Main and Luxe Magazine - Issue 4 | January 2022

Main & Luxe Naperville

Issue 4 | January 2022

4724 Main Street, Lisle www.thecollectivelhe.com 331-903-6158

DOWNSIZING

WALK-IN CLOSET

dreaming

UPSIZING

WHAT ARE YOU ABOUT?

WINE CELLAR

FINISHED BASEMENT

IN-GROUND POOL

OUTDOOR LIVING

GOURMET KITCHEN

Are you ready to make the move to your dream home?

Our full-service team is dedicated, knowledgeable and committed to finding the perfect fit, whether apartment or home, for you.

With over $64 MILLION in real estate sold in 2021, The Ville Team continues to lead the way in the Naperville real estate market.

THE VILLE TEAM – COLDWELL BANKER REALTY Walt Burrell, Owner & Partner | Bridget Salela, Owner & Partner Nikki Genthner | Tom Maschmeier | Luke Salela | Serena Drendel | Kristy Garcia | Amy Hill

630.420.8834 | THEVILLETEAM.COM

Contents and Credits Features 6 Social

See and Be Seen

8 Editorial Goals

10 Dine

Good Food Fast

14 Community Let’s Do This!

16 Curated Splurge Find Your Center

18 Luxe Life

Reset Your Mind

22 Give Back Join a Board

24 Live Here

Find Daily Inspiration

18 Glimpse of Gourmet 26 The Settlement Shrimp with Cauli Tortillas

20 At the Library

Dream Big, Get Inspired

95th Street Library Greenscreen room

Welcome to 20222

30 Profile

Living the Talk

Founder / Direction / Layout Ashley South Senior Editor Christina Balsano Wichmann

page 20

Associate Editor Elsie Bailey Design Katie McGraw Photography Cover - Megan Drane, Firefly Nights Photography Katie Braga, Katie Braga Photography Emily Cummings, Ten Little Birds Photography Consultants Ross Creative Works Publisher Bluehouse Publishing Inc Naperville, IL bluehousepublishinginc.com © Firefly Nights

Ideas brought to life at the Library

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Main & Luxe, January 2022

Advertising Inquiries sales@mainluxe.com All rights reserved

NACC

Social

See and Be Seen M&L January Issue - Celebration

Brought to you by Main & Luxe Magazine Saturday, January 8th 8:30pm to 11:00pm Two-Nine Martini Lounge (above Potter’s Place) pottersplacenaperville.com

Free. VIP “Take Your Face Out” Party. Join Main & Luxe as we celebrate Dana Davenport of Dana Being Dana as the first person to grace our cover. Meet the woman who inspires us!

Evening of Storytelling - Friendship Sponsored by The People Tree Thursday, January 20th 6:00pm to 7:30pm Empire Restaurant, first floor facebook.com/NapervillePeopleTree

$20. Friends are amazing. They occupy that special space between family and just “other people.” Listen to people’s stories.

Seating is on a first-come basis. Registration required.

It’s Magic! The Gala 2022

Hosted by Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce Friday, January 28th 7:00pm to 11:00pm Embassy Suites Naperville naperville.net

$200. Enter a world of sleight of hand, illusions, and magical wonder. Guests will be entertained and awestruck throughout the evening while mingling and playing casino games.

VIRTUAL Audrey Hepburn - Graceful Legend Presented by Naperville Public Library Tuesday, January 11th 7:00pm to 8:00pm Registration required. napervillepl.librarycalendar.com

Free. As kind and talented as she was beautiful, Audrey Hepburn was one of the most beloved figures of the 20th century. Join us to learn many personal stories about Ms. Hepburn (including her fascinating connection to Anne Frank).

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Financial Advisor 200 E Fifth Avenue Suite 122 Naperville, IL 60563 630-717-5954

Editorial

Goals E

very January since my mid-twenties, I have made a list of goals for myself for the year: one goal is personal, one is professional, and one is for my fitness. I write them down on a post-it note and stick it to my computer monitor to keep them literally front and center. January has always been about goals in my mind, as such, this issue is dedicated to goals.

My goals are specific and measurable.

At the end of the year, I want to say that I did this one thing in each category.

If I meet that goal, great. If I made steps toward it, well okay, that is still progress! Each of my goals is meant to stretch me beyond my every day to break out of the mind-dulling inertia of our daily routines.

This year, my professional goal is to establish the Main & Luxe brand more firmly within Naperville. To align our staff and provide guide rails for our brand, we are aligning ourselves around five pillars.

Community-focused: Our community is rich with unique people and their stories.

Give-back mentality: How can we support local and help provide a platform? Marketing is hard for a lot of local places. Our goal is to always give back as much as we can.

Curiosity: What else, what else, what else?

Elegant: Our approach to everything should be pleasingly graceful.

Above the fray: Stay neutral and supportive when engaging people. We will measure this goal via our support numbers on social media. Please tell us how we are doing!

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Historically, my personal goals have been more challenging and required the most effort. One year, I set a goal to spend more time with my parents and then created a monthly calendar of plans for us throughout the whole Main & Luxe, January 2022

year. Last year, it was to make better connections with my friends by calling more and writing handwritten cards to let them know I was thinking about them. My goal this year is to be truer to myself and my own needs and lead an authentic life. In this issue we learn more about Dana Davenport of Dana Being Dana who lives and breathes her authentic life daily. Her story is one that inspires me personally.

And finally, my fitness goal. This goal is always added as weight has been an issue for me my whole life. (Who doesn’t struggle with that?!) My fitness goals didn’t start grandiose; one year started off with signing up for one 5k during the year. Sign up. One race. That was it. My training for it included extra walks at night and an occasional jog here and there. It was one simple goal that I thought I could achieve. Each year, I decided to add in something a bit more challenging. A few years ago, I proudly completed a triathlon. 2020 and 2021 threw a series of wrenches into this specific goal. So, this year, I am back to signing up for a 5K. The goal of this goal is to start again.

Goals can be anything and everything you want. When you write them down, they become more than just an idea in your head. Progress is progress no matter the units of measure.

This issue brings you ideas to help with goals. As expected for a January Issue, we are bringing you information about gyms.

Unexpectedly, all of the featured gyms are owned locally and specialize in women’s needs. We bring you information about how to make your dietary goals a bit easier by outsourcing the work. We’ve curated a list of items to help you get into the right mindset of self-care for personal and professional goals. And we help those looking to join a nonprofit board with the steps to do so for several of them around the area.

© Emily Cummings

Ashley South 2022 is a big year for me and for Main & Luxe. We have our legs underneath us © Katie Braga I and are looking to run. Professionally, would like to see the magazine grow in reach and brand presence via our five culture pillars. Personally, I would like to see us connect with our readers and make an impact on the community via our direct philanthropic support. And as for fitness goals, I would like to get us in talks to sponsor a future 5k—if nothing else, for it to be the one that I sign up for this year.

My overall goal for 2022 is for it to be the year of comebacks and goal accomplishments!

What are your goals this year? How can we help?

Ideas / ad inquires may be sent to: CEO@MainLuxe.com

www.tinkerboutique.shop LOCATION | 227 South Main Street, Naperville IL 60540 HOURS | Mon: Closed | Tue-Sat: 10am-6pm | Sun: 11am-5pm

Dine

Good Food Fast

By Christina Wichmann

Who hasn’t perused Giada cookbooks or clipped out magazine recipes while envisioning the wonderful flavors??

We try our best to workout and make careful food choices. But then kids, work, daily schedules, and other of life’s speed bumps pop up in front of the best intentions.

Most of the time, dinner is far less glamorous than the gourmet meal imagined.

Meal Village—Local, Same-Day Delivery Offers a large menu that changes daily featuring individual entrees, salads, children’s meals, side dishes, and desserts. The culinary team prepares the meals from scratch in their Naperville-based commercial kitchen. Meals can be ordered same day or up to five days in advance.

Sample Meals: -Pan roasted salmon with garlic mashed potatoes and green beans -Beef pot roast with roasted carrots, pearl onions, and red potatoes

A lot of people want to eat healthier and lose a few pounds, so Main & Luxe wants to get you on the right footing this year!

We tried three meal delivery services to make your life easier and healthier. Not the meal kits that you cook yourself; these are the ones that come prepared and just need to be heated up for two minutes. They are a great option because they checked all the boxes: food that’s convenient, delicious, and good for our bodies.

Fully prepared meals are delivered cold and can be put in the refrigerator for later or popped in the microwave for dinner that night.

All we tried are available for ordering online. Look for special holiday and new year pricing right now. And to get the “Giada-look,” simply move from the container onto a plate complete with a linen napkin!

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Shrimp with snow peas

Meal Village delivers Monday through Friday, and the weekly menu is posted on their website. Meal Village is not considered diet food, but meals are portioned at 600–800 calories. The menu also allows family members to choose their own meals.

My family and I had kid activities between 5—7 pm one night. Meal Village delivered our dinner at 3:30 pm. After working a full day, all I had to do was heat up the lasagna with steamed broccoli for two kids and give the third her fresh veggies and ranch dip. The kids ate (their whole dinner!) at 4:30, and we arrived at the activities on time.

Main & Luxe, January 2022

© Meal Village

-Pretzel crusted chicken with seasoned potato wedges and lemon broccoli -Grilled Hawaiian shrimp bowl with charred pineapple

Cost: Meal Village requires no minimum order, subscription, or contract.

All prices are discounted based on advance ordering; otherwise, regular price for same-day ordering.

Individual entree portions begin at $7.20 with 24-hour discount. mealvillage.com

Splendid Spoon—Plantbased, Gluten-free This New York–based company delivers nationwide.

They market themselves as plans to help you create healthy eating habits.

Customers order a weekly box of food (customizable) that is delivered on dry ice. All meals are plant-based, gluten-free, and non-GMO. The meal choices comprise a selection of 19 smoothies, 33 soup and grain bowls, 10 noodle bowls, and 6 light soups. I purchased the breakfast, lunch, reset box. It includes five smoothies (for breakfast), five bowls (for lunch), and five light soups for the reset day. The meals are very nourishing and made with high-quality ingredients.

The company doesn’t promise weight loss, but the meals are packed with stomach-filling fiber that satisfies.

“

Factor’s goal is to help people achieve real results without sacrificing time and energy trying to sort through overwhelming amounts of nutrition and diet information.

Sample Meals: -Dragon fruit berry smoothie with pineapple juice and chia seeds -White bean and tomato grain bowl with kale and fennel ragu -Carrot lentil curry soup with coconut milk and celery -Creamy mushroom and spinach noodles with peas Cost: Splendid Spoon is a subscription service, but customers can skip weeks or cancel anytime. There are three weekly plans (based on six days): breakfast ($65); breakfast, lunch, reset ($135); or breakfast, lunch, dinner, reset ($185). splendidspoon.com

Full week of Factor meals

“

Slendid Spoon soups and smoothies

© Splendid Spoon

Factor (Formerly Factor 75)—Nutrition Consultation Included Factor’s goal is to help people achieve real results without sacrificing time and energy trying to sort through overwhelming amounts of nutrition and diet information. The meals are grass-fed, pasture-raised, antibiotic- and hormonefree, gluten-free, soy-free, non-GMO, and have no added sugars.

A complimentary nutrition consultation with a registered dietitian is available to help customers choose meals and meet health goals. The company is based in Chicago and delivers to Naperville.

Our founder, Ashley South, and her family tried this one. The meals come every Wednesday in a box with large recyclable ice packs and thick insulation.

Each meal has the nutrition information listed, including macros. Factor also provides each recipe online for those Giada dreams you cannot seem to get out of your head!

Sample Meals: -Sun-dried tomato chicken with zucchini noodles -Mushroom gravy turkey with mashed cauliflower, celery root puree, and green beans -Tomato and goat cheese © Factor cavatappi primavera with roasted garlic green beans -Keto mushroom burger with roasted kale and tomatoes

© Factor

Cost: Factor is also a subscription service where customers can pause, cancel, or change their plans at any time. Factor offers discounts based on order size.

Meals range from $11 to $15, depending on size of order.

For example, the 8-meal plan Ashley ordered was $69 with applied discounts. Standard pricing, the 4-meal plan is $60; an 18-meal plan is $198.

Author: Christina Wichmann Our senior editor. Chris is a writer, editor, and project director during the day, and our seamstress by night. She carefully unstitches misplaced words or paragraphs and brings them back together in ways much better than we could have hoped.

She lives near Knoch Knolls Park.

Main & Luxe, January 2022

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Main & Luxe, January 2022

Main & Luxe Naperville

With original, localized content that help readers get the most out of living in Naperville, we offer unique solutions for your business in print, online, and in person.

M&L Readers:

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Advertise with us!

Main & Luxe Naperville

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Main & Luxe

Main & Luxe

Issue 3 | December 2021

Issue 4 | January 2022

Naperville

Naperville

Contact

Ashley South Founder/Direction CEO@MainLuxe.com Graphic design services available Editor@MainLuxe.com

Issue 1 | October 2021

Issue 2 | November 2021

Community

Let’s Do This!

Naperville has many options when it comes to working out. Some of these options include boutique gyms. These types of gyms are highly personalized and offer their clientele a more unique workout experience. The main difference compared to traditional gyms is that boutique gyms usually limit their areas of fitness (such as yoga, barre, cycling) and they tend to be more intimate and community-oriented.

Main & Luxe found several woman-owned Naperville gyms you should consider in 2022. Our theory is this option may make us stick to those new year goals since we won’t be an anonymous person on a treadmill in a big, busy gym!

Rae’s Academy at Edge—Startup Yogis Friendly; Mentorship Michelle Rae Sobi is the sole owner, lead yogi, digital artist, and mentor at Edge Yoga School, located in the shopping center at 87th Street and Modaff Road.

She found yoga while recovering from an injury that prevented her from walking.

“I found solace in yoga, along with the physical strength to rehab into a new life.

Yoga saved me in every way a person can be saved.” Edge’s classes are open to the public, and they welcome all yoga levels.

Michelle’s most popular class is the weekly Candlelight Yoga on Sunday nights. Other classes include partner yoga, vinyasa, and private yoga sessions. Edge also focuses on training, mentorship, and business support of newly certified yoga instructors.

“There is no such thing as an advanced student. Yogis remain students of their asana practice, as well as students of life.”

Rae’s Academy at Edge 525 W. 87th Street raesacademy.com

Courtesy of Rae’s Academy

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Main & Luxe, January 2022

Donna’s Home Fitness—Customized Fitness; Baby Friendly Donna Anderson is the sole owner and operator of Donna’s Home Fitness located near Tamarack Golf Club. After having her first child, Donna was determined to find a way to use her experience as a personal trainer and master’s degree in Physical Education to help people; all while maintaining the flexibility to raise her children and be present for her family. For the last 18 years, Donna has succeeded. With a well-equipped gym in her home and many class options, Donna offers a customized approach to fitness and health for her clients’ needs.

Her focus areas include any injuries or doctor’s recommendations and off-season conditioning for athletes. She also offers virtual classes, one-on-one personal training, and small group fitness classes.

“My passion is help people better their health through fitness, no matter what level!” Donna is also pre-natal and postnatal certified; she has an open-door policy for babies and children to accompany their parents during workouts. “Easing anxiety, especially for new moms who don’t want to leave their baby at home or drop the baby off at a childcare center is really important and part of the experience I want to provide for my clients.”

Donna’s Home Fitness 5024 Prairie Sage Lane donnashomefitness.com

Courtesy of Donna’s At Home Fitness

“

In this world, it’s so important to find balance of effort and ease.

-Nicole Suchevits, 360 Studios

“

By Samar Istanbouli

360 Studios Naperville—Small Group Fitness to One-on-One Workouts If you’re a fan of small group fitness, yoga, barre, cycling, or personal training, visit Nicole Suchevits over at 360 Studios in the Hawthorne Square shopping center.

360 Studios is not just a gym, it is an inclusive experience of physical health and communal well-being. “Because we aren’t a franchise or big box business, we can create our own rules that keep our clients safe and happy.” Nicole’s goal was to create a place where everyone fits in regardless of shape, size, fitness level. Growing up, Nicole struggled with her weight, confidence, and finding her place. Her experience compelled her to create a place where her clients could get everything needed under one roof and feel safe and secure. Nicole’s highly qualified instructors, management style, and community-focused philosophy has garnered her a loyal following. “In this world, it’s so important to find balance of effort and ease…and stretching it out is what we are all about.”

360 Studios Naperville 807 S Washington St #115 360studiosnaperville.com

Courtesy of 360 Studios Naperville

Delta Life Fitness—30-minute MultiIntensity Classes; Child Care Ready for her next endeavor, New Zealand native Alicia Roberts relocated to the United States after years of traveling around the world for her former employer. She found the job market very competitive and the type of role she wanted hard to find. That’s when she sought the advice of a professional business consultant who introduced her to Delta Life Fitness. As an avid runner, Alicia always had a passion for sports and fitness. Her personal goal is to run the 10 biggest marathons in the world… for fun! When asked about why she chose Delta Life Fitness, she said “We are building a space for women who may be intimidated by the weight room at traditional gyms. But we want to be the gym for all women regardless of fitness level—whether you haven’t worked out in 30 years or are an ultra-runner.” Delta Life Fitness offers 30-minute classes composed of high-intensity exercises followed by low-intensity movements/ resting periods designed to create maximum results at any fitness level. The studio will also offer child care. Delta Life Fitness is projected to open in February of 2022 in the Market Meadows shopping center.

Delta Life Fitness 1277 S Naper Blvd deltalifefitness.com

AIR Aerial Fitness—Body Weight Training Aerial Fitness is a new concept in town, that fuses Pilates, ballet, yoga, and high intensity interval training on aerial hammocks. Owner and operator Amie Langus’ program is designed to make you stronger. The 50-minute workouts challenge participants with highintensity exercises like push-ups and lunges combined with aerial yoga moves.

“AIR provides the perfect workout that will give you results in a couple weeks, if you are consistent. While in the air, everything you do utilizes strength and muscle, which helps in all activities in your life,” Amie explained. It is recommended that new clients start with the 50-minute beginner class, Air Foundation, which introduces new clients to aerial exercises on hammocks.

Amie is trained in both aerial and mat fitness and has a background in real estate, her studio is in downtown Naperville, in the alcove behind Potbelly Sandwich Shop.

AIR Aerial Fitness 236 S Washington St #107 airfitnow.com

The next time you find yourself looking for a new challenge or an enriching community to join, support one of Naperville’s woman-owned fitness facilities. These studios offer a complimentary class or discounted rate for new clients.

Michelle Rae Sobi

Donna Anderson

Courtesy of Donna’s Home Fitness

Nicole Suchevits

Courtesy of 360 Studios Naperville

Alicia Roberts

Courtesy of Delta Life Fitness

Courtesy of AIR Aerial Fitness

Courtesy of Rae’s Academy

Amie Langus

Main & Luxe, January 2022

Courtesy of Alicia Roberts

Courtesy of AIR Aerial Fitness

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Curated Splurge

Find Your Center

By Samar Istanbouli

Feel glorious, Top Fashion

Bring in freshness, The Growing Place

Pamper your skin, Peace

Embrace the coziness, Standard Goods

Set the mood with subtle scents, Peace

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Main & Luxe, January 2022

Be bold while you strengthen that core, Peace

Keep it simple and low-maintenance, The Growing Place

Messy hair? Who cares!, Top Fashion

Grow greenery, The Growing Place

Enjoy a good bar night without the hangover, Standard Goods

Sass it up, Top Fashion

Always remember, Peace

Visit a new shop, Standard Goods Main & Luxe, January 2022

Author: Samar Istanbouli Samar is a naperville lifestylist and social butterfly.

She resides in the Saybrook neighborhood. She has a BS in Business Administration from New York Institute of Technology and an MBA in Entrepreneurship from Benedictine University.

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Luxe Life

Reset Your Mind

By Katie Braga; All photographs by Katie Braga

Day 2 10am: After a restful night’s sleep and a late start, we drove 5 minutes down the road to a cute doughnut shop called DoughDaddy’s Doughnuts.

11am: Stopped at Rebecca Ruth’s Chocolates, the originator of the bourbon ball chocolates.

12pm: Buffalo Trace Distillery, took a tour, and sampled.

4pm: Back to our hotel for a luxe dinner and more wine

Looking to reset after the holidays, my husband and I ducked out for a long weekend.

Three days of private travel, wine tasting, and simple tranquility.

The Kentucky Castle Hotel

The Kentucky River

DoughDaddy’s Doughnuts

Bluegrass Airport Lobby

Day 1 8am: Drove to Aurora Airport 9am: Departed from Aurora Airport to Kentucky Blue Grass Airport 12pm (with time change, a two hour flight): Explored the Blue Grass Airport and spent a little time at the lounge. Picked up our rental for the weekend.

1pm: Headed to Prodigy Vineyards and Winery in Frankfort for a wine tasting and tour of the grounds.

4pm: Drove to our hotel, The Kentucky Castle, known for its Michelin Star chefs, and on property produce.

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Main & Luxe, January 2022

Prodigy Vineyards and Winery

Rebecca Ruth’s Candy Store

Prodigy gift shop

Pinot noir and chardonnay

Buffalo Trace Distillery

Jockey statues, Keeneland

Grounds surrounding The Kentucky Castle hotel

Day 3 10am: Checked out and drove to Keeneland Race Track, an international Thoroughbred racing track, nestled in the heart of horse country 11am: Toured the grounds, open since 1936.

1pm: Headed to airport, returned the car, and fueled up

2pm: Departed from Kentucky Blue Grass Airport to Aurora Airport 4:45pm: Landed right as the sun was setting 7pm: Back in Naperville and refreshed after a quick adventure!

Keeneland Race Track from the air

We had an incredible time connecting with ourselves while enjoying the beautiful scenery and delicious food!

Rolex clock, Keeneland

Katie and Jon Braga, their Cessna 182j

Glimpse of Gourmet

By Terrell Cole

Time to reset the mind and body! Starting the new year with a commitment to better eating.

Author: Chef Terrell Cole Owner, Darkhorse Catering in Naperville Chef Terrell brings his decades of experience to a new feature exclusively for Main & Luxe Magazine.

He is known for his range and ability to manage effortlessly.

He lives Downtown.

Does this look tasty to you?

This is just a glimpse! Head to Chef’s page to get the recipe.

Shrimp with cauliflower tortillas Main & Luxe, January 2022

© Mike Hubatch

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At the Library

Dream Big, Get Inspired We are lucky that we live in a town where the library is a place full of opportunities for education, imagination, and exploration. The technology services at the Naperville Public Library are bar none.

We have rows of machines in the computer labs, online databases, technology classes, photo scanners, and 3-D software and printers.

Naperville Library’s range of technology services goes way beyond the things listed on signs navigating patrons through the library. Main & Luxe heard about the incredible digital offerings from one of our readers, so we checked in to see what it was all about. “One of our goals as a library is to offer technology that customers can’t readily have access to at home or technology they may not know exists,” Jonathan Charles, Digital Services Supervisor, explains. And, that they are, Main & Luxe learned.

In 2017, the library’s 95th Street location underwent renovations that allowed for the expansion of its digital services offerings. A green screen room, a soundproof recording room, and all of the related software were installed in what was previously little used private study rooms.

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Since the green screen room opened to the public, it has been used by a variety of residents from students to business owners. Green screen, also known as

chroma key technology, is best known for bringing amazing special effects to the movies. Subjects are placed in front of the screen and an image is digitally inserted over anything that color.

equipment, the library will allow you to rent what you need. Creativity knows no bounds for children who want to turn existing video clips into a movie with special effects and moving objects,

Greenscreen room, 95th Street Library

First introduced in the early 1900s, the green screen was used in popular films such as Mary Poppins and King Kong.

With advancements and cost reduction of digital cameras and editing software, the green screen is in wide use outside Hollywood.

The green screen room at the 95th Street Library offers patrons everything they need to pull off this creative digital skill. This room can transform any idea into a beautiful videography masterpiece—LED lighting, black and gray backdrops, a handheld reflector panel, video editing software, and the green screen wall itself.

Should you not be able to bring in your own recording device or extra lighting

Main & Luxe, January 2022

© Firefly Nights

businesses that want to create their own commercials with eye-catching backgrounds and captions, influencers wanting to create animated social media posts, and musicians creating music videos.

“

I loved the idea of offering a powerful and creative way to ignite creativity and creation.

“

By JD Hollyfield

Do you have a voice made for radio? Welcome to the sound recording studio located just in front of the green screen room! The sound recording studio comes equipped with everything you need to create a clear and crisp audio experience: microphones, a Mac computer installed with Digital Audio Workstation, and hardware such as Novation LaunchPad and Arturia KeyLab. The room was built and reinforced with soundproof materials, like eggcrate foam, which lines the walls. Jonathan Charles explained to us that people also use the room to record music. Percussion

Sound recording studio, 95th Street Library

© Firefly Nights

© Firefly Nights

© Firefly Nights

instruments are the only thing heard outside of the room because of the vibration. With the room set up, audio ideas are endless: bloggers producing podcasts, DJs recording and mixing music, and artists recording their spoken word poetry.

All of this was made possible by a donation from then 17-year-old Trisha Prabhu in 2017. Today, Trisha is an entrepreneur, Harvard student, U.S. Rhodes Scholar, and local celebrity.

“I loved the idea of offering a powerful and creative way to ignite creativity and creation,” Trisha said. “I hope it allows users to capture and represent other worlds and encourages young people

Jonathan Charles, Digital Services Supervisor

© Firefly Nights

to break boundaries, think outside of the box, and push the limits of what is possible.”

While a student at Neuqua Valley, Trisha developed the anti-bullying software ReThink that has been the recipient of numerous awards and featured on the popular show Shark Tank.

The ReThink app detects and prevents online hate by encouraging kids to change their minds about posting mean thoughts. It has been downloaded more than 500,000 times and has impacted more than 5 million students. At 16-years-old, Trisha won the 2016 WebMD Health Hero Prodigy Award.

The award included a $7,500 prize, which Trisha donated to the Naperville Public

Trisha Prabhu, Benefactor

Courtesy of Trisha Prabhu

Library to turn her creative conceptions into reality for fellow Naperville students.

Don’t worry—we reached out to her for a future Profile section. Her story is incredible.

Thank you, Trisha.

For a complete list of available equipment, reach out to the Naperville Public Library. Reservations are required for both rooms, and a library-led orientation is required before first use.

The staff at this location are experienced enough to walk you through any process from offering tutorials to directing you to helpful YouTube videos.

© Firefly Nights

Hats off to the Naperville Public Library and its amazing benefactor whose commitment to her community and her craft is an inspiration for all of Naperville. Go tinker around and take the orientation class, if you have an idea, these two rooms are excellent ways to empower you to get it off the ground!

Naper Blvd Nichols Library 95th Street Library naperville-lib.org

Author: JD Hollyfield JD is a USA Today best-selling author with over 60K reviews on Goodreads. Her father was Naperville’s Director of City Planning in the 70s. She lives in Plainfield. She has a BA in Advertising from Western Illinois University and an Event Planning Certification from Harper College.

Main & Luxe, January 2022

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Give Back

Join a Board

By Hiba Mukhtar and Ashley South

Sean shared his valuable insight on joining local nonprofit boards with Main & Luxe.

Among the nonprofits Sean scouted when considering a service commitment, NAHS was one of very few organizations that offered a board member application online. He shared frankly, “If organization leadership is only relying on who they know to serve on their board, they miss

“

If organization leadership is only relying on who they know to serve on their board, they miss the opportunity for diversification. With online applications, they can attract interested people and convert applicants to a faster ‘yes or no’ for board service.

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Sean Smith will arrive at a party and always ask for dogs he can play with. Sean is a marketing and business consultant at Hire Yourself and the current Vice President of the Naperville Area Humane Society (NAHS) Board of Directors. His membership on the NAHS Board was inspired by his first dog, a black female Labrador retriever named Dublin that he adopted ten years ago. As with most rescues, her background was a mystery.

On their first day together, he secured her in a crate to depart for groceries. He made a quick about face when he realized he had forgotten his reusable bags at home.

Walking back through the door, he was astonished to find that Dublin had clawed her way out of the heavy-duty crate in the five minutes he was away! Through getting to know his new dog, Sean discovered that “Just like humans, animals have their own peculiarities… you just have to get to know them and figure out their needs.” Since bringing Dublin into his life, Sean has felt a strong urge to ensure the well-being of any animal.

the opportunity for diversification. With online applications, they can attract interested people and convert applicants to a faster ‘yes or no’ for board service.

This approach has made NAHS a fairly diverse board in many aspects.”

Sean Smith, Vice President, Naperville Humane Society (NAHS) Board of Directors

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Courtesy of NAHS

Main & Luxe, January 2022

NAHS is a privately funded animal shelter whose mission promotes the humane treatment of companion animals while enriching human-animal bonds. Going into 2022, the organization has three vacancies on its fifteen-member board of directors. Officers are typically voted on annually in December and their term starts in January of the next year. However, most applications are considered on a rolling basis because every candidate

is individually considered. Each board member serves a two-year term, with three term limits. After that, they must take one year off or join the newly created advisory committee to continue service without interruption. With this new committee, NAHS retains their valuable knowledge base while offering veteran board members the chance to remain involved.

When reviewing a candidate’s qualifications, current board members determine if a person has desirable nonprofit experience or skills. If more experience or skills are needed, NAHS directs candidates to the advisory committee. As such, the committee also serves as a pipeline for future board members. Committee responsibilities include reviewing and opining on the organization’s five-year strategic plan, attending quarterly meetings and fundraisers, and advising the board upon request.

Many nonprofit boards are classified in two ways: an operational board that is involved in daily activities or a nonoperational board that strictly focuses on fundraising. The NAHS board solely focuses on fundraising; they leave the operations work to staff. However, Sean stresses, “Our board has a wide spread of how everyone contributes.”

Are you contemplating philanthropic leadership in 2022? Sean has advice for you: bring your skills and knowledge to the table (e.g., marketing, fundraising, event planning, community contacts). The process is akin to a job interview on both sides! “Join a board that you feel strongly aligns with your values and one where you can thrive within the culture of the organization.”

There has been little downtime since Sean joined in 2019. NAHS has doubled their paw print with a newly expanded

facility, including a surgical suite and puppy training center. Portions of the building are still open for sponsorship and expansion. Our furry friends would love to see more community and local business involvement for NAHS to provide support for years to come.

Our previously featured nonprofits also offer mentor and board member applications on a rolling basis: SCORE, DuPage Pads, DuPage Children’s Museum, and Feed My Starving Children.

Kenny

Courtesy of NAHS

Arista

Courtesy of NAHS

Thunder was adopted!

Courtesy of NAHS

Eddie

Courtesy of NAHS

The Naperville Area Humane Society is our featured 501(c)(3) for January, please consider donating, volunteering, and finding forever homes for these animals.

Naperville Area Humane Society 1620 W Diehl Road https://www.naperhumane.org/

NAHS’s modern facility

Courtesy of NAHS

Author: Hiba Mukhtar Hiba has written several freelance pieces for publications in the area. She is a member of a novel writing club in Naperville.

She lives in Naperville by the Naper Blvd Library. Hiba has her BA in Business Administration from Augustana College and an MS in Human Resources from © Feed My Starving Children Loyola University Chicago.

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Live Here

Find Your Inspiration

By Stephanie Anderson

The aim of an interior designer is to make each project unique to each client: a space they feel connected to and inspired by. Achieving this means taking a closer look into how a client lives so we can identify with them on a deeper level.

Exploring a client’s existing tastes in fashion is one method I like to employ.

Are you conservative and like to wear all black, or do polka dots and colorful paisley patterns represent your closet?

Let your wardrobe style be the guide and get inspired! You can also discover inspiration from others whose styles you like and admire.

While downtown over the holidays, I stopped to appreciate the outfit of a random passerby. As I studied the tasteful but eccentric outfit she was wearing, I noticed the rich use of color, the shape the dress took on her, and the multiple layers of texture. I imagined her sitting in a bold, dark-colored room sipping a glass of Lillet Blanc while reading a book.

I immediately started taking notes and imagined her use of color and material in a den or study. Utilizing the deep brown textured leathers of her clutch for accent chairs, the velvet gray jacket she had on for pillows, the unique design on the silk scarf for artwork, the feathers in her hair as an accessory, and the striking gold necklace she had on for accents around the room. Her outfit painted a perfect picture for a design concept. Every detail mattered and could be used to create a vision.

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Take a step into your own wardrobe. What could be a better way to identify what colors and patterns you like in your home than what you enjoy wearing on a daily basis?

The process will feel easier and be more enjoyable if you start with the materials and textures you already enjoy! My suggestions are as follows:

Fashion-to-Interior Design Tips: 1. Explore your wardrobe -Identify your style—are you a minimalist, transitional, traditional, modern, or do you like to stand out with an eclectic taste?

-What colors or patterns represent your wardrobe?

2. Research fashion, such as Paris runway shows -Identity what styles you like.

-How do the different colors affect your emotions?

-What textures and patterns stand out to you?

Givenchy for swatch inspo

Of course, if you’re feeling really ambitious, grab your laptop and a glass of your favorite bubbly and watch the Paris runway shows on YouTube to try to connect with how your emotions react to the elements of design used. Brands such as Chanel, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton have been paving the way for the fashion industry since the mid 1800’s and they have also had a huge influence on interior design over the years. Colors and textures you see on the runway make their way into the home quickly.

Main & Luxe, January 2022

3. Pull together a mood board for your new space -Pick up color swatches from your local paint store that match your fashion inspirations.

-Cut out photos of patterns and different textures from fashion magazines.

-Do you love the quilted pattern from Chanel? Try it out on a chair!

-Are you a fanatic for sequins?

Try layering in a pillow covered in them!

-Do you long for a Hermes crocodile handbag? Bring in an ottoman accent piece in leather that resembles the texture.

-Once your mood board is compiled, go shopping for items related to your textures and colors to create a unique room based on your style!

Benjamin Moore swatch colors

M&L Live Here Author: Stephanie Anderson, owner of SA Interiors As a Naperville designer, the goal is to bring life and balance into clients’ homes. While designing, beautiful colors and finishes are not the only touches she considers, but function, distinction and harmony are also high on the list.

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The Settlement

Welcome to 2022 In 2014, Naper Settlement announced its Never Settle Capital Campaign to build three new buildings on the Naper Settlement campus to help us tell Naperville’s story, share the important history of our agrarian roots, and engage our audience through virtual experiences no matter where they are. We are happy to announce that 2022 will mark an important milestone in bringing these goals to fruition!

After several years of fundraising, our 13-acre museum campus, currently home to 31 historic structures, will be expanding to include three new, state-of-the-art buildings. For the past 25 years, the Naper Settlement campus has stayed much the same while our mission and programs have expanded to include telling Naperville’s history through the present day. These new buildings will help connect museum goers to the past, make connections to the present, and inspire them for the future!

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In September 2021, Naper Settlement broke ground on the Benck Family Agricultural Interpretive Center and the Herman & Anna Hageman Memorial Thresher Hall. These two buildings will explore Naperville’s agrarian roots and inspire students into important and essential agricultural careers. The Benck Family Agricultural Interpretive Center, a 4,000-square-foot exhibit and STEM-driven learning lab, will showcase the rich agricultural history of Naperville along with the critical role agriculture

plays today in health, science, technology, economics, and the environment. This building is expected to be complete in fall 2022.

Inside the new center, the Ag STEM Lab will connect the more than 35,000 Illinois students who come to Naper Settlement for field trips each year with agricultural workers, farmers, and scientists nationwide to make agriculture come to life

Finalization of the plan is underway for the Innovation Gateway, a new 5,150-squarefoot education and welcome center. As the museum’s new front door, the building will set the stage for visitors as they begin their journey of learning across the centuries.

Serving an average of 300,000 visitors a year, the Innovation Gateway’s centerpiece will be an over-sized, wall-to-

Herman & Anna Hageman Memorial Thresher Hall, rendering

through experiential, engaging workshops.

The Herman & Anna Hageman Memorial Thresher Hall is a 1,247-square-foot building that will feature a 1912 Wood Bros. threshing machine, once owned by the Hageman Family and used by many local farmers when Naperville had more cows than people. This artifact has been preserved and will be on display for the building’s anticipated opening in spring 2022.

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wall interactive 3-D digital experience filled with images, videos, and oral histories telling the story of Naperville.

Content can be explored by person, theme, or time period.

With a tap on a screen, the city will come alive with stories of everyday citizens, civic leaders, change makers, and heroes whose contributions forever marked our path.

The virtual exhibit will also allow community members to upload their own stories,

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Our 13-acre museum campus, currently home to 31 historic structures, will be expanding to include three new, state-of-the-art buildings.

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By Rena Tamayo-Calabrese

Courtesy of Naper Settlement

Innovation Gateway, Southwest view, rendering

recollections, and images to the digital experience.

Community members will be able to add to a living archive of oral histories, providing new voices and experiences that will unfold at visitors’ fingertips. Construction is expected to begin in July 2022.

This is truly a transformative period for the museum and the Naperville community.

Whether your New Year’s

Courtesy of Naper Settlement

goal is to learn something new, connect with your community, or spend quality time with your family, Naper Settlement is here as a place of lifelong learning, discovery, and fun for all people.

Naper Settlement 523 S Webster napersettlement.org

Inside Benck Family Agricultural Interpretive Center, rendering

Courtesy of Naper Settlement

Courtesy of Naper Settlement

Benck Family Agricultural Interpretive Center, rendering

Courtesy of Naper Settlement

M&L The Settlement Author: Rena Tamayo-Calabrese, President and CEO, Naper Settlement / Naperville Heritage Society. She is an attorney with over 20 years of experience in the practice of law, association, and non-profit management. She previously served as Executive Director of the National Association of Women Lawyers.

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ELEVATE YOUR BRAND AND YOUR BUSINESS

Come in, have fun, and leave with beautiful photographs.

Hair, makeup, and styling included 312.600.5151 tenlittlebirds.com

Profile

Living the Talk Dana Davenport — lawyer, mom, philanthropist, social butterfly, television host. We met with her in her home office. The scene was slightly chaotic: kids running around, Dana preparing dinner, friends stopping by to drop off promised things. Without missing a beat, Dana managed to handle everything around her and responded eloquently to our questions. We were quick to learn about her ability to handle anything and everything!

Growing up as an outspoken and witty child, Dana always knew she wanted to be an attorney and to help people.

She tells us with a laugh, “My 5th grade assessment prophesy said I would be a lawyer because of my ‘stance as a defender of justice.’”

Because of her view on the world, Dana found herself in several different friend groups.

Within these different groups, she developed her voice and connected people around her with their shared ideas.

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As a graduate of Spelman College and University of Chicago Law School, Dana fulfilled the grade school prediction. She is Senior Legal Counsel at the consulting firm Accenture. She is also a cofounder of a college student mentoring nonprofit, an active member of the Naperville community, and host of the TV show “Dana Being Dana.” This being our goals issue, Main & Luxe reached out to Dana to share her insight and wisdom with us!

Dana Being Dana Dana Being Dana (DBD) came about as a fluke after a guest appearance on a friend’s podcast. After the segment, the producer exclaimed how lively and engaging she was on the show and suggested she start a show of her own.

Dana scoffed and went home. That conversation lingered in the back of her brain for a few months. She told us that she couldn’t shake the seed that was planted, and she decided

Dana Davenport, Host of Dana Being Dana, Co-founder of The Homecoming Challenge, Community contributor

to give it a go. “I asked the producer what I should name the show. He told me it was just me being me and said, ‘Dana Being Dana’!”

Her podcast launched in August 2017. The monthly show was picked up by NCTV17 and reformatted for TV in May 2019.

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She has high expectations of Naperville and our ability to rise to any challege and, best of all, she leads by example.

-Rachna Prasad, Co-founder of The People Tree

DBD focuses on human connections and things all people have in common, regardless of gender, race, religion, age. Dana believes that we have more that

© Firefly Nights

connects us than divide us.

With each show, she aims to facilitate the discussion so that people realize how those commonalities bring people together. Dana has covered pediatric cancer, race, infertility, music, divorce, and love. The show is very engaging, and both viewers

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By Ashley South

and guests are struck by her sincerity, humor, and knack at making genuine connections.

The Homecoming Challenge 2017 was also the year Dana and her co-founder, Chris Evans a graduate of Morehouse College, started an alumni giving and mentoring campaign called The Homecoming Challenge.

The challenge: whenever an alum returns to his or her alma mater, that alum should drop in on the students in their freshman dorm and surprise them with words of encouragement, a business card, and a donation. The visits are meant to facilitate and encourage organic connections. Homecoming is the perfect occasion to bring throngs of alumni back to their alma maters.

The Challenge has been successfully deployed at Historically Black colleges and universities and is being incubated at Indiana University to eventually bring to the Big 10 schools. Dana’s goal is to expand to every school. The organization has helped to address food insecurity on campuses, provide an outlet

Dana is also a former auxiliary board member of the DuPage Children’s Museum. She joined the board to make friends and meet people (see our Give Back Section on page 22 for more information).

Service helped her to network and make friends and didn’t feel like service to her.

© Katie Braga

for discussion, and show an example of who that student can become after graduation.

Dana remarks, “There are many programs to get kids to college, but The Homecoming Challenge is meant to encourage kids to stay in school through the guidance of someone who has literally been in their dorm room.”

Community Contributions If all of what we have already listed wasn’t enough to keep her busy, Dana finds time to curate Woman Crush Wednesdays (WCW) on her social media.

Her goal is to model behavior of supporting other strong powerful and accomplished women. “Celebrating other amazing women, lifts us all up.

Posts, likes, and shares are free, so why not?” Why not, indeed.

In 2020, Mayor Chirico personally asked Dana to serve as a liquor commissioner. (We did not even know there was such a thing!) There are nine community members who advise the Naperville City Council on matters with respect with liquor licenses. If it is straightforward, a liquor license is issued. If there is a concern, the commission is consulted.

She also regularly hosts events around town to bring people together informally.

She hosts monthly watch parties on the nights Dana Being Dana premiers and makeup tutorials at the MAC makeup store downtown. All of this serves to bring people together around something they have in common (an interest in the show or makeup) and sparks new connections and conversations.

If you have a seed planted in your brain that you cannot shake, Dana advises: Be comfortable with failure. Do you. Try it out. Why not? “I started a podcast with no media training and no experience. I had no expectations but was prepared to try it out and see what happened.” (See The Library section on page 20 to learn how you can start producing your own content at the 95th Street Branch.)

“We all have self-doubt. Cast that away. Be honest with yourself. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Solicit and embrace honest feedback. Live your brand.”

Dana Davenport not only talks the talk, but she also walks the walk.

Now Airing! DBD: Gratitude with Attitude

© Katie Braga

Behind the scenes

© Katie Braga

Main & Luxe will be partnering with Dana Being Dana to host a MAC makeup event at 6:30p on January 8 (108 W Jefferson). Reservations required. See M&L’s Facebook or Instagram page for details.

Main & Luxe will be sponsoring the June 2022 Dana Being Dana show “Powerful Partners,” which aims to explore unlikely partnerships and their significant results.

Dana Being Dana danabeingdana.com The Homecoming Challenge homecomingchallenge.com

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