The architecture of St. Joseph Catholic Church, which celebrates its 135th birthday this year, is tailored to reflect changes endorsed by the Vatican Council II in the mid-1960s.

While Springfield area residents recognize Westminster Presbyterian Church by its imposing stone tower, the nation recognizes it as one of the creations of the premiere architectural firm of Cram, Goodhue and Ferguson of Boston.

Forget power lunches and power suits. Nothing really says power like steel, glass and concrete uniquely fashioned into a building designed to stand for the ages.

One of the most ancient arts involves a living form that can be passed down from generation to generation. There are stories of bonsai trees carefully tended and bequeathed to a worthy heir.

A Springfield woman breaks things to make things — and it’s art.

Back in the middle part of the last century, when jazz was still in the mainstream of popular music, Springfield served as host to some of the genre's legendary performers.

Marc Levi remembers growing up in the Westchester subdivision and admiring a 1971 Corvette Roadster as it drove by.

With the advent of the green movement, people are striving to live more environmentally responsible lives now more than ever, and car manufacturers and dealers are no exception.

Lew Fehring has an Indian Chief stashed in his workshop in Chatham. He also has an Indian sitting on a desk in his office. Fehring, president of Fehring Ornamental Iron Works, has an appreciation of fine vintage motorcycles and shows it by lovingly collecting, restoring and riding them.

Lee Malany of Springfield has seen a world of destruction and despair in the past 10 years. But he's also witnessed the resiliency of the human spirit when confronted with situations that the average American couldn't possibly fathom or think of overcoming.

You see someone on TV, and you think you know them, right?

There are very few singers who cause a rush of emotion just with the singing of the national anthem. Oh, they can impress a crowd blasting, "And the rockets red glare" at an octave range so high that dogs cringe - but it doesn't bring the flood of feelings that comes when the singer really believes in the lyrics.

Imagine a set of tiered, cultivated areas around the house alive with a profusion of blossoms, colors and greenery. Around the cultivated beds are bermed areas with stands of shrubs. Several different trees, some of them blooming too, are around the house and the outskirts of the lawn.

Interesting alternatives to that large green expanse of lawn are limited only by the supplies at area greenhouses. From grasses to containers, landscaping adds color, texture and interest even in the dreary winter months.

While sustainable landscape or landscaping that is eco-friendly and requires little maintenance has been the craze, we are now on our next generation of vegetation. Mike McWilliams of CopperTree, 3111 Cockrell Lane, says when putting in landscaping people are considering color and how things look year-round.

They call her a terror; they say she's mean and she lies. But Lex Bitner, a personal trainer with attitude, wouldn't have it any other way and neither would her clients.

While most of us have heard about the benefits of taking vitamins and dietary supplements, knowing what to take - and when to use it - can be confusing at best. But with the new year under way, now is a good time to begin getting healthier. By listening to some expert advice on what vitamins you need - and following a good diet and exercise regimen - chances are you'll be feeling better in a short time.

Meditation is a practice of self love that helps to relieve stress and chronic health problems.

When Mike Monseur and John Leskovisek bought their home on Fairview Lane overlooking Lake Springfield, it had no landscaping and needed a lot of work.

When Sean Cowan’s parents wanted to move out of their turn-of-the-century Victorian to something different, but still incorporate some of their old furnishings, it seemed natural they would contact their son.

Mother Nature may have slammed Springfield with a snowstorm in February, but spring is just a step away in the home owned by Max and Cheri Hammer at Panther Creek.

If you want Vern Kleen to take you under his wing, be prepared to earn yours.

This month, freelance photographer Tim Murphy of Springfield takes us to The Butterfly House, where visitors can mingle with more than 60 species of butterflies from around the world in an 8,000-square-foot glass conservatory. With thousands of butterflies, there’s always some in flight. Just watch your step and your back, as they do land on the walkway and on visitors.

It's basketball season. March Madness is in full swing, and the big tournaments are right around the corner. At each game, every person involved sees the game from a different perspective. Players, coaches, referees, scorekeepers and fans all look at the game differently. And photographers see it in their own way, too - through a lens. Here you'll find pictures by art director Erica Cusumano as she takes an artistic look at the game of basketball.

On July 4, when most of us will be enjoying time off with family and friends, Maj. Gen. Dennis L. Celletti will be representing the Illinois National Guard at an Independence Day celebration in Itasca in northern Illinois.

You see someone on TV, and you think you know them, right?

The old adage, “One success leads to another,” is proving true for chef and restaurateur Jimmy Oh. As owner of Bentoh’s and Jimmy Oh’s restaurants, he distinguishes himself as one of few owner/chefs in Springfield. By successfully operating his restaurants in the past eight years, he also has beaten the odds that suggest 26 percent of restaurants in Illinois fail in the first year. During that time, he has developed a loyal customer base that has been steady business in spite of the economy. 

The elaborate and impressive chandeliers that grace foyers and great rooms today were borne of necessity.

A girl on the go needs to have a cosmetics bag packed and ready. But - so many choices. After all, it's not called a cosmetics suitcase or a cosmetics trunk - it all has to fit in a little bag.

Valentine's Day most often provokes images of the perfect romantic ideal portrayed in the movies. The dashingly handsome male with a stunning woman dressed in a glittering evening gown enjoy a candlelit dinner at a sophisticated restaurant where the perfect corner table is decorated with red roses, beautiful crystal glasses, china, silver and linen napkins. Frank Sinatra croons a love song quietly in the background during a passionate conversation of love-never-ending and dreams that are sure to come true.

People always remember the name of the street where they grew up. It's part of their personal history and just hearing the name sends them on a trip down memory lane. But many people never consider how their street, or subdivision, came to be named. There's a history there as well, one that continues to be written to this day — one new sign at a time.

Every year Springfield's Own Magazine asks local folks a question. This year, we asked some of the area's movers and shakers as well as our Facebook fans, "Do you have a collection? If so, what is it and why do you collect it?" You might be surprised by some of the answers we received.

Wedding trends like food stations with themes, all hors d'oeuvres, mini meals or tasting menus could take awhile to make it to Springfield, but a few brides are being a bit more adventurous.