SHARON WATROUS may have retired from fashion a few years ago, but the Wilmette resident and former co-owner of Chalk boutique is busier than ever. The mother of five balances parenting, being active with her five kids’ schools, national competitive show jumping (which she took up only a few years ago), and active support of such invaluable organizations as Connections for the Homeless. Watrous hopped off her horse to share her shore and city favorites with Sheridan Road.

What’s on the horizon? Co-chairing our kids’ school’s capital campaign with the incomparable Tom Flickinger and Christina Self, and gearing up for the 2022 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington with our two daughters. The world’s largest show jumping circuit, WEF draws competitors from around the globe Mantra? Be impeccable with your word, don’t take anything personally, don’t make assumptions, and always do your best Best grooming tip? Find the right hairstylist and colorist (shout-out to Lara and Trish at Pascal pour Elle) Guilty pleasure? Alone time Favorite foods? Indian, Thai, Japanese—the spicier, the better (maybe curries are my guilty pleasure?) Driving music? Audiobooks Music you love? I’m a sentimentalist, so the music from my childhood and teens—from Fleetwood Mac and Simon & Garfunkel to New Order and Depeche Mode Best advice ever given to you? Intentions matter (thank you, John) Best advice you’ve given? Stay in your own “lane”—don’t worry about what other people are doing; do your thing and don’t compare your insides to other people’s outsides Earliest memory? Standing on a chair and leaning out the kitchen window of our home in Bolinas, California to throw bread to the wild partridges When you wake up, you? Meditate—Transcendental meditation has transformed my life Before bed, you? Read or listen to an audiobook What’s on your bookshelf? Far too many cookbooks (just ask my kids), detective novels, contemporary literature, and classics from childhood and an almost Ph.D. in 19th-century British literature (Dickens, Collins, Elliott, the Brontës, Austen, and Stoker) You can’t live without? My husband and kids Love to escape to? Anywhere the horses are Advice you would give to your younger self? Be kind to yourself

ON THE SHORE

Your style is? Casual. Jeans, t-shirt, belt, and Golden Goose sneakers, or riding and yoga clothes. OK, mostly riding and yoga clothes Can’t leave the house without? My phone … but somehow, I regularly manage to do so Transportation? Do horses count? Driving music? Audiobooks Place to eat? The Barn, Torino (ramen), Coast (sushi), Fuel (Chilaquiles), and Fri o (Argentinian craft gelato) Shop? The Book Stall, The Spice House, and at my friend and former business partner Carrie Kane’s new store, Hudson Grace Best thing about the Shore? The friends we’ve made Worst thing about the Shore? It’s not my childhood home (Northern California), but it checks a lot of the boxes The perfect day is? Meditating, getting the kids off to school on time, yoga, work, picking the kids up from school on time, horseback riding, cooking dinner, and hanging with my family

IN THE CITY

Your style is? A bit less casual, nice jeans, a fun top, boots, and a little jewelry Can’t leave the house without? My phone, yet somehow… Transportation? The car of whoever is willing to drive Driving music? I’m usually with family, so whatever the family DJ of the day prefers Place to eat? ROOH, avec, and Tzuco Shop? My closet Best thing about the City? The culture, food, music, theater, art—Chicago has it all Worst thing about the City? Traffic and parking The perfect day is? A cultural outing with the kids and dinner with friends