Chicago, IL

After all of the stress that comes with the holidays, like shopping, decorating, and baking, you should treat yourself. While some people may think it is a treat to get a massage or pedicure, when I want to treat myself, I think chocolate. Here are some great ways that you can treat yourself in Chicago this year, with a chocolate theme.

Fannie May Chocolate Ferry
Take the Chicago Water taxi on the weekends between now and December 23rd and not only will you get a free ride, you will also get free Fannie May Chocolate samples. This is a good way to get from downtown to Michigan Avenue shopping. You will also get a coupon for a free cup of hot chocolate at the Fannie May flagship store at Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive.

Ethel’s Chocolate Lounge
Yes, it’s as delicious as it sounds. There are several locations, hopefully one near you. I have been to the one at Old Orchard Mall in Skokie, where my husband and I shared chocolate fondue. It was “research” because we planned to have a chocolate fountain at our wedding and we needed to know what tasted good dipped in chocolate. Of course the answer was “everything” and we ended up not using the fountain, but it was well worth the trip.

I have also stopped by the location at the 900 N Michigan building for a hot chocolate. Also recommended. They have comfortable chairs, so you can just stop in, get a delicious chocolate treat and rest your tired feet for awhile.

Ghiradelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop
830 N. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611
Walk into this chocolate heaven and you will get a free sample of one of their signature chocolate squares. My favorite is the one with caramel, but they are all pretty great. In addition to chocolate treats, they also have a wide variety of ice cream products, like shakes and sundaes. My favorite is the World Famous Hot Fudge Sundae. I highly recommend it.

This is the last post in my 12 Days of Chicago series. I hope that I have given you some ideas of fun things that you can do in Chicago this Christmas season. The deadline for the accompanying contest is today at 12:00 p.m. Chicago time. If you have not yet entered, click here for more information.

Chicago, Ethel’s Chocolate Shop, Ghiradelli, chocolate, Fannie Mae

On day one of this 12 days of Chicago project, I wrote about the opportunities for shopping within the city limits of Chicago. However, if you are feeling adventurous, or are looking for some bargains, there are plenty of great shopping areas in the suburbs of Chicago. Here are two such places which I would recommend to someone looking to get out of the city and do some shopping this holiday season.

Gurnee Mills shopping plaza
6170 W. Grand Avenue, Gurnee IL (near Great America)
What’s makes it special: giant indoor outlet mall where you can get some great deals
Department Stores: Kohl’s, JcPenney, Sears Grand, Value City, Saks Fifth Avenue outlet
Places to eat after a long day of shopping: Two different food courts, Ruby Tuesday, The Rainforest Cafe
How to get there from the city: I-94 W to Gurnee Mills Circle East

I highly recommend Gurnee Mills as it is the kind of place that, after going once, was sad that I had not been before. Some tips, though: go early in the day because it gets incredibly crowded; wear comfortable walking shoes because it is a huge mall and your feet will get surprisingly tired. There is also a movie theater if you get bored with shopping and need to rest a while.

They have some unique stores that you cannot find in the city like Bass Pro Shops, Borders Outlet, and wide variety of others. For a full list of the store directory check out this listing here. They have varying hours over the next couple of weeks for the holidays, so be sure to check this link for hours before you head up there.
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If you are looking for something to do this weekend that will help out some furry friends, consider going the Anti-Cruelty Society’s annual benefit this Friday. The event, called “It’s Raining Cats & Dogs” will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. The benefit will feature food from local chefs, as well as wine and cheese tastings. There will also be dessert and a full bar.

In addition to food, there will be a jazz trio and disc jockey to provide entertainment, as well as a visit from some of the residents of the shelter. Live and silent auctions will also be held raise additional money for the society.

The Anti-Cruelty Society shelter is located at 157 West Grand Avenue in Chicago, which provides temporary homes for cats and dogs. The society also provides lost cost spay and neutering services for the community, as well as a low income veterinarian clinic. The society also provides behavioral classes and dog obedience training.

The mission statement of the Anti-Cruelty Society is “to prevent cruelty to animals and to advance humane education.” It is through benefits like “It’s raining cats & dogs,” as well as donations from the community which allow the society to provide all of the services that it does.

All proceeds from the benefit will go to the services provided by the society. For additional information or to make reservations, contact Kate Anderson at (312) 644-8338 ext. 307.

Additionally, if you are looking for a new kitty or dog to add to your home, I would suggest that you check the shelters in your area before buying an animal. There are a lot of wonderful, well-behaved animals in need of your love. As the “mom” to two shelter cats, I really advocate for this route to getting a new pet.

Chicago, Anti-Cruelty Society, dogs, cats

Want a delicious activity for you and the family this weekend? You should check out Eli’s Cheesecake Festival which runs September 15th and 16th.

Admission to the event is free and includes musical acts, a car show, cooking demonstrations, and best of all, free samples of cheesecake! There is also a “family stage” which will include such events as a cheesecake eating contest and hula hoop contests.

Money raised from the event will benefit the New Horizon Center for the Developmentally Disabled and The Greater Chicago Food Depository.

Details:
Saturday September 15th: 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Sunday September 16th: 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Location:
6701 W. Forest Preserve Drive in Chicago

For more information on the event, including the schedule, visit Eli’s Cheesecake.

Chicago, Eli’s Cheesecake, cheesecake, cheesecake festival

I had the somewhat rare opportunity of spending a semester in college in Ghana. For those of you who are geographically challenged, Ghana is a beautiful Country in the heart of West Africa. It was the first African nation to gain independence from European colonization (in the 1960’s). It is also home to one of the world’s most awesome football (soccer) teams.
When I was at the Taste of Chicago on Friday, I noticed that they had a booth from an “African” restaurant. It wasn’t just “African” food, it was WEST African food! For those of you that don’t know the difference, African food comes in many varieties. An Ethiopian Restaurant is going to be extremely different from a Morroccan restaurant. In my opinion, West African food is the most terrifying to American patrons, and is, therefore, the least common kind of restaurant. Anyway, I got curious as to whether I could get real Ghanaian food in Chicago. So, on Sunday, I went on a quest. In the morning, I googled “West African Restaurant Chicago,” and I got a bunch of matches. Most of these were on websites with “user review” sections. This prompted me to come up with the following list of tips.
What to expect when eating at a West African restaurant
(1) Your food is not going to come quickly. In fact, the longer the food takes, the better the restaurant! No one knows why the food takes so long. It’s part of the experience! Sit back. Read a book. Talk to some of the people around you. Watch TV. Learn not to be so stressed out about time. It will be therapeutic.
(2) “Soup” is a relative term. Ghanaian “Soup” will look reasonably like what American soup may look like, but usually more stew-like. Nigerian “Soup” looks nothing like American soup. It looks like mashed okra with pepper sauce on top. That’s because soups from these countries are really more like a sauce to be eaten with some kind of starchy dough, like Fufu or Banku. If you don’t know how to eat them, just ask! The wait-staff may seem like they are laughing at you, but they are happy to help.
(3) THE FISH WILL HAVE BONES IN IT! Beware. Don’t choke.
(4) Most of the food is intended to be eaten with your hands. They will bring you a bowl of water to wash your hands off at your table, so just go with it. What’s the worst that will happen? You’ll have messy hands. Then you wash them. No loss.
(5) If you are going to branch out and try something new, don’t be so picky. People in different parts of the world eat different things! Guess what? That’s a good thing. Don’t expect them to have French fries. Don’t expect them to tailor make you a meal. Be flexible for once in your life. It will be a good experience if you let it be a good experience.
(6) Don’t trust the internet. Some of the places listed online are now closed, and others that do exist aren’t listed online. When in doubt, check the phone book.

I hope some of these tips are helpful. I highly recommend hitting Bolat African Cuisine on Clark street in Wrigleyville. It is a beautiful restaurant with mostly Nigerian food (some Ghanaian!), a big plasma screen TV that was playing Football (soccer) on Sunday, and it seems to be a meeting spot for West Africans in the area. On one side of me was a family from Nigeria, and on the other was a family from Ghana. It was a great afternoon with yummy, reasonably priced food. They also deliver, but that way, you miss out on half the fun.

Bolat African Cuisine
3346 N. Clark St., Chicago,
(773) 665-1100

Bolat African Cuisine, Ghana, Nigeria, African Food, Taste of Chicago, Wrigleyville

This weekend marks the beginning of an annual event of indulgence in Chicago: The Taste of Chicago! The event takes place in Grant Park and is in its 24th year. It features musical entertainment, cooking demonstrations, and, of course food. The event runs June 29-July 8.

While admission to the festival is free, the food will cost you. Food and drinks are purchased with tickets, which you can purchase at the Taste or your local Dominick’s grocery store. One great way to sample a lot different kinds of food are to purchase “taste portions,” which are smaller portions and cost 2-3 tickets.

No matter what type of food you enjoy, there is a vendor at the Taste for you. From the mundane to the exotic, they have it all. My personal favorite is corn on the cob on a stick.

For a full list of restaurants participating in the Taste, click here (in pdf).

Throughout the duration of the Taste, which runs until July 8, I will be highlighting various events and happenings that are taking place at the Taste of Chicago: it is more than just food!

Taste of Chicago, chicago, food, exotic food, corn on the cob on a stick

In the mood for some Greek food this weekend? You should check out the “Taste of Greece on La Salle Street,” Friday June 22-Sunday June 24. Th event, part of the 2nd Annual Greek Festival of the Annunciation at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral runs from 4 p.m.-11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and from noon-11 p.m. on Sunday.

According to this website, the Taste of Greece will feature traditional Greek food, beer, wine, ouzo, soft drinks, Greek pastries, a Greek souvenir shop, a tour of the cathedral, Greek dancing, and live Greek music provided by The Linardakis Band. The church will also be hosting a raffle with cash prizes.

The event address is: 1017 N. La Salle St. For more information, or to buy raffle tickets prior to the event, call the church at: 312-664-5485.

Chicago, Taste of Greece, food festival, greek food, taste of Greece on La Salle Street, Greek, Greece

This weekend is the Naperville Festival Naper Days. The event takes place June 15th, 16th, and 17th at Naper Settlement, located at 523 Webster St., in Downtown Naperville. There will be a “Taste of Naperville” featuring food from the various restaurants in the area so that you can learn what great food Naperville has to offer.

Each day will provide plenty of musical entertainment, including a “Battle of the Mid-Life Crisis Bands” on Sunday. Other events include bingo, the the Jesse White Tumblers and a pie eating contest. There are also great attractions for children, including a petting farm, hands-on crafts, and a children’s entertainment stage. For a full list of all the events, including scheduled times, check out the Naper Days website.

Chicago, Chicagoland, Chicago suburbs, naperville, naper days, taste of naperville, jesse white tumblers, pie eating contest