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.
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