The heart of the city. Better and less crowded than the Bean…read more This fecal fountain is a fun little photo op when you're in the city, and it's right down the street from Kasama, making them an unlikely but excellent pair.

Exactly what you'd expect: a statue that looks like poop. There was also a super friendly outdoor…read moreorange cat nearby named Mister that made my entire day. He was so cute and so worth the visit to the Shit Fountain. It's also near Kasama, so you can definitely make a trip out of this or take a quick detour if you're in the area.

Talk about environmental stewardship in all the right places. Visited your property for a TedX talk…read moreand able to tour your property. Enjoyed learning of your local levels of conservation bridging the way for others to learn. Thank you for your educational layers, your land use and your kindness to those who visit. Hands down a great place to come whether adult or to guide the young. What a beautiful way to leave a positive imprint in this world. Thank you for being inclusive to community coming your way!

McDonald Farm is a simple self discovery landscape with exhibits that demonstrate land useage and…read moreconservation. The volunteers are friendly, but not immediately helpful as they go about their daily duties. Nice place to bring a lunch & eat. I didn't check out the restrooms, so no review there. Quite a pleasant place to visit for a short time. Great for kids!

The nicest thoroughfare in the area. This is a great and often scenic place to sit and relax or…read morejust pass through. There is typically art on display so it is usually a fairly interesting route or destination. Overall, a nice place to enjoy your beverages and snacks from home (or wherever else) and appreciate artwork in the outdoors.

A lot of monuments are along the Naperville Riverwalk, and this is one of the many. Dick Tracy is a…read moreclassic comic strip character, and he got a statue. It makes you wonder why that was. Because the assistant to the creator lived here. That sounds like not much of a reason, but the statue is nice though. For those interested, there's a story behind it. In the mid 1900s Dick Tracy was a lot more popular. The comic strip was created by Chester Gould, from Woodstock. Dick Locher was from Naperville, and was his assistant a few years, then took over after he retired. There's not a huge connection of Dick Tracy to Naperville, but this was enough for a statue. Have some fun taking pictures in front of it. It's located along the Riverwalk. This is close to the intersection of Water and Webster.

Good thing they moved this guy to higher ground because he was waist-deep in water half the time…read morewhen he used to be down closer to the river. People frequently ask "why is this statue in Naperville?" Well, Dick Locher, the assistant of Dick Tracy's creator Chester Gould, lived in Naperville and drummed up civic interest in it. I sometimes wonder if in the middle of the night our old gumshoe here ever meets up with "Darth Naper" who hangs out a few blocks away....

This was our first time attending the Dupage Native Plant Sale. It is now held at the Dupage Event…read moreCenter and Fairgrounds. Parking and admission were free. This is a 2 day event selling over 150 different types of native flowers,grasses,shrubs and trees. There were many volunteers around to ask questions and get recommendations. Plants are not restocked daily so best is to go early on the first day. It gets crowded and with so many people pulling wagons and carts,patience is required! They do have a few trays to use but best is to bring your own boxes. Cash,check or credit cards are accepted but I wish the checkout area was in a different location than where the plants were being sold as the lines for checkout were very long. Proceeds benefit the Dupage Forest Preserve.

Amazing! Loved checking out all the 4-H projects! Special shout out to @ikonicglass for an amazing…read moreglass blowing experience!

Such a cute instagram worthy spot which also had the mirror illusion right around the coner. The…read moreweather was agreeable and we took some great photos for our girl's getaway trip!

Finally got to check out my neighbor during Open House Chicago. This place was really cool…read more If you've ever gone down this stretch of Racine, surely you've seen the oversized door with the big green monster peering out at you. They are a toy test lab for Fisher Price. It was a fun looking workplace with stuffed animals and toys at every turn. Also had a nice small world moment meeting a new art director from SCAD, where my nephew is going to school.

I love ghost stories! I really, really do. So, it came as a delightful surprise to learn that…read moreNaperville is a very haunted place. Fright Night Tours runs several different tours focusing on the paranormal in the area and I think they do a phenomenal job. We arrived and our guide (the formidable Dan) was waiting in full, scary regalia. He then took us up into the headquarters to begin the tour with the haunting of their own space. After that, we set out into the streets of downtown Naperville to hear all about the creepy stuff that packs the history of this upscale suburb. First off, I highly recommend Dan as a tour guide. He has obviously done a lot of his own research and he is very knowledgeable about his topics. He's also such a great performer that he could make a nursery rhyme send a chill up your spine. It's so weird looking at these buildings that I drive past everyday and knowing that, not only have they been around for over a century, there may be dead people peekin' out. To sum up: Awesome. I give it 2 tombstones up.

Bill Fucking Murray really did step actually here. It happened in Groundhog Day, a classic movie…read more Look for that place where he stepped in a puddle. Just a plaque, not much to look at. This is just a silly tourist attraction if you can call it that. Cool thing to put your foot where his foot was in that movie. It took place in Punxsutawney. The obvious difference is the movie was filmed in Woodstock. Producers liked the feel of this town more than the actual location. There's not much else about the actual plaque, but maybe take a look around for where the puddle is, and if it rained then you can also step in it and talk about it being a doozy like the movie scene. Cool for fans. If interested in more stuff, there's also a mural a few blocks from here. This is what it's best known for, and there's an annual festival celebrating it with the town's own groundhog, Willie.

In this life, I've met Bill Murray twice…read more Once briefly after his 2008 skydive stint at the Air & Water show a few years back where he stopped for only one person on his escape route from the madness, and it just so happened to be me. We locked eyes, shook hands and I died a little inside before he was rushed off from the quickly-forming crowd and I followed, love-struck behind. The second time was a bit more intimate... and I have photographic evidence to prove it (https://s3-media4.ak.yelpcdn.com/photo/-yADiZ7CwAMUl7PwrTapGQ/l.jpg). We were up in the club (a comedy club) and thanks to the one and only Carol J, I got to be the one and only 'civilian' amongst a buncha company stooges (newscasters and radio show hosts) to attend. We got to talk, take photos, brush up against each other, sweat profusely in excitement (okay, that was mostly me), etc. It was a grand ole day... and then about 10 paces outside the comedy club I stepped in the biggest pile of dog doo to ever land on a Chicago city street. And actually, in hindsight I can't even confirm that it was dog doo it was so huge. For all I know it was an urban bear or something, but it was absolutely huge. You win some, you lose some. This slice of cinematic history marks the Bill's (technically, Phil Connors') last step before he takes a short dip in a deep puddle off the curb after practically jumping out of his skin to get away from Neddy Ned Ryerson and his humbly aggressive attempts to pitch a life insurance policy on Phil's way to the annual Gobbler's Knob Punxsatawny Phil Groundhog Day ceremony. And while this historical marker located on the Groundhog Day Walking Tour (http://www.yelp.com/biz/groundhog-day-walking-tour-woodstock#hrid:nNx7lJ9Qgy5pAopxB4YIYw) isn't quite the real-deal, in person, out-of-body experience that actually meeting the the man, the myth, the legend is, it's a damn fine tribute for anyone who wants to walk where BM once, twice, thrice and beyond did... just beware of that puddle (1:44 - 1:46 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6NsVUHwQc8). It's a doooooozy!

It's the kind of place where you can catch incredible up-and-coming bands one night and seasoned…read moreindie legends the next. The sound quality is excellent for such an intimate space, and the atmosphere is pure rock-and-roll -- raw, unpolished, and full of energy. Drinks are affordable, the lighting sets the perfect underground vibe, and the crowd is always lively and diverse. It's a place that celebrates real music and creativity without the pretension, making every show feel like a genuine Chicago experience.

October-April. It is…read morethe second Saturday of the month. noon to 4:00 PM free to the public 21+ and parents with kids (same goes for sellers) Parking: Street Transit: #49 Western bus - http://www.transitchicago.com/riding_cta/busroute.aspx?RouteId=198 Transit Chicago - http://www.transitchicago.com Handmade Market is a unique event to connect the makers of beautiful things to people who appreciate the unique and handmade. Featuring more than 30 amazing sellers at the market, selling jewelry, purses, knitted items, clothing, paper crafts, and more! The Empty Bottle starts serving at noon, so feel free to shop with mimosas in hand. (We do encourage relaxed shopping.) You can also grab brunch at the tasty Bite Café next door. Markets include funky jewelry, glass pendants, knitted items, handbags, clothing, paper crafts and more. Did you know that in the city there are many makers who create jewelry, clothing, scarves, handbags, journals, greeting cards, and more? Do you want your money to go directly to the people that make the things you buy? Here you can establish a personal connection, and our makers are even encouraged to demonstrate or make their products during the event. Sustainable crafterness this is a regular monthly event. We strive to create a crafter's market, with affordable handmade, mostly local items. There are a ton of crafters in the city, and we try to make this accessible to up and coming designers, jewelry makers, and others. Come out and help support your monthly crafter's market.