MCL’s Holiday Issue Has You Covered!

The holidays are right around the corner, but fear not if you’re hosting or attending a party this year — wow guests with festive treats from local bakeries and sweet shops.

What about the perfect gift? Skip the long lines at the mall. Don’t get frustrated shopping online. The best gifts can be found at locally owned and operated retailers in the county. Find something for everyone on your list!

Maybe you want someone else to do the cooking, entertaining and cleanup this year for a change. There are quite a few holiday events and menu specials planned locally.

If you’re looking for ways to break from the hectic holiday routine, why not get out into nature by cross-county skiing or taking up bird watching? Both offer plentiful opportunities in McHenry County.

There are many worthy organizations that could use your help during this season of giving (and year-round). Learn about them all in McHenry County Living’s Big Give. And speaking of helping others, we spoke with volunteers at McHenry County Animal Control whose work helps pets get a second chance at love and quality of life.

From McHenry County Living to you, your family and friends, enjoy a healthy and happy holiday season — and best to you in 2011!

The MCL staff!

Green Team: MCCD Adds Healthy U Vending Machine

Lost Valley Visitor Center

Two of McHenry County Living’s favorite entities – McHenry County Conservation District (MCCD) and Healthy U Snacks – have teamed up to provide healthy snacks to visitors of Lost Valley Visitor Center.

The vending machine is located in the new center and provides the only option to purchase snacks for the park’s hiking, biking, fishing, canoeing, picnicking, nature viewing, camping, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling enthusiasts.

Healthy U Snacks was chosen by MCCD for its commitment to healthy snacking and beverage options containing only all-natural ingredients that are locally sourced and certified organic whenever possible.  In addition, Healthy U Snacks’ vending machines use LED lights and high-efficiency compressors for refrigeration, which was important toward creating a green-functioning building.

“Given our ongoing, district-wide wellness initiative and our goal to have the new Lost Valley Visitor Center in Glacial Park LEED Certified as a Green Building, working with Healthy U Snacks is a perfect fit,” said Deb Chapman, education services manager, MCCD. “We are excited to offer our visitors delicious, healthy snacking options via an energy-efficient vending machine.”

Although snacks and beverage options change according to popularity and request, a few of the great-tasting, all-natural brands that will be regularly stocked in the machines include Rock N Roll Gourmet’s Hippie Chips, Pirate’s Booty, Clif Bar and Talking Rain.

For more on MCCD, call 815-678-4532 or visit www.mccdistrict.org.
For more on Healthy U Snacks, visit www.healthyuvending.com.

“Hunters & Hearts” Available Now!

Hunters & Hearts is a fascinating story of courage and loyalty as seen through the eyes of an amazing man, Emil Iverson. The book is authored by his grandsons John and Cary resident James, with research provided by S. Moyer Iverson.

Based upon the extraordinary true story of Emil Iverson, explorer, athlete and head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks, Hunters & Hearts is an epic tale of adventure and friendship, loss and redemption.

The story charts the epic struggles of the Ojibwa tribe and in particular, Two Rivers and his raven spirit guide. The Ojibwa tribe is decimated by disease brought to the region by Europeans. The few survivors are driven from their village at gunpoint and their lodges burned to the ground. Two Rivers spends several years in self-imposed isolation as he plans his revenge and an eventual return to the village in order to properly bury his people. His hatred is tamed by the most unexpected occurrence. Just as he is about to be murdered by a ruthless bounty hunter, a white man steps in to save him, sparking off a friendship that leads to Emil’s 1927 expedition to find the Lost Tribe.

Pick up your copy today at bookstores and Amazon. Read our story about the making of this book here.

What’s New Over Here!

Back to School issue is out now!

The beautiful Back to School issue hit streets earlier this month and features lots of great stories from our top restaurants and sweet spots around the county to unique learning opportunities outside of the classroom. We applaud Raue Center in Crystal Lake for 10 successful years in a time when independent theaters have been hit hard by the economy. We encourage the community to continue supporting this wonderful arts and entertainment center.

While we work on the Autumn issue (can  you even believe it? It’s right around the corner), we continue staying front and center in your lives weekly with our Weekender e-newsletter/guide to the weekend. Sign up here and tell a friend! It’s free and subscribing automatically enters you  to winning a free pair of tickets to a Raue Center show!

Stay up-t0-date with us via Twitter and Facebook. Check out our photo galleries on Flickr. And as always, be sure to pick up a free copy all around the county. We’re available in most of the storefronts in the downtown areas, as well as chambers of commerce offices and every library!

‘As Ever, Stan’ (on set in McHenry County)

"As Ever, Stan" was filmed in McHenry County.

Earlier this year, a press release came across my desk for a showing of “As Ever, Stan,” a WWII-era short film produced in McHenry County in October 2008. It must have gotten buried under paperwork because by the time I uncovered it, the showing at the Lake County Film Festival had already passed. Anyone with an inbox (physical or virtual) feels my pain.

I hope it shows locally again so I can drum up some attendance, but for now, I’d like to lead as many people to the facebook, trailer, etc., as possible because it’s a great work by a talented group of Northwestern University students (some now alumni).

The subject matter is based on the writer/director Alex Schwarm’s (NU ’09) grandparents, particularly his grandmother Edith’s point of view as the wife of a solider who is returning home after four months as a P.O.W. – it’s an angle you don’t often see in film.

Schwarm, along with producers Samantha Soto (NU ’09) and Matthew Litwiller (NU ’11), led a film crew of 50 NU undergraduates from Evanston to McHenry County a few years ago to shoot the film. Over the course of three days, they shot scenes in a prairie bungalow in Marengo, farmhouses in Woodstock and Union, as well as the Illinois Railway Museum in Union.

Going Local in Crystal Lake (Duke’s & Conscious Cup)

Duke's Farm

We were very thrilled to hear about two local businesses that are taking local food to the next level …

First: “This year at Duke’s Alehouse and Kitchen (110 North Main St.), we will be using vegetables from our very own garden. Salute Farms and one very kind customer were happy to donate portions of their l…and to Duke’s for our own personal use. We have hired on our very own Head Farmer, Emily Zack, to help us grow the tastiest vegetables for our menu. Items will include salad greens, herbs, arugula, tomatoes, radishes, collards, and more. Customers will be able to enjoy the freshest possible produce planted, grown, and picked at their peak under our own watchful eye. We will have complete control of these items from seed to mouth. Pay attention to our chalkboard and walls for items available from our farm. Pictures of our garden will also be posted in our dining room and on our website.”

And: Conscious Cup Coffee Roasters (625D Cog Circle) which relocates into a bigger location down the street (5005 Northwest Hwy.) in early July, will begin offering food from “local farms within a 150-mile radius. This ‘localvore’ buying helps the home community farm economy and significantly reduces our demand on the environment. We will include organic and vegetarian choices on our menu.

“We will have a laptop bar and much more seating, including tables for larger groups that are being custom made from lumber reclaimed from a David Adler-designed home undergoing restoration in Lake Forest. Much of the existing cabinetry and other materials will also be recycled for use in the new location.”

Iconic Crystal Lake Entrepreneur Retires … at 92!

–By Edna C. McCall

Seventy-one years ago, a young couple moved into an apartment above the husband’s family’s business in Downtown Crystal Lake.

Across the hall from their apartment, they created a space where the young wife could open her own business; and practice her newly acquired skills as a beautician.

These two had met while they were attending Crystal Lake High School. Millie Smida Gieseke’s parent were merchants in fox River Grove, and Lester’s parents owned Gieseke’s Department Store at 83 N. Williams St. in Crystal Lake (where the Public House is today).

Time went on … Les worked in retail his whole life. He eventually opened The New Era store, which was a the corner of Williams and Brink streets (where Dalzell Jewelry is now).

Millie and Les became parents to two beautiful girls, Leslie and Lisa. They lived in various locations in Crystal Lake, and eventually settled into a beautiful home on the lake.

Somewhere along the way, Millie decided to give retail a try. She had a gift store at the time.

Then she opened The Fabric Shop. If you couldn’t find what you were looking for – you could probably find something you liked even better. Millie had it all.

Millie was also a good neighbor to other downtown merchants. You could see her making the rounds, to check up on other merchants and to just say, “Hello.”

Kids loved Millie! She had the greatest collection of puppets and she enjoyed sharing them with the little ones.

Millie kept her own books and kept up on the latest fabrics to bring into the store. She was very good at details. But there is one thing she forgot to do. She forgot to retire! Then, she realized she was almost 92.

With a little encouragement from her daughters, Millie recently sold The Fabric Shop. She gathered up her puppets and other valuables, and turned the store over to a new owner.

Millie is confident that the sore is in good hands. She is ready to try something new.

We would still like to see Millie making the rounds, to check up on all of her friends downtown. We aren’t ready to give that up, Millie.

Lester and Millie have been an important part of Crystal Lake history. Thanks for being there, Millie. You have been a real asset to the community. you did good!

–Edna C. McCall, owner of The Flag Store in Downtown Crystal Lake, has been a business neighbor of Millie Gieseke’s for 35 years:

Chef Debi Brings Families Back to the Dinner Table

Chef Debi Stuckwisch of Meals Like Mom (Johnsburg, Ill.)

Chef Debi Stuckwisch’s father, James Calkins, isn’t as versatile in the kitchen as some: certainly not as accomplished as his daughter. Since his wife, Jo Calkins, passed on in 2008, Chef Debi (pictured) has prepared most of her father’s meals. However, everyone isn’t fortunate enough to have a certified home chef in the family. That’s why Chef Debi started Meals Like Mom’s Personal Chef Service (847-778-9351) in Johnsburg.

“There are a lot of people who need a little help from the kitchen,” she said. “Maybe their spouse, who used to do the cooking, isn’t there anymore. Or, maybe, their life is so busy that they’re always just catching a bite to eat on the fly. With Meals Like Mom’s, I can come in and prepare delicious meals of their choice, cooked the way they want.”

Chef Debi, who started learning how to cook from her mother and grandmother, starts by meeting with her clients for a consultation. She determines a diet and schedule that fits the client’s wishes.

“I also prepare meals for people who have specific dietary needs,” She said. “For instance, if someone is a diabetic, I’ll cook dishes they’ll enjoy that meet the requirements of the diet their doctor prescribed for them.”

Meals Like Mom’s offers weekly personal chef services, vacation home chef services and chef prepared meals for any number of events and occasions, such as holidays, private dinner parties, romantic dinners, themed parties, adult and child tea parties, murder mysteries and in-home cooking classes.

Chef Debi is a certified personal chef with the American Personal & Private Chef Association. She also has certifications in food safety from the Illinois Department of Health & Welfare and adheres to the Personal Chef International Code of Ethics.

Local Runners Help Haiti – And So Can You!

Local runners Rich and Laurie Teper had already begun helping plan the Inaugural Marathon in Ouanaminthe, Haiti to be held Jan 9, 2011 long before the massive earthquake. The idea came to them when Schaumburg-based Martha Walker (pictured) – who has gone to Haiti multiple times in the last year and a half – suggested it to some local runners.

“We are also planning several fun runs from different running store locations to spread the word to local runners, as well as raise some money,” Laurie Teper said. “This community is about 90 miles northeast of Port Au Prince. They did not suffer the immediate consequences of the earthquake, though in the long run, their only hope of attending college has now vanished. Survivors of the earthquake are also migrating, which impacts any community, much less an already impoverished country.  Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. Martha travels there every other month and ministers to the orphanage, schools and community. Her stories are amazing.”

The Tepers are working to raise money and awareness to specifically help care for orphans, provide education for thousands of children and assist in community transformation. Now 18 people have  signed up to either run the marathon or help in some way.

“This is only the beginning,” Teper said. “Many details need to be worked out and we have a committed and excited group of people with various gifts and talents who are taking on the task to see this through. One hundred percent of the proceeds will be given directly to this community. There is no middle man or administrative costs that would take away from the profits. All donations are tax deductible. Our goal is to raise $50,000 this year. Seventy dollars pays a teacher’s salary for one month; there are 26 teachers currently sponsored. There are still 12 teachers that need sponsoring.”

The food program is approximately $600 per month – $400 buys rice, beans, flour, oil and dry pasta; $200 buys poultry, veggies, fruit and water. This $600 feeds all 32 children at one orphanage, plus Pastor Willio, his wife and two children, who oversees the orphanage.

They are also looking for a Web designer for the marathon, a frequent flyer who is willing to donate their miles to the runners, as well as cash donors to help pay for flights. “We want people to support our cause and make a huge impact in Haiti’s future,” Teper said.

If you or you know someone you know can help out, please contact teper@sbcglobal.net or 847-212-5651.

Winter 2010 Issue – Here Soon!

The Winter 2010 issue of McHenry County Living hits streets soon! You do not want to miss this issue, which will soon be available around the county at local businesses, libraries and events.

Here are some highlights from the new book:

• Our Wedding Planner
• Health & Fitness Guide 2010
• Interior Design Trends and Ideas
• Arts in the County
• Lucy’s Cafe
• Ice Fishing
• High School Basketball
• Advocate Good Shepherd’s New ER
• Historic Mink Farm in Cary

+ So Much MORE!

Don’t forget to subscribe to MCL’s Weekender, the first and best Thursday e-newsletter spotlighting McHenry County’s best bets for the weekend.

Also, follow us on Twitter!