The CopperWorks

StfRon and I ended up at the CopperWorks, 7815 N. Knoxville Ave., Peoria, on a recent Sunday night, after a failed attempt to dine at Chef John's. It was a special occasion, and I wanted to go somewhere different.
The CopperWorks is definitely different. The decor is very contemporary, and the menu features a large array of cuisine.
We started our dinner with a bottle of wine, XY Zin. It was excellent. So good we ordered a second bottle and took the rest home, thanks to the new leftover wine carryout policy. Our wine went with us in a cool doggie bag.
To accompany our wine, we started with an order of bruschetta. This was a little different that what most Peoria area restaurants served, complete with fresh mozzarella and drizzled with aged balsamic. We loved the balsamic, but we wanted more, more, more!
For dinner I chose the Thai chicken, complete with peanut sauce and fried wonton strips. The sauce was spicier than most Thai sauces I've tried, but I liked it.
StfRon talked to our waiter, Todd, who was excellent, about the steaks. Todd said their steaks are aged, and come from Chicago. StfRon went with the New York strip, which is served with a portobello sauce poured over it. He asked for a bottle of Heinz 57, and debated asking them to hold the mushroom sauce, but let it go. The steak was fabulous, complete with mushroom sauce, and as soon as we saw Todd again, StfRon told him he could take the Heinz 57 away, which, incidentally, had never been opened. Maybe it's a testament to their food.
Both meals were served with a vegetable medley of asparagus, squash and red peppers.
Continuing our night out, we had dessert as well. StfRon had a bourbon chocolate pecan pie, but I went for the creme brulee. It was wonderful.
We will remember the CopperWorks the next time we are looking for a special night out.

Sadly, CopperWorks closed in early 2008.

The Bronze Frog

The Bronze Frog is a unique shop located in the strip mall at The Shoppes at Grand Prairie in Peoria, next to Cold Stone Creamery. There is also a Bloomington location at 105 Krispy Kreme Drive.
When I stopped here recently, I was pleasantly surprised to find several cute dresses made in the USA.
The shop also has many great gift ideas; fine stationery; wedding accessories; customized invitations; fun glassware and kitchenware; and offers cooking classes, some featuring Chef Kevin.

Antonio's Homemade Pasta & Pizza

A couple of weeks ago, I planned to meet my mom and her friend at Lindsay's Bistro 320 for lunch. I had some gift certificates to use that are not valid for alcohol, so I figured we could have a fun, cheap lunch.
Well, the doors were locked, and so were most of the others we tried for the building. We found one open and made our way into the Liberty Pub, where the bartender told us that they were serving food in the pub, or we could go downstairs to Antonio's Homemade Pasta & Pizza (in the Prairie Building at 240 SW Jefferson Ave., Peoria). This was the popular option with the ladies, so that's where we headed.
Our friendly waiter, the same guy who served us at a rehearsal dinner banquet at the Sky Room in May, greeted us and gave us some menus. He was the only waiter working lunch that afternoon. He also said that Lindsay's Bistro is closing for lunch now and planning to do dinner.
Two of us ordered iced tea and my mom went for a glass of merlot. Must be nice to not have to go back to work!
Our drinks did take an inordinate time to arrive, but they did arrive. My mom also scored an upgraded glass of merlot. The waiter said some lawyers had been in drinking one evening and kept ordering bottles of wine, but did not finish them all, so they were corked up waiting to be enjoyed, or waiting to go bad and be tossed, so the waiter poured my mom a glass of one of those. She said it was excellent.
For lunch, I chose the capellini (angel hair) pasta with creamy garlic sauce, and had them add spinach. You can choose several different pasta and sauce combinations and several add-ins.
Our meal started with a basket of bread, including a crispy, seasoned flatbread. Once I tried this, I could not stop munching it. I was shamelessly plucking crumbs from the bottom of the basket by the end of our meal.
We also got a large, endless bowl of salad made with a balsamic dressing and infused oils. I believe the waiter said there were blood oranges used as flavoring in the salad. It was very good, as was my pasta. The pasta is served in large, deep bowls. Plenty for another meal, or two, if you want to take the leftovers with you.
Antonio's also features pizza and salads. You can view the full menu here: http://www.prairiebuilding.com/pmwiki/Antonios/Menu.

Wisconsin adventures

Last weekend sent us to the Milwaukee area on a quest to get a marriage license so we can get hitched next month. We love the area and always have a good time.
On our way up Saturday night, we were too hungry to make it to Janesville (StfRon's choice for Shakey's) or Milwaukee for dinner, so we got off the Interstate in what looked to be promising, Beloit. We soon realized we have made this mistake before. We drove and drove, looking for something other than Dairy Queens, Arby's and the like, and finally ended up down by the river.
Just as we were about to turn around and go back to the Interstate, I spotted a place called Domenico's Italian Restaurant. We wheeled in to give it a try.
The decor was pleasantly surprising; not your average family restaurant, which is kind of the appearance the place gives from outside, but a more Tuscan feel.
Since we wanted to get back on the road quickly, we chose the buffet. There was a good variety of food on the buffet. I partook of the olive bar with two more upscale types of olives than your average olives; beef stroganoff and noodles; pizza with green olives, sausage and onion; Hawaiian pizza; and salad including a nice tomato and onion salad topped with vinegar and herbs.
Once I tried the stroganoff, one of my favorites from childhood, I wished that was all I had filled my plate with. It was very good. But, the Hawaiian pizza was also very good, topped with a quality Italian cheese.
We also split a tiramisu for dessert, good, but not very boozy. Hey, I like boozy!

After we checked into our hotel, we moseyed out to see what was going on. Apparently a lot of exposure. At first we skipped the Miller Time bar, which was closest. There was some chick at the bar wearing a dress, and she had her bare feet up on the bar stool she was sitting on. Imagine a frog-type pose. It was a little disconcerting.
We stopped in to a place called Mo's Irish Pub. There was a band playing rather loudly, but it was decent music. We settled in at the bar, and after we'd had a drink, some guy came in and took off his shirt and belt, and appeared to be contemplating taking off his jeans as well. Time to go back to Miller Time. The crotch-bearing chick was gone, so we took a seat and had some drinks.

Sunday, we went to one of our favorite spots, Alterra by the Lake for coffee and pastries. I had an espresso cookie that was awesome. StfRon opted for a sour cream muffin, and we got a raspberry scone to go. I noticed that they had t-shirts made in the USA (by none other than the American Apparel Store) for sale, however, the sizes we wanted were a little out of stock, and there was a line out the door by the time I was interested in buying one. Have to hit it next time.
Not only do they carry made in USA clothing, they also use sustainable energy, which is a neat thing.
We later went to the public market in the historic third ward for some shopping. StfRon tried some cave-aged cheddar at the West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe and had to have some. At $25/pound, it's a luxury.
We went to the Wicked Hop to meet our wedding photographers. Nice people. I finally got to try the bloody mary. These things are stocked with a beef stick, a huge green olive stuffed with bleu cheese (yuck), and lots of yummy string cheese curls. I also tried an eggs benedict made with crab cakes. Very good, but the hollandaise sauce tasted more like butter than hollandaise.

Sunday night, we decided to try Miss Katie's Diner for dinner. Rachael Ray did $40 a Day here once, but that's not why we came. We headed to the bar area to work up an appetite, and there were several Italian guys and a couple of gals hanging out there smoking stogies and talking about their family. It was interesting to watch.
We headed back to the dining room and ordered the ribs, cole slaw and hash browns, all of which the waitress said they are known for. The hash browns were very crispy and good. The ribs were tender, but I prefer a sweeter sauce, myself. The slaw was slaw. I still can't get past the slaw from Stuart Anderson's from a visit several years ago, and the slaw from Jim Neeley's Interstate BBQ in Memphis.
The diner is neat, though. The bartender said it is only about 20 years old, but you would guess it has been around since at least the 50s.

We then went in search of the Landmark 1850, the oldest tavern in Milwaukee. This place was neat; lots of history here. We also noticed some newer touches, but overall it was great to see.
Since we were here, we asked where the Port of Hamburg was, a German bar StfRon had read about. The waitress pointed out the window to a blue and white house next door. We headed there next.
They had a buffet set out for Father's Day, and several times people told us to help ourselves. I went for some fruit. Then, the bartender said there was Rouladen. We had to try it, so we got a couple of pieces. Now, I suppose maybe Rouladen means roll of meat or something, but traditionally you find it stuffed with pickles and carrots. This was filled with a white cheese and basil. Surprising, but not bad. Still, I didn't feel like I had really had Rouladen.
This bar had many, many German beers on tap. The decor is not much to write about, but if you're up for German draft beer, you might want to check it out.

We also checked out the new Hofbrauhaus Munich bar, the Old German Beer Hall. It's pretty neat, and did remind us somewhat of Germany, with a Munich-inspired beer garden out front and the long bench tables inside for dining. I had a big mug of the Hofbrau Original, which turned out to be a little bitter for my liking, but not intolerable.

Monday, we made our normal stop at the Pick 'n Save Metro Market to fill our cooler with fresh sausages and fresh-squeezed orange juice (why does no one in Peoria sell fresh-squeezed OJ?). The chalkboard count of fresh produce for the day was 719.
Sucking down a bottle of OJ, we headed to the Racine County Courthouse to apply for our marriage license. The courthouse is old, and unattended. We didn't have to pass a metal detector, or any security guards to get it. We were wandering around on our own trying to find our way.
The lady who helped with our application was very nice. And we passed!!
Next, off to find Frank's Diner in Kenosha. We had seen this place on Diner's, Drive-Ins and Dives. Frank's Diner, a true dining car, was pulled into place by six horses in 1926.
There are several signs and notices in Frank's warning you that service can be slow. I don't think slow quite covered it for the day we were in. I didn't consider it to be terribly busy. We waited probably 30 minutes for a chocolate malt, about 30 more for StfRon's burger (which was actually meant for someone else who apparently walked out) and about 15 more for someone to dish up some sloppy joe and cole slaw for me. I had also ordered the Hungarian mushroom soup, but they ran out before we got our order. The food was good, and it was neat to see this institution. We're glad we visited now, rather than our original plan of having people meet us the day after the wedding for breakfast at Frank's. Not only would they not have had seating for our group, I think some people would have been upset by how long it would take to eat, when they would probably rather be on the road heading home. BTW, they also gave us part of our food for free and apologized for things, even though we did not complain. Other people were complaining loudly, so we kept our mouths shut.

All in all, another fun trip to the Milwaukee area. And we saw a bimbo, to boot (it seemed to be a Mexican bread truck)!

Weaver Ridge

Thanks to Numero magazine and StfRon's geocaching prowess, we scored ourselves a gift certificate to Weaver Ridge and dined there a couple of months ago.
Located at 5100 WeaverRidge Blvd. in Peoria, Weaver Ridge is a newer championship golf course, and has a restaurant to boot.
We took our mothers there about three years ago for a Mother's Day brunch, but other than that, had never really spent much time there. On that occasion, due to some late people and such, we all darted off and filled up on breakfast food without listening to our waitress' instructions. It was only after we ate that we realized there was prime rib being carved on the other side of the room!
I heard that Weaver Ridge has a good rack of ribs, though, and that, combined with the gift certificate, convinced StfRon to dine there.
StfRon and our dining companion had the ribs, I tried the Thursday special, the hickory smoked chicken. The food was good. The decor seemed a little like a hotel restaurant. And our service was also good.
Weaver Ridge also has a popular brunch every Sunday, and golf packages for the golfers out there. They also run coupons often with http://localvaluesonline.com.

No curry for you!

I was enjoying my broccoli chicken with fried rice and crab rangood at Panda House in Campustown recently, when a couple of gentlemen of middle-eastern decent came in to place an order.
They asked for an order of fried rice and asked if curry could be added. The kid darted into the kitchen and came back and said no. The guys asked if they did not have curry, and the kid sort of shrugged. Then one of the guys said, "How do you make curry shrimp, then?", which is indeed on the menu. The kid was obviously a little uncomfortable, and after a couple more comments about curry, the guys dropped it and just went with the rice.
I don't know if it was a little of a language barrier, or just a case of not wanting to customize a dish. Now, curry in fried rice doesn't sound so great to me, but I don't eat curry very often. And I know that the place will make a dish more or less spicy, remove oil and remove MSG, so I'm not sure what the deal was. Maybe they really were out of curry, and it was just lost in translation.

Vallarta's Authentic Mexican Restaurant

Vallarta's Authentic Mexican Restaurant, located at 3510 N. University St. in Peoria, is a great place for lunch if you like Mexican food, fast service, and lots of choices.
This is a sister restaurant to Sol Azteca of Washington fame and has been open since late 2005.
Vallarta's also has outdoor seating, if you want to enjoy a pleasant day or evening. I'm not sure how distracting the traffic would be from University Street, but it's nice to have the option.
There are many great Mexican dishes to choose from, plus a handful of dessert options as well. Your meal will start with a basket of warm tortilla chips and a bowl of fresh salsa.
You can also enjoy a cerveza or margarita with your food, which is never a bad thing.
Kids eat free here on Sundays. Vallarta's also often runs coupons. You can check http://localvaluesonline.com to see if you can save a buck or two on your next visit.

September, 2009 — Vallarta's has closed.

Universal Rhythm Assembly

There is an event coming up called the Universal Rhythm Assembly, June 22 and 23 at the Peoria Riverfront. We might check it out.
There are several bands scheduled, a couple of which I have actually heard of. If nothing else, it should be good for some live entertainment. However, the event is also meant to "educate and open our eyes to important issues that surround and affect us all" while also providing food and spirits. Sounds decent to me.
And, if you love live music events but hate that empty wallet aftertaste, supposedly you can donate blood at this event and score yourself a free one day pass to the blues fest this fall.
Find out more details on the web: http://www.universalrhythmassembly.com.

Trefzger's Bakery

Turns out we didn't eat at Tavern on the Water. We had some drinks and reconvened.
We did venture upstairs, and it looks very upscale. We'll save it for the holidays or something.
I have eaten lunch there, and it reminds me a lot of Crooked Waters, not because of the food or decor, but because of the tall tables and chairs and their placement.

So, on to another T business, Trefzger's Bakery, located at 3504 N. Prospect in Peoria.
The Trefzger family has been in the bakery business in Peoria since 1867. I'm not sure that any other bakery in the area could say that.
Trefzger's not only does great cakes for weddings, anniversary parties and graduations, they also have excellent coffee cakes and thumbprint cookies. Many a work celebration has been marked by a coffee cake or box of cookies from here.
I also have heard they make a filled cupcake, which I MUST try. I'm in the market for some cupcakes for our reception.
There are some very tempting thumbnail photos of Trefzger's treats at their website, http://trefzgerbakery.com.

Smiley's Lounge and Restaurant

A little off the beaten path, in a small town named La Rose, a place named Smiley's Lounge and Restaurant sits right along the quiet Main Street.
A bearded guy named Wes who used to visit the Hofbrau would rave about the BBQ ribs at Smiley's, so, StfRon being a rib junkie, we finally we made the trek to check it out.
Wes was not kidding. The ribs at Smiley's are great, if you like tender, saucy, baby back ribs. A full rack will set you back about $15. They also serve up a great side of au gratin potatoes.
It was several visits later that we heard about the prime rib. It, too, lived up to it's reputation. It's no F. Scott's, but this is a good prime rib at a decent price.
Smiley's is over 40 years old, and has the look of a cozy family-owned place.
They have a full bar, and offer some wine selections. I did have a couple of skunky wines there once, but I'm hoping it was an isolated incident. If not, I'll gladly drink iced tea or beer with my ribs.

Red Oak

I vaguely remember the Red Oak in Bishop Hill from one of those times we visited my grandpa at the nursing home in Toulon and, when asked where he wanted to have lunch, he said Bishop Hill. So, off my dad and I went with Grandpa tucked into the front seat.
I remembered the restaurant fondly, so a year or two later, took a friend to Bishop Hill shopping, and we had lunch at the Red Oak. I've been a devout fan ever since.
The restaurant is cheerily decorated with lots of yellow walls, checkered tablecloths and floral motifs. It's not a manly place, but after taking StfRon out there, he loves it, too.
I always go for the Swedish meatballs with homemade noodles. This is true comfort food and is served with a small side salad and homemade bread.
To finish, I can never stray from the rice pudding. This one differs in that instead of raisins, it comes with a nice grape or plum sauce on top, I can't recall which right now, but it's good. They also offer many pies each day and bread pudding.
Owner Trisha Rux always seems to remember us, even though we only make it out about once a year. They have been fairly entrepreneurial in recent years, trying a location in Eureka which was closed after a fire; a location at Grand Prairie, for which I would expect the lease was expensive, and probably didn't receive a lot of traffic due to being off in one of the strip malls (plus, having visited this location, it seemed to me the food was cooked in Bishop Hill and driven over, which changed the quality); I believe they now offer catering; and, Rux is now present at the Riverfront Market on Saturdays.

Paparazzi

I remember hearing of the mysterious Paparazzi restaurant in Peoria Heights when I was in high school, but I never had figured out where it was. This was in the days before Google Maps and all of those great things.
A few years back, I would take walks down Harvard Ave. to Prospect (Harvard changes into Lake), and lo and behold, tucked next to some industrial buildings, there was Paparazzi.
My friends and I booked our Christmas dinner there a few years ago, and I finally got to check the place out.
Dining there, you almost feel like you are in a basement or something, albeit a great basement. The cement block walls are painted in thick bands of green, white and red in honor of the Italian flag colors. Black and white photos grace the walls.
The service is always wonderful when I visit Paparazzi, the last time being Saturday night. I had my usual dish I settled on after my first couple of visits, the stuffed filet of sole. The sole is stuffed with spinach and cheese, then broiled to perfection. It's served accompanied by a tomato half stuffed with ricotta cheese and herbs, which I use to dip my fish in.
The house wine prices are great here, about $3 for a glass and $14 for a bottle, and they serve it in the stubby European glasses, which I think is a cool touch. Buca di Beppo (gasp...a chain!) does this as well, and we love it there. We love it so much, in fact, we're having our wedding dinner there in July, after our Big Fun Wisconsin Wedding.
Back to Paparazzi...StfRon has also settled on his favorite dish there, the lasagna. It isn't as meaty as some, so, based on a great recommendation from our waitress one time, he orders it with a side of meatballs. Perfection, says he.
And last, the icing on the cake...Paparazzi's desserts. They are Divine, with a capital D. They have a gelato of the day, cannoli, rum cake, and the be all to end all chocolate mousse, if you ask me. This mousse is FANTASTIC! It tastes to me like it has the cannoli filling mixed in with the chocolatey goodness. It isn't as whipped as some, but the flavor is excellent. We like it topped with the raspberry sauce, and we're in heaven. Several times I've had to hold myself back from licking the glass they serve it in!
Paparazzi features live music some nights, and the prices can be reasonable for dinner. Keep in mind that salads, soup and I think even bread, cost extra.
We have been turned away before due to not having reservations, so if you plan to check it out, you might want to call ahead.

Maggie Miley's

We had occasion to visit Maggie Miley's, 126 E. Beaufort, Normal, a few months ago to meet some friends.
Maggie's opened in 2004, and has a cozy, Irish pub-type atmosphere in a nicely-restored building.
StfRon jumped at the chance to try the curry chips appetizer, fries topped with a brown curry sauce, so we got an order of those. They were quite tasty, actually.
For dinner, I had a steak with mashed potatoes. It was fine, but I ended up wishing I had tried something else. Maybe the stuffed chicken breast dinner or the shepherd's pie. Many times when I have two or three dishes that sound good, I always end up feeling like I made the wrong choice. You know, the whole grass is always greener scenario.
Maggie's has all the Irish favorites: Guinness, Harp and Bass, plus wine and a full bar. They even have one of StfRon's faves, Pilsner Urquell.
You can see the menu, photos and drink specials on their web site, http://www.maggiemileys.com.

Lakeview Museum

StfRon and I have been to several exhibits at Lakeview Museum in Peoria during the past couple years.
One of the most fun was Sherlock Holmes & the Clocktower Mystery because it was interactive.
More recently we saw the Ansel Adams display, and also the trompe l oeil paintings.
We'll be out on the lawn of Lakeview September 14 for the free American English (Beatles tribute) concert, sponsored by Ameren.
And don't forget the planetarium. I remember this from grade school field trips.
I also love to take a walk through the gift store because they have some interesting merchandise. Plus, right inside the door of the museum are used books and magazines for sale. You can find a nice bargain here.
Hopefully the new downtown museum will have even more exciting things to entice the public to visit, but in the meantime, Lakeview provides something different to do on a rainy or quiet day.

Katie's Café & Carryout

Katie's Café, 306 Peoria St., Washington, had me at first bite with their cream cheese muffins. These things are GREAT slightly warmed with a cup of coffee.
Katie's serves up breakfast, lunch and dinner in a quaint location decorated with nice homey curtains, warm yellow walls and furnished with antique tables and chairs.
They have several homestyle dinner choices, like beef and noodles and meatloaf, available for carryout as well for those times when you feel like having comfort food, but just don't feel like cooking it.. You can call in your order and they'll have it ready for you.
One of my other favorites there is the garden salad served with an herb roll, because they have the best ranch dressing I have ever been served in a restaurant. The herb roll is good, too, but they serve it with fake butter, which I can do without.
Friday nights Katie's serves entrées like salmon and prime rib. We tried the prime rib, and it was no F. Scott's, but it was of course less expensive, and closer to home.
Katie's also has a coffee bar and several brews each day, and a wonderful glass case full of cookies and muffins to tempt you. I have tried many of the cookies including the chocolate chip, thumbprints and peanut butter ones, but my favorite is the snickerdoodle.
Katie's does not serve dinner on Saturday nights and is closed on Sundays.

Illinois Wine Festival

This weekend, June 2 and 3, the Central Illinois Wine Festival will be held at Mackinaw Valley Vineyard, on Route 9 in Mackinaw.
I would love to go, but we might not make it due to a benefit for Michelle from the Hofbrau, who was injured in a car accident.
The wine festival will feature live music (Sunday a blues challenge), food, wine tasting from several Central Illinois wineries, and even a car show. Tickets are $12 which scores you five tasting tickets and a souvenir glass.
Saturday the festival runs from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. (gotta love drinking wine at 10 a.m.) and Sunday from noon-7 p.m.

Haylumoon

It's been far too long since I've had food from Haylumoon in Chillicothe. In fact, it's been so long, they have moved from the original location at Plaza Drive to one at 142 N. Fourth St.
Haylumoon has been serving up Chinese food in Chillicothe for over 15 years.
This was my favorite place to pick up food when I was going to ICC and living in Chillicothe. On the way home, I would pick up a tub of sizzling rice soup and an order of crab rangoon. Mmm, good eats!

Gas packaged meat?

I ran across a story in Mother Earth News magazine that was surprising and disturbing to me.
Meat is increasingly being sold in stores gas packaged, or injected with salt water and broth. "Manufacturers save millions of dollars in lost meat turnover with these technologies, which make meat appear fresh longer and pump 'flavor' into factory-farmed meat, in the form of salt water and broth. Companies also save on labor costs, since these 'case-ready' meats can go straight from the cold truck to the retail shelf."
The article goes on to say: "This trend has everything to do with the larger transformation of meat production over the past 30 to 40 years. Meat without character or taste comes from livestock developed for rapid growth rather than flavor, fed grain instead of grass, given growth hormones, cooped up indoors, harvested young, and sold without traditional aging."
And, perhaps worst of all: "Finally, critics point out that saltwater pumping and gas packaging make it more likely that consumers will buy and eat spoiled meat, and almost certain that they’ll be eating old meat without realizing it. Traditionally packaged ground beef has a shelf life of about five days, while modified atmospheric packaging can give ground beef a shelf life of 14 or even 28 days, says Tony Corbo of the Washington D.C.-based Food and Water Watch. In fact, Consumer Reports found in 2006 that three out of 10 gas-packed ground beef samples had spoiled by their use- or freeze-by date. But all of it still looked nice and red."
At home, we've been increasingly leaning towards organic produce and meats produced without the use of hormones.
My other problem with this report is also that StfRon recently found he has high blood pressure, and should be watching his sodium intake. I would have thought that the meats we bought would only be a sodium concern if we chose to season them with salt-laden products.
If you want to try to avoid this, be sure to check the label for sodium or other additives, and look for the puffed up package, usually a heavier foam package with the plastic wrap being puffed out by the extra gas. No butcher paper or white foam packages with Saran-type wrap around these babies.
Guess this is yet another reason we'll buy our meats at Lindy's, Naturally Yours, Pottstown Deli, Alwan's, or some other local joint.

Farmer's Markets

We're coming into that great time of year where farmer's markets are having their heyday. There are many, many local farmers offering locally grown produce, even some grown without the use of pesticides.
The farmer's market at Peoria's Metro Centre is celebrating 30 years in operation. With about 15 farmers participating here, there is a wide selection of fresh produce and flowers. They operate Monday-Saturday from 8 a.m. until sold out. The kick-off this year is June 1, and, as reporter by the Journal Star, if you're one of the first 1,000 people, you could receive a tote bag to use to cart your goodies around.
Want something closer to Kickapoo or Dunlap, or not a morning person? The Shoppes at Grand Prairie is starting a farmer's market June 6, which will run Wednesdays from 4-8 p.m. They plan to have about 18 farmers and local music as well as cooking demonstrations.
Galesburg has a farmer's market near Main St., operating from 8 a.m.-noon on Saturdays.
Pekin's farmer's market operates downtown on Capital St. Thursdays from 4:30-6:30 p.m. with about 20 vendors. This market starts mid-July.
The popular Peoria Riverfront Market is back in gear starting June 2. In addition to all of the locally grown produce and flowers, there are several artists with booths here, and live music. I also love to pick up some bread from Peoria Bread Company. The market runs Saturdays from 8 a.m.-noon.
With all of this great fresh produce available, why would you want to pick up your produce at the local chain grocery or big box store? Who knows how long and how far that turnip traveled on a truck before it found you?
Now, if we could just get Washington to start a farmer's market!

Euro Jack's Café

One night after work last week, I met StfRon at Euro Jack's Café. I had not been in this building at 500 Main Street for years, since back in the days of SOP's being there some time during the late 90s.
They've done some redecorating since the SOP era. The floors are done in a charcoal slate tile and the walls have been redecorated; a stone look here, a mural there. I also noticed they appear to be planning to put a nice brick patio/beer garden area out on the sidewalk. Maybe in anticipation of the smoking ban?
StfRon was kind enough to order me a glass of wine before I arrived, the Rodney Strong Cabernet. This is one of my favorites to find on an establishment's menu.
We were a bit hungry, so we decided to try the bruschetta. Euro Jack's version is thick, crispy slices of crusty bread topped with tomatoes, feta, fresh basil and olives, both green and kalamata. It was quite tasty.

May, 2008 — Euro Jack's has closed.

Why I blog

Yikes! I was lurking watching the "Why I blog" comments go 'round and thinking "what the heck would I say?" Now I've been tagged by Angie, so here goes:

1. We really like to support local businesses, and wish more people did, so I thought maybe blogging about it would be a good way to get the word out about more cool local joints.

2. I like to write, probably more than I like to talk in most cases. I actually went to school to be a reporter, and got hired as one, but didn't enjoy butting into people's business.

3. Now that the blog's been around a while, it's cool to see where visitors to the site come from. That keeps me somewhat motivated.

4. I like to be mysterious.

5. I secretly hope blogging will make me rich??

OK, now, StfRon, Polly (one of the first blogs I ever read regularly), Mapgirl and Matt, you're it. Sorry if you've been tagged before!
"Why do you blog?"

Detweiller Park

Detweiller Park, on Detweiller Drive off Route 29 in Peoria, features over 740 acres of walking/cross country skiing trails, woods, soccer fields, BMX tracks, playground equipment and one of the best public sledding hills I've seen in this area.
The park also has several covered shelters available for rental from about $50-$75 for your family reunions or other events. Some of the shelters are also handicap accessible.

Big O's BBQ Rib Station

Big O's BBQ Rib Station knows good barbecue. I had the pleasure of dining at Big O's, 3901 SW Adams Street in Peoria, last Friday for lunch.
One thing I love is a good skin on BBQ chicken doused with sauce. Since Famous Daves moved out, I've been craving a good BBQ chicken. Big O's did not let me down. This 1/2 chicken dinner had a good smoky flavor, and was covered in Big O's special sauce. Accompanied with hearty fries, cole slaw, and some white bread, this was quite a feast.
Big O's also has ribs, rib tips, BBQ pork or beef sandwiches, and much more.
You place your order at the counter, and the service is friendly and quick. Stop in for some carry out, dine in, or even get some of this great sauce to take home with you.

Big O's closed in 2010

Alwan & Sons Meat Co.

Thanks to Numero, my absolute favorite Peoria magazine, StfRon and I got a gift certificate for $25 to the newly-expanded Alwan & Sons Meat Co., 703 E. War Memorial Drive in Peoria.
The Alwans have been in the meat business in Peoria for almost 50 years. The new look is great, with 11,000 square feet of meaty magnificence!
Alwan's also fires up a grill during lunch, so you can enjoy a freshly-made sandwich in the great outdoors.
We ended up going with a package deal, since we just bought a new chest freezer and wanted to fill it up right. We got four pounds of bacon, some pork chops, ribs, minute steaks and chuck roast.
While waiting for our box o'meat, a couple different employees asked if we needed any help. The service is very good.
The place was hoppin' on a beautiful Saturday night. I'm sure lots of people were planning to go home and grill out.

Walt's Dos

Walt's Tavern, opened in 1936 at 2301 W. Garden St. in Peoria, is now Walt's Dos, the second incarnation.
I had the pleasure of checking out this rustic neighborhood tavern/restaurant recently for lunch. This place is true old school, and it's neat to look at the old memorabilia. Enjoy a Dos Equis on tap while you're here.
Many of the original recipes from Walt's Tavern are still on the menu, including fried chicken, and are now accompanied by several Mexican entrées. I also noticed they have the Mexican egg dishes on their menu. I LOVE this stuff, and it reminds me of my trip to Puerto Rico.
To start, our server brought us a basket of chips and some salsa. The salsa did not appear to have any tomatoes in it, just a variety of chopped peppers, but it was good. The chips were very good, warm and coated with some seasoned salt.
I chose the chicken enchiladas and had them topped with green sauce (you can choose from several sauces). My meal was served with refried beans and Spanish rice. The food was not spicy, nor was it overly salty. This food would be good for StfRon, who right now is supposed to be watching his sodium intake!
My friend Jim had the tamales, which he said were very good, and finished off with some fried ice cream. The ice cream looked like fried ice cream, unlike some fried ice cream my brother's wife ordered at a Mexican joint in Macomb that, I swear, came out coated in corn flakes.

December, 2008 — Walt's Dos has closed

Tower Park

One of the most noticeable landmarks in Peoria is the red tower in Peoria Heights.

Located at 4901 N. Prospect Rd., Tower Park has recently been updated with nicer seating and landscaping plus a new fountain. Of course, as a kid, I called it the woodpecker tower due to the large fiberglass woodpecker which adorned the tower.
If you aren't afraid of heights, a trip in the glass elevator, 170 feet up to the top, is a fun time.
This tower is actually the second one, the first having been torn down during WWII and used for scrap metal. Our tower is the only one of its kind in the U.S.
There are three observation decks at the top, and telescopes for viewing as well.
The park itself also has a hidden geocache, if you're into that sort of thing.
Each year for Independence Day, the tower sells tickets in advance, allowing visitors to view various fireworks displays from the top of the tower. On a clear day, you can see displays from several towns within 20 miles from this vantage point, plus avoid all the crowds at the displays.

Second Chances

There's a new shop in Washington, just off the square on North Main St., that sells goods made from items that had a previous life. The shop is called Second Chances, and it's neat to see a place like this in our throwaway society.
Second Chances carries lots of recycled glass items, like earrings; coasters made from beer bottles; trivets made from melted down wine bottles; items made from old computer circuit boards; beautiful bowls made from telephone wires; stemmed glasses made from wine bottles; and some awesome chairs made from old wine barrels. Sit it them while you're there; they're very comfortable!
They also have these little animals made from stiff brush bristles. For some reason, I LOVE these. They make me laugh!
There are a lot of great things to check out here. And no, I don't work there and am not related to the owner, I just think it's a neat concept and hope the shop does well.
http://www.secondchances.biz/

June 2009 — Second Chances has moved to the Metro Centre in Peoria and is now called Re-.

River Beach Pub & Eatery

Our friendly Hofbrau bartender recently bought the River Beach Pub & Eatery, 13637 N. River Beach Drive in South Rome, with her new hubby. They will be taking over the place around the beginning of June.
And, rumor has it, our old "Cheers" bartender Chris will be filling in at the Hofbrau a couple nights a week. My dad calls him Woody, after the Cheers character.
Anyway, back to the River Beach Pub. It's a short drive from Peoria or Chillicothe, right along the river.
Things should stay the same, so expect to find a nice selection of imports. For eats, you can try some bar fare, like fried veggies, wings, chicken tenders, and the river crisps are good. They also serve wraps, catfish, fried chicken and grilled chicken, plus fish and chips, shrimp and various sandwiches. Inside, the bar is cozy with knotty wood paneling on the walls and ceiling.
Outside, enjoy a deck filled with umbrella-topped tables overlooking the Illinois River.
The area is a prime spot for eagles, so while you're on the deck enjoying the day (and your drinks), you might get lucky enough to see them.

Po-Boys

Lately StfRon and I have been into hearing some good live music.
Po-Boys, 3207 N. University St. in Peoria, in the bingo building near Wal-Mart, features live music every Friday and Saturday night, no cover charge.
The menu does feature some cajun items, like crawfish tails, gumbo, jambalaya, and, of course, po-boys, accompanied by drinks like hurricanes. They also have a really thin crust pizza and kids' food.
And if you like crab cakes, the crab cakes here are really crabby.
Right now, they have lunch specials for $5. All the food I have tried has been decent. The drinks are decent. The decor is great. And some of the bands we've caught have been excellent. All in all, a good time.
Have a look at http://www.poboysbourbonstreet.com/

December, 2008 — Po-Boys has closed.

Milo's, The Daily Grind

I don't make it to Lacon very often, but recently I had occasion to visit a new restaurant on Washington St. in Lacon (near the IGA), Milo's, The Daily Grind, for a private party.
The atmosphere inside is warm, rustic-cozy. The main room is almost like a tearoom, and off to the right is a nice room with a bar.
For our event, we were presented with trays of sandwiches, cheese, veggies with an awesome thick ranch dip with real bacon mixed in, 'lil smokies and delicious homemade lemon bars.
Checking out the menu, you will find wraps, burgers and other sandwiches, soups, salads, and more homemade desserts.
During the time we were there for the private party, several assorted groups of people wanted to come in for a bite. It looks like Milo's has already made a name for themselves.

No smoking?

One place I've enjoyed visiting while in Bloomington over the years is Fat Jack's. Roxy's, of Peoria fame, was owned by the same group. They have the Warhol-style paintings in Fat Jack's as well. Roxy's is long gone, but Fat Jack's remains.
We stopped in after Lucca Grill for a drink. On the walk there, it did occur to us that Bloomington has enacted a no smoking rule, as we saw several people outside Lucca smoking. We got to Fat Jack's, and the story was the same.
If you've ever been to Fat Jack's, though, you know they have a lounge of sorts with cushy couches, dark paneling and a large humidor full of cigars. Still there. And so are the nicely painted cigar logos on the wall. Right next to which appears an art-deco styled NO SMOKING sign, under the exit sign.
Upon speaking to the bartender, we found out that yes, there is no smoking at Fat Jack's anymore. You need to go out the door and to the left 15 feet. No, you can't take your drink with you. Which explains the purses and half-finished drinks spread along the bar.
First, no one was 15 feet to the left of the door, they were right outside. Second, Lancaster's is to the right. Do they have the same policy? If so, wouldn't their patrons be 10 feet to the left of Fat Jack's? Would that cause issues?
The bartender said in Normal, you can take your drinks outside. I would think a lot of people would chose Normal over Bloomington, if they want to smoke.
Fat Jack's might consider redecorating the lounge room. Unless they're holding out hope.

Lucca Grill

I've driven past Lucca Grill, 116 East Market St. in Bloomington, many times, and have always wanted to try the place out.
This weekend, I had my chance.
Lucca Grill has been serving up Italian favorites in the same building since 1936. It's a neat place, exposed brick walls and tin ceilings, with old memorabilia covering the walls; the friendly kind of place where you feel comfortable on your first visit. We didn't check out the upstairs, but there was a lot of traffic headed up there.
There's a bar along one side, with several cushy seats to sit in while you enjoy your brew.
They even have a dumbwaiter to move food and dishes from level to level.
We started with an appetizer of fried meat ravioli. It didn't seem fried at all, almost baked, with no greasy flavor. The cornmeal coating gave it a very nice crunch.
We then went for the gusto, a meat combo pizza, covered with sausage, pepperoni, ground beef, ham and bacon. The bacon was my favorite part. This pizza is on a homemade, crispy thin crust.
Now, knowing what I've been missing, the next time, I might not be able to just drive on by.

Kauth & Mayeur

StfRon has a VW Jetta diesel he bought off eBay, and we've enjoyed about 45 miles to the gallon for the past several years. We're also lucky enough to be able to carpool about three days a week.
When the Jetta needs some love, we head to Kauth & Mayeur, the import specialists, at 1013 N. Orange Street, just off Main St. in Peoria.
Kauth & Mayeur, in business for more than 25 years, offers parts and service for all import vehicles, and specializes in servicing European makes.
Taking your car in? You can catch a ride with their shuttle van.

Jubilee College State Park

Jubilee College State Park, off Route 150 between Brimfield and Kickapoo, is a beautiful 3,200 acre site with hiking, biking, horseback riding and camping.
The historic site at Jubilee is beautiful as well, featuring a sandstone chapel from the college, founded in 1839 by Bishop Philander Chase, the first Episcopal bishop of Illinois.
In June each year, the Olde English Faire is held at Jubilee, featuring arts and crafts, jousting on horseback, music and more. This year, the faire will be held June 16 & 17, starting each day at 10 a.m.

International Beer Festival

Here's a plug for the 15th annual International Beer Festival, held at Exposition Gardens in Peoria.
This year, the fest will be April 20-21, and funds will benefit the Peoria Art Guild and Peoria Jaycees.
April 20, you can catch a great local band, the Bogside Zukes, while sampling lots of different kinds of beer.
Catch the details at http://www.jaycees.com/projects/ibf/ibf2007.htm

Hearth & Patio

Hearth & Patio, 8304 N. University St., Peoria, is a good source for outfitting your patio as a great outdoor living space.
They have a nice selection of grills and patio sets. The Weber Genesis line of grills is currently made right here in the USA, and Ducane makes grills in the US as well.
Hearth & Patio also can set you up with a built-in outdoor grill.
If you're looking for some warmth indoors, they also have many fireplaces and gas stoves, or, if you're looking to update yours, check out the mantels and fireplace doors they carry.
They've remodeled their showroom, and soon will be offering cooking classes. Find out more at http://www.hearthandpatio.net.

Goodfellas Pub & Pizza

Say you're in Pekin and you feel the need to hit a sports bar or have some decent pizza. Give Goodfellas, 1414 N. 8th St., a try.
Here you can play some arcade games or shoot some pool, catch a band and have a good pizza with a nice, thin, crispy crust that has a great touch of sweetness to it. I'd love to get the dough recipe for this pie!
Or try some appetizers or a sandwich. Or just quaff a cold one. It's all good.
They'll even give you some of this rooster hot sauce to use, with Chinese or Japanese writing all over it, which, by the way, is clearly marked "Made in USA" on the back of the bottle. Hmm...

Elmwood Brewing Company

There's a nice restaurant and brewery tucked away in the quaint town of Elmwood, Elmwood Brewing Company.
I love to see an old, beautiful brick building used like this. This one dates back to 1896.
Elmwood Brewing Company also does a nice job with their own brews and have several of them on tap.
The menu is American-style cuisine, much like you would find at any brewpub you run across.
The restaurant also has room for groups and makes a great mid-way point to meet family or friends who are from the west side of the state.
Many times it seems their web site is down, so give them a call if you have any questions, 309-742-4200.

July, 2007 - The business is now known as the Parkview and is under new ownership.

Didley's Place

I'm waiting for April 15, which won't be long now, so I can check out Didley's Car Hop in Metamora. We have driven by on our way to Smiley's in LaRose, so we couldn't stop there to eat, but the place looks fun.
The menu features shakes, floats, root beer, burgers, tenderloins, hot dogs, tamales, chicken and more, so there's plenty to choose from. And it's the best looking Morton building I've seen!
They also have mini golf and an outdoor movie theater, plus a street rod shop, so there's plenty to do on a nice day. For movie info and more, visit http://www.didleys.com/.

Castle's Patio Inn

I can't believe it's taken me this long to blog about Castle's Patio Inn. I mean, come on, it's the cheesiest place in town, right? And if you don't love their cheese spread, there's just something wrong with you.
Castle's, 802 W. Loucks, Peoria, was introduced to me my my friend Kim, who took me to many similar bars, you know the ones, the mainstays with their old wood floors and great old beer light fixtures and such. She introduced me to the Red Barn, Ludy's, the squirrel bar, Schooner's and Crusen's. She also was one to lift a roll of toilet paper from bar bathrooms if she was low at home, but that's another story.
Castle's is a great neighborhood bar with a friendly feel to it. They have inexpensive dinner specials each night, such as walleye and chicken, each served with slaw, fries and bread.
The cheese spread is homemade, and awesome. You can buy crocks of it to take home or send to your friends.
This is one of the few places I will toss back some beer. Generally, I drink wine (less bloating, less calories, nice purple stain to the teeth and lips), but Castle's just calls for a cold beer and some time with friends.

Blarney Castle

I remember Blarney Castle pizza from way back when I was a kid growing up in Chillicothe. It was a short drive to Rome for my parents to pick one up, and it was always packaged like the local pizza joints did it: on a cardboard tray with a white paper bag tented over it with some cool retro pizza graphics on the bag.
I had a chance to go back to Blarney's a while back with some friends. They make a nice thin crust pizza, and we had a good time checking out the retro decor. I would think they've remodeled in the last 10 years or so; there's a lot of hunting-themed decor. Honestly, though, back in the day we were all about carry out, so I don't remember when I had been there previously.
This family's been at it for about 60 years, so they must be doing something right!

American Apparel Store

OK, this isn't local to Central Illinois, but I am excited about this! I have bought items from American Apparel before, because they manufacture items in the US, which is very hard to come by these days.
I have been looking for a new light jacket with a hood for quite some time, because I have to walk outside several times a day at my job, and you never know when an overcast day will turn into a downpour. I really wanted to find a jacket made in the US, or Canada, or even Europe or something.
Today, searching the web, I found that American Apparel has a jacket made in the US in three colors! I ordered one, and tossed in a sale tank top to qualify for free shipping. My order is on the way to our door as I type.
You can find American Apparel clothing locally at Von Maur in Bloomington.
Check out American Apparel's web site; you may spend a couple dollars more for your t-shirts (many, many colors), but they are made by Americans paid a decent wage, so I would think it's worth it. Plus, after you place your order, you get an e-mail from a real person's address, giving you the names of your customer service reps, should you have any questions.
Update: OK, the jacket is lighter than I expected, but it is nice. The T-shirts from American are very nice, as are the undergarments.

Adams Street Café & Catering

My brother used to rave about Adams Street Café & Catering in downtown Peoria about 7 years ago. For some reason, I thought the place was a burger joint, and not being a big burger kind of gal, I never tried the place.
Recently, I was treated to a box lunch from Adams Street Café. I had the Popeye, a spinach wrap filled with hummus, tomato, red onion, pepper jack cheese and fresh spinach. It was a little heavy on the hummus, but otherwise a great lunch. The meal came with Sun Chips, pasta salad and a cookie.
The sandwich menu looks great (the Dagwood, Tweety Bird Turkey, 3 Little Pigs...), and they also have homemade soups and homemade chips. And yes, they do have burgers, which I hear are very good, too. I've also heard they make a mean lemon cake. I know that the peanut butter tops are very tasty, and the raspberry white chocolate scone, as well.
Adams Street Café also serves breakfast during the week. Find out more on their web site at http://www.adamsstreetcafepeoria.com.

August, 2007 - I stopped in to Adams Street Cafe to order some carryout for lunch. This place was hoppin'! And the decor is neat, kind of boutique hotel style walls and upholstered chairs (upstairs) and lots of vintage-styled tin signs and photographs. I had a tuna salad on multi-grain and picked up a Famous sub on wheat for StfRon. His sandwich came with some chips, so I got the homemade ones. A very tasty lunch!

Wildlife Prairie State Park

I remember Wildlife Prairie State Park, 3826 N. Taylor Rd. in Hanna City, from when I was a kid. Looking at the bison through the binoculars you paid a quarter to use; sitting on the back of the bronze pony; looking to spot the bears in the trees.
A few years back, StfRon and I even went to Wildlife Scary Park and rode the train through the haunted park.
AND we visited the park to look at the banquet rooms for our upcoming wedding. We wanted something rustic and cozy, not so sterile and banquet-y like most places around here. They have some great rooms at the park.
We have also tried to partake in the Mother's Day brunch, but, alas, this books up a year or more in advance. Maybe in a few years, Mom.
Wildlife Prairie Park has all of this to offer and more. They opened for the season March 1, and are serving brunch each Sunday. You can even spend the night at the park in a caboose or cabin. Central Illinois is lucky to have this wonderful park, thanks to Mr. Bill Rutherford.

Velvet Freeze

I think Velvet Freeze of the same fame used to be a chain of restaurants, stretching across more states than just Illinois.

However, Central Illinois is now home to the last surviving few of the "Home of the Wonderdog" locations. The I-74 construction ran one location off from Forrest Hill Ave. out to the Shoppes at Grand Prairie.

There is a location in Peoria's Campustown and East Peoria's Fondulac Plaza.
I've heard of people who have driven four hours to acquire a Wonderdog. Now, they're not my favorite thing, but I love a good hot dog (sans chili) any day.

You can also have a bowl of chili and assorted fast-food fare such as spicy chicken tenders, chicken nuggets, corn dog nuggets (who doesn't love a place that serves these puppies), and apparently a delectable delight dubbed Frito pie.

February 2010 — The last two Velvet Freeze locations in the area have closed.

Teegarden Veterinary Clinic

We've used Teegarden Veterinary Clinic in Washington for several years for our dog. Originally, we were taking her to Washburn to Dr. McKenna, a great guy who StfRon used with his pets for years. Unfortunately, they had a fire and were out of service for quite a while. We ended up getting our puppy spayed at Teegarden, and have been with them ever since.
Teegarden has been in operation since 1951. The clinic is nice and clean and everyone is friendly.
We also board our dog there. Once we had the bright idea to take her somewhere more country-clubby, where she might have more room, and maybe more fun, and the first time it worked out fine. The next time we picked her up from the other kennel, she was soaking wet on her belly. She didn't smell at all, so we just figured she had gotten washed off or something. The next time we went to put her in her kennel at home, which she never had a problem with, she freaked out, panting and shaking like crazy. This kept on for weeks.
It could have been something very simple that set her off, but we have since returned to boarding her at Teegarden, and everything is hunky-dory in dog land.

Swinger's Grille

My friends and I had our annual Christmas dinner a couple months ago at Swinger's Grille in Normal, located at the All Seasons Entertainment Center on Cross Creek Drive.
The restaurant has a bit of a sports feeling because of all of the TVs and such, but the place is tasteful and we didn't notice it at all.
I had the orange ginger seared tuna, and a couple of my friends had the roasted garlic chicken. I scored when one of them gave me a roasted garlic clove; garlic and I go waaaay back.
For dessert I tried the stuffed strawberries, dipped in white and dark chocolate and stuffed with amaretto cream. They were divine.
The plate presentation here is very nice, and the service was good.
Swinger's serves a Sunday brunch as well.
If you go to their web site, http://www.swingersgrille.com/ and view their menus, you can click on the cherries and see some of the excellent offerings.

Parsec Enterprises

If you need to have a watch or clock repaired, or are looking for a great timepiece, you should look into Parsec Enterprises.
Parsec has been in business for almost 30 years and uses state-of-the-art equipment for testing and repair. They also have a shop/showroom at the end of Harker Dr. (off Pioneer Parkway, turn by Finish Line Ford), with watches and clocks available for purchase. While you are browsing you can even enjoy a cup of coffee.
I'm planning to take my grandmother's cuckoo clock that I inherited in to be worked on, then find a great place to display it. See them online at http://www.parsecent.com.

Moon Dancer, an Eclectic Boutique

Staying in Peoria Heights, we have Moon Dancer, an Eclectic Boutique. You may remember this shop from SW Water St., in the same building with the Rhythm Kitchen, right next door.
They have relocated to Prospect Ave., across the street from Wine Country. Here you can find incense, candles, unique clothing, jewelry and gifts.

KBL Design Center

KBL Design Center got their start right here in Peoria in 1986, and now has locations in Peoria (6710 N. Big Hollow Rd.), Bloomington, Edwards and even one in Missouri.
KBL offers lighting, cabinetry, outdoor furniture, fireplaces, countertops and more. StfRon and I will be heading out there soon to check out their line of grills. They carry some lines of grills made in the USA, and ours took a dump a month ago. Our grill was about four and a half years old and it was the last purchase we made at a Wal-Mart anywhere. The purchase experience was one of the reasons we started rethinking our shopping choices, and we haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since.
I'm also going to check out the lighting. I've been looking to replace a couple of fixtures in the house, and the selection at Lowe's and Menard's hasn't impressed me yet.
KBL has a gallery of some of their products on their web site, http://www.kbldesign.com/index.htm
KBL, here we come!

Jimmy's Bar

Jimmy's Bar on Farmington Rd. in Peoria is an Irish bar with a great, friendly, neighborhood feel.
I've spent many an evening there, either out in the great beer garden listening to the Bogside Zukes or inside when it's colder, munching on freshly-popped popcorn or sandwiches and watching people quaff Guinness.
Me, I swore off the stuff years ago, but there are plenty of other great beers to chose from.
It's always fun to check out what's been posted in the bathroom on the chalkboard, too.

Say it ain't so

StfRon and I spent Saturday, January 13 having dinner at one of the best establishments Peoria has seen in years, F. Scott's. We had an excellent dinner, starting with the baked brie of the day, then both ordering filets, mine with a bordelaise sauce and his smothered in bleu cheese. We then adjourned to the bar for some drinks. StfRon stopped by Sully at the bar and told him that he had the best servers in town. The servers are always top notch at F. Scott's, and that night was no exception.
We noticed that each server had an individual sit-down talking to in the bar while we were there, and each one appeared to be discouraged by what was said to them. We weren't sure what was afoot.
To our dismay, four days later, we opened our Journal Star to see the news that F. Scott's plans to close February 14, apparently due to a dispute regarding the building sinking, which is causing structural problems for the restaurant.
If you haven't made it here yet, try to get in if you can. F. Scott's will be missed by many.

Illinois Antique Center

Peoria has a great antique center right on the riverfront, Illinois Antique Center, 311 SW Water Street.
StfRon and I like to poke around in there on Sundays.
It's so much fun to see old local postcards, old toys you remember from when you were a kid, and look at glassware just like Grandma used to have. There's also a lot of great furniture (even church pews) and old windows and door hardware for sprucing up your house.

— Illinois Antique Center closed in the spring of 2011.

Haddad's Market

I miss many of the small grocery stores that used to be in Peoria: Ben Schwartz, John Bee, but one place remains the stalwart, Haddad's Market in West Peoria. This location on Rohmann Ave. was opened in 1964, and now is offering something great: home delivery. You can place an order of $30 or more (24 hours in advance) and they will deliver it to your door. That's a great service for people who can't easily get out, or are just holed up at home for a 12-day vacation and "I'll stay in the house for 12 days if I want to", like I recently was.
Haddad's makes sandwiches, salads and serves soups, so you can stop by and get a quick meal to take home or back to work, and they have a nice selection of deli salads, baked goods and even ready-made entrees you can pop in your microwave for a easy meal. Choose from dishes like lemon chicken and stuffed peppers, and all the work is done for you!
View some of their menus online at http://www.haddadsmarket.com/

Gracie's Grille

This eatery in Washington replaced Nancy's in Cherry Tree Shopping Center, at the end near Kroger.
Gracie's Grille has all your Chicago-style restaurant favorites: Vienna beef Chicago dogs, gyros, polish sausages, Italian beef, plus chicken, fish, tenderloins, and a good pizza pie. Good local pizza is hard to come by in Washington, and Gracie's does a nice job. They also offer delivery.
The owner is a Central Illinois native, and is a very outgoing chap.
Gracie's also mans a pushcart near the courthouse in downtown Peoria, so you can grab your Chicago eats and run back to work in P-Town.
If you dine in at Cherry Tree, don't be surprised if the tables could use a wiping off. Seems like every time we've been in, that is the case, but the food is still tasty.

March 11, 2008 — Gracie's has moved down Cummings Lane and opened a sports bar/grill.

French Toast

If you're in search of some very upscale dining in the Peoria area, you need to check out French Toast on Prospect in Peoria Heights. With a list including tuna tartare, salmon paté and baked brie (which is a great appetizer), caviar, escargot and mussels, and these are only the appetizers, it's sure to be a dining delight. The menu features several fish, chicken and beef entrées and nice side choices, and the dessert menu is very impressive. My friends and I had a Christmas dinner here once, and it was very nice. The decor is upscale, the setting is quiet and the food is good. This is a dining experience, not some place where you're in and out in an hour.
French Toast also has an extensive wine and champagne list, and you can probably come back during the day and pick up a bottle for home at Wine Country, which is attached to the restaurant. Visit their website and click on French Toast on the menu bar to view the menu: http://winecountry-frenchtoast.com/

Danner's Salads

Danner's Salads, Inc. is located in Peoria and produces so many of your deli favorite salads such as pistachio fluff, red bean salad, German potato salad, and the best deli mustard salad I have ever tried. Most local grocery stores carry the Danner's brand.

October, 2008 — Danner's Salads has closed after more than 50 years in business. We did manage to get one more tub of the mustard potato salad in, but have been missing it greatly ever since.

Conklin's Barn II Dinner Theater

Something we've just started doing in the last five years or so is going to the Barn II in Goodfield for dinner and a live show. You won't go hungry with this dinner buffet featuring prime rib, fried chicken, soup, salad, bread and sides plus dessert, and you can always be sure they'll have your favorite alcoholic beverages at a great price, because you can bring them yourself (they don't sell liquor).
We always stick to the humorous shows, and we've never left without plenty of laughs. This is a true barn setting, and during intermission you can wander outside and visit the barn cats or wander across the road and visit the cows.
This place is popular, so be sure to call for reservations. Visit them online at http://www.barn2.com/.

Basta O'Neill's

We got a chance to check out Basta O'Neill's in Washington last week, located on Cummings Lane in a new strip mall. This Basta is run by the same people as the Basta in East Peoria.
While at the bar, we enjoyed some good wine in stemless glasses and an order of the best bruschetta I have had in close to 10 years. The owner said his daughter makes it herself, and it is a treat.
For dinner I had a spinach salad, which was very good, but could have used a bit more of the great dressing that was on it. I paired this with a cup of minestrone soup, which was good, too.
The decor is warm and nice, and the bar back is a stunning antique.
To go along with the O'Neill portion of the name, they have some Irish favorites on the menu and some Irish beers and decor.
This is a great addition to Washington. They are currently closed on Sundays.

Update: In April, Basta's started featuring live jazz on Thursdays. We made it in on a Thursday, and it was a good time. The server seemed a bit overwhelmed, but they should work the kinks out.
The portobello mushroom appetizer is great, and the bruschetta can be killer, as long as there's enough balsamic on it. If not, just ask for a side of balsamic and you're set.
http://www.bastaoneills.com/

Wheels o' Time Museum

If you're looking for a quirky place to spend an hour or so, and learn a lot about Peoria history while you're at it, look no further than the Wheels o' Time Museum, off Route 40 north of Peoria. This place is packed with historical items from Peoria's past. I've not seen a more comprehensive collection of Peoria artifacts and history in one place.
The museum is owned by 55 collectors, and many have donated interesting cars, clocks, toys, tools and more which pack these buildings. There are even great displays you can drop coins in to see them come to life. The museum is a bargain at $5 for adults, $2.50 for kids, but you can find a coupon at their web site, http://www.wheelsotime.org.

What were we thinking?

OK, I admit, I was wooed by a radio commercial I heard for Applebee's. Apparently they paired up with some chef, Tyler Florence, and came up with some limited-time menu items. I heard them describing this steak dinner: "Enjoy a grilled 7 oz. House Sirloin brushed with olive oil, fresh herbs and Italian seasonings paired with plump sautéed shrimp topped with succulent crab stuffing and lemon garlic butter. Served with almond rice pilaf, fresh seasonal vegetables and toasted side bread". It sounded GREAT. So off we went to try it.
The picture on the menu also looked great. The steak looks juicy and succulent and is covered with herbs. StfRon ordered a steak from the special menu as well. We both asked for medium rare.
When they arrived, I was at first taken aback by the lack of any sign of herbs on my steak, plus no smell of herbs and actually, no scent at all from the food. StfRon noticed that his steak was gray instead of brown. In looking, I realized that mine was as well. I tried to cut into it, and it was rubbery. When the waitress came by to check, StfRon said the steaks looked gray and were kind of rubbery. She agreed that they did not look right and offered to have them remade.
While we were waiting, a manager visited our table and told us that all the steaks pretty much look the same, so chances our that our new ones would look that way, too. She said despite the looks, they taste fine.
Our new steaks arrived and sure enough they didn't look much different, still no herbs on mine and still looking a little gray. We tried them, and the flavor was OK.

As we had been waiting for our meal to be delivered a second time, we had been talking about when the last time was that we had visited a chain restaurant. Neither one of us could remember because it had been so long. And really, what IS the goal of marketing like this where places advertise, verbally and/or with beautiful, glossy photos that the actual meal never lives up to? Is the goal to get people in once and get that sale, or is the goal to keep them coming back? If I feel like I've been misled, I'm not likely to rush back.
Surely it could also be the franchise's interpretation of how to prepare the meal, but big chains should make sure the employees know how to prepare something that is going to be plastered all over the place.
The last time this happened, it was Lonestar wooing me with a "garlic lover's" steak and shrimp. You say garlic lover's and you are calling my name. This meal had no garlic at all visible on the steak, unlike the photo covered with minced garlic, and actually my shrimp arrived fried and not garliced. The waitress said you need to specify garlic shrimp, despite the picture showing the shrimp grilled with garlic in the menu.

The employees at Applebee's were great and did right by us. And we left a great tip for our waitress, who was very apologetic. But I doubt we'll be back, and if we are, we'll steer (no pun intended) clear of the steaks.

Vonachen's Old Place

StfRon and I went to the newly reopened Vonachen's Old Place early this month. It was an anniversary of our first date; and our first date was at VOP's. VOP's, located in Junction City in Peoria Heights, was Bud's Aged Steaks for a while, but now has been returned to the Vonachen's name.
Having never been to Bud's, we were a little disappointed to see the decor had changed so much since the last time we were there. The decor is a lot of browns now, and more contemporary. Also missing was the train which used to run in the dining room along the ceiling. We did not have a chance to see how the train car dining looks now.
The menu has changed a lot, too. I was sorry to see that the French onion soup was no longer offered. I remember VOP's as having one of the best French onion soups I've ever had.
For my dinner, I chose an appetizer of rare tuna rolled in sesame seeds, and accompanied this with a side of asparagus. The tuna was superb, and at first I was planning to request some hollandaise after my asparagus arrived naked, but once I tried it, I changed my mind. The asparagus was wonderful, sprinkled with some sea or kosher salt.
I also ordered a glass of pinot noir with my meal, which was $9. Overall, it was an expensive night out, but my meal really was wonderful.
Vonachen's does accommodate groups of up to 90 people.

Uncle Billy's Bakery

Yet another wonderful place in Galesburg is Uncle Billy's Bakery, 83 S. Seminary Street. They ground flour on the premises and everything is made from scratch, from whole-grain breads to cookies, muffins, cakes and pies. They also serve coffee and tea to accompany your treats. I stopped in there recently and saw that they had oatmeal fudgies, one of my favorites. But there was a new addition, white chocolate fudgies. I had to try one, and I think I have a new favorite! My favorite non-bar cookie from the shop is a cocoa oatmeal cookie. I also picked up a loaf of cheddar herb bread, which is made with organic flour. The bread is wonderful when toasted and used for a sandwich.

Tanner's Orchard

Fall is always the time Tanner's Orchard comes to mind. People go crazy for apple cider, cider donuts, caramel apples, gourds and pumpkins at Tanner's each year.
StfRon and I made the trek to Tanner's last weekend. Of course we always go in the same door and volley for space at the cider sampling barrel. We each drank a refreshing Dixie cup full and moved on.
I was looking forward to some soup, which I know they had served in the past, but this time they had cider brats, steak sandwiches and hot dogs, so we both had hot dogs. We visited the goats and sent a cup of food up the conveyor belt for them.
Tanner's has lots of fun things for kids like the barrel train and corn maze.
They've also started an online store, so if the drive out Route 40 to Speer is too far or you want to avoid the crowds, visit http://www.tannersorchard.com. There is a lot of great information on the web site as well.
This weekend is the Christmas open house, November 3 & 4.

Smo-King Pit

Mall food may not sound very appetizing, but if you overlook the Smo-King Pit in Northwoods Mall in Peoria, you are doing yourself a huge disservice.
The Smo-King Pit is occupying the former Diamond Daves location near Sears on the second level. If you're a rib lover, you HAVE to try the ribs here. You can choose your number of rib bones you would like, plus your choice of sides. They also have sandwiches, wings and more.
Every time we have been in the sides are served piping hot, even though I'm sure they are prepared ahead, and your food will arrive very quickly. I can honestly say in all the dozen or so times I ate at Famous Daves, the food was warm, never hot.
They also make their own cheesecakes, which are frozen, but tasty. Next time, I'm going to order a slice with my meal so it can warm up a bit while I eat.
The service is great here, which pairs nicely with excellent food.

Rizzi's

Rizzi's has been a standard in Peoria for Italian for quite some time with a location on Sheridan next to Jeffrey Alans, 4613 N. Sheridan Road, to be exact. A more recent addition is the Rizzi's at 112 State Street downtown.
The two are different as far as atmosphere, and the menu differs as well. At Rizzi's on Sheridan, you can enjoy lunch or dinner in a smaller, cozy atmosphere. My long-time favorite here is the calzones. Plan to bust a gut, or take half home with you!
Rizzi's downtown is more of an upscale feel in an old, renovated brick building.
Almost every Italian restaurant now does the olive oil with bread and Parmesan before your meal. Let me tell you, though, I had lunch at Rizzi's downtown this week, and I think it is by far the best olive oil I've ever been served in a restaurant. The tomato-basil salad dressing is excellent, too.
Rizzi's downtown is also available for parties.
Peruse the menus at http://www.rizzisrestaurant.com.

April, 2007 - I met a group at Rizzi's on State for a party, in their small party room behind the bar. There were about 10 of us.
The olive oil for the bread was as good as always. And I tried a new dish, pollo francaise, which was FABULOUS. Boneless breast of chicken dipped in egg sauteed with lemon butter and white wine sauce. I had it over angel hair pasta, with the garden salad topped with tomato basil dressing. My entrée was served piping hot, despite our large group, plus the restaurant was full of prom-goers. A very nice meal, indeed.

A Perfect Pear Boutique

I've recently discovered that boutique shops are a great place to find clothing and goods made right here in the USA. A Perfect Pear, 4544 North Prospect Road in Peoria Heights, is a great example. Here you can find unique clothing and accessories and you won't look just like the gal in the next cube. Sure, it might cost a little more, but it's worth it for the style, and for knowing that you're supporting your fellow Americans.
A Perfect Pear carries many great brands, like Laundry, Seven for All Mankind, Spanx and Juicy Couture.

Namaste Wellness Studio

There are a lot of interesting things going on at Junction City in Peoria right now, including a recent newcomer, Namaste Wellness Studio.
I tried yoga on a whim about 10 years ago, and loved it, but stopped going due to the instructor moving to Colorado.
Last year, I got hooked up with yoga at Franciscan Recreation Center. It's a great price, and Vicky is an excellent instructor. But, the time slot isn't great for me, plus it's a long drive from home.
Now, yoga is becoming easier to find in Peoria. Maybe Washington could take note: People can't come to yoga in Washington at lunch time during week days. Most of us work out of town.
So, off to Peoria for great yoga we go! Namaste offers several levels of yoga at several time slots, yoga for teens, partner yoga, intermediate, Ashtanga, beginning and beginner and beyond. And don't think that yoga is just for women. At Franciscan, usually 1/3 of the class is men.
Yoga can ease muscle tension and pain, make you more flexible and stable, and it even got rid of the jiggle in my thighs!
The studio has an informative website at http://www.namastewellnessstudio.com.