LAKE FOREST – Join the Lake Forest Preservation Foundation in exploring the last summer splendor of a beautiful lakeside garden during a gracious early evening gathering.

Key features of this spacious property are: a welcoming courtyard entrance, a terrace garden as well as a sunken garden, garden spaces along the lake, a naturalized meadow, woodlands, and a butterfly garden.

On the grounds of an historic estate, the owners have lovingly renovated brick walls and a gazebo among other features while complementing the grounds with a unique home designed by Chicago architect Roy Binkley.

Noted garden designer Dorothy Hebert will discuss her work and the evolution of this ever-changing property, an ongoing project of Gardens in Progress since 2006.

What: Late Summer Garden Stroll

When: Friday, August 26, 2016 from 5:30-7:30 pm

Where: East Lake Bluff location provided upon reservation

Sponsored by: Lake Forest Preservation Foundation

Reservations: Required in advance. Call 847.234.1230 or visit www.lfpf.org

Cost: Members: $20; Non-members: $30

Submitted by the Lake Forest Preservation Foundation

Hazzard Free Farms

EVANSTON – Feast on the Farm at Hazzard Free Farms will take guests on a tour of the sprawling farm’s old barns along a beautiful creek before settling in for a three-course meal curated by Found’s Nicole Pederson and Hewn’s Ellen King, paired with craft brews specially forged just for the event by Claudia Jendron of Temperance Beer Company. The event will take place on Saturday, August 6, from 2:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.

With pickup at Hewn Bakery at 2:30 p.m., guests will ride a bus to Hazzard Free Farms, located less than two hours outside of Chicago. After a craft cocktail hour greeting featuring specialty Temperance Beer Company beer cocktails, guests will embark on a private guided tour of Hazzard Free Farms led by founder Andy Hazzard, whose family has been farming in Northern Illinois since 1847. Guests will stroll along a charming, babbling creek amid the preserved farmland, discovering the grains used to create Hewn’s hand-forged breads & pastries, bounties of vegetables and fields of wildflowers all while experiencing the picturesque scenery of the farm in full bloom during peak harvest season.

The feast begins at 6:30 p.m. with a family style sit-down dinner under the open sky that harkens back to historic seasonal farm feasts celebrating the impending harvest. The menu will feature a variety of local, seasonal fare.

After dinner, around 8:45 p.m., guests will return by bus to Hewn Bakery.

WHERE: Pick up and drop off at Hewn bakery, 810 Dempster St, Evanston. Transportation will be provided to Hazzard Free Farm in Pecatonica, IL.

TICKETS: To purchase tickets, please visit Feast at the Farm

Submitted by Feast on the Farm:

Claudia Jendron: Brewster at Temperance Beer Co.
Claudia gave up living on the beach as a marine biologist to chase her love of beer. Like her grandfather before her, Claudia started as a home brewer. After leaving marine biology, Claudia brought her knowledge of South Carolina tidal inlets, oysters, and sturgeon to Goose Island, where she got her start in commercial brewing, barrel-filling, and cellaring. Countless 14-hour days later, Claudia is running brewery operations at Temperance. In developing beer, her goal is to explore the possibilities and potential of each hop variety, yeast strain, malt, and unexpected additions to make each time out with Temperance beer one you’ll remember and appreciate.

Ellen King: Owner/head baker of Hewn
Ellen King is a Chicago native and classically trained chef who has cooked in various kitchens in Seattle, including under Thierry Rautureau (James Beard award winner for Best Chef in the Pacific Northwest). She worked as the artisan cheese buyer/monger for Whole Foods in Bellevue, WA, and spent time at Quillisascut Farm School, a sustainable farm school in Rice, WA, where she first learned to bake bread in a wood-fired oven. Ellen attended the Seattle Culinary Academy where she was awarded the Les Dames d’Escoffier 2003 scholarship. She holds a Master of Arts in American History from the University of Maine and a Bachelor’s degree in History from St. Norbert College. She was chair of the Evanston Backyard Chicken Committee and served on the Evanston Environment Board. Ellen is a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier, Chefs Collaborative, Women Chefs and Restaurateurs and the Bread Bakers Guild of America. Additionally, she is a chef instructor for the “Food as Medicine” culinary classes held in Evanston with Dr. Geeta Maker-Clark.

Nicole Pederson: Executive Chef of Found Kitchen + Social House
Chef Nicole Pederson has a terrific pedigree in food. After culinary school in her hometown of Minneapolis and staging in France, she was at Gramercy Tavern in New York then Lula Café in Chicago, where she honed her passion for all things local. She most recently held the post of executive chef at C-House, where she cut her teeth on running a kitchen. Nicole’s Midwestern roots contribute to her focus on pure flavors, simplicity, and seasonality in her cuisine, evident in Found’s produce-centric menu. She was nominated for Food & Wine’s “The People’s Best New Chef” in the Great Lakes category in 2014 and 2015, and most recently won the Cochon 555 Chicago competition in April 2015.

Andy Hazzard: Farmer and owner of Hazzard Free Farms
Andy Hazzard propagates a long family lineage of farming as head farmer and owner of Hazzard Free Farm, a Midwestern family farm that has been in operation since 1847. Hazzard places sustainability first and foremost through traditional farming practices that are free of GMOs, chemical pesticides. In working with seed savers, Hazzard Free Farms remains deeply committed to adapting ancient and heirloom grains grown in the organic tradition and stone ground using age-old techniques.

The Chicago Lighthouse celebrated its 110th anniversary in June during a special evening honoring former Board Chair Dr. Joel Kaplan of Highland Park, Illinois Supreme Court Justice Ann Burke, and Chicago Alderman Edward Burke. Taking place at the Four Seasons Hotel, the event attracted nearly 400 guests and raised approximately $375,000 for Lighthouse programs, which assist people who are blind, visually impaired, disabled, and Veterans. Emceed by ABC 7 news anchor Hosea Sanders, the night welcomed Paralympic swimmer Tucker Dupree who will compete in this year’s Summer Games. chicagolighthouse.org

Ivan & Marilyn Kushen, Andrea Kaplan
Photography by Robert Sit and John Reilly Photography

Rebecca, Daniel, Andrea, Dr. Douglas & Alison Kaplan

John & Joanne Johnson

Razz Jenkins, Dr. Joel Kaplan

Todd & Ellen Martin

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) receives reports every year about animals who experience horrifying deaths after being left outside or in hot cars in hot weather. Just this summer, at least 35 dogs have reportedly died after being left in hot cars. And in Lake County last week, a Chihuahua left in a car in the sweltering summer heat at the Lake County Jail was rescued after being spotted by a security guard, according to media reports. Court security opened the car with a Slim Jim and the pup was taken to the Sheriff’s Office, where it is reportedly in good health. The dog is under the care of local animal control for 10 days while detectives investigate potential animal neglect charges.

With the area predicted to continue facing high temperatures, please heed the following lifesaving information:

On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to between 100 and 120 degrees in just minutes, and on a 90-degree day, interior temperatures can reach as high as 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes. If you see a dog showing any symptoms of heatstroke — including restlessness, heavy panting, vomiting, lethargy, and lack of appetite or coordination —get the animal into the shade immediately. You can lower a symptomatic dog’s body temperature by providing the dog with water, applying a cold towel to the animal’s head and chest, or immersing the dog in tepid (not ice-cold) water. Then immediately call a veterinarian.

PETA offers the following suggestions for safeguarding animals during hot weather:

• Keep dogs indoors: Unlike humans, dogs can only sweat through their footpads and cool themselves by panting. Soaring temperatures can cause heat stress, injury, or death.
• Provide water and shade: When outside, animals must have access to fresh water and ample shade, and the shifting sun needs to be taken into account. Even brief periods of direct exposure to the sun can have life-threatening consequences.
• Walk—don’t run: In very hot, humid weather, never exercise dogs by biking and making them run alongside you or by running them while you jog. Dogs will collapse before giving up, at which point, it may be too late to save them.
• Avoid hot cars: Never leave an animal in a parked car in warm weather, even for short periods with the windows partially rolled down. Dogs trapped inside hot cars can succumb to heatstroke within minutes—even if a car isn’t parked in direct sunlight.
• Never transport animals in the bed of a pickup truck: This practice is dangerous—and illegal in many cities and states—because animals can be catapulted out of a truck bed on a sudden stop or strangled if they jump out while they’re tethered.
• Stay alert and save a life: Keep an eye on all outdoor animals. Make sure they have adequate water and shelter. If you see an animal in distress, provide him or her with water for immediate relief and contact humane authorities right away.
• Avoid hot pavement: When outdoor temperatures reach the 80s, asphalt temperatures can reach 140 degrees, causing pain, burns, permanent damage, and scarring on dogs’ paws after just a few minutes of contact. Walk on grass when possible, and avoid walking in the middle of the day.
• Use a cooling vest or mat: Dog cooling equipment, such as wearable vests or bed mats, come in a range of materials and prices and help prevent overheating. Simply freeze or soak the items in cold water to keep dogs comfortable while on a walk or lounging. Placing cold water bottles in a dog’s bed also works.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
PETA.org

Editor’s note: Letters to the Editor represent the writers’ opinions and not necessarily those of Daily North Shore. We encourage readers to post Letters to the Editor– please use this link to do so.

It may be hard to take the latest trend seriously. There is always a new product or treatment that is supposed to “change your life” and then it fades away almost as quickly as it appears. Dermapen Fractional Micro Needling Skin Therapy is certainly not that treatment. Introduced this month to the North Shore of Chicago and exclusive to North Shore Center for Facial Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, Dermapen Skin Therapy is worth looking into. This innovative, non-invasive skin refinishing procedure utilizes a medical pen-like device with micro needles to penetrate the skin’s surface and provide dramatic rejuvenation results in skin tone and texture. The micro needling procedure minimizes most skin imperfections such as acne scars, surgical scars, fine lines, wrinkles and stretch marks for those of all ages and skin types. Before dismissing the latest East and West Coast skin refinishing procedure as the latest fad, get all the facts below. The proof is in the science.

The previous technologies were ineffective in maneuvering the delicate contours of the face and were replaced with innovative Dermapen. The creators of the medical device were not reinventing the wheel; in fact, they were improving upon several centuries of micro needle development. The use of needles for therapeutic, healing purposes has been around since the invention of acupuncture in China hundreds of years ago. Since then medical companies have developed needle-inspired technologies from South Africa to Switzerland. The most recent development was in year 2000 with the invention of a micro needling device that was in the form of a “dermal roller,” which utilized a wheel of needles that was rolled across the skin. Challenging to maneuver around delicate facial features and too abrasive on the skin, the dermal roller hand piece was short lived. Continuing with the science of micro needling but simply lacking a technologically optimal hand device that was practical to manipulate by a clinician, today the breakthrough has arrived with the most technologically advanced non invasive procedure of its kind.

The Dermapen Fractional Micro Needling procedure begins with the application to the skin of hyaluronic acid based serums, which promote collagen production and hydration to improve the ease with which the device travels along the skin’s surface. The clinician uses a precise pen-like fractional device that is placed on the skin to create a series of vertical, minor controlled stamps deep enough in the dermis to stimulate critical collagen and elastin production—which severely depletes with age— and induce the natural wound healing processes within the layers of the skin. It is this natural response by skin to these micro wounds that lead to smoother, more even and tighter skin with minimal discomfort. An additional benefit of the micro needling session is the deeper absorption of potent anti-aging serums. As the microscopic pins prick the skin, micro wounds open for just the limited window of time—approximately fifteen minutes—following the procedure, to allow for a deeper absorption of anti aging topicals, penetrating the skin 1000 times more than if the serums were applied without micro needling. The non invasive procedure, which takes a short session of 40 minutes, substantially boosts cell regeneration in a manner only invasive procedures are able to accomplish with much longer downtime.

So that’s the science behind Dermapen, but what does that mean for you and your skin? This fractional skin resurfacing procedure targets fine lines and wrinkles, burns, acne and surgical scars, stretch marks, and dull or blotchy complexions, in addition to skin conditions such as rosacea. Several of these conditions can be treated with fractional lasers, but the risks of skin injury, hyperpigmentation and variable or unreliable results are significantly reduced with Dermapen Skin Therapy. Though fractional lasers have been proven to increase collagen production using the science of thermal energy, Dermapen induces production by an average of 200% and does so with a much shorter and less painful recovery time and none of the risks of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Dermapen is safe on all skin tones and thicknesses, unlike fractional lasers which can only be used on thick, light colored skin.

Dermapen’s safety and efficacy can simply not be surpassed. Dermapen Skin Therapy is ideal for those treating pesky acne scars or wrinkles, but it is also excellent for those who simply wish to return that youthful glow to their complexion. It is recommended that patients receive 4-6 treatments at 4 week intervals in order to see the best results; although, once you start you won’t want to stop. Dermapen treatments are ideal for skin rejuvenation and maintenance. There is minimal discomfort during the treatments and minimal redness following. Most people return to their normal routines the next morning. Don’t wait too long to schedule your first skin rejuvenation treatment with Dermapen micro needling technology because finding an alternative low-cost skin treatment that delivers visible results with no downtime will be like finding a needle in a haystack.

This story is sponsored by Dr. Anthony Geroulis of the North Shore Center for Facial, Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, with offices in Northfield, Chicago and Hoffman Estates. Please visit www.geroulis.com or call 866-875-3937 for more information.

New Owners and siblings Sarah Sundquist and Joe Knesley at Chief’s Pub in Lake Forest. They are taking over for their dad. Photography by Joel Lerner/JWC Media

LAKE FOREST/LAKE BLUF — Chief’s Pub in Lake Forest has new owners but their faces are familiar to regular customers who have frequented the sports bar since it was opened in 2007.

Taking over for retired Knollwood Fire Department Chief Chuck Knesley—that is how the bar and grill got its name—are his son, Joe Knesley, and his daughter, Sarah Sundquist.

Chief’s, with its 16 television screens, large bar and selection of burgers, pizza and sandwiches along with healthy fare will continue to be open from 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. six days a week closing at 11 p.m. Sundays.

“We’re new owners but it’s still in the family,” said Joe Knesley, who has worked at Chief’s since it first opened its doors on Halloween 2007. “When I was in college I was a bartender. I was 25 when we opened. I knew what I was doing and the tips were great.”

Like their father, Joe Knesley and Sundquist are firefighters as well as restaurateurs.

“I’m full time for the City of North Chicago,” Joe Knesley said.

“I work for the Lake Villa Fire Protection District,” Sundquist said. “We both volunteer at Knollwood.”

The siblings frequently finish each other’s sentences.

The new owners said they plan to keep their father’s menu innovations like the three-alarm burger — Cajun seasoning, pepper jack cheese and jalapenos flavoring the half pound of ground meat — and bring back some customer requests their father removed from the menu.

“We’re bringing back the local favorites,” Sundquist said referring to the meatball sub, tuna melt as well as the beef and cheddar melt along with the stirred fries.

“They’re deep fried potato,” Sundquist said referring to the stirred fries.

“Chunks,” Joe Knesley said of the potatoes.

“They’re mixed up and topped with Parmesan cheese,” Sundqvist added.

“They’re awesome,” Joe Knesley said.

“They’re amazing,” Sundquist added.

Joe Knesley said he did not wait to become an owner before innovating with new items. He created the Scout Burger with Swiss, smoked Gouda, Cheddar and Chipotle mayo.

“We named it for the Scouts,” Joe Knesley said. “We all went to Lake Forest High School.”

The Scout connection was big four years ago when Joe Knesley’s high school classmate, Matt Grevers, was swimming in the London Olympics winning two gold medals and a silver.

“This place was totally packed,” Joe Knesley said. “Everyone was cheering. It was a madhouse.”

Chief’s has 16 televisions but can only show four events simultaneously, according to Joe Knesley. He said preference is given to local teams but requests are taken even when the customer requests a St. Louis Cardinal game.

“We’ll put a TV on for him,” Sundquist said.

“But as a Cub fan we might want him at the end of the bar.”

Joe Knesley said he is anticipating large crowds when the Olympics begin next Month.

“It’s so funny to watch someone eating hot cheese curds, sipping a cold beer and watching gymnastics,” Joe Knesley said.

The TV viewing is not always about sports.

“We have a regular who comes in every day to watch the stocks,” Joe Knesley said.

“He says ‘236, please,” Sundquist added.

For those who want a healthier choice, the siblings recommend a variety of salads, particularly the Power salad with kale, grilled fresh salmon, avocado, quinoa and roasted vegetables.

The pizza choices were selected by Chuck Knesley and his son and daughter said they are leaving them alone.

“Dad picked those himself,” Sundquist said.

“Only thin crust,” Joe Knesley added.

If a customer wants to dine on pizza and NFL football, Sundquist said pizza is half price on Sunday as well as during happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Siblings Joe Knesley and Sarah Sundquist

The Scout Burger … Photography by Joel Lerner/JWC Media

Scout Burger

The Kale Salad with Quinoa and Chicken

GLENCOE – The Glencoe Police Department on July 27 issued a crime alert stating that two 11-year-old girls reported they were approached by a man driving a vehicle as they walked on the street at about 5 p.m. on Monday, July 25. The girls told police the man pulled the vehicle next to them and asked if they would like a ride. The girls said they ignored him and continued to walk, but the man followed and again asked them if they would like a ride. When they got to Scott Avenue, they said, the man drove away westbound on Scott and the girls call 9-1-1.

The police department stated that the incident occurred near Euclid and Scott avenues near the Glencoe/Winnetka border, and that the man is described as possibly Hispanic, 25 to 45 years old, clean shaven, with short dark hair. The girls told police he was driving a black, newer-model SUV with tinted rear windows, with an Illinois livery license plate, which has a blue background.

The Glencoe Police Department asks anyone with information to call Deputy Chief Richard Weiner at 847-835-4112. And, as always, if you see or hear suspicious activity, please call 9-1-1 to report it immediately.

From the Glencoe Police Department

As the annual Be Part of the Cure Summer Party approaches, event co-chairs Michelle Bernstein and Jana Brok are clear: theirs are labors of love.

The Summer Party is hosted by the Auxiliary of NorthShore University HealthSystem at Highland Park Hospital, to benefit the NorthShore Kellogg Cancer Center at Highland Park Hospital, part of the NorthShore Research Institute. Funds raised will expand clinical research efforts, enhance patient care treatments and provide funds for advanced collaborative nursing education.

“It’s our local hospital with a great reputation for doing great things, and we all know so many people who have used the hospital; it almost feels like this is for our neighbors and friends and our community,” said Bernstein, of Deerfield. She is a frequent Cancer Center volunteer, and knows of what she speaks.

“What I like about it is the personal, one-on-one care everyone receives from the staff and volunteers. If a patient comes in alone, someone is there to talk to them for a little while, keep them company and calm their nerves or bring them a blanket”

Added Brok, of Highland Park, “At Kellogg, they feel passionate about helping patients. We see that in their day-to-day demeanor; the way the nurses sing to patients on their birthdays and celebrate their final treatments is above and beyond anyone’s professional expectations. And as volunteers, we love to be a part of and support the ways in which the staff is going above and beyond in any way possible. These patients are receiving superior care in our backyard, and it says so much about our community.”

Sarah Adess is a third event co-chair.

The Summer Party will be held at W.W. Grainger in Lake Forest Friday, July 29. Guests will enjoy signature cocktails and food stations, music from a DJ and a silent auction among other activities. And yet, the attire is that of a true summer party: demin and white preferred.

“I think when you go anywhere in jeans, you automatically feel better, more casual and ready to have fun,” Brok said.

Nevertheless, the Auxiliary Board’s work is not to be taken lightly. Since its inception in 1936, its donations to this local hospital have exceeded $21 million.

More information about the Summer Party and the Auxiliary of the NorthShore University HealthSystem at Highland Park Hospital is available at foundation.northshore.org/bpotc.

Northbrook School District 28 Superintendent Larry Hewitt (left) confers with School Board President Joshua Prober during a recent board meeting.

NORTHBROOK — A nearly $37 million budget for Northbrook School District 28 will spend approximately $20,000 per student and projects a deficit of slightly more than $1 million for the coming school year.

The District 28 Board of Education unanimously adopted the tentative budget for the current fiscal year during a regularly scheduled meeting July 26 at the district offices in Northbrook. Prior to voting, the board discussed the budget during a Committee of the Whole meeting.

Subject to possible tweaking, the budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 and ending the following June 30 projects expenditures of $36,999,876 against anticipated revenue of $35,908,061, primarily from property taxes, according to the presentation by Jessica Donato, chief school business officer for the district.

Based on her calculations, Donato said, the district will have to pluck $1,091,795 from its reserves to cover the deficit. She said there was a cash reserve of $23.8 million as of June 30 representing a 64.3 percent positive fund balance.

“It’s almost exactly equal to the PTAB,” Donato told DailyNorthShore.com between meetings. She was referring to a settlement the district made with Northbrook Court Professional Partners over a property tax dispute. “They filed an appeal with the Property Tax Assessment Board (protesting) the taxes.”

The district will pay the shopping center owners $1,065,000 for the next three years under the terms of the agreement, Donato said.

A year ago, the district forecast a $1,202,017 deficit and finished the year with a $351,224 surplus, according to Donato.

“We had a (projected) deficit and look what happened,” Donato said during the Committee of the Whole meeting.

The budget will be made available for public viewing at the district office in August, there will be a public hearing at a September board meeting and then a final vote, according to Superintendent Larry Hewitt. He said the timing is dictated by the State of Illinois.

“The state says we have to have a budget by September 30,” Hewitt said during the board meeting. “You know a lot more if you wait. There’s a lot you don’t know yet in April and May. It’s considered best practices.”

One reason for the deficit is 2016-17 projected income is $841,667 less than the year before while expenses are forecast approximately $1 million higher, according to the budget.

The biggest expense for the district is projected to be salaries at just over $23.5 million and employee benefits a little more than $4.3 million representing 77.6 percent of revenue, according to the budget document. Payroll is expected to be up 4.3 percent and benefits 6.7 percent.

Depressing news: It’s the last weekend in July. Better news: there is much to do and see on the North Shore this weekend. Here’s a round up. And for even more events click here to read the DailyNorthShore.com calendar.  If you have an event you’d like to submit to our calendar, click here.

WINNETKA:  Family Camp Out in Winnetka will be held Saturday, July 30, at 7 p.m. to July 31 at 8 a.m. Sleep under the stars! Beginning at 7 p.m., families can begin setting up camp sites. Families are welcome to bring food to prepare on grills provided by Winnetka Park District. At dusk, we will show Walt Disney’s Aladdin, and start a bonfire for marshmallow roasting and s’mores. In the morning, a continental breakfast will be provided for all participants.

This is a family only event. Only registered families with tents will be allowed to spend the night at Tower Road Beach. Alcoholic beverages are not allowed.

Parking in the lower lot is limited to residents and beach pass holders only. Vehicles not in designated spots are in violation of the Village Ordinance and will be issued tickets from the Winnetka Police Department. Additional parking will be available in Tower Road Beach’s upper parking lot and at Lloyd Beach.

For more information, please contact Kevin Rutherford at (847) 716-1299, or click here to register.

GLENCOE: Hot Summer Nights Series at the Chicago Botanic Garden will host The Mike Knauf Quartet on Thursday, July 28 from 6 to 8 p.m. The Mike Knauf Quartet has been delighting audiences for over 15 years. Mike’s quartet has performed for many dances, parties, events, festivals and clubs. Mike and members of the quartet have performed nationally and internationally with some of the biggest names in music. The quartet draws from a diverse repertoire of some of the most well know Swing, Latin and Standards from some of America’s finest composers of all time for your dancing and listening pleasure. You are encouraged to bring your own chairs as the Garden has a limited supply available each evening.

EVANSTON:  Shop ‘til you Drop at Downtown Evanston and Main-Dempster Mile Sidewalk Sale will be held Friday, July 29 to Sunday, July 31, 2016. Shoppers, get ready to hit the sidewalks of downtown Evanston and Main-Dempster Mile! Independent retailers and national chains will be ready to offer too- good- to- resist deals on the sidewalks of both districts. Expect to find great deals on apparel, shoes, one-of-a-kind accessories, home goods and decorative arts, including the best in specialty and hand-crafted goods.

Local artists have been invited to be a part of the action in downtown Evanston. Participating artists will be set up on Sherman Ave. between Church St. and Davis St., displaying paintings, jewelry, accessories, clothing and more for the public to peruse, enjoy and purchase! Artists will display their wares in downtown Evanston on Saturday and Sunday.

In addition, Downtown Evanston is providing fun, free entertainment throughout the weekend.

HIGHWOOD:  Highwood’s popular Bloody Mary Fest is coming back with a bang! In its seventh year, the fest will take place on Sunday, July 31 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Everts Park (130 Highwood Avenue). Vendors from near and far will shake up their special recipes to compete for the title of “Best Bloody Mary in the Midwest.” The day will benefit the Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association ( NSSRA), a not for profit organization that aims to provide and facilitate year-round recreation programs and services for children, teens and adults with disabilities.

Bloody Mary Fest attendees will enjoy plenty of food and drinks, a beer truck, and live entertainment by Project 2 Music, specializing in Rock Broadway music from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and Zydeco Voodoo, Chicago’s Mardi Gras party band, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The event will raise awareness for NSSRA, whose mission is to enrich the lives of people with disabilities in partner communities through quality recreation services.  Please click on this link for more information on NSSRA .

LAKE FOREST:  Where’s Waldo Party will take place on Saturday, July 30 at the Lake Forest Bookstore (located at 662 N. Western Avenue) from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Register at Lake Forest Book Store 847-234-4420 Join us for refreshments, games and prizes! This concludes the month long Where’s Waldo Search. If you have 10 stamps on your passport you are eligible to enter the drawing for prizes.

HIGHLAND PARK: Colors and Cab will be held Friday, July 29  from 6 p.m. to- 8 p.m. This event is for ages 21 and Older and the cost is $35 for residents and $40 for nonresidents. Please grab your friends and enjoy some creative Zen! Take in the beautiful view and enjoy the latest way to de-stress and relax, with your friends by your side, and a glass of wine in your hand! We will supply the wine glass, wine, and art supplies including your new coloring book you can take home with you. The event will be held at Rosewood Beach Interpretive Center located at 883 Sheridan Road in Highland Park. Click here for more information.

BARRINGTON:  Midwest Mozart Festival will take place on Sunday, July 31 at 1:30 p.m. at the the Sanfilippo Foundation in Barrington. For the last two years, the Sanfilippo Foundation hosted this exceptionally talented Orchestra, to rave reviews from attendees. With a fresh new name, Midwest Mozart Festival, and new plans for outreach – including student scholarships, we are proud to bring them back for a Sunday afternoon Mozart performance in our intimate theater.

Doors open at 1:30 p.m. for touring, with the concert at 3 p.m. For more information about this event, please visit The Sanfilippo Foundation.

LAKE BLUFF:  Bluffinia Concert Series will be held on Sunday July, 31, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. This weekend Mason Rivers (Country) will be playing. Bring your family and enjoy a different style of music each week. There is something for everyone. For more information, visit Bluffinia.

Danny McDermed, seen here in the state championship game, was a shutdown force for the Trevians this past spring. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER

Danny McDermed and lacrosse parted ways on a field in Lombard in early June. The New Trier defenseman, a 2016 graduate, did not shed buckets of tears after the state championship game against Loyola Academy, an NT loss at Montini Catholic, and he did not strive to mend whatever had to be mended with lacrosse.

It was an amicable separation.

It was time. Time to move on, time to look ahead to his summer job as a sports camp counselor in his hometown of Wilmette and to campus life as an engineering major at Valparaiso University. He sees cars in his rearview mirror. He sees lacrosse in it, too. It certainly would have been sweet, leaving his steady, the sport of a lacrosse, as a three-time state champion. He settled for Danny McDermed, two-time state champion (2014 and ’15) and one-time US Lacrosse Association All-American (’16).

“He is a Division I athlete,” Trevians lacrosse coach Tom Herrala says of the 6-foot-3, 185-pounder, among the state’s top shutdown defensemen in his final season in Trevians lax togs. “He was a beast, the way he played. Great feet, super fast. He’d always been one of the biggest kids on our teams, and he was aggressive … aggressive to a point; Danny didn’t draw a lot of penalties.”

McDermed guarded a Marquette University-bound attackman in each of his last two seasons, virtually erasing the first one in a 2015 game in Detroit and dogging the second one in a 14-1 defeat of Fenwick in a 2016 playoff game. Marquette is a Division I school.

“The attackman [in Detroit] was all-world, all this, all that,” Herrala recalls. “Danny shut that kid down. The kid scored a late goal, meaningless.”

The Fenwick Friar attached to McDermed in a second-round playoff game in late May tried desperately to free himself from McDermed. The Fenwick Friar had been touted as the best attack in the western suburbs, thick hype surrounding him when he played in any suburb. The goal Fenwick scored on that day? It was tallied by somebody other than McDermed’s man.

“Our team watched film of that game,” long stick middie and University of North Carolina recruit Tyler Seminetta, a 2015 All-American and another 2016 NTHS graduate, says. “You could tell, we all could, how frustrated he was when he had the ball and Danny was guarding him. Fun to watch. Danny is an insane athlete, a phenomenal athlete. He guarded big guys and small, speedy guys. Players on other teams were genuinely scared of him and his abilities.

“Had Danny stuck with football,” he adds, “he would have been the best defensive end in the conference.”

McDermed tried football as a sophomore and ended up concluding, “It wasn’t for me.” Lacrosse, the sport that was introduced to him in the fifth grade, was his sport.

“I went to a clinic and learned how to cradle and throw in a gym at Highcrest Middle School [in Wilmette],” says McDermed, sporting Kris Bryant-esque facial hair, wispy and neat. “I liked it. Lacrosse was new, fast-paced. My family had been a baseball family, a huge baseball family, and I played basketball. Defense was what I enjoyed playing in basketball, so defense was what I played in lacrosse.

“I was skinny when I was little, really skinny. You could see my heart beating out of my chest.”

He made the Freshman ‘A’ lacrosse team in 2013. Toward the end of the season, his coaches noticed the significant impact he made in games and reported their impressions to Herrala.

“They told me, ‘You’ve got to look at this McDermed kid,’ ” Herrala says.

The varsity coach looked at McDermed in the summer before McDermed’s sophomore year and challenged him in the offseason sessions, tested him. McDermed was ready, the coach surmised. Ready for varsity ball. The McDermed kid, with little club experience, made NT’s parent club in ’14, rotating in as a reserve and seeing time in special situations for a state championship squad.

“I think he surprised a lot of people,” Herrala says. “People probably were thinking, at the beginning of the season, ‘Who is this McDermed and what’s he’s doing on varsity?’ He turned into a really good defenseman and leader [voted captain, by his teammates, in ’16]. Good kid, great kid, super nice and down-to-earth. If you were to just talk to him, without ever having seen him play lacrosse, you’d never believe he is the athlete he is … aggressive and intense and highly competitive.”

The former lacrosse player is an introspective teen and a former band member (singer/songwriter/guitarist) of a group named Big Brother. The multi-genre band cut an album, “Dune”, but disbanded after a year because the drummer left for college. McDermed wrote his Junior Theme at New Trier on what he’d gleaned from an Odd Thomas series book by Dean Koontz.

“Choosing the right way to do things isn’t always the easiest way to do things — I considered that to be the book’s message,” McDermed says. “Say you’re walking and you cross paths with a homeless person asking for money. The easy thing to do would be to keep on walking; you wouldn’t have to stop, take your wallet out and give the person money. Offseason weightlifting? The easy thing to do would be to skip it one day. Do the hard thing, lift, and it would help in the end.

“My mantra my whole junior year was, ‘Work hard, do the right things.’ ”

McDermed got named to the all-Central Suburban team at the end of his junior season, the year NT won its second straight state championship. He got stronger before the start of his senior season, more aggressive, and he made sure he wielded a highly active stick. McDermed was a handful for opposing attackmen. From “Who is this McDermed?” to “McDermed, All-American,” in two years.

“I might play club or intramural basketball at Valparaiso,” he says. “If I get bored, maybe I’ll pick up a lacrosse stick and a ball and find a wall.”

McDermed and lacrosse, together again?

Old flames are hard to douse completely.

GLENCOE – The seventh annual Glencoe Festival of Art will bring color and lots of it to Glencoe this weekend.

Hosted by Amdur Productions with cooperation from the Glencoe Chamber of Commerce,  the event runs fro 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 30 and July 31 in the downtown retail district. (If you need an address for the GPS, plug in 694 Vernon Ave. Glencoe)

This outdoor festival offers artwork from more than 125 juried artists from around the world, including ceramics, glass, jewelry, metal, painting, photography and wood.

The Glencoe Festival of Art is free and open to the public. Artists will have the opportunity to interact with the public through art demos and booth chats. Live music, great food and fun activities for kids make the festival a perfect family experience.

Royal Travel & Tours, owned and operated by Kendra Thornton of Winnetka, invited North Shore clients and guests to a presentation on luxury travel by Abercrombie & Kent at Soho House in June. Royal Travel’s North Shore agents Brittney Magner, Melissa Lee, and Sophia Kondos welcomed clients and their guests, as all enjoyed signature cocktails, small bites, and a presentation featuring exotic destinations like Marrakesh, Havana, Queenstown, and Beijing. Royal Travel is a leading full-service travel agency, known for curating exceptional itineraries worldwide.  royal-travel.com

Gloria Rolighed, Robin Ross, Peyton Merrill, Ashley Danis; Photography by Robin Subar

Larry Berke, Marett Taylor

Kevin Magner, David Tingue

Kendra Thornton, Melissa Lee, Andrea Tingue, Brittney Magner

Heather Martin, Linda Campbell

Kendra Thornton, Melissa Trandel

Jean-Bernard Coudon, Kathie Sikkes, Gerald Hatherly, Darren Napier

Mark & Carrie Scharbo

Cathy Moran, Kari Aylward

Brittney Magner, Allison Trukenbrod

Andrea Tingue, Cindy Polaras

WILMETTE – Regina Dominican High School’s advanced dance class and Northwestern University’s department of physics and astronomy partnered this spring to create a video explaining a scientific concept through dance.

The project applied kinesthetic learning techniques to teach students complex scientific ideas about a common topic among dancers, synchronization. The students, in turn, created a dance expressing these ideas. The inspiration for this outreach project came from an annual contest sponsored by Science Magazine titled, “Dance Your PhD,” for which aspiring PhD candidates in scientific fields create dance videos to explain their theses.

Northwestern graduate student in physics Yuanzhao Zhang, with the help of his faculty advisor Adilson E. Motter, gave a presentation about counterintuitive, emergent behavior and how it applies to synchronization to the advance dance class at Regina Dominican.

In his presentation, Zhang posed and answered the question “Can heterogeneity lead to uniform movement while uniformity itself cannot?”

Regina Dominican teacher Alyssa Motter guided the dancers as they took what they learned from the presentation and created a dance for the camera using choreographic prompts also developed by Zhang.

This outreach project not only provided a rich learning experience for Regina dancers: Alessia Girardin, Teresa Kielian, Diane Kraemer, Anaisabel Lopez and Emily Schiavone, but also resulted in a video that can be used by Zhang and others as a resource to explain counterintuitive, emergent behavior in synchronized systems in a unique, engaging way.

Submitted by Regina Dominican High School

Darious Obryant. Photo courtesy of Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

LAKE FOREST — A Waukegan man who failed to stop his car when signaled by the Lake Forest Police Department was indicted by the Lake County Grand Jury on July 27 on felony counts of driving with a revoked license and eluding a police officer.

Darious Obryant, 22, of the 1000 block of Hickory Street in Waukegan, was originally arrested January 1 for driving with a revoked license and failing to stop as he was tailed by Lake Forest Police on Waukegan Road, according to Deputy Lake Forest Police Chief Robert Copeland.

“We got a call of a domestic disturbance at the Embassy Suites in Deerfield,” Copeland told DailyNorthShore.com. “We followed him for a tenth of a mile and he failed to stop. Eventually the North Chicago Police Department stopped the vehicle.”

Obryant was driving more than 21 miles an hour over the speed limit on Waukegan Road, according to the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Lake County.

Copeland said Lake Forest officers went to North Chicago planning to charge Obryant with fleeing from a police officer. After investigating, Copeland said police learned Obryant’s driver’s license was revoked for a felony DUI conviction.

Obryant lost his license after three DUI convictions, according to the clerk’s website. In the last six years, Obryant has been cited or arrested 12 times, according to the clerk’s website.

North Chicago police did not have grounds to hold Obryant, and they released him, according to Copeland. Copeland said later Lake Forest police got approval to charge Obryant from the Lake County State’s Attorney’s office and an arrest warrant was issued.

“We had to find him,” Copeland said. “The Waukegan Police Department arrested him with aggravated battery with a firearm (July 8) and we served our warrant.”

Obryant was also indicted for the aggravated battery charge and 10 other counts July 27, according to Cindy Vargas, the communications manager for Lake County State’s Attorney Mike Nerheim. In that case, Vargas said Obryant is accused of firing a gun, hitting and injuring two people, among other offenses.

Obryant is being held in the Lake County Jail on a $1 million bond, according to Christopher Covelli, the public information officer for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. If convicted on all 13 charges, Obryant faces between 32 and 128 years in prison, according to Vargas.

Obryant will be arraigned August 3 in Lake County Criminal Court where he will have the opportunity to plead guilty or not guilty.

Bruce Danly, standing, and his son Clay Danly.

Most racers only dream of winning their section in the Mackinaw race. Last week the dream came true for Bruce Danly and his son, Clay Danly, of Lake Bluff. In a new J109 boat, the father-son team and six crew members won 1st in their section and 3rd overall in the Mac Trophy. It was Clay’s first Mac Race but certainly not his last!

Third overall! Photography courtesy of Jill Danly

HIGHLAND PARK – The architect who in 2014 purchased a John Van Bergen home in Wilmette for $10 and had it moved to Evanston is behind a new effort to have a Van Bergen home in Highland Park designated a local landmark — against the owners’ wishes.

The circa 1922 prairie-style home at 1570 Hawthorne Lane originally was nominated for local landmark designation in May by Lisa Temkin, commissioner of the city’s Historic Preservation Commission (HPC), but she said the property owners’ attorney asked her to recuse herself because she lives in another Van Bergen home. That’s when architect and preservationist Christopher Enck stepped in.

“Chris had provided me with his professional expertise, so I asked him to take over the nomination application,” said Temkin. “I added Chris as my co-applicant and the next day I withdrew myself.”

Enck, a project engineer for Chicago-based Klein and Hoffman Restoration Architects/Structural Engineers, is also active in the Skyline Council, a young professionals committee of Landmarks Illinois, the historic preservation advocacy group. According to Evanston Magazine,  Enck has always had an interest in Van Bergen’s architecture. In the fall of 2014, he purchased for $10 the 1928 Van Bergen home on Isabella Street in Wilmette from a developer, saving it from demolition. The following spring he had it moved in three sections to the 2700 block of Crawford Avenue in Evanston, according to media reports at the time.

“The goal of that project was to show that there are alternatives to demolition,” said Enck. The Evanston Van Bergen home is slated for completion later next month with an open house scheduled for August 28 at 2771 Crawford Avenue.

Enck also wants the same goal for the Hawthorne Lane property: “Van Bergen lived in Highland Park and has such a large body of work there that I would hate to see any of his designs demolished, because not only do you lose some of the architectural fabric of the community, but some of the contents of his work,” said Enck.

The Hawthorne Lane property is up for discussion as a local landmark because “local landmarks have protection from demolition while being listed on the National Register of Historic Places does not typically,” said Enck.

The lawyer representing the couple who purchased the Highland Park Van Bergen home told the Chicago Tribune that the house was advertised as a teardown, and that his clients intend to demolish it to enlarge their backyard.

Temkin said the couple could easily have learned about the Van Bergen home on the internet.

“If someone is purchasing a house they should do their own due diligence and research it,” said Temkin. “If the realtor told you that it’s a teardown it doesn’t mean it’s a fact.”

Enck mentioned another proposal for the property: “Landmarks Illinois suggested the possibility of subdividing the property, and moving the property line to the back of the house as one of the options, so that the owners could enlarge their backyard while still preserving the house,” he said. “Anything that allows the house to be preserved is something worth considering.”

Temkin said Van Bergen, who was known for his prairie-style architecture, built more homes in Highland Park than in Oak Park and River Forest. He also designed the circa 1927, prairie-style Braeside Elementary School, according to Highland Park Historical Society.  Van Bergen’s style was influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright, for whom he worked.

Enck said his admiration of Van Bergen’s contribution to Prairie School architecture began when he himself was a boy attending Chicago Junior School in Elgin. Van Bergen designed the school, which Enck said was very similar to Braeside Elementary School.

Temkin spearheaded the Historic Preservation Commission’s October 2012 John Van Bergen Month, which honored his contribution to Highland Park architecture with tours, lectures and exhibits. The city received a nomination for the Governor’s Hometown Award for Public Education.

Temkin has been on the HPC for seven and a half years. “The commission is tasked with making recommendations to City Council for landmarks,” she said. “The criteria comes from the federal government.”

On August 11, the HPC will vote on whether to recommend the landmark application for 1570 Hawthorne Lane, and “we will need a super majority,” said Temkin. HPC’s recommendation then goes to City Council for consideration. City Council does not have a date yet for the landmark nomination because the application is still with the HPC.

“There are seven commissioners on the Historic Preservation Commission and five of seven members are required for a consideration that requires a super majority vote to carry,” said assistant city manager Rob Sabo.

Sabo explained to DailyNorthShore.com some of the qualifications and procedures in designating a landmark property:

• According to Section 24.025 of the City Code, a property can be nominated for landmark designation by an individual with an interest in preservation.
• Chapter 24 of the City Code outlines various procedural regulations for the Historic Preservation Commission and City Council, which includes timelines for which various actions by the HPC or the City Council are necessary. The Historic Preservation Commission’s review process may take multiple meetings as the nomination is considered. The code does provide for regulations if the Historic Preservation Commission or City Council fails to act on a landmark designation recommendation made by the Historic Preservation Commission. 
• Once the Historic Preservation Commission reviews the application for landmark status and issues their recommendation, the item will then go before the City Council for consideration.

For more information visit City of Highland Park.

1570 Hawthorne Lane, Highland Park; photo from Zillow.com

There are more images on the village’s website at this address: http://www.villageofwinnetka.org/assets/1/20/2016_0727_sm.pdf

A new plan for One Winnetka that now includes the Conney’s Pharmacy property and eliminates any contribution of village funds was presented to the Village Council at a lengthy special session held on July 27.

The plan presented by Stonestreet Partners, LLC was a significantly scaled down plan from that proposed over a year ago by the developer, and a departure from what was presented in April, the last time this issue was before the Village Council.

Since that time, Stonestreet has been in negotiations with Conney’s Pharmacy and reached a deal that would move the pharmacy across the street to a storefront at 727 Elm Street, where Mirani’s Restaurant was previously located.

The revised plan reduces the number of residential units from 71 to 61 units, which will include 15 condos, 6 townhouses and 40 luxury rental units. The total square footage of commercial space has also been reduced from 41,380 to 33,895 square feet.

Most significantly, additional public parking spaces have been reduced from 149 to 100 parking spaces, by eliminating the public plaza on Lincoln Avenue and shrinking the west garage. David Trandel, CEO of Stonestreet, said the developer no longer seeks any financial contribution from the village to build a commuter garage, which was originally spun as a “public-private partnership” for more than $6 million.

The new plan also includes $1.7 million in streetscape improvements — costs borne solely by the developer— which would include both sides of Elm Street and Lincoln Avenue. It also still includes some encroachment onto Lincoln Avenue.

While the new plan is significantly scaled down, the developer still seeks to construct a building that is higher than the permitted four stories, 45 feet — a height that some residents still say is too high.

The proposed west building situated on Lincoln Avenue is five stories, 59 feet, the east Elm Street building is five stories, 58 feet and the center Elm Street building is four stories, 48 feet and 10 inches. Stonestreet also seeks zoning exceptions to an upper story setback requirement for the west and east buildings, as well as an exception to a rear yard setback requirement for the east property line.

Trandel emphasized the public benefits of the project, which must be established in a planned development in exchange for flexibility under the zoning code. He pointed to a $6.7 million contribution from the developer, representing $5 million for the east parking lot/west garage, and $1.7 million in streetscape improvements. He noted that the village would benefit from an increase in tax revenues and fees and a downtown revitalization, as well as meeting a housing need for empty nesters.

“I think we have a far more attractive plan,” Trandel said, adding that the height of the building makes it financially viable. “As a resident of Winnetka, I would be proud to see what is there replaced with something beautiful,” Trandel said.

Michael Pullman and Martin Stern, real estate advisors hired by the village, told the council that the project would be a positive for Winnetka. “We believe this project as it was set forth tonight provides the village with substantial benefits,” Pullman said.

The consultants pointed to a revised retail plan that allows for subdividing the retail spaces — something that could be more attractive to retailers in Winnetka. They also noted the plan included a refurbished downtown, with both sides of Lincoln Avenue and Elm Street receiving streetscape improvements, without any financial contribution by the village.

While Stern and Pullman acknowledged that this type of luxury housing does not exist outside of Chicago — the condo units are likely to be priced at much higher levels than what is currently on the market — they felt there would be a demand for it. “We think there is demand and we think the project is viable,” Stern said.

The consultants estimated that while the Lincoln Avenue property technically has no value — the developer’s proposal includes encroaching on a small portion of it — they noted that the village trustees were tasked with weighing whether granting Stonestreet that village property and zoning exceptions was worth the public benefits the proposed project promises to return.

Most of the trustees reserved their comments until a later date, noting they were more interested in hearing what the residents had to say about the revised plans. But Trustee Kristin Ziv seized the opportunity to express her support of the project — noting that the project would “fill a hole” in the suffering business district — and urged fellow council members to move forward.

“The time has come to grant preliminary approval for the sake of the village,” Ziv said.

President Gene Greable provided ample time for residents to come forward and ask questions about the project, some of which focused on details of the project — such as how the garbage would be picked up — to broader questions of the message sent to developers if the project is not approved.

Residents continued to question whether the height and density of the project was appropriate for the village. “Stop coming in with such a large variance on height,” Winnetka resident Steve Miller said.

But other residents expressed support of a project they viewed as a change in the right direction. “We need to change our community. We need to build this,” Phil Hoza said. Winnetka resident Jeffrey Liss also supported change. “Winnetka is not frozen in time, it changes,” he said. Liss urged the Village Council to move forward. “This proposal gives us huge advantages, more than anything else that may come down the line,” he said.

While the Village Council made no decision regarding the development, some of the trustees expressed their views at this stage. Trustee Andrew Cripe, who said he lives close to the project on the corner of Maple and Elm streets, was pleased with the new plan. “I like where we are at with this project,” he said. Cripe noted that the public process has only improved the project. “I think it has gotten better because of community input,” he said. But he also urged the council to move forward. “Let’s set the date. This process has been very long,” he said.

Other trustee members agreed that a lot of progress has been made, and with further discussion, a preliminary vote in September could be a possibility.

To view the revised plan go to www.villageofwinnetka.org.

There was a capacity crowd at the concert.

HIGHLAND PARK – Whether it was friends on the lawn or pavilion patrons jumping out of their seats, most of the crowd made Diana Ross’s Ravinia Festival debut on July 27 a participatory affair.

Ross performed the Motown tunes that began her career more than 50 years ago along with later music, as most of the capacity crowd moved to the rhythm.

“We had to see her,” said Cindy Clamage of Highland Park, who was there with a group of friends for a picnic and music. “This was the music of our youth in the 1970s. It’s what we danced to.”

“We grew up with this music,” added Wendy Klepper of Highland Park, a member of the same group as Clamage.

After her first two songs, Ross broke into “More Today Than Yesterday” and the crowd in the pavilion stood and danced to the beat by their seats. By the time she sang the words, “Oh baby love, my baby love,” few were sitting.

“It was terrific,” said Merle Styer of Highland Park. “Diana Ross was great to see. It was electric for everyone inside and outside.”

The audience got into the act vocally with the next song, “Stop! In the Name of Love,” as the crowd went from dancing to singing along too. Each time Ross was ready to utter the word, “stop,” everyone seemed to know when to chime in.

“It was great to hear all the songs and know all the words,” said Bette Feinerman of Highland Park. “It gets you up and (brings back) happy memories of your younger days.”

The crowd sing-a-long intensified with Diana Ross’s 12th song, “Inside Out.” Each time she got to the chorus the audience was ready, singing “upside down, inside out.”

Feinerman also called the band “terrific.” The ensemble had two drummers, three guitarists, a man playing saxophone, three backup singers and a man on keyboard.

After Rhonda Ross, Diana Ross’s daughter, got the crowd going with a 20-minute opening act, Diana Ross came on stage singing 20 consecutive turns without an intermission break.

Diana Ross made her Ravinia debut July 27 in Highland Park. Photo courtesy of Ravinia Festival.

Shortly after Rhonda Ross and her band left, music came from behind a curtain with only the musicians’ silhouettes showing. The curtain literally dropped to the floor as Ross came on stage in her first of three costumes.

“I loved the dresses, especially the blue one,” Styer said.

“The clothing was amazing,” Feinerman added.

Dianna Ross left the stage briefly to change while the band kept playing. She returned each time breaking into another song. The sequins on her second dress resembled star designs on the black screen behind her.

One concertgoer, Andy Smiltneek, came from Neenah, Wis., with his wife to hear Diana Ross for the second time.

“I saw Diana Ross in 1971 and we came back to see her again,” Smiltneek said. “She’s just raw energy. I first remember her as Diana Ross and the Supremes,” he added referring to Ross’s original group.

Clamage was part of a group of women who arrived early with a picnic to secure a spot near one of the walkways.

“We ran in when the gate opened,” said Sherri Schmidt of Wilmette, another member of the group.

The evening was excellent but not perfect, according to Styer and Feinerman. Feinerman said she wished Ross had talked to the audience a little as other artists often do and Styer was critical of the audio transmission.

“The sound system at Ravinia could be better,” Styer said. “I don’t know if the band was too loud but it was hard to hear her. It might depend on where the speakers are.” Styer said friends sitting closer to the stage did not share the same experience.

Getting their picnic in order are Evanston residents (from left) Debra O’Brien, Walter Willis and Yvonne Moore.

Margaret Lou Olson, 89, of Northbrook, IL formerly of the suburbs of Minneapolis, MN and Ocala, FL, passed away July 20, 2016. Beloved wife of the late Kenneth L. Olson; loving mother of Charlene (Mitch) Matson, Brian Olson, and Jennifer (Steve) Bishop; cherished grandmother of Katie, Connor, and Brittany Olson, Blaise and Sophie Bishop. We will miss her beautiful smile and kind spirit. We will always carry her memory in our hearts. A memorial mass will be in August at Blessed Trinity Catholic Church, 5 S.E. 17 th St., Ocala, FL. Inurnment will be at Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, FL.