The North Shore Weekend, June 4th, 2022

FIND US ONLINE: DailyNorthShore.com

SATURDAY JUNE 4 | SUNDAY JUNE 5 2022

SUNDAY BREAKFAST

Former Highland Park High School soccer standout Simon Leibovich gets a kick out of helping nonprofits as president of Elevate Creative Group P18

WEEKEND WEATHER

Saturday, Mostly sunny, high 71 Saturday night, Mostly cloudy, 30% chance of showers, low 58 Sunday, Mostly cloudy, 40% chance of showers, high 74

SOCIAL SCENE

Winnetka Community School hosts its annual benefit at the Glen View Club P12 FOLLOW US:

NO. 503 | A JWC MEDIA PUBLICATION

RED HOT REAL ESTATE WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15

IT'S THE MOST HEATED SELLERS' MARKET ON THE NORTH SHORE IN DECADES BUT LISTING MEANS SELLERS BECOME BUYERS. WITH HIGHER INTEREST RATES LOOMING, WE LOOK AT THE WAYS AGENTS ARE GETTING CREATIVE TO HELP CLOSE THE DEAL.

AMOS LEE NEAL FRANCIS

STORY ON PG 10

TICKETS AND INFO AT

RAVINIA.ORG

The sale of 675 Valley Road in Glencoe, listed by Gloria Matlin of Compass, closed in May. The home is steps from downtown Glencoe, the Chicago Botanic Garden, and Lake Michigan.

Where greatness takes root.

SEE FOR YOURSELF www.lfcds.org/admission | 847.617.6151

update your status with status 502 GREENWOOD ROAD, NORTHBROOK

TheotokosPanagia

TheotokosPanagia

CONNIE@CONNIEDORNAN.COM | 847.208.1397 TOP 1% IN THE NORTH SHORE* #2 IN ILLINOIS BY REAL TRENDS** *By North Shore-Barrington Association of REALTORS ® **Top 1% & #2 in State of Illinois by Real Trends 2015-2021. This data is informational and cannot be guaranteed accurate. Data maintained by MRED LLC may not reflect all real estate activity in the market.

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THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

JUST LISTED!

902 pine street, winnetka 4 BED, 3.1 BATH | OFFERED AT $1,499,900

Close to the action but far from ordinary...

UNDER CONTRACT! SOLD IN 4 DAYS WITH MULTIPLE OFFERS!

3900 rugen road, glenview 4 BED, 2.1 BATH | OFFERED AT $859,900 *MRED, LLC, based on listing data for 3900 Rugen Road, Glenview, 5/18/2022-5/22/2022

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

24/7/365 *MRED, LLC #1 North Shore Closed Sales Volume 01/01/20 – 12/31/20 312.925.9899 | jradnay@atproperties.com *MRED, LLC #1 North Shore Closed Sales Volume 01/01/21 – 12/31/21

SATURDAY JUNE 4 | SUNDAY JUNE 5 2022 |

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STRIKE WHILE THE IRON IS HOT WITH CORY! LD

HIGHLAND PARK

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RAVINIA

191 LAKEWOOD PLACE, HIGHLAND PARK

439 MORAINE ROAD, HIGHLAND PARK

$699,000 | 3 BED, 2 BATH | DRAMATIC & CONTEMPORARY RAVINIA RANCH

$1,450,000 | 6 BED, 7 BATH | PICTURE PERFECT COLONIAL

PORTAGE HIGHWOOD PARK

SNO ELWD

SO

LD

RAVINIA

871 BURTON AVENUE, HIGHLAND PARK

25 WEBSTER PLACE, HIGHWOOD

$399,000 | 2 BEDS UP + 2 BEDS DOWN, 2 BATH | UPDATED BRICK RANCH WITH FINISHED BASEMENT

$499,000 | 4 UNIT BUILDING IN THE BUSINESS DISTRICT OF HIGHWOOD

“

Cory was referred to us by a friend and exceeded our expectations by leaps and bounds....He used his personal connections with other agents to market the house before it was on the MLS, he would personally sit the open houses and be present during all the showings so that the prospective buyers were fully informed on the property. He helped to produce beautiful video materials presenting all the benefits of the neighborhood, not just the house. As a result, we got a perfect match for the house, somebody who will appreciate all that we leave behind and take good care of the home in the years to come. And, finally, we got top dollar for the house and a closing on a date most convenient to us. Thank you, Cory!

- Alex S.

312.286.7065 coryalbiani@atproperties.com #1 INDIVIDUAL AGENT - HIGHLAND PARK OFFICE 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021 * OVER $20M TRANSACTIONS IN 2021** $170M CAREER SALES *** *MRED LLC, all buy and list side transactions 01/01/2017 -12/31/22. **MRED LLC, all buy and list side transactions 01/01/21-12/31/21 ***MRED LLC, all buy and list side transactions 01/01/04 - Present.

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THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

Lets' Move Together !

Coming Soon

For Sale

2126 Middlefork, Northfield Under Contract

816 Elmwood, Wilmette

95 High, Winnetka

Closed

Closed

Represented buyer

1223 Elmwood, Wilmette

834 Westwood, Wilmette Closed

Closed

Represented buyer

930 Lake, Wilmette

521 Audubon, Highland Park

Represented buyer

215 Kilpatrick, Wilmette

Closed

3160 Duffy, Riverwoods Closed

Under Contract

Represented buyer

Pending

Pending

Represented buyer

422 Locust, Wilmette

950 Timber Hill, Highland Park Rented

Rented

Closed

1921 Highland, Wilmette

239 Kilpatrick, Wilmette

2728 Birchwood, Wilmette

2616 Fontana, Glenview

Let’s Create Your Success Together!

$23 million in closed sales in 2021* 847.913.3662 chrisveech@atproperties.com

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

• Ranked Top 5% North Shore Realtors** • Celebrating 11 years with @properties *Source MRED Based on residential sales 01/01/21-12/31/21 **Source: Award from North Shore Board of Realtors

SATURDAY JUNE 4 | SUNDAY JUNE 5 2022 |

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THANK YOU FOR MAKING US BETTER .

CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT NORTHWESTERN MEDICINE L AKE FOREST HOSPITAL With outstanding support from our community, the state-of-the-art Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital is thriving and providing care for more patients than ever before.

In our 80th year on the current hospital campus and on the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Women’s Board of Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital, we are celebrating the success of the Our Legacy. Our Future. campaign, which has now exceeded $100 million in contributions. Funds have helped to build the new hospital facility, launch new leading-edge patient care programs and establish an endowment to ensure the hospital remains a destination for world-class care for future generations.

We extend a very special thank you to the Founders’ Society, whose individual contributions of $1 million or more have been instrumental in ensuring better medicine is available in Lake Forest today and in the future: Vernon Armour

Nancy Hughes

Jeff and Marianne Silver

Peggy and Hal Bernthal

Hunter Family Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Charles M. Brennan III

Wayne L. and Jo Ann C. Kent

The Stirling Charitable Fund: Mr. and Mrs. James P. Stirling

Eleanor and Nicholas Chabraja Winnie and Bob Crawford

Lake Forest Bank & Trust Company N.A., A Wintrust Community Bank

Damico Family Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. John S. Lillard

Mrs. Wesley M. Dixon Jr.

The Medical Staff of Lake Forest Hospital

The Waud Family

Mark and Maureen Miller

Pam and David Waud

The Mills Family, in honor of Jim Mills Deborah Waud Moore

The Women’s Board of Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital

Robert L. and Elizabeth Parkinson

Pamela and Lawrence Zall

Roger and Kate Goddu Gorter Family Foundation The Grainger Foundation Mr. and Mrs. John K. Greene Everett and Jane Hauck

Charles and Barbara Strang Jr. Sunshine Charitable Foundation: Denise and Dave Bunning Marilyn and Ernest P. Waud III

John and Kathy Schreiber

We also wish to thank campaign co-chairs Jim Stirling and Debbie Saran for their leadership and commitment to the realization of our vision. And finally, thank you to the Northwestern Medicine physicians, employees and volunteers who pledged their support and remain committed to our mission to always put patients first.

Our work continues. Philanthropic support for Lake Forest Hospital is an investment in the latest technology, access to groundbreaking research and clinical trials, and above all, clinical excellence for every patient we serve.

To learn more, please contact Northwestern Memorial Foundation at Lake Forest Hospital at 847.535.6933 or visit foundation.nm.org.

© 2022 Northwestern Medicine

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THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

Global Vision. Local Insight. Personal Touch.

LD

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HIGHLAND PARK

RIVERWOODS

1655 Sylvester Place • $1,075,000

475 Thornmeadow Road • $850,000

D OL

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CT RA NT O RC DE UN

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HIGHLAND PARK

HIGHLAND PARK

CHICAGO

MUNDELEIN

2540 Highmoor Rd • $750,000

343 Beech Street • $650,000

1170 W. Farwell, Unit E • $540,000

715 Greenwood Ave • $424,999

*Represented the Buyer

*Represented the Buyer

*Co-listed with Laurie Field CT RA NT O RC DE UN

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LIBERTYVILLE

EVANSTON

HIGHLAND PARK

WINNETKA

602 S. Stewart Street • $389,900

601 Linden Pl #119 • $334,000

2024 Saint Johns #202 • $250,000

913 ½ Green Bay Road

*Represented the Buyer

*Represented the Buyer

*Represented the Buyer

CARLY JONES 312.391.3170 • carly.jones@evrealestate.com carlyjones.evrealestate.com Engel & Völkers Chicago North Shore

566 Chestnut Street, 2 Floor • Winnetka, Illinois 90093 • 847.441.5730 • chicagonorthshore.evrealestate.com nd

©2022 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified.

Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

SATURDAY JUNE 4 | SUNDAY JUNE 5 2022 |

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INDEX

LIFESTYLE & ARTS

12 social scene A Winnetka Community Nursery School event in April raises funds for its creative programming and endeavors

John Conatser FOUNDER & PUBLISHER

ADVERTISING Jennifer Sturgeon

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

14 north shore

foodie

Our take on the classic wedge salad with blue cheese is ripe for summer entertaining

Dustin O'Regan Sherry Thomas

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mitch Hurst, Bill McLean, Monica Kass Rogers

DESIGN Linda Lewis PRODUCTION MANAGER GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Chris Geimer ADVERTISING COORDINATOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

LAST BUT NOT LEAST 18 sunday

PHOTOGRAPHY AND ART Barry Blitt ILLUSTRATOR Monica Kass Rogers PHOTOGRAPHY Robin Subar PHOTOGRAPHY Cheyanne Lencioni ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

breakfast Highland Park's Simon Leibovich rises to the challenges at Elevate Creative Group

ALL ADVERTISING INQUIRY INFO SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO 847.370.6940 & JENNIFER@JWCMEDIA.COM FIND US ONLINE: DAILYNORTHSHORE.COM LIKE US ON FACEBOOK! © 2022 THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND A PUBLICATION OF JWC MEDIA 445 SHERIDAN RD., HIGHWOOD, IL 60040

Bring it to Bonhams.

We’ll sell it to the world.

Valuations for Post-War & Contemporary Art Modern Decorative Art & Design Contact Us Natalie Waechter +1 (773) 267 3300 natalie.waechter@bonhams.com sell.bonhams.com © 2022 Bonhams & Butterfields Auctioneers Corp. All rights reserved.

Bond No. 57BSBGL0808

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THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

The future of real estate is in the hands of the agent.

LAKEFRONT

LAKEFRONT

W2866 Swinghurst Ln Linn, WI $5,595,000

Bob Webster 262.949.1933

LAKEFRONT

W3318 Burr Oak Linn, WI $7,795,000

Tricia Forbeck 262.745.1145

NEW CONSTRUCTION

N1526 Forest Hills Ct, 3 Linn, WI $4,295,000

Bob Webster 262.949.1933

LAKEFRONT

1550 E Majestic Way Twin Lakes, WI $899,900

Janis Hartley 262.745.3630

NEW CONSTRUCTION

N1619 E Lakeside Ln Linn, WI $7,995,000

Tricia Forbeck 262.745.1145

LAKE RIGHTS

1120 S Lakeshore Dr, Unit 34 Lake Geneva, WI $1,149,000

1214 Bridget Ct Fontana, WI $1,435,000

Tricia Forbeck 262.745.1145

LAKEFRONT

Bob Webster 262.949.1933

W4090 Walnut Ln Linn, WI $4,650,000

Bob Webster 262.949.1933

compass.com Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. Keefe RE agents are now licensed with Compass.

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

SATURDAY JUNE 4 | SUNDAY JUNE 5 2022 |

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NEWS RED HOT REAL ESTATE

From PG 1

BY MITCH HURST THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

A white paper released last month by the National Bureau of Economic Research, titled “Housing Demand and Remote Work,” reports that remote working arrangements are largely responsible for rising home prices across the country. Since late 2019, home prices are up nearly 24 percent nationwide.

“Our results imply a fundamentalsbased explanation for the recent increases in housing costs over speculation or financial factors, and that the evolution of remote work is likely to have large effects on the future path of house prices and inflation,” say the white paper’s authors, John A. Mondragon of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, and Johannes Wieland of the University of California, San Diego Department of Economics.

The paper goes on to cite migration as a key driver of housing demand as remote working allowed people to move to suburban or exurban areas where they could obtain more indoor and outdoor space for themselves and their families.

Since early 2020, The North Shore Weekend has been covering how the North Shore real estate market has unfolded during the pandemic. Initially, agents and brokers were uncertain about what the future would bring. How do you sell homes without showing them? Are

This home at 675 Valley Road in Glencoe, sold by Gloria Matlin of Compass, has been updated but maintains much of its 1936 charm.

people going to make a major life decision in the middle of a pandemic?

The answer to that second question is an emphatic, “Yes.” As we’ve covered over the past two years, migration from the city to the

North Shore accelerated. Couples and families that had been content to wait a few years to move north pulled the trigger on a move early. With remote working in place, more room was in high demand.

In Highland Park, 2365 Egandale Road is currently listed by Laurie Field and Merle Styer of Engel & Völkers. The property features 100 feet of private beach on one of the most sought after streets in Highland Park.

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Initially, with plenty of inventory available, it was a buyers’ market. Properties that had been on the market for years got scooped up. Swiftly, though, the market transitioned. Sellers gained the upper hand, and they maintain that upper hand today. Although, with interest rates ticking up, that may change.

This week, we talked with real estate professionals from around the area to gain a sense how they’re helping sellers take advantage of the current market when low inventory is presenting challenges for where to go after they sell.

“Sellers are having to be more creative about where they go once they sell their homes,” says Carly Jones with Engel & Völkers Chicago North Shore. “There are so many options that they can take advantage of. They just have to consider what works best for them and also take into account what the buyers can or are willing to do. It is all about working together and collaborating on the best approach.”

Leasebacks are a common way for sellers to sell their home and still have time to find a new home, Jones says. Sellers can close on their current home and rent it back for a specific period of time as long as the buyers are agreeable, and they can work it out with their lender.

“I have had other sellers who have decided to do a year lease on a rental to give them time to house hunt without the pressure. A few have stayed with their family on a short-or long-term basis,” she says. “Others have taken advanTHE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

NEWS tage of corporate housing and put their things in storage. The reality is there is always a way to be creative and come to a solution that works. As I tell my sellers, we will do everything possible to get them settled and comfortable.”

Jones says that in talking to sellers, it is important that they understand that if they wait to sell their properties, the market may not be as favorable. If their goal is to make the most money possible, she discusses with them how they will feel if they wait and don't get the same price for their home, or it does not sell as quickly.

“Looking at a seller's motivation is the most important piece of getting them to decide to sell. If you don't understand their wants and needs, you cannot come up with a creative solution,” says Jones.

“It is important to give the sellers a plan and explain the different options and scenarios for if they do sell their house and what they will do and where they will go. It is mostly about making sure there are not unknowns, but that the sellers feel comfortable knowing what the future can hold. Uncertainty is the hardest piece.”

Laurie Field, a broker with Engel & Völkers in Winnetka, advises her clients that in this kind of market with high buyer demand and low inventory, remaining flexible is key.

“I feel in this crazy time, everyone is learning to be flexible. The most effective strategy I've used with both buyers and sellers is offering to be flexible on the closing date,” Field says. “I've had buyers make an offer with the closing date ‘to be determined by the seller’ and I've had sellers who have wanted more than 60 days to close, inform interested parties that the closing must occur after 120 days, and agree to move the date up if they can. It seems to work well for both parties.”

Field says she recently met with a seller who liked the idea of listing their house and putting in the listing that they can't move until October.

“They're willing to close sooner and rent back, but they want to be up front on the soonest date they're able to move out,” she says.

The universal message from brokers this summer is that if you’re going to sell, do it now. Uncertainty is the enemy, and if buyer demand stays strong sellers will remain in the catbird’s seat.

“With this favoring market for sellers and adding to this the novel experience of today’s rising interest rates, I highly recommend anyone who has been considering a move to list as soon as possible to take full advantage of the current sellerpositive conditions,” says Joanna Koperski, a broker with @properties in Lake

This home at 343 Beech Street in Highland Park, listed by Carly Jones of Engel & Völkers, sold for full price on the Private Listing Network in March before it went on the MLS.

Forest. “Any delay in moving forward will allow these increasing interest rates to negatively affect buyers’ purchasing power by decreasing it.”

Adds Gloria Matlin, a broker with Compass in Glencoe.

“I have always felt there’s no time like the present to sell since we can’t predict the future of the market or where interest rates go,” Matlin says. “We encourage sellers to possibly rent until they make a decision on their next move.”

Coming Soon!

201 Moraine Rd Highland Park Beginning to Bloom in Highland Park A stunning new construction luxury home from goodjar is now rising and features the finest features and finishes on a scenic wooded lot fronting the dramatic Highland Park ravines.

Ideal location steps from Moraine Park and Lake Michigan.

Please reach out to Glo or Zack for more information on this gorgeous home or visit 201moraine.info. Currently listed in Private Listing Network.

The Matlin Group 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.

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

SATURDAY JUNE 4 | SUNDAY JUNE 5 2022 |

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LIFESTYLE & ARTS

Social Scene WCNS PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBIN SUBAR

Winnetka Community Nursery School, a community of children, teachers, and parents committed to supporting each other in raising curious, creative, and active learners, hosted its annual benefit in April.

Held at the Glen View Club, the event featured cocktails, dinner, dancing, and auction packages from local businesses. The school’s main fundraiser was eagerly welcomed back by parents and teachers after a two-year hiatus. It was a successful and festive evening for all. winnetkacommunitynurseryschool.org

ALAN WEED, EMILY AND MIKE LAMONICA, MEAGHAN WEED

KRISTINA& LARRY BAKER

DAN LASZLO, MATT SWEENEY, MIKE MORRIS

MICHAEL & CECILY HARTT

Draw Together: As Community, As Friends.

ALAN WEED, EMILY & MIKE LAMONICA, MEAGHAN WEED

HUNTER & HEATHER DAVIS

The largest chalk drawing event in Highland Park! Featuring singer/songwriter Ralph Covert and a live appearance by WTTW's Nature Cat!

A Community-Based Event Saturday, June 11, 2022 12-3pm Chalk Boxes and Sidewalk Squares on sale NOW

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THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

Just Listed

BEAUTIFULLY RENOVATED HOME IN PRIME GLENCOE LOCATION!

506 OAKDALE AVE GLENCOE

5 Bedroom, 3.1 Bath | $1,375,000 506Oakdale.info

As you step into the gracious entry way from the covered front porch, you immediately feel at home with the warmth and character this home provides. Gorgeous millwork throughout, hardwood floors, large closets with custom organizers, tall ceilings, tons of storage on all levels, two laundry rooms and ample sunlight. The main level features a stunning foyer area, powder room, an open floor plan with living and dining rooms open, french doors from dining room lead to family room with gas fireplace and eat-in kitchen. A spacious kitchen with large island, beautiful cabinetry, SS appliances, built-in bar/work area and mudroom area that leads to the back yard/ deck. Sliding door from family room also leads to the large trex deck and yard, great for entertaining. The second floor features hardwood floors throughout, a large primary suite with two walk-in closets, spa-like bath with marble tile, great sunlight, double vanities and separate shower and tub. An additional 3 generously sized bedrooms, large closets with custom organizers, marble tile hall bathroom with double vanity and second floor laundry. The lower level also features great sunlight with large windows, media area, recreational space, tons of storage, 5th bedroom, full bathroom, and large laundry room. This home has it all!

OFFERING MY CLIENTS EXPERT ADVICE ON STAGING, HOME PREPARATION, MOBILE: 312.933.0370 kmason@atproperties.com | kmasonrealestate.com karenmasonrealestate #kmasonrealestate

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

TRIED AND TRUSTED VENDORS, AND TARGET MARKETING!

SATURDAY JUNE 4 | SUNDAY JUNE 5 2022 |

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LIFESTYLE & ARTS

NORTH SHORE FOODIE

TENDER WEDGE SALAD WITH HOMEMADE BLUE CHEESE DRESSING

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MONICA KASS ROGERS

BY MONICA KASS ROGERS THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

Wedge salad is the perfect showcase for garden-grown lettuce and tomatoes. We tender it up by using Baby Butterhead (aka Boston or Bibb) lettuce rather than iceberg. One lettuce head, quartered, fills a platter for a beautiful presentation—enough for two to share as a first course. To dress the salad, I dot it with homemade blue-cheese dressing, some fresh-made bacon crumbles, and a few grinds of cracked black pepper. Add a sprinkling of minced chive or green onion if you like.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE BLUE CHEESE DRESSING:

• 4 oz. blue cheese crumbles • ½ tsp freshly ground pepper • ½ cup sour cream • ¼ cup mayonnaise • ¼ cup half-and-half or heavy cream

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METHOD FOR THE SALAD: • 1 head baby butter head (Bibb or Boston) lettuce, quartered into wedges • 3 slices meaty uncured bacon, oven roasted until crisp-cooked; crumbled • 8 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved • Fresh cracked pepper to taste

MAKE BLUE CHEESE DRESSING: Whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, and half and half. Stir in pepper. Fold in blue cheese crumbles. Note: For a thinner dressing, stir in a bit of milk.

ASSEMBLE SALAD: On a serving platter, attractively arrange the four quarters of the lettuce head.

Sprinkle with the halved tomatoes. Dot blue cheese dressing over all. Top with blue cheese crumbles and a few grinds of fresh black pepper. Serve.

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THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

B R I N G I N G YO U A N E L E VAT E D DEGREE OF LUXURY

42 LATITUDE GROUP “ I’m excited to be able to offer my clients an unparalleled level of service and exposure through the Engel & Völkers network. ” - Brandy Simon

Brandy Simon 773.450.1018 • brandy.simon@evrealestate.com • www.42latitudegroup.evrealestate.com Engel & Völkers Chicago North Shore • 566 Chestnut Street, 2nd Floor • Winnetka, Illinois ©2022 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified.

Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

SATURDAY JUNE 4 | SUNDAY JUNE 5 2022 |

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Just Sold

•

1735 Lilly Court

•

Hybernia Ranch, Highland Park

Maxine Goldberg

North Shore Founding Advisor

847.922.4815 • maxine.goldberg@evrealestate.com

Mark Goldberg

North Shore Founding Advisor

847.254.8800 • mark.goldberg@evrealestate.com Engel & Völkers Chicago North Shore

566 Chestnut Street, 2 Floor • Winnetka, Illinois 90093 • 847.441.5730 • chicagonorthshore.evrealestate.com nd

©2022 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified.

Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.

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THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

Laurie Field

Marcia Lyman

Real Estate Advisor

Jamie Roth

Real Estate Advisor

Real Estate Advisor

IF YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT SELLING YOUR HOUSE IN THIS HOT MARKET,

YOU’RE NOT TOO LATE!

Recent Activity ET

RK

• We are in a very low inventory housing market right now

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• Buyers want to buy before mortgage rates rise even more • Buyers want to buy before home prices increase even higher

HIGHLAND PARK

HIGHLAND PARK

2365 Egandale Road • $4,999,000 41 S Deere Park Dr. • $4,200,000 *Co-listed with Merle Styer

• Experts are predicting home price appreciation to continue

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through 2022 (Keeping Current Matters)

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And we have buyers who can’t find what they’re looking for.

HIGHLAND PARK

HIGHLAND PARK

351 Hazel Avenue • $1,500,000

1355 Ridge Road • $379,000

Maybe your house is the one!

Laurie Field

Marcia Lyman

312.504.7010 • laurie.field@evrealestate.com lauriefield.evrealestate.com

847.477.4851 • marcia.lyman@evrealestate.com marcialyman.evrealestate.com

Jamie Roth 847.219.6400 • jamie.roth@evrealestate.com jamieroth.evrealestate.com

Engel & Völkers Chicago North Shore

566 Chestnut Street, 2 Floor • Winnetka, Illinois 90093 • 847.441.5730 • chicagonorthshore.evrealestate.com nd

©2022 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified.

Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

SATURDAY JUNE 4 | SUNDAY JUNE 5 2022 |

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S U N D AY B R E A K FA S T

SIMON SAYS—AND DOES HIGHLAND PARK’S SIMON LEIBOVICH IS THRIVING AS A CREATIVE BUSINESSMAN, ENGAGED PHILANTHROPIST, AND PROUD FATHER.

BY BILL MCLEAN ILLUSTRATION BY BARRY BLITT

Years ago, as Highland Park film/video visionary Simon Leibovich prepared to videotape a Wood Family Foundation holiday gift event at a school in Chicago, a scene unfolded that surprised him.

Former Chicago Cubs fireballer Kerry Wood and his wife, Waukegan native Sarah—the altruistic couple behind the foundation—showed up early to do all kinds of heavy lifting. Kerry set up a Christmas tree on the stage while Sarah lugged bulging, boulder-sized duffel bags filled with gifts.

Not an elf in sight.

“The first thing I thought was, ‘Where’s the Woods’ team of helpers?’” says the 44-year-old Leibovich, a 1995 Highland Park High School graduate and the president of Vernon Hillsbased Elevate Creative Group, a boutique digital marketing and web development agency.

“But, you know what?” he adds. “I found out, on that day, that Kerry and Sarah Wood are super-nice, super-committed people, as well as the first two to arrive, and the last two to leave, at a Wood Family Foundation event.”

Leibovich’s eye behind the camera has also captured the Wood Family Foundation’s Pitch In program for students in several Chicago neighborhoods, including North Lawndale and Humboldt Park. It’s an after-school model that employs high-quality mentoring relationships and exposure to unique experiences to ensure fourth-through-eighth graders develop the academic and social/emotional skills, mindsets, and agency necessary to transition to high school successfully.

“I got to shoot one of the Pitch In program’s remodeled classrooms,” says Leibovich, a content creator for the Wood Family Foundation for more than a decade. “You should see the investment the Woods and their foundation have put into the cause—at a cost of $0 for each student. It’s amazing. It’s wonderful. And they have plans to expand it in several other neighborhoods.”

Leibovich compiles moving footage at Wood Family Foundation events every year and then showcases the montage at the foundation’s Storybook Gala.

Elevate Creative Group, launched in 2016, provides real solutions for charities and nonprofits.

But Leibovich, who starred as a midfielder/forward on Highland Park High School soccer teams in the 1990s, doesn’t always need a lens and a viewfinder to provide off-the-pitch assists.

He’s an associate Leadership Council member of the Highland Park Community Foundation, and for several years he served as a board member of

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the Highland Park Historical Society.

For two years he was the Society’s vice president. There’s a funny story behind that designation.

“I had to miss a meeting one year, and I found out, via email, that I had been named VP at the same meeting,” Leibovich, still stunned, says.

“Had I been there I would’ve voted a big nay for myself,” he cracks.

Each June, Leibovich travels to Camp Ojibwa in Eagle River, Wisconsin, to videotape the Brian P. Schwartz Basketball Tournament. The tourney was named in honor of Schwartz, who died from a heart attack at the age of 37 while playing bas-

Simon Leibovich

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You should see the investment the Woods and their foundation have put into the cause—at a cost of $0 for each student. It’s amazing. It’s wonderful.

ketball in Highland Park. Many of the participating hoopsters counted Schwartz as a good friend.

Leibovich films the fast breaks, the breakfasts, the alley-oops, and, perhaps, a few oops moments off the court.

All get to cherish Leibovich’s work afterward.

“I always knew I’d end up doing something behind a camera,” says Leibovich, who was active in theatre and took a directing class at HPHS. One of his most memorable video ops had to be the time he spent with Highland Park neighbors JoBe Cerny and David Rudman. Cerny is the current giggly voice of the Pillsbury Doughboy, and puppeteer Rudman performs the Cookie Monster of Sesame Street fame.

Lucky Leibovich no longer has to imagine what animated conversations between the two characters sound like.

Years ago, in Vancouver, he began a considerably more serious project, this one centering on Insite, a legal and supervised injection site for drug addicts in the city’s Downtown Eastside and the first facility of its kind in North America. Leibovich interviewed then-Vancouver

Mayor Sam Sullivan, among other figures.

The working title of the documentary he directed and edited is 100 Block.

“They’re now calling it a supervised consumption site,” Leibovich says. “I learned that one year 365 people died by overdose in a four-block area of British Columbia. One overdose per day. It was intense, some of the stuff I saw.

“The mayor of Vancouver told me, ‘The victims are suffering more from a disease than they are from addiction.’”

Born in Cleveland as the middle child of Leon, a former sweeper for the professional Russian soccer team Zenit, and Irena, Leibovich grew up in Lincolnwood (through eighth grade) before moving with his family to Highland Park in time for the start of two-a-day HPHS soccer practices in the summer of 1991.

“My father is super bright and a super hard worker,” Leibovich says, adding Leon delivered coffee before entering the field of mergers and acquisitions. “He hustled, was such the worker bee, and somehow got us a nice place to live in Highland Park. He was a great parent when I was young; so was my mom.”

In between soccer practices on an August day in 1991, he met a 14-year-old named Lauren, his future senior prom date. They attended school together at the University of Arizona—after she had relocated to Los Angeles and he had completed semesters as a film major at Columbia College Chicago.

Years later Leibovich, the owner of Flounders Bar & Grill in Chicago at the time, looked up from behind the bar one day and noticed Lauren had entered the establishment with friends.

A courtship commenced.

Simon and Lauren got married at Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse in 2007. They have three children: Alexis, 14; Lucas, 12; and Zach, 10.

The boys play soccer and basketball and have scurried atop the same Centennial Park fields that their dad did. Alexis is into hip-hop dance and has been tapped to teach at Sole 2 Sole Dance, Inc., in Highland Park.

“Sometimes,” Leibovich says, “I feel like an Uber driver for my kids as a father, but fatherhood, I have to admit, is the best.”

He also adores the Chicago Bulls, metal music, pickleball, and pinball.

Yes, pinball. He must. Nine such machines, after all, stand at Elevate Creative Group’s office.

It says so on the company’s site.

So does this: 235—the average employee age in dog years.

Elevate Creative Group exists to elevate businesses and nonprofits.

And to inject a little levity along the way.

For more information about the Wood Family Foundation and its Pitch In program, visit wffpitchin.org. For more information about Elevate Creative Group, visit elevevatecg.com.

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