Chicago Botanic Garden

In my last post, I provided information on some of the great indoor things to do during Chicago’s winter months. While I’d generally advise tourists and Illinois residents alike to avoid outdoor activities in freezing temperatures, there is one spot that should be enjoyed outside, year-round.

The Chicago Botanic Gardenin Glencoe is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 24 distinct display gardens surrounded by lakes, as well as a prairie and woodlands. It’s my favorite place to visit when I need to get out of the city and enjoy a natural and peaceful environment. (I often go with my mom for long walks or with girlfriends on bike rides.) And while one might think the only suitable time to visit the Garden is in spring, summer, or fall, I strongly suggest a visit during winter months as well.

“Even though the branches are bare and there is snow on the ground, the Garden is a beautiful place in winter,” says Jodi Zombolo, Director of Visitor Events & Programs. “From the warmth of the tropical greenhouse to the exhilarating rush of snowshoeing on fresh fallen snow to the introspective exploration of an art exhibition, the Garden is a destination worth visiting.”

Throughout the year, the Chicago Botanic Garden holds events, programs, and activities for all ages. Whether you’re interested in plant science, gardening, cooking, exercise, or art, there is definitely something for you.

Learning about bonsai trees

This weekend the Garden presents “Three Friends of Winter,” a silhouette bonsai show from Friday, Jan. 29 through Sunday, Jan. 31. Deciduous bonsai trees lose their leaves in winter, revealing the intricate structure of their branches and trunks. Visitors can see the trees on display, attend a lecture on bonsai, browse the Lunar New Year Market for a blooming plant to take home, and participate in family activities. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on all three days.

From now through April 4, Garden visitors can also visit the “Losing Paradise?” exhibit in the Regenstein Center which showcases 44 botanical illustrations of endangered plants from North America and around the world. Curated by the American Society of Botanical Artists (ASBA) and developed in collaboration with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, “Losing Paradise?” seeks to draw attention to plants that are in danger of disappearing from the planet.

The Garden is open every day of the year. Admission is free, but parking will set you back $20 per car. I’d advise to “go green” and bike, take public transportation, or carpool with friends.

Spend 20 to 30 minutes, or as long as you can stand the temperature that day, and enjoy a walk through the Garden – especially the Malott Japanese Garden and the English Walled Garden – my two favorites. For a quick tropical experience, take time to warm up by visiting theGreenhouses, and then grab some tea or hot chocolate in the Garden Café. A winter visit provides a different and fresh perspective of the Chicago Botanic Garden that might just surprise you. Dress warmly, and enjoy Illinois!

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We are now halfway through winter and I feel like we haven’t been outside in ages. The kids could definitely use some fresh air, however, it’s too cold to be out there for me! Last Friday, though, I decided it was time to bundle up and spend some time outdoors at Frosty Fest which is held outside of Viking School in Gurnee…luckily it was a milder night!

I was surprised at the turn-out, there were a lot more people there than I anticipated. Right as we walked into the area where the festivities were being held, a horse drawn sleigh went by us which was all it took to get my family excited. There was a long line for the sleigh ride, so we decided to check out some of the other activities.

We started out roasting marsh mellows over a fire pit and then watched a professional carve a big block of ice into a horse. I never gave much thought to how that is done – they use a chain saw to carve out the design, it’s really neat. They had several other ice sculptures around this area as well. After that we checked out a big group of people participating in a snow man building contest, everyone seemed like they were having a great time.

By this point we were getting pretty chilly so we went inside Viking Dance Hall where the junior high band was performing (they are VERY good by the way) and they had hot cocoa and animal crackers for the kids. They also had some crafts set-up for the kids to work on. We thawed out for awhile and then headed back outside to see the snow sled dogs. There were a lot of dogs there and many were up for adoption. They had a dog sled all set-up and in motion. It was fun to watch. Those dogs are amazing.

We ended our night with a sleigh ride. This was the highlight of the night for us. They had three sleighs going so the line moved quickly and the ride was a lot of fun. We really enjoyed ourselves and ran into several people we knew which was fun too. It was nice to actually enjoy the winter weather a little for a change!

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This past Sunday my family and I decided that instead of watching the NFL playoffs at home, we should go out somewhere new. I picked Bill’s Pub North because we all had a taste for pizza and we have never been there before. It is located right off of Washington Street in Grayslake, right by the College of Lake County. So it is really easy to get to.


Bill’s Pub North is a great pick for a place to watch different games. The dining area is all open so you can see the score from almost every seat in the restaurant. The atmosphere is really relaxed, so it wasn’t too loud. It is nice to still be able to have a conversation during the playoffs without having to yell across your table.


When the hostess seats you, she gives you your menus and a basket of peanuts. After you eat the peanuts you throw the shells on the floor. This really added to the great atmosphere of the restaurant.

Bill’s Pub North has a variety of items on their menu, but it is also nice and compact. It doesn’t take forever to decide what you want to order. If there are a ton of picky eaters, like in my family, you can always split the pizza toppings in half.


We ate so much pizza that we didn’t have enough room for dessert. Next time we go we have to save room because their chocolate chip cookie sundae sounded amazing!

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My friends and I are always looking for a place to go that is close to home and that has great drink and food specials. Anastasia’s Restaurant Sports Lounge North is the perfect place to meet with friends to hang out or to watch sports. It is located off of Lake Street in Downtown Antioch so it is very easy to get to.

At Anastasia’s Restaurant, all of their prices are very reasonable. My friends like to go on Thursdays for the all you can eat pizza for only $4.95. There are good drink specials that day too, so it ends up being a very cheap night out.

The servers and bartenders are always in a good mood, and they do everything they can to make sure that your experience there is a good one. I have not been to their other location in Waukegan, but I am sure the restaurant is great too.

The atmosphere at Anastasia’s is nice because it isn’t too dark or noisy so it is a perfect place to go to with friends. If you do go alone, there are always people at the bar that are probably watching the same game and rooting for the same team as you are.

I would say that the best time to go is in the summer. Wintertime is good because there are so many games on, but the summertime is great because Anastasia’s has outdoor seating. The outdoor seating is nice because they have a server that goes outside and it is accommodating when you are with a large group.

I am looking forward to this summer and spending time at both Anastasia’s and shopping in the historical downtown Antioch!

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This year, like every year I did most of my Christmas shopping at Gurnee Mills. It is the perfect place to get your shopping done for everyone. There are stores that even your strangest relative would want a gift from.
Most of Gurnee Mills’ stores are outlets, which is perfect when you are looking for deals. The best is when the outlets even have sales, which most of them do. I went shopping there on Black Friday, and I do have to say that it was not even necessary. Most of the stores in the mall have the same if not better deals all month long.

This year I felt like Gurnee Mills was definitely ready for the holiday rush. All of the stores that I went to had plenty of people working the registers and enough people there to help you find what you need. That is so helpful, you can go into the store that what you want and move on to the next store without any hassle.Aside from Christmas shopping, another great deal time is the week after. All of the stores have their spring stuff out, so all of their winter clothes are so cheap! Gurnee Mill’s keeps adding stores to keep up with what their customers want, and I know for me, they are definitely making their customers happy! Keep the shopping coming!

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Before all of the running around on Christmas, I wanted to do something new and relaxing before the busy holiday. I thought that the perfect solution would be to go to the Wonderland Express at the Chicago Botanic Garden. From what I saw on their website, it was perfect!

Once I got there I realized that what I saw on the website was just a small part of all of the holiday activities that they had going on. My favorite part was the Wonderland Express train that ran on tracks for days. The display was huge! I couldn’t believe it! They had mountains and trees that the train ran through, and they looked so real! There were also cute little houses and villages that were in the display.

Since it gets dark out so early, we were there to see the Christmas lights that the garden put up. They were beautiful! All of the decorations were festive and really wonderful to look at.

When I was at the garden, Mrs. Claus was there and you could visit with her and have hot chocolate. Later that night, there was supper with Santa that people could go to. They even had a festive dinner and festival of lights that was put on for people who celebrated Hanukkah.

One thing that I did not do but I wish I did was the ice skating and snow shoeing that the garden had new for this year. They do not rent out the skates, but if you bring your own they have a big rink and it’s surrounded by all of the lit up trees. This is something that I definitely want to do the next time I go. The Chicago Botanic Garden Wonderland Express is running until January 3rd, so it is great for people with family in town looking for something to do.

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If you want traditional holiday charm, there is no need to go any further than Long Grove at Christmas time! You’ll find fantastic shopping and activities for the whole family. It is an opportunity to SLOW DOWN and enjoy the season.


And don’t think that because it is December 22nd, the festivities are over…not so! Activities continue through the end of the year.


I walked around the village on the 13th and really began to get in the spirit of Christmas. I was excited to see that there were carolers right outside the Long Grove Apple Haus. They were dressed in full “Dickens” garb. I grabbed a cup of hot cider and sat down to listen. It was really fun to see people of all ages stop and begin singing along.


I moved from one thing that warmed my heart to another. I just love a horse-drawn carriage ride. My husband and I were married in Long Grove and took a ride on our wedding night. The memories came flooding back as we sauntered around the shops. It was quite cozy under that warm blanket!


After warming up with hot cider, Christmas carols and a carriage ride under a warm blanket, I was ready to shop! But where should I begin??? There are so many unique shops all around town. I try to make time for as many as I can!


I love the homemade chocolate candies as well as the chocolate dipped strawberries. After walking out of there, I could have died a happy woman!


The next stop was The Olive Tap. It is a must-see for me when I get to Long Grove. Where else can you enjoy a Tasting Emporium AND Gourmet Market! It is always hard to choose which olive oil and balsamic vinegar I MUST take home!


There were quite a few little “home” type gifts on my list to buy this year so I ran into Mangels and found everything I needed! The selection is amazing; from Mark Robert Fairies to home accessories, to the most beautiful Christmas tree decorations you’ll find. I wish I could buy complete rooms and just “install” them in my home. Love it!


Seasons of Long Grove has had quite a few activities for young and old alike. The Nutcracker Tea runs through the 27th. You may bring your own hat or borrow one from their collection. The Santa’s Breakfast ran through the 20th and all children received a special gift (whether they were naughty or nice). And finally, this past weekend was the Dickens Dinner, with Victorian Buffet and live music from their Christmas Carolers.

Check out the Long Grove website www.longgroveonline.com. You’ll see all of the scheduled events through the end of the year AND you can check out the festivals that go on throughout the year. I can’t wait until they have their 2010 dates. I need to mark my calendar early!

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