Stella's One of a Kind Mittens

This year, I received these as a Christmas gift:

They are one of a kind mittens made by Synnove Stella in Lake Bluff. Every pair of mittens is different because they are handmade from sweaters. 

They are so warm! The insides are lined with fleece.

They are for sale right now at Re-Invent Gallery in Lake Forest. I love my Stella mittens. Bring on the February cold. I can handle it.

Winter in Lake Bluff

Here are some of my pictures of Lake Bluff taken this winter.

I love winter. Sometimes when you're out early and there is no one else around, you feel like you have town all to yourself.

And you can run wild in the snow.

When the snow is fresh, the evergreens are beautiful.

I find myself using the library a lot in the winter, checking out books and movies and music to cozy up to inside.

I also stop for hot drinks more often to warm my hands while I walk.

It's nice to walk in town in the wintertime, but I think the shoreline is the best part of Lake Bluff when things freeze over.

Sometimes the lake gets wild, choppy waves.

Anybody care for a cold weather game of lake rock checkers?

New Year's Day in Lake Bluff - 2015

I love New Year's. Everything seems so fresh. It is the same feeling I get about a new school supplies, or a new journal with crisp, clean pages, or just-washed linens on a perfectly made bed. It rings of promise; the year ahead is yet unmarked, unsullied, and clear for opportunities. Endless possibilities bounce around inside my head.

On New Years Day, Geoff took me on a walk to the lake. It was cold and clear and blue and beautiful.

We had to work hard to keep Cubby from jumping into the icy water.

The ice at the shoreline made this amazing wavy pattern, mixed with sand:

And on the lake, ice floes are starting to form:

Here are my New Years resolutions.
--Mind: Read every book club book - no skipping
--Body: Clean eating and more exercise (more after-dinner walks!)
--Spirit: Go camping at least once every season in 2015. Spend more time outside. Be quieter, and be comfortable in the quiet.

xoxo

Lake Bluff Garden Club 2014 Greening

Every year in Lake Bluff, the Lake Bluff Garden Club decorates the town green for the holidays.

Red bows and evergreens take over the village.

Geoff and I are always happy to help the garden club, and proud to see Lake Bluff look so lovely for the holidays.

Here are some more pictures from the 2014 greening.

An afternoon at the driving range

I am not a very good golfer, but I am trying to improve.

I spent an afternoon at the Lake Bluff Golf Club driving range, working on my swing and getting the feel back.

Geoff is good - he's nice about giving me tips (and buying me a beer afterwards).

I can get easily frustrated about golf, and sometimes it's very hard to keep a positive attitude. I am hoping to work up my courage and patience to actually go play a round soon - maybe for 9 holes at twilight, when the pace is a little slower. 

I'd love to find a group of ladies at my same skill level who want to get better together. 

Peonies are here!

Peonies are blooming all up and down the North Shore right now in shades of peach, blush, hot pink, and even dark fuchsia. 

I have a few in my own yard. Mine are white with the faintest kiss of hot pink inside:

I love watching these huge flowers bloom. I hope to cut a few for a bouquet inside the house this week.

Sandlot on the Green in Lake Bluff

We drove through town on Thursday night and noticed this:

In a move that can only be categorized as totally awesome, Lake Bluff had blown up a giant projector screen on the village green. They were showing the movie Sandlot (American classic!) We parked the car, sat on the lawn, and watched the last 15 minutes. 

The best part was the audience reactions to Squints and Wendy Peffercorn getting married and having nine kids. The whole lawn of middle schoolers squealed "OHHHHHHHHH!"

"You're killing me, Smalls!" - The Sandlot

A Picnic at the Beach

Sometimes the best dinners aren't fancy at all. We packed up a small loaf of bread, some cheese, some raspberries, and a little aged grape juice and carried it to the beach for a picnic dinner.

The lake was calm:

And the air was fairly still:

Can you spot the sailboat race in the distance?

I snapped a picture of Geoff and Cubby on our picnic blanket.

And when I looked at this picture later I realized they were holding hands. How romantic.

Think you could get a little more sand on your nose there, Cub?

Undoubtedly begging for cheese.

Burger Night at Inovasi

I always see posts and stories about awards for "the best burger in town" or "best burger on the North Shore." But I think people are confused about what best means. Best does not mean biggest. Best does not mean the most expensive. Best does not mean "comes with really great fries." For my money, the best burger, the one I keep coming back to, the one I love, is at Inovasi in Lake Bluff.

They only make them on Tuesday. They only use the tastiest grass-fed beef. The menu changes almost every week, and every time I leave, and I mean every time, I say, "that was a really great burger."

My go-to burger (even when it's not on the menu) is the Hobo, where you place your trust squarely in the hands of the kitchen staff. They give you whatever they feel like. Sometimes it's pretty normal... cheese and browned onions. Sometimes it's not - once they gave me a burger with watermelon on it. And it actually worked. 

We went to Inovasi on Tuesday this week with friends:

 

(what an attractive pair!)

And of course we ordered the burgers.

And as usual, I loved it!

Anybody else have a favorite burger on the North Shore? Email it to me at northshoreamour@gmail.com.

 Cheers!