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.