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patrick.oconnor@ampf.com ameripriseadvisors.com/ patrick.oconnor

Explore Your Own Way... Wherever That Path Leads

Dear Readers,

Our July issue is dedicated to exploring. To me, explore means ADVENTURE because it radiates joy and possibility. I look forward to the journeys ahead just as fondly as I cherish the memories of adventures from years past. For others explore may evoke the opportunity to learn or try new things, connect in the community, or step out of one’s comfort zone.

This month’s theme, “Explore,” is a nod to the adventurer in all of us. Exploration awakens our sense of wonder—and reminds us we’re never too old to be curious. First, we shine a light on the McHenry County Youth Sports Association, which hosts an international youth baseball tournament right here in our own backyard. Young athletes from around the globe come to our community, staying with host families, and experiencing what is surely the adventure of a lifetime.

Next, we explore adventure through the lens of community service, featuring the team at Black Diamond Plumbing & Mechanical. These employees roll up their sleeves and dive into local giveback efforts—discovering fulfillment, connection, and purpose along the way.

We also bring you the story of a young man who chose a path less traveled. A vanlifer, traveler, influencer, photographer, and explorer all rolled into one—this story hits especially close to home, as it’s about my youngest son, Alex. At first, I wasn’t sure how he’d navigate a world so different from the 9-to-5 routine I knew. But over time, I came to see what he saw—his vision for a life of exploration. Now, I often find myself living vicariously through his travels across the country and the globe.

I hope this issue inspires you to seek out your own adventures—whether they take you across oceans or just down the road.

Sincerely,

STEVE ROGERS, PUBLISHER @CRYSTALLAKECITYLIFESTYLE

Discover Crystal Lake City Lifestyle in the towns of Crystal Lake, Village of Lakewood, Prairie Grove, and Huntley.

July 2025

PUBLISHER

Steve Rogers | steve.rogers@citylifestyle.com

EDITOR

Patti Noble | patti.noble@citylifestyle.com

STAFF WRITER

Katie Bobrow | katie.bobrow@citylifestyle.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Katie Bobrow, Klaudia Burian

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Sharmila Taylor, David Bradburn

Corporate Team

CEO Steven Schowengerdt

COO Matthew Perry

CRO Jamie Pentz

VP OF OPERATIONS Janeane Thompson

VP OF SALES Andrew Leaders

AD DESIGNER Josh Govero

LAYOUT DESIGNER Jamie Housh

QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Megan Cagle

city scene

WHERE

NEIGHBORS

CAN SEE AND BE SEEN

1: Leadership Greater McHenry County Class of 2025 celebrates the Orange Team’s Challenge Day at Kishwaukee Brewing. 2—3: Enjoying a day on the course at Crystal Lake Country Club for the Chamber Golf outing. 4: Blues (and Baseball?) with Jimmy Nick at the Station Street Block Party–Sunday Funday all summer! 5: Behind the scenes at a photo shoot with the Black Diamond Community Connection Crew 6—7: They dressed up and showed up to celebrate the Kentucky Derby at Huntley Derby Day with a watch party and festivities for all ages.

Stonecastle Ln

Real Estate Report

Recently Sold Properties in the Crystal Lake Area

5/28/2025

5/2/2025

4/4/2025

5/27/2025

3/6/2025

5/23/2025

5/16/2025

4/11/2025

4/28/2025

5/5/2025 3/7/2025

5/1/2025 2/28/2025

4/11/2025 4/30/2025

4/30/2025 5/9/2025

Cut 986 Wedgewood Dr

4/1/2025 2/28/2025 5/16/2025

CULTURES CONNECT, BONDS ARE BUILT, FRIENDSHIPS TAKE ROOT

Beyond the Ballfield

ARTICLE BY PATTI NOBLE | PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED

“This is SO much more than baseball.

It’s the opportunity to learn about another culture.”

When a teenager from halfway around the world arrives with a suitcase, a baseball glove, and a mix of nerves and excitement, it’s not just the start of a tournament—it’s the beginning of something much bigger. Local host families might begin the week eager to share their corner of the world, but they often find themselves just as enriched by what they receive in return.

What unfolds over the week is something much harder to pack away: friendship, connection, and a deeper understanding of the world beyond the ballfield. The families speak of a deeper respect for other cultures and a broadened worldview that stays with them long after the players return home.

According to John Streit, tournament director, each summer, since 1993, international teams arrive in Crystal Lake and surrounding communities to compete in a unique baseball tournament, hosted by McHenry County Youth Sports Association (MCYSA). This is a tournament like no other–two sessions, teams from across the country and the globe, no time limits on games, and free to all spectators. The 2025 competition boasts 89 teams representing 3 visiting countries–Brazil, Japan and Canada, and 7 states. There are opening ceremonies featuring a parade of teams and national anthems from each participating country, plus fireworks.

Local families open their homes to players from around the world–turning spare bedrooms into cultural bridges and dinner tables or backyard BBQs into spaces of discovery. We met three families who spoke of an unforgettable week of bonding, camraderie, and relationships that last beyond the universal language of baseball.

Greg and Lisa Kobelinski were introduced to the idea of hosting players by their neighbors who opened their home to visiting players from Brazil when their son played in the tournament. Having no children of their own, Greg and Lisa jumped at the opportunity to fill their spacious home on the lake with the energy of teenagers. As Lisa described, little did they know that what would unfold would “leave them forever changed,” hosting for the fourth time, and encouraging their other neighbors on the lake to open their homes, too. This year, the entire Brazil team will be hosted by families on the lake.

While baseball brings them together, the group dinners, trips to Dick’s Sporting Goods (always a request from the Brazilian team on their first day), American fast food and The Freeze builds the bonds. The boys spend their time off the field on the lake boating, swimming, and being treated to lunches and dinners at each of the participating family’s homes. The excitement and energy are high for that week in July. And the Kobelinskis and their neighbors wouldn’t have it any other way!

For Amanda and David Costa and Hiroko and Kevin Yamada–hosts of players from Japan, the sentiment is the same. Baseball is why they are here, but opportunity to learn about each other’s culture and watching their own children bonding with the visiting athletes, leaves a lasting impression that keeps them sweeping off the welcome mat each year since 2018. The Costas had a son playing in the tournament and learned about the opportunity to host. His playing days are over and the family assumed the hosting would be, too. But ending was not in the cards. Instead, not only will they host 2-3 boys, they are also coordinating

gatherings for the entire Japenese team, coaches, and families who traveled here with their player. As David shared, “This is SO much more than baseball. It is the opportunity to learn about another culture and provide our children with an experience that celebrates what unites us as people.”

Kevin Yamada is a Japenese immigrant who came to the States at the same age as these visiting players. Unlike most hosts, he and his family are able to communitcate with the players without the use of Google Translate, which the other families and visiting players rely on. When he arrived, he stayed with a host family for weeks so he has a direct connection to the apprehension, excitement, and wonder that the Japanese players may be experiencing.

Both the Costas and the Yamadas related stories of respect, the Japanese team’s pride without ego, and their humble success. The players are all just excited to be on the field together; an experience like no other.

Young athletes who travel from countries like Japan and Brazil arrive with a sense of excitement, a few nerves, and thoughtful gifts for the families who open their homes– hoping to soak in as much American culture as possible. As Brazilian coach Renato Tiba shares, “We feel extremely privileged to be part of the MCYSA program. It is a benchmark and dream come true for our players. For over a decade, we have forged countless friendships, met wonderful people, and learned lifelong lessons.”

Renato shared a story about Fábio Tadashi who stood out for his impressive performance on the field and his exemplary behavior, which led to an invitation to play for a local team the following year, but unsure how his family could afford that. Thanks to a local family from the homestay program who invited him back, Fabio realized his dream of playing and studying in the United States. The family helped Fabio enroll in school and later earn a baseball scholarship to UW Milwaukee. Just one of the many poignant stories to develop out of the tournament.

Annually approximately 30 Brazilian boys arrive in Crystal Lake, where they interact with players from various American teams as well as from other countries. Renato describes the MCYSA tournament as an amazing experience, further enriched by the homestay program, allowing the Brazilian boys to experience American culture firsthand.

By the end of the week, awkward introductions are replaced by tearful “goodbyes for now” and exchanged phone numbers. International coaches and local host families all speak of the heartwarming experience, invaluable lessons, and lifelong bonds of friendship. A reminder that sometimes, the most meaningful journeys start with opening a door. This isn’t just a sports event—it’s a human one.

Check out the MCYSA tournament: July 11-14 and 17-21. Opening ceremonies on July 11 & 17. Fireworks on July 17. mcysasports.org

We feel extremely privileged to be part of the MCYSA program.

Comfort Outside, No Compromises

ARTICLE BY KATIE BOBROW

BY ALEX ROGERS

ADVENTURE CALLING

Seeking Adventure Wherever That May Be

PHOTOGRAPHY

Adventure. A word that means many different things to different people and often shifts in meaning as we move through life. What once seemed mundane or boring at twenty may sound exhilarating at forty-five. But no matter how you define it, adventure always means stepping outside your comfort zone and embracing something new.

For Alex Rogers, that meant hitting the road in his van three and a half years ago. He wasn’t just chasing an adventure; he was carving out a new way of living. His journey might sound like a movie plot, but it’s deeply personal, especially for our magazine. After all, Alex is the son of Steve Rogers, our own publisher. As Steve seeks to bring this publication to its full potential, Alex is forging his own path down America’s highways, proving that adventure can take many forms, but it always means going after the life you want.

Growing up in Gurnee, Illinois, Alex didn’t exactly come from an adventurous, globe-trotting family. “We did a lot of traveling for sports, but that was about it,” he recalls. He describes his upbringing as traditional. Go to college, pick a career, settle down. However, even as a kid, Alex knew he wanted to live free, although he may not have known exactly what that looked like. He jokes that his friends “always saw this coming,” but the adults in his life? Not so much.

After a short stint at Northern Arizona University, Alex realized the conventional path wasn’t for him. “I was living a life that just wasn’t mine,” he says. The idea of living in a van, fueled by a love of stories like Into the Wild and Stand by Me, began to take shape. He saved money working jobs like pizza delivery and farmhand work, eventually buying his first van. With the help of what he jokingly calls YouTube University he built it out himself. “Every detail had a story,” he says. “Every little scratch, every decoration, it all told a story.”

That van, though modest, was his key to freedom. Alex quickly learned that “van life” isn’t just Instagram sunsets and perfectly brewed campsite coffee. It’s also budgeting for gas, sleeping in parking lots, and learning to appreciate the little things, like having a bathroom. “Turns out,” Alex laughs, “you don’t need eight pairs of shoes. One is enough.”

He’s now a full-time travel videographer, having turned his passion into a living. “It started with little videos on my phone,” he says. “I didn’t have any background, but I was always telling stories.” Over time, practice and dedication turned his hobby into his job. A job that lets him explore both the U.S. and the world beyond.

Asked if this lifestyle has changed his view of success, comfort, or freedom, Alex doesn’t hesitate. It absolutely has. He laughs about how excited he gets just to have his own bathroom these days. Living minimally in his van taught him that freedom isn’t about stuff; it’s about possibilities. It’s the ability to go anywhere, to live like nobody’s watching, and to sleep beneath a thick bed of stars. He describes the feeling of driving down a western road at sunset with no one in front and no one in the rear, the sky painted in colors that only he sees. “In a world with 8 billion people,” he says, “yours are the only two eyes witnessing that exact sky.”

Of course, the road hasn’t always been smooth. Alex recalls living off $5 a day during his first summer on the road. “It was tough,” he admits. “Sometimes I’d have a breakdown and have to use my last dollar just to stay on the road.” But those challenges built his resilience and deepened his appreciation for the small victories that came later.

When asked about his most awe-inspiring moment, Alex describes standing on a volcano in Guatemala as it erupted, lava lighting up the night sky. “I realized then that I couldn’t go back to my old life,” he says, citing this moment as the moment he knew he was living his dream.

Alex’s approach to travel is refreshingly spontaneous. “I can’t plan a week ahead, let alone a month,” he laughs. “Sometimes that’s scary, but it’s also what makes every day feel new.” He’s found community in fellow travelers, formed friendships he never expected, and discovered that freedom isn’t just about where you go, it’s about the way you live.

To anyone dreaming of a similar path, Alex offers this advice: “Have the courage to jump. Most people already know what they need to do. And don’t do it for the money. Do it for the passion.”

Whether it’s Alex behind the wheel of his van, or Steve guiding this magazine forward, their adventures share the same truth: the most rewarding journeys are the ones that challenge us, push us, and ultimately help us discover who we really are. So, here’s to adventure, whatever it means to you, and the promise that every story worth telling begins with a single, brave step.

To follow along on Alex's adventures check out his IG @alexanderjamestravel

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Whether

The Heart of the Work

GROUNDED IN SERVICE, LIFTED BY COMPASSION AND SHARED PURPOSE

In a company built on service calls, it’s the quiet call to serve and the way employees pour into their community that really stands out. The spirit of giving, support, and ‘paying it forward’ is deeply woven into the culture at Black Diamond Plumbing and Mechanical. What began in 1999 as a plumbing and sewer company, today has grown into a multi-division business–plumbing, electrical, and HVAC–serving McHenry County and beyond. Yet even as the reach has expanded, its heart remains focused on community— thanks in large part to the people behind the name.

The mission at Black Diamond is to offer a solution-driven customer service experience by providing world-class training and support to their employees. But it is their core values that truly distinguishes them from others. The Black Diamond principles are rooted in the belief that while you can teach someone how to fix a pipe or troubleshoot a furnace, you can’t teach someone how to care. That kind of heart—along with a positive attitude and a knack for connecting with people—is what truly defines the team.

Behind the wrenches and scheduling of service calls is a team of people who share more than just a workplace–they share the spirit of hard work and deep-rooted desire to give back. While the company has always contributed to their community through sponsorships and support, that spirit of service came more fully into focus when Marketing Coordinator, Samantha “Sam” Murphy, was seeking ways to turn compassion into action, outside of work. She wondered if her co-workers shared the same desire and began exploring opportunities.

Sharmila Taylor Photography

Just over a year ago, with the support of teammates, her grassroot efforts evolved into the Community Connection Crew. The group reflects the same roll-up-your-sleeves mindset that built Black Diamond—and now, it’s building bonds and fellowship within the community. Recently, we were escorted by Sam and members of the Crew through the immaculate and well-appointed Black Diamond facility. From the classroom to the “mock house” that provides hands-on, real life training for technicians, and even a workout room, it is clear that this is a company that has an eye for details and a deep commitment to their staff–whether in the office or the field.

As we walked through the facility, it didn’t take long for it to become clear that this crew knows how to work hard and get the job done—but they also laugh often, connect naturally, and rally together for a good cause. It was that sentiment that led Sam to take the leap into philanthropy. “I felt compelled to do more in the communities that have been so supportive of Black Diamond over the years,” Sam explained. “So, I decided that I would find organizations to volunteer for and see who else would show up. It has been heart-warming to see the number of co-workers who also have the giving spirit!”

From packing grocery bags and boxes at Feed My Starving Children to hands-on labor helping repair the roof at Operation Wild Horse, this team of volunteers is dedicated to supporting organizations that focus on providing goods and services to those in need. The Community Connection Crew extends beyond Black Diamond employees to include their families and loved ones, the epitome of kinship.

“From the start, they were more interested in who I was as a person than what I already knew as a plumber.”

Sharmila Taylor

Photography

“I felt compelled to do more in the communities that have been so supportive of Black Diamond over the years. It has been heart-warming to see the number of co-workers who also have the giving spirit!”

Plumber Nick Caraballo, has volunteered at every event since the Crew began, drawn in by the company’s dedication to their people and fostering authentic relationships. It’s what set Black Diamond apart from other places he’s worked—and a big reason he wanted to join the team. “During my interview, they were more interested in who I was as a person than what I already knew as a plumber,” he said. “They can teach plumbing skills, but they want people who know how to connect with customers.” What resonated most with Nick and others on the Crew is the “philanthropic mindset”–the involvement in local initiatives that creates a connection within their work place but also throughout the communities they serve.

More than just coworkers, this group has become a force for good and a powerful example of what’s possible when people bring heart to their work and community—driven by compassion and a deep sense of purpose. The Community Connection Crew is about people helping people and a belief that even small acts can make a lasting impact.

Special thanks to Sam Murphy, Nick Caraballo, Carly Rexford, and Ashley Allport for joining us for the photo shoot and sharing their perspectives.

AWAKEN THE PALATE

ARTICLE BY PATTI NOBLE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY PATTI NOBLE & KATIE BOBROW

CRAFTED LAYERS OF TASTE, THAT UNFOLD BEAUTIFULLY, CREATING A MULTI-SENSORY DINING DELIGHT

In recent years, microbreweries have surged in popularity, becoming gathering hubs where every brew tells a story. Robust and zesty, velvety smooth, or hoppy–the flavors and combinations seem endless and when thoughtfully paired, craft beers can transform a simple meal into a symphony of flavors, enhancing the nuances of both and creating a harmonious experience.

To explore the art of beer pairings, we turned to Cara and Dan Payson, brew masters and owners of Kishwaukee Brewing in Woodstock. Here we share four of their expertly crafted brews and foods to complement, creating a tasty union to delight your palate!

LORO LIMA

POLLINATOR DOPPELBOCK

With notes of toasted barley, dark fruits, caramel and toffee, this unique blend offers a sensory surprise in every sip. This brew is for sipping as it packs a punch with 7.7% Alcohol By Volume (ABV). This malty, German-style beer pairs well with rich, slowcooked or smoked meats such as pork, brisket, or Cassoulet (a French stew with meat and beans).

This light, Mexican-style lager, with a low 4.2% ABV, is fresh and thirst-quenching, perfect to enjoy on a warm summer afternoon–just add a lime and salt. A crowd-pleaser on its own, but it really shines when paired with street tacos on corn tortillas (choice of protein, onion cilantro, & lime), ceviche (fish or shrimp), or fresh pico de gallo and guacamole served with tortilla chips.

SANDHILL LAGER

WOODPECKER RED

Red ale fans will savor the flavor journey of this refreshing take on a classic. Hoppy, boasting a 5.1% ABV, and low bitterness score, Woodpecker is crafted to awaken your palate. Pair this versatile ale with chicken in a variety of forms–southern fried, Nashville hot, honey glazed, or smoked or grilled wings from BBQ flavor to pineapple-habanero. Your taste-buds will thank you.

For a crisp and refreshing option, similar to an IPA but without the bitterness, and a citrus and floral aroma, this is dry-hopped lager is for you. Sandhill, 5.5% ABV, is a perfect side-kick to a classic Italian sub, mortadella sandwich, or grilled Italian sausage and peppers. Or simply sip while snacking on Bavarian pretzels and mustard. Yum!

ARTISAN

CHEESE GRILLED

This month’s invitation is to elevate a traditional sandwich to a worthy new level.

Artisanal fare has made a powerful resurgence in towns around the country. Food and drink made in traditional simple ways, offers a moment of paying homage to culinary creators of the past, reviving their legacy. Bread, cheese, heirloom vegetables, and small batch beers offer an opportunity to awaken the senses and please the palate. A variety of microbrewed beers can take 1-8 weeks to produce. Slowing down and sourcing local ingredients can elevate a grilled cheese and perfectly mated basket of fries to include the finest bakery bread, a sweet heirloom tomato, fresh herbs, pungent cheese, and create a rich taste experience. This recipe pairs well with an IPA or a red lager.

ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY KLAUDIA BURIAN