Mahjong Room by White Couch Design. PHOTOGRAPHY BY HEATHER TALBERT
NEWS
5 north shore doings
Your go-to guide for all the latest local events in the weeks ahead
6 north shore sports
New Trier Township High School's girls' water polo team falls one win shy of matching what the school's boys' water polo squad earned---a state quarterfinal berth
LIFESTYLE & ARTS
8 #hashtag
Tastemaker Melissa Posh of Hi Love Travel shares a few of her favorite things
8 weekend poem
“The Last Watch” pays tribute to fallen soldiers for Memorial Day
11 weekend fashion
Ease into summer style with these chic new looks
12 man about film
Our critic reviews Karate Kid: Legends, a nostalgic sequel starring Ralph Macchio
12 talk of the town
Tower Players brings Our Town to the Community House stage June 6 to 7.
13 happy hour
This Wild Berry Mojito cocktail adds red, white, and blue to your Memorial Day soiree
LAST BUT NOT LEAST
14 sunday breakfast
Former New Trier Township High School state champion swimmer Laura Hendricks looks back at navigating choppy times as a cancer survivor
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NORTH SHORE DOINGS
EDITED BY CHEYANNE LENCIONI THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
MAY 24 TO 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 fundraiser. 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
MAY 24 TO 25
FLEURS DE VILLES
WHERE: 900 North Michigan Shops
Celebrate the final Downton Abbey film with this spectacular exhibit at 900 North Michigan Shops in Chicago. Florals will create classic looks from the Crawley household. fleursdevilles.com
NOW THROUGH MAY 29 SPRING BIRD WALK
WHERE: Chicago Botanic Garden
From 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. every Thursday and Saturday, explore the best spots for locating late-winter bird residents and the early migrants of spring at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Participants will meet at the Visitor’s Center. Admission is $24 for members; $30 for non-members. chicagobotanic.org
NOW THROUGH MAY 31
LARRY SIMON EXHIBIT
WHERE: Vivid Art Gallery
See Highland Park artist Larry Simon's photographic work at Vivid Art Gallery in Winnetka. A self-described
wanderer, Simon’s curiosity on his travels guides him to unexpected scenes and objects that he uses to create his photos. vividartgallery.com
NOW THROUGH JUNE 20
“AN OPPORTUNE TIME”
WHERE: Irma Lee Court
This Quiet Dust Ceramics, a ceramics atelier in Lake Forest, hosts its “An Opportune Time” exhibition of paintings by emerging artist Alexandra Barosso. An opening night reception will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Barosso's work will be featured along with Dubhe Carreño's collection of contemporary functional ceramics. thisquietdustceramics.com
MAY 25
SCHUBERT AND MOZART SPRING CONCERT
WHERE: Trinity Episcopal Church
The Artemis Chamber Orchestra presents its spring concert beginning at 3 p.m. This concert is free and registration is required. artemischamberorchestra.org
MAY 27
KOHL CHILDREN’S MOBILE MUSEUM
WHERE: Highwood Library
From 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m., join Highwood library for a visit from the Kohl Children’s Mobile Museum. All ages are encouraged to explore a variety of engaging activities at this free event. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. highwoodlibrary.org
MAY 27
LUNCH BREAK AT BUCK’S
WHERE: Buck Russell’s Join local Wilmette and Kenilworth businesses for a casual networking lunch from noon to 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 for chamber members and $40 for nonmembers.
wilmettekenilworth.com
MAY 30
SUMMER SOIREE: LA DOLCE VITA
WHERE: Saddle & Cycle Club
The Women’s Board of Northwestern Memorial Hospital will hold its Spring fundraiser, “La Dolce Vita,” at 6:30 p.m. Enjoy a night on the Italian Riviera with culinary delights and dancing under the stars. wbnorthwestern.org
JUNE 5
FOOD TRUCK THURSDAYS
WHERE: Ravinia District
Food Truck Thursdays return to Highland Park from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. More than a dozen food trucks will service food accompanied by live music and a family-friendly atmosphere. There will be three themed nights on June 12, July 10, and August 14. cityhpil.com
JUNE 7
CELEBRATING
COMMUNITY GALA
WHERE: Winnetka Historical Society
The Winnetka Historical Society will celebrate community and the incredible life of Jim Hansen. The Celebrating Community Gala will go from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the historic Community House. winnetkahistory.org
JUNE 8
ALUMNI CABARET
WHERE: Actors Training Center
Enjoy a night of songs, support, and stories featuring alumni of Wilmette’s Actors Training Center, starting at 6:30 p.m. Celebrate talented alumni including Nathan Salstone. actorstrainingcenter.org
JUNE 12
SIT & KNIT
WHERE: Northfield Public Library
Spend the afternoon with fellow knitters in the Community Room at Northfield Public Library. From 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. adults of all experience levels of are welcome. Basic supplies will be provided and library staff will be present to assist. Registration is required. wnpld.org
JUNE 12 TO 14
CHILDREN’S BOOK SALE
WHERE: Lake Forest Library
Browse and purchase a wide selection of gently used, bargain-priced children's books just in time for the Library's Summer Reading program and your vacations and staycations. The Book Sale is hosted by The Friends of Lake Forest Library. lakeforestlibrary.org
JUNE 14 TO 15
25TH ANNIVERSARY
SUMMER ARTS FESTIVAL
WHERE: The Lake Bluff Village Green Artists on the Bluff will celebrate its 25th anniversary from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
More than 20 curated local and regional artists will participate featuring watercolor and acrylic paintings, pencil drawings, jewelry, sculpture, ceramics, photography and more. Admission is free. artistsonthebluff.org
JUNE 18
AUTHOR SASH BISCHOFF
WHERE: Lake Forest-Lake Bluff History Center
At 7 p.m., author Sash Bischoff will join Executive Director Carol Summerfield for an interview about her debut novel Sweet Fury—a twisty, thought-provoking novel of construction and deconstruction in conversation with the works of F. Scott Fitzgerald and told through the lens of the film industry. The event is free but a $10 donation is encouraged. Registration is required. lflbhistory.org
JUNE 19
IN-STORE DISCUSSION WITH LANEY KATZ
WHERE: The Book Stall
Join author Laney Katz from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. to discuss her new book In the Family Way. Registration is required. thebookstall.com
JUNE 21
AUTO SHOW
WHERE: Lake Bluff History Museum
From 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., see classic cars and beautifully vintage vehicles at Lake Bluff History Museum’s annual family-friendly auto show. Free parking is available for guests at the Lake Bluff train station. lakebluffhistory.org
JUNE 24
ART JOURNALING
WHERE: Northfield Library
Enjoy a morning of coffee and camaraderie. From 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., adults can create free form, mixed media entries. Registration is required. wnpld.org
JUNE 29
BUILDING WALK
WHERE: Fort Sheridan Historical Society
The Fort Sheridan Historical Society (FSHS) will host an encore Building Walk. Walking tours are planned for 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. This docent-led tour will highlight the Captains Quarters, Lieutenants Quarters, the Guardhouse, Theater, and the iconic Water Tower. Tour will be offered rain or shine. Tickets are $40 for adults and $30 for FSHS members. fshistorical.wixsite.com
JULY 25 TO 27
SUPERBLOOM
WHERE: Chicago Botanic Gardens
The Seldoms present a weekend of dance, live music, animation, and costume and lighting design at the Chicago Botanic Gardens. Watch five dancers in a multimedia performance about radical beauty, wildness, and wildflowers. chicagobotanic.org
To submit your event for consideration, please email events@nsweekend.com.
Superbloom
NORTH SHORE SPORTS
BY BILL MCLEAN THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER
OH-SO CLOSE
New Trier Township High School’s girls’ water polo crew falls one win short of reaching a state quarterfinal.
You again? Yes, the Evanston Township High School (ETHS) Wildkits again.
The New Trier Township High School (New Trier) girls’ water polo team faced ETHS for the fifth time this spring in the Glenbrook South High School (GSHS) Sectional final on May 17.
The reigning state runner-up had defeated New Trier three times (by a combined score of 23-7) and tied the Trevians once (5-5) in 2025.
The fifth matchup between the North Shore rivals almost went the Trevians’ way in Glenview.
New Trier went up 3-2, fell behind 5-3, and scored the ninth goal of the game on a shot by junior Hailey Kalainov with 90 seconds remaining in regulation.
ETHS, seeded first in the sectional, then withstood second-seeded New Trier’s furious attempts to knot it, earning an Elite Eight state berth with a 5-4 victory.
“We attacked and competed well throughout the game,” says New Trier coach John Przekota. “We put ourselves in a position to tie it late and limited one of the state’s best
teams to only five goals.
“I would not have changed anything in our strategy,” adds the former swimmer and water polo player at Saint Patrick High School in Chicago.
Senior Rosie Woodman was the Trevians’ top all-around player in 2025, often using her vast experience in the water to douse foes’ comeback tries.
“The engine that made all things go,” Przekota says. “Rosie set up her teammates and did so many other good things for us.”
New Trier (19-12-1), which beat eventual state qualifier Lyons Township High School
7-5 in a nonconference game on May 3, also received strong seasons from Kalainov, senior 2-meter set Natalia Monnet, senior Isabella Rouse, junior goalkeeper Ashley O’Brien,
Julia Wesemann, and junior Cecilia Carlton.
“We give out a Rookie of the Year award, and while considering the candidates we’d forgotten that Julia is a freshman because she hadn’t played like one, scoring the big goals she did and having established herself as a reliable varsity contributor so early,” Przekota says.
Carlton’s story was an eye-opening one. A New Trier swimmer and a swim club member, she hadn’t handled a water polo ball, ever, when she opted to give the sport a try in early March.
“Cecilia is both a gamer and a quick learner,” says Przekota. “She worked hard at figuring things out in the sport and broke into our (10-player) rotation.”
SIB TIDBIT: Przekota’s sister, Kim Przekota, guided Loyola Academy’s girls’ water polo team to a fourth-place finish at the 2018 state tournament.
NEW TRIER BOYS’ WATER POLO: The Trevians qualified for a state quarterfinal berth for the fifth year in a row under coach David Rafferty-Flatter on May 17, defeating ETHS 18-4 in the GSHS sectional final.
They were scheduled to face Lincoln-Way East High School’s Griffins at Stevenson High School on May 23, with the winner advancing to a state semifinal the next day. New Trier—the state champion in 2022 and 2023—had downed Prospect High School 18-4 and GSHS 11-2 in sectional quarterfinal and semifinal games last week.
UNWRAPPING GOOD NEWS
Highland Park High School’s boys’ lacrosse team is on a roll heading into the state playoffs.
Barrett Werhane celebrated his fourth birthday last weekend, extending a rather eventful stretch of days for his family.
Daddy—also known as Highland Park High School’s boys’ lacrosse coach Ryan Werhane— had guided his Giants to three wins in four days, culminating with a decisive 17-2 defeat of visiting Wauconda High School at Wolters Field on May 16—Barrett’s birthday eve. Highland Park High School (HPHS) defeated Glenbrook South High School (GSHS) 9-8 in overtime on May 13 and, on the Giants’ Senior Night two days later, Rolling Meadows High School 6-3.
The 3-0 week upped the Giants’ overall record to 9-7.
The win over GSHS improved the squad’s Central Suburban Conference mark to 2-5 and marked a milestone for Werhane, in his seventh year with the program.
None of his previous six teams had defeated the Titans from GSHS.
“I’m happy for some of our seniors, guys who went through tough one- and two-win seasons and now get to enjoy a season with an above
.500 record,” says Werhane.
“We’re playing really well. What excites me the most is having multiple guys who can score. If you shut down one of them, we have plenty of other options; it’s nice being able to say that.”
The Giants’ top offensive threats are seniors Ben Smollar, Evan Levi, and Will Alexander. Smollar and Alexander are middies, and Levi is an attack.
“Ben, a leader for a few years now, gives you everything you want in a midfielder,” Werhane says. “He’s a team guy, reliable, and he never hesitates to give me a player’s perspective on matters.
“Evan,” he continues, “is soft-spoken and tough as nails, having dealt with injuries. He’s also good at getting guys on the same page.”
Alexander?
“A sneaky guy, shifty on the field,” Werhane says. “And one of our most competitive players. He’s also all about getting his teammates involved.”
Each of the three has at least three years of varsity experience, the coach notes.
Senior middie Dylan Lansky and junior
attack Andrew Schneiderman pace the team in assists.
Among the Giants’ top defensemen are senior Madden Saffro, junior Sam Goldfeder, and sophomore Bryce Giorgadze.
Junior Ryan Zlotnik, meanwhile, has been “outstanding in goal for us and competing with a positive attitude,” Werhane says, adding the keeper had entered the 2025 season without a lick of experience in organized lacrosse.
HPHS, seeded 10th in the Antioch Community High School (ACHS) Sectional, was scheduled to face host and seventh-seeded Lakes Community High School in an Illinois High School Association (IHSA) playoff opener on May 21, with the winner to face third-seeded Libertyville High School on May 26.
“I thought our seed should have been a higher one, given what we accomplished late in the season,” Werhane says. “That’s okay. Let’s get out there, compete hard, and see what happens.”
‘POST’-SEASON SCRIPT: Reigning IHSA boys’ lacrosse state champion Lake Forest High
freshman
Rosie Woodman
Loyola Academy (LA) girls’ lacrosse coach John Dwyer has 21 grandchildren and two of them—sisters Grace Dwyer, a senior attack, and Molly Dwyer, a sophomore middie—play for his varsity squad this spring.
The Ramblers (18-2) are ranked No. 1 in Illinois by MaxPreps.com and start their quest to win a third straight Illinois High School Association state title with a home playoff game on May 26.
“I call him ‘Pops’ when I’m not playing lacrosse and ‘Pops’ at practices and games,” says Grace Dwyer, who will major in Business and compete in lacrosse at Georgetown University—Pops’ alma mater.
Grace Dwyer suffered an anterior cruciate ligament knee tear on April 17, 2024, shelving her for LA’s final 10-12 games.
Now fully healthy, highly productive, and one of four captains, she fielded our questions four days after LA defeated host St. Ignatius College Prep 18-2 in its regularseason finale.
You have an entire day to do anything you want—except anything lacrosse-related. What would you love to do?
This is tough (laughing). In the summer I ’d spend most of that day in our back yard with family and friends, playing kickball or some other game. There’s nothing like spending time with the people you love.
This season’s most unsung teammate?
I’ll name two. (Sophomore middie) Chloe Mangel. For a sophomore to have as much composure as she has, incredible. Chloe’s draw controls get us going. And (sophomore middie) Jillian Rocchio, who does an awesome job picking up groundballs, being scrappy, and passing. She’s such a playmaker. Those two deserve so much credit for our success.
The best advice you’ve ever received
from an assistant coach?
(Former Northwestern University player and former Ramblers assistant) Paige Jones said something to me that I’ll never forget: ‘Play with confidence.’ To hear that from someone with her background and success meant so much to me. She’d pull players aside during timeouts or at a practice and say things that energized and inspired us.
What goes on during lacrosse games that most spectators don’t realize is crucial to maintaining Loyola Academy’s status as a perennial power in the state? Communication. We do a lot of that each game. It’s such a big thing, from reading what’s going on during a game and relaying that knowledge to teammates to going up to a teammate and supporting her during breaks in the action.
Your thoughts on your sister?
Molly is awesome. Never seen a player like her, the way she dodges, the way she creates. Her bursts excite the whole team every game.
Expectations for the state playoffs?
It’ll be special. We have 30 girls on varsity, all capable of making a difference in any game and all aware of what it takes to play Loyola Academy lacrosse. We’re going to make every moment count and enjoy each of those moments.
Your aunt Brennan Dwyer (current LA assistant coach) starred for LA and Northwestern University lacrosse teams. What do you remember most about watching her compete?
I must have been in fourth or fifth grade when she started to amaze me. Her stat lines were always wonderful, but what I also noticed every game was the impact she had all over the field. The ultimate team player—that’s what she was.
Who should portray John Dwyer in a movie about John Dwyer?
The reality is, my grandpa should play himself. There is only one Pops!
EDITED BY REDDING WORTH ILLUSTRATION BY TOM BACHTELL
A leader, fashion icon, and eternal cheerleader, meet the founder of Hi Love Travel, MELISSA POSH. No one says Hi Love! like Melissa. She greets her employees, friends, and family with a huge smile and authentic warmth on every occasion! She embodies the fun and optimistic charm of the Hi Love accessories brand. Mel might travel and dress posh, but she is as down-to-earth as they come. She is one of 13 siblings, (10 of them females) and she intimately understands what every woman needs in a fashion accessory—function + form with just the right touch of personality. The original inspiration for the Hi Love brand is what keeps it a favorite today— uniquely functional, purposeful fashion bags at affordable prices for every day, fitness, fashion, travel, and beyond. Sharing LOVE has always been at the core of the company. No matter what challenge life, the world, or another serves, pausing a moment to share a smile, a kind word or a thoughtful gift with a friend (or a complete stranger) is what can build a community around shared LOVE. The #sharethehilove campaign began back in 2020 as a way to give back a portion of the proceeds from every Hi Love accessory purchase to organizations and people in need all over the world. The name Hi Love Travel was inspired by Harbor Island, Bahamas the location where love first bloomed in Melissa’s life. Here’s how she stays current while traversing the globe.
WEEKEND POEM
BY MILES SHEPHERD
They do not speak, the silent rows, Where marble markers gently pose— Beneath the flag’s unyielding grace, Each stone a name, a time, a place.
#ON MY NIGHTSTAND
Reading is an escape that quiets my mind and opens my creative brain to dream …. dream big! Departures Magazine was my all-time favorite read (until publishing recently ceased.) I still have a few copies that I reference, one of which was themed Paris, as Paris is always a good idea. Departures filled pages with gorgeous photography, wanderlust places to travel, a little fashion, great quotes, and more. It was always inspirational! 2nd to this is Off Duty, a weekly section in The Wall Street Journal. As a past publisher, there is something tactilely pleasing about flipping the page and having the ability to bookmark (folding down the corner of a page) of where you left off.
#ON MY MOBILE
A lot of love! I snap pictures of heart shapes and graphics with the elicitation of love in them all around the globe … from trees that look like hearts, to leaves shaped so, to signs and the most obvious, “love” written or on a billboard display.
#IN MY EARBUDS
I am still old school wearing the silly corded apple headsets but it works for me. Christian and classical music is calming to me, especially in flight—I fly a lot obviously. My mind never stops so this helps me to get out of my head, create, design, and write. Some of my best writing and designs happen while in flight.
THE LAST WATCH
The bugle cries across the field, Its echo sharp, its sorrow sealed. And somewhere in that solemn tune, We hear the hush between the June.
They were not born for war alone, But carved from hopes we call our own. A mother’s laugh, a child’s delight, A sky that does not burn at night.
We walk among them, heads held low, Unsure of all we’ll never know. What dreams they nursed, what fears they faced, What empty chairs they never replaced.
No poet paints their final breath, No verse undoes a soldier’s death. But in our freedom, fragile, wide, Their courage walks right by our side.
Memorial Day—too soft a phrase For lives that lit the darkest days. Yet still we gather, still we pray, And vow to live what they gave way.
So, raise the flag, but let it wave
For more than glory, more than brave. Let it remind us—row by row— The price paid so that we may grow.
And in the hush of dusk’s retreat, Where folded flags and gravestones meet,
May we, the living, learn to be The nation they believed they’d see.
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BY WHITLEY BOUMA HERBERT
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
The Lake Forest Chapter of the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago kicked off its 20th milestone run with a sold-out opening night party to preview the 2025 Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens. More than 650 guests gathered to be the first to see the transformed Pembroke Lodge estate and celebrate the work of more than 45 top interior designers and landscapers.
The evening featured lavish food stations with cuisine generously donated by jdR Companies’ Chef John des Rosiers. Cambio Tequila cocktails were served and there was dancing to the beats of top party band Maggie Speaks. Guests danced the night away under a tent swathed in fabrics by Showhouse sponsor Schumacher and mingled with party co-chairs Devon Jeffers, Laura Werner, and 2025 Showhouse co-chair Shannon Shader.
“After six months of collaboration and hard work, celebrating with our Showhouse sponsors, designers and supporters, was a highlight,” said board president Wendy Franzen.
The following day, nearly 400 guests were welcomed to explore the interior spaces, designed by 37 decorators and architects, and 9 outdoor areas and gardens on 3.5 acres. By the third day, the showhouse sold out through its entire run, which closes at the end of the day on Sunday, May 25. The committee added hundreds of tickets to meet the demands of the many who joined the waitlist in hopes of touring the stunning estate.
The Showhouse committee also welcomed 350 guests for the Honorary Chair Luncheon featuring world renowned interior designer Mary McDonald. McDonald was joined by Dara Caponigro, Chief Creative Officer of F.
ous mishaps throughout her career, from starting out as a milliner in the pages of fashion magazines to starring in Bravo’s Million Dollar Decorator and running an international interior design business.
Social media and publicity were key factors contributing to the record-breaking year.
The @lfshowhouse Instagram account grew a loyal following and the showhouse was featured by Architectural Digest, Veranda, FREDERIC, and locally in all the JWC
Media publications, including the unforgettable cover stories in Sheridan Road and Forest & Bluff, where Franzen was photographed dressed in a bolt of the showhouse’s signature Schumacher Rolling Hills fabric.
Another big success this year was designer sales which moved online using Shopify with items marketed on a website divided by room. Visitors who normally would have to buy on the spot could revisit contents of a favorite room virtually days later and make a purchase.
SPACE 519’s The Lunchroom pop up was
Schumacher & Co. and Editor-in-Chief of design magazine FREDERIC, with whom she has collaborated with on multiple fabric and paper collections under the Schumacher label. During their lively discussion, she shared valuable design insights and stories of humor-
The showhouse is produced and run by a team of over 80 volunteers who coordinate everything from the demolition to the designers, contractors, and artisans enlisted to make it one of the top showhouses in the country. Each of
another highlight this year. Visitors enjoyed lunch featuring the popular Gold Coast cafe’s signature salads and sandwiches or signature bites with glasses of rose or bubbly, quenching the thirst of visitors to the Showhouse, who experienced countless bars in designers’ spaces.
in the name of raising funds for IWS Family Health clinic in Logan Square. The clinic offers a wide variety of medical services to over 12,000 Chicago area families in need. The Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens is projected to raise
the 26 days the showhouse is open to the public, it takes nearly 30 volunteers a day to manage check in, staff the boutique and serve as docents and ambassadors of the house.
The gigantic effort is fueled by the generosity of the designers, sponsors, and homeowners, all
nearly 50 percent more in gate revenue than the previous showhouse—a fitting result for the 20th milestone production.
For more information, visit lakeforestshowhouse.com.
Salon by Joey Leicht Design. PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYAN MCDONALD
Sitting Room by Unpatterned. PHOTOGRAPHY BY DUSTIN HALLECK
Girl's Bedroom by Robbins Architecture. PHOTOGRAPHY BY AIMÉE MAZZENGA
Mudroom by Jen Marie Interiors. PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYAN MCDONALD
LEFT: Showhouse co-chairs Shannon Shader, Jennifer Durburg, Susan Rolander, Dawn Talma, Barrett Erker, and Cathy Crowley. MIDDLE: Executive Committee of the Lake Forest Chapter of Infant Welfare Society Shannon Shader, Wendy Franzen, Annie Liddle Back: Chrissy Davis, Jenny Mulliken, Eva Rice, Katie Donovan, Kate Holland, and Kate Rother. RIGHT: William Franzen, Wendy Franzen, Kathy Fletcher, and Hannah Franzen in the Garden Room. PHOTOGRAPHY BY WIDIA VITI
BY MEGAN WEISBERG
01 Jacquemus, Gelato Striped Cotton-Twill Bucket Hat, net-a-porter.com 02 Carolina Herrera, Crêpe Cocktail Dress, mytheresa. com 03 The Row, Liisa Metallic Leather Pumps, mytheresa.com Dolce&Gabbana Maiolica Wide Leg Pants, net-a-porter.com 04 Max Mara, Fervida Belted Strapless Striped Cotton and Linen-Blend Midi Dress, net-a-porter.com 05 Roksanda, Garance Midi Dress, mytheresa.com 06 Valentino Garavani, Polka Dot Silk-Crepe Wide-Leg Pants, net-a-porter.com 07 Gianvito Rossi, Shanti Embellished Metallic Leather Sandals, mytheresa.com 08 Dries Van Noten, Earrings, mytheresa.com
KARATE KID: LEGENDS
BY FELIX MCMILLAN, MAN ABOUT FILM ILLUSTRATION BY TOM BACHTELL
VERDICT: For old-schoolers, the return of Ralph Macchio is like slipping into a vintage Cobra Kai T-shirt—worn, beloved, and slightly faded. For new viewers, Legends may land as an oddly reverent martial arts fable, unsure if it wants to kick high or bow out gracefully. Still, there’s charm in its sincerity and moments—however brief—when the past and present align just enough to make you believe. Not quite a knockout, but it earns a respectful bow.
There’s something faintly surreal about watching Ralph Macchio, still boyish at 62, reprising his role as Daniel LaRusso in a film that feels one part torch-passing, one part contractual nostalgia. Karate Kid: Legends is the cinematic equivalent of a high school reunion—fond, familiar, slightly awkward, and held at a venue with suspicious lighting.
The premise is engineered for intergenerational appeal: enter Li Fong (played earnestly by Ben Wang), a kung fu prodigy who relocates to New York after personal tragedy and culture shock collide. As fate—and a script with more heart than subtlety—would have it, he crosses paths with two masters from two different philosophies: Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han and Macchio’s LaRusso. Cue the montages, moral lessons, and philosophical platitudes about balance.
There’s much to admire in Ben Wang’s performance, which brings both intensity and a certain poetic melancholy. Jackie Chan, aging like a temple bell, still moves with grace, and Macchio brings genuine warmth even if he's asked to do little more than squint wistfully and dispense Miyagi-isms. The choreography is sharp, the cinematography sleek, and the musical cues pitch-perfect in their manipulation of our collective memory.
But the film creaks under the weight of its own legacy. The plot follows the familiar wax-on, waxoff contours without deviating into anything too daring. The villain is a forgettable cutout, the supporting characters underwritten, and one can’t help but feel that the film was designed more as a cultural truce than a narrative triumph.
TALK OF THE TOWN
Tower Players brings Our Town, a Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Thornton Wilder, to Winnetka’s Community House stage June 6 to 7.
BY MITCH HURST
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
With all the chaos happening around the world, Tower Players in Winnetka offers a fresh antidote in the form of Our Town, the much-beloved play by Thornton Wilder about daily life, love and marriage, death, and community in the fictional town of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire.
The play focuses on the Gibbs family and the Webb family, whose lives are intertwined by marriage and friendship in the early 20th century. Edward Albee deemed Our Town “the finest American play ever written.”
“Our Town is just beloved by generations of people,” says Tower Players director Mary Michelle Scalise. “Just this year it has been produced by New Trier, Deerfield, and had a successful run on Broadway. It is up for a few Tonys, including Best Revival on Broadway. There was even a popular novel written in 2023 called Tom Lake which features a young actress playing the lead role of Emily.”
Scalise adds that the play revolves around how we spend our time, and the difficulty of living in the present—shedding light on the bittersweet reality that we can’t appreciate life all of the time. She notes the play’s large cast, with actors between the ages of 8 to 84.
“There are a lot of roles of different ages because just like Glencoe or Winnetka or Chicago, Our Town could be any town,” she says. “Everyone's back story is important. Everyone's back story is beautiful.”
The production’s three acts feature actors from Lake Forest to Chicago, including many from the North Shore. The leading role—a stage manager/narrator who helps the audience weave together the story— is played by beloved, long-time New Trier drama teacher Toby Nicholson. Appropriately, the production’s cast includes a number of families and husband-and-wife teams.
“It is a special production because our mission is to do high-quality community theater, while being open to cast members
who are new to theater,” she says.
“We're open to people who have theater experience and people who are new to theater,”
Scalise notes that partnering this year with the Community House of Winnetka, which is “the heart and soul of the town,” emphasizes the play’s themes.
“We’re producing a play that is all about a town and mostly about the precious nature of life and the fact that people take it for granted,” she adds.
Tower Players presents Our Town at the Winnetka Community House June 6 to 7. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit mycommunityhouse.org.
Ralph Macchio returns in this nostalgic sequel, following the familiar wax-on, wax-off narrative.
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In the bottom of a mixing glass, muddle berries and one sprig of mint with simple syrup. Add spirits and lime juice. Shake vigorously with ice to chill. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain onto fresh ice in a Collins or highball glass. Top with sparkling water and stir. Garnish with berries and the remaining sprig of mint.
SHINING LUMINARY
Northfield's Laura Hendricks had a hard time moving forward after surviving cancer but found strength and hope by launching a nonprofit to support those who share in her struggle.
BY BILL MCLEAN ILLUSTRATION BY BARRY BLITT
More than seven years after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia at the age of 40 and facing less than a 10 percent chance of survival, Laura Hendricks likes to talk about the unusual gift she received at the beginning of her arduous journey in 2018.
“Leukemia,” says the Northfield resident and mother of three. “I can look back now and consider it a gift—a present in different wrapping paper.”
With the start of National Cancer Survivors Month about a week away, we sat down with Hendricks to hear her story—from the beginning.
Her children were all younger than 7 and ill when she accompanied them on a visit to the family’s pediatrician in early 2018.
“The pediatrician came over to me after examining my kids and said, ‘So what’s going on with you? You look pale,’” recalls Hendricks. “I made an appointment to get my blood tested, thanks to my mom (Nancy Southwick) urging me to do so.”
Her doctor called later, ordering the former New Trier Township High School swimming state champion (200-yard medley relay anchor) to get to the ER for a blood transfusion.
“I thought I had anemia,” says Hendricks. She had cancer. Hendricks underwent an aggressive treatment—chemotherapy, full-body radiation, and, at the outset of remission, an umbilical cord stem cell transplant—at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.
Her children—Jack (now 13), Graeme (11), and Audrey (10)—would get to see Mom only once in the next seven months.
“I was fortunate and will be forever grateful for having had such an amazing team of doctors and nurses at Northwestern,” Hendricks says. “Most people don’t have access to the care I had. Had I gone to a community hospital, I probably would not
have survived.”
Hendricks returned home and felt great for a while. But after 15 months as a survivor, she hit a rough patch that turned rougher in a hurry.
“People like to say, ‘You made it! You beat cancer! Congratulations!’ and then assume everything will be fine,” says Hendricks. “But survivorship was not as elating as I had imagined. I felt lost and fearful, lonely and confused, searching for a purpose to my day. My ‘job’ was to wake up each morning and figure out what I had to do to be healthy.
“I struggled, not being able to work and not being the
Laura sat down with her husband, Brock, one day at home and talked about coming up with a plan that would set the survivor on a smooth path. Neither thought forming a nonprofit together would stem from that conversation in their Northfield
But the resourceful, resolute couple brought Luminaries to light in 2021. It focuses on improving the wellbeing of cancer survivors, a group that is projected to grow from 18 million to 22 million in the United States by 2030 due to advances in detection and treatment.
Cancer survivors face longterm physical, cognitive, and emotional challenges that affect
2,000 cancer survivors in the U.S., Canada, and Europe have bettered their survivorship through Luminaries’ high-quality, proactive, and equitable solutions.
“I came to the realization that by listening to my body and focusing on my innate abilities, I could become more resilient step-by-step, rather than chasing quick fixes,” Hendricks writes on Luminaries’ website, luminaries.life. “I believe each of us can achieve more survivorship than we ever thought possible.
‘That’s why I started Luminaries, an honest program that looks inward and revisits your own potential abilities,” she continues. “It’s built to make survivorship more purposeful, less lonely.”
One of Luminaries’ many kits, designed to build life-changing habits, is “Gratitude.” It requires some penmanship.
“Each night, I write three things I was grateful for that day,” says Hendricks, who serves as general manager of business development at The Trade Desk, a digital marketing company. “Once I wrote, ‘For getting to enjoy the sunrise.’ I’ve also been grateful for getting a workout in, for talking to an old friend, for my coffee tasting great that morning, and for my kids emptying the dishwasher without being told to do so.”
She’ll always be grateful for having a small army of supporters backing her daily, from friends and family (parents Chuck and Nancy Southwick live in Wilmette; in-laws Larry and Carol Hendricks reside in Vernon Hills) to colleagues and the growing Luminaries community.
mom I wanted to be. I was told I should mourn by former body; I mourned a lot. I didn’t sleep well. And there I was, a former gritty college swimmer (Miami University in Ohio) barely able to walk outside to our mailbox.”
And there I was, a former gritty college swimmer (Miami University in Ohio) barely able to walk outside to our mailbox. John Conatser
their quality of life. Luminaries addresses these issue through science-backed wellness solutions and empowers survivors to lead happier, healthier lives.
Luminaries provides a step-by-step, sixmonth digital wellness program. More than
Monica Kass Rogers CONTRIBUTING
Whitley Bouma Herbert, Mitch Hurst, Cheyanne Lencioni, Bill McLean, Felix McMillan
“Leukemia to me was a gift because before the diagnosis, I was traveling all over the world for work and running around too much,” Hendricks says. “Surviving it has allowed me to find more balance in my life and to be more present for my kids.
“One of my favorite things to do these days is watching my kids play sports.”
For more information about Luminaries: Cancer Survivorship, and to donate, shop, or join, visit luminaries.life.
