The North Shore Weekend, June 18th, 2022

FIND US ONLINE: DailyNorthShore.com

SATURDAY JUNE 18 | SUNDAY JUNE 19 2022

SUNDAY BREAKFAST

WEEKEND WEATHER

Welcome Home Angel nonprofit takes flight in Illinois, thanks to Wilmette's Meg Caswell of HGTV fame P14

Saturday, Sunny, high 75 Saturday night, Partly cloudy, low 58 Sunday, Partly cloudy, high 83

NORTH SHORE FOODIE

Treat Dad to a yummy Father's Day brunch with Tonga Toast P12 FOLLOW US:

NO. 505 | A JWC MEDIA PUBLICATION

A CENTURY OF STYLE THURSDAY, JUNE 23

STEVE MILLER BAND

TICKETS AND INFO AT

RAVINIA.ORG

AT THE HELM OF THE ICONIC LAKE FOREST SHOP, ELLEN STIRLING CELEBRATES THE STORE’S 100TH ANNIVERSARY THE ONLY WAY SHE KNOWS HOW—IN STYLE.

BY ANN MARIE SCHEIDLER THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

It’s a significant milestone for any retailer to celebrate 100 years in business. It’s even more so when you know that it’s a family-owned business that had to navigate its way through a pandemic in order to celebrate its centennial anniversary.

“We didn’t lay anyone off,” explains Lake Forest Shop owner Ellen Stirling. “No furloughs and everyone stayed on the payroll. We did it right.

And when we came back, everyone was wonderful and ready to go.”

The Lake Forest Shop is an iconic North Shore institution—styling women for all occasions of life, from the every day to the extraordinary.

The Lake Forest Shop was opened

by Stirling’s grandmother, socialite Margaret Baxter Foster. “I never knew my grandmother, but from what I hear she was a real pistol,” Stirling says. “I wish she was a customer of ours today because she couldn’t stop shopping. She would buy closets of clothes until she finally didn’t have Continued on PG 7

Ellen Stirling ushers The Lake Forest Shop into its 100th year. PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBIN SUBAR

THINK OUTSIDE www.lfola.org

LIKE TIMING,

luxury

IS EVERYTHING THE RI GH T TI ME FOR THE RIGHT MOVE

S PE C I A L A DV E R T I S I N G FE AT U R E

REAL ESTATE PROFILES

CO

@PRO North Shore’s luxury real estate expert Connie Dornan is here to discussCon wh

it’s the ideal time to make a

stunning new Carriage Home yours: June for28.a

busi as sh resid

Dorn brok resid She’ com indu know apar neve

TUESDAY, JUNE 28 | 12 PM 2625 Techny Road | Northbrook, IL 60062 Join me for lunch and a candid discussion about the current North Shore real estate market. If you’ve been contemplating a move, come and learn the information you’ll need to make an informed decision including: -

Man the c subu matc clien have

The Future of Home Price Appreciation Why Now Is A Good Time To Sell Home Features Prompting More Americans to Move Preparing Your Home For Sale

In 20 Shor reco of br and been brok close last n nam Esta Real amo

You’ll also get the latest developments of Covenant Living’s exciting new Carriage Homes - offering the newest innovations in senior living luxury and health care security!

Seating is limited. To RSVP, please call 1-877-375-6181 or visit CovLivingNorthbrook.org/ComingSoon

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.

2

| SATURDAY JUNE 18 | SUNDAY JUNE 19 2022

1517 Waukegan Rd., Glenview, IL 60025 | 847-208-1397 | connie@conniedornan.com THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND 94

C H I C AG O | A P R I L 2 0 2 2

JUST LISTED

8 1 2 H I B B A R D R OA D WINNETKA 5 B E D R O O M S • 6 . 2 B AT H S This magnificent and timeless light-filled English Manor home built in 2006 (with over $280,000 in enhancements) sits far back from Tower Road on a lush half acre+ lot professionally landscaped by Chalet. Shows like new!

847.878.5235

1

# AGENT

IN GLENCOE 2019 — 2021†

susanmaman@atproperties.com Ranked top 15 Illinois Individual Real Estate Professionals* America’s Best REALTORS® 2021: Illinois Award** Named Top 21 Real Estate Brokers by Chicago Magazine 2021*** 2019 & 2020 Who’s Who in Chicagoland Residential Real Estate***

8 1 2 H I B BA R D. I N FO †Source: BrokerMetrics LLC - #1 Individual Brokerby sales volume in Glencoe 1/1/2019-12/31/2021 | *Newsweek and RealTrends, individual sales volume, 1/1/2021-12/31/2021 **Awarded by The American Registry | ***Named one of Chicago’s Top 100 Real Estate Agent by Chicago Magazine. MRED Source All residential sales 01/01/2020 - 12/31/2020

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

SATURDAY JUNE 18 | SUNDAY JUNE 19 2022 |

3

Chicago North Shore Portfolio of Fine Homes D UN

ER

C

T ON

RA

CT D UN

HIGHLAND PARK

ER

C

T ON

RA

CT

GOLFVIEW

2365 Egandale Road $4,999,000 910 Golfview Road Laurie Field & Merle Styer 312.504.7010 Anne Malone

D UN

ER

C

T ON

RA

WINNETKA

$1,550,000 $1,950,000 300 Walnut Street Noah Levy & Janet Karabas 312.203.2416 847.912.4806

CT NE

EVANSTON

W

TO

MA

RK

ET

WILMETTE

WINNETKA

1408 Ridge Avenue $1,395,000 1244 Glendenning Road $1,299,000 886 Willow Road Amy Larsen & Joe Gerber 773.720.8041 Anne Malone 847.912.4806 Carly Jones

D UN

ER

C

T ON

RA

CT D UN

BUFFALO GROVE

410 Blue Ash Drive Claire Lieberman

ER

C

T ON

RA

CT D UN

NORTHBROOK

$849,000 3826 Brittany Road 312.576.0048 Jamie Roth

ER

C

T ON

RA

$990,000 312.391.3170

CT

EVANSTON

$719,000 2732 Thayer Street 847.219.6400 Suzi Beu

$615,000 773.495.4835

Engel & Völkers Chicago North Shore

847.441.5730 • chicagonorthshore.evrealestate.com 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.

4

| SATURDAY JUNE 18 | SUNDAY JUNE 19 2022

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

N

EW

TO

R MA

KE

T

COMPLETELY RENOVATED HOME NEAR EVERYTHING!

886 Willow Road • Winnetka • $990,000

T

his five bedroom and three and half bathroom home has been thoughtfully rehabbed with beautiful finishes. The gracious open floor plan allows for easy living and entertaining with ample natural light flooding in the windows. Walk into your

LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS PROPERTY

large living room, which opens to the dining room and kitchen. The stunning kitchen includes a large island with breakfast bar seating, a walk in pantry, and so much more. Off the kitchen is the cozy family room with sliding doors out to the fully-fenced backyard. Walk to Crow Island Elementary School and all downtown Winnetka has to offer.

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 18 | SUNDAY JUNE 19 2022 |

5

INDEX

NEWS

8 summer sensations The City of Highland Park expands its summer offerings beyond Ravinia to include food trucks and more

10 ghost story Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center shines a spotlight on the legendary "ghost army" of World War II

John Conatser FOUNDER & PUBLISHER

ADVERTISING Jennifer Sturgeon

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Dustin O'Regan, Sherry Thomas

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

LIFESTYLE & ARTS

12 north shore foodie Our banana-stuffed French toast recipe with strawberries is perfect for Father's Day brunch

LAST BUT NOT LEAST THE PREMIER MAGAZINE ABOUT THE BARRINGTONS

MEDIA INFORMATION 2022 847.926.0911

14 sunday breakfast Wilmette's Meg Caswell has earned her wings as Welcome Home Angel board president and founder of the nonprofit's nascent Illinois chapter

Bill McLean, Monica Kass Rogers, Ann Marie Scheidler

DESIGN Linda Lewis PRODUCTION MANAGER GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Chris Geimer ADVERTISING COORDINATOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

PHOTOGRAPHY AND ART Barry Blitt ILLUSTRATOR Monica Kass Rogers PHOTOGRAPHY Ian McLeod PHOTOGRAPHY Cheyanne Lencioni ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

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

Just Listed!

2130 Ash Northbrook

Ideally located steps from downtown Northbrook, this charming, updated 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath home features spacious open living areas, newer kitchen, separate dedicated office space, an expansive fully fenced yard, 2-car garage and deck for entertaining and relaxation. Near schools, parks, Metra, shops, dining and all that the North Shore has to offer. Please reach out to Glo or Zack for more information on this gorgeous home.

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.

6

| SATURDAY JUNE 18 | SUNDAY JUNE 19 2022

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

NEWS A CENTURY OF STYLE

From PG 1

“If I could go back and change one thing about those early days, I would have dropped the ‘Sports’ from the name of our store sooner,” Stirling says. “We were always getting calls about golf clubs or tennis rackets.

I still remember the Christmas Eve that a man walked in with an empty bowling bag looking for a bowling ball. From then on, we were The Lake Forest Shop.”

When asked what keeps her engaged in the store after all of these years, Stirling answers thoughtfully.

“My family, my grandmother’s vision, our customers who are like family, our incredible team, and the opportunities we have before us.

I also think all of the nonprofits we work with in our Shop Your Cause event—giving back and recognizing the effort and difference every one of those organizations makes to our community. All of those things really push me forward. And just wanting to succeed! My grandmother and father cared so much about this place.”

Yet few things bring Stirling as much joy as seeing The Lake Forest Shop busy again.

“Shortly after we reopened the store after it had been closed for COVID, I was sitting in my office when I heard this noise,” she says. “I was deep in thought, but I stood up and opened my door to see what was going on. When I did, I saw that there were all of these people in the store—smiling and laughing, looking so happy to be here. This is the way things are supposed to be and here it was.”

room for anything more. So, my grandfather suggested she open a store.” The Lake Forest Sports Shop first hung its shingle in 1922.

In many ways, the Lake Forest Sports Shop was ahead of its time. “My grandmother was a visionary, bringing separates to the shop—much like her friend Coco Chanel was doing in France. This was a different way of dressing in this community in those days.”

The next several decades were an exciting time for this new retailer. A wonderful woman named Millie Duncan was hired to manage the shop. The store was wildly successful, leading Foster to open a second location in Hubbard Woods.

“Condé Nast came into my grandmother’s life at a really critical time,” Stirling says of the media magnate who published titles like Vogue, Vanity Fair, and The New Yorker and who married her aunt.

“He was able to introduce my grandmother to designers and clientele that helped the store thrive and connect her to the fashion world in a way that wouldn’t have been possible without him.”

Then, in the 1950s, Stirling’s parents Adair and Volney Foster took the shop over from her grandmother and launched the Lake Forest Sports Shop in Barrington and Hinsdale.

“My parents ran the shops more like a hobby than a business,” Stirling says.

“And in the ’80s, the brand really began to struggle and my father considered closing it. But I knew we had something special with our stores and I told my father that I’d be interested in taking them over.”

When Stirling stepped in, her first move was to close the satellite locations.

“I had three little girls and I needed to focus my energies on the Market Square store.” By 1992, she paid off the store’s debt and set the retailer on the road to success.

Ellen Stirling carries grandmother Margaret Baxter Foster's vision for The Lake Forest Shop into the 21st century and beyond. The late socialite was influenced by friends such as style icon Coco Chanel.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBIN SUBAR THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

The Lake Forest Shop has a number of events planned for the summer months, culminating in an anniversary celebration on Thursday, September 15.

To learn more, visit thelakeforestshop.com.

SATURDAY JUNE 18 | SUNDAY JUNE 19 2022 |

7

NEWS

SUMMER SENSATIONS FOOD TRUCK THURSDAYS RETURN TO HIGHLAND PARK’S RAVINIA DISTRICT, AND ALONG WITH THE OPENING OF THE LOT DOWNTOWN, THE CITY HAS PLENTY OF OPTIONS FOR FAMILIES SEEKING FUN THIS SUMMER.

BY MITCH HURST THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

Highland Park is upping its summer game.

While the Ravinia Festival has anchored the summer in Highland Park for decades, the city is offering a calendar of additional activities for locals and visitors to help them enjoy the summer weather.

Two of these offerings, Food Truck Thursdays, and The Lot, are at the center of the summer calendar. Food Truck Thursdays runs every Thursday from June to early September at Jens Jensen Park in the Ravinia District.

The Lot, which is located at the send end of the St. John’s North parking lot, kicks off its calendar with the Taste of Highland Park on June 24 and 25. Food and live music, including Chicago legends the Freddy Jones Band, will be among the festivities.

Amanda Civitello, communication manager for the City of Highland Park, says the expanded summer activity calendar is designed to leverage the popularity of the Ravinia Festival, which draws people from across the Chicago region and beyond.

“We want to use social media to help us leverage [the Ravinia Festival] audience that knows that we exist because of the exceptional calendar of events at the Ravinia Festival,” Civitello says. “We want them to understand all that the city has to offer, including all the exciting things that are happening downtown.”

Highland Park’s own Ravinia Brewing Company has been a mainstay at Food Truck Thursdays and will be a regular at events at The Lot. In 2017, even before it opened its Taproom & Taco Bar in Highland Park, Ravinia

Food Truck Pilsner.”

The company has since opened Tap Rooms in Highland Park and one at its brewing facility in Logan Square. But every Thursday it returns to its roots for Food Truck Thursdays in the Ravinia District with Boden pouring beers for a weekly event that brings together the local and surrounding communities.

“I used to live right by the production facility and have a typical story for this area. We have some young kids and moved out to the suburbs and I really like the Ravinia District,” Boden says. “We didn't really know it existed until we started our search and looked further north and just found this spot.”

Boden says that what is great about the area

“It really does feel like a little festival on a Thursday night,” Boden continues. “From a personal level, I love it. I really get to engage with the local community. I'm getting to meet all of my neighbors, and my wife and kids come and get the food. My kids are always pulling on my shirt trying to pour beers, and they’re playing with the other kids.”

Food Truck Thursdays keeps a roster of more than a dozen food trucks representing local establishments such as Aztec Dave’s, Louis B Fresh, Fat Shallot, and Da Pizza Dude. It runs weekly through September 8, and each Thursday feature live music, from Jazz to rockabilly to soul to disco.

While Food Truck Thursdays provide a

and local businesses.

“We thought about what we could do to bring people downtown,” Hersch says. “We looked at a couple of locations downtown and found that the south end of the North St. John's lot was underutilized.”

Hersch says they looked at the space and thought about what could be done there given its assets, including its accessibility, visibility from the train, and central location.

“We're looking to bring people here from outside of the community so they can familiarize themselves with Highland Park and everything we have to offer,” says Hersch. “The intention is to draw people on a regular basis after the events and throughout the year.”

In addition to the Taste of Highland Park, which has been on hiatus the past two years due to the pandemic and is being decoupled from the city’s Port Clinton Arts Festival, The Lot will offer Take-Out Tuesdays from July 12 to August 30, during which families are invited to come out and listen to live music and purchase food to eat-in or to go. A World Music Fest, Vintage Car Fest, and Oktoberfest are also part of the lineup.

Hersch says The Lot fulfills a need expressed by the city’s residents and businesses.

“We're hoping to bring the community together for food and fun. When we came up with the idea, we went to residents and businesses for their feedback as well as staff and the city council,” Hersch says. “The number one request that we received was to hold more outdoor events and more music.”

Though the restaurant industry is plenty competitive, Boden says the Highland Park business community pulls together to offer

Food Truck Thursdays started in the Ravinia District in 2017 and kicked off this year at the beginning of June. This is one of many events hosted by the City of Highland Park this year to add a little sizzle to your summer.

Brewing Company’s beer trailer was making appearances at Food Truck Thursdays.

“The owners live in the Ravinia District, and they were just beer nerds,” says Gabe Boden, Ravinia Brewing’s General Manager. “They were selling collaboration beers but in June 2017 they landed a distributor and started doing some brewing out of a location in Logan Square. One of the first beers we launched was at the Food Truck festival, and it was called

8

is it has an active business district. It wasn’t until he moved in that he saw the district had been revitalized, with a big assist from Food Truck Thursdays.

“It’s right by our Taproom and there's so many people who show up. It's just really high energy, a lot of families. I love going and pouring beers; we go through four kegs every time,” he says. “There are a lot of kids dancing to music, and I run into people I knew in the city.

weekly opportunity for the people to gather, grab some grub, and listen to live music, The Lot will offer a series of festivals—music, food, literary, and cars—for residents from Highland Park and the surrounding communities.

Carolyn Hersch, business development manager for the City of Highland Park, says The Lot is part of the city’s overall efforts to bring people from outside the city into the community and to promote community engagement

| SATURDAY JUNE 18 | SUNDAY JUNE 19 2022

quality summer fun and entertainment for residents throughout the North Shore.

“I think [the city] has been really good at just mobilizing and getting these events planned,” Boden says. “We all want the same thing. We want to bring people back to downtown. I think our downtown is pretty lively.”

For more information about The Lot, Food Truck Thursdays, and to view a calendar of events, visit cityhpil.com.

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

Join Us! FRIENDS OF LAKE FOREST PARKS & RECREATION FOUNDATION PRESENTS

When you’re needing a larger loan, I’m ready to help make it happen Discover how Wells Fargo’s selection of home financing options and exceptional service will provide you an unrivaled experience, including: • Full-service resource for high-net-worth buyers with complex income or asset management situations • One of the nations’ leading jumbo mortgage lenders with the ability to lend in all 50 states • Qualified buyers may be able to pay less interest over the life of your loan with a discount based on your eligible assets with Wells Fargo • Special financing for newly constructed homes • Competitive financing options for primary, second, vacation, and investment properties I’ll work closely with you to fully understand your situation and provide information and options about different loan programs to help you make an informed decisions.

Let’s get started, together I’m ready to put my knowledge and experience to work for you.

Darin Daniels

Home Mortgage Consultant Jr 224-234-1419 darin.daniels@wellsfargo.com www.homeloans.wellsfargo.com/darin-daniels NMLSR ID 1875587 Information is accurate as of date of printing and is subject to change without notice.

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage is a division of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. © 2021 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. NMLSR ID 399801. AS5525981 Expires 04/2023

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

MONDAY, JULY 4 5-10 PM DEERPATH COMMUNITY PARK Featuring

TOMMY DECARLO, SINGER OF BOSTON, WITH SPECIAL GUEST RUDY CARDENAS OF AMERICAN IDOL - THE CLASSIC HITS OF BOSTON & JOURNEY TICKET SALES ARE OPEN!

PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS EARLY PRICES INCREASE JUNE 20TH LFPARKSANDREC.COM/LAKE-FOREST-FESTIVAL-AND-FIREWORKS

LAKE FOREST PARKS AND

R E C R E AT I O N

SATURDAY JUNE 18 | SUNDAY JUNE 19 2022 |

9

NEWS

GHOST STORY THE ILLINOIS HOLOCAUST MUSEUM & EDUCATION CENTER UNVEILS AN EXHIBIT ABOUT ONE OF WORLD WAR II’S MOST GUARDED SECRETS—THE GHOST ARMY.

BY ANN MARIE SCHEIDLER THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

When most people are asked to define the military, their answers often include descriptions of marching soldiers or rumbling tanks.

created by the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. The exhibit tells the heroic tale of the top-secret U.S. Army’s 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, known as the Ghost Army, and their secretive operations across Europe. Armed with nothing heavier than .50 caliber machine guns, this carefully

The exhibition details the 22 largescale

selected group of artists, engineers, professional soldiers, and draftees—the first mobile, multimedia, tactical deception unit in U.S. Army history—saved thousands of lives and played an important part in the Allied victory by impersonating other Allied Army units to deceive the enemy.

Consisting of 82 officers and 1,023 men, this top-secret unit was capable of simulating two whole divisions (approximately 30,000 men) and used inflatable rubber tanks and vehicles, fake radio traffic, sound effects, and even phony generals to fool German forces during the war’s final year. “It’s incredible to see a life-sized reproduction of one of the inflatable tanks used to fool the enemy from the air,” Weininger explains. “Soldiers could literally lift it up with their fingertips.”

deceptions launched by the Ghost Army from Normandy to the Rhine River between D-Day and the war’s end. Featured artifacts include artwork, uniforms, inflatable tanks and planes, as well as text panels detailing unit operations, profiles of unit officers, archival photography, and sketches that educate visitors on these unlikely heroes. Fashion designer Bill Blass, rock ‘n roll photographer Art Kane, and prolific painter Ellsworth Kelly are among the notable creatives who

Clockwise from Above: Phony Headquarters for the 119th Regiment of the 30th Division, in Dulken Germany, during Operation Viersen, 1945; National Archives. George Martin’s sketch of Luxembourg City; Roy Eichhorn. Tourists in Paris, August 1945; John Jarvie Collection. Dummy M8 Greyhoud armored car; National Archives . Dummy 155 mm Howitzer; National Archives PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY ILLINOIS HOLOCAUST MUSEUM & EDUCATION CENTER

But few include stories about the Ghost Army—a covert unit of talented artists who were carefully selected and, in some cases, hand-picked for their specialized skill set.

“The Ghost Army helped the United States military use creativity and imaginative thinking to win against the enemy—Nazi tyranny,” says Arielle Weininger, Chief Curator of Collections and Exhibitions at the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center. “The Ghost Army exhibit shows that there was an important place for artists in the military. It really took an artistic mind to come up with such an effective level of deception.”

Ghost Army: The Combat Con Artists of World War II, a large-scale, in-depth exhibit opened at the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center on June 16 and was

10

| SATURDAY JUNE 18 | SUNDAY JUNE 19 2022

were a part of this special operation.

Tales of the Ghost Army have been largely untold because files detailing this unit remained classified until the mid-1990s. “It was just this past February that President Biden signed a bill awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to this secretive unit,” says Weininger. “The Ghost Army has only just been officially recognized for their contribution to ending the war.”

According to Weininger, the artwork left behind by the Ghost Army is one of the exhibit’s most beautiful surprises.

“The artwork is especially wonderful,” she explains.

“There are watercolors and drawings of the different places where these artists ventured throughout Germany and the people they encountered along the way. There is this special series of portraiture done of the people they were protecting in the displaced persons’ camps.”

Within the Illinois Holocaust Museum’s exhibit of the Ghost Army will be four Ghost Army veterans from Illinois (there are only nine living veterans from this unit in the United States). One of these veterans, 98-year-old Bernie Bluestein of Schaumberg, is attending the exhibit’s opening on June 16.

Before the unit began using inflatable tanks, Bluestein would paint on cloth draped over wooden tank frames. Rick Beyer, author of the book Ghost Army—on which the exhibit is based—will also be in attendance and will interview Bluestein about his experience.

“Bernie is incredibly enthusiastic to be part of this event and so supportive of this exhibit,” says Weininger.

“I can’t wait for visitors to hear his story.”

Ghost Army: The Combat Con Artists of World War II is one example of the Illinois Holocaust Museum’s commitment to exhibits that will appeal to all members of a family and provide an experience they can enjoy together.

“The more people we can draw into our museum,” adds Weininger, “the more access points we have for sharing the story of the Holocaust’s legacy.”

Ghost Army: The Combat Con Artists of World War II will be open through January 2.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit ilholocaustmuseum.org.

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

JUST LISTED

25 MEADOWOOD LANE, NORTHFIELD 6 BEDS/6.3 BATHS | 10,500 SQUARE FT | $3,999,000 Treat yourself to one of the finest homes on the North Shore with the perfect combination of Ultimate Privacy, Uncompromising Quality, and Magnificent Grounds. No detail has been overlooked in this 6 bedroom luxury estate set down a private lane on over 1 acre of land adjacent to a forest preserve. Don’t let the classic look fool you, this home has a modern functional layout perfect for everyday living with an open kitchen and family room as the heart of the home. This impeccable home is just 20 minutes from Chicago O’Hare Airport, 30 minutes from downtown Chicago and 10 minutes to the North Shore’s finest schools and lakefront. Why settle for ordinary when you can be inspired daily and call this perfect masterpiece home?

SERVICE THAT MOVES YOU

773.39 8.2976 | GR AC E FL AT T @ATP R O P E RTI E S .CO M @FLATTGRACE

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

@GRACEFLATTREALTOR

SATURDAY JUNE 18 | SUNDAY JUNE 19 2022 |

11

LIFESTYLE & ARTS

NORTH SHORE FOODIE

BANANA-STUFFED FRENCH TOAST WITH STRAWBERRIES

BY MONICA KASS ROGERS THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

Since debuting in 1971 at Disney’s Polynesian Resort, Tonga Toast—a cinnamon-sugared chunk of flash-fried, banana-stuffed breakfast bliss—has always been a top seller. Michael Thompson, a Polynesian Resort chef for seven years, can’t give out exact sales numbers, but sums: “Let’s just say we receive our bananas by the pallet load!”

To make the dish, cooks tuck bananas into thick slices of sourdough bread dunk the stuffed bread in egg wash, flash fry it until golden and then dip in cinnamon sugar. Served with strawberry sauce and choice of breakfast meat, “Tonga Toast is a “Wow!” item that now has a legacy following,” says Thompson.

When they first shaped the dish, Thompson says Disney chefs tried stuffing the toast with marinated peaches, mango slices, and other fruits, “But bananas won out.”

Individual chefs over the years have put their own spin on the dish—adding banana liqueur to the batter, for example. But the recipe below is the standard.

NOTE: We’ve made this with fresh baked homemade bread in the past, but it works very well with a bakery loaf of brioche— much easier!

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MONICA KASS ROGERS

INGREDIENTS

• 1 unsliced loaf sourdough bread OR brioche • 1 cup sugar • 2 tsp cinnamon • 4 eggs • 1-1/3 cups whole milk • 3 bananas • Canola or peanut oil for deep fat fryer • 2 cups strawberries, hulled, and diced fine • 1/2 cup sugar

12

METHOD

Preheat oil in deep-fat fryer to 350 degrees.

Mix sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow dipping bowl large enough to fit a slice of bread. Set aside. Whisk eggs with milk in a second shallow dipping bowl. Set aside. Mix strawberries with 1/2 cup sugar. Let rest for 15 minutes. Peel each banana. Slice each banana in half at the middle; slice each half into halves lengthwise. You should now have 12 banana pieces: two for each stuffed toast serving.

Slice ½-inch off each end of the loaf and discard. Slice remaining bread into six, 2-inch

| SATURDAY JUNE 18 | SUNDAY JUNE 19 2022

slices. Cut a slit into the side of each slice; pull out a bit of the interior bread to make a little space for the two banana pieces. Insert two banana pieces into each hollowed sliced of bread. Dip stuffed bread into egg wash on both sides. Deep fry at 350 degrees for one minute: turn toast over and fry for another minute. Remove fried toast to a paper-towellined platter. Dip finished toast in cinnamon sugar to coat. Repeat process until all bread is fried and sugared. Serve toast with macerated strawberries and a dollop of yogurt.

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

E X P E R I E N C E T H E D AW N M C K E N N A G R O U P #1 TEAM IN ILLINOIS COMING SOON

7 15 MAWMAN AVE. | LAKE BLUFF, IL Built in 2005 | First Time to Hit the Market | Close to Everything Location

NEW LISTING

1891 SALISBURY LN. | LAKE FOREST, IL Builder’s Showcase Home | Located in Conway Farms | Turnkey Property with Wonderful Amenities

P R I VAT E O F F E R I N G

NEW LISTING

21 PEMBROKE DR. | LAKE FOREST, IL Set on 1.12 Acres | Walk-Out Lower Level | Outdoor Oasis with Bluestone Patio & Heated Pool

344 W. S H E RIDA N PL. | LA KE BLUF F, IL Remodeled in 2022 | Bright White Kitchen | Open Floor Plan & Designer Finishes

c onta c t you r l oc a l ex per ts

A N N I E R OYS T E R L E N Z K E 847. 41 4. 4045 Annie@ DawnMcKennaG roup.co m

K AT I E M O O R Annie Royster Lenzke | Dawn McKenna | Katie Moor

847. 2 82 .02 9 1 Katie@ DawnMcKennaG roup.co m

S C A N T H E Q R CO D E to view our p or t folio of N or t h Shore list ing s

CHICAGO | NAPLES | HINSDALE | LAKE FOREST | WINNETKA

W W W. D A W N M C K E N N A G R O U P. C O M | @ T H E D A W N M C K E N N A G R O U P Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Realty are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2022 Coldwell Banker Realty. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Realty fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC. Coldwell Banker, the Coldwell Banker logo, Coldwell Banker Global Luxury and the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. *Source: #1 Team in Illinois within Coldwell Banker Realty ranked by Wall Street Journal RealTrends The Thousand 2020.

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

SATURDAY JUNE 18 | SUNDAY JUNE 19 2022 |

13

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

CASWELL’S GOODWILL KENILWORTH NATIVE MEG CASWELL—THE HOST OF THE FORMER HGTV SHOW MEG’S GREAT ROOMS—SERVES AS THE BENEVOLENT FORCE BEHIND THE LAUNCH OF ILLINOIS’ FIRST WELCOME HOME ANGEL CHAPTER.

BY BILL MCLEAN ILLUSTRATION BY BARRY BLITT

A North Carolina girl with special needs enters her redone bedroom for the first time. She then falls onto her new bed, spreads her arms, buries her face in the comforter, and hugs as much of the mattress as she can.

In the background of the video, Meg Caswell stands alongside the girl’s mother, their expressions nearly matching the unbridled joy displayed by the bed squeezer.

It’s another priceless Welcome Home Angel moment, the kind that Wilmette interior designer Caswell—host of the former HGTV show Meg’s Great Rooms, after having won season six of the channel’s Design Star show in 2011—plans to embrace again and again as the founder of Welcome Home Angel’s first chapter (Illinois) outside of North Carolina.

Founded 15 years ago by John Kaiser in Wilmington, North Carolina, Welcome Home Angel brings joy to children with significant health or life-altering conditions and relief to their families by creating happier and more functional living spaces. The nonprofit completes a variety of makeovers, ranging from aesthetic refreshes to useful enhancements, such as widening doorways, building ramps, and installing lift systems.

The 44-year-old Caswell, who grew up in Kenilworth and earned her BFA in interior architecture at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, serves as board president of Welcome Home Angel.

Welcome Home Angel-Illinois launches this month.

“We believe every child with special needs, and every child who had suffered an unexpected medical crisis, should have a welcoming and safe home, where children can focus on themselves versus their diagnoses,” Caswell says. “We want parents to be parents, not just constant caregivers.

“We aim to take care of the physical needs of families, as well as their emotional needs. We’re all about alleviating the stress and challenges these families endure at home.”

Caswell had attended Canterbury School in Connecticut for three years and just earned a degree in criminology at John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio, when a chat with her late grandfather, William B. Graham, altered her life’s direction.

14

Graham served as CEO of the health care company Baxter International from 1953-1980.

He died in 2006, in Kenilworth, at the age of 94.

“My grandfather asked me, ‘What’s next for you?’ ” Caswell recounts. “I told him, ‘Law school.’ He then looked right at me and said, ‘Why would you do that? You don’t like to read; you’re creative, truly creative.’ Later on in our conversation he encouraged me to think about what I love to do and to pursue a more suitable career path.

“My grandfather assured me that doing something I’m passionate about would likely lead to success, and that with success I’d be able

We believe every child with special needs, and every child who had suffered an unexpected medical crisis, should have a welcoming and safe home, where children can focus on themselves versus their diagnoses.

Meg Caswell

| SATURDAY JUNE 18 | SUNDAY JUNE 19 2022

to give back to the community in some way. He made an incredible number of lives better through the medical innovations he oversaw as a leader at Baxter, and I will be forever grateful that he served as such an influential mentor for me.”

Caswell took Grandpa Bill’s advice and ran with it, ending up at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Good-bye, torts. Hello, tapestry.

But she emerged with more than a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

Caswell entered the workforce with a belief she holds dear today: Good design should be accessible to everyone.

She owned and operated the Design Shoppe on Armitage Avenue in Chicago from 20062011, and moved to Wilmington, North Carolina in 2013, eventually opening the Fifth & Castle design shop.

Her first lunch with Welcome Home Angel founder Kaiser evoked memories of the pivotal conversation she’d had with a certain relative.

“I thought of my grandfather as John told me all about Welcome Home Angel and its wonderful mission to give the gift of a safe and functional home environment to deserving families,” says Caswell, who shares son Ransom, 8, with husband Randy Holladay. “Then, I realized, ‘This is it! I need to help. I want to help.’ And I love to raise money for good causes. What a great opportunity to give back and do something I love at the same time.

“These kids … they shouldn’t have to struggle or worry while doing everyday things at home— things that most people don’t even think about,” she adds. “Things like getting in and out of a bathtub, walking up and down stairs, making it through doorways.”

Welcome Home Angel has recognized, since its inception in 2007, that the needs of siblings of special needs children tend to either turn into afterthoughts or are forgotten altogether in a household.

“After accepting families’ applications, we research what interests the siblings, and we look into what they would love to have added to their bedrooms,” Caswell says. “Siblings often do a lot to help their parents with the challenges at home. They need attention, too.”

Caswell first flexed her philanthropic muscle way back in her Canterbury School years. As head of a clothing drive on campus, she placed empty boxes in dorms, hoping students would want to rid their crowded closets of superfluous threads. But most of the boxes remained empty.

So, she did something about it.

“I went to the Dean of Students and asked permission to go room to room in the dorms and make it easier for people to donate clothes,” Caswell recalls. “I got permission. I also received help from my friends, who didn’t want to miss out on the chance to stop by the boys’ dorms.”

Caswell and Co. collected boatloads of clothes, stuffed the togs in bags, and then practically busted a van’s suspension en route to a shelter.

Dubbed “Palm Beach chic” because of her penchant for vibrant pastel colors, Caswell, the interior designer, has 32 clients, including five in Florida and two each in New York (the Hamptons), Michigan, and Colorado.

But nothing would thrill her more than to see Welcome Home Angel lift the spirits of families in 50 states.

“I’ve always been this way,” Caswell, sporting a bright-pink shirt, says of her can-do attitude and infectious enthusiasm. “I’m up a 6 a.m., every morning, ready to go. People always ask me, ‘How do you do all that you do?’

“Easy,” she adds. “I don’t procrastinate.”

For more information, visit welcomehomeangel. com. You can also contact Meg Caswell directly at meg@welcomehomeangel.com.

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

Suzie Hempstead TOP 3% in Berkshire Hathaway agents nationwide.

847.910.8465 shempstead@bhhschicago.com

SuzieHempstead.com

I Sll For Shrn!

2 PENTHOUSES AND 2 CONDO UNITS SOLD LAST YEAR. 3705 Bradley Court, Highland Park

3507 Bradley Court is situated on top of a ravine in Fort Sheridan with seasonal views of Lake Michigan.

Enjoy coveted privacy on 1/2 acre with easy trail access to Lake Michigan. Open floor plan, high ceilings, windows streaming natural light, finished lower level walk out includes gas log fireplace, exercise room, recreation room, 5th bed and bath and wine cellar. Screened porch off of kitchen is perfect for barbequing or just laying around. Enjoy soothing summer sun & cool lake breezes on new deck with stairway down to ground level. Sweeping views of the forest preserve and Lake Michigan are seen from the elevated kitchen, and family room on the back of the house. Dining room perfect to host any occasion. Office connected to sitting room on main level. Custom kitchen includes island, butler pantry, walk in pantry and breakfast room. A second floor sitting area separates the primary suite from the other 3 bedrooms. All bedrooms are en suite. Primary bedroom has fireplace, 2 custom walk in closets and 2 separate vanities. AC & furnace 2015; Roof 2010; 2 Hot Water Heaters 2017: Microwave new 2021; Dishwasher 2014; Thermidor Cooktop; Under counter & top of cabinet lighting; New brick driveway & landscaping 2014; 2 Custom primary closets 2014; exquisite millwork; Heated 3 car garage; Wine fridge in butler pantry off dining room; sprinkler system. Built in outdoor fireplace at ground level under deck. Minutes from grocery, retail, restaurants and train.

5 Bedrooms | 5.1 Baths | 5,701 SqFt | $1,498,888 778 N. WESTERN AVE | LAKE FOREST 778 N. WESTERN AVE | LAKE FOREST BHHSChicago.com KoenigRubloff.com

© BHH Affiliates, LLC.

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

*Source Broker Metrics MRED: Volume closed, area 45, 1.1.2018—12.31.2019 Residential (Detached, Attached, -4 units, mobile homes), Lots & Land (Vacant land, deeded parking).

SATURDAY JUNE 18 | SUNDAY JUNE 19 2022 |

15

happy father’s day

atproperties.com

16

| SATURDAY JUNE 18 | SUNDAY JUNE 19 2022

THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND