COVER STORY
E-EDITION
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2026
Time Well Spent
Young Men’s Service League invites mothers and sons to serve the community together BY MAUREEN CALLAHAN It’s been said that you must be the change you wish to see in this world. Just ask the 81 moms and 92 high school students who make up the Clarendon Hills/Hinsdale chapter of the Young Men’s Service League…
TITANIC TURNAROUND
Tortorello, Surowiec lead Nazareth to second in state after tough 2024 BY JEFF VORVA | PHOTOS BY JEFF VORVA Hinsdale’s Tess Tortorello comes from a volleyball family that includes three aunts and a cousin who played at Division I colleges. Her sister, Lola, plays at Tufts University. Tess also has uncles who have competed in…
Dancing Through Life
Clarendon Hills dance studio inspires next generation BY ANNA HUGHES Sheetal Dhanani started dancing at age five — and never stopped. As a child in India, her mother liked to joke that the moment music started, Dhanani’s feet started moving. “It’s so beautiful that you fall in love with it,” Dhanani said. When she immigrated…
Reviving the Silent Screen
A new generation tackles silent filmmaking with annual festival By Anna Hughes In a world where advanced technology defines modern filmmaking, one local festival is going back to the basics. The Student Silent Film Festival is an annual competition for Chicago-area high school students that puts their skills to the test with the ultimate challenge:…
Red Devil Redemption
Hinsdale Central’s Lauren Panveno and Sophia Virmani take second in state after tough draw in 2024 BY JEFF VORVA In 2024, the Hinsdale Central tennis doubles team of Lauren Panveno and Sophia Virmani had the worst luck of the draw as you possibly could have. The Illinois High School Association follows a format in which…
2026 Wedding Trends:
5 Ways Modern Couples Are Redefining Celebrations
1. Destination Experiences Couples are turning their “I do’s” into multi-day escapes—private villas, yachts, and immersive itineraries. Think welcome cocktails, chef-hosted dinners, and a farewell brunch overlooking the sea. 2. Floor-to-Ceiling Design No longer limited to centerpieces, design now surrounds every sense. Suspended florals, mirrored floors, custom scents, and ambient light art create immersive…
Inside Curling
Villa Park’s Windy City Curling Club is just a stone’s throw away By Maureen Callahan Curling. We’ve all seen it played at the Winter Olympics, but how many can say they really understand this unique sport? To the casual onlooker, it could seem at first like a cross between shuffleboard and marbles played on ice.…
Is it Almost Spring?
Find out on February 2 in Woodstock, Illinois By Maureen Callahan| Photos courtesy of Woodstock Willie Days Committee By February, most of us have winter blues. That is, unless you live in northwest suburban Woodstock, the town that doubled for Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, in Harold Ramis’ 1993 cult classic, Groundhog Day. February 2 marks the day…
Dave Wannstedt
From Western Pennsylvania to gridiron greatness By Marcus Fertig | Photo by Victor Hilitski Dave Wannstedt’s football story doesn’t begin under the bright lights of the NFL. It begins in the steel towns of Western Pennsylvania, where football wasn’t just a game; it was a lifeline. “Football was a way out for us,” Wannstedt says.…
Game Changers
TV’s most memorable ads are aired on Super Bowl Sunday BY MAUREEN CALLAHAN “People are usually annoyed by advertising. But one day a year, they love it.” – Soraya Faber, SVP, Executive Account Director of McCann New York It’s the big day! The dips are made, the chili is simmering, and the beer is icing…
