LAST-MINUTE
GIFT GUIDE
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GIVE THEM THE BEST NIGHT EVER! Do you have that hard to buy for person on your list? The one who has everything? Give them a night out they will never forget! Gi� certificates are available online and at the studio (open 11AM-5PM Wed-Sun).
AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE EVENTS
Buy 4 gi� certificates, get 1 FREE! Use discount code GFTCR4 at checkout. Offer expires 12/31/19. PINOT’S PALETTE ST. CHARLES 3823 E Main Street, St. Charles, IL 60174 630.338.0278 WWW.PINOTSPALETTE.COM KCC_Last Minute GG_121219.indd 2
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Editor’s Choice:
Stocking Stuffers
With just a few weeks to go before December 25, bundle up and stroll down the wintry streets warmly lit with holiday cheer to uncover an unforgettable stocking stuffer! Consider stopping in to these retailers for anyone still left on your list to find a perfect, unique gift!
• The Olive Mill
315 James Street, Geneva 630-262-0210
• Falmouth Road
226 S. 3rd Street, Geneva 630-457-5606
• Galena Cellars Winery and Tasting Room 477 S. 3rd Street, Geneva 630-232-9463
• Paper Merchant
328 S 3rd Street, Geneva 630-232-1880
• The Little Traveler
404 S 3rd Street, Geneva 630-232-4200
Recommended gift certificate choices • Gen Hoe
• Rookies
• Village Squire
• Halsa Aromatherapy Shop and Spa
537 E State Street, Geneva 630-232-8350 480 Randall Road, South Elgin 847-931-0400
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1545 W Main Street, St. Charles 630-513-0681 202 W State Street, Geneva 630-208-8250
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Where to get the sweets for your sweet this holiday season No holiday feast is complete without dessert. Have you been tasked with bringing something sweet to this year’s family gathering? There is no shortage of options to tempt the taste buds of those around the table. Cocoa Bean Fine Desserts By Erin Sauder 11 S. Seventh St., Geneva cocoabeangeneva.com Thanksgiving is often synonymous with pumpkin pie and you can find that, along with pecan and apple pies at this Geneva patisserie. Prefer cake over pie? Consider the Jacquee, which features pumpkin mousse and cinnamon crème
brulee on gluten-free almond cake, or a pumpkin cheesecake. For your Christmas celebration, the Holly features chocolate cake, vanilla bean mousse, chocolate-peppermint crème brulee, while the Ivy is a white cake, with Bailey’s mousse and chocolate crème brulee. Dessert lovers will also enjoy one of Cocoa Bean’s cookie boxes, or an assortment of mini pastries, such as the pumpkin spice profiteroles.
Still Time for those Last Minute Gifts
322 W. State Street • Suite 104 Geneva, IL 60134 • 331-248-0531 www.dancersdream.us
Nutcrackers - Ornaments Holiday Leggings -Turn Boards - Bags - Dance, Gymnastics, Ice Skating Apparel and more…
More than a Retail Dance Store. Committed to Providing Exceptional Service & Innovative Quality Products.
322 W. State Street • Suite 104 • Geneva, IL 60134 • 331-248-0531
www.dancersdream.us HOURS: Mon-Wed: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM • Thurs: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM • Fri: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM • Sat: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM • Sun: Closed
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Graham’s Fine Chocolates & Ice Cream 302 S. Third St., Geneva www.grahamschocolate.com Looking for favors for your holiday table? The colorful Cornucopia “Horn-of-Plenty” suckers, which come wrapped in cello and tied with a Thanksgiving bow, make a wonderfully sweet gift for family and friends of all ages. Need a holiday centerpiece? The Giant Turkey Tom, available in either milk, dark or white chocolate, weighs in at over 1 1/4 pounds of solid Graham’s Chocolate. Decorate your Christmas table with a Giant Jolly Santa or Giant Nutcracker. Complete the place settings with Christmas Tree Sucker favors.
Harner’s Bakery & Restaurant 10 W. State St., North Aurora www.harnersbakery.com Harner’s Bakery offers an extensive line of baked goods that are made from scratch, including homemade sweet rolls and donuts to a wide variety of cookies, pies, breads and cakes. For the holidays, consider bringing to the table
Geneva’s Swedish Christmas Store for 72 Years!
Harner’s pumpkin nut cookies, pumpkin nut bread, or an old fashioned apple pie.
The Sugar Path 315 W. State St., Geneva www.thesugarpath.com Looking for pies with a crust that’s out of this world? This establishment’s crusts are hand
When You Want to Give the Perfect Gift, Consider a Geneva Gift Certificate One Size Fits All • No Expiration Date
Redeemable at over 165 stores and restaurants
Come in and see all of our new products from Sweden, Norway, Denmark & Finland to decorate your home and table for the holidays. Find inspiration for holiday gift giving!
THE GIFT BOX SCANDINAVIAN I MPORTS 310 W. State St., Geneva • 630-232-4151
Holiday Hours: Monday-Saturday 10-5 • Sunday 11-4
www.genevagiftbox.com Since 1947
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8 S. Third Street Geneva 630-232-6060 www.genevachamber.com
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rolled and made in small batches with real Wisconsin butter. The pumpkin pie, made with a family recipe passed down from grandma, is filled with traditional holiday spices, heavily creamed and placed in a butter crust. Order plain or with a ring of Harner’s homemade whipped cream. Sugar cookies decorated for the holidays can also make great table favors.
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
Photo provided by Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
A REMOTE START MAKES A GREAT HOLIDAY GIFT
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1308 Commons Drive rmcf.com/IL/Geneva50776 Looking for something different to bring to the holiday table? Head to Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory where you can find a large selection of caramel apples to satisfy the sweet tooths in your family. A box of assorted chocolates also makes for a fun and easy dessert.
The Latest Crave Cupcake & English Toffee Shop 227 S. Third St. #109, Geneva thelatestcrave.com Who doesn’t love a good cupcake? The Pumpkin cupcake is loaded with all of the holiday spices and topped with chilled maple cream cheese frosting and a caramelized walnut. The Gingerbread cupcake is filled with with lemon curd and topped with a light lemony buttercream and candied lemon peel. Need something for the chocoholics? The chocolate peppermint cupcake is topped with a light pink peppermint frosting and peppermint chips. You can also dress up the holiday table with seasonally-decorated cake pops, which are available in vanilla, chocolate, and red velvet.
2901 W. Main St., Ste. E, St. Charles 630-587-4100 • www.mobilesystemsllc.com
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Catering your Christmas
Discover New Ways To Reach Your Fitness Goals M EN T I ON T A D FO H I S RA CO M P L IM EN T ARY 1 WEE K PASS
At Northwestern Medicine Delnor Health & Fitness Center, we offer a wide variety of services to customize your fitness plan. We focus on your overall health and well-being so that you can look and feel your best. Explore our center: State-of-the-art cardio and strength equipment Group exercise classes included with membership Degreed and certified personal trainers
Registered dietitian
By Erin Sauder
Enticing Cuisine 12 S. Water St., Batavia www.enticingcuisine.com From comfort food such as turkey and stuffing or meatloaf and mashed potatoes, to specialized theme menus, the chefs from Enticing Cuisine can create a menu tailored to your family’s needs. The company’s catering slogan is “For when the food really matters.” To that end, the staff, headed up by Chef Jason Stoffels and his wife, Diocelina, aims to please the most discerning diner.
Next Steps™ fitness programs
Moveable Feast + Co.
Massage therapy services
321 Franklin St., Geneva
Child care and more
Lap and warm-water therapy pools
Mention this ad and we’ll give you a 1-week guest pass! Learn more about us at delnorhfc.com © 2019 Northwestern Medicine. All rights reserved. DEL-1006982_0919
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The holiday season often brings with it a little extra hustle and bustle. Want to spend less time in the kitchen and more time around the table with your family and friends? Leave the cooking for your Christmas celebration to one of these Fox Valley caterers:
moveablefeastandco.com The mission of this neighborhood cafe and catering company is to help the community celebrate life through thoughtful, wholesome, handmade foods and the joy of entertaining. A cheese board appetizer is a great foundation to any holiday party and a staple on Moveable Feast’s catering menu. Additionally, guests will also enjoy Moveable Feast’s beef tenderloin skewers with red pepper aioli, bacon wrapped plums with goat cheese and almond, roasted
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$10 G
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$100
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$25 GIFT CARD $50 GIFT CARD
grape focaccia, and turkey and sweet potato meatballs. And gatherings aren’t complete without Moveable Feast’s signature desserts: the classic fairytale cookies and famous Oprah brownies. All is presented on a beautiful tablescape full of winter greenery that will impress your guests this holiday season.
DRM European Cafe & Delicatessen 610 E. Main St., St. Charles www.drmeurocafe.com Let DRM European Cafe & Delicatessen bring a taste of Europe to your holiday festivities. The extensive menu features Polish and German cuisine as well as “a little bit of everything.� Just some of the fare includes schnitzel, chicken or beef stroganoff, goulash, stuffed peppers, potato pancakes, slow stewed sauerkraut, pierogies, and stuffed cabbage rolls. If a traditional Italian Christmas dinner is what you’re after, DRM’s catering menu also features meatballs with marinara, sausage and peppers, chicken marsala, chicken parmesan, and more. Additionally, DRM offers a variety of meats and cheeses to create one of a kind meat and cheese platters. Catering orders can be accommodated for small and large parties.
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WHEN YOU BUY $100 IN GIFT CARDS
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We have something for everyone on your gift list!
Get your hands dirty, with winter home and garden workshops By Diane Krieger Spivak If the holiday season gets your creative juices flowing, take advantage of classes and seminars offered by local home and garden experts, just in time for celebrating. Whether you’re looking for decor to spruce up your holiday table, a winter porch pot that lasts through spring, or an arrangement beautiful enough for gift giving, the following workshops offer tried-and-true projects, as well as some that are brand new. There are even classes just for kids! Heinz Brothers Greenhouse Garden Center St. Charles offers workshops for both adults and children. “We offer container workshops geared more toward outside containers as well as indoor centerpieces,” says Manager/Horticulturist Christa Bormann. “We’ve been told its, relaxing, fun and even therapeutic. It’s kind of a fun event to do at the end of the year. You get to go home with something pretty.” If you have a group of 10 or more Heinz can arrange a special workshop date for you. For more information on individual workshops, visit their website at www. heinzbrothers.com or call (630) 377-6288. Call for reservations. Adult Centerpiece Class, Tue, Dec. 17, 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Let Heinz Brothers guide you in making a beautiful holiday centerpiece for your table or mantel. Includes all greenery and accessories for either a round or rectangular centerpiece. Program Fee: $30 for round or $40 for rectangular centerpiece.
Handcrafted... Jewelry Handbags Scarves Hats Unique Gifts 226 S. Third St. • Geneva • 630-457-5606 falmouthroadjewelry.com
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Kids Centerpiece (4+up), Sat., Dec. 21, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Sun, Dec. 22, 1 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Children will use fresh cut greens to make the base of their holiday centerpiece. Each centerpiece includes a pre-made bow and ornaments. Great gifts for holiday gatherings. Program fee: $5
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Sweeten Someone’s Day
Kids Handprint Snowman Ornament (2+up), Sun, Dec 22, 2 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. . Kids create an ornament that looks like a snowman from their own hand print. Add an air plant for a living ornament Fun little gift. Program fee: $15. Kids Holiday decorated pot (5+up). Olaf Snowman Potted Plant, Sun, Dec 22, 3 p.m. -4 p.m. Kids create a clay pot with a green plant that looks like Olaf the Snowman. Perfect project for kids and a fun little gift! Program fee: $10 Wasco Nursery & Garden Center, Wasco, Illinois offers two make it-and-take it seminars during Dec.. For information visit www.wasconursery.com or call (630) 5844424. Space is limited, but Wasco will add special classes for groups of 8 or more. “Our Mason Jar centerpiece is new this year,” says Sales Associate Hannah Potter.
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Geneva Commons Located between Starbucks & Noodles & Co.
1308 Commons Dr • Geneva • 630.208.1484
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Adult Centerpiece class, Sat., Dec. 21, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Let Heinz Brothers guide you in making a beautiful holiday centerpiece for your table or mantel. Greenery and accessories available for either a round or rectangular centerpiece. Program Fee: $10 plus materials fee of $20 for round or $30 for rectangular centerpiece.
• Custom Gift Baskets • Boxed Chocolates • Large Variety of • Corporate Gifts • Sugar Free Chocolates Caramel Apples • Fresh Fudge
Holiday Hostess Gifts & Baskets Available Special Tastings of our Products Every Weekend
Olive Oil Tasting Experience Come taste over 60 different extra virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars from all over the world. Unique Gift Baskets Available. Homemade Skincare Products made with Olive Oil: Soaps ~ Lip Balms ~ Moisturizers
315 James St. • Geneva (630) 262-0210 www.olivemillgeneva.com Holiday Hours: Mon-Wed 10am-6pm Thurs 10am-8pm Fri & Sat 10am-6pm • Sun 11am-4pm
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Paint, sip and be merry
DIY goes social at crafting parties, paired perfectly
Open Christmas Eve & New Year’s Eve!
Gift Certificates Available!
Christmas Eve: 11:30am-8pm Christmas Day: Closed New Year’s Eve: 11:30am-10:00pm New Year’s Day: 2:00pm-8:00pm
By Allison Horne Do-it-yourself crafts have officially been taken to the next level in Kane County - and just in time for the holidays. Local DIY studios have been popping up around the county and they make for a great night out for couples, groups or families.
Featuring: Szechwan (Hot) & Dim Sum Sunday COCKTAILS AVAILABLE DAILY 11:30 AM TO 9 PM FRI & SAT 11:30 AM TO 10 PM CLOSED MONDAYS
Classes vary depending on the studio, but all include a finished take-home product at the end of the night. Many studios offer scheduled classes with a set painting or craft, open craft nights for clients to choose their own piece of art, as well as other events like corporate parties, team building activities, bridal and baby showers, fundraisers, birthday parties and much more.
Daily Luncheon Specials Tuesday thru Saturday 11:30-3:00pm
537 E. State St., Geneva • 630-232-8351 www.genhoerestaurant.com
Miriam Kuta, owner of the Chilled Palette in Geneva, first opened her workshop almost six years ago after realizing she wanted to use her love of painting to get people out of the house.
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It’s not necessarily about the art or how it looks as a finished product; it’s about being creative in a welcoming environment.
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“People have to let loose and relax and this is the perfect fit,” Kuta says, noting that she teaches the majority of the classes. “I’ve had people who have come in here and broken down in tears because they never thought they could do this.”
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33 Years of Serving the Fox Valley Voted One of the Best Massage & Day Spas in Kane County!
Amy Kumler, owner of the newest DIY workshop, Pinot’s Palette in St. Charles, was one of those people who never realized she could paint.
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MASSAGE & SPA PACKAGES AROMATHERAPY SHOP & DAY SPA 202 W. STATE ST. • DOWNTOWN GENEVA 630 208 8250 WWW.HALSAROMA.COM
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“I’ve always been in corporate America and I just kind of felt like I was always working and really stressed,” says Kumler, who opened her own shop in November. “I was very analytical with zero art skills.” That’s when her friend “dragged” her to the Pinot’s Palette in Barrington for a class for a
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ABBEY ROAD Photo submitted by Pinot’s Palette
“project pet” event, where she painted her very first dog, Cocoa. “I was really just hoping people would know it was a dog,” says Kumler. “It shut down my analytic side and it was so relaxing and better than a spa. I got hooked.” Another fun DIY trend that has been emerging is stenciling classes. Katie Ilic opened Board & Brush in St. Charles in October after her original workshop in Oswego opened in 2018. She has seen a warm reception from the community with several sold-out events already. “We offer wooden signs, build projects, coat racks, shelves, boxes, porch signs, clocks, customized doormats and personalized pillows,” Ilic says, noting that they provide all of the materials, design and instruction to help distress, sand, stain, paint and customize each piece of art. Board & Brush requires that each customer signs up at least three days prior to the event so that the custom stencil can be made in advance. “Everyone’s signs turn out amazing because we walk you through the process step-by-step and use personalized stencils,” Ilic says. While it’s technically possible to watch a few youtube videos and craft up something in your basement yourself, there’s something to be said about the social environment that classes are held in. “It’s really all about the experience,” Kumler says. “It’s so fun! You bring your friends and it’s just a class full of people singing along and joking with the artists, who are really good at getting the crowd going. We take care of everything and you really just show up and have a good time.”
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All of the Kane County DIY classes serve up cash bars with beer, wine and other beverages and permit crafters to bring their own food and snacks to enhance their evenings. “Our workshops are such a fun experience,” Ilic says. “Not only do you have a great evening out, but you also get to take home an amazing sign to hang on your walls at the end of the night!” The holidays provide a perfect opportunity to bring home a themed craft to deck the halls with. The Chilled Palette offers holiday-centric paintings throughout the month of December, and even has a kids’ surprise day on Monday, Dec. 23. Kids will paint a gift for someone special and wrap it before they leave the shop, making for a great gift on Christmas! In addition to a selection of holiday paintings throughout the month of December, Pinot’s Palette has a special kids day on Saturday, Dec. 21, which is designed for parents to finish holiday shopping while their kids whip up a gift for someone. Board & Brush offers holiday stencils all month, as well as a Christmas pajama party with free donuts and
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mimosas on Sunday, Dec. 22. For those wanting to gift a DIY experience, gift cards are available as presents for the holidays, too. Not sure what to get grandma or that hardto-please aunt? No need to worry about crafting abilities or having a skillset - anyone can attend these classes. “You don’t need to have any artistic talent whatsoever- it’s fun art, not fine art,” Kumler says. “If I can do it, anyone can do it.” Kuta says her oldest painter so far has been 92 years old, while Ilic has seen a range from five to 95 years old. Most just come to have a good time. “People are very hard on themselves to be perfect in life,” Kuta says. “We want to be good and perfect and this helps to get you out of your comfort zone and realize and realize you can do things you’re not comfortable with. “It doesn’t need to be perfect; it’s not going to hang on a museum wall.”
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230 W. State St. ∙ Geneva, IL ∙ 603-232-2085 statestreetjewelers.com
Holiday Hours Starting Dec. 6th: Mon-Fri 10am to 8pm; Sat 10am-6pm; Sun 11am-4pm
Don’t Forget to Enter For a Chance to Win a HEARTS ON FIRE 9.35 CT Diamond Necklace Valued d at $3 $39,000. 0 Entry Details at State Street Jewelers and 959theriver.com r.co om m
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