I learnt about the Winnetka Community House when we went to the North Shore Art League for the…read morefirst time to attend the opening reception of their new exhibit -- "Summer Open".  The art league is located on the second floor of the Winnetka Community House.  The Community House was completed in 1911, and it has been expanded several times since.  That's why it was interesting for us to enter a historic building that's over 100 years old, but discovered a modern extension where the art gallery is after climbing a flight of old-fashioned stairs. Apparently, the center hosts many performing arts programs that include dance, theater, music and more.  When we were viewing artwork of the exhibit, a friendly elderly actor of the center greeted us while taking a break on a comfy couch.  We could hear music rehearsal in the theatre when we passed by. They also have education programs, youth sports programs, a full-service fitness center, classes and lectures -- all kinds of activities that help enrich lives of residents of not just Winnetka, but of the broader North Shore. When I read their Yelp reviews, I learnt that the center is even a popular weddings and events venue!  It is truly a versatile community house! As a privately supported 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Community House is not funded through tax dollars.  It's good to know that donations are 100% tax deductible.

If you have high expectations for your wedding venue, this is not the place. I left feeling very…read moreunderwhelmed with both the space and the service. We had a tour scheduled with Sahra, but it was moved to a different time, which seemed like it may have been to accommodate another group. When we arrived, the front desk gentleman was very kind, but we ended up waiting about 20 minutes while Sahra continued speaking with the previous tour group. She clearly saw us waiting but didn't acknowledge us or apologized when she eventually came over. Once the tour finally started, it felt very rushed. The entire walkthrough lasted maybe 15-20 minutes, and there wasn't much opportunity to ask questions before she quickly moved on to the next area. At the end, I asked if she could send photos of the space set up for weddings so we could better visualize it decorated. Her response was, "I won't remember, just email me--I had three tours today." We were the third tour, which made the comment feel dismissive. What stood out even more was that the previous group had asked about placing a hold on the space and did not receive that same response. Overall, the experience felt unprofessional and unwelcoming. After touring around 20 venues, this was by far the most disappointing experience. As for the space itself, it felt very small and somewhat outdated. The bridal and groomsmen suites were essentially small conference rooms. In my opinion, the venue may be better suited for smaller events like a bridal or baby shower rather than a full wedding. Unfortunately, due to both the service and the space, I would not recommend spending your time touring here.

My kids have a favorite new store in town. I want to avoid it since every visit here ends with my…read morekids on a major sugar high, but have to admit I'm a fan myself. They have every sort of candy to make a kid (or adult) smile...and jewelry too! Candy and jewelry...a store after my own heart. They have all sorts of classes and events happening weekly at Sweet Buddha. Everything from a homework club (genius) to trunk shows to cupcake decorating (yes, more sugar). I've also heard from many friends who were frequent visitors of their old city location that they throw some pretty amazing bday parties! My daughter has already told me (about 1273 times) that she'll be having a future bday party at Sweet Buddha. Sweet Buddha isn't just for kids! When my own summer bday bash on the beach got rained out the owner, Sarah, was nice enough to let us to let us rent the space last minute. It was the perfect venue and I'll definitely look into for all future partying planning in my future (bday parties, moms night outs, baby showers, etc). I'm as thrilled as my little ones to have this in Glencoe and excited to see how this city business adapts to the burbs. I'd love to see some more mommy/caregiver & me classes on the calendar since there's not much for the under 2 crowd in the North Shore. I also think their creative bday party packages are amazing, but the rental fee if you want just the space is a bit high when compared to all the park district rooms nearby (not that the PD rooms are nearly as adorable). Fortunately, the owner is pretty "sweet" herself and I have no doubt will make Sweet Buddha a big success here in Glencoe!

Simply put. A delightful place to be. Just the spirits in there alone make you feel warm. The…read moreManagment is friendly and the candy is OFF THE HOOK! For a kids party...great choice. The painting was fun, and the added bonus of keeping the kids busy while waiting for the parent to arrive was genius. They have friendly high schoolers working with the kids from local schools! Overall, a fun experience. Next time it's the adults to paint and sip on wine!

Still love this place. Came here again for the Christmas vibes 2 days before Christmas to get some…read morework done. I needed to bribe myself with coffee I didn't make myself and to get out of my house to plow through a bunch of work admin. I took a chance coming here because I know they have some laptop policies, particularly around Christmas. This time it was no laptops after 9am and then none on Friday and weekends during the holiday season. (During the rest of the year it's certain tables that aren't allowed to use laptops and/or certain tables at certain hours). I came in at 7am and it was good motivation for me to knock out a bunch of things efficiently since I have a 9am cutoff lol. They also now put that notice on their front door, which is helpful and was my complaint last year when I came here to do work on a Saturday and found out I couldn't. As always, the coffee was great, and the Home Alone installation is always fun. Their tartines are also always amazing. Definitely keeping this in my regular rotation.

Stopped into Towne & Oak with my son after his doctor's appointment for a quick bite and it was so…read moregood. First time there and definitely won't be our last. My son got the croissant egg and bacon breakfast sandwich and loved it. I got the yogurt and granola. Both were super fresh and delicious, just wish there was a little less honey on mine because it was a bit heavy for me. I also ordered an almond milk cappuccino and it was SO good. We were there around munch time, and it was moderately busy for that time of day. They brought out the food quickly. Was super cute inside and gave off costal vibes. Already looking forward to coming back and trying more things on the menu.

We could not be happier with our choice of Loft on Lake for our wedding/reception venue. The space…read moreis both beautiful (especially the skylight!) and accessible, the location is convenient, and Jill was incredibly helpful and a pleasure to work with. We highly recommend using Jill's day-of coordination services if you have an event at Loft on Lake because she made the experience extremely smooth and had worked with several of the vendors before.

Dear Jill, Thank you…read moreso much for allowing Kita to host her Big Five oh!! At Loft on Lake! Your customer service was absolutely unmatched--you were incredibly accommodating and thoughtful every step of the way. The venue was stunning, and we truly appreciated your helpfulness and suggestions throughout the planning process. You made both Kita and me feel so welcome. We especially loved the open-concept space, which gave us the freedom to transform it and get creative in ways that made the celebration truly special. Words can't fully express our gratitude! It was a 10 out of 10 experience, and we will absolutely recommend Loft on Lake to others and continue to spread the word. With love and appreciation, Que & Kita

We returned here with the kiddos and their parents to enjoy Pinstripes' weekend brunch buffet with…read moreSanta. It was a most fun, comfortable, enjoyable, festive, and delicious outing. The plentiful and delicious brunch buffet goes for a very reasonable $35 per adult, $15 for kids 6-12, and free for kids 5 and under. Throw in a photo session with Santa and Mrs Claus and it's a fun holiday deal that can't be beat. This particular Santa was the most fun and gregarious Santa I have ever encountered also. After the photos, he spent some quality chat time with the kids he encountered. The food and food layout and seating layout here were great and it's a much better setup here than at the overly spread out Oakbrook location. I particularly enjoyed their prime rib, smoked salmon, and waffles with home-made whipped cream. Our server was prompt and attentive despite how busy it was. FYI - Pinstripes had some financial difficulty and was recently bought out by an outfit called Punch Bowl Social. They have closed some locations nationwide, but thankfully both Oakbrook and Northbrook look safe for now per the media. Yaay, and best of luck going forward!

The food was fine. I wasn't expecting anything crazy. Servers were understaffed and it felt like we…read morehad to chase them a little but it was manageable. My sister had received a gift card here as a gift from her coworkers for her birthday, so we were in no hurry. My main issue is that their payment system was down, so they had to manually process my payment. I ended up getting overcharged and paying an extra $50. So I provided my information to them so management could call me back and they could process a refund. Surprise surprise, they never called me back. Thanks.

What a terrific winery! This is definitely on the finer scale. I would not recommend for small…read morechildren. It is not as family friendly as Timber Hill. But this has an overall sense of elegance. There is a place to sit outside by the creek, there is outdoor and indoor seating. The grounds are meticulously maintained. You can get a three flight wine experience and you get to keep the glass! The server we had was super friendly and informative. Very affordable at only $15, and the bathrooms were were pretty nice. Plentiful parking. Overall a great place!

I visited this winery for a casual afternoon outing, and while the scenery is really pretty, the…read moreoverall experience was just okay. The space itself is relaxing and would be a great spot to hang out, but the wine didn't quite match the atmosphere. The options I tried were fine, just not memorable for the price point. The food choices were also pretty limited, and since you can't bring your own snacks, it felt a little restricting. Nothing was terrible, but nothing really stood out either. It's a nice place to sit and enjoy the view for a bit, though I'm not sure I'd go out of my way to come back.

The experience was fantastic! All phases of the event…read morecould not have better! Thanks to the whole team!

We had a wonderful 60th wedding anniversary event and stay at Kilbuck Creek! We highly recommend…read more The staff was easy to work with and kind. The house and event hall were perfect. What a beautiful setting!

Really pretty grounds to stroll here and the chapel is beautiful. There is a no-photo policy for…read morephotos in the chapel but I can vouch for it being lovely!

Need to understand what you are buying here. It is not a hotel or a resort, it is a religious…read moreretreat. The buildings and grounds are beautiful and historic. But it is not going to be a place with television, phone, Wifi, internet, or creature comforts. It is a bare bones facility designed to let you focus on inward things. it can be cold, echoing, and drafty. I attended Dominican University classes here years ago and the classrooms were what I'd expect for a Catholic university on a tight budget. I did a lot of exploring of the buildings between classes and there are a lot of hidden nooks and neat places.

Wonderful staff who instills in preschool what learning should be...inquisitive and FUN. My…read moredaughter loved her few mornings a week she went in. She got to make friends, go outside daily, make crafts, learn about the world around her, celebrate birthdays. When I would pick her up, she would sing songs, about what they were learning, over and over again. This place is incredible for kids. So loving.

When moving to the North Shore I had my work cut out for me to find a preschool that was both…read moreplay-based and offered full-time care. Banner was the answer. From the moment we visited the school, I knew it was the right place for our daughter to begin her preschool experience. "Warmth" is how I'd describe the environment at Banner both in appearance and culture. The classrooms are inviting, cozy, and creative. This is a school run by teachers who love what they do and create a warm, positive environment for children to learn, develop and thrive. Our daughter wakes up excited to go to Banner every day which is the best testimonial a parent could offer.