Pulse: Sisters win tickets to Justin Bieber concert

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Naperville residents Carly Franzese, 19, and her sister Krista, a sophomore at Naperville Central, were in the audience Tuesday night for the Justin Bieber concert at the Allsate Arena, thanks to the Promenade in Bolingbrook. | Submitted

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Updated: October 26, 2012 5:22PM

Contests come and go, and most of us could truly say we’ve never won anything.

That was the story of two sisters in Naperville — but their winless streak recently came to an end.

A promotion of a new multimedia website for the Promenade in Bolingbrook included a chance to win Justin Bieber tickets for those who signed up to join it in September and October.

Naperville resident Carly Franzese, 19, a student at the University of Central Michigan, saw a poster promoting the contest a few weeks ago while on a shopping excursion with her sister. She took a chance.

“I’ve never won anything before, and now I’m going to take my sister Krista, who is a sophomore at Naperville Central, to the concert with me,” Franzese said Monday night. “I told my friends at college about it, and everyone said they’d take the bus home and miss a few days of classes to see the concert, too.”

The two Naperville girls were in the audience Tuesday night for one of Bieber’s two shows at the Allstate Arena. Kris Kuchler, director of marketing for the Promenade, said the two winners were stoked.

“Carly was so excited; it made my day to call her with the news,” Kuchler said. “We want our members, the ‘InSiders’, to know they are special to us, and we will continue to have give-a-ways throughout the year with a wide variety of prizes.”

All aboard!

Lisle Polar Express train still on track this year

The Naperville Jaycees might have called off their popular Santa train this year, but the jolly old elf won’t be passing us by.

Tickets are on sale for the 17th annual Lisle Polar Express Children’s Christmas Train. It’s set to leave the station in downtown Lisle at 9:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. Dec. 2.

Last year, children and adults from more than 65 cities and suburbs took the 75-minute yuletide ride. The 10-car double-decker Metra commuter train recreates the trip featured in the award-winning children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg.

Tickets, priced at $16 each, are limited. An adult must accompany all children, and every passenger needs a ticket. To order them, send a stamped, business-size envelope with a check payable to The Polar Express to PO Box 4237, Lisle, IL 60532. Be sure to specify what time you’d like to ride. For more details, including places in Lisle selling tickets, call 630-769-1000 or 800-733-9811.

Teens 4 Obama

Mock elections give president another term

Local high school students prefer Democratic President Barack Obama over GOP challenger Mitt Romney by a margin of almost two to one, according to recent mock elections conducted by the League of Women Voters with help from the DuPage County Election Commission board.

Of the students voting at Naperville Central High School, 122 chose Obama and 59 voted for Romney. At Naperville North, it was 256 for Obama and 135 for Romney, and at Waubonsie valley High School, the incumbent prevailed 223 to 115. Overall, Obama won.

Staged during the first week of October at 18 DuPage County high schools, the simulated contest found bipartisan outcomes in the legislative face-offs. In Congressional races, students preferred Mike Quigley over Don Schmitt in the 5th District, Peter Roskam over Leslie Coolidge in the 6th, Tammy Duckworth over Joe Walsh in the 8th and Bill Foster over Judy Biggert in the 11th. Almost 5 percent of the 9,540 young participants went with the Green Party ticket, and the Libertarian ticket drew a few more votes than that. Almost 7 percent of the voters went with write-in candidates.

Local flavor

Magazine hails
Waterleaf restaurant

Waterleaf restaurant at College of DuPage is one of two first-year restaurants in DuPage County distinguished with the 2012 Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine. The award recognizes restaurants “whose wine lists offer interesting selections, are appropriate to their cuisine and appeal to a wide range of wine lovers.” COD was among 73 establishments recognized in this year’s round of awards.

“This is an incredible accomplishment for a restaurant that has yet to celebrate its one-year anniversary,” said Jean Pierre Leroux, general manager of Waterleaf and the Inn at Water’s Edge.

Waterleaf also was recently identified as a “Diner’s Choice” restaurant on OpenTable.com. This recognition is based on 130 reviews provided by Waterleaf patrons, which also resulted in Waterleaf being named one of the “Best Overall” restaurants in Illinois.

Fore! you

Springbrook slates simulator demo

Don’t put your clubs away yet! Duffers can keep that swing in perfect form through the off-season if they use one of two simulators in the clubhouse at Springbrook Golf Course, 2220 W. 83rd St., Naperville. They’re available seven days a week through March 31.

The gadgets will be demonstrated between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. In return for watching the free 20-minute demo, you’ll receive a $5 gift card to apply to the cost of your first rental, which ranges from $17 to $35 hourly. Free food and beverages will be available. Call 630-848-5060 for more details.

A voice for Karen

Theater ‘regular’ gets shot at comedy

Saturday Night Live might be the gold standard of comedic sketches, but before that show, audiences enjoyed a British invasion version known as Monty Python’s Flying Circus. The Theatre-on-the-Hill in Bolingbrook is bringing back this iconic show, headlined by Naperville’s Karen “KB” Bowman.

The theater group’s president says she has been a “regular” for 10 years.

“She’s a very creative person who is both a choreographer and an actor,” Craig Engel said. “Usually she works behind the scenes, but we know that she’s going to be hilarious now that we are getting her up on stage.”

Bowman said her first acting effort was seven years ago in a comic role, and this would be her second time doing comedy.

“I’m doing the sexy, ditsy blonde role, and there are about 12 costume changes in the show, so it’s going to require a lot of energy,” Bowman said. “I’m always the silent dancer, and now I finally have a voice.”

The show also includes Jeff Goodman of Warrenville, Sharon Hand and David Lichty of Bolingbrook, Leann Hoffrogge and Carlos Mendoza of Joliet, Julie Kinsey of Plainfield, Adam Krause of Bartlett, Dennis Paul of Shorewood, Tiffany Streng of Arlington Heights and Chris Williams of Aurora. The show is produced and directed by Michael Fudala.

Performances are Oct. 25-28 and Nov. 9-11. Tickets are $15 at www.tothbolingbrook.com.

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