Theyoujournal november 2015 by theYOUjournal

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Bringing you some Amazing People from

the North Shore & Beyond

Issue XIII November 2015

Happy 1st Birthday to Us! ! t i e d a We m

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Inside

Former Playboy Photographerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Business Page 7

Talking Turkey

Darlene Love photo

Page 6

The Incomparable Darlene Love is coming to Waukegan! For the story by Angela Sykora please turn to page 11

A Trip to Scottish Isle Page 5

theYOUjournal

November 2015

theYOUjournal Established 2014

Publisher Long Hwa-shu Hwa-shu@theYOUjournal.com Editor Tina Johansson Tina@theYOUjournal.com Contributing Writers Dr. Jeannie Aschkenasy Odie Pahl Jay Stephen A host of guest writers Please contact us at:

US@theYOUjournal.com 847.293.7028 theYOUjournal P.O. Box 540 Wadsworth IL 60083

www.theYOUjournal.com

A Dragon-Tiger Enterprises Publication

Your suggestions, comments and story ideas are welcome.

A Message from us Dear Readers & Advertisers, This month is our One Year Anniversary! And as our name says, the publication is people-oriented and devoted to YOU. We carry stories about interesting people, people you should know, entrepreneurs and businesses. Since our first issue launched in November 2014, we’ve gained a great amount of loyal readers and supporters on the North Shore and beyond. People who have read theYOUjournal like the publication for its uniqueness and pursuit of excellence. We are always striving to improve the publication with each issue and we’ve kept in search for good writers with a keen sense of profiling people and businesses. To keep up with the changes in newspapering, we’ve gone digital with a website www.theYOUjournal.com. Going digital enables us to get stories out there for YOU whenever possible and to reach a larger audience. In fact, this month, our anniversary issue, will be the last of our publications in print. We’re going fully digital hereafter. We know you will continue to be our reader and continue your support. And we thank you for that! Your comments and suggestions will always be welcome. Keep on reading!

Long Hwa-shu, publisher Tina Johansson, editor

theYOUjournal

November 2015

World Travelers

Sailing on Good Memories

For Zion Couple, the World is their Oyster by Tina Johansson

While riffling through photos at her Zion home, Anne Miller, 82, fondly recalled the sail boating excursions she and her husband Ken took around the globe—gliding between twin rock walls on the Corinth Canal in Greece; skimming the Black Sea near the Ukraine; and coasting down the Suez Canal in the Middle East. “That’s me on a camel,” said Anne pointing to herself on a hump-back in Tunisia. “Here’s Ken with a tortoise in the Galapagos Islands.” The 20th anniversary of their ten years spent at sea is coming up, and though they are now nice and cozy in their century-old Elisha Avenue farmhouse, the Millers hardly let themselves be landlocked. “My plans were to sail the world for ten years, and that’s what we did,” said Ken. “Since then we’ve been seeking out new adventures.” Not many people can say that they’ve lived on a sailboat. And not many can say they’ve visited the places the Millers have. The memories they have are golden as the couple lives out their golden years. Recently the couple returned from a 20-day cruise in Scandinavia. In Spain they taught the English language. And Ken, 88 years old this month, a HAM radio operator, is busy teaching cruise planning classes through the power squadron for boaters willing to sail the high seas. In 1996 they arrived back in Zion, boatless and homeless, after spending a decade and 50,000 miles on the water – richer though, in friends and memories. “We don’t like to stay put,” said Ken. Anne agrees they have “itchy feet.” “We’re curious about the way other people live, and what they do,” added Mr. Miller, an adventurous soul if there ever was one. Free-falling from an airplane and soloing a glider are among his past escapades. He admitted, he did these things even though he has a fear of heights. A sergeant in the Army at the tail end of WWII, Ken went on to join the Navy in Hawaii as a photographer. He took Anne along with him. The Zion couple – both born with the help of the very same midwife—seem the perfect fit. But in the beginning, Anne was a bit wary of the thrill-seeking young lad. She recalled when Ken came to pick her up on their first date – she was 15— he began thumbing through encyclopedias on her family’s bookcase. “When I saw that he was reading about how long it would be possible before you had to pull the rip cord on a parachute, I thought to myself, ‘I’d better not get involved with him. He seemed too dangerous,’ ” she said with a laugh. Nonetheless they got married. Ken said he was “persistent.” And they had four daughters. Anne was a school teacher in Zion and Ken a civil engineer and surveyor for the Lake County Highway Department. Getting set to sail

Mapping it out

Ken and Anne MIller of Zion aboard Resolute, their 35-foot Swedish sailing vessel in Turkey. The retired couple sold the boat in 1996 after sailing the seas for a decade. - Miller family photos

Navigating the world by boat was a lifelong dream for Ken who began sailing in high school. Living near the shores of one of the largest Great Lakes was a plus for the couple. “Lake Michigan was our playground,” said Anne. “We’d always be on the beach and in the water.” In 1985, after Ken retired, the couple sold their belongings and house on Jethro Avenue, and traded in their 20-foot sailboat for a larger model that they could live on. A 35-foot Swedish sailboat named “Resolute” would be the couple’s new home. To prepare for their journey the Millers practiced by taking three-week long stints around the Great Lakes. In 1986 they launched Resolute from the Waukegan Harbor and began their decade-long trek to exotic and enchanting locales. Ken was Captain and Anne, his wife now of 64 years, was given the title First Mate. They worked well together, despite tight quarters and the long days at sea. “I’ve been in bathrooms in houses about the same size (as our living quarters),” said Anne remarking about the 10-square-foot lower level of the boat. “We were like a turtle in its shell,” she said. Each time they’d pull into a new port, adults and children would rush to the boat wanting to speak their best English, said Ken who always carried crayons, balloons and candies for the kids. Sometimes locals would trade fresh fish with the Millers in exchange for American goods. Anne said it was easy to make new friends and no matter the country, they always found a church and with it, instant family. To this day, many of the fellow boaters

and people they met along the way correspond with them. Not many people can say that they’ve lived on a sailboat. And not many can say they’ve visited the places the Miller’s have. The memories they have are golden as the couple lives out their golden years. “I get homesick for (the sailboat) once in a while,” said Ken. “Well one thing’s for sure,” said Anne, “It hasn’t been a dull life.” Though the couple have traveled nearly every place, there is one spot Anne has not gone. “She’s never been to New Mexico,” said Ken. “That might be our next trip.”

In 1986 the couple headed off to Canada via Lake Michigan from the Waukegan Harbor. Then on to Bermuda and the Caribbean Islands where they spent the winter. For the next three years the couple sailed around the Mediterranean. In 1990, while in Cyprus, Anne suffered a mishap and broke her leg. She came back to Zion to recover, and Ken elected to sail solo for a year. During Christmas he flew home to Anne and family in Zion from the Canary Islands, waiting for favorable weather. He spent several months building a new mast which he lost during the crossing. When Anne came back the couple sailed to the southern Caribbean where they spent the next three years. Anne had to leave again to care for her sister-in-law while Ken single-handedly sailed through the Panama Canal and Pacific Ocean. Anne later joined him in Tahiti and they sailed together to Australia, visiting exotic destinations including Tahiti, Fiji, the Galapagos Islands, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. In 1996 the couple sailed to the Middle East visiting Yemen, Egypt and Israel via the Suez Canal. It was here that Anne suffered a heart attack caused by a blood clot. She was treated at a hospital in Jerusalem where she underwent angioplasty. The Millers had been on the seas for ten years, and that was the initial plan, said Ken. The boat was in need of repairs by this time and was sold to a local in Israel. The couple flew back to Zion, staying with family until they bought their current home there. “It was amazing to be able to see the world like that,” remarked Anne. “Enlightening” is how Ken described it. “You get a different view of the world (when you are able to visit this way). “Every country seems to have something especially good about it. We were just very curious. People are all the same everywhere you go. They all love their children. They love their country and they want it to be the best,” added Ken. The Millers give fascinating presentations at libraries and for organizations including one called “Around the World in an Hour.” Anne enjoys being a part of the Illinois Dunesland Garden Club and the Zion Women’s Club. Both teach English as a Second Language and Ken, a former flight instructor, continues to give seminars and classes. He is planning one for next year at the Waukegan Yacht Club called “Crossing Borders.”

Above, Anne on a camel in Tunisia.

Anne and Ken look over a map showing the course they charted on their decade-long sail boat excursion. - Tina Johansson photo

Continued on page 8

theYOUjournal November 2015

As I see it...by Odie Pahl

Share Your Blessings to Help Others this Month How did this happen? It’s November already. I don’t know about you, but autumn is a slippery slope that lands right smack dab into the holiday season. In a blink, September blends right into November. Sure, there is Halloween, which gets bigger and bigger each year, yet once November 1st rolls around we might as well be putting up the Christmas decorations. Just look into the world of retail. Halloween and Christmas decorations are side-by-side. So, let’s take a look at November as it races right into December for a moment. The peak of fall colors is gone, daylight is shorter (what happened to that hour I gained, really?), and holiday shopping days are dwindling. Instead of celebrating all we have done, we are catapulting ourselves into a nightmare of deadlines, time-crunching, and To-Do lists that grow bigger and bigger with each passing day. Remember when Thanksgiving was a time to join with loved ones to count our blessings, share and rejoice in the harvest of our endeavors, and maybe watch some football. Now, that is even being interrupted by Black Friday, creeping-in right before the last person leaves the proverbial turkey dinner. “Let’s blow this Popsicle stand, I have shopping to do.” It is all frenzy and no peace. If you are reading this commentary, I think you know where I am coming from. Do me a favor and let’s take some of our sanity back. Before you go into overdrive, stop and smell the pumpkin pie. Remember why we mark Thanksgiving Day in the first place. Regardless of your thoughts on the first Thanksgiving, we need to understand the power behind being thankful for what we have, relish in our accomplishments, yet

Jackie’s Magic Food Drive and Magic Show is being held Nov. 21 at Warren Township High School at 7 p.m. Doors open at 5:45 p.m. Non-perishable food, checks and cash are being accepted for the Warren Township Center food pantry.

come together in fellowship as a people. We need to keep those good vibes going by contributing to the common good. Instead of focusing on the whirlwind of activity as the holiday season fades into 2016, how about taking some time to do something more for someone else? How about using one day in November to give-back to the community, in some significant way? No need for big bucks, only your meaningful time. Need some suggestions? I have a million of them, but here is one. On Nov. 21 Jackie’s Magic returns to Warren Township High School O’Plaine Campus for its annual fundraiser to help the hungry in Lake County. Don’t be shocked, there are plenty of hungry people in Lake County.This event is near and dear to my heart.

A magic show like no other was named for Jackie Stanislawski, an amazing young woman, just getting on with her life when she died in a tragic car accident in December, 2003. Jackie was organizing a food drive by herself through the many contacts in her hometown of Gurnee, she had a job, and attended the College of Lake County. To honor her memory, her family picked up the gauntlet and made the food drive a yearly event. For the price of admission, non-perishable food items, her father, Jim Stanislawski, and a band of fellow magicians put on a night of entertainment including some spectacular prestidigitation. The doors open at 5:45 p.m., the show

Popular Libertyville Eatery gears up for 29 years of Service by Betty Nicholas When Jim Lappas, owner of Fodrak’s Gyros and Ribs in Libertyville, marks December 7 off his calendar this year he will have completed 28 years helping Lake County eat well. Actually, Fodrak’s influence extends far beyond Lake County because customers who have moved away make a point of coming in to feed their Fodrak’s habit whenever they are in the area. Lappas also hears from former employees and was recently delighted when he received a letter from a young man who once served gyros at the restaurant and is now in a position of considerable authority on a U.S. battleship in the Persian Gulf. Lappas credits a lot of hard work and consistent attention to quality for the continued popularity of his restaurant. As he expanded the original menu, the most in-demand items included gyros with homemade Tzatziki sauce, barbecued baby back ribs, Greek-baked chicken, pulled pork and Black Angus burgers. The catering business, which got its start with the automobile dealers along

Milwaukee Avenue who ordered lunch on Saturdays for their staff, has grown to where it is today, expertly and deliciously catering small parties as well as corporate events for several hundred. Complete regular and catering menus can be found at www.fodraks.com. On-line ordering, dine-in and carry-out service are available. Fodrak’s has plenty of parking and motorists are alerted to the fact they have reached their destination by the large street side sign showing the current special. By the way, Fodrak’s has a very popular Facebook site in which a customer is chosen as the “Facebook Fan of the Day.” The restaurant is located at 327 South Milwaukee Avenue. Call 847-816-8111.

Jim Lappas, owner of Libertyville-based Fodrak’s, said hard work and attention to quality is what has kept him in business so long. - Fodrak’s photo

starts at 7 p.m., and they will take food items until 10pm. Cash donations or checks are also accepted and will benefit the Warren Township Food Pantry. Make out checks to: Warren Township and notate “Jackie’s Magic” on the memo line. If you can’t make it that night, mail them to: Warren Township Center, 17801 Washington Street, Gurnee, IL 60031. This is one of those times when you can’t lose. First rate entertainment, a truly inspiring community gathering, and you are helping people in a real way during the holidays. Win-win… Happy Thanksgiving!

Moraine Township extends ride service for seniors, disabled Moraine Township Supervisor Anne Flanigan Bassi announced that senior citizens and the disabled will have more help taking care of errands with an extended time for its paratransit vans to be on the road. The service will continue to enrich and contribute to the community by offering more daily hours to take seniors shopping and help with other non-medical appointments. The township looks forward to helping seniors and disabled residents run errands, visit area businesses, grocery shop, schedule beauty shop appointments, and take care of other personal business within the Township. Personal errands can be scheduled weekdays between 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Other times may be scheduled subject to availability. Call 847-432-3000 to schedule a ride. Moraine Township Vans operates weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. available for township residents age 65 or older or who are disabled. Visit www.morainetownship.org for more information.

theYOUjournal

November 2015

My Opinion

Days 1 - 3 on the Journey back to my Motherland The Second in a series by Jack Crombie Pam (my wife) and I left Chicago on Sunday night aboard a jet bound for Edinburgh, Scotland after seven days of frenetic preparation and ticked off the final item from our “get out of town” list. Eastbound transatlantic flights always result in the loss of a night’s sleep with resultant jet-lag and extreme crabbiness. This flight was typical, leaving us disheveled and crabby with more luggage than we needed at the car hire office, “conveniently located” what seemed like a short five-mile hike from the main terminal. Prior to our departure, I had carefully selected a car with a rental company that had offered a great deal, if paid in advance. Booking your car well in advance of the holiday is essential to secure a reasonable rate. When we actually saw the car we had selected, we decided on a modest upgrade that would better service a touring holiday that was set to include my parents and daughter Kimberly. This upgrade was accomplished easily with only the minor problem that it tripled the previously agreed price. Only slightly daunted we set of in our new chariot driving on “the wrong side of the road” bound for my parent’s house in Newtyle, Angus, where we arrived without major incident around noon. The normal greetings and associated reuniting ensued after which we all went out for a pub lunch at a local hostelry where some excellent fish and Scottish beer was sampled. Due to jetlag and not the lunch, we decided to take a short recuperative nap till 3 p.m. Rejuvenated, we arose, gathered Kim, my mum and dad and their luggage into our car and departed on a fairly leisurely and scenic three-hour journey for the west coast of Scotland. Our destination was the bustling

and scenic town of Oban where we were scheduled to catch the ferry to the Isles the next day. We spent the night in a charmingly eclectic hotel called the Falls of Laura just outside Oban. The owners were obviously extensive travelers and their west highland hotel is incongruously decorated with the spoils and souvenirs of their adventures in the Far East. As my parents are in their upper 80’s, a handicapped accessible hotel was a necessity. Though the appropriate rooms did not have a very good view, it was otherwise pretty good and I would give it a two thumbs up (On a scale of five) recommendation. After a somewhat restless night due to our dislocated sleep pattern, we arose only somewhat refreshed to what was to be the first of our holiday’s full Scottish breakfasts. One might get indigestion just recounting what a full Scottish breakfast actually includes. There were choices such as the local delicacy kippers (smoked herring), smoked salmon with scrambled eggs or of course “the full Scottish cooked breakfast”. This is the “Full Monty” of breakfasts and consists of, but is not limited to fried tomato, Scottish thick (Like Canadian) bacon, mushrooms, a potato scone (like a potato pancake), black (blood) pudding, eggs and sometimes a slice of haggis and baked beans. While the main course of breakfast was being prepared, one might occupy the time by helping oneself to a plate of porridge, yogurt, fresh fruit or muesli, washed down by fresh juice, coffee or tea and accompanied by toast and butter with marmalade or fresh preserves. Suitably sustained and already accompanied by an extra few pounds of body mass (when these pounds reach 14 they become “stones” and people in Scotland who for ex-

ample weigh 140 pounds would be said to weigh 14 stones), we left the hotel and made the short trip down the road to Oban to board the ferry, bound for the Isle of Barra. The ferry was quite large and capable of carrying multiple semi-trucks and many cars. It had a bar, a coffee shop and a cafeteria and, like all the ferries we caught, was handicapped accessible with an elevator from the car deck up to the boat deck. The 90 miles, 7 hours trip across what can be stormy wa-

tears to my eyes, such was the beauty of the scenery. The main port on the Island of Barra is called Castlebay, so called because of the castle sitting out in the waters of the bay which is the ancestral home of the chief of the clan MacNeil. It was our disembarkation point. The entire population of the island is about 1300 people, most of whom, perhaps unsurprisingly, seem to be called MacNeil. Our Hotel, the Isle of Barra beach hotel, was located within ten minutes of Castlebay. Be-

Jack Crombie of Winthrop Harbor visits his native Scotland. Here he stands on the beach on the Isle of Barra. It is apparently the only beach in the world to be used as a runway by a regular scheduled airline service. - Crombie Family photo

ters, appropriately called “The Minch,” was on this occasion, smooth and at times brought

fore reaching it, one has to quickly adjust to Continued on page 8

Highland Park TAC to host OUT.SID.ER Art Event Featuring: Edgy, No Rules, Artistic Expression Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. Staff Report

The Art Center - Highland Park (TAC) is hosting the area’s first and only Out•sid•er Art Event on Friday, Nov. 13, showcasing the unique and exceptional talents of “street” artists. Outsider art is generally produced by self-taught artists that are not part of the traditional artistic establishment. While not classically trained, these outsider artists present unconventional views of the world with beloved whimsy, edgy and fun works of art. “We noticed at our Gogh Green! Recycled Art event that some of the most coveted pieces people loved and grabbed, were from these eclectic outsider artists,” says Gabrielle Rousso, Executive Director at TAC. “When we learned that the Judith Racht Gallery in Harbert, MI was no longer hosting its popular long-running event, the annual Outsider Art

Festival, we decided to showcase outsider artists at this new Fall event at TAC for all to enjoy.” In addition to celebrating such obsessively creative and quirky artists as Lea Atiq, Ellen Greene, Debo Groover, Mary King, Bruce New, and Frank Joseph Zirbel, TAC Out•sid•erArt patrons will delight in an evening of great jazz from David Dallison and Friends while enjoying BBQ bites from Real Urban Barbeque, artisan beer from The Art of Beer, and bourbon flights from Barrel Crossing Tap & Grill. “There is something in every price point at the Out•sid•er Art event, with various outsider art pieces ranging from $75 to $5,000,” continued Rousso. “This type of visionary art reflects true passion, excitement, whimsy and humor, and we anticipate this turning into a

highly anticipated, social, event that appeals to people of all ages, especially the young, hip art lovers in our community.” Tickets to the Out•sid•er Art event on Friday, Nov. 13 are $50 and can be purchased online at www.theartcenterhp.org or by calling 847-432-1888. All proceeds benefit education on the arts.

The Art Center Highland Park is a not-for-profit community art center committed to quality arts education and enrichment for people of all ages. With more than 400 classes and workshops, 70 faculty members, 24 exhibits each year, and the annual Festival of Fine Arts attended by 25,000 people, TAC brings the benefit of the visual arts to citizens of all ages throughout the community and North Shore. For more information visit http://theartcenterhp.org.

The Art Center - Highland Park photo

theYOUjournal November 2015

Local Dentist/Farmer talks Wild Turkey, other Fowl

by Long Hwa-shu

Enjoying the Firebird

With a flock of wild turkeys frolicking on his farm in Trevor, Wis. early in the spring, Dr. Steven Brucki, a Gurnee dentist, was hopeful that he would have a wild turkey for dinner this Thanksgiving. “Unlike domesticated turkeys, wild turkeys are more flavorful and have a gamey taste,” said Brucki, a gentleman farmer who lives with his wife, Lynn, on 140 acres where they also raises pheasants, quails and guineafowl as a hobby. “There were two females and a male,” he recalled of the wild turkeys he gladly sighted. “Then a raccoon robbed their nesting place and killed one female,” he lamented. The final clinch came when a coyote killed the other female one night. The male, apparently despondent, simply flew the coup. “They’re all gone,” said Dr. Brucki, who has been a dentist for 25 years. With his partner retired, he has been practicing by himself under S.B.A. Dental at 36100 N. Brookside Drive. “I guess I have to go north to hunt a wild turkey,” he said. Wild turkeys were released years ago by conservation groups to the prairie and farms in Wisconsin and elsewhere with the hope to restore them in their natural habitat in the ecological system. Wild turkeys, once abundant in North America, have become near extinct. They are much smaller and leaner than the domesticated kind which are bred for size than flavor. Some of the turkeys on his farm would come close to his house for a handout, said the dentist. Pheasant, quail and guineafowl chicks were purchased by Brucki from a hatchery in Iowa early this spring and released on his farm. “They are doing well,” he said.

The turkey would have become America’s national bird if Ben Franklin had his way. Nevertheless, Americans are eating more turkey – not just on Thanksgiving but throughout the year. Turkey consumption has grown steadily because turkey is high in protein and low in fat. The modern turkeys are unlike their wild ancestors which are much smaller, leaner and can fly – only for short distances and up to 55 miles an hour. Once abundant in North America, they are nearly extinct due to hunting and encroachment of their natural habitat. While the average weight of a turkey sold in stores is about 15 pounds, you can buy one weighing more than 30 pounds. The heaviest turkey ever raised was 86 pounds. Today’s turkeys grow so fast and large that they tend to fall over. A male turkey, called a Tom, can reach 30 pounds in 18 weeks after hatching. The turkeys sold in store are generally hens. Toms are processed into turkey sausages, franks, tenderloins, cutlets and deli meats. Turkeys are believed to have been brought to England in 1526 by a Yorkshire man who bought six of them from American Indian traders. Native Americans hunted wild turkeys as early as 1000 A.D. Like Americans, the English also eat turkey but more often at Christmas. On the other hand, the Chinese, who call turkeys “Firebirds” do not eat much turkey. Few Chinese restaurants have it on their menus. They prefer chicken or duck and consider turkey meat a bit tough and dry. As a tradition, the National Turkey Federation has presented a live turkey to the President of the United States since 1947. Customarily, the president “pardons it” and sends the lucky bird to live out its days on a historical farm. By the way, the turkey trot is a ballroom dance style known for its short, jerky steps. Long Hwa-shu

A wild Tom turkey shows off his plumes in the yard of dentist Steven Brucki last year. Note the turkey behind him. Brucki had wild turkeys on his property until a coyote and raccoons wreaked havoc. - Steven Brucki photos

A sandhill crane, right, is among many who visit Brucki’s farm each year.

Guineafowl and a sandhill crane in the back, enjoy the expansive land at Steven Brucki’s Wisconsin farm. A pheasant chick, left, and a baby wild turkey.

theYOUjournal.com Has Gone DIGITAL!

theYOUjournal November

2015

Local Business

Former Playboy photographer opens up about his Highland Park business by Long Hwa-shu

Jeff Cohen who took pictures of playmates for Playboy for 30 years has opened a studio in Highland Park. “I absolutely love what I’m doing,” said Jeff Cohen, owner of the studio bearing his name at 485 Roger Williams Avenue in the Ravinia District. Not only does he shoot portraits but he also offers lessons in photography called Camera-Talk. Because of his experience as a Playboy photographer, people are flocking to the three-hour, hands-on class where he not only shows attendees how to use a camera but also shares with them the secrets of the trade. On top of that, he tells stories of his years at Playboy. While Cohen is the star attraction, people are vowed by a couch in the studio that has been converted from the trunk of a 1954 Chevrolet with taillights blinking. “It is both instructive and entertaining,” he said of the popularity of the class. The next one will be held at 9 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 5. To register call 847-347-2509. “I find it very energizing and stimulating. I’m happy to become part of the community where I can contribute my creativity to the city and businesses,” added Cohen who, needless to say, has won countless awards for his works. By the way, he prefers Canon cameras. Born in Gary, Ind., Cohen grew up in Wilmette and went to New Trier High School graduating in 1963. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in economics and journalism from Syracuse University, he found work at a photography studio in Chicago and decided taking photographs was his calling. “At work I heard about an opening for a photo assistant at Playboy. I applied for it and was hired as an assistant photographer,” he vividly recalled the job offer that became a turning point of his destiny. “It was a fabulous job. I was young and single then,” added Cohen who was 22 at the time. At the start, he assisted in shooting pictures of Playmates. After a year he was promoted to photographer and later to photo editor. “I went to the Playboy mansion often and met Hugh Hefner and other celebrities,” he fondly recollected. “He was an interesting and fascinating man, very friendly and approachable, and easy to chat with. But he was my boss and he respected me as a photographer. It was a professional relationship,” he said of Hefner who founded Playboy in 1953 and started a cultural revolution in America’s attitude toward sex. After 3 ½ years with Playboy, “I got restless and California was very luring to me.” He left Playboy and went to San Francisco and then to Los Angeles as a freelance photographer. When Playboy offered for him to

come back as a photo editor for its Oui magazine in 1978, he couldn’t resist. Although Oui folded after three years, Cohen stayed with Playboy until 2011 when he retired as a senior editor. Cohen, 70, opened his studio in January 2013 near his home in Highland Park where he lives with his wife, Gayle. The Cohens have three grown children. Stephen, 32, is in law enforcement. Phoebe,

31, is a Chicago public school teacher, and Axel, 28, works in real estate. “It’s been very successful since opening,” Cohen said of his business. He takes only black & white portraits of people. Because of his years of experience at Playboy, there’s no lack of clients. “I’ve been a successful professional photographer and people respect me for that,” he added.

Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, left, with Cohen in 2000 reviewing magazine layouts at the Chicago office on Lake Shore Drive. - Jeff Cohen personal collection

Cohen in Havana on assignment for Playboy Magazine in 1989. The photographer was working on The Girls of Cuba pictorial.

Donald Trump, left, shaking hands with Cohen in New York City at Playboy’s 40th Anniversary Playmate Search in 1993.

Cohen in his studio with his famous couch made from the rear end of a 1954 Chevy. The tail lights even blink for fun.

The next Camera-Talk will be Dec. 5 at 9 a.m. at Cohen’s studio in the Ravinia District of Highland Park. To register visit http://www. camera-talk.net/ and click the Contact page. For more information call 847-347-2509 or email Jeff@JeffCohenPhotography.com. Visit http://JeffCohenPhotography.com.

Sail

theYOUjournal

November

2015

continued from page 3

Danger lurking On the high seas, there is always the potential for danger. A boat manned by British friends of Ken and Anne had been pirated, after they made a wrong turn on the Red Sea. “They were held near Yemen for three weeks,” said Anne. The couple whom the Miller’s had met while sailing wrote a book about their experience. In fact several of their sailing buddies wrote books. Ken who has kept records about his ventures, often sharing them with local newspapers, has been working some time on a book himself, he said. Entering Egypt, Anne said she became a bit nervous. There was a common rumor among boaters that it could cost you as much as $28,000 for the Egyptian Navy to tow your boat if it runs aground.

Tough times “There were several,” said Anne. Once in particular while the couple was in the northern Atlantic on their way to Ireland, violent turbulence took place. Water washed over the boat and inside, causing everything to become wet. On another occasion the couple was sailing the Red Sea for a long period of time when the waves became so rough it was nearly unbearable, they recalled. But Ken’s quick thinking and years of experience kept them safe until things quieted. - Tina Johansson

Miller with a Spanish mackerel he caught in the Red Sea. The Millers shared the large fish with other boaters.

Ken Miller’s first experience operating a sailboat at 16. “I get homesick for it once in a while,” he said. The Millers sold their sailboat named “Resolute” nearly 20 years ago after living on it for a decade. - Miller family photos

Ken and Anne Miller of Zion in the home of eldest daughter Becky Wright of Beach Park. Left, Anne on Waikiki Beach shortly after she and Ken married. Ken, a former Navy photographer, took the photo.

Motherland

Ken feeding “Lonesome George,” a tortoise on the Galapagos Islands. Sadly, George died a few years ago.

For more pictures of the Miller’s travels visit us at www.theYOUjournal.com

continued from page 5

the single track roads, the complete darkness and the sheep roaming freely at the side of the road. Arriving at our hotel, we found it to be fairly modern but eclectic. It was not really handicapped accessible and proved a little bit of a challenge for my mum. Having had dinner on the ferry we went to bed early in our modern well-appointed en suite rooms where the European style “downy” covers served as very warm and comfortable bedding. On rising and looking out our hotel room window we were greeted by glorious blue skies, which served to make the gorgeous silver beach with its perfectly formed and large surf a perfect picture for a postcard. The rooms at the Barra beach hotel overlook a long curved silver sand beach decorated with large perfectly shaped waves inviting hardy surfers and it is largely because of the great view from the hotel rooms that justifies me giving it a three-star rating. During our stay, despite the great weather we did not see any surfers, no bathers and a total of about five people walking along

this huge beach despite the glorious weather. Tearing ourselves away from this beautiful vista we bravely assembled in the dining room for our next Scottish breakfast. At about 11 a.m., we embarked on a tour of the island and decided to explore every byway, there are no highways, on the island. This indepth exploration, we completed by 1 p.m. Did I mention that the island is small? I should quickly say, that what the island lacks in size and in population, it makes up for in remote and lonely beauty. The beaches that line its coast in spectacular profusion are huge, completely unspoiled and made from brilliant white sand. Walking along these beaches, one is struck by the absolute absence of any of the man produced flotsam and jetsam so common on the shore lines of beaches the world over and making for a very different experience for the beachcomber. The solitude that you are most likely to enjoy while walking on the beaches is not that difficult to explain, apart from the fact

that hardly anyone actually lives on the island, the waters lapping at your feet might charitably be characterized as being, rather chilly, and more accurately as being cold. The beaches are practically deserted except for the very occasional surfer or ocean kayaker tempted by the large and perfect surf. I never saw anyone in the water myself though our hotel did offer wets suits and surf boards to any intrepid guest wishing to give it a go and I did see a number of cars with surf boards and kayaks on their roofs. The spectacularly large beach is even used as the island airport when the tide is out. It is apparently the only beach in the world to be used by a regular scheduled airline service as a runway. If you are looking for some quiet solitude, a place where the rest of the world only lightly touches but where you can get a decent beer and a warm bed, then Barra might just be your ideal destination.

Jack Crombie is originally from Scotland and lives in Winthrop Harbor. – JackCrombie/Facebook

theYOUjournal

North Chicago Police and Fire cited for Heroic Deeds

November

2015

Mind, Body and Soul

Free Program Provides Keys to a Healthy Pregnancy Staff Report

North Chicago firefighters and police officers were recently recognized for helping to save multiple families from a burning apartment building early in October. Mayor Leon Rockingham is second on the far left. - City of North Chicago photo Staff Report

Members of the North Chicago Fire and Police departments received recognition for their quick thinking and selfless actions when a residential structure fire occurred early this month. City council members cited the department employees for providing lifesaving responses, in which multiple lives were saved. Firefighters and paramedics worked swiftly and efficiently in order to vacate the apartment building which included victims trapped on the second floor and on the building rooftop. “It’s an honor to be Chief of the North Chicago Fire Department. I am extremely proud of all personnel involved,” said Chief Dell Urban. “This incident epitomizes teamwork and the great things that can be accomplished when our departments work together. They were all instrumental in saving several

of our citizens that morning.” Firefighters and officers that received recognition for going above and beyond the call of duty were: Lieutenant Joshua Monroe; Firefighters James Axtt, Todd Lucassen, Raul Herrera, Keith Peacy, Adam Chiapetta, Reid Mammoser, Juan Lopez; Officers Jason Geryol, John Burns, Arthur Strong, Kurtis Sellers, Sergeant Cory Marquardt who assisted in notification and rescue of several occupants prior to the fire departments arrival; and dispatchers, Shawndra Johnson and Maurice Brewton. The North Chicago city council also honored recently retired Commander Keith Humphres for 30 years of service with the North Chicago Fire Department. Humphres received the Firefighter of the Year award on three occasions during his tenure with the department. Firefighter Todd Lucassen was sworn in as a firefighter/paramedic to fill the vacant position.

We are DIGITAL! Check us out at theYOUjournal.com

Through a grant from the March of Dimes, the Lake County Health Department/Community Health Center is launching a new program called Becoming a Mom/Comenzando bien. It is designed to teach women about having a healthy pregnancy. The program will offer a series of six sessions/courses that are free and open to the public. The first session will feature a two-hour class every Thursday from November 5 to December 17 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (No class on November 26.) Participants will receive a free lunch each week. The location is the Health Department’s North Chicago Community Health Center, 2215 14th Street in North Chicago. For those unavailable to attend the first session, five additional six-week sessions/courses will be offered. Premature birth is the leading cause of newborn death worldwide. Even babies born just a few weeks too soon can face serious health challenges and are at risk of lifelong disabilities. The premature birth rate for Lake County is 9.3 percent. Taught by medical professionals, community health workers and trained volunteers, the program offers a bilingual curriculum with the following goals: •To teach women about having a healthy pregnancy. •To create supportive environments that promote healthy behaviors and positive birth outcomes. •To help participants overcome barriers to care and become assertive and informed consumers of prenatal care services. •To evaluate and produce positive knowledge-based and behavioral changes in participants. •To promote social support through mutual interaction among and between participants and facilitators. To register or for more information, call: (847) 377-8050.

Through the March of Dimes the Lake County Health Department is offering free classes to help women have healthy pregnancies. - Mandy Colwell/theYOUjournal

Joy of the Game Basketball Clinic in Deerfield Celebrates New President & Director of Operations Staff Report

Joy of the Game (JOTG), known as one of the Midwest’s largest basketball programs and premier sports establishments since 1993, is proud to be moving forward to its next period of growth. Coming off its recent transaction with North Shore Sports and Wellness, LCC (NSSW), JOTG is excited to announce Jason Okrzesik as its new President and Matt Levy as Director of Basketball Operations, effective immediately. “Jason and Matt have grown up on the basketball court and are the perfect team to lead JOTG to the next level,” says Josh Carl, Owner of JOTG. “They have so much passion for the sport and epitomize all that JOTG stands for and believes in. I know with Jason and Matt at the helm, JOTG will continue to move forward and be a staple in the community for decades to come.” Jason Okrzesik - In his new position as

President, Okrzesik’s focus will be on growing the business, building the strongest coaching staff, and strengthening relationships with players and their families. “I believe I was successful as a player because I had great coaching which led to a great experience,” says Okrzesik of Highland Park. “I could not be more excited about this opportunity and the direction Joy of the Game is headed. I am looking forward to working with every athlete in our program and watching them improve as basketball players and as people.” Okrzesik not only grew up playing basketball at JOTG, but also held previous positions as Director and Coach with the company. His basketball expertise is currently heard on-air as color analyst on WGN Radio (720AM) and ESPN Radio (1000AM) for Northwestern Men’s Basketball. Okrzesik previously worked in the NBA for the Milwaukee Bucks and was a head coach in the FIBA European First Division. Matt Levy - In his role as Director of Bas-

ketball Operations, Matt Levy will focus on ‘on-court’ activities and have direct contact with players and coaches. Levy will also help oversee the Rising Stars Travel Team program, leagues, tournaments and camps. He currently serves an assistant coach for the freshman teams at Highland Park High School. While pursuing a master’s degree in American Studies from Pepperdine University, Levy served on the Pepperdine men’s basketball staff as a graduate assistant/video coordinator for two seasons (2010-11 and 2011-12) and was involved with film exchange, on-court practices and drills, and individual player training. Levy received his undergraduate degree in kinesiology from Indiana University in 2010. While there, he served as an assistant coach for both the varsity and junior varsity teams at Bloomington North High School for three seasons and an assistant coach with the eighth-grade team at Jackson Creek Middle School for one season. Since 18, Levy has coached youth bas-

ketball including at Pepperdine, UCLA and Double Pump basketball camps. He graduated from Chaminade College Preparatory in California and currently resides in Palatine. Visit www.JoyoftheGame.com or call 847498-6646.

Jason Okrzesik, left, and Jason Okrzesik, left, and Matt Levy enjoying new titles with Joy of the Game. - JOTG photo

theYOUjournal November 2015

Max’s Deli to “Stand up for Kids” at Annual Cheesy Noodles Mac N’ Cheese Contest November is Homeless Youth Awareness Month

Staff Report

Max’s Restaurant & Deli in Highland Park is proud to announce the 3rd Annual Cheesy Noodles Mac N’ Cheese Contest on Monday evening, Nov, 23 from 5:30-7:30 p.m., The event will benefit Stand Up for Kids Chicago, a non-profit organization dedicated to end youth homelessness through national and local outreach. This event is open to the public with a ticket price of $100 per family that includes food, drinks, dessert and entertainment. Attendees are also encouraged to bring new or gently used winter coats, boots and other warm weather gear for a collection for Chicago homeless teens. Serving up one of America’s favorite comfort foods, the Cheesy Noodles Mac N’ Cheese Contest will help shed light on Chicago’s homeless youth during Homeless Youth Awareness Month. Over 300 people attended last year’s event, which raised over $3000 for Stand Up for Kids Chicago. An even bigger turnout is expected this year as it’s the perfect family friendly event to kick off the holiday season by doing good. “I plan on making this year’s Mac and Cheese event the best yet,” says Abbey Cross, who is honored to be the new Executive Director of Stand Up For Kids Chicago, an organization that has been near and dear to her for many years. “If we can meet our goal of $5000.00 we can help 50 of Chicago’s homeless youth stay in school for a month, or five stay in school for the entire year. How amazing would that be?” The Mac N’ Cheese competition will kick off at 5:30 p.m., as esteemed chefs come together from all over Chicagoland to showcase their very own specialty macaroni

and cheese dishes, which will be tasted and judged by “the People” and a panel of local celebrity guest judges including Julie Chernoff Dining Editor, Make It Better Media, Melissa Forman, Host, WCIU-TV’s You & Me This Morning, Simon Murray, Associate Editor, JWC Media’s The North Shore Weekend and Sheridan Road Magazine, and Christa Rooks, Editor, The Highland Park Landmark. Winners of the People’s Choice and Judges Choice awards will be announced at 6:45 p.m. The Mac N’ Cheese competitors include: Highwood’s new Barrel Crossing Tap & Grill, Nick’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill of Wilmette, Pinstripes in Northbrook, Remington’s Chicago, and Valley Lodge Tavern of Glenview, all hoping to beat out defending champion, Chicago’s Smoke Daddy, who won both People’s Choice and Judges Choice last year. Guests will enjoy all the Mac N’ Cheese that can eat, passed appetizers, Max’s makeyour-own S’Mores Bar, beer, wine, soft drinks and music by Bizar Entertainment. Max’s Deli will be raffling off a private dinner party by Joey for up to 10 people in the recipients’ home that includes a four-course meal. Raffle tickets will be sold for $5 each, or 5 for $20. Over the course of a year, approximately 26,000 youth in Illinois, and 15,000 youth in Chicago experience homelessness. With the approaching colder weather, Stand Up for Kids is working tirelessly to promote the local outreach center as a safe haven for kids. Volunteers are already hitting the streets hard to distribute hot meals and to provide socks, hats, mittens, coats, and more so that these

Raising funds for homeless youth and enjoying a yummy contest is what the event at Max’s Restaurant & Deli is all about. - Annual Cheese Noodles Mac N’ Cheese photo

homeless children can survive the winter season. Every dollar earned through the Mac N’ Cheese Competition will go toward support and supplies for homeless youth. “There are so many forgotten children on the street that are more than homeless; they have often lost their family connections for various reasons,” says Brian Russell, Chairman of the Board, Stand Up For Kids Chicago Chapter. “When the community comes together through events like this, they help us fund programs for the kids to help break

the homeless cycle. We welcome the chance to raise money, but also to raise awareness of this homeless problem in our backyard.” Russell welcomes inquiries from youth groups and volunteers to distribute food and clothing while walking the streets with Stand Up For Kids volunteers. Tickets to the Cheesy Noodles Mac N’ Cheese Contest are available by calling (773) 817-1684 or visiting www.StandUpforKidsChicago.org.

Zion Genealogical Society to discuss AAUW invites author to speak about her family discovery and her new mystery novel Non-Population Census Staff Report

The Zion Genealogical Society will meet on Monday, November 16 at the Beach Park Village Hall, 11270 West Wadsworth Road, Beach Park for the regular monthly meeting which begins at 7 p.m.. The doors will be open at 6:30 p.m. The meeting is held in the lower level of the village hall building on the north side. The program “Using Non-Population Censuses” will be presented by Matt Rutherford. The program will be interesting as well as educational. There is no charge and all are welcome. Refreshments will be served after the program. A short business meeting will follow. The Zion Genealogical Society offers assistance Monday from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday and Wednesday night at 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Zion Benton Library. Call Joanne Layne at 847-360-0360.

Check out your roots with the Zion Genealogical Society. Meets next Nov. 16. - theYOUjournal file

Gail Lukasik, local author whose family mysteries were featured on the St. Louis episode of the PBS Genealogy Roadshow, will be the speaker at the AAUW (American Association of University Women) meeting in Gurnee November 10. Lukasik will share her on-screen and behind-the-scenes experiences, as well as the research that went into her amazing family discovery. The free event will take place at 7 p.m. in the Community Room at the Gurnee Police Station on the corner of O’Plaine Road and Washington Street. The author will discuss her mother’s story of racial “passing” and her personal reflections on racial identity. Even after the show aired, the story is still unfolding, adding many surprising twists to her family’s multiracial story. Lukasik has a fascinating history as a ballerina. She has had careers in business, and after earning a Ph.D in English she became an educator and a published writer of poetry and mystery novels.

Signed copies of Lukasik’s mystery which is set in Door County, “Peak Season for Murder,” will be available for purchase. More can be found on her website http://gaillukasik. com/ - Staff Report

Author Gail Lukasik to speak in Gurnee Nov. 10 in the community room at the Gurnee Police Station. - AAUW photo

theYOUjournal

November

2015

Darlene Love set to Rock the Genesee! by Angela Sykora

The name Darlene Love may not instantly ring a bell, but her unforgettable voice is woven into the musical fabric of the early sixties. With girl group era hits like “He’s a Rebel,” “(Today I Met) The Boy I’m Gonna Marry,” “He’s Sure the Boy I Love” and “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” Love was an integral part of producer Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound, though she was often denied the credit she so richly deserved. In fact, Love sang lead on many songs that Spector released under groups of which she was not a member. Named one of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time by Rolling Stone, Love also provided backing vocals for countless greats including Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Marvin Gaye and The Righteous Brothers. In 2011, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Hear Love’s legendary voice for yourself when she performs her holiday show, “Love for the Holidays,” at the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan on Dec. 16. TheYOUjournal had the honor of talking with Love about the recent release of her debut album and what’s in store for fans coming to the show. “Introducing Darlene Love” was released in September and features songs written by Stevie Van Zandt, who also produced the album, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Joan Jett, Linda Perry and others. The album includes Love’s rendition of “River Deep, Mountain High,” which was originally performed by Tina Turner, with Love providing backing vocals. The video for the album’s first single, “Forbidden Nights,” features cameos by Joan Jett, Paul Shaffer, Bill Murray, Stevie Van Zandt, Bruce Springsteen and David Letterman. For those who get the joke, the title of the album (Van Zandt’s idea) is pretty ironic. It’s based on the fact that for years, Love, now 74, was an “unsung” artist despite the enduring music she created in the sixties. “That’s all it was, a pun on who I am because I’ve been here, singing with so many great giants in our business, doing Broadway and movies. It’s like, ‘Here she is. Here’s how she sounds.’ You want to hear a great record, buy this record,” Love said. This is Love’s first album of secular songs since 1988. She said it took so long because the recording industry didn’t seem interested in her as an artist in her own right. “When I first left Phil Spector, people were actually scared to record me. They didn’t think they could record me as well as Phil. But I said, ‘We’re not trying to make another Phil Spector record. We’re making a Darlene Love record,’” she said. “I was kind of passed over by the recording business. I was getting older and people in the industry decided they didn’t want to record anyone over 20 years old. They decided that for the fans. The fans didn’t decide that. There are people who are my age, between the ages of 40 and 80 who want to hear great music.” Love also had to find the right person to produce her album, which turned out to be her longtime friend, Stevie Van Zandt, who

shot to fame with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. “He always said, ‘We’re going to get together and make a record one day.’ We just didn’t know it was going to take 30 years.” One night, following Love’s performance at a Christmas show at B.B. King’s club in New York City, Van Zandt told her they were going to start recording the next day, that it was now or never. He told her they’d record one song a month if it took that long. It took a year, mainly because Van Zandt was adamant about getting the best songwriters.

Unforgettable singer Darlene Love will perform a holiday concert at the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan on December 16. “To me, it was a miracle and I can’t thank them enough,” said Love, who has a three album deal with Van Zandt and plans to begin recording soon. “I’m 74, I’ve got no time to waste!” she said.

For the Fans

Reviews for “Introducing Darlene Love” have been very positive. It brings Love great joy to know she has so many fans who appreciate her unique sound and style after all these years. “They want to hear this kind of singing from me and this kind of music, with great melodies, because today the melodies are gone and great writing is gone,” she said. Love, who will be touring consistently through February, said she’s especially excited for her upcoming holiday themed shows, “Love for the Holidays.” “I give them (the audience) a taste of all my Christmas songs I did on the Phil Spector album. That’s what kept me alive really for the first 30 years of my career.” Love will also perform songs from her new album, and close with her famous “Christmas Baby (Please Come Home),” which she performed annually with Paul Shaffer and the CBS Symphony Orchestra on “Late Night with David Letterman.” Performing live is what keeps Love young. There’s no better feeling, she explained. “One thing about this business, you have to love it, no matter how old you get. If you want to keep going, it has to be in you. This has always been a dream of mine to travel the world and allow people to see the gift that God has given me, and still I continue to do that.” “My show is always about happiness,” Love continued. “I don’t do any sad songs. This is a show where you have fun, clap your hands and get up and dance. Nobody is going to stop you from dancing in the aisles if you want to. It’s all about happiness and joy.” And when the audience no longer responds with enthusiasm, Love said that’s when she’ll know it’s time to do something else. Until then, “They respond to what I do, and that’s so comforting to me.” Along with performing, what keeps Love filled with joy is her faith in God. Growing up, secular music was not allowed in Love’s strict, religious home, only gospel, but she al-

Darlene Love has been named one of the 100 greatest singers of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine. - Darlene Love photo

ways felt there was room to appreciate both. “I’ve always believed that good music is good music whether it’s secular music or gospel music. The faith that I have in God and what he has given me keeps me going.” In fact, she said, “Stevie (Van Zandt) knows me so well he wrote a song for me called ‘Jesus is the Rock (That Keeps Me Rollin).’” When she’s not touring, Love gets up at 5 a.m. five days a week for kickboxing class. She also enjoys reading and meditating. “That keeps me strong,” she said. “Not thinking and dwelling on what’s going on in the world, because if you do that, you’ve never gonna get no peace.” At 74, Love said she never dreamed she’d be where she is today, celebrating a new al-

bum and touring for fans who’ve never forgotten her. “I have this saying, ‘Everything in its own time.’ You never know when your time is coming. The thing for you to be is prepared for it.” To learn more about Darlene Love go to www.darleneloveworld.com.

Ticket Information

Tickets for Love’s Dec. 16 performance at the Genesee Theatre range from $30.50 to $65 plus applicable charges. A limited number of $65 seats include preshow meet and greet. Tickets are available at the Genesee Theatre Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com and Ticketmaster charge by phone at (800) 982-2787. For more information visit www.geneseetheatre.com.

November 2015

theYOUjournal

Our 28th Anniversary is December 7!