Arts + Culture

A Place to Belong

Where movement builds confidence and community Article by Cat Rolfes | Photography by Provided As childhood becomes increasingly tethered to screens, many parents are searching for something harder to define but easy to recognize when they find it: a place where kids can move, connect and simply be present. Not just another activity. Something deeper. For many North Shore families, NorthShore Elite Talent has become exactly that. And with its move to a larger Glenview home at 1708 Glenview...

Arts + Culture

'Human Raised' in an AI World

Indie and local books that are bound to inspire Article by Cat Rolfes Dr. Dana Suskind on the surprising science of parenting, the illusions of AI and protecting our children's analog world In the sticky humidity of a 1980s New Orleans afternoon, long before smartphones and algorithms rearranged daily life, Dana Suskind and I were two public high school girls getting ready for senior prom. We were crammed into a downtown hotel room amid a chaotic mess of hairspray, borrowed accessories and...

Life + Culture

North Shore’s Next Gen Innovators

Meet the five student-led ventures that reached the Quarterfinals of the 2026 INCubatoredu National Pitch. Article by Cat Rolfes | Photography by Provided The North Shore has long been known for academic excellence, but increasingly, it’s also becoming a launchpad for young entrepreneurs. That spirit is reflected in INCubatoredu, a national entrepreneurship program that gives high school students the opportunity to build and launch real businesses while still in the classroom. Over the course...

Arts + Culture

Raising the Curtain

Citadel Theatre helps North Shore kids build confidence, creativity and connection Article by Cat Rolfes | Photography by Provided At Citadel Theatre in Lake Forest, the magic starts long before opening night. It begins in rehearsal rooms filled with nervous energy and growing confidence. A child quietly reading lines suddenly speaks up. A hesitant performer finds their voice. Older students help younger ones with choreography, costumes and cues. Somewhere between the first audition and final...

Education

When Rules Aren't Enough

Why Trust and Respect Build Behavior Better Than Consequences Article by Lynn Zakeri "You're always on your phone." "No, I'm not." "You need to calm down." "I am calm." "You need more sleep." "Why?” "Because I said so." Silence. Eye roll. Door slam. Most parents are not short on rules. They’re exhausted from repeating themselves without success. So they do what seems logical in the moment: more reminders, more consequences and more frustration. If what you're doing isn’t working, it...

Life + Culture

Built on Belief

Thirty Years of Art and Community Article by Cat Rolfes | Photography by Provided Before the first curtain rose, before the familiar hush settled over an audience, the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts existed only as an idea. Concrete was still being poured. Steel beams stretched toward the sky. Construction crews moved across a site that represented something more than a building project. It was a community's belief that the arts deserved a permanent home on the North Shore. As the...

Travel

A New Way to Roam

Authentic, immersive journeys created for travelers in their 40s and 50s Article by Robyn Cohen | Photography by Provided One of the things I appreciate about travel is the opportunity to experience a destination beyond its landmarks. While iconic sights have their place, it's often the neighborhood cafés, markets, family-run restaurants and everyday interactions that leave the strongest impression. Over two decades in the travel industry, I've seen growing interest in journeys that offer...

Arts + Culture

Lit & Local

Indie and local books that are bound to inspire Article by Cat Rolfes | Photography by Provided HOME By Margot Dallas • Illustrated by Barbara Kowalska Some books invite young readers to explore far-off places. HOME invites them to understand why those places matter. This 50-page visual poem by Margot Dallas, brought to life through the soft watercolors of illustrator Barbara Kowalska, guides children through habitats around the world: forest floors, ocean depths, cloud forests and...

Life + Culture

Beyond the Blooms

How the Chicago Botanic Garden Is Quietly Shaping Chicago’s Future Article by Cat Rolfes | Photography by Provided For many longtime members, the Chicago Botanic Garden lives in a familiar register. It’s where seasons announce themselves with tulips or asters, where grandchildren learn the difference between oak and maple, where a Saturday afternoon can unfold without agenda. Beauty, yes. Calm, certainly. But that picture, however cherished, is incomplete. What most visitors don’t see from...

Arts + Culture

Driven By Curiosity

Haley Geffen's search for the human story Article by Keely Conrey In a month dedicated to exploration, of places, ideas and the parts of ourselves we don't always see, filmmaker Haley Geffen feels like a natural fit. The six-time Emmy Award-winning director and co-founder of Coed Studios has built her career on a simple instinct: look closer. In an era when attention is measured in clicks and seconds spent scrolling, Geffen is drawn to something more enduring. Her work explores the emotional...