What I Would Do With a Day in Long Grove and the Best BBQ Chicken
john barry
The other night we were out to dinner with some friends and they mentioned wanting to come to Long Grove sometime to check out the town. Paul and I are always thinking and talking about Long Grove and the stores. It’s so much a part of just being in this family that I don’t always experience Long Grove the way I should when I’m there.
We fall so easily into our routine of stopping by Paddy’s and the Boutique with the kids then heading straight to Grandpa’s. I have to remind myself to take some time and hang out in Long Grove. A couple of weeks ago we were leaving Chocolate Fest and, in our attempt to avoid traffic, ended up driving around the residential areas of Long Grove. I never realized how beautiful it is. I never took the time to really look.
Next time I’m in Long Grove I plan on leaving myself a few hours to shop and just be a tourist. Here’s my short list of places that I want to check out.
The Olive Tap, which is right next to Paddy’s, is a place I’ve been shopping for years. They always have ten things I need and I love tasting all of the different oils and vinegars.
Long Grove has a winery. I cannot believe I haven’t been there yet. Located in the Mill Pond Shops, they have wine, craft beer, cheese and charcuterie, live music and host special events. They have a shop, a tasting room, private event space and a really cute patio. Sounds like the perfect place to refuel after a morning of hitting the shops.
Ok. I just checked their website and it says that they have been open since 2014. See what I mean? I’ve looked in the windows of this store so many times but I’ve never been inside. It’s a treasure trove of sauces, dips, spreadables, seasonings and rubs, sauces and toppings. Just the place to stock my pantry.
Scout and Forge is a vintage store, full of beautifully restored pieces from jars and signs to lights and furniture. I love it! Have you ever watched the show “American Pickers”? Walking into Scout and Forge is like seeing the goods the guys on that show find, all shined up and restored. Matt and Meg breath new life into discarded American artifacts with a sound cleaning and conditioning, or by completely re-purposing something into a “new” unique, one-of-a-kind, quality piece. They get their hands dirty so you don’t have to. Paul bought me a lantern from here for Christmas and it makes me so happy.
Besides planning my Long Grove itinerary, I’ve been cooking a bit, outdoors. The other night I made Kevin Gillespie's BBQ chicken, a family favorite. I have never seen my kids eat so much protein in my life. You can find the recipe here. It’s so good.
