June 26, 2008 Newsletter - Vol. 2, Issue #26

Sick to your stomach over gas prices? Ready to rev up the Schwinn? Check out Loren’s visit to Whole Foods in Deerfield where she learned all about running cars on veggies – veggie oil, that is.The process of converting used vegetable oil into fuel for cars has been gaining in popularity in recent years, and now a consortium called the Conscious Goods Alliance and Chicago BioFuels Non-For-Profit is here to teach us all about the concept!

Thinking about wandering way Up North to Milwaukee for Summerfest? The 10-day music festival kicks off today, and you can avoid traffic, the gas station, and parking woes by catching Amtrak’s Hiawatha from the Glenview station! Click here for all the details! (Psst....Kids ride free, one per paying adult, on weekends!)

Sticking around town? Check out Metra’s specials – Kids ride free (non-rush hour trains) all summer long!

NorthShoreInsider has the skinny on summer festivals Here’s the lineup for this weekend:

Fountain Square Arts Festival: Here’s a great Evanston art staple - the Fountain Square Arts Festival. More than 250 juried artists will have their wares on display, and kids can get artsy on their own in the family art tent!

Event: Fountain Square Arts Festival
Date: Saturday, June 28 - Sunday, June 29
Location: downtown Evanston
Time: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Phone: 773.868.3010
Cost: None

Glenview Summer Festival: Glenview comes out to play on Saturday, with more than 90 vendors lining Glenview Rd., food, music and fun. There’s also an antique auto show at OLPH!

Event: Glenview Summer Festival
Date: Saturday, June 28
Location: Glenview Rd. betwen Harlem and Waukegan
Time: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Phone: 847.724.0900
Cost: None

Highland Park Festival of Fine Craft: In its 11th year, the Highland Park Festival of fine Craft is a premier arts event on Chicago’s North Shore – benefitting The Art Center, the two-day event features, gallery quality art and a chance to mix it up with the artists themselves. You’ll also enjoy kids’ art activities, great music, food and a silent auction!

Event: The Highland Park Festival of Fine Craft
Date: Saturday, June 28 and Sunday, June 29
Location: Sheridan Rd. between Central and Park, Highland Park
Time: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Cost: None

There’s always something to sing about somewhere on the North Shore – Here’s this week’s coverage!

Thursday, June 26:

Chicago Botanic Garden’s Hot Summer Nights Series
Featuring Jesse Lege and Joel Savoy
6 - 8 p.m.
100 Lake-Cook Rd., Glencoe
Concert is free of charge, Garden parking fee ($15) applies to non-members

Friday, June 27:

Boz Scaggs
Ravinia Festival, corner of Lake-Cook and Green Bay Rds., Highland Park
Park opens at 5 p.m., concert at 8 p.m.
$20 - $50 reserved, $25 - $55 day of show

Highland Park Battle of the Bands, Week #4
Root them on at Buhai Plaza in Port Clinton Square!
Concert starts at 9 p.m., free of charge

Saturday, June 28:

Cavern Beat (Beatles Tribute Band!)
Norton's, 1905 Sheridan Rd., Highland Park
Concert start at 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, June 29:

Shirley King (YES, the daughter of B.B. King!)
Mitchell Park, at corner of Hazel and Wilmot, Deerfield
5 - 6:30 p.m.
Concert is free of charge

Denny Diamond and The Family Jewels (Neil Diamond tribute!)
Skokie Theatre, 7925 N. Lincoln Ave.
Concert starts at 2 p.m.
Tix are $15 in advance, $20 at the door

Tuesday, July 1:

Soul Cooking
Village Green, downtown Northbrook
Concerts start at 7:30, this week’s featured restaurant is Super Suppers
Free of charge

Wednesday, July 2:

Summer Band: American Celebration
Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, Evanston (NU campus), 50 Arts Circle Drive
Tix are $4 - $7, Concert is at 7 p.m.

Need some garden inspiration? Check out the Evanston Garden Walk – it’s in its 19th year and features a number of public and private gardens, sure to get your creative juices flowing. The gardeners/owners will be on hand to answer any questions you have during the event.

Event: Evanston Garden Walk
Date: Sunday, June 29
Location: Evanston Ecology Center, 2024 McCormick Rd.
Time: 12 - 5 p.m.
Cost: $25, $15 in advance
Phone: 847.448.8256 x. 105

Head over to the Lake Forest Bank and Trust this weekend and get your farm animal fix at the annual petting zoo! Goats, rabbits, chickens and ducks will be on hand, along with a pony ride for younger kids.

Check out Lyndel Pleasant this weekend at the Skokie Theatre – he’s got a Cosby vibe and has graced stages across the country, including Caroline’s on Broadway and the Hollywood Improv.

Event: “Shining Like New Money” with Lyndel Pleasant
Date: Friday, June 27 and Saturday, June 28
Location: 7924 N. Lincoln Ave., Skokie
Time: 8 p.m.
Phone: 847.677.7761
Cost: $15 in advance, $20 at the door

Here’s a chance to catch the classic cult film, “Rocky Horror Picture Show” in its glory, complete with the live Midnight Madness cast from downtown Chicago!

Event: Rocky Horror Picture Show
Date: Saturday, June 28
Location: Wilmette Theatre, 1122 Wilmette Ave.
Time: 9:15 p.m.
Phone: 847.251.7424
Cost: $8

Joining the pack of North Shore Farmer’s Markets open for business this summer is Glenview, opening this weekend at Wagner Farm. Stick around after 10 a.m. and take the “Farmhouse Living tour with costumed guides!

Event: Glenview Farmers’ Market
Date: Saturdays
Location: Wagner Farm, 1510 Wagner Rd., Glenview
Time: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. (Tours are 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.)
Phone: 847.657.1506
Cost: None to visit

Summer is a great time to take up a new hobby – maybe one you can even enjoy with your daughter. Check out Ayla’s Originals in Evanston TONIGHT for Beading Nite – it’s when beaders get together to exchange ideas and start new projects. And if you shop at the store, retail customers can get 20 percent off!

Event: Ayla’s Beading Nite
Date: Thursday, June 26
Location: 1511 Sherman Ave., Evanston
Time: 6 - 8 p.m.
Phone: 847.733.0086

Love the vintage stuff but don’t have to time to scour flea markets yourself? Let the folks at Vintage Nest do it for you! The shop is home to tons and tons of great North Shore vintage and antique finds and will be open this weekend with their latest finds on display and for sale.

Event: Vintage Nest Sale Dates
Date: Thursday, June 26, Friday, June 27 and Saturday, June 28
Location: 2111 Chestnut Ave., #175, Glenview (just east of Metra tracks)
Time: Thursday, 5 - 8 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Phone: 847.509.8170

Hey - here’s a quick rundown on a few good deals:

Betty Schwartz’s Boutiques have all 2008 swimwear on sale - see if you can nab one of those high-waisted bikinis that are all the rage this season!
      1833 Second St., Highland Park
      720 D N. Waukegan Rd., Deerfield
Hana K has opened their summer-only Northbrook outlet (Thursdays – Saturdays, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.) at 3026 Commercial Dr.)
Coke and Pepsi 12-packs are Buy 2, Get 2 Free this week at your local Dominick’s!
Crate and Barrel’s Summer sale (50 percent off!) ends soon!
Dick’s Sporting Goods Clearance sale is underway!
Evian (in the 1.5 ml bottle) is just 99 cents at Binny’s!

You don’t have to live downtown to join in on the kid-friendly action – Kid’s Restaurant Week comes to Northbrook with dinner at Prairie Grass Cafe. It’s a wonderful opportunity to expose younger kids to a fine dining experience without the anxiety of - you know - taking kids to a fancy restaurant!

Event: Kids’ Restaurant Week at Prairie Grass Cafe
Date: Now through Saturday, June 28
Location: 601 Skokie Blvd., Northbrook
Time: 5:30 p.m. seatings
Phone: 847.205.4433 - You MUST call for reservations
Cost: Kids 11 and under pay their age, 12 and over pay just $20.08

For a mere $5, you can ditch that persona, learn to move beyond Cheez Whiz and crackers and make something tasty in just 15 minutes! We’re talking fresh mediteranean salad, crabcakes and salmon burgers, fresh berry fruit soup and a light wine tasting! Yum!

Event: “Kitchen Klutzes of America Day” Cooking Class
Date: Friday, June 27
Location: Whole Foods Market Deerfield, 760 Waukegan Rd.
Time: 12 - 1p.m.
Phone: 847.444.1900
Cost: $5