Category Archives: Illinois
now for a little self-promotion…hot off the press: The New York Times, 36 Hours: 150 Weekends
A New Yorker cartoon recently summed up the typical contents of a blog that it’s: 1/3 how to sew, knit, cook, whatever, 1/3 kvetching of one variety or another and 1/3 self-promotion. Or some such. With this blog, I’ve tried … Continue reading
Chicago restaurants to try….
I found myself taking six 19-year-olds out for lunch in Evanston, Illinois – upon my son’s return to Northwestern – which i was happy to do. But even happier when we went to Dixie’s – a fun Cajun place – … Continue reading
Filed under chicago, Illinois, Uncategorized
Riding the Great River Trail along the Mississippi in Illinois
A friend just returned from biking the Great River Trail along the Mississippi. She started in Moline, staying overnight at the Stoney Creek Inn, then rode north to Port Byron, about 25 miles, where the “tugfest” – a tug-of-war contest … Continue reading
Filed under bike trails, biking, Illinois
Not as jolly a ride on Megabus this time
Well to be fair, our not-so-jolly megabus ride yesterday from des moines to Chicago wasn’t really the megabus’s fault. True the bus arrived about 25 minutes late but the biggest problem was an unruly passenger who I’d pegged from the … Continue reading
Filed under bus service, chicago, Illinois
Midwestern hotels to check out
Also from a recent issue of Midwest Living: – Chicago – Elysian, Ritz-Carlton, Hotel Palomar (rat pack-esque doormen!) – Columbus, Indiana, Inn at Irwin Gardens – Novi, MI, Baronette Renaissance – Shell Knob, Missouri, (wherever that is), Stonewater Cove – … Continue reading
Filed under chicago, Illinois, indianapolis, lodging, michigan, Missouri, South Dakota, wisconsin
restaurants to check out all over the Midwest
Found a copy of the Jan/Feb 2011 issue of Midwest Living on the library’s sale rack – so scooped it up since there’s always good recommendations on things to do in this neck of the woods. Here’s some restaurant recommendations: … Continue reading
Filed under chicago, Dining, Illinois, indianapolis, Iowa, Iowa city, Kansas City, michigan, Minneapolis, minnesota, Missouri, nebraska, omaha
Oak Park, Illinois suggestions
My sister Jill, who has lived in Oak Park, Illinois for about 13 years, offers these restaurant, gallery and book store suggestions: – Marion Street Cheese Market! – Her favorite Italian restaurant is La Bella; favorite little French restaurant is … Continue reading
Romantic getaways in Iowa-area
The DMRegister today has some ideas for romantic get-aways in Iowa and beyond. Some I know about (Honey Creek Resort in Moravia, Ia. and Suites of 800 Locust in DM). Here are some I didn’t know much about for future … Continue reading
Filed under Illinois, Iowa, Kansas City, lodging, minnesota
Holiday gift idea: a downtown gift card
A few years ago, my dad – at my request – got me a great gift: a gift card I could use to shop in a emerging hip neighborhood of shops and restaurants in downtown Des Moines called the East … Continue reading
Filed under Des Moines, Illinois, Iowa, shopping
Northwestern University – around and about
We’ve been at Northwestern off and on this weekend to see our son during parents’ weekend and to, alas, watch Iowa lose, narrowly, to Northwestern’s football team. A few finds: – Not bad sushi at the student union – Very … Continue reading
