

Pollock accidentally became part of a trend – couples planning weddings with locally sourced menus and taking place at farms.

In Chicago, Paul Larson is a farm-to-table chef in the truest sense; he’s both executive chef at Blue Plate caterers and owner of a farm in Cassopolis, Mich., where he grows microgreens and heirloom tomatoes.

“When I moved out to Michigan, they all laughed at me because I was a city boy wanting to be a farmer,” Larson said.

Now, with the growing popularity of locavore dining, he finds it an advantage to offer catering clients produce he’s grown, or the meat and dairy of his neighbors.

Because wedding clients tend to book far in advance, Larson can order seeds and grow an item to order. He grew butternut squash and leeks specifically for one menu last year.

Larson estimates most of the couples booking Blue Plate for weddings are interested in food issues on some level, from dabblers to those serious about sourcing the entire meal from small farms within a 100-mile radius, donating leftovers, recycling wine corks and the like.

Blue Plate tries to accom-

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ABOVE: Signage directs guests arriving at Buttermilk Falls Inn and Spa in Milton, N.Y. LEFT: A Ratatouille Tart with zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, tomato jam, goat cheese, arugula and lemon vinaigrette is shown from Blue Plate in Chicago.

Photos provided

modate couples wherever they are on that spectrum, Larson said. That means communicating clearly about a couple’s priorities and about what’s in season, and accepting the need to adapt if a particular item comes in early or late.

Jane Eckert, who consults with farms on tourism as owner of Eckert AgriMarketing, in St. Louis, Mo., has seen an increase in farms wanting to host weddings but says “it’s the brides who are driving it.”

“Brides are looking for unique destinations, and farmers are looking for ways to supplement their income,” she said.

Weddings still are a niche business for farms, Eckert said. But once a farmer has invested in the infrastructure to make visitors comfortable, such as putting in bathrooms and a big parking lot, weddings can be a logical next step.

“This appeals to the next generation [of farmers] that’s coming in. They have an opportunity to build a new business on the farm,” Eckert said.

Mary Ellen Murphy, owner of Off the Beaten Path Weddings, in Napa, Calif., has been a wedding planner for about two decades. Although northern California has long been a food-focused place, she said, she sees couples increasingly interested in making good food a focus of their celebrations.

Farms appeal to couples getting married, she thinks, because so many people work indoors and are nature-deprived; it reconnects them to the earth.

“Seeing elegance out in the middle of nature brings back some fond memory of childhood and how good it felt to run around,” Murphy said.

“People want to bottle that feeling and give that to their guests.”

Farm wedding dos and don’ts • Keep the food fun and familiar. You can accommodate less adventurous diners (and vegetarians) with a baked potato bar, for example.

• Plan for the season but stay flexible. If you want peaches and tomatoes on a locavore menu, that probably means July, not February.

• Prepare for outdoor conditions. Have extra

wraps for cool evenings and cheap sunglasses.

• Have a bad-weather contingency plan. If you’re outside, have a backup like a tent, and don’t assume buildings have heat or air conditioning.

• Remember guests might think of a wedding as dressy. Either spell out a casual dress code, or help guests keep high heels and fancy dresses clean.

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announcements Lorenc Borris

Weigel Baker

HOFFMAN ESTATES – Anne Lorenc of Crystal Lake and Christopher Borris of Hanover Park were married in a double-ring ceremony at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012, at The Bridges of Poplar Creek Country Club in Hoffman Estates. The Rev. Jim Schultz of Woodstock officiated.

She is the daughter of Dr. Z. Ted and Connie Lorenc of Crystal Lake.

He is the son of William and Marilyn Borris of Marengo.

Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore an A-line gown with allover lace and beaded motif detail and a chapel train.

She carried a bouquet of white roses and stephanotis surrounding white hydrangeas arranged by Renee’s of Ridgefield.

Maid of honor was Jennifer Pflueger of Crystal Lake. Bridesmaids were Rebecca Beresford of McHenry, Leslie-Ann Novitski of Green Bay, Wis., Analisa Gama of Chicago, Jessica Pawlicki of Marengo and Karen Borris of Delavan, Wis. Flower girl was Katherine Pflueger, niece of the bride.

Best man was Anthony Macrito of Elmhurst. Groomsmen were Chris McGill of Huntley, Sean McGill of Maple Park, Nick Rogowski of South Elgin, Anthony Mangano of Bartlett and Keith Spenner of Delavan, Wis. Ushers were Casimir Lorenc of Chicago and Luke Lorenc of Crystal Lake. Ring bearer was Dominik Novitski, cousin of the bride.

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – Lori Weigel and Kurt Baker, both of Eau Claire, Wis., were married in a double-ring ceremony at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept.

29, 2012, at St. Olaf Parish in Eau Claire, Wis. The Rev. Brian Konopa officiated.

She is the daughter of Kenneth and Patricia Weigel and Mary Weigel, all of Marshfield, Wis. He is the son of Gary and Jan Baker of Cary.

Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore a satin gown with a beaded bodice and pick-up skirt with beaded lace accent. She also carried a handkerchief carried by the bridegroom’s mother and grandmother at their weddings.

She carried a bouquet of Eskimo roses, white Calla lilies, and minigreen orchids.

Maid of honor was Darla Wojcik of Wausau, Wis., friend of the bride.

Bridesmaids were Jessica Bloechl, friend of the bride; Kristi Weigel, sister of the bride; and Cindy Williams, sister of the bride.

Best man was Steve Walke of Battle Creek, Mich., friend of the bridegroom. Groomsmen were Andy Vietti, friend of the bridegroom; Rich Dimpfel, friend of the bridegroom; and Jake Williams, brother-in-law of the bride. Ushers were Patrick Weigel, brother of the bride; and Steve Bloechl, friend of

Christopher Borris Anne Lorenc Nuptial music was provided by A Tempa String Quartet.

Cocktails and reception immediately followed at The Bridges of Poplar Creek. The couple took a wedding trip to Las Vegas followed by a week in Maui, Hawaii.

The bride is a 2000 graduate of Prairie Ridge High School in Crystal Lake and a 2004 graduate of Iowa State University in Ames. In 2012 she completed her dietetic internship at Loyola University in Chicago.

She is a registered dietitian at Centegra Health System in McHenry.

The bridegroom is a 2000 graduate of Streamwood High School and a 2004 graduate of Carthage College in Kenosha, Wis., with a degree in graphic design.

He is a licensing coordinator of Precious Moments Inc. in Rolling Meadows.

They reside in Marengo.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Announcement has been made of the engagement of Abigail “Abbie” L. Mumpower and Bryan J. Bulaga, both of Green Bay, Wis. She is the daughter of Curt and Ellen Mumpower of Quincy. He is the son of Joe and Kathi Bulaga of Crystal Lake.

The bride-to-be is a 2007 graduate of Quincy Senior High School and a 2011 graduate of the University of Iowa.

Her fiancé is a 2007 graduate of Marian Central Catholic High School in Woodstock and attended the University of Iowa.

the couple.

After a reception at Eau Claire Golf and Country Club in Wisconsin, the couple took a wedding trip to the Bahamas.

The bride is a 2003 graduate of Columbus High School in Marshfield, Wis., and a 2009 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

She is a pharmacist for Walgreens in Eau Claire.

The bridegroom is a 1999 graduate of Cary-Grove High School in Cary and a 2004 graduate of Columbia College-Chicago.

He is a broadcast advertising technician at Menards Corporate Office in Eau Claire.

They make their home in Eau Claire.

8Birth Announcements LAKE IN THE HILLS

Mumpower Bulaga

Lori Weigel Kurt Baker

Liam August Vogelmann, 8 pounds, 3 ounces, 21 inches, was born Dec. 6, 2012, at Good Shepard Hospital in Barrington, to Troy and Ashley Vogelmann of Lake in the Hills. He joins a sister, Ella Grace. Maternal grandparents are Jeff and Kim Vickery of

Huntley. Maternal great-grandparents are Sandy Ferrel of Wauconda, Dotti Cruze of Ten Mile, Tenn., Carol Pratz of Rhineland, Wis., and the late Peter Pratz. Paternal great-grandparents are the late Anna and William Wolter and the late Melba and Walter Vogelmann.

8MAKING YOUR ANNOUNCEMENT

Bryan J. Bulaga Abigail “Abbie” L. Mumpower They will be married this summer.

Births, engagements, weddings and anniversaries are printed for free in the Planit Style section every Sunday in the Northwest Herald.

Engagement announcements must be received no later than three weeks before the wedding date.

Wedding announcements are accepted up to six months after the wedding date.

We will accept one photo for weddings and

Big Brothers Big Sisters of McHenry County www.bbbsmchenry#dg\ 815-385-3855

engagements. We will accept two photos – wedding and current – for anniversaries.

Photos not accompanied with a selfaddressed, stamped envelope will not be returned.

To complete a form online, visit PlanitNorthwest.com/forms.

For information, call the Northwest Herald at 815-459-4122 or email lifestyle@ nwherald.com.

| PlanIt Style | Sunday, January 27, 2013 • PlanitNorthwest.com

15

PlanitNorthwest.com • Sunday, January 27, 2013

| PlanIt Style |

16 announcements Vincent Johnson

Myers Walter

CRYSTAL LAKE – Announcement has been made of the engagement of Laura Vincent of Crystal Lake and Donny Johnson of Elmhurst.

She is the daughter of Bob Vincent of Peoria, Ariz., and Randy and Rosie Smith of Crystal Lake. He is the son of Terry and Carole Johnson of Elmhurst.

The bride-to-be is a 2004 graduate of Crystal Lake South High School and a 2008 graduate of The Art Institute of Phoenix in Arizona with a bachelor’s degree in interior design.

She is studying for an associate degree in health and fitness education.

Her fiancé is a 1992 graduate of York Community High School in

McHENRY – Announcement has been made of the engagement of Katie Myers of McHenry and Kyle Walter of Crystal Lake.

She is the daughter of Steve and Gail Myers of McHenry. He is the son of Martin and Colleen Walter of Crystal Lake.

The bride-to-be is a 2000 graduate of McHenry East High School and a 2004 graduate of Illinois State University in Normal with a Bachelor of Arts in deaf education.

She is a teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing in Lake County.

Her fiancé is a 1997 graduate of Fox Valley Christian Academy.

He is employed by a sign manu-

Donny Johnson Laura Vincent Elmhurst.

They have plans for a Sept. 22 wedding.

Kyle Walter Katie Myers facturer.

They have plans for a beach wedding in July.

Red, camel a luxurious combination Red is bold and passionate. Camel is luxe and beautifully restrained.

When combined, they make one powerful couple. This striking duo elevates everything from centerpieces to a decadent dessert spread.

Show them to their seats

Photo provided

Gem Talk

Discovering a package in the mail is a blast whether you’re 5 or 85. So why not surprise guests with tiny parcels bearing sweet treats along with their table numbers? Going postal has never been so fun.

The coolest ideas often come from

reimagining everyday objects. Take a cubby unit and gave it an old-hotel mailroom vibe. Paint it cream, add name tags and fill it with kraft boxes festooned with bright envelopes. Inside the boxes are candies (red ones, of course!), and tucked within each envelope is a seating assignment.

A party with polish

Slick red accents really pop against neutral table linens, and using just one type of bloom will help make your centerpieces achieve maximum impact.

The fleur du jour? Ruby-red ranunculus “planted” in sleek lacquer boxes. (Give them to special guests at the end of the night, or take them home to enliven your living room.)

Fill each vessel with damp floral foam to form a base for the arrangements, stick in the stems and then camouflage the foam with coleus leaves.

As a finishing touch for your tablescape, tie a ribbon around each napkin and top with a bow.

– New York Times Syndicate

®

By Suzanne Cannon

We are getting married in June and need to buy our wedding bands. We are considering Titanium or Tungsten instead of gold or Platinum because they are more affordable. Is one better than the other?

Today there are many alternative metals to choose from. Be sure you select a ring from a jeweler that has a lifetime sizing guarantee from the manufacturer because these rings cannot be sized like a gold or platinum ring.

Tungsten Carbide is one of my favorites. It is the hardest exotic metal and found only in certain rare minerals-wolfram & wolframium. Its melting point of 3410 degrees is higher than that of any other metal. It is remarkably stiff and rigidtwice as rigid as steel and almost four times stiffer than titanium. It also retains its polish longer than any other metal.

This exceptionally hard surface creates a gemstone-like luster not found in traditional metals.

Titanium rings are lighter in weight and one of the least expensive. They are not scratch resistant. Titanium is available is many colors because the metals can easily be oxidized. Some of the colors available are blue, green, purple, pink and brown. Any of the titanium rings that we carry can be colored but the finish must be re-applied periodically.

Both Tungsten Carbide and Titanium can have inlays of gold, silver or platinum in them to create interesting design patterns and they can also have Diamonds. The choices for wedding bands is consistently growing and changing as the jewelry world evolves.

Suzanne, Graduate Gemologist Email jewelry questions to: suzanne@steffansjewelers.com or visit us online at www.steffansjewelers.com

SAVE 20% on all Amethyst Jewelry in February

Located in the Fountain Shoppes 325 N. Front St., (Rt. 31) McHenry Hours: M, T, W, F: 10-6 TH: 10-7, SAT: 9-3, SUN: Closed

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announcements Simpson Fatzinger

Beyer Vrakas

WOODSTOCK – Announcement has been made of the engagement of Brittany Simpson and Paul Fatzinger, both of Woodstock.

She is the daughter of Ronald Simpson of Batavia and Kathryn Dziewior of Crystal Lake. He is the son of JoAnn Johnson of Lake in the Hills.

The bride-to-be is a 2007 graduate of Crystal Lake Central High School and a 2009 graduate of McHenry County College with an Associate in Science degree.

She is employed by State Farm Insurance in Woodstock.

Her fiancé is a 2007 graduate of Crystal Lake Central High School and a 2009 graduate of McHenry

SPRING GROVE – Announcement has been made of the engagement of Erin Beyer and Haralambous Vrakas, both of Spring Grove.

She is the daughter of Dan and Judy Beyer of Spring Grove. He is the son of George and Maria Vrakas of Spring Grove.

The bride-to-be is a 2009 graduate of Richmond-Burton High School and a 2012 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside with a degree in business management.

She is a teacher aid at KidSuccess in Ingleside.

Her fiancé is a 2007 graduate of Richmond-Burton High School and attends Columbia College of Missouri, where he is studying account-

Brittany Simpson Paul Fatzinger County College with an associate degree in science.

He works for the village of Cary.

A Sept. 20 wedding is planned.

Erin Beyer Haralambous Vrakas ing.

He is a Toyota car salesman in Fox Lake.

Their wedding will be Aug. 18.

No strict etiquette rules for who pays, who stands up Who pays for a wedding if the bride’s parents are divorced?

Martha Stewart Weddings contributing editor Claudia Hanlin, an event planner and founder of The Wedding Library in New York City, notes that while traditionally the father of the bride foots the bill, if her mother is willing and able to help, she can and should. If the parents of the groom also want to pitch in, “I think that’s wonderful,” Hanlin said.

Have each contributor cover a part of the event they’re particularly passionate about. A music aficionado,

for instance, could pay for the DJ or band, while a vinophile might pick up the wine tab.

“That way, everyone has a say in how their money is spent,” Hanlin said.

Do the number of bridesmaids and groomsmen need to match?

Absolutely not. The only thing necessary is you have people standing up with you whose presence is meaningful and important. Ask a groomsman to link arms with two bridesmaids, task a couple of guys with escorting elderly guests, or arrange a single-file

procession.

Usually the best man starts, followed by the rest of the groomsmen, maid of honor and bridesmaids. And typically the ring bearer and flower girl are the last to walk down the aisle before the bride. Just appoint a traffic cop to make sure everyone knows when, where and with whom they’re supposed to enter.

Who gets invited to the rehearsal dinner?

According to the rules of etiquette, only those who participate in the

actual rehearsal for the wedding get an invite to its namesake dinner.

But now it’s increasingly common to include out-of-town guests and close family members in the night-before festivities.

If you’re concerned adding extra heads might undercut the significance of the main event (and seriously blow your budget), then host an intimate meal for those who attend the run-through and meet others later for drinks.

– New York Times Syndicate

This is what our 2012 Brides are saying about 31 North...

“Loved working with you most of all because I felt like family when I walked in the door.”

-Karen “Besides your wonderful support and guidance prior to the reception, your staff during the reception was exceptional.”

-Jill

“The best part about the actual building... there is only one room for one wedding at a time! Talk about personalized service!”

-Jennifer “From the moment I stepped foot in 31 North, I knew it was perfect.”

-Jillian

Visit us at the Star 105.5 Bridal Show today!

SEE MORE TESTIMONIALS ON WWW.31NORTHBANQUETS.COM 2013 & 2014 Dates Available. Schedule a Private Tour Today!

URBAN • CHIC • UNIQUE • BOUTIQUE 217 N. Front Street | Rt. 31 (1 Mile South of Rt. 120) • McHenry, IL

815.344.0330 31NorthBanquets.com

| PlanIt Style| Sunday, January 27, 2013 • PlanitNorthwest.com

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Mini-reviews & local showtimes of CURRENT movies

On screen now “Broken City” HH Rated R for pervasive language, some sexual content and violence, 1 hour, 49 minutes STARRING: Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jeffrey Wright PLOT: During a tight election, New York City’s mayor (Crowe) hires an ex-cop turned private eye (Wahlberg) to investigate his wife (Zeta-Jones) for infidelity. Once he completes his assignment, Wahlberg discovers the corrupt mayor has set him up.

VERDICT: Although set in present-day New York, this is a throwback to the classic hard-boiled detective stories of Raymond Chandler and Dashiel Hammett. The look of the film is competent, and the performances are strong.

Unfortunately, director Allen Hughes (making his first feature without his brother Albert) and writer Brian Tucker just take the detective genre’s clichés and put them in modern dress. A complicated plot is expected, but the script has enough double crosses and hidden motives to push it past riveting to absurd. – Jeffrey Westhoff, The

Northwest Herald •••••••

“Django Unchained” HH Rated R for strong graphic violence throughout, a vicious fight, language and some nudity, 2 hours, 35 minutes STARRING: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Walz, Leonardo DiCaprio PLOT: With the help of his mentor, a slave-turned-bounty hunter sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner.

VERDICT: For his latest blood fest, Quentin Tarantino largely replays all of his other blood fests, specifically his last flick, “Inglourious Basterds.”

In that 2009 tale of wickedly savage retribution, Allied Jewish soldiers get to rewrite World War II history by going on a killing spree of Nazis.

In Tarantino’s new tale of wickedly savage retribution, a black man (Foxx) gets to rewrite Deep South history by becoming a bounty hunter on a killing spree of white slave owners and overseers just before the Civil War. Granted, there’s something gleefully satisfying in watching evil people get what they have coming. But the film is Tarantino at his most puerile and least inventive, the premise offering little more than cold, nasty revenge and barrels of squishing, squirting blood.

theaters Classic Cinemas Woodstock 209 Main St., Woodstock, 815-338-8555 www.classiccinemas.com AMC Lake in the Hills 12 Randall Road, Lake in the Hills, 800-fandango www.amctheatres.com/LakeHills McHenry Downtown Theatre 1204 N. Green St., McHenry, 815-578-0500 http://cyouatthemovies.com Regal Cinemas 5600 W. Route 14, Crystal Lake, 800-fandango www.regmovies.com

intention. Which is a problem. While the film wallows in period detail and has some sporadic moments of amusing banter, it’s mostly flashy, empty and cacophonous, and it woefully wastes a strong cast led by Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in barely developed, one-note roles. At its center is a performance from Sean Penn as mob king Mickey Cohen. With his mashed-up boxer’s mug, thick Brooklyn accent and volatile bursts of anger, he’s as cartoony as a Dick Tracy villain. – Christy Lemire, The Associ-

ated Press •••••••

RATINGS HHHH - Excellent HHH - Recommended HH - Not recommended H - Awful The usual Tarantino genre mishmash – a dab of blaxploitation here, a dollop of Spaghetti Western there – is so familiar now that it’s tiresome, more so because the filmmaker continues to linger with chortling delight over every scene, letting conversations run on interminably and gunfights carry on to grotesque excess. Bodies bursting blood like exploding water balloons? Perversely fun the first five or six times, pretty dreary the 20th or 30th. Tarantino always gets good actors who deliver, though, and it’s the performances by Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christoph Waltz and Samuel L. Jackson that make the film intermittently entertaining amid moments when the characters are either talking one another to death or just plain killing each other. – David Germain, The

Associated Press •••••••

“Gangster Squad” H½ Rated R for strong violence and language, 1 hour, 53 minutes STARRING: Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone PLOT: A chronicle of the LAPD’s fight to keep East Coast Mafia types out of Los Angeles in the 1940s and ’50s.

VERDICT: “Gangster Squad,” a pulpy, violent tale of cops and mobsters in 1949 Los Angeles, rides an uncomfortable line between outlandishness and outright parody, and it’s difficult to tell which is director Ruben Fleischer’s

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” HHH PG-13 for frightening images and extended sequences of intense fantasy action and violence, 2 hours, 49 minutes STARRING: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Andy Serkis PLOT: The hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Freeman) joins Gandalf the wizard (McKellen) and a company of 13 dwarves in a quest to reclaim the dwarves’ homeland from an invading dragon.

They encounter monstrous obstacles in the first leg of their journey.

VERDICT: From the opening frames we are back in Peter Jackson’s Middle Earth, and it’s a comfortable place to be. So comfortable, it is easy to overlook many of the film’s flaws. The idea that Jackson would turn J.R.R. Tolkien’s slim children’s novel into a three-film epic is nuts, but the first of these films is entertaining enough, even when the padding shows in a narrative nearly three hours long.

Bilbo’s encounter with Gollum (Andy Serkis) is a showstopper. Avoid seeing the 3-D version shown at 48 frames per second, because it makes an expensive movie look as cheap as a 1970s BBC production. – Jeffrey

Westhoff, Northwest Herald •••••••

“The Last Stand” HHH R for strong, bloody violence throughout and language, 1 hour, 47 minutes STARRING: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Forest Whitaker, Johnny Knoxville PLOT: The leader of a drug cartel busts out of a courthouse and speeds to the Mexican border, where the only thing in his path is a sheriff and his inexperienced staff.

VERDICT: ”The Last Stand” is the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie you didn’t even realize you wanted to see. This is the action superstar’s first leading role in a decade, having left acting to serve as the governor of California and whatnot, and while it may not have occurred to you to miss him during that time, it’s still surprisingly good to see him on the big screen again. He is not exactly pushing himself here.

Korean director Kim Jee-woon’s American filmmaking debut turns out to be an extremely Schwarzeneggerish Schwarzenegger film, full of big, violent set pieces and broad comedy. He may look a little creaky (and facially freaky) these days, but Arnold proves he’s still game for the mayhem as he fires off rounds and tosses off oneliners, and the movie at least has the decency to acknowledge that it knows that you know that he’s old. – Christy

Lemire, The Associated Press •••••••

“Les Misérables” HH½ Rated PG-13 for suggestive and sexual material, violence and thematic elements, 2 hours, 37 minutes STARRING: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfreid PLOT: Years after ex-prisoner Jean Valjean (Jackman) breaks his parole to become a virtuous man, fanatical policeman Javert (Crowe) continues to hunt him. While avoiding Javert, Valjean helps a dying prostitute (Hathaway) and, years later, her daughter (Seyfried).

VERDICT: Director Tom Hooper’s interpretation of the blockbuster stage show is a musical in close-up. With his actors singing their roles “live,” Hooper can push his camera’s right into their faces. This is riveting for the first hour, then becomes repetitive.

Jackman, Crowe and Hathaway are electrifying. This film was made for fans of the stage show. Others who don’t know the story going in will be lucky if they know it going out. – Jef-

frey Westhoff, Northwest Herald •••••••

“Lincoln” HHH Rated PG-13 for an intense scene of war violence, some images of carnage and brief strong language, 2 hours, 30 minutes STARRING: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon-

Levitt PLOT: As the Civil War continues to rage, America’s president struggles with continuing carnage on the battlefield as he fights with many inside his own Cabinet on the decision to emancipate the slaves.

VERDICT: For anyone who cringed just a little while watching the trailer for “Lincoln” and worried it might be a near-parody of a Steven Spielberg film, with its heartfelt proclamations, sentimental tones and inspiring John Williams score, fret not. The movie itself is actually a lot more reserved than that – more a wonky, nuts-andbolts lesson about the way political machinery operates than a sweeping historical epic that tries to encapsulate the entirety of the revered 16th president’s life. That was a smart move on the part of Spielberg and screenwriter Tony Kushner, a Pulitzer prize-winner for the play “Angels in America” who also wrote the script for Spielberg’s “Munich.” It’s talky and intimate but also surprisingly funny.

– Christy Lemire, The Associated Press •••••••

“Mama” HHH PG-13 for violence and terror, some disturbing images and thematic elements, 1 hour, 40 minutes

STARRING: Jessica Chastain, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Megan Charpentier PLOT: Annabel and Lucas are faced with the challenge of raising his young nieces that were left alone in the forest for 5 years ... but how alone were they?

VERDICT: A playful, elegantly made little horror film, “Mama” teasingly sustains a game of hide-and-seek as it tantalizes the audience with fleeting apparitions of the title character while maintaining interest in two deeply disturbed little orphan girls. “Mama” represents a throwback and a modest delight for people who like a good scare but prefer not to be terrorized or grossed out. With fine special effects and a good sense of creating a mood and pacing the jolts, Andy Muschietti shows a reassuringly confident hand for a first-time director, pulling off some fine visual coups through smart camera placement and cutting, and not taking the whole thing so seriously that it becomes overwrought. – Todd

McCarthy, The Hollywood Reporter

• Continued on page 19

local showtimes of CURRENT movies

On screen now

Local showtimes

Walmart: Customers 19 find Drew relatable • BARRYMORE

Continued from page 20 • Continued from page 18

“Parker” H½ R for strong violence, language throughout and brief sexual content/nudity, 1 hour, 58 minutes STARRING: Jason Statham, Jennifer Lopez PLOT: A thief with a unique code of professional ethics is double-crossed by his crew and left for dead. Assuming a new disguise and forming an unlikely alliance with a woman on the inside, he looks to hijack the score of the crew’s latest heist.

VERDICT: This plays like the bloodiest promotional video ever made for Palm Beach tourism. Stabbings, explosions and furniture-smashing brawls occur at some of the ritziest locations within the sun-splashed, pastel-soaked slab of Florida opulence. This is the same character Statham always plays: quietly cool, dryly British, powerfully lethal.

This perfunctory action film is actually more compelling before it even gets to Palm Beach, as Parker makes his way from Ohio to Texas to New Orleans before arriving. Lopez co-stars as the struggling Palm Beach real estate agent who learns too much and wants a piece of the action, but playing weak and girlish isn’t exactly her strong suit. – Jake

Coyle, The Associated Press •••••••

“Zero Dark Thirty” HHH½ Rated R for language and strong violence including brutal disturbing images, 2 hours, 37 minutes STARRING: Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Jennifer Ehle, James Gandolfini PLOT: A CIA officer (Chastain) leads an eight-year hunt for Osama bin Laden, which climaxes with a daring nighttime raid in Pakistan.

VERDICT: Much like her Oscar-winning “The Hurt Locker,” director Kathryn Bigelow’s account of the CIA’s search for Osama bin Laden is compelling filmmaking that can be difficult to watch at times, as it should be. Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal should have been more critical of it rather than present it as a necessary evil. That said, this still is a hypnotic procedural that chronicles nearly a decade of frustrations and setbacks before the Navy Seals’ celebrated raid on bin Laden’s compound. Even though we know the outcome, the story is charged with suspense. – Jeffrey Westhoff, Northwest

Herald

“BROKEN CITY”

“les miserables”

AMC Lake in the Hills 12 – 10:50 a.m., 1:30, 4:20, 7:20 p.m.

Classic Cinemas Carpentersville – 12:15, 2:40, 5:05, 7:30, 9:55 p.m.

Regal Cinemas – 12:35, 3:20, 6:20, 9:20 p.m.

AMC Lake in the Hills 12 – 11:00 a.m., 2:30, 6:00 p.m.

Classic Cinemas Carpentersville – 1:00, 4:15, 7:30 p.m.

Regal Cinemas – 1:40, 5:20, 9:00 p.m.

“django unchained”

“LINCOLN”

Sunday, Jan. 27

Sunday, Jan. 27

Sunday, Jan. 27

Sunday, Jan. 27

AMC Lake in the Hills 12 – 10:50 a.m., 2:20, 6:30 p.m.

Regal Cinemas – 1:20, 5:10, 9:10 p.m.

AMC Lake in the Hills 12 –11:20 a.m., 2:40, 6:10 p.m.

Regal Cinemas – 12:20, 3:50, 7:20, 10:45 p.m.

“GANGSTER SQUAD”

“MAMA”

AMC Lake in the Hills 12 – 10:50 a.m., 1:40, 4:30, 7:20 p.m.

Classic Cinemas Carpentersville – 7:05, 9:35 p.m.

Regal Cinemas – 1:15, 4:30, 7:45, 10:55 p.m.

AMC Lake in the Hills 12 – 10:50 a.m., 1:20, 4:10, 7:10 p.m.

Classic Cinemas Carpentersville – 12:45, 3:00, 5:15, 7:30, 9:45 p.m.

Regal Cinemas – 1:30, 4:40, 7:50, 10:20 p.m.

“hansel and gretel: Witch Hunters”

“Parental guidance”

AMC Lake in the Hills 12 – 2D: 11:40 a.m., 2:15 p.m.; 3D: 4:50, 7:15 p.m.

Classic Cinemas Carpentersville – 2D: 5:20 p.m.; 3D: 1:00, 3:10, 7:30, 9:40 p.m.

Regal Cinemas – 2D: 12:00, 2:30, 7:30 p.m.; 3D: 12:40, 3:10, 5:00, 5:40, 8:10, 10:00, 10:50 p.m.

Classic Cinemas Carpentersville – 12:00, 2:20, 4:40, 7:00, 9:20 p.m.

Regal Cinemas – 12:15, 6:50 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 27

Sunday, Jan. 27

“a haunted house” Sunday, Jan. 27

AMC Lake in the Hills 12 – 7:40 p.m.

Classic Cinemas Carpentersville – 12:00, 2:00, 4:00, 6:00, 8:00, 10:00 p.m.

Regal Cinemas – 12:55, 3:30, 5:50, 8:20, 11:00 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 27

Sunday, Jan. 27

“PARKER”

Sunday, Jan. 27 AMC Lake in the Hills 12 – 11:00 a.m., 1:50, 4:40, 7:30 p.m.

Classic Cinemas Carpentersville – 2:00, 4:35, 7:10, 9:45 p.m.

Regal Cinemas – 1:10, 4:10, 7:40, 10:35 p.m.

“Silver Linings Playbook”

“the hobbit: an unexpected journey”

AMC Lake in the Hills 12 – 1:00, 3:50, 6:50 p.m.

Classic Cinemas Carpentersville – 1:40, 4:20, 7:00, 9:40 p.m.

Regal Cinemas – 1:00, 4:00, 7:00, 10:10 p.m.

Regal Cinemas – 2:50, 9:30 p.m.

“ZERO DARK THIRTY”

“THE LAST STAND”

AMC Lake in the Hills 12 – 11:10 a.m., 2:45, 6:30 p.m.

Classic Cinemas Carpentersville – 1:15, 4:30, 7:45 p.m.

Classic Cinemas Woodstock – 1:00, 4:15, 7:30 p.m.

Regal Cinemas – 12:10, 3:40, 7:10, 10:40 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 27

Sunday, Jan. 27

AMC Lake in the Hills 12 – 11:20 a.m., 2:10, 5:00 p.m.

Classic Cinemas Carpentersville – 12:10, 2:30, 4:50, 7:10, 9:30 p.m.

Regal Cinemas – 1:50, 4:50, 7:25, 10:15 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 27

What Barrymore doesn’t like are feathering lipsticks, uneven foundations – and anything that is too hard to find. Yes, even with her full vanity at home, she’s had to run out to the local drugstore in some remote places because an airline lost her luggage or she forgot to pack something.

If she doesn’t look her best, there will be a photographer around the corner to capture it, she said.

One would think a signature girlish giggle from Barrymore, the granddaughter of screen legend John Barrymore and star of “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial,” the “Charlie’s Angels” movies and the HBO movie “Grey Gardens,” would go a long way.

Watching her in the corporate board rooms at the Tribeca offices of Maesa, Barrymore seems in control of the conversations she’s having with executives, publicists and reporters while putting everyone at ease.

She’s wearing a colorful shirt and dark jeans, and her hair is wrapped in a tight bun. She pops in and out of a chair during a photo shoot to greet colleagues. Maybe she makes her handlers a tiny bit frustrated because she carefully considers the colors and products she wants to highlight as her “picks.” (I Lavendare You nail polish,

About Face foundation and Intense Black mascara eventually emerge as the “must-haves” of the day.)

As with everything in life, Barrymore says, finding the right partner is what makes it work.

“If you’re alone in your living room with goals, then you’re alone in your living room with goals. All together – here we are.”

Walmart already was planning to make over its beauty department, said Carmen Bauza, vice president of beauty and personal care for Walmart U.S. “We wanted something special. We were not interested in a trend, a celebrity brand that wouldn’t last,” she said. “We want this to be here and be here for a long time.”

Bauza adds, “I know my customer finds Drew relatable.”

Flower Films is the name of Barrymore’s production company, and it seemed a natural for a beauty brand.

It’s pretty, uplifting and happy – and it could be the most ornate rose or the simplest daisy, just like the woman wearing it.

Barrymore said she was surprised the name wasn’t taken, but her father-in-law, Arie Koppelman, the former Chanel CEO, couldn’t believe it.

“He kept saying, ‘How could it not be taken?’ And it is pretty insane that there’s at least not a perfume with that name.”

Maybe there will be soon.

“C” You At The Movies - McHenry Downtown Theatre

$5 Matinees (CHILD/SENIORS ALL SHOWS)

$7 Adult (NON-MATINEE)

1204 N. Green St. • 815-578-0500 www.cyouatthemovies.com – SHOWTIMES FOR FRI, JANUARY 25 THROUGH THURS, JANUARY 31 –

LIFE OF PI

Fox Valley

Helping Paws

Animal Welfare Association

(PG) (126 minutes)

Fri & Sat: 12:45, 3:30, 6:15, 9:00 Sun: 1:15, 4:00, 6:45 Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs: 6:45

Help support our no-kill animal shelter.

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (R) (122 minutes)

Fri & Sat: 1:00, 3:45, 6:30, 9:15 Sun: 1:30, 4:15, 7:00 Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs: 7:00

Call 815- 338-4400 or visit helpingpaws.net 2500 Harding Lane, Woodstock, IL, 60098

| PlanIt Style | Sunday, January 27, 2013 • PlanitNorthwest.com

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Flower Power “I don’t think much about clothes, but if you take away my concealer, I wouldn’t know what to do.”

Drew Barrymore

Barrymore cultivates beauty line from the ground up

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By SAMANTHA CRITCHELL • The Associated Press

rew Barrymore, an accomplished actress, producer and director, is launching her own beauty brand. Maybe, she says, it’s the next chapter now that she’s married art consultant Will Koppelman and they have a 4-month-old daughter, Olive.

She’s not just starring in the ad campaign or splashing her name on the box. Barrymore says she is growing Flower, which will be sold exclusively at Walmart stores, from the ground up. (Products are being added all month, and Flower will be fully launched by the end of January.)

“I think it could last, and my daughter could work on it someday,” the 37-year-old Barrymore said. “I think I’ve earned the right to do it, after so many years working with Cover Girl, and I’ve been in a makeup chair since I was 6.”

This was hardly a whim. While development and production have moved quickly, taking about 18 months to sign the deals with Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and manufacturer Maesa to launch with 181 products, it’s been on her mind all day, every day.

On the day of this interview, she had posted a Facebook update tallying up the hundreds of meetings, the thousands of miles flown – including to Wal-Mart headquarters in Arkansas – and what feels like millions of questions, requests and comments to the lab.

She’s an eager makeup enthusiast – “I don’t think much about clothes, but if you take away my concealer, I wouldn’t know what to do,” she said.

Barrymore spent five years as co-creative director as a Cover Girl for beauty behemoth Proctor & Gamble, so she went into the new cosmetics line with big ideas but also realistic expectations, she said.

“I wanted to make a new model with Walmart.

I wanted a different business model; I want the money to go into the formula,” she said.

For her own use, there is an unlimited supply of the very best cosmetics and skin-care products for the taking – probably for free – but she says most women don’t find themselves in that enviable position.

“Women shouldn’t have to pay a lot to look and feel their best,” she said.

See BARRYMORE, page 19

Get the look Flower will be fully launched in Walmart stores by the end of January with more than 180 products.

AP photo