Kc jan2017eedition

JANUARY 2017

GETTING

FIT

with Vanessa Stack PAGE 7

PLUS CLEAN EATING FROM LOCAL FARMS ยก WILD WINTER WORKOUTS ยก BUILDING A BALLERINA BODY

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Editor's Note Ahhh. The new year.

A rebirth, a reboot, a chance to plan something different, or pull back on overplanning entirely!

This is how many of us approach January, as an opportunity to take a new path in our lives – be it in our physical health, spiritual commitment, professional endeavors or matters of the heart.

In this first 2017 edition of Kane County Magazine, we explore some of these with you, offering tips and insights from experts in fitness, meditation, nutrition and more.

We visit with Vanessa Stack, a St. Charles CrossFit coach, to learn about the many benefits to strength and flexibility from this relatively new training method. We chat with several local experts in meditation, and discover the amazing results that come from a mind that is cleared of stressful demands, even temporarily. We introduce you to community supported agriculture, and a local farm rich in fresh food, as we discuss all the advantages of “eating clean.”

As long as you’re getting out, we also have details on great restaurants, awesome local events, and a discussion with our resident vagabond, Peter Stadalsky, about the difference between vacationing and traveling.

Speaking of travel, our team member and regular KC editor, Kara Silva, has been doing some traveling of her own, but she’ll be back in the hot seat next month, hopefully with stories of her own worldly adventures.

Until then I invite you to curl up with a warm drink, peruse the pages of KC Magazine, and invite the wonders of winter into your everyday.

Published by Shaw Media 333 N. Randall Road, Suite 2 St. Charles, IL 60174 Phone: 630-845-5288 www.kcchronicle.com/magazine

Thanks for reading.

Sherri Dauskurdas Director of Content Development

Looking for something active to do in the cold and snow? We’ve got the low down on the outdoor adventures around the area – from snowshoes to snowboards – right here in Kane County or at a weekend destination nearby.

DIRECTOR OF NICHE PUBLISHING Laura Shaw 630-427-6213 lshaw@shawmedia.com DIRECTOR OF CONTENT DEVELOPMENT Sherri Dauskurdas 630-427-6263 sdauskurdas@shawmedia.com EDITOR Kara Silva 630-427-6209 ksilva@shawmedia.com DESIGNER Carol Manderfield 630-427-6253 cmanderfield@shawmedia.com ACCOUNT MANAGERS Sandra Petti 630-313-0251 spetti@shawmedia.com

on the

COVER CrossFit coach Vanessa Stack takes us through the regimen of this popular fitness trend.

Page 7 Photo by RON MCKINNEY

4 | JANUARY 2017 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE

Tricia Walter 630-845-5272 twalter@shawmedia.com CORRESPONDENTS Melissa Riske, Kelsey O’Connor, Kevin Druley, Chris Walker, Elizabeth Harmon, Yvonne Benson, Peter Stadalsky PHOTOGRAPHERS Ron McKinney, Heather Nelson, Kathy Green, Tom Nicol

Kane County Magazine is available by subscription for $24 a year. If you would like each month’s edition mailed to your home, send payment information and address to Kane County Magazine, 7717 S. Route 31, Crystal Lake, IL 60014 or via email at subscriptions@shawmedia.com. www.kcchronicle.com/magazine

Learn Your BodyAge® And Get Started on a Fitness Journey Resources to help you achieve your goals Cardio and strength training equipment, group exercise and aquatics classes Supportive staff to help you make the most of your workouts Personal training, nutritional counseling and massage Full-service locker rooms with all the amenities

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INSIDE

HEALTH AND WELLNESS 7 CROSSING OVER Fitness minded folks are turning to CrossFit for its benefits of strength and flexibility.

TRAVEL

32 SNOW SEEKERS 10 THINK GLOBAL, EAT LOCAL Get farm-to-table freshness with the Hit the slopes on a Midwestern mountain and indulge your outdoor help of your nearby CSA. passion, close to home.

12 ROCK YOUR WORKOUT New “drumstick” routines build the body while you keep the beat.

14 THE MOST FITNESS FUN, BARRE NONE Dance your way to a ballerina body, with a dance-inspired workout.

WORKOUT

New “drumstick” routines build the body while you keep the beat.

Photos by Heather Nelson

6 | JANUARY 2017 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE

DINING AND ENTERTAINING

16 POWERING DOWN Meditation can offer useful re-boot for body and mind.

36 AN OLD FAVORITE, REIMAGINED Chef breathes new life into menu at Pheasant Run.

18 LET IT SNOW! Walk a winter wonderland this season in the county’s great outdoors

38 TOP THAI Check out the best Thai restaurants in the Tri-Cities, chosen by Kane County Chronicle readers!

20 FRESH START Begin the new year with a new, healthy outlook.

BUSINESS AND CIVIC

HOME AND LIFESTYLE

12 ROCK YOUR

34 TRAVELER OR TOURIST? Weigh the differences between travel and vacation. Peter Stadalsky breaks it down.

22 SPRING AHEAD Planning for spring in the garden makes everything easier when the warm weather returns.

24 COLD, HARD TRUTH When the heat goes out, what do you do? Be prepared for winter’s chill with tips from a local expert.

26 HASSLE FREE HOME GYMS Make your extra space a useful studio, and eliminate the excuses.

40 TIME SENSITIVE Careful consideration for each patient distinguishes Dr. Sarah Kimber.

42 EXTRAVAGANZA OF SPIRIT Families filled the rooms at CASA Kane County’s holiday events.

OUT AND ABOUT 46 FRIDAYS COME ALIVE Weekends are fun-filled for kids in St Charles.

48 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

30 GRAY IS HERE TO STAY Timeless color in hues warm and cool continues to complement great style.

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CROSSING OVER

MORE AND MORE, PEOPLE ARE TURNING TO CROSSFIT TO MEET THEIR FITNESS GOALS

By KELSEY O’CONNOR Photos by RON MCKINNEY Fitness trends come and go. But some have more staying power than others. CrossFit, a fitness program founded in 2000, is one of those. CrossFit is focused on constantly varied functional movements performed at a high intensity. The regiment has continued to grow in popularity; today there are more than 13,000 CrossFit-affiliated gyms around the country.

One of these gyms is Crossfit Kokua in Geneva, where Vanessa Stack has been coaching CrossFit since 2013. She first tried the sport in 2011 as a means of training for her role as a group fitness instructor. “Once I did my first workout I was hooked,” she says. “It became my main workout after that.”

The program is based on movements inspired by gymnastics, weightlifting, running and rowing. The idea is to maximize the amount of work done in the shortest amount of time.

The efficiency is one of the major appeals for many devoted CrossFitters, including Stack. “It’s the best way to maximize your results for the time and effort you put into your workout,” she says.

Another benefit of CrossFit is the way it changes your body and your mindset, says Stack. “Your body compositions will change for the better, you’ll have more muscle tone. But it’s not just about aesthetics. Your self confidence will improve because your realize you can achieve more than you ever imagined.”

-Continued on page 8 KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2017 | 7

-Continued from page 7 She witnesses that mental transformation everyday at CrossFit Kokua. It’s one of her favorite parts of coaching CrossFit. “That’s the most rewarding part of my job, seeing people succeed and surpass their limits,” she says.

One prime example is her brother. Stack suggested that he try CrossFit— and he ended up losing more than 100 pounds. He’s also accomplished other milestones, such as a body weight pull up and running a mile in under nine minutes. “Those are the kind of things people don’t think they’re capable of doing until they get the motivation and inspiration from somewhere,” says Stack.

8 | JANUARY 2017 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE

Stack is a certified Crossfit Level One and CrossFit Kids trainer. She balances this with bartending, studying food science and being a mom. At CrossFit Kokua, she teaches small group lessons of 4 to 5 people. “With small group training, you get the attention of personal training with the accountability of working out with others,” she says.

One indicator of the growing number of female CrossFitters is the Crossfit Games Open. The annual event is a fitness test that CrossFitters complete remotely in gyms around the country. In 2011, the first year of the games, there were 2,000 women in Stack’s division. Last year, there were more than 6,000.

“Your self confidence will improve because your realize you can achieve more than you ever imagined.”

Vanessa Stack, CrossFit Kokua

LOOKING FOR MORE? Check out one of these area gyms and CrossFit programs:

Held in February, anyone with $20 and access to equipment commonly found in CrossFit affiliated gyms, such as a barbell and bumper plates, pull-up bar, jump rope and rowing machine, can sign up and compete in the five-week, five-workout competition. More than 324,000 athletes from around the globe competed in 2016, ranging in age from 14 to 83 years old.

Stack says many people are intimidated by CrossFit because they think that they already have to be in shape to succeed. “Don’t be afraid to try CrossFit,” she says. “It’s the safest, most efficient exercise program if executed properly. You don’t have to be great to start, but you do have to start to be great.”

CrossFit Kokua | Geneva (630) 888-1904 www.crossfitkokua.com Crossfit OLAF | Batavia (630) 926-7465 www.crossfitolaf.com CrossFit 333 | St. Charles (331) 442-4417 www.crossfit333.com

Think global, eat local Get farm-to-table-freshness with the help of your nearby CSA

By KELSEY O’CONNOR

Another new year, another new resolution to eat healthier.

backyard, it’s your community. You get a real connection to where your food comes.”

This typically includes eating more fresh, nutritious vegetables. But for many, that January resolve begins to fade as the months pass. A great way to make sure your commitment to being healthy lasts year round is to take part in community-supported agriculture.

During the spring harvest, which typically begins May 6, shareholders can expect beets, radishes, turnips, kale, and spinach. The summer typically brings eggplant, heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and more.

With community-supported agriculture (CSA), members pay for a share of a local farm’s harvest at the beginning of the growing season. Throughout the harvest, subscribers receive their share of the farm’s produce. It has become a popular way for community members to support local farms, while having convenient access to locally grown vegetables.

Heritage Prairie Farm in Elburn started its CSA in 2010. The certified organic farm has three CSA programs: fall, spring and summer. Each features different produce, depending on what’s in season. Subscribers can pick up their share each week and enjoy an ever-changing selection of greens and vegetables.

“The whole local food movement is still really big and the CSA is hyper-local,” says operations manager Nate Sumner. “It’s your

“The number one benefit of a CSA over a grocery store is freshness,” says Sumner.

“When you get your share and eat something from your CSA box, you know that was just harvested the day before.”

The farm offers multiple programs to fit a variety of needs and lifestyles. Shareholders can opt in for one season or the whole year.

They can choose from a full share or a half share; a full share can usually feed a nonvegetarian family of four. Subscribers also can add farm fresh eggs to their share.

Besides organic produce, another benefit of joining a CSA is forming a relationship with local farmers.

“What’s cool about being a part of our CSA is you’re a part of the farm and the farm family,” says Sumner. “There’s something really special about actually coming to the farm where your

food was harvested and getting to know the people who had a hand in that. It really makes you appreciate your community and your food.”

The farm also benefits from the relationship.

Many small farms are forced to take out loans at the beginning of the growing season in order to fund operations until harvest, when they can begin making a profit. The CSA model allows farmers to receive the funds they need upfront.

“A farmer doesn’t get paid until after their crops are harvested and sold,” says Sumner.

“That’s where the shareholders come in. They support us in the off season while we’re still working on food because they know we’re going to support them in the main season with good quality food.”

Shares for spring and summer 2017 programs are now available. For more information about Heritage Prairie Farm and its CSA program, visit heritageprairiefarm.com.

For a more complete list of CSAs across the suburban Chicago area, visit www. familyfarmed.org/find-a-chicago-area-csa/

Rockin’ workout Build your body by keeping the beat

By KEVIN DRULEY | Photos by HEATHER NELSON

Whether they originate from turkeys, chickens or Nestle chocolate factories, drumsticks typically foster calorie consumption.

The POUND workout, offered three times a week at BeneFIT Health and Fitness Consultants, 1450 W. Main St. in St. Charles, turns that notion upside down.

Taglined the “Rockout. Workout,” POUND incorporates separate, quarter-pound Ripstix drumsticks, which participants use throughout a45-minute, full-body, music-infused exercise session.

scene. Its network now includes 7,000 instructors in 35 countries.

Saracco, who operates BeneFIT with her husband, Michael, and fellow partner John Daum, joined the ranks shortly after viewing a POUND segment during ABC’s “Good Morning America.” She traveled to Chicago for a one-day, eight-hour training course, and began offering classes this past summer.

Participants can burn up to 900 calories in 45 minutes.

“We thought it would be a great idea to bring to our facility and to St. Charles,” Saracco says. “The fact that it was more than just a fitness format – like Zumba, for instance, “I think combined with a healthy diet where you’re just dancing. People are and some sort of moderate resistance intimidated by cardio formats that program, using POUND as your aerobic they think they’ll need coordination or your cardio workout is absolutely for. And having the drumsticks and something we would encourage, and having something that sort of helps going into the new year … something you stick to the rhythm while you’re to add to your list of resolutions,” burning calories and building muscle BeneFIT co-owner and class leader tissue, that was sort of the appeal for Daniela Saracco. us. And the music.”

According to its website, www.

BeneFIT classes are held at 7:30 p.m. poundfit.com, POUND originated in Los Tuesdays and Thursdays and 8:30 a.m.

Angeles in 2011 before progressively Saturdays. Cost is $12 for walk-ins or bursting onto the worldwide workout $80 for a nine-class punch card.

12 | JANUARY 2017 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE

HEALTH & WELLNESS

www.kcchronicle.com/magazine

Massage Therapy Is Beneficial To Your Health Hello! And welcome to the New Year 2017!

The holidays are behind us, and time to think about your focus, health and goals for the new year. Just as you need daily exercise and a healthy diet, massage therapy is can be a vital part of your health plan. Many people turn to temporary solutions when dealing with pain and stress. But, you have choices!

And ...There IS a better choice.Feel better through holistic massage therapy.

Massage Therapy is much more than a temporary escape. It is an opportunity to nurture a healthier lifestyle and promote healing and wellness. You are sure to feel refreshed, restored, and relaxed ... calming your mind and rejuvenating your body.

Classes can accommodate up to 20 people.

The clientele often represents multiple pockets of the population, thanks in part to Saracco’s diverse approach to DJ-ing. She keeps class favorites on her playlist, to be sure, but also freshens things up each week while mixing pop and rap music from several generations.

“We’ve had individuals as young as 10 and as old as 67 that have commented on the music and how great it is,” Saracco says.

After stretching, a warmup track opens each class to help ease participants’ blood flow and loosen their muscles. After that, Saracco targets abdominal muscles before shifting the focus to glutes and hamstrings.

Participants use the supine position – lying horizontally with the face and torso facing up – for the glute- and hamstring-targeted movements of the class.

“Very intense, but also very doable for most people,”Saracco says.

Engineered for exercise, the Ripstix provide the final touch as participants of all fitness levels keep them moving.

“They’re a quarter pound, but you definitely feel your upper body exhausted after a 45-minute class,” Saracco says. “You feel like you’ve done some work.”

u For more information about POUND classes or other BeneFITprograms, visit www. personaltrainingstcharlesil.com

Every year we age, we notice and deal with minor aches, pains and illness, which can take away our physical and emotional zest for life. Being PROACTIVE on your body’s health is worth it’s weight in gold!

Therapeutic massage is more than a luxury. Massage therapy offers an affordable, drug-free, non-invasive and hands-on approach, based on the body’s natural ability to heal itself. Massage therapy treats your whole self … mind, body and spirit. Therapeutic massage can be tailored to your preferences and your schedule.

Why not kick off the new year, and create a plan to prioritize your health with regular massage therapy sessions!

Your health is in my hands!

630.605.7591 ~ Geneva www.paulinemassage.com pauline.massage@comcast.net www.kcchronicle.com/magazine

HEALTH & WELLNESS

KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2017 | 13

Ballerina

Even if the phrase “hit the gym” brings fear and loathing, there are plenty of ways to make your fitness resolution a reality…and have fun at the same time.

Think dance.

Whether it’s ballroom, hip-hop, tap or ballet, dancing not only is good for your body, it’s good for your mood and mind as well.

body Have the most fitness fun, barre none

By ELIZABETH HARMON

According to WebMD, a 30-minuted class can burn up to 250 calories, about the same as jogging. Dancing is a whole body work-out that boosts cardio vascular health, balance and flexibility. It facilitates weight loss and challenges the brain, as you learn steps and routines. Dance can also strengthen specific areas of the body, depending upon the type of you choose.

And like other types of exercise, it boosts your energy level and mood.

“Overall, it’s aerobic fitness, but it also helps motor fitness, muscle strength and endurance. It helps build stronger bones, which helps lower the risk of osteoporosis,” says Ashlie Andersen, owner and director of State Street Dance Studio in Geneva.

Even if you haven’t danced in years, or never tried before, signing up for an adult dance class is a great way to start out the new year.

In addition to focusing on classical ballet and preprofessional training for young dancers, State Street Dance Studio welcomes adults, either in private lessons, or group classes.

“We’re flexible, and if an adult is interested in learning, we’ll talk with them about what their goals are, whether it’s to learn ballet, or just get in shape,” Andersen says.

Some of the studio’s more experienced adult dancers are

enrolled in advanced classes along with younger dancers.

There’s also a beginning ballet class for adults, which attracts a mix of experienced and brand new dancers. “They’re people who just love the art and want to learn. Our instructors are good at working with the needs of the individuals in the class,” she says.

Depending on interest, the studio also offers adult classes in other disciplines, including tap, modern, and jazz. A current offering, Nia, is a dance-based fitness program that combines dance, martial arts and the mindfulness/concentration found in yoga. Andersen says that part of Nia’s appeal is that it encompasses moves from different dance disciplines and attracts students ranging from teens to seniors. “It’s not restricted to one area, so there’s a variety of movement,” she says.

The studio also offers conditioning classes, which can work in conjunction with dance training, or function as a fitness program on their own, such as Core Conditioning, Stretch and Strengthening, and Floor Barre, which Andersen says is great for older adults. “You’re doing a ballet class on the floor and it’s good for your hips and strengthens the lower body,” she says.

Enrollment is ongoing, and adults can choose to register for set period of time, or purchase a number of sessions to be used on a drop-in basis. “We have several options to meet people’s scheduling needs,” Andersen says. u For more information, visit State Street Dance Studio’s website at www. statestreetdancestudio.com.

POWERING DOWN MEDITATION CAN BE A USEFUL RE-BOOT FOR BODY AND MIND

By YVONNE BENSON

C

oming out of the hectic holidays and into the doldrums of a Midwestern winter can be unsettling for anyone. One moment, you’re thinking about a million things at once, juggling a full calendar, and spending money like crazy. Then…nothing. Three months before the weather breaks and springtime renews us. This can be the opportune time to engage in the practice of meditation, and begin to maintain a peaceful state of mind regardless of the speed at which the world moves around you.

Lisa Gades leads weekly meditation sessions at the United Universalist Church in Geneva.

“At our best, most of us are kind, compassionate people,” she says. “But the challenges and stresses of life sometimes get in the way.

Meditation helps us to reawaken our compassion – for both ourselves and others. As our compassion deepens, we see that we’re not so different from the people around us. In fact, we are all connected.”

Photo provided by Lisa Gades

it lowers your blood pressure and your heart rate... It allows your body to be still and restful, she explains. “On a mental level it allows you to become aware of the business in your mind and it gives you opportunity to really observe your thoughts without engaging in them. It helps to bring focus and calm.”

meditation. Norgaard recorded the sessions with her phone and would listen to segments of them when stressed at work.

Leoni’s meditation group is called Meditation for Connection. They begin by discussing a topic followed by a guided meditation and then silent meditation.

“Meditation also helps in developing insight into what pushes our buttons, sometimes causing us to react in ways we later regret,” she says. “Our Wednesday night group has particularly enjoyed books that delved into Buddhist influences in psychology that offer practical insights useful in daily life.”

Jackie Kold has her own fitness and yoga company in St. Charles. Her yoga classes often incorporate meditation. She feels that Yin postures and gentle yoga flow combined with a spiritual practice are so beneficial to the meditation novice.

“For example,” She said, “While the body is reclining, utilizing a bolster and blankets for They begin with a half hour of meditation, support or balance, they can listen to my followed by a discussing a book written by visualizations and release the tension of the a Buddhist author. One of the benefits of mind as well. The mind can be trained to meditating as part of a group, she says, is the just focus on the affirmation (mantra) or the commitment and accountability. It’s easier to put visualization as well as the breath.” it on the calendar, to set time aside. Later, when Kold’s client, Charlotte Norgaard says she had you’re there, you’re futher committed to stay a lot on her plate as a working mom and a long for the full amount of time rather than allowing commute. “My life has always been go-go-go, distractions from around the house or other trying to get things done,” she says. “I didn’t feel obligations to pull you away. very grounded most of the time. If things upset Debbie Leoni also leads monthly meditation at or worried me I had a hard time letting it go.” the United Universalist church.

Norgaard decided to call Kold and schedule “On a physical level there are tons of benefits: eight hour-long sessions of guided affirmation 16 | JANUARY 2017 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE

HEALTH & WELLNESS

“It makes you more accepting of your life and it allows you to see what’s wonderful and let go of the need to control all of the time,” she says.

Gades agrees.

Meditation can train you to focus on the moment and to observe yourself without criticism, as well as feel more harmonious with the world around you.

“Sometimes think of meditation a bit like restarting a computer, Gades says. “We have all seen our computers bog down when we have too many programs running, too many tabs open. With a restart, all of the extra processes stop running, and the computer runs so much more efficiently.

“You might think, ‘I don’t have time for meditation.’ But I often have found that even after a short meditation break, problems I’ve been working on become clearer. It’s as though I’ve cut through the red tape in my own mind.”

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Let it snow!

WALK A WINTER WONDERLAND THIS SEASON IN THE COUNTY’S GREAT OUTDOORS

By KEVIN DRULEY

There’s no such thing as cabin fever in the eyes of the people who maintain our local parks and forest preserves.

“Winter Wonderland” is a time-honored phrase for a reason.

“If you can’t find something to do in the snow outside in a park, you can always build a snowman,” St. Charles Park District public relations and marketing manager Erika Young says. “We would love to see as many snowmen as possible.”

That frosty fail-safe represents just one of numerous outdoor recreational options for Kane County residents this winter. Here’s a glance at other offerings:

¢ BATAVIA PARK DISTRICT “The Batavia Park District encourages people to stay active no matter the weather,” Batavia Park District director of marketing and public relations Kari Felkamp says.

“During the winter months, miles of trails provide the ideal platform for cross country skiing or snowshoeing. When Mother Nature cooperates, we also hope to offer ice skating on Depot Pond.”

Safe skating at the pond requires multiple consecutive days of below-zero weather to allow the ice to become thick enough.

Eight or more inches of ice is required for the pond to be skating-ready. Skating is prohibited when the red flag is flying. Call [ tel:(630)%20879-5235 ](630) 879-5235 to check on skating status.

Weather permitting, the Peg Bond Center will serve as an unsupervised warming house from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on days open for skating. The Center is closed for rental use through Feb. 14.

Felkamp says that although Batavia lacked “a lot of prime sledding hills,” the hill by the windmill at nearby Fabyan Forest Preserve in Geneva remains a longtime popular spot.

Photos provided

¢ GENEVA PARK DISTRICT An outdoor ice skating complex featuring three sheets of ice – two for hockey and one for general skating – is located at Wheeler Park. Lighting is provided until 10 p.m. daily.

18 | JANUARY 2017 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE

The Mill Creek Pool parking will offer outdoor ice skating, as well, weather permitting.

The park district will hold its seventh annual Super Shuffle 5K at 10 a.m. Feb. 5 at Geneva Middle School South. All participants receive a hoodie and participation medal.

Registration packages range from $20 to $39. For more information, visit [ http:// genevaparks.org/ ]genevaparks.org. ¢ ST. CHARLES PARK DISTRICT Young lauded the “tons” of open space and trails St. Charles offers for cross country skiing and snowshoeing. The former may be done along any park district walking trails covered with snow.

Plastic snowshoes are available for rent from Hickory Knolls Discovery Center and Primrose Farm at a weekday rate of $2 per pair and a weekend rate of $5 per pair. On weekdays, participants must pick shoes up by 4 p.m. and return them by 10 a.m. the following day. On weekends, rent the shoes by 4 p.m. Friday or Saturday and return by 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Outdoor, lighted ice skating rinks are constructed at Davis, Lincoln and Timber Trails parks. The rinks are open daily until 9 p.m., pending weather and ice conditions.

“There’s no fees, there’s no supervision,” Young says. “They’re just open ice skating rinks. Just like going to a park and playing on a playground.”

From 4 to 7 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends, the adjacent Stone Creek Miniature Golf Hut serves as a warming shelter.

A hockey-only rink is available at Langum Park. Players are asked to use full equipment for their safety. Slap shots and rough games such as “crack the whip” are prohibited.

“Ice skating offers numerous benefits; it’s such a fantastic, low-impact exercise,” Geneva Park District director of marketing and public relations Traci Wicks says.

Outdoor sledding hills at Langum and Timber Trails parks are open until 9 p.m. and are free of charge.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

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¢ FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF KANE COUNTY All Kane County forest preserves permit snowshoeing and cross country skiing, but participants must remain on trails and steer clear of areas closed for restoration work.

SM-CL0355784

Sledding is permitted at Campton, Fabyan, Johnson’s Mound and Oakhurst forest preserves, weather permitting. Sledding is allowed only when at least four inches of snow blanket the ground. Fabyan Forest Preserve is open for sledding until 9 p.m.; all other recognized forest preserve sledding hills operate from dawn to dusk.

Snowmobiling is allowed on designated, marked trails at Campton and Hampshire forest preserves, as well as the Great Western Trail west of Wasco. At Campton and Hampshire forest preserves, snowmobiling hours are sunrise to sunset, and the speed limit is 15 mph. At Great Western Trail, snowmobiling closes at 11 p.m., and the speed limit is 35 mph.

Snowmobilers must follow all state and local regulations.

Ice fishing is allowed at your own risk at Hampshire South Forest Preserve as well as Oakhurst Forest Preserve’s Lake Patterson.

The two ponds in Paul Wolff Campground also permit ice fishing. Ice skating also is at your own risk and is permitted at Oakhurst Forest Preserve.

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2017 | 19

January begins the new year, a time when we look forward to a fresh start – putting our homes and our lives back in order, and committing to our health and fitness after a season of indulgence and celebrating.

We welcome the new year as an opportunity to reboot, but we often make resolutions and programs for ourselves that involve such excessive rigor and discipline that we aren’t able to sustain our initial momentum.

the positive. Determine if you need additional support from a medical practitioner, a nutritionist, therapist, or a body worker.

In your wellness plan, make sure to provide care for your body. Our bodies are the expression of our health and happiness and we can increase well being by attending to any imbalances our body exhibits. Choose a diet that energizes and nourishes you. Most people will benefit from a healthy What if this year, we create a kind and detox, as it can be one of the most effective reboot program that brings profound ways to shift health, mood more vitality, health and contentment and clarity of thinking. Starting with to our lives? Here are some thoughts detox paves the way for success with to get started: weight loss and increased vitality.

Movement is important, so find a way First, take some time to recommit to to move your body that you enjoy yourself. Consider carving out some time to make a true wellness plan. Be and one that helps you feel more alive and present. Provide yourself creative. Settle, meditate, breathe with adequate restful sleep. Sleep is and get clear about what you truly want for yourself. Make it reasonable. a vital restorative time for the brain to rejuvenate, for emotional issues to Journal or list your thoughts and be addressed, and for the body and ideas, taking care to release the psyche to recharge. “shoulds”, and instead listen to your deeper wisdom and discover your Engaging your well being and authentic desires. Consider this as intention first, you are more likely providing and caring for yourself. to achieve a reboot that provides (Perhaps check out The Lotus and the more of the health, vitality and Lily: A 30-Day Soul Program by Janet contentment you seek coming into Connor.) this new year.

Next find support. Join with a friend or a circle of friends, seek out a group, or rally family members to share your plans, desires, and intentions.

Listening and being heard can help strengthen your resolve and refine what it is you really want in your wellness plan. Sharing the journey can make it more meaningful. Make a pact with each other to encourage

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2017 | 21

Planning ahead for spring in the garden (This means you, parents of high school seniors, or of the bride, or those who hibernate until May) with MEAGAN PROVENCHER, ICNPRO, 2016 ILLINOIS CERTIFIED NURSERY PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

I

know. You are probably staring out at a frozen landscape wondering if spring will ever come. It will – I promise –and it will come quickly! So quick that before you know it, it will be May and you’ll be itching to work on the landscape. So what can we do now to prepare for spring?

¢ Your child is graduating Memorial Day Weekend. While you have had 12 years (or more) to plan for this momentous occasion, so don’t wait until May 1st to worry about your yard. Any landscaper worth their salt will be booked out 6-8 weeks by then so if you are having a graduation party in May or June...call NOW! Same goes for weddings, barbecues or Independence Day. Also, plants need some time to adjust and planning ahead will allow for tweaks, replacements, and some growth so things don’t have that “just installed” look.

Plan ahead. ¢ Get started now planning for your spring and summer plantings with a Landscape Designer. A creative and high quality landscape design can take several weeks to complete. It’s okay if there is snow on the ground or cold temperatures - a good designer can see past the winter and 22 | JANUARY 2017 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE

visualize the whole picture! Meet with your design team now and be first on the list for spring.

HOME & LIFESTYLE

¢ Plants can be planted from April until December but the best of the bunch always appear in the spring. If you have had your eye on a Redbud or a Flowering Dogwood, or that new Hydrangea we’ve been bragging about, www.kcchronicle.com/magazine

Thank you for your business last year!

don’t wait! Come in early and pick out your favorites. As soon as the ground is thawed, we hit the ground running. Get your plants in early so you can enjoy their flowers or the shade. ¢ Landscaping is a process that can sometimes take several weeks to finalize plans, prepare and install. Traditionally, spring is our busiest time and landscapers can get backed up quickly with demand.

Then Mother Nature decides to get involved and she tacks on a few days (or weeks) for her personal benefit, and that can wreak havoc on a schedule.

Patience is encouraged while working on the landscape, so build in some rain days that allow your project to be completed on a realistic time frame. My best advice?

Give yourself at least two months lead time to prepare, plan, decide and install a landscape. Planting just a tree or two?

Give yourself four to six weeks lead time, so that your new tree will be ready for that party you are having in June! Of course, it may not take that long, but better safe than sorry! ¢ Spend the winter looking at plant catalogs, design ideas (Pinterest!), and gardening sites. Even if you just have a rough idea of what you like and dislike, those ideas can help narrow down your vision and get your project exactly the way you want it more quickly. Stop in and chat with us, too. We are dying for human contact in the dead of winter. We love talking about plants no matter the season.

We are open year round so take advantage of the slower times in January-March and come pick our brains.

Meagan Provencher is the Sr. Landscape Designer for Wasco Nursery & Garden Center in St. Charles.

She can be reached year round at 630584-4424 or design@ wasconursery.com

We are open weekdays from January through mid March, weekends by appointment.

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HOME & LIFESTYLE

KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2017 | 23

WHEN THE HEAT GOES OUT, WHAT DO YOU DO?

W

e live in the Chicago area. This means cold winters – really cold winters – and you need to know what to do when the heat goes out. Be prepared when, not if, the heat goes out.

¢ Before the heat goes out…

It can take hours, even days, to get your furnace repaired or replaced. The severe cold in this area keeps heating contractors extremely busy.

Prepare yourself to live without heat before the heat goes out and ensure the safety of your family. ¢ Before your thermostat reads close to freezing, make sure you have: • a working carbon monoxide detector • a space heater, and • draft stoppers

¢ When the heat goes out…

• First, call a professional! (It would be wise to put the number of a furnace service in your cell phone right now. Go ahead. Do it before the heat goes out). ¢ While you’re waiting for repair professionals to arrive to your rescue: • Light the fireplace. If you have a regular wood stove or fireplace, you can use it for heat. DO NOT USE kerosene heaters, BBQ grills or any other outdoor type heaters inside your home.

They create poisonous gases like the killer carbon monoxide.

u Visit http://bestreviews.com for their lists of the best CO detectors and space heaters available, as of January 2016.

There are some cute draft stoppers available on Amazon as well, if you’re into cute.

24 | JANUARY 2017 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE

HOME & LIFESTYLE

www.kcchronicle.com/magazine

Mid-Winter Savings • Throttle back the doors to slow down airflow.

• Pretend it’s Thanksgiving Day and run your gas oven at 375 degrees all day. (No one dies then because your oven won’t create poisonous gases).

• Open vanity and cabinet doors to prevent isolated pipes from freezing and then bursting.

• Place your space heater in the basement.

Feel the cord after 5, 10 and 15 minutes to be sure it’s not warm. A warm cord is a sign of electrical problems. Switch outlets!

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• Move water through the pipes. Flush toilets, run showers and sinks on warm, start the washer on warm for 30 seconds and then stop it. That’ll do it!

• Keep warm air in by keeping your garage door closed, minimizing the use of exterior doors, and using draft stoppers on leaky doors and windows.

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• Dress to stay warm. Wear layers, including a sweater, sweatshirt or even a jacket. You lose heat through your hands and the top of your head. Wear gloves and a knit hat, not just a baseball cap.

• Stay out of the fridge and freezer.

• Have your family snuggle in one room instead of “going it alone,” spread out all through the house.

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HOME & LIFESTYLE

KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2017 | 25

Hassle-free home gyms Spare room setups eliminate excuses for not keeping fit

By YVONNE BENSON

What’s your excuse?

regardless of your space constraints.

No time for the gym? Uncomfortable working out in front of other people?

Annoyed waiting for machines to open up?

“People should consider purchasing equipment to cover all their fitness bases: cardio, strength and recovery,” says Meg Sullivan of Precor. “A home gym should be a one-stop shop.”

There are many people who join gyms in January, but by Groundhog Day the urge to be fit has given way to the hassles of being there. If this sounds like you, the answer to your fitness ambivalence could be right in your own home, with a shift of extra space from spare room to home gym.

There are plenty of options for home gyms, from small and efficient choices to larger scales gyms that rival some studios.

Precor Home Fitness in Geneva has recommendations for how to get started,

26 | JANUARY 2017 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE

HOME & LIFESTYLE

That could be as simple as a jump rope, some free weights, and a yoga mat. The key to success, Sullivan says, is to plan realistically so that you actually use your new home gym.

“People should consider what space they have available for equipment and where in their home they are most likely to workout. Someone can have an amazing treadmill or elliptical, but if it’s tucked in a dark corner of the basement where they never go, they’re not likely to want to use it as often.”

-Continued on page 28 www.kcchronicle.com/magazine

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“You’ll want to use rubber flooring under your equipment to protect your floor. It is not expensive and you can buy small pieces that fit together like a puzzle, or standard mats for treadmills or bikes.”

Even if you don’t have bulky equipment, rubber flooring has other benefits for a home gym. It’s easy to clean and doesn’t smell. It can be laid on top of cement, hard wood, tile, or carpeting.

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28 | JANUARY 2017 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE

HOME & LIFESTYLE

Next, Sullivan suggests a TV in your workout space. Television is a common threat to fitness time, so instead of curling up on the couch, you can walk on a treadmill while watching your shows.

Additionally, you can put on training videos to keep your workouts on track.

No room for a TV? Sullivan suggests you consider a cardio machine built with space to put a tablet or phone on the console. Some machines have Bluetooth capabilities.

Other things to add to a home gym are mirrors, towels, a waste basket and a small fridge. The mirrors are especially important for maintaining good form during an exercise and it helps to make the space look bigger, she says.

Even if you’re into yoga instead of weight training, or don’t like a lot of bulky equipment, Sullivan encourages you to think about being well-rounded. Pieces like a total gym, a leg press or a stretch trainer could serve you well in your home gym, emphasizing strength and flexibility and allowing you to vary your workout.

Sullivan also emphasizes the importance of researching treadmills, bikes and ellipticals for marathon runners and triathletes. “I would not skimp on a treadmill or elliptical. These will last up to 15 years or more, so it really is an investment in your health,” she says.

Even if you’re a cardio fanatic, think about adding in a few stretches or weight training. Likewise, cardio is important for people who like to focus on strength training or yoga. “A combination is the best plan for staying injury free and getting stronger and fitter,” Sullivan says.

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HOME & LIFESTYLE

KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2017 | 29

Looking for

TIMELESS STYLE? Gray is here to stay!

Color trends in interior design are frequently fickle, quickly swinging from one side of the spectrum to the other. But for once, forecasters say that a single hue has entrenched itself as an ongoing favorite: GRAY

contrasting colors,” says Zimmer. “For example, gray paints that contain a little yellow pigment work well with gold, beige, or brown, while those containing red pigment coordinate beautifully with burgundy or purple.”

“Gray, in all its variations, has emerged as the overwhelming choice of designers for spaces ranging from home interiors to elegant office settings, and everything in between,” says Debbie Zimmer, color expert for the Paint Quality Institute.

Yellowish-grays paired with beiges or off-whites create neutral color schemes that are not only classic, but also calming. Similar results can be achieved with blue-grays. Meanwhile, red- or greenleaning grays often appear ultra-sophisticated.

Versatility is the secret to the success of gray, says Zimmer. “Gray is beautiful in its own right, but it is so perfectly neutral that it can work alongside other soft tints or serve as a perfect foil for vibrant accent colors.”

Grays are practical, too. Since they work with so many colors, it’s easy to change the overall appearance of a room by simply repainting an accent wall in a different hue. Or, easier yet, introducing a new “punch” color by adding accent pieces like bright pillows and pottery.

One reason gray is so versatile is that it is not a stark primary color, nor is it typically a simple combination of black and white. What we call “gray” actually refers to a wide range of complex grayish colors that often contain hints of red, green, blue, yellow, or some other hue.

“This subtle tinting is what enables various grays to work well with so many complementary and 30 | JANUARY 2017 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE

HOME & LIFESTYLE

If you’ve decided to use gray as the dominant color in a room, Zimmer suggests that you first select an attractive gray paint for the walls; then ask the salesperson to show you the color formula. Pigment colors blended into the “gray” paint point to the colors you should choose for trim paint, accent walls, and even furnishings. www.kcchronicle.com/magazine

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“Using the color ‘clues’ hidden in the paint formula is a great place to start when putting together a color-coordinated interior,� says Zimmer. “But gray is neutral enough to work with nearly every hue. It’s almost impossible to go wrong when using it as the basis for your color scheme.�

So, if you jumped on board last year with the migration to gray, be assured that your home is still trĂŠs chic. And if you want to join the ranks of interior color fashionistas moving forward, it’s still not too late to “go gray.â€?

The Paint Quality Institute’s goal is to help educate consumers, contractors and designers by providing information on the virtues of quality paint as well as color trends and decorating with paint. Learn more about interior color and painting by visiting the Paint Quality Institute online at blog.paintquality.com.

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HOME & LIFESTYLE

KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2017 | 31

SNOW SEEKERS HIT THE SLOPES CLOSE TO HOME The best cure for the post-holiday blues is a winter getaway. Sure cruises and beaches are nice, but why not make the most of winter by getting out of the house and onto the slopes and trails?

motel, to a modern corporate inn and suites, with a fitness center and pool, to a guest house inspired by the designs of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Learn more about the area at Travel Wisconsin’s Mt. Horeb page at www.travelwisconsin.com.

Even if you are not an experienced skier or snowboarder, it’s no problem. There are options right in our area for a great weekend of fun, so pack up the car and the kids, or gather a group of friends and hit the slopes at one of these nearby destinations.

Wilmot Mountain- Open since 1938, Wilmot was purchased in January by Colorado-based Vail resorts and has just undergone a $13 million renovation.

The resort has three new chair lifts with quad seating, and two high speed rope tows to move Tyrol Basin Ski and Snowboard Area- Located skiers and snowboarders up the hills. “We’ve just 25 miles from Madison in Mt. Horeb, increased our capacity quite a bit, which means Wisconsin this 40- acre park offers seventeen ski people will spend less time waiting in line,” said trails and six snowboard terrain parks for various General Manger Taylor Ogilvie. ability levels. On weekends, beginning skiers and Improvements to the base lodge have upgraded snowboard riders can take hourly lessons, which and expanded Wilmot’s dining options. A former includes equipment rental. cafeteria has been replaced with a multi-station More experienced athletes can test their skills on tree lined trails and terrain features like rails, jumps and more. “Our West Ridge is steep and our black runs are definitely challenging,” said General Manager Josh Faber.

Off the slopes, Mt. Horeb’s quaint downtown offers specialty shops, antiques and art studios, plus hand carved wooden trolls that pay homage to the town’s Scandinavian heritage. Chocolate lovers won’t want to miss Sjolinds Chocolate Shoppe, featuring pastries, candies and is also open for lunch. The Grumpy Troll Brewery serves local craft brews, sandwiches and pizza.

February 3-5 is the annual Scandihoovian Winter Festival, featuring indoor and outdoor events, including a community bonfire, candlelight cross country skiing, and more.

Mt.Horeb lodging ranges from a family-owned 32 | JANUARY 2017 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE

food court. A new sit-down restaurant, Walt’s Tavern, offers a menu of burgers, sandwiches, salads and appetizers and a full bar.

Other improvements include a new children’s area and ski school, expanded terrain park, and improved snow-making technology.

What hasn’t changed are Wilmot’s 23 ski trails, ranging from beginner friendly to challenging, two terrain parks and a tubing area. “What’s unique about Wilmot is that even though it’s not a tall hill, our runs have a lot of variety, so it’s interesting,” Ogilvie said.

Wilmot is located in between Lake Geneva and Kenosha, Wisconsin, so there are plenty of places to stay, from basic to family friendly to luxurious. Lake Geneva’s Annual Winterfest, held Jan. 28- Feb. 12, offers the US National Snow Sculpting Competition, plus music, food, family TRAVEL

By ELIZABETH HARMON

activities and more. For more information visit Travel Wisconsin’s Lake Geneva and Kenosha pages at www.travelwisconsin.com Snowstar Winter Park- Located about two hours from the far west suburbs in the Quad Cities metro area, this family-friendly ski, snowboard and tubing park caters to beginners of all ages.

“We are very good at teaching snowboarding and alpine skiing to people who new to winter sports,” said managing partner Joe Bowman.

Bowman, who is also an instructor, has taught beginners ranging in age from toddlers to grandparents. “Seniors who want an active, wellness-oriented lifestyle are a growing segment of our market,” he said.

Advanced skiers will find Snowstar a convenient and affordable place to brush up on their skills before their big mountain trip. “Our instructors are certified Level 2 and 3, just like the mountain resorts,” said Bowman.

The park’s eleven tubing lanes offer a fast, fun activity that everyone can enjoy together, regardless of skill.

Lodging can be found within a ten-minute drive, and the Quad Cities offers plenty of winter fun, including museums, wineries, casinos, dining and American Bald Eagle watching over the Mississippi River. “The river freezes over except in our area, so the eagles migrate here.

Wherever there’s open water, you’ll see them,” said Joe Taylor, President/CEO of the Quad Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau. For lodging, travel information and more, see visitquadcities. com

www.kcchronicle.com/magazine

Tyrol Basin Ski and Snowboard Area u

www.kcchronicle.com/magazine

TRAVEL

KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2017 | 33

The GlassHalf-Full Guy:

Traveler or tourist?

By PETER STADALSKY

When you take off from your settled nest, are you a traveler or a tourist? When my girlfriend Lydia and I went to Paris we booked an apartment, walked around to get selfies with the Eiffel Tower and took a subway to Disney Paris. This felt like vacation.

with 50 pounds of gear strapped to the back.

Months before we rode our bikes across Ireland. It was the hottest week Ireland had seen in the past millennium at 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Our water bottles ran dry well before the next town on the map. I walked up to a tall white fence and called over to a family in the yard.

I agreed, and my girlfriend looked over at me swiftly, knowing that I don’t drink.

“Excuse me, could I bother you for some water,” I said cheerfully, holding up three empty bottles.

They walked up to get a closer look.

We explained our month trip, circumnavigating Ireland solely by bicycle.

“Well, come in and have a beer,” the husband (Steve) said.

“You are going to have a beer?” she questioned suspiciously.

“No, you are,” I said, winking. (She is a savior like that, always drinking the Irish beers for me.)

We sat outside with this Irish family, Lydia sipping her beer, me enjoying a sparkling water.

“Where will you sleep?” the husband inquired.

“Why sure you may have some water. What are “We have a tent. So, anywhere under the stars you two doing?” They asked, noticing our bikes works,” I replied.

“You could pitch your tent here,” he said, and pointed to his front lawn, “but we have a spare room in the house. It’s much more comfortable than the ground.”

We graciously accepted.

“We are going to have to eat,” Steve said, “Let’s have some steaks. Pete come over here and help me build this grill.”

I looked over at a grill, still unassembled in its box next to the house.

There is this saying in England – “that’s so Irish.”

It is a joke mocking the Irish’s peculiar nature.

When you get invited to an Irishman’s house for steaks but have to help him assemble the grill first, they would say, “that’s so Irish.”

This felt like travel.

When you are vacationing, you see the areas designed for tourists, not locals. After a while the little shops, corky restaurants and pampering resorts all start to seem the same.

But there also is a price to pay for travel.

Sometimes you get to feeding carrots to someone’s donkey and sometimes you have to rough it through a thunderstorm with a leaking

34 | JANUARY 2017 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE

TRAVEL

www.kcchronicle.com/magazine

Strict vacation is like food without spice.

Even ditching the plans for a day on vacation and asking locals what to do can turn predictability into a fascinating adventure. The core idea of travel is to see what it is like to live in another place and experience other cultures. Vacation is a getaway. One is not better than the other, but they are different.

Ultimately, the advice I give people about being a tourist or a traveler is that you’ve got to travel the way that makes most sense to you.

Vacation and travel also can tell us a lot about our everyday lives. If we dread going back home and use vacation as an escape, there may be something wrong with that picture. I’ve spent many months with strangers in foreign cultures and have spotted a consistency: loving our everyday life seems to be the biggest challenge and satisfaction we can have. Rather than having a life that we need to escape for two weeks each year, we could treat our everyday lives with the excitement of travel. And then it’s not an escape, but an adventure.

u Peter Stadalsky is an Aurora resident. He teaches yoga and travels internationally.

Stadalsky shares his knowledge of healthy living and traveling with a “glass-half-full” view of the world.

www.kcchronicle.com/magazine

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1900 Mill Street • Batavia 630-406-9696 www.tribellagrill.com • open daily at 4pm

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KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2017 | 35

An old favorite, reimagined

Tooker breathes new life into menu at Pheasant Run

By CHRIS WALKER Photos by KATHY GREEN As the Executive Chef at Pheasant Run Resort, Tiffany Tooker loves to be creative.

“When I’m cooking, I love to ‘wow’ people, especially when it comes to special events,” she says. “I want to make people happy and I do that by working with food and making the plates look amazing.”

Tooker’s been at Pheasant Run for three years, but her road to get there included many unique stops along the way.

She was the executive chef at Doubletree Hilton and an executive sous chef at the Hilton Woodbridge in the New York area prior to coming to Pheasant Run. She also made stops at the legendary Forsgate Country Club in New Jersey, as executive sous chef and was a lead line cook in the Colorado Rocky Mountains at Steamboat Resort.

“Everywhere I went I learned a lot,” she says.

“Baking, pastries, broiling, sautéing. I worked a lot and kept gaining more experience.”

Some of her talent seemingly came naturally, as she started working in a restaurant in New Jersey when she was just 14.

“My parents owned a tavern and café and I started cooking with my mom,” she says. “When they sold the business when I was about 22, I decided that becoming a chef was what I wanted to pursue.”

After graduating from the Academy of Culinary Arts in New Jersey, Tooker spent several years working full-time in casinos in Atlantic City, before moving on www.kcchronicle.com/magazine

to Steamboat Resort, where she worked in a 4-star restaurant on the top of a mountain.

“Everywhere I’ve worked something has been different, but the kitchen is pretty much the same,” she says. “I take the skills I’ve learned to create a new dining experience.”

Tooker’s specialty is sauces. She considers herself a saucier, but also finds fulfillment in creating new dishes and menus with her staff, such as she did with the revamping of the new Harvest menu.

Today, Harvest Restaurant offers a farm-to-table menu, incorporating local agriculture, including Heritage Prairie Farm, which is based in St. Charles. All produce used in the dishes are locally sourced when in-season.

Tooker says she loves the kitchen staff she has at Pheasant Run and it shows, in the outstanding feedback she continues to receive. Tooker won executive chef of the year for Hostmark Hospitality in 2012, 2014, and 2015.

“What I love most are the people I work with. I have an amazing kitchen here,” she says. “This staff is the very best I’ve ever had and I think that’s why I enjoy my job so much. If you have a great place to work, it makes it that much easier.”

Dine-in ONLY. Not valid with any other offer. Beverage purchase required.

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KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2017 | 37

BEST OF THE FOX-TOP THAI Tri-Cities best choices for a taste of Southeast Asia

By CHRIS WALKER

A

variety of delicious flavors and levels of heat not only characterize Thai cuisine, but it’s a good option for vegetarians and is extremely popular for those in need of a quick carry-out.

You’ll want to dine in when you visit Thai Tusk in Batavia, which was voted by Kane County Chronicle readers as “Best of the Fox” for Thai Food.

The interior design of Thai Tusk is reminiscent of Surin, Thailand so diners are able to get away from the real world for a bit while enjoying a wonderful meal. The restaurant is decorated with the dark colors of Surin’s jungles along with countless wood carvings by Thai craftsmen.

“It’s good to know that the customers are happy and I know all of them,” said server Titowan Srimund. “If someone comes in that I don’t know, I know they will come back again because everyone loves our food and the atmosphere.”

service, good atmosphere, good everything,” Srimund said. “The customers always tell me that they like how the food is always fresh and I work here everyday so I’m happy to hear that.

And for us to win, that means a lot. It means we’re making people happy.”

Located at 12 E. River St., Thai Tusk is open for lunch and dinner, but is closed on Monday and Wednesday. (630) 406-6995 www. tuskthaicuisine.com

Vino Thai also offers a weekday lunch special from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. with entrée, soup and your choice of a fresh spring roll, egg roll or salad.

“What we dog good here, is all the food we serve is fresh,” Vinotai said. “The customer has options and we can adjust everything because we cook to order and customers like that very much.”

¢ THAI VILLAGE

4 N. Batavia Ave. | Batavia While Thai Tusk won this year’s “Best of the Fox,” (630) 879-5495 | www.thaivillagebatavia.com readers also acknowledged Vino Thai and Thai Looking for a starter? It doesn’t get much better Village as “One of the Best” restaurants for Thai than the Thai Village Combo with a delicious food in the area. array of appetizers to try, including satay, shu ¢ VINO THAI mai, pot stickers, egg roll and crab Rangoon. You 3825 E.Main St. | St. Charles also need to try the aptly named shrimp cigar (630)443-8461 | www.vinothai.com deep marinated shrimp and basil leaves wrapped in spring roll skin served with a homemade Open seven days a week, Vino Thai has been a sauce. fixture in St. Charles now for a dozen years.

Open seven days a week, Thai Village’s creative and delicious menu items include soups from the village, rice from the rice field, noodles from the wok, savory curries and traditional entrees, Pablo Picasso once said, “God is really only “It means a lot to us to know that the customers such as broccoli beef, garlic and pepper and another artist. He invented the giraffe, the are happy and it makes us keep working hard,” Mongolian beef. elephant and the cat. He has no real style, he just she said.

“I think about 80 to 90 percent of our goes on trying other things.”

The management and staff at Thai Village have customers are regular customers.” been in the restaurant business for nearly a You’ll want to try plenty of things from Thai Excellent variety is featured on the menu. Golden quarter century, and being employee-owned, Tusk’s menu and if you were curious if its name tilapia with egg fried rice, Hawaiian fried rice, they strive to satisfy all their customers, from stems from elephants you would be correct. the regulars to the newcomers.

Surin is known for its annual elephant festival as Pad Kra-Prao (basil chicken) and Muss a mun Curry are just a few of the many rice, curry and well as its elephant sanctuary.

You won’t want to overeat during your main fish dishes as well as entrees. meal. Even if you have to cut it short, go ahead Good luck in choosing an appetizer as the menu and do so, ask for a to-go box and then make includes 16 of them. In addition, there are soups, For noodles, the options are just as diverse, including the Drunken Noodle with pan-seared sure to treat yourself to any of the delightful salads, fried rice, noodles, curries and seafood. desserts, including fried bananas and sweet The specials include Pad PikKhing Tofu, Scallops wide noodles topped with minced chicken or your choice of meat, blended garlic and chili, sticky rice and custard. in Garlic Sauce, Duck Scurry and eight others. mushrooms, onions, baby corn, bell pepper and “We have good food, good portions, good basil all in a light, delicious gravy.

38 | JANUARY 2017 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE

Owner Nat Vinotai has been in the restaurant business for more than 25 years so she’s been pleased with the success.

DINING & ENTERTAINING

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CALLING ALL ARTISTS! Take one look around Abby’s and you’ll find hand painted foxes on canvases blanketing our walls and adding to the charm of Abby’s atmosphere.

Come by Abby’s and find out how your original Fox masterpiece can enter our Fox of The Month contest.

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DINING & ENTERTAINING

KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2017 | 39

TIME SENSITIVE Careful consideration for each patient distinguishes Dr. Sarah Kimber

By MELISSA RUBALCABA RISKE | Photo by RON MCKINNEY

A

community support, sharing the mission of the clinic and setting a high standard for the other medical professionals who donate their time at the clinic.

For past the 15 years Kimber shared her talents as a doctor while serving her community as a volunteer physician at Tri City Health Partnership.

Kimber had volunteered at a similar health clinic when she was a medical resident. The positive experience inspired her to the work at Tri City Health Partnership, she says.

s a child, Dr. Sarah Kimber knew she wanted to find a way to help people.

After taking a first aid class she saw the direction was clear, she would become a doctor and help people to feel better.

Kimber has donated more than 2,550 hours during her years as a volunteer at the clinic, where she is volunteer medical director.

Shannon Watson, who served as executive director for the clinic from 2006 to 2016, says Kimber provides compassionate care, often going above and beyond to help patients.

Beyond her medical duties, Kimber has found a creative outlet in the outdoors as well. She is a Kane County Certified Naturalist and for several years she has volunteered for the Kane County Forest Preserve and the St. Charles Park District.

She is also a steward for the wildflower sanctuary in Batavia.

“Dr. Kimber spends a lot of time with each patient,” Watson says. “She’s quite exceptional.”

“I enjoy spending time working outdoors,” Kimber says.

Before joining the clinic Kimber spent 10 years in a private practice with Dr. Robert H. Reeder, a family physician in St. Charles. As a family doctor, Kimber says she loves the ability to care for multigenerations of a family and getting to know her patients.

She teaches indoor and outdoor education classes to children through the St. Charles Park District, which includes leading nature hikes as well as science programs.

At Tri City Health Partnership, she is able to provide care and meet her patients’ needs, while working at a slower pace.

And through travel she too has experienced some amazing outdoor adventures. Last year she and her husband, Doug, traveled to Alaska.

As a medical student, Kimber spent one of her rotations in Alaska providing care at a hospital in Anchorage.

“I’m able to spend time with my patients, which is refreshing,” she says.

Nearly all the patients at Tri City Health Partnership are uninsured. Many are dealing with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure and asthma. Kimber is able to focus on the patients’ health needs while working to educate them on ways to manage the illness.

Watson says Kimber also works hard to solicit

40 | JANUARY 2017 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE

“It’s really important for [children] to know about the outdoors,” she says.

“I’m able to spend time with my patients, which is refreshing”

“It was pretty cool,” she says.

This summer Kimber and her husband are planning to travel to Iceland where they will take part in a College of DuPage geology course studying the land’s volcanoes, glaciers, hot springs and more.

BUSINESS & CIVIC

www.kcchronicle.com/magazine

January 17, 2017 Luncheon: 11:30-1:30 pm Location: Eagle Brook Country Club 2288 Fargo Blvd.

Geneva, IL Tickets are $35 per person Table of 10 - $350

Keynote Speaker Ralph M. Martire Executive Director Center for Tax and Budget Accountability

Moderator

Kathy Balcazar Editor Kane County Chronicle

KEYNOTE SPONSOR

Panelist

Dr. Christine Sobek President Waubonsee Community College Sugar Grove

If you are looking to learn what is in store for the Kane County economy in 2017, don’t miss the economic forecast luncheon. The panelist will provide insight into where the economy’s heading and the biggest opportunities and challenges they see facing their industries. This event will also provide networking opportunities for business professionals.

Panelist

Panelist

Panelist

Tom Russe President Sterling Bank St. Charles

Mary Porter CEO Emergent Safety Batavia

Mark D. VanKerkhoff AIA Director Kane County Development & Community Services Department, Geneva

MAJOR SPONSORS

LUNCHEON LUNCHEON SPONSOR SPONSOR

Panelist

Dan Stellato President BEI Properties Batavia

HOSTED BY

If you are interested in purchasing a ticket online visit shawmediaevents.com/e/kcceconomic2017 or contact Kelly Buchanan at kbuchanan@threesixtybluesky.com.

Priority reservations are due by Friday, January 13, 2017.

SOCIAL

Life

Families from across the county came out to the annual Holiday Extravaganza, hosted in support of CASA Kane County. The evening included two great events: a Holiday Carnivale for Kids and Families with Santa, carolers and the cast of Frozen, and a Holiday Glam and Couture Fashion Show that featured music and dancing, fabulous fashions and camaraderie for a cause.

Photos by Tom Nicol

42 | JANUARY 2017 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE

BUSINESS & CIVIC

www.kcchronicle.com/magazine

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Investment advisory products and services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., a registered investment adviser.

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Sunday • January 15 • 1-3pm Vendors showcasing everything you need for a special and environmentally friendly event!

• Coordination Services • Photography • DJ • Flowers • Caterers • Vendor Giveaways

FREE!

In James O. Breen Community Park 3795 Campton Hills Road • St. Charles, Illinois 60174 stcnature.org • 630-513-4399 www.kcchronicle.com/magazine

BUSINESS & CIVIC

KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2017 | 43

START THE NEW YEAR BY GIVING

By Anderson Animal Shelter Featured Sponsor DePaw University Canine Campus

With every new year, comes new resolutions and goals.

Why not make one of them getting involved in a local nonprofit? By volunteering, you can make a significant difference in your community and world.

At Anderson Animal Shelter in South Elgin, Illinois, volunteers are not only important, but they are an integral part of the daily business, operation and success of the Shelter. Annually, over 500 volunteers provide more than 30,000 hours of service.

Individuals or groups that volunteer dedicate time to walking dogs, socializing with cats, cleaning kennels or cages, assisting with adoption events, offering foster care support, assisting at fundraising and outreach events, preparing mailings, sharing expertise, skills and more.

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Our extensive volunteer program enables individuals or groups to become involved in helping the shelter according to their own personal interests and talents.

Do you have an hour a week, or even just an hour per month? Corporate groups, athletic teams, scout groups, social & civic groups are welcome.

The Shelter utilizes volunteers 365 days a year and typically between the hours of 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Every volunteer and every hour makes a difference!

For more information on how you as an individual, or a group or company can volunteer please visit www. andersonanimalshelter.org or call (847) 697-2880.

Each volunteer, regardless of their role and amount of time they spend at the Shelter, play an instrumental role in the organization. Utilizing volunteers to assist with daily tasks allows the Shelter to save money and to direct resources and staff time where most needed.

Top Reasons to bring your dog to DePAW for Daycare 1. Exercise, exercise, and more exercise!

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Geneva, IL

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TRAINING

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44 | JANUARY 2017 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE

•

DAYCARE

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BUSINESS & CIVIC

GROOMING

•

EDUCATION www.kcchronicle.com/magazine

Celebrating Our 11th Year in Geneva

Are You An

Artist?

Special Tastings of our Products Every Weekend

See your work in the pages of Suburban Life Magazine!

To submit an entry to Artist Showcase email artwork, title of piece, name and village of residence of artist, a two-to three-sentence description of the piece, short bio and artist photo to KaneCountyMagazine@shawmedia.com, subject head “Local Artist Submission.�

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BUSINESS & CIVIC

KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2017 | 45

Fridays Come Alive for kids at Pottawatomie Community Center

By CAROL HAGGAS Friday night! It’s the end of the week – a time to let off some steam, give yourself that pat on the back for having made it through another one, and mentally prepare for the list of activities and obligations that will soon take over your weekend.

These are scenarios that adults certainly can relate to, but they run equally true for children.

Thanks to the St. Charles Park District’s “Friday Live!” program, there is a regularly-scheduled event where kids can enjoy 3 ½ hours of safe and supervised fun -- and mom and dad can enjoy a date night out for dinner and a movie or take advantage of some unfettered errandrunning time.

It’s also a program that lets parents carve out some much-needed and welcome time for themselves. Held from 6:30-10 p.m. two to three times a month, those three-and-a-half hours provide the perfect Friday opportunity to enjoy a night on the town. Indeed, the park district has partnered with a few downtown St. Charles restaurants for special promotions and discounts available specifically for “Friday Live!” parents, including Puebla Modern Mexican, Neo Authentic Pizzeria and more. For details, please contact Steve Gard.

With unlimited fun and games for children in grades 3 through 6, “Friday Live!” at Pottawatomie Community Center is a place of pure joy, a space where kids are free to be kids.

At just $8 per registered child, “Friday Live!” offers one of the best child-care deals around – an even better deal at 4 visits for $24! Instead of staying home with a sitter, a bowl of popcorn and some videos, “Friday Live!” participants get to run and play, dance and compete in contests, meet up with old friends and make new ones.

“You can see by the look on their faces when they walk through the door that they are so pumped to be here,” says Steve Gard, “Friday Live!” supervisor. “Kids know this is their place and their time to have fun.”

There are several activity stations for kids to enjoy, each one overseen by several park district staff members who provide supervision, interaction and guidance. For Gard and his staff of college students and other young adults,

“Friday Live!” offers an opportunity to make an impact on the lives of the children who participate.

“I really enjoy children, mostly because they are so purely happy all the time,” says Gard. “I, personally, have learned a lot from children over the years; I want my staff to have that same kind of relationship with them.”

It would be hard for a child not to be happy at “Friday Live!” Each week boasts a different theme, from an “ugly sweater” dress-up to a dodgeball tournament to a late-night dance party atmosphere complete with special lighting effects by Watts Uplighting. Standard activities include a game room outfitted with popular video and board games, a photo booth where kids can print unlimited free photos, and a concession stand with pizza, chips, candy, soda and water. One half of the Center’s gym hosts a dance floor with contests, games and ageappropriate music DJ’d by Greg Carter of GAC Entertainment, while the other half is devoted to dodgeball, kickball, basketball and other sports related games.

A comprehensive list of rules of conduct help “Friday Live!” kids focus on fun and safety, while specific instructions to parents about registration, check-in and pick-up ensures that their children are entrusted to a secure, supervised environment.

“Kids think of this as a super long recess,” says Gard. “Parents can think of it as a worry-free night out for themselves.” u For more information about “Friday Live!” dates, programs, and registration, contact Steve Gard at 630-513-4391 or visit www.stcparks.org.

46 | JANUARY 2017 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE

OUT & ABOUT

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KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2017 | 47

The ESO

Fourme Winner of IL Professional Orchestra of the Year!

Beethoven’s B eethoven’s EEroica roica Jan 7 & 8

Gershwin G ershwin Rhapsodies Rhapsodies JJan an 2 28 8 & 29 29

Tickets start at just $30

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JANUARY 2017

CALENDAR INDOOR FARMERS MARKET WHEN: 9 a.m.-noon, Saturdays WHERE: Gaetano’s of Batavia The Batavia Farmers’ Market is a Batavia Main Street program, designed to enrich small-town community values, stimulate the local economy at a grassroots level, and educate residents and those in our extended community of the value of wholesome, handcrafted and nutritionally valuable food. This farm market features produce, baked goods, artisan products, plants, honey and related farm products. Seasonal Vendors: • Burgin Farms • Ferndell Farms • Gaetano’s Italian Market • Katic Breads • Mighty Greens • Stika’s Salmon • Windmill Ginger Brew • Papa’s Natural Honey • Knead, Crumb, Crust MR. BLOTTO’S PROCRASTINATOR’S BALL WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday, January 6 WHERE: Arcada Theatre 105 E. Main Street | St. Charles

Valet V alet or or free free parking parking

Chicago’s own superstar-jam band that combines Rock, Country and Folk, gives those who may have slept through New Year’s eve a chance to celebrate it anyway! For information, please visit the website or call 630-962-7000. Tickets can also be ordered online at www.oshows.com ALL-CANADA SHOW WHEN: January 12-15 WHERE: Pheasant Run Mega Center 4051 East Main Street | St. Charles

Photo: Paolo Cascio

8478884000 8 478884000 48 | JANUARY 2017 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE

The All-Canada Show is an exhibition of all things for your fishing, hunting, and outdoor adventures in Canada. Talk face-to-face with the Canadian lodge owner and book your Canadian adventure. The All-Canada Show has Canada’s best fishing and hunting with the largest gathering of Canadian lodges, camps, outfitters, and resorts in the United States. Our exhibitors offer a wide variety of fish species that will appeal to every angler.

Outfitters will be on hand, offering hunting adventures to include big game, waterfowl and upland game. For more information, visit www.allcanada.com

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Our customers see us as a

RANDOM THEFT AND OTHER ACTS WHEN: Friday, January 13- Sunday, January 15 WHERE: Steel Beam Theatre 111 W. Main Street | St. Charles

destination.

A fast-paced, rollicking Fargo-esque comedy about breaking the law and personal boundaries. Three over-educated, underemployed suburbanites find themselves in a perfect storm of the 2008 real-estate downturn, the economic crisis, a bank robbery gone wrong, and just plain bad karma. For tickets and show times, visit www. steelbeamtheatre.com ARCADA DISCO BALL WITH BOOGIE WONDER BAND WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday, January 14 WHERE: Arcada Theatre 105 E. Main Street | St. Charles

Sit back and relax.

Fabulous musicians and vocalists, all in costume, an awesome horn section and the Disco Dance floor will be open. For information or to order tickets, please call 630-962-7000. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.oshows.com

you have arrived.

A high performance bank with a high performance culture.

CHICAGO STEEL ICE HOCKEY WHEN: 7:05 p.m. Saturday, January 14 WHERE: Fox Valley Ice Arena 1996 S. Kirk Road | Geneva Chicago Steel plays Team USA. Doors open 1 hour prior to puck drop.

The Chicago Steel, now in their 17th season as a member club in the United States Hockey League, enter their second season at Fox Valley Ice Arena (capacity 3,000) providing the highest level of junior hockey in the United States and family fun and entertainment from September through May. Check out www.chicagosteelhockeyteam. com for the entire schedule.

JAY CASMIRRI-SINGERSONGWRITER WHEN: 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Sunday, January 15 WHERE: Norris Cultural Arts Center 1040 Dunham Road | St. Charles Jay Casmirri infuses favorite songs of the past several decades, and some originals that he wrote with a soulful style of his own. For additional information visit www.fvcb.org and www.norrisculturalarts.com

St. Charles 360 South 1 Street | (630) 549-7065 | www.sterbank.com st

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Full Service Bank | Customer Service Educational Seminars | Culture & History Giving Back to the Community OUT & ABOUT

KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2017 | 49

-Continued from page 49

Football, Friends, Food & Fun Local and Cra

ft Beers

n w O r u O e k a M e W

• Beef Jerky Dip • Cheese & Snack Stix Trays • Football Shaped Summer Sausages • Smoked Cheese We mak • And More!

100 v e over arietie o f S moke s Make your Jambalaya d Meats a with our award winning Sausa nd ges Andouille Sausage and you will have your own fans!

AMERICAN HERITAGE LIVING HISTORY SHOW WHEN: Saturday and Sunday January 21 & January 22 WHERE: Kane County Fairgrounds 525 S. Randall Rd. | St. Charles The mission of this show is to provide an outlet for all history buffs and general public that are interested in learning hands on history and finding quality information, tools and accouterments for the hobby of living history. A showcase of the country’s heritage for the eras of 1700-1890 with more than 50 historical vendors, museums, clubs, demonstrators, craftsmen & artisans displaying and selling their wares, as well as re-enactors just trying to reduce their gear. The show is open to the public and drawing visitors from Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan and even as far away as Tennessee.

Find out more at www.facebook.com/ AmericanHeritageLivingHistoryShow/ WHEATON HAMFEST WHEN: Sunday, January 22 WHERE: Kane County Fairgrounds 525 Randall Road | St. Charles Showcasing ham radio, computer, radio control and hobby electronics, educational forums, amateur radio exams, raffle, food vendors and more. Buy sell and trade radios, all related items. Commercial vendors, designated parking, food, handicapped access, Public transportation. Admission $10; children under 12 free.

GENEVA RESTAURANT WEEK WHEN: January 23 – 29 WHERE: Geneva Geneva Restaurant Week is pleased to highlight culinary excellence by offering an entire week of delicious discounted dining at some of Geneva’s finest restaurants! No coupon or ticket is necessary. Just mention to the server at one of the participating restaurants that you would like the Restaurant Week offering.

Contact the Geneva Chamber of Commerce for details at 630-232-6060 GENEVA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUSINESS AFTER HOURS WHEN: 5:00-7:30 p.m. Tuesday January 24 WHERE: Northern Illinois Food Bank 273 Dearborn Ct. | Geneva

www.ReamsMeatMarket.com Fine Quality Meats & Sausages Fresh • Aged • Cured • Smoked 250 S. Main St. (Rt. 47) • Elburn South of the tracks • 630.365.6461 Hours: Mon-Fri: 9am-6pm • Sat: 9am-4pm • Sun: 10am-4pm

People do business with people they know!

Enjoy good food, fellowship, and networking with people who do business in Geneva.

A GREAT OLD FASHIONED FULL SERVICE MEAT MARKET 50 | JANUARY 2017 | KANE COUNTY MAGAZINE

OUT & ABOUT

www.kcchronicle.com/magazine

FRESH, ORGANIC PRODUCE FROM YOUR LOCAL FARMER. INTRODUCING HERITAGE PRAIRIE FARM’S CSA PROGRAM. Community Supported Agriculture, that’s what CSA stands for. CSA members purchase a “share” of our farm’s harvest and receive a box filled with seasonal vegetables each week. We offer Spring, Summer, and Fall Shares.

Heritage Prairie Farm invites you to take a culinary experience that is truly local. To learn how to become a CSA member, visit heritageprairiefarm.com/farm/ communitysupportedagriculture

Heritage Prairie Farm 2N308 Brundige Road, Elburn, IL 60119 (630) 443-5989 heritageprairiefarm.com info@heritageprairiefarm.com Heritage Prairie Farm is a USDA Certified Organic Farm.

Let us create the kitchen of your dreams.

Fine Custom Cabinetry

AWARD-WINNING DESIGNERS AND ARTISAN TRADESMEN

630.232.9500 • www.genevacabinetgallery.com 321 Stevens Street • Geneva, Illinois 60134 • HOURS: Monday-Friday 9 am - 5 pm or by appointment