Humor

Ghost Walk 2015

angie
Getting ready to haunt the downtown with merchant Meghan Mariani.

Getting ready to haunt the downtown with merchant Meghan Mariani.

It’s the season for all things creepy and spooky. Last night the Long Grove Historical Society joined forces with approx. 50 other merchants, community groups, and resident volunteers to create the 3rd Annual Ghost Walk, and it was a supernatural success! Our historic downtown was overtaken by dancing zombies, living scarecrows, ghosts, ghouls, and several former members of our community who materialized for one night to tell the living their haunted stories of times past. Over 250 members of Long Grove and the surrounding area were scared silly and speaking as one of the ones doing the terrorizing, it was great fun. One cute little three-year-old declared his bravery at the beginning of my first tour of the night, only to grab hold of my hand as soon as we encountered spooky storyteller Tobin Fraley, who told us of the gruesome demise of “Gus” the mechanic. We heard about the flagpole on Towner Green used by real-life gangster Terry Drugan, and “crazy Jake Eisler” appeared once again this year from beyond the grave to menace us with his stick of dynamite. As we made our way to the Long Grove Church’s 1800’s cemetery, the Gravedigger and his “client” warned us of the perils ahead. Across the covered bridge to safety, we made a detour through the haunted trail along the creek, featuring over 50 carved pumpkins and a few demons, zombies, and hockey masked characters brandishing chainsaws. A trip past the spooks at the haunted Historical Society farmhouse, and it was back to the comfort of toasting marshmallows over the fire pit. We even had a “Stay Puft Marshmallow Man” join us–don’t worry, he did keep a safe distance from the flames! My three-year-old victim had a great time (as did so many families who participated) and he did admit that he was “a little bit scared” but could he do it again? Happy Halloween!

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Starting another tour with willing “victims”

 

Invasion of the Scarecrows

angie
The Gayton family had fun creating one of the scarecrows currently standing guard in our downtown.

The Gayton family had fun creating one of the scarecrows currently standing guard in our downtown.

Several weeks ago the Long Grove Business and Community Partners Organization sponsored a fun family event on Towner Green. With the help of handy volunteers such as John Kopecky and Ryan Messner, adults and kids alike created several dozen unique and creative scarecrows who now stand at watch in our historic downtown. Some have heads made out of gourds, some of plastic pumpkins, others are completely original like the frankenstein face painted on a recycled milk jug. When my husband and I happened on to the stuffing and decorating festivities, one clever young resident suggested that we need a “Village President” scarecrow. Next year I really want to participate in this–ideas are already swirling in my head on what my alter ego should wear and how scary her face will be! These watchful guardians are also going to add some spooky ambiance to the Historical Society’s Ghost Walk this coming Friday night. In the meantime, these temporary harvest-time sentinels bring a smile to my face every time I pass by Towner Green, and are a reminder of Long Grove’s farming past. Will any of these scarecrows come alive during the Ghost Walk? Stay tuned to find out!

 

Fire District Open House

angie
Members of the Long Grove Fire Protection District teach a young recruit how to handle the fire hose.

Members of the Long Grove Fire Protection District teach a young recruit how to handle the fire hose.

We are smack dab in the middle of National Fire Prevention Week, so in honor of that I would like to give a shout out today to our local firefighters here in Long Grove. Our community is actually served by two separate districts that respond to emergencies in the area:  Long Grove Fire Protection District and Countryside Fire Protection District. A community Open House was held this past Saturday at the fire station in downtown Long Grove, and it was a delight to be on hand to see the local kids having fun while learning about fire safety. In my mind, there is no truck more colorful or fascinating than a firetruck. Many years ago, I was even lucky enough to get to ride atop one once in a homecoming parade–what a thrill! This weekend a large number of families took the opportunity to enjoy hot dogs, station tours, demonstrations, and kids activities while meeting staff and checking out the awesome trucks. I was very, very tempted to take a turn with the kids sliding down the fire pole, and only the threat of being caught in a picture and subsequently mocked on social media kept me at bay. One thing that I did thoroughly enjoy was watching the little ones tackle the firefighter’s obstacle course, complete with hosing down a pretend house of flames. I even got to handle a real fire axe–could this be what I really need to keep my Trustees in line? My gavel seems rather wimpy by comparison!

Visiting with Fire Chief Robert Turpel during the Open House.

Visiting with Long Grove Fire Chief Robert Turpel during the Open House.

Countdown to the Haunting of Downtown

angie
Our lost cat, answering to the name of Bones, has not been seen since the 2014 Ghost Walk. Will he materialize again this year?

Our lost cat, answering to the name of Bones, has not been seen since the 2014 Ghost Walk. Will he materialize again this year?

This week I attended a planning meeting for the Historical Society’s 3rd Annual Ghost Walk, and the spooks are psyched for another fantastic event this year. When you gather together a group of creative locals who have a love of all things scary and creepy, the Halloween spirit truly comes alive! What started out several years ago as a “Long Grove Lurid Legends” storytelling performance, has evolved into a hauntingly fun family fundraiser involving many diverse community groups. The Ghost Walk features short tales of history and mystery presented by costumed docents and community volunteers. Various historic buildings and locations in our crossroads business district serve as backdrops for the scenes.

As an actor in the skits for the past two years, I can attest to the fun to be had for volunteers and participants alike. The families love the frightful but safe encounters, and we get a kick out of scaring the kids silly. But what I think is truly special about the Ghost Walk is the way the Long Grove community has come together to support and build an event that is a win-win for all. We have more merchants than ever participating this year, and “Crazy Jake Eisler” is materializing again to blow things up in his own special way. In Motion dance studio has a thrilling performance in the works. And rumor has it that the youth group of the Long Grove Community Church has got something spooky planned in front of their atmospheric 1800’s era cemetery. I can’t wait for the haunting to begin!

The Ghost Walk is set for Friday night, October 30th beginning at 7:00 pm in historic downtown Long Grove. To make reservations and for more information (and a hilarious FAQ page) please visit the Long Grove Historical Society website at http://www.longgrovehistory.org/Ghostwalk.html

Apple Fest 2015

angie
The beloved apple cider donuts made a return appearance to Long Grove this past weekend.

The beloved apple cider donuts made a return appearance to Long Grove this past weekend.

For the past three years, I have made a determined effort to eat healthier, and I have tried to avoid the types of bakery items that you see pictured above. However, the Long Grove Confectionery’s locally famous apple cider donuts are only available one time a year, so I allowed myself to have one. Well, maybe more than one (lets just say several) of these cinnamon-sugary balls of deliciousness were consumed, and I was not the only one indulging!

Apple Fest once again graced the historic cross roads of Long Grove this weekend, and it was a perfect excuse to get out and enjoy the beautiful autumn weather. Many others felt the same, based on the large number of festival attendees I saw on Saturday. The Kids Zone on Towner Green was packed with squealing, happy youngsters tossing beanbags, climbing hay bales, and chasing ethereal pieces of whimsy conjured up by the “Bubble Man.” I received a complimentary apple-scented soy candle with the purchase of my pretty new necklace, and who doesn’t just love getting something for free?  Every merchant that I talked with was upbeat and had a smile on their face:  Craig, Tobin, Rachel, Maggie, Pam, Ryan, John, Matt & Meghan–just to name a few. We stayed into the evening to take in some of the great music and an added plus was running into some neighbors and getting the chance to catch up. It was altogether an enjoyable experience.

But let’s get back to the important thing–the food! Besides the aforementioned donuts, apples were consumed in the form of caramel apples, apple martinis, and apple sangria.  And I must say it was worth the splurge. Today I’m back on the healthy eating bandwagon, with gratifying apple-tinged memories to carry me through until next year.

The covered bridge stage featured the band "Infinity" along with the debut of our new festival welcome sign.

The covered bridge stage featured the band “Infinity” along with the debut of our new festival welcome sign.

The Black Unicorn

angie
Long Grove resident and Chicago Bears player Martellus Bennett with two young fans at the Chatterbox.

Long Grove resident and Chicago Bears player Martellus Bennett with two young fans at the Chatterbox.

I have had the opportunity to meet some very fun and unique individuals since becoming Village President, and one of those is Long Grove resident Martellus Bennett, a player for the Chicago Bears. I first met Martellus at one of our local restaurants, the Chatterbox, where he often drops in with his wife and daughter. The self-professed “Black Unicorn” has been collaborating with Chatterbox chef Matt Bassitt over the summer on a signature burger that reflects aspects of his eccentric personality. I was lucky enough to be present this past Friday here in Long Grove for the official launch of The Black Unicorn burger.

Martellus wanted to create a burger so big that most people couldn’t finish it. It features bison meat (big and lean like the athlete he is) and dinosaur kale as a nod to his other nickname “The Orange Dinosaur.” Add to that green tomatoes and Cajun cheddar (in homage to his Southern roots), thick slices of smoked bacon, onion rings, and barbeque sauce made with Crown Royal, a favorite drink. According to chef Bassitt, “Everything on the burger has sweetness, but is still a little spicy. We wanted to show (Bennett’s) two sides. He’s a nice guy, but he has a fire to him.”

I must confess that I could not eat the whole thing, but it was delicious! Only 83 burgers were sold on Friday, in reference to Bennett’s number 83 jersey. The player himself was on hand to greet customers and sign footballs for young fans sampling his latest creation. Personally, it was a fun evening spent with friends and neighbors in one of Long Grove’s best gathering spots. And thanks to The Black Unicorn burger, we have one more great reason to visit!

Residents Charlie Wachs and Aaron Underwood prepare to sample The Black Unicorn burger.

Residents Charlie Wachs and Aaron Underwood prepare to sample The Black Unicorn burger.

 

Captive to the Keyboard

angie
In my home office, where I spend several hours each day responding to email and blogging!

In my home office, where I spend several hours each day responding to email and/or blogging!

One of my Trustees said to me recently, “Angie, it’s great that you like writing so much.” Actually, sometimes I really dislike writing. I often procrastinate when I have to write an article for the Village newsletter. Writing a formal letter or email response to a resident sometimes takes me five times longer than it should. Writing a speech can be agony. And coming up with topics for Long Grove Living articles is sometimes really a challenge. Like many jobs, my job as Village President involves a large amount of writing. Because of this, I was hesitant to add to the workload by committing to maintaining a blog.

But to my surprise, I love being a blogger. I guess it’s not that different than keeping a journal, and I have throughout different stages in life kept diaries, journals, and scrapbooks. In many ways, this is the digital version of keeping a record of my days, except that it is shared with everyone on the internet. Not that anyone on the internet would care to read my 16 year old dramas in exquisite detail, but you get the similarity.

When I asked my colleague why he thought I liked writing so much, he said “because you’re so good at it.” I have never really considered myself a good writer. I am an avid reader though, and maybe some of the millions of beautiful words and phrases I’ve consumed over the years have somehow rubbed off on me. Also, being proficient at a skill doesn’t necessarily correlate to liking it–such as mopping the floor or changing a diaper!

The writing that I get to create as a blogger is much more enjoyable though, because I get to use my own voice. When I write a piece as the Village President, I have to be so very careful of the tone and political correctness, because I am representing the entire community in what I say. In my blog entries I get to be Angie, and what you read is coming from my own point of view. It is infinitely easier to write when you can just be yourself, and hopefully some of my personality is coming through as well. There is always the risk that someone will be offended when being sincere and honest. But that is the beauty of the blog–no one is forcing you to read this. It is not an officially endorsed Village Communication.

I am very grateful for the feedback that I have gotten from my posts here since starting this new project, most have been positive and supportive. If you will keep reading, I will keep blogging about the never-ending ways in which I am surprised, delighted, and challenged by this crazy job as mayor. I don’t think I’ll ever run out of stories to tell!

All Our Ducks in a Row

angie
Outside the Long Grove Info Center with LGBCP Director Sharon Fine

Outside the Long Grove Info Center with LGBCP Director Sharon Fine

This summer Long Grove has given a temporary home to some cute and colorful visitors to our downtown “Visitors’ Center” at the crossroads. The giant yellow duckies pictured above have been lined up to provide a friendly and welcoming spot for a photo opportunity. The Long Grove Confectionery was doing a little spring cleaning this year, and these lucky-ducks ended up being adopted by the downtown merchants instead of waddling off to the landfill. If nothing else, they bring a welcome smile to my face when I cruise through town.

What is our Visitors’ Center used for anyway? Well, it serves as a home base, office, and upstairs meeting room for the Long Grove Business and Community Partners (LGBCP). This summer marks two years that the group has been at this location on the main crossroads of Old McHenry Road and Robert Parker Coffin Road.  Director Sharon Fine and her assistant Dana keep our historic business district running from day to day, help promote tourism and economic development, and play a major part in planning and organizing the festivals and special events that Long Grove is known for. And of course they provide a cheerful welcome to the many shoppers and visitors who stop by on a regular basis. It surprised me to learn that we have so many international tourists and visitors who make the trip out to our part of Lake County. This is also the spot to pick up a piece of Long Grove merchandise–who doesn’t need more coffee mugs?

If the ducks stick around into the fall, can we dress them up as scarecrows? I definitely suggest Santa suits if they make it to the holidays!

Where the Wild Things Are

angie
Photo of a wild turkey taken this spring in a Long Grove backyard.

Photo of a wild turkey taken this spring in a Long Grove backyard.

Having lived in Long Grove for 17 years now, I’ve had many different types of strange and exciting wildlife encounters. One creature that I have not seen yet, however, is a wild turkey.  Recently, fellow resident and friend Jodi Smith posted a picture on facebook of a just such a bird, strutting across her back yard, near the forest preserve. So cool, and certainly something that we don’t see every day!

I used to sometimes see red foxes cutting through our neighborhood, and I have also spotted the occasional weasel. Living close to a creek means that I’ve encountered a number of snapping turtles over the years, and some of them have been as large as a dinner plate. One spring, a momma snapper crawled up the creek bed into my next-door neighbor’s yard and laid her eggs in a nest that she dug overnight. It just happened to be near the bus stop for Country Meadows, so the kids and moms alike were entertained watching her industrious labor. Later in September, the eggs hatched and we were again treated to the bus stop spectacle of many, many tiny baby turtles emerging from a hole in the ground to march, one by one, back down to the creek. How did they instinctively know the way? Another one of nature’s mysteries, I guess.

Deer and coyotes are common visitors to many of our Long Grove properties, and sometimes they co-exist peacefully, sometimes not. About ten years ago, I looked out my family room window to discover a newborn fawn, curled up under a tree in our back yard. It was Memorial Day weekend, and we watched and worried over that baby from a distance, as it seemed like the mother was never around and had possibly abandoned him. I have since learned that this is a common behavior for the doe to forage and leave the newborn fawn alone for long time periods. Eventually momma deer did shown up, and off they went into the woods. But it was not so happily-ever-after. Because of the warm weekend we slept with the windows open, only to be awakened at dawn the following day by the most blood-curdling braying sounds coming from the tree line next to our yard. A large coyote had the fawn by the neck and was carrying it off across our back yard! I screamed and the coyote dropped the fawn right next to our patio. In retrospect, maybe the coyote was a mother too, just trying to rustle up some breakfast for her children, but at the time I was more concerned with my young children waking up and having to see a dead fawn outside the kitchen window. Then something miraculous happened. As my husband was getting ready to relocate the carcass, the fawn seemingly rose from the dead, shook his head, and stumbled off into the woods to live another day. All that summer, we saw the same fawn and his mother hanging around our yard, and we enjoyed watching him grow. We named them Jesus and Mary. Jesus graciously thanked me for saving his life by eating my hostas, roses, and daylilies!

Sometimes our wildlife gets a little too close for comfort, as we discovered one spring when a raccoon decided that our attic would be the perfect spot to set up her nursery. Telltale sounds in the night led my husband to set up video cameras to survey the nocturnal goings-on. Yes, the joyous sight of a mother raccoon and her babies was captured on film for us to enjoy. I will never forget the fun of being in Arizona with the family for Spring Break, and watching footage of momma raccoon wiggle and shimmy her furry backside into a tiny hole in our shake shingle roof in Long Grove. The wildlife “experts” that we hired to relocate the varmints conveniently left their ladder against our roof for easy overnight critter access. Party at the Underwood’s while they are out of town! We even posted a video of it on youtube—raccoons are REALLY good at climbing a ladder.

Despite the occasional crazy mishap with our local creatures, I really do love being where the wild things are. One of the joys of living in our Village is having the opportunity to observe nature up close and personal. Wildlife can be unpredictable, but also endlessly fascinating.

Long Grove’s Hollywood Moment

angie
Meeting host Anthony Anderson at the filming of "Eating America" in 2014.

Meeting host Anthony Anderson at the filming of “Eating America” in 2014.

Last Friday I attended a meeting of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus in Chicago, and Mayor Rahm Emmanuel was one of our speakers. I noticed that he travels with a media representative and photographer, which is thankfully not a part of my everyday job! I did, however have a fun opportunity to be filmed last summer during Long Grove’s Strawberry Fest as part of the Food Network show, “Eating America.”

I truly never thought my degree in Foods/Nutrition Dietetics would come in handy in my role as Village President, until I received an email from a Hollywood producer. They were interested in featuring our Strawberry Festival as one of eight unique American food festivals in their new series, to be hosted by actor Anthony Anderson, star of TV’s “Blackish.” Would I be interested in being a judge of the culinary contest? It was a tough job assignment, but I guess somebody needed to do it!

Spending the afternoon with a film crew from Los Angeles was surprisingly easy. They were very complimentary of our Village and the people they had met. I heard time and again that they were delighted that “everyone is so friendly, cooperative, helpful, and most importantly, on time.” I was especially impressed with the camaraderie I saw exhibited by our local chefs and restauranteurs. In a spirit of friendly competition, they really rose to the challenge of creating unique dishes featuring strawberries as a key ingredient. Providing expertise to the judging was the executive chef from the acclaimed Chicago restaurant TRU, and the head of the Chicago Food Bloggers. We were tasked with picking an overall winner in items as diverse as Strawberry Ricotta Ravioli, Strawberry-Watercress Soup, and Strawberry Macaroons. It was a delicious but difficult decision! The trophy for the winning dish went to Adam Ullrich from the Village Tavern for his Shaved Beef Sandwich with Strawberry Salsa.

The series debuted in August of last year, and our Long Grove episode aired in early September. It was a kick to watch and the show really showcased Long Grove in a great way. This kind of media exposure is priceless and was a lucky break for our Village. My screen time amounted to a few seconds here and there, but it created one of the most memorable experiences so far in holding this office. And if the Food Network comes calling again for Apple Fest…I am ready and willing!