revia magazine #13 december

polish-american magazine #13, DECEMBER 2015 reviamagazine.com

WHY MUSIC IS EVERYTHING

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revia reviamagazine.com #13, 20154

Lately, it’s been almost impossible to tune into social media channels without seeing tragic

news spilled everywhere. Fires here, bombs there, raids of po-lice in unsuspected, quiet towns. Crazy!

Taking extensive precautions in so many important aspects of our lives is becoming the norm. More and more, we are urged and taught to fear what can be. Instead of being taught how to be more resilient, we are taught

how to hide and fear. So in times when it seems increasingly dan-gerous to leave our homes to run even the smallest of errands (let alone go out to a popular social event…forget about that!), I think it’s important to consider the holidays as a time to be stronger by being softer (think open heart).

This should be a time to not let fear get in the way of feeling joyful, at peace and being generous to others; all those nostalgic feelings symbolic of this time of year that seem neglected lately.

Since there isn’t much we can do to fix the crazy ways of the world (totally different topic for a different magazine), what we can do is channel our awareness to help increase our impact of peace in the community. Small gestures like donating a few buck to a local charity (do we really need that second latte from Star-bucks today?), holding hands with the person we love– just be-cause, leaving a generous tip for our waitress, or maybe saying hi to that not-so-friendly stranger we cross paths with on our way to work. Maybe it’s reaching out for a hug a without needing a reason to do so. Whatever that gesture means you, you get the idea. Let’s bestow gifts of love and positivity that don’t require money. That what makes a strong community – not fear, judgment, or blame, but love and openness.

(FYI I’m not by any means a certified life coach or practic-ing Buddhist, but do know that random acts of kindness can get us far in life. To touch peoples’ lives with care and generosity is profoundly more special than getting that sweater you’ll return anyway).

With that said (whew!), and on a happier note, we are excited to share with you a few optimistic and cheerful stories in this holiday-dedicated REVIA issue. We thought it would be help-ful, and thoughtful, to spread holiday cheer through some very warming and inspirational stories from many of our most valued contributor’s, as well as thought pieces by some newcomers who we are ecstatic to feature for the first time.

Gracing the cover this month is violinist/violist, Katarzyna Bryla, a Poznań native who’s been mastering the violin since she was a child. I had the privilege of learning about Katarzyna‘s past and how her Polish culture has influenced her current life as both a musician, and everyday woman, living in New York. This is truly an inspirational story on perseverance and passion. Flip to pg. 20 to start reading!

Also, this November, PAN (Polish American Network) and REVIA presented Polish History Night at the gorgeous Ivy Hotel in Chicago. The event aimed to educate Poles about how past Pol-ish generations tie into the history of our very accomplished and awesome city to help make it what it is today. After receiving mush praise for our efforts, we’ve realized how helpful and beneficial our event was to the community and we hope to sponsor many more like this in the near future. We would like to thank everyone who came out to support our cause and mission.

Merry Holidays – and till next time!Monica Dolecka

Managing eDitor

08 -- Vanity Fair social Networking event

12 -- Luxe be a Lady Charity Event

14 -- ask anita

16 -- Polish Entrepreneur: todd Heyden of SportsLock

18 -- syLwester 2015

20 -- katarzyna bryLa: Why Music is EvErything

24 -- Kulinarnia: imbir (ginger)

25 -- Polish Cities: Poznań

26 -- GiVinG tHanks For beinG a Parent by Marta Patlan

28 -- New Contributor, Edyta Laurent, shares her Polish Christmas Traditions

29 -- HoLiday GiFt Guide 2015

30 -- business tiPs by Allison Sima

32 -- meet LendaLe JoHnson, pro tennis star and international model

34 -- make-uP tiPs

36 -- suPPer witH syLVia

38 -- La mode28

34

1624

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CHEPOV & SCOTT, LLC have been primarily concentrating in handling personal injury litigation for over a decade. Our expertise has helped hundreds of people to recover their medical expenses and dam-ages for pain and suff ering as a result of motor vehicle, slip and fall as well as medical malpractice injuries. We have secured millions of dol-lars in sett lements and verdicts on behalf of our clients.

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CALL FOR A FREE CONSULTATION

773-714-1300

Chepov & Scott, LLC is a full service litigation law � rm. We have taken numerous cases to a successful settlements and verdicts. Cases are handled on a contingency basis

and no payment is due unless clients successfully collect monetary damages.

CHEPOV& SCOTT

AttorneysSCOTT

AttorneysSCOTT

AttorneysSCOTT

CONSULTATION

5440 North Cumberland Ave. Suite 150 • Chicago Il 60656

WWW.CS-ATTORNEYS.COM

© CAR ACCIDENTS © WORK ACCIDENTS © PERSONAL INJURY © CRIMINAL CASES © CRIMINAL LAW & TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS © DUI © DIVORCE & FAMILY LAW

© MEDICAL MALPRACTICE © SUSPENDED DRIVERS LICENSE © BANKRUPTCY © WORKERS COMPENSATION © REAL ESTATE

CHEPOV & SCOTT, LLC have been primarily concentrating in handling personal injury litigation for over a decade. Our expertise has helped hundreds of people to recover their medical expenses and dam-ages for pain and suff ering as a result of motor vehicle, slip and fall as well as medical malpractice injuries. We have secured millions of dol-lars in sett lements and verdicts on behalf of our clients.

WE ARE AVAILABLE

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We discuss our clients’ needs and concerns and our ultimate goal is to become part of our clients’ family, respecting their privacy and concerns by secur-ing the best possible recovery.24/7 Call 847-774-6477


• Personal Injury• Work and Automobile Accidents• Asbestos Exposure causing Mesothelioma/Lung Cancer • Construction Work and Fatal Accidents• Medical Malpractice• DUI, and Traffi c Violations

Polish speaking lawyer

15 N. NORTHWEST HWY., PARK RIDGE, IL 600685528 W. BELMONT AVE., CHICAGO IL. 60641

847-823-9039773-PRAWNIK

847-823-9039 \ 773-PRAWNIK

What to do in case of a car accident

1. Pull the car over. Never leave the scene of an accident you are invo-lved in, even if the collision seems minor or harmless.

2. Offer assistance If anyone has sustained injuries, immediately call for a doctor or ambulance.

3. Seek medical attention Should you have any doubts regarding your health or anyone else involved in the accident with you, immediately call for an ambulance to transport you to the nearest medical facility.

4. Notify the policeFiling a police report can be helpful should an investiga-tion be carried out and the case goes to court.

5. Gather and provide informationState law requires drivers to release their fi rst and last name, address, telephone number, and vehicle registra-tion number, as well as the information of the vehicle owner. Also, ask for proof of the other drivers insurance, and collect necessary information from any witnesses.

6. Call your insuranceContact your insurance company as soon as possible to provide them with all crucial information.

7. CONTACT PETER C. WACHOWSKI.

847-823-9039

What to do if you are accused of driving

under the infl uence of alcohol1. Pull the car over

2. Show the police offi cer your

driver’s license, proof of insurance

and auto registration.

3. Listen carefully to the offi cer’s

instructions, and do not object to their

requests or resist cooperation.

4. Remember, you have the right

to refuse answering any of the

following questions until consulting with a lawyer: where were you? Did

you consume alcohol? How much alcohol did you consume? Instead, you

can choose to answer in the following way: “I don’t want to answer any

questions, I just want to speak to my attorney”

5. You also have the right to deny the request to take part in any

kind of testing whether on site or at the police station, that could prove the

consumption of alcohol:

• This includes being asked to touch your nose, stand on one leg, make eye

contact, walk, or turn around

• You also have the right to deny a breathalyzer test, blood test, or any kind of

bodily fl uid test, including testing of body tissue

• Searching you, your car, or any of your belongings

Instead, you can explain to the offi cer in the following way:

“I refuse to take any tests until I fi rst speak to my lawyer”.

6. Should you decide to not answer any questions, or refuse testing,

be prepared to possibly face psychological pressure by the offi cer through

yelling, verbal or physical threats, or even through exaggerated friendliness.


1. Pull the car over


driver’s license



instructions,



to refuse answering




3. Seek medical

www.Bellas-Wachowski.comwww.PiotrWachowski.com

Keep nearby in your glove

compartment.

PETER C. WACHOWSKI PETER C. WACHOWSKI

c o n t r i b u t o r s

Allison simaAllison is the interac-tive Marketing Manager at Digi-Me and has over 10 years of marketing communications experience. she assists companies with brand develop-ment and lead generation. Allison is a proud mom, and a chicagoland native. her cultural background is Polish on her mother’s side and german on her dad’s.

Ania szymanskaBorn in a Poland, Ania is a profes-sional make-up artist and has resided in chicago for over 12 years. Ania’s life passions include children, animals, and most of all, helping others. As a makeup profes-sional, she now has the opportunity to put a confi dent smile on a client’s face.

edytalaurentEdyta specializes in living life to the fullest, loving unconditionally, and discovering the world around her. Edyta emigrated to the states in her twenties, and serves as an inspiration to women through major Polish media outlets and via her memoir, “A hope for tomorrow”, which encapsulates her recent journey as a cancer survivor. she currently holds a degree in marketing from uic and in her spare time enjoys writing poetry, screenplays, and songs.

Anita Chipalatwo of Anita’s pas-sions in life are help-ing people with their love life, and writing through her advice column, “Ask Anita”, she combines both! As a relationship expert and Licensed Marriage & Family therapist, Anita is on a mission to prove that happy and satisfying relation-ships are possible. she holds a Master’s degree in Marital & Family therapy from the university of san Diego and is founder of relationship real-ity 312, inc. here in chicago.

martadabrowskiOriginally from Poland, activist, edi-tor and writer, Marta Dabrowski, is well known in the Polish community for her dedication and action for those in need. Marta is a very motivated, outgoing, and resourceful individual whose goal is to positively change lives through her motivational group, “success in skirt”. in her spare time, Marta loves vegetarian cooking and traveling.

leandro muletBorn in cuba, Leandro is a fashion designer currently based in chicago. his designs have caught the attention of models, fashion producers, and high profi le photogra-phers desiring to use his editorial ensembles for photo shoots. With his fashion expertise and good styling, Leandro has also dressed many celeb-rities from chicago all the way to Miami.

sylvia Perezsylvia Perez is an Emmy Award winning broadcast journalist who has worked with ABc7 chicago as a news anchor and health reporter for over 20 years. sylvia now leads sylvia Perez Productions as a video producer, pre-sentation coach and inspiring speaker and blogger.

marta PatlanThe fi rst Ameri-can born in her family, Marta grew up in chicago in a typical Polish household. she met her husband, a Mexican-American with a similar family immigration story, and together they have three small children, ages 5, 3, and 1. A life-long learner, Marta has a love for writing and an interest in sharing stories with other moms about running a home, being a full-time professional, and keeping Polish traditions alive (with a twist!) for the next generation.

general Managerkarl wrobel

Managing eDitormonica dolecka

art Directorandy reev

Director of eDitorial relationsmarta dabrowski

contributing writersallison sima, ania sZymanska, anita chlipala,

diana eva lebiecki, edyta laurent, leandro mulet, marta dabrowski,

marta patlan, sylvia pereZ

contributing PHotograPHersanthony mores, arek berbecki,

atoc photography, cheri eisenberg, david shepherd, Janelle rominski, Jeff white,

Juno photography, krZysZtof babiracki, marta maksymowicZ, natalia Zarycka,

rockin ray studio 300, roy coX photography

r MeDia network

grouP PublisHervlad veren

vP of aDvertisingkarl wrobel

Director of ProDuctionandy reev

senior Designermaria ordynas

Director of autoMotive PlaceMentaleX pinchuk

Director of oPerationspolina povalinsky

revia is PublisHeD 10 tiMes Per year. revia is a traDeMark of r MeDia network. all content is coPyrigHteD. revia is not resPonsible for DisPlay aDvertiseMent, aDvertising articles anD tHeir contents. reProDuction in wHole or in Part witHout written PerMission is ProHibiteD. all eDitorial inQuiries,

Please refer to [email protected]

3000 dundee road, suite 108northbrook, il 60602

tel. 847-753-9900email [email protected]

© coPyrigHt 2015, cHicago review, inc.Part of r MeDia network. all rigHts reserveD


• Personal Injury• Work and Automobile Accidents• Asbestos Exposure causing Mesothelioma/Lung Cancer • Construction Work and Fatal Accidents• Medical Malpractice• DUI, and Traffi c Violations

Polish speaking lawyer

15 N. NORTHWEST HWY., PARK RIDGE, IL 600685528 W. BELMONT AVE., CHICAGO IL. 60641

847-823-9039773-PRAWNIK

847-823-9039 \ 773-PRAWNIK

What to do in case of a car accident



3. Seek medical attention Should you have any doubts regarding your health or anyone else involved in the accident with you, immediately call for an ambulance to transport you to the nearest medical facility.

4. Notify the policeFiling a police report can be helpful should an investiga-tion be carried out and the case goes to court.

5. Gather and provide informationState law requires drivers to release their fi rst and last name, address, telephone number, and vehicle registra-tion number, as well as the information of the vehicle owner. Also, ask for proof of the other drivers insurance, and collect necessary information from any witnesses.

6. Call your insuranceContact your insurance company as soon as possible to provide them with all crucial information.


847-823-9039

What to do if you are accused of driving

under the infl uence of alcohol1. Pull the car over


driver’s license, proof of insurance



instructions, and do not object to their



to refuse answering any of the


you consume alcohol? How much alcohol did you consume? Instead, you

can choose to answer in the following way: “I don’t want to answer any

questions, I just want to speak to my attorney”

5. You also have the right to deny the request to take part in any

kind of testing whether on site or at the police station, that could prove the

consumption of alcohol:

• This includes being asked to touch your nose, stand on one leg, make eye

contact, walk, or turn around

• You also have the right to deny a breathalyzer test, blood test, or any kind of

bodily fl uid test, including testing of body tissue

• Searching you, your car, or any of your belongings

Instead, you can explain to the offi cer in the following way:

“I refuse to take any tests until I fi rst speak to my lawyer”.

6. Should you decide to not answer any questions, or refuse testing,

be prepared to possibly face psychological pressure by the offi cer through

yelling, verbal or physical threats, or even through exaggerated friendliness.


1. Pull the car over


driver’s license



instructions,



to refuse answering




3. Seek medical

www.Bellas-Wachowski.comwww.PiotrWachowski.com

Keep nearby in your glove

compartment.

PETER C. WACHOWSKI PETER C. WACHOWSKI

FINA

L YE

AR

OF R

OB

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T JOFFR

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’S

Nutcracker

CHICAGO’S HOLIDAY TRADITION

DECEMBER 4–27TICKETS START AT $32800.982.2787JOFFREY.ORG/NUTCRACKER

CELEBRATING

60 YEARS

FINA

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50 East Congress Parkway, Chicago

PERFORMS AT:NUTCRACKER CORPORATE PRESENTING SPONSOR

SEASON SPONSORS

Daniel and Pamella DeVos Foundation

The Joffrey Ballet | Photo by: Cheryl Mann

e v e n t s

On Thursday December 3rd, Chicago VIP Advertising & Promo-tions and SIS Consulting hosted an elegant social networking event at the famous Palm Court at the Drake Hotel. This year’s Holiday Vanity Fair benefited A Safe Haven Foundation and the quest to combat Chicago’s homeless population and help guide them safely to a new beginning. Special Guest included Mrs. Neli Vazquez Row-land, President of Save Haven Foundation, who shared some of her most heartfelt stories, and local host and producer, Jeff Conway, who did a magnificent job as emcee of the night. Sponsors included The Geldner Center; Voyage Limousine services; Brain & Yoga Cen-ter; DJSeba; and Mr. Erik Kwiek, all who made the event possible and a huge success. The evening featured a cultural and eccentric fashion show lead by designer Leandro Mulet, who stunned the crowd with his new posh collection, “RELIQUIAS”, inspired by the delightful folklore of his birthplace, Cuba. Also joining the stage in high fashion was the latest collection by Poland native, Kasia Paw-lik.

The event would not have been possible without the hard work of Dorothy DiMedio and Marta Dabrowski, two of Chicago’s brightest women business owners, who truly know the value of networking and are strong advocates for supporting small busi-nesses and entrepreneurs everywhere.

iMages by natalia Zarycka, krZysZtof babiracki

Vanity Fair

P OL ON IA S TAG Epresents

Alice in WonderlandJanuary 22-24

Vittum Theater 1012 N Noble St, Chicago, IL

P OL ON IA S TAG Epresents

Alice in WonderlandJanuary 22-24

TICKETS

www.vittumtheater.org

773-342-4141

E n j o y e d b y e v e r y a g e s 5 t o 1 0 5 !

revia reviamagazine.com #13, 201510 #13, 2015 reviamagazine.com reviarevia reviamagazine.com #13, 201510

e v e n t s

On November 4th, Polish American Network (PAN) and REVIA Magazine hosted Polish History Night at Chicago’s elegant Ivy Hotel. The night was centered on guest speakers, Adrian Prawica & Rafał Muskała, producers of “The 4th Partition” – the documentary

movie about the history of Poles in Chicago. The evening commenced with light social-izing and appetizers, followed by an exclusive panel Q&A discussion with Adrian and Rafał where audience members could engage in conversation about the fi lm. Event media

Sponsors included REVIA Magazine and Chi-cago Rewia, and food sponsors, Blossom Café in Harwood Heights.

PAN would like to thank all those who came out to support the goal of the event, which is to inform and educate Poles about the crucial evolution of our people in Chicago.

PHotos by Marta MaksyMowicZ

On October 29th Chicagoans immersed themselves in culinary delight and artistic fl air during the 2015 Compassion, Fashion and Cocktails – a charity event celebrating fashion and philanthropy supporting the Israel Idonije Foundation, an organization helping underprivileged children. More than 700 affl uent professionals, entrepreneurs, professional sports and entertainment

personas came together to help raise money and awareness for the foundation (israeli-donije.org). The event was held at The God-frey Hotel Chicago | I|O. Not only did guests mingle with the who’s who of Chicago, they also enjoyed amazing food, cocktails and an exclusive fashion show led by Zadig & Voltaire. Hors d’oeuvres and dessert were served on behalf of 13 local Chicago

restaurants, bakeries, and catering compa-nies. A wine tasting was hosted by advanced sommelier, Jim Bube, from Heritage Wine Cellars, as well as a raffl e giveaway. Live jazz music was provided by Lee Barrie, while the rest of the night was mixed by djFIXed.

Moxie Strategies, LLC (Vanessa Garippo, Lema Khorshid, Anna Maria Viti-Welch, and Sam Yanover) were the event produc-ers.

PHotos by cHeri eisenberg,DaviD sHePHerD anD Jeff wHite

Polish History night

Fashion & Compassion

revia reviamagazine.com #13, 2015 #13, 2015 reviamagazine.com revia 11

On Thursday, October 15th, Connect.Inspire.Grow hosted an event that helped 200+ business professionals CONNECT, get INSPIRED, and GROW their network. The 4 year anniversary was hosted at the beautiful Chicago Raffaello DrumBar roof-top and the event honored local success stories: Sarah Raskey, Founder of The Giving Gallery; Corey Mays, former NFL player and Entrepreneur; Bela Gandhi, Founder of Smart Dating Academy; Stephen Lee, Founder & CEO ChariPick; Bobby Kiehn, Investigative Services, and many others. Event sponsors includ-ed: Qulinarnia, Element Ayurvedic Apothecary & ZachDoesYoga,

RxOnDemand, Rockin Ray Photography, Adventure Diary, and many, many more. Live performances kicked off the night with tunes by musician, James Hurtenbach and incredible beats mixed by Kamil Bartoszcze of KBE Entertainment.Thanksgiving Basket Brigade Chicago was the benefitting charity, an organiza-tion with the mission to provide a Thanksgiving basket to strug-gling Chicagoland families. You can learn more about them at: chicagobasketbrigade.org, or to find out about Connect.Inspire.Grow’s next event visit connectinspiregrow.com.

PHoto creDits: rockin ray PHotograPHy

Connect.Inspire.Grow 4 Year Anniversarynetworking event Honoring insPiring cHicagoans


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The Luxe Be a Lady Charity Fashion Show was held on November 7 at Park West and featured many amazing Chicago Sports beau-ties strutting on the runway showcasing the best of Bloomingdales’ Fall/Holiday 2015 Collection. A legendary partnering of Chicago Sports teams coupled with high fashion, women’s empowerment and philanthropy made this event the hottest ticket of the season! Ticket sales benefi ted the two charities involved, one founded by

Chicago Bears’ very own, Jermon Bushrod, and his wife, Jessica, to help at risk youth aff ord an education and the other by Chicago Blackhawk, Bryan Bickell, and his wife, Amanda, to help abused and abandoned “pit bull” type dogs and children.

The Luxe Be a Lady Charity Fashion Show drew over 400 at-tendees and included a high-end silent auction, and to the sheer delight of the audience, Chicago Blackhawks and Bears players were also in attendance.

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Am I a good candidate for a SmartGraft procedure? The majority of hair loss patients are candidates for the SmartGraft procedure, particu-larly those who would like to wear very short haircuts, want the least amount of activity restriction after their procedure, or have had a prior strip procedure and need a scar camoufl age. The best way to determine this is through a free consultation. Contact us to set one up today!

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CHICAGO LOCATION712 N. DEARBORN STREETCHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60654

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HIGHLAND PARK LOCATION1160 PARK AVENUE WEST. SUITE 2E

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IRVIN WIESMAN, M.D.Dr. Irvin M. Wiesman is a board-certifi ed plastic surgeon and an active member of both the American Society of Plastic Surgeons as well as the prestigious American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

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two of My Passions in life are HelPing PeoPle witH tHeir love life anD writing. witH My aDvice coluMn, “ask anita, ”i get to coMbine tHe two! as a Dating & relationsHiP eXPert, i’M on a Mission to Prove tHat HaPPy anD satisfying relationsHiPs are Possible. i’M a licenseD Marriage & faMily tHeraPist anD HolD a Master’s in Marital & faMily tHeraPy froM tHe university of san Diego. i founDeD relationsHiP reality 312, inc., anD i work witH clients botH internationally anD in My cHicago Downtown office. any Questions you Have about Dating, relationsHiPs anD Marriage, Please eMail Me Directly at [email protected]. i look forwarD to Hearing froM you!

Dear frustrated,

First, that’s great that you have worked out many of your disagreements. That’s an accomplishment! It also shows me that you both already have what it takes to negotiate about this holiday issue. The success of a relationship can come down to how you compromise. As for the holidays, it’s very common for this time of year to be a stressor for couples.

First, what are both of your defi nitions of “family”? Your diff erences may start here. At a basic level, your defi nition is the two of you, while his includes his family and you. You both need a richer under-standing of each other’s perspective, and you may have to gently push each other to get to the real issue. Saying “Because it’s important to me” isn’t a good enough answer. Why is your defi nition of “family” important to each of you? Why is it mean-ingful? For example, have your boyfriend’s traditions been passed down for genera-tions? Is it about loyalty and duty? Does he fear he has limited time left with his par-ents and family before he starts his own? When a couple starts their own family, it does change things, and he may have some anxiety about this.

And what about for you? Is it about independence from both your families to have your own identity as a couple? Are there concerns that he won’t make room and time for you in the future? You obvi-ously see a future with him – does he? Would you feel more certainty that you’re headed in the right direction if he spent

more time with your family? Bottom line is that you both want to identify what dreams underlie your diff erent needs and truly un-derstand the signifi cance of those dreams.

When you get the why, you can next fi gure out the what – what are your non-negotiables? You want to keep this part as small as possible. For example, instead of spending all holidays with his fam-ily, would your boyfriend be ok with only spending a particular holiday with his fam-ily? Or, are there certain traditions that are more meaningful to him and he wants to be sure those are carried out? And for you, you can start your own tradition, just the two of you, which encompasses your identity as your own family.

Next, what are you fl exible on? Brain-storm all possible solutions – don’t judge any idea yet. Clients I’ve worked with al-ternate holidays with families or celebrate with both sides of the family by getting together one or two weeks early with one of them. Or maybe the both of you can spend one day with your family, and one day with his. You and your boyfriend can also identify which of his family traditions he would like to have with you, and come up with new ones for your identity as a couple.

Although the holidays can be an area of angst for a couple, they don’t have to be. Even though you and your boyfriend have diff erent preferences in how the holidays are spent, honoring the most important aspect of family is critical to negotiating the rest. That way you don’t have to feel frustrated during this special time of year.

Dear Anita,

I’ve been dating my boyfriend for 3 years. We've worked out many of the disagreements we’ve had, but the holidays always bring up some confl ict. His family lives in town and all of my immediate family live out of state. I do have some extended family nearby that I like to see, but we usually end up spending most of our time with his family. I don't mind this, either, because I get along really well with them and feel at home with them.

That being said, I would like for my boyfriend to sometimes visit my extended family with me or, perhaps, travel to see my immediate family over the holidays. He, however, is very fi rmly rooted in his traditions and only wants to do what he's always done. I look at our relationship as building a family together, the two of us, while he sees me as having my family separate from himself and his family.

How do I help my boyfriend begin to see that family – the one I'm trying to build with him – begins with the two of us rather than his family on one side and mine on the other? I want to plan all of my holidays with him fi rst and foremost, but I think he's so used to doing what he's always done with his family, it's hard for him to see it any other way.

Sincerely,Frustrated during the holidays

negotiating the Holidays with your Partner


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revia reviamagazine.com #13, 201516 #13, 2015 reviamagazine.com revia

How muCH do You know About Your PolIsH roots?My Polish roots go all the way back to my Grandfather’s side. My grandfather’s grandpa actually built a very successful textile business in Żyrardów Poland, in the clothing and textile indus-try. Back then, in the 1920’s, men were pulled into the army and those were common images of what a person’s future would look like. Having a successful company, most of my family didn’t want to move to a different country, so it wasn’t until my great grandfather and great grandmother, at a very young age, were able to leave to America to start a new life. Only two of the nine siblings made it out alive.

Our Polish history is so long removed, especially since my grandpa was born here in the states in 1927, but that’s why it’s important to educate future generations about what was hap-pening in the world then and how it can relate to where we are now – whether you’re first generation or fifth. From an early age I was reminded about what my family went through that eventually allowed me to be where I am now. It’s been some-thing I was always curious and passionate about and I’m very grateful to my family for that.

In our lineage, solid family-centered values have always been treasured and are continuously passed down from generation to generation. From an early age we were taught the notion that

GrowInG uP In tHe nortHern suburbs oF CHICAGo, todd ACknowledGes He’s HAd A VerY FortunAte uPbrInGInG; but, A better lIFe dId not Come wItHout A Cost. neArlY A CenturY AGo, todd’s FAmIlY In PolAnd struGGled tHrouGH seVerelY touGH, CrItICAl tImes wHen tHeY struGGled to surVIVe tHe seCond world wAr. todAY, todd Is teACHInG HIs CHIldren tHe sAme VAlues He wAs tAuGHt: to know And resPeCt HIs roots, And to use lIFe’s struGGles As motIVAtIon to PusH tHrouGH obstACles tHAt CAn sometImes seem undeFeAtAble. solId FAmIlY VAlues InsPIred todd to Co-stArt tHe suCCessFul And boomInG FAntAsY sPorts APP ComPAnY, sPortsloCk, wHICH HAs tAken tHe CountrY bY storm bY beInG tHe FIrst oF Its kInd, And HAs rAIsed tHe bAr For FAntAsY sPorts PlAtForms eVerYwHere.todd Is VerY muCH AwAre tHAt HIs ACHIeVements Could not HAVe been PossIble wItHout tHe unFortunAte dArk tImes HIs FAmIlY HAd to endure. Here He exPlAIns How FAmIlY struGGles And trAGedIes CAn emerGe As blessInGs In dIsGuIse tHAt mAke It PossIble For lAtter GenerAtIons to HAVe A muCH better lIFe.

by: monica dolecka

Todd Heyden, mastermind behind one of the most rapidly growing fantasy sports apps, unearths the secret behind his motivation to build a one-of-a-kind company and why family will always come first

Why I’ll Never Forget wHere I CAme From

p o l i s h e n t e r p r e n e r s


family always comes first. Having two kids of my own now, there isn’t a more impor-tant lesson than for me to teach my kids these same values.

HAVe You eVer been to PolAnd?Unfortunately, I have very little family left over that after so many perished during the holocaust. All of them were murdered or died in the Ghetto. But what we try to do as a family is continue to trace our roots and learn as much as we can about our history. While I don’t have the privilege of see-ing family there, and being with them, my whole family here was created because of the few who were fortunate to make it out alive. Growing up, my grandparents were like a second set of parents to me and I’m still close to my grandmother today.

How do You stAY ConneCted to Your PolIsH roots desPIte HAVInG no remAInInG FAmIlY In PolAnd?I’ve always been fascinated with history, and when you put your own family tree into it, it’s so much more personal.

My family has also done a great job of keeping alive the family tree. My grandfather and great uncle were able to trace the steps of our Polish origins and write about it in a sort of memoir, about their journey and what they saw. Now, my family has an extensive description of what it was like to be in their shoes and it puts all those vivid sto-ries into context and gives me a whole new perspective on where I come from. One day I will retrace their steps to tell my own story.

Because of the war, we don’t have many family artifacts left, mainly pictures… and very few of them. Whenever I visit my grandma’s house and look at these pho-tos, it’s still so emotional, but at the same time important for me not to forget where I come from. Though traveling to Poland is much better than reading about it in any book, the old photos help connect me to the past and relive life from my family’s perspective. It’s helped me discover why I’m here. And hopefully I can inspire others to retrace their own roots, too.

We hear so many stories of unfortunate events, just like the Holocaust, still going on in the world today. Hopefully we can make a difference by educating people about the importance of knowing their history so that we can learn from these experiences and prevent these darker sides of history from reoccurring.

do You Feel Your FAmIlY’s entrePreneurIAl bACkGround HelPed InsPIre You to stArt Your own ComPAnY?I remember being very young and hav-ing this entrepreneurial way of solving

problems and wanting to do things from scratch [he laughs], or at least make a difference in

some way. In college I started a company and built a huge program for the students

at the University of Michigan called, “The Sports Business Association”, and what I learned is that I was not the first in my family to think in this way. From

what I have learned, being an “entrepre-neur” has been in my blood since the late

1800’s, and probably even further back. And that’s where the “big” picture

started making sense for me… I was just continuing their method of thinking.

Since starting SportsLock, I have relied heavily on my his-tory in order to get me through certain bumps in the road. Understanding that my family has endured much bigger challenges, and still came out on top, absolutely puts things in perspective for me. Also, it’s so interesting because I think that when you’re an entrepreneur, a lot of what’s in your DNA is what gives you the ability to take certain risks and handle different

obstacles. Being an entre-preneur isn’t for everyone and it

surely isn’t easy.Knowing and understanding my

roots has helped make sense why I’m built the way I am. I am for-tunate my family has been doing this for a very long time and there

isn’t a day that goes by that I am not thankful for every sacrifice my family

has had to make in order for me to be where I am today.

#13, 2015

I’ve always been fascinated with history, and when you put your own family tree into it, it’s so much more personal.

My family has also done a great job of keeping alive the family tree. My grandfather and great uncle were able to trace the steps of our Polish origins and write about it in a sort of memoir, about their journey and what they saw. Now, my family has an extensive description of what it was like to be in their shoes and it puts all those vivid sto-ries into context and gives me a whole new perspective on where I come from. One day I will retrace their steps

Because of the war, we don’t have many family artifacts left, mainly pictures… and very few of them. Whenever I visit my grandma’s house and look at these pho-tos, it’s still so emotional, but at the same time important for me not to forget where I come from. Though traveling to Poland is much better than reading about it in any book, the old photos help connect me to the past and relive life from my family’s perspective. It’s helped

I’m here. And hopefully I can inspire others to retrace their own roots, too.

We hear so many stories of unfortunate events, just

so that we can learn from these experiences and prevent these darker sides of history

do You Feel Your FAmIlY’s entrePreneurIAl bACkGround HelPed InsPIre You to stArt

I remember being very young and hav-ing this entrepreneurial way of solving

problems and wanting to do things from scratch [he laughs], or at least make a difference in

some way. In college I started a company and built a huge program for the students

at the University of Michigan called, “The Sports Business Association”, and what I learned is that I was not the first in my family to think in this way. From

what I have learned, being an “entrepre-neur” has been in my blood since the late

1800’s, and probably even further back. And that’s where the “big” picture

started making sense for me… I was just continuing their method of thinking.

Since starting SportsLock, I have relied heavily on my his-tory in order to get me through certain bumps in the road. Understanding that my family has endured much bigger challenges, and still came out on top, absolutely puts things in perspective for me. Also, it’s so interesting because I think that when you’re an entrepreneur, a lot of what’s in your DNA is what gives you the ability to take certain risks and handle different

obstacles. Being an entre-preneur isn’t for everyone and it

surely isn’t easy.Knowing and understanding my

roots has helped make sense why I’m built the way I am. I am for-tunate my family has been doing this for a very long time and there

isn’t a day that goes by that I am not thankful for every sacrifice my family

has had to make in order for me to be where I am today.

learn as much as we can about our history.

How do You stAY ConneCted to Your

and when you put your own family tree into problems and wanting to do things from scratch

From what I have learned, being an “entrepreneur” has been in my blood since the late 1800’s, and probably even further back. And that’s where the “big” picture started making sense for me… I was just continuing their method of thinking.


ith the holidays right around the corner, you may be wondering where to celebrate New Year’s Eve. With so many diff erent options in the Chicago area, it’s not always an easy decision choosing between attending a traditional banquet hall party,

a nightclub, or a hotel-type event. So, why not attend an event that provides the best of all three?

Sylwester Chicago is returning to Meridian Banquets for the 2016 NYE celebration. “This year we are reaching new heights by proudly inviting our guests to join us in a sophisticated, elegant and mysterious Venetian Masquerade,” says Erik. “For those that would like to avail in a bit of mystery, we will be providing a variety of optional masques at the event; we will also host a contest for the most intriguing Venetian Masquerade ensemble.”

Sylwester Chicago by LYVE Group off ers a night embraced in luxurious décor, featuring an upscale four-course dinner, premium open bar, plus unique sounds provided by some of Chicago’s fi nest DJs in multiple rooms, all which are distinctively themed. This event prides itself as being truly one-of-a-kind.

The event promises three elegant ballrooms (Sapphire, Ruby, and Lace) which will entertain over 900 guests with diff erent types of music, state-of-the-art sound and lighting, and lavish décor. There will be an interactive midnight countdown on LED

video walls with a mega balloon drop, as well as a few special surprises including the themed event, mysterious performances. The Sapphire and Ruby rooms will feature a premium four-course

dinner, 6 hour open bar, and much more. Finally, the intimate Lace Lounge will element a nightclub vibe

with V.I.P. sections, an ice martini bar, delicious hors d’oeuvres, and bottle service for interested

groups.Sylwester Chicago is produced by Erik

Kwiek of LYVE Group. Erik has over 15 years of DJ-ing experience in all the major clubs in Chicago, including opening for some of the world’s renowned DJs. He is currently a resident DJ at one of Chicago’s top luxurious spots–Cuveé, and has a radio mix show on Dance Factory 92.7FM, all of which

makes Erik no stranger to the Chicago’s nightlife scene. Erik also keeps very busy

in the world of advertising as senior art director for one of Chicago’s top digital

agencies. Eventually, Erik decided to merge his skills honed in advertising, along with his

nightlife expertise to produce a luxurious and unique NYE event like this. The annually sold-out

event continuously proves to be a huge success. Due to high popularity, for the past two years the NYE party has been hosted at the upscale Meridian Banquets in Rolling Meadows.

to leArn more About eVent detAIls, or to buY tICkets, PleAse VIsIt sYlwesterCHICAGo.Com.

revia reviamagazine.com #13, 201520 #13, 2015 reviamagazine.com reviarevia reviamagazine.com #13, 201520

tHe VIolA Is A beAutIFul Instrument. It Is sleek, IntellIGent And PowerFul…And wHen tHe musICIAn wHo beHolds tHe wondrous VIolA Is equAllY As brIllIAnt, tHe CombInAtIon Is notHInG sHort oF breAtHtAkInG. tHAt’s wHAt CAn be sAId oF VIolIn/VIolA PHenomenon, kAtArZYnA brYlA. wItH musICAl tAlent runnInG tHrouGH Her VeIns, kAtArZYnA’s loVe For ClAssICAl melodIes stems From GrowInG uP In A musIC FAmIlY In Her nAtIVe PolAnd. kAtArZYnA eArned Her bACHelors And mAsters deGree In musIC From I.J.PAderewskI ACAdemY OF MUSIC IN POZNAŃ. SHE HAs Also reCeIVed tHree AddItIonAl deGrees From tHe PeAbodY ConserVAtorY belonGInG to tHe notAble JoHns HoPkIns unIVersItY.

WHY MUSIC IS EVERYTHING

KATARZYNA BRYLA:

Katarzyna has traveled the world to perform as both a chamber and orchestra musician, as well as a soloist, at a

collage of diff erent shows, festivals, global group ensembles, and has even been invited to perform along-side world class musicians and sing-ers like Rich Barry, Leon Fleisher, Gil Shama, Kiri Te Kanawa, Rene Flem-ing and Yo-Yo Ma.

Born in Poznań, Katarzyna was fascinated by music since before she could even speak. “I come from somewhat of a famous musical fam-ily”, she shares thoughtfully. “My dad, Bartosz Bryla, is a violinist and professor, as well as a jury member at national and international competi-tions. Maria, my mother, is a harpsi-chord player and professor, too. She’s the intelligent one in the family,” Katarzyna laughs. “She writes books, essays. When I was little, I was always surrounded by musicians, whether at home or with family and friends. Basically anywhere. As I kid I didn’t know there were other possibilities in life. I thought that’s what people did. To me, everyone was a musician.”

With both grandparents on her father’s side also famous musicians, it’s no wonder Katarzyna has a natu-ral talent for enchanting others with

by: monica dolecka

revia reviamagazine.com #13, 2015 #13, 2015 reviamagazine.com revia 21 revia 21

her music. I ask her why she chose the violin over all the other instru-ments in the world. She smiles, “I chose the violin because of my dad. He was my teacher and that’s how my journey began. From the beginning, I loved the sound of the violin. I had two teachers by the time I was 19, my father and Professor Jadwiga Kalisze-wska – one of the most famous violin teachers in Poland. Back then I had 3-4 lessons a week on top of orches-tra and competition training.” “It was intense”, Katarzyna says. “But I liked it”.

This doesn’t mean Katarzyna didn’t sometimes miss being a normal teenager with a “normal” life, so to speak. “It was tough when I was 14 or 15. I liked playing, but I didn’t love it. For some strange reason,” she laughs, “I wanted to be a dentist. But my par-ents encouraged me to try playing for a few more years, and then, if I still didn’t like it, I could switch paths,” she says. “But by that time, it was too late because I started loving it.” I ask her why the change of heart. “It’s hard to explain,” Katarzyna admits. “I loved creating music with my friends, and I practiced so much back then. When I saw myself getting good at it, I realized I could express anything I want through music. In the begin-ning, it’s a lot of work, but when you become better, and freer and com-fortable with the music, that’s when it becomes addictive.”

“Also,” Katarzyna explains, “My dad always made sure I played in the best groups and that I got used to playing around adults. When I would see a great show, I would think, that’s what I wanna do. By then the den-tist dream was gone,” she laughs. Her father is currently president of the Wieniawski Society in Poznań and a member of the jury of the Wieniawski Violin Competition, one of the most prominent, respectable international competitions in the world.

Leaving Poland at age 21 to study music at the Peabody Music Conser-vatory in Baltimore was an exciting time for Katarzyna. “Before I came to the States,” she says, “I performed in Poland and went to school there. I came to the states with no English and always thought I would study in Ger-many to have a career closer to home. This lead to some really strange sto-ries,” she laughs. “Right after coming here, I went to an audition at school for orchestra placement, which was funny because I didn’t read or Speak English and only had one day to pre-pare the audition. I was made an as-sistant concertmaster of the main

symphony orchestra in school – but it was scary!”

The amazing viola is the closest in-strument to the sound of the human voice – making perfect sense why someone would be naturally drawn to embracing the viola.

“I started playing the viola just 4 short years ago and eventually got my degree. Until then I was mainly a violinist,” Katarzyna smiles. I ask her what the diff erence is, since they seem very similar in name and ap-pearance. “The viola is similar in size and only a couple centimeters bigger than the violin. The viola is tuned lower, like the cello, so it has strings c, g, d, a – while the violin is miss-ing the c string but has the higher e string. You can compare them like so-prano and alto voices. I had to learn to read the viola since it has a diff er-ent clef than the violin. I had to learn a whole clef when I was starting,” she acknowledges.

Extremely fond of Poland’s meth-od of introducing and enforcing mu-sic into children’s lives, Katarzyna refl ects on her fondest memories learning the fundamentals of music in Poland. “Music is so important,” she explains. “Music teaches people

how to feel and, unfortunate-ly, it’s disappearing from our school system here in America. When I was little, I remember my teachers asking how music made me feel,” she says “and that helps shape personality, which I think is missing nowadays. Hopefully one day people will open their eyes to this.”

Katarzyna continues, “What I also love about the education system in Poland is that there are schools for kids starting at age 7 devoted just to music, and in America, you don’t have this. Here you have private teachers, so kids study music only on weekends or in preparatory school, with limited space, but there are no primary music schools like the one I

went to”, she says.She refl ects on the

teachers she is so proud to have had growing up. “It’s amazing how much time teachers there spend teaching kids about everything from ear training to music history in order

to prepare them for a solid music career. It’s

tremendous. Before a compe-tition, we had time to practice in school from 7am until how-ever long we wanted. We were pardoned from participating in school in order to focus only on our music. I’m grateful for this because I didn’t have to retake

any courses here,” Katarzyna ex-plains. “Also, the music business is

very expensive. My parents always told me I will thank them later, and they’re right. I’m very grateful for what they gave me.”

Katarzyna is equally close to her parents and holds a deep apprecia-tion for the values they have instilled in her, like putting passion into ev-erything she does, and always work-ing hard . She travels to Poland any opportunity she gets, but admits it’s easier for her mother to visit her here. “I try to travel home once or twice a year, or more, if it’s the holidays or if there’s a wedding. I also try to squeeze in concerts when I go there.”

#13, 2015 reviamagazine.com revia

too late because I started loving it.” I ask her why the change of heart. “It’s hard to explain,” Katarzyna admits. “I loved creating music with my friends, and I practiced so much back then. When I saw myself getting good at it, I realized I could express anything I want through music. In the begin-ning, it’s a lot of work, but when you become better, and freer and com-fortable with the music, that’s when it

“Also,” Katarzyna explains, “My dad always made sure I played in the best groups and that I got used to playing around adults. When I would see a great show, I would think, that’s

. By then the den-tist dream was gone,” she laughs. Her father is currently president of the Wieniawski Society in Poznań and a member of the jury of the Wieniawski Violin Competition, one of the most prominent, respectable international competitions in the world.

Leaving Poland at age 21 to study music at the Peabody Music Conser-vatory in Baltimore was an exciting time for Katarzyna. “Before I came to the States,” she says, “I performed in Poland and went to school there. I came to the states with no English and always thought I would study in Ger-many to have a career closer to home. This lead to some really strange sto-ries,” she laughs. “Right after coming here, I went to an audition at school for orchestra placement, which was funny because I didn’t read or Speak English and only had one day to pre-pare the audition. I was made an as-sistant concertmaster of the main

od of introducing and enforcing mu-sic into children’s lives, Katarzyna refl ects on her fondest memories learning the fundamentals of music in Poland. “Music is so important,” she explains. “Music teaches people

teachers, so kids study music only on weekends or in preparatory school, with limited space, but there are no primary music schools like the one I

went to”, she says.She refl ects on the

teachers she is so proud to have had growing up. “It’s amazing how much time teachers there spend teaching kids about everything from ear training to music history in order

to prepare them for a solid music career. It’s

tremendous. Before a compe-tition, we had time to practice in school from 7am until how-ever long we wanted. We were pardoned from participating in school in order to focus only on our music. I’m grateful for this because I didn’t have to retake

any courses here,” Katarzyna ex-plains. “Also, the music business is

very expensive. My parents always told me I will thank them later, and they’re right. I’m very grateful for what they gave me.”

Katarzyna is equally close to her parents and holds a deep apprecia-tion for the values they have instilled in her, like putting passion into ev-erything she does, and always work-ing hard . She travels to Poland any opportunity she gets, but admits it’s easier for her mother to visit her here. “I try to travel home once or twice a year, or more, if it’s the holidays or if there’s a wedding. I also try to squeeze in concerts when I go there.”

wHen i was LittLe, i remember my teaCHers askinG How musiC made me FeeL, and tHat HeLPs sHaPe Per-sonaLity, wHiCH i tHink is missinG nowadays. HoPeFuLLy one day PeoPLe wiLL oPen tHeir eyes to tHis...

how to feel and, unfortunate-

revia reviamagazine.com #13, 201522 revia reviamagazine.com #13, 201522

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One of her most memorable mo-ments from Poland was a time when Katarzyna played a concert with her mom, dad and brother… the whole original Bryla music family. “To me, it’s so special. To others it’s probably just another family playing music, but we were making music on stage, together. That was really amazing and a captivating moment for me, since my dad was both me and my brother’s and teacher. To later play as adults with your parents – the ones who taught us everything – that was very special.”

Although she visits Poznań regu-larly, and maintains a tightly knit bond with her family, Katarzyna ad-mits that keeping the Polish/Ameri-can life balanced is not easy, and she oftentimes fi nds herself nostalgic to her old life overseas. “I miss it,” she says. It’s a very weird feeling for me. Sometimes when I talk to my parents I tell them I don’t have a home. When I’m here, my heart is in Poland, but when I’m in Poland, I miss America. But I still have a lot of good friends I keep in touch with from Poland who I sometimes talk to almost every day. Although Katarzyna admits, “I do have many friends in New York that I went to school with in Poland, so I have my own little familiar commu-nity here. And there’s a Polish store not too far from where I live, in Park Slope, about 10 blocks away. I abso-lutely love it. I usually go there with my husband, who loves all kinds of polish food, like salceson, and all the diff erent kinds of sausage like kiszka, pasztetowa. My parents laugh that he is becoming more Polish than I am,” she smiles.

A big inspiration in Katarzyna’s life is her husband, David. “He is a fl ute player for The Lion King where he plays 15 diff erent fl utes. He is also a studio recording musician. I was al-ways amazed how David can “make up”, improvise, a piece on the spot with no music in front of him.”

Katarzyna is also close to her brother, Michal, and admits he’s one of her biggest inspirations, de-spite being younger. “My brother plays for one of the most prominent

string quartets in Europe, the Mec-core String Quartet. He is a violist and travels all over the world. He’s my younger brother, but I’ve learned so much from him. He’s just an in-credible artist”, Katarzyna gushes. Michal was always, very ambitious and goal-oriented. He knew he want-ed to be in a string quartet since he was a teenager and worked very hard for it. His career involves an endless amount of practicing your own part, and then hours and hours spent with the group. It is very inspiring to see that it is possible to set your mind on a certain career so early in your life, and make it happen.

When I asked Katarzyna if coming from such an opulent music family has made her music or personal life easier, I learned that this couldn’t be further from the truth.

“Most people don’t understand my situation. They think I somehow have it easier because of the family I come from; that things should be easier for me, but they don’t under-stand that the expectations put on me were so much higher than for those with a diff erent background,” she says. “So when I came here, and no one knew who I was or what I did, it actually felt so good. I went to school on my own, got full scholarships, and started winning competitions on my own. It was an amazing feeling.” “It’s funny,” she continues, “people think that my family name helps me, and of course, it has. When I could perform,

my dad was in the jury, but he never actually judged me or put points for me, so I was always one jury member shorter.”

On a lighter note, Katarzyna con-fesses that she is the ‘jokester’ among her group of friends. This has also shaped her style of playing. “It’s fun-ny how someone’s personality comes out in their music,” she gushes. “If they’re serious, then that will be spo-ken through their music. Every time I meet an amazing artist, their person-ality is huge. Usually it’s either very charismatic or just pure crazy, but a good crazy. And because of that their music is spontaneous. You can al-most guess what’s in their mind. And when music is spontaneous, it’s more fun to listen to because you can’t al-ways anticipate what’s coming next. It’s like good stand-up comedy, or an interesting conversation between two people.”

To grow her spirit and her knowl-edge, Katarzyna tries to live by the wisdom of the late German Pianist and Composer, Johannes Brahms, who once said something along the lines of: We should spend the same amount of time reading books as we do practicing. I ask her how advice from someone who lived almost 200 years ago applies to her in our day. “Well,” Katarzyna reveals, “Brahms inspired me to read more, in general, and develop intellectually. You can usually tell whether someone is intel-ligent or not, just by the way they play their music,” she says.

“I love to dance! Well, actually, I’m addicted to it,” laughs Katarzyna. “So addicted, that I had to stop at one point!

“I also love reading literature to stay on top of things and to always keep developing. I just fi nished read-ing Miller’s classic, Death of a Sales-man. Anything that is on laying the table, I will take and read. Just like a doctor, lawyer, or any other profes-sional, I want to keep learning, even if it’s not about music.

“The world outside of music is HUGE – and we can’t ignore that.”

Our chat concludes and Katarzyna smiles with the confi dence and grace she wears so naturally. I can tell she’s proud of who she is, and what she of-fers the world. Yet what moves me the most is her curiosity and need for self growth, which is neither a Polish or American trait. It’s human nature, and it’s in all of us. Katarzyna just happens to be just a little ahead of the game.

PHotos by roy coX & arek berbecki

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by: monica dolecka

Imbir to korzeń rośliny z gatunku Zingiber. Ta łacińska nazwa wywodzi się z sanskrytu, w którym

wyrażenie „sigabera” oznacza „róg”. I, rzeczywiście, patrząc na kształt imbiru, trudno nie skojarzyć go z porożem dzikiego zwierza. Najprawdopodobniej pochodzi z którejś z wysp na Pacyfi ku. Wiemy (i to już na pewno), że cieszył się uznaniem w starożytnych Chinach, gdzie w ofi cjalnym zielniku, stworz-onym na użytek cesarza, został włączony do grona 120 roślin o „znaczeniu ministerialnym”, czyli mających moc leczenia ciężkich chorób. Wiemy też, że do średniowiecznej Europy trafi ł za sprawą żeglarza Marco Polo tzw. szlakiem korzennym, zaś do Polski sprowadzili go Krzyżacy. Zagościł i w kuchniach, gdzie przyprawiano nim przede wszystkim tłuste mięsiwa, i w aptekach, gdzie farmaceuci sprzedawali nalewki imbirowe jako lek na niestrawność właśnie po obżarstwie tłustymi potrawa-mi. Za panowania Henryka VIII w Anglii imbir był jednym ze składników leku zalecanego przeciw panoszącej się wów-czas zarazie morowej. I taka ciekawostka. Do czasów I wojny światowej, kiedy to główną rolę na polu walki odgrywała kawale-ria, imbir w czopkach stosowany

był jako środek pobudzający konie do bardziej energic-znej szarży.

roZGrZewA I PobudZAImbir na Dalekim Wschodzie jest tym, czym w Europie czosnek – pan-aceum na wszelkie choroby. Ro-zszerza naczynia krwionośne, a więc i polepsza ukrwienie. Herbata z jego dodatkiem jest idealna przy przemarznięciu, przeziębieniu. Dzięki anty-bakteryjnym właściwościom imbir może zastopować rozwój choroby. Natomiast kawa z plasterkiem korzenia będzie i rozgrzewała, i pobudzała – mocniej niż sama kofeina. Dobrze ją pić w czasie inten-sywnego wysiłku umysłowego, bo zwiększa zdolność koncen-tracji. Wszystko dlatego, że poprawia ukrwienie tkanek, a więc i dotlenia mózg. Imbir pobudza też wydzielanie soków żołądkowych, czyli wspomaga trawienie. Dlatego szczególnie hojnie dodawaj go do tłustych mięs i sosów, a także dań wzdymających na bazie fasoli i grochu. Zminimalizujesz ryzyko złego samopoczucia po posiłku.

PlAster nA serCe I ŁAMANIE W KOŚCIACH

Imbir, podobnie jak inne ostre przyprawy, wykazuje działanie hamujące proces krzepnięcia krwi, a więc zmniejsza ry-zyko zatorów tętniczych i zawału serca. Kłącze imbiru działa podobnie do aspiryny, czyli obniża zdolność płytek do zlepiania się. Z kolei olejki eteryczne zawarte w imbirze wykazują udowodnione naukowo właściwości przeci-wzapalne. I to dzięki nim imbir jest wspaniałym lekiem wspomagającym w chorobach reumatycznych. Zazwyczaj zaleca się 5 g świeżego imbiru lub 1/3 łyżeczki mielonego 3 razy dziennie. Zewnętrznie stosuje się miejscowo maść zawierającą wyciąg z imbiru.

100 PROCENT SKUTECZNOŚCI NA MDŁOŚCIW kategorii „środek przeci-wwymiotny” imbir nie ma konkurencji. Jedno z pier-wszych badań opisujących skuteczność imbiru w choro-bie lokomocyjnej dotyczyło kadetów szkoły morskiej, którzy wypłynęli w swój pierwszy rejs. Z grupy 80 mężczyzn 32 nie było odpornych na kołysanie fal. Męczyli się okrutnie, dopóki nie dostali do zjedzenia porcji imbiru. Późniejsze badania już tylko potwierdzały przeciw-wymiotne właściwości kłącza, które zostało okrzyknięte jako środek hamujący mdłości w chorobie lokomocyjnej i przy nudnościach towarzyszących chemioterapii. Co więcej, dow-iedziono, że imbir jest równie skuteczny jak syntetyczne leki, a w przeciwieństwie do nich nie daje niechcianych efektów ubocznych. Nie działa bowiem na centralny układ nerwowy, a jedynie w przewodzie pokar-mowym.

kurACJe ImbIrowe:

sposób na zimne stopyDo miski z gorącą wodą wsyp 2 łyżki sproszkowanego imbiru, zamieszaj. Mocz stopy przez 10 minut. Wytrzyj je i włóż ciepłe skarpety.

Nalewka na poprawę trawieniaWeź pokrojony w plastry korzeń imbiru i 2-3 garście suszonych daktyli. W słoiku układaj je naprzemiennie warstwami, by wypełniły całe naczynie. Zalej czystą wódką, zakręć i odstaw na 3 tygodnie, po czym odcedź płyn. Pij po 3 łyżki, po każdym posiłku.

Lek na męczący kaszelKawałek świeżego imbiru obierz i zetrzyj na tarce, odciśnij. Sok wymieszaj z łyżką miodu i zalej gorącą wodą. Pij 3 razy dziennie po fi liżance.

Odżywka wzmacniająca włosyMusisz przygotować ekstrakt olejowy z imbiru. W tym celu wsyp do miski 100 g mielonego kłącza, zwilż lekko 40-proc. eta-nolem, następnie zalej szklanką ciepłego oleju winogronowego. Całość wymieszaj, przelej do butelki i odstaw w chłodne miejsce na 5 dni. Następnie przefi ltruj, a powstały płyn wci-eraj w skórę głowy i we włosy.

na pierwsze objawy przeziębieniaZawarty w imbirze olejek ma działanie podobne do aspiryny, wywar z jego korzenia rozgrze-wa i łagodzi objawy grypy. Do garnuszka wlej szklankę zimnej wody, dodaj łyżeczkę startego imbiru i szczyptę cynamonu. Ogrzewaj, aż doprowadzisz do wrzenia, gotuj jeszcze przez 3 minuty. Kieliszek płynu pij co 4 godziny.

Piling wygładzający piętyWymieszaj 4 łyżki soli kuchen-nej, 2 łyżeczki sproszkowanego imbiru i 1/2 łyżeczki cynamonu. Dolej łyżkę oleju, np. z pestek winogron. Skrop wrzątkiem, by powstała gęsta papka. Takim pilingiem szoruj zwilżone wodą stopy. Następnie opłucz je i osusz ręcznikiem. Krem nie będzie już potrzebny.

Na Zdrowie

I m b I rPrAwdZIwY moCArZ – I w smAku, I w DZIAŁANIU. ROZGRZEWA PRZEMARZNIĘTE CIAŁO, GWARANTUJE OGIEŃ W ŁÓŻKU. DO TEGO LECZY I POBUDZA ZNIECHĘCONY DO ŻYCIA UMYSŁ.

z d r o w i e i u r o d a

by marta dabrowski


Poznań is considered the Wielkopol-ska capital and is a beautiful and scenic city located in west-central Poland. It is one of the oldest and

biggest cities with a much larger popula-tion of residents than the most cities in Poland, currently home to over 550,000 people.

Poznań is one of the most prominent trade, sports, education, culture, tourism and technology hubs in Poland today. It is home to the third biggest Polish univer-sity, Adam Mickiewicz University, being a popular place of continuing education for students who come there from all over the country.

Lying gently on the Warta river, Poznań is a scenic city displaying an eyeload of attractive historic and profoundly religious, as well as cultural sites. Here are among the top 5 most popular and revered places to experience in Poznań:

1. THE ANCIENT IMPERIAL POZNAŃ CAstle (ZAmek CesArskI)

The famous palace was completed by archi-tect Franz Schwechten in 1910 for the then German Emperor, William II. The palace accommodated many German government sectors during this time and up until the World War II, and at one point served as a temporary place of residence for Hitler. Today, sections of the palace continue to serve in the city’s public administration division. Other branches of the castle still in use today are the Throne Room, which functions as a cinema room, along with the art galleries, restaurants, and puppet theatres founds throughout the building, and the courtyard which entertains guests outdoors with concerts and movie shows during warmer months.

2. CentrAl mArket squArePromenade this historic common square and in no time you’ll be quickly transported back to the days when horses and carriages ruled the cobblestone Poznań streets and people greeted each other with a tip of the hat or a curtsy.

The ‘Old Town’ district hums with life and curiosity as wanderlusters from around the world gather here to absorb the

4 original anD uniQue sigHts to beHolDPOZNAŃ

historic Poznań vibes. In the evening, the square is a popular magnet for younger crowds and a great spot for trying out traditional-modern hybrid restaurants, pubs and dance clubs. Like Manhattan, this part of the city is always alive.

3. POZNAŃ PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRAYou don’t have to be a classical music en-thusiast to enjoy the beauty and serenity of the orchestra. Formerly called the Poznań Philharmonic, the current Philharmonic Orchestra was created in 1931and was then comprised mainly of members belonging to the previous Orchestra. Concerts are held at the University Auditorium, which has a highly distinctive and world-class sound system that entertains thousands of guests each year. Famous performances of the orchestra include playing in the premier of the Chopin competition in Warsaw in 1949, shortly after the war. Tourists can see a wide array of scheduled shows, galas and competitions such as the famous Interna-tional Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competi-tion and the National Jan Rakowski Viola Competition.

4. lAke mAltAOne of the more natural oriented and recreational spots, Malta Lake is a great spot to unwind from the renaissance vibe of ‘Old Town’. Almost 1.5 Miles long, the lake features Maltese baths and one of the most exciting and largest Thermal Aqua Parks in Poland, (Termy Maltanskie) which also off ers a relaxing sauna and hot tub experience, in addition to the Olympic sized outdoor swimming pools. Cleanly groomed biking and walking trails line the park, and during the winter, the Malta ski slope attracts skiers for a day of fun in the snow. There is also an ice rink, one of the fi rst ones built during Communist times, and a zoo where families can spend the day together.

After a refreshing day out in nature, visitors can satisfy their built up appetites with an array of exclusive Poznań restau-rants, and afterwards, many choose to stick around to enjoy an art show, or music/dance concert featured in the outside concert hall.

sources: wikiPeDia, lonelyPlanet.coM, wieniawski.coM

by: monica dolecka

p o l i s h c i t i e s


“Is it hard being a mom?” asks my six year old son. I quickly reply, “Yes, you have no idea.” “But why?,” he asks fur-ther.

Children quite naturally expect par-ents to be there for them anytime it is needed and give them what they want whether it’s necessary

or not. That is not the mark of a spoiled child. From the second children are born they are on the receiving end. This rela-tionship structure continues on through the teenage years and then sometimes as grown adults we still have expectations of our parents to give, give, give. We un-derstand that the world is not meant to be given to us on a platter when we turn into parents ourselves and all of a sudden real-ize, “This is hard.”

Now that I have three children and my close friends have children of their own, we do a lot of complaining. It’s easier to commiserate and have the “woe is me” mentality. We work hard to provide, try to discipline and guide, all while attempting to find a moment for ourselves to breathe. And what do you, as a parent, have to show for it? Well, lots, actually, it just may not be as obvious as you first think.

I can say with certainty that I’m a better person because of my children. They show me that their smiles and

happiness are directly linked to mine. I’ve learned that it’s all right to be tired and grumpy at times, and that adults need timeouts too. My children demonstrate a level of forgiveness I don’t think I

could comprehend if it wasn’t for their childhood innocence displaying it toward me on a regular basis. They show me how to love unconditionally. And love hard, not just a random ‘I love you’ at the end of a conversation, but loving someone with your entire being when they are at their worst and when it’s most difficult. In other words, loving when the other person needs it most. I have seen them be selfless and selfish and have learned the true mark of being whole is being able to navigate back and forth seamlessly through both. They have taught me to have compassion for others, no matter how seemingly insignificant the others’ role is (think of a stranger on the street). I have learned that it is good practice not to give a care what others think and to do what feels right at times. They have taught me the true meaning of sacrifice. The list goes on…

This time of year we start off the holidays by giving thanks. Then for weeks on end reflect on what this year has brought as it comes to a close. As I reflect on the year, I will commit to thinking about my role in my children’s lives. Rather than focus on what I lost (sleep, patience, time, money, my mind) I will look at all that I have gained by being their Mama.

The next time my son asks if it’s hard being a mom, I will say “Yes, but you have taught me more than anyone and I will always be thankful for that!”

by marta Patlan

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The smell of melted chocolate com-bined with fresh butter and the gentle sound of Christmas carols playing on the radio would wake

me early on Christmas Eve. One more sniff of my festive bed sheets and my bare feet would meet the warm floor. I would quickly run downstairs to check on the Carp swimming in a bathtub, and feed it bread. Then on to the kitchen where the action took place: cooking, tasting, chop-ping, observing but most of all bonding with my family.

Those are my early memories of Christ-mas. As a child, it was a magical time and nothing in the world was able to change that. My mom was the “Christmas Spirit Guardian”; she would stay up all night to make sure that the house was neat and the food pleasing to the eyes and taste buds. In spite of the fact that my family was small, my parents always made this holiday special. My dad would set a fake Christmas tree up for my brother and me to decorate. It was such a big responsibil-ity for us as kids. It was the main symbol of Christmas and the main location of gifts, so the prettier the decorations and the more room underneath, the better. I will never forget that anticipation; waiting

in the window for the first star to appear in the sky; a sign that it’s time to sit down, say a prayer, break the Christmas wafer, and try a little bit of everything that’s on the table.

We never really had all 12 traditional Polish dishes but everything that was prepared was made only once a year – exclusively for this special day. There was always plenty of fish: baked carp in jelly, fried carp, herring fillets in oil and vinegar with chopped onions and mashed pota-toes, red borscht with raviolis, kutia with cooked poppy seeds and honey, and of course pierogi… just to name a few. After more than an hour long dinner it would be time for gifts. As a child I was told that Santa was a very busy man, and he would only ring our door bell and go deliver presents to other children. We were never lucky enough to see him in person but the fact that gifts were left under the tree meant it was worthwhile to behave well at least a day or two before Christmas.

Those precious moments are deeply seeded in my heart, and to me Christmas is always about family. Currently, I, as well as my parents live in Chicago, and in spite of the distance from our homeland, lack of time, and my „mixed race” marriage I still try to keep our traditions and customs alive. In my home, we get a big live Christ-

mas tree which, for bonding purposes, I decorate with my husband. I remember our first Christmas as a newlywed couple; first time to pick and choose traditions for our new home and family. And that’s how we arrived at our first argument over a fake tree or real tree. My husband won that one. I came home after work and the real Christmas tree was already in our apart-ment. Now, I love the smell of fresh pine and sound of Polish Christmas carols sang by Khary. I am so proud of him singing them in perfect Polish.

Dec 24th, Christmas Eve, is always reserved and celebrated with my parents, sometimes when my husband and I have to travel, we prepare everything a day ear-lier. Each year we have Mama’s delicious cooking that I remember so well from my childhood. We say a prayer, break the traditional wafer, wish each other health and prosperity, eat, and exchange gifts. On December 25th we visit my husband’s family. Everyone from parents to cous-ins and aunts to distant family members and friends meet at the host’s house. And the food is out of this world: everything from roast beef with green beans to ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, and sweet potato pie.

We pray, laugh, eat, but most of all we sing and celebrate the birth of Christ.

by edyta laurent

Keeping Up With Traditions


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Imagine waking up to the exact same thing every day. Imagine wearing the same thing, eating the same thing,

and listening to the same conversations throughout your day. No variation, just the same old thing day after day after day. No choices. Wouldn’t that drive you nuts?

Imagine a world where we never ques-tioned anything and did exactly what we were told, no matter what. In a world like that, the United States of America would not exist.

Apply the same logic to a business. Imagine every employee, manager, and executive was the exact same person. The same look, the same knowledge, the same experience, the same personality, the same voice, etc. In a company where ev-ery single person is the same, would you expect that business to be successful?

ComPAnIes need dIVersItY to drIVe suCCessPeter Economy, “The Leadership Guy” and a regular contributor to Inc., recently published an article about a “toxic com-pany culture.” In it, Economy specifically talks about “clones.” He says that, “Com-pany culture can be undermined when you hire too many people who are the same, which can lead to too much agree-ment, too little creative thinking, and a general lack of debate.”

Is there proof that diversity is a key component to driving a company’s suc-cess? The Harvard Business Review re-leased an article in December 2013 about “How Diversity Can Drive Innovation.”

The article talks about research from a national survey of 1,800 professionals, 40 case studies as well as numerous inter-views and focus groups. They mention that there are two kinds of diversity which are inherent and acquired. Inherent is what you are born with and acquired is what you gain from experience. Leaders of companies that possess, at minimum, 3 inherent and 3 acquired diversity traits were then referred to as 2-D (or two-dimensional) diversity.

When comparing market outcomes to

diversity in leadership, they found that companies with 2-D diversity achieved more innovation and performed better than those that did not have 2-D diver-sity represented. In fact, employees that worked at 2-D companies were 45% more likely to report that their organization’s “market share” increased from the previ-ous year. They were also 70% more likely to report that their organization obtained a “new market.”

Diverse cultures have a plethora of benefits including innovation and creative thinking. Diversity attracts top talent and attracts a broader market base of custom-ers. People gravitate to places where they feel they “belong.” So the more open and welcoming you are to all walks of life, the more natural it is for people to want to follow your company and be a part of it.

so IF It Is Good to be unIque, Is Your VoICe beInG HeArd?Recent articles have been published that say children who talk back, while it may be troublesome to parents, are more likely to be successful. It is a healthy part of development. “The inability to say ‘No’ — the inability to set personal boundaries — is one of the most common, insidious causes of human suffering,” says Clinical psychologist Kelly M. Flanagan.“We tell parents to think of those argu-ments not as a nuisance but as a criti-cal training ground,” says Psychologist Joseph P. Allen, who led a study for the University of Virginia.

“Talking back” is a development stage where children become independent with their unique thoughts and ideas. As we grow up, independent and creative thought is needed by businesses from employees in order to be innovative and grow. What we learn when we are young helps us become better at our jobs later on in life.

wAnt to be suCCessFul? sPeAk uP!In the same token, I ask you this ques-tion. As an individual employed in any company and in any role, without an original personality and without a voice,

without independent thought, how do you expect to truly be successful?

If you are looking to make a contribu-tion that will elevate your career, make suggestions and question what is in front of you, and find a better way of doing things. Be curious and don ‘t keep it to yourself. Always be willing to say exactly what you are thinking. What makes you unique is your personal asset. And, it’s about being a strategic challenger.

be A CHAllenGerIt is important to note that success comes from more than just challenging the people and environment around you. You must be willing to challenge yourself. When you are adding value, it may be be-cause you are breaking away from what is standard or normal. It may mean getting uncomfortable. Challenge is good.

Viktor Frankl is the one who said, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

That happens when you find yourself in a situation where you are trying to be a challenger by speaking up and making a contribution, but your voice falls upon deaf ears. Not everyone sees the value in diversity and that is okay because it is also about challenging yourself, and that may mean you have to move on.

“You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” – Steve Jobs

It is better to find someplace where you can challenge yourself and where your voice is heard than being frustrated that no one is listening. Challenging your-self and your career is another avenue to finding happiness.

follow allison siMa on linkeDin.

reAdY For suCCess?reAdY For A CHAllenGe?

It’s Time to Speak Up!by Allison sima


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Born and raised in Michigan, Lendale is a fi erce, yet bal-anced guy who appreciates the small town values he’s ab-sorbed from growing up in the quaint Mid-west city of Ka-lamazoo. Holding immense respect and a big place in his

heart for family, Lendale is thankful for the values and traditions they’ve instilled in him throughout the years; values stemming all the way back to his Native American roots. “My grandma, who was part Native American, taught me the importance of knowing where you come from”, he shares. “Because if you don’t know your past, you can’t know your future.”

Lendale’s tennis fever started as a child when he would curiously bounce a ball against the wall as he watched his father play basketball, and by age 6 he was offi cially playing tennis. In middle school Lendale received his fi rst scholarship and soon after, went on to win consecutive USTA tournaments, starring on the varsity team during all 4 years of high school. “I didn’t actually start pro tennis until 2009 and that’s when I went on tour, and have been working on that side of my career ever since”, he says.

Actor, Model and Pro-Tennis Star,

lendAleJoHnson:

Why Life is Bigger than Just Me

While his innate passion will always be tennis, these days Lendale Johnson is aiming high for the sky with a ferocious no-limits attitude. Venturing out into the his uncharted scene of Hollywood, Lendale’s finally beginning to explore acting and filming opportunities, while continuing to rock it out on the runway as a high fashion model – and as “coach” on the tennis court. But one thing Lendale has made clear is that, along this exciting journey to stardom, he’ll never leave behind his community and those who need him.

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Though Lendale’s true tennis breakthrough finally occurred earlier this year when he received various corporate sponsorships and endorsements, which he admits has been a huge blessing.

But, between all the sweet and savory moments, Lendale admits that becoming a successful pro tennis player is a gradual process requiring immense patience, work and motivation. “Most beginner pros start with ITF (International Tennis Federation) competitions and have to first work their way up to more difficult competitions offering higher prize money. Most start with 10K, and eventually work their way up to 15k’s.” “After that”, he continues, “There are 50k’s which are called “challengers” where the level of difficulty increases, as do the winnings. When you win matches, you win money, but you also score points for your country. Winning even a few rounds matters in professional tennis, and is a big achievement, Lendale reveals. “Unless they’re tennis fans, most people won’t know who we are unless we rank top 20 or so in the world. That’s when we get to be in those really big televised tournaments, the Grand Slams”, he says.

Eventually going on to pursue his studies in Business Administration, Lendale continued to model and play tennis professionally, yet he still felt like something was missing in his life: helping others. He ultimately embraced this need by opening up a tennis school in Chicago, The Johnson High Performance Tennis Academy. “I never thought I would be a coach, but I love helping people, so that’s been one of the biggest benefits of my tennis career. It just felt natural”, he shares. “On top of tennis, I would love to do more acting, and then maybe fit in a photo shoot during the week. I try to stay busy”, Lendale admits.

More recently, Lendale has been featured as an extra on the revered FOX hip hop show, Empire, appearing in the pilot episode, and continuing to fill in with guest appearances in later episodes. “I have had a lot of opportunities with Empire. The show has broken records, and in a way, has kinda taken over America!”, he jokes. Lendale is proud to be part of a show that has done such great things and inspired people from all walks of life. “There’s a lot of controversy behind Empire though. Some people criticize the show for losing its integrity because of casting so many celebrities. Everyone will always have their own opinion, but for me, the show has opened up a lot of doors.”

With the hope of potentially landing a permanent role on Empire, Lendale is still open to other filming opportunities as

they continue to travel his way. This year he proudly represented Chicago with an appearance at the first ever 2015 Black Fashion Week USA and more recently, was invited to present awards on the red carpet. This October Lendale also had his first talk show appearance on The Lorri Moore Show, a Michigan talk show, which Lendale admits was an exciting and novel experience.

When he’s not acting or scoring points on the court, Lendale is a full-force fashion model and admits he has made many lasting friendships through this creative outlet of personal expression. But, according to Lendale, modeling is not all fun and games. “Many hours get put into modeling and people usually only see the glamour part of it – when we’re wearing big name designers on the runway, or when we’re featured in a high profile magazine. But there’s more to it”, he explains. “You definitely have to be open to rejection and know that not everyone will like you… and that

you won’t always get the job.” Learning from the cold and oftentimes harsh realities of modeling, Lendale now feels he knows what it takes to tackle the industry with ease and confidence. “I’ve learned who to trust and who not to trust. Sometimes, the media likes to put out only parts of the truth”, he says. “So you have to be careful. I also try not to watch the news too much either. But overall it’s been a fun and humbling experience.”

Lendale also had the chance to connect with ex-supermodel Tyra Banks from America’s Next Top Model and even went to the shows casting in Michigan. He also landed the opportunity of a one-on-one Q&A interview with J. Alexander, aka “Miss J”, a

longtime fashion icon and model who dubbed Lendale as fierce.However, Lendale’s true fierceness shines when he’s helping

the community – something he does often despite his busy life. Having his own personal stylist and definitely knowing how to command attention on a runway doesn’t mean Lendale’s stopped giving back to the community. Earlier this year he made a celebrity appearance in his home town for a 5K fundraiser walk dedicated to ending homelessness, where all proceeds benefitted the HRI (housingresourcesinc.org), an organization that assists those experiencing homelessness. Lendale also dedicates his time to other charities including the American Heart Association and various Sickle-Cell Anemia foundations. “I hope to continue to do more and more for the community”, he says. “My family taught me to respect people and treat others as I would want to be treated.”

PHotos by: cHaD stuM, & al cooley PHotograPHy


LIPS

Red lips look especially festive during the holiday. A soft berry stain is a must do this season… regardless if you wear lipstick on top. Stains are great because they won’t rub off throughout the course the night, like at your favorite holiday party.

CONCEALER

For concealer, find a shade closest to your skin tone or one shade lighter. Good (natural) lighting and a magnifying mirror are your best friends when applying both your concealer and foundation. To cover up blemishes and conceal under eye circles, apply concealer by patting it onto your skin, versus rubbing or applying in a circular motion.

EYES

Try a touch of silver or gold on the eyelids. For a more intense look, try navy, deep green or purple for smoky eyes. Try layering these hues on top of a grey or black base shadow. And don’t forget, there is no better way to amp up your look as with long, lush lashes!

FOUNDATION TIPSFoundation is without a doubt the most anxiety-inducing makeup product. Many women say that finding their color match is their number one issue, while others have a problem applying foundation correctly.

To choose your per-fect color match:

• Test the foun-dation on your jaw line or on check in daylight and preferably use a magnify-ing mirror. The foundation tone is correct if it dis-appears on your

skin without needing to blend it in. You can ask for samples at your favorite cosmetic store and try it at home.

• Prepare your skin beforehand. Make sure to moisturize your skin with a day cream and wait for 10 min before applying foundation. Primer is also a great tool as it minimizes pores, smoothes the skin, and mattifies your face for a fresh and balanced look.

• Use the right tools. Professional makeup artists love to use beauty blenders, sponges, foundation brush-es or even the tips of their fingers to avoid the “jaw line mark” (where your foundation finishes and your natural skin starts).

• Finish your foundation look using a luminous or matte loose powder. Luminous powders are great because they have light reflecting particles that make your skin look polished and glowing.

FACE

Rosy cheeks can give the holidays an extra dazzle. This season, go out of your comfort zone and opt for reddish, more rouge tones for your cheeks. Also, cheek colors with a touch of gold pick up natural light beautifully, giving your face that natural, dewy glow.

by Anna szymanska

Holiday 2015 Makeup Tips

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DoLCe ItAlIAn restAurAntby: sylvia Perez


Chicago has no shortage of Italian restaurants. Yet there always seems to be word of a new one opening up. I was hearing a lot of buzz about this

Italian restaurant in River North located inside the Godfrey Hotel called, Dolce. Have you been? If the answer is no, you are definitely going to want to add it to your “must try” list.

Where do I begin? Okay, how about this. Every course they brought out was AMAZING.

Dolce is a sister restaurant to award-winning Miami hot spot with the same name. The restaurant recently -took top prize on Bravo TV’s Best New Restaurant. This location is certainly working hard to make sure Dolce Chicago keeps up that reputation. The decor is hip and pretty, but the best thing is the layout is very spa-cious. The tables aren’t crammed together so you don’t feel like you’re sitting on your neighbors lap.

We pretty much tried one of every-

thing. It’s what I like to do. But we had a big group and we all shared. Here are a few things you should definitely order:

The Bruschetta came with three differ-ent toppings. The restaurant prides itself on using seasonally focused foods and local ingredients. So it’s always changing. The fresh burrata, tomatoes, vegetables and prosciutto were accompanied with a delicious balsamic on a perfectly toasted crostini.

The Neapolitan pizza stood out. We went with two different toppings. The tartufata with spicy salami and truffle oil and the contadina topped with fresh veg-etables such as eggplant, zucchini, mush-rooms and peppers. The crust was perfect and did not overwhelm the flavors.

One of my absolute favorite items on the menu is the grilled octopus with chickpeas, farro and pistachio vinaigrette. I could just go there and eat this alone. But that would not be good because then I’d miss out on the other tasty items like the Dolce meatballs, just to name a few.

Hold on, we haven’t even gotten to the main course options yet. The pasta is homemade and delicious. We shared a few, but the fettuccine alla bolognese stood out. I have heard the seafood is quite good. I’ll save that for my next trip.

I forgot to mention the cocktails. If you just want to pop in for a quick drink and appetizers, the bar is very inviting and roomy. The mixologists are helpful in steering you in the right direction. Finally – dessert. Oh wait! I didn’t have any. After hearing about what I just ate I’m sure you understand there was no room left. But overall, everyone else seemed to enjoy the desserts and, really, the whole experience.

It’s definitely worth a date night with your special someone or a group of friends. Word is still getting out about Dolce so you might be able to snag a reservation with a few days notice. But hurry, it won’t be long, if it’s not already too late before this place is so packed you’ll be waiting weeks to get in.

ConneCt with me @ SylviaPerez.Com

or on twitter @SylviaPerezProd


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The ManyColors oF wInterA nother year has slipped through our fingers

and soon the snow will be covering the ground once more while Christmas lights romance the shadows of the night. This is

the time for joy, family traditions and hot beverages enjoyed next to the fire. Engaging with our love ones. Winter is the season that announces the end of a year, but it’s also the most beautiful and fashionable time of the year. This is the opportunity to bring out our hidden winter wardrobe and dress to protect ourselves from the slowly approaching chilly weather.

This season is all about layers – so let’s take advantage of it and make the most of it from a fashion aspect. Black is a favorite color for many people during this time of the year. But winter doesn’t have to be all about gray, white and black. Bring colors into this winter! A white canvas is the best friend of an artist, and snow covering the ground is the best background for a bright, colorful coat.

Remember that the best part of winter is embracing your most colorful self and bringing that long awaited anticipation of spring into winter. Happy colors recharge us with positive energy and warm thoughts. And, as always, remember to dress on the outside how you feel on the inside.

Wishing happy holidays to all, and a prosperous and fashionable New Year!

With love,leanDro Mulet

DESIGNS: leAndro muletMODEL: teAGAn AnesHlY

PHOTOGRAPHY: lICAr bY CArlos rodolFo CHInCHIllA

l a m o d e


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revia magazine #13 december

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