Divino (gelato in Grayslake!)

Divino
821 E. Center Street, Grayslake, IL 60030, 847.223.2500

We tried Divino last night for dinner, as we'd been hearing some buzz about it (and we needed to make a diaper run). It's located in the strip mall next to Piggly Wiggly, but don't hold that against it. ;-)

We'll have to try the pizza sometime, as we've heard it is really good. What we did try was a calzone (me) and a rigatoni pasta dish (Tony) and some gelato (again, pretty much me, but Tony did have a taste...and hey, I only got the piccolo size.). The gelato was great and perfectly authentic (ahhh, I miss Italy!). I had the zuppa inglese. I'll actually have to try and make a concentrated effort to not go too often for the gelato.

The dinners were good, though nothing stunning (they didn't knock our socks off, but they were good). The calzone, however, was huge and stuffed full of stuffings. As we've heard the pizza is the thing, we'll definitely try them again.

Oh, and the people were friendly. That's always a bonus.

Update on the Shops at Station Square, Prairie Crossing

Since the weather has turned nice (it might get up to 80 today! Ack!), Max and I have been taking some walks to the shops at Station Square here in Prairie Crossing. Some new shops have opened up and there have been some changes in some of the old ones, so here's a quick overview of what's old & new...

Under the Sycamore Tree, the cool bookshop, is still going strong and is as awesome as ever. I'll hopefully be doing a book signing with them once my book is out. They do also carry a small selection of books for adults...Max and I recently bought Daddy a copy of In Defense of Food, which he really likes.

Little Skye has re-focused a bit and is now caring more maternity / nursing mom stuff, including some really nice nursing tops; I've gotten two...I especially like the "boob wear" (I swear, that's what it is really called). As always, they've got really cool stuff for babies and kids. Once Max gets a bit older, we'll have to check out their alternative diaper stuff (cloth, the G diapers, etc.)

The Prairie Croissant Cafe has made some changes for the better and just one for the worse. They've added new menu items (though, man, they only do the crepes on weekends...I'm bummed...I was so going to get one today), some little artsy stuff for sale, organic creamery products (good yogurt), re-organized so that the kid stuff is one one side, and seem much better organized (like getting the food and drinks out faster). All that's great. And I've lately seen at least one person working on a laptop whenever I'm there, as it has also quieted down a bit (or I'm going at non-mom-group times). The only bad change is that they've cut their hours quite a bit and I've gone by a bunch of times and they've been closed. Hopefully that was just a winter issue and now that Spring has sprung they'll expand their hours again.

The Affinity Boutique is also just as cool as ever. Every time I go in I want to get a ton of stuff. I need to be somewhat cautious with clothes still though...I've lost the baby-weight (so I can't blame Max anymore), but I've still got some pounds to go before I'm happy (like that post-cruise weight). So anything I get now needs to work later when I (hopefully) lose more weight. I did find a really cool dress today that I'll have to give Tony a hint about for Mother's Day...

Ten Thousand Villages is also the same, with a nice selection of crafts from all over the world and friendly staff. They are always getting new things in.

Prairie Arts & Fibers (960 Harris RoadGrayslake, IL 60030, 847-543-5255 ) is brand new and owned by Linda Keating, who lives in the neighborhood. I could easily get into lots of trouble at this shop, since she carries bunches of great yarn, as well as the work of local artists (the photos from the storm chaser lady are really cool) and even some really nice handmade furniture. I'm also going to be making some soap for her to carry. Oh, and they do open knitting sessions and knitting classes too.

Prairie Sunshine Yoga Studio (960 Harris Rd. Grayslake, IL, (847) 223-0601) is also new. I haven't actually been in there yet, though I hope to make use of their services soon (they just added a masseuse and are having a May special on massages). They also have Mommy & Baby classes that I'd like to try, though I might need to wait until Max is just a wee bit older.

That's about it, though the annual Earthwild Gardens plant sale will be this coming weekend. They don't have a permanent store, just a tent that they set up for special events. Nice plants and nice people.

2 weeks! Ack! (& Betty Schwartz's Intimate Boutique and the Buffalo Restaurant)

I was looking at the calendar this morning and realized that we've got pretty much exactly two weeks to go (or less). Ack! Somehow, it seemed like March 10th was farther away than that when I was talking to the nurse on the phone and scheduling the inducing. And, of course, he may decide to appear sooner than that. There's no telling. We're kind of hoping he does, since the whole inducing thing can have complications.

And by all indications, he's ready to come out. I think he was trying to kick his way out through my belly button last night. Ouch! He's a strong little bugger and I bet he's going to be just as stubborn as his dad. All the stuff you read says babies start to run out of room about now and settle down and don't move as much. Not this peanut. He makes himself known. Repeatedly. No rest for the wicked or the weary.

We've got the bag all ready and packed (officially) as of today. I needed to get a nursing bra, so Tony (poor fellow) took me to Betty Schwartz's Intimate Boutique in Buffalo Grove today. I'd wanted to try it out because they were supposed to carry Bravado nursing bras (though, curiously enough, they didn't). I gather it has been around for awhile, since they had an old black and white photo with a storefront that said "Betty Schwartz's Corset Shop" on it. It worked out okay. This friendly older lady helped me out and I got a pretty comfy nursing bra. Crazy things, I tell you.

We also stopped for lunch at the Buffalo Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor (1180 West Lake Cook Rd. Buffalo Grove IL, (847) 808-1120). We definitely have to try it again when I can eat sweets. They had the best looking sundaes I've seen in ages. Huge. Towering. Yummy.

*sigh*

This gestational diabetes thing is getting old.

Anyway, the rest of their food was good too. I had a taco salad (easy on the beans and I skipped most of the shell, making it pretty GD friendly) and Tony had soup and a burger with some really good fries (I ate one teeny one). I'd thought it was going to be a greasy spoon kind of place (well, it kind of was), but it was also really good and those Fountain desserts...oh man. Definitely have to go back sometime. Repeatedly. Too many options, too little time.

Le Vichyssois

Le Vichyssois
220 West Route 120, Lakemoor, IL (815) 385-8221

Tony took me out for my birthday last night. We went to a little French place that I'd heard about on the PCHO (i.e. PSYCHO) list. It's kind of in the middle of nowhere, but it is a cute little place. Elegant inside (all cream and white and silver and bronze) with lots of oil paintings (all of which are for sale).

I gather that it has been there for a while. They feature an a la carte menu and a "bistro" 3 course menu. We wound up doing the a la carte since I was trying to keep my sugar/carb intake low. Tony had foie gras with brioche, a house salad, and the venison. I had a warm cabbage and bacon salad (nice, faintly reminiscent of sauerkraut) and veal medallions in a black truffle sauce. We split some dessert. All-in-all, even with the dessert, I didn't do too bad. My sugar level for the 2 hour post-prandial measurement wasn't all that off the charts, just a little bit high. 146 when I'm supposed to aim for under 120.

The people were friendly and the service was good. It was a pretty quiet night, but I imagine that's due in part to the location and a good deal more to the temperature (it was -4). Definitely a place to try again. It wasn't the best French food I've ever had, but it was good (and we've been to some really, really nice French places). And for being out here in the suburbs, it's darn good.

Demetri's

660 Lake-Cook Road, Deerfield, IL, 60015 Phone: 847-940-0777

The other night I met Tony after work before he left for Toronto (mostly just to see him, but also because he'd forgotten his suitcase). We ate at Demetri's, which is just around the corner from his office in Deerfield.

It's a Greek restaurant and he's been there a ton of times (there are only so many close places to his office building), but it was my first time there. We actually arrived very early, so we were able to get the Early Bird specials (pretty good deal; they even include dessert).

The inside is nice and pretty understated. They've got some art glass-y type of lights and a big fish tank, as well as some (presumably) Grecian columns decorating the place. The menu seemed pretty authentic to me, with all the standard Greek fare (spanikopita, dolmades, moussaka, etc. [all of which I'm probably spelling wrong, since I don't feel like looking it up right now]).

We had soup to start off with (it came with the Early Bird) and mine was an interesting lemon, rice and chicken soup. Tony had the Athenian chicken (which he'd had before and liked) and I had pasticchio (which I really should look up how to spell, since I'm positive I mangled it). Both were quite good and the portions were, honestly, too big. I especially liked the potatoes with Tony's dish. The baklava and the homemade walnut cake for dessert were also really good.

All in all, this is a nice Greek place. It's not the best Greek food I've ever had (that, so far, would be at places down in Tarpon Springs, Florida), but it was all pretty good. And if you're early, the Early Bird is definitely a good deal.

Rudy's Mexican Grill

55 Barron Blvd Grayslake, IL 60030 (847) 223-6176

I stopped in at Rudy's Mexican Grill today (ok, see, Tony is coming home tonight from Toronto and I didn't feel like cooking...so I had an early dinner out). It's in a tiny little strip mall (3 shops) right off of 137 / 83.

Friendly guy who owns it (Rudy, natch) with a pretty authentic menu (i.e. real tacos with cilantro). Homemade chips and salsa were really good. I tried a combination platter with two tacos and a tostada (one of the tacos was supposed to be a sope, but he was out, though very apologetic). All good, nice flavor, served hot and fast.

There were also some Spanish speakers in there, which is always a good sign. One diner was even all complimentary to my outfit, telling me it was "my color" which was kind of nice but weird. Especially since the color I was wearing was charcoal gray. But hey. He was being a little flirty, but I'll take it since I feel like a cow anyhow with my big 'ol belly. ;-)

So, to sum up, as Inigo might say -- small place, good vibe, good food, friendly people. Worth a visit, especially if you want something much more authentic than Taco Bell (and just down the street from them). He even had horchata, which I'll have to get next time.

Under the Sycamore Tree Bookstore

Under the Sycamore Tree Bookstore
970 Harris Road, Grayslake, IL 60030, Tel: 847.548.0311

This is an AWESOME bookstore for kids and parents. It is owned by Jackie Harris, who lives in the neighborhood. It's a really great bookstore with a large selection of both books and related items (toys, tie-ins, cool stuff) and a bunch of resident pets (a snake, some birds...). Uniquely decorated and with lots of events (author signings -- hey, hopefully I'll have one there next year when my book comes out -- storytime with Ms. Jan and all kinds of stuff).

Being a YA book reviewer, I don't often buy books for kids or teens. Heck, I don't buy many books at all -- I get too many in to review as it is. But I would highly recommend Under the Sycamore Tree to anyone looking to buy a book for a special kid in their life. I try to buy the few books I do from here. It's always good to support a small local business over the big chain stores. So many little shops have gone out of business in the last 10 years. And this one is just a really nice shop with lots to recommend it.

Cafe Lucci

Cafe Lucci
609 Milwaukee Avenue, Glenview, IL 847.729.2268

Tony has actually been to Cafe Lucci a few times, but a few nights ago was my first time there. I'd been wanting to go since he and Joe (a guy from work) went. Joe (we guess) is a regular and just had them bring food. I love it when places will do that. I really miss Antoine at Chateau France in St. Pete (*sigh* I shouldn't have looked it up. Now I miss Antoine more. He's just awesome. If you're ever in St. Petersburg, Florida and want an excellent meal with impeccable service, go visit Antoine. He's the owner/executive chef and he trained at Le Cordon Bleu. And he makes a mean paté.).

Anyway. Back to Cafe Lucci.

Tony kept talking about the nice wine list (not that I'm imbibing at the mo, but hey) and the good food. He went back at least one other time for another dinner with people from work. So when he needed me to come get him from work one night this week as he was working late and said to get a reservation, I went for it.

It happened to be a slightly strange night to go, since there was a crew there taping a spot for CitySearch. I think I might have even made it on camera, though I sure would have worn more makeup if I'd known that was going to happen.

We asked the friendly waiter to just bring us food and he kind of halfway did -- which meant that he picked stuff out for us and asked if it was okay (we said sure). What I really, really like is when they don't do anything other than maybe ask about allergies and then just bring you food. But, it was okay. I think the time Tony had been there before they'd had the owner come by, but he was busy with all the taping (though, really friendly guy).

He picked out crab cakes to start with (they were really great and instead of a bread filler, included some type of pasta that gave it the right bit of crispness) and for me a Chilean sea bass and for Tony a pasta scallop dish. Both were good with giganticus portion sizes (I got most of the way through one part of the fish and didn't even touch another). We didn't make it to dessert. At this point, my stomach has been shoved out of the way and it will only hold so much food at once. Some of the desserts looked really good too. Again, *sigh*.

Inside, the atmosphere was nice. Pretty good ambiance. I gather from the website that they renovated everything not that long ago and removed the "old World Feel" it used to have. It's pretty generic inside now, but nice. Nothing that jumps out at you, other than the dark wood wine cabinets up on the wall and the giant chalkboards listing the menu specials of the day (which, interestingly enough, are in Italian...though when the waiter describes them to you, he uses the English...i.e. linguini gamberi becomes linguini with shrimp. I was just happy to practice my rusty Italian at all.)

I'll definitely have to try it again sometime, perhaps on a quieter, non-TV-filmed kind of night. It seems like it would be a great place to go with a large group too.

Grant Park & Millenium Park

We walked through parts of Grant Park and Millenium Park (you can find out more about both of them -- and many others -- at a website for the Chicago Park District) both going to and coming from The Field museum.

The Buckingham fountain is arguably the most famous part of Grant Park (remember Married with Children? It's the fountain you see in the opening sequence). I didn't get a picture of that because a) the first time we went through it was crawling with marathon runners and you could hardly see it and b) on the way back, it was crawling with workers dismantling tents and bleachers and thinks like that.

But I did get some pictures of these other fountains that I didn't even know were in Grant Park. They are a little overshadowed, I suppose, considering the size of the big fountain.

I thought these were quite pretty.

The park system in Chicago is actually really nice, especially this stretch along the waterfront. It was created in order to keep commercial interests from completely taking over the area and it was a great idea. The waterfront is pretty and accessible to everyone.

Millenium Park kind of runs into Grant Park. It's right off of Michigan Avenue and really takes center stage. There are gardens (including a rather strange tree garden area where the trees are all fenced in) and famous statues (like the Bean) and an amphitheater type area where concerts and various other things are held.
There are also the fountains -- officially the Crown Fountain. I'm not sure why it is called that; I always just think of it as the faces.

Also officially, here's the description of them:

The fountain consists of two 50-foot glass block towers at each end of a shallow reflecting pool. The towers project video images from a broad social spectrum of Chicago citizens, a reference to the traditional use of gargoyles in fountains, where faces of mythological beings were sculpted with open mouths to allow water, a symbol of life, to flow out.

Plensa adapted this practice by having faces of Chicago citizens projected on LED screens and having water flow through a water outlet in the screen to give the illusion of water spouting from their mouths. The collection of faces, Plensa's tribute to Chicagoans, was taken from a cross-section of 1,000 residents.

There are always, when the fountain is running, a ton of kids at the fountain splashing around and dodging the spray and generally having a great time. It's a good place for people watching. When the spout of water comes out, I dare you not to smile.

As an added bonus, if the weather is really hot, the water feels great on your feet. We walked around it a little.

There are some other things in the park as well and there's almost always something going on there (children's tents with activities, salsa dance classes, you name it). It's one of my favorite spots in the city.

As a bonus, it's within walking distance of the big shopping district (Magnificent Mile) and a bunch of restaurants AND Union Station.

On crazy runners and The Field Museum

So, Sunday we went into the city. We took the train and walked from Union Station down towards the waterfront to go to the Field Museum. It also happened to be the day of the Chicago Marathon, which we'd had no idea was going on.

Okay, so we can be a little oblivious sometimes.

While we were wading through the thousands of runners and their families around the Buckingham fountain, they actually announced that the race was canceled (though a fair amount of people had finished it already) due to the high temperature. One runner died and a large number of others fainted and/or passed out and/or required medical attention.

Yet another reason not to be a runner, as far as I'm concerned. More power to 'em, but it just ain't for me.

We did finally make it through the crowd of really sweaty people (not that I blame them; hey, they just ran a marathon) and got to the Field Museum.

We've actually been there before, but it's been years. The Field is HUGE. It is a ginormous museum, full of ancient dinosaur bones (including the famous Sue) and lots of stuffed endangered and extinct animals. There are plants too, and lots of special exhibits.

If you go, wear comfortable shoes. Trust me.

And don't expect to see everything, unless you plan on going more than one full day. It really is a monster big museum. It has an impressive amount of collections, though the big draw (especially for the younger set) are the dinosaur rooms and the exhibit with the man-eaters of Tsavo (remember that movie with Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas? The Ghost and the Darkness?). They've got the real deal at the Field -- the stuffed maneless man-eaters immortalized in that movie (and in the fear they gave to hundreds of railway workers). There's even another man-eating lion down in the lower level that's even bigger than the team from Tsavo.

The Field is also in a great location -- just off the waterfront. Here's a pick of Pam and Mike right outside the field, looking towards the city.

The Gage

The Gage

24 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL. (312) 372-4243

We went into the city this past weekend while Pam and Mike were visiting (Happy Birthday, sis). We met one of Mike's college friends for dinner near Millenium Park at a place called The Gage. They tout themselves as "refined rusticity" which has a nice alliterative ring to it.

It's a restaurant cum bar with a nice, slightly sophisticated feel to it. Nothing that absolutely "wows" you, but nice. Mood lighting, etc.

The menu was interesting, with a slight English pub feel (curry gravy for the fries...er, chips) and some not-too-standard items (like elk, which Tony tried and liked). I kind of wish I'd been even hungrier so I could have tried a few more things. I had the fish and chips with a side of buttery peas (and the aforementioned curry gravy, which has a good spice level to it). The fish was well battered in a Guinness batter (nice and crispy). It was all good. Pam had the ribeye, which was a little more done than she wanted, but she's just not used to ordering in the Mid-West. You have to order at least a grade below what you want. They like to *really* cook their beef here.

The waitress was very peppy, if a bit slow at times. Tony's second glass of wine almost didn't make it in time for the finish of his main course. And she forgot my lime, which she'd smilingly assured me would "be no problem at all." (honestly, most places do, so I don't really count that against them.

All in all, I'd say the Gage is a nice option when you're near Millenium Park and looking for a sit down dinner with some style.

Osaka Japanese Restaurant

1452 S. Butterfield Road, Mundelein, IL 60060, (847) 549-9944

So, along with pregnancy also comes cravings. I don't care what some people say about that being a crock. Tell it to my tummy.

Lately, one of the things I've been craving is sushi. Specifically, I really, really want a Tampa roll. Of course, you're not going to find one of those around here (it's fried grouper, onion, mayo, and cucumber slices in a roll). And, according to the doctors and the books, I'm not supposed to be eating any raw fish (what exactly do women in Japan do, eh?).

The no-raw-fish thing makes for an interesting sushi experience, but it is doable. We went on Wednesday to Osaka in Mundelein. We really like Kamehachi, but it is quite a jaunt, so we figured we should try something closer.

Osaka is in a strip mall and it isn't a huge place, but it does have a little sushi bar. The people were all friendly, including the sushi chef, who would randomly smile and go "Hai!"

And -- it was real sushi. Not fake-fancy-schmancy sushi with funky names. It was a pretty extensive menu of classic sushi. I did get the closest thing to a Tampa roll, which turned out to be a Chicago roll (go figure), though it was deep fried. Also got a tempura ebi (shrimp) roll that was quite good. The cooked salmon roll was okay, but better after a good wallop of wasabi. Tony had one thing that was kind of cool -- the inside of the roll had tempura crunchies and the topper was a spicy tuna mix. I tried one of those, just knocked most of the (raw) spicy tuna off.

Oh, and they give you a little bowl of miso soup and a salad to start with. The miso had a nice flavor. The salad was in a nice dressing, but the lettuce was a wee bit sad.

Tony had an American made saki that he liked a lot and I stuck to green tee and water. All in all, I got my sushi craving satisfied. We'll have to try some more local places and see how they are. That is one thing we miss about Florida. There was some really good sushi there.

And another nice thing abou Osaka -- we got the leftover remains of some rolls to go. The waitress had noticed that I was going through the ginger (love the stuff, pink dye notwithstanding) and had the sushi chef give me another big dollop of it. They also added more wasabi and even a little container of soy sauce. A nice touch, though we didn't actually need any of it...we've actually got soy sauce, wasabi, and even the ginger at home. But most people probably don't have all three.

A home without soy sauce isn't a home at all. But maybe that's just the Chinese in me talking.

545 North Bar & Grill

545 North Bar & Grill
545 North Milwaukee Ave, Libertyville, Illinois 60048, (847) 247-8700

Tony had to stay later than normal at work yesterday, which means he missed his normal train. Then, he missed the next train out to Prairie Crossing too. So he called me to come meet him at the Libertyville station instead of having to wait until the 7 PM train. I made it there without too much hassle (i.e. I didn't get lost even once).

It was too late for him to start making the dinner he'd planned (turkey breast, stuffing & mashed potatoes -- we had it tonight instead), so we went to dinner in Libertyville at 545 North seeing as how it a) wound up being the closest restaurant to where I parked the car and b) it looked nice. It was actually a little nicer than we'd planned on for a Tuesday night dinner, but luckily I'd changed out of my shorts and t-shirt into something cuter. I was still sniffling and coughing, but at least I didn't look like a total drudge.

We decided to do an appetizer sampling and picked four off of the menu: an artichoke & spinach dip (very yummy and actually served with enough chips), beef skewers (really nice -- chunks of filet topped with blue cheese and skinny fries, done to a turn), chicken avocado quesadilla rolls (also really good, in what was labeled a lime creme sauce, though it didn't taste all that limey to me), and a foccacia bread Grilled Asparagus & Portobella Pizza (definitely my least favorite -- has a kind of odd smokey flavor but with an overwhelming sense of blandness for all that).

The waiter was personable, prompt, and polite -- Jeff, also a relative newcomer to Grayslake, though he's lived in the greater area all his life from the sound of it. He gave us some ideas of things to try out (Firkin, another place in Libertyville that has blues on Thursdays; some huge mall in Schaumburg that has an Improv playhouse in it with big headliners, but also funny local comedians; some monastery place that has a real pretty drive) and even explained to me the difference between Cubs and Sox fans. Good waiter. Ask for him if you go. I like when they'll talk to you like real human beings. He was even nice enough to take the pizza thing off of our bill (we left the majority of it; I think I had 3 bites).

Atmosphere-wise the place seemed pretty nice and stylish. Too bad it was raining though...they have an outdoor patio on the back with a really nice outdoor fireplace. That would have been really cozy. Everyone was actually pretty friendly. Not sure if it was the owner that lit the candle at our table, but it seemed like it -- who else is casually friendly and dressed in street clothes and comes and goes when they want? Oh -- and it passed Tony's water glass test...they kept the glasses filled.

The Tavern

Tavern on the Town
519 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Libertyville, IL 60048, (847) 367-5755

We decided to go out to dinner last night because I was all gussied up with my new hair cut and makeup-person applied makeup (see previous entry about the Mario Tricoci Salon). I suppose you could look at that one of two ways: either we're the kind of people who will celebrate anything or I'm the kind of girl who so seldom gets gussied up that it's an event. I'd like to go with the former, but it is probably a bit of both.

Anyway, I made a reservation at the Tavern because they were the closest restaurant that looked cool on Open Table:

From silk Thai lanterns and colorful beaded curtains that hang from the ceiling to an original Brunswick bar painted in gold and turquoise, this is clearly not your father's steakhouse. The Tavern's menu features USDA prime beef, Australian Wagyu, organically raised free range chicken, diver-caught Maine sea scallops, assorted fresh fish, New Zealand Rock Lobster Tails, and in season: oysters from both coasts, the Alaskan king salmon run, live Maryland soft shell crabs, morels, chanterelles, and porcini from hunters in Oregon and Washington, fresh produce from local lake county farms, and the Tavern's own home-grown heirloom tomatoes (last year 35 different varietals were brought home for service). An award winning wine list featuring over 700 selections. A great wine by the glass assortment, an unusually well stocked bar, and draught beer (including several outstanding Belgian selections)round out the Tavern's beverage program.

It almost sounds kind of cheesy, but it is actually quite a neat and eclectic look with all the lanterns and the random swathes of wallpaper. Little bit of an old school smoking room at a pub look, little bit of an Eastern bordello.

We had the oysters (covering both coasts) for an appetizer and they were good, albeit almost too big. And since we were being bad, I had an 8 ounce filet with foie gras and truffle butter. The foie gras was good, but man, give me all the truffle butter you can. Tony had the New York Strip steak. He said it was good, but not earth shattering. I think he should have tried the Wagyu beef from Australia. What the heck, it being our "beef" night. We're trying to eat red meat only once a week.

Dessert was really good -- malted milk ball gelato. And I guess I should mention their wine selection (very extensive; we got a Chateau St. Georges that was definitely a Tony kind of wine). They even had a decent after-dinner selection.

Oh, and Tony noted an interesting exchange between the bartender (a rather large-ish fellow) and a patron who said she was going to Scotland:

Bartender: This is the best book on scotch there is. We just added it to our library. Keep it as long as you like; a few days, a year, whatever.

Kind of cool. I imagine she's a regular.

So, to sum up (as Inigo might say): good place. We'll have to try it out again sometime. Nice atmosphere and a fun location right in the middle of the quaint section of Libertyville.

Kamehachi

Kamehachi Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar
1320 Shermer Road Northbrook, IL 60062 (847) 562-0064

So, last week when I went to pick up the fan (yay, I found the fan store all by my little lonesome without getting lost once) and then Tony (both being on Lake Cook Road, which made it easy) we then went out to dinner at Kamehachi.

I had to take a set of their matches with me so I could remember how to spell the darn name. They didn't have any menus or cards you could take. What's up with that?

Anyway, they actually have a few different locations, some being in the city. I can't speak for any of those, but the one in Northbrook is excellent.

We sat at the sushi bar (and for anyone who goes to a good sushi restaurant and sits at a table -- you don't know what you're missing). Carlo was our sushi dude. He'd been a sushi chef for 7 years and seemed to be the go-to guy for any special orders that came in, even though he seemed to be younger than some of the other chefs (though he did know what that old TV show Good Times was -- or whatever it was -- I never watched it and I don't even remember how it came up in conversation).

We didn't order anything off of the menu. He just made us stuff. Well, he did kind of ask first on some things, but some stuff he just made. My only regret is that we went early and weren't super hungry yet. Next time I need to go late and be starving because it was all awesome. Some of what he made us wasn't on the menu at all.

Tony's favorite was probably this martini glass filled with various chunks of sashimi (tuna, yellowtail, who knows what all) in different sauces mixed in with seaweed and other un-identifiable things. I'm not sure what my favorite was. It was all good. The deluxe dragon roll (or something to that effect) was especially good.

Even our waiter, Peter, was really nice. He gave me some good recommedations of other Asian restaurants to try. And some free green tea ice cream. :-) It always pays to talk to people and treat them how you'd like to be treated. Or maybe I'm just chatty.

We'll definitely be back. Tony had actually been once or twice before when he'd been up here for work. Maybe we'll try out one of their event nights. They do sake tastings and wine tastings every now and again.

The places Peter recommended are Gumrai Thai at Arlington Heights Road & N.W. Hywy. (found an online review of it at Harvard Avenue) and Three Happiness (for dim sum) in the city (209 W Cermak Rd) and if we're looking for good duck, he said we should check out the New Chinatown area around Broadway and Argyle in the city. Also good Vietnamese there. Now I just need to figure out the whole train / el situation so I can get me some dim sum. I haven't had good dim sum in years.

Landmark Grill & Lounge

Landmark Grill & Lounge
1633 North Halsted Street, Chicago, IL
(312) 587-1600

We had dinner at the Landmark before the show at Steppenwolf (reserved it through OpenTable). It's a happening kind of place (very trendy) opened up by the same guys who made Boka (just down the street) a success. We wound up on the catwalk level (there are multi-levels to the place, with a different look for each one). Since we were there early (pre-theatre dinner time) it was pretty quiet. By the time we were leaving you could see the crowd starting to gather.

The food was all very good, though I found the dinner portions to be just a tad too much. That might have just been the particular meal I ordered (a pork chop) -- it was literally a Fred Flintstone size hunk o' meat with a bone. But Tony's short rib plate was pretty big too, so I'm guessing they are all pretty big.

The service was great and very accommodating. When I couldn't decide between the wild mushroom risotto and the pork chop, he suggested I get a half order of the risotto as a starter, even though it isn't listed on the menu as an option. The risotto, by the way, was just lovely...creamy, earthy, and with just the right dash of white truffle oil on top.

All of the servers, including the new guy who mostly seemed to be doing water service, were all very nice and friendly. They were also knowledgeable -- after Tony asked for some wine notes on a particular bottle and the waiter responded with a full description, Tony sighed "We're in a real city now."

For dessert we tried one of the signature dishes -- a giant chocolate chip cookie with vanilla ice cream and fudge sauce. We were expecting maybe a giant platter o' cookie, but it turns out to be more like a cylinder of cookie (probably about a can of soup size). Oh man, was it ever yummy. Moist. Like chocolate cookie squared. It'll be hard not to order that again, even though they have more fancified desserts. There's just something about comfort food from childhood.

Steppenwolf Theatre

Steppenwolf Theatre Company
1650 N. Halsted Street Chicago IL 60614
(312) 335-1650

Tony's friend Ilias called last week and asked if we wanted tickets to a performance at the Steppenwolf Theatre. He had a friend that couldn't go for some reason and he couldn't use them either (he does a lot of math-related tutoring -- you ever need a math tutor, you want Ilias). So we said "Sure, why not?" even though we didn't actually know which performance it would be for (there were 3 going on Saturday night: Betrayal by Harold Pinter, The Sparrow, and The Diary of Anne Frank).

Turns out it was for the Pinter production -- Betrayal -- a play about infidelity, honesty, passion, and, I suppose, trust. Considering the topic and the playwright, it had a surprising amount of levity in it. Altogether an excellent performance.

The theatre itself is also nice. We were in the upstairs theatre. It isn't huge, but it is a nice size. I doubt if there is a bad seat in it. I imagine the other theatres were the same way based on comments I overheard.

STEPPENWOLF THEATRE COMPANY IS A Chicago-based international performing arts institution committed to ensemble collaboration and artistic risk through its work with its permanent ensemble, guest artists, partner institutions and the community. Steppenwolf has redefined the landscape of acting and performance by spawning a generation of America's most gifted artists. Founded in 1976 as an ensemble of nine actors, Steppenwolf has grown into an internationally renowned company of forty-one artists whose talents include acting, directing, playwriting, filmmaking, and textual adaptation. No other American theater ensemble has survived as long and thrived as much as the Steppenwolf company of artists.

Steppenwolf has quite a few famous alumni, including John Malkovich, Joan Allen, and Gary Sinise.

Something's Brewing

Something's Brewing
1126 E Washington St., Grayslake, IL
(847) 543-1600

Something's Brewing is located next to Wine Knows, which is how we found it. We had lunch there last Saturday when we went by the wine shop. Yikes! You practically need to study up on the menu for a day or two before you go there to order -- tons of different sandwiches and labrettes (kind of like a pizza pita sandwich), soups, coffee drinks, baked goods...at least a wall's worth of menu items.

I tried a BLT (good -- nice crispy bacon, good toasted bread, perfect amount of mayo) and Tony tried a labrette (the one he had tasted kinda like a taco...really good but really huge. We could have split it). I really wanted to try all the desserts, but we held ourselves back. We're trying to lose some weight, which is really tough when you're surrounded by all new places screaming out for you to try them out.

You can also do a create-your-own gift basket thing here. All kinds of sinful dessert things to chose from to put in it. The dipped pretzels looked particularly good.

When we went back by the wine shop today to pick up our wine I got a carmel apple latte from Something's Brewing. Yum. Coffee drinks with way too many calories, but I kinda needed the caffeine.

The Byron Colby Barn & Wine Knows

Byron Colby Barn
1561 Jones Point RoadGrayslake, Illinois 60030
847.543.1202 or at bcbarn@prairiecrossing.com

Wine Knows
1130 Washington St., Grayslake, Illinois 60030
847-223-8402

Last Friday (yes, I am over a week behind in blogging) we went to our first Byron Colby barn event. Officially...

The Byron Colby Barn, a Lake County dairy barn, was built in 1885 and restored in 1996 to serve as a community center for Prairie Crossing and the larger community.

There are events there every month and you can even rent it out. It's quite nice and very picturesque. I understand the fitness center for the neighborhood is located in the basement of the barn (we haven't been in it yet; I've sent in our $10 key fob fee, but haven't gotten the key back yet).

This particular event was a wine tasting hosted by Wine Knows, a local wine shop in Grayslake owned by Phil and Lawrence. We've only met Phil so far and like him a lot -- he's a pretty cheerful guy with a short Santa Claus-ish beard. Of course, with a wine shop, aren't you pretty much guaranteed to be happy?

The wine tasting was nice, with a good selection of wine and appetizers (I'm afraid I didn't catch who the chef was). Phil had a distributor guy there with him (Mark? Matt? Pretty sure it started with an "M") who was also nice and a real pretty boy (but didn't seem stuck up for all of that) who really knew his wine (definitely a saving grace, like our 6' tall model-looking friend Barb's utter niceness and goofiness--all women would hate her if it weren't for that).

We went by the store the next day and found it to be well stocked and nice. They even have (in stock!) Reynolds Family wines and Darioush (including my only favorite white wine!). We went by again today (Sat the 14th) to pick up the wines we'd ordered from the tasting and found the store awash with people for the Spring Tasting (with most of the women gathered around Mark/Matt's table). Over 80 wines and probably over 100 people were there. Sadly, we'd just had lunch and weren't really prepared to taste any wine. But we'll definitely have to keep an eye open for future events. I think we've found our local wine shop (though no wine shop will ever fully replace Uncorked for us).

Wildberry Pancakes and Cafe

Wildberry Pancakes and Cafe
1783 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Libertyville, IL 60048, (847) 247-7777

Okay, I have found my new pancake house. Or, at least, one of them. There seem to be a lot of them around here. And I am, after all, a complete sucker for pancakes. This place has good ones, including some really inventive combinations.

Only open for breakfast and lunch, we knew we were in for something when we got there around noon-ish and there was a line. On a Wednesday. Luckily, it was only about a 5 minute wait.

I've already told Tony he'll have to take me here at least once a month since they have monthly pancake specials. This month is peanut butter and oreo pancakes which I was going to try -- but they were out. I wound up having the tiramisu pancakes from their regular menu. It wasn't a sacrifice (though I do love peanut butter). I'm determined to try every pancake they offer so I can find out which one is best. The only problem, I suppose, is that I'll probably never try any of their lunch entrees. I'll be too busy with the breakfast foods.

Tony had eggs benedict with feta cheese and a chipotle sauce. He liked it well enough to clean his plate. The only thing he wasn't wowed by was the cappuccino (they do the Seattle's Best brand stuff -- it was ok, but not great.). I tried the white hot chocolate and it was pretty good. But next time I'm going to try one of their favored lemonades (real lemonade according to the water guy).

Atmosphere was pretty good. We didn't actually see much of the place since our table was literally on the other side of the wall from the waiting area. So I'm not really sure how the ambiance is throughout the place. Didn't really matter anyway, since I was all about the pancakes.

Whoever owns it also owns / operates two other local restaurants under the umbrella name Next Level Dining. One is called Dunhills Steak & Chops (supposed to be an old-style steak supper club with live jazz on Fridays and Saturdays) and the other is Seasons of Long Grove (restaurant by day, banquet facility by night). If their food is as good as the pancakes at Wildberry, then I've gotta give them a try.