Spring into Wilmette!
2926 Indianwood Rd, Wilmette | 4 BR/3.1 BA | $1,249,000
Welcome to this handsome Brick Colonial home, nestled on a beautifully landscaped quarter-acre property in the highly sought-after Indian Hill Estates neighborhood. As you arrive, you’ll be greeted by the exquisite English-style brick driveway, setting the tone for the elegance and charm that await you inside. Upon entering the foyer, you’ll immediately feel the warmth of natural light flooding the stunning living room with a wood burning fireplace, which opens to a delightful screened porch. The inviting family room, featuring built-ins and another fireplace, also connects to the screened porch, enhancing the indooroutdoor living experience. Adjacent to the living spaces, the light filled dining room offers serene views of the expansive brick patio and beautiful private fenced backyard. The chef-inspired cherry kitchen boasts high-end appliances, granite countertops, and ample cabinetry. Upstairs, the spacious primary bedroom suite features a vaulted beamed ceiling, private bath, and abundant closet space, while three additional generously sized bedrooms and two more baths provide comfort for the entire family. One bedroom has an en-suite bath, while the other two share a Jack-and-Jill bath. The lower level is highlighted by a paneled recreation room with a fireplace, laundry room and tons of storage space. This home is located within the highly acclaimed New Trier, Avoca, and Marie Murphy school districts and is just minutes from Loyola Academy and Regina High School. Enjoy easy access to highways, Metra station, and nearby amenities, including vibrant downtown Wilmette’s shopping and dining, Centennial Pool, ice skating rink & tennis courts, popular Locust Road pickle court open play, Wilmette Recreation Center, Gillson Beach, forest preserve trails, Wilmette Golf Club, Fresh Market, Wayfair, Old Orchard Mall & much more. With a quick closing available, this home is ready for you to move right in. Don’t miss the opportunity to own this elegant property in the heart of Wilmette!
SCHEDULE YOUR SHOWING FOR APRIL 4TH WEEKEND!
200+
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9 Highwood Ave, Highwood, IL • facebook.com/audoriginals2 (847) 579-8052 • Open Wed - Sat 12:30-4:30, or by appointment
NEWS
6 north shore doings
Your go-to guide for all the latest local events in the weeks ahead
8 north shore sports
Winnetkan Jack Kemper, 12, lands national Drive, Chip & Putt berth at Augusta National
9 milestone moment
Josselyn’s recent ribbon-cutting event celebrates its Waukegan expansion
LIFESTYLE & ARTS
10 #hashtag
Sami Fishbein-Prestigiacomo turned a lifelong passion for design into a distinguished career
11 weekend poem
Our resident poet notes the 40th anniversary of The Breakfast Club
12 north shore foodie
Add this Strawberry Blitz Torte recipe to your weekend brunch menu
13 more spy craft magic
The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry extends its blockbuster James Bond exhibit
LAST BUT NOT LEAST
14 sunday breakfast
We check(mate) in with Ella Sager, who revived the chess club at Indian Trail Elementary School
Over 100,000 Readers Weekly
The North Shore Weekend combines a local news digest of doings and reviews with stunning art and photography for which the NS Weekend is known, together with lifestyle features, which enriches the leisure time of our devoted Saturday and Sunday readership since 2012. 847.370.6940
EAST MEETS WEST
From his brand-new treatment facility in Northfield, Dr. Kuan Su of Acupuncture North Clinic uses the latest techniques to help patients stay mentally and physically strong.
BY MITCH HURST THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
When it comes to acupuncture and alternative treatments for pain, anxiety, and other physical and mental health problems, Dr. Kuan Su bridges the gap between eastern and western approaches to medicine. He sometimes refers to himself as “the last resort” after patients have exhausted their traditional treatment options.
Su recently moved to a new location in Northfield meant to provide patients with a cozier and more comfortable space to receive their treatments.
“It’s more efficient, so the room is built for patients especially if they’re coming in for severe conditions like neurotherapy or nerve damage they don’t have to walk so far to the treatments rooms,” Su says.
It’s also built so Su can more easily treat a broader range of challenges from which his patients may suffer.
“For acupuncturists, we don’t need a lot of high-tech equipment. There is always new research on treatment approaches with acupuncture” he says, “I continue to treat many cases of neuropathy and men’s health issues but recently there has been more of an uptick in requests to treat anxiety and digestive issues.”
One particular area of growth for Su is mental health—especially challenges that can result from chronic pain and discomfort, which can lead to irritability and tension in personal relationships.
“For acupuncturists, we take a biopsychosocial approach to treatment,” he says. “We address the individual’s primary and secondary health concerns but also inquire about their reactivity to stressors as well as how they are interacting with their social environment then treat those factors as well.”
One example Su gives is a patient who might be an athlete, big on running. They want to continue running but they have severe calf cramping that’s keeping them up at night, which is turning them into a curmudgeon. They may be mean to a partner or grumpy at work.
“I'm able to approach treatment for patients from multiple angles so the patient sees an expedited rate of recovery because they're sleeping better, their calf cramping is gone, and overall, they are less irritable," he explains.
As opposed to just dry needling, Su says he's looking at multiple systems operating at different levels and streamlining them to see improvements in a faster and more effective way.
In addition to being a practicing clinician, Su teaches and supervises students. He conveys to them that they need to be able to share their treatment approaches with patients and medical specialists in west -
ern medical terms and basic terms while discussing with other acupuncture colleagues in eastern terms.
"You have to be trilingual in what we do so that communication will remain strong with all three
stress-induced pain versus a chronic pain case caused by an old injury. We tend to excel at stubborn chronic cases."
groups,” he says. “You can also have a more precise treatment strategy to address cases such as a stressinduced migraine versus a fatigue-induced migraine or
Acupuncture North Clinic is located at 191 Waukegan Road in Northfield, For more information, visit acupuncturenorthclinic.com or call 847-868-0408.
Dr. Kuan Su
NORTH SHORE DOINGS
EDITED BY CHEYANNE LENCIONI THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
NOW THROUGH MARCH 31
ECHOLOCATION
WHERE: Vivid Art Gallery Stop in to Winnetka’s Vivid Art Gallery to see pieces by Chicago artists Izzo Cho and Lainey Peltier. Cho’s work is meant to be a commentary on her Korean American heritage, celebrating earnest but humorous attempts to pay homage to her transnational upbringing. Peltier’s work, on the other hand, is focused on what she sees in the world around her. vividartgallery.net
NOW THROUGH APRIL 28
CONCEPTUAL COMPOSITIONS
WHERE: Got?art, Winnetka Got?art contemporary studio in Winnetka is featuring a new exhibit that prioritizes form, color, and texture over representational or realistic depictions— featuring work by Piotr Antonow, Irena Siwek, and Voytek. gotartstudio.com
NOW THROUGH MAY 29 SPRING BIRD WALK
WHERE: Chicago Botanic Garden
On Thursdays and Saturdays, from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. explore the best spots for locating late-winter bird residents and the early migrants of spring at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Each walk is approximately one to two hours long. Dress for the weather; binoculars and a field guide are encouraged. Participants will meet at the Visitor’s Center. The price for this program is $24 for members and $30 for non-members.
chicagobotanic.org
MARCH 29
BROADWAY AND BEYOND
WHERE: Lutheran Church of the Ascension
Join Northfield’s Lutheran Church of the Ascension for a free performance of songs from "Broadway & Beyond," featuring Chicago's own Temple Sholom cantor and talented entertainer Sheera Ben-David,, and from New York, The Book of Mormon Musical Director and keyboardist Adam Ben-David. This amazing sibling duo last performed at the church’s small stage in 2017 and packed the house. This concert is sponsored by the One Tree Many Branches performance series. ascension-church.org
APRIL 3
FOCUS ON THE ARTS
WHERE: Highland Park High School
From 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. a diverse group of talented professional artists and local high school art students will come together for one unforgettable night at Highland Park High School. More than 40 unique professional visual artists from around the Chicago area and over 30 Highland Park High School AP artists will participate in this free, interactive event. hphsfocus.org
APRIL 4
BEHIND THE GLAMOUR
WHERE: Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Historic Center
From 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., experience Behind the Glamour: Inside (And Outside) F. Scott Fitzergald’s Lake Forest exhibit. A short presentation hosted by Executive Director Carol Summerfield will begin at 2:30 PM, highlighting the exhibit's origins, mission, and Fitzgerald's unique connection to Lake Forest history. Private guided tours of the exhibit to follow. Champagne, soft drinks, and snacks will be served. All are welcome to come and enjoy! This event is free with
a suggested donation of $10. This exhibit runs through October 4. lflbhistory.org
APRIL 4
FAMILY CAMPFIRES
WHERE: Mellody Farm Nature Preserve
From 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., join Lake Forest Open Lands Association (LFOLA) for an early spring family campfire! Let the LFOLA guides whisk your family away on a moonlit prairie adventure to the legendary Jens Jensen council ring. Prepare for nature tales, all while sipping on hot apple cider and indulging in s’mores by the toasty fire. lfola.org
APRIL 12
BUNNY BRUNCH & EGG HUNTS
WHERE: Lakeview Center
From 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., children ages 2 and older can meet the Easter Bunny, take part in an Easter egg hunt, and enjoy a delicious breakfast. Registration is required and all children must be accompanied by an adult. wilmettepark.org
APRIL 24
KGC’S ANNUAL SPRING LUNCHEON
WHERE: Glen View Club
Kenilworth Garden Club’s (KGC) will hold its annual luncheon at Glen View Club. This year’s guest speaker is Linda Jane Holden, the renowned author who brought the story of Bunny Mellon, one of the nation's premier garden designers, to life. Holden’s talk will be accompanied by a seasonally-inspired seated lunch. Those attending will have the opportunity to purchase a selection of the author’s books and KGC-designed and arranged topiaries. kenilworthgardenclub.com
APRIL 24
WINGS 2ND ANNUAL BLOSSOM FASHION
SHOW
WHERE: 21c Museum
Hotel, Chicago
WINGS will host its second annual BLOSSOM fashion show from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the 21c Museum Hotel in Chicago. The fundraiser supports programs that allow the nonprofit to continue eliminating the stigma surrounding domestic violence and celebrate victors who have blossomed. Hosted by Nigel Barker, the event features hors d’oeuvres, an open bar, raffle, and L’Oréal swag bag. Proceeds will be used to launch new domestic violence programming and critical support services in the North Shore and beyond. wingsprogram.com
APRIL 26 TO MAY 25 LAKE FOREST SHOWHOUSE AND GARDENS
WHERE: Pembroke Lodge
The Lake Forest Chapter of the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago will transform a Georgian-style Lake Forest estate, designed in 1895 by architect Henry Ives Cobb, for the 2025 Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens. Featured in the 1935 redesign of the majestic 30-room home is a pool house and pool designed by David Adler, a tennis court with a warming hut, and a reflecting pond with English walled gardens. More than 45 leading landscapers and interior
designers will reimagine the 15,000-square-foot mansion and its 3.5 acre grounds. Tickets are $50 per person. lakeforestshowhouse.com
APRIL 26
HOLLYWOOD IN GLENCOE TRIVIA NIGHT
WHERE: Glencoe Union Church
Back by popular demand!
The Glencoe Historical Society (GHS) is once again hosting Hollywood in Glencoe Trivia Night with trivia based on movies filmed on the Chicago North Shore such as Risky Business, Home Alone, The Breakfast Club, and many others. The event will start at 6:30 p.m. and will include trivia, food, and drinks. Create your trivia team of eight or allow GHS to create one for you. Costumes are welcome! Tickets are $100 per person. glencoehistory.org
MAY 1
JOSSELYN’S SPRING LUNCHEON IN COOK COUNTY
WHERE: Evanston Golf Club
Enjoy friends, curated boutique shopping, and delicious food while learning more about Josselyn’s impact in the community. Since 1951, Josselyn has worked to ensure that everyone has equitable access to the highest quality mental health care. Josselyn was the only nonprofit named to Crain’s
Fast 50 list in 2024. All proceeds benefit Josselyn’s youth programs and services. josselyn.org
MAY 10
ALZHEIMER ASSOCIATION’S RITA HAYWORTH GALA
WHERE: The Old Post Office
Join the Alzheimer’s Association at 6:30 p.m. as it honors Rita Hayworth and her courageous battle with Alzheimer's disease at the annual Rita Hayworth Gala. Proceeds from the event benefit research and are used to provide Alzheimer's care and support. alz.org
MAY 15
JOSSELYN’S SPRING LUNCHEON IN LAKE COUNTY
WHERE: Northmoor Country Club
Enjoy friends, curated boutique shopping, and delicious food while learning more about Josselyn’s impact in the community. Since 1951, Josselyn has worked to ensure that everyone has equitable access to the highest quality mental health care. Josselyn was the only non-profit named to Crain’s Fast 50 list in 2024. All proceeds benefit Josselyn’s youth programs and services. josselyn.org
To submit your event for consideration, please email events@nsweekend.com.
Lake Forest Open Lands Family Campfires
Iconic Marketing
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You will recognize Engel & Völkers marketing by its classic, sleek look. With our innovative and iconic marketing, it elevates your property. Our services include beautiful photography of your home, combined with personalized copy regarding your property to make your home stand apart from the competition. We give it a story. We even have our own publications. This includes our property magazine, Private Residences, with beautiful properties in the Americas featured and our lifestyle magazine, Global Guide, offers a glimpse into gorgeous properties and stories on life.
We think outside the box to sell your home. Experience the difference. Experience Engel & Völkers.
Learn more at chicagonorthshore.evrealestate.com
ENGEL & VÖLKERS CHICAGO NORTH SHORE
566 Chestnut Street | 2nd Floor | Winnetka | IL 60093
+1 847-441-5730 | chicagonorthshore@evrealestate.com
Learn more at chicagonorthshore.evrealestate.com
BY BILL MCLEAN THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
GEORGE PFOERTNER AND THE KEMPER FAMILY
WINNETKA WUNDERKIND
Twelve-year-old golfer Jack Kemper aims to ace his next big test—at Augusta National Golf Club.
Back in his days as a tot, Winnetka’s Jack Kemper—usually with his father, Scott, nearby—often swung his plastic golf clubs while watching professionals hit shots on the Golf Channel.
The Golf Channel will air the Drive, Chip & Putt National Finals at Augusta National Golf Club next month, beginning at 7 a.m. on April 6.
But Jack Kemper, now 12 years old and a seventh-grader at Carleton Washburne School in Winnetka, won’t be able to view the prestigious competition for the country’s top-notch boys and girls from the comfort of his home.
He’ll be too busy swinging normal golf clubs that day—at Augusta National.
Kemper earned the lone national Boys 1213 division berth at the Drive, Chip & Putt Upper Midwest Region last fall, topping the field at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois, on October 6.
Drive, Chip & Putt is a joint initiative founded in 2013 by the Masters Tournament, United States Golf Association, and the PGA of America. It aims to grow the
game by focusing on the three fundamental skills employed in golf.
Roughly 1,000 golfers in the Boys 12-13 age group started vying for the spot last summer at local courses in the Upper Midwest Region. Kemper advanced from there to a sub-regional, where he qualified to tour the course at TPC Deere Run.
“A friend of mine, who’s from Hinsdale, made it to the Drive, Chip & Putt Finals two years ago,” says Kemper, whose home course is Glen View Club in Golf. “He told me, ‘Don’t get too worked up down there. It’s a win that you made it to Augusta National.’”
Three years ago, Kemper won a par-3, nine-hole tournament in spectacular fashion, carding a hole-in-one from 81 yards on the final hole and beating the runner-up by two strokes.
The club he threw—to kick off his celebration—didn’t travel 81 yards due north, but it might have startled a drone or two.
“I high-fived my playing partners, too,” Kemper recalls.
Kemper has never visited Augusta National, let alone struck a golf ball at the
home of the Masters Tournament. But he won’t be overwhelmed by the surroundings.
After all, Kemper has performed
well on big stages more than a few times, having qualified to compete for the U.S. Kids World Championship three times and winning the 2022 Little People’s Golf Tournament in downstate Quincy.
A year after being named the Illinois Junior Golf Association Sportsmanship Award winner in 2023, the son of Scott and Jaime Kemper was selected to be on Illinois’ PGA Junior League Team with seven of his golf
RISE AND ENTHRALL
Strong combination of talent and determination lifts the Lake Forest High School girls’ soccer team.
Sometimes Lake Forest High School’s (LFHS) girls’ soccer coach Ty Stuckslager shouts, “Rise up!”
Other times it’s, “Let’s ratchet up!”
Whichever rallying cry he bellowed on March 17, it certainly struck a chord with his Scouts in the season opener. LFHS rose to the occasion big-time, downing visiting Highland Park High School 5-1 at the school’s West campus.
“We have a lot of potential,” says Scouts senior tri-captain Ava Walsh.
And resolve. LFHS faced reigning Class 2A state champion Crystal Lake Central High School (CLCHS) three days later and hung tough before falling 2-1 in 80 highly competitive minutes of soccer.
Tigers junior forward Addison Schaffer’s second goal of the match, at the 67-minute mark, was the difference.
“I thought our back line did pretty well,” Stuckslager said afterward, alluding to Walsh, senior Olivia Auriol, sophomore Leyton Rice, and Grace Lombardi (the Scouts’ lone freshman on varsity).
The coach also praised senior holding midfielder and tri-captain Ryan Rice for her composure at both ends of the pitch and for her role as a distributor in transition.
A little more than 13 minutes after Schaffer’s first tally, LFHS senior forward and Eastern Illinois University-bound Haylee Aranda-Rios tied the contest on an unusual goal. In heavy traffic, she launched a shot from just outside the right top of the 18 box.
The high ball then curled sharply as it entered near the far post, eluding the hands of CLCHS sophomore goalkeeper Ryleigh Smith (eight saves).
CLCHS (1-1-0), which lost its opener to St. Charles North High School earlier in the week, showed grit late, disrupting a trio of urgent rushes from the Scouts in the final two minutes.
“CLC’s chances and shots were great ones,” Stuckslager said. “We did get chances.
“Our finishing,” he added, “will improve.”
LFHS’s other starters vs. CLCHS were forwards Lily Remus and Rhona Okada,
midfielders Maddy Cummins and Chloe Hvostik, and goalkeeper Alex Reidy (six saves).
Hvostik, a senior, serves as the Scouts’ other tri-captain this spring.
LFHS’s spring break started March 22. LFHS (1-1-0) next plays on April 2, when it hosts the Corsairs of Carmel Catholic High School at 4:45 p.m.
LFHS defeated host CCHS 1-0 in last year’s meeting in Mundelein.
THIS & THAT: LFHS’s girls’ soccer program has won one state title, four sectional championships, and 16 regional titles, including one last spring, in its history. Stuckslager’s 2014 squad (19-6) captured the Class 2A state champion ship, edging Normal Community West High School (NCWHS) 2-1 in penalty kicks (after two overtimes). NCWHS fin ished with a 27-2 record. … LFHS played its best soccer late last year, reaching a Class 2A sectional semifinal last year with a record of 8-8-2. … CLCHS senior
buddies (13 years and younger). The squad advanced to the 2024 National Championship at PGA Frisco in Frisco, Texas.
The Golf Channel did not televise it.
ESPN did.
“Golf is 80 percent mental, 20 percent physical,” says Kemper, whose favorite club is 9-iron. “What has helped me develop mental toughness and discipline more than anything else is my background in taekwondo (he earned his black belt at the age of 7).
“But taekwondo has been good for me physically, too.”
Golf has given Kemper a lot—a healthy outlet, chances to showcase his skills against other aces, and opportunities to make close friends.
A bunch of his Chicago-area friends/ fellow competitors stuck around to watch him capture the Drive, Chip & Putt Upper Midwest Region title last fall. They could have chosen to go home, since they’d been eliminated.
“That meant a lot to me, celebrating with them after the competition,” Kemper says. “I’m thankful for friends like them.”
Q & A with Highland Park High School badminton
ace
CALLIE WU
Perhaps the most potent combination in badminton is having the ability to execute an array of effective shots and competing serenely from point one to match point.
Highland Park High School (HPHS) sophomore Callie Wu has it.
“Calm, cool, and collected—that’s Callie,” says HPHS varsity badminton coach Lydia Gonzalez. “And she knows the game, has a lot of experience, and works hard.”
A member of Midwest Badminton Club in Buffalo Grove, Wu and then-HPHS sophomore Emily Beall battled in doubles at the Illinois State High School Association (IHSA) state badminton tournament last spring, winning one of two matches.
The pair of Giants defeated a Barrington High School duo 21-19, 21-17 in a state consolation-round match in May.
Wu and Beall went 1-1 at No. 1 doubles at the Glenbrook South High School (GSHS) tri-meet on March 19, falling to GSHS’s top duo and defeating the entrant from Wheeling High School (WHS) 2114, 21-14 in Glenview.
Late in the first game against WHS, Wu crushed a jump smash from the backcourt, setting up a drop winner off the racket of Beall.
Wu’s inside-out smash winner upped the Giants’ lead to 13-8 in the second game.
HPHS’s other doubles teams at the meet—Brylie Weinstein/Lena Carpentier (No. 2) and Alyssa Lockard/Dani Lopez (No. 3)—each won a match as well.
Wu fielded questions minutes after her last match.
When did you start playing badminton seriously?
Seventh grade.
What do you like most about high school badminton?
All my teammates are genuinely so funny and charismatic.
If you could borrow one teammate’s shot for a day, which one would you choose?
Dani Lopez’s smash. It’s powerful and it's the best.
Say you get to interview the best badminton player in the world. What’s your first question?
If you’re losing, how do you stay mentally strong and fight through it?
What are some of the challenges of competing at a high level in badminton?
It requires that you have good cardio, and you have to work on strengthening your upper and lower body. A long, tough match, it can be tiring.
Your go-to shot?
Drop, from the back.
Your most satisfying win to date?
Winning a doubles match at the state tournament last year, in a consolation round. The win felt amazing. I was so frustrated with our first-round loss.
Best advice coach Lydia Gonzalez has ever given you?
Communicate in doubles.
Do you have any other passions?
Trying new food. I tried octopus tentacles a little while ago. They’re really good. Dream job?
Either anesthesiologist or dermatologist.
MILESTONE MOMENT
Josselyn’s recent ribbon-cutting event and Waukegan expansion celebrates growth and commitment to accessible mental health care.
Earlier this week, Josselyn celebrated the grand opening of its expanded Waukegan facility at 204 N. Genesee Street with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by civic leaders, supporters, and members of the community. The Monday, May 24, event marked a pivotal moment in the organization’s continued mission to provide accessible, high-quality mental health care throughout Lake County and beyond.
When Josselyn opened its first Waukegan office in March 2020, the organization served no clients in the area. Just five years later, the Waukegan location now supports 4,000 individuals—representing half of Josselyn’s total client base of 8,000. This exponential growth underscores both the critical need for mental health services and Josselyn’s ability to meet it with compassion and expertise.
The celebration drew notable guests, including Illinois State Senator Adriane Johnson and Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor, alongside community and business leaders, philanthropic partners, and healthcare repre-
sentatives. Their collective presence reflects the broad coalition of support that made the expansion possible. Development of the new Waukegan facility was supported through funding from Lake County, Endeavor
Health, and local legislators.
“Endeavor Health is honored to support Josselyn through our Community Investment Fund,” said Gina Sharp, President of Endeavor Health Linden Oaks Hospital.
“This expansion reflects Josselyn’s unwavering dedication to serving the evolving mental health needs of our community.”
Josselyn President and CEO Susan Resko emphasized the significance of the moment.
“The extraordinary growth we’ve seen in Waukegan speaks volumes about the need for affordable, quality care,” she said. “This new space will enable us to reach even more individuals and families seeking support.”
With five locations across the North Shore—including Grayslake, Highland Park, Northbrook, Northfield, and Waukegan— Josselyn is a certified Community Mental Health Center offering therapy, psychiatry, case management, employment services, and youth programs. For over 70 years, the organization has provided essential mental health care to nearly 8,000 clients from more than 300 communities.
For more information about Josselyn’s services, visit josselyn.org or contact Michelle Culbertson at mculbertson@josselyn.org or 224-290-8080.
EDITED BY REDDING WORTH ILLUSTRATION BY TOM BACHTELL
#ON MY NIGHTSTAND
The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene. It’s a fascinating dive into human behavior, examining what drives us and how we can use that understanding to shape our lives positively. The book emphasizes not just grasping the complexities of human nature, but also mastering emotional detachment and self-control—qualities I’m continuously striving to cultivate. I believe we're all a work in progress, and this book is a great guide for anyone on that journey.
#ON MY MOBILE
Lately, I've been diving deep into content that explores the art of blending high and low design elements in a home. I'm particularly fascinated by strategies for sourcing pieces that strike a balance between affordability and longevity. Larger, high-traffic pieces—like a sofa or dining table—should prioritize durability and quality, as they anchor the home and withstand daily use. However, accent items such as side tables or coffee tables offer more flexibility. With a discerning eye, these can be sourced affordably without compromising on style.
#IN MY EARBUDS
Lately, I’ve become hooked on country music and folk pop. My current playlist is filled with artists like Zach Bryan, Noah Kahan, Billy Raffoul, and Joy Oladokun. Their storytelling and raw emotion resonates with me—it’s the perfect soundtrack for both reflection and inspiration.
SAMI
FISHBEIN-PRESTIGIACOMO
, founder of Samijo Design, has turned a lifelong passion for design into a distinguished career in residential interiors. Her journey began in Chicago’s northern suburbs, where early visits to antique shops with her grandmother sparked a deep appreciation for craftsmanship and timeless beauty. This foundation led Sami to pursue a degree in Communications with a minor in Business Entrepreneurship from the University of Southern California, setting the stage for her professional design career. With more than a decade of experience in the dynamic design scenes of Los Angeles and Chicago, Sami brings a wealth of expertise to her premier full-service design firm. Now based in Lake Bluff, Sami is celebrated for her ability to marry creativity with practicality, delivering sophisticated, client-focused solutions tailored to projects of all sizes and budgets. At Samijo Design, the philosophy is simple—create homes that are as functional as they are beautiful. Her collaborative approach ensures that each project is an enjoyable and rewarding journey, resulting in homes that elevate daily living while standing the test of time. Sami recently put aside her fabric swatches to share how she stays current in a design-filled world.
BY THOMAS CONNORS THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
L ast November, when most of us were savoring a piece of pumpkin pie, Lesley de Souza and Nigel Pitman could only dream of a home-cooked meal. Conservation scientists with Chicago’s famed Field Museum, the Evanston couple was deep in Guyana’s rainforest conducting one of the most comprehensive studies of the area’s ecological and biodiversity ever performed. “People spend years in a landscape doing research,” says de Souza, Senior Conservation Ecologist at the Field. “We do what are called rapid inventories, where we are in the field from three to four weeks, then come back and synthesize the data we’ve gathered so that we can give that information quickly to governments to advance conservation in that area.”
“If you think of a typical expedition,” says Pitman, Senior Conservation Ecologist at the Field since 2013, “scientists would come back to Chicago from whatever interesting place they’d explored and study their specimens and organize their data with the goal of maybe writing an article or organizing an exhibition. The thing we want most of all to generate is conservation action. We want to convince governments that the place we just came back from is really valuable and deserves to be protected.”
The Field is one of the only natural history museums dedicated to conservation. Since 1999, its rapid inventory program has helped
WEEKEND
BY NICHOLAS ROSS THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
governments establish 17 new conservation areas in the Andes-Amazon region, comprising more than 21 million acres of forests and rivers. “Many people probably don’t realize that the Field Museum is a major player in Amazonian conservation,” suggests Pitman. “If you ask South Americans active in the conservation community who’s really a leader in providing the biodiversity science that sustains some of these protected area proposals, the answer is not the Smithsonian, it’s not the Natural History Museum in London, it’s the Field.” That perception is built on years of work in Peru, Colombia,
Ecuador, and Bolivia using a multi-disciplinary, highly collaborative approach that not only involves an international roster of experts in geology, plants, fishes, reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals, soils, and local ecology but also indigenous community members and local experts.
As de Souza noted in a recent statement, “The Amerindian communities know more about these areas than the foreign scientists who come to study the region’s biodiversity. Our goal is to marry these two bodies of knowledge.”
The 3 million acres targeted for conserva-
ODE TO THE BREAKFAST CLUB
Forty years have passed, yet the truth remains, John Hughes, a master of teenage pains. From North Shore streets to the big screen’s glow, He captured our hearts in the ebb and the flow.
A breakfast in detention, a tale so profound, Five souls were bound, in silence they’d drown. But Hughes gave them voices, sharp as a knife, A rebellion of thought, a rebellion of life.
The jock, the princess, the brain, and the rest, Each wear their labels, yet each knows they’re blessed. For under the surface, a truth does unfold, That we're all more than the stories we're told.
As a high school kid, I wore my disguise, Hiding my fears behind distant eyes. Yet in those hours, I found my own grace, In the struggles of others, I saw my own face.
Forty years on, the message rings clear, We’re all in this together, with nothing to fear. Hughes taught us to question, to laugh, and to see, That the kid in the corner could be just like me.
Through the halls of time, his wisdom does glide, For in The Breakfast Club, we all did reside.
This John Hughes film was released March 24, 1985
tion in Guyana represent one of the largest, uncompromised rainforests on the planet.
More than 95 percent of the Guyanese territory is covered in standing forest, and the country is a world leader in protecting its forests. “We are so used to getting our information about the rainforest from gloomy newspaper articles that give the impression that the whole thing is on fire or in tatters,” observes Pitman, an expert on Amazonian trees. “We are lucky enough to go to places that remind us that that’s not the case at all. There are still vast, vast areas of the Amazon that are in incredibly good shape. This 3-million-acre patch in Guyana is one of them, incredibly wild and intact, untouched forest to the horizon in every direction.”
Nonetheless, as Pitman notes, “Conservation biology is a crisis discipline,” and scientists compete with oil, mining, and logging interests eager to extract what they can from unspoiled environments. Plus, a change in government can send support for conservation efforts out the window.
“In 2003, I was doing an inventory in northern Peru, where the idea was to create a national park,” recalls Pitman. “It wasn’t created until 15 years later. In those years there were lots of moments when it seemed it was about to happen and then plenty of times when the government told us there was no chance this park was going to be created. One of the strengths of our program is that it is 25 years old and growing strong. So, when we do a rapid inventory and make arguments for the protection of a place, we are prepared to make those arguments for as long as it takes to get that area protected.”
Pitman and de Souza with specimens at the Field Museum. PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATRINA WITTKAMP
LIFESTYLE
STRAWBERRY BLITZ TORTE
BY MONICA KASS ROGERS FOOD EDITOR THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
I love strawberries. I eat them out of hand, make pies and jams with them, macerate them, even grill and pepper them. So, imagine my delight at finding myself knee-deep in Pete Ambrose’s organic strawberry patch on Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina, where he’s been harvesting the luscious berries since January. Together we worked our way up a few rows, quietly chatting and plucking until I had plenty to take home. This sweet, many-splendored cake is nice way to feature strawberries for your dearest. It’s actually a vintage blitz torte recipe, made extra special by the berries and whipped cream topper.
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE BLITZ TORTE
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 4 eggs, separated
• 2 tsp Nielsen-Massey vanilla bean paste (substitute vanilla extract if need be)
• 3 Tbsp whole milk
FOR THE VANILLA PASTRY CREAM
• 3 Tbsp cake flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp Nielsen-Massey vanilla bean paste (substitute vanilla extract if need be)
• 1/2 stick butter
FOR THE STABILIZED WHIPPED CREAM
• 1 tsp unflavored gelatin
• 1 sheet silver strength gelatin
• 6 tsp cold water
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup superfine sugar
FOR THE STRAWBERRY TOPPER
• 4 cups, hulled and sliced right before service
METHOD
MAKE CAKE Sift cake flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside. In bowl of a stand mixer, whip butter and 1/2 cup of the sugar until fluffy. Add the four egg yolks and vanilla paste and beat at medium speed until incorporated. Add milk and beat again. Add sifted dry ingredients and mix just until no streaks show. Grease two 9-inch baking pans and insert rounds of parchment paper in the bottoms. Spread cake batter (it will be stiff) into the pans. Set aside. In bowl of stand mixer, whip egg whites until foamy; gradually add the remaining 3/4 cups of sugar, and continue to whip until stiff and glossy. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set rack in the center of the oven. Spread meringue over the unbaked cake batter in the pans. Place pans on oven rack and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. While cake layers bake, make whipped cream and pastry cream.
MAKE PASTRY CREAM In a double boiler over boiling water, combine flour, sugar, salt, milk, and beaten egg and whisk until thick. Stir in vanilla paste and butter. Remove pastry cream to a bowl and press plastic wrap over surface of pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate.
MAKE STABILIZED WHIPPED CREAM Chill mixer bowl and whisk attachment. Cut gelatin sheet and place with gelatin powder over cold water. Allow to stand until thick. In a small pan over low heat, melt gelatin, stirring constantly. Remove to a bowl and let stand. Remove 1/4 cup of the cream to a separate bowl. In chilled bowl of stand mixer, whip remaining 1-3/4 cups cream with superfine sugar until soft peaks form. Stir the reserved 1/4 cup of cream into the warm liquid gelatin and immediately pour into the soft-peaked whipped cream; continue whipping until cream is whipped firm.
ASSEMBLE CAKE When ready to serve, place one layer of cake on serving platter, spread with pastry cream, and top with remaining cake layer. Top with most of the whipped cream. Arrange sliced fresh strawberries on top of cloud of cream. Serve remaining cream and any extra strawberries with slices of the cake.
MORE SPY CRAFT MAGIC
The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry extends its blockbuster 007 Science: Inventing the World of James Bond exhibit.
BY MONICA KASS ROGERS THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
W
hen staff at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry (Griffin MSI) first proposed exploring the intersection of science fiction and science fact through James Bond films, they didn’t know if the concept would fly. But Eon Productions, the UK-based owner of the Bond film franchise, “loved the idea from the start,” says Dr. Voula Saridakis, one of Griffin MSI curators who helped bring the exhibit to fruition.
Public response to the resulting exhibit has been phenomenal. Since opening in early 2024, more than 150,000 visitors have come through 007 Science: Inventing the World of James Bond, making it one of the most popular exhibits in Griffin MSI history. The museum has extended the exhibit’s run through the spring and added new artifacts, giving more viewers a chance to see the science behind the cool cars, spy wear gadgets, nifty gizmos, and stunts featured in the Bond films.
“This is the first exhibit ever,” explains Saridakis, “to explore the science, technology, and engineering behind the James Bond films’ stunts, cars, and artifacts,” with an emphasis on how the movie franchise took ordinary objects and gave them extraordinary properties to help solve challenges.
Another display features the jet suit from Thunderball (1965) that Bond used to fly from a chateau to his car in the film’s opening sequence. Developed by Bell Labs as a prototype, decades later it inspired Richard Browning, CEO and founder of Gravity Industries, to develop his popular Daedalus Flight Pack jet suit.
And then there’s the pager Bond uses in From Russia with Love (1963). “In the 1960s, these pagers were only used by hospitals and first responders and weren’t really recognized by the general public,” Saridakis explains. “So, to see that technology in a movie before pagers became quite common is another great example of how these artifacts prefigured science that came to be.”
“Our hope,” says Saridakis, “is that people will come away from the exhibit inspired to think outside the box to find solutions, just as characters in Bond films do, using resourcefulness and ingenuity to solve challenges in their own lives, communities, and
the world at large.”
Partnering with the Ian Fleming Foundation, Eon Productions, the International Spy Museum, and others, Griffin MSI filled the exhibit with nearly 100 artifacts and 14 cars. Many of the items foreshadowed technologies that are real science today. Those suction cup wall-walkers Bond used to lower himself into the villain’s lair in You Only Live Twice (1967) didn’t exist in the real world when the film was made. The exhibit pairs them with gecko-inspired gloves developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency that truly can support the weight of a human body scaling a glass wall.
To create this inspiration, the exhibit’s interactive displays go far beyond the typical. “Each interactive display gives a goal; some kind of mission objective,” Saridakis explains. “You are then tasked to meet the requirements for that mission by creating a specific gadget, vehicle, or stunt, and at the very end you learn whether you were successful or not.”
For automobile aficionados, the chance to design a vehicle is a big draw. So too is seeing many of 007’s magnificent rides up close including the battered Aston Martin DBS V12 from Casino Royale (2006), which is in the Guinness Book of World Records
for performing the most barrel rolls in any movie. “In the exhibit, we demonstrate how the stunts with that car were performed and the engineering behind them,” notes Saridakis. “A screen behind the car shows how the stunt looked in the finished movie, and how it looked in real life as it was being filmed. Connecting one with the other is a great insight into movie stunt magic.”
The chance to peek behind the curtain at the science of making the unreal real has universal appeal. “It’s fascinating for people to see that intersection between science fiction and science fact with a healthy dose of
popular culture thrown in,” sums Saridakis. “The appeal is multigenerational. The James Bond movie franchise is the longestrunning in cinematic history. So, for more mature visitors there’s a sense of nostalgia. And younger visitors who may not have seen the films still come away inspired to find ways they can take the ordinary and make it extraordinary. Our mission at Griffin MSI is to inspire the inventive genius in everyone, and this exhibit does just that.”
For more information, visitmsichicago.org.
Curator Dr. Voula Saridakis PHOTOGRAPHY BY MONICA KASS ROGERS
Griffin Museum of Science and Industry 007 Science: Inventing the World of James Bond exhibit. EXHIBITION IMAGES COURTESY OF GRIFFIN MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY
MARCH CHESS-NESS
Deerfield High School math teacher Ella Sager revived the chess club at Indian Trail Elementary School in Highland Park last year after a three-year hiatus. It continues to thrive, one checkmate at a time.
BY BILL MCLEAN ILLUSTRATION BY ROBERT RISKO
Highland Park’s Ella Sager sits in a bank of gym bleachers at Oak Terrace Elementary School (OTES) in Highwood, taking in the after-school action atop hardwood on a mid-March afternoon.
But the intermittent squeak-squeaksqueaks of hoopsters’ sneakers and the sounds of a bouncing basketball and referees’ piercing whistles are missing.
Sager watches peaceful, intense chess matches, dozens of them going on simultaneously in a North Shore School District 112 matchup between OTES students and their counterparts from Indian Trail Elementary School (ITES) in Highland Park. Welcome to March Chess-ness.
“Look at this, look all around you,” says the 37-year-old Sager, a Deerfield High School (DHS) math teacher who serves as the chess club’s volunteer parent leader at ITES. “This represents the essence of community in so many ways. You have kids of all cultures and ability levels together, grades K through fifth-grade, competing in a game they love. Parents, grandparents, friends, and coaches of all ages—some adults, some in middle school and high school—are here.
“I don’t look at this as a win-or-lose event. It’s more like a series of opportunities to win or learn.”
People in North Shore School District 112 look at Sager and see a reviver. The ITES chess club lay dormant for three years until Sager, at the beginning of the 2023-2024 academic year, recognized a groundswell of interest to bring something popular back that would exercise young minds and set up invaluable instances to instill confidence outside the classroom.
“There was a need,” recalls Sager, whose son, Ryerson, is a second-grader and an advanced chess club player at ITES. “My first request to the leadership at Indian Trail El-
ementary School was, ‘Please give me a room.’”
She got the room and has been using it to discuss chess strategy with club members (35 last year, 46 this year) and oversee practice matches once a week ever since.
“Chess,” Sager says, “teaches you so many things. You learn sportsman ship, concen tration and focus, persever ance, resil ience, and patience. Today, Ryerson put himself
at the age of 5, won three of four advanced-division matches at the ITES-OTES dual on March 14, finishing second to Nevin Marks among ITES teammates. OTES entrants Callen Nega and Rowan Nye emerged as the top players in the division.
Other medalists included Jayden Rosenfeld and Katelyn Nagasawa of OTES and Riaan Gill and Axel Meynen of ITES in the intermediate division, and Kevin Mitchell and Teddy McMillan of ITES and Mavis Tuazon and Marcos Melgar of OTES in the beginner division.
The OTES squad, which boasts 60 members, defeated ITES 41.5-32.5 on
nity,” Sager says.
Ella Sager, nee Stone, grew up in Bannockburn and attended DHS, where she met her future husband, Mason Sager, a cornerback on the football team and a hurdler/high jumper in track and field.
Ella also competed as a high jumper. The DHS Warrior athletes dated and graduated in 2005.
Ella enrolled at the University of Dayton, double-majoring in Education and Spanish, and Mason hit the books and football players (for one season) at the University and Chicago.
Ella Sager is in her 14th year as a math teacher at DHS.
In her free time, she likes to train for (and race in) Half Ironman Triathlons (1.2 mile swim, 56-mile bike ride, and a 13.1mile run). She’ll head to Rockford in June for the fourth Half Ironman Triathlon of her career.
Sager also serves as a guide for blind athletes at Dare2Tri, an organization that empowers athletes of all ability levels to be physically active and engaged with their community.
With the chess competition at OTES winding down earlier this month, Sager returns to a bank of bleachers in the gym. Her 4-year-old daughter, future chess ace Sophia, carefully negotiates her way around the section of wooden seats, smiling hard while scaling the snowless, mini Mount Everest.
John Conatser FOUNDER & PUBLISHER
Jennifer Sturgeon ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
Gaven Conatser ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
"I don’t look at this as a win-or-lose event. It’s more like a series of opportunities to win or learn."
out there four times, taking some risks. He also showed sportsmanship and respect for his opponents. A girl came up to me, just moments ago, telling me she had lost twice today but earned a draw in her final match.
“To me, seeing her excitement is what this day is all about.”
Ryerson Sager, who started playing chess
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Michelle Crowe, Erin Donaldson, Dustin O'Regan, Kemmie Ryan, Megan Weisberg
FOOD EDITOR
Monica Kass Rogers
its home floor March 14.
Catherine Regalado has been a chess club volunteer for years at OTES, and Melissa Madara serves as one of the club’s co-lead parents.
“Melissa has been a tremendous help in making sure that we are unified as a district and setting a great example in the commu-
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Thomas Connors, Cheyanne Lencioni, Bill McLean, Nicholas Ross, Redding Worth
DESIGN
Linda Lewis PRODUCTION MANAGER/GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Natalie Phillips ADVERTISING COORDINATOR/GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Ryerson, meanwhile, sits next to his father two rows down, breaking down— together—the youngster’s four chess tests minutes before the start of the awards ceremony.
Ryerson, by the way, regularly defeats Mom and Dad in chess matches at home.
“As the kids exit this gym today, they all should be proud of themselves, all 85 of them,” Ella Sager says. “They competed hard in a friendly and competitive atmosphere, and they represented their school well.
“My hope is that they all had fun, too.”
PHOTOGRAPHY AND ART
George Pfoertner, Katrina Wittkamp PHOTOGRAPHY
Bachtell, Barry Blitt ILLUSTRATION
MUSIC MATTERS
MAY 17, 2025 • 5:00 PM
Cocktails | Auction | Dinner | Live Music
SUPPORT MUSIC EDUCATION
All proceeds benefit Ravinia and its Reach Teach Play programs, which directly serve over 20,000 students annually in Lake and Cook Counties.
