Central Illinois Life

Hello SJ-R readers!

2008-09-10T06:24:00.002-05:00

Welcome to new readers from the State Journal Register. Please look around a bit, leave comments and ask questions. I'm so glad you are here. Don't forget to subscribe to Central Illinois Life in your feed reader or add it to your favorites.

HEY you blooooooooooooggers!

2008-09-04T07:48:00.002-05:00

Want to explore the seat of history (Lincoln and Obama!) with me? The Illinois Bureau of Tourism has set up a day in Springfield IL for a family-friendly blogger meet-up. Here's the 411.

Mark your calendars (and leave me a comment so I can get you on the list) to join us in celebrating the great state of Illinois in Springfield on September 13th from 10:30 – 3:30 p.m.
With the presidential elections upon us this fall you can Blaze Your Own Trail by joining us to experience Illinois’ unique tie to presidential history and culture, as well as the popular fall events, scenic drives and agritourism opportunities provided to travelers this season.

Below you will find the itinerary details for you and your family to enjoy at the Blaze Your Own Trail event.
Saturday September 13th, 2008

10:00 am Welcoming remarks at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum from State Historian Tom Schwartz. Enjoy the museum at your own pace, with Mr. Schwartz on hand to answer questions.

11:45 am Brief Springfield Trolley tour of the downtown area

12:00 pm Hosted lunch at the Pizza Machine RestaurantAfter lunch we have setup three different options to choose so that you can pick what is most interesting to you!

*Option 1
1:45 pm Visit Lincoln Home National Historic Site
2:30 pm Visit Lincoln Herndon Law Office(Visit the Old State Capitol (where Obama announced his campaign and his VP) if time is permitted!)

*Option 2
1:45 pm Visit the State Museum (this is the option I'm picking)
2:30 pm Visit the Dana Thomas House (the governor is closing this historic site)

*Option 3
1:45 pm Lincoln History Walk
From here we will reconvene at Peases Candy at the end of the day, where you and your family can enjoy everything the city of Springfield has to offer on your own!

Come meet me and my twitter fabulous twin.
Chicago bloggers, this is the perfect opportunity to take Amtrak down. I'm looking at you, Byrneunit.

State park closings

2008-09-03T07:16:00.008-05:00

Dear Readers, The governor has decided to close indefinitely many central Illinois state parks and historic sites.

When I moved to Illinois I was astonished that entry to the state parks here is free. You can come and go as often as you like. When selecting to live in Le Roy, one factor was the proximity to Moraine View State Park. It's no Garden of the Gods or Turkey Run, but living 10 minutes away from a forest and a beach is better than having no access to green space. We also live 25 minutes from Weldon Springs State Park which also has a forest, a lake, and a restaurant.

State parks like Moraine View and Weldon Springs are a big part of what makes central Illinois livable. We may have to drive everywhere. We may have a hard time finding good restaurants. We may have to rely on the big box stores more than we like. But we have lots of access to green space, well maintained and well loved parks. During my times as a stay at home parent, I relied on the free state park system for entertainment, exercise, and introducing my child to nature. Closing our state parks, even in winter, hurts central Illinois where it counts.

I will be writing the governor about the closings. I'll copy my state legislators, but frankly I don't think the General Assembly is the problem here.
You can e-mail the governor here.
I'll send a real letter to his Chicago office:
100 W. Randolph St., Ste. 16-100
Chicago, IL 60601-3220

If you write, remember to address your letter to either the Honorable Rod Blagojevich or Governor Blagojevich. In the salutation use, Dear Mr. Governor or Dear Governor Blagojevich.

Keep it one page and one issue. Tell the governor that you are a constituent and identify the issue about which you are writing. Hit your three most important points and flesh them out. Tell the governor why state park closings matter in your community. Include a personal story that shows how this issue affects you and your family. If you have a relationship with the governor (voted for him, contributed money or time, know him personally) include that information.
Don't forget to spell check!

You are the expert. How often do you think the governor has enjoyed your local state park? Be courteous, but don't be afraid to take a firm position.

South Side Cafe

2008-09-02T07:45:00.001-05:00

This hole in the wall diner is easy to pass over when looking around the Charleston Square, but you should give it a try. Service is quick and friendly. The meals are basic diner food, but better than average and the portions are generous. The burger got a thumbs up from my co-worker and we both thought the biscuits and gravy looked good. Prices are cheap and they do not accept any credit or debit cards.

September Festivals!

2008-09-01T03:02:00.001-05:00

Arcola Broom Corn Festival! Sept 5, 6, and 7. Carnival, parade, arts & crafts, live music, beer & wine. Arcola has one of the best little downtowns in central Illinois. Don't miss the great prices on antiques at the Emporium.

Bruegala! Sept 5 and 6. Eighth annual festival of international beer held at the Interstate Center in Bloomington. Over 200 beers, six bands, and a bean bags (aka corn hole) tournament. Sounds perfect to me.

Havana Oktoberfest! Sept 5 and 6. German foods, arts & crafts, and carnival. Sept. 5: Oktoberfest Parade kicks off at 6 p.m. Muddy River Brass Band, Phat Kitten. Sept. 6: Polka Pace Race and 5k Walk/Run (sign-up 6:30 a.m.) at 8 a.m., followed by pancake and sausage breakfast; 3-on-3 basketball tournament, 10 a.m.; Eddie Korosa Jr. and the Boys from Illinois, Bob Dozak Band, Still Kick'n with Angela Martin.

Mt Pulaski Fall Festival. Sept 4, 5 and 6. Civil War-era encampment. Cavalry rides in festival parade; Regiment Band performs on courthouse lawn; 1854 Cast Iron Tombstone Trial reenactment in the courthouse courtroom. You shouldn't miss the donut eating contest and central Illinois band Poprocks always puts on a killer show.

Scovill Zoo fall festival! Sept 6 and 7 in Decatur. Activities, entertainment, animals, and a teddy bear repair and picnic.

Taste of Country Fair Festival & Rt 66 Reunion, Sept 5, 6, and 7 in Lexington. Parades, juried fine art show, antiques & crafts. Local food vendors and entertainment.

Chrisman Days Celebration, Sept 5, 6, and 7 in downtown Chrisman. Fish fry, garage sales, flea market, horse show, and entertainment.

New Salem Traditional Music Festival. Sept 6 and 7. Jam sessions, bluegrass, old time music. Lincoln's New Salem historic site.

Atlanta Fall Festival. Sept 11, 12, and 13 throughout Atlanta. Features music, a carnival, free petting zoo, car show, art & craft vendors, great food and pie & cake baking contest/auction.

Abraham Lincoln National Railsplitting Festival. Sept 12, 13, and 14 at the Logan County fairgrounds in Lincoln. This is a can't miss festival with railsplitting, corn shucking, tomahawk throwing and a Civil War ball.

Tower Hill Community Fall Festival! Sept 19, 20, 21. Friday, Talent Show & Karaoke. Saturday, Car & Motorcycle Show, Tractor Show, Produce "500", Kids Competition & Games, Garden Tractor Pull, Parade, Auction, Scavenger Hunt, Live Music. Sunday, Demolition Derby!!!

The Touchstone Energy Hydrofest NBRA National Hydroplane Boat Races. Sept 19, 20, 21 at the Wilborn Creek Recreation Area. This is one of the best race sites in the country with the fastest competitors. Don't miss this exciting event.

Marshall Autumn Fest! Sept 19, 20, and 21 in downtown Marshall. Arts & crafts, car show, you get the picture.

2nd Annual Gourd Festival, Sept 20, 21 (9 am to 4:30 pm) at the Clinton Jr. High School. Gourd arts & crafts. Free.

Arts in Central Park, Sept 20, 21, and 22 in downtown Decatur. Annual juried art festival.

Railroad Days: Monticello Railway Museum, Sept 20, 21. Ride the vintage passenger and freight trains as many times as you want. $12 adults, $10 seniors, and $8 children between the ages of 2 and 12.

Apple and Pork Festival! Sept 27 and 28 in Clinton. A true fall festival prominently featuring the foods of the season. Wear sturdy shoes and don't miss the fine art booths.

World Wide Day of Play, Sept 27 in Bloomington-Normal. Tipton Park, Anderson Park, and at the Children’s Discovery Museum. HUNDREDS of exciting ways to play. Visit one or all of these three locations and enjoy free, fun activities! Everything is FREE! In addition to the activities, there will be great prizes and goodie bags.

This list is not exhaustive. Please leave a comment to add your local September festival information.

Central Illinois Labor Day weekend festivals and events

2008-08-30T07:20:00.000-05:00

Arthur Cheese Festival! See my photos from last year here. Don't miss the cheese curling or the cheese eating contest.

Live music in Decatur! Floweezy, a Senor DeVivo reunion, and many more bands. A benefit for Angie Morris at the Elks Lodge on Parkway Drive. Sunday beginning at 3 pm. This is where I'll be!

Live music in Champaign! 56 Hope Rd plays the Canopy Club Sunday night with Tea Leaf Green beginning at 6 pm.

The Illinois Symphony plays in Springfield at Douglas Park on Saturday and in Bloomington at Miller Park on Sunday.

Get your Abraham Lincoln history fill at the tenth annual Prairieland Chautauqua in Jacksonville.

In west central Illinois, one of the oldest festivals is the Nauvoo Grape Festival. Lots of opportunities for wine tasting as well as more traditional fall festival activities like tractor pulls, an auto show, and midway rides. Don't delay, enter to play mud volleyball today!

Coal Creek Days Aug 29, 30, 31 at Coal Creek Pioneer Village in Pana features frontier life demonstrations.

National Sweetcorn Festival, Hoopeston, Aug 28 thru Sept 1. One of the last chances for a demolition derby this year!

Pittsfield Fall Festival, Aug 29, 30. Parade on Saturday.

Taste of Beardstown, Aug 30.

All weekend the 21st annual Popcorn festival, Casey, Fairview Park featuring a Rod Stewart tribute band.

Allerton Music Barn Festival at Allerton Park near Monticello, IL.

Millikin Decatur Symphony Orchestra plays Monday, Sept 1 at 6:00 pm in the Nelson Park Amphitheater in Decatur.

Giraffe Confectionery

2008-08-29T07:30:00.005-05:00

Giraffe Confectionery on the square in Charleston has Kidorable rain coats marked down from $27.95 to $6 in sizes ranging from 2T to 6. Designs include frogs, dinosaurs, fireman, and bees. We chose the uber adorable frog style.

Kathy's Kitchen

2008-08-28T07:20:00.000-05:00

While visiting Vahling Vineyard near Shelbyville this week I discovered the pickled delights of Kathy's Kitchen.

I picked out a blue ribbon winning jar of pickles and dill pickled asparagus. Both are delightful. The owner of the vineyard told me the pickles have some sort of process every day for 15 days and are ultimately hand packed. She said they are a very old fashioned pickle. They are very tangy and sweet and delicious. The asparagus are surprising crisp and are an excellent snack with a lager style beer.

I imagine you can find Kathy's Kitchen products (including jelly and relish) at the Springfield area farmer's markets. Here's the contact information.
Kathy's Kitchen
201 N. Pitt
Virginia, IL 62691
Ph: 217-452-3035
Email: kkitchen@casscomm.com

Central Illinois Life Round-up #18

2008-08-25T07:49:00.002-05:00

CIRCA blog is a great compliment to the central Illinois blogosphere, the writers at CIRCA keep you up to date on art, music, and events with a Peoria nexus.

OMG folks, did you know Mocha Momma, THE fabulous, insightful Mocha Momma is a central Illinois blogger? I was shocked to find that out when my sister spent some time with her in Chicago. I had just read an article in Bitch magazine about her.

Find out what's up at the Urbana farmer's market at Urbana's Market at the Square blog.

Don't forget squirrel hunting! Um, yeah, I hear the squirrel ravioli is good.

You can find anything on the Internet, for example, a website to post water tower photos. Look kids, the Morton water tower. Although, when driving around the prairie I tend to use water towers as markers.

The Spicery Tea Room

2008-08-24T10:53:00.002-05:00

This week's trip to Tuscola included lunch at the Spicery Tea Room. It's located at the corner of Scott St and Main St near downtown. Downtown Tuscola is on the OPPOSITE side of Tuscola from the outlet mall. Drive west from the interstate to the last stoplight, then turn right. Go about 2 blocks to the Spicery and about 10 blocks to downtown.

The Spicery Tea Room serves heart healthy meals with flair. Nothing is deep fried, no burgers here either. What they do serve are several complex salads, quiche, casserole, soups, and desserts. A generous amount of fruit and veggies are included in all the meals. Lunches start around $7 and desserts (a MUST here) are around $3. The ice tea is fresh-brewed and high-quality and a wide variety of hot teas are available. The presentation is quaint. The soups are served in antique tea cups and the dishes are mismatched antiques china and glass.

I hear the owners also own Winterberries in downtown Tuscola, a large antique store, and the recipes used were Donna's (the owner) mother's recipes. The restaurant is completely furnished in antiques from the register to the specials chalkboard to the tables and chairs.

All the soups were tempting me, but I decided on the lemon asparagus and it was a delicious pureed soup. A cold strawberry soup was also available. Gah! Too many enticing choices.

Willing to drive for a deal on a door?

2008-08-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

Builders Salvage on Hwy 150 between Le Roy and Farmer City has new and used doors for less than half the price of big box retailers. I got a (new in box) door and hardware for $30 that would have cost about $80 at any big box home improvement retailer on Veteran's Parkway. Builders Salvage has door blanks, salvaged doors, all kind of interesting odds and ends. Need an 8 foot tall steel door? They've got it!

Millions of peaches, peaches for me

2008-08-20T07:10:00.000-05:00

Okaw Valley Orchard west of Sullivan has peaches ready and they are huge globes of juicy sweetness and delicate fuzz. You CAN NOT buy peaches like this at the grocery store. I brought home a peck of peaches for $13, enough to freeze for later. Okaw Valley has massive bags of applesauce apples available now for $3/$6 and will have eating apples by the weekend. Take your children and enjoy the playground, walking through the orchard, and cider slushies.

Coffee Station

2008-08-19T08:15:00.000-05:00

In the mornings I notice the fast food restaurants in Mahomet are packed to the gills. If you are passing through Mahomet skip Micky D's and try the Coffee Station instead. Located on Oak Street one block west of the exit for Hwy 47, Coffee Station has 5 brewed coffees available each morning, espresso drinks, and a selection of muffins. A large coffee (larger and MUCH better tasting than McDonalds) and a muffin ring up to only $2.75! Prices haven't changed in the 5 years Coffee Station has been open.

Tots to Tweens

2008-08-18T08:07:00.001-05:00

Did you know there is a new children's consignment store in Le Roy? Tots to Tweens in downtown Le Roy is having a summer clearance sale where all summer clothes are 50% off their already bargain prices. All the clothes are gently used and anything with stains or holes is donated to local charities.
Tots to Tweens also carries VHS, strollers, car seats, toys, bottles, and furniture. Anything related to kids (except stuffed animals) can be dropped off for sale. Consignors receive 40% of the sales of their items in either cash or merchandise.

2008-08-17T08:24:00.002-05:00

Looking for a seamstress in CU who can create amazing one of a kind pieces or whip your bridesmaid dress into shape? Treasures by Tina is your answer. Look at the corset on this custom gown!

Destihl

2008-08-16T09:30:00.004-05:00

Are you looking for Distill, the new restaurant and brewery in Bloomington Normal? Or is it spelled Destill or maybe Destihle? It has an odd spelling and that can make it a little hard to find with a search engine.

Six months ago we tried and couldn't get reservations at Destihl. We heard from B's co-workers it was expensive, the food was weird, and they didn't serve Bud Light OR Miller Lite. Apparently, they only served their own beer that is brewed on premise. The concept of a small brewery with a restaurant was so new in central Illinois that many people didn't know what to expect and were uncomfortable not having the exact brand of watered down beer they preferred at the ready.

We had the opportunity to finally eat at Destihl last night and had a wonderful experience. I called for reservations at 2:30 and had a choice of times. We were seated in the worst table in the restaurant, between the restrooms and the wait staff's computer. Let me know if I am misinformed, but I thought a reservation (and we were on time, slightly early even!) would get us a better table, not a worse one.

We had an attentive and knowledgeable waiter. As much time at the waiter spent at our table educating us on their brewing process, types of beers available, and pairing beers with food, I wondered if he only had two or three tables. The service is time intensive.

We started the evening with two flights of beer. B ordered the flagship flight and I ordered the seasonal flight so we had every beer available last night to try. A flight is six oz glasses of five different beers. I expected to like the Nit Wit most, a Belgium white, but it was the Golden Child, a Belgium golden ale that I was really surprised and pleased by.

For an appetizer we ordered Ropp Diary fried cheese curds. The brewery and the dairy trade products, spent grains for the cows in exchange for cheese curds for the brewery. Yay for local food symbiosis. The serving of cheese curds was so big I could have just had cheese curds and beer for dinner.

For dinner B decided to have a full serving of their Alt beer, Alternate Route, an ale brewed with lager yeast and Jambalaya. I ordered the Stuffed Roasted Poblano Peppers. I wish I was more of a food writer to tell you exactly why my dinner was so good, but YUM it was both beautifully presented and SO delicious. The food came out so quick, the only change I would have made was for the kitchen to take more time between courses. We had barely started the cheese when the entrees arrived. The peppers were stuffed with mashed potatoes, which was surprisingly good, and surrounded with a spicy red pepper sauce. B said the shrimp in his jambalaya were incredibly good.

People were dressed in a variety of ways, from shorts and t-shirts to dressed up party clothes. Some families with older children were there, but I wouldn't take our three year old. Our bill and tip was over $80.

Overall we were pleasantly surprised at the quality of the beer and food, delighted by the presentation, and impressed by our waiter's knowledge.

McLean County Fair

2008-08-03T09:39:00.003-05:00

Last night we attended the McLean County Fair and it was a blast. The fairgrounds are far nicer than many of the county fairs in the area and the midway ride providers had a huge selection of newer rides. They had all the oldie but goodie rides, like the matterhorn and the tilt-a-whirl, but a lot of new "extreme" physical challenge type rides that I've never seen before.

We were really there, as you may guess, to watch the demolition derby. It did not disappoint! Two hours of cars crashing, tractors pulling cars out of the mud, smoke, firemen, ambulances, popcorn, and hooting and hollering. One driver even came up into the grandstand to talk to his family next to us and described in gory detail how his friend was, "only a little scalped" when part of the car fell on his head while he was installing the back-up radiator for the next round of derby. He smelled heavily of gasoline and cigarettes.

On the way in we were given free fair tickets by a stranger, it turned out that kids under 3 were free to the derby, and rides were mostly only 2 tickets a piece. There were no lines for rides, apparently no alcohol sales, the whole Interstate Center to cool off in, and McLean County is so much more diverse than I knew.

All in all a great county fair experience.

Aroma Cafe

2008-08-01T13:26:00.004-05:00

Sometimes a blog post is so close you can't see it. Sometimes you write about demolition derbies and candy kitchens all while sitting in a place you have never written about. That's how it is with Aroma Cafe in downtown Champaign. I come here so often that I must have written about it - but I haven't. I'll remedy that today.

I love Aroma Cafe. I spent a large portion of law school here, now that I'm working in Champaign I come here every lunch hour that I spend in town. I either get the Beef & Chedda hot sandwich or the Aroma salad with a medium coffee of the day. The food is freshly prepared and yummy, the coffee is good, I like the atmosphere a lot. Today there is a series of yoga inspired paintings that are really beautiful. I've picked out several that I'd love to give as gifts. Oh and free wi-fi / fewer students is a big draw for me.

Other people like it too!

2008-07-31T07:25:00.003-05:00

I notice looking at my referrals to Central Illinois Life that last year people came here looking for information on organic farms and festivals and this year people are looking for food banks and bicycle shops.

August Demolition Derbies

2008-07-28T13:18:00.003-05:00

Looking for some noisy, dirty fun? Look no further than your local demolition derby. The people watching ain't bad either.

Friday Aug. 1: Coles County Fair, 7 p.m. $12 Box seats, $10 general admission, $5 children.
Saturday Aug. 2: McLean County Fair, 7 p.m., $15.
Sunday Aug. 3: Logan County Fair, 6 p.m.,

Saturday Aug. 9: Effingham County Fair, 6:30 p.m., $15 Infield, $12 Grandstand.
Saturday Aug. 9: Vermillion County, Georgetown Fair, 7 p.m.

Early August Events

2008-07-27T21:12:00.006-05:00

Aug 1-3: Decatur Celebration time! The Friday stages are Vince Vance, The Contours, and Jr. Walker’s All Stars. Saturday stages are The Smithereens, Bay City Rollers, and The Wings Tribute. I loved the Smithereens in high school and am looking forward to their show. Sunday stages are Plain White T’s, Edgar Winter, Caedmon’s Call, and Otis Day and the Knights. Prepare to have "Hey There, Delilah" stuck in your head for evah.

Aug 1-2: Pontiac Heritage Days. Music, trolleys, pie contest, horse and carriage rides.

Aug 1: Main Gallery 404 meet the artists. 5-8 p.m. Bloomington. Linda Isaacson Healy, Amy Simpson, Martha Burk and Rick Risberg. Jewelry, glass and wood.

Aug 1-2: Arcola city wide garage sale. Over 60 homes participating. Maps available at the Historic Train Depot, 135 N Oak St., the Shell Gas Station just off of Interstate 57 or Casey's General Store on U.S. 45.

Aug 1: Indian Classical Music Festival - RAHUL DESHPANDE, Normal Community Hall, 7-9 p.m.
Aug 3: Indian Classical Music Festival - PROF. L.K. PANDIT, 1901 Woodfield Road, Bloomington, 5-7 p.m.

Aug 2-3: Minier Corn Daze - music, pizza, tractors, free sweet corn (Sunday only), and a pickle eating contest.

Aug 1-7: Westville public library used book sale. Books start at 10 cents.

Aug. 1-3: the Farm Toy Show at Rockome Gardens from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Vintage and modern toys. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors (60+), $4 for children (4-12), and those under 4 get in free.

Aug. 1-3: Dorchester Homecoming, horseshoe tournament, food, coed kittenball tournament, bingo, garden tractor pull and washer tournament, bands.

Aug 2 thru October: Sleepy Creek Vineyard. Scarecrow exhibition by local artists are displayed in the vineyards. Free.

Aug. 5-8: Upper Limits Climbing Clinic for 11-15 year olds. And Friday nights between 4 and 10 p.m. kids 17 and under climb for half price, only $6!

Aug. 7-9: Divernon Homecoming. Carnival, food, car show, parade, horseshoe, hillbilly golf and washer tournaments.

Aug. 9: Hummingbird Festival, 9 a.m. to noon, Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site near Petersburg. FREE

Aug. 9: Gone with the Wind Tea, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. David Davis Mansion, Bloomington. $18.

Aug. 8-17: Illinois State Fair, Grandstand, Illinois State Fairgrounds. Featuring Fergie ($38, $34, $30), Aug. 8; “Weird Al” Yankovic ($20, $10), Aug. 9; Huey Lewis and the News ($30, $25, $20), Aug. 10; Illinois Symphony Orchestra (free), Aug. 11; Brooks & Dunn and ZZ Top ($38, $34, $30), Aug. 15; Natasha Bedingfield and Vanessa Hudgens ($25, $20), Aug. 16; Trace Adkins with Trent Tomlinson ($25, $20, $18), Aug. 17.

Bee Active Toys

2008-07-27T11:10:00.003-05:00

I started a new job that has me driving all over east central Illinois, but with the career transition and all the driving I've been too mentally exhausted to keep you in the loop. I love that I'm getting to Danville, Tuscola, and Monticello so often.

In Monticello, I discovered a toy store with excellent customer service and spot on recommendations. Bee Active Toys, located next to the Brown Bag (so popular and yum) and across the street from Prairie Fire Glass, is much bigger inside than you expect. The owner knows a lot about toys and can direct you to American made, or age and interest specific. I told him I had a 3.5 year old who likes cars and dinosaurs and he directed me to a "Zip-Bin" i.e. a playmat that zips into a storage box.

I was skeptical about whether it would be fun, but the owner was so enthusiastic that I bought it. That night H played with it for 3+ hours. It has been in the regular rotation for two solid weeks. He loves parking the cars in the parking lot and driving all over the mat. I also picked up an elephant watering can (plastic, $5) which has become an instant favorite too.

Bee Active Toys stocks lots of science kits, puzzles, animal and people figures. Vintage toys are on display. If you are going to Monticello to visit Allerton Park or ride the train, be sure to stop by Bee Active Toys. It is a kid friendly shop with great toys for sale.

Best six lunches in Springfield?

2008-06-20T19:22:00.003-05:00

I have six more lunches left in Springfield before I'm set loose to cover ground in rural east central Illinois. Where are the best six lunches in Springfield? Give me a good place to take a group lunch anywhere in town, plus five other spots. I've already eaten my fill of Head West and the Feed Store and will probably be fitting in ONE more trip to Magic Kitchen.

Tell me Springfieldians - where should I spend my remaining lunch hours?

"Nothing fancy but the taste"

2008-06-19T06:22:00.004-05:00

Last weekend we took the short drive to Heyworth to try the pizza at Fussy Bunny Market. FBM is a cute downtown restaurant with a few antiques for sale. There are only three tables but they were not busy when we were there.

I ordered Des Moines salad for each of us and the Rockwell pizza. I'd never heard of a Des Moines salad and was pleasantly surprised when a bed of baby spinach came out loaded with fresh fruit and a very light tangy dressing. So summery! The owner was very nice to us and told us not to worry about H exploring the store. He said, "there's nothing fancy here but the taste." That was true! We were served on paper plates and chose our craft sodas right off the shelf. We tried a peach soda, an orange Crush, and a craft root beer. They also had Green River soda, Route 66 Soda, a sarsaparilla soda, and many kinds of root beer.

I was so charmed by Fussy Bunny Market that I want to offer a little constructive criticism. Regular readers know I don't normally do this, but the atmosphere was so pleasant, the owner was so nice to us, the salad was so good, and the toppings on the pizza were great - but Fussy Bunny needs to use a different crust. If the crust were better, the pizza would be much improved. As it was, the crust was more similar to what you'd buy out of the freezer at the grocery store than a restaurant. If they could create a crust like Roma Ralphs or Luca Pizza or Del Carmens, we'd probably eat there twice a month.

We were stuffed from the pizza and salad, so we didn't order dessert. The owner gave H a cookie on our way out. From the menu it looked like they have fresh desserts each week. The Fussy Bunny Market has short hours, so be sure to time your trip Wednesday through Saturday, 4-8 pm.

ShoeTopia

2008-06-09T19:32:00.003-05:00

A common complaint about Central Illinois is the lack of shopping. I believe there's good shopping to be had, you just have to look a little harder and drive a little farther for it.

For expensive (and some not too expensive) women's shoes, it's worth the drive to check out ShoeTopia in Springfield on Adams. I recently saw a gorgeous pair of chocolate-brown crocodile, kitten-heeled dress shoes that I would has snapped up if only they were made in my size. I talked to the staff about how many 11s they stock, and it turns out they buy them when they can, but only a few of the designers they carry make 11s.

The customer service is great, the shop is small, cozy, and comfortable, and the shoes are carefully selected and beautifully displayed. All in all an outstanding bit of shopping in central Illinois.

Check out their blog!

Heyworth?

2008-06-08T17:22:00.003-05:00

I drive through Heyworth almost every day and I don't stop anywhere except the gas station. Last week I took a detour through downtown and noticed it was pretty barren except for one restaurant, Fussy Bunny Market. I definitely want to take my family there to try it. Can anyone give ME the 411 on Fussy Bunny or any other Heyworth attractions? There are two very dingy looking restaurants (or maybe bars) right on 136. Know anything about them?

I'm in the newspaper!

2008-06-07T12:47:00.002-05:00

The NewsGazette online has a nice little column on Central Illinois Life. Yippee!

Baked goods

2008-06-07T12:08:00.004-05:00

This morning we ventured out to the farmer's market again in an absolute deluge of rain. H and I tried baked goods from both Medici in Normal and Kelly's Bakery and Cafe in Bloomington. From Kelly's we got a blueberry muffin, a lemon poppy seed muffin, and an apple danish. All were good. I really want to try the green pistachio muffins next week.

The loaf of bread from Medici is so good I doubt it will last until dinner time. We each keeping having just one more slice! It is so soft with a lovely crust.

For dinner tonight we're having steaks from Heartland Meats, grilled green garlic, and a spinach salad with strawberries from our yard.

Underwood Park, Normal

2008-06-05T06:47:00.003-05:00

Over the weekend we discovered a new-to-us park that while just off a main road (Linden) was hidden. Underwood Park is a really nice park. It's large and has two playgrounds with a mix of old and new equipment. There were bathrooms, a tennis court, several large and small shelters, a baseball diamond, basketball court, big shade trees, and plenty of room to run. A lot of Normal's parks have no shade, so I was really pleased to find a park with mature trees.

What I loved about Underwood Park was the fence around most of the park. I didn't have to stay glued to H making sure he didn't run into the road or an off limits area.

SOHO Music Fest

2008-06-02T18:40:00.002-05:00

This Friday and Saturday Central Illinois Life's fav band 56 Hope Rd will be in Springfield playing at the SOHO Music Fest at the Old State Capitol. It's only $5 to get in and you get hours and hours of awesome live music.

Central Illinois Life Round-up #17

2008-05-31T12:02:00.003-05:00

Bloomington Farmers Market vendors Monkey in the Kitchen and I purchased from this morning included:

Twin Oak Meats - for brats and pork sticks.

Grand Prairie Food - green garlic. What do you think you do with a stalk of green garlic?

Ropp Jersey Cheese - various cheddars and a cheese spread.

Mackinaw Valley Apiary - yummy honey

A. Renee - wine, wine accessories, gifts, chocolate! The chocolate covered sunflower seeds were divine!

The farmer's market was hopping this morning, with a band and lots of folks admiring and purchasing radishes, turnips, and lettuces.

Greenthoughts Garden soap

2008-05-28T09:22:00.004-05:00

Last week I went to the opening day of the Springfield Old Capitol Farmers Market and was fortunate to stop at the stall for Greenthoughts Garden.

Greenthoughts Garden sells herbal soaps, balms, body oils and skin care products that are hand grown and handmade. The owner grows the herbs in small batches and harvests and processes herself. And Oh. My. Gawd. can you tell when you use it! I bought her glorious Wild Rose herbal soap with rose hips, rosebuds, rose geraniums, lavender and rosemary. First of all, the soap has a nice lather and has exfoliating crumbles in it. Second, THE SMELL, the scent is out of this world. It's like bathing in a rose garden, a real rose garden, not a faked perfume rose garden.

I'm definitely going back one of these Wednesdays for Patchouli-Sassafras body oil - oh you say it's Wednesday today? Then it's my lucky day!

Central Illinois Life Round-up #16

2008-05-25T09:53:00.002-05:00

Musings of a Minor Mennonite - ferrets out good youtube videos.

Just another blog - paints her daughter's room for a more grown up look.

Tom Wilson - works in Decatur during the filming of "The Informant."

McLean County Pundit covers Bloomington Normal politics from a cynical conservative perspective.

Save gas, play local - upcoming events in Central Illinois

2008-05-24T08:04:00.008-05:00

May 23-26: Heart of Illinois Cluster of Dog Shows: the Interstate Center, Bloomington

May 25: 2-5 pm, Ogelsby Mansion Open House, the restored home will be open for tours, near west side of Decatur. Open Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays in June.

May 24-25: Springfield TT & Mile and National Championship Motorcycle races

May 31: Vintage baseball game at Rock Springs Nature Center in Decatur. Rock Springs Ground Squirrels v St. Louis Unions.

May 31: Crappie USA & Kids Fishing Rodeo, Nelson Park, Decatur. 6 am - 5 pm, tournament 9-11 am. Prizes include bicycles and a $5,000 scholarship.

May 31: BBQ, Blues, and Cruise, live blues music, family activities, kids art, Salsa Dancing, classic cars, great motorcycles, and local arts and crafts. Kansas City Barbecue Society sanctioned BBQ cook-off. Christian County Fairgrounds, Taylorville.

May 31-June 1: Funfest for Air-cooled VW, Effingham

May 31 -June 1: Decatur Park Singers, Young Park Singers, Decatur Chorale, Fairview Park, Decatur. 6 pm, free.

May 31-June 1: Kite Festival, 10 am - 5 pm, Rec-Plex grounds, Pontiac.

May 31-June 1: Glory Days, an 1830 Militia Muster, Petersburg. An 1830's Militia Muster with signing up for militia service and drilling will be held. The sound of musket fire will be heard on the prairies and bluffs of New Salem. The public will be invited to march carrying weapons (brooms) where Lincoln and the men of Sangamon County marched off to war in 1832. 10am - 4pm both days.

June 7: Art on the Square, Christian County Courthouse, Taylorville

June 7-8: Illinois River Wine Festival at Kickapoo Creek Winery in Edwards. The festival features 12 area wineries and includes food and live music from local bands. Nearby Mackinaw Valley Vineyard will host additional wine tasting and a battle of the blues bands at the Mackinaw Music Fest.

June 7-8: International Horseradish Festival Woodland Park, Collinsville (I know it's metro-east, but I couldn't resist a horseradish festival!)

June 13-14: Old Glory Festival, Veterans Park, Bement

June 13-15: The National Road Festival, , is an annual event held in several communities along the National Road Scenic Byway. Each community will offer unique attractions such as live music, antique tractor shows, local fare and more. Altamont, Effingham, Marshall.

June 14-15: Raggedy Ann & Andy Festival, Illinois Raggedy Ann & Andy collectibles, arts & crafts, children's adventureland, parades, contests & more! Arcola

June 20-22: Mother Jones Festival, 5K, artisans, antiques, carnival rides, wheat threshing, live music, and ethnic food festival, Mt. Olive.

June 20-22: Cruisin' Route 66, Litchfield Classic Car Festival, Litchfield

June 20-22: Taste of Champaign Urbana, West Side Park, Champaign

June 21: Vintage baseball, 1 pm, Rock Springs Nature Center, Trobaugh Field, Decatur. Rock Springs Ground Squirrels v Springfield.

June 21: Drivin' the Dixie Days, Gilbert Street, the Dixie Highway is an Historic Route in the United States, and in Illinois several groups come together every year to "Cruise" the Dixie from Blue Island to Momence. Stops are made along the way in several of the cities, Danville.

June 21-22: Danville Arts in the Park, Lincoln Park, Danville

June 27-August 10: Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Ewing Manor, The Taming of the Shew and Titus Andronicus, Normal

June 28: All in a Day's Work, Bring your family out to enjoy a "day in the life" of the average New Salem family. Observe cooking on the hearth, washing and mending clothes, spinning, weaving, knitting, butter churning, dipping candles; making baskets, and more. The Ann Rutledge Quilters and The New Salem Fiber Guild will also display quilts and textiles at the New Salem Visitors Center. 9am to 5pm, Petersburg.

Perfect weekend get-away

2008-05-22T06:49:00.004-05:00

It looks like Lake Shelbyville is going to be a great place to go this weekend. Unforch, we have other plans, but YOU could check out the fishing and boating there.

Wabash Depot

2008-05-20T20:30:00.003-05:00

Do you like to browse? Do you like antiques and rummage sales?

There is a special place in Decatur where I love to meander while considering the merit of this beautiful or that strange item. It's the Wabash Depot just north of Eldorado. As you shop you might be lucky enough to see a train rumble past.

I especially love to look at the china and silverware. I've seen gorgeous old dishes available that would be right at home on a design blog. I've also been tempted by the unusual Decatur and railroad memorabilia.

The building itself is worth the trip. It has been refurbished and the many historic details are preserved.

Head West Sub Stop

2008-05-19T18:08:00.004-05:00

I indulged my hidden hippie today by getting lunch at Head West in Springfield. Head West is a sub shop with a twist that the bread is very soft and slightly sweet. The toppings are really good too, including yummy thickly cut pickles.

I love the vibe at Head West. Today they had advertisements up for Central Illinois Life's favorite local band, 56 Hope Road, who have a big gig coming up this weekend in Chillicothe. Dave Matthews was on the radio coving Neil Young. Head West is brightly painted with geometric prints (for sale, $10) on the wall.

The guys working behind the counter are quick, nice, and act like they give a damn that you are there. Head West is a great alternative for downtown workers who miss Breadstretchers. Hey Springfieldians, what's your favorite sandwich combination at Head West?

Pat's Garden Shop

2008-05-18T10:07:00.004-05:00

I married into a gardening family and am probably an intermediate gardener since this is our fourth summer with a large garden. Late winter and spring holidays aren't celebrated with potlucks or cookouts, they are garden preparation markers. Tomato and pepper seeds are planted inside on Superbowl Sunday. There is a planting schedule for Easter, Mother's Day, and Memorial Day. My mother-in-law uses a watercolor paintbrush to pollinate her heirloom plants.

Having a curious three year old in the house we skipped starting seeds inside because we're generally messy enough without potting soil in the mix. Last weekend I was itching to plant peppers and tomatoes. Instead of heading to a big box garden center I decided to try a home based business near Le Roy. I went to Pat's Garden shop and found nice healthy plants for a good price. I picked out eight peppers, sixteen tomatoes, and four allysum for a total of $12. There was a good variety of vegetables. I found cayenne, jalapeno, habanero, bell, sweet, and yellow peppers. There were probably ten varieties of tomatoes.

I planted my choices as soon as I got home and a week later they are in the best shape my transplants have ever been in. They are perky and growing with good color.

Check the Google Map for directions to Pat's Garden Shop.

Central Illinois Life Round-up #15

2008-05-17T09:52:00.004-05:00

My goodness, has it really been a month you guys? If only I could blog while I drive, then I could keep you up to date. Let's take a spin around the central Illinois blog-o-sphere and see who is new on the block!

Great mama Emilie is blogging about living la vida verde at Normal~ish. She takes beautiful pictures too.

Summer Knobloc's photography blog is amazing. Summer is in demand and it's clear why. Her photos are special and every mama should be so lucky to have a portrait by Summer. Support a talented and local mama by scheduling your photos for fall and winter.

A college friend has moved her writing to good old blogspot and I'm digging hearing her thoughts on motherhood. Check out Looseyfur.

Just a Mom in Urbana writes about living the simple life and touches on tough topics like shaken baby syndrome.

I'm gonna make a better effort to spruce up the place and get back in the loop. Big stuff will be happening this summer and I've got to keep CIL is tip-top condition. Today we're going to Rochelle to check out the train park! I expect big fun for little H.

Rockford Children's Discovery Center

2008-04-16T21:30:00.003-05:00

Trip to Rockford

2008-04-12T08:09:00.002-05:00

Last week we took a long weekend in Rockford. As members of the Normal Children's Discovery Museum we get reciprocal benefits at the Rockford Discovery Museum and so our entrance fee was waived. The Rockford Discovery Center Museum was so much fun. The exhibits are far more science focused than the Normal museum. We put our hands in a tornado, made a giant metal ring jump from magnet to magnet, and measured the speed of our pitching.

While we had heard complaints that the museum was not well kept, we found all the exhibits in working order and the building was really clean.

The best part of the Discovery Center was the playground. I'll have to update with photographs because it will be hard to do it justice. It is a dense wooden playscape with lots of pullies and ball runs and even a cave. There was a huge sandbox with dinosaur bones to dig out.

Magic Kitchen

2008-04-04T08:11:00.004-05:00

Another super-fantastic lunch place near my work is Magic Kitchen (Thai). I go once a week whether I have a lunch buddy or not. I adore the asparagus and chicken dish and rarely stray. Last week I got the green curry and it wasn't as saucy as Thai House in Bloomington but it was hot hot hot.

If you are new to Magic Kitchen here's the 411 because it's not intuitive. If you are dining there, someone will seat you. There's no sign to let you know. If you want to drink something other than water you'll have to tell the waitstaff. They put a carafe of water on the table and I have never been asked for a drink order (but they do have wine). If you are carrying out, walk to the back of the restaurant to the cash register to give your order. Better yet, call ahead. First time I called ahead they said 15 minutes, I arrived in 10, and my food was already bagged up and ready to go. That kitchen moves quick!

The veggies are so fresh at Magic Kitchen that I definitely suggest a vegetable laden meal. Yum yum.

Accidentally Delicious!

2008-04-03T06:15:00.003-05:00

When I need a 15 minute lunch near the Capitol I tend to drive through the Maid Rite off Jefferson. They claim to have the first drive-thru in the nation and they certainly have one of the fastest. Yesterday I meant to order a large ice tea, because theirs is always fresh tasting, but instead root beer must have slipped. Yum-o. What a surprise! It was so delicious and creamy and cold. I'll have to go back for a root beer float.

Central Illinois Life Round-Up #14

2008-03-24T08:25:00.004-05:00

There are so many new area blogs since my last round-up many months ago.

I love, love, love Tumbling Blocks, even her photos of yarn are beautiful.

Long time fav Catch Her in the Wry has just started Style in the Heartland and it looks promising.

Seven Miles to Nowhere is an academic and a parent writing thoughtful content.

As a beginning gardener I appreciate Wordy Diva's gardening posts.

Take a look at these nifty native prairie garden and bird garden mixes. We're ordering one of each to border our vegetable garden and reduce our lawn a little more this summer.

Sunday Five

2008-03-16T13:29:00.003-05:00

I've been tagged by A Mom's Life to do the five unusual/interesting things about me. I'm gonna do my best to keep with the central Illinois theme.

1. In 1997, B and I got completely lost in the woods at Moraine View State Park after dark and had to figure out a way to a road, then hitchhike back to the park and the truck. It was October and got dark much faster then we anticipated. Luckily, we were wearing jeans and nice sweaters and not all hippied out.
2. Before we left Decatur I discovered a house for sale on 5 wooded acres right in the middle of the near west side - like halfway between downtown and Millikin and slightly south of Wood St. I was sitting in the long driveway thinking how magical it would be to live there when a whitetail deer walked right up to my car.
3. Millikin only charges $100 for alumni weddings at the chapel. We were probably one of the first weddings there and we put down a $25 deposit and Millikin never tried to collect the remaining $75.
4. On Phish's summer tour in 1997 or 1998 B and I did the midwest leg going to Indy, Chicago, and Wisconsin. We camped one night in Kickapoo State Park near Danville. We couldn't find firewood to buy any where and ended up burning some wood that made a huge black cloud of smoke. Oops.
5. On campaign in 2000 and 2002 on the Fourth of July I walked in 3-4 parades on each day. In 2002 the Fourth of July march of heat and concrete sealed my resolve to never do another campaign.

Flesor's Candy Kitchen

2008-03-15T17:58:00.003-05:00

At the suggestion of Mrs. Chicken, Henry and I went to Tuscola last Saturday to sample the candy at Flesor's Candy Kitchen.

Oh. My. Ya'll.

Flesor's is a destination, not just a candy shop. First H and I had lunch, a mushroom and swiss burger and potato salad for me and a big bowl of potato bacon soup for H. We just drank water, big mistake, Flesor's is a full service soda shop and the drinks other tables were getting looked awesome.

ANYWAY, lunch was very good and hearty.

Then we went to check out the candy. We peeked in the back and saw chocolates being made by hand. Henry decided on a bag of gummy bears and a dark chocolate and strawberry fluff Easter egg. I chose a pound box of mixed chocolates to take to my grandmother. The gummy bears were as good as a gummy bear can be, fresh, soft, nice enough flavor. The Easter egg was a HUGE hit. Henry was entirely silent and focused as he s-l-o-w-l-y ate every bit of it. The boxed chocolates were beautiful and the charleston chew-like piece I ate was very chewy/sticky and the chocolate was dark.

Flesor's Candy Kitchen is in the downtown area of Tuscola which I had NEVER been to even though I have driven thru Tuscola many times a year for 12 years. You go to last/first stoplight at the west end of town on Hwy 36 and go north a few blocks to Sale Street. Flesor's is on the south-west corner. Go, take your kids and your grandparents, everyone will enjoy the trip.

Pease's Candy

2008-03-14T07:12:00.003-05:00

Pease's is a totally different experience than Del's. Where Del's is all old-timey, Pease's is like a laboratory, all white, glass, and stainless steel. Pease's and Del's offer many of the same candy and popcorn items, but Pease's does molded chocolates (Abe Lincoln, surprise surprise) and chocolate bars. You can also watch the candy makers through a glass window. I spent another $13 on candy to try.

From least favorite to most favorite, I tried:

Raspberry Dollars: they were fine, not too sweet, not to raspberry. Good candy to sneak into a movie.

Mint Melt-Aways: I liked these a lot. I love a mint/chocolate combo generally.

Raggedy Anns: YUM. I think these might be their specialty. A sublime combination of carmel, pecans, and chocolate.

Dark chocolate covered blueberries: Man, these were DE LI CIOUS. Just the right combination of sweet and tart. But at $6 for maybe a cup and a half, they were the most expensive treat I bought at either store.

Look! You could throw a kid's party there. Not cheap, but it looks like an experience they would remember.

Del's Popcorn Shop

2008-03-06T19:28:00.006-06:00

Easter is just over three weeks away so I thought this would be the perfect time to tell you about some candy jewels in our midst.

This week I went to Del's Popcorn Shop and spent under $13 and got a box of 12 truffles, a baggie of Kookaburra Strawberry Licorice, a baggie of crunchy bears (for the kids!) and 2 large caramels. Tonight Bob, Henry, and I sat down to sample the goods.

Our least favorite was the Kookaburra Strawberry Licorice because the flavor wasn't very bold. We both expected more real strawberry flavor. I'd have to sample their regular strawberry licorice to really gauge the difference. It tasted slightly herby.

Next we liked the crunchy gummy bears which has a huge blast of flavor. I couldn't figure out the pink flavor, but the blue was a strong (and good) raspberry. The crunchy gummy bears were the biggest hit with Henry. He wanted to hoard them for play.

I ate a pecan caramel on my drive home yesterday. I woke up my sweet tooth without putting her to bed. It was not as sweet as a Kraft caramel but more flavorful.

Now we get to the best, the chocolates. Oh. My. God. the truffles were SO good. Both the dark and milk chocolate were some of the best quality chocolates I've had (and I've had some good chocolates cause my dad orders them from chocolatiers). Bob and I both melted into puddles on the floor after the first truffle and immediately decided we weren't putting them away just yet.

Del's stores are really cute. They are like the original that Cracker Barrel copies but only stocked with popcorn, candy, and ice cream. I could see taking a child there and letting them browse a long time before selecting just the right treat. I went to the downtown Springfield location for ease, but they are also in Decatur and Mount Zion. Take a look at these cute popcorn bunnies. (They're cuter in person) If we celebrated Easter these would be my choice for the basket's main attraction.

Yum Yum

2008-03-06T07:09:00.004-06:00

Candy sampling will take place tonight. I admit one caramel might not have made it to the photoshoot.

Boo hoo, Breadstretchers has closed

2008-03-05T06:42:00.003-06:00

I have been planning all winter to let you know about an off-menu item at Breadstretchers that I observed some regulars getting, but each time I've been by the last couple weeks they've been strangely closed. Now I know, the downtown Breadstretchers is really closed. With Winch's Flowers closing too, that is a lonely corner that ought to have lots of lunch-hour foot traffic .

Upcoming posts I'm currently researching include candy shops and local honey. I've had SUCH a sweet tooth this winter.

Honey, I'm hoooome!

2008-03-01T14:58:00.003-06:00

It's finally March and I'm back here at Central Illinois Life to spread the links, love, and la la la largess. I have new blogs, new activities, and new restaurants to share with you all.

First up, Cafe Moxo! I adore this new-ish restaurant in downtown Springfield. If you are staying at the Hilton you should walk the two blocks to enjoy free wi-fi and good coffee. My sister found breakfast there to be scrumptious and I have liked every soup and sandwich I've had for lunch. I hear the pot pie is to-die-for and it must be true because they've usually run out by the time I get there at 1.

Another Auction

2008-02-12T07:37:00.000-06:00

This auction has WAY better stuff than the last one. Look at this piece of oak furniture, it has a rolltop, see. I bet this cabinet will go fast. I would love it for my wedding china. You would need a lot of room to show off this counter, but I think it's wonderful. Lots of nice stained glass pieces (10!) too.

Here's the 411: Saturday, February 23 at 9 a.m. in LeRoy on the square.

Hey you guys!

2008-02-10T17:23:00.000-06:00

I've got a speaking engagement about this blog coming up THIS week. I'll be at the 2008 Illinois Governor's Conference on Tourism speaking about social media and tourism. I'm so thrilled to be asked. The audience will probably be thinking good old Illinois nepotism has something to do with it, because my twin is the panel moderator, but no! The Bureau of Tourism LOVES Central Illinois Life and wanted me all. on. my. own.

Other panelists are Mark Sedenquist from RoadTrip America and Lauren Viera from the Chicago Tribune.

There are only 3 weeks left of haitus and I have found some divine lunch spots in Springfield to share with you in March. I can hardly wait!

Auction!

2008-01-16T07:11:00.000-06:00

Yes, I'm still on haitus for another 6 weeks, but who can resist an auction? Not me. I have so much to tell you about when I come back, but this can't wait.

Fricker Auctions on the square in Le Roy is having a big auction January 26th. Decide what to bid on Friday from 4-7 pm, and Saturday from 7-9 am. The auction starts at nine am.

Myself? I want to take a look at the cherry bed and dresser, the bakers tables, two stained glass doors, and the bench from the old Bloomington railroad depot. I have two spots in my home for a bench and I'd love to lean a stained glass door against the wall with an uplight behind it.

Take a look here!

Hiatus, Hiatus

2007-11-07T20:07:00.000-06:00

What a great run this little blog has had since the beginning of August. Central Illinois Life went from 0 readers to 220+ per day in under three months. H and I had more fun than should be allowed in Central Illinois. I made new friends, found tons more blogs to read, and put a few thousand miles on my car. As a family we ate at new restaurants and went to new activities in the name of blog research. As Henny Penny, I've been invited to speak at a tourism conference. I'm excited by the possibilities and opportunities writing about the great parts of Central Illinois have brought.

Nonetheless, Central Illinois Life shall go on hiatus until March. I have a new dream job I want to devote myself to plus a very big project with a late February deadline. My family, the new job, and the very big project must be my priorities. I hope you could tell how much time, effort, and energy I put into researching and writing CIL. I'm already looking forward to how much more I'll have to tell you about this spring when I can return.

Truly yours,

Henny Penny

Downtown Springfield

2007-11-05T20:22:00.000-06:00

Boy has downtown Springfield changed in the four years I've been away. I had to go to the bank and the post office over lunch today and scoped out SO many new shops and restaurants.
I've eaten at two old favorites so far, Breadstretchers and Boone's Saloon. Boone's seems like it is trying to be a little more upscale. The sandwich maker at Breadstretchers thinks everyone should be ordering basil and oregano on the Tree Hugger.
I need some recommendations, dear readers. What gyms should I check out that are near the capitol complex? Is the Y my only option? I'm also looking for a nail place that doesn't do fakes, just manicures. Also, what is the DEAL with the traffic on Clear Lake at 5 o'clock?!? It's crazy busy. Is there a better route from the capitol complex to I-55 N? And where is the cheap gas? Leave a comment and help a working girl out, please.

Halloween recap, NoBloPoMo what?!?!

2007-11-01T06:35:00.001-05:00

Last night was a great time. H went out as a fox with the next door neighbor who dressed as a Lego. You could not ask for a better kid next door, Lego held H's hand when they went up to houses and introduced him. They were out for an hour and a half and went all around our neighborhood. I stayed home and passed out treats. I gave out Chinese finger traps and Play-Doh and those were a big hit.

All the kids were polite, even the teenagers. One teen had those ugly recalled Halloween teeth in his mouth and that gave me the biggest scare of the night. You know you're a mom when you tell some kid you don't know, "Get those out of your mouth! Lead! Poison!"

H doesn't know yet that most kids go home and gorge on sugar after bringing home their haul. I certainly did when I was a child. So he came home and played in his pile of candy and asked about each item. Even without eating any candy, and filling him up with a couple yogurts before bed, he was wired last night and bedtime took until 9:30.

Day one of NoBloPoMo is in the goody bag. Who knows if I'll be able to continue with my new awesome job starting TOMORROW, but for today the 40 readers who are left (boo hoo) get a little something to start the day. Perhaps the theme of the month may be re-discovering Springfield.

Thai House, Bloomington

2007-10-30T17:49:00.000-05:00

Tonight I brought home Thai House for the first time and it was good. I have not eaten Thai more than a handful of times, so I'm no expert on it. I got Pad Thai, Pad Kee Mao, steamed dumplings and chicken satay for the three of us. I asked for the Pad Kee Mao to be extra spicy, but I'm pretty sure we actually got mild. B couldn't taste any heat and I could, but not enough to send me for an extra glass of water. H liked the Pad Thai and tried both the appetizers but wasn't a very enthusiastic diner.

I will definitely go back and eat in the dining room of Thai House. It seemed to be a kid friendly restaurant and there are certainly meals our preschooler would eat. Next time I'd like to try something off the specials board. The specials creative with lots of fresh basil and vegetables.

Trick or Treat

2007-10-29T07:10:00.000-05:00

Our Central Illinois Life family is so excited about Halloween. We have already had one opportunity to take H out in his home made fox costume and he loves it. He is finally at an age where dressing up is fun. He has no idea what is happening Wednesday evening, but we have been practicing knocking on the door, then saying "Trick or Treat" loudly and then a thank you.

Yesterday we carved 3 of the 5 pumpkins we got at the various pumpkin patches. The one from Great Pumpkin Patch was completely rotting and had to go in the compost. The striped one from Furrow's Red Barn was the easiest to carve, and smelled delicious. I'm sure that is an eating pumpkin because it smelling like a combination of zucchini and cantaloupe. The big pumpkin from Warrensburg was a bit overripe and slimy, but still has plenty of structural integrity and the little pumpkin from Apple Blossom Orchard was normal.

We've now got all our treats to hand out, finger traps, M&Ms, and mini Play-Doh. Can't wait for Wednesday night! I hope the weather holds.

Decatur Indoor Sports Center

2007-10-27T09:50:00.000-05:00

Now that I've got a full time job set to start in Springfield in November, my mind turns to gym memberships. Our current neighborhood ranks a 6 out of 100 on the online walkability calculator and we have no nearby gyms so the exercise portion of my life has been on standby for three years.

Our last two or three years in Decatur we had a family membership at the DISC and I loved it. First of all, the overall price is pretty inexpensive because it's part of the park district, but throw in Millikin alumni discount PLUS an employer with wellness benefits and it was downright silly how little access to this fantastic gym cost.

B and I both enjoyed early morning workouts in the nearly empty cardio and weight machine room. I found the equipment to be better quality at DISC than at the UI gyms and you don't have to reserve a time. In the evenings we would walk around the indoor track and watch basketball and batting practice. We would occassionally take over an empty court on the spur of the moment. A friend and I took rock wall climbing classes that made us feel like spaghetti afterward. Right before I became pregnant I took a Pilates class that kicked my tush even though at that point I was working out 4-5 days a week. Plus there was a free weights room I never even entered.

DISC is a gem of a gym and a jewel in the crown of "We like it here" Decatur.

Oversized specialties, Bloomington and Monticello

2007-10-24T20:13:00.001-05:00

Tonight's post is going to be quick and dirty. I've found two meals that are big enough for B and I to share and yummy enough to return for. Schooner's in Bloomington has a pork tenderloin that's bigger than a dinner plate and ACTUALLY tastes good. Unusual. It's tender and has good flavor and is not dry. Good enough in fact that I'd love to watch sports there w/ B and pig out on tenderloin and wings.

Fillipo's Italian restaurant in Monticello has huge and very good calzones. B and I split one the other night for $12 and the crust was flaky and crisp, the sausage was chunky, and the whole thing had loads of cheese. It would have been nice to have a cup of red sauce on the side, but we ended up dipping into H's tortellini sauce. Fillipo's has a surprising selection of bottled beer, including Bass and Sierra Nevada.

Monticello Railway Museum

2007-10-21T18:50:00.000-05:00

We went to Monticello today to ride the Ghost Train. The ride itself was very short, but good for the train load of toddlers and preschoolers. I thought we'd be going all the way downtown so I was disappointed when we stopped and began to reverse about 500 yards away from the depot.
We stayed to walk around the old trains and talk to the people working on them. We got to see the insides of a 1951 Tennessee Central double engine diesel that can still run 98-117 MPH. It was fascinating. B really enjoyed the historical tableau inside the Pullman Baggage car, but I was too busy chasing H to see the WWI coffin or much of the mail train. B's dad worked on a mail train in Indianapolis after returning from WWII.

If you ride the Ghost Train stick around for the rest of the museum and wear sturdy shoes.

Stuffed-Aria Pizza, Lincoln

2007-10-21T07:29:00.000-05:00

The other night driving home from Springfield, B and I decided to pick up a pizza in Lincoln. We randomly picked Stuffed-Aria Pizza from the Internet and ordered a deluxe and cheese bread, figuring every pizza place has that.

When I pulled up to the little shack of a building I was feeling like we were probably going to get a really good pizza, but a little worried that they might not take plastic and I only had a $20 bill. I went in to pick up the pizza and the total was $27.85. Whoops. I told the man at the counter to let me check my car for change and went back outside. $27.25 later I returned with a pocket FULL of silver and a handful of uncounted pennies. Luckily he considered our pizza paid for and I was on my way home.

At home we were pleasantly surprised with a really good stuffed pizza. The cheese bread was downright awesome. The pizza was very much like the double crust at Del Carmen's East in Decatur. Lots of cheese and lots of finely chopped veggies. The dough was soft and bready. The red sauce was plain, not particularly sweet or tangy. I'll definitely be ordering from Stuffed-Aria Pizza again and will show up with enough cash.

Central Illinois Life Round-up #13

2007-10-20T07:25:00.000-05:00

Consumer culture can either control us, or we can have a say in it.

Last night we went to Decatur for salty big box steaks and cinnamon butter, but Greasy Spoons went to AJ's in Charleston. We had fun with friends and that's what counts.

The Champaign Chamber of Commerce is robust and flavorful, like the coffee at Aroma.

Bar Louie! Bar Louie! Bar Louie!

Great live music this Saturday! Bloomington

2007-10-18T19:44:00.000-05:00

This Saturday night: Red Edmund with Back Yard Tire Fire. The show is at Paulies in downtown Bloomington and starts at 10pm sharp.

Back Yard Tire Fire is a National Touring Act based out of Bloomington. Red Edmund has just released their debut CD and is Illinois/Missouri Regional Indie Rock. These two great bands are going to have an awesome show and YOU should be there.

Paulies is a really fun venue with plenty of room to dance, and dance you will to these two bands. I couldn't figure out how to embed the video, but here's a clip of Red Edmund.

If you are coming from out of town, be sure to make reservations for pizza at Luca just around the corner!

2007-10-18T09:47:00.000-05:00

Thanks for linking to Central Illinois Life this week!

Sleep Deprived Friends

Ghost Rally!

2007-10-18T07:17:00.000-05:00

You know what they are, you know where they are.
People come here looking for information on Ghost Rallys and you are trying to get people to come to your Ghost Rally.
I don't know the first thing about Ghost Rallys. Is it some kind of biker thing? Is it a scavenger hunt? Teh Internets need to know.

Leave a comment like Frammy Frue did to let us know that the Danville Lynch fire department ghost rally is on Sunday the 21st leaving the stadium at dark!

Now I know, a Ghost Rally is a scavenger hunt based on clues. The car which logs the least amount of miles and finds the most answers to the clues wins.

Central Illinois Food Banks

2007-10-17T18:52:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the silence this week, I've been busy working full time for the first time in 3 years. Whoa! How do you bloggers who work do it? I barely have enough time to tackle my bloglines subscriptions and then it's time for bed.

So many Central Illinois bloggers have been writing this week about hunger in Central Illinois and the Eastern Illinois Foodbank's current food drive.

But what if your area isn't served by the Eastern Illinois Foodbank? Wouldn't you still like to contribute? I mean, who can turn a single dollar in TEN dollars worth of food? The food bank can. Magic. Talk about bang for your charitable buck.

In my small town IGA there is a box for food pantry donations right by the door and I try to drop something in when I can. But to do more you have to know more. Here's the contact information for eight more Central Illinois food banks who could use your donation of dollars or dinners as well.

Ford County Food Pantry (217) 379-9128 780 S Vermillion St Paxton
Center of Hope Food Pantry (309) 452-8240 116 N Cottage Ave Normal
Food Pantry (217) 345-2823 411 Jackson Ave Charleston
Loami Area Community Pantry (217) 624-9900 106 S Main St Loami
Jacksonville Food Bank (217) 243-1122 316 E State St Jacksonville
Midwest Food Bank (309) 663-5350 1703 S Veterans Pkwy Bloomington
Peoria Area Food Bank (309) 671-3906 721 W Mcbean St Peoria
Central Illinois Foodbank (217) 522-4022 2000 E Moffat Ave Springfield

Do you know of more food banks? Leave a comment!

Spin City Cycles, Decatur

2007-10-15T08:51:00.000-05:00

For my and B's first wedding anniversary we decided to buy bikes. But with B's height we couldn't just visit a big box store and buy something off the shelf, we needed to special order. Luckily a new bike store had just opened in Decatur in our neighborhood and we decided to scope it out. We were in luck! Spin City Cycles is owned by an enthusiastic young man who was so helpful in getting us fitted for bikes and choosing a combination of value and quality.

We both choose GIANT brand bikes and have been so happy with them the last 5 years. Whenever we needed a bike tune up we rode over to Spin City Cycles and got immediate friendly service. The staff is awesome and they are involved in the Decatur community. They have a large variety of biking supplies and if they don't have it, they can special order it fast.

One of the neat things about Spin City Cycles is that it is located in the Ralph's Pub building and when it was repurposed for the bike shop, Kyle kept the taps. When you need a bike or bike supplies, this west end shop is a great place to go.

Awesome October Events II

2007-10-14T21:09:00.000-05:00

Oct 19-20, Jack-o-lantern Spectacular, Washington Park Springfield. Hundreds of hand-carved, illuminated pumpkins on display 6 pm – 10 pm· Free shuttles will operate from 5:45-10:30 p.m. from the Sacred Heart-Griffin West Campus parking lot.
October 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28, 31 Rocky Horror Picture Show, Charleston, Alley Theater.
Oct 20, 42nd Annual State of Illinois Invitational Marching Band Competition, ISU Hancock Stadium, Bloomington.
Oct 20, Boo Bash, Children's Discovery Museum, Normal. Come in costume for trick or treating in the exhibits, go on a pumpkin hunt and listen to some not so spooky story telling. Cost: $10 passholder/$12 non-passholder.
Oct 20, Sugar Grove Nature Center hosts an Autumn Celebration from 10 am to 5 pm. Live music, nature walks, an old tyme medicine show all for $2 per person, toddler and babies free.
Oct 20, Bob Dylan and Elvis Costello, US Cellular Coliseum, Bloomington at 7:30 pm.

Oct 21, Peter and the Wolf, Hoogland Center for the Performing Arts, Springfield. Performances at 2 pm and 6 pm, $10 adults, $6 children.
Oct 21, The Blue Man Group, Prairie Capitol Convention Center, Springfield.
Oct 21, 28, Victorian All Hallows Eve at the David Davis Mansion, Bloomington at 5 pm. Reservations required. Hear traditional 19th century eerie stories & learn some amusing superstitions. Then gypsies will read your tea leaves to tell your fortune. $18.

Oct 23, STOMP! Sangamon Auditorium at 7:30 pm, Springfield.

Oct 26, 27, 28, The Laramie Project, Charleston Community Theater, Tarble Arts Center, EIU, Charleston.
Oct 28, Halloween at Miller Park Zoo, 1-3 pm, show off your Halloween costume and enjoy face painting, crafts, up close creepy animal encounters, and a costume parade.

Oct 31, Evening with Poe, Allerton Retreat Center, candle light mansion tours, Edgar Allen Poe stories, Monticello.

Central Illinois Life round-up #12

2007-10-12T14:53:00.000-05:00

I'm only linking to one blog today in order to highlight the craziness of what is happening to law student and Illinois blogger, Lag Liv. DCFS has put her thru the ringer this week after her repeated attempts to seek medical attention for her son. Today they took Landon. I am sick in my heart for her. He is clearly a loved and cared for little boy and my thoughts are with her.

2007-10-12T08:06:00.001-05:00

Thanks for blogrolling Central Illinois Life this week!

The Sandwich Life
Catch Her in the Wry

Free movie at the Princess Theater

2007-10-11T13:19:00.000-05:00

Hey kiddos! The Princess Theater in Le Roy will be showing Monsters Inc this weekend for FREE. Show time is Saturday at 11 am.

The Great Pumpkin Patch, Arthur

2007-10-10T16:42:00.000-05:00

It has been 10 years since I've been to The Great Pumpkin Patch in Arthur and it has grown from a quaint family farm operation to a huge agri-tourism attraction. It is easy to find, a couple miles directly south of Arthur with large signs pointing the way from highway 133. It's open daily from 9-6 with $3 admission for visitors over 12 years old, $1 for children 5-12 and free for children under 5.

The Great Pumpkin Patch has by far the largest selection of pumpkins, squashes, and gourds of any pumpkin patch we've been to.
Many displays have cooking information so you know what to do with your purchases. I can see how a novice cook would be intimidated by some of the unusual squash varieties.

The great wall of cucurbits. What a display! Don't. Touch. Anything.
Noah's Ark of cucurbits. See the pumpkins going two by two?Pumpkins of the world. Gourd mountain. This pile was probably 15 feet high.Lots of animals to check out too. Chickens, rabbits, chickens, llamas, chickens, sheep and more chickens.

As far as prices go, the jack-o-lantern pumpkins were more expensive than the other two pumpkin patches we've been to this fall but the giant pumpkins were a bargain. The 100 pound pumpkins were only $20. There were two straw mazes, a corn maze, a hay rack ride, a one room school house museum, a haunted barn, a children's garden, and food vendors. We spent several hours wandering around and playing at the Great Pumpkin Patch. We came home with a tall skinny pumpkin to complement the three other pumpkins we've gotten so far. Surprisingly, the Great Pumpkin Patch accepts Visa and Mastercards at the check out. Afterwards we went into Arthur to have phosphate sodas at Dick's Pharmacy and buy yummy Amish cheese.

No name park, Bement

2007-10-09T15:37:00.000-05:00

On the way to Arthur today we stopped at this great little park in Bement. I couldn't find a name for it, but if I were to hazard a guess I'd call it Veteran's Park.

The equipment was new, the park was wonderfully shady, and the porto-potties were clean.
There was a shelter and lots of old playground equipment too. There were swings and a simple old merry go round. My son loved running and hollering in the shelter.
There was lots of lawn for running and a generously sized sand box.
Bement has several family restaurants and a pizza place, so next time we go I'll plan to stick around for dinner.

Haunted Central Illinois

2007-10-08T11:33:00.000-05:00

Here's the start to a list of haunted Central Illinois activities. I'll keep updating as I find more haunted happenings.

Oct 5-30, (Fridays & Saturdays only) 320 S Main Street, Farmer City, Haunted House
Oct 5-31, (Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun) Creatures Crypt Haunted House, Bloomington.
Oct 5-31, Haunted Hide-A-Way in Georgetown (South of Danville) .
Oct 11-13, 18-20, 25-31, Springfield Jaycees Haunted House at the State Fairgrounds.
Oct 12-14, 19-21, 26-31, Boo at the Zoo, Scovill Zoo, Decatur. Good for little kids.
Oct 12-13, 19-20, 26-27, Auburn Hospital for the Criminally Insane
Oct 12, 13, 19-21, 26-28, 31, Boo Crew in Rochester.
Oct 12-30 weekends, Terror on Washington, a top ten haunted house in Clinton.
Oct 12, 13, 19-21, 24, 25, 28-30 Haunted Decatur Tours. Very scary and not for kids.
Oct 12 - Nov 2, weekends Fear Factory Haunted House in Rantoul.
Oct 19-21, 26-31, Decatur Jaycees Haunted Fairgrounds. Bring a canned food donation.
Oct 19, 20, 26, 27, 31, Springfield Haunted Hayrides
Oct 19-20, 26-28, 31, Mahomet, Nightmare Pavillion.
Oct 22-30 Halloween Train, Monticello
Oct 20-21, 26-28 Ghost Train to Cemetery Road, Monticello
Oct 20, 26-28, 31 Monticello Haunted House - thanks for the tip Kiwanis Club!
Oct 31, The Avon Theater in Decatur will show the horror documentary Children of the Grave and host a meet and greet afterwards with the stars.

2007-10-05T20:14:00.000-05:00

My apologies to legitimate readers who enjoy full feeds. I discovered a spam blog translating my posts into German and reposting them. I'm changing my feed setting to a partial feed in an attempt to thwart that. Thanks for understanding.

Central Illinois Life Round-up #11

2007-10-05T16:27:00.000-05:00

Since I've joined BlogHer Ads they've classified me as a food blog. Central Illinois Life is not a food blog so much as a hyper local blog written by a blogger who likes to eat. But because of this classification I've been poking around food blogs more often and today I want to share some local food links.

Illinois Farm Direct is a fantastic tool for finding locally grown foods. Go put in your zip code and see all the farms near you. I found farms within 10 miles of my house that I did not know existed.

Shares for community supported agriculture programs are being put under contract now for next year. In Bloomington, Henry's Farm CSA and Mitchell Farms are an excellent source for fresh vegetables. In Champaign, look to both Moore Family Farm and Prairieland CSA. Two more Central Illinois CSA programs are Blue Schoolhouse Farm CSA (309.467.9228) in Congerville and White Oak Farm CSA (217.562.2573) in Pana.

For something herby, visit Mari-Mann Herb Farm just outside Decatur. And for everything lavender, go to Mackinaw to visit Lavender Creek Farm.

Get your drink on, Decatur

2007-10-04T09:19:00.000-05:00

Katz on Merchant and The Winery: these two bars could not be more different but both are great places to while away the evening.

Katz is the downtown martini bar with nice seating, bartenders with flourish and flare, and drink prices to match. Going to Katz is a special occasion for me. The first time I took Millikin grads there who had moved away they were floored that this sophisticated bar was making a go of it in Decatur. Young professionals flock here on special event nights, like Mardi Gras.

It's a very nice place but perhaps it lacks a certain soul, which you can find in spades at... The Winery. No it's not a winery, perhaps you shouldn't even order wine here.

The Winery is the living definition of a dive bar. It is located catty corner from Millikin and though Decatur and Millikin do their best to spruce up that intersection, the Winery continues to chug along in all its dingy red booth, one menu item, Shlitz drinking glory. And this is part of what makes Decatur so special in my heart.

I have such fond memories of eating the best burgers in Central Illinois, maybe in all of Illinois, watching the Cubs lose, having the waitstaff know my diet drink of choice, having grill outs with the staff who became friends and friends who became staff, babies in the bar, listening to the stories of 90 year old regulars, shooting the breeze with professors, listening to my husband's band on the jukebox, so many darts games and homecoming weekends and raunchy jokes. (Yes, I have always had an issue with run on sentences, especially when I wax nostalgic.) I know a lot of people feel this way about The Winery. I had a co-worker in Springfield who requested Winery burgers be refrigerated and brought for lunch the next day. Friends who have travelled the world insist the best burger is the Winery burger.

Oh, and the burgers and drinks are so inexpensive there you can have 2 beers and 2 burgers for the price of one martini at Katz.

Awesome October Events

2007-10-02T08:32:00.000-05:00

Central Illinois is coming to the last of the fall festivals. At the same time, there is a wider variety of events and activities than in September.

Oct 5-7 Flatcon is coming to Bloomington Normal! This is a volunteer run gaming convention. Bring dice, dice, and more dice and meet the people behind the games.
Oct 5-6 Another historic reenactment! Take a candle light tour of the log cabins Lincoln called home at the New Salem State Historic Site, Petersburg. 7 to 9 pm. 217/632-4000
Oct 6-7 Haven't had enough apples or festivals yet? The Old Fashioned Apple Festival will be going on at the Okaw Valley Orchard in Sullivan.

Oct 6, 8, 10 The band I love to shake my heiny to, 56 Hope Road, will be at LSB Saturday and Millikin on Monday and the Canopy Club on Wednesday.
Oct 7 & 14 Oconee Fall Festival: Oconee. Hayrides, maze, crafts, pumpkins, and a zoo.

Oct 12-14, 19-21, 26-31, Perennial favorite, Boo at the Zoo begins at Scovill Zoo in Decatur.
Oct 12-13 Do you like ribs? Then downtown Arthur is the place to be for Braggin' Rights, a national BBQ competition. Many top ten Kansas City teams come to compete.
Oct 12-14 I hope the fall leaves are peaking for the Monticello Barn Tour. It is a self guided tour of barns in rural Central Illinois. Purchase a map in the lobby of the Piatt County Museum and start driving.

Oct 14 Miller Park Zoo in Bloomington will host an art and craft show.
Oct 14 The Allerton Diversified Farm brings us Pumpkinpalooza, featuring pumpkin chucking, pumpkin decorating, scarecrow stuffing, and hayrack rides. 11 am to 5 pm.

Later this week Central Illinois Life will feature the haunted scoop on houses, trains, and tours.

Black Bart's Pumpkin Patch, Warrensburg

2007-09-30T15:19:00.000-05:00

Black Bart's Pumpkin Patch is the place to go for giant pumpkins. They have a HUGE selection of HUGE pumpkins.

Black Bart's Pumpkin Patch also includes the normal pumpkin patch entertainment, a hay maze, a corn maze, a slide, and a petting zoo. There is a haunted house which was too scary for my son.

For sale you'll find multi-color corn, hay bales, squash, gourds, a stuff your own scarecrow station, and pumpkins galore. Admission is free to Black Bart's and then you can pay for activities a la cart. The corn maze is 75 cents, children under 3 free. Feed for the petting zoo is a quarter per serving. The haunted house and slide are free. Drinks are available in the store for 75 cents per pop or bottle of water.
My son and I walked and walked thru the pumpkin patch and never came to the end of it. We were so far away I couldn't even see the house anymore. I would guess there are thousands of pumpkins waiting for you. Giant pumpkins, white pumpkins, red pumpkins, warty pumpkins, flat pumpkins, dark green pumpkins, grey pumpkins, and jack-o-lantern pumpkins. It's amazing.

Black Bart's Pumpkin Patch is open Monday thru Saturday 9 am to 6 pm and Sunday 11 am to 6 pm. Pumpkins are 35 cents per pound. I'm putting it on the Google map.

Pastabilities Italian Grill, Decatur

2007-09-29T14:44:00.000-05:00

Central Illinois is loaded with independent Italian restaurants, most of them inexpensive and very good. There's no reason to buy spaghetti in a bucket around here. I'm going to tell you about my favorite Italian restaurant and I want you to leave me a comment about yours.

In 2003 a new restaurant opened in downtown Decatur promising good prices and good Italian dishes. B and I were thrilled and so were most of our friends. After the first trip to Pastabilities it was added to our regular rotation. It has definitely changed since it opened, mostly for the better. The owners seem like they are constantly looking to improve the dining experience.

I love the ambiance at Pastabilities. A lot of Decatur restaurants don't seem to put much thought into the feel of the building, but Pastabilities really feels upscale and well decorated. I also like that there are several different kinds of seating. In the front you can sit at cafe tables with umbrellas. In the middle there is room for larger groups. There is a nice bar in the back as well as more romantic booths. I like to sit in the front because I always see people I know on the street or coming in the door.

It's hard to say what dish I like best at Pastabilities because I don't have a "usual" like I do when I eat at a Mexican restaurant. The Chicken Marsala is normally very good as is anything with the creamy tomato sauce. The bread sticks are always toasty and fresh. The sangria is hit or miss, but when it's on it's awesome. Pastabilities offers a few Italian beers and lots of Illinois wine. The waitstaff seems to draw heavily from Millikin and the servers are always pleasant and chatty. Most of the entrees are under $15.

Central Illinois Life Round-up #10

2007-09-28T09:02:00.000-05:00

A mom's life is having a tough time finding a hippy playgroup. Try yahoo groups! Or try the next blog, I don't think this New Yorker will judge your blue hair. While BelleNoelle is sulking in Illinois, she also seems to be making the best of the move and trying to find a playmate for her son.

Mrs. Chicken has new bloggy digs. I love her banner, it makes me giggle every visit.

Some drindle wearing fun at Oktoberfest. Some hummingbird photos as they migrate through Morton, Illinois.

2007-09-28T08:32:00.000-05:00

Thanks for blogrolling Central Illinois Life this week!

...for she loved much.
A Mom for All Seasons
Chambana Fanna Fo Fanna
Where there's a Will there's a way

Furrow Winery and Red Barn Pumpkin Patch, El Paso

2007-09-27T15:28:00.000-05:00

Today I took my son to play at the Furrow Winery's Red Barn Pumpkin Patch. We had a blast! Admission is $3 per child and parents get in free. The children's play area is super fun. They have a bounce house, a swing set, slides for tots and bigger kids, a speed boat (sunk into the ground), a tractor, an old school bus cab, a hay fort, a petting zoo, and a corn maze. I would have paid $3 just for the maze. We spent half our time wandering lost through the corn.
Red Barn has a big selection of pumpkins, both picked and in the field. At 29 cents a pound they are a bargain too. We got a gorgeous 13 lb white, orange, and green striped pumpkin and two tiny pumpkins for $4.50.

There were 3 kindergarten classes there today and they were having a ball. The straw castle area was swarming with children, but I got a photo while they were eating lunch.
The tractor and the petting zoo were not a big hit with H, but I think he wanted to just be in the fray of kindergartners. And in the corn maze. He loved, loved, loved running around the corn maze.

Oh! Tractor train rides are also included in the admission price. My son got a big kick out of driving around the farm in these little train cars.

The pumpkin patch is well marked from Hwy 251 north of El Paso. We found it easily. The only negative was that the porta potties were very full today so we resorted to an emergency diaper. The staff was friendly, the play area was clean, the pumpkins were beautiful and inexpensive.

Before we left, I stopped at the winery shop for an award winning bottle of Panther Creek Red. This weekend Furrow Winery will be celebrating Oktoberfest with their special release wine (only 250 cases available) food and live music. This weekend would be excellent to take your children to the pumpkin patch and come back for Oktoberfest!

Utah Phillips performance, Bloomington

2007-09-26T11:08:00.000-05:00

Utah Phillips will be performing at the McLean County Museum of History in downtown Bloomington Friday, October 12th at 7 pm. Tickets are $20 first come first serve at the door. Utah Phillips no longer tours as much so this is a treat and you should take advantage of the opportunity.

Evergreen Cemetery Discovery Walk, Bloomington

2007-09-25T16:10:00.000-05:00

I just found out about the Evergreen Cemetery Discovery Walk which is coming up this weekend. It's a unique history performance where volunteers research and act out local people who are buried at Evergreen Cemetery. This year's event will focus on those who have contributed to Illinois State University.

The McLean County Museum of History spends 11 months preparing for the event by researching the characters, writing the script, auditioning and rehearsing the actors, creating costumes, and then managing the performances. Wow, what a huge undertaking! The audience gets to walk around the cemetery for 90 minutes and see the actors dramatizing the lives of Jesse Fell, Edwin Bakewell, Angeline Vernon Milner, Henry McCormick, Elizabeth Mitchell Christian, and several others.

Performances will take place September 29 and 30, and October 6 and 7 at 11 am and 2 pm. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $12 at the museum ($10 for members and $4 for children and students) or $14 at the gate of the cemetery one hour before each show.

Wettstein's Organic Farm, Carlock

2007-09-25T10:22:00.000-05:00

I've told you about some great local butchers in Central Illinois, but what if you want to get even closer to the source and get incredible locally grown organic hand raised meat? Meat that will make you swoon.

Try the Wettstein's family farm near Carlock for out of this world poultry and beef. The Wettstein's have been featured by Farm Aid and are located a short drive from Bloomington-Normal. Take your family and tour the farm with the charming Wettstein children before you make your purchases. You'll see chickens eating loads of bugs and moved to fresh grass daily. You can walk all over a beautiful diversified farm with many different animals. It's like disappearing into a children's book.

Be ready to stock up while you are there because once you get home and taste the steaks, eggs, or chicken you'll wish you had purchased more. As good as the beef is at Eastside Market in Decatur or Walnut Street Deli in Le Roy, the steaks from the Wettstein's farm will completely trump any you've ever had. They also offer pork and lamb which I've not tried.

Dennis and Emily Wettstein RR # 1 — Carlock, (309) 376-7291. Since it's a family farm you should probably call ahead to see what meat is available and get directions.

Starved Rock Adventures, Ottawa

2007-09-24T08:41:00.000-05:00

This weekend was the most fun I've had in years. Our hosts plan great group trips, like a weekend at Cedar Point immedately before their wedding. This trip was in honor of our friend T's birthday and everyone had an excellent time.

We were able to join the trip for Saturday and Sunday, but the houseboat was rented from Thursday to Sunday. Saturday morning the golfers did their thing. We all met up around 2 pm to leave the marina and sail to the island where we would spend the night. The boat rental company owns a small island where you can park the houseboat overnight and watch the barges go by.

We spent the evening playing bean bags (alternatively known as cornhole), enjoying all the good brews everyone brought, listening to music, and catching up. There were friends from college there we usually only see once a year and some we haven't even seen that much. I swam in the river for awhile. It wasn't as yucky as I expected. At sunset the guys built a bonfire and we spent the rest of the night sitting around talking about pregnancies, babies, hobbies, work, and college stories that always get trotted out for laughs.

It was so relaxing to not be in charge of anyone or anything. I didn't say "Stop that" or "Be careful" for a good 26 hours. We did have big excitement when a very large barge came by in the opposite direction as the other barges. The anchors started coming out of the sand and the boat went sideways. But we recovered and got the boat straightened out and anchored much better around trees.

This was a great weekend activity for adults. One major thing was the expense though. We contributed what we could to the hosts for the weekend. But if you look at the Starved Rock Adventure website prices, those are not the actual cost. The actual cost is significantly more because of all the add ons you have to pay for once you are there that are not included in the web price (insurance, john boat, etc).

Good Morning, Illinois River

2007-09-23T14:16:00.000-05:00

2007-09-22T10:01:00.001-05:00

B and I are off to Starved Rock for the weekend. I'll report back on houseboating Monday. While it's not exactly Central Illinois, it IS south of I-80.

Central Illinois Round-up #9

2007-09-21T10:41:00.000-05:00

My dad took me to many, many high school and ISU football games as a child. And later when I marched in the band on Friday nights he was always there. Did you get out your sweatshirts last week and enjoy a little small town Friday night football? I did, and so did Chambana Fanna Fo Fanna. Put them away again this weekend.

Some of my fondest childhood memories are working on the Pinto with my dad. This photo is probably 1978, my dad was B's age. Analog Periphery writes a moving post on the automotive section and his father.

I also installed and sanded a lot of drywall with my dad.

My dad did his good grandpa deed of the year this summer by hosting my teenage nephew in Maine. I think he'd enjoy this poem from Hilton Hightower.

According to my dad, this is about how new houses are built in Indianapolis. That really tickles me.

2007-09-21T10:14:00.000-05:00

Thanks for blogrolling Central Illinois Life this week!
Let's play math!

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rogere53
sdcosper

I have a question for you! I always wanted to try Hubers on Church St in Champaign but never have. Is it worth the time and the trip? What kind of place will I find?

Eat meat like a local

2007-09-20T16:33:00.000-05:00

Two restaurants that make me feel like a local on a night out are Caboose Smokehouse in Bloomington and Tom's Grill in Decatur. They share a lot of features including an exterior that makes you say, "We're gonna eat here?!?" and a dim interior dominated by a bar.

Tom's Grill looks like any rough and tumble package liquor from Main Street. But park in back and walk through the hallway plastered in family photos and you'll discover one of the most unique dining experiences in D-town. For starters it's got an old school mobster feel to the red leather booths and they bring an appetizer set up to the table with pickled beets. B and I were unsure what to make of this the first time. I usually order a steak there and it's really good. It's not overly seasoned (unlike Roadhouse's salty steaks) and always cooked to order (if you order rare it will truly be rare, not medium rare). Once I got the prime rib on special and it was really good too.

The Caboose Smokehouse lives up to it's advertisements, "Hard to find, easy to love." It is way off the beaten track in a residential area west of Illinois Weslyan. It's prettier than Tom's from the outside and you can smell the smoker a block away. Inside it is also a dimly lit bar with great meals. Last time B and I went we were both pleased with every aspect of the meal, especially the steak and ribs, and could have stayed and played darts all night. It would be a fun place to see live music, which they have every week.

Bread Stretchers, Springfield

2007-09-19T08:56:00.001-05:00

One of the things I was most looking forward to on my trip to Springfield earlier this week was eating a sandwich at my old favorite, Bread Stretchers. I hoped the sandwiches would be as good as they were 4 years ago when I stopped working in Springfield. I was pleased to find their subs are even better now than they used to be. They have more bread choices and the wheat bread is delicious and soft. I ate a Chick's Pick (chicken salad) and really enjoyed it.

Bread Stretchers offers 9 inch sandwiches in a half load ($4.41) full load ($5.34) or the motherload ($7.52). You can also get salads, soups, and hot subs, but I stick to the cold subs.

I like to sit in a window seat and watch the downtown foot traffic. You can also scope out new places to explore because it seems almost every storefront has changed since I last ate at Bread Stretchers.

Sugar Grove Nature Center, Funks Grove

2007-09-18T14:42:00.000-05:00

Sometimes a road trip yields unexpected surprises. Today's was no different. We wound our way through the country enjoying the golden corn and browning beans. We counted tractors and combines and sang Old MacDonald as loud as we could. I had printed out a Google map route for our destination, but missed a turn. I thought one country road is the same as the next around here, so I made my next right on a gravel road figuring it would meet up with the next part of the route a few miles north. Surprise! It did not, we landed smack dab in the middle of an industrial hog farm. Whoops! So we turned around and took the NEXT right and did find our way back to the route. Our target destination this morning was the Sugar Grove Nature Center near Funks Grove. We parked and made our way through the gourd tunnel following the path to the covered bridge and the woods.
In the woods there is a great play area for children with a cabin, tire horse swing, a fire pit, tractor tires, and a fort.We had a grand time exploring and climbing.
Walking back toward the nature center itself there are beautiful prairie vistas.

The nature center is a great place for small children. There was a tent to play in, lots of terrariums and aquariums, a reading nook, a sand table, and a "Nut House" with many puppets. I liked the bird sanctuary but my son was more interested in running hither and yon. So much tactile exploration to do here!

Remember the contest I mentioned Friday? Here's the 411. Write about your own Illinois road trip and enter to win a navigation system. Enter here.

Casey's, Oakland

2007-09-17T06:42:00.000-05:00

On a reader tip from Midlife Mutations, I stopped to try the chocolate doughnuts at the Casey's in Oakland on Hwy 133 this weekend. These gas station doughnuts are REALLY good. They are super chocolaty and were very fresh and had a hint of clove in them.

I took a quick detour around the Oakland square and saw this wonderful and curious public water fountain. A lion! Does anyone have information on this water fountain? They also had a building labeled Public Restroom. I can't imagine seeing that anywhere else but a town with a population of 1,000.

Oakland is on the google map, and now I'm off to Springfield.

Central Illinois Life Round-up #8

2007-09-14T10:11:00.000-05:00

Wouldn't this emerald nugget necklace look awesome on a red head? Perhaps one who is having a baby any minute.

Speaking of green, Champaign has a new Green Party candidate for County Board.

All the googlers love festivals, so check out these Peoria area Oktoberfests and also head to Morton the Pumpkin Capital for the Pumpkin Festival this weekend and go again next weekend for Punkin Chuckin. People will not stop telling me about the Punkin Chuckin. B has mentioned like 10 times to tell ya'll about the punkin chuckin (they go 2 miles!).

And start thinking about your Illinois roadtrip adventures because next week I'll share a contest with you where you can win this.

2007-09-14T07:50:00.000-05:00

Thanks for blogrolling or linking to Central Illinois Life this week!

Little Blog on the Prairie
Monkey in a Suit
A Mom's Life
The News Gazette
Chicken and Cheese

This has been an exciting week at Central Illinois Life. I've been contacted by two state agencies with events and contests to tell you about. Traffic here has more than doubled since Labor Day. And best of all, you all are commenting! I love love love to hear your thoughts.