A Morning of Small Business Shopping in Elgin, Illinois

 

Supporting Local By Discovering Elgin Small Businesses 

Disclosure: Thank you to Explore Elgin Area for hosting our visit.

Elgin, Illinois is the home to an interesting mix of small businesses beckoning for exploration. On one morning of our visit, we meandered through a few and found new favorites!

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Relishing Nibbles and Small Business Shopping in Janesville, Wisconsin

Uncovering Local Eateries and Shops in Janesville, Wisconsin

**Disclosure: Thank you to Janesville  Area Convention &Visitors Bureau for hosting and accommodating my visit so I can bring this series to my audience. Opinions are 100% my own.

Janesville, Wisconsin offers a wealth of unique dining and shopping experiences. We make new discoveries on every visit! During our getaway, we blended together old favorites and new discoveries. Enjoy an adventure exploring some of our favorites in Janesville:

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Batch Bakehouse: A Sweet Exploration Becomes A New Favorite in Madison, Wisconsin

Batch Bakehouse: A Sweet Exploration Becomes A New Favorite in Madison, Wisconsin

Our bakery dreams have certainly been answered by Batch Bakehouse in Madison, Wisconsin! After a quick survey of nearby bakeries during our recent stopover in Madison, we settled on Batch Bakehouse for nibbles for breakfast. Upon entering, we were WOWed:

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Hot Hands Pie & Biscuit in St. Paul, Minnesota Delights Taste Buds with Pure Food Magic

Hot Hands Pie & Biscuit in St. Paul, Minnesota Delights Taste Buds with Pure Food Magic

Biscuits. Pie. What could be better on a road trip than a stop to treat oneself with a meal of biscuits and pie. Cue Hot Hands Pie & Biscuit, a true must-visit destination in St. Paul, Minnesota. We visited not once but twice during a two day visit. Our treats delighted us so much that we almost made a third trip. Entirely true.

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Introducing Samadhi, A Yoga Studio -- Meet Vanessa and Dolly

Introducing Samadhi, A Yoga Studio -- Meet Vanessa  Podgorski  and Dolly Cipolla

During our Stay in Place time, businesses are having to be a bit innovative. Samadhi: A Yoga Studio located in Glenview is continuing to offer a wealth of yoga and centering experiencing during unusual times. Recently, I had the opportunity to interview studio owner Vanessa Podgorski and studio manager Dolly Cipolla.

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Savoring the Flavors at Chicago Mike's Ice Cream Co. in Highwood, Illinois

Savoring the Flavors at Chicago Mike's Ice Cream Co. in Highwood, Illinois

Ice cream was perfect for this past pretty warm October weekend! We visited Chicago Mike's Ice Cream Co. in Highwood for the first time and were immediately enamored with this local family business housed in an old fire station. I mean, isn't it cute?

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Experiencing and Tasting Pastry at Artesa Bakery in Homer Glen, Illinois

Experiencing and Tasting Pastry at Artesa Bakery in Homer Glen, Illinois

**Disclosure: My husband and I received a complimentary tasting experience at Artesa Bakery to bring you an accurate review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.

Artesa Bakery in Homer Glen easily tempts with a heavenly range of pastry delights. One sunny afternoon, my husband and I ventured to meet pastry chef and owner Mikayla Machlet for a little tasting and to learn what Artesa Bakery is all about. After a look at the beautifully arranged bakery cases full of irresistible pastries, we knew we would have a divine tasting adventure:

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Literary Wonderland at Midtown Scholar in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Literary Wonderland at Midtown Scholar in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Our Pennsylvania road trip took us right through Harrisburg where we made a stop at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore. Midtown Scholar Bookstore resides in a former 1920's cinema which became a department store in the 1950's. Talk about history! Plus, they have a cafe. So, how could we not stop?

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Be Present with Tea at Macha Tea Co. in Madison, Wisconsin

Be Present with Tea at Macha Tea Co. in Madison, Wisconsin

Macha Tea Co. in Madison, Wisconsin provided a magical tea stop for me along my road trip home last weekend from Tomah, WI. I scouted ahead en route for a place to pick up some tea for part of the drive. Upon discovering that Macha Tea Co. had loose leaf tea and treats, I just had to try it out.

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Donut Drop in Schaumburg, Illinois: Fresh Baked Donuts With Intriguing Flavors

Donut Drop: Fresh Baked Donuts With Intriguing Flavors 

Fresh and fun donuts with a mix of familiar, intriguing and curious flavors are baked locally every day at Donut Drop in Schaumburg. We first learned about Donut Drop after devouring a delicious donut we picked up at Brewpoint in Elmhurst. The barista at Brewpoint informed us that the donuts were baked locally. Fluffy and fresh donuts from a local small business are the perfect accompaniment for a locally roasted coffee. Since we live closer to Schaumburg than Elmhurst, we were thrilled to have the source of these magnificent baked creations so near to our home! 

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Backyard Bird Care for Winter

Backyard Bird Care for Winter:

**Disclosure: I do manage The Wildbird Shack's  social media outreach. All opinions are 100% my own.

Birds experience a scarcity of resources during winter months and need a little help from us. My friends a The Wildbird Shack in Mount Prospect, Illinois have a few suggestions on how you can help birds this winter and keep them coming to your yard:

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Patisserie Coralie in Evanston for Tea and Treats

Patisserie Coralie in Evanston, Illinois is the spot for French pastries and a spot of tea or coffee

Tea and pastries at Patisserie Coralie in Evanston, Illinois -- can we say perfect winter day joy! When things start getting chilly around here in the Chicago area, I head for places where I can get tea or coffee. Pastries and chocolates are always a great bonus! Last weekend, I visited Patisserie Coralie in Evanston for the first time. The adorable French patisserie was very busy and it was easy to see why! Patisserie Coralie has every pastry you can think of including croissants, macarons, tarts, meringues, madeleines, eclairs, viennoiseries, truffles and more.

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Monthly Discoveries Newsletter

Newsletter Time!

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Holiday Shopping in Galena, Illinois

Holiday Shopping and Small Business Exploring in Galena, Illinois

Our weekend holiday getaway to Galena, Illinois was just what we needed to start off the holiday season, revel in small business explorations and event get a little shopping done! Of course, there was time for wine tasting too! My husband and I opted to sneak away to Galena for a weekend in November and it was just the recharge we needed. Immediately upon arrival, one is charmed by Galena's historic main street:

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Small Business Shopping in Downtown Beloit

Shopping Small Businesses in Downtown Beloit, Wisconsin:

**Disclosure: Thank you to Visit Beloit for hosting my family's visit to Beloit.

During our visit to Beloit, we could not resist getting our shopping on. The downtown area holds a collection of small businesses and restaurants providing for a unique shopping adventure. Additionally, the Beloit Farmers' Market finds its home in the downtown area during warmer months. No matter the time of year, though, there is quite a shopping adventure to be had!

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Chicago Culinary Kitchen: Texas Style BBQ in Illinois

My husband loves BBQ, so naturally we had to check out a BBQ joint for his birthday. At some point over the summer, I noticed one that I actually had never heard of before in Palatine -- Chicago Culinary Kitchen. Chicago Culinary Kitchen is a unique local experience, so definitely the type of restaurant we seek out. Chicago Culinary Kitchen is only open on Saturdays and Sundays 11AM - sold out and features locally sourced meats and craft beer. Ok, this place was made for us and is so close to home! We planned our weekend visit and couldn't wait to check it out.

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Lunching It At Town House Books and Cafe in St. Charles, IL

On a weekend visit to St. Charles, Illinois, we visited Town House Books and Cafe for the first time for a little lunch. The adorable local business is housed in a historic home dating back to the 1850's. The quaint shop and cafe provide the perfect ambiance for us to relax a bit on a Sunday afternoon.

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Tasty Bites from Lola's Pizza Palace in Arlington Heights

Tucked away a little from the busy shopping area of Rand Road in Arlington Heights, IL is family owned Lola's Pizza Palace. Someone that knew I love unique local spots recommended Lola's to me awhile back. Since then, we have visited a couple of times and I can say that we quite enjoy the little joint! Being near the high school, it is a popular spot for the young set but it is also a great place for family fare.

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Playitforward Kids of Arlington Heights and Borne2Dance, Inc. Host Service Project for Kids July 10

Playitforward Kids in Arlington Heights is a charitable organization that helps kids play it forward and work on meaningful projects that help their community! As a parent, I know how much young children want to help but sometimes can't think of a way that they are able to.  Playitforward Kids tailors activities to their ages and allows young children to spread their kindness and joy in the community. For activities, the organization often pairs with local businesses. On July 10 12PM-1PM, Playitforward Kids will be partnering with Borne2Dance, Inc. in Palatine to make a craft and record a song for inpatients with dementia at Alexian Brothers Hospital. The event is free but you must register here: http://playitforwardkids.org/event/craft-and-song-for-alexian-brothers-hospital-inpatients/ A great opportunity for kids this summer!

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Dolce Italian Caffe and Bakery in Arlington Heights

Dolce Italian Caffe and Bakery is a small tucked away eatery in Arlington Heights that is worthy of venturing off of your normal path for further exploration. On a free afternoon, my husband and I ventured in for lunch and quickly learned that although slightly of the radar Dolce has fabulous food!

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