The Wizards of Our Neighborhood

The Wizards of Our Neighborhood

The Magic Hallmark House has outdone itself this Halloween season, and that’s not easy to do. Brian Kemp and his husband Mark Romanowski-Kemp put together an astonishing display that celebrates Home! Hollywood! and Halloween! With painstaking detail, they turned their corner into an MGM lot with their ode to the Wizard of Oz. "Mark came [...]

Mr. Helmet’s Neighborhood

Mr. Helmet’s Neighborhood

It's enough that Wisconsin crossing guards show up faithfully twice a day to protect their young charges through all kinds of inclement weather and inconsiderate drivers. How wonderful that so many of them also spread a little joy! Mr. Helmet, whose given name is Dennis, has manned his post on the corner of Glendale Avenue [...]

The violin maker

The violin maker

From her workshop in Heid Music’s front window, Kara McCanna coaxes infinite circles of stories from the instruments she builds and repairs. A professional violinist and luthier, Kara works with precision instruments to build ethereal ones. She is the conduit between musician and instrument, the means by which each has the ability to play on. [...]