KC Magazine_May 2019

A&E ISSUE

Cool concerts with the Cougars MAY 2019

Page 16

Cosplay costume design Page 28

Marvelous Mother's Day ideas Page 27

Photography FOCUS ON

Look at life through the eyes of an artist PAGE 8

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Editor's

NOTE One of the things I love best about living in the Tri-Cities are all the varied things to do around the area. Nights come alive with music throughout our towns (although Saturday mornings at Kiss The Sky in Batavia aren’t bad either!). From Blues to rock to acoustic ballads, folk and bluegrass – you can find any genre to fit your mood.

If a stage show is what you prefer, we have awesome drama, comedy, suspense and more at theaters up and down the Fox – from amateur to professional and even some open mic nights for first-timers.

Craving the creative? Hit our local galleries, with calendars chock full of premieres and showings, classes and lectures to spark your appreciation and your own creative endeavors.

In this month’s issue of KC Magazine, we pay homage to the artists who surround us.

For those of us in media, photography often is the focus – and we introduce readers to three great local artists, who work everyday to capture the wonder and beauty of our communities in their own personal styles.

We stop in to visit a Batavia seamstress whose love of cosplay helped her build a reputation in costume design, and preview an upcoming textile art event at Water Street Studios.

We share the lineup of live music at one of our favorite summer venues, Geneva’s Northwestern Medicine Field, home of the Kane County Cougars and the Ballpark Concert Series.

We visit Fox Valley Harley Davidson, and gear up for a season of fun, female-driven events to get all the gals out on the road, and even step out for some high-flying fun on the disc golf course.

And just so you can have the perfect place to collapse once all the fun is wrapped, we have the artisans and craftsmen at McDowell Remodeling on hand this month to help you make your home all you hoped it would be.

There’s so very much to see and do, right here, in the Tri-Cities. So listen, watch, get your hands dirty and participate!

Thanks for reading.

EDITOR Sherri Dauskurdas 630-427-6263 sdauskurdas@shawmedia.com DESIGNER Allison LaPorta 630-427-6260 alaporta@shawmedia.com LOCAL SALES MANAGER Daily Chronicle & Niche Publishing Jaclyn Cornell 630-845-5234 jcornell@shawmedia.com CORRESPONDENTS Aimee Barrows, Jonathon Bilyk, Pete Stadalsky, Melissa Riske, Chrissy Somers, Tom Witom, Chris Walker

Sherri Dauskurdas, Editor

on the

COVER May is for Mothers! And this month we meet photographer Ashley Knapp, who captures those extraordinary, intimate family moments we might otherwise miss.

Page 8. Photo by Ashley Knapp

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PUBLISHER Daily Chronicle & Suburban Weekly Group Laura Shaw 630-709-4497 lshaw@shawmedia.com

This magazine is available by subscription for $24 a year. If you would like each month’s edition mailed to your home, send your request with payment information to Shaw Media, 7717 S. Route 31, Crystal Lake, IL 60014 or via email at subscriptions@shawmedia.com.

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

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INSIDE

What's

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 7 FOCUS ON PHOTOGRAPHY Take a look at life, through the eyes of three local artists.

14 TAKE THE STAGE Fantastic shows abound up and down the Fox, all season long.

16 ROCK THE NIGHT AWAY At the Kane County Cougars Ballpark Concert Series.

18 CALENDAR Great local events all month long across our communities, with expanded information on two great things to do.

FAMILY IN FOCUS 22 GET YOUR FIX Find something great to see or do in the TriCities this month, with the help of Families on the Fox columnist Chrissy Somers.

24 DYNAMITE DISC DAYS Lifetime sport of disc golf attracts all ages.

26 SYMPHONIES AND SURPRISES Suburban Superdad Jon Bilyk finds bonding moments with his daughters in the most surprising of spaces.

FASHION & BEAUTY 28 STICH FIX FANTASY Local seamstress stretches her talents into the world of cosplay.

30 NOT WHAT YOU THINK Save the date for the Eye of the Beholder garment exhibition.

DINING & ENTERTAINING 32 I SCREAM, YOU SCREAM Ice cream options abound through the TriCities. We’ve got an array to enjoy.

37 FIESTA ON THE FOX While not a big deal when it comes to holidays, Cinco de Mayo still offers a tasty turn to your week, and we have some perfect places to enjoy it.

HEALTH & WELLNESS 38 EAT HEALTHY, EVEN WHEN YOU'RE OUT Dr. Tarun Mullick takes an excursion to the big city for a stop at a Chicago favorite, the Girl and the Goat.

40 CHANGE IN YOUR BONES Learn the basics you need to know about osteoporosis, from the experts at Northwestern Medicine’s Bone Health Clinic.

HOME & LIFESTYLE 42 HOME, IT’S WHERE YOUR HEART IS At McDowell Remodeling, they understand how much your home means to you and your family.

46 HEALING THROUGH A GARDEN Wasco Nursery’s Megan Provencher talks about the power of plants to heal your heart and ease your stress.

48 EASY PEASY an editor’s choice of handy DIY solutions you didn’t even know you needed.

TRAVEL 50 HIKING THE INCA TRAIL Travel enthusiast Peter Stadalsky takes us on a walk through the wilds to Machu Picchu.

BUSINESS & CIVIC 52 SPRING CLEANING Take a sweep of your financial house this season, with finance expert Tom McCartney.

36 CHINESE HERITAGE COOKING Cookbook reviewer Tom Witom relays his thoughts on this new inspired collection.

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MAY

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Focus on

PHOTOGRAPHY A look at life through the eyes of an artist

By Sherri Dauskurdas

I

n the media world, photographers are an essential part of our daily work. They lend visual explanation to news of the day, capture the spectacle of an event, and bring to life the personalities whose stories we share.

It’s also art: one of the most used, useful and consumable forms of art we have.

This month, we celebrate that art with highlights from three local photographers, each of whom specializes in their own areas, bringing alive our days and nights, our hobbies and the world that surrounds us, right before our eyes.

Let’s take a look…

Continued on next page.

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Candid camera

Family photographer makes most of life’s everyday moments

By Sherri Dauskurdas | Photos provided by Ashley Knapp

A

shley Knapp is a lifestyle photographer specializing in capturing the beautiful, real, messy, crazy, joyful, perfect little moments that happen for her clients. From family sessions and child photo shoots to maternity and newborn session, Knapp thrives when she’s on location in a client’s own home.

“I do in-home sessions year-round, which are my favorites,” she says. “You just can’t beat capturing the most amazing moments with those you love in the place you call home.”

This self-taught photographer from Hampshire had been taking photos of family and friends for years

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when she decided to make it a career.

“After my first son Cole was born I, like a lot of mamas, was dreading going back to work full time,” she says. “So I decided to follow a long-time dream of running my own business and staying home with my babies, and that is how Red Maple Photography was born.

She named the business is named after her Grandpa Perry “Red” Maple. “I run this business the same way that he approached everything in life – with kindness, compassion, and a true love for making life long connections with everyone I meet.”

And while Knapp’s sessions typically include “photos for Grandma”, with everyone looking my way and smiling, it is the more candid images she really loves. “[These are] the beautiful and genuine moments that just pull you in,” she says. “Moments where you can look back at the photo and hear the laughter and feel the joy.”

“Most of the families I work with have kids that are age six and under. And with three boys, four and under myself, I love that I get to work with that age bracket so often,” she says! “It’s probably known to be a harder one overall, but I wouldn’t have it any

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other way. Being able to work hard and run this business allows me to spend every day with Cole, Tyler, and West and that is something that will most definitely light a fire in a Mama!”

And while awards she has won mean a lot to her, it’s the repeat customers that make her most proud.

“Honestly, I think my greatest accomplishment is having families that have been with me since the beginning continue to come back every single year,” she says.

“These are not your typical sit and smile sessions. We move and we laugh, and we dance, and we play, and we

have the best time! I can’t tell you how often I leave a session and hear a Dad say, ‘That was fun!’”

A professional family session also makes sure Mom is in the frame, she adds.

“Which is so important. While I love my husband to death, he is not the one to pick up his phone or my camera and take photos of me with the boys’ she says. “And sadly, I hear this all the time. Being able to capture these joy-filled moments that these families will treasure forever and truly tell their story through photos is unbelievably rewarding.”

DIY PHOTO TIPS FOR BUSY MOMS

You can‘t always schedule a session with a professional photographer, so in between, Knapp has some tips for making the most of your day-to-day photo ops.

If you are looking to use your phone, head to Amazon and search for tripods for phones. Look for the ones with bendy arms that can wrap around just about anything.

Set the timer and go hang with your babies! It doesn’t matter what you are doing in the photos or what you are wearing, just jump in.

If you have a DSLR camera, you can use a tripod or set it up safely on a piece of furniture or books. Not only do you have the timer option on your camera, but you can also purchase a small remote or most cameras that have Wi-Fi also have an app you can download to use as a remote as well.

Make sure you find some good light, so the photos are nice and sharp, and every day photos like these are perfect to put into little monthly photo books like Chat Books.

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All the world ’s Layering the striking beauty of dance against the backdrop of everyday spaces

By Sherri Dauskurdas Photos provided by Ron McKinney

newspaper writer and photographer in the 1990s, Ron McKinney only began doing creative professional photography beginning in 2008.

“I was sitting in the audience to see my 3-year-old girl and 4-year-old-girl do their dance recital,” he recalls. “I was in a great spot with no one directly in front of me so I got some great photos of my girls. But when they were done, I couldn’t leave and I had nothing to do while the older girls started dancing. So I kept my camera out, and kept shooting.”

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He noticed there was a peak movement to everything they did, particularly in ballet.

“So I began trying to time my single shots to see if I could get their peak movement,” he said. “It was a lot of fun, challenging, and I was mesmerized by their dancing.”

Soon after, McKinney because the studio’s performance photographer, and within two years was shooting for the Houston Ballet, Jacob’s Pillow, and then the Grand Rapids Ballet and Ballet Chicago. His photos appear in Dance Magazine,

Pointe Magazine, and other dance publications.

Eager to expand on his specialty, McKinney began taking dancers outdoors to do location shoots. He called the effort the Urban Portrait Series (even though many of these shoots were not in urban locations).

“I found it really interesting to take a dancer somewhere, and then together we would collaborate to come up with the best shots for whatever setting we were in,” he says.

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s a stage Outside the studio, Ron and Beth McKinney have founded the Pas de Doux Photo Competition and Dance Photographer conference.

“Our first conference is in February 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona, and we have some of the very best dance photographers in the country joining us to be together for the first time at one conference.” he explains. “It’s pretty exciting that photographers like Jordan Matter, Rachel Neville and David Hoffman, among many others, have agreed to work with us on creating a conference in which we get to give back to so many aspiring dance photographers.”

But that’s the business side, and for McKinney, it’s as much about passion as anything.

Today, the Algonquin resident operates a 3,250 square foot studio space in the northwest suburbs with his wife and partner, Beth. It boasts two permanent dance floors, a 20-foot-wide reclaimed wood backdrop, and a number of other backdrops and settings.

The Urban Portrait Series has been featured in three art gallery shows.

It’s not surprising for the one-time president of a four-year art college.

“To be honest, all those years that I was doing professional photography on the side, Beth and I had not planned on my doing this full-time,” he says. “And certainly not to the point of owning a large studio as I currently do, with a yearround editor assisting me, and several other freelancers.”

“Photography provides a really unique outlet of creativity for me,” McKinney says. “Whether I’m getting a 4-year-old girl to giggle, or developing rapport with a 17-year-old dancer, the images I produce are largely developed through the relationship I’m able to build in just a few minutes with my client.”

And that relationship is due in great part to the other things McKinney has accomplished in his career, out from behind the lens.

“I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology from New Mexico State University, and was in a PhD program in clinical psychology,” he says. “Couple that with my experience as a journalist for so many years, interviewing people on so many topics, and I’ve really honed a skill in connecting quickly with people so they can trust me to take their photo.”

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CHRONICLING

Local nature photographer captures wildlife in our midst

By Sherri Dauskurdas Photos provided by Dave Soderstrom

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GOD’S GIFTS D

ave Soderstrom originally was exposed to photography by his maternal grandmother, Wilma Newell, who, as he recalls, seemed to carry a camera with her everywhere.

Photography became a hobby for him a few years after graduating from college. It was then he purchased his first professional camera, a Canon AE 1 Program.

“I began photographing wildlife at local forest preserves in the Fox River Valley,” he says. “My love of nature and the outdoors began as a child during family vacations in the woods of Northern Wisconsin. My father Al, passed down a great legacy of love and respect for wildlife.”

As his family grew, Soderstrom found himself photographing reunions, weddings, holidays, and the like.

“As my children grew and participated in sports, I was often seen on the side lines or benches photographing the games,” he says.

Then, about 7 years ago, he became serious about photography, and purchased a Canon EOS T1I DSLR with zoom lenses.

“Dave Soderstrom Photography grew and I now photograph for several local high school sports teams, and publish a series of calendars on an annual basis,” he says. But nature is still a great passion for him, and he is known for chronicling a pair of bald eagles nesting locally near Mooseheart. He boasts have a wide reaching audience of followers on social media and been published in many forums including: newspapers, magazines, and news channels.

You can usually find him by the Fox River, local forest preserves, or parks with several cameras in tow.

“I enjoy the quiet time photography affords,” he explains. “I have learned to appreciate God’s creation. We live in an area full of wildlife, we need to stop and take the time to look at its wonder and appreciate the gifts.”

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FANTASTIC SHOWS ABOUND ACROSS THE TRI-CITIES DRAMA, COMEDY MUSIC AND MORE TAKE THE STAGE FOR SUMMER COMPILED BY WENDY FOSTER

 STEEL BEAM THEATRE www.steelbeamtheatre.com 111 W. Main St., St. Charles 630-587-8521

MAY 3-4, 8 P.M. NIGHT MOOSE IMPROV Improvisational comedy featuring Steven Sledzinski, Elizabeth Krahulec, Katie Brisick, Nick Miller Patrick Newsom and a special guest star. $10 cover charge.

MAY 17, 6:30 P.M. SBT SPOTLIGHT GALA: DENIM AND DIAMONDS Cash bar, appetizers, choice of entrees, dessert, entertainment and silentauction to benefit theatre’s 17th year.

Eagle Brook Country Club, Geneva. $50/ person

FRIDAYS-SUNDAYS, MAY 24-JUNE 16 THE SAVANNAH SIPPING SOCIETY The comedy features four Southern women hoping to escape their dayto-day routines. By Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten, directed by Bernie Weiler, starring Ann Keen, Barb McCaskey, Donna Steele and Paula Tsiagalis. Tickets $22-28

 COMEDY SHRINE THEATER, LLC

www.comedyShrine.com 4034 Fox Valley Center Drive, Aurora | 630-585-0300 OPEN IMPROV on Mondays at 8 p.m. Free admission GAME OF MICROPHONES on Thursdays at 8 p.m. Free Admission FAMILY TIME on Saturdays at 6 p.m.

THE WHOSE LINE SHOW on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.

 ALBRIGHT COMMUNITY THEATRE 100 N. Island Avenue, Batavia 630-406-8838 www.AlbrightTheatre.com

MAY 17-JUNE 1 FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, 7:30 P.M. 2ND SUNDAY, 2:30 P.M. NEXT FALL Geoffrey Nauffts’ Next Fall is about a five-year relationship between Adam and Luke, and the role that faith plays in their lives. Tickets $15-20.

 PARAMOUNT THEATRE

FRIDAYS-SUNDAY, JUNE 21-JUNE 30 HAMLET Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, is mourning the death of his father and resisting the marriage of his newly widowed mother to his uncle in William Shakespeare’s classic play. Tickets $15-20.

AUGUST RUSH: THE MUSICAL APRIL 24-JUNE 2 Paramount Theatre will host the world premiere of August Rush: The Musical, based on the original Warner Bros. motion picture. This will be the first time in its history that Paramount is producing a new musical. August Rush is the story of an 11-year old musical

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, AUGUST 9-AUGUST 24 EQUUS Written by Peter Shaffer in 1973, and revived to high acclaim in 2008, Equus is the story of a psychiatrist and a young man with a disturbing and violent fascination with horses.

The psychological thriller was

THE NAUGHTY SHOW on Fridays and Saturdays at 10 p.m. www.ParamountAurora.com 23 E. Galena Blvd, Aurora 630-896-6666

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prodigy, searching for his parents.

Actors in this production will play all instruments live, on stage, replacing an orchestra. Directed by internationally acclaimed John Doyle, book writer and co-lyricist Glen Berger, composer and colyricist Mark Mancina, orchestration and music by Dave Metzger. Tickets $36-69.

inspired by a true story of a 17-yearold responsible for blinding horses in Suffolk. Tickets: $15-20

 BATAVIA FINE ARTS CENTRE

www.BataviaFineAtsCentre.org 1201 Main Street, Batavia 630-937-8930 JUNE 21 PRESLEY, PERKINS, LEWIS AND CASH Rock and roll comes to Memphis, featuring Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley. Tickets $28-40

 RIVER FRONT PLAYHOUSE

www.RiverFrontPlayhouse.com 11 and 13 S. Water St. Mall, Aurora 630-897-9496 FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS, MAY 17-JUNE 22 SIN, SEX AND THE CIA-AN AMERICAN FARCE

By Michael E. Parker and Susan Parker The highly-acclaimed comedy is about a CIA safe-house in the mountains of Virginia and two hilarious U.S. agents. Tickets $15-17

 ZANIE’S ST. CHARLES AT PHEASANT RUN RESORT st-charles.zanies.com 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles 630-524-0001

Hilarious, live comedy shows featuring national touring comedians and local performers are featured on Thursday-Saturday nights.

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May 2-4 Sonya White

August 15-17 Andy Woodhull

May 9-11 Russ Williamson

August 22-24 Ralphie Roberts

May 16 John DaCosse

August 29-31 Eliot Chang

May 17 Josh Blue May 18 Mr. Showtime David Scott May 30-June 1 James Johann June 6-8 Jason Cheny June 13-15 Jeff Arcuri June 20-22 Karen Rontowski June 27-29 Michael Palascak July 11-13 Kevin McCaffrey July 18-20 Vince Maranto

 MAINSTAGE THEATER AT PHEASANT RUN www.pheasantrun.com/ entertainment/mainstage-theater 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles 630-584-6300

August 8-10 Vince Carone

July 28 CJ as Patsy Cline and Connie Francis

 ARCADA THEATRE www.arcadalive.com 105 E. Main St., St. Charles

May 4 Rico Santana Tribute band

May 1 Howie Mandel Standup Comedy

May 10 | 8 p.m.

Lionel Richie Tribute Show

May 3 Glenn Hughes Plays Deep Purple

May 11 Jerica Paliga Pop/country artist

May 4 The Little River Band Buckethead

May 18 Saints N Sinners Vietnam era classic rock cover band

May 5 Metal Church and Doro of Warlock with Images of Eden

May 19 Fern, Big Groove and 1 Foot In/1 Foot Out

Jul 25-27 Larry Reeb

May 24 Barry Manilow Tribute band by jay Gates May 26 | 3 p.m.

Trouble Ahead with Midnight Rider Grateful Dead inspired band

May 9 Angel with Starz May 10 Martin Barre Celebrates 50 Years of Jethro Tull

May 11 Morris Day and The Time May 12 Phil Vassar with Special Guest David Nail May 13 An Evening with David Crosby and Friends

June 9 Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone June 15 Geoff Tate’s Operation: Mindcrime June 20 38 Special

May 16 Yngwie Malmsteen

June 22 Scott Stapp of Creed

May 17 Jay and the Americans

June 28 Zepparella…All Girl Salute to Led Zeppelin

May 18 The Winery Dogs May 23 Under the Tucsan Moon Dinner

June 29 Jimmie Vaughan Plays Blues, Ballads and Favorites

May 24 Steven Adler of Guns N’ Roses

July 18 Stryper and Autograph

May 31 BB King’s Blues Band Featuring Michael Lee from The Voice

July 20 Dokken and Hoodlum Johnny

June 1 Warrant June 2 Legendary Broadway Star Ben Vereen!

June 7 Marrakesh Express Tribute to Crosby Stills, Nash and Young

July 21 Heroes of Woodstock Featuring Canned Heat and Big Brother and The Holding Company July 23 Righteous Brothers July 28 Gary Hoey’s Neon Highway Blues Album Release Party

VIOLINS, VIOLAS, CELLOS AND BASSES MADE, REPAIRED AND SOLD Fine Instruments For Purchase Complete Restorations & Appraisals

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THE NIGHT AWAY AT THE KANE COUNTY COUGARS BALL PARK CONCERT SERIES

BY CHRIS WALKER

rips to the ballpark these days aren’t just for rooting on the home team.

There’s also a lot of singing and dancing taking place at Northwestern Medicine Field in Geneva, home of the Kane County Cougars, as the Ballpark Concert Series returns on June 15 for the first of eight evenings.

“Cougars games provide a tremendous amount of fun for families and baseball fans,” says Jacquie Boatman, communications coordinator for Kane County. “The Ballpark Concert Series enhances that experience by allowing fans to enjoy great music from local bands before the game followed by the always

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popular fireworks shows to make the evening complete. You can’t beat live music and baseball on a summer night at the ballpark.”

There will be fireworks on the same nights of each of these concerts and ballgames.

Concerts begin at 4:45 p.m. and go until 6 p.m. Fans with a ticket to the game can enter at 4:30 p.m. and enjoy the concert and then the ballgame and fireworks.

Most people love The Beatles so what’s better than the premier Beatles tribute band, American English, to kick off this year’s Ballpark Concert Series, especially as a part of Father’s Day Weekend?

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GENEVA’S MIDSOMMAR FESTIVAL JUNE 18–23

Celebrate 70 Swëde Years Can’t find a shiny new copy of The Beatles White album as a gift for Dad? Perhaps bringing him to Northwestern Medicine Field in Geneva for a couple delicious dogs, cold brews, a concert and hopefully a Cougars victory is a better gift instead. Heck, go crazy, and go ahead and order him the white album on vinyl too.

American English will provide an unforgettable performance on June 15 as they take guests on a nostalgic trip down memory lane to the era of mini skirts, go-go boots, flower children, psychedelia that’s well before bullpenning, saber metrics and even the designated hitter were things in baseball. Paying keen attention to musical details and featuring multiple costumes, vintage instruments and special effects, American English are about as close as to seeing The Beatles as you can get in 2019.

Nick Bell has been influenced by Jeff Beck and Jimi Hendrix. What more do you need to know about him? You certainly won’t want to miss Nick when he rocks Geneva on Independence Day with his distinct, fused, blues-rock style. Nick continues to gain popularity and is now regarded as one of the hottest young guitarists of the Midwest. Don’t miss him and his band on July 4.

You never know what you’re going to see in a baseball game. Apparently the same can be said about what happens before the game as two electric baby grand pianos will be onsite on July 6 for Howl2Go Dueling Pianos. Performers will be playing hits from Billy Joel and Elton John to Lady Gaga and Queen.

The Alika Arlynn Band is set to perform its awesome country rock sound on July 20. The band has only been together for a couple of years, but has already accumulated many fans. The band released its first single “My Devotion” in 2017 and last summer released “Pink Camouflage.”

You’ve certainly heard of eye candy and you’ve undoubtedly enjoyed

cotton candy andmany of the other delectables at the ballpark, but have you heard Ear Candy?

Get ready to witness Northwestern Medicine Field transform into the Northwestern Medicine Discotheque on July 27. Ear Candy specializes in performing dance hits from the past 40 years. From the Bee Gees, Earth, Wind & Fire, KC and the Sunshine Band and The Commodores to Usher, Rihanna, Prince, Michael Jackson and Pink, Ear Candy is set to deliver a show of recognizable and danceable high-energy songs that will have you on your feet.

Prairie Station will fill the stadium on Aug. 3 with the sounds of modern country, playing some of the hottest music from today, as well as yesterday’s country staples that you miss and still love. Favorites from Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean to Miranda Lambert, Sugarland, Lady Antebellum and even some Johnny Cash might be on the setlist.

Santo and Williams, Young and Molitor, Whitaker and Trammell, Bagwell and Biggio and Ruth and Gehrig. There have been some amazing duos in baseball as well as in music.

How about Sid and Hala? This duo will perform on Aug. 17. They cover a variety of country, pop and rock hits from the 60s to today to keep everyone pleased, with songs fromA dele, Amy Winehouse, Bruno Mars, Jason Mraz, The Beatles, Paul Simon, Tom Petty, Elvis, Aretha Franklin and more.

And what’s summer without a little chill Caribbean rock with a mix of reggae, calypso trop rock and world music? Just make sure to have a drink in hand when Mr. Myers Band arrives on Aug. 31 for the final Ballpark Concert of 2019. In its 37 years, the Mr. Myers Band have performed thousands of shows, thrilling audiences of young and old with its energetic upbeat sound that mixes rock, jazz, Latin and Caribbean music.

Since 1949, Geneva’s Midsommar Festival – Swedish Days – has provided fun for the whole family. Join the celebration and enjoy fabulous food, carnival rides, live music and entertainment, plus Sweden Väst, our tent that’s everything Swedish. This year’s festival kicks off Tuesday, June 18th with Midnight Madness – shops open until 9 pm! Summer doesn’t get any swëder than this!

A picture postcard .

™

630-232-6060 • genevachamber.com

Time for Spring Clean-Up

Skyline Tree Service was established in 1988 and is family owned and operated. After 30 years of service, we still hold strong to our original commitment to excellence to provide our customers with quality tree care services.

Removal • Emergency Services • Tree Trimming • Stump Removal • Tree Risk Assessment • Plant Health Care • Certified Arborist R E S I D E N T I A L , CO M M E R C I A L & M U N I C I PA L 6 3 0 - 58 4 - 2 2 21 | WWW.SKYLINETREESVC.COM ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT MAY 2019

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GREAT LOCAL EVENTS ALL MONTH LONG!

CHECK OUT THESE GREAT LOCAL EVENTS IN AND AROUND THE TRI-CITIES

 BOOK LAUNCH FOR ANDREA CLADIS’ “FORGOTTEN COFFEE” Friday, May 3 | 7 - 8:30 p.m.

The Republic Of Letters 1 West Main Street. Suite 103, Geneva Price: Free The Republic of Letters is delighted to host the launch of Andrea Cladis’ debut book of poetry, “Forgotten Coffee” from Adelaide Books. Andrea Cladis is the author of “Finding the Finish Line: Navigating the Race of Life through Faith and Fitness,” and “Tatsimou, Hold On.” “Forgotten Coffee” is a poetry collection that explores the human spectrum of emotion through examining the compulsions of living in an unpredictable world. A tight lens is placed on the haunting nature of time, the continual balance of joy and grief, and the wrenching, yet rousing experience of lost love. “Forgotten Coffee” is complex in its scope with the inclusion of humorous poetic anecdotes alongside the magical notion of believing in and living with a healthy dose of whimsy. For more information, contact Cathy Borders, The Republic of Letters, hello@rolnfp. org, 630-360-1902  FREE COMIC BOOK DAY Saturday, May 4 | 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Batavia Public Library 10 S Batavia Ave., Batavia Price: Free Children may stop by the Youth Services Desk for a free comic book today, while supplies last. For more information, contact askus@ bataviapubliclibrary.org, (630) 8791393  LITTLE RIVER BAND Saturday, May 4 | 8 p.m. - 11 p.m.

Arcada Theatre 105 E Main Street ,St. Charles Price: $49 to $89 —Standard Ticket Pricing Little River Band is a huge chart success with multi-platinum albums and chart topping hits like: “Reminiscing,” “Cool Change,” “Lonesome Loser,” “The Night Owls,”

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“Take It Easy On Me,” “Help Is on Its Way,” “Happy Anniversary,” “We Two,” “Man On Your Mind,” “The Other Guy,” and “It’s A Long Way There.” For more information, contact alison@oshows. com, (630) 692-7000. More Info www.arcadalive.com/event/the-littleriver-band/  KANE COUNTY FLEA MARKET Saturday May 4 and Sunday May 5 Kane County Fairgrounds 525 S Randall Rd., St. Charles Price: $3 to $43 For more information, contact (630) 377-2252  4TH ANNUAL PANCAKES FOR PONIES Sunday, May 5 | 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.

St. Charles Moose Lodge 2250 W. Rte. 38, St. Charles Price: $5 to $10 —Adults: $10, Kids 8 and under: $5, Under 2 years old: Free Save-the-Date for our 4th Annual “Pancakes for Ponies” Breakfast Fundraiser Sunday morning, May 5, at the St. Charles Moose Lodge.

It’s also the same weekend as the Kane County Flea Market! Stop by for breakfast between 8-11:30 am, then walk next door to do some antiquing!

Breakfast tickets on sale or purchase at the door.

It’s going to be a fun morning with a delicious homemade breakfast including pancakes hot off the griddle, savory sausage, scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, coffee, juice and milk. Raffle Baskets with tickets drawn every hour, “pick a pony” game, glorious Petunia Baskets for Petunia Donkey, a gorgeous Quilt Raffle w/ Casey’s Safe Haven, Casey’s swag for sale, 50/50 Raffle (need not be present to win) and so much more!

Proceeds of this event will go to support the rescued equine of Casey’s Safe Haven Holistic Horse Rescue and Sanctuary. For more information, contact, Nancy McCormick, Casey’s Safe Haven, 630-247-9968

 53RD ANNUAL PANCAKE BREAKFAST Sunday, May 5 | 7:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Valley Sheltered Workshop 325 Main St., Batavia Price: $7; children 3 and under free Valley Sheltered Workshop will be holding its Annual Pancake Breakfast on Sunday May 5th from 7:30 am-12 p.m. . They will be serving pancakes, sausage, strawberries & blueberries, coffee, orange juice and apple juice.

A cash drawing, a silent auction and basket raffles will be offered during the event. All proceeds go to providing work opportunities for adults with disabilities. Stop by for some good food and a little fun that supports a good cause! For more information, contact, Donna Lusk, Valley Sheltered Workshop. donna. lusk@valleyshelteredworkshop.org, 630-879-2359  FOX VALLEY CONCERT BAND “RECONNECTED” Sunday, May 5 3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Norris Cultural Arts Center 1040 Dunham Road, St. Charles Price: Free The Fox Valley Concert Band concludes its season-in-residence at The Norris. Free admission, donations encouraged. Featured on the concert is the Marimba Concerto of Emmanuel Sejourne with guest soloist, Nathaniel Holman. For more information, contact. (630) 584-7200 More Info, Norris Cultural Arts Center  MORRIS DAY & THE TIME Saturday, May 11 | 8 p.m.

Arcada Theatre 105 E Main Street, St. Charles Price: $39 to $79 Longtime Prince collaborator, the eccentric Morris Day, is one of the funkiest performers to hit the stage since the Purple One himself. As the frontman of The Time, the charismatic Day built a serious name for himself in the ‘80s with his peacockish performances, with hit songs: “The Bird”, “Jungle Love”, “Jerk Out”, “Get

It Up”… Day has made it clear he is a consummate showman.

Visit http://www.arcadalive.com  GOOD TIMES MUSIC Wednesday, May 15 | 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Salerno’s On The Fox 320 N 2nd Street, St. Charles Price: $40 —General Admission Join Denny Diamond & The Jewels at Salernos on The Fox on 5/15/19.Come enjoy a delicious lunch. Then sit back and enjoy some Good Time Music, featuring songs made famous by, Neil Diamond, Johnny Cash, Jim Croce, Ricky Nelson Dean Martin and Buddy Holly. For more information, contact, Janet, janet@dennydiamond.com, (815) 893-9202  HOPS FOR HOPE 5K 2019 TO BENEFIT PROJECT MOBILITY Friday, May 17 | 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Mount Saint Mary Park | St. Charles Hops for Hope 5K is a twist on the traditional 5K! The event is timed and the course is certified, whether you are a runner or walker this event is for you. You can take a casual stroll with your friends and sip on beer samples throughout the course, or you can run to get your best time and skip the beer stops (discounted price) or chug your beer and go. The 5K will start at the beautiful Mount Saint Mary Park in St. Charles and head towards Geneva on the scenic path through Wheeler Park and ends back at Mount Saint Mary Park for the Award Ceremony!

That’s a weird twist? We think you mean delicious and fun! Throughout the 5K there will be Refueling Stations (Beer Stops) featuring local craft breweries handing out 3-ounce beer samples to runners. *All runners must be 21 years or older and show a valid ID day of the race.

The Award Ceremony will feature a live band, more beer and food!

For more information, contact katherine@projectmobility.org

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History a centerpiece of Memorial Day parade

By Diane Krieger Spivak If Memorial Day has traditionally meant nothing more to you than a day off work, you may want to attend St. Charles’ Memorial Day parade and service this year on Monday, May 27, where you can pay your respects to the veterans who gave their lives so you can live in a free country, and personally thank those who are still with us.

The city has an impressive history of military service.

There are 28,000 veterans in Kane County alone, according to Event Coordinator Lt. Colonel Mark Powell, (Ret), chaplan of VFW Post #1536, who presides over memorial services after the annual morning parade.

The city’s veterans groups also include Amerian Legion Post #342, Vietnam Veterans of America, AMVETS and auxiliary members.

When the opportunity to take over as the coordinator of the service presented itself, Powell says he jumped at the chance. He’s still doing it 13 years later.

“I lost many friends during my 28 years in the military to include a brother killed along with 250 fellow soldiers coming back from the Middle East in 1985,” says Powell.

“Taps and a 21-gun salute is forever changed when it’s done at the funeral of somebody you love.

“The one thing that makes our parade special is there are no special interests represented,” says Powell. “By that I mean no business advertising, for example, like in other parades. There’s nothing wrong with that, just not on Memorial Day.” If you come, you’ll see three to four different color guards (veterans groups, St. Charles Fire Department, Knights of Columbus), both high school bands marching at either end of the parade, military vehicles, scout units and an assortment of floats and entries. The St. Charles Exchange Club will be handing out flags prior to the parade. St. Charles Police will lead the way and the St. Charles Fire Department will bring up the rear, says Powell.

“The entire city is involved...the mayor, the aldermen and of course the police and fire departments - both departments with their fair share of veterans,” says Powell.“Immediately after the parade, we will have a Memorial Day ceremony at the Freedom Shrine.” Guest speaker will be Andrew Perry, a firefighter as well as a Special Forces soldier in the U.S. Army Reserve. “We’ll have an opening prayer thanking God for our vets, their families and all we are blessed with in this great

country,” adds Powell. Bands, singing, 21-gun salute and taps will round out the ceremony.

“What we do on Memorial Day is a tradition in this country, but more importantly, in this community,” says Powell. “ It’s to honor those who have sacrificed everything, the family members who are still alive and carrying that pain, to do something out of our normal routine that is special and larger than ourselves, to give a little bit of our spiritual and emotional selves away.

It’s a very honorable day and there is always healing that goes on. There hasn’t been a ceremony in 13 years where I didn’t look out into the crowd and see tears of pain, sorrow and, of course, healing. That is why we do this...”

The parade steps off at 6th and Main streets at 10 a.m.

There will be an open house for participating veterans after the ceremony at the Arcada, courtesy of Onesti Entertainment.

S Op easo en n ing !

FOR AMERICA’S LARGEST

RAILWAY MUSEUM MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

FUN FAMILY EVENTS FOR 2019

Sat May 4th – Illinois Day Sat May 11th – Scout Day ay Sun May 12th – Mother’s Day May 25th, 26th, & 27th Memorial Day Weekend

ILLINOIS RAILWAY MUSEUM Go to www.irm.org for timetable and admission info.

7000 Olson Road • Union IL 60180 • 800-BIG-RAIL or 815-923-4000 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT MAY 2019

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“RIDE LIKE A GIRL” WEEKEND COMING TO ST. CHARLES

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BY Aimee Barrows

ore than 400 women motorcycle riders from 16 states will descend on St. Charles on May 3 & 4 for the first-ever “Ride Like a Girl” weekend, hosted by Fox River Harley Davidson, Windy City Triumph in partnership with Midwest Women Riders.

11 guided rides or 12 self-guided rides that vary in length from 20 to more than 100 miles. On Saturday, which is International Female Ride Day, all 400 women will embark on one long ride that will take them on a 70-mile journey through the country roads in Kane County that kicks off at 10:30 a.m.

The event, which sold out in less than 30 days, will feature appearances by several notable women riders from across the country and workshops on issues that are important to women riders, including how to find the perfect bike for different body types, and the best way to pack motorcycles for a long weekend.

After the ride, the ladies will enjoy lunch, followed by keynote speaker Gloria Tramontin Struck, 94, who has long been an inspiring figure in the female riding community.

The riders will have the choice on Friday of taking

“We are thrilled to her speaking here and empowering all these women. [The attendees] are very excited,” says Jen Smiley, marketing manager for Fox River Harley Davidson.

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Brian Rapier, general manager of Fox River Harley Davidson, says that the number of women riders has been growing, and that more than 50 percent of all new riders are women. “It’s more socially acceptable for women to ride now,� he explains. “Women don’t have to be the ‘old lady’ on the back of a bike; they can ride their own. They’re empowered to ride. These women have a lot of passion and enthusiasm for

riding. It’s incredible.�

Smiley explains that the male riders in the area have been very supportive of the women riders, and in fact, many will be volunteering to help out with the event over the weekend. “The times have changed and women want to be in the seat. It’s about empowerment and the freedom of the road,� she says.

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LISTEN UP! JOIN US FOR FREE CONCERTS: STEEL BAND FRIDAY, MAY 10 7:30 P.M. AUDITORIUM, SUGAR GROVE CAMPUS CONCERT BAND SATURDAY, MAY 11 7:30 P.M. AUDITORIUM, SUGAR GROVE CAMPUS

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BE SURE TO STOP BY OUR AURORA DOWNTOWN CAMPUS FOR FIRST FRIDAYS ON MAY 3.

ENJOY LIVE JAZZ, ART DEMOS AND REFRESHMENTS!

waubonsee.edu/music Waubonsee does not discriminate based on any characteristic protected by law in its programs and activities.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT MAY 2019

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Get your fix of great entertainment Through unique Tri-City experiences

With Chrissy Somers, www.FamiliesOnTheFox.com

You can find entertainment in anything you do, anywhere you go.

Share an experience with people you enjoy and almost any situation will be entertaining.

Experiences come in all shapes and sizes. Date nights. Ladies nights. Family days out. Regardless of your reason, the Tri-Cities offer and endless array of entertainment, designed to create those perfect experiences you’ll recall again and again.

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Sports and Competition KANE COUNTY COUGARS | GENEVA With 14 Cougars home games in the month of May alone, the statement “I’m bored” should never come out of someone’s mouth! Most game days at Northwestern Medicine Field have ballpark specials like Thirsty Thursdays, Family Firework Four-Pack, Saturday Suds, Unlimited Play in the Kid Zone, and $5 Ticket Days! Check the Cougars’ website for game days and promotions!

MINI GOLF COURSES | TRI-CITIES Sometimes, entertainment comes in the form of a little competition. A great way to do this is by playing a rousing round of mini golf. I like to wager things iike “Loser does the laundry for a week,” or

“No chores for the weekend” with my family. Visit River View in St. Charles, Stone Creek in Geneva, or Funway’s new outdoor mini golf course in Batavia.

Fun on the Fox PEDAL BOAT RENTALS | BATAVIA The Riverwalk in Batavia is home to plenty of free and inexpensive entertainment options! From The Depot Museum to the playground to the free concerts you can catch at Peg Bond Pavilion, there is no shortage of good times here! You can even rent Pedal Boats (up to four passengers) to meander around the Fox River.

PADDLEWHEEL RIVERBOAT | ST. CHARLES Newly acquired by the St. Charles Park District, you can board this paddling beauty to take a scenic tour

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Along the banks of the Fox River Mt. St. Mary Park • St. Charles

sculpture

FREE! in the

Park May-SePteMber 2019

For the love of art in the park

of the Fox River and surrounding areas.

Rides are super inexpensive: $7/ticket for ages 3 - 15, and $8.50/ticket for ages 16+. The Paddlewheel Riverboat can even be rented for private parties (think about the fun that can be had at a private party on this boat!).

MILL RACE CYCLERY | GENEVA The only business that offers stand-up paddle board rentals in the Tri-Cities! I mean, they also offer other rentals too, like bicycles, kayaks and canoes (and even offer shuttling services to retrieve you at the end of your ride), but I love, love, love cruising on a stand-up paddle Board. It’s a great workout, but the workout gets even more intense when someone from your group falls in the river! The way your abs feel after laughing so hard is priceless!

DIY Creations SCENTCERELY YOURS | GENEVA B.Y.O.B.... I’ll start there. Now, let me tell you more about the experience you can have here! Scentcerely Yours is a create-your-own, custom-scent shop with a variety of products. Candles are my favorite thing to make here, but I’ve also made lotions, sugar scrubs, room sprays, body sprays, and reed diffusers (top secret info... soaps will soon be added to their product line) My kids love coming to Scentcerely Yours to create a custom-scented anything, and

my husband, who isn’t even going to deny it, enjoys this experience too.

CHILLED PALETTE | GENEVA When you pair painting with a drink in hand, your creation is guaranteed to be fantastic, right? Your inhibitions are gone and your creativity is flowing as smooth as the wine and beer at the bar inside The Chilled Palette. You have the choice of painting a canvas, wood pallet, or wood palette trays. You will receive step-by-step instruction and even one-on-one guidance when needed!

SIDE BY SIDE, LLC | TRI-CITIES Andrea, the owner and creative genius behind Side By Side, specializes in custom-designed wreaths and indoor and outdoor decor. One of my favorite parts of Side By Side is that she offers in-home instruction for you and a small group of friends! You gather the drinks and apps, and Andrea brings the supplies and guided instruction!

Here’s my challenge to you: one night each week, get out of the house and do something with your family. If you have children, it’s also important to dedicate some uninterrupted time to your significant other. Get out of your comfort zone and try something new. Go somewhere new. Experience something new. In that experience, you will find the basis of a long-lasting, fond memory.

Chrissy Somers is the owner of Families on the Fox, a website that serves as a free resource to the Tri-City community. A daily events calendar, indoor fun resource guide, seasonal events, pre-planned date nights, adult fun outings, and more can be found when you visit www.

FamiliesOnTheFox.com Photo by Katie Kaltz Photography

People of all ages are welcome to enjoy this magnificent free exhibit of original and unique sculpture.

Interested in purchasing a piece of art?

For more information: 630-513-4319.

Mt. St. Mary Park is located at Rt. 31 & Prairie St. along the beautiful Fox River in St. Charles.

stcsculpture.org

Sweeten Someone’s Day Find the perfect gifts for

Mother’s Day

Teacher Appreciation AND

Nurses Week • Custom Gift Baskets • Chocolate Covered Strawberries • Fresh Fudge • Boxed Chocolates • Sugar Free Chocolates • Large Variety of Caramel Apples

Now Serving

ICE CREAM! Geneva Commons ns

Located between Starbucks & Noodles & Co.

1308 Commons Dr • Geneva 630.208.1484

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t r o p s e Lifetim f l o g c s i of d ITIES , ABIL S E G A L L A S T C A R T AT this spring se at James O. Breen Try cour

By Sara Carlson | Photo Provided

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any residents may equate spring sports with baseball, soccer and tennis, but for a growing population, springtime is the dawn of another disc golf season.

Fortunately for local players, James O. Breen Community Park is home to a 9-hole disc golf course, tucked into 6.4 acres of wooded landscape and naturally rolling terrain on the north side of Campton Hills Road, west of Peck Road.

“Whether you play for competition or recreation, disc golf gives you an opportunity to explore new parks while engaged in a structured physical activity,” says Steve Gard, St. Charles Park District Youth Programming Supervisor, who also regularly plays disc golf. “It’s so easy to make it a fun family outing or regular weekend activity with friends.”  DISC GOLF VS. TRADITIONAL GOLF Disc golf, which started in the 1970s, is considered one of the fastest growing sports across the globe.

Played in more than 47 countries, the Professional Disc Golf Association reported it had more than 41,000 active members worldwide in 2017 – up from nearly 12,000 members 10 years prior. It’s estimated that 8-12 million people have played the game at least once.

Disc golf has many of the same elements as traditional golf. Players follow a designated course that typically consists of 9 or 18 holes, throwing special discs down a fairway into elevated baskets. The player with the least amount of throws at the end of the game wins. Similar to golf clubs, players use different discs – drivers, mid-ranges and putters – based on distance, speed, trajectory and the player’s skill level.

Unlike traditional golf, however, there is no greens fee -- a large draw for many players and families alike. The only cost is equipment. On average threedisc packs are $15 in local sporting goods stores.

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Thousands of courses exist across the country, with more than 100 in the Chicagoland area, and courses continue to pop up in the far western suburbs at a rapid rate. When the course at James O. Breen was built in 2005, it was one of the first of its kind in the area. Now there are at least 12 more in the area from Maple Park to Glen Ellyn and Batavia to Elgin.  DISC GOLF FOR ALL The course at James O. Breen, or Campton Hills course, as it’s known in many directories, is open from 9am to dusk. This summer it will receive a facelift with new signage at the start of the course and at each tee.

Jeff Goodrich, Assistant Superintendent of Parks, says the course has remained popular over the years, especially after school and during the summer in late afternoons and on weekends.

St. Charles Teen Center Director Darby Beasley says they include disc golf as a teen activity in the

summer, providing instruction and equipment.

“It’s appealing to this age group, because it’s not as difficult and disciplined as traditional golf but it has many of the same elements,” Beasley says. “It’s also free which is a huge perk for teens.”

From children to seniors, disc golf is a lifetime sport.

“You’re never too young,” says Gard, adding many families with younger children play scramble or best throw to practice and quicken the pace.  SURROUNDED BY NATURE Some players may find the James O. Breen course challenging, as they navigate trees in the fairways and hike the hilly terrain, but there are many perks to playing in this wooded environment.

Since it’s enclosed, there’s less risk to hit passersby compared to other flat, open courses with adjoining public parks, Gard says.

“The wooded setting also gives you the sense that you are engulfed in nature, and that, in and of itself, has so many health benefits,” he added.

Research shows that spending time in nature can help improve mood, sleep and concentration, and lower stress and anxiety. Coupled with the physical act of playing disc golf, from walking the course to throwing discs, players are strengthening bones and muscles, and getting their heart rate up.

Gard encourages families to include a round of disc golf while spending a day at James O. Breen, which features the Otter Cove Aquatic Park, Hickory Knolls Discovery Center, playground, dog park and more.

“The park has so much to offer, so explore the different amenities and include disc golf,” Gard says. “You don’t have to be an expert; just enjoy the company, learning a new skill or challenging your current skills and have fun engaging in a sport surrounded by nature.”

For more information, visit www.stcparks.org.

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Are you looking for Extreme Adventure with Extreme Community Impact?

Opportunites for all to:

Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois invites you to go...

> Rappel > Sponsor > Support > Volunteer > DONATE Funds raised at this event support GSNI’s commitment to offering girls in need the opportunity to be Girl Scouts and access to all Girl Scout-related activities and programs.

June 1, 2019

Pheasant Run Resort St. Charles

Over the Edge 4 Girl Scouts is an amazing event for ANYONE 11 and over who wants to make a difference in the lives of girls!

No prior experience necessary!

Sponsored by: Jewel-Osco | BMO Wealth Advisors | Esser Hayes | Ashford Farms | QSP | Dugan & Lopaka | Elgin State Bank | Shaw Media | Star 105.5

Go to girlscoutsni.org/ote to get started today!

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 SUBURBAN SUPERDAD 

PARENTHOOD is filled with symphonies and surprises With JONATHAN BILYK

T

he pronouncement wasn’t anywhere near as flooring as the time she said she wanted to play basketball.

But the words, “Daddy, I’ll go to the symphony with you” still prompted a smile big enough to nearly knock both of us right out of our chairs.

Twice now, my oldest daughter has surprised her mother and I with sudden divergences from the superstar diva/princess pattern we’ve come to expect.

The first came when we were sitting for breakfast one Saturday morning. With my plate empty, and a fresh mug of tea in hand, an article had captured my attention for the moment, when suddenly, the little girl across the table, a piece of bacon in hand said between bites: “Daddy, I think I’d like to try playing basketball.”

Mind you, this is a girl who to that point in her life had shown little interest in just about anything related to anything involving a ball (or puck or any other element used to score points and triumph in a competitive team sport.)

Yes, she knew how to catch and throw (mostly – because a certain father figure wasn’t going to let her move past her 5th birthday without a rudimentary mastery of those skills.)

But actually wanting to play a sport? She could have told us she was an alien life form who had piloted an X-wing spacecraft from the planet Melmac, and it would have been less surprising.

In that moment, it took everything in me not to jump up and drop my tea in shock and happiness. Rather I answered with what I believe to have been an

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understated, “Oh? That sounds like a great idea.”

The funny thing is, basketball isn’t even my favorite sport. If forced to make a sports ranking, basketball would be in the team picture, but it would be somewhere on the third bleacher up from the front, just in front of soccer, and far enough back from the smiling mugs of baseball and football to make it readily apparent who the superstars are on this roster.

But after nearly a decade of Disney princesses, ballet, nail polish and hair ribbons, could you blame a dad for leaping at the chance to spend some time with his little girl on his turf?

Those same feelings surged forward more recently, (and again, following a shock) delivered by the oldest over lunch: When my wife and I were dating and for a few years after the rings were exchanged, the local symphony orchestra performances beckoned for date nights.

After the kids came along, those became harder and harder to attend, especially after the kids started school, since most performances are limited to September-May. Classical performances became the stuff of Pandora and Spotify. You might say it’s a sign of getting old when you create a classical playlist based around your favorite composers. I’ll choose to call it a broadening of the cultural horizons.

But lately, with an orchestra now within walking distance of our home, the time had come for me to return. One day, at lunch, I told my wife we needed to go, before the orchestras again took the summer off.

And that’s when tour oldest child brought us up short by piping up to say she wanted to go, too.

Of late, she and I have found music a fun subject to talk about and share. While I’ve listened to more than my share of Megan Trainor and other pop stars on her playlist, she’s added a few hits of the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s to hers, as well.

But despite her love of ballet, classical music had to this point remained a bridge too far to traverse.

Michael Jackson, Santana, Stevie Wonder and Queen? Yes. Beethoven, Mozart, Dvorak and Rachmaninoff? Not so much.

So with the final performance of the spring nearly upon us, you can bet she and I will be there, poised for that moment when the conductor raises his baton and the first notes careen through the auditorium. Hopefully it will carry enough magic to ignite her curiosity for something different, and inspire a future filled with more nights at the symphony, with or without me.  Jonathan Bilyk writes about the triumphs and travails of being a modernday dad who legitimately enjoys time with his family, while tolerating a dog that seems to adore him. He also doesn’t really like the moniker “Superdad” because it makes it sound like he wants to wear his undergarments on the outside of his pants. (Also, the cape remains on back order.)

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Community oriented.

Community minded. Community answers.

community bank.

St. Charles 10 Illinois Street | (630) 549-7065 | www.sterbank.com

Your Future Is with Us! SM-CL1643911

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STITCH FIX FANTASY Seamstress turns make believe into masquerade with detailed cosplay costume design

By Aimee Barrows

Batavia resident Brenda Scharlau believes in magic.

She loves to transform into characters from some of her favorite games or anime series through cosplay, which is another name for costume play, where people dress up in costumes and adopt the voice and mannerisms of a character.

Scharlau and her daughter Megan turn fantasy into reality every year, when they become characters from a different anime series for the annual anime convention, Anime Central, in Rosemont each May. Scharlau makes every costume by hand, often putting in hundreds of hours to bring a cartoon or video game character to life in painstaking detail.

“I take something that’s 2-D, like a drawing, and make it a 3-D character,” she explains. “I breathe life into it. I become that person and that person is now me. When you do cosplay, you do the voices of the character and do a story line of the character. It’s a moment in time.”

Scharlau, a professional seamstress, who operates her business as Alts by Envy, has been sewing since she was in her late teens. With a background in theater, Scharlau has always been attracted to the idea of transforming herself and becoming a character, frequently making all of the costumes she wore on stage.

Scharlau and her daughter, Megan Scharlau, started doing cosplay in 2006 after attending their first Anime Central convention. The two fell in love

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Brenda Scharlau of Batavia has taken her skills as a seamstress and expanded into cosplay costume design.

FASHION & BEAUTY MAY 2019

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We’re celebrating mothers all month long!

Bring your mom shopping with you & you’ll both get 15% OFF for the entire month of May! with the cosplay culture, and have made it an annual tradition, often spending months brainstorming and planning for the event.

Brenda Scharlau says that since 2006, she’s made between 50 and 60 cosplay costumes. Usually she creates one costume for her, one for Megan and one Megan’s friend each year, but previously, has created 15 costumes in one year. “[My mom] pays attention to every detail to make sure she gets it right,” Megan Scharlau says. “She adds the little touches that make the costumes personalized. Whenever we dress in costumes, people treat us like we’re really the character. We put smiles on people’s faces.”

The trick, Brenda Scharlau says, is using only the highest-quality material so the costume fits on the body perfectly to be an exact replica of the character.

“Sometimes it takes months [to plan the cosplay] to look at a drawing and figure out how to make it fit,” she says. “I’m big on using materials that convey the character in the specific time period. Usually we spend a couple hundred dollars on the costumes because we want high quality materials that are designed to last. [The material] has to feel right or I won’t use it.”

And all of the planning and hard work has paid off for Brenda Scharlau, as she’s won the Anime Central convention’s “Hallway Cosplay Contest” four of the five times she’s entered. She says that other convention attendees will often stop her and her daughter to take their picture.

“We like the attention and like people to take our pictures. It makes me very proud to know that my hard work is appreciated,” she says.

For this year’s Anime Central convention, Brenda Scharlau and her daughter are going as characters from the anime series “Dragon Prince.” Scharlau will transform into an elf, while Megan will become Rayla, a character assassin.

“This will be a big undertaking,” Brenda Scharlau says about creating the costumes. “There is a lot that goes into both, but I’ll get it done, even if I have to sew nonstop. This is a labor of love. I dedicate a tremendous amount of time to it, but I love it. It’s hard to stop once I get started.”

At age 65, Scharlau says she hopes to continue participating in cosplay and attending conventions with her daughter for as long as possible.

“I’ll do this until I die,” she says with a laugh. “When you go to a convention, you see parents and their babies dressed up, and even elderly people. You find a bunch of people who are as passionate about something as you are. For me, it’s the creative process and becoming a character you find inspiring.”

Handcrafted... Jewelry Handbags Scarves Hats Unique Gifts 226 S. Third St. • Geneva • 630-457-5606 falmouthroadjewelry.com

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GARMENT EXHIBITION

EYE OF THE BEHOLDER 30

IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK

By Diane Krieger Spivak

W

hen fashion and art collide, something wonderful happens: an artist’s expression of life through wearable art.

Transparency: Eye of the Beholder – A Garment Exhibition, brings emerging designers and seasoned professionals together under one roof at an opening reception May 10 at Water Street Studios in Batavai, to showcase their unique visions of art through garments.

“Our vision is to position live models during the opening event as more of an installation than a runway,” says Danielle Hollis, executive director at Water Street Studios. “It’s more of a conventional way of displaying the work that we do in other shows.” What attendees will find is models in hair and makeup wearing the various designers’ three-dimensional garments in an installation, much as they would find in a typical art show. The difference is that models will be wearing the art.

Participating artists hail from everywhere from the Fox Valley to Chicago. From Batavia High school “Rock the Runway” students to professional designers and big-name artists, the show promises a unique blend of 2D and 3D pieces. “It’s nice to couple professionals with emerging designers and do a show that features all the different ways that people from various professional levels are related to the theme of the show,” Hollis says.

This is the second show of this kind at Water Street. “This year there seems to be a buzz about it,” says Hollis. “We do 24 shows a year, but this one sticks out, it’s more of an experience than just come and see the new show. It’s more curated.” The juried show will include a People’s Choice award.

Fashion designer and this year’s curator, Andrea Reynders shares, “Artists were challenged to clarify and translate what Transparency meant to them and to create a work that is either worn or observed. The results are both serious and whimsical. From sophisticated couture and hand-crafted assemblages to paintings --all as a response to the idea of Transparency.

A highlight of the show is “A Conversation with Nena Ivon” Saturday, May 18, where Ivon will present on her career in fashion and design. Retired Fashion/Special Events Director, Saks Fifth Avenue, for 53 years, Ivon produced thousands of fashion shows and worked with over 150 International fashion designers and fashion personalities. Ivon currently produces a daily lifestyle blog.

Water Street Studios’ main goal is to make the arts accessible, says Hollis. “We realize that fashion can be one of those disciplines or genres that seems to be elitist or attract a certain group of people, and what we’re trying to do is invite people who maybe wouldn’t have gone to a fashion show or spent money to go see a runway exhibition, and let them come for a very affordable price. We’re dealing with a concept that can be interpreted in many different ways, from locals to professionals, so anybody who’s coming is going to relate, in some capacity, whether they’re a long-time lover of fashion or somebody who’s never seen a garment design displayed in this sort of setting.”

For more information, times and tickets, visit eventbrite. com.

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Unique Gifts SURE TO IMPRESS

JORI & JUNE

25 S. 3rd St., Geneva | (630) 457-5505 | joriandjune.com At Jori & June we believe that every single person who walks through our doors deserves the best. Our goal is to provide a fun and effortless shopping experience for all of our customers. We are constantly challenging ourselves to find clothing and accessories that are on trend, practical, unique and meaningful. We appreciate and understand the busy lifestyle of our customers; therefore we offer free gift wrapping on all gifts. Mother’s Day is just around the corner! Let us help you make it special for her!

REPUBLIC OF LETTERS

1 W. State St., Suite 103 | Geneva | (630) 360-1902 Spring is a time for art, a time for digging deep inside ourselves and seeing what’s been hibernating, finding what we can unearth from the dirt, and caring for what grew on its own. The Republic of Letters offers writing classes, kids’ writing camps, discussion groups, editing services, and author events, but really, we offer space for the literary arts. We are a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We sell used books to support our editing services and classes. (Please donate your books.) We offer gift certificates in any amount, 10% off gift certificates for Mom. Please refer to our website for our upcoming spring programming: rolnfp.org

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I scream,

you scream

KANE COUNTY OFFERS GREAT ICE CREAM. HERE ARE SOME LOCAL FAVORITES.

By Allison Horne

scream, you scream we all scream for... ice cream (rolled or classic), custard, gelato, sorbet, italian ice and frozen yogurt!

Ice cream is so much more than just a scoop and a cone or a frozen treat on a stick. From hand-rolled Thai ice cream to custard made from scratch, there are so many different kinds of frozen desserts to indulge in this summer.

Bring your sweet tooth and get ready to experience a new (or traditional) kind of refreshing treat in Kane County.  FANNY’S THAI ROLL ICE CREAM WHERE 615 Randall Rd. #112, St. Charles MORE INFO fannysthairollicecream.com; (630) 549-0563 You probably haven’t seen anything like thai rolled ice cream - it’s so pretty to look at, it’s hard to commit to eating it.

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Created at Fanny’s Thai Roll Ice Cream daily, this frozen treat is made with milk and fresh fruit and is hand-rolled by staff on a frozen steel surface.

 ANDY’S FROZEN CUSTARD WHERE 1150 S. Randall Rd., Elgin MORE INFO eatandys.com; (224) 339-8484

“It’s not like the ice cream you buy at the store,” owner Fanny Ng says. “It’s definitely more healthy because it has fresh fruit like strawberries, mango and banana.”

Andy’s Frozen Custard may only have only had its Elgin location since October of 2018, but Andy’s is already making a name for itself in the frozen sweets world. Andy’s originally started in Missouri in 1986, but can now be found in 10 states with 11 locations in Illinois.

Fanny Roll in St. Charles is Ng’s second location; the first opened in August of 2017 in Elgin. However, her and her cousins opened the first thai rolled ice cream shop in Chicago, the Legend Tasty House, several years ago.

Andy’s makes their frozen custard fresh every hour in each of their stores, while their brownies, apple pies, shortcake and cookies are also baked daily.

“It’s also great entertainment,” Ng says. “Children love it and like to see how we’re making it. And the presentation is so beautiful it just makes you want to eat it.”

“All of our fruits are real and we don’t use syrups or sauces when the real thing is an option,” says Elizabeth Hanahan, spokesperson for Andy’s Illinois locations.

Ng recommends the Strawberry Lady, which is strawberry ice cream with whipped cream, strawberry pocky and syrup. Oreo’s Secret is another popular flavor.

“I always recommend the BootDaddy Concrete but also love just a simple cone,” Hanahan says, referring to the Oreo, creme caramel and hot fudge mixer. “The product is just so yummy!”

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Other popular menu items include Straw-Ana Sundae, Ozark Turtle, Triple Chocolate Concrete and James Brown Funky Jackhammer. “We even have take-home containers so you can have Andy’s Frozen Custard in your freezer at all times!â€? Hanahan says.  GRAHAM’S FINE CHOCOLATES AND ICE CREAM WHERE 302 S. 3rd St., Geneva MORE INFO grahamschocolate.com; (630) 232-6655 For some reason, sweets taste even sweeter when they’re homemade and served up by a locally-run family business. “We have been around for 32 years and we absolutely love being a part of this community,â€? says Jayni Wunderlich, vice president of Graham’s Fine Chocolates and Ice Cream. Graham’s was first started by her parents, Robert and Beckie Untiedt, in Geneva in 1987. Beckie’s twin sister, Bonnie Pechous, is the general manager, and Wunderlich’s sister, Maddi Smith, also works for the shop. “Our customer is our greatest ambassador and we pride ourselves on great customer service and by using only the best and freshest ingredients in all our ice cream and confections,â€? Wunderlich says. “We are a small family-run business with a huge heart for the community.â€?

At Graham’s, over 50 flavors of ice cream are homemade daily right in Geneva. Some popular flavors include vanilla (made with real vanilla), double

rs Burge Salad

Homemade sundaes, banana splits, shakes, Italian ice, malts, chocolate sodas and root beer floats are just a few of the other specialty items that grace their menu. “I’m a peanut butter lover, so my favorite is our chocolate peanut butter clip or the king’s split,�

Wunderlich says. “I also like to indulge with a chocolate-dipped waffle cone - it’s fun to eat with any flavor of ice cream.â€?  KILWINS WHERE 132 S. 1st St., St. Charles MORE INFO kilwins.com/stores/kilwins-st-charles-il; (630) 549-7943 Think you’ve had rich ice cream? Think again. Kilwins, a nationwide ice cream shop with over 100 locations across the United States, has been creating a superior chocolate products since Don Kilwin first started whipping up his decadent creations in 1947.

Kilwins branched out and started making their original recipe ice cream in 1985 using only fresh antibiotic-free milk and cream from family farms. “Our ice cream has a high butterfat content, which makes it really creamy,� says Rachel Rasmussen,

owner and operator of the St. Charles and Naperville Kilwins locations with her father, Bob Rasmussen. “We offer 32 flavors of ice cream and it is all our own original recipe - you can only get it at Kilwins!�

Some of the most popular flavors include toasted coconut, sea salt caramel and sea salt chocolate caramel. They also offer some sorbettos, which are a great dairy-free alternative.

But as aforementioned, Kilwins offers so much more than just ice cream. “We hand-dip anything from strawberries to Twinkies in our very own chocolate, make incredible hand-paddled Mackinac Island Fudge, homemade caramel and much more.�

Steak s Pasta

s

Soups

Ribs

eer

B Root

dark bitter chip, toffee bar (made with chopped pieces of homemade English toffee), buttered pecan (made with pecans buttered and cooked in-house), cookie dough, Oreo, bubblegum and many more. As Wunderlich puts it, “you name it, we can probably make it.�

D

esse rts 306 W State Street Downtown Geneva 630-208-7070 www.stockholmsbrewpub.com

Monthly Food Specials Monthly Beer Dinners Seasonal Brews Bourbon Barrel Brews $3.50 Daily Handcrafted Beer Specials

XXX MAY 2019

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 DAIRY QUEEN WHERE 1134 W. Wilson St., Batavia MORE INFO dairyqueen.com; (630) 937-4025

A&W even offers a unique twist on a root beer float - a root beer freeze.

From Blizzards and sundaes to floats, freezes and soft serve, Dairy Queen reigns supreme among ice cream greats.

Dairy Queen originally started as an experiment in Kankakee over 70 years ago before the first official store opened in Joliet, Illinois in 1940. There are now more than 6,000 restaurants in the United States, Canada and 18 other countries.

Dairy Queen is known for their versatility with ice cream and being able to concoct whatever treat you can dream up. From OREO and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Blizzards to chocolate-dipped soft-serve cones, your dream sweet awaits!

Don’t forget to take home a Dilly Bar or ice cream cake from the freezer!  A&W WHERE 113 S. Lincolnway, North Aurora MORE INFO awrestaurants.com; (630) 844-9393 There’s root beer, and then there’s A&W root beer. For over 32 years, A&W has been bringing its beloved root beer to shops all over the country. But their local restaurants, including the one that opened in North Aurora in 1989, gives hungry guests a chance to enjoy their famous root beer floats.

A&W’s famous root beer is made fresh daily in every shop, and the vanilla soft serve is a proprietary recipe developed with the dairy supplier. But what they’re really known for is something even better: a combination of the two.

“We are known for our famous root beer floats that you can’t get anywhere else,” says Sarah Blasi Mueller, VP of Marking for A&W Restaurants, Inc.

“Unlike a float, we take the root beer and vanilla soft serve and blend it together,” Blasi Mueller says. “It is one of the best things on the menu.”  OBERWEIS WHERE 951 Ice Cream Dr., North Aurora MORE INFO oberweis.com; (630) 801-6131 What started as a milk company eventually progressed to the next natural business venture - ice cream.

Oberweis first opened in 1929 in Aurora and there are now 42 locations in the midwest, including a shop and plant in North Aurora. The Oberweis family is still thoroughly involved in the business, as well.

“It’s family-owned and we’ve been here for a very long time,” says Ambrosia March, vice president of marketing for Oberweis. “We make it ourselves right here in small batches and not in a big facility. Quality is what makes us stand out.”

All ice cream and milk products are made at the North Aurora plant, which is located near the retail shop.

“The high-end premium quality that we have in our milk we carry through to our ice cream,” March says. “It’s 18 percent butterfat, so it’s super premium and extremely rich.”

While the chocolate peanut butter, butter pecan, cookies and cream and cookie dough tend to be the popular flavors, there are also seasonal flavors throughout the year that are also crowd favorites.

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Oberweis has also launched something that is sure to draw crowds from near and far - a chocolate cake shake and strawberry shortcake shake.

“Customers are going crazy for it,” March says. “I didn’t know you could make a shake even better than it always was.”  ALL CHOCOLATE KITCHEN WHERE 33 S. 3rd St., Geneva MORE INFO allchocolatekitchen.com; (630) 232-2395 If you’re looking for authentic gelato, the All Chocolate Kitchen is your place.

Hailing from France with an extensive background in the culinary world, Chef Alain Roby’s All Chocolate Kitchen is known as the go-to-chocolate haven in Geneva. The three-time Guinness World Record holder has been running his beloved kitchen with his wife, Esther, and grown sons, since 2010.

“The quality is very important to us,” Roby says. “We enjoy what we do and we are very passionate. We want to make people happy.”

While they specialize in unique chocolate creations, their gelato is a huge draw in the warm summer months.

“There’s a huge difference between gelato and ice cream,” Roby says. “Ice cream has fat, heavy cream, sugar and eggs, while gelato is milk and the natural flavor we use to flavor it. Sugar is really a minimum and it’s 90 percent fat free compared to ice cream.”

All Chocolate Kitchen has over 300 different flavors to choose from, including pistachio, hazelnut, cupcake, caramel and all of the key flavors that you would see in a gelato case in Italy. He also creates a non-dairy

and gluten-free sorbetto.

Roby uses machines shipped from Italy to make his gelato as authentic as possible. He often spends time in Italy to experience the culture and local gelato shops and bring that to his own shop.

“The machine is out in front and people can see us making the gelato,” Roby says. “I didn’t want to put it in the back anywhere. I want people to see how it’s made.”  FOREVER YOGURT WHERE 117 W. Main St., St. Charles MORE INFO foreveryogurt.com; 630-549-6076 It’s frozen, it’s delicious… but it’s not ice cream. Forever Yogurt is a nationwide frozen yogurt, or “froyo” shop, that first opened its doors in St. Charles in 2013, followed by a Geneva location a few years later.

While it sounds like it may be something that comes in a carton from the grocery store, frozen yogurt is anything but that.

“Frozen yogurt tastes very similar to soft serve ice cream,” says Darcy Brown, general manager. “But our yogurt flavors have the benefit of probiotics while other flavors allow people with other dietary needs to have a treat they are able to enjoy.”

The St. Charles location has 16 flavors available daily, while there are 10 available in Geneva. There are always two tart flavors, two dairy-free sorbets, two no sugar added flavors, chocolate, vanilla, cake batter, and one vegan offering.

“We rotate the flavors so there is always something fun when our customers come in,” Brown says.

To add to the flavors, there are over 50 topping choices to put on the yogurt ranging from cookie dough, cheesecake bites and gummy worms to fresh-cut fruit and coconut flakes. Each creation is done by weight, so you can mix and match whatever you’d like.

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TOM’S COOKBOOK LIBRARY:

‘Chinese Heritage Cooking’ a flavor bonanza

By TOM WITOM

B

orn in Beijing, Shirley Chung learned to cook at the apron strings of her grandmother. As a high school student Chang migrated to California, where the family has had a presence for five generations.

She continued to hone her culinary skills and gain handson experience, opening seven new restaurants in Las Vegas for renowned chefs and serving as a Top Chef finalist.

Chung now lives in Los Angeles and is chef at Ms. Chi Café in Culver City.

In “Chinese Heritage Cooking from My American Kitchen” (Page Street), Chung shares more than 75 recipes that marry Western food and traditional Chinese fare. The book is organized into nine chapters covering such topics as salads and chilled dishes; noodles, dumplings and pancakes; and meat and fish dishes, among others.

The author’s Shrimp and Peas recipe (accompanying this article) heralds the arrival of spring. “This dish tastes like a plate of ocean candy, and it is sure to make you happy,” Chung writes.

 Journalist Tom Witom, who lives in Elgin, has

written extensively for years about food and the food industry. Contact him at editorial@ kcchronicle.com.

SHRIMP AND PEAS (SERVES 4) • 1 pound peeled and deveined raw medium-size shrimp • 1 teaspoon sesame oil • 1 tablespoon cornstarch • 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper • 1 cup sugar snap peas • 2 tablespoons canola oil • 1 tablespoon minced ginger

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• 1/2 cup shucked English peas • 4 tablespoons Shaoxing wine* • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce • Salt, to taste • 1 lemon for zest Pale Dry Sherry can substitute for Shaoxing rice wine (also spelled Shao-hsing or Shaohsing).

Rinse and clean the shrimp under running water, then pat dry. In a mixing bowl, toss the shrimp with the sesame oil, cornstarch and white pepper. Massage the cornstarch onto the shrimp so that they are evenly coated. Clean the sugar snap peas, snip off the stringy ends and slice the sugar snap peas into thirds.

Heat up the canola oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add the ginger into the oil. When the ginger starts to brown, about 30 seconds, add the shrimp and start to stir-fry. When the shrimp start to curl up and turn pink, about one minute in, add both types of peas and continue to stir-fry for one minute. Add the Shaoxing wine and soy sauce to the wok, cook for 10 seconds and add salt to taste.

Plate the shrimp. Add fresh lemon zest all over, and it’s ready to serve.

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Fiesta

Fox!

on the

Enjoy a Cinco de Mayo celebration without leaving the area

C

EL PUENTE, ST. CHARLES ontrary to popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s independence day. Mexican independence is celebrated Sept.16.

Cinco de Mayo, rather, celebrates the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over the French forces of Napoleon III on May 5, 1862, at the Battle of Puebla.

With “celebrate” as the key word, Cinco de Mayo has evolved in the United States into a commemoration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with large Mexican-American populations.

For over thirty years, the last name ‘Jimenez’ has been synonymous with authentic Mexican cuisine in the Chicago area. So this year, celebrate Cinco de Mayo with the most authentic of menus. Jesus Jimenez, the patriarch of the family, first immigrated to Chicago in the late 1960s from Guanajuato, Mexico. Building his repertoire in the kitchens of Mexican restaurants across the region, he had wife Margarita began to open their own kitchens, and share all they had accomplished with their neighbors.

Today, El Puente is an award winning restaurant, with an expansive and authentic menu, warm and attentive service, a variety of great tequila, and more than thirty years of the best Mexico has to offer.

In the far west suburbs, many Mexican restaurants mark the day with celebrations of their own, often with food, drink and revelry. So if you’re looking for a great way to mark the day without traveling South of the Border, check out these local favorites:

 CINCO DE MAYO LUNCHEON The Little Traveler, Geneva

Visit for this themed buffet luncheon set amid the treasures in the Gift Galleries at the historic Little Traveler in the heart of downtown Geneva. Hosted from 12:30-1:30 on Thursday, May 2, Chef David will prepare a delicious buffet of Mexican-American cuisine, priced at $14.95 per person. Register by phone (ask to speak to the Gift Gallery). Please Note: If you have dietary restrictions, please inform our associate at the time of your registration. This event has a 45-hour cancellation policy. To receive a full refund, you must contact our Gift Gallery at least 2 days prior to the event date.

 SALSA EATING CONTEST

Riverlands Brewing, St. Charles Thursday, May 2 | 4:30 – 6 p.m.

Celebrate the opening of Riverlands Brewing, one of the city’s newest local craft breweries with Mayor Rogina and the St Charles Chamber of Commerce, then follow up the ribbon cutting with a Cinco de Mayo Salsa Tasting Contest and other great holiday themed foods from the Roaming Hog.

 SYCAMORE CINCO DE MAYO

WE FOLLOW THROUGH TO MAKE SURE YOU’RE COVERED Call today and see how much you can save!

847.640.0402

At Taxco Restaurant, Sycamore

Harry Stout

Over the past 21 years Sycamore’s Cinco de Mayo festival has become a place for the community to gather and celebrate the Mexican heritage. Part of the success and prestige of the event is that all proceeds are put back into the community through local non-for-profits. Over the years, Sycamore Cinco de Mayo has raised over $160,000 for local non-for-profit agencies.

11 S 2ND AVE STE 3 ST CHARLES, IL 60174 HSTOUT@FARMERSAGENT.COM https://agents.farmers.com/hstout

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For this year’s 22nd anniversary, from 1-7 p.m. Sunday, May 5, enjoy a family friendly event with live music, ethnic dancers, piñatas, pony rides, climbing wall, games, authentic Mexican cuisine, and fun that lasts all day!

Contact Bianca.al.alcantar@gmail.com or call (708) 668-6550 XXX MAY 2019

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EVEN WHEN YOU’RE OUT! With Dr. Tarun Mullick

I love dining in the Tri-Cities, but every once in a while, like many of you, I find myself outside our home territory, hungering for something delightful. In Chicago and looking for sustenance, I thought it was about time to open my palette to that wonderful flavor that is Girl and the Goat. With a trendy vibe that shows an open kitchen, you can rest assured that your food is being made fresh every time. Stephanie Izard, an Iron Chef, is well known for her creations.

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This time, I started with the kohlrabi salad, which features the crunch of fennel and toasted almonds, the flavor of roasted shiitake mushrooms, and the sweet flavor of pears. Bursting with flavor I had to seek out the green garlic pierogis, which are pierogis “gone wild” with a spring pea yogurt (protein and nutrients) spiked with a smoked tomato rhubarb chimmi (Oh my!).

With a variety of proteins, you really can’t go wrong. Everything here is portioned well to fit with that favorable blend of fat, protein and carbs, but made with spice that fits with the Masala T style.

Today, I chose the spiced shrimp. With the perfectly sautéed shrimp in a brown buttermiso aioli, you don’t need anything else. I could eat them all day and gain no weight.

But the perfect cool down is the tempura acorn squash that brings it together. If that was not enough, the furikake, a dry Japanese seasoning of dried fish, sesame seeds, salt, and chopped seaweed is added

to the shrimp just to kick up the spice level to a new level of taste as the shrimp are made.

This is one place where I will dabble in a spoon of dessert. You know just a spoon full of sugar helps everything go down according to Mary Poppins. Today, I chose the basque-ing in rhubarb, which features a basque cake, buttermilk sorbet, pink peppercorn caramel, and tarragon infused rhubarb. I mean, one bite of that and you’re off, in the most delightful way!  Dr. Tarun Mullick is a specialist trained at Johns Hopkins and Cleveland Clinic in Gastroenterology and Endoscopy based in Geneva. Connect with him at www.mullickmd. com or by phone at 630-232-2025.

HEALTH & WELLNESS MAY 2019

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WWW.DEDUCTIBLESHOP.COM

Ask the doctor Our practice focus is to care for patients and help them tailor their care individually with current therapies. We receive a lot of questions from patients, friends, and even those we just know casually on many healthcare topics of the say. Here are some common questions we recently have been asked:

Q: Is colonoscopy better than genetic tests like Cologard A: Colonoscopy is the gold standard and best test to detect

polyps. You are right! It is truly the only test where polyps can be removed when detected. Cologard is for later growths and misses many polyps that have different genetic pathways to colon cancer. Colon cancer screening is for both men and women. It is preventable, beatable and treatable. Screening starts at 45 unless you have symptoms prior at whatever age or family history of polyps or cancer. Get screened.

Q: Irritable bowel can be bothersome for years. Are there any new therapies?

A: Irritable bowel is typified by diarrhea or constipation. Patients can have bloating, cramps, or nausea as well. Yes, there are new therapies out there that work well. Present to us and we can help tailor the choice, but there are two new medications that work well and require less pills.

Q: Regarding over the counter heartburn medicine, why does the package insert say only to take for 14 days without a doctor visit?

A: The reason for this is that esophageal cancer has nearly

gone up 400 percent in the past few decades. We,. as a society do not want to miss an early stage lining change in the esophagus (called Barrett’s esophagus) when it can be detected with an upper scope test. If a patient continues on medicine, even over the counter medicine, without proper evaluation then that can be missed.

Q: Arthritis: what are the differences in types, and is the affliction inevitable?

A: Arthritis is inflammation of a joint. While this is common with

wear and tear of the joints as we use them, it is not inevitable.

Osteoarthritis is the name of the wear and tear type.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune form of arthritis that occurs and attacks specific joints.

Q: Getting tests done like colonoscopy, blood tests or CT scans can be covered by insurance, but cost up to double, triple and five to seven times higher at hospitals. Is there another choice?

A: Yes, the cost differential between hospitals facility fees

and endocenters, surgical centers or imaging centers is often several thousands of dollars. Deductibleshop, at www.deductibleshop.com is a platform that enables you to shop your deductible to save in your medical, auto, home, and vet (pet) costs. As it grows there will be more users that will want to put in their information to enable the consumer to better shop their deductible.

IT'S YOUR DEDUCTIBLE! Why pay thousands more for care, tests, repairs MEDICAL - AUTO - HOME - VET (PETS)

LOSE WEIGHT NOW! Connie, Batavia -- “Lost 44 lbs, with Dr. Mullick’s recommended system, and it stayed off.”* Jamie, Geneva -- “Lost 12 pound in my FIRST MONTH!! It really works.

Call for appointment 630-232-2025

Pay LESS for your colonoscopy or endoscopy.

Facility Fees are significantly lower. Cost of health care is going up. Pay less for your test. We are JCAHO certified.

Met your Deductible?? Get in before year end. Save on your deductible. Pay LESS. Heartburn, Diarrhea, Constipation, Liver Disease, Pancreatitis, Abdominal Pain, Colitis, Crohns/ Ulcerative Colitis, Gallbladder, Rectal Bleeding We have quality doctors and team on staff to serve you well. Its our honor to take care of you.

AMERICAN COLONOSCOPY AND ENDOSCOPY CENTER

2631 Williamsburg Ave 301. Geneva, IL. Call now for your appointment. 630-232-2025

IF YOU DO BREAST CANCER SCREENING, GET COLON CANCER SCREENING. It affects men and women BOTH and is the second leading cause of cancer deaths.

It is VERY important to get this screening done - colon cancer is beatable and treatable if caught early enough through colon screening.

HEARTBURN PATIENTS PLEASE COME TO GET EVALUATED FOR PRECANCEROUS BARRETT’S; ESOPHAGEAL CANCER HAS INCREASED IN THE PAST 4 DECADES. FREE BOTTLE OF A USANA VITAMIN WITH COMPLETED COLONOSCOPY FOR NEW CLIENTS* *Some restrictions may apply. Available while supply lasts.

Dear Dr. Mullick, My family never had polyps or cancer. Do I really need a colonoscopy? Jane

Dear Jane: Great question. Colon cancer can affect anyone, regardless of family history. Everyone over age 45 should get a colonoscopy. If you have family history you should start at age 40 or 10 to 15 years before the youngest relative with a problem. Screening helps reduce risk.

Dr. Mullick, I’ve got bloating and gas. Sometimes I have diarrhea or nausea after I eat. Could I have food allergies?

My doctor said it’s IBS (irritable bowel). Kristen

Dear Kristen: Yes, food intolerances to lactose, sucrose and fructose are common, so you may need to avoid those. We have tests in the office for that. The symptoms of IBS and food allergies are often similar, so testing for food allergies is reasonable. We can test for that, too. We have helped many patients diagnosed with food allergies, so it’s not all IBS.

SAVE YOUR LIFE! TELLYOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Get colon cancer screening. Beatable, Treatable, Preventable in most situations.

S. from Geneva. “I am glad I had my colonoscopy done at the American Colonoscopy and Endoscopy center. I had some polyps removed and that will likely prevent a cancer. The facility was wonderful and it saved me money.”

LET’S BEAT IT! 630-232-2025.

BACK PAIN. CARPAL TUNNEL. WRIST PAIN. PAIN IN FOOT. PAIN IN LIMBS

PERIPHERAL NERVE TEST Certified center & trained team.

Call now for your clinic appointment and test date. 630-232-2025.

PPO, Medicare, and Cash payment accepted

*Results may not be typical.

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Change in Your Bones WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OSTEOPOROSIS

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hough they seem solid, your bones are constantly changing over your

lifetime.

The outside of your bones is made of solid, compact bone. The inside is made up of porous, spongy bone. This is where bone repair occurs: Cells triggered by hormones break down old bone cells and use minerals like calcium and phosphate from your blood to fortify your bones. Sometimes, this process is disrupted, or doesn’t happen at all, which leads to osteoporosis.

 WHAT IS OSTEOPOROSIS? Osteoporosis is disease that causes your bones to weaken. It can happen in two ways:

• Your body loses too much bone mass.

• Your body can’t make enough bone mass.

The first sign of osteoporosis is frequent fractures, most commonly in the wrist, hip and spine. Sometimes, the vertebrae also weaken and crumble, which can result in a loss of height of more than one and a half inches.

 WHAT CAUSES OSTEOPOROSIS? Because hormones help repair bones, the most common cause of osteoporosis is estrogen deficiency in women. Women can lose up to 25 percent of their bone density within five years of entering menopause. In men, low testosterone levels can also lead to low bone density and osteoporosis.

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 There are risk factors for osteoporosis that you can’t change.

These include: • Your age. By age 35, most people have reached their peak bone mass.

As you get older, your bones lose mass.

• Your sex. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF), 80 percent of the 10 million Americans with osteoporosis are women.

• Your race. Caucasian women have the highest fracture rates due to osteoporosis.

• Your family history of osteoporosis.

 There are also risk factors that you can change:

• Your body mass index (BMI). Women with a BMI under 19 have an increased risk of developing osteoporosis.

• Smoking habits. Research shows a direct correlation between smoking and decreased bone density.

• Mineral deficiencies. Vitamin D and calcium are essential nutrients for bone health.

• Excessive alcohol consumption. Alcohol can affect calcium and vitamin D levels.

• Sedentary lifestyle. Exercise helps build bone strength.

• Excessive caffeine intake.  Secondary risk factors of osteoporosis include:

• Diabetes.

• Rheumatoid arthritis.

• Inflammatory diseases that are treated with oral steroid medication, such as prednisone.

• Taking high doses of thyroid medication.

• Cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation.

• Malnutrition and malabsorption diseases, including lactose intolerance, Crohn’s disease, and celiac disease.

• Organ transplantation.  SCREENING

A dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA scan) allows your physician to see the bone density in your hips and spine.

The NOF recommends osteoporosis screening for:

• • • • • • •

Women ages 65 and older.

Men ages 70 and older.

Women who entered menopause before age 45.

Men age 50 to 69 with multiple risk factors.

Adults with diseases that increase osteoporosis risk.

Adults taking medications associated with bone loss.

Adults who experience frequent bone fractures after age 50.

 TREATMENTS While medication may be used to reduce the progression of osteoporosis by either slowing bone deterioration or stimulating bone formation, there are ways to manage osteoporosis without or in addition to medication.

• Increase vitamin D or calcium intake through food or supplements.

•

The recommended calcium amount is 1,200 mg daily. The recommended vitamin D amount is 800 IU daily. Consult your physician before beginning dietary supplements for osteoporosis.

Perform weight-bearing and resistance exercises. The appropriate exercise routine can help maintain bone density while building muscle and improving balance — two things that can help prevent falls. Talk to your physician before embarking on an exercise regimen.

T H E PA AT H T O B E T T E R O RT H O PAE E D I C CAR E STA RTS H E R E .

Northwestern Medicine Orthopaedics offers specialized care, close to where you live and work. Whether you need care for common injuries or complex issues, we offer a complete range of orthopaedic care including nonsurgical and surgical treatment options. From back pain to hand conditions to joint replacement, our nationally ranked orthopaedics program* combines innovation and expertise to get you back on the path to living a better life. To schedule an appointment, call 630.938.6100 or visit rmg.nm.org/orthopaedics

Osteoporosis is an invisible illness. If you read this article and thought, “This sounds like me,” talk to your physician about osteoporosis.

For more information on Northwestern Medicine Orthopaedics and the Northwestern Medicine Bone Health Clinic, visit westbonehealth.nm.org or call 630.315.1840.

Sources: https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh26-4/292-298.htm https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3111798/ https://www.bones.nih.gov/health-info/bone/osteoporosis/conditions-behaviors/bone-smoking

*Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital al ranke ranked d #32 #32 in Adu Adult Orthopaedic Hospi ospitals ospi tals by U.S. News & Wor World ld Rep Report ort, 2018-1 2018-19 9 SM-CL1643917

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Home.

IT’S WHERE YOUR HEART IS At McDowell Remodeling they understand that.

By Sherri Dauskurdas Photos by Sandy Bressner

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Change can be hard. Whether it’s starting a new job or moving to a new city, the blend of anticipation and fear can be stressful.

When it’s your home that you’re changing, you want a team of people who understand how much that means. The memories you have made and the life milestones your family has reached are enclosed in those walls.

At McDowell Remodeling, the team of skilled craftsmen and dedicated professionals appreciate how important your home is to your family, because it’s important to them as well. Just as you have dreams for your home’s renewal, McDowell Remodeling has expanded and renewed its business over the years, evolving to meet the needs of the community it calls home.

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BOB & SUE MCDOWELL The Founders

 BOB & SUE MCDOWELL The Founders In the 1970s, Bob and Sue McDowell were just starting out. Bob was was installing siding and Sue was working in retail. Like many young couples, early in their careers, they were creating their path for the future.

By the 1980s, they made the decision to take Bob’s craftsmanship and turn it into a real, viable business. Gaining clients on a regular basis, Bob was out on jobs while Sue handled the books at the dining room table.

They specialized in exteriors, but soon, repeat customers were so pleased they began asking for other rooms – bathrooms, kitchens, and more – and the business expanded.

With their first official “office” in St. Charles in 1995, brand recognition took off.

“We had great word-of-mouth already,” Sue recalled, but as soon as the sign went up on that downtown location, “Wow, it was amazing!” It was clear to the McDowells that they needed some help.

 PAM PRESTON Communications Coordinator Pam Preston was a young mom when she came to work at McDowell in 1995. As their first full time employee in the office, she and Sue shared the administrative responsibilities, answered phones, helped

out with accounting, general office duties, and basic paperwork.

“At the time my son was just starting school, and the McDowells were very flexible, which made the job a good fit for me,” she says.

Today, Preston has built a rapport with clients, many of them repeat customers, and has become an invaluable resource to the sales staff – supporting relationships, setting up appointments, communicating job details and requests, and processing contracts. She is the first line of customer service for the company, answering the phone and fielding all the initial calls.

“We never have had a voicemail system,” Sue explains. “Pam answers the phone 99 percent of the time. Someone always answers the call. There’s something to that, to getting a live person on the other end of the line, to knowing someone is taking the message. There are so many pluses.

We talked about it as a team, and we just decided we didn’t want to change that.”

It’s been this kind of personal service that Pam believes keeps customers returning.

“You really get to know the customers through project after project. When we met them their kids were young, and now we see them and they are off to college,” Pam says.

This is such a great area. People really take care of their homes.

 MARK DASZKIEWICZ Carpenter Extraordinaire From his teen years, Mark Daszkiewicz always liked working with his hands, tinkering with things to figure them out.

When he came to McDowell in 1996, he had been working in a factory job, handling equipment repair.

“It was a family business, and when it got bought up by a big conglomerate, it was never the same,” he recalls. I couldn’t get the parts I needed to do the jobs right, and it became really frustrating.”

When he started working for McDowell he really didn’t have much carpentry experience. He was hired as an apprentice, and soon after, his supervisor left and they handed the lead job to Mark.

“It was sink or swim,” he says laughing, “ but I always figure things out as I go.”

Today, Mark’s coworkers used words like artisan and craftsman to describe his work.

“He can handle anything from a simple window installation to the most intricate of trim or custom carpentry,” Sue says. “He has so much patience, and he isn’t satisfied until its right” And Mark says the freedom to do the job right, each time, is one of the reasons he has stayed with the McDowells for over 23 years.

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DEBI CLARKE

MARK DASZKIEWICZ

PAM PRESTON

JIM LEDERMANN

Office and Accounting Manager

“Carpenter Extraordinaire”

Communications Coordinator

Production Liaison

“When I started, and I asked about, how much leeway I had in how I did something, Bob (McDowell) said to me, ‘Build it like you were building it for your mother's house.’ And that’s all I need to hear.”

 DEBI CLARKE Office and Accounting Manager Nearly 20 years ago, Debi Clarke came to McDowell to handle data entry for the company, and soon after, she stepped into the role of office manager. Self taught and filled with initiative, Debi wears a lot of hats – it’s a small business characteristic – as she handles accounting, employee benefits, in-house technology issues and more.

never know it from his reputation. He’s become the most recognizable face at McDowell, a trusted and skilled craftsman who clients ask for by name when scheduling their projects.

“He knows how to build anything, solve any construction problem, and he is as dedicated as the day is long,” says Sue.

“He’ll go to the ends of the earth to solve a problem,” Sue says. “It’s just the way he is.”

THE MCDOWELL DIFFERENCE In a business that’s all about hard lines, measurements, wood and nails, McDowell breaks it down to two things: care and commitment.

And the strength of the company has always been the feeling customers walk away with after the remodel. It’s an experience everyone at the company participates in creating, not just the longtime staff, but everyone, from the newest apprentice to the most skilled designer.

Over the years, Debi says what she has enjoyed most is the people she meets, from clients, to vendors to other employees.

“I’m not a corporate person,” she says. “I never wanted to be. It can be cold and regimented. Here, there is more of a camaraderie. The people around here, we become a family.

 JIM LEDERMANN Production Liaison For 45 years, Jim Ledermann has worked in the construction and remodeling industry. It’s not a road he planned or even expected, but you’d

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For Ledermann, it’s the challenge of each job that keeps him interested. Whether it’s a custom designed ceiling in a kitchen or the time they attached two homes together – seamlessly – he tackles each job with the same dedication and care.

“Customer service is a big thing,” he says. “I say what I’m going to do and do what I say. “

“Your job description blossoms as you do,” she says of working for a small family business. “It expands as they see your potential.”

“We are all focused on the same thing,” she says.

“Everybody participates to make this a great company.”

him and all our customers love him.”

He joined the McDowell team some 19 years ago as lead carpenter, but today he oversees the jobs, the subcontractors and the carpenters, making sure everything runs smoothly and exceeds the clients expectations.

“He’s old school,” she adds. “Work hard, do what you’re asked, don’t complain – but he would do anything for anybody. Everyone in town knows

“McDowell takes the extra steps for customers.

We’ll do anything. We’ve even checked on customers’ homes while they are vacation,” Pam says. “It’s a great business to be a part of, because our team really can fix anything.”

MCDOWELL REMODELING 521 W. Main Street, St. Charles In the historic Haines Home - 1866 630-584-2255 www.remodelwithmcdowell.com

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Design Build Remodeling…

Design, Budget & Build your 2019 project with One Team - the MCDOWELL TEAM! Windows  Doors  Siding Kitchens  Bathrooms  Basements  Room Additions Three Season Rooms  Outdoor Living Spaces Whole House Remodels

KC MAG_MAY 2019.indd 45

Call or email us at: 630-584-2255 McDowellinc@sbcglobal.net St. Charles

4/17/19 1:26 PM

Healing

Garden THROUGH A

With Meagan Provencher, ICNPro

ecently I was looking out the window of Delnor’s Cancer Center admiring the pond and surrounding gardens (the swans aren’t back yet but I’m told they will soon arrive!). Not really a place I expected to be admiring the gardens, but my spunky little mom is kicking cancer’s butt and I’ve joined her for treatments to provide comic relief and an endless source of chatter (don’t worry – she’s doing well!). Usually we chat about inane things (and of course I answer all of her and my dad’s pressing garden questions because they have my undivided attention for two hours…) but we also noticed the gardens near the Center and the Hospital as things are starting to sprout. Most may think that a garden around a commercial building is just something to make the city happy or to create a buffer from a road, but gardens in any public or private space can also provide many opportunities for reflection and healing. It’s no afterthought that the gardens around the Hospital are meticulously designed and maintained. A project like that is a landscape designer’s dream as they are helping others heal through plantings.

Humans are naturally hardwired to love nature. It’s been proven that exposure to nature reduces blood

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pressure, stress hormones, and respiration rates.

Being outside also provides a perfect distraction from our phones, electronics, and life drama. You can find many articles and studies about stress reduction and nature online but I want you to try something for me – and I know it sounds a bit “hokey”. Stop for a minute or two today and look at a garden. It can be your own or somewhere else. What do you see? What is going through your mind? Did your shoulders relax a little? Did you notice something that you’ve never seen before?

Was your non-stop mind silenced for a minute – distracted by birds flitting about the garden, grasses swaying in the wind or flowers blooming that weren’t blooming last week. Even better than looking at a garden, try working in the garden!

Pulling weeds is about the most satisfying activity I know. Nothing feels better than ripping something out of the ground and throwing it in a pile to suffer amongst its pesky weed friends, mostly because that’s frowned upon if we do that with humans. I also love cleaning out my garden in spring. It’s a great feeling and stress reliever to get out all the gray, dirty debris and dead foliage and see the tiny colorful sprouts of plants that have braved the six months of Illinois winter only to come back for

another season and thrive. Gardens are a metaphor for life – even when we are down, the sun will still come out, the birds will still sing, and the flowers will still bloom – and usually all of those things makes us feel better.

Plant things in your garden that bring you joy.

Choose plants that attract birds and butterflies and sit outside and watch them interact with each plant. Secret Professional Hint: fat, little, yellow bumblebees love plants like ‘Hummelo’ Lambs Ear which is the Perennial Plant of the Year. Fat, little, yellow bumblebees are hilarious to watch and provide immediate stress relief! Plant some shrubs or perennials whose flowers you can cut and bring in the house. Hydrangeas, coneflowers, liatris, hosta leaves, lilacs, forsythia, and more make excellent cut flowers. If you don’t have room for new plantings, visit other peoples’ gardens.

Some of the best public spaces in the country are right in our Chicagoland backyard! A visit to the Morton Arboretum immediately brings my blood pressure down a few notches. Take a class at the Chicago Botanic Gardens or your local community college to learn more about how to interact with nature – photography, drawing, painting, healing herbs, etc. etc.

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Let us grow them into the garden of your dreams.

We are constantly surrounded by stressful situations, electronics, drama and more. Sometimes we really have to force ourselves to ignore our phones or social media but when we do the results can be life changing – even if just briefly. I challenge you to spend some serious time in nature this summer. It sounds cliché but stop and smell the roses. Plant some seeds with your children. Take a fresh cut bouquet from your garden to a local nursing

home or cancer center – I know I will be. Spend a couple of hours volunteering in a friend’s garden that may be down on their luck. Creating a beautiful space for someone else can be a wonderful experience. Lay down in the grass and stare at the clouds – clear your mind, take some deep breaths, and be thankful for your surroundings. Gardens can truly be healing and provide a much needed break from our stressful lives.

Meagan Provencher is the Sr. Landscape Designer at Wasco Nursery & Garden Center. She can be reached at 630-584-4424 or design@ wasconursery.com Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

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EDITOR’S CHOICE EASY, PEASY

An editor’s selection of handy DIY products you need…even if you didn’t know it  ERASE A HOLE PUTTY Need to fill and ugly hole in the wall where a picture once hung? Forget the mess. This quick fix comes in a stick, much like deodorant, and you simply rub it over the hole to fill. Dust of the excess, and let it dry before painting. Its simple, quick, clean and you can toss it in a drawer so it’s always at the ready .  THREAD LOCK If you have furniture with wooden drawers and knobs, you already know how frustrating it is when the knobs no longer hold tight. You go to grab your keys from inside and the knob comes off in your hand, then you are busting up a manicure trying to get inside. This handy adhesive and some are even removable with heat, like a hairdryer. If you are concerned about mess, it also comes in tape form…but we had better results with the liquid.

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 EZ WALL VINYL PLANKS Love the look of wood plank but not the work?

Without an air powered nail gun, it can be a heck of a job, but these vinyl, peel and stick planks did the job beautifully. In a couple of hours, with just a level and a utility knife, we covered a 10 by 20 foot wall. It’s a great way to hide cracks, warm up a room, and create a gorgeous space on trend, efficiently and affordably.

 GROUT MARKERS All we can say is WOW. These handy little pens of paint are a quick and easy solution for stained, tired or discolored grout between your floor tiles.

Great for full changes or spot treatments. We used it in a hallway of ceramic tile to clean and freshen it before we the house went on the market, and it made the work look like new! Goes on simply, like a felt tip pen.

 FLEX TAPE/FLEX SEAL Yes, it’s the As Seen On TV product that seals anything. We were skeptical at first, but both the flex seal spray sealant and the tape worked impressively. We used the spray formula to close up cracks in an outdoor shed, weather sealing it to create a hangout for the kids free of rain and bugs (for the most part). We used the tape to patch a hole in the roof, and another on the deck, until the board could be replaced. Very pleased.

 HEAT ACTIVATED SCREEN REPAIR This quick DIY fix for a hole in your window screen, door screen… any screen, is simple and finishes clean in less than 60 seconds. All it requires to set is the heat from a hairdryer. We used the Screen Mend brand, and so far, it’s holding well after a full winter, even with the Polar Vortex.

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Anderson’s Walk 4 Animals in Batavia There will be big dogs, little dogs, dogs in strollers, dogs in costumes, and maybe even a turtle or parrot, at Anderson Animal Shelter’s annual fundraising walk on Saturday, Oct. 12th, 2019. Anderson’s Walk 4 Animals is a giant celebration of pet lovers and their pets.

Walk together as a team! You can create your team from anywhere - friends, family, clubs, co-workers, businesses, organizations, schools, etc. Save more animal lives by raising money for pets in need. The post walk after “pawty” will feature live entertainment, food, and fun for all.

Register today at walk4animals.org.

Let’s Go! Oct. 12 - 10:00 am Downtown Batavia

www.walk4animals.org “We had earlier versions of a fundraising walk which were held in conjunction with our annual Pets-a-Palooza festival,” Beth Foster, CEO of Anderson says. “This year’s walk will be its own stand-alone event and our biggest fundraiser of the year!”

The day will begin at Batavia’s Park District’s Peg Bond Center, where walkers will check-in and enjoy light morning snacks and coffee before the walk. Walkers can choose from either a three-mile loop course or take a leisurely stroll on a one-mile route.

This message is made possible thanks to DePAW University Canine Campus Inc.

XXX MAY 2019

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The Glass-Half-Full Guy:

HIKING THE INCA TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU STORY AND PHOTO BY PETER STADALSKY

S

ome call Machu Picchu is a wonder of the world. And for certain, if you want to bucket list the nearly 600-year-old Incan city, it’s worth the cross continent journey to get there.

I’ll spare you the detailed physical description of these breathtaking ruins, just search Google for that. What I will share here are the many ways to get to Machu Picchu.

The easiest way is to plan a trip to the Andean city, Cusco, and take a day bus tour to the ancient city. The better way, in my opinion, is to higher a guide company and take a multi-day trek. Options range from a 2-day hike with an overnight hostel stay, to a week-long expedition camping in tents.

We opted for a 4-day backpacking adventure through the Sacred Valley, camping each night under the stars.

HERE ARE THE DETAILS:  THE ROUTE

First things first, it’s illegal to backpack the Inca Trail without an official Peruvian guide service. We signed up with PeruTreks out of Cusco; they were absolutely incredible. The hike was 27 miles, covered in the four days, so we averaged seven miles a day. The route took us through the Sacred Valley, spanning exotic ecosystems and towering Andean mountains. There are other shorter and longer route options out there, too. The trip began with a bus dropping off us 15 trekkers, two guides, 20 porters, and our own chef at the Camino Inca trailhead.

 HIKING

Starting elevation is at 6,900 feet and goes up for the next three days.

On day one, we passed numerous Incan ruins, donkeys, horses, and gargantuan green mountains. Day two is summit day, where we trekked over Dead Woman’s Pass at 13,800 feet. This is the most challenging part of the trip. All along days two and three are speechless views, passing through alpine zones, rainforests, jungles and even mountain peaks above

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the clouds! The temps were between 35-60 degrees Fahrenheit and rain is no stranger to the Andes. The final day starts at 2:30 a.m. We hiked with headlamps through the forests as we descended from the clouds down to Machu Picchu. On the way down, as the sun came up, we stumbled upon wild llamas, mowing the grass around some old ruins. Late morning was the final climb up the “gringo killer” to what’s known as the “Sun Gate.” Here, you crest over Machu Picchu mountain and get your first sighting of the ancient, lost city.

 CAMPING All the porters, with 50-pound packs on their backs, would run ahead of us trekkers and have the camp set up and food on the tables right when we arrived after our 10-hour hiking days.

I’ve camped over 600 nights in my life and I never ate as well as I did on this trip. Although our guide said we were eating condor (he was pulling some legs), we were served three course meals; soups, traditional Peruvian dinners, desserts, and coffee/tea for every meal. I even was awoken each morning with coffee delivered to my tent. Now that is service, right there! The porters and guides were absolutely amazing at making sure we were comfortable, safe, and informed on the history. Best of all, they made it fun beyond my dreams. If you’ve ever wanted to see Machu Picchu and are up for an adventurous way to get there, this four-day trek will blow your mind.

Great Mother’s Day Gift Ideas Come taste 60 different extra virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars from all over the world. Unique Gift Baskets Available.

u Peter Stadalsky is an Aurora resident and adventurer. He shares his travel experiences with a “glass-half-full” view of the world.

Homemade Skincare Products made with Olive Oil: Soaps ~ Lip Balms ~ Moisturizers

See Us for New Vinaigrette Recipes!

Special Tastings of our Products Every Weekend

Store Hours

Mon-Fri 10am-6pm ~ Thurs 10am-8pm ~ Sat 10am-5:30pm ~ Sun 11am-4pm

315 James St. • Geneva, IL • (630) 262-0210 • www.olivemillgeneva.com

NEEDLE THINGS Yarn Shop and Handcrafted Boutique

Discover Our Many Handcrafted Specialties

Knit Hats & Gloves | Jewelry | Pottery | Cards | Field Artwork & Antiques from Africa Toys | Tutus Large Variety of Yarn & Supplies Classes are scheduled & private lessons can be arranged, but complimentary advice is always available!

Retire on your terms.

Since 1894, Ameriprise Financial has worked for our clients’ futures, helping to redefine what retirement can be. At Ameriprise, we’re dedicated to an enduring, one-on-one approach that enables clients to achieve their true potential. When you take the right approach, life can be brilliant.

Handcrafted Jewelry

426 S. Third St., Geneva • 630-232-9915

SM-CL1643908

3 N Second St, Ste 200 St. Charles, IL 60174 630.762.6556 steven.l.smith@ampf.com ameripriseadvisors.com/ steven.smith

AREA FOR OVER 45 YEARS

• From Major Collision Damage to Minor Dent & Scratch Repair • Paintless Repair • Lifetime Warranty Hours: Monday–Friday 7:30–5:30pm Saturday 9:00–11:00am

Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC. © 2016 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved. (8/16) SM-CL1644691

TriCity Auto, Inc. EST 1972 110 N. Randall Rd. St. Charles tricityautoinc.com Rt. 64

630-584-5115 TRAVEL MAY 2019

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*

Randall Rd.

TRI

CITY AUTO SERVING THE FOX VALLEY

STEVE SMITH Financial Advisor Associate Vice President

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Spring

Cleaning!

S

ince childhood you’ve probably heard the saying that April Showers bring May Flowers and are probably also used to a traditional “Spring Cleaning” ritual of some sort. At our place this is the time of year that my wife, Gina, proclaims that our “yard is a disaster” and dictates that our family proceed to edge, mulch, mow, trim, prune, and weed & seed post-haste.

A casual bystander may think that they had stumbled onto a natural disaster site and that FEMA would soon roll into our cul-de-sac to help address this dire situation.

We dutifully snap to attention and within weeks there is a magical transformation which largely should be credited to mother nature but which we have learned to praise Gina for.

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If this is a scenario you can relate to then we are brethren in a pretty large club. What this time of year can also be a good reminder for is for you to do some Spring cleaning of your financial house. Here are a few things that warrant your attention and can lead to a brighter future you can be proud of.  UPDATE YOUR FINANCIAL PLAN It is estimated that only one in four people have a written financial plan and if you are part of that minority you have already taken an important step towards financial security. Unfortunately, many of those who invest their time in assembling a plan file it away once the exercise is complete. It should be a living document and now is a good time to review and update.

For the majority that have yet to take the step of developing a plan, there is no time like the present to do so. If you feel that you don’t have enough money

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to warrant a plan or that it might be too expensive to do so you are misinformed. Regardless of your current net worth, you need and deserve a plan.  TIME TO REFLECT Just because it is now May and tax season feels like it is behind us, this is not the time to forget about the pain you probably just went through. Now is a great opportunity to review your current position and what you can do to make tax time less burdensome next year. A few quick suggestions include: • Recommit to saving receipts and having good documentation around your charitable donations of time and treasure.

• Revisit your retirement savings rate. Are you maximizing your 401(k) contributions? Are you funding an IRA each year? (You can and should do both!) Are you on track for the retirement you dream about or the one you dread? This is important.

• Review your investments. How tax efficient were they?

Were your 1099s comprised primarily of short-term capital gains or were you able to realize more friendly long-term capital gains. Do you understand everything you are invested in and do each of your investments have a clear goal and purpose?

• Review your spending habits. Are you differentiating between your “wants” and your “needs”? Are you paying attention to your cashflow or just checking your balances to make sure that you are covered? Are you spending from a cash position or do you find yourself using a credit card frequently for personal purchases? A little attention here can make a big difference.

Few plan to fail but many of us fail to plan. Make the commitment today to do the things your future self will be grateful for!

This material is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal or tax advice and is not intended to replace the advice of a qualified attorney, tax advisor or plan provider.

FILE# 2492289.1

 Tom McCartney is the Founding Principal of My Advisor & Planner and a registered representative and investment advisory representative with M Securities.

Investments in securities involve risks, including the possible loss of principal. My Advisor & Planner is independently owned and operated. McCartney and his team can be reached at info@mapyourfuture.net or 630-457-4068.

Photo by Indre Cantero

Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through M Holdings Securities, Inc. (Member FINRA/SIPC).

My Advisor & Planner is independently owned and operated.

File #0709-2018

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YOUR LOCAL BUTCHER

Cook a Special Meal for Mom on Mother's Day • Filet Mignons • Boneless Ribeye • Prime Rib

We dry age choice & prime cuts of American Beef & cut them to your specs!

GRILLING SEASON BEGINS WITH OUR

Cookout Favorites

Homemade Italian or Polish Sausage • Brats Aged Tender Steaks • BBQ Ribs • Jumbo Chops Signature Burgers for the Grill (12oz. each) Tuscan • Blue Cheese • Bacon-Onion Cheddar Jalapeno Jack • Gourmet Sliders - A Summer Favorite!

20 Different Fresh Salads Daily and Our Own Homemade Potato Salad Wh What’s a party without Josef’s potato salad?

FFeaturing t i a ffull Line of Boars Head Luncheon Meats CUSTOM CATERING FOR GRADUATION PARTIES CALL EARLY FOR CHOICE DATES! Hours: Tues-Fri: 9 AM to 6 PM Sat: 9 AM to 5 PM Sun: 10 AM to 2 PM Closed Mondays

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Engstrom Plaza • 716 West State St., Geneva (Entrance on 7th Street)

630-262-1878 • www.josefsmeats.com

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An Eclectic Mix of Unique Decor, Custom Furnishings & Architectural Salvage

227 S. Third St., Suite 205 2 floor in the Berry House, Geneva 630-402-0072 • www.littleredbarndoor.com nd

SM-CL1643907

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Give your graduate a sparkling ovation.

Diamonds last a lifetime

230 W. State St. | Geneva, IL | 630.232.2085 www.statestreetjewelers.com KC MAG_MAY 2019.indd 56

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