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What are the 2021 trends for kitchen remodels? Gina Mazzone's career as a kitchen and bath designer was born of a desire to create her own dream kitchen. After taking a class at College of DuPage and completing her kitchen transformation, she knew there were more kitchens out there that could benefit from her newfound love of interior design. "That's when I decided to get into that specific field," said Mazzone, who went on to become a certified kitchen and bath designer....
Doctors go to medical school, police officers attend the police academy and chefs go to culinary school. But for most people, being a citizen of their community requires no training at all. Hinsdale Central junior Suzan Nofal thinks that should change. Nofal is one of more than 20 high school students from across the country chosen to help draw attention to the need for civics education through the inaugural Equity in Civics Youth Fellowship. Throughout the yearlong program fu...
What tools can help people work out at home? With the start of a new year, many have a renewed interest in getting off the couch and back to better health. And like so many things, more workouts than ever are taking place virtually. Luckily, there also are more options than ever for the would-be fitness buff who, for safety or convenience, chooses to work out at home. Fitness Tech - At Home Fitness will be presented by the Hinsdale Public Library at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13....
When choosing a libation, Allen Rodriguez of Fuller House in Hinsdale prefers bourbon. But on New Year's Eve, he likes to bring out the bubbles. Rodriguez said cocktails with a lower alcohol content are a good choice for ringing in the new year because they allow folks to sip throughout the hours leading up to the big event. And of course, nothing says Happy New Year like a sparkling glass of champagne or its Italian sister, prosecco. Influenced by Rodriguez's recent trip to...
December 23 is a date that holds a place in Hinsdale's culture and history. For generations the evening has been reserved for the Hinsdale Assembly's annual ball - the culmination of a year's worth of work and involvement by the program's debutantes and honor guard. "In 57 years the ball has never not been held on Dec. 23," said Laurie Eichelman, chair of the 2020 Assembly board. She said the decision was made back in August to stray from tradition in the interest of safety....
How will self care help keep holidays bright? Like everything else in 2020, the holidays look different this year. And for many, they look a little sadder. "People are needing a little more help right now than they have in the past," said Melissa Roberts New, clinical director and therapist at Spectrum Behavioral Health in Hinsdale. "The holidays are probably one of the harder parts of the year," New said. People turn to mental health professionals to help them deal with the...
Kathy Graham was never a Girl Scout herself. But the Campfire Girls played a big part in the life of this Minnesota native. She became a Bluebird in third grade and worked her way up through the ranks of the organization until senior year of high school, learning lessons and new skills along the way. “I definitely had just a wonderful, fulfilling experience as a young girl. It taught me a lot about the world,” Graham said. Today, she’s dedicated to providing some of those...
How will your donation support remote learning? Hinsdale residents Greg Hart and David Andalcio have more in common than their addresses. They also share a desire to strengthen their community by supporting the needs of others. When Hart, who represents his hometown on the DuPage County Board, realized that remote learning had the potential to negatively impact students without access to computers, he turned to Andalcio to tackle the problem. As CEO of Wynndalco, a technology...
To Kristen Laakso, rooms are filled with much more than furniture and buildings are made of more than wood and steel. For this lifelong student of art and architecture, rooms are full of questions and buildings tell a story. As president of the Hinsdale Historical Society, Laakso hopes to share the stories and answer the questions hidden within the village's oldest and most interesting buildings. "This town has a story to tell," said Laakso, who moved to Hinsdale in 2012 with...
How do controlled burns help Mother Nature? To some, the days leading up to Thanksgiving are for hunting. For others, it's a time to prepare for the holidays ahead. For Erik Neidy, director of natural resources for the DuPage County Forest Preserve District, it's burn season. "There's really about a 10-window in the fall and a 10-day window in the spring," Neidy said. That's when conditions tend to be right for a slow, controlled burn of forest preserve land." The ideal time...
George Floyd, the man whose death at the hands of Minneapolis police officers sparked demonstrations across the country, didn't identify as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. He wasn't victimized for his sexuality and his rights weren't compromised because of his gender. Yet as a person of color, Floyd had a great deal in common with the members of Hinsdale Central High School's Gender Sexuality Alliance, said Bridget McBride, co-president of the club. "The purpose of the club...
What does a psychic medium do? A reminder to see the dentist wasn't what Meredyth Willits' client was looking for in requesting the medium to reach out to her deceased mother. But moms will be moms, in this life and beyond. "It's interesting when spirit can give us those cues," said Willits, who said the woman acknowledged an ongoing issue with the exact tooth her mother pointed to. "There's no one more amazed by this than me." The Hinsdale resident and mother of four said...
Julie Curran has never considered herself an artist. But she knows and appreciates the important role that art in all forms has on people, families and communities. That's why she's been part of the DuPage Foundation's Arts DuPage Advisory Committee since it was established nearly five years ago. 'It's one of the things I like about living in Hinsdale and about living in DuPage County," Curran said of the area's vast and varied opportunities to enjoy art in its many forms....
Music was an important part of Lisa Pomeroy's life throughout her years at Hinsdale Central High School. She was a member of the madrigal singers, concert choir and musical casts, sang in the school talent show and further honed her vocal skills with private lessons. It wasn't until she had graduated from University of Illinois with a degree in French commercial studies that Pomeroy considered music as a career. As she prepared to embark on the world of international...
What is the best recipe for kitchen safety? The kitchen is often called the heart of the home. It's the place where family recipes are prepared, celebrations are created and memories are made. But it also can be one of the most dangerous places in a house. "Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home injuries," said Nick McDonough, firefighter paramedic with the Hinsdale Fire Department. That's why the National Fire Protection Association has chosen "Serve up fire...
A power button will replace the stage curtain and the rewind button will take the place of a curtain call in this year's fall theater production at Nazareth Academy. Like so many events this year, the fall play at the LaGrange Park private high school will be presented entirely on video this year. After 40 years of teaching and directing, theater director Kim White said she thought she had done it all. But this year has proven to her that even with decades of experience and...
Hinsdale has always been home to Ann Reidy Smith. As a real estate broker, she's made a career of helping others make the village their home, too. "I love the community and I've always wanted other people to feel the same way about it," Smith said. A lot has changed since she began selling homes in Hinsdale, she noted. But in the decades since she sold that first house, at least two things have remained the same. "It all comes down to relationships and trust. That has not...
Anton Riegger loves just about everything about being outdoors. Everything, that is, except for the plastic waste that litters the forests, lakes and oceans that he so loves to explore. A few months ago, Riegger decided to get behind a movement to decrease the amount of plastic waste in the environment by taking a pledge to reduce his own use of plastic and encouraging others to do the same. After taking the No Plastic Drinks pledge himself, Anton signed on as a youth...
How can students succeed in the virtual classroom? School looks different for just about everyone this year. And as with any sort of change, the transition this year from in-person classes to virtual instruction taken from home comes with challenges for teachers, parents and students. The Hinsdale Public Library stepped in to help Monday with the virtual program "Teen Success at Home - How to Boost Executive Functioning Skills." Parents of teens were invited to tune in to...
A Friday morning get-together with a group of fellow Christian men changed Charles Lewis' life for years to come and the lives of thousands of Chicago residents forever. It was at one of these weekly gatherings that Lewis heard Glen Kehrein tell the story of Circle Urban Ministries and the good work it was doing to make the Austin community of Chicago a better place to live. It wasn't long before Lewis was part of the Circle Urban mission. "Circle really had a calling on my...
Wander into any Trader Joe's store in the United States and you'll find a product with ties firmly rooted right here in Hinsdale. Alongside big-name brands like Cliff and Kind bars, shoppers will find a completely natural snack called Frooze Balls. Hinsdale resident Cherie Jackson is CEO of Tino Kai LLC, U.S. distributor of Frooze Balls - the all-natural, plant-based snack born in New Zealand. Thanks in large part to Jackson's efforts over the last few years, Frooze Balls laun...
COVID-19 has gotten in the way of so many things this summer. But Kayla Weiss isn't letting it or anything else get in the way of her joy of becoming a mother. "Everyone I've talked to who is pregnant right now kind of has the same view of COVID and pregnancy," said Weiss, who, along with at least five other members of the Hinsdale Junior Woman's Club, is expecting a baby later this year. That's not to say that the pandemic hasn't played a role in these womens' road to motherh...
My mid-summer, after several months of quarantine, the Konieska family of Hinsdale was ready for a change of scenery. With travel out of the question, Stephanie Konieska turned to the internet for inspiration. She found she didn't have to go far to find new sights. Konieska discovered a list of ideas for safe outdoor activities to educate and entertain. Inspired by the list, she and her 10-year-old son, Camden, set out one day in early July to discover the art and culture of...
What are the key benefits of yoga? Alexandra Rimmele's relationship with yoga wasn't love at first sight. A marathon runner who wasn't afraid of a tough workout, Rimmele acted on her coach's suggestion and signed up for a class at Core Power Yoga in Hinsdale 10 years ago. "It was a whole new universe for me," said Rimmele, who in that first class discovered that while she could run 26 miles, she couldn't do a single push-up. "I walked out loving and hating it at the same...
The world's greatest inventions are born of necessity. For Hinsdale Central High School alum Sophia Karbowski, that need was for a quick and healthy snack. Karbowski was studying entrepreneurial management at Texas Christian University in Ft. Worth when she became frustrated with the lack of dining options on campus. Coupling her entrepreneurial spirit with her need for nutrition, Rollin' n Bowlin' was born. Acai bowls - frozen puree made from acai berries topped with granola...
