North Shore Views

Archive for the 'Highland Park' Category

Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan to Open a Tea House in Ravinia

According to a recent report by Ari Bendersky in chicago.eater.com, the founder and front man of Smashing Pumpkins has decided to open a tea shop in the Ravinia neighborhood of Highland Park.

Billy Corgan, who was born in Elk Grove Village and grew up in Glendale Heights, now lives in Highland Park, and has decided that there just aren’t enough cool cultural things to do in town. So he’s planning to take over the former U.S. Post Office on Roger Williams Avenue, where his new shop will open in March or April. It will seat about 30 people and will have a “1930s Chinese-style tea house vibe” (whatever that is).

Apparently, Corgan wants this to be a gathering place for people of mixed ages to come and just enjoy a cup of tea or listen to live music, view one of the rotating an art exhibits or become engaged in a talk about archeology or other interesting topic.

In addition to serving unique and exotic teas, Corgan plans to offer coffee, as well as some healthier, basic sweets and vegan options.

Read the whole story here.

Tags: Billy Corgan, Ravinia

North Shore’s Best Chinese Food

Years ago, when we lived in Highland Park and worked in the city, our Friday night ritual was to head directly from the train to Little Szechwan for dinner. Our regular server was Annie and she rolled a mean Mu Shu Pork. I credit Annie with getting me to branch out of my comfort zone and try new (spicy!) dishes. No matter what we ordered it was always tasty and the service was always friendly and attentive. We stopped going only because we moved out of town. A few years later, when we moved back to the North Shore, we landed in Wilmette, and Little Szechwan just wasn’t as top of mind or as convenient anymore.

But last Sunday, my daughter had a late afternoon soccer game at the Bubble in Highland Park, so afterwards we decided to head over to Little Szechwan, hoping it would still be as good as we remembered. We were not disappointed. We ordered some old favorites like Kung Pao Beef and tried a couple new things like Yu Hsiang Eggplant and Szechwan Shrimp.

For my money Little Szechwan is still the best Chinese restaurant on the North Shore.

Little Szechwan is located at 1900 First Street in Highland Park and is open every day.  The restaurant is owned by Chef Simon Lin, who also owns the more upscale (and expensive) Asian Bistro in Lincolnshire. For more information visit www.littleszechwan.com.

Tags: Highland Park restaurants, Little Szechwan, North Shore chinese restaurants

End of August Festivals

Summer may be winding down but there are still plenty of fairs and festivals going on around the North Shore. Here’s what’s going on through the end of August:

Wilmette

Summerfest at Beth Hillel Congregation on Saturday, August 22 from 11 am to 4 pm. Live music, food, children’s activities, Israeli dancing and appearances by alumni Blackhawks players. Free admission.
3220 Big Tree Lane, Wilmette. Call 847-256-1213 for more information.

Evanston

American Craft Exposition. 150 juried craftspeople will exhibit baskets, ceramics, furniture, glass, jewlry and mixed media crafts. Friday, August 27 from 10 am to 8 pm Saturday and Sunday, August 28-29 from 11 am to 5 pm.  Tickets: $12 in advance; $15 at the door (good all 3 days). Proceeds benefit breast and ovarian cancer research.
Northwestern University’s Henry Crown Sports Pavilion, 2311 Campus Drive.

Skokie

Backlot Bash. A summer tradition featuring live music on the main stage at Oakton Avenue, amusement park/carnival, classic auto show, sidewalk sale and teen activities. Friday, August 27 from 6 to 10 pm, Saturday, August 28 from 11 am to 10 pm and Sunday, August 29 from noon to 8 pm. Lincoln at Oakton in downtown Skokie. You can see the schedule of events here.

Highland Park

Port Clinton Art Festival featuring works by 260  juried artists, live music, children’s activities and Taste of Highland Park. August 28-29 from 10 am to 6 pm. Admission free. Port Clinton Square, 600 Central Ave.

Tags: fairs and festivals

Summer Sidewalk Sales on the North Shore

Every year it seems like the sidewalk sales along the North Shore get better and better. Now it’s not just about shopping…the sales have turned into veritable street festivals, with food, music, games and other activities for kids. Here’s the line-up for the rest of July:

Wilmette

Friday and Saturday, July 9 and 10
9 am – 4 pm
Shopping, food and family fun, including DJ entertainment, magician, face painting, moonwalk and petting zoo on Saturday.
Call 847-251-3800 or visit www.wilmettechamber.org

Evanston – Central Street

Thursday to Saturday, July 15 to 17
10 am – 5 pm
Bargains from businesses located between the 1900 and 2100 blocks of Central Street. Central Street, located in North Evanston, is chock full of mom and pop run businesses and retains a local and distinctive charm which sets it apart from many shopping districts. There are women’s boutiques, flower shops, bakeries (including one for dogs), restaurants, a renowned spice shop, realtors, and much much more!
For more information visit www.centralstreet-evanston.com.

Winnetka

Friday and Saturday, July 16 and 17
9 am to 5 pm
This year’s theme is “Jazzing Up July”. In addition to shopping, listen to New Orleans jazz while the kids enjoy games, activities and face painting.

Phil Passen and Petra van Nuis will be performing live music during the two-day event. Passen, musician and singer, will perform a variety of traditional American music. Playing the hammered dulcimer, Passen says his music will “capture the essence of old-time music. The beautiful sound and versatility of the dulcimer shine in this captivating performance.” Consistent with the theme of the weekend, Chicago based jazz vocalist Petra van Nuis will perform several songs from her extensive repertoire on Saturday.

And some star power will be added to this year’s sale. Winnetka also will welcome Kathryn Stockett, the author of the best-selling novel The Help to the sale. The novel, set in 1960s Jackson, Miss., deals with the issue of segregation in the South a century after the Emancipation Proclamation.
Call (847) 446-4451 or visit www.winnekachamber.com.

Evanston – Downtown

Saturday, July 24
10 am to 5 pm

Close to 200 Evanston merchants in both downtown Evanston and the Chicago/Dempster district will offer deals on summer inventory, featuring the ideal mix of independent shops and your favorite national chain stores. Expect to find deals on apparel, shoes, one-of-a-kind accessories and decorative arts, including the best in specialty designed, hand-crafted goods. Resale shoppers and antique & vintage hunters will find a variety of shops to explore.

To get to the sale on public transit, take the CTA Purple Line “el” to the Davis, Dempster, or Main stop; or take Metra to the Davis or Main stop.
Call 847.866.6319 or visit http://www.downtownevanston.org

Highland Park

Thursday to Sunday, July 22 to 25
This is your opportunity to get clothing, shoes, jewelry, home décor, and other great stuff at 50 to 75 percent off regular prices. Great back-to-school bargains, too. Of course, early shoppers always find the best one-of-a-kind deals.

And this year, look for a balloonist, magician, face painters, and musicians to entertain the kids while you look for great buys.
To get there, just take the Edens Expressway – exit at Central Avenue East – travel about one mile – and you’re there.
Call 847-432-0284 or visit www.ehighlandpark.com

Tags: sidewalk sales

Independence Day on the North Shore

This year the weather promises to be absolutely perfect for 4th of July celebrations – sunny, clear and warm (not hot) from now through Sunday. There are lots of fun things going on all up and down the North Shore, and if you’ve got the energy, you can spread your celebration out over three days. As always, Wilmette holds its celebration on July 3rd, while Glenview waits til the 5th. (Thunderstorms are currently in the forecast for Monday, so if you live in Glenview you may want to join the festivities in another town on the 4th, just to be on the safe side.). Also, note that, in Winnetka, the parade begins at 1:00 pm and not 10:00 am, as in previous years.

Evanston

July 4
7:30 pm – Twilight Concert featuring the Palatine Concert Band
9:00 pm – The musical fireworks extravaganza will be launched from Clark Street Beach and can be viewed from any part of the lakefront area east of Downtown Evanston.

Wilmette

July 3
4:00 pm -  Games and rides for children, entertainment, roving performers, and a Tastefest at Gillson Park.
7:30 pm – A traditional concert of patriotic music by the Palatine Concert Band in the Wallace Bowl. It will be preceded by a sneak preview of this summer’s Starlight Theatre musical feature.
9:30 p.m – Fireworks begin. In case of rain, the fireworks will be rescheduled to a later date.

The easiest way to get to and from the Independence Day celebrations in Gillson Park is by using the special Pace shuttle bus service. Motorists may park at Edens Plaza or at the METRA commuter lot. To see a complete listing of events or for additional transportation information see the Wilmette Park District’s website.

Winnetka

July 4
1:00 pm – The celebration begins with Winnetka’s annual parade. (Note the change in time from past years). The parade sets off from the corner of Elm and Glendale Streets, and heads east to the Village Green.
2:00 pm – -A flag-raising ceremony, children’s flag parade, and family races follow the parade on the Green.
6:30 pm -  “Fourth Fest,” featuring food, children’s entertainment, and a pre-fireworks concert at Duke Child’s Field
9:15 pm – Fireworks begin

Northfield

July 4
9:45 am -  Bike parade kicks off from two locations — Somerset and Old Willow or the Ameritech Lot. Both routes end at Willow Park.
10:30 am -  Bike judging, music and amusement rides begin. Family activities include relays, wheelbarrow races, a hula-hoop contest and an egg toss. For more information, go to northfieldparkdistrict.org or call 847-446-4428.

Glencoe

July 4
8:00 am – Fun Run starts at the train station, 724 Green Bay Road
10:00 am – Games in Kalk Park, Park Aveune and Green Bay Road
2:00 pm – Parade
6:30 pm -  Barbecue on the beach with children’s entertainment and music
9:00 pm – Fireworks on the beach
847-835-3050

Glenview

July 5

11:00 am -  Bike Parade starting at the corner of Glenview rd. and Church St.
11:30 am -  Main parade starting from OLPH parking lot and ending at Johns Park.
7:30 pm – Twilight Show with patriotic concert by the North Shore Concert Band. The show’s finale will be fireworks synchronized to patriotic music.
847-724-5670

Highland Park

July 4
11:00 am – Parade in downtown Highland Park
12:00 pm – Fourth Fest at Sunset Woods Park
9:15 pm – Fireworks at Wolters Field on Park Avenue West
847-432-0800

Lake Forest

July 4
6:00 pm – Beer garden with kids activities and live music by Sixteen Candles at Deerpath Community Park
8:00 pm – KC and the Sunshine Band
9:30 pm -  Fireworks sponsored by the Lake Forest Symphony

Tags: 4th of july, Independence Day

Guide to Highland Park Preschools

Ravinia Nursery School

686 Red Oak Lane, Highland Park, IL 60035
(847) 831-3700
www.ravinianurseryschool.com

Ravinia Nursery School is a developmental preschool where children are encouraged to learn through play. Children learn at their own pace and in their own direction. Programs include a classes for 3-4 year olds (five mornings/week from 9:30-11:00) and a class for 4-5 year olds (five afternoons/week from 12:30-3:00). The younger class focuses on outdoor play, arts and crafts, music, singing and stories, while the older class adds language, literacy and math skills like counting, sorting and classifying objects.
There is also a summer camp.

Highland Park Montessori Schools

There are three Montessori schools in Highland Park. The goal of the schools is to help children become creative and competent human beings who are fully aware of themselves and the world around them.They are dedicated to creating an environment where children can feel comfortable and are able to learn in a respectful, caring community. The children work independently and in groups  in a non-competitive atmosphere and are encouraged to make decisions from an early age.

Programs include a parent-child class (2 months+), a toddler class (2-3 year olds), a primary class (3-6 year olds) and full-day kindergarten

• Highland Park Montessori
  1301 Clavey Rd., Highland Park, IL 60035
  (847) 433-3383
• Montessori Connection West
  1731 Deerfield Rd., Highland Park, IL 60035
  (847) 831-9393

• Montessori Connection East
  330 Laurel Ave., Highland Park, IL 60035
  (847) 433-5106

www.highlandparkmontessori.com

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Highland Park, Preschools

North Shore Housing Inventory

Here is a snapshot of active listings (single family detached homes) on the market as of April 5, 2010.

Town	# Active Listings	Avg. List Price	Median List Price	Days on Market
Evanston	249	$694,910	$535,000	212
Wilmette	181	$890,392	$719,000	204
Winnetka	182	$2,120,724	$1,497,000	279
Kenilworth	44	$2,188,466	$2,245,000	327
Glenview	357	$754,771	$649,000	242
Glencoe	114	$1,759,373	$1,132,000	249
Northfield	58	$950,160	$659,500	349
Highland Park	295	$1,035,746	$666,000	287
Lake Forest	306	$1,887,223	$1,299,000	314
NORTH SHORE	1786	$1,245,590	$827,000	264

Source: MRED – Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Tags: North Shore market data

North Shore Market Update: 1st Quarter 2010

The North Shore housing market looks a whole lot better in 2010 than it did at this time last year. Driven by low interest rates, the home buyer tax credit, plentiful supply of homes to choose from and attractive prices, buyers have returned to the market. Prices are still soft but the rate of decline has slowed.

Housing sales on Chicago’s North Shore increased 56% in the first quarter of 2010 vs. the same period last year. All towns had healthy increases except for Northfield which had one less sale this year than last. The big winner in percentage terms was Kenilworth, which had nine sales this year vs. one last year.

Average prices for sold properties on the North Shore was down 7%. Lake Forest showed the biggest drop (-30%), followed by Winnetka (-21%). Highland Park had only a 1% decrease in average price, while Evanston and Wilmette actually showed increases. Kenilworth’s large increase in average price was driven by the fact that the only sale in 2009 was for an unusually low-priced property for this village.

Days on market for properties sold was down 8% for the North Shore, but the numbers varied widely across individual towns. The largest decreases in market time were in Wilmette (-70%) and Lake Forest (-58%). The largest increases were in Kenilworth (+48%) and Northfield (+38%).

North Shore Market Update – 1st Qtr. 2010 vs. Year Ago*

*Single family detached homes. Source: MRED – Deemed reliable but not guaranteed

Tags: North Shore market data, North Shore real estate trends, North Shore sales trends

North Shore Market Update: January-February 2010

For the first two months of 2010 sales of single family homes on Chicago’s North Shore were up 47% over the same period last year. The big winners were Highland Park and Lake Forest, which both more than doubled their sales vs. last year. Kenilworth, which only had one sale in the first two months of 2009, had five this year.

While prices were down 7% from this time last year, the rate of decline does seem to be slowing and the market may be nearing the bottom. Market times are up over last year but down versus previous months and there is less inventory on the market now.

North Shore Market Trends: Jan. – Feb. 2010 (vs. year ago)

Town	Units Sold % chg	Avg. Price % chg	Mkt Time % chg
Evanston	35%	18%	31%
Wilmette	20%	-14%	-27%
Glenview/Golf	16%	1%	3%
Northfield	-25%	-27%	84%
Kenilworth	400%	126%	65%
Winnetka	50%	-19%	11%
Glencoe	9%	-23%	1%
Highland Park	190%	14%	157%
Lake Forest	100%	-14%	-20%
NORTH SHORE	47%	-7%	8%

Source: MRED LLC -Deemed reliable but not guaranteed

Tags: North Shore market data, North Shore real estate trends, North Shore sales trends

Highland Park Real Estate Trends

Highland Park real estate trends are looking more positive recently but not as positive as the trends for Glencoe, its neighbor to the south. Sales were up, but not as much as in Glencoe and prices were down.  Months supply of inventory has decreased since the beginning of the year, but remains higher than Glencoe’s months supply.

Highland Park Home Sales

December home sales (single-family houses, condos and townhomes) were up 19% over November and also up 19% vs. December 2008. However, total 2009 sales of 242 are 18% behind 2008 sales of 294. Although trends have been positive since May, the market in Highland Park was dead through April, which depressed total year numbers. Sales in the second half of 2009 were comparable to the same period last year.

Home Prices

The downward trend in prices that began early in 2008 appear to have slowed. The average selling price in December was $623,634, down 0.5% vs. last year but up 71% vs. November. One month’s increase does not a trend make, so we shouldn’t draw any conclusions from one big jump.

Housing Inventory and Months Supply

Inventory of homes for sale has been trending down since June and was 12% lower than November.  However, inventories continued to be higher than for December 2008. Currently there is 16.3 months supply, meaning that it would take over 16 months to sell all the houses on the market at the current rate of sale. This is 6 months more than Glencoe.

Market Time

Market time, the number of days a property is on the market before it sells, has been increasing since the middle of 2008.  But in December market time was down, vs. November and vs. December of 2008, suggesting that sellers are getting more realistic about pricing and buyers are responding.

Tags: Highland Park, North Shore market data, North Shore real estate trends, North Shore sales trends