Arts + Culture

Framing Life in Focus

For Winnetka filmmaker David Parks, a story about golf became a story about family. Article by Cat Rolfes Filmmaker and Producer David Parks’s newest release may seem like a story about golf, but it reveals something quieter and more enduring.   The award-winning indie drama follows teenage golf prodigy Jeremy (Ben Krieger) and his autistic younger brother Ethan (Owen Himfar), who helps him rediscover confidence, family and purpose. But behind the story are lessons in patience, grace and...

Home + Design

Makeovers That Build Hope

Closets by Design and Special Spaces create dream rooms for children facing life-threatening illnesses. Article by Cat Rolfes When 8-year-old Eva Engwall described her dream bedroom, she imagined a vanity for playing dress-up, cozy corners for reading, and a palette of teal, purple, pink and sparkle. Closets by Design didn’t just listen. They brought it to life. Partnering with the nonprofit Special Spaces, which designs healing bedrooms for children with life-threatening illnesses, the...

Local Services

North Shore Gift Guide 2025

Discover radiant rituals, bold finds and memory-making moments from 18 local businesses offering curated gifts, immersive services and standout experiences for every personality. Article by Cat Rolfes This season, shop with heart and support local. Our curated North Shore guide features 18 standout businesses offering beauty, fashion and experience-based gifts. Whether you're shopping for a self-care devotee, a stylish friend, an adventure-seeker, or even yourself, these local picks make...

Arts + Culture

Guy Nardulli’s third act

Chicago grit, Hollywood roles and a homegrown comeback Article by Cat Rolfes | Photography by Ray Martinez It’s mid-morning inside a media studio in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, and Guy Nardulli adjusts lapels of a gray three-piece suit. Photographer’s lights flash, but Nardulli—broad shouldered, grinning—barely notices. He moves easily, like a man who knows how to hold a room. Because he’s been doing it for decades. First as a football player, later as an actor, always the guy who...

Local Services

The Heartbeat of Local Giving

Local nonprofits shaping lives, quietly and powerfully Article by Cat Rolfes | Photography by Moira Nolan Photography Chicago’s North Shore has long been a hub for generosity, where neighbors champion causes spanning education, housing, health, food security and the arts. They mobilize, fundraise and show up. From Glenview to Glencoe, from Evanston to Lake Forest, this suburban stretch has become a quiet powerhouse of philanthropy, where causes are championed for community. As we wind down...

Home Services

Repair or Replace?

The Clock Is Ticking for Homeowners Article by Mitch Hurst | Photography by provided Time is running out on one of the most generous homeowner incentives in recent memory. With the passing of the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” federal tax credits for replacing aging HVAC systems vanish January 1, 2026. That leaves just a narrow window for homeowners still debating whether to patch up their current system or finally spring for a replacement. Right now, the payoff is significant. Through the end of...

Life + Culture

Brotherhood with a Cause

MLB gives men a place to connect and serve community Article by Cat Rolfes | Photography by Emily Hadzhiev & Nicole Thomas Step inside the clubhouse of Making Life Better in Glenview and you are greeted by a scene equal parts neighborhood bar, college rec room and family basement. College flags line the walls, neon signs buzz softly above the bar, and flat-screen TVs wait for the next game. A pool table sits nearby, alongside dart boards, poker tables and a vintage arcade machine. At first...

Food + Beverage

From Stadium Lights to Taverna Nights

Lou Canellis builds Chicago legacies in sports and dining Article by Cat Rolfes | Photography by provided The man who introduced Chicago to Sunday afternoons with the Bears is now plotting how the city might dance on Saturday nights. Lou Canellis—Fox 32’s veteran sports anchor, lifelong Chicagoan, and self-professed “kid from the South Side who got lucky”—just returned from a culinary trip with his partners, Louie Alexakis and Ian Vlahakis, where they toured Greek restaurants with the...

Food + Beverage

Detox Chicken-Cabbage Soup

The immunity-boosting trio of pepper, turmeric and cabbage makes this soup perfect for fall’s start Article by Chef Mila Furman This is not just soup—it’s a reset button in a bowl for back to school season. Every spoonful feels like it’s doing something good for your body (and your mood). Use fresh, crisp cabbage for the best results and avoid red cabbage—it will change color and flavor in the soup. For a vegetarian version, swap the chicken for tofu added at the end, or add lentils with the...

Food + Beverage

Now Serving

A look at some newer restaurants on the North Shore Article by By Amelia Levin  From banh mi and Hawaiian plates to cozy coffee shops, tapas and tequila, the North Shore dining scene is buzzing with new arrivals. Here’s a look at some of the latest spots to check out.   Global Eats:  Corner Banh Mi 561 Lincoln Ave., Winnetka  This casual spot opened by Kevin Diep specializes in banh mi sandwiches on fresh-baked bread from Nhu Lan Bakery, plus Vietnamese coffee, pho and noodle dishes.  ...