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Ash&Kate

VIV,EDWIN and OLIVER

About Us

Kate

Originally from the south coast of England, I moved to Chicago in 1998 with my husband Ashley. We loved the City on arrival, and partifcularly liked Andersonville/ Edgewater where we bought and renovated an old colonial house in 2002. The neighborhood is fun, convenient and friendly, and we now feel very much at home within a warm and eclectic circle of friends. After years of working and traveling, I had baby Edwin in 2007, followed by twins, Vivienne and Oliver in 2010.  Staying at home held much appeal with the new babes, and so we switched gears and set up Magnolia Studios with a view to making it a relaxing haven for the travel weary. Whether you're here to visit family, experience a great Chicago neighborhood, or see downtown Chicago, we want you to feel better when you leave than when you arrived.

Ash

Originally from Sheffield in the north of England, I moved to London in 1985 where I studied geology, and started my working life on the oil rigs. During the 13 years that I spent in London, my career took a different turn and by the time I came to Chicago with Kate in 1998, I had entered the world of IT. I maintain my British roots by drinking warm, dark beer, and by supporting Sheffield United, and am happy to talk at length about either subject. As with Kate, I love Chicago, and it now feels like home.

Edwin, Vivienne and Oliver

Edwin was born here in Chicago in 2007. He loves Lego and we have more Lego in our house than anybody else in the world ( or it feels that way). Vivienne and Oliver were born in May 2010, Vivienne wants to be a doctor and loves lollipops. Oliver wants to be a paleontologist but may have to develop a little more patience. It was hard to get them all to smile at the same time and this was the best that we could do. We haven't mentioned our cat, Speck. He was rescued from an abandoned building in 2003 and is much loved although strictly forbidden from entering the studios.

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