The North Shore Weekend, January 6th, 2024

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INDEX

NEWS 7 north shore doings Your go-to guide for all the latest local events

10 flying high Veronica Lilja Brugioni pilots young performers from her O’Hare Irish Dance to the Midwest Regional championship

LIFESTYLE & ARTS 16 #hashtag

Meet “The Duchess of Declutter,” Brooke Milton, who’s conquering the world, one closet at a time

18 saltburn Irish Barry Keoghan shines in this thriller set amid a world of British wealth and privilege

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NORTH SHORE DOINGS NEWS

EDITED BY CHEYANNE LENCIONI THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

JANUARY 6

PRACTICAL THEATER COMPANY’S “HO-HOHOLIDAY REVUE” WHERE: Studio5 The Practical Theater Company has reestablished its residency at Studio5 in Evanston. From now through 6, it will be presenting its “Ho-Ho-Holiday Revue,” a throwback to the TV variety shows of the 1960s and 70s that includes sketch comedy, improvisation, and music. Tickets range from $30 to $45. The show stars Paul Barrosse, his wife Victoria Zielinski, and Dana Olsen. The Studio5 All-Stars jazz quintet will perform backup led by Steve Rashid and Emilia Barrosse adds to the fun with music and stand-up.

Tickets are available now. studio5.dance

fany Inspired Floral Designs exhibit closes this weekend at the Driehaus Museum.

Showcasing installations from four local floral designers. Elizabeth Cronin, founder and creator of Chicago’s Asrai Garden and judge for Full Bloom, curates the exhibit and has selected each of the florists to create pieces inspired

by Tiffany works of their choosing. The participating florists are Angelica Rivera Varela (Semillas Plant Studio), John Caleb Pendleton (Planks & Pistils), Taylor Amilas Bates (Dusk Lily Floral), and Serena Madrigal (Espinas). driehausmuseum.org

NOW THROUGH JANUARY 7

LIGHTSCAPE WHERE: Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe Chicago Botanic Garden’s (CBG) annual Light-

installations and returning favorites like the Winter Cathedral decorate the trail nightly. Tickets can be purchased on CBG website and slots are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Drink and food will be offered along the trail. chicagobotanic.org

NOW THROUGH JANUARY 7

ZOOLIGHTS WHERE: Lincoln Park Zoo This year’s ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo featured new displays, photo ops, and interactive programs for families to enjoy. Tickets are now available for purchase and members get up to eight free tickets and 20 percent off any extra ticket purchases. Monday nights are free, and most weeknights are $7 per person. lpzoo.org/event/zoolights/

Lincoln Park Zoo Lights. Photo courtesy of Brandon Tucker

The Art Center Highland Park’s (ACHP) annual In View art exhibit continues through January 20.

This exhibit features work created by ACHP’s faculty and members. It is free and open to the public Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This year will mark the highest participation in the history of this exhibit with 140 artists showcasing their work. All exhibited work is for sale unless otherwise indicated.

Proceeds benefit the artists and programming at ACHP. theartcenterhp.org

NOW THROUGH JANUARY 31

Practical Theatre Company’s “Ho-Ho-Holiday Revue” sketch Photo courtesy of Bea Rashid

NOW THROUGH JANUARY 7

GLASS TO GARDEN WHERE: Driehaus Museum The Glass to Garden: TifTHE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

scape closes this weekend.

The beautiful gardens have been transformed into dazzling lightscapes to enjoy throughout the holiday season. Stunning first-time

NOW THROUGH JANUARY 20

IN VIEW 2024 EXHIBITION WHERE: The Art Center Highland Park

HOLIDAY LIGHT RECYCLING WHERE: Northfield Northfield’s Village Hall and its Community Center will be providing bins where holiday lights and extension cords can be recycled. Clean out your decorations stash and make room for new lights and supplies by recycling the old. northfieldparks.org

NOW THROUGH FEBRUARY 12 17TH ANNUAL INCHWORKS SHOW

WHERE: The Community House The North Shore Art League is currently hosting its 17th Annual Inchworks Show. Over 115 pieces of art are featured now through February 12 in the second-floor gallery of The Community House.

Artwork is available for purchase and proceeds will go to the North Shore Art League. The gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. villageofwinnetka.org

NOW THROUGH FEBRUARY 15

THE GREAT SNOWFLAKE SEARCH WHERE: Wilmette Historical Museum The first snowflakes were photographed by a man named Snowflake Bentley, proving that no two are alike. Join the Wilmette Historical Museum in a scavenger hunt to find all the snowflakes. This event runs through February 15. Children ages 3 and younger can pick up a free scavenger hunt board at the Museum or Youth Services Department at the Wilmette Public Library to get started. The hunts begin at 9 a.m. wilmettehistory.org

NOW THROUGH OCTOBER 13

“SHTETL IN THE SUN” WHERE: Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center In the late 1970s, photographer Andy Sweet took numerous photos of Holocaust survivors living hopeful and joyous lives in South Beach, Florida.

Through his images, it provides a poignant display of life after tragedy. The Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center’s exhibit, “Shtetl in the Sun: Andy Sweet’s South Beach 1977-1980,” celebrates Sweet’s work as a tribute to those who lived during that time. The exhibit will run through October 13, 2024. ilholocaustmuseum.org

NOW THROUGH JANUARY 21

WINTER CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL WHERE: Northwestern’s Bienen School of Music The annual Winter Chamber Music Festival is back for its 27th year. This year’s lineup will feature six performances, including the Balourdet Quartet and the Grammy-Award winning Parker Quartet. There

SATURDAY JANUARY 6 | SUNDAY JANUARY 7 2024 |

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NEWS will be music from Classical and Romantic-era composers as well as the works of Chicago Symphony Orchestra composer Jessie Montgomery and awardwinning composer Thomas Adés. Single tickets are $30 for the public and $10 for full-time students with valid IDs. music.northwestern.edu

JANUARY 8

TRIVIA NIGHT WHERE: Lake Bluff Brewing Company Presented by Lake Bluff Library, the Lake Bluff Brewing Company is hosting a Trivia Night on January 8, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Teams can be made of up to six people and must be registered prior to the event. This event is free and held monthly. lakeblufflibrary.org

Last year, the Metropolitan Jazz Octet partnered with Paul Marinaro to reimagine David Bowie’s music through the lens of chamber jazz, titled The Bowie Project. Now these artists are back on January 10 to perform Bowie’s music once again. This time they’ll be performing hits including “Let’s Dance,” “Changes,” and “Space Oddity” at Space in Evanston. The show will be at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are on sale for $20 to $35. ticketweb.com

JANUARY 10

COOKING AT FROGGY’S WHERE: Froggy's French Cafe Come to Froggy’s French Cafe in Highwood for a wonderful cooking class hosted by Chef Theirry Lefeuvre. This class is from

main course, and a dessert.

Guests will learn tips and recipes before enjoying this curated meal. Tickets are $85 and can be purchased on The Gorton Center’s website. gortoncenter.org

JANUARY 10

THE HIGHWOOD CHAMBER’S ANNUAL DINNER & BUSINESS CELEBRATION WHERE: Highwood Bocce Club The Highwood Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to invite you to its annual Dinner and Business Celebration on January 10 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. This evening is dedicated to honoring the contributions of Highwood’s businesses.

It will include networking opportunities, achievement recognition, updates from the Highwood City

JANUARY 10

FABULOUS FILMS OF THE 1980S WHERE: Zoom Enjoy a night in with Steven Franzel as he discusses classic 1980s movies.

This will include music and behind-the-scenes stories from When Harry Met Sally, Top Gun, Poltergeist, and many others. Registration is required through the Lake Forest Library website. This Zoom program will run from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and will not be recorded. lakeforestlibrary.org

JANUARY 11

KRAFTY KIDS: PENGUIN SNOWGLOBES WHERE: Glencoe Public Library Open to children from kindergarten through fourth grade, Glencoe Public Library will be hosting a kid’s crafting event on January 11. Kids will put together a penguin snowglobe covered in snow from 4:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Hammond Room. Registration is required for this program. glencoelibrary.org

JANUARY 11

North Shore Art League / McNerney, Skaters

JANUARY 10

METROPOLITAN JAZZ OCTET & PAUL MARINARO REIMAGINE DAVID BOWIE WHERE: Space

6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on January 10. Participants will enjoy two glasses of wine while Chef Theirry prepares three dishes: a soup, a

Manager, delicious food, and celebrations of what’s to come. Tickets are $75. highwoodchamber.com

BEST BOOKS OF 2023: A RECAP WHERE: The Book Stall The Book Stall is partnering with The WinnetkaNorthfield Public Library District to discuss the best books of 2023. This event will take place on January 11 at The Book Stall from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Librarians and staff will discuss what books made it onto their favorite reads lists and what books they’re excited to read in 2024.

This event is free to participants who register on the Winnetka-Northfield Public Library website. wngchamber.com

JANUARY 15

THE JOHN MEASNER MAGIC SHOW WHERE: Community House Winnetka

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Magician Extraordinaire, John Measner, will be performing at the Community House in Winnetka. He is a master of illusions and some of his acts include live animals. The show is from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. and tickets are $10 to $15.

His performances include audience participation and card-and-coin magics. mycommunityhouse.org

WHERE: Heller Nature Center Celebrate “Appreciate a Dragon Day” with the Park District of Highland Park.

Hatch your very own dragon and venture on a quest to uncover dragon lore. This camp is for children ages 6 to 10 and is $33 to register.

It will run from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Heller Nature Center. pdhp.org

JANUARY 16

JANUARY 17

GENEALOGY 101 WHERE: Lake Forest Library Have you ever been interested in learning about genealogy? The Lake County Genealogical Society is holding an introduction to genealogy, including records and tips for documenting research.

This event will run from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Reed Room. Participants must register on the library’s website. Be prepared to ask questions and learn! lakeforestlibrary.org

JANUARY 16

DRAGON APPRECIATION

NEEDLE-FELT PENGUINS WHERE: Lake Bluff Public Library Looking to pick up a new craft skill? Join Lake Bluff Public Library for its Needle Felting program on January 17. From 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., participants will learn how to make a needle felt penguin in the Spruth room. Adults, children, and teens are welcome, and registration is now open. lakeblufflibrary.org

JANUARY 17

BUSINESS FOR BREAKFAST WHERE: North Shore Senior Center THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

NEWS Have a healthy serving of an “A.I in the Workplace” discussion with breakfast at the North Shore Senior Center. PJ Weiland will be hosting the networking and speaker series event from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. on January 17. Catering will be provided by Chez Mickey.

This installment will cover Artificial Intelligence’s effects in the workplace and how careful we have to be with aligning AI’s programming with a company’s organizational goals and values. For WinnetkaNorthfield-Glencoe Chamber of Commerce members, the admission fee is $15 and it is $20 for non-members. wngchamber.com

JANUARY 21

KENILWORTH BINGO WHERE: Stuart Memorial Building Enjoy a Sunday afternoon with a few rounds of Bingo at the Kenilworth Historical Society. Par-

photographs dating back to the 1930s which were lost to time. The lecture will be preceded by a brief meeting of the Wilmette Historical Society. The event is free and participants can register on the Museum's website.

Walk in guests are also welcome to attend. wilmettehistory.org

ticipants will learn about Kenilworth’s history while playing on custom bingo cards that feature historical photographs. Prizes will be awarded to winners. Registration is required on the Historical Society’s website and is $5 per person and is free for members. Bingo will run from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. kenilworthhistory.org

JANUARY 21 TO FEBRUARY 10

JANUARY 21

LOST IN AMERICA ANNUAL MEETING & LECTURE WHERE: Wilmette Historical Museum Discover the photography of historic buildings in Richard Cahan and Michael Williams’ book, Lost in America: Photographing the Last Days of our Architectural Treasures. Cahan will be hosting a lecture at the Wilmette Historical Museum on January 21 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The book covers a large collection of buildings preserved in

Cinderella

TRANSFORM YOUR SPACE

ROSSINI’S CINDERELLA WHERE: Lyric Opera Experience the timeless classic of Cinderella at the Lyric Opera from January 21 to February 10. Rossini’s romantic comedy tells the tale of Angelina, who endures the horrible treatment of her father, Don Magnifico, and falls in love with a prince disguised as a valet. The musical score is conducted by Yi-Chen Lin in her Lyric Opera debut.

There will be seven matinee performances and a running time of 3 hours and 10 min-

utes with one intermission.

This show will be sung in Italian and feature English captions projected above the stage. lyricopera.org

JANUARY 27

LET’S PLAY! CARDBOARD DESIGN WHERE: Joseph Sears School The Alliance for Early Childhood is partnering with Joseph Sears School, Kenilworth District 38, and the Winnetka-Northfield Public Library to host a children’s design event.

Children will design their own cardboard creations and the Alliance will provide cardboard and other tools for these ideas to come to life. This event runs from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and registration is required. theallianceforec.org To submit your event for consideration, please email events@nsweekend.com.

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FLYING HIGH NEWS

O’Hare Irish Dance owner/instructor Veronica Lilja Brugioni pilots an octet of young performers to Midwest Regional championship in Indianapolis.

BY BILL MCLEAN THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

Veronica Lilja Brugioni held her breath for two straight minutes but didn’t need to be resuscitated.

The O’Hare Irish Dance owner/instructor risked turning a deep shade of blue in late November in Indianapolis. That’s where Brugioni watched anxiously as her octet of ages 8-andunder dancers—representing O’Hare’s Lake Bluff-based studio—performed in the team (Ceili) segment at the Midwest Irish Dance Regional (Oireachtas).

Her respiratory system hit “pause.”

“I didn’t breathe, from start to finish, because I was nervous for them,” says Brugioni, a Lake Bluff native and 2010 Lake Forest High School graduate. “They had never competed at such an event, and we started working with the team in August. That’s late.”

The routine ended on November 24. Brugioni caught her breath. She then blinked happy, proud teardrops.

“They’d never danced better than they did in Indianapolis,” Brugioni says. “They looked fantastic.”

The judges agreed. Brugioni’s troupe of 7- and 8-year-olds topped the field at the three-day, 14-state competition. And it did so while wearing outfits for beginners, even though several of O’Hare’s dancers were anything but.

They’d become highly capable of showcasing

other teams’ dancers wore,” Brugioni says, hinting the threads were beautiful, elaborate, headturning. “So the judges, as they should have, focused more on the dancing component than they did on how the competitors looked while performing. That thrilled me.

“I had worked my girls hard.”

Her champs: Holly McGovern, 8, Lake Forest; Ashling Boyle, 7, Wadsworth; Elle Blomgren, 8, Libertyville; Abigail Kalter, 8, Grayslake; Olivia Meincke, 8, Lake Bluff; Violet Ryan, 7, Gurnee; Mabel Hayes, 8, Libertyville; and Colleen Kaminski, 8 Grayslake.

The big stage in Indy, along with going up against the best of the Midwest in Irish Dance, could have reduced the O’Hare contingent’s legs to strands of Silly Putty. But Brugioni’s steely bunch of 7- and 8-year-olds dismissed the fear factors and heaps of pressure by acting like 7and 8-year-olds on a Friday after school—funloving and cheerful, with dashes of delightful goofiness.

Their carefree, nothing-to-lose approach relaxed them and strengthened their bid for the team title. It didn’t hurt that they had stockpiled, through get-down-to-business practice sessions and Brugioni’s constant encouragement, enough self-assurance to fill a silo.

“We were scared in August,” admits McGovern, a third grader at Sheridan Elementary School in Lake Forest. “But the more we worked, the more confident we became.

Veronica pushes us, but not too hard. We were fearless in November.

“We won the regional championship because we had the best stage presence.”

Hayes, a third grader at Oak Grove School in Green Oaks, left the Hoosier State as a double winner on November 26. She and 66 other individual entrants vied for the top prize

Members of Lake Bluff-based O'Hare Irish Dance are all smiles after winning the title in the 8-and-under division at the Midwest Regional Championships in November in Indianapolis.

the technique, timing, and precision required to wow ’em, judges and spectators alike, in the traditional dance form.

“You should have seen what some of the

Members of O'Hare Irish Dance's 8-andunder team begin to celebrate upon hearing they'd won the Midwest Regional championship.

The victorious octet—performers from Lake Bluff-based O'Hare Irish Dance—pose with hardware after winning their victory.

in Traditional Set (one hard shoe dance). The tune “Job of Journeywork” accompanied Hayes’ victorious performance.

“Irish dance is challenging and fun to learn,” says Hayes, a former gymnast and soccer player, as well as an ex-ballet/hip-hop/jazz dancer. “I tried it (at age 4) and liked it right away.

“I was shy before I started Irish dance. Now I’m more open around people.”

McGovern finished 11th in a field of 60 in the Solo Championship (one soft shoe dance and two hard shoe dances) segment at the Midwest Regional. She, too, took up Irish dance half a lifetime (four years) ago.

“We gave it our all, as a team and as individuals,” says McGovern, who swam and executed gymnastics routines before falling for the light jigs and hop jigs in Irish dance. “I love O’Hare studio and everyone involved with O’Hare studio.”

All eight of O’Hare’s dancers in Indianapolis got “recalled” during the individual portion of the regional, meaning each placed in the top half of their respective categories.

“To do what the girls did, as first-time competitors at Oireachtas … amazing,” Brugioni says. “They were my first eight-hand Ceili dancers at an Oireachtas. The way they went out there and performed at such a high level

10 | SATURDAY JANUARY 6 | SUNDAY JANUARY 7 2024

impressed me tremendously. They’re naturally talented, and they work hard, too.

“They made me proud during the entire weekend.”

Brugioni competed in Irish dance from the age of 5 until her senior year in high school.

The youngest of Larry and Kelly Lilja’s three children captured a regional title, bronzed at Nationals, and placed 17th at the World Championships in—where else?—Ireland, all at the age of 11.

Irish dancing in Ireland is akin to golfing in Scotland and to making chocolate products in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Either a Celt or a druid executed Irish dance’s first rising step in the 17th century.

Brugioni opened O’Hare Irish Dance in 2019, naming the studio after her teacher and mentor, the late Tim O’Hare.

At least two of Brugioni’s current charges are in it for the long haul in Irish dance.

“I want to dance until I’m 24,” McGovern says.

“I want to dance,” Hayes chimes, “until I’m 25.”

O’Hare Irish Dance studio is located at 28835 North Herky Drive, Unit 219, in Lake Bluff. For more information, visit ohareirishdance.com.

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

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LIFESTYLE & ARTS IN FOCUS

From PG 1

BY THOMAS CONNORS THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

We’re all toting cameras these days, but not everyone is a photographer. True, the technology we hold in our hands can make even the most snapshotty picture look good.

But there’s more to a photo than good looks.

It’s not always easy to say what that is, but most of us know it when we see it. And you see it in the work of Lake Bluff resident Barbara Morley.

Lake Michigan XXII 5’ x 3’

On the Roof 20” x 16”

Morley was raised in Evanston. “I spent summers at the beach, had lots of friends, invented stories, and put on shows in my next-door neighbor’s playhouse,” she shares.

“My absolute best friend was my dog, Cooky.” Keen on history, art, anthropology, and world cultures growing up, she took a degree in ecumenical religion, then moved to Colorado with a few friends and wondered what to do next. “One afternoon, while walking by myself in the beautiful great outdoors, I had a sudden inspiration to be a photographer.”

Morley headed back to the Midwest, got Continued on PG 14

Lake Michigan VII 3.25’ x 5’

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13

LIFESTYLE & ARTS IN FOCUS

From PG 12

city. Other gigs followed, including one as a fashion stylist, an experience that played a

a National Geographic sort of way. Rather, it was patterns and structures that engaged her eye. And still do. “One of the many books that I’m reading is An Immense World by the Pulitzer Prize Awardwinning science writer, Ed Yong. It informs us that every animal has a unique way of seeing and being in the world. With my photographs, I hope I am seeing nature in my own unique way.”

Morley began shooting with a 35mm Minolta, graduated to a Hasselblad, and then to her favorite, a Pentax Medium Format. “I was late to digital. I think it was around 2005 that I bought my first digital Canon camera. It completely opened up a new world for me.” Morley not only migrated from black and white to color but reveled in the instantaneous and the ability to manipulate

images on the computer.

Operating within both the fine art and commercial worlds, Morley’s work ranges widely from images of animals that read as Irving Penn fashion spreads to kaleidoscopic renderings of water and sky to painterly interpretations of flowers and trees to fanciful romantic narratives inspired by the look and mood of 1920s Paris. “Being a fashion stylist,” notes Morley, “greatly influences how I see, how I shoot—whether portraits, performers, naturescapes, or animals. I’m always looking for the most beautiful angle, the most flattering lighting, even with birds, goats, or zebras.”

Photographers can never quite give their eyes a rest. After all, the universe never stops offering up something worth seeing. Whether it’s a face in the street or a wave hitting the shore, the subjects are endless. As the rest of us hunker down and dream of spring, Morley will be heading outside, to meet the world as it slumbers. “My next project is shooting the prairie in the winter. I have visions of peace and tranquility in mind.”

For more information, visit bmorley.com.

Reflections 11’ x 7’

Snowy Egret 1 Verso 6’ x 8’

a job at a Buick dealership in Wilmette, and signed up for two photography courses at Columbia College. She learned how to develop and print black and white film and loved it. Working from a dark room in her Winnetka apartment, she launched into a program of self-study and two years later, with a solid portfolio in hand, went looking for work. She landed a job as an assistant in a commercial photography studio in the

key role in developing her visual sensibility.

After the birth of her first daughter, Morley settled in Lake Bluff and launched a successful business photographing children.

Over time, she widened her scope. “After years of basically only shooting faces, I had an intuition to photograph the snowy egrets that nest in Winter Park, Florida, near my brother and sister-in-law’s home.” Nature soon became a central subject. But not in

Water Lily in Blue 4’ x 32”

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THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

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LIFESTYLE & ARTS #HASHTAG

For BROOKE MILTON, the proverbial notion that “everything has a place” has been a lifelong belief. In fact, Milton jokes that she could

EDITED BY MORGAN HOGERTY ILLUSTRATION BY TOM BACHTELL

have started an organizing business when she was 4 years old. Now, she’s trying to declutter the world one closet at a time. Known around the North Shore as The Duchess of Declutter, and in her inner circles as The Duchess, Milton has an enormous appetite for eradicating clutter. She is also a creative trifecta as, along with her organizing services, Milton also offers interior design and custom woodworking services (via “made by jbm” with her firefighter husband). Here is how this organizer extraordinaire stays on trend between projects.

#ON MY NIGHTSTAND

The Pinkalicious series is currently

on my nightstand. At the moment, I’m well-versed in literature aimed at the 7-year-old reader.

#ON MY MOBILE

If I’m not ordering storage supplies for a project, I’m learning

about paint colors. There are so

many shades of white and gray,

and each one is characteristically unique. I spend a lot of time on

Benjamin Moore’s website educating myself about trends, color

families, and lighting influences.

#IN MY EARBUDS

I love rock with a good beat. Panic!

At The Disco is at the top of my

list. I love the energy and tempo of their songs. I don’t often turn on

music when I’m working but when I do “Victorious” and “Hallelujah” are musts.

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The Matlin Group and Compass have you covered

on The North Shore, throughout Chicagoland and Beyond.

We look forward to an amazing 2024!

thematlingroup@compass.com Glo | 847.951.4040 Zack | 847.722.2977 The Matlin Group is a team of Real Estate agents affiliated with Compass. Compass is a licensed Real Estate broker with a principal office in Chicago, IL and abides by all applicable Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only, is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, and changes without notice. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of Real Estate brokerage.

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LIFESTYLE & ARTS

SALTBURN

Don’t start the new year without seeing this beautifully directed and cleverly directed story of an Oxford student stepping into the world of the British elite.

BY REX REED ILLUSTRATION BY TOM BACHTELL

RUNNING TIME: 2 HOURS, 11 MINUTES RATING: 4 stars

The actors strike is over, the Hollywood studios are in full swing, turning out new products as fast as they can, and a new season begins. This doesn’t mean the new movies will be any better than the old ones, but before we find out, my advice is—don’t dive into 2024 without investigating a gem called Saltburn. It’s one of my personal unexpected, under-praised and unseen favorites, and I urge you to check it out immediately.

Gorgeously photographed by Linus Sandgren, it’s both beautifully directed and cleverly written by British Oscar-winner Emerald Fennell, who follows her highly regarded Promising Woman with a film of even more staggering impact. Instead of a title that sounds like an incendiary irritation resulting from too much pale, vulnerable English skin exposed to too much summer sun, Saltburn is the name of a stately country mansion in the British countryside where the aristocrats play and the commoners in the snobbish English class system drool longingly from a safe distance.

Into this rarefied ambiance of wealth and privilege wanders an Oxford student named Oliver Quick, played with dexterity, personality, and overwhelming moment-tomoment realism by Barry Keoghan, the Irish actor who stole whole scenes from the entire cast as the tragic village idiot in The Banshees of Inisherin.

Now, in the breakthrough performance of his young career, he dominates almost every scene until you anticipate his every return.

As a lowly scholarship student at Oxford, he’s met with coldness, suspicion, even indifference—until he meets popular, charismatic, handsome, and super-rich Felix Catton (played by Jacob Elordi, who can also currently be seen as the miscast Elvis in Sofia Coppola’s disappointing Priscilla). Helping Felix with his bicycle chain, Oliver gets adopted as the campus glamour boy’s sidekick, developing a crush on his idol that we know with fascination and dread will lead to toxic consequences.

Life changes dramatically when Felix invites Oliver to spend the summer at his family’s luxurious summer estate, Saltburn, where his passion for status and respect drives a poor working-class bloke to madness and murder. Oliver is shocked but feverishly excited by the members of his idol’s eccentric family—younger nymphomaniac sister Venetia Catton (Alison Oliver), arrogant, condescending father (Richard E. Grant), beautiful but shallow family matriarch Elspeth Catton (Rosamund Pike, in an award-worthy performance that elevates and enhances every scene she’s in).

As each one comes alive, so does Ms. Fennell’s scrupulously disguised screenplay, which stabs the pretentious English class system with a priceless antique knife dipped in potassium cyanide. Slowly, then eagerly, the new house guest joins them skinny dipping, and playing tennis in black tie and sequins. Everyone knocks themselves out trying to appear unconventional, but they’re

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too boring to be interesting for very long.

Oliver is too smitten to notice, and too nervous to realize he’s in over his head. He vomits a lot and has punishing migraines, emboldened by sequences of startlingly graphic homoeroticism.

None of this matters because the theme of class conscious allure and the depraved limits to which the disenfranchised will go to conquer it has no limitations. From Montgomery Clift in A Place in the Sun to Alain Delon in Purple Noon, and most profoundly, Matt Damon in the master thriller The Talented Mr. Ripley, a film that is now almost 25 years old and still holding viewers hostage.

The stupid, self-centered Catton family never suspects the dangerous extremes to which Oliver Quick will go to make their lifestyle his own. To that end, the power of Barry Keoghan’s center-ring performance cannot be adequately over-praised. It’s an intricately palpitating and jaw-dropping performance that surpasses the memorable work he did in The Banshees of Inisherin and makes you long to see what he’ll do next.

As his crush on Felix builds, Oliver wallows in delicious debauchery and lurid immorality, illuminated by stunning visuals, as he surrenders to lust, greed, and the need for social acceptance on a superior level.

Brave and fearless to a fault, including a lot of graphic nudity, he’s the reason this dark and demented psychodrama turns into a sumptuous and elegantly polished jewel that is not to be missed.

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LIFESTYLE & ARTS

MATERIAL PURSUITS

MADE IN ITALY

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Formulated with naturally sourced ingredients from Italy, every product is nickel-free and dermatologist-tested for even the most sensitive skin. us.barberpisterzi.com

This weekend’s curated luxury trends

PEAK SEASON

Discover new experiences to elevate and expand your ski season with Eleven—the renowned adventure hospitality brand. Eleven Rio Palena Lodge is situated in a remote region of Patagonia on the Palena River surrounded by 2.3 million acres of untapped heli-ski zones. Eleven’s knowledgeable guides lead guests through terrain ranging from open bowls and glacier runs to steep couloirs. New this year, Eleven gives guests the opportunity to name their first descent for the ultimate bragging rights. If French ski safaris are more your speed, Eleven has two properties in Le Miroir, France. Chalet Pelerin and Chalet Hibou sit at the foot of Rhône-Alpes, near the Italian border with access to seven ski resorts including Tignes and Val d’Isère, three heli-ski bases, and endless piste and off-piste skiing. Alternatively, guests can explore the area on cross-country skis and snowshoes or learn to ice climb with Eleven’s IFMGA-certified guides. Aprèsski the French way with local Beaufort cheese and explore the charming mountain village noted for its Michelin-starred restaurant. Looking for more? Eleven offers Integrated Ski Wellness programs at every one of its lodges. elevenexperience.com

SUPERSONIC SOUND

McLaren Automotive, the UK-based supercar company, and Bowers & Wilkins, the renowned British premium audio brand, celebrate the enduring success of their partnership with the new Zeppelin McLaren Edition and Special 60th Anniversary Edition wireless speakers. The new McLaren-inspired speaker includes Galvanic Grey and Papaya Orange finishes. The special 60-limited editions models are a limited-production version of the Zeppelin created to celebrate the 60th anniversary of McLaren and Bruce McLaren’s legacy. These special-edition models contain a vibrant orange finish giving the Zeppelin’s instantly recognizable silhouette an even more distinctive aesthetic. The Zeppelin McLaren Edition is available from the Bowers & Wilkins website and selected retailers at $899. bowerswilkins.com/en-us

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www.pets4.com THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

SATURDAY JANUARY 6 | SUNDAY JANUARY 7 2024 |

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LIFESTYLE & ARTS

NORTH SHORE FOODIE

WINED & DINED

Gigi Wine Bar & Bistro is more than an homage to France; it’s a celebration of dining from a gilded age of North Shore culinary history.

BY PETER AND KATE MICHAEL THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

Believe it or not, it was the spuds that made my knees buckle. A full When Harry Met Sally reaction. Raised eyebrows. Dramatic head twirls. And more purring from my side of the table than you’ll hear during a Broadway performance of the musical Cats.

Serve me a really tasty tater, and I’m putty in a chef ’s hands. Happens infrequently, but probably too often for my wife’s liking. The first time it happened was decades ago, in Las Vegas of all places. A server presented me with a bowl of Joël Robuchon’s signature pomme purée (aka, the silkiest mashed potatoes ever to grace a sauce pot), and I swooned like a teenager at a Taylor Swift concert.

My most recent potato epiphany occurred at Gigi Wine Bar & Bistro in Barrington.

My wife had ordered Executive Chef Jessen Koelling’s 16-ounce wagyu ribeye. It’s one gorgeous hunk of tender meat. Sourced from a ranch in Texas. Marbled like the walls at Caesar’s Palace. Sprinkled with salt and pepper. And cooked to such a luscious plum-red color that it practically screams out for a juicy New World cabernet.

Leaning against the edge of the steak, however, sat its dark and crispy sidekick: one of the best potato pavés I’ve had in years.

One bite and I was already wistful over the spud. May every French chef I’ve ever interviewed forgive me for what I’m about to type:

Chefs and partners Mario Scavuzzo, David Koelling, and Jessen Koelling

second skin. an early-morning American hashbrown.

Koelling’s pavé omits the cream in favor of You run a potato against a mandolin, butter, garlic, and herbs. It’s cooked for over slicing it into thin scallop-shaped disks. The sliced potatoes are usually steeped in a cream an hour, pressed, and then chilled overnight. sauce, then folded crissArtichoke agnolotti, black truffle butter, grana padano cheese cross, one by one, atop each other in a casserole bowl. Dribbles of cream are then poured over each layer until you have a Napoleonlike potato cake. After a bake in the oven, the

When an order is placed during service, the edges are crisped, creating a crackly framework around an intensely pillowy center.

Don’t leave Barrington without trying one— or a half dozen—of them.

When I was younger, potato pavés seemed to be everywhere, as ubiquitous as dense rounds of flourless chocolate cakes. But in recent years, I don’t see them—at least good pavés—as often. So whenever I cross paths with a classically trained chef, like Koelling, I become nostalgic for great meals long passed.

Gigi’s dinner menu invokes many such sentimental moments. When’s the last time, for instance, that you ordered butter-poached lobster and it arrived moated by not one but two sauces: a bisque-inspired creme and a lobster demi-glace?

If you’re a diner of a certain age, with a certain palate, you might get as dewy-eyed and nostalgic as I did. These days, most bistros are built, staged, and designed to look like some fogged-mirror myth of what Toulouse-Lautrec wanted Paris to look like in the late 19th century. That’s not exactly Gigi’s vibe. There are, of course, some classic French accouterments. The olive-green water bottles. Floral-patterned dishes festooned to the wainscotting. And accent walls covered in Gilded Age burgundy wallpaper. But it seems to be striving for an air of community and hominess instead of kitsch or haughtiness.

It’s trying to say something, rather than just impersonating a bucolic French bistro.

The fact that the father-and-son team of David and Jessen Koelling have transformed Barrington’s iconic Bread Basket restaurant—a long-standing local coffee shop and breakfast spot that COVID-19 forced to shutter—is a triumph in itself. The footprint of the room, rectangular as a row house, feels like it was born to be a bistro.

Tarte flambée, with smoked bacon, sweet onions, and fromage blanc

a good pavé, at least for this meat-n-potatoes Chicagoan, is France’s dinnertime answer to

resulting cake is sliced up like a pound cake and then fried until it’s developed a crispy

Chef Mario Scavuzzo

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THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

LIFESTYLE & ARTS

But the menu is undeniably pan-European.

One might even argue that it’s pan-global.

The menu is flush with offerings—some entrees; others appetizer-sized—inspired by Chef Koelling’s picaresque culinary journey.

Over the years, he’s cooked everywhere from Argentina to Japan with multiple stops in between. Thus the menu feels almost autobiographical, slipping in all sorts of unex-

pected delights.

Consider his artichoke agnolotti. It’s a sublime dish—note the way a farce of artichoke, aged Parmesan, and brioche generates an earthy flavor every bit the equal of a French truffle— inspired by time spent working in the kitchen at Locanda del Pilone in Northern Italy. And then there’s his mic drop of an Alsatian tart, which is crispy

as a cracker crust pizza yet somehow manages to dial down the intensity of its bacon, onions, and fromage blanc into soft and downright gentle notes. Pair it with some bubbly and you’ll generate instant romance.

So, forget Paris. Vive la Barrington. Gigi not only serves tantalizing fare but also

portals you back two decades to our recent culinary past. Back to the early 2000s, when salmon tartare wasn’t flat but stacked tall with rainbow-colored layers of salmon, guacamole, and sweet potato confetti.

There is a temptation, of course, to read too much into the fact that Koelling runs the restaurant with his father, a legend who helped put Chicago and the northern suburbs on the culinary map in the 1980s. In a sense, you can feel the individual passion of both father and son working in unison here. They seem to want to create something that honors the past while respecting the present.

This feeling of culinary déjà vu is a blessing that raises the eyebrows, produces smiles, and makes even the pickiest of potato eaters purr with delight.

Gigi Wine Bar & Bistro is located at 131 Park Avenue in Barrington. Please call 847.926.7435 or visit gigiwinebarandbistro.com.

Champagne, oysters, and fries THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

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BRIGGS’-EYE VIEW S U N D AY B R E A K FA S T

Itinerant commercial photographer and former Lake Forest denizen Brian Briggs parks his pickup and shares his colorful journey to a rewarding career in pictures and storytelling.

BY BILL MCLEAN ILLUSTRATION BY BARRY BLITT

Bedtime stories opened Brian Briggs’ young eyes to the world of visual storytelling and often enlarged them to orbs of wide-eyed wonderment, ruining the primary objective of the nighttime custom—sleep inducement.

His late mother, Jane Davidson, an artist of impressionism, would read books by illustrator/painter/author Howard Pyle and others to Brian at their home in New York. Pyle’s vivid illustrations stirred and inspired and caffeinated Jane’s tucked-in son.

“They were fairy tales, sort of,” recalls Briggs, a longtime commercial photographer and a former Lake Forest resident. “Mom read to me and showed me the pages of artwork when I was 4, 5, and 6 years old.

Pyle’s works influenced me greatly. So did the art of Norman Rockwell, N.C. Wyeth, and Arthur Rackham. The romance of storytelling through paintings, drawings, or photographs has always excited me.

“I love pouring myself into photography.”

And now, more than ever, fuel into his pickup truck, a custom Ram 1500 that transports him and his business partner, Heather Putman, along with an array of high-end photography gear, to shoots all over the country. Briggs’ scads of lighting equipment could illuminate a small village at midnight. Have studio, will travel. For days and days.

Briggs figures 75 percent of his annual workload requires road trips from his home in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

He launched Brian Briggs Photography in 2001. His specialty is editorial storytelling via clicking, followed closely by producing striking portraits of business folks, particularly wealth management professionals. But he also has a keen eye for capturing the essence of models, actors, artists, chefs, and healthcare and fitness employees. Got a heartbeat? Good.

You’re probably a Briggs-worthy subject.

Briggs’ work has been published in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Barron’s, Architectural Digest, among other national outlets, and on the covers of magazines in San Francisco, Austin, Texas, Chicago, and Chicago suburbs, including all JWC Media books—Sheridan Road, Forest & Bluff, Country, and Hinsdale Living.

He served as chief photographer of Forest & Bluff from 2003 to 2007, and held the same position with Sheridan Road.

“What I love about what I do is creat-

before serving, at the age of 20, as a Minuteman missile specialist in Minot, North Dakota.

“I was a New York City kid in North Dakota, still interested in photography,” Briggs says. “I ordered about 500 business cards up there, with ‘Brian Briggs, portrait photographer’ printed on them.”

Briggs’ sister, Tina, later urged him to give modeling a try in New York. Brian posed for photos that would appear in GQ and department stores’ catalogues, but he wasn’t entirely focused on looking sharp in front of cameras.

“I paid attention, while modeling, to what the best photographers in New York were doing,” says Briggs, who continued to snap photos between mod-

ing a look, a feeling, a mood for the subject I’m photographing,” Briggs says. “There are a number of ways to do that, beginning with a question. As a photographer looking to be a business storyteller, for example, I usually ask each, ‘What are some of the messages you’d like to convey to your target audience through your portrait?’ I’ve heard.

‘Trustworthiness.’ I’ve heard, ‘Confidence.’ Professionals also want their portraits to project intelligence and empathy.”

Briggs grew up in New York City and attended LaGuardia High School of Music and Art, where he took classes in calligraphy, silkscreen printing, oil painting, fine

Brian Briggs

I had to learn photography the pull-yourself-up-bythe-bootstraps way. I observed photographers and read all about the craft in books. art, and charcoal drawing. Photography wasn’t offered.

He bought his first camera sophomore year, after saving paychecks he’d earned while working in a grocery store’s produce department. He pulled down $2 per hour, never having to worry about distending the belly of his piggy bank. The camera cost $135; he also purchased a snappy lens for $60.

“I discovered photography after realizing painting didn’t speak to me,” Briggs says. “I took portraits of teachers and fellow students in high school.”

He joined the U.S. Air Force, completing stints in San Antonio and downstate Rantoul

eling gigs. “I watched how they used lights and other behind-the-scenes things. Remember, digital photography didn’t exist back then.

I learned a lot.”

Briggs found out that the typical road to becoming one of New York’s finest lensmen required the willingness to accept income— for around 10 years—as a photographer’s assistant. But that hourly wage was exactly $2 less than the one earned by a produce department worker.

Or $0 per hour.

“I had to learn photography the pullyourself-up-by-the-bootstraps way,” Briggs says. “I observed photographers and read

22 | SATURDAY JANUARY 6 | SUNDAY JANUARY 7 2024

all about the craft in books. I bought big books, books on lighting, beautiful art books.

I studied them. Books on photography were my teachers. I once got audited, for five days, because the IRS questioned my tax write-offs.

I showed the auditor all of my photography books.”

Briggs also enlightened the auditor.

“He told me, ‘I get it,’” Briggs recalls. “I’d proved that I received a version of formal training through books. Books are acceptable as educators in the eyes of the IRS.” Briggs attended the Art Students League of New York and the Parsons School of Design in New York, as well as the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

He and his wife, Louisa Guthrie, lived in Lake Forest—“A sweet, safe town,” Mr. Briggs says—for more than two decades.

Their children, Jack and Grace, are Lake Forest High School graduates. Jack owns a degree in screenwriting and works as an actor.

Grace, a Brooklynite, owns an advertising firm and works as a flight attendant on private jets.

“She’s a nomad, like I am,” Briggs says.

Briggs’ working Photography Tour in November started in the West Chester area and motored to Dallas, Houston, Fort Worth, Wichita Falls, Denver, and cities in California.

In 2022 he clicked away at subjects in four Florida cities before enjoying a well-deserved hiatus in Cuba.

“Old cars fascinate me,” Briggs says. “I took photos of such autos in Cuba, in addition to old bookstores and other buildings. Cuban architecture, in general, is quite appealing.

“I love exploring with my camera.”

Briggs wields a 150-megapixel camera these days. That’s top end, that’s an Airbus A380 to an airplane aficionado. He purchased a 12-megapixel (Cessna jet) in 2007, four years after holding a six-megapixel (model airplane) at photo shoots.

His shelves at home support 7,000 books, give or take a tome. But not all of the books are about photography.

“I’m also a history buff,” the ageless Briggs says. “The Revolutionary War, World War II, Ben Franklin, Winston Churchill, the world’s greatest business titans—I enjoy reading about all kinds of events and influential figures.

“Did you know,” he continues, “that Samuel Morse, before he invented the Morse code, was a portrait painter, making no money? He was starving.”

To see his work, visit brianbriggsphotography.com.

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

Make this year a year of discovery, of fulfillment, of joy, peace and purpose . . .

We are so grateful to all of our clients who we have been honored to work closely with for over 20 years. The Capitanini Team is thrilled to announce our two new rock star brokers, Gianna and Rachel, to our team. We are excited for an incredible 2024 together providing unsurpassed client service on the North Shore, Chicagoland area, and globally!

Immense Gratitude, Frank and Trish Gianna Capitanini

Ryann, Gianna, Rachel, and Ellen

Rachel Uskokovich

Frank and Trish Capitanini| 847-652-2312 Home@CapitaniniTeam.com | CapitaniniTeam.com

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