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Summer is upon us, and that means spending more time outdoors. Why not make the outside of your house as beautiful as within? Whether you are looking to spruce up your yard or create a magical...
Summer is upon us, and that means spending more time outdoors. Why not make the outside of your house as beautiful as within? Whether you are looking to spruce up your yard or create a magical garden, here's a good place to begin: concrete furniture. These beautiful pieces of art are all made from concrete and sealed to withstand the elements. Mad Crete is the work of local artist Dani Upshaw who specializes in benches, tables, and birdbaths imprinted with leaves, shells, and other items from nature. Many of the pieces are beautifully colored to accent nature's own glory, and although you can view her work online at www.MadCrete.com, the pictures just don't do justice to seeing the real thing. Her website highlights her upcoming shows, and she takes orders for custom pieces as well. This is practical art--beautiful to look at and sturdy enough to enjoy for many years.
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This spare, cool vibe of a restaurant is deserving of every star and accolade thrown at it, and there have been quite a few. Blackbird has been chosen as a top restaurant by no less than "Gourmet"...
This spare, cool vibe of a restaurant is deserving of every star and accolade thrown at it, and there have been quite a few. Blackbird has been chosen as a top restaurant by no less than "Gourmet" magazine, and its chef, Paul Kahan, is a James Beard Award winner. There's good reason for this attention: the food is exquisite. It's not your every night, comfortable, homey restaurant. Dining here is an occasion, and what they do with desserts will take your breath away. All of the folks that I dined with enjoyed their meals, so order what you love and expect a great meal. Reservations and a fat wallet are requirements, and weekends can be very, very busy, so if you go early (pre-theatre) or during the week, you'll probably enjoy a more relaxing time. That said, some folks love the "see and be seen" atmosphere on the weekends, which can be fun, too.
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This small jewel of a restaurant is located in the refurbished Burnham Hotel, an architectural landmark in Chicago, conveniently located just across State Street from Marshall Field's. The setting...
This small jewel of a restaurant is located in the refurbished Burnham Hotel, an architectural landmark in Chicago, conveniently located just across State Street from Marshall Field's. The setting is perfect: cozy tables with plush seating, drapes out of a stage set, chandeliers that look like they were designed for a circus, and cafe curtains keeping out the prying eyes of strolling State Street shoppers. This is your own private restaurant...or at least you will feel that way when you dine here. Reservations are a must because the place is so small, and they take them at odd times (never on the hour or half hour) but you won't mind a bit when you see the food and service you get here. Everything I've had here has been wonderful, and the menu changes with the season. The chicken in wine sauce is phenomenal, but so are so many great dishes you'll have to come back again and again. They also make great summertime variations on drinks like lemonade (so you can enjoy something special and go back to work sober). This is a great place for a special lunch or a pre-theatre dinner. Shhhh, just don't tell too many people about our secret.
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Zyng
Category:
Food & Dining
3801 Perryville Road
Rockford, Illinois 61114
(815) 316-4600
Zyng is an Asian Grill that has just arrived in Rockford, but I think this is a chain with restaurants in other areas, so be on the lookout in your rare. They serve up a range of Asian dishes,...
Zyng is an Asian Grill that has just arrived in Rockford, but I think this is a chain with restaurants in other areas, so be on the lookout in your rare. They serve up a range of Asian dishes, including Chinese, Japanese, and Thai. They have a grill (like Flat Top Grill, if you've ever dined there) where you can select your noodle or rice; meat, fish, or shrimp; and seasoning. They will then cook up your meal-to-order with a hearty addition of Asian veggies. They serve soups and salads, too, and have a full bar for martinis and an Asian twist on Sangria. Best of all they have a wonderful Mango Zyngo Ice Tea that combines black tea with mango, papaya, passion fruit, and kiwi flavors. It is awesome for you tea lovers out there. Prices are fair, but they have all these add-on costs which can increase the bill; for example, I had Pad Thai, but you have to pay $2 extra for chicken, $3 extra for shrimp, or $5 extra for salmon or scallops. Still the food was fresh, and my experience with the wait staff was very good.
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Ravinia is one of the Chicagoland treasures I most enjoy. Much like Wolf Trap in the Washington, DC, area, this musical setting offers a covered outdoor theatre with seating on the grass for a...
Ravinia is one of the Chicagoland treasures I most enjoy. Much like Wolf Trap in the Washington, DC, area, this musical setting offers a covered outdoor theatre with seating on the grass for a minimal price. Bring your picnic, and enjoy the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, jazz, blues, rock, opera, musicals, or the ballet. The artists performing here are top notch, from Yo Yo Ma to Hootie and the Blowfish to Wynton Marsallis. I suggest paying extra to sit in the pavilion for dance, opera, or musicals. Otherwise, it's all lawn for me. Specified trains leave downtown Chicago (stopping in Evanston along the way) to make the trip easier (timed for performances). And my best advice of all: the Chicago area libraries offer some free tickets to lawn seats throughout the summer. Check your local branch. More information can be found at www.ravinia.org.
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Walker Brothers has been around for generations, and with any luck, will continue on for many more. This fabulous breakfast spot is actually open for lunch and into the evenings. Their specialty is...
Walker Brothers has been around for generations, and with any luck, will continue on for many more. This fabulous breakfast spot is actually open for lunch and into the evenings. Their specialty is pancakes, and the restaurant is famous for its apple pancake, which is almost like a dessert (you can take them home frozen for later, too). This beautiful restaurant has many beautiful stained glass windows, beautiful wood paneling (when paneling was not a dirty word), and excellent wait staff who will remember you upon your return. And you will...once you've eaten here.
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This nursery has a wide assortment of bedding plants at reasonable rates and some very nice houseplants, too. You can find all things related to the great outdoors here, including lawn decorations,...
This nursery has a wide assortment of bedding plants at reasonable rates and some very nice houseplants, too. You can find all things related to the great outdoors here, including lawn decorations, birdbaths, patio furniture, and more. To find the nursery from Rockford, just take Auburn Road out toward Winnebago. I really liked the selection of plants and merchandise, and they even have a trailer serving up drinks and snacks with some tables if you need a break from your plant buying. My only suggestion is that they need to spruce up their own grounds a bit to make it more inviting. There was a lot of dead plant matter in the landscaping that the rest of us have already cleaned up for our spring planting. They need to practice what they preach.
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You can find Maggiano's all over the Chicago area, and for a chain restaurant, they do it pretty well. I have had some very good meals here and some lousy ones as well (usually in a group setting)....
You can find Maggiano's all over the Chicago area, and for a chain restaurant, they do it pretty well. I have had some very good meals here and some lousy ones as well (usually in a group setting). My favorite Maggiano's is in the Old Orchard Mall; I give them a better rating than the downtown location for atmosphere and service. What you get at Maggiano's: tables with real table cloths, napkins, and silver; decent service; and huge portions of mainstream American-Italian fare, which will keep you in leftovers for a couple of days. This is not authentic Italian food by any stretch of the imagination; there are some lovely spots near the South Side in the old Italian neighborhood that would knock your socks off and put this place to shame. Still the food is certainly decent fare, and the restaurant can accomodate large groups easily. I'd stay away from the Chicken Marsala, but that's just me.
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This whole restaurant is based on a campy 1950s diner theme, which is great for tourists who love to be entertained and aren't interested in finding the latest greatest ethnic restaurant that you...
This whole restaurant is based on a campy 1950s diner theme, which is great for tourists who love to be entertained and aren't interested in finding the latest greatest ethnic restaurant that you would normally be dining at. That said, it can be fun, and it's a great place to take kids who are fussy eaters. The food is standard diner fare: burgers, shakes, etc. For my money, I'd take Johnny Rocket's over Ed Debevic's, but as they say, it is a Chicago institution. Highlight for most folks: rude waiters and waitresses (all acting of course). For me, it's too put on. Yet whenever I take out-of-towners there, they seem to love it. Go figure.
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This great tapas place is a wonderful place for group gatherings. The food, Spanish tapas (small plates of appetizer-like offererings that are meant to be shared), is awesome and very good value for...
This great tapas place is a wonderful place for group gatherings. The food, Spanish tapas (small plates of appetizer-like offererings that are meant to be shared), is awesome and very good value for the price. Most outstanding is the sangria, which comes with fresh fruit by the pitcher for sharing. Although the bar area can get very noisy (some folks like that, I know), if you sit in the main room, you can carry on a conversation with more than one person and enjoy the spread, too. There is a wide range of menu options, with many great choices, especially in the seafood category, so don't be afraid to try something new. Remember that, in Spain, they often drink port with their tapas, and if you try it, you'll understand why. Although the atmosphere isn't European, the food is, and that alone makes it reason enough to go. This is the perfect spot for meeting a group of friends after work.
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