COUNTRY VS. TOWN: BETH GUERIN

BETH GUERIN grew up in Hinsdale with her parents, younger sister and rescue dog Snickers. She attended Elm School, Hinsdale Middle School, and Hinsdale Central, where she played on the legendary tennis team. College led her to study finance and history at Indiana University. “Indiana felt like a quintessential Big Ten collegiate experience and Bloomington is a great college town. I knew from the first moment I stepped on campus that it was the right fit for me.,” Beth says.

After college, Beth moved to Chicago and worked in business valuations. She’d met her husband Andrew during their senior year of college, and they both worked in fulfilling early-career roles while keeping the good times of undergrad life rolling with other Indiana alums in the city. The couple married in 2016 and welcomed sons, Jack in 2018 and James in 2020.

Like many families, they wanted to live the country life after 10 years in the city. “I loved growing up here but never had my heart set on moving back. As we started our house search, we knew we wanted to be on the train line and not too far out from the city. When paired with the excellent public schools, cute downtown, and strong sense of community, it became clear that Hinsdale was where we wanted to be,” Beth says.

Motherhood completely shifted Beth’s perspective on career fulfillment. At the same time, she found herself gravitating towards wanting to support other new moms. This led her to found the Mama League in 2022, supporting and educating new mothers while also providing a lovely community for postpartum life and beyond.

“After 15 years with the same valuation firm, I made the decision to leave and focus on growing The Mama League full-time. I now have locations in Hinsdale and the North Shore, and it’s been incredibly rewarding to see hundreds of new moms come through our newborn series! Having the flexibility to spend more time with my boys while also fostering a sense of community among other moms has been a dream come true,” she says.

And Hinsdale is once again home. “Now that both boys are in elementary school, I’m involved on the PTO board and love being present for park playdates, sports carpools, and all the day-to-day moments. We feel incredibly lucky to be surrounded by such a supportive community of family and friends.”

Do you have a mantra? “Comparison is the thief of joy.” It’s a reminder she returns to often. In a community where comparison can come easily, especially while parenting a child with disabilities, reflecting on how far her son has come helps keep the focus on what truly matters. Favorite travel spots? These days, travel leans toward meaningful traditions. Annual trips to Florida and New Jersey with the kids are staples, along with the occasional parents-only getaway to Las Vegas. Summers often include the Jersey Shore and time in New York City visiting family and friends. For longer trips, the favorite formula is half beach, half city—such as Rome paired with the Amalfi Coast, or Barcelona combined with Mallorca. Products you’ve been loving lately? A new espresso machine from Jura has made coffee at home hard to beat. Favorite spring tradition or activity? Hosting the annual Easter egg hunt for family and friends—complete with coffee, mimosas, donuts, and dozens of kids in their church clothes running around—always sets the tone for a joyful day.

WHEN IN COUNTRY

What’s your go-to outfit? Athleisure for sure. My day pivots quickly between Zoom calls, Mama League classes, and pickup games of basketball or pickleball with my boys. Athleisure is the only way to keep up without multiple outfit changes throughout the day. Is there anything you can’t leave the house without? My sunglasses! Where do they know you by name? Yankee Peddler, I always hope a little of Stacy’s design talent rubs off on me whenever I’m in there. Also, between paddle all winter and the whole family practically living at the pool all summer, Salt Creek Club is definitely my family’s home away from home. Describe your perfect day? My perfect day would be during the summer when the whole day can be spent outside. It would start with a walk into town for croissants, cheering on my boys at whatever sporting event they have that day, spending the afternoon at the pool with our friends and then a spontaneous dinner and drinks on the patio or a date night at Nabuki (with a big thanks to my parents for babysitting!). I love the chaos of lots of activities and a house full of people, the more the merrier!

WHEN IN TOWN

What’s in your bag? As little as possible—sunglasses, lip gloss, credit card, and ID. Describe your perfect day? While a perfect suburbs day is all about family, the perfect city day would revolve around spending time with the friends we don’t get to see as often anymore. It would start with coffee and a walk along the lake, followed by patio hopping in Old Town, happy hour along the river, and dinner in the West Loop. Best quick bite or hidden gem? Once we had the boys, we moved from River North to Southport Corridor and absolutely love the restaurants up there. Coda di Volpe and Corridor Brewery & Provisions were go-to favorites. Do you have a favorite museum? Personally, I’ve always loved the Art Institute of Chicago, but with the kids we love the Shedd Aquarium. It’s so easy to hop on 55 and be there in 20 minutes on a weekend morning. They have so many hands-on, family-friendly exhibits, making it a quick and easy activity during the winter or on a rainy day.