Life & Style - Summer 2015 by The Southern Illinoisan

Life & Style : Summer 2015

Retirement is on the horizon. Make sure you look at the whole picture. If we talk about where you’re headed, your financial picture becomes clear. Barbara Blacklock

Monte Kuhnert

Ginger Murray

Kim Ketter

Brad Arnold

Les Palmer

First Vice President-Investments

First Vice President-Investment Officer

Alesia Patterson

Carl Payne

Mike Uffelman

Managing Director-Investments First Vice President-Investments First Vice President-Investments

Managing Director-Investments

First Vice President-Investment Officer

Theresa Ojewuyi

Dana Zimbro

Financial Advisor

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Summer 2015 Publisher .................................John Pfeifer Editor ...................................... Cara Recine Advertising Director ..............Kim Fowler Audience Development Director...........Aimee Elkin Art Direction .................... Rhonda M. May Design..................................Mary Garrison Distribution .................. Mark Romanowski

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Life & Style in Southern Illinois is a publication of The Southern Illinoisan. Contact us at 710 N. Illinois Ave., Carbondale, IL 62901, or at P.O. Box 2108, Carbondale, IL 62902. Reach us on the Internet at www.LifeandStyleSI.com. Life & Style in Southern Illinois is published four times per year and is distributed free of cost to a variety of businesses and hotels in Southern Illinois. © 2015 by The Southern Illinoisan. All rights reserved. For more information, call 618-529-5454. Visit us online at www.thesouthern.com.

Letter from the publisher Find the color that works for you; mine is purple Purple. There you have it. Purple is – by a long shot – the world’s greatest color. I have a couple of purple sweaters and a plethora of purple ties, and they usually evoke the greatest number of comments when I wear them, so purple it is. Now, it’s true, that comments usually sound a lot like “I like your sweater” or “That’s a neat tie,” but when I hear them, I realize that deep down people are struggling to say, “You look mighty, mighty fine in that purple ensemble.” So much so that I’ve expanded to include socks that now contain purple stripes or accents. But it doesn’t stop with clothing. I love purple berries. If you venture into your neighborhood store’s produce section, you may see these listed as either blueberries or blackberries, but have you ever really looked at their color? Purple grapes are also appealing, mostly when crushed, spindled, mutilated and distilled into a pleasing vintage of purple wine. For reasons passing understanding, vineyards and supposedly savvy

marketers refer to this as “red” wine, but for anyone who’s actually tried to get a red wine stain out of a shirt or a tablecloth, you know better. It’s purple wine. And I love it. I don’t spend a lot of my time looking at the newspaper websites of papers I’ve been at before coming to The Southern, but when I do, I go to elkodaily.com. I’d find this affinity for the Elko Daily Free Press’ site rather strange, if the obsession wasn’t so perfectly logical. The site is purple, a very deep, very royal purple. The header is purple, the footer is purple and every single headline is purple. Amazing. But the purpleness continues. I have purple pens, purple calculators, purple coffee mugs and purple flash drives. At Thanksgiving last year, I was chatting with my son and (then future) daughter-in-law about finding and wearing a nice purple sport coat and matching purple suede shoes to their wedding. I even found some great pictures online. But I could tell they weren’t quite as enthused about it as I was, so I resisted the urge and went with a far more conservative black suit. Boring! But I made up for it. At the reception, I let the champagne take a break during the toast and instead lifted my full glass of purple wine in tribute to the new bride and groom. Enjoy this issue of Life & Style, but take some of our writers’ thoughts with a grain of salt. In places they will try to convince you that there are colors that may exceed the efficacy of purple. They’re wrong. John Pfeifer, Publisher LIFE & STYLE IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS

Life & Style : Summer 2015

CONTENTS SUMMER 2015

COLOR BREAKTHROUGH Expand your palette for home, business and well-being

Wine Shawnee Hills Wine Trail celebrates 20 years of history and the years to come

26 28 cheers to beer 30 good eats 34 lens envy 37 profile

20 questions Find out what you need to

know about Kate Poulos A beer’s color is a fascinating and occasionally misunderstood topic When it comes to color, sweetness, aroma and texture, nothing beats strawberries Hundreds of species of birds can be viewed each year with a bit of effort and homework. We’ll give you tips on how Joseph Brown: It’s been a lifetime extraordinary experiences, obstacles, sorrow, joy and success

6 Life & Style : Summer 2015

Getaway Nashville: A dream destination throughout the year

Where we live Marion home combines lakeside luxury with dramatic design

cover photo

Photographer Byron Hetzler and editor Cara Recine spent the morning in the Carterville studio of Renée Mavigliano, who is our featured artist this month. Renée used her artist’s skill to create the backdrop for the cover shoot before we turned it around and helped her “breakthrough” with color.

this issue social seen music artists style at work

10 22 50 54 60

décor apps business buzz gear parting shot

80 83 84 86 88

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EDITORIAL Cara Recine editor 618-351-5075 cara.recine @thesouthern.com

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TASTE OF CHOCOLATE Chocolate took center stage Feb. 6 when the annual Taste of Chocolate returned to the Carbondale Civic Center. Attendees had a chance to sample unique culinary creations, each including chocolate among its ingredients, and take home special auction items. Proceeds benefit The Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Center. 4

PHOTOS BY RHONDA M. MAY

1 Shiela Simon and Perry Knop with Nancy and Mike Carr, all of Carbondale 2 Jolene and Steve Falat of Murphysboro 3 Lindsey Kleinschmidt and Lisa Dover of Murphysboro 4 Katie Stanhouse of Herrin and Amanda Holmes of Du Quoin 5 Barry Cupp of Carterville and Barb Eidlin of Carbondale 6 Denny Pankey, Jane Payne, Leslie Pankey with Mike and Terri Henry, all of Carbondale 7 Kay and Larry Weatherford of Carbondale 8 Amber and Adam Loos of Carbondale 9 Mark Kennedy of Sparta 10 Bonnie Cissell of Cobden, Leon Dangbar of Carbondale and Misty Gamble of Cambria 11 Kate and Jim Flynn of Marion 12 Diane Hood of Carbondale and Cathy 10

Life & Style : Summer 2015

McClanahan of Dowell 13 Karen and John Pfeifer of Marion 14 Kathryn Tamruk of Highland and Michael Morthland of Decatur 15 Don Ursini and Brad Weiss, both of Carbondale 16 Bill and Diane Gaza of Makanda 17 Geralyn Damian of Carbondale, Kim Boellman of Murphysboro and Lori Reed-Robertson of Alto Pass 18 Mindy Combs, Teri Ingram, Lori Burke and Melissa Etherton, all of Carterville 19 Terry and Diane Russel with Mike Henry, all of Carbondale 20 Dorris Heiple and Mary Heins, both of Murphysboro 21 Jason and Jen Novak of Goreville 22 Rachael Clark of Marion, Steven Crawford of Benton, Brittani Wynn of Herrin and Daniell

Weinhoffer of Benton 23 Ella Lacey, Margeret Nezbitt and Jane Payne, all of Carbondale 24 James Garofalo and Joan McDermott of Murphysboro 25 Marilyn and Davis Mattheys of Herrin 26 Patti Morgan of Johnston City, Alexis Mihelich of De Soto, and Patty Cosgrove of Carbondale 27 Ashley Tobin, Lauren Morris, Liz DeVito and Allison Osborn, all of Carbondale 28 Maria Napolez of Los Angeles, Yolanda Riley of Roswell, Georgia, and Anyi Fomengia of Washington, D.C. 29 Kim Fowler and Autumn Phillips, both of Carbondale 30 D. Gorton, Jane Adams and Daniel Presley, all of Carbondale 31 Trish and Dwain Sellars of Carbondale

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MARDI GRAS MAGIC Members of the Chamber of Commerce and guests braved an ice storm to get inside the SIU Student Center Ballrooms for the annual banquet Feb. 20. The theme was Mardi Gras Magic, and the evening included a cocktail hour, dinner, prizes, dancing and awards. 2

PHOTOS BY RICHARD SITLER

1 Kia Gwaltney of Goreville, Matt Carnaghi of Marion and Mindy and Josh Combs of Carterville 2 McKenna Moffett of Nashville, Phoenix Strawn of Marion and Jon Basil of Marion 3 Jim Steinbach and Rolf Schilling of Carbondale and Jake Rendleman of Carterville 4 Josh and Erin Dunderdale of Energy, Rachel Clark of Marion and Brittani Wynn of Herrin 5 Dalus Kulich and Kristin Paul, both of Marion 6 Nathan and Kristina Scott of Carbondale 7 Lindsey Bock and Kyle Baker, both of Makanda 8 Michelle Sirles of Alto Pass, Judy Mittendorf of Murphysboro, Sharon Williamson of Belleville, Amy Remsey of Alto Pass, Jan Henry of Murphysboro and Betty Sirles of Alto Pass 9 Dr. Alex Garrido and Zach Niemann, both 12 Life & Style : Summer 2015

of Carbondale 10 Giacomo Luca of Carterville, Allison Twaits of Carbondale, Chris Kleinlein of Carbondale, Karli and Mark Feldhake of Carterville and Steve Mason of Marion 11 Megan Cole and Stephen Simpson, both of Carbondale 12 Wayne and Michelle Sirles of Alto Pass 13 Cecil and Becky Thompson of Marion 14 Christine and Les Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Dell of Carbondale 15 Dane Mason of Du Quoin, Jessica Holder of Pinckneyville, Tim Robinson of Carterville, Robin Laur Russell and Leo Russell of Du Quoin 16 Kaitlyn Santmire of Murphysboro, Bob Davenport of Carbondale and Stan Miller of Ridgway

17 The Southern Illinoisan Publisher John Pfeifer and Karen Pfeifer of Marion, Editor Autumn Phillips and reporter Stephanie Esters, both of Carbondale 18 Bonnie Juul, Sarah Doty, Amelia Smith and Julie Sobery, all of Carbondale 19 Rikki Rogers of Marion 20 Jeff Bare of Carterville and Bonnie Kucharski of Marion 21 Jim and Deanne Jacobs of Carbondale 22 Elizabeth Strusz and April Blessing, both of Carbondale 23 Steve and Rhonda Barrett of Carbondale 24 Mike and Kasey Schwarz of Herrin 25 Andrea and Justin Halteman of Carbondale 26 Randy Osborne of Carbondale and Mike Bost of Murphysboro

Life & Style : Summer 2015

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STARS OF ALTGELD Rain and impending bad weather couldn’t stop classical music lovers and Southern Illinois Symphony patrons and supporters from attending a pre-concert reception for Stars of Altgeld on March 3. The reception was hosted by the University Museum. The concert was presented later in the evening in Shryock Auditorium. 2

PHOTOS BY RICHARD SITLER

1 Orchestra member Katie Heise of Glen Ellyn. Katie is playing a violin made by Ryan Hesketh 2 Orchestra members Michelle Ford of Carterville, Arthur Scoleri of Carbondale, Jeremy Holmes of Shelbyville 3 Rob Jensen, Edward Benyas (orchestra conductor) and Gary Austin, all of Carbondale 4 Orchestra member Ryan Hesketh of Carbondale 5 Orchestra members Matt Seidel of Flossmoor and Ken Trimble of Anna 6 Colleen Ryterski of Pinckneyville 7 Marcia Sinnott of Carbondale 8 Orchestra member Christine Chon of Chicago

Life is more colorful with wine. 14 Life & Style : Summer 2015

9 Orchestra members Nina Morwell of Carterville and Caleb Gomes of Du Quoin 10 Barb Levine and Viven Ugent, both of Carbondale 11 Anita Chandra of Carbondale and Varun Mahan of London, England 12 Orchestra member Lee Shirer of Homewood 13 Conductors Edward Benyas of Carbondale and Massimilliano Donnenelli of Trieste, Italy 14 Jan and Gary Austin of Carbondale 15 Dona Bachman, museum director, and Kent Wagenschutz, both of Carbondale 16 Jane Swanson and Melissa Jansen, both of Carbondale

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SPRING FAMILY WEEKEND DINNER Brehm Preparatory School in Carbondale hosted its Spring Family Weekend Dinner on April 11. Parents, students, staff, board members, alumni and guests enjoyed an evening of festivities including a silent auction, live auction, student awards, a student talent show and live music by The Venturis. Brehm Preparatory School is a small, fully accredited, not-for-profit co-educational boarding school for students with learning disabilities. 1

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1 Dr. Brian Brown of Carterville, the Rev. Stacy Tate and Mark Tate of Belle Rive, and Dr. Richard Collins of Carbondale 2 Erin Camfield of DeSoto, Brehm School Foundation associate 3 Ellen Gerdes, Sharon Cohen, Daniel Cohen, Charles Cohen 4 Brian Taylor, Karol Wilson, Vicky Wilson, Dylan Wilson, Aaron Taylor and Charnese Felix, all of Carbondale 5 Beth and Rusty Crutsinger, Chris Hackett, Lisa Geissler 6 Speakers Russ Williams (left), director of Brehm School Foundation, and Brian Brown, executive director of Brehm Preparatory School

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CARBONDALE MAIN STREET’S NIGHT OUT Carbondale Main Street hosted its annual Night Out on Thursday, April 9, at the Downtown Design Center. The annual party is the organization’s main fundraiser. Local business owners and community members enjoyed a cocktail hour, dinner catered by Global Gourmet, Reema’s Indian Cuisine, Cristaudo’s and Carbondale Main Street, and a silent auction.

1 Travis Taylor of Carterville and April Blessing of Carbondale 2 Eric Shadley of Marion and Meghan Cole, executive director, of Carbondale 3 Alison Edmond of Carbondale, Chris Ahart of Carbondale, Randy Johnson of Makanda, Logan Johnson and Jennifer Swan, both of Carbondale 4 Mangalavite of Rochester, Illinois; Jordan Wren of Carbondale, Brittany Albrecht of Bolingbrook 5 Darren Berger and Karen Binder, both of Carbondale 6 Meghan Cole and Tip Cook, both of Carbondale 7 Liz Yewell and Meghan Cole, both of Carbondale

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TRIVIA NIGHT AT THE OSCARS

A large crowd braved frigid temperatures Feb. 19 to attend this annual fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club of Carbondale. After cocktails and dinner at Copper Dragon, attendees â&#x20AC;&#x201D; many dressed to represent their favorite Oscar nominees â&#x20AC;&#x201D; participated in 10 rounds of movie-related questions. There also were prizes, a raffle and silent auction. 3

PHOTOS BY MARILYN HALSTEAD

18 Life & Style : Summer 2015

1 Lori Wahaib, Paula Feigenbaum and Richard Thalman, all of Carbondale 2 Steve and Jan Payne and Julie Sobery, all of Carbondale 3 Angela Povolish and Aaron Webb of Murphysboro 4 Herb and Thyra Russell of Carbondale 5 Jim Temple and George Sheffer of Carbondale 6 Lynda Martin and Kimberly Dahlen of Carbondale 7 Kamber DiMaggio, Heather Mayer and Naomi Arseneau, all of Carbondale 8 Chris Sisulak and Karen Binder of Carbondale

9 Greg Scott and Diane Hood of Carbondale 10 Randy Osborne, Kara Jones Daley, Naomi Tolbert and Mohammed Bagendwan of Carbondale 11 Jim and Kate Renshaw of Makanda 12 Randy Osborne, executive director of the club, of Carbondale; Marilyn Halstead of Vergennes 13 Judge William Schwartz of Murphysboro 14 John Rendleman and John Dosier of Carbondale

TASTE OF BLACKNESS SOUL FOOD SAMPLER

Not all events are as tasty as the Taste of Blackness Soul Food Sampler. On Saturday, Feb. 25, foodies and supporters gathered at New Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Carbondale for the church’s annual event. 3

PHOTOS BY RICHARD SITLER

1 Ruth Davidson of Marion, Constance Robinson of Murphysboro and Shirley Salone of Marion 2 D’mareon Henry, Demarquis Henry, Demonica Henry and Delantae Henry, all of Carbondale 3 Warren and Gladys Grigsby of Carbondale 4 Jim Scales and Milton Maxwell, church trustees, both of Carbondale 5 Beverly Brown and Billie Brown of Carbondale 6 Deloris Easley and Stephanie Love Morris of Carbondale

7 Cheryl and the Rev. Virgil Walton of Carbondale and the Rev. Darryl Cox, pastor of the church, of Carbondale 8 Michelle Bryant of Carbondale 9 Nancy and Don Skouby of De Soto 10 Leo Wilson of Carbondale 11 Faith Miller of Carbondale 12 Constance and Elmer Robinson of Murphysboro 13 Umon Williamson, Joyce Stephenson and Mary Moore, all of Murphysboro 14 Nikki Davis, Phoebe Davis and Debbie Moore, all of Carbondale Life & Style : Summer 2015

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SIH FOUNDATION GALA More than 500 friends of SIH gathered for the organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest annual fundraiser on Friday, April 17, at the SIU Student Center Ballrooms to celebrate a healthcare milestone, the opening of the SIH Cancer Institute. Proceeds from the annual Gala benefited the SIH Foundation. 3

PHOTOS BY ROSSLIND RICE

1 Mel and Ellen Bower of Carbondale 2 Barbara and Mort Levine of Carbondale 3 Bruce and Sara Fleming of Hurst 4 Karen and Ed Gast of Du Quoin 5 Jill and Mike Kasser of Pomona 6 Malieh and Terence Farrell of Herrin 7 Dr. Dan and Stacey Massie of Carbondale 8 Melissa and Rodney Smith of Herrin 9 Sam Goldman and Patsy Parker of Carbondale 10 Tom and Dr. Marci-Moore Connelley of Carbondale 11 Rita and Woody Thorne of Makanda 12 Hannah Gilland and Dr. Alex Wright

of Carbondale 13 Dr. John and Stephanie Wood of Carbondale 14 Brandon Zanotti and Katie Richey of Johnston City 15 Jason and Nicole Mings of Marion 16 Fran and Dr. Ron Mings of Marion 17 Phil and Gail Gilbert of Carbondale 18 Dr. Jeff and Sherrie Parks of Herrin 19 Don and Misty Wright of Murphysboro, Carey and Doug Gill of Carterville 20 Linda and Mark Holt of Carbondale 21 Dr. Buck and Karen Hales of Carbondale 22 Brenda and Dr. Don Gates of Carbondale

23 Randy and Ronda Dunn of Carbondale 24 Glenn and Jo Poshard of Carbondale 25 Lindsey Bowman of Carbondale and Amanda Graff of Carterville 26 Joan, Caitlin and Bill Sherwood of Carbondale 27 Brad and Jennifer Olson of Carterville 28 Jon and Christie Mitchell of Carterville 29 Carl and Linda Flowers of Carbondale 30 Dr. Alex Garrido and Richard Corcho of Carbondale 31 Dr. Thomas and Dr. Valerie Kupferer of Murphysboro, Alyssa and Robert Kupferer of Murphysboro

Life & Style : Summer 2015

ENTERTAINMENT

Tawl Paul

THE SOUTHERN FILE PHOTO

Singin’ the blues

The Ivas John Band

From the old vanguard to the latest entries, blues music in Southern Illinois is thriving BRENT STEWART

The blues. Everybody’s had them, as B.B. King once sang. It’s the only genre of music named after a feeling. Many nights of the week or weekend afternoons, you’ll probably find a band at a winery or a bar in Southern Illinois helping COURTESY WENDY COOPER

Life & Style : Summer 2015

people forget their troubles by playing a few tunes. There’s the old guard, acts like Tawl Paul and Slappin’ Henry Blue and Big Larry Allbritton, who have more than 40 years of playing the blues under their belts. There are longtime players like Marty Davis and Rip Lee Pryor. And then the next generation, such as the Ivas John Band and The Well, Well, Wells. Though the blues scene in Southern Illinois has been strong and thriving for many years, Tawl Paul

Fredrick can remember a time when that wasn’t necessarily true. When Fredrick arrived in Carbondale in 1969 to attend Southern Illinois University, the music scene wasn’t as diverse or as integrated as it is today. “You really had to go out of town, to the honky tonks,” Fredrick said. Fredrick remembers going to bars such as Marilyn’s and Junior’s in Colp or Jerry’s in Murphysboro to see blues acts. Most of those bands weren’t locally based. “The Chicago blues guys would come down,” Fredrick said. Local blues musicians at that time included Martin “Big Larry” Allbritton and his brother, Larry “Big Twist” Nolen. The first bar in Carbondale to regularly feature blues, Fredrick said, was called the Zodiac Club. Eventually, the English bands who usurped Chicago blues would inspire university students such as Fredrick to study the music themselves and start their own groups. Fredrick began performing in 1974, eventually forming Pontiac Jones. When that band dissolved, many of its members joined forces with Big Twist and Big Larry to form the Mellow Fellows. After dominating the local music scene, the Fellows would leave for more acclaim in Chicago. What followed, Fredrick said, was a fallow period in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when country and disco dominated local clubs. But the blues persevered. Will Stephens, who has hosted The Electric Blues Hours on WDBX for 15 years, said he first became interested in blues music as a kid through his father’s Stevie Ray Vaughan records. When Stephens was 14, his mother took him to the Murphysboro Blues Festival in Riverside Park. Big Larry and the Mellow Fellows was one of the main acts. The Murphysboro festivals, which began in the mid-1990s and continued off and on for years until returning in 2013, were the beginning of a renaissance for blues in the area. Another contributing factor was the emergence of the Southern Illinois Wine Trail, whose main clientele was of that ’70s generation, when blues came into the mainstream. “You’ve got this older crowd that loves the music,” Stephens said. “They still want to see the music.” Ivas John moved to Southern Illinois for college in 1999. After sewing his wild college oats, he began getting seriously into music, more specifically, the blues. His first live gig was accompanying Marty Davis to a large crowd at Pinch Penny Pub. John said he feels the blues has such a hold on Southern Illinois because of its location — near Memphis, Nashville,

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The Well Well Wells

‘There seems to be more of an appreciation for blues music in Carbondale than the other towns of the same size I’ve been to.’ IVAS JOHN, bluesman

St. Louis and Chicago, and as one of the stops on the City of New Orleans. “I could see how people would gravitate toward the area as a place to play and a place to exist,” John said. “Low cost of living, a college town, places to play.” For the past several years, John has traveled the country playing the blues and has a good point of reference to compare Southern Illinois to other areas. “There seems to be more of an appreciation for blues music in Carbondale than the other towns of the same size I’ve been to,” John said. He cites an overall appreciation of the arts and the strong sense of community as the reason why. “You see the same people coming out,” John said. “It’s kind of a social event for this crowd.” Just as the lower Mississippi Delta was the birthplace of the blues, the upper Mississippi Delta off Southern Illinois is carrying the torch for future generations. “The fact of the matter is, the blues is more alive today than it’s ever been,” Stephens said.

THE SOUTHERN FILE PHOTO

Rip Lee Pryor

Life & Style : Summer 2015

MARK YOUR CALENDARS: BLUEGILL MUSIC FESTIVAL If you’re looking for a new way to celebrate the Fourth of July, look no further than the shores of Rend Lake. The Bluegill Music Festival will launch its inaugural event that will be packed with some of country music’s hottest acts. Capping off the day of music will be a huge fireworks display. Festival founder Andrew “Finnigan” Hart is from Benton, where he started his radio career at Q106.3. Andrew is currently an evening host at 101.9 The Mix in Chicago. “I’ve always had a passion for live music, and I really wanted to find a way to give back to the community that has supported me throughout my career,” he said. Along with music and fireworks, the event will feature barbecue vendors from across the country; interactive entertainment for adults, including bags, washers, bubble soccer, a slip’n’slide, helicopter rides, a mechanical bull; a children’s area with a large inflatable slide; and Bluegill Lagoon, featuring a VIP beach with cabanas, private wading pools and a lounge area. But it is the quality and quantity of music that’s the big draw for the new festival. Acts include Athena Perez, Cadillac Jones Band, Clayton Anderson, Dave Clark Band, Eli Tellor, Eli Young Band, F-150, Hertlyn Rae, LoCash, Mipso, Mocking Bird Hill, Mockingbird Sun, Murphy 500, Old Salt Union. Taylor Kearney, The Bankesters and We Got it Covered. More acts are expected to be added. Date: July 4 Time: Parking lots open at 10 a.m., gates at 10:30 a.m., music 11 a.m.-midnight Where: Rend Lake Dam, 10833 Rend Lake Dam Road, Benton Tickets: $30 in advance, $40 day of festival; VIP tickets and packages available; admission free for children 6 and younger On sale at: Black Diamond Harley Davidson, 2400 Williamson County Parkway, Marion; or at www. bluegillfest.com What else: VIP Tickets and Packages are available on the BMF website.

Life & Style : Summer 2015

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20 QUESTIONS

Getting to know Kate Poulos Kate Poulos is a native of Carbondale. She left after high school, thinking that she would never come back. After a while, she realized that Southern Illinois is a gem and moved back with her husband, Steve Gough. They own Little River Research and Design. She is a pharmacist. 1. What is your current state of mind?

Happy — Spring is here! 2. What is your favorite avocation? Right

now, it is studying French and being a Francophile. And planning a trip to Provence. 3. Which living person do you most admire? My husband, Steve Gough. He

invented several scientific river models and created a worldwide market. He is also an awesome spouse: kind, evolved, funny, smart. MARCEL PROUST was a French 4. Who is your writer who believed favorite fictional that people must know and hero? Thurber’s understand themselves before Walter Mitty and they could know or understand Michael Keaton’s others. He developed a list Beetlejuice. of subjective questions he 5. Who are your felt would help reveal real-life heroes? to people their true selves. Thich Nhat Hahn, Dr. We fashioned our Martin Luther King Jr., questions after his. Mahatma Gandhi. 6. What is your most treasured possession? My

commuter bicycle! 7. When and where were you happiest? In

the present moment. 8. What is your most obvious characteristic? Frizzy hair. 9. What is the trait you most dislike in yourself? Thinking that the glass is half

empty. 10. What is the trait you most dislike in others? Lack of introspection. 11. What is your greatest extravagance?

person or an animal, what do you think it would be? A German Shepherd.

Reading all day long.

over people not liking me.

12. What is your favorite journey? The

15. What do you consider your greatest achievement? I don’t think I have had

19. What is your personal motto? May all

one.

beings be happy.

16. What is it you most dislike? Violence.

20. Who has been the greatest influence on you? My parents, who showed me

middle-age journey of self-discovery and transformation. 13. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? “I know.” 14. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Worrying

PHOTO COURTESY STEVE GOUGH

Kate’s husband, Steve Gough, snapped this fabulous shot of her while on a trip to Chicago.

Life & Style : Summer 2015

17. What do you value most in your friends? Being real. 18. If you were to die and come back as a

how to love what you do and to care about other people.

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CHEERS TO BEER

PHOTOS BY RICHARD SITLER

These are beers produced by Scratch Brewing Company in Ava. Styles they produce include ginger beer, rye porter, stout, wood-fired biere dee garde, bark ale, honey pear ale and sahti.

SHADES OF BEER

Life & Style : Summer 2015

Why live in a black and white – or pale yellow – world when you can experience the many shades of brews? SHAWN CONNELLY

By now, most of us realize there is far more to beer than simply swigging your brand of choice from a can or bottle without much consideration for what goes into it and, by implication, what comes out in the finished product. The national and local explosion of craft beer has caused many people to pay closer attention to aromas, flavors and even the color of the beer in the glass. Beer drinking, like wine drinking, is a sensory experience and most fully enjoyed when you can smell, taste and see what you are imbibing. A beer’s color is a fascinating and occasionally misunderstood topic. Some think all beer is pale yellow and clear with a foamy white head. While this describes one ubiquitously popular beer style, it certainly doesn’t describe the vast majority of beers throughout the world. And judging a beer solely by its color can be quite deceptive. A Belgian-style Tripel, for example, can be quite pale in color and appear in the glass almost like that light, crisp lager. The eight-plus percent alcohol level and full body of the Belgian, however, will quickly disavow you of that light lager notion. Likewise, a German-style Schwarzbier (black beer) looks like it would be thick and heavy, but it’s actually a relatively low-alcohol lager that drinks much like its pale counterpart, despite the black color. Beer color gives you clues about a beer’s style. It plays a significant part in the aroma and flavor profile, but it is not always so black and white when you consider what gives beer its many hues. So, what makes one beer look so different from another? The depths of this topic can’t be fully plumbed in our limited space, but suffice to say that it is all about the backbone of beer – malted barley. When a maltster kilns malted barley for beer brewing, the “browning” of the malt causes something known as the Maillard reaction. Basically, amino acids react with a certain type of sugar and cause the browning effect you see in everything — from breakfast toast to your dinner roast. If that sounds like a lot of science for a beer column, it probably is; so, a rule of thumb is that lightly kilned malts produce beers with pale color and a cleaner flavor profile.

James and Joanne Moon from Eureka, Missouri, enjoy a flight of beers at Scratch Brewing Company in Ava.

Locally sourced honey is an ingredient in one of the craft beers produced by Scratch Brewing Company.

Think Pilsener or Blonde Ale. Heavily kilned malts produce darker beers with roasted or even burnt characteristics. Think Porter or stout. The beer industry measures the color that malt contributes to beer in something called degrees lovibond. If you’re one to read beer labels, particularly in craft beers, you’ll often see ingredients such as Crystal 60 or Chocolate 350, which denote the degrees lovibond of the malts used in brewing your beer. Another influence on beer’s color is a process called caramelization. This process happens during the boil, when sugars are literally broken down, and color, along with additional flavors, is imparted. This technique is most often employed in beers with a sweeter, maltier flavor profile like Bock, Barleywine, Scotch Ale and Old Ale. Caramelization, as the name implies, also adds a

significant amount of flavor to these bigbodied beers. When evaluating the color of a finished beer, a scale known as SRM (Standard Reference Measurement) is used. Technically, this measurement is determined by the use of an instrument that measures a certain wavelength of light as it passes through beer, but, again, there’s a simpler way to understand the scale by using a visual reference chart showing beer color in a spectrum from lightest to darkest with each color attributed a number corresponding to its approximate SRM. A Belgian Witbier (white beer), for example, is typically 2-4 SRM, while a dry stout can range anywhere from 25-40 SRM. There are literally dozens and dozens of beer in between, as well. If you are interested in the wide world of beer colors, a fun suggestion is trying a flight of beers from a local craft brewery, such as Big Muddy Brewing, Scratch Brewing Company or St. Nicholas Brewing Company. You’ll get a small pour of a number of beers, side-by-side, and the brewery can help you determine their lightest and darkest beers on tap, and everything in between. This way, you can evaluate for yourself just how color influences aroma and flavor. SHAWN CONNELLY writes for Beer Connoisseur magazine. He is a craft and specialty beer retail consultant and an award-winning home brewer. Read his blog at http:// beerphilosopher.blogspot.com.

Life & Style : Summer 2015

GOOD EATS

STRAWBERRIES

When it comes to color, sweetness, aroma and texture, nothing beats these berries DEBBIE MOORE

In the mid-1800s, several families came to Southern Illinois, cleared hillsides and established orchards. Today, many generations later, there are thousands of acres in Jackson and Union counties that are used for fruit production. Those orchards are still operated by some of the original families. Excellent varieties of apples, nectarines and peaches are grown on this land. Growers produce the juiciest blackberries. And blueberries are available in beautiful u-pick settings. However, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the ruby red strawberry that introduces us each year to the growing season, providing us with the sweet juicy ingredients for homemade pies, cobblers, jams and jellies.

30 Life & Style : Summer 2015

THE COOLER YOU’VE

Southern Illinois residents enjoy local produce and have been sharing fresh produce with the rest of the Midwest for well over 150 years. In 1851, the Illinois General Assembly chartered the Illinois Central Railroad. By 1857, the Illinois Central tracks connected Cairo to Chicago, and it became a primary route for shipping produce to Chicago from Makanda and Cobden, which were central locations for produce growers. An important trade route had been opened, and, after the Civil War, that route flourished. In 1867, the first refrigerated train car designed to carry fresh fruit was built by Parker Earle, a fruit grower from Cobden. Previously, he had been unsuccessful in his attempts to ship strawberries to Chicago, because the soft fruit spoiled in transport. During the winter of 1866, Earle stored large quantities of ice in sawdust in his barn and designed storage chests with double walls and two compartments. The next time he was ready to ship strawberries, he packed them on one side of the large storage chests and ice on the other side. The berries arrived in Chicago in perfect condition and were purchased by home cooks and hotel cooks for as much as $1 a quart. Southern Illinois families have made it a tradition to pick strawberries every spring, even though some children are known to eat one berry for every berry they put in the box. There are several

GOOD FOR YOU, TOO ■ Strawberries are filled with nutrients, including Vitamin C, potassium, folic acid and fiber. ■ One cup of fresh strawberries contains 160

percent of our daily need for Vitamin C, and it is only 50 calories. ■ Strawberries are a good fruit choice for diabetics because they are low on the glycemic index and high in fiber, helping regulate blood sugar.

u-pick locations to choose from, and plenty of strawberries can be found at farmers’ markets and roadside stands. These nutritional gems are easy to add to our diets. Wash them, stem them and eat them fresh, or slice them and freeze them in airtight containers for use later on. You can add fresh berries to salads, or sprinkle them with a little sugar, so they make their own syrup, and drizzle them over your favorite shortcake. Put them in pies, cakes or muffins, or make delicious scones with them. If you’d like strawberries in frozen smoothies, you can stem them, but, leave them whole and spread them out on a baking sheet. Place the berries in the freezer, and, when they are frozen solid, transfer them to a freezer bag. All you have to do is toss a handful into a blender when you make your smoothies.

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Life & Style : Summer 2015

GOOD EATS

Strawberry Scones

Easy Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle

1½ cups flour 3 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 /8 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons butter, cubed and chilled 1 /3 cup cold Greek yogurt 3 tablespoons cream ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ¾ cup chopped strawberries 1 egg Extra sugar ½ cup chopped nuts, for topping

This trifle is prepared with packaged products and can be made in a large trifle bowl or in individual bowls. It’s also kid-friendly. You need only a few ingredients: 1 quart of fresh strawberries 1 container of frozen whipped topping 1 small packaged angel food cake or pound cake 2 small boxes of cheesecake-flavored instant pudding

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put dry ingredients in a food processor and pulse a couple times to combine. Add the butter, yogurt, cream and vanilla. Continue to mix by pulsing the dough. When the ingredients are well combined, add the strawberries and pulse a couple more times to incorporate the berries. Pour the dough onto a floured surface and press into a circular disk about ¾ inch thick. Cut the disk into triangles and place them on a cookie sheet. You can also scoop the dough in ¼ cup portions to make round scones. Top each with a sprinkle of sugar and chopped nuts. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the top begins to brown.

Life & Style : Summer 2015

Cut the cake into small cubes and line the bottom of the trifle dish. Prepare the instant pudding according to the instructions on the box. While the pudding sets, wash, stem and slice the strawberries. Place the berries over the cubes of cake. Pour the pudding over the berries. Put the whipped topping over the pudding. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, and as long as 24 hours, until ready to serve.

Easy Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle

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Life & Style : Summer 2015

LENS ENVY Southern Illinois residents can attract Baltimore orioles by placing fruit in their yards.

Birdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s-eye view Southern Illinois is an excellent place for birding. Between residents and migrating songbirds and waterfowl, hundreds of species can be viewed each year with a bit of effort and homework. Red-bellied woodpeckers are one of the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most abundant species, particularly in the winter.

Life & Style : Summer 2015

Indigo buntings bring electric blue brilliance to the Southern Illinois landscape each summer.

The yellow warbler adds a dash of yellow to the region in warmer months.

The rose-breasted grosbeak is a prominent spring visitor. It can be seen in the woods as well as backyard feeders.

Most people assume the flash of red they see in the woods is a cardinal. Look more closely, it could be a summer tanager.

The thing a bird-watcher needs most? Curiosity outlets are nearly as numerous as species of birds in Southern Illinois. At this point in your birding progression, the type of feeder is unimportant. Simply place it within easy view and fill it with black oil sunflower seeds. Various types of seeds are available.

PHOTOS AND STORY BY LES WINKELER

If you spot a bird and spend the next several hours wondering what you just saw, you have birding potential. If you’re curious, you’ll find yourself shopping for feeders. If that curiosity persists, you’ll find yourself shopping for field guides. And, if you still can’t get enough, you’ll shop for binoculars.

Black oil sunflower seeds will get the attention of most seed-eating species in the region. Within an hour, your birding career will be blossoming. Depending on the neighborhood, you’ll likely attract the attention of various sparrow species, northern cardinals, tufted titmice, house finch, Carolina chickadees, American goldfinch and others.

FIELD GUIDES There are several excellent guides on the shelves. Many birders prefer the Peterson or Sibley field guides. The Peterson and Sibley guides have drawings of each species. Like humans, each bird has individual characteristics. The drawings are analogous to a police artist’s sketch, presenting an accurate picture of the typical house finch or tree sparrow. The National Audubon Society Field Guide uses photographs to identify the various species. The photographs can be appealing to beginning birders. More experienced birders use the two types of guides in tandem. Be forewarned. Leafing through a field guide can be overwhelming. There are hundreds of bird species in the United States. Many of the species are similar in

appearance. If you find yourself thinking, “There is no way I’m going to learn all this,” take a deep breath. Birding is like math in that knowledge is cumulative. You’ll find yourself recognizing new species as you become more familiar with the birds in your neighborhood.

FEEDERS A feeder, placed within easy view, can pique the curiosity like nothing else. The types of feeders available at a variety of retail

BINOCULARS There is a wide array of binoculars on the market, ranging widely in quality and price. A relatively inexpensive set is the place to start. The binoculars will help you recognize the subtle differences between species, as well as open a new world of color and knowledge. And, if your curiosity still isn’t sated, you’ll soon find yourself purchasing a spotting scope and telling anyone who will listen about the subtle differences between a chestnut-sided and bay-breasted warbler.

Life & Style : Summer 2015

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Join Us On

PROFILE

PHOTOS BY BYRON HETZLER

Joseph Brown was educated at and taught at prestigious universities in the U.S. He ‘came home’ to Southern Illinois, where he is a professor at SIU.

JOSEPH BROWN

Educator, administrator, activist, historian, writer, actor and ordained priest; and those are only a few of the words to describe an impressive life story. Life & Style : Summer 2015

PROFILE

Brown works in his office at SIU, where he helped build and expand the university’s Africana Studies department.

ADAM TESTA

oseph Brown’s résumé tells an impressive story. He’s earned post-graduate degrees from John Hopkins and Yale; he’s taught at the University of Virginia, Xavier University of Louisiana, Creighton University and, now, SIU. He’s published books, poetry and scholarly articles. He’s a thespian and an ordained Jesuit priest. But those words can’t explain what really makes Brown’s story so impressive. Those stories have to come from the man himself — a man raised in segregated East St. Louis who thrived through life’s challenges to overcome the odds, desegregating a school district and a seminary in the process. He’d face many obstacles, faltering and even falling at points, but always embraced a resilient spirit and persevering. His life’s journeys and experiences would take him from his East St. Louis roots to Wisconsin with his family, Minnesota for the seminary, back to St. Louis for undergraduate studies, and elsewhere across the country. But, in the end, Brown returned to Southern Illinois, where he helped build

Life & Style : Summer 2015

and expand the legacy of Southern Illinois University’s Africana Studies department, serving as its chairman for several years. Now serving as a professor, he still holds onto the mission he had when he arrived, a mission fueled by a lifetime of extraordinary experiences, obstacles, sorrow, joy and success. This is his story, in his own words. How formative were your childhood years in shaping the man you would become?

My childhood was very formative in a positive way, a very truthful way. I had to experience some very bad things in my life, and I had to carry those with me for a very long time. But I also experienced some very, very positive and powerfully formative things. Being raised in a family with my mother, father, older sister, older brother and younger sister, and being very close to both sets of grandparents, I was in the middle of a community. And while it becomes a cliché to talk about the old, traditional, black communities where everyone knows one another and cares for everybody, that was really

true. Neighborhoods meant something; everywhere you went, people knew you. So while people talk about how bad East St. Louis is — and God knows it has its problems — I never felt afraid. My education was extraordinary. I will never, ever, ever be unappreciative of what my grade school did for me during my first six years of education. I have said the foundational educational skills I got prepared me for everything I ever did in high school, college or post-graduate work. I was encouraged to read, to write and to be creative. I’m not trying to make this some Technicolor movie with a beautiful soundtrack. There were some very painful parts in my life in those days. I had to see pain and suffering in my family; I had to see my brother’s problems with addiction. When I finally went back to graduate school at the age of 35 to get my Ph.D. at Yale, it was amazing to me how much I had grown up knowing. My environment had educated and prepared for me the education I was going to get at Yale. The songs my grandmother sang, the stories my other grandmother and grandfather told, the music my brother introduced me to — even though most of the records he

‘I have never changed my feeling about teaching since I was 15 years old; that’s 55 years of saying I want to be a teacher. And every semester, I walk into a new classroom, I enjoy being around a group of young people who teach me as much as I teach them. I really enjoy teaching, and I really enjoy the students at SIU.’ introduced me to he’d stolen from other people — and the stories, the history that my father and my mother taught me. I grew up in a house where we had at least two newspapers a day and one or two news magazines a week. I grew up knowing about the world. I couldn’t have gone into an educational laboratory and gotten a better education preparation. Of all the interests developed as a youth, did any stand out the most to you or feel like a calling?

I remember very well when I was in the seventh grade, reading The Saturday Evening Post; my father got it every week. I was lying on the floor one evening, reading it, and there were some poems in it. I decided I was going to try and write one. I went and got some paper, and I sat down and tried to write a poem. I turned around, showed it to my father, and he read it and said, “That’s really good, son. You really ought to keep doing that.” You couldn’t take that away from me; that was a creative gift in which my imagination was being connected with to a whole world of writing. By the time I was a sophomore in high school, I started publishing. When I went into the seminary, while some parts of it were painful in terms of having to adapt to a different kind of cultural setting, I knew I had my poetry. I knew that no matter how bad off I’ve ever been at any point in my life, I’ve had my art. When I had a nervous breakdown during my fourth year in seminary, when I came out of the more intense medical intervention, I immediately ended up in a play — acting, doing costumes and choreography for this play we did in the seminary. That pulled me up incredibly, so I’ve always known that something about art was going to help me. In the past you’ve talked about reading comic books to classmates on the schoolyard and mentoring peers to prepare for upcoming exams. Did you know at the time you wanted to be a teacher or were they simply seeds planted to grow later in life?

Both. I had teachers all day long, but I didn’t know what they really did; they just showed up. But I was always being

Framed postcards of notable African-Americans adorn the bulletin board in Brown’s office.

taught by people everywhere — in the home, in the neighborhood, in church, in school. But when I was a sophomore in high school, I decided I wanted to be a teacher, and that has never deviated. I was impressed with people who loved sharing knowledge. I was able to see they loved what they were doing, and the love they had and the hard work they put into it was enough for me to say, “I think I can do this.” You mentioned the seminary. What led you down that path?

I knew from reading history books that the Jesuits, the Society of Jesus, were priests and teachers. But I didn’t ever say, “I think I’m going to be a priest,” not once. There are a lot of people in my life who have said, “We knew that’s what you always wanted to do,” and I keep wondering, “Did I ever tell you that?” So I think there’s always a case where people in the community see some of

your talents that you have to grow into seeing yourself. There was this day when a visiting priest from Notre Dame University came to talk to the senior boys in my high school about vocations. When I got in there, I told him I wanted to be a teacher. He told me that Jesuits were teachers. He said I might be interested, but I told him I didn’t really think so, but if I was ever going to do something like that, I would probably be a Jesuit. That wasn’t exactly claiming I wanted to run off and join the priesthood! He told the principal, who then got me out of class that afternoon and asked, “What is this I hear about you wanting to be a Jesuit?” I looked at him and said “I never said that.” (But) he made an appointment for me to be interviewed by the Jesuits in Milwaukee. When I told my mother there was this meeting in Milwaukee, and she started crying, saying, “This makes me so happy; we’ve been praying for this for years.”

Life & Style : Summer 2015

PROFILE I was interviewed by three or four priests; we talked about this, that and everything else, and I went back home. About a month later, my family got a letter saying I’d been accepted into the Society of Jesus. It was kind of like a collective that had altogether discerned that this is what I was going to do, and all I needed to do was stand still and let them tell me what to do. My sister and I had already desegregated a school system, and it wasn’t that much of a shock to me to desegregate a seminary, so I think I was better equipped than some might have been at that point to go into that social change. It was the early 1960s; people were making changes to society, culture and institutions all over the place. I was part of that generation, and that’s what I was doing. What did it mean to you to be an active part of that social change?

I think that’s one of the main reasons I had so much intense pressure on me that I finally did have a collapse. I was trying my best to absorb all kinds of ignorance and confusion, and I was trying to be somebody who could bridge the gaps, who could just be all things to all people. No 18-, 19- or 20-year-old should have to do that, especially when I had no support system. I had to wake up when I crashed into a brick wall and say, “Now what do you do?” That’s when I decided I had to start educating myself. I did my homework, but I’d also be reading everything I could on the black social movements of the 1960s. My father was very helpful; even while I was away at a seminary in Minnesota, he was sending me James Baldwin, Claude Brown, books and music and essays I should be reading about what was going

on in America. He just understood that I needed to be well educated in what was going on in the world. You have degrees from John Hopkins and Yale and have taught all over the country. What brought you to Southern Illinois and what has your time here meant?

I was fired from the last job I had, based on some political underhanded behaviors. I was trying to keep a program alive and independent; the president of the university didn’t want me to be doing that. It was a very painful moment in my life. It was probably one of the most devastating things I ever went through. This was in 1994. I had to live as an independent scholar, meaning I could not get an academic job anywhere, even in the network of Jesuit colleges. So I wrote a couple of books, did workshops, wrote articles and maintained myself for almost three years. One day, I read in the Chronicle of Higher Education that there was a job opening at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Sitting in New Orleans, as far away as possible from the rest of my family, I decided I would apply for it. I got the call to come interview in the spring of 1997. There were two of us who were finalists, and they offered the job to the other candidate. About a month after, I received a phone call saying the first candidate had not worked out, and they wanted to know if I was still interested in the job. I came here in August 1997. I had a very clear sense that I had to build this program into something that would be respectable and with integrity. The Black American Studies program had been here since about 1971. It was only a minor, not a major or department.

I came here with my own game plan to build the program so it could become a major with as much academic respect and integrity as any other. I found intense university opposition to that, but I pushed on, hired faculty, hired administrative staff and taught every kind of class I could imagine so we’d have classes on the books that would be broad enough to be the foundation of a major. In 2000, I became a full professor with tenure. I came here, and while I thought it would take five years, it took 13 to get the major. In your eyes, what makes Southern Illinois a special place?

I’ve had family here in Southern Illinois, from East St. Louis to Cairo, since before the turn of the 20th century. My father’s family has lived in Collinsville and Edwardsville since the 1880s and 1890s, and my mother and father lived in Mound City for a while in the 1930s. The roots have always been in Southern Illinois, so I’m very comfortable in this region. Part of my real emphasis in graduate school has been African American history and religious studies, so with African American history, which is really American history, you couldn’t get a better place to be than Southern Illinois. Because of my other professional identity as a priest, I have managed to go all through Southern Illinois in ways that a lot of the other faculty maybe wouldn’t have available to them. By participating in church services in Cobden, Johnston City and Du Quoin, and Martin Luther King Days in Cairo, I have managed to be very much available to this entire region. If you delight in knowing people, wherever you are is going to be OK. What does your future hold?

Brown’s office is home to many mementos of his life, at home with his many books.

40 Life & Style : Summer 2015

Because of institutional changes at SIU in recent years, I see the challenge to once again build up Africana Studies, and I think my dream of making it legitimate, competitive and respected has not changed. I think we have enough institutional challenges that the dream still needs to have a lot of energy and focus, so I don’t have any plans other than I’m here until I’m not here. I have never changed my feeling about teaching since I was 15 years old; that’s 55 years of saying I want to be a teacher. And every semester when I walk into a new classroom, I enjoy being around a group of young people who teach me as much as I teach them. I really enjoy teaching, and I really enjoy the students at SIU.

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Life & Style : Summer 2015

COVER STORY

COLOR

BREAKTHROUGH

Life & Style : Summer 2015

CHANDA GREEN

Color has been important to humans as long as we have inhabited the earth. Artists, working more than 17,000 years ago at the end of the Ice Age, created cave paintings that were still visible and vividly red and yellow when they were discovered in 1940. The Aboriginal people of Australia have an artistic tradition that goes back 40,000 years. And archaeologists in South Africa uncovered a painting kit in 2008 – with abalone shell palette bowls, stone and bone tools, and red and yellow pigment – that is more than 80,000 years old. Still, despite our long and storied history with an ever-expanding palette of varying hues, intensity and values, when pressed for the definition of “color,” the best we can do goes something like this: color is that portion of light that is reflected off of an object, perceived by the eye and recognized by the viewer. While that definition is accurate, it really doesn’t do the topic justice. So, let me paint a word picture for you.

Life & Style : Summer 2015

COVER STORY

COLOR YOUR HOME TO SUIT YOUR MOOD When it comes to interior decorating and color, I advise my clients to follow their hearts. Sometimes color preferences are not always the same as favorite colors, but after some sound planning on a new color scheme, your heart’s color desires can and probably will rule supreme! I suggest that my clients follow five easy steps. ■ First, find your best opportunities for using color. Will painting one wall in an accent color give your room the spark you want? Or perhaps a soft blending of similar color hues will give your new room its desired feeling or mood. ■ Then, take a critical look at your room’s architectural features. Do you want them to stand out or be minimized? Perhaps you have painted bookshelves flanking a fireplace. Adding an accent color to the back walls of your bookshelves might add just a bit of much-needed color flair to the entire room. ■ Thirdly, try to definite how your space is being used: reading, relaxing, game playing or watching TV. An important consideration in selecting your new color scheme is how you actually use the space. ■ Next,

analyze your room’s lighting. How much natural light does your room have? A room with a lot of artificial light will definitely call for a different color plan than one with a lot of natural light. ■ And last, but not least, it’s critical that you take into account your “new” room’s relationship to the other rooms in your home. Color continuity is key to creating an overall look that most people want.

– Angela Rowe, owner of Decorating Den in Harrisburg

Life & Style : Summer 2015

fiery red sunset reflects in the glassy surface of a lake as friends gather on a beach around the orange flames of a summer bonfire. As the sun sets, couples lie under an azure sky to count the stars and drift off to sleep. They wake as the golden morning light glistens and ripples across the sand. A steady wind moves the heavy green foliage of the nearby forest, inviting them to rise and greet the day with a gentle, swaying motion, as a distant sailboat slices across a bright blue horizon. Color is as much a part of human existence as taste and sound, touch and thought. It permeates our memories and stirs our emotions. It prompts us to buy things and alters our moods, from the gray and white mornings of winter through the pastel fields of spring, the brilliant greens of summer and the annual autumn show in shades of red, yellow and brown. Cultures color religious beliefs with symbolism that comes alive when you add the sacred, the red blood of Jesus for Christians, the sacred green robes of the Prophet of Islam, the saffron fire that burns away the Hindu’s impurities, the sky blue immensity of the Tibetan Buddha, and the Navajo’s four sacred mountains, represented by four colors: turquoise, white, yellow and black. Some therapists use color to treat their troubled patients: blue to calm, green to soothe and relax, red to stimulate and yellow to energize. In the yoga philosophy, the body’s chakras or points of energy have corresponding rainbow colors that start at the root chakra (red) and travel up the spine through the heart (green) and throat (blue) to the crown chakra (violet). Writers and poets use color to create scenes and events. Fairy tales are a kaleidoscope of colorful characters from Red Riding Hood to Snow White. Henry David Thoreau described “moments of an azure hue.” Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Sphinx “melted into purple cloud, spired into a yellow flame,” and “flowered in blossoms red.” Fashion designers and their followers use color as a form of non-verbal communication. Red is energetic, sexual and passionate, black and white are classic, blue is peaceful and conservative. Customers in warm countries tend to prefer coolcolored clothing and vice versa.

AT HOME

Interior decorators and their customers use color to affect the mood of a room. Soft yellow is cheerful, but too much bright yellow can make you feel anxious. Blue is calming, but too much of it can call to mind feelings of sadness and depression. Forget the rule that white will make a space appear larger. “White will only reflect the available light,” said Angela Rowe, owner of Decorating Den in Harrisburg. “ If you have a small room with little light, it will reflect the shadows, making the space more desolate.” Need a little energy? “Then warm colors are the ticket because they tend to be very stimulating,” Angela said. Want more balance? “Then give green a try,” she said. “Green

is the only color that has no effect on the physical system, because it contains both warmth (from yellow) and coolness (from blue).” Bright colors are fast-paced. “If your life isn’t, then adding some bright colors to your surroundings might give you a little boost.” “Life is about color. So, the colors that we use in our homes should express our own personal style,” said Denise Fann, owner of Deloufleur Décor and Designs of Carterville. She often advises clients to use the colors of nature to accomplish their design goals. “One of my mentors, Freida Brymer, gave me the best decorating advice I’ve ever received. She told me to go to the door and look outside and let God’s palette be my guide. So when clients want to use blues, for example, I ask them to think of the ocean and use the colors that surround it to create their color palette. They get that. “The bottom line is that we should use colors that make us feel good in our homes,” Denise said. “Do that, and you’ll always love coming home to your happy place.”

IN BUSINESS

Businesses use color in their packaging, marketing materials, displays and stores in an effort to motivate customers to linger, shop and buy. Fast food outlets use reds and oranges because those colors encourage diners to eat quickly and leave. Red and yellow are used to alert shoppers to sales and other special offers, but cool colors can increase brand recognition. “What brand comes to your mind, when you think about

color brown? Probably many of you think of UPS,” said Jae Lee, assistant professor of marketing at SIUC. “Companies use color as a means to express their unique identity and value, to distinguish themselves from others, or even to influence individuals’ perception about them. “American Express launched its Blue Card, based on its research that blue creates a sense of trust and security, which fits well with the banking industry,” he said. “Starbucks and Whole Foods use the color green to promote their environmentally friendly values, as green is associated with health, nature, and freshness.” Children’s products are usually decorated in primary colors because young children are attracted to those. If you’re selling lingerie, bold colors could work against the delicate quality of the products. However, red has long been associated with sexuality. If you’re selling electronics, too many bright, flashy colors can detract from the sleek look that most manufacturers are going for. “Color sometimes influences consumers’ perception as well,” Lee said. “For example, when Coca-Cola changed its iconic red and white can to white in 2011, sales dipped dramatically because a number of consumers thought that the Coke in Life & Style : Summer 2015

COVER STORY

the white can tasted slightly different despite the fact that the formula had not been changes, only the color of the can. Coke quickly switched back to their red can.” As a graphic designer, Rikki Rogers of Marion, owner of Rikki Rogers Graphic Design, makes important color decisions every single working day. “We had entire sections of classes devoted to the topic in school,” she said. “And in the marketing world, you can’t talk about design without talking extensively about color. In every design project I face, color choice is one of the first and most important decisions I make with my clients.” Rikki knows that color can evoke strong emotions in customers and that can mean the difference between a sale and lost business. “Whether I’m developing a brand or creating a simple flyer, my client and I often have long discussions about how we will use color to communicate to their target audience, how color will make their customers feel or what color will imply about the business itself,” she said. “These considerations are paramount to the success of a marketing piece or an entire brand.” Think of the high-energy red and yellow of McDonalds, she points out. “Those colors have been proven to raise the heart rate and therefore the appetite of consumers. But you wouldn’t want to use those colors for a dermatologist’s logo. Or what about a black and white logo for a children’s play area? That would not work,” she said. “But these kinds of color mistakes happen all the time. “Helping business owners make great color decisions is one of the things I enjoy most about my job as a designer,” she said. “Another is that there’s always something new to learn or a different angle to consider.” Marketing tactics must also be adjusted according to the

Life & Style : Summer 2015

cultures of your customers worldwide. For example, white is the color of death in Chinese culture, but it’s purple in Brazil. Yellow is sacred to the Chinese, but signifies sadness in Greece and jealousy in France. In North America, green is associated with jealousy, but it’s a lucky color in Ireland.

CHANGE MY MOOD!

Given our world’s color saturation, you would think that color psychology would be a well-researched subject. But surprisingly few scientific studies exist, despite the popularity of the topic as it relates to marketing and design. Many psychologists view color therapy with skepticism, pointing out than any effect that color has on moods, feelings and behaviors are temporary, at best. But there are some interesting observations. One study found that warm-colored placebo pills were reported as more effective than cool-colored ones. Evidence has suggested that installing blue-colored streetlights can lead to a reduction of crime. Exposing students to the color red before a test has been shown to have a negative impact on their test performances. However, exposing athletes to the color red before a competition has been shown to increase their speed and force. Experts generally agree that color can influence how we feel and act, but argue that those effects are subject to personal, cultural and situational factors that have yet to be analyzed. The only thing that most agree on is that more research is needed to truly understand the effect color has on human psychology and behavior. Additional sources: psychology.about.com, entrepreneur.com, brandingstrategyinsider.com, “The Brilliant History of Color in Art” by Victoria Finlay and “In the Shadow of the Shaman” by Amber Wolfe

WE’RE LIVING IN A COLORFUL WORLD RED For the ancient Romans, a red flag was a signal for battle. Today, because of its visibility, stop signs, stoplights, brake lights, and fire equipment are all painted red. The ancient Egyptians considered themselves a red race and painted their bodies with red dye for emphasis. In Russia, red means beautiful. The Bolsheviks used a red flag as their symbol when they overthrew the tsar in 1917. That is how red became the color of communism. In India, red is the symbol for a soldier. In South Africa, red is the color of mourning. In China, red is the color of good luck and is used as a holiday and wedding color. Chinese babies are given their names at a red-egg ceremony. In Greece, eggs are dyed red for good luck at Easter time. Red is the color most commonly found in national flags.

GREEN Only one national flag is a solid color: the green flag of Libya. Ancient Egyptians colored the floors of their temples green. In ancient Greece, green symbolized victory. In the highlands of Scotland, people wore

green as a mark of honor. Green is the national color of Ireland. Green has long been a symbol of fertility and was once the preferred color choice for wedding gowns in the 15th-century.

BLUE In ancient Rome, public servants wore blue. Today, police and other public servants wear blue. In Iran, blue is the color of mourning. A blue blood is a person of noble descent. This is probably from the blue veins of the fair-complexioned aristocrats who first used this term. The pharaohs of ancient Egypt wore blue for protection against evil.

PURPLE, VIOLET The Egyptian queen Cleopatra loved purple. To obtain one ounce of Tyrian purple dye, she had her servants soak 20,000 Purpura snails for 10 days. In Thailand, purple is worn by a widow mourning her husband’s death. Leonardo da Vinci believed that the power of meditation increases 10 times when done in a purple light, as in the purple light of stained glass. Richard Wagner composed his operas in a room with shades of violet, his color of inspiration.

YELLOW In Egypt and Burma, yellow signifies mourning. In Spain, executioners once wore yellow. In India, yellow is the symbol for a merchant or farmer. In tenth-century France, the doors of traitors and criminals were painted yellow. In the Middle Ages, actors portraying the dead in a play wore yellow. Hindus in India wear yellow to celebrate the festival of spring. In Japan during the War of Dynasty

in 1357, each warrior wore a yellow chrysanthemum as a pledge of courage.

WHITE A white flag is the universal symbol for truce. White means mourning in China and Japan. The ancient Greeks wore white to bed to ensure pleasant dreams. The Egyptian pharaohs wore white crowns. The ancient Persians believed all gods wore white. A “white elephant” is a rare, pale elephant considered sacred to the people of India, Thailand, Burma, and Sri Lanka. In this country, it is either a possession that costs more than it is worth to keep or an item that the owner doesn’t want but can’t get rid of.

BLACK The ancient Egyptians and Romans used black for mourning, as do most Europeans and Americans today. In ancient Egypt, black represented life and rebirth. Black is associated with death and mourning in many cultures. The “Blackshirts” were the security troops in Hitler’s German army, also known as the S.S. The ancient Egyptians believed that black cats had divine powers. Sources: factmonster.com and psychology.about.com

Life & Style : Summer 2015

MEET THE ARTIST

‘A SHARED EXPERIENCE’ 50 Life & Style : Summer 2015

Artist Renée Mavigliano creates art to fuel our imaginations CHANDA GREEN

alk into artist Renée Mavigliano’s Carterville home and everywhere you look, on almost every wall, there is art, almost all of it hers. Soft, subtle colors wash across large canvasses, sprinkled with darts of sharp color, suggestive of birds or geometric shapes, drawing your eye across the work, then into the corners, around the borders and back. You find yourself stepping back, to get the full effect of these large paintings filled with soft subtle color, but as you start to study them, you begin to inch forward, the better to examine some smaller elements. Then, you step back again, to add that bit of knowledge to your appreciation of the entire creation. “I believe that art is a shared experience between the work and the viewer. My paintings are intended to open ideas and lines of dialogue within the viewer rather than exact a specific translation. These are personal paintings and the viewer’s response should be equally personal and is equally valid.” Still, after seeing a dozen pieces of Renée’s work, you think you know about what to expect, then you turn around and find a display of her papier-mâché plate series, suspended on cords stretching from ceiling to floor, row after row of black drawings on white circles, each one entirely unique. “I have pushed myself into using color,” she said. “I began drawing and painting with a love of charcoal and working in black and white, but felt that color was the best way to interact with the viewer. I avoid overlapping shapes, instead wanting to suggest openness and time that prepares us for strong moments in all our lives. Most of Renée’s work is somewhat

PHOTOS BY BYRON HETZLER

Life & Style : Summer 2015

MEET THE ARTIST

This landscape was inspired by the desert. In the top right-hand corner, notice the small rectangle. Mavigliano says she likes to create these small shapes on the canvas, and calls them an ‘escape hatch’ for the viewers, hoping they can stop for a moment and focus on something familiar, before losing themselves in other areas of the canvas. Renée created this backsplash in her Carterville home. ‘Before I ordered the tile and the grout and started all of that process, I decided to put up some red paper. Then I had to add some marks,’ she says. ‘Then, when I decided I liked the red and the project, I abandoned the generally accepted method of constructing a backsplash and created my own.’

Life & Style : Summer 2015

unconventional, definitely abstract, but almost always includes at least one small square, somewhere on the canvas. She calls it an “escape hatch” for the viewers, so they can stop for a moment and focus on something very familiar, before losing themselves in other areas of the canvas. So, you take another deep breath and plunge ahead, walking into Renée’s kitchen where you find the most interesting backsplash you have ever seen. Yes, it’s one of Renée’s works, marks of color on a brilliant red stretch of paper, running the length of her long kitchen counter. “Well, I wanted to try red here, but I wasn’t sure about the color,” she said. “So, before I ordered the tile and the grout and started all of that process, I decided to put up some red paper. Then I had to add some marks. Then, when I decided I liked the red and the project, I abandoned the generally accepted method of constructing

a backsplash and created my own.” Turn into the hallway and to the right, there are more brilliant and enticing paintings, on a smaller scale. “Working on a scale has ‘I have pushed smaller had a surprising myself into result,” she said. Small paintings using color. are surrounded I began by constructions she calls “Talking drawing Points.” They and painting have allowed her to again work on with a love a large scale with of charcoal the wall itself seen the canvas. and working as “My art work is in black and always evolving,” she said. “One white, but idea leads to felt that another as I work the studio each color was the in day. The colors, best way to the shapes … are exciting.” interact with pretty To the left, a hanging sculpture the viewer.’ of colorful paper RENÉE MAVIGLIANO flags, representing the wind, waves you on to the artist’s studio, where you get a glimpse of her creative process. There are ideas and notes, bits of colored paper and pages ripped from magazines strewn across almost every surface, various works in process and finished on the walls, stacked in the corners and in the closet, and leaf cutouts hanging from a string stretched across one of the three windows that let in the light and give the artist a panoramic view of nature, right outside her backdoor. “I recognize that nature has always directed my work. Past painting and drawing has at times taken more representational forms, but it’s nature that helps me see the lines, shapes and colors that are my underlining concern,” she said. “As I work in the studio, ideas are overlaid and piled one on another like stacked papers with mounting information.” Renée has been painting since 1985, when she completed her Master of Fine Arts degree at Southern Illinois University. For more than 20 years, Renée taught art at John A. Logan College in Carterville and directed the college’s art program, retiring in 2008. Her husband, George, is a retired art history professor from SIU and an authority on the government-funded Federal Art Project of the Great Depression-era New Deal WPA, Works Progress Administration, particularly the Illinois artists. After retirement, George has

focused on book binding (removal and repair) and fabricating art boxes. In August 2016, on the couple’s 50th anniversary, SIU University Museum will open a major exhibit of their work. But don’t think that Renée is resting on her artistic laurels. She’s working as much or more than she ever has. “While I’m retired from JALC, I can honestly say that I haven’t stopped working. Making art is my work, and I try to spend at least half a day, every day, in my studio,” she said. “Teaching for 21 years has nourished my vision. My painting is always changing, but always remaining the same. In some respects, you have to give it time, give art time.” Renée said she has grown to recognize the “streams of interest” that follow her into the studio. As she explores new ideas and materials, each piece is connected to previous efforts and builds on earlier ideas. One of the threads that connects all

of her work is texture – “the lushness of paint itself.” “Paint itself is an important expressive element in what I do. I believe it is important to not overly control the materials and look at what the paint itself can suggest,” she said. “While these are paintings, it is important to always have a sense of the moment and energy of the sketch, the excitement of color felt in the translucent paint and thicker layered areas.” Renée, herself, is a work of art, graceful and articulate, thoughtful and empathetic, animated when she speaks of her process and almost shy when it comes to accepting compliments, which must happen quite regularly, considering her talent and her body of work. “Often my paintings cannot be easily translated into words,” she said. “But that serves to remind us that the visual and verbal are two different art forms.”

Life & Style : Summer 2015

STYLE

Pacific Rim sunglasses are designed to fit lownose bridges. The ‘Halo’ is available for $125. TNS

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shades Let’s face it; sunglasses can make us feel instantly cool or glamorous. But there’s more to shades than meets the eye.

SO Rainbow Retro Square Sunglasses, $20 at Kohl’s

Life & Style : Summer 2015

Warby Parker’s Topper sunglasses are $95. TNS

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Fila Sport Aviators, $30 at Kohl’s

Wearing sunglasses protects the eyes from dangerous ultraviolet rays, and can protect the delicate skin around the eyes. (Think crow’s feet!) Here are some tips from webmd.com: Wear them every time you’re outside, if you can Get the kiddoes in a pair as soon as you can Look for sunglasses that provide full protection against ultraviolet light Darker lenses don’t necessarily mean more protection Bigger is better, and it’s not just fashion; bigger means more coverage and more protection Choose a pair that fits close to your face for even more protection If color is your thing, this season offers just about every color of the rainbow and more, although many of them we found were paler pastel colors. Here are a few of our favorites.

SO Tortoise Retro Square Sunglasses, $20 at Kohl’s

Quattrocento’s Twice Ventura unisex sunglasses are available in a variety of colors. Prices range from $110 to $120 for sunglasses and frames with prescription lenses included. TNS

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Which sunglasses will help you put your best face forward? See this story at www.LifeandStyleSI.com for a link to determining your face shape and the sunglasses that will flatter you most.

Life & Style : Summer 2015

WINE & SPIRITS

THE SOUTHERN FILE PHOTO

Grapes grow near the original patio areas at Alto Vineyards.

The Shawnee Hills Wine Trail Association is in the process of planning a big summer celebration to mark the 20th anniversary of the trail.

20 YEARS

“We’re hashing out ideas right now,” said Shirlee Riegger, association director. “It’s going to be a huge gala, likely indoors, where all 12 wineries on the trail will be featured under one roof.”

Shawnee Hills Wine Trail celebrates its history and its future

Want to help celebrate 20 years?

That sounds like a fabulous opportunity to meet award-winning winemakers and taste a myriad of wine varieties and styles. There will also be food vendors, guest speakers and entertainment. And, you’ll also be able to pick up commemorative T-shirts and wine glasses with the new 20th anniversary logo. Riegger said the celebration will be in July, but final plans had not been confirmed as of magazine print deadlines. To get the final details, watch for news in The Southern Illinoisan or go to www.shawneewinetrail.com. 56

Life & Style : Summer 2015

AND GROWING CARA RECINE

No one wanted to take credit for the success of the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail. Hard as I tried to get to the name of the person who was single-handedly responsible for its creation 20 years ago, it was to no avail. The people I talked to were quick to give credit where it’s due and to share credit where it’s deserved. And that just might be one of the most important reasons the first wine trail in Illinois has realized the success it has. It turns out there really isn’t one

individual who was responsible. It was three men with a passion for making wine, and one woman who knew a great idea when she heard it. Meet George Majka, Paul Renzaglia, Ted Wichmann and Debbie Moore. The three men are Union County grape-growers, wine-makers and vintners; Debbie is a tourism executive and marketing professional. But to get to them, you have to start with a man considered to be the father of the modern wine industry in Southern Illinois: Guy Renzaglia.

“He thought it looked a little like Italy,” Paul said of his father. “He thought we could grow good grapes here.” And so he did, planting in 1981 the first vines – Vignoles, then Chambourcin – on acreage he had purchased just off Illinois 127 in Alto Pass. His partners were Ted and Mark “Skip” Cosgrove, who later decided it wasn’t for him. Paul joined the group soon after. In 1984, Guy established Alto Vineyards as a commercial business and sold grapes to northern wineries. It wasn’t long before father and son decided making wine was the next step, and, in 1988, Alto Vineyards released its first commercial vintage, a Chambourcin. “We bottled 1,500 gallons and sold it all in three days,” Paul said. George Majka and his partner, Jane Payne, had been making wine for personal use since the early 1980s, but their wines didn’t come from grapes, because they weren’t being produced in abundance. So, they turned to what was abundant: fruit. In 1991, Pomona Winery was established, and its first commercial vintage – an apple wine – was released in 1993. Ted Wichmann planted his personal-use vineyard in 1980 on Water Valley Road, off U.S. 51 near Cobden. He also was heavily involved in helping the Renzaglias put in and tend their first commercial vines, and he was winemaker at Alto Vineyards. In 1994, Owl Creek Vineyard became a business, and Wichmann released his first vintage in 1995. “We all helped each other,” Paul said, “partly because we had personal relationships, but also to constantly try to improve the quality of our wines.” But the three wineries were struggling a bit. “We were way out in the middle of nowhere, pretty much devoid of customers,” said George, a psychologist and self-described “old hippie.” Couple that with the fact that Southern Illinois wasn’t really a region that consumed a lot of wine, and, if its people did drink wine, it usually came from California or France. “And we weren’t that good at making wine in the beginning,” Paul readily admits, smiling. “But, we ended up introducing a lot of people to wine, especially Southern Illinois wine.” And, so, while George and Jane were, as he said, “gathering wool” – indulging in idle fancies or daydreams, according to Wordnik – they hit on an idea: an official wine trail of some sort. It was 1991. “At the time, small wineries and breweries were starting to pop up across the country,” George said. “And there was huge potential for growth here, because the economy was pretty grim at the time.” When the idea was pitched to Ted and

Along the trail ■ ALTO: 8515 State Route 127, Alto Pass 618-893-4898 altovineyards.net ■ BLUE SKY: 3150 S. Rocky Comfort Road, Makanda 618-995-9463 blueskyvineyard.com ■ HEDMAN: 560 Chestnut St., Alto Pass 618-893-4923 peachbarn.com ■ HICKORY RIDGE: 1598 Hickory Ridge Road, Pomona 618-893-1700 hickoryridgevineyard. com ■ HONKER HILL: 4861 Spillway Road, Carbondale 618-549-5517 honkerhillwinery. com ■ KITE

HILL: 83 Kite Hill Road, Carbondale

618-684-5072 kitehillvineyards.com ■ ORLANDINI: 410 Thorn Lane, Makanda 618-995-2307 orlandinivineyard.com ■ OWL CREEK: 2655 Water Valley Road, Cobden 618-893-2557 owlcreekvineyard.com ■ POMONA: 2865 Hickory Ridge Road, Pomona 618-893-2623 pomonawinery.com ■ RUSTLE HILL: 8595 U.S. Hwy 51, Cobden 618-893-2700 rustlehillwinery.com ■ STARVIEW: 5100 Wing Hill Road, Cobden 618-893-9463 starviewvineyards.com ■ VON JAKOB: 230 Hwy. 127, Alto Pass 618-893-4600 vonjakob.com

Paul, they didn’t hesitate. “We knew it had value to it,” Paul said. “Otherwise, we wouldn’t have followed through to the degree we did. We knew a small group of wineries was better than three individual wineries.” Ted had recently visited the wine trails in Finger Lakes, New York, and had brought back information and material. He was excited, ready to move forward. But the trio needed help from someone who knew how to make it happen. “When I got the call from George and Paul – I didn’t know Ted, then – I knew a wine trail had potential to be a great thing,” said Debbie Moore, former executive director of Carbondale Convention and Tourism Bureau and now owner of Moore Tourism. Debbie, who in the early 1990s had been working toward certification through the International Association of Convention and Visitors Bureau, had

visited wine trails in other states and “just knew we could do it here.” “I knew those two guys,” Debbie said. “I knew they were hard workers. They had a strong work ethic. And, because of that, I was willing to jump on board with them. I was sure it would work.” Just as quickly as Debbie is to credit George and Paul, they are just as eager to credit her. “Debbie was the one,” said Paul, who has had a personal relationship with Debbie since high school and since Debbie’s husband Joe, who Debbie described as something of a wine connoisseur, started saving bottles for Guy Renzaglia, whom he knew from their days at the university. “We needed something big,” Debbie said, “something we could build and take pride in, something that could belong to all of us in Southern Illinois.” In 1995, the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail was officially created. And, as the three men worked on the logistics and continued their efforts to improve their wine, Debbie set to work on finding funding for marketing the trail. “The Carbondale Convention and Tourism Bureau had a commitment to that wine trail,” Debbie said, “because, even though it wasn’t within the city of Carbondale, it was going to be good for Carbondale, by bringing visitors who needed places to stay, eat and shop.” With grants and an investment from the Illinois Bureau of Tourism, Debbie and the bureau pumped out brochures and scattered information throughout the state. The state bureau, in 1997, also decided it was worthy of even more attention and began advertising the trail in its materials. The vintners also had to find political and legislative support. “We went to our legislators and said, ‘Check this out. We can make you a lot of money in tax revenue,’ and they paid attention,” Paul said. They wound up with $500,000 for trail development. They also had to face other obstacles: Objections to wine production from pockets of social and religious conservatives, doubters and other naysayers. But it didn’t stop them. “We all had an abiding love of wine, long before the business aspect of it came into being, all the way back to a vision for growing good grapes and making high-quality wines,” Paul said. “Other characters in the story might come and go, because it is such hard work, and there often isn’t a lot of money in it. So, you have to love it. Someone who doesn’t isn’t going to succeed.” Today, the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail consists of 12 wineries and supports what Life & Style : Summer 2015

WINE & SPIRITS Ted estimates to be 50 to 100 micro-businesses that have come into existence because of the creation of the trail 20 years ago. “It might have been even harder than growing grapes; they both take a lot of effort and time to do it right,” Paul said. To keep doing it right still takes a lot of work. The Shawnee Hills Wine Trail Association executive committee – Paul is president, George is vice president and Brad Genung at Owl Creek is secretary – is doing everything it can. “We have regular meetings, bring To read previous in highly qualified features on wine wine experts, discuss tasting skills, pairings technical issues, taste and the styles and each other’s wines, varieties along the offer suggestions, ask trail, go to www. questions,” George lifeandstyleSI.com. said. “We spend a tremendous amount of time on improving our wines.” Improving their wines will always be the top priority. And therein, lies another challenge: How to best benefit from a somewhat rare opportunity, the federal designation and approval of the Shawnee Hills as the state’s first American Viticultural Area. Approval by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Trade Bureau in 2006 gives the region’s products their own trademark, similar to that of wines from Napa Valley or Sonoma regions in California. “Ted was really the catalyst for that, and he made it happen,” Paul said. “It was his notion, and he did all the work.” Ted first submitted the application in 2001 after researching the character of the Shawnee Hills soils and microclimates with the help of Dr. Imed Dami, who was the state viticulturalist housed at Southern Illinois University. “We’re still working on how to make more of this,” Paul said. “The quality of wine produced in the Shawnee Hills AVA has to be top-notch, so every winery has to strive to produce the best wines. And I’m not being disparaging here; I’ve made plenty of bad wines. But we aren’t there, yet; we don’t have all the standards in place that we need, standards like they have in other AVAs and in Europe. It’s a very significant thing, and we certainly have what it takes; now, it’s just a matter of figuring out how to make it work for us.” Doing all this while maintaining their individuality – and realizing their own ambitions – is important, too. “We all have different things we want to accomplish,” Paul said. For some wineries along the trail, keeping their operations small is the goal; for others, expansion – event venues, tastings, food and wine pairings, hosting musical acts, serving food, gift shops – is the goal. Some are quiet; others are high octane, just like their owners and winemakers. And, they all deserve some credit for the wine trail’s success. “Did we ever think this wine trail would change the face of Southern Illinois?” George said. “We had no idea, but we’ll take it.” And so will we. 58

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PHOTOS COURTESY PAUL RENZAGLIA

1986: Paul Renzaglia, Ted Wichmann and Guy Renzaglia proudly display their first harvest of Concord grapes.

IN THE BEGINNING ... These photos were provided by Paul Renzaglia, winemaker and owner of Alto Vineyards in Alto Pass. Paul, along with his father, Guy, and Ted Wichmann, planted and tended the first vineyards at the property. Guy Renzaglia is widely considered the father of the modern Southern Illinois wine industry.

ABOVE: 1982: Ted Wichmann and Guy Renzaglia trying to figure out how to lay out the rows for the first plantings of grapes at Alto Vineyards. LEFT: Guy Renzaglia hand digs holes for the in-line posts in the newly planted vineyards.

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TWIG Floral Designs Jonathan Reiman is owner of and designer at Twig Floral Designs in Carbondale.

60 Life & Style : Summer 2015

Reiman works his magic on a bouquet.

PHOTOS BY RICHARD SITLER

Seeing how quickly and efficiently – and beautifully – Jonathan Reiman put together a floral arrangement, it’s no surprise that he has been able to grow his business just as quickly, efficiently and beautifully. Reiman, floral designer and owner of Twig Floral Designs in Carbondale, moved his business from Sparta about seven months and has never looked back. “We’re very happy with the move,” said Annette Hornbostel, one of several employees in the shop. “We are so glad we did it.” Reimann and his staff sometimes begin their working days in the dawning hours, depending on what they have on their schedules. “Jonathan is sometimes here as early at 5 a.m.,” Hornbostel said. “And he goes all day long.” And sometimes it takes all day,

especially if Reiman and his crew are working a wedding or other big event, like a prom. “We do weddings, funerals, all occasions,” Hornbostel said. “We also do smaller bouquets for individuals for smaller occasions like a birthday or for someone in the hospital.” But the shop isn’t only a floral shop. The store is divided into 14 smaller rooms, each featuring artwork, home décor items such as candles, lamps and unique furniture pieces, dried and silk floral arrangements, and other unique and unusual item. One of Reiman’s goals is to show clients and customers how these items can be arranged in their own homes. “Everything we have out there is not just lined up on a shelf,” Reiman said in an earlier interview. “For those people who can’t see something finished, we have it finished so you know exactly what is it going to look like when you take it home.”

Tools of the trade include floral foam, which keeps the arrangement perfectly in place, sharp trimmers and tapes and ribbons.

Life & Style : Summer 2015

GETAWAYS

Nashville is one of the 50 most popular domestic destination cities for Americans, according to Hotels. com. We can see why, with a gorgeous skyline like this. AP

Life & Style : Summer 2015

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE A DREAM DESTINATION THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

DIANA LAMBDIN MEYER

Back when I was still living in Southern Illinois and beginning my communications career in Cape Girardeau as a country music DJ at KZYM, Nashville, Tennessee, was my dream. Of course, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where all of the music stars were headed, and it seemed to be such a glamorous destination.

I no longer spin country music for a living, but Nashville is still a dream destination, particularly for those living in Southern Illinois, and a quick, three-hour jaunt south on Interstate 24 reveals a sophisticated southern culture that celebrates music, food and people.

Life & Style : Summer 2015

GETAWAYS

VISITMUSICCITY.COM

You can’t go to Nashville without going to The Bluebird Cafe, which doesn’t look like much but is the hottest place for original music.

TNS

Neon signs will light your way as you move from music venues, restaurants, bars and shops.

World-famous Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge has been churning out amazing musicians and music for more than 50 years.

My husband and I have traveled around the world, and a trip to Nashville is as enjoyable as any place we’ve ever been. It’s a place as comfortable as home, but with enough fun stuff going on every day and night that you want to get off the couch and down the road to Music City USA. One of our favorite things to do is simply walk along Lower Broadway, or Lower Broad as they call it. This is where some of the great old honky-tonks are, 64

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where the likes of Jimmy Rodgers, Ernest Tubbs and Hank Williams strummed their guitars in the early days. Don’t be tempted by the recent glitzy glamour of the Hard Rock Café. Serious country music lovers cringe that a Hard Rock is even in the vicinity of places like Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, the granddaddy of Nashville honky-tonks. You’ll hear live music and enjoy people watching at any hour of the day or night on Lower Broad, so come often during

your visit. The good times and energy really get going after the sun goes down. It’s an area where any musician with a dream eventually comes, and the creative optimism simply hangs in the air. As you’re planning your Nashville trip, make your first reservation at the Bluebird Café. Located in a strip mall next to a children’s clothing store and a gold exchange, the Bluebird doesn’t look like much from the outside, but don’t be discouraged; this is the hottest place in

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GETAWAYS

NASHVILLE CONVENTION & VISITORS CORP.

You’ll be able to hear terrific musicians from every music genre in Nashville. This is Tommie Sims. NASHVILLE CONVENTION & VISITORS CORP.

Ryman Auditorium is a 2,362-seat live performance venue at 116 Fifth Ave. North. It’s best known as the home of the Grand Ole Opry.

VISITMUSICCITY.COM

Some of the geatest names in country music recorded in Studio B at the RCA building. Just walking the halls gives you a great sense of the city’s musical heritage.

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum recently underwent a $100 million expansion that has more than doubled their space and allowed them to add more interactive and contemporary exhibits.

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Nashville for original music. This is where songwriters come to debut their work, often talking about the creative process and how they struggled with the words and the sound. It’s an intimate little setting, and, sometimes, the songwriters are the singers themselves, and they are within a few feet of you. We saw Kenny Loggins once at the Bluebird, and I seriously had to restrain myself from touching his shoulder. With only 90 seats, reservations at the Bluebird go quickly. Sunday and Monday nights are first-come, first-serve, but you might find yourself standing in line for hours. This is a place for listening, so turn those phones off and tune your ears to the music. When it’s over, you, too, will want to grab a guitar and a notebook and create something beautiful. We last visited Nashville during Tin Pan South – the world’s largest songwriters festival. It takes place for five days each March, and it’s not too soon to start planning for next year. About a dozen venues sell tickets to events that focus on the words and the people who put those words on paper. Often, you get to hear the raw version of some of your favorite songs, before it was tweaked and hyped and hacked in a production studio. If you like music, any kind of music, Tin Pan South is an event you must experience. Of course, no visit to Nashville is complete without exploring the Country Music Hall of Fame. Even if you don’t really like country music, the museum does a fabulous job of explaining the role of music in society and how music is just one way we document our history and how we’ve grown as a culture. Sounds

Travel resources ■ Nashville

Visitors Center; 800-6576910; www.visitmusiccity.com ■ Bluebird Café; 615-383-1461; www. bluebirdcafe.com ■ Tin Pan South; 615-256-3354; http:// tinpansouth.com ■ Country Music Hall of Fame; 615416-2001; www.countrymusichalloffame. org ■ Opryland Hotel; 615-880-1000; www. marriott.com ■ Union Station Hotel; 615-726-1001; www.unionstationhotelnashville.com ■ Frist Center for the Visual Arts; 615244-3340; www.fristcenter.org ■ East Nashville Merchants Association; http://eastnashville.org ■ Tomato Art Festival; www. tomatoartfest.com

like serious stuff, but you can also have fun with free instrument demonstrations on Sundays or Saturday morning sessions with songwriters, or just looking at the ridiculously sparkly costumes that music stars of a previous generous once wore. One exhibit allows you to dress up in some of those costumes; another allows you to enter a studio and record your own little number. Taylor Swift has donated one of her touring busses to the Hall of Fame, as well as funds to create a music education center within the hall. The after-school programs are incredibly popular with teenagers, but toddlers through senior citizens can grab a paint brush or a guitar

GAYLORD OPRYLAND HOTEL

The Gaylord Opryland Hotel is a destination in itself, and it is especially spectacular at Christmas.

and explore the artform that has made Taylor Swift a household name. Check the calendar of events before you head to Nashville to see what you might be able to enroll your kids in. Offerings change on a weekly basis. While many people have visited the Country Music Hall of Fame — a must if you’re in Nashville — not as many make their way over to Historic Studio B. This is where Elvis recorded more than 250 songs, where Floyd Cramer tickled the ivories, where Willie and Waylon sang with the boys, and Dolly Parton introduced us to Jolene. It’s such a lowtech place to have seen such great music bounce off its padded walls, but, yep, this is where it happened, where many of the songs we sing along with first took form. It’s a national landmark and worthy of your time. The next reservation you will need is for a hotel. If you’re planning a Christmas getaway, you have to stay at the Opryland Hotel. Christmas is crazy at Opryland! In fact, if you visit anytime after July 1, look for people climbing scaffolding and scooting amid the flowers and around furniture. Those people are stringing more than 2 million twinkling little lights, one of the hallmarks of visiting Opryland at Christmas. But the hotel and adjoining property really is a destination in itself any time of the year with shopping, music, theatre, restaurants and always a special activity or event of some kind happening. You can’t go wrong with spending your days and nights at the Opryland Hotel. But for a taste of history and luxury in your accommodations within easy walking distance of Lower Broad, consider the historic Union Station Hotel. It was, indeed, a train station when it opened in 1900, but a multimillion dollar renovation in 2007 brought it back to its original glory with all of the modern comforts – like air conditioning and wifi – that we all need today. Stand by for plenty of oohs and aahs when you walk into the lobby with its 65-foot high, vaulted ceiling,

VISITMUSICCITY.COM

The atrium inside the Gaylord Opryland Hotel.

NASHVILLE CONVENTION & VISITORS CORP.

The District is made of up three historic districts and their contiguous areas in downtown Nashville. Broadway, Second Avenue, Riverfront and Printers Alley is collectively known as The District, where you’ll find shopping, music and plenty of city ambience.

TNS

NASHVILLE CONVENTION & VISITORS CORP.

You don’t have to travel to Athens, Greece, to see the Parthenon. Nashville has a replica of the original.

The Frist Center for the Visual Arts is a great place to explore and celebrate creativity in the visual arts.

Life & Style : Summer 2015

GETAWAYS

marble floors and 115-year-old stainedglass windows. Check out the men’s bathroom downstairs. Its funky 1920s Art Deco-style has not been touched and has been used as a setting in many music videos. The Union Station Hotel offers a wonderful Nashville Getaway package with the adjacent Frist Center for the Visual Arts that will save you about $100 on admission and meals. The Frist is basically an art museum, but, because it’s in Nashville, it’s really a place to explore and celebrate creativity in the visual arts. Anyone with children in their lives will love ArtQuest, a place where kids can paint and sculpt and express themselves without critique. 68

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It’s so much fun, and it helps adults appreciate the emotional and physical energy that was required to generate some of the larger exhibitions in the museum. Take a guided tour at no additional cost and leave feeling like you have learned something about the creative process. So, by now, you should recognize that Nashville is a place where creativity is celebrated, but art is not a hoitytoity concept beyond the reach of us everyday folks. No place in the metropolitan area is more creative and more down-to-earth than historic East Nashville. Only 10 minutes from downtown, or a quick bike ride across the Korean

Veterans Bridge, is the oldest part of the city, with some structures dating back to the 1850s. Until a tornado devastated much of the area in 1998, there were some older buildings, but Mother Nature took care of that, and spurred an urban renewal that makes this among the city’s most desirable communities. You’ll find numerous independent boutiques and restaurants and mom & pop joints with open doors, welcoming you to their community. Not a fast-food joint or chain restaurant can be found in the 20 blocks of East Nashville, but everyone knows that Tuesday night at The Family Wash, a laundromat-turned-brew pub, is

NASHVILLE CONVENTION & VISITORS CORP.

Music City’s Fourth of July party offers two days of live music, a myriad of activities and spectacular fireworks.

The Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge spans the Cumberland River. The bridge is one of the best viewpoints for the Nashville skyline. AP

the place for shepherd’s pie and a pint for less than $10. Among the other independent businesses that add flavor to the neighborhood are the Pied Piper Creamery, where you can get homemade slab ice cream on a hot summer day, and the Sweet Sixteenth Bakery, where family birthday cakes have been made for generations, and lines form out the door for Saturday morning sweet rolls. Although Nashville proper is not a city abundant with bed-and-breakfast inns, you’ll find more than your fair share in East Nashville. The magnificent Top o’ Woodland Bed and Breakfast is a formal Victorian mansion and a hot spot for weddings. The East Park Inn

NASHVILLE CONVENTION & VISITORS CORP.

The Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art is a respite from the hustle and bustle of the big city.

A trip to the zoo is worth it in just about any major city you visit. Nashville’s is no exception.

is also a restored Victorian home, but it is a little less formal and earthy for travelers with children. The best time to visit East Nashville is in August, when residents demonstrate their creativity during the Tomato Art Festival, an event that promotes the tomato for its ability to bring fruits and vegetables together. Basically, it’s silliness and a reason to celebrate summer’s bounty of tomatoes with tomato-themed food, tomato-inspired art and even tomato-style music. The Tomato Art Festival is Aug. 7-8 this year and includes a Bloody Mary contest, parades, costumes and a tomato fashion show, with a category for emerging fruits and vegetables. A few years back, the festival included a

tomato toss, your basic food fight with squishy produce, but, darn it, some people didn’t appreciate the raw fun of throwing tomatoes at one another, and an ordinance now prohibits tossing tomatoes at one another. In my opinion, that would be the perfect dream getaway — the ability to throw rotten tomatoes in good fun. But, nonetheless, Nashville is a great getaway for a couple of days or a week or more, and a destination that finds much to celebrate throughout the various seasons. DIANA LAMBDIN MEYER is a freelance travel writer originally from Wolf Lake in Union County. She lives in Kansas City. Life & Style : Summer 2015

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WHERE WE LIVE

‘I wouldn’t change a thing’

Michelle Holmes and Mike Trude (below) relax in the kitchen of their Marion home. ‘Michelle had a vision for this room from the get-go, and I just loved it,’ Trude says. Family and friends love the outdoor areas of the home, which includes seating areas, a pool and outdoor kitchen.

Marion home combines lakeside luxury with dramatic design STORY BY JOE SZYNKOWSKI PHOTOS BY RICHARD SITLER

Every room within the Marion home of Michelle Holmes and Mike Trude is a thing of dramatic beauty – think different acts of a play that seamlessly build on one another. And once you walk through it in its entirety, you’re left wanting a curtain call. There are no matching furniture sets. The walls are mostly white, but in six different shades. Every door within the home is black. With the wide-open floor plan, a gaze in any direction from almost any room will reveal wood, brass, stainless, ceramics and marble.

Life & Style : Summer 2015

WHERE WE LIVE

The master bedroom has a calming and almost spa-like ambience.

The home is beautifully decorated — with the help of Distinctive Interiors — and features small details that add to it.

Michelle did the Venetian plaster walls in the master bathroom (and dining room) by hand, spending full days troweling, sanding and wiping them down until they conveyed a shimmering shine. ‘It was definitely a DIY project,’ Michelle says.

Life & Style : Summer 2015

Eclectic style and bold design make this three-bedroom, three-bathroom home stand out from the rest. “If you found these pieces and elements in other homes, they might be done in a million different ways,” Holmes said. “That’s the fun part about design. We knew what we wanted and it all just came together.”

FROM THE GROUND UP

Holmes and Trude married in 2008. Holmes is the owner of Joyce’s Boutique and The Pageant Room in Marion, and is the official coaching consultant to Maryland and New York Miss USA and Teen USA. She is also the coach for Miss Denmark Universe. Local sports fans know Trude as the former KFVS-12 anchor and radio partner of Mike Reis calling football and baseball games for Southern Illinois University. Trude is now the admissions coordinator for SIU. The couple broke ground on their new 2,350-square-foot home in February 2014 and moved in eight months later. It took them a few months – and thousands of examples – to settle on a floor plan but they chose a beauty. Open and u-shaped, the home offers a stunning view upon the first step through the wrought iron front door. From there, a visitor can look straight ahead past the contemporary living room, out the window and across the in-ground, saltwater pool to the subdivision lake. “It’s the perfect view,” Trude said. The items inside the couple’s homes are more than just furniture, art and decorations. They work together to form an experience. Take the venetian plaster walls in the dining room and master bathroom, for example. Holmes did them by hand, spending full days troweling, sanding and wiping them down until they conveyed the shimmering shine that they do now. She did it all with some elbow grease, scaffolding for the hard-to-reach spots and YouTube. “It was definitely a DIY project,” she said. “But now I have those stories. Everybody walks in and rubs the walls.” Holmes and Trude have another story that evokes a different emotion from their guests. The couple ordered the black, clear-glassed front doors from a company in California only to be duped by a phony salesman – along with 31 other custom door customers from across the country. “A guy had rented a spot in the office, took our money and left,” Holmes said.

The couple used as many local businesses as possible in their home. ‘My father is a local commercial contractor,’ Michelle says. ‘It was so important to try to buy everything we possibly could from local vendors.’

A sitting area awaits just beyond the kitchen.

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WHERE WE LIVE

Visitors get to stay in this luxurious guest bedroom.

Once the issue was resolved and the doors shipped, they were nearly the final items to be installed in the home. It was one of the few missteps in a process that otherwise went smoothly. “We really enjoyed the whole experience,” Holmes said.

LOCAL DREAM TEAM

One of the main reasons the build and design came together so well is the level of expertise put forth by local contractors, designers and builders. The home’s interior furnishings, flooring materials and window treatments almost all came from Distinctive Interiors in Marion. “They were so great. We had a mirror above the buffet that came in and was damaged,” Holmes said. “They took it back. They brought back another, hung it and it looked too small. They took it back and replaced it with a larger mirror. Their service was outstanding.” The staff at Distinctive came to know the couple’s home like it was their own.

Life & Style : Summer 2015

Glass is a prominent feature in the home’s décor; this table is in the living room.

“We never measured a thing,” Holmes said. “They hung every mirror, every picture and placed every lamp. The delivery, design and all of that – it was all included for no extra charge.” The couple was surprised at how many products and services Distinctive actually offers. From the dark hardwood throughout the main living spaces to the ceramic tile in the bathrooms, it all came from the Marion store. “I didn’t even know they did flooring,” Holmes said. “I took in some flooring to match the furniture I was looking for and they carried the same brand and matched the price. So much of this came from them.” The couple received exceptional service from a host of local contractors and business owners, including George Sheffer and his staff at Murdale True Value in Carbondale. “We had to choose the appliances before we could do the kitchen cabinets and started with George,” Trude said. “We told him we were going to shop around a bit, and he told us to find better prices and come back to him.” Sheffer’s prices turned out to be the best from the start.

‘I own a business and my father is a local commercial contractor. It was so important to try to buy everything we possibly could from local vendors.’

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MICHELLE HOLMES, homeowner

Other local professionals included Tim Green Tile and Flooring Design (all flooring and custom showers installations), Robert Vickers of Celebrity Pools and Spa in Marion (pool installation), George Partridge of Partridge Landscaping (landscaping projects) and Craig Shotton with Jim Shotton Construction (general contractor). Shopping locally for materials and labor was not an accident. “I own a business and my father is a local commercial contractor,” Holmes said. “It was so important to try to buy everything we possibly could from local vendors.”

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WHERE WE LIVE

The range features five gas burners.

Life & Style : Summer 2015

Marble countertops are a highlight of the kitchen.

‘FAVORITE ROOM IN THE HOUSE’ One room in particular is a showstopper within the couple’s home. From the stainless steel backsplash and bar front with matching pops of stainless tile, to the slate-finished refrigerator and dishwasher, the kitchen is an exquisite nook. Holmes handles the cooking and has many tools at her disposal, including a double oven that features a top microwave that converts to convection and a regular bottom oven that does the same. The five-burner gas cooktop and outdoor grill give the couple two more places to cook. Bright white light showers the countertop while soft yellows illuminate the upper cabinets. The light marble countertop gives the room depth and combines with the lights to provide a stunning contrast with the darker features of the room. “Picking out the marble was actually

really difficult,” Trude said. “You’re not sure where certain parts of it will end up once it’s cut, and you’re just hoping it lines up the way you’re thinking.” The kitchen was the first part of the house that was designed in Holmes’ head. “Michelle had a vision for this room from the get-go and I just loved it,” Trude said. “It really came together exactly like she wanted. It’s definitely my favorite room in the house.” Trude also likes the room cornering the kitchen that features an oversized black couch and a large, flat-screen TV hanging on the wall. Rusty Cunningham, the contractor’s carpenter, helped design the decorative cabinets that enclose the TVs in both the family room and the couple’s master suite. “I remember Rusty saying, ‘Your husband is a sports guy; he can’t be watching football on some little TV,’” Michelle recalled. “So he got the bigger

TV because of Rusty.” Trude sends his thanks, Rusty.

A FAMILY EXPERIENCE

While busy with their professions – Holmes routinely travels across the country to meet with her clients – the couple finds time to host its family members and friends. Trude’s daughter comes to stay with them every other weekend and gets the upstairs bedroom loft all to herself. Holmes’ nieces and nephews love the backlit mirror in the guest bathroom, calling it the “best selfie mirror ever.” “I personally never go near it,” Holmes laughed. “It’s way too bright.” Friends and family also love taking dips in the pool and enjoying the outdoor kitchen area. The fire bowl on the bar converts into an ice bowl during the summer, serving as the perfect spot to stow cold drinks during a day in the pool. Life & Style : Summer 2015

WHERE WE LIVE

The cabinet holding the family room TV looks like a painting.

Trude and Holmes also consider everyone who worked on their home a member of their extended family, especially the Distinctive design consultant, Shirley Holmes, who walked them through so many strategies. “Shirley was so adamant about mixing different textures and colors,” Holmes said. “We would pick out my dream piece and then the piece we could afford. They did everything they could to accommodate exactly what we wanted in here.” Husband and wife collaboration played a major role throughout the process, as well. “She would bounce things off of me and I would agree,” Trude laughed. “She had the vision. I think we worked well together.” Now that the build is complete, the walls are finished and the furniture is set, Holmes misses the creative process that went into turning an empty lot into a lakeside luxury. “I go to furniture stores and can’t say, ‘I want that!’ anymore,” she said. “Everything has its place now. We’re done and I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Life & Style : Summer 2015

JOE SZYNKOWSKI is a freelance writer for Life & Style. Read more of his work at www.jskiwrite.com or follow him @JoeSzynkowski on Twitter.

“I have ha lived at Liberty Estates f almost three years. This is my for home The staff are wonderful home. and treat tr me with kindness, I enjoy the food and appreciate the AJ’s Fitness gym where I can work out and stay healthy.The planned activities and parties are always fun. I couldn’t think of a better place to live. If you are looking for a home, this is the place to be!”

Warren Grammer, Liberty Estates

Voted #1 Retirement Community for the Reader’s Choice Award

Liberty Village of Carbondale and Marion

618-457-1010 618-993-8600 libertyvillageofcarbondale.com libertyvillageofmarion.com

Not-For-Profit Provider

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DÉCOR

Not a DIY’er? Cory Mohr knows how to turn an idea into a successful home project and a thriving design business

80 Life & Style : Summer 2015

PHOTOS BY RICHARD SITLER

The Cory Mohr Design firm, at 1181 Rendleman Road in Carbondale, specializes in design services for kitchen, bath, fireplace.

CHANDA GREEN

“Let’s do this!” It’s the marketing slogan of one of the big do-it-yourself super stores, one that’s drilled into your brain with each and every one of its ads. It’s effective, for sure, but for some of us, it’s an increasingly irritating INFO reminder of all the projects Call Cory Mohr Design that we would like to do, but at 618-490-1379, visit just haven’t been able to corymohrdesign.com or get done. stop by Cory’s showroom Maybe you don’t have in Carbowndale at 1181 the time. Maybe you’re Rendleman Road, just not one of those do-itSuite C (next to yourself homeowners. Maybe Subway). you need someone who’s willing and able to roll up his sleeves and help. Then you’re just the kind of client that Cory Mohr, owner of Cory Mohr Design, is looking for. “I sit down with my clients and listen,” he said. “Some know exactly what they want. Others have an idea and just need some help turning that into reality.” ‘Our goal is to design spaces that are sophisticated, Cory’s a good salesman, but, more than that, he has the talent and enthusiasm livable and affordable, but, above all, a reflection of of a man who has found his calling, has who they are. Good designs don’t have to break the practiced his craft, and has worked, project by project, to build his business and his bank, but they do require forethought and creativity.’ reputation into one of the region’s best. Mission statement of Cory Mohr Design It all started in 2009, when Cory helped

Life & Style : Summer 2015

DÉCOR design a friend’s kitchen. He was earning a living as a teacher at the time, but once he finished that first design project, he knew. “I knew there was an opportunity to use my talents and abilities to do something extremely fun and exciting that would also help people,” he said. Still, with a wife and two little girls dependent on him, Cory knew that kind of complete career change would require some careful thought, some serious planning, and a whole lot of hard work. But what really made all the difference, he said, was his faith. “I knew that God had given me the ability,” he said. “Doing this sort of thing is always a risk, but it seemed like God was leading me. “I had people I could trust, truly talented people, specifically my Amish cabinet builder. I kept getting hired for more jobs as I was referred by previous and current clients. Local builders and individuals started calling and sending emails. I began building a network of professionals I could count on. “By 2011, we incorporated as Cory Mohr Design and for the next couple of years I taught and then worked on my design projects at Common Grounds, the local coffeehouse,” he said. “In the spring of 2013, my wife, Michelle, and I decided that I had enough going on in design jobs to take it to the next level.” Cory left teaching and found the space he wanted at 1181 Rendleman Road, in what used to be the kitchen of Larry’s Pit Barbecue in Carbondale. “It was greasy and dirty and perfect,” Cory said. “I designed it, of course – that’s the best part of the process – as a showcase with as many of my designs as would fit without feeling crowded. Then, I gathered everyone I knew who was willing to help and we started renovating. The whole project was done in exactly 100 days. After beginning the demolition on Jan. 2, we held our grand opening on April 11, 2014.” Since then, it’s been project after project, full steam ahead, and the business has grown by leaps and bounds with little to no marketing, almost entirely by word of mouth. “This year, my goal is to manage the business’ growth while still providing personalized service and custom designs, which have set us apart from others. So, I brought on staff to help that process: two very talented individuals, Dylan Grant and Michelle Petrik. Right now, we’re managing 20 to 25 projects, ranging in size from relatively small – installing new vanities and countertops – to fully designed large-scale homes. We even have a restaurant in which we are designing the interior. “It’s all very exciting, exhausting, but exciting,” he said. 82

Life & Style : Summer 2015

An expert’s guide to using color Don’t let a little color scare you away from your next home-improvement or decorating project. There are valid concerns, such as home resale values, color schemes that might trend out or just getting tired of your choices. Yes, selecting and working with color can be intimidating, but there are ways to use color to create a unique space that is timeless and tasteful. NATURAL COLORS: Colors found in nature, called earth tones, are foundational and familiar, making them timeless and appealing to most. Using these colors (especially with textures also found in nature) will give you a warm and inviting space.

ACCENT COLORS: White kitchens are always a classic, and gray is the new brown. However, designing monochromatically can feel sterile and leave you cold. Try accenting with bold colors and patterns in fabrics and décor to add warmth and fun without feeling like you are living in a kaleidoscope. And yes, accent walls are out.

INTENTIONALITY: You can get away with more if it feels like you actually meant to do it that way. Show consistency and intent in design by making a color dominant in one room while using it to accent in another.

In the end, don’t take yourself too seriously. Find colors that make you excited to be in the space. You only live once. Take a couple risks. Choose a color that stretches you or go a shade bolder. After all, you can always paint over it. – Cory Mohr

APPS COLOR CAPTURE: Developed by Benjamin Moore, this app allows users to snap a photo of any attention-grabbing inspiration and instantly match it to one of the company’s more than 3,300 paint colors. Users can also use an in-app color catalog to explore combination options and share possibilities on social media to gather feedback. Similar apps are available from Sherwin Williams and other paint producers. COLOR CHANGE: Trying to envision what a room, landscape or outfit would look like in a different color? This app can come in handy, as it allows the user to manipulate the color of images to see them from a different perspective. The process is simplified with the use of a “Magic” selection tool and takes only seconds. The app is perfect for interior designers or do-it-yourselfers who like to visualize the project ahead of them. COLOR SPLASH: Even a novice photo editor can practice his or her creative skill with this app. Simply snap a photo or take one from your device’s storage, open it in the app and go. Users can make striking images by converting the photo to black and white while preserving only the color of selected elements, creating a stark and visually stunning contrast. The end product can be shared on social media or saved to a personal Dropbox account.

COLOR at your fingertips From décor and fashion to fun and games, apps make it easy

Modern technology has allowed for programmers and developers to put almost anything into the hands of people with smartphones, tablets or other electronic devices. Some applications, or apps, are practical; others are pure fun. Many are colorful. Yes, colorful — both in the sense that they bring to life the shades and tones of the everyday life and that they’re vibrant and full of life. Those looking for a color-based tool to advance a project or to improve the aesthetics of life around them can try their hand at these apps.

EYE VS. EYE: This color-matching game can be played either solo or with a random opponent. A target flashes, and then players are challenged to select one of three sliders to exactly match the target shade. Don’t worry about rushing through the palette too quickly; the game boasts more than 16.7 million shades. WHICH COLOR ARE YOU? Dr. Max Lüscher’s Color Test has long been used in business and societal settings to gauge a person’s personality. Lüscher believed that because color selections are guided in an unconscious manner, they reveal the person as they really are, not as they perceive themselves or would like to be perceived. Users can discover what Lüscher has to say about their own personality. COLORTILT: No one is too old for a little finger-painting once in a while. Users select colors by tilting the mobile device slightly until the desired hue appears, unleashing whatever kind of colorful image their minds concoct. An advanced version of the app, called ColorTouch, works along similar lines, but allows users to import photos.

Life & Style : Summer 2015

BUSINESS BUZZ

PHOTOS BY RICHARD SITLER

The Dayshift Boutique, at 101 W. Monroe St. in Carbondale, features locally made art, clothing, jewelry and more. Chris McKinley is the owner.

BRIGHT BUYS Colorful, creative, unique gifts from Dayshift Boutique can brighten anyone’s day

DAYSHIFT 101 W. Monroe St., Carbondale, 618-529-3297 Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday Online: Find them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr and Pinterest

Life & Style : Summer 2015

CHANDA GREEN

In an unassuming shop in the corner of the old train depot parking lot in downtown Carbondale is something quite extraordinary. Any unsuspecting shoppers would be forgiven if, upon stepping through the door at 101 W. Monroe, their eyes opened wide and some sort of exclamation ensued. “Wow!” I said as I walked in one cold day. They get that a lot at Dayshift Boutique. “Customers often comment on how colorful the store is,” said owner Chris McKinley. I shook my head in agreement as I scanned the shelves and walls and

counters and displays literally bursting with hand-made creations and works of art of almost every variety and color. “I think colors have such an uplifting and positive effect on us, Chris said. “Color represents life, as we are witnessing with the oncoming spring. The blue sky, green grasses and colorful flowers represent the reawakening of the earth after a long, gray winter.” Chris, a longtime Carbondale musician and artist, bought the store in 2011 from artist Mary Lynn Schroeder, who opened it in 2009. Chris did a little remodeling and has expanded the store’s inventory to include the work of more than 65 local artists. “Almost everything in here is one-of-akind, made by somebody who really put his or her heart and soul into it,” she said. Inside Dayshift, shoppers will find a smorgasbord of art, crafts and all manner of gifts for any occasion. You can choose from photography, paintings, blown glass, sculpture and fiber art. There are items for your home, including kitchen items, such as hand-painted ceramic dishes, wine accessories and aprons, and home décor,

such as hand-carved candles and platters made from real leaf impressions. You can also find bath and body items such as handmade soaps, lotions, bath bombs and shaving kits. “For those who like to make a statement and be their own artwork, we have many colorful pieces of clothing and some lovely artistic accessories,” Chris said. Dayshift’s selection of clothing and accessories include hand-dyed scarves, blouses and T-shirts, handbags and loads of interesting jewelry. “A lot of our artists are eco-conscious and create their works from repurposed or upcycled items,” she said. A few examples are jewelry holders made from reclaimed barn-wood, crates made from pallets, tiki torches, wind

chimes made with wine bottles, and bird feeders made from old glass dishes. There is a kids’ section with mobiles, hand-crocheted stuffed animals, bunting flags, bibs, booties, onesies and dresses made out of vintage pillowcases. The jewelry selection at Dayshift is the most unique you’ll find. There are collections made with real acorn caps, semi-precious stones, chainmaille, colored glass, bullet casings, crystals, metals, guitar picks and antique silverware. “There are about a dozen jewelry makers represented here, including myself,” Chris said. “Jewelry is one of our biggest sellers.” “People are usually surprised when they discover Dayshift Boutique, whether they’re looking for something for home or a gift for someone special,” Chris said. “It’s like a secret treasure chest of colorful jewels. There is always something new to discover.” And don’t forget the outside of your gift. Chris thinks it’s almost as important as what’s inside. “That’s why we go the extra mile to provide colorful gift-wrapping choices for all occasions. I love handing someone a beautifully wrapped gift. They are always impressed.”

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Remax Above And Beyond 1800 W Boulevard, Ste D • Marion, IL 62959 Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated Life & Style : Summer 2015

GEAR

WATERPROOF GEAR

fends off rain, lakes and pools

Water-based activities play a critical part of nearly everyone’s summer schedules, from fishermen to pool-party enthusiasts. These individuals need to equip themselves for the fun and challenges ahead, and these tools and gadgets can help. With these items, there’s no need to fear a little water, whether it’s already on the ground or falling from the sky. Check out our suggestions for some waterproof gear that will keep your summer dry and working in high gear. Aerb 4G MP3 Player While waterproof speakers make a great option for pool parties and gatherings, sometimes you just need something more personal. This MP3 player meets that need, whether you’re a runner caught in the rain or a swimmer looking for a music-driven rush in the pool. The device is 100 percent water-resistant to a depth of 3 meters, and it is specifically designed for swimmers and other water-based sports. It comes with a rechargeable battery and a unique clip to attach the player to swimming or skiing goggles, shirt collars or waist belts.

LOKSAK Splashsak

Need a little music for your pool party without the investment in an expensive surround-sound system? These waterproof speakers feature a sturdy, rubberized casing that allows them to be immersed in three feet of water for up to 30 minutes when used with a canteen-like cap. The handy little device packs a punch in terms of sound quality. The speakers are equipped with other capabilities, too. The device touts a 15-hour battery life, smartphone charging capabilities and a speakerphone microphone for accepting phone calls. Using Bluetooth 3.0, the device produces a balanced audio product with clear midrange and treble. Price: $99.99 at braven.com 86

Life & Style : Summer 2015

Whether hiking, camping or just looking for misplaced keys left somewhere around the pool, having a highpowered flashlight like this one can be a lifesaver. And with its waterproof design, pool water and rain won’t be a problem. What really sets this flashlight apart is its multi-use capabilities. Turn the heads of the light in toward the glow tube, and the device emulates a chemical-free glow-stick. Remove the heads and share the device with a friend. If those options don’t suit you, point one of the heads into the glow tube and create a single, focused beam of light. Put the device on its brightest setting and it can be seen from at least a mile away. Price: $29.99 at lazerbrite. com

Otterbox Preserver Series

Price: $39.99 at amazon.com

Braven BRV-1 Speakers

Lazerbrite All-Purpose Flashlight

Cellphones, wallets, car keys, credit cards, cash, receipts — what’s in your pockets? What happens if you find yourself stuck in a torrential downpour? What if you forget to empty those pockets before jumping or being pushed into the pool or lake? The handy bag and the accompanying LOKSAK bags can help keep all of your family’s personal belongings safe from water damage. An inner and outer bag protects the items inside, working like a large zip-lock bag. Place your items inside, make sure the seal is closed and stop worrying. The pouches feature a waist-strap. Price: $22.49 at loksak.myshopify.cm

In a day and age where smartphones seem to be glued to our hands, no one wants to think about leaving a phone behind, even when taking a trip to the pool. Rather than risking damage to the device, a simple Otterbox case can add a layer of protection to a variety of smartphones. They also come in handy if you get caught in a thunderstorm or happen to drop it in the sink or bathtub. The Preserver Series cases are waterproof and shockproof up to 6.6 feet. The simple two-piece case is assembled with a simple snap. A small investment can go a long way to protecting not only a smartphone, but also the data it contains. Price: $49.99 at amazon. com

Problem Solvers Leading Southern Illinois Lawyers

These lawyers have been recommended by their peers to be among the TOP LAWYERS. Less than five percent of all lawyers licensed in Illinois have received the distinction of being a Leading Lawyer. William L. Broom, III

Barrett Twomey Broom Hughes & Hoke LLP

Carbondale

618.457.0437

Patricia A. Hoke

Barrett Twomey Broom Hughes & Hoke LLP

Carbondale

618.457.0437

Kenneth R. Hughes

Barrett Twomey Broom Hughes & Hoke LLP

Carbondale

618.457.0437

Michael R. Twomey

Barrett Twomey Broom Hughes & Hoke LLP

Carbondale

618.457.0437

Mark J. Ballard

Black Hedin Ballard McDonald PC

Mount Vernon

618.242.3310

Terry R. Black

Black Hedin Ballard McDonald PC

Mount Vernon

618.242.3310

Aaron S. Carnine

Black Hedin Ballard McDonald PC

Mount Vernon

618.242.3310

Jerome E. McDonald

Black Hedin Ballard McDonald PC

Mount Vernon

618.242.3310

Kristine M. Tuttle

Black Hedin Ballard McDonald PC

Mount Vernon

618.242.3310

William Kent Brandon

Brandon Schmidt & Goffinet

Carbondale

618.549.0777

Jeffrey A. Goffinet

Brandon Schmidt & Goffinet

Carbondale

618.549.0777

Charles E. Schmidt

Brandon Schmidt & Goffinet

Carbondale

618.549.0777

Paul R. Lynch

Craig & Craig LLC

Mount Vernon

618.244.7511

Julie A. Webb

Craig & Craig LLC

Mount Vernon

618.244.7511

Kenneth F. Werts

Craig & Craig LLC

Mount Vernon

618.244.7511

Edward J. Kionka

Edward J. Kionka Law Office

Carbondale

618.521.5555

Michael F. Dahlen

Feirich/Mager/Green/Ryan

Carbondale

618.529.3000

Thomas R. Frenkel

Feirich/Mager/Green/Ryan

Carbondale

618.529.3000

R. James Giacone, II

Feirich/Mager/Green/Ryan

Carbondale

618.529.3000

Richard A. Green

Feirich/Mager/Green/Ryan

Carbondale

618.529.3000

Cheryl Lynn Intravaia

Feirich/Mager/Green/Ryan

Carbondale

618.529.3000

Kevin L. Mechler

Feirich/Mager/Green/Ryan

Carbondale

618.529.3000

John S. Rendleman, III

Feirich/Mager/Green/Ryan

Carbondale

618.529.3000

John C. Ryan

Feirich/Mager/Green/Ryan

Carbondale

618.529.3000

Pieter N. Schmidt

Feirich/Mager/Green/Ryan

Carbondale

618.529.3000

Mark D. Hassakis

Hassakis & Hassakis PC

Mount Vernon

618.244.5335

A. Ben Mitchell

Mitchell Law Office PC

Mount Vernon

618.242.0705

John T. Hundley

Sharp-Hundley PC

Mount Vernon

618.242.0200

Terry Sharp

Sharp-Hundley PC

Mount Vernon

618.242.0200

John Womick

Womick Law Firm Chtd

Herrin/Carbondale

618.993.0911

Commercial Litigation; Elder Law; Land Use, Zoning & Condemnation; Real Estate: Commercial; Trust, Will & Estate Tax: Individual; Trust, Will & Estate Planning

Banking Law; Closely & Privately Held Business; Commercial Litigation

Banking Law; Gov't/Municipal/Lobbying/Administrative; Land Use, Zoning & Condemnation; Real Estate: Commercial Agriculture Law; Closely & Privately Held Business; Real Estate: Commercial; Real Estate: Residential; Trust, Will & Estate

Banking Law; Creditor's Rights/Commercial Collections; Mineral & Natural Resource; Real Estate: Commercial; Real Estate: Residential Adoption & Reproductive Technology; Family Law

Insurance, Ins Coverage & Reinsurance; Personal Injury Defense: General; Products Liability Defense Creditor's Rights/Commercial Collections; Mineral & Natural Resource; Real Estate: Commercial; Real Estate: Residential Personal Injury Defense: General; Products Liability Defense; ADR: Personal Injury; Workers' Compensation Defense Personal Injury Defense: General

Medical Malpractice Defense; PI Defense: General; Products Liability Defense; Professional Malpractice Defense Medical Malpractice Defense; PI Defense: General

Personal Injury Defense: General; ADR: Personal Injury; Workers' Compensation Defense Workers' Compensation Defense Civil Appellate

Civil Appellate; Medical Malpractice Defense; Personal Injury Defense: General

Insurance, Ins Coverage & Reinsurance; Medical Malpractice Defense; Personal Injury Defense: General Personal Injury Defense: General; Workers' Compensation Defense

Insurance, Ins Coverage & Reinsurance; Medical Malpractice Defense; Personal Injury Defense: General; Products Liability Defense Workers' Compensation Defense Workers' Compensation Defense

Closely & Privately Held Business; Employment: Management; Gov't/Municipal/Lobbying/Admin; Real Estate: Commercial Commercial Litigation; Employment: Management; Gov't/Municipal/Lobbying/Admin; Med-Mal Defense; PI Defense: General Personal Injury Defense: General; Workers' Compensation Defense Personal Injury: General; Workers' Compensation

Closely & Privately Held Business; Commercial Litigation; Mineral & Natural Resource; Trust, Will & Estate Bankruptcy: Individual; Bankruptcy & Workout: Commercial; Creditor's Rights/Commercial Collections Bankruptcy: Individual; Bankruptcy & Workout: Commercial; Commercial Litigation

Personal Injury: General; Personal Injury: Professional Malpractice; Workers' Compensation

A lawyer CANNOT buy the distinction of being a Leading Lawyer. This distinction was earned by being among those lawyers who were most often recommended by their peers in statewide surveys. Respondents COULD NOT recommend themselves or lawyers at their law firm. For a complete list of all Leading Lawyers and to view profiles of the lawyers listed on this page, go to www.LeadingLawyers.com.

312.644.7000 | LeadingLawyers.com

A Division of Law Bulletin Publishing Companyâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;est. 1854

PARTING SHOT

p.s. PHOTO BY RICHARD SITLER

Life & Style : Summer 2015

One of the surest signs of warmer weather in Southern Illinois is a blooming Dogwood tree. These beauties were captured near Carbondaleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s old post office at Main Street and University Avenue.

Vernon Collection

Handsome and comfortable handwoven all-weather wicker chairs. Study, padded steel chairs and table frames have a rich brown-coated finish with hand-brushed accents.

Largest Selection of Weber Grills In Southern Illinois

Weber® Summit® S-670 LP Gas Grill • • • • • • • • • • •

6 stainless steel burners 60,000 BTUs main burners 12,000-BTU flush-mounted side burner with lid 10,600-BTU infrared rear-mounted rotisserie burner 10,600-BTU Sear Station® burner 6,800-BTU smoker burner and smoker box 769-sq.-in. total cooking area Tuck-AwayTM Rotisserie System with flip-up motor 2 Grill Out® handle lights Stainless steel work surface Model #7370001 T 105 358 1 Tank not included.

Weber® Summit® S-670 Natural Gas Grill • 10-ft. flexible hose Model #7470001 T 105 359 1

Your Appliance Headquarters!

CARBONDALE • Murdale Shopping Center, 1915 W. Main St. • murdale.com 618-529-3400 • Hours: Mon-Sat 7am-8pm Sun 9am-5pm

THERE’S A NEW PEDIATRICIAN at Center for Medical Arts

TAMARA BUCKLES, MD Now Accepting New Patients

in Carbondale

We welcome board certified pediatrician, Dr. Tamara Buckles . She comes to us from a clinical practice in Ludington, Michigan. Dr. Buckles completed her undergrad at Northwestern and went on to the prestigious Vanderbilt University for her medical training and residency.

INTERESTS: • • • • • • • •

Newborn and infant care Childhood development Adolescent health Sport and school physicals ADHD and mental health Weight management Asthma and allergies Children with special needs

To make an appointment, call

at Center for Medical Arts 2601 W MAIN STREET CARBONDALE, IL 62901

618.549.5361