Forest & Bluff, November 2022

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Experience Transcendent

Enter a world of comfort and ease, where each day begins with boundless pleasure. Timeless elegance meets modern convenience in this 101-story s scraper designed by award-winning architect Jeanne Gang. Revel in exquisite interiors, exceptional finishes and panoramic views of Chicago and Lake Michigan. The Residences at The St. Regis Chicago. Live high above it all, right in the middle of it all. Learn more at srresidenceschicago.com or by calling +1 312 626 4677.

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WELL DONE, BALLYHOO

LONG JOURNEY HOME

SEEING STARS

Editor’s Note

THE HOLIDAYS are knocking at our door as we move into No vember. Typically, fall is a very busy time for me. From celebrat ing some of the amazing orga nizations in our community at their annual galas to preparing for large family dinners—Thanksgiving in particular—it’s a sea son of nonstop activity.

In our November issue, we feature Anna and Ryan O’Donnell, owners of Ballyhoo Hospital ity and the highly anticipated Sophia Steak, Lake Forest. What a hotspot this town has become in the last couple years. If you haven’t had the chance to dine at Sophia Steak in Wilmette, now you have no excuse. It’s in our backyard and it’s not to be missed!

Our second feature this month highlights the gor geous, heart-filled renova tion of a historic David Adler home directed by owner and Lake Forest executive Jennifer Mc Gregor. It was a match that was meant to be.

We live in such an amazing part of the U.S., but if you’re like me, you might enjoy some time in the sun over these next few months. Seeing Stars, our third feature this month, brings you to the heart of iconic Century City in Los Angeles. I re cently visited the historic Fairmont Hotel Centu ry City and was very impressed with their massive multi-billion-dollar renovation. It’s a must-read and must-visit.

With mental health concerns on the rise, our Lake Forest Police De partment recently an nounced the addition of an essential role—a full-time social worker. The first of its kind, providing critical incident stress debriefing and counseling services. Read more in Essential Worker about the much

needed and crucial service now within reach in our very own community.

Another not-to-be-missed community event, The Women’s Board of Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital’s beloved Holiday Boutique is back and in person this season, featuring one-of-a-kind, indemand designer items to benefit a very worthy cause. With the holidays around the corner, Shopping Mission is well worth the read.

In the season of thanks, I would like to person ally thank you, the readers, for allowing me to highlight so many remarkable mem bers of the com munity and the organizations that they support. I hope that you enjoy celebrating Thanksgiving with friends and family.

We’d love to see what you’re making this year, so be sure to send us a photo on Instagram with all your culinary creations—@forestbluff.

THERESA DE MARIA

Photography by Susan Bowlus

Bagpipes & Bonfire 2022

Lobby at The Fairmont Century Plaza

Leelanau Farm Field by Lindy Bishop. Photography by Tony Demin

Handcrafted napkin rings by Elizabeth Hayt Design and photograph by Aimee Sahlas

LAKE FOREST NOW

SO NICE, WE DID IT TWICE!

FORESTBLUFF.COM

J. W. CONATSER

Founder & Publisher

jwc@jwcmedia.com

EDITOR IN CHIEF Theresa DeMaria

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Jennifer Sturgeon

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Sherry Thomas, Lauren DeMaria

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Bill McLean, Ann Marie Scheidler, Monica Kass Rogers, Janis MVK, Wendy Franzen

STYLE EDITOR Lauren DeMaria

PRODUCTION MANAGER/GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Linda Lewis

ADVERTISING COORDINATOR/GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Chris Geimer

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Amin Qutteineh

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Lisa Sciascia, Ian McLeod, Monica Kass Rogers, Aimee Sahlas, Razzaq Lodhia, Katrina Wittkamp, Fredrick Paul, Tony Demin

ADVERTISING SALES

Gretchen Barnard, Jennifer Sturgeon

ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER Cheyanne Lencioni

HOW TO REACH

Forest & Bluff Magazine

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Forest & Bluff is published monthly by

Not to miss November: Your guide to all things holiday and beyond.

THE BUZZ

Lindy Bishop travels back to her roots and debuts her latest painted series.

IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Lake Forest Police Department welcomes Lauren Perez to assist with community counseling and crisis intervention.

The Women’s Board of Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital’s beloved Holiday Boutique is back and in person this season, featuring one-of-a-kind, in-demand designer items to benefit a very worthy cause.

CULTURE

NOT TO MISS NOVEMBER

NOVEMBER 2

HOPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS

WHERE: The Arcade on Deerpath and Le Colonial

Enjoy a wine tasting of curated cases for the holidays followed by appetizers and cock tails at Le Colonial in a fundraiser that sup ports Allendale, a nonprofit that provides resources and support for kids in need. allendale4kids.org

NOVEMBER 4 TO 6

THE ANTIQUES AND MODERNISM SHOW

WHERE: Winnetka Community House

One of the area’s most anticipated style and design events returns to the Community House. Celebrating 50 fabulous years, A+M is the ultimate destination for interior de signers, shoppers, and collectors alike. thewinnetkashow.com

NOVEMBER 4

STARRY NIGHT SOIREE

WHERE: Architectual Artifacts, Chicago

Following the success of Starry Night Soi ree 2021 (with more than 100 guests in at tendance and $90,000 raised in its first year) the nonprofit, Under the Same Starry Night (UTSS), continues its mission to raise cru cial funds and awareness for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Heal ing Conversations program. utsscharity.org

NOVEMBER 8

ATTIC TREASURES: DECLUTTER

YOUR FAMILY STORY

WHERE: Lake Forest Library

Is your home full of treasures, collectibles,

souvenirs, and inherited items? If you are ready to declutter, but don’t know where to begin or how to appraise what might be valuable, join us to learn insider tips and simple techniques from author and orga nizing humorist Jamie Novak. Admission is free. Register at lakeforestlibrary.org/event/ attic-treasures-declutter-your-family-storyvirtual

NOVEMBER 12

LITTLE HISTORIANS

WHERE: Lake Forest Library

Join a Lake Forest Children’s Librarian at The History Center of Lake Forest–Lake Bluff for a historical story and fun activi ties about architecture and Narcissa Thorne, creator of the miniature rooms on display at the Art Institute of Chicago. Admission is free. Register at lakeforestlibrary.org/event/ little-historians-ages-6-10-architecture-nar cissa-thorne

NOVEMBER 15

UNDERSTANDING FINTECH

WHERE: Lake Forest Library

Financial technology or “fintech” is chang ing the way we handle our money. Lean how fintech tools work and what to look for before transferring money, depositing money with neobanks, or linking bank ac counts and credit cards to digital wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay. Admis sion is free. Register at lakeforestlibrary.org/ event/understanding-fintech-digital-walletsneobanks-more-virtual

NOVEMBER 18 – JANUARY 8

WINTERLAND HOLIDAY EXPERIENCE

WHERE: Wrigley Field

Guests will enjoy family friendly activities, festive décor, interactive experiences, rides, and much more at this beloved holiday experi ence. Returning favorites include The Gallagher Ice Rink, now in side the ballpark, Santa’s workshop,

the annual tree lighting ceremony, as well as Christkindlmarket and special programing at Hotel Zachary. For more information visit christkindlmarket.com/Wrigleyville and gallagherway.com/host

NOVEMBER 19 – JANUARY 7

ILLUMINATION: TREE LIGHTS

WHERE: The Morton Arboretum

Dazzling new light displays celebrating the Arboretum’s centennial year and a special late night event series will highlight the 10th anniversary. Guests will explore 18 different features along a tree lined one-mile walk ing trail immersed in color, light color and sound. mortonarb.org

NOVEMBER 19 HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE

WHERE: Lake Forest Recreation Center

Celebrate the spirit of the season as the Women’s Board of Northwestern Hospital celebrates its Holiday Boutique’s 42nd an niversary. Enjoy holiday festivities while shopping for unique gifts from dozens of vendors, whose specialties include jewelry, handbags, and items for the home. wbnorthwestern.org

NOVEMBER 19

PEARLS AND BOW TIES: ETIQUETTE CLASS

WHERE: Gorton Community Center

Join Sarah Berto with Confidence with Etiquette as she teaches participants to set the table for a three-course meal, how to be have at the table, and eat with/use different utensils. Your child will learn how to make others feel comfortable at informal/formal gatherings, and how to dress and behave at these events. gortoncenter.org

DECEMBER 4

LAKE BLUFF HOLIDAY HOME TOUR

WHERE: Lake Bluff History Museum

The 2022 tour of local homes decked out in seasonal finery giving visitors an op portunity to experience each homeowner’s unique style while gathering ideas to use in their own homes. Funds raised from the tour support the museum’s efforts to digitize its collection and mount new exhibits every year, such as the recent Puppetry Magic and upcoming exhibit on Lake Bluff’s gem: The Lake. lakebluffhistory.org/events

HER LAND

Local artist Lindy Bishop travels back to her roots and debuts her latest painted series.

words by Janis MVK photography by Tony Demin

FORMER LAKE FOREST resident Lindy Bishop debuted her latest painted series, “This Land,” at The Gallery in Lake Forest last month in an exhibit that continues through December. The collection features stunning plein air scenes of the northern Michigan landscape, where Bishop now resides.

Raised in a small northern Michigan town, she grew up with a mix of townies like herself and classmates from surrounding rural farm and lake communities, including kids from the indigenous tribes Chippewa and Ottawa. Her childhood was spent surrounded by freshwater lakes, streams, and expansive bays of Lake Michigan as well as cherry, apple, peach, plum, pear, and apricot orchards. This idyllic, scenic landscape she grew up in also included fields of crops from corn to sunflowers and even thriving picturesque vineyards.

“’This Land’ holds significant meaning to me because of what it provides, but also in its beauty,” she says. “That’s why I am drawn to landscape as a subject.”

The exhibit also pays tribute to the land in the Lake Forest area where Bishop raised her kids with works inspired by photographs she took while hiking the Skokie Valley River Nature Preserve.

She defines her works of art and style as expressionistic and says the pieces for this collection were painted in acrylic, with some hav ing oil over acrylic and a couple of paintings in pure oil paint.

“I tried to see and then not see, looking at detail, then getting rid of some of it,” Bishop says. “I also bent colors from their natural state to something different while looking for new harmonies.”

She hopes her pieces evoke making the ordinary, extraordinary, bringing out a shift in the viewer’s inner voice. “The show title, ‘This Land,’ could be said straightforward with equal emphasis, but imagine saying it as if the land was spectacular,” she says. “You would emphasize either ‘this’ or ‘land’ or you would say each pas sionately with a pause between the words.”

That, the artist says, is what this show at The Gallery of Lake

Forest is all about— making decisions in art and life to edit what we emphasize in a positive and heart-centered way.

One of Bishop’s mentors was Deerfield artist Lars-Birger Spon berg, a fixture at the Labor Day art fair in Lake Forest Square who also taught classes at the Gorton Community Center. “He had a great influence on my work and ‘sensibility’,” she explains, “with the ability to sense the awesome possibility of ordinary things.”

Bishop has been back to visit Lake Forest on numerous occa sions as this town holds a special place in her heart, and not just because of the lifelong friends she’s made. Her first show was at The Deerpath Gallery in 2008, under the direction of Vicki Marasco. As many of her paintings sold from that show, Bishop was inspired to continue with her passion.

“I believe my role as an artist in rural America is to cross-pollinate with other cultures, communities, art and artists, youth, and tech nology. It is vital to share information and experiences in art of all kinds with other artists and art events because there is a collective consciousness in how we relate to the world.”

“Living as an artist in a rural area has its limitations in the art world but has abundance in its ability to connect with people and reflect the beauty surrounding us,” she says. “But I also see my role as getting out there in the world and sharing what I see and learn in other places.”

Bishop believes that with everything that has happened and is happening with the pandemic and political divisiveness, it’s impor tant to connect to source energy.

“That might be viewing and owning original art or by even plac ing your feet firmly on the land, imagining your energy flowing through to the core of the earth, and back up through you, and then out into the world while saying passionately, ‘This Land’ ”

The Gallery is located at 202 Wisconsin Avenue in Lake Forest. For more information, call 224-544-5961 or visit thegallerylf.com.

Lindy Bishop in her studio in Lake Forest

Open Lands by Lindy Bishop Photography by Tony Demin

ESSENTIAL WORKER

Lake Forest Police Department welcomes Lauren Perez to assist with community counseling and crisis intervention.

words by Janis MVK photography by Fredrick Paul Photography

WITH MENTAL health

concerns on the rise, the Lake Forest Police De partment (LFPD) an nounced the addition of an essential role—its first full-time social worker. This new position provides counseling for clients and conducts critical incident stress debriefings, as well as other crucial services within its very own community.

Enter Lauren Perez, who joined LFPD in late May. With extensive experience in counseling and crisis in tervention, Perez is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with at track record of success. In addition to providing counseling and community support services at the Lake County Health Department, she has also served as a school social worker at Virtual Connections Academy and was the Associate Clinical Director of Social Ser vices at Streamwood Behavioral Healthcare System in inpatient hospitalization.

“I’m incredibly excited to join a police department that understands and has been proactive regarding mental health,” Perez says. “I’m excited to support the officers in their day-to-day responsibilities, establish re lationships, and build trust with the community.”

Among the many responsibilities that Perez will

shoulder, group counseling and grief support are at the top of the docket. Plans to create a support group for police spouses, a grief-support group with the Dickin son Hall Senior Center, and a teen-support group with the Committee Representing Our Young Adults are just some of the projects she’ll be tackling and overseeing.

Karl Walldorf, Chief of Police, believes creating this full-time role was an important priority.

“For many years, calls involving a mental health component have increased for the LFPD,” he says, ex plaining that in 2015, the addition of a part-time social worker was welcomed with an overwhelmingly positive response. “However, we realized over time that our de mand exceeded our ability to supply services. We hope that with Lauren on board full time, we can better serve our community’s needs.”

With Perez, the Lake Forest community just got brighter.

“Advocacy, linkage, and education are at the foun dation of everything I do as a social worker,” she says. “This role will give me the ability to engage the Lake Forest community in these areas for years to come.”

The Lake Forest Police Department is located at 255 W. Deerpath Road in Lake Forest. For more information, call 847-234-2601 or visit cityoflakeforest.com.

Lake Forest Police Department Social Worker, Lauren Perez

SHOPPING MISSION

The Women’s Board of Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital’s beloved Holiday Boutique is back and in person this season, featuring one-of-akind, in-demand designer items to benefit a very worthy cause.

words by Sherry Thomas photography by Katrina Wittkamp hair and makeup by Leanna Ernest wardrobe provided by Lillie Alexander

EVERYONE HAS their own unique story about North western Lake Forest Hospital and what it means to them and their family.

For Kathy Ivinjack, a Women’s Board co-chair for the Holiday Boutique and Opening Night Party, an experi ence with her son inspired her to get involved.

“He had an extremely rare and dangerous vascular condition called Thoracic Outlet Syndrome,” she explains. “The Emergency Depart ment staff was outstanding at diagnosing and beginning treatment as well as providing a calm, caring service to my son and me. Surgi cal staff members were also top notch. As a team overall, they made a terrifying situation a little bit better and I’ll be grateful forever.”

Her fellow co-chair, Simone Asmussen, also has a family connec tion to the Women’s Board and its mission to support the hospital.

“I was asked to join the board shortly after my mother-in-law, a former nurse, died. My in-laws lived in Lake Forest and loved having the hospital in their community,” she says. “They believed it was an amazing resource and always were extremely pleased with the care they received there. I wanted to give back to an institution that my mother-in-law held in such high esteem and felt like I could honor her memory by being involved with the women’s board.”

Among the many projects the Northwestern Lake Forest Hos pital Women’s Board champions is its annual Holiday Boutique—a fundraiser favorite that pairs in-demand designers, premium ven dors, and a shared interest in supporting all the hospital means to the North Shore.

This year’s 43rd annual event promises to be one of the best yet, with 15% of all sales benefiting behavioral health services at Lake Forest Hospital. The excitement starts on Thursday, November 17, with the Holiday Boutique Opening Night Party, which takes place from 6 to 9 pm at the Lake Forest Recreation Center.

“It’s a few events all rolled up in one night,” says Ivinjack.

“First, it’s an opportunity to shop early. Many of our vendors are selling one-of-a-kind, limited production pieces, so it’s best to get there early to scoop up some of the hottest items.”

But the fun doesn’t stop there, continues Ivinjack. “Second, it’s also a cocktail party, with a little wine, a little nibble and lots of con versation with friends.

Third, in our opinion, it’s the unofficial kick off to the holidays. This is a great opportunity to check off some holiday shopping while directly helping our local hospital.”

Then, the boutique will open to the general public from 9 am to 6 pm on Friday, November 18, and from 9 am to 3 pm on Saturday, November 19.

As Holiday Boutique co-chair Diana Webb explains, it is more important than ever to provide crucial access to necessary outpatient

services with the goal of reducing behavioral health crises and short ening the wait time for patients to receive effective treatment.

Jane Duncan, who is also a co-chair, adds “Proceeds from the 2022 Women’s Board Holiday Boutique will help support behavioral health services at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital.”

Christie Theis, Lindsey Chabraja, and Diana Webb join Duncan, Ivinjack, and Asmussen as co-chairs in creating a shopping extrava ganza to remember.

This event also feels extra special because it marks a return to inperson festivities for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This event is a critical piece of our fundraising goal and we look forward to welcoming all of our shoppers and supporters back,” adds Asmussen.

The women’s board held its 75th anniversary gala earlier this year, another milestone many of them have been working on for years. While it was postponed a few times during the pandemic, when the event finally happened, it was also a milestone fundraising success.

This month’s Holiday Boutique promises to be equally epic.

Festivities kick off with the Opening Night Preview Party from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, November 17, which simultaneously celebrates all the board’s hard work but also invites shoppers for exclusive opportunities and even a signature cocktail. The boutique continues from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, November 18, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, November 19.

“We held a virtual boutique and an in-town shopping event dur ing the pandemic and both were amazing,” Asmussen says. “How ever, nothing can beat actually seeing merchandise and having a vast selection from which to choose over the course of a few days. It’s more festive to be together and I think this year will be a very suc cessful boutique!”

The Women’s Board of Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital’s Holiday Boutique will be held at the Lake Forest Recreation Center, 400 Hastings Road, in Lake Forest. For more information, visit foundation.nm.org/ womens-board-of-northwestern-lake-forest-hospital.

Lindsey Chabraja, Diana Webb, Jane Duncan, Christie Theis, Kathy Ivinjack, Simone Asmussen

OUT OF AFRICA

The Razny Family, owners of Razny Jewelers since 1951, took the trip of a lifetime to visit their diamond supplier in Africa.

edited by Ann Marie Scheidler photography courtesy of Razny Jewelers

RAZNY JEWELERS, with four locations throughout the Chicagoland area, is the leading family-owned and operated source for loose diamonds, bespoke jewelry, and Swiss timepieces. In business since 1951, the third generation of this family business is entirely devoted to the future of luxury.

Stan, Ingrid, and Michael Razny were recently invited to the South African nation of Namibia by their direct diamond supplier to experience the country’s beauty. “Razny is one of the very few jewelers to have access to the direct supply of diamonds,” notes Ingrid, “securing our customers the best value by eliminating the middleman.”

Even more important than learning about where their diamonds are sourced, the Raznys gained a greater appreciation for the good that comes from the sale of natural diamonds. “There is no ques tion that the people of Namibia and South Africa benefit from the diamond industry as it is a key component of the economy,” says Ingrid. “This industry has taken great effort to harvest these natural wonders from the land and sea in the most environmentally friend

Stan, Ingrid, and Michael Razny

Stan Razny at the cutting and polishing facility

ly way. Seeing the process and meeting Africa’s people has given us the ability to tell the story of natural diamonds. We are honored to be the ambassadors for the natural diamond industry.”

The main source of natural-colored diamonds, as well as a ma jority of the fancy yellow diamonds, Namibia also produces gems of pink and blue. “Many of these stones are retrieved from the sea using a vacuum mining process that leaves little disruption to the ocean floor,” says Ingrid. “We were so lucky to experience this firsthand.”

The Raznys also visited the cutting and polishing facility of their diamond supplier while visiting the country, which gained its inde pendence from South Africa in 1990. Opened in 2008, this facility has grown to include 60 employees, many of whom began as train ees and have since moved into management roles.

In addition to getting a firsthand understanding of the sourcing and processing of diamonds, the Raznys visited a kidney dialysis clinic equipped with machines donated by their direct diamond supplier in collaboration with Razny Jewelers and met children from the Eros Primary School, which has also received substantial support from their supplier.

Before coming home, the Raznys traveled to South Africa where they visited the Nelson Mandela Foundation. There they saw the cell where the Nobel Prize winner was imprisoned for more than 27 years before becoming the nation’s president in 1994. They also went to Soweto, the Johannesburg township whose residents played a key role in the anti-apartheid movement. Kliptown, the oldest township in Soweto and historically important as the place where

RAZNY JEWELERS

the 1955 Free dom Charter was adopted, is home to 44,000 people but lacks the most basic needs such as schools, health clinics, electric ity, and proper sanitation. The Raznys are committed to supporting such empowering initiatives as the Kliptown Youth Program, an after-school center and mentoring program serving students from first grade through high school. “The Kliptown Youth Program was really amazing,” says Ingrid. “The children looked happy and healthy and we are even more determined to increase our support.” Clearly, what began as a business trip turned out to be much, much more.

To learn more about Razny Jewelers, visit razny.com. To learn more about the Kliptown Youth Program, visit kliptownyouthprogram.org.

Visiting the Kliptown Youth Program

BUSINESS OWNERS

Strategic Divorce attorney Michone J. Riewer reviews the issues that may arise in divorce proceedings when one party owns a business.

words by Michone J. Riewer photography by Katrina Wittkamp styling by Theresa DeMaria hair & makeup by Leanna Ernest

TO FINALIZE A DIVORCE, it is necessary to value and divide all assets and debts. It is also necessary to calculate each party’s income to determine child sup port and spousal support. When one of the parties owns a business, it is often challenging to value the business and calculate the income derived from the business.

There are multiple methods of valuing a marital business. Experts will use three accepted methods to calculate the value and then tell the court which method is most appropriate for the marital busi ness in question. The three accepted ways of valuing a business in clude: the income method; the asset method; and the market value method. An expert is required because most judges will not allow the parties to testify to the value of the business because they are not qualified as experts and may be biased. Typically, each party will hire a business valuation expert. At trial, the court will determine which expert is more credible to determine the business’ value.

At the same time the business valuators are calculating the value of the business, the calculation of each party’s income is also taking place. If only one party works in the business, their income will be calculated using their K-1 and W-2 forms.

It is important to note that, when calculating the income of the party working in the business, family courts will add personal ex penses paid by the business to the payee’s income. While the IRS allows certain personal expenses (car, cell phone, home office, en tertainment) to be deducted as business expenses before calculating income for income tax purposes, most family law courts will include those deducted personal expenses in the income of the party work ing at the business.

Let’s discuss a case where the wife owns a business, the business is paying her $100,000 in W-2 income as an employee, $90,000 in K-1 income from distributions as a business owner, and pay ing $60,000 of car, phone, and housing expenses. The wife’s total income would be $250,000 for calculating support. In addition, the expert has determined that the business is worth $1 million and the husband makes $100,000 a year.

Now the tricky part with a business, is that if we determine it is a marital business and all of the marital assets are being divided equally, the court will not, under normal circumstances, give both parties half of the business. In a divorce, the goal is to separate the parties and reduce future interaction. It would be impractical for them to run a business together. Therefore, the court will give the business to the party who ran the business and will give the other party an asset of equal value.

So, using our prior example, we will say the wife gets the business

and the husband gets the house. Both assets are worth $1 million. Now, their assets have been equalized. The question then becomes how is the income from the assets, the house, and the business cal culated? The wife might be required to include the income from the business, the distributions, and expenses paid by the business in her income for purposes of calculating support. It is unlikely that the husband will be required to include the housing benefit he receives from the house, (i.e. a $1 million mortgage would cost $11,000 per month or $132,000 per year) in his income for the calculation of maintenance.

Remember, both husband and wife make $100,000 of W-2 in come. That alone would mean there would be no maintenance paid by either spouse to the other. The additional $150,000 per year that the wife makes based on her investment of $1 million in a business should not be considered in the calculation of maintenance. Yet, most courts do consider the extra $150,000 per year and in practice often give the husband maintenance from the wife based on those extra earnings. The wife’s attorney needs to be ready to point out the benefit that the husband receives from the house worth $1 million and how much he is saving by not paying a mortgage. The husband also has the opportunity to sell the house and invest his $1 million in an income-producing investment or business.

When a divorce involves a business, it is extremely important for both parties to secure an attorney who is familiar with how busi nesses are handled in a divorce case, understands the case law and statutes that govern business income, and how to value a marital business.

Michone J. Riewer is an attorney with Strategic Divorce in Lake Bluff, 847-234-4445, strategicdivorce.com.

MULLED WINE

Wendy Franzen of Fletcher & Fork

Serves 10

INGREDIENTS

• 2 750-ml bottles Beaujolais or Côtes-du-Rhône

• ½ cup sugar

• 3 strips fresh lemon peel

• 3 strips fresh orange peel

• 10 whole allspice berries

• 10 whole c loves (plus 40 more, for garnish)

• 2 cinnamon sticks (plus 10 more, for garnish)

• 2 star anise pods (plus an optional 10-20 more, for garnish)

• 1 whole nutmeg

• 1/2 cup f reshly squeezed orange juice

• 1 sliced sweet apple

• 1 cup brandy

• 4 medium oranges cut into thick wheels, for garnish (make sure you have 10 slices—one for each serving)

• P lace wine, sugar, citrus peels, cinnamon sticks, 10 cloves, allspice berries, nutmeg, orange juice, and apple slices in a large, non-aluminum pot over me dium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. When bub bles begin to form, reduce heat to low and keep just below a simmer for 10 minutes.

• W hile mixture is warming on the stove, stud each orange wheel with 4 cloves.

• Strain off solids and discard, then stir in brandy. Keep warm.

• Ladle into mugs or punch cups. Garnish each with a clove-studded orange slice and a cinnamon stick. Add one or two star anise pods to each cup, if de sired.

FALL FLAIR

words and photography by Aimee Sahlas

DUST OFF YOUR fancy dishes and pull out some of those special things that get hidden away in drawers most of the year. Fall celebrations are the perfect time for bringing heirlooms and other passed down items to your dinner table. This season, reach for something unique or with a twist that you might not usually use to set your table—bold napkin rings, such as these by Elizabeth Hayt studio, a unique centerpiece, or vintage linens. You will be pleasantly surprised how easy bringing in a little personality to your table will be!

Napkin rings by Elizabeth Hayt Studio.

YORK

WITH CANDIED LEMON

Kass Rogers

I’VE MADE MANY cheesecakes over the years, but this one is my dad’s favorite! Per fectly smooth and creamy, with a little lemon in the batter and glistening wheels of candied lemon on top, it is both pretty to look at and delicious to eat at holiday gatherings. Made the day ahead of your event and chilled over night, you’ll add the garnishes right before you serve.

When ready to begin, set all of your ingre dients out for a half hour or so to bring them to room temperature. To speed prep, I use two mixing bowls for my stand mixer, one to beat the sour cream and eggs, the other to whip the cream cheese and butter to a perfectly smooth consistency. You’ll combine the two mixtures with a bit of cornstarch, lemon and vanilla and pour into a 9 x 3-inch springform pan. Set in a pan of boiling water, the cake takes 2 hours and 15 minutes to bake, and another 12 hours to restfully chill.

An added bonus with this recipe? Save the lemonsimple syrup after making the candied lemons! It is delicious in a cocktail, or with your iced tea.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 large eggs

• 2 cups (1 pound) sour cream

• 4, 8-ounce chubs of cream cheese

• ¼ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus 2 Tbsp for greasing the springform pan

• 1 ½ cups pure cane sugar

• ¼ tsp salt

• 2 Tbsp cornstarch

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• Juice of ½ f resh lemon, to make 2 tsp

• 2 tsp lemon zest (I use a microplane to grate)

FOR CANDIED LEMON SLICES

• 2 fresh lemons, washed and sliced into very thin wheels, seeds discarded

• 3 cups sugar

• 3 cups water

• Parchment-lined sheet pan

METHOD

MAKE CHEESECAKE: With oven rack in center posi tion, preheat oven to 300 degrees. Generously grease the

sides and bottom of a 9 x 3-inch springform pan with 2 Tbsp of butter. (Wrap the sides and bottom of the pan in foil to prevent any leakage while the cake bakes in water bath.) In standing mixer, with whisk attach ment, whip eggs and sour cream well. Remove mixer bowl and fit stand mixer with second clean mixer bowl OR pour egg/sour cream mixture into a bowl and set aside, refitting egg/sourcream coated mixer bowl onto stand mixer. Place cream cheese in mixer bowl and whip until very smooth, using spatula to scrape down sides of bowl. Add 1 stick softened butter a few pieces at a time and continue to whip until all butter is incorporated into the cream cheese and mixture is very smooth. Turn mixer speed to medium low and add the egg/sour cream mixture, continuing to beat until very smooth, using a spatula to scrape any remaining cream cheese bits from the side of the bowl. Beat in vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice. Pour batter into prepared springform pan. Place batter-filled springform pan into a large roasting pan. Pour boiling water around the cheesecake pan to create a water bath that reaches about half-way up the sides of the cheesecake pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 2 hours and 15 minutes. While cake bakes, make candied lemon slices.

MAKE CANDIED LEMON SLICES: In a large pot over medium heat, bring water and sugar to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to low. Add lemon slices. Simmer lemon slices for one hour, stirring gently on oc casion to move slices to different depths in the syrup. Once finished, the slices will be transparent. Remove candied lemon slices, shake off extra syrup, and place on a parchment lined drying rack. Use a fork to smooth the center fibers of the lemon. Allow to air dry for 24 hours. Slices will still be pliable.

FINISH CHEESECAKE: After 2 hours and 15 minutes of baking, remove water-filled roasting pan and cheese cake from oven and set on a wide, secure surface. Re move cheesecake pan from water bath. Remove and discard foil wrapper. Set cheesecake, still in springform pan, on a cooling rack and completely cool. Place cooled cheesecake, still in pan, in refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours (overnight is best.) To serve, remove cake from springform pan and place on serving platter. Decorate with wheels of candied lemon and some daisies or other edible flowers.

LAKE FOREST’S KASHIAN BROS RECOMMENDS BATHROOM UPGRADES SO YOU CAN EASILY “AGE IN PLACE.”

IF YOU’VE SUFFERED a sports or other injury, then you know how dif ficult it can be to navigate around the house when your mobility or agility aren’t in tip-top condition.

At Kashian Bros, we often suggest that clients plan their next bathroom up grade with situations like this in mind.

One of the first things we do is design or re-design the space so there is enough room to easily move with assistive equipment.

Next, we make sure the shower is easy to enter on foot and with wheels, which means a wide entryway and no shower curb. We have many interesting options to ad dress this, including wet rooms and custom shower walls.

The shower is then designed for accessi bility, often including a seat near the water stream, a niche at an accessible height, and adjustable shower heads.

The type of floor in the shower and the entire bathroom is important. We make sure it isn’t excessively slippery and provides a stable surface for walkers, wheelchairs, and

other devices.

Equally important is a comfort height toilet, which is several inches taller than the standard toilet, allowing more indepen dence for those with mobility issues.

We always add room for essential grab bars. Some people like to add them right away, to accommodate family members or guests; others wait until there is an immedi ate need.

Finally, we install pedestal or other vani ties that allow foot room for assistive equip ment and have easy pulls for arthritic hands and wrists.

We fine tune this design with strategic lighting throughout the bathroom, inside cabinets, and install motion-activated lights to create security and ease at night.

Call Kashian Bros if you want a beautiful new kitchen or bath without the stress and anxiety of a typical home project. We take care of the en tire project from start to finish, including design and all installation, even plumbing, lighting, wallpaper, and paint.

Kashian Bros is located in downtown Lake Forest and Wilmette.

For more information, call 847-251-1200 or visit kashianbros.com.

Kashian Bros experts suggest we consider long-term goals when updating the master or guest bathrooms.

BEJEWELED

STYLIST’S CHOICE

PERSONAL

wears a knit dress by Victoria Beckham and graffiti print high-low trench by Alexander McQueen. Available at Neiman Marcus. Sunglasses by Dibi, shopdibi.com. Kalli

denim dress by Loewe and chunky sweater coat by Brunello Cuchinelli. Available at Neiman Marcus. Sunglasses by Dibi, shopdibi.com.

UNEXPECTED AND BOLD

Time to make room for nature in your jewelry boxes.

photography by Razzaq Lodhia words by Theresa DeMaria jewelry by Barbara Parker Fine Jewelry

IAM OFTEN DRAWN TO nature-inspired jewelry because I enjoy viewing an artisan’s interpretation worn in an upscale human gathering. Nature-inspired fine jewelry takes on a whole new meaning this fall.

The designs of Mother Nature have been some of the most sought after this year. Reflecting the ever-inspiring sculptures of our beloved planet earth, this handmade 18kt yellow gold uses briar wood as its base for the pendant inlaid with diamonds.

Barbara Parker Fine Jewelry aims to channel creativity through the love of nature. Harmonizing its designs, this standout18kt yel low gold bit necklace shown with micro pave diamond clasp is a simple way to upgrade your look. One of the hottest and longest trends in jewelry, this look is here to stay. Wear it over and over again by itself or layered and catch the eye of everyone in the room.

Thankful

worked with Heather to sell my home. What I had anticipated was going to be an overwhelming process to navigate, was surprisingly smooth all thanks to Heather. She has great knowledge about the marketplace, offers excellent advice, is an incredible communicator, and was always available for questions. Due to relocation, Heather helped to make sure she took care of everything without the need for me to be physically at the house. She coordinated cleaners, contractors, lawn care, and where to sell/ donate furniture. This all demonstrated her excellent ability to coordinate and her overall organization. I can’t express how much easier the entire process was with having Heather as my agent!”

COCKTAIL-WORTHY COATS

by Lauren DeMaria

LUXE VELVET

by Lauren DeMaria

2

SECRET INGREDIENT

words by Elizabeth Lombardo

AN ATHLETE came to see me because he was struggling during competitions, despite having the skills in practice. After learning some new strate gies in sports psychology, he was able to excel dur ing games, and even ended up getting recruited to his first-choice college.

Sports psychology is the practice of using psychological prin ciples to optimize sports performance. It is the secret ingredient to peak performance.

What you say to yourself, the thoughts and beliefs that race through your mind, impact not only how you feel but also how your body functions.

Consider this, have you ever been to the Skydeck in the Willis tower and stood on the glass floor 103 stories in the air? If so, you likely experienced a visceral reaction: increased heart rate, sweaty palms, perhaps even shaky hands.

If you are like most people, you were likely feeling anxious. Your mind was focused on ensuring you were safe. For many people, this is not a time when they can have a thoughtful conversation or even move their body with its usual sense of ease. Even though you know, rationally, that you are safe, for many, the subconscious has other thoughts. And they control your body’s reaction.

A similar reaction can occur in athletes. Despite rationally know ing, “this is just a game,” concerns such as “what if I mess up” or “I have to do well in this game or else I will never get into college” can take over on a deeper level. And such distress can interfere with optimal athletic performance.

Scientists estimate that we have about 60,000 thoughts every single day. And while we are not usually aware of most of those thoughts, they still impact how we feel and how we function.

When I work with athletes, we help them control their minds, so those thoughts work for and not against them. This is not about repeating superficial affirmations. That is often more like putting a small band aide on a deep wound. Instead, I use a process that I created called Neuro-Regenerative TrainingTM (NRT), where we rewire their brains.

Now, when I say rewire, I am not talking about shock therapy. You see, every thought we have are just nerves firing in a certain pattern within the brain. There is a saying in psychology, “Nerves that fire together, wire together.” That means, the more you have a thought, the more likely you are to have it again and again. This is usually an unconscious process.

Consider, if I said “ABC” to you, you might start singing the al phabet song, even without meaning to. Why? Because you heard the song over and over again as a child, and likely sang it repeatedly as a child and, if you are a parent, to your children. It has become hardwired in your brain.

NRT, which combines research-supported cognitive behavioral therapy, neuro-linguistic programing and skills training, allows ath letes to take control of their mindset. This translates into optimal performance. And, the beauty is, once they learn these skills, they

have them forever. That means your athlete can use them as they progress with their sport. And, because these skills are also effective at promoting perseverance, grit, emotional regulation, and healthy self-confidence, your child will benefit from acquiring these skills for the rest of their lives.

So, who would benefit from working with a sports psychologist? Here is just a sampling. Athletes who:

• Want to gain the mental edge

• Desire to get recruited for their sport (college or professional)

• Have trouble moving past mistakes/errors

• Are dealing with an injury and not wanting to lose their com petitive edge

• Perform better in practice versus competition

• Have trouble getting along with coach or teammates

• Get stuck “in their head”

• Experience difficulty controlling emotions and stress

• Struggle with playing at their highest potential

Effective sports psychology can help your athlete take their game to an entire new level. And that is what we specialize in at EleVive. Our motto? Elevate your mindset; thrive in life.

If you want to help your athlete excel to their maximal poten tial, contact EleVive. Your athlete, and their team, will appreciate it. (Their competitors, however, will not!)

For more information about EleVive, visit elevive.com.

Elizabeth Lombardo

Elizabeth Lombardo has built a national following with her sports psychology practice, guiding others to optimize their mindset to upgrade performance.

Anna and Ryan O’Donnell inside Sophia Steak, Lake Forest

WELL DONE, BALLYHOO

Ballyhoo Hospitality and its co-founders, the stirring husband and wife team of Ryan and Anna O’Donnell, are rarin’ to make the group’s second Sophia Steak a second-to-none option for those famished for a sophisticated dining experience in Lake Forest.

words by Bill McLean photography by Katrina Wittkamp hair and makeup by Cathleen Healy

IT’S A MONDAY or a Tuesday in Lake Forest. Casually dressed diners enter Sophia Steak on Laurel Avenue at night, glance at the surround ings, and are immediately struck by the warmth of the place.

The employees’ smiles—here and there and ev erywhere—make it feel even toastier.

Orders are placed. A conversation commences. The steakhouse vibe kicks in.

The food arrives.

Now everyone is beaming.

Fast forward to the following weekend. Some of the same diners return, this time dressed to the nines— maybe even to the ninety-nines.

“We want people coming straight from the golf course early in the week to enjoy Sophia Steak as much as the couple on a date or a family get-together will on a Friday or a Saturday night,” says Ryan O’Donnell, cofounder with wife Anna of Ballyhoo Hospitality, which, with the opening of Sophia Steak-Lake Forest in midOctober, now boasts seven restaurants under the enter prise’s retractable-roof-sized umbrella since its launch in 2018.

The latest high-profile entrant in Ballyhoo’s fold upped the number of its eateries along the North Shore to three, following the French café/bistro/brasserie/bar Pomeroy in Winnetka and Sophia Steak in Wilmette.

Ballyhoo restaurants offer thoughtful, inspired food and drinks that satisfy in memorable ways.

“We’re excited to expand our footprint on the North Shore,” adds Ryan, who graduated from Loyola Acade my in Wilmette in 1995 and earned a degree from Ken dall College’s Culinary Hospitality School in Evanston. “I don’t just love the golf courses in Lake Forest; the history of the city is special, too.

“We’re thankful, and grateful, that we get to be a part of Lake Forest’s attractiveness, and we’re excited to show the community what we can do.”

Mr. and Mrs. O’Donnell, who have been married for 13 years and are raising three sons, moved to Wilmette in 2022 after living in Chicago for 17 years, a transition Anna described as “a drastic change but a lovely change as well.” Ballyhoo Hospitality’s Chicago spots are Gem ini (Lake Park), Coda di Volpe (Lakeview), Old Pueblo (Lincoln Park), and Andros Taverna (Logan Square).

So the establishment of Sophia Steak-Lake For est marks the first time Ballyhoo Hospitality created a second restaurant with a similar concept to one of its forerunners. Sophia Steak-Wilmette, born in 2020, is located at 1146 Wilmette Avenue.

“Both Sophia Steak restaurants have a similar feel, décor, and atmosphere,” says Anna, who got her degree in Organizational Business at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. “The big difference is the gor geous courtyard out front in Lake Forest. Downtown Lake Forest is beautiful, and we would like nothing more than to make Sophia Steak a popular gathering place in the community.

“We want it to be a place where people go to cel ebrate or go to for a special date,” she adds. “But we’d be most thrilled if it becomes the place where people always run into people they know and enjoy the won derful atmosphere together.”

Ryan and Anna got to know each other through work. Ryan was a sous chef and Anna a server when each reported to Glenn Keefer at Keefer’s Restaurant in Chicago. Glenn Keefer is to steakhouses what Boeing is to airplanes.

GIANTS in their respective industries.

Keefer, Ryan O’Donnell’s forever-mentor, joined

Ballyhoo Hospitality as a partner in 2020.

“He’s such a huge resource for us,” Ryan says. “Glenn’s expertise in the steakhouse business has been first-rate for decades. But he also has a broad skill set in other fields, from insurance to HR to other administrative areas.

“It’s certainly nice to have a lifelong restaurant man like Glenn as one of Ballyhoo’s partners.”

Were Ryan to make an order right this second at So phia Steak-Lake Forest he’d start with, well, a starter: Crispy Lobster & Shishitos. And then he’d follow that up with Steak Sophia, the restaurant’s signature entrée: a choice of a 10-ounce Prime Flat Iron or an eightounce Filet (peppercorn-crusted, roasted mushrooms, cognac cream).

Anna, meanwhile, would have the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake and Super Green Vegetable Salad (kale, avocado, broccoli, asparagus, pepperconcini, olive, pistachio, par mesan).

The Weekend Specials included Fresh Dover Sole (Friday), 16-ounce Prime Rib (Saturday), and Fried Chicken (Sunday). Ballyhoo Hospitality stared the pan demic down in 2020 and survived it, in part, by hatching an incomparable To Go menu/program that continues to hum—and sate—today.

“Times changed,” Ryan says. “Restaurants had to change, or else. To-go fare became a big emphasis for us and we made sure to make it as appealing as possible. Ours became especially successful at Sophia Steak in Wilmette.”

The only thing that rivals Sophia Steak’s vast array of sumptuous offerings is the staff’s attention to detail and smile-inducing service.

“So much of the success in the restaurant industry comes down to execution,” Ryan says. “We’re successful at what we do because our team is committed to making hospitality a high priority. You do that by putting the customer at ease before they’re treated to high-quality food and drinks.”

Sophia Steak and Lake Forest, together.

Get used to it, folks.

“We’re here to stay,” Ryan insists. “We’re in it for the long haul.”

Sophia Steak-Lake Forest is located at 181 East Laurel Av enue in Lake Forest. For more information and a look at the menu, visit sophiasteak.com. Learn more about Ballyhoo Hospitality on the web at ballyhoohospitality.com.

Anna and Ryan O’Donnell in front of Sophia Steak, Lake Forest

LONG JOURNEY HOME

The story of how Lake Forest design executive Jennifer McGregor met and fell in love with a stable on a lavish, 1926 estate designed by David Adler has all the hallmarks of a Hollywood movie. Only she didn’t find this property; it found her.

words by Sherry Thomas photography by Sherry Thomas

Jennifer McGregor, Nandan Shah, and her children Graham, Chase, and Harper.

EVERY GOOD LOVE story has an element of destiny, that invisible force that drives us down a path we often don’t understand until we’re at the final destination.

For Lake Forest design executive Jennifer McGregor, that’s the only way to describe the tale of how she found herself buying and restoring a historic horse barn on Old Mill Road—a rare David Adler gem that was

once part of a sprawling 480-acre estate built in 1926.

The timing of how and when the property came into her life could not have been more inconvenient.

“My former home, less than a mile from the new one, had been privately listed but was taken off when family circumstances changed and we felt it best to stay put,” says McGregor, explaining that her mother had become terminally ill. “An unsolicited offer was received by our realtor nine months later and it couldn’t have been more poorly timed as I was living out of state caring for my

mom, plus I literally had just completed refinancing weeks prior!”

This turn of events set the wheels in motion for what she now sees as a journey of discovery, and healing.

A sale was negotiated with flex time for McGregor; her partner, Nandan; and her three children, Graham, Chase, and Harper to find a new place to live. Given her mother’s health and her busy schedule as Chief Revenue Officer for SpaceIntel, a zero-maintenance condo or townhome was looking very attractive. Then, during the home search, something completely different caught her eye.

She texted her realtor, Maureen O’Grady Tuohy, the address for a David Adler property on Old Mill Road— a 1947 residence built in what was originally the stable of the famed Albert Lasker Estate.

“We toured it that next morning and my world turned upside down,” explains McGregor, an interior architect and licensed designer who was more than fa miliar with the Adler pedigree. “I had driven by it hun dreds of times but never paid much attention.”

Something was different this time. Something was drawing her in.

“In our conversations that followed after our first viewing, I remember asking, ‘am I crazy?’” says Mc Gregor, explaining that in the months that followed, even before closing, she felt so connected to the prop erty that she started to maintain the lawn care. “As a veteran of the architecture and design industry and life long resident of Lake Forest, I really was the perfect buyer—willing to accept the quirkiness and imperfec tions and provide the right amount of direction and in sight to bring it back.”

Most buyers would have walked away. McGregor not only embraced the challenge, but she took it on as a labor of love.

“I really felt a calling to bring it back to life, to restore it and give it purpose,” she says. “Along the way I real ized it did the same for me.”

As she contemplated the initial purchase and renova tion, she connected with local like-minded creatives and Adler owners for insight and support, including Anne Marie Klarcheck Farino; Frank Ponterio; Adrian and Nancy Smith; and designer friend Lori Lennon.

“Together with the team from Craig Bergmann Landscaping, we were off and running with a vision both inside and out,” says McGregor, explaining that she immediately became more of a steward to the home than an owner. “It just took the right mindset to see past what was currently there and be able to visualize a more cohesive fresh aesthetic.”

Reimagining the home’s future meant stepping back into the home’s past. Adler pedigree or not, this was no ordinary stable. The former horse barn was once part of a lavish 1926 estate built for Albert Lasker, a highprofile advertising executive known to socialize with ce lebrities. His Old Mill Road Estate included a 55-room French Provincial mansion designed by Adler, a private 18-hole golf course, a cocktail house, an air-conditioned

Jennifer

theater, and 20 more buildings.

“The stable was converted into a single-family home in 1947,” she explains. “My neighbor Neelie Fritz and I have ‘sister houses’ in that they both were joined with a common horse arena and wa ter trough between them back in the day. Portions of the original structure were removed when the residences were created, literally mirror images of each other.”

The bones from that 1947 rebuild were solid, with stucco walls, high ceilings, rich millwork, and built-in bookcases. McGregor and her team made updates and upgrades throughout, including expanding the bathroom footprints and adding much-needed attic access. However, she says it is the outdoor space and landscaping that’s the star of the renovation.

“We started with cleaning up the dead trees that contributed to the blanketing layers of pine needles covering all of property,” says McGregor, adding that the rest took off from there to include a front elevation makeover, an expanded outdoor patio, white cross rail fencing, and a bluestone courtyard surrounding the original horse trough (now an English garden, courtesy of Bergmann’s crew). “I certainly had a vision board and knew what I wanted, but their team truly brought it to reality.”

What’s perhaps just as incredible is the fact that while McGregor was working diligently on plans to resurrect a nearly century-old piece of Lake Forest history, she was simultaneously driving back and forth to be by her mother’s side on her final days.

“While my siblings and I cared for our mom and in her last few months, the house was under contract and I was remotely managing all of this from 300 miles away,” she says. “My mom and I were very close and I had come to terms with the fact that she would never be able to see our new home or be there with us. She kept the glossy house brochure next to her at the kitchen table or next to her chair in the living room and studied it page by page, sharing with friends when they would come visit her. She was so proud to show it and walk them through ‘Jenn’s new house’.”

What would this new creation look like, when all was said and done?

McGregor defines her personal style as “on trend, but clas sic and edgy.” An avid collector and self-proclaimed family historian, she has filled her home with iconic Knoll furniture balanced with cherished family heirlooms.

“I curated collections of vintage glass or silver or white ceramic and displayed them separately and monochromati

cally,” she says, adding: “The powder room gallery was a dynamic way to capture vintage family photos all in gold frames and group them together with images or sketches or menus from travel. It is a collection that keeps expanding and certainly gives our guests a lot to discover and laugh about, including the ‘ring for cham pagne’ bell.”

Not surprisingly, many of the spaces also have eques trian touches—some more obvious than others (includ ing some original living room lamps she loved so much she negotiated them into the contract when she pur chased the house).

McGregor’s beloved mother passed away on July 24, four days before she closed on both properties.

“This home is an extension of all that grounds me, a beautiful place for reflection and celebration. As I have reflected this past year, I know the timing of all of this was never a coincidence,” says McGregor. “It provided a fresh start and new beginning for my own personal jour ney of ‘what’s next.’ It also has enabled me to pour myself into a project that has given so much back in the process. Some may call that a distraction, but I embrace it as therapy.”

Now that the home is complete, the family is adjusting to a new normal—creating new memories and opening a new chapter.

“My partner discovered his love for cooking over quarantine so it’s the perfect hobby for us,” she says. “I create the environment and he serves the most amazing food. We don’t play golf or go on hikes but we travel and throw some kick ass parties! Our extensive record col lection also contributes to the authentic layers of our home but played on a modern turntable and out of classic speakers. It all feels right.”

O’Grady-Tuohy, the Berkshire Hathaway realtor who played a supporting role in this story, says the match was meant to be.

“David Adler’s work is glorified by her love of the historical ge nius. She has put her heart into the renovations and it’s so lovely to see how she has brought it to this ultimate state,” says Tuohy. “Her long roots in the area assisted in her appreciation for the Lasker Estate. As a realtor, it is a pleasure to witness the magic touch she provided to this masterpiece gem!”

McGregor says it all begins and ends with legacy. The legacy of David Adler but also the legacy of her childhood family, the family she has created, and the woman who she says will be with her forever.

“Mom may have never been able to visit or help me unpack my kitchen or switch out light fixtures or transplant hostas or prune the rhododendrons, but she is definitely here,” McGregor adds. “She is everywhere.”

Library

Dining room

SEEING STARS

A $2.5 billion renovation sends an iconic Century City hotel back to the future.

words by Theresa DeMaria photography provided by Fairmont Century Plaza

HAVE YOU BEEN TO The Fairmont Cen tury Plaza in Los Angeles lately? If not, add it to your bucket list for holiday travel or an escape to warmer climes in early 2023.

The iconic Century City hotel recently reopened after a $2.5 billion renovation and it’s incredible. Between its star-studded glamourous history paired with luxe ameni ties galore, a rooftop pool, the elevated and mouthwatering French brasserie, and of course this is LA, so the spa is out of this world. But what I found to be the most intriguing aspect was the grand star-studded history behind the doors of this gorgeous landmark.

In 1966, before it became the Fairmont Century Plaza, the ho tel, designed by mid-century famed architect Minoru Yamasaki, opened on the backlot of Century City Fox Studios. Deemed “The

Hotel of the Future,” guest rooms were the first to include such modern amenities as color televisions.

The famous hotel also went on to host the Emmys, Grammys, and the first state dinner ever held outside the White House. In fact, when Presidents Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, or George Bush visited Los Angeles, they stayed at the Century Plaza Hotel—gaining notoriety as “The Western While House” during the Reagan era.

Beyond presidents, the list of celebs who have walked the hall ways and performed in the lobby is quite long, including the Beatles and Sonny & Cher, who were regulars in the 1970s. The hotel’s two elevator banks are each named after the two legends. As a host of various social affairs and award dinners regularly occurred, the hotel also saw such celebrity guests as Meg Ryan, Sharon Stone, Tom Hanks, Magic Johnson, Burt Reynolds, Cary Grant, Bob Hope, and The Supremes.

Newly renovated and reimagined true to its legacy, the Fairmont Century Plaza remains a truly grand hotel— with 19 stories form ing a sweeping crescent in front of the spectacular fountains on Avenue of the Stars. Behind the hotel set of new twin 46-story towers have been added—resembling, in their triangular shape, the existing Twin Towers across the street. The new towers will add a total of 300 luxury condominiums, described by the developers as “the most elegant condominium homes ever built in Los Angeles.”

The moment I entered the lobby I was enamored with the glam our, clean design, and architecture which shines with its blonde wood and retractable glass windowed walls shrouding the entrance. The impeccably dressed staff greeted me as if I was an old friend

Studio King Suite Hotel Pool

returning home. I immediately felt comfort able and knew that not only would I be well taken care of, but also in for an extraordi nary experience.

Mind reading must be one of the staff’s employment requirements because after checking in, I was ushered to The Bar, lo cated in hotel’s show stopping welcoming lobby. The warm breeze filled the space as I whisked myself over to have one of the many perfectly created craft cocktails. The menu wasn’t short of choices with creativ ity and fresh ingredients, making it hard to stop at just one (I immediately knew I’d be back to taste another). In the evening, I was drawn to the buzzing social scene where I found live music offered every night.

The Guest rooms were beautifully ap pointed with fresh, crisp white linens in the bedrooms and bathrooms ensconced in grey and white marble. My very favorite amenity had to be the giant soak in tub surrounded by lovely stone, a striking vanity, and shower.

I took a bubble bath and sipped champagne every night because, why not?

Watching the glorious sunset from my private balcony, there’s a view in every direction—looking west towards the Pacific or East to glittering Downtown L.A., I was even lucky enough to see a beau tiful, bright rainbow which reminded me of my favorite film as a child, The Wizard of Oz. With nods to beloved film characters from such legendary movies as When Harry Met Sally, the room service menu and an adorable “movie night” portion has salty and sweet snacks for nights in that will really speak to kids.

This is L.A., so of course there’s a fantastic spa. What’s perhaps best is that the spa’s amenities—a salt room, a blue-light rain bath, a steam room, is paired so well with the Technogym-rich workout center. I felt like the person I usually only aspire to be, hitting ev ery machine each morning—the variety far surpassing the average hotel gym. Workouts were followed with the guided Theragun re covery center, then resetting again at the spa before starting my day.

Exclusive to Fairmont Spa Century City is the clinic by the award-winning Dr. Rita Rakus. Known by leading medical profes sionals in the UK and Dubai, her teams use non-invasive proce dures and cutting age technology to rejuvenate your skin. For more where that came from, the biohacking offering, which involves an antigravity bed in an infrared sauna, Normatec lymphatic drainage pants, and a red-light mask, seems to be the ultimate L.A. wellness experience.

If you know me, you will know that French food is one of my greatest weaknesses. After spending an accumulative two to three years in Paris, I can be a bit of a snob when it comes to bis tros and French wine. Entering the traditional French-inspired brasserie, Lumière, crafted by EDG Design, I was greeted with all the elements you would see in a well-appointed French restaurant.

The difference with Lumière is they were authentic antiques carefully curated (and some thrifted) by their design team. I could have spent every night exploring the menu and trying every dish. My very favorite was the chicken liver mousse, French onion soup, and the most perfect mini loaves of bread and freshly churned but ter. They couldn’t have nailed it with Lumière any better.

General Manager and industry powerhouse, Paul Quinn, along with Executive Chef Ramon Bojorquez, bring their expertise to the table, sourcing local, unique, and high-quality ingredients with deli cious French favorites like steak frites, canard confit, and a fabulous seafood tower.

Most of all, Lumière evokes the feeling of being transported to 1920s Paris, honoring the Parisian love of delicious food, good company, and beautiful things. Every aspect was warm and inviting and could be described as timeless bohemian glamour, with a fresh West Coast perspective. “When you visit Lumière, you will truly feel like you’ve stepped back in time to the Golden Age at Café Flore or Les Deux Magots,” says General Manager Paul Quinn.

After my dreams came true at Lumière, I decided to go to the rooftop and take in the sunset. With a digestif in hand, I sat pool side and got lost in the unmatched Southern California beauty. There isn’t much that beats a summer sunset over the Pacific Ocean.

On the morning of my departure, I felt melancholy and more than usual after leaving a luxury hotel stay. My two-night sojourn at The Fairmont Century Plaza not only exceeded every expectation, but they also made me feel at home—summoning memories of my childhood in California and those blissful years in Paris.

For more information about The Fairmont Century Plaza, visit fairmont.com/los-angeles.

Lumiere Dining Room Spa Room

Guest Room View East Ave of the Stars

HARVEST DINNER

photography by Ian McLeod

Elawa

Farm Foundation celebrated the growing season under the stars at their annual Harvest Dinner on Sep tember 17. Guests were treated to a farm-to-table dinner and cocktails in the garden by Chef Giuseppe Tentori of Boka Restaurant Group, music, and dancing in the Hay Barn. Funds raised from the evening will support the much-needed reno vation of the Learning Kitchen, bilingual education programs, and food access initiatives at Elawa Farm. elawafarm.org

Marilla & Luke Perkins

Sarah Tarpy, Cara Gannon

Riley O’Neil, Courtney McGovern

Susan Bouma, Whitley Bouma Herbert

Shannon Barrymore, Nicole Aldridge

Wells Ryan, Annie Barlow, Maryliz Lehman

Sandra Casparriello, Dustin O’Regan

Nicole Aldridge, Sarah Parnell, Alexandra Benz, Shannon Barrymore

Margaret Marshall, Susan Bouma, Julia Howard

Matt Alghini, Elizabeth Blodgett, Marion Christoph, Cathy & Rick Crowley

Avery Keller, Kate Fitzgerald

Laura Calvert & Hassan Obaye

Brooke & Nick Hubbuch

Tim & Wendt Franzen, Sarah & Be Somers

Mark & Sue Kowlzan

Cindy & Glen Calvert

SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY

by Elizabeth Lombardo, Ph.D.

Elizabeth Lombardo is America’s Most Trusted Psychologist

recognized mental health expert.

them

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GIVE YOUR CHILD THE BEST CHANCE TO ACHIEVE PEAK PERFORMANCE!

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BAGPIPES & BONFIRE

photography by Ian McLeod

On

September 25, Scottish bagpipes sang, Highland dancers danced, and hang gliders dressed in kilts flew overhead and landed centerstage at Lake Forest Open Lands’ annual fundraiser, Bagpipes & Bonfire. At dusk, this one-of-a-kind event culminated with the lighting of the mas sive bonfire while families of all generations enjoyed dinner and drinks and live music. lfola.org

The Brooks-Martin Family

The Moore Family

Dr. Loan Riedel & Dr. Norbert Riedel

The McCampbell Family

The Dailey Family

Robin Stuart, Caroline Masterson

Anne & Stephen Bent

The Claeys Family

Willard & Lori Hunter, Ansley Ashmore, Ty Maras, Kendal Krieger

Jeannette Paschke, Brett Paschke, Shelley Paschke, Jessica Nysted, Ford Johnstone

Brandon Rolek, Yvonne & Devon Bruce Steelie Korpi, Heather Wisiscowski

Matt & Audrey Albers

The Hanson Family

Lupe Ramirez, Richard DeMaria, Theresa DeMaria, Justin Levisai, Sarah Gundlach

ILLUMINATING EVENT

photography by Robin Subar

On,

Friday, September 16, The Woman’s Board of Rush University Medical Center hosted its annual Fall Benefit, themed “Illuminate,” at Theater on the Lake in Chicago. Nearly 400 guests gathered to raise funds for the Rush University Medical Center’s education, research, and community ser vice programs, as well as The Woman’s Board Fund for Excellence in Cellular Therapy. Co-chairs Erin Ritchie and Sonja Smith captured this year’s theme “Illuminate” in every aspect of the event—from the yards and yards of up-lit drapery at the venue’s dramatic entrance hall to the captivating “Living Hoops” performance artists to the grateful recognition of Rush’s many supporters and leaders, dubbed “illumi naries” by the co-chairs.

Dr. Omar Lateef, RUSH CEO, with Joan and Paul Rubschlager

Therea DeMaria and Bonnie Micheli in a seating vignette provided by Crate & Barrel

Katie Frekko, Brooke Kuehnle

Susan Merlin, Jenny Brown

DJ Madrid

Woman’s Board president Cindy Mancillas, event co-chairs Sonja Smith and Erin Ritchie

Catering by Food for Thought

Phil and Susan Merlin

Cynthia Brankin, Melissa Hennessy

LAKE BLUFF CHARITY WIFFLE BALL CLASSIC

photography by Ian McLeod

Thirty-six

teams played their hearts out at the 10th Annu al Lake Bluff Charity Wiffle Ball Classic for the ultimate reward—helping others. A total of $23,000 was raised. Lunch was provided by Pucks, The LAX shop provided t-shirts, and Lake Bluff Park District set up the playing fields for the annual fundraiser. lbwiffleball.com

Dolls With Balls

Runs & Roses

High

Whispo’s Angels

Jill Irvin, Leslie Leonardi, Renee Moore

Graham Hallen

Krista Hugiel

Megan McCampbell

Pink Balls

words by Steven Bloch, M.D.

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BodyByBlochbodybybloch Steven Bloch MDBodybybloch

Success in realty is often measured by sales awards, and I’m thankful for them. But, there is one reward that shines even brighter - that being, my clients’ satisfaction. Their happiness and their referrals to family and friends, has always inspired me to be the best REALTOR® I can be for clients of all ages, dreams and backgrounds.

following,

was sincerely honored

to be recognized by the American Institute of Real Estate Professionals as one of their 10 Best in the State for Customer Satisfaction. Their research draws from buyers, sellers and related real estate professionals.

this season of thanks and celebration, I extend my best wishes and heartfelt gratitude to all the clients on my real estate journey, as well as my fellow agents, lenders and other service professionals. Every buying or selling success is a team effort. I am grateful for each and every opportunity that allows me to lead, serve and succeed for clients in both Illinois and Wisconsin.

one of a kind custom home thoughtfully designed by distinguished architect Bruce Gregga. Tucked away on a private lane and situated on over 1.5 acres of lushly landscaped grounds which overlook a peaceful pond. Unsurpassed quality and design are evident throughout starting with the impressive two story foyer with bridal staircase and intricate iron railing. Some of the many stylish, detailed finishes include hardwood floors throughout the home, beamed ceilings, stone archways and 4 fireplaces including a Louis 14th limestone fireplace from Paris. The amazing lifestyle continues outside where beautiful views surround the home. Outdoor spaces include the stone patio that spans the entire back of the home looking out at the tranquil pond stocked with bass for fishing and offering numerous places to dine and relax and a cozy fire pit area. All new furnaces and A/C units (2021/2022). A truly exceptional offering.

aficionado

There’s nothing Jeff loves more than retreating to his multi-media loft to enjoy the classic sounds of his record albums. What do you love most about your home? Share with us on Instagram.