Z-Elmhurst
Discover Arizona: From Cowboys to Hollywood elite, the American Southwest holds something for everyone
By Maureen Callahan The 1860s gold rush put Arizona on the map. Subsequent discoveries of silver and copper in the decades that followed brought more fortune-seekers. By the 20s, Route 66 offered a direct path out there, dotted with convenient stopping-off points. But it was the mainstreaming of air conditioning for residential use in the…
Read MoreFeeding His Passion: Newly appointed Chef Stephen takes the helm at The Westin Chicago Lombard
What is your background? Before joining Westin Chicago Lombard, I was the Chicago Bears’ Executive Chef at the Chicago Bears Halas Hall training facility in Lake Forest. I prepared daily food for football players, coaches, scouts, and front office staff. I used my culinary skills and hospitality experience uniquely. Before my current position, I was…
Read MoreCelebrating A Century of Open Road: Now in its 100th year, this slice of Americana still beckons travelers
By Maureen Callahan The open road. It’s still the holy grail of travel. Route 66 was the first road that made the offer back in 1923. And millions of Americans accepted. Mr Ford had introduced his Model-T over a decade earlier. Americans had the vision to go west. Now they had a way to get…
Read MoreBrightly Shining: Diwali reminds us to be a light to darkness
By Maureen Callahan As the leaves turn, thousands of families in the western suburbs celebrate a five-day festival every fall. Diwali, the festival of lights, may encompass diverse traditions and customs by celebrants, but there are a few common themes. Curious about this festival? Read on for some answers to some common questions about this…
Read MoreTimothy Christian Schools: Where students are challenged to realize their full potential
By Larry Atseff | Photos by Victor Hilitski Parents certainly want their children to do well in school. In addition, for a large (and growing) number of families, one’s Christian faith is central – the virtues, the values, and the promises of the Bible. When parents are serious about both, Timothy Christian Schools in Elmhurst…
Read MoreFocus on the Filmmaker: Jim Toth
Jim Toth spent 20 years as a creative director in Chicago’s advertising industry. During the pandemic, however, he was laid off. While unfortunate, these circumstances afforded him the gift of time, and the self-proclaimed amateur filmmaker bought a camera and began experimenting, largely by filming his son and daughter. Toth served on the Downers Grove…
Read MoreNeat Kitchen and Bar
neatkitchenandbar.com 246 North Cass Avenue downtown Westmont Lifelong friends John Taylor and Matt Verde, owners of Neat Kitchen and Bar in Westmont, met in sixth grade at Immaculate Conception Grade School in Elmhurst. After graduating together from high school, their careers took them separate ways, but both pursued careers in the restaurant industry. Between John’s…
Read MoreThe Service Club of Chicago Spring Hat Luncheon
In May, The Service Club of Chicago hosted its annual fundraising event, The Spring Hat Luncheon, at The Langham in downtown Chicago. Guests stepped out in their finest hats and enjoyed a red-carpet entrance, live music, luncheon and a hat contest. The theme of the Hat Luncheon this year was “The Many Hats We Wear”…
Read MoreJoan Walsh Anglund
The local area native who became a world-renowned children’s author By Maureen Callahan What is a friend? The answer depends on who you ask. A friend is someone who helps you. It’s someone with whom you have shared memories and common ground. A friend- above all- is someone who likes you. Joan Walsh Anglund, a…
Read MoreComing in from Outside
DuPagePads’ new housing model offers a permanent path out of homelessness By Maureen Callahan For the last 35 years, many in this community remember assisting DuPagePads- formerly known by the acronym P.A.D.S.- Public Action to Deliver Shelter- in their church basements. Scout troops, youth groups and others, made up a cast of thousands of volunteers…
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