Notebook
September 28th, 2018 by Gary Osberg

Fall is here and there is a forecast for frost tonight.  The Millstream Art Festival is on Sunday in vibrant downtown St. Joseph.  The event is from 11am until 5pm.  There will be 55 artists and 8 authors displaying and selling their works.  There will be live music and a wide variety of food available for purchase.  I hope to see you there.

I have to leave early to drive up to Breezy Point for our fall retreat. One of the cabins that is available is the 11 bedroom Fawcett House. It was Breezy Point Resort’s founder Captain Billy’s personal residence. My mother, Bernice Larson was a nanny for the grandchildren of Captain Billy Fawcett in the 1930s. She had a bedroom in the Fawcett House and spent the winters in Los Angeles with Captain Billy’s son Gordon Fawcett, his wife Vivian and their two children, Gordon Jr. and Dennis.

Wilford Fawcett, better known as Captain Billy, was a millionaire publisher from Robbinsdale, Minnesota. His most famous publication was the Capt. Billy’s Whiz Bang magazine. The book “Humor Magazines and Comic Periodicals” noted that “Few periodicals reflect the post-WW I cultural change in American life as well as Capt. Billy’s Whiz Bang. For much of the 1920’s Capt. Billy’s was the most prominent comic magazine in America.”

Captain Billy purchased Breezy Point in Pelican Township, from Fred LaPage in 1920 and soon the main lodge was built along with his personal residence. The original lodge was destroyed in a fire in June of 1959. Of course he rebuilt the lodge and the “Fawcett House” still stands. With 11 bedrooms it is perfect for large family reunions. It was recently renovated. For details on rates and golf packages, go to breezypointresort.com

This week Live From Here airs the final summer repeat, originally from Ravinia back in June, with Parker MillsapThe Secret Sisters, and Hawktail. Plus: Tom Papa reads a few excerpts from his book Your Dad Stole My Rake, including a proposal for new restaurants sure to please both kids and parents.  Chris Thile’s Song of the Week, “Best Life”; Gaby Moreno’s “Fronteras”; and the radio actors present a lesson on Chicago-style food from Chef Mike Katz.

“Make up your mind that no matter what comes your way, no matter how difficult, no matter how unfair, you will do more than simply survive. You will thrive in spite of it.”

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