Discovering the Town You Live In

Since I have started down my new path, I have extra time on my hands so I am trying to take advantage of some of the amenities of the area I live in. We have lived in this 'burb for over a year, yet I feel like Mr. Gooch and I still don't really know all it has to offer. So we have been exploring over the last few months.

On the main street of town we have discovered the Brown Cow Ice Cream Parlor which has some of the best ice cream ever! I could write an entire post about the fabulousness of their Mountain Berry Crunch (my fav) and Banana Cream Pie (Mr. Gooch's fav). Near our new favorite ice cream place are cute bistros with outdoor dining, Irish pubs where I can get my hard cider fix and antique shops. Some of my new favorites restaurants are Cafe DeLuca and Francesca’s Fiore. Interestingly enough, they are both Italian. We watch the local papers for nights where there are discounts or coupons so we can go out on a regular basis.

On the south side of town, I love the Harrison Street Cafe. Mostly because I am not a fan of the breakfast food and Mr. Gooch is. The HS Cafe allows us to eat brunch together. I usually get the grilled cheese sandwich and Mr. Gooch gets some sort of skillet thing with eggs, sausage, potatoes, cheese and veggies.

I have also gotten a library card and through the library's web site have requested a number of books and DVDs that I have wanted to read and see. The best part is that the library sends an email when the books and DVDs arrive at the local branch.

We also live right near the local Park District with a pool and mini water park, baseball diamonds, tennis courts and skate park. I think that buying tennis racquets for the two of us needs to be added to the "To Do" list. On the 4th of July, the fireworks are set off right across the street from the house.

Now that the farms around here are beginning to hit their peak, we have been visiting the local farmer's market to buy fruits, vegetables, seasonings and marinades, grass raised beef as well as jams and jellies. Things there are a bit more expensive than the grocery store, but supporting local farmers is important so we cut back in other areas to do so.

As the weeks go one, we will continue to explore. Still on the list to explore are the area cemeteries where some famous people are buried, trying more local restaurants and some of the classes offered by local businesses (like cooking, stained glass and pottery).

Print this post