Glancer Magazine, December 2019 : simplebooklet.com

15 FASCINATING FACES OF 2019 So Much to Celebrate this Season..... It’s here! The issue our readers anxiously await and for good reason. It’s our December issue– the last issue of 2019– and our pages feature 15 Fascinating Faces of the Year nominated by area residents. Each shared resident story is remarkably inspiring, uplifting and heartfelt, highlighting the extraordinary achievements of everyday west suburban men, women and teens. This year’s list is truly fascinating! Additional features include holiday highlights, gift giving and more. For those who are looking to give back in some way this season, turn to the 7 Spectacular Ways to Give Back list on page 22 where we share all that is wonderful about 7 area charitable organizations and how your donation or time volunteered can help those in need. Watch for an exciting year ahead! In 2020 we will once again publish 12 uniquely themed issues for the west suburban area with our digital platform more active and captivating than ever before. Get ready for lots of suprises! Lindy Kleivo Publishing Director, West Suburban Area lkleivo@glancermagazine.comTMTABLE OF CONTENTSDecember 20195 Hello From Glancer Magazine 7 5 Things to Do 10 2019 Gift Guide 12 COVER: 15 Fascinating Faces 14 Family Dentistry 16 The Wedding Page 17 Fall Dining Delights 17 Savory & Sweet Sisters 18 Kid Stuff 19 Mom’s Little Black Book 19 To Give, To Inspire 20 Home Bliss: Design & More 21 Real Estate 22 7 Spectacular Ways to Give Back Subscribe to Your Community at www.GlancerMagazine.com Digital: Free – Print: $20/AnnuallyPUBLISHER Glancer Magazine, Inc. PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Lindy Kleivo EDITORIAL | Print + Digital Kristen Kucharski Columnist / Writer Mindy Kyle Columnist / Writer Stephanie Schmoker Dining Critic Tiffany Schmoker Dining Critic SALES / MARKETING Lindy Kleivo Publishing Director PHOTOGRAPHY Mike Catuara Features Photographer Mike Mantucca Event Photographer PRINT + DIGITAL MONTHLY A West Suburban Themed Issue Featuring the Best of DuPage, Kane & Kendall Each Month DIGITAL CONTENT | Daily + Weekly A Mobile Responsive Website at www.GlancerMagazine.com, Also Glancer Go-To Guide, Glancer Magazine’s Online Marketplace + Event Site Connecting Residents & Businesses COMMUNITY FEATURES Press Releases, Local Events, Community News editorial@glancermagazine.com ADVERTISING Print & Digital Advertising advertising@glancermagazine.com SUBSCRIPTIONS Receive the Printed Publication Monthly (12x/yr) www.glancermagazine.com PUBLISHED BY Glancer Magazine, Inc. 80 Main Street, Suite C Sugar Grove, IL 60554 (630) 277-8887 www.glancermagazine.com Glancer Magazine, highlighting the best of DuPage, Kane & Kendall Counties, is pro-duced by Glancer Magazine, Inc. Glancer Magazine, You’ve Been Glanced and the Glancer logo are registered trade-marks of Glancer Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved. Magazine reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. WEST SUBURBAN CHICAGO Featuring DuPage • Kane • Kendall December 2019 |Vol 18 15 Fascinating Faces of 2019 The second of two back-to-back holiday-themed issues, this month we feature 15 Fascinating Faces of 2019 along with more holiday dining delights, festive shops, holiday traditions, events and more– everything that the entire family can enjoy all season long. More features online! Visit www.GlancerMagazine.com ©Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved Glancer Magazine • DECEMBER 2019 • WESTERN SUBURBS • 5December FeaturesWWW.URBANECHOSHOP.COMDecember2019_BU_Layout 1 11/19/2019 9:36 AM Page 5

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3. YULETIDE FESTIVAL & FAIR Open Select Days – Dec 6-22 NAPERVILLE–Make your Holiday merry and bright at the new Yuletide Festival and Fair! Experience the joy of the holiday season with live entertain-ment, local art and craft vendors, wintry food and beverages from local restaurants and breweries, and more! Stroll through Naper Settlement’s historic grounds decorated for the holiday sea-son with twinkling lights and plenty of holiday spirit. Yuletide Festival & Fair runs Friday through Sunday from De-cember 6-22: Fridays, 2-10PM; Saturdays and Sundays, 11AM-10PM. Admission is FREE! www.NaperSettlement.org/ Yuletide 4. GIVE THE GIFT OF CONFIDENCE! ENJOY 20% OFF COOLSCULPTING WESTERN SUBURBS–Look & feel beautiful in 2020 with Concierge Medical Spa. They offer non-invasive procedures of aesthetic services: skin rejuve-nation, hair removal, injectables and body contouring– just to name a few. Their highly trained staff is specialized in the latest aesthetic medical treatments, customizing each treatment specifically for you starting with a complimentary consultation. Book your consult today & receive 20% off CoolScupting when you men-tion Glancer Magazine. See inside back cover for specials. www.conciergemedspa.com/glancer1. CELEBRATE THE SEASON IN DOWNERS GROVE DOWNERS GROVE–Make your holiday shopping festive & enjoyable. Downtown Downers Grove boutiques offer unique gifts & exceptional customer service. Bring the kids for a complimentary visit with Santa, Sat. & Sun. 1-4pm & have them participate in the Gingerbread Man Hunt. Don’t forget to participate in the Gingerbucks Reward Card for your weekly chance to win $100 in downtown Downers Grove gift cards. Enjoy a break from shopping in one of our many restaurants. www.downtowndg.org DECEMBER 20195 Things to Do5. EXCITING HOLIDAY EVENTS ST. CHARLES–St. Charles Park Dis-trict offers family festive opportunities this holiday season! Sign up now for special visits with Santa! Polar Express Storytime Train from LaFox Metra Sta-tion to Gino’s East in Wheaton is avail-able on Nov. 30 & Dec. 1, 7 or 8. Santa and his team of sled dogs will be at the Woodland Santa Holiday Workshop on Dec. 1 at Hickory Knolls. Enjoy a morn-ing with the jolly ole guy himself at Breakfast with Santa on Dec. 10 at Al-exander’s Café. Advance registration required. www.stcparks.org/register 2. 2019 CUP OF CHEER™ NAPERVILLE–Get inspired at Naperville Garden Club’s Cup of Cheer™ House Walk, Holiday Mar-ket, and Tea. Tour four Naperville homes decorated for the holidays. Shop the market for artisan gifts. Enjoy the tea with homemade cookies. Receive a commemorative teacup and saucer. Dates are Thursday, December 5, 9am - 4pm for $55 and Fri-day, December 6, 9am - 4pm for $40. For ticket details visit www.napervillegardenclub.org. Glancer Magazine • DECEMBER 2019 • WESTERN SUBURBS • 7December2019_BU_Layout 1 11/18/2019 4:04 PM Page 7

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10 • WESTERN SUBURBS• DECEMBER 2019 • Glancer Magazine RReellaaxxaattiioonn,, RReessttoorraattiioonn aanndd RReejjuuvveennaattiioonn,, HHaanndd DDeelliivveerreedd aatt EElleemmeennttss MMaassssaaggee GGeenneevvaa GENEVA–Massage is the perfect gift for everyone on your list, no matter what style of massage they prefer. Whether it is just to relax or to restore and rejuve-nate the body, nothing can beat a per-sonalized, hand-crafted massage session with one of our exceptional ther-apists. We’re offering the best deals of the year on gift cards for this holiday sea-son. Spread the joy! Stop by, call or visit our website for a variety of specials. (630) 232-7335, 507 S. 3rd St, Geneva elementsmassage.com/geneva Unwrap the Wonders of Play! NAPERVILLE–Give the Gift of DuPage Children’s Museum Membership. One year of membership adds up to unlim-ited opportunities for kids and adults to-gether to have a blast exploring the Museum’s hands-on exhibits, making new discoveries, and creating lasting memories. It’s the gift that won’t get broken and it’s sooo EASY! Give your family, friends, clients, and employees the gift of play and let them unwrap the wonders of learning, building, explora-tion, discovery, and more. www.dupagechildrens.org, (630) 637-8000 NNaappeerrvviillllee PPaarrkk DDiissttrriicctt GGii CCaarrddss MMaakkee GGrreeaatt GGiiss NAPERVILLE–Searching for the perfect gift for everyone on your holiday list? How about a Naperville Park District gift card? They can be purchased in any de-nomination and used for Park District programs and events and redeemed at a wide range of facilities including Centen-nial Beach, the Paddleboat Quarry and the Millennium Carillon. Make gift-giving easy this year! Visit www.napervilleparks.org/giftcards for more information. EEvveerryyoonnee LLoovveess DDoowwnnttoowwnn NNaappeerrvviillllee GGii CCaarrddss NAPERVILLE–The Perfect Gift! Give the gift that allows them to choose with a Downtown Naperville gift card! For use at over 165 shops, restaurants, and spas in Downtown Naperville. New designs to choose from — including the any occa-sion card, holiday cards and birthday too. No fees to purchase. May be purchased in person or online and mailed to you or a lucky recipient. Downtown Naperville Alliance Main Street Promenade • (630) 544-3372 55 S. Main St., Suite 351, Naperville www.downtownnaperville.com TMDecember2019_BU_Layout 1 11/18/2019 2:02 PM Page 10

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12 • WESTERN SUBURBS • DECEMBER 2019 • Glancer Magazine 11.. CCaatthhyy KKoovvaacchh,, KKaanneevviillllee She sings in the St. Katharine Drexel Church choir and is the con-certmaster for the Fermi Community Orchestra. By day she is a pre-school teacher at Kaneville Community Child Center, by night she is a violin teacher and assists with the Kaneland Youth Orchestra. Come the weekend, Cathy is an Administrative Assistant to the Trust-ees and the Fire Chief and is a Firefighter/EMT-B at the Kaneville Fire Protection District and is also one of the department’s CPR/First Aid instructors, and helps with all the fire prevention assemblies at Kaneland’s four elementary schools. Cathy is above all a mother to her three boys and is the most caring, selfless, and loving person as she somehow manages to never miss a beat fitting all their activities into her busy schedule! 22.. DDaann PPiittttss,, GGeenneevvaa Dan has been an English teacher, Lead Concierge of a retirement home, and now an entrepreneur after a simple realization that people just want a simplified life and can always use a third hand; hence why Errand Up was born and will deliver virtually anything to your door - groceries, alcohol, diapers, pet food, prescriptions, fishing poles - - he even delivered horse feed to a horse in her stable! No markups, no subscriptions, just the cost of your items plus delivery. That’s it! Errand Up has also partnered with Blue Goose, Q’s Kitchen, Josef’s Meat Market, and Fernando’s Street Kitchen. Dan is all about community and loves being a member of First Bap-tist Church of Aurora and surrounding himself with authentic and positive people. Photo submitted 33.. LLiissaa KKoollllaavveennnnuu,, DDoowwnneerrss GGrroovvee//HHiinnssddaallee Inspired by Wellness House in Hinsdale’s mission to support indi-viduals with cancer to copiously feel better inside, utilizing a whole person approach, Downers Grove resident and Licensed Profes-sional Counselor was recently named Executive Director of the organiza-tion. This was due to her ability to conceptualize and deliver psychosocial interventions for cancer patients while wholly under-standing and assessing the impact of their programs. Lisa carries her passion and compassion home to husband and three kids and enjoys cheering sideline for them; as well as vol-unteering at their schools and serving as an active member of the Downers Grove Junior Women’s Club. When time permits, Lisa ap-preciates playing the piano, seeing musicals, and watching the Cubs. Embracing the gift of life, Lisa has learned to live fully, laugh fully, and love fully. 44.. JJiillll SSaallzzmmaann,, OOaakk PPaarrkk Jill launched The Founding Moms with events in Oak Park, Geneva, Evanston, Highland Park, and Chicago to bring together like-minded women who wanted to skip the networking luncheons and boring business card swaps for educational and supportive roundtables while growing their businesses and navigating work and family life. Jill’s successes include an internationally acclaimed TEDx talk, au-thoring two books, and co-hosting the Breaking Down Your Business podcast. She was named “the mommy mogul” by CNN Money, listed as one of Forbes’ Top 50 Women To Watch in Tech, and she’s shared the speaker stage with Richard Branson, Sheryl Sandberg, Day-mond John, Marilu Henner, and Desmond Tutu. She has two daughters and is a wedding singer in her spare time. Jill breaks all traditional rules, defies expectations, and always finds success on the other side! Photo submitted 55.. MMaarrggoo MMccCCoolllliisstteerr,, WWhheeaattoonn//GGeenneevvaa Prior to moving to Geneva with her husband and two dogs, Margo was born and raised in Wheaton and lived in the Belushi Family home. She is the owner of Margo McCollister, Inc. Licensed Coun-seling Services in Wheaton and enjoys bringing hope, support, con-fidence and encouragement to people in her community. Margo loves helping others learn to trust again, feel again, and breathe again without feeling the weight of the world on their shoulders. She finds personal fulfillment in working in her hometown where people share in the memories of growing up in the same place - swimming lessons at Northside Park, first dates at the Wheaton The-atre, penny candy from the popcorn shop. Margo’s spirit is contagious, and her compassion radiates bliss. 66.. MMeegghhaann WWiinnnn,, DDoowwnneerrss GGrroovvee If you know Meghan Winn, you know her passion for three things– family, community and a love of running. She found an opportunity to bring those 3 passions together at Healthy Kids Running Series. Meghan began running at Downers Grove North, continuing at col-lege where she met her husband (also a runner), and post-college to stay fit after 3 kids. HKRS provides a fun, inclusive five-week running series for ages 2-14, designed for kids to get active, feel accomplished and lay the foundation for a healthy lifestyle while parents cheer from the side-lines. Meghan hopes to continue to bring the joy her kids feel from these races to everyone because for her, running is truly the vehicle to creating a family focused healthy life. 77.. MMoonniiccaa PPaattaannkkaarr,, NNaappeerrvviillllee As Miss Illinois for America, Monica is busy making appearances and catapulting the title to gain attention for organizations and plat-forms. Also, an attorney by profession, she is highly involved in her community; she is a spokeswoman for the Aurora Food Pantry, a Guardian Ad Litem in Dupage, Kane and Kendall Counties and en-joys acting and performing dance at cultural events. Monica received the 2019 Cultural Champion Award and the Mayor’s Award of Ex-cellence from the City of Aurora. Monica is proud to come from a close-knit family and works with both her mom and brother at Piccony & Patankar, P.C. www.picconypatankar.com in Aurora as a partner in the law firm. Brains, beauty, and benevolence are at the core of this pageant queen. Photo submitted 15Fascinating Faces of 201911.. 22.. 33.. 44..55.. 66..77..by Kristen Kucharski & Mindy Kyle Photos by Mike Mantucca & Mike Catuara Unless Otherwise SubmittedDecember2019_Layout 1 11/20/2019 8:56 AM Page 12

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Glancer Magazine • DECEMBER 2019 • WESTERN SUBURBS • 1388.. NNaatthhaann MMaayy,, NNaappeerrvviillllee The unstructured summer of 2018 led this Naperville North freshman to plan his own fate of entertainment. For a kid that loves music, volleyball, skiing, rock climbing, mountain biking, and playing foot-ball, with the ultimate goal of climbing Mount Rainier with his Dad and Uncle, creating his own company, based on an active lifestyle, was the result! As the owner of Hello World Outdoors since August 2018, Nathan has accomplished everything independently; making a business plan, working with an accountant, interacting with companies to ne-gotiate prices and quantities, to hiring someone to design a logo and packaging. The outcome is the promotion of two activity kits centered around outdoor themes which include a beach and camp-ing box, with a third kit on its way soon. Innovative. Creative. Energetic! 99.. PPaauull LLeenncciioonnii,, SStt.. CChhaarrlleess Instead of following the footsteps of four generations (90+ years) of his family at the Blue Goose Market in St. Charles, Paul earned an accounting degree at NIU and went on to work at Arthur Anderson, Winston and Strawn, and Eby Brown. In 2012 he became president and CEO and in 2016 Paul’s family sold him the Market. Lencioni is passionate about the Blue Goose being St. Charles’ mar-ket, he does anything he can to help the community and other local businesses; and has also recently partnered with Dan Pitts of Errand Up for deliveries. He believes that what differentiates the market from other grocery stores in the area is the unique, fresh, quality items and experiences it offers customers. Photo submitted 1100.. RRiittaa PPaatteell,, NNaappeerrvviillllee//GGlleenn EEllllyynn As the recipient of the Early Career Teaching Award from the Illinois Section of the Mathematical Association of America, Rita’s sleepless nights to get through her master’s and doctoral programs came full circle since she took a chance on something that was totally outside her plan of marketing, management, and the financial industry to pursue her true passion. Rita enjoys sharing her enthusiasm as one of the original founding members of the leadership team for the Southwest Chicago Math Teachers’ Circle which provides professional development to in-ser-vice K-12 math teachers. Yoga and Pilates round out her daily life as an Associate Professor of Mathematics at the College of DuPage and she lives by the theory of accepting when things go wrong and persisting onward until you get it right. 1111.. SSoopphhiiaa CCuuccuulliicchh,, NNaappeerrvviillllee Even Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico and Chairman of the DuPage County Board, Dan Cronin are “cucu” for Metea Valley High School senior Sophia Cuculich who recently ran for Speaker of the House at Metea. She plans on studying psychology and criminal justice with the hopes of becoming a police psychologist. This 17-year-old is hard working and outgoing and loves singing in Bella Cantare with the Young Naperville Singers. Additionally, So-phia spreads kindness throughout her community by volunteering as their social media director, as well as assisting with the younger groups. She also gives her time executing and planning retreats for future confirmands of her church. Sophia exudes commitment and dedication and defines the pursuit of happiness. 1122.. SSyyllvviiaa TToorrrreess,, SStt.. CChhaarrlleess//GGeenneevvaa A self-proclaimed homebody, Sylvia loves to support the local com-munity and carries more than 10 local makers at her home decor shop, Little Red Barn Door. Her eye has caught the attention of a lot of shoppers in Geneva and she is thankful to be expanding to the main level of the Berry House (227 S. 3rd Street). She and her husband also opened Little Barn Baby, a baby boutique with the same rustic farmhouse look, but all things for the little one in your life. Sylvia is personally drawn to reclaimed wood signs and architectural salvage pieces. She loves spending time with her family and Euro-pean Boxer, Otis! She is grateful for her family’s support and pro-viding the courage to always dream big! 1133.. VVaanneessssaa RRaammooss,, MMoonnttggoommeerryy Vanessa loves writing, drawing, listening to music, dancing, and spending time with family and friends. She is a graduate of Yorkville High School and Ball State University and has accepted a position with the Orr Fellowship, an Indianapolis-based entrepreneurial-fo-cused program, with a 5% annual acceptance rate. Using her allied experiences with the LGBTQ+ and Trans Safe Zones, Vanessa is involved in the Orr Fellowship Diversity & Inclu-sion Team, where the mission is “to educate, challenge, and enrich Orr Fellowship to be a community of inclusive excellence.” Each day Vanessa has a healthy mix of team collaboration and in-dependent work and has already managed an awards networking event. As she is transitioning into a Human Resources role, she re-minds current high schoolers and college students to always be bold, brave, and creative! Photo submitted 1144.. VViinncceenntt MMccPPhheerrssoonn,, GGlleenn EEllllyynn This twenty-something young man is traditionally described as an old soul who loves his wine; his passion for authentic music; and has a deep respect for loyalty. Vincent graduated from Elmhurst College and started working professionally throughout the United States in all genres, including Opera, Musical theatre, and Jazz. He is currently living in Hollywood and performing in La Traviata as Alf-redo Germont and will be back in Glen Ellyn this December. When he is home, Vincent gives back to his community in perform-ances such as “A Night at the Opera” which was hosted at Villa Ve-rone in Geneva, benefitting Lazarus House in St. Charles. He is humbled and honored to share his gift, and eternally grateful to his family for their endless support. Photo submitted 1155.. MMeelliissssaa SSaaeezz,, LLiissllee When it comes to hair loss, Melissa brings years of professional ex-perience, but more importantly, she brings a personal understanding to the emotional element as her mother suffered from a form of alopecia. Melissa always knew she wanted to be a hairdresser and trained with Zanos, Mario Tricocci, and Innovations; however, it wasn’t until she discovered specialty hair pieces that had the look, texture, and coloring of real hair that she took the leap of faith and put everything on her credit card and signed a lease to open her own salon, Tu Bella in Lisle. She had a mission to educate people in finding hair solutions that made them feel and look beautiful inside and out. With this undertaking in mind, Melissa traveled to China to research having her own wigs made; she took a class in London on wig mak-ing; traveled to Bologna, Italy for training and became the first salon to offer the Cesare Ragazzi CNC (a cranial prosthesis) in Illinois. “I always tell people nobody ever hugged me when I did regular hair,” Melissa shares. “We often have tears after I have fit someone for the first time, and they realize how beautiful and natural the wigs are.” Tu Bella has all the latest trends and works hard to customize colors. Melissa is also a proud member of the National Alopecia Areata Foundation, American Hair Loss Counsel, and Trichotillomania Learning Center. Special thanks to these featured residents for sharing their awe-inspiring stories with us. View & share this feature online at www.glancermagazine.com88.. 1100.. 1111..1122.. 1133..1144..1155..99..December2019_Layout 1 11/20/2019 8:59 AM Page 13

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Peppermint cocoa and holiday dinners with family and friends are the memories that last forever. Destress and entertain at one of these amazing west suburban restaurants. Enjoy an earthy and elegant afternoon with cookbook author Marc J. Sievers as he showcases recipes from his new cookbook French Omelettes—Your New House Meal, on December 8 from Noon to 3 p.m. at Williams-Sonoma Geneva Commons. Signed and personalized books will be available for the perfect for holiday gifts! Join the 47th Annual DuPage County Christmas Prayer Breakfast for a beau-tiful time of inspiration and fellowship, with good food and good music. No polit-ical agenda or motive, no corporate sponsorship, no fund raising, and no selling of anything. Come and enjoy the peace of the season on December 12 at 7 a.m. at Abbington Distinctive Banquets in Glen Ellyn. Bring the family for a morning of fun with a Breakfast Buffet with Omelette Sta-tion, Crafts, a Magic Show, and opportunities for lots of "Selfie" Pictures with SANTA at the DoubleTree by Hilton Lisle Naperville’s Breakfast with Santa on December 14, 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. The Community House in Hinsdale is also hosting breakfast and photos with Santa on December 14 from 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. you will be able to enjoy a nice breakfast of scrambled eggs, French toast, hash browns, pancakes, Danish's, juice, and coffee! In Poland, Christmas Eve is celebrated with Wigilia. Join Chef Pamela and Paul for a distinctly Polish four course buffet dinner at the Pine Cottage Tea House & Catering in Downers Grove on December 14 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Open on Christmas Eve, dine out and relax at Verita Batavia and enjoy a wide selection of fine Italian flavors like Kobe Beef Carpaccio and outstanding entrees such as Filetto al cinghiale, or sumptuous desserts such as tiramisu or home-made limoncello. -Kristen Kucharski Dining + ENTERTAINMENTHHoolliiddaayy DDiinniinngg DDeelliigghhttssWEST SUBURBAN DININGPoundcake Bakery 4714 Main Street, Lisle (630)234-9700 Poundcakebakery.us Owner/Baker: Bev Hudson PRESERVING THE PAST WITH POUND CAKE Pound cake originates in Northern Europe and dates back to the early 1700s. It gets its name from the ingredients in which it is made, a pound each of flour, eggs, butter and sugar. The recipe would provide a cake large enough to feed several families. Through the years a smaller, less dense cake evolved. Bev Hudson grew up on the South Side of Chicago baking pound cake and other favorites with her Grandmother and Mother. She learned the baking secrets and watched as they loved to fuss over the pound cake and strived for perfection in baking. With the love of tradition and wanting to honor those she baked with Bev’s new adventure began on August 23, 2019 as she opened her doors to Poundcake Bakery in downtown Lisle. The cozy bakery wraps you in warmth while the sweet smells waft through the air. Bev’s pound cake has a soft buttery crumb and is perfectly dense without being dry. The decadent pound cake can be found in many flavors such as vanilla, lemon blue-berry, key lime, lemon, Mexican Hot Chocolate and our favorite Chocolate Hazelnut. Along with those are seasonal offerings which include, Eggnog, Red Velvet Chocolate, Harvest Home and Bailey’s Irish Cream. Put a dollop of Southwestern Michigan But-tery fruit butter on your pound cake for a unique flavor. Other favorites you can find in the case are both savory and sweet quick breads, Kolacky, muffins, cookies, and scones. The menu includes diabetic friendly items. In 2018 Bev’s daughter Liz was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer. When Liz went into remission in May 2019, she wanted to find a way to give back. Liz’s love of baking pies began in her early teens when her Dad, Paul wanted an apple pie. Find-ing comfort in baking it seemed like a natural way to help support charities for people who have been impacted by cancer. When purchasing a Paulie’s Pie you can be part of the gift of giving back. Need a gift? Poundcake bakery offers custom festive baskets and platters. Heading to a holiday party? Bring a Paulie’s Pie or a tray of Bev’s famous Kolacky. Order by December, 16 to enjoy in time for the holidays. Bev invites you to try her pound cake with attitude this holiday season! ABOUT THE CRITICS Stephanie (right) & Tiffany (left) Schmoker are west suburban sisters who have always shared a love for dining out and they also enjoy cooking together. They came from a family of 7 and grew up on farm with fresh fruits, veggies and more. Watch for their review of a different west suburban restaurant in each issue of Glancer Magazine. Invite them to your eatery at editorial@glancermagazine.com. WEST SUBURBAN EDIBLES TO LOVESSaavvoorryy && SSwweeeett SSiisstteerrss Glancer Magazine • DECEMBER 2019 • WESTERN SUBURBS • 17DINING + ENTERTAINMENTDecember2019_BU_Layout 1 11/18/2019 1:40 PM Page 17

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Kid SSttuuffff18 • WESTERN SUBURBS • DECEMBER 2019 • Glancer Magazine Mary Poppins at Drury Lane Through Jan 19 OAKBROOK –Introducing Disney & Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins, a musical based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney Film. Mary Poppins flies to the stage to delivery whimsy, excitement, and memorable songs to a story that will melt your heart. Nominated for seven Tony Awards and winner of the Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreography, Mary Poppins is a must see for the entire family. Based on the Academy Award-winning film of the same name and the beloved chil-dren’s books by P.L. Travers, Mary Pop-pins is an entertaining adventure of enchantment and fun. Mary Poppins is Rated G. Order tickets online at www.drurylane.com Fun for Everyone at DuPage Children’s Museum NAPERVILLE–Explore, create, build, wonder, discover, think, play, and more. The opportunities are endless! Whether coming for a day of play or attending a special event, kids and their adults will laugh, learn, and love spending time together at the Mu-seum. Tuesday, December 31 join us for a countdown to Noon celebration at Bubble Bash: A Kid-Friendly New Year’s Eve with live entertainment, special activities, and three countdowns to choose from. Plan your visit today! www.dupagechildrens.org, (630) 637-8000 Brookfield Zoo Lights Up For The 38th Year Of Holiday Magic This festive season, continue a tradition or start a new one with family and friends at Brookfield Zoo’s 38th annual Holiday Magic, presented by ComEd and Meijer. The longest-running lights festival in the Chicagoland area fea-tures more than one million LED lights that will illuminate the zoo on Sat-urdays and Sundays, November 30 and December 1, 7-8, 14-15, and 21-22, as well as December 26-31. The zoo is open from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. during Holiday Magic. Guests can come early to enjoy the entire zoo and stay late for the festivities beginning at 4:00 p.m. New this year, zoogoers can stroll through a spectacular 600-foot-long tun-nel featuring thousands of colorful LED lights synchronized to music and an amazing light display of hexagon-shaped trees, mirror balls, and “dancing” holiday trees on the West Mall. www.CZS.org December2019_BU_Layout 1 11/18/2019 1:56 PM Page 18

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Glancer Magazine • DECEMBER 2019 • WESTERN SUBURBS • 19WHAT MOMS LOVEMMoomm’’ss LLiittttllee BBllaacckk BBooookkMONTHLY COLUMNMission With a Menu It’s the holidays and the family is in town with all ages to enter-tain! It’s the perfect time to head to the city and visit Safe-House. You won’t find the restaurant name any-where streetside, so you must search to find the right door. Upon entering, the adventure begins immediately…..I can’t tell you much or I will spoil your surprise. Once we gained access, we sat in the Cone of Silence - which I would highly rec-ommend you request as your pre-ferred table. After placing our order, we were given brain-teaser puzzles to complete at the table. We could choose to work as one team, work as individuals, or work in pairs. Not sure of what was to come, we opted to work as one team to try and assemble or untangle various intertwined pieces of metal. All other missions required us to move from our table and investigate the restaurant to complete the objec-tive. It was interactive and fun! Lots of giggles and curiosity from the teens that I was with, but I also observed many kids in the 8-12 range, as well as adults, having just as much fun. The best part was the interaction - - instead of the teens wanting to check their phones while we waited for our food - they were engaged in the ex-perience. They also loved the green screen which allowed for a million selfies, placing them in Italy, Egypt, and other places around the world. Exiting the restaurant also was part of the adventure - it was up to us to find a way out, maneuver around the laser maze, and enter the secret code to re-enter the streets of Chi-cago. Overview The #1 spy themed bar and restaurant in River North, Chicago welcomes guests of all ages to experience the world of espionage. Agents-in-training are wel-come to investigate all secret passageways and interactive spy gadgets throughout the restaurant while completing assigned missions. SafeHouse Chicago 60 E. Ontario Street Chicago, IL 60611 (312) 313-1007 www.safehousechicago.com Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday; 4 p.m. to Midnight Monday; 11:30 a.m. to Midnight Tuesday and Wednesday; 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday and Fri-day; 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. Saturday Price $: Activities included in Res-taurant Seating. Menu items vary in price. ABOUT THE WRITER Naperville mom Kristen Ku-charski graduated from Illi-nois State University in 1992 with an Inter-national Business De-gree. She has two energetic daughters and her house is always full of children. Kristen’s column ti-tled, Mom's Little Black Book, is a monthly feature written for moms who are looking for ways to keep their kids busy. Read her past columns at www.glancermagazine.com/featured-bloggersCHRISTMAS SWEATER SHUFFLE 5K Haul out the dec-orated trees, the candy canes, and the mistletoe, and don’t forget to dig deep into the closet or drawer for that spe-cial sweater that has provided such holiday cheer. It’s time to “don we now our gay apparel” and bring it on down to the streets of Glen Ellyn where the big guy himself (Santa) will serve as the Grand Marshall for the inaugural Christmas Sweater Shuffle 5K. Glen Ellyn residents, Doug and Lacie Flannery are co-owners and managing partners of the race and Blistering Pace Race Management. They make their careers in the run-ning space, assisting in the produc-tion of events such as the Napa Valley Marathon and Half Marathon, Chicago Marathon, and Big Sur Inter-national Marathon, but they dreamed of bringing something special to their hometown that everyone could be a part of. “We wanted to highlight the charming downtown Glen Ellyn area and the Christmas tree on Main Street,” says Lacie. “We hope to start a holiday tradition for our neigh-bors, year after year.” You can run, you can walk, you can just come down and cheer everyone on, and I’m pretty sure you can sing if you want to – all the while benefit-ing their charity partners: the Glen Ellyn Food Pantry and The Friends of Glen Ellyn Parks. Non-perishable donations will be collected on the day of the event, and proceeds from the registrations will go to both charities to assist with their local missions. For 35 years, the Glen Ellyn Food Pantry has been dis-tributing groceries to our neighbors in need and most re-cently distributed 750,000 pounds of fresh, nutritious and sustainable meals to 32,000 in-dividuals. The Friends of Glen Ellyn Parks help preserve open space opportunities and de-velop recreational resources includ-ing funding scholarships to enable all residents, regardless of their eco-nomic situation, to participate in Park District programs. Race participants will receive a spe-cial winter beanie hat and a finisher’s medal. Most importantly, Santa will be available at the finish line for pho-tos while your family enjoys milk and cookies. For more information on this festive event, visit www.christmassweater-shuffle.com . Mindy’s December Giving Inspira-tion: Help an elderly family member write ABOUT THE WRITER Mindy Kyle is the owner of Be In-spired Studios and is passionate about helping people discover what brings them joy and to live a full, healthy and happy life. She has her Masters in Fine Arts degree in creative writing from DePaul University and lives in Naperville with her husband, three chil-dren and the cutest dog in the land. MONTHLY COLUMNTToo GGiivvee,, TToo IInnssppiirreeDecember2019_BU_Layout 1 11/18/2019 1:43 PM Page 19

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LOOKING FOR A LUXURY MAINTENANCE FREE PROPERTY WITH AN ELEVATOR & 4 CAR GARAGE If you are considering a change, contact Susan Colella– Baird & Warner Real Estate Professional who has a private luxury town home listing that she would like to share with you! It’s close to 6,000 square feet, plus the fin-ished basement features a wine cellar, theatre, bar, gourmet kitchen, 5 bed-rooms, sauna, steam shower & huge patio for entertaining. For a private tour of this one of kind masterpeice listed for $985,000 in the English Rows subdivsion of south Naperville, call Susan Colella today. Susan Colella, Baird & Warner, (630) 946-3813 20 • WESTERN SUBURBS • DECEMBER 2019 • Glancer Magazine VISIT THIS 10,000 SQ FT SHOWROOM HOMEWERKS KITCHEN AND BATH Recognized as a premiere remodeling company, this 10,000 square foot showroom is truly inspir-ing. Family owned and operated since 1996, HomeWerks specializes in full service remod-eling. The kitchen and bath displays are inter-active, allowing visitors to experience many product features first hand. With the focus of providing high quality products, professional in-stallation and exceptional customer service, HomeWerks has been a welcomed addition to the Naperville community. HomeWerks Kitchen and Bath • 1154 E. Ogden Avenue, Naperville (866) 265-8895 • www.myhomewerks.comWINTER 2019ARE HOLIDAYS HARD ON YOUR FLOORS? Festivities bring excess foot traffic, and spilled food, toys, and drinks that can wear your hardwood floor. Buff & Coat’s dustless, odorless, done in a day process re-moves unsightly surface scuffs and scratches and creates a beautiful, more easily cleanable, refinished surface. Re-fresh your current finish with matte, satin, semi-gloss, or a high gloss sheen to make a stunning change. Call Ray at (630) 689-3800 or visit www.buffandcoatnow.com. HOME LOVEEnglish Rows, NapervilleRE-IMAGINE YOUR HOME IN 2020 This is the perfect month to start re-imagining your home for 2020. Roseland Draperies can help update your home with new window treatments, bedding, table linens, reupholstery and more! We’re celebrating the holidays with extra “Daily Deals,” delivered right to your inbox, all through December. Visit RoselandDraperies.com, or call us at 630-355-1565, to sign up for design tips and special promotions. Book an ap-pointment this month and get a jump on 2020! SELDOM USED WHIRLPOOL TUB? Not many homeowners with larger whirlpool bathtubs find the time to bath in them. Often separate showers found in these homes are small and uncomfortable. You might consider either taking out that monster whirlpool entirely or using less space with a smaller freestanding bathtub. Doing this can provide ample space for a larger shower will multiple shower heads and even a seat. The Kitchen Master can design and build your new bath to fit your lifestyle. www.thekitchenmaster.com HOME + GARDENDecember2019_BU_Layout 1 11/18/2019 1:31 PM Page 20

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Glancer Magazine • DECEMBER 2019 • WESTERN SUBURBS • 21REAL ESTATEWEST SUBURBAN REAL ESTATEChicago’s west suburban real estate market boasts a variety of unique homes for sale in beautiful neighborhoods with award-winning school districts and more. We invite you to schedule a tour of this featured property today and get to know this listing agent for your next move! LocalLISTINGS TO LOVE♥4147 Royal Mews Circle, Naperville Offered for $455.000 MAINTENANCE FREE LIVING CAN BE YOURS Impressive Victorian inspired townhome with an ELEVATOR that takes you to all 4 luxurious levels. Maintenance free & includes water usage. 2 master bedrooms, fin-ished basement makes a wonderful 3rd bedroom, 2 fireplaces, front porch, balcony and deck great for grilling! Luxurious features include central vac, hardwood floors, white crown moldings & open concept chef's kitchen. Call Luxury Listing Agent Susan Colella at (630) 946-3813 LocalLISTING TO LOVE♥CREATIVE MARKETING STRATEGIES PENNY O’BRIEN – One word that consistently comes to clients’ minds when they think of Penny O’Brien is “hustle.” As a Seller Representative Specialist, she loves meeting with sellers to dis-cuss pre-market home improvements and guide them to make their home “showtime ready” when it hits the market. She strongly believes in profes-sional staging and offers it as a complimentary service. With a reputation for “good-looking list-ings,” she helps clients realize a higher return and quicker sale. Penny says “Staging transforms a home from average to amazing”. Penny O'Brien Broker | Relocation Specialist Negotiation Expert • (630) 207-7001 penny.obrien@bairdwarner.com December2019_BU_Layout 1 11/18/2019 1:09 PM Page 21

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3. CAL’S ANGELS ST. CHARLES Help bring joy to the faces of local kids fighting cancer by participating in their annual toy and gift card drive (November-January). These toys and cards are brought to Chicago area hospitals year-round to the patients and their siblings to brighten up their world. www.calsangels.org1. RONALD MCDONALD HOUSES AND FAMILY ROOMS Meals from the Heart/Cookies from the Heart Your family or friends’ groups can volunteer with the local RMHC Meals from the Heart program - an opportunity to create and serve home-cooked meals for families staying at the Ron-ald McDonald Houses. If you are more of a baker, Cookies from the Heart volunteers bake tasty treats in the RMH kitchens for visitors. www.rmhccni.org5. LOCAL TOYS FOR TOTS DRIVE Spread the joy of Christmas. Toys for Tots is the best way to get toys to children in need during the holidays. Each county has their own toy drive and own website listing toy drop-off locations, events and volunteer opportunities. www.toysfortots.org 7. OPERATION SUPPORT OUR TROOPS Let our troops overseas know you are thinking of them. OSOT has many ways for you to get involved from packing comfort and care pack-ages to organizing your own local collection and letter-writing campaigns, or while out shopping, pick up a few of the items on their needed dona-tions list and find one of their local drop-off locations. www.osotamerica.org 6. DUPAGE PADS Especially during the winter months, it is imperative to find shelter for our homeless. Volunteering with DuPage Pads at one of their many shelter locations puts you directly in touch with those in need and helps provide them a safe place to eat and rest. www.dupagepads.org As so many of us start our festive planning and gift giving, we can be drawn to thoughts of those less fortunate during the holidays. There are always people, families and children in need for one reason or another. A little extra time or gifts can go a long way to making this season bright for all. Check out these special organizations to help you find the best way for you to give back. 1.WAYS TO GIVE BACK THIS SEASON6.4. BRIDGE COMMUNITIES GLEN ELLYN Consider adopting a homeless family that is in the Bridge Communities’ Traditional Housing Pro-gram this holiday season. When you make a dona-tion, Bridge will provide a gift card(s) to a Bridge mom so she can shop for her family for her family’s holiday needs. www.bridgecommunities.org4.5.22 • WESTERN SUBURBS • DECEMBER 2019 • Glancer Magazine 7.3.2. FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN Kids and adults of all ages can come together to hand-pack nutritious meals specifically de-signed to assist in re-versing and preventing undernutrition. Meals are then donated to food partners around the world to help save lives. Upcoming local packing events are listed on their website. www.fmsc.org 2.December2019_BU_Layout 1 11/18/2019 1:04 PM Page 22

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