Some homes make a strong impression on you while leaving you fumbling for le mot juste to describe them. Coldwell Banker's Maureen Mohling summed up the home as "not fragile, not pretentious" while the best I could do was "not precious." Don't be misled by our phrasing – a visit to the home is a very pleasant,… Continue

When Dean Thanos tells me that Ridgeview Grill in Wilmette is "a friendly, homey environment," I know that's more than a marketing spiel. It's one of the reasons I've eaten there hundreds of times over a 20-year time span. And, it's a tone set by Dean's dad John during his nearly 50 years of operating Ridgeview.

Ridgeview expanded its space a few years back, enabling an expanded menu (fresh fish, pastas,…

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NBC featured correspondent Mike Leonard lives about o200 yards from The Grand Food Center in Winnetka – a place he loves to visit. Watch the video and you'll want to visit this high-service grocery too. And, yes, it's the "Home Alone" grocery visited by Macaulay…

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You'll find a useful guide to eating out on the North Shore on Christmas Day at Ageless North Shore.