Friday – July 18, 2014
Geneva, Illinois
We awoke to the robins communicating with one another through their rich and
warbling songs. They are one of the first bird species to begin singing in the
morning. Soon, they were followed by the cardinals high-pitch whistle, welcoming
us to the beginning of another beautiful day. The bright sunlight reflected off
of the morning dew still clinging to the blades of grass carpeting our back yard, creating the illusion
of tiny dots of blinking lights. Thus begins our day of exploration.
We began our day in Geneva, Illinois.
This is one of our favorite places to
visit. Geneva holds a special place in our hearts: we got married in the historic
Third Street Courthouse
thirty-five years ago. Sharon and I have been on a
magical ride together ever since. The courthouse is open to the public and an
interesting place to visit.
Geneva Courthouse
Geneva has several historic residences that were built in the nineteenth
century. Some of them have been converted to unique shops and restaurants that
are showcased on Third Street. Visitors also frequent the multi-faceted business
district on State Street.
Historic Homes
Our first stop was to Soup to Nuts,
a health food store, located on State
Street. We were there to purchase Crio Bru, a brewed drink made from 100%
premium cocoa beans. It is sold in a variety of blends in 12-ounce packages. We
saw Crio Bru featured on one of the Shark Tank show segments and were intrigued
enough to give it a taste test. A Google search showed Soup to Nuts as a
distributor of Crio Bru. We purchased the Cavalla and Coca River blends.
Next, we took a tour down memory lane through the Third Street Courthouse. Not much has changed since we got married there 35 years ago, except for
the security check station visitors must now pass through to gain entry to the
building. A sad reminder of how the world has changed since the catastrophic
terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York on September 11, 2001.
We continued our tour of Third Street, enjoying the view of the magnificent
historic structures adorning both sides of the street, sheltered from the
sunlight by massive oak trees. Window shoppers were also enjoying the day as they strolled leisurely through the boutique shops, seeking hidden treasures to purchase.
Third Street
We had a late lunch at Chianti's Restaurant
on Third Street. This has been
one of our favorites for the past twenty years or so. Sharon had the Barbecue
Shrimp & Pasta and I had the Linguini with White Clam Sauce. The Barbecue Shrimp
dish is quite spicy hot. The wait staff use to warn patrons that ordered this
dish that it was EXTREMELY spicy hot. The wait staff no longer warns patrons,
since the spiciness has been toned down, but Sharon still enjoyed it. Back in
the extremely spicy days, I tried the dish once and that was it for me! I enjoy
spicy dishes, but that one was way beyond my spicy threshold.
Chianti's Restaurant
We saunter back onto Third Street to walk off our lunch, only to be lured
into Graham's Chocolates. Yep, we sure can’t depart Geneva without dessert!
Graham’s is located in one of those magnificent historic homes. They serve a
large selection of homemade chocolates and some amazing homemade ice cream. We
each purchased an ice cream cone and some chocolates and settled into one of the
many large wooden chairs located in front of the home to finish off our treats.
We were so comfortable there, shaded from the sunlight form the massive oak
trees surrounding us, just people watching and enjoying each other’s company. A
fitting end to a wonderful day.
Graham's Chocolates
Tomorrow another adventure begins.
It eliminates and prevents mold
with no bleach or harmful chemicals. The product works as it dries on moldy
surfaces, creating an antimicrobial shield that crushes mold spores and remains
on the surface to prevent future mold growth. You merely clean your wet bath,
then spray this product on the surfaces that are subject to retain moisture and
the problem is solved! 
on our shower floor to facilitate the drying process. It is
self-draining with interlocking panels that provide a ventilated surface to
promote air circulation and eliminate trapped moisture. We use the 12" x 12"
panels and trim them for a custom fit.