Tim McDonald // Tim McDonald is a Chicago area REALTOR with @properties. Director of Communications for Social Media Club Chicago. Founder of Lake County Social Networking.
Connect with Tim McDonald: http://tamcdonald.com
Libertyville MainStreet director retires. Randy Nelson decided to retire after the pleasure of the job turned into more of a grind. Not to mention that he had a 2 hour commute each day. I personally had the opportunity to talk with Randy during my efforts with Waukegan Mainstreet and can candidly say he was always helpful, thoughtful and diligent. Living in neighboring Vernon Hills, we frequented many of the MainStreet Libertyville events and had a great time along with many other residents. Pam Hume, who has been involved with the organization since it's inception in 1989 will serve as interim director.
The site that held so much promise when I started 2 years ago, now has a demolition order against it. The Village of Libertyville has been granted a motion to have the owners bring the property to code within 30 days. This would included demo of the existing steel structure, removal of all construction materials and covering with top soil. Read the full article from the Daily Herald http://budurl.com/qw9w
Another Lake County haunted house in Fox Lake, IL, X-Treme Hauntings offers 8000 square feet of fear!
Restaurant report cards available online
October 15, 2009
Lake County diners can now check up on the health records of their favorite restaurants on the Lake County Health Department Web site.
The site includes complete inspection reports for food facilities including restaurants, grocery stores and convenience stores. Information on the inspection process, a guide to understanding reports and a searchable database of reports can also be found at www.lakecountyil.gov/Health/want/Inspections.htm .
"This Web page helps residents learn more about food safety and the inspection process," said the Health Department Executive Director Irene Pierce.
She said the inspection process follows a pass/fail scoring method based on county ordinance guidelines.
"Specifically, a food service facility fails when the potential for a foodborne illness exists due to specific problems, such as repeated violations for food temperature control," Pierce said.
The site includes inspection and enforcement information beginning with inspection activity as of July 1 of this year. For information prior to that date, residents will be asked to complete a Freedom of Information Act form, which can be accessed at www.lakecountyil.gov/health/EHS.htm .
In addition to reviewing recent inspections, residents can use search fields to check inspections for specific reataurants or for restaurants specializing in a certain type of cuisine.
The Health Department's Food Protection Program is responsible for permitting, regulating and inspecting over 3,000 food service facilities operating in Lake County.
The ultimate goal of the program is to reduce the occurrence of foodborne illness and to promote safe food practices within the community by surveying food operation procedures and educating food handlers and the public on food safety, Pierce said.
Residents with questions or concerns regarding food safety may contact the Food Program Coordinator's office at (847) 377-7780.
The Lake County News-Sun will resume its practice of publishing failed restaurant inspections later this month.
You can now view your favorite (or not so) restaurants' report card and see if they passed or failed.
(let me know if you can use the search feature, I tried on Firefox and had trouble)
"When I do something really new, I need to go that extra ridiculous step," said Gus Romas, proprietor of Bo-Bo's Fast Diner in Vernon Hills.
He was explaining the thought process behind Monster Gyros, an unlikely combination of 10 ounces of gyros meat, a sliced, deep-fried Polish sausage, grilled onions, barbecue and cheddar cheese sauces, all piled on a pita.
PHOTO GALLERY
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Monster Gyros
As Romas, 49, described his new pet Monster over the phone, the phrase "that's insane" came to mind.
I said it out loud when I saw the real thing, a mountain of brown and red meat and brownish-red sauce with an attention-getting bright yellow splotch on top.
The Monster must contain a mind-boggling variety of grease, I told Romas. He nodded and helped me count: beef and lamb fat in the gyros, beef and pork in the sausage, fats to fry the sausage and onions, and substances I don't even want to speculate upon in the cheese sauce.
"Makes it go down easy," Romas said.
He sells seven kinds of grilled chicken breast sandwiches at his 280 Hawthorn Village Commons restaurant, but happily admits that Bo-Bo's -- known for big sandwiches, and ice cream from Homer's and Ashby's Sterling -- will never be confused with Seattle Sutton's Healthy Eating.
"When you come here, you should have fun," he said.
I stared at the Monster as it was photographed on a table in the brightly-lit, 15-year-old restaurant.
Barbecue sauce on gyros is sacrilegious, I thought.
Tzatziki sauce, that wonderful garlicky yogurt-based condiment, is what belongs on gyros.
But while tzatziki sauce would have rocked the gyros part, getting any on the Polish sausage would be sick and wrong.
Maybe the union of gyros and Polish sausage just wasn't meant to be. Like Lyle Lovett and Julia Roberts. Or Madonna and ... anybody.
"I tell you, it all works together real good," Romas assured me.
So you say.
Even if you have hands like Houdini or Heifetz, you cannot pick up a Monster Gyros. It must be eaten with a knife and fork, or a shovel.
I dreaded the first bite, but Romas' homemade barbecue sauce provided a pleasant surprise. It wasn't too spicy, so I could actually taste the gyros, crisped along the edges from a few moments on Bo-Bo's flattop grill.
And deep-frying crisped the fat in the Polish, leaving it crunchier and meatier than typical.
The Monster came with a few slices of tomato, which I suppose were for garnish, but actually brightened things up a little. And as anybody who has ever had a cheese and tomato sandwich knows, cheddar is the life-long pal of the round red fruit.
After about a half hour of relatively steady work, I actually polished off Romas' monstrous sandwich, which is saying something. In 13 previous Mega Bites expeditions, I have only done all the required or suggested eating four times.
That's why I'm still alive.
The Monster Gyros did not appear on the Bo-Bo's menu board the day we visited, but was advertised on a sheet of paper hanging above the cash register. It looked odd in the immaculate diner, where nothing else was out of place.
I was suspicious that Romas had brought the Monster to life just for our benefit. But he said it had been around for a few months, and was just starting to attract a following.
"You should never do things just to do stuff," Romas said. "If you do, people are going to throw stuff at you."
If they try to throw a Monster Gyros, they're going to need rotator cuff surgery.
Haven't tried this sandwich, but have to love this line "...will never be confused with Seattle Sutton's Healthy Eating" That about says it all.
Highwood prepares for Guinness world record
By: Blair Chavis/Triblocal.com staff reporter
10/12/09 02:46 PM 316 hits
Highwood purchased 1,000 pumpkins that are being stored in a warehouse in preparation for the "Great Wall of Pumpkins."One thousand pairs of eyes will be lit up in Highwood this October when the city holds it first ever pumpkin festival.
Prelude to the Great Pumpkin Festival of 2010 is a run-through for when Highwood tries to break the Guinness Book of World Records’ number for most lit jack-o’-lanterns on display.
In 2010, the city is looking to have 32,000 jack-o’-lanterns aglow.
As of now, Boston’s Life is Good Pumpkin Festival still holds the title from 2006, with 30,128 jack-o’-lanterns lit, according to the Guinness Web site. Before Boston, The Keene Pumpkin Festival in Keene, N.H. held the title.
Highwood’s 4th Ward Alderman Eric Falberg said he got the idea to start a similar event after living in Vermont and visiting the Keene festival.
“It was just a spectacular site,” Falberg said. “There’s nothing like it. It’s just awe-inspiring.”
Falberg said he hopes this event eventually draws people from throughout the Midwest. This year, however, Highwood is starting small with 1,000 pumpkins. They will be propped on an approximated 32-foot-high by 90-foot-wide wall of scaffolding, or “Great Wall of Pumpkins,” in front of city hall, as similarly seen at Keene’s festival. In addition, jack-o’-lanterns will line the streets alongside the local businesses.
“It takes a lot of logistics to break a world record,” Falberg said. “If we could really do this and do it right…we could knock the socks off of everybody.”
Falberg said next year he plans to invite the Guinness Book of World Records to the event to count the pumpkins.
“We’re going for two records next year,” Falberg said. “[The second] will be for the world’s tallest tower of jack-o’-lanterns—we plan on scaffolding up the entire water tower and having jack-o’-lanterns lit all the way up. It would be quite a sight.”
Next year, Falberg said he envisions that the entire city will be enveloped. The water tower will be lit, storefronts will feature pumpkins, the streets will be lined with jack-o’-lanterns propped on multi-tier milk crates and throughout the parks and residential streets, he added.
Falberg is also in discussion with the city regarding turning the festival into a country pumpkin music festival—a play on the phrase “country bumpkins,” he said.
“That’s why this is so important, the success of this particular prelude,” Falberg said. “Because it really will help us lead off to [next year].”
This year’s festival will take place from 3 to 8 p.m. Oct. 21 in conjunction with the city’s last farmers’ market of the season.
Pumpkins will be on sale for $5 each, and can be carved in a tent from 3 to 6:30 p.m.
Falberg said Highwood Mayor Charlie Pecaro, who is expected to be dressed as the Headless Horseman, will kick off the pumpkin lighting at approximately 6:30 p.m. once the pumpkins are brought to the great wall. About 36 volunteers will also help in lighting.
The festival will include live music, hot cider and coca and $1 hayrides from 3 to 8 p.m. Residents can trick or treat at Highwood’s local businesses from 3 to 6 p.m., and the businesses will be offering discounts to families with at least one member in costume.
“We’re going to have our specials, not only at the shop that day, but we will offer [them] and free sampling at our booth[s] that night,” said Pastificio! owner Patricia Galli, who is on the city’s special events and public outreach committee with Falberg.
For those who want a head start on carving, a 30-foot long booth will be set up at Highwood’s Last Call Art Festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 17 and Oct. 18.
Additionally, pumpkins can also be carved at a fun fair from noon to 4 p.m. Oct. 18, at Oak Terrace School, 240 Prairie Ave.
Families can pick up their carved pumpkins from Oct. 22-24. Remaining pumpkins will either be donated to local families or composted at The Resource Center of Chicago.
—By Blair Chavis|Triblocal.com reporter
Triblocal.com photo by Blair Chavis
Highwood holds it's first Pumpkin Festival on Wednesday, October 21 from 3-8pm. Gearing up for a Guinness world record in 2010! Should be quite a site both this year and next!
Maybe a stretch to call it a "summer" arts fair, but what a great way to enjoy an October weekend with great opportunities on the art, music, food and beer. (I didn't hear Oktoberfest, but that's what comes to my mind) It on our schedule for Sunday. Hope you get a chance to check it out and if I'm there Sunday, you know I'll be letting you know!
A guide to trick-or-treating
By: Heather Leszczewicz/ Triblocal.com staff reporter
10/15/09 12:26 PM 156 hits
Little ghouls and goblins are eagerly anticipating the chance to scoop up all the tastiest treats this Halloween. Villages have announced the official trick-or-treating hours.
Deer Park
Trick-or-treating is from noon to 6 p.m. Oct. 31.Hawthorn Woods
Trick-or-treating will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.Island Lake
Trick-or-treating starts at 4 p.m. on Oct. 31.Kildeer
Trick-or-treating is from noon to 6 p.m. Oct. 31.Lake Zurich
Trick-or-treating is from noon to 4 p.m. Oct 31.Libertyville
The village has two times for trick-or-treating. Businesses in downtown Libertyville will have trick-or-treating from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 31. Residential trick-or-treating will be from 4 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 31.Lincolnshire
Children can trick-or-treat from 4 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.Long Grove
No set hours, parental discretion.Mundelein
Trick-or-treating is from 4 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.Vernon Hills
Trick-or-treating is from 4 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.Wauconda
Trick-or-treating is from 4 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.Have the best or spookiest decorations on the block? How about the cutest child in costume? Share your Halloween photos on Triblocal.com!
—By Heather Leszczewicz, Triblocal.com reporter
Check out you neighborhood's trick or treating times. Thanks to Heather Leszczewicz at Triblocal.com!
