North Shore Hidden Treasures

North Shore Hidden Treasures

As the holidays approach I wanted to write about something a little closer to home.  During the many years our family has lived on the North Shore we have discovered some very wonderful places and services.  I am calling them "North Shore Hidden Treasures" because although we have enjoyed their products and services for several years, I have found many people have never heard of them.  My hope is that in sharing some of our favorites, that some of you will also comment and share some of your "North Shore Hidden Treasures" so we can all discover some special new places and people in this great area that we live in.  

As I sit down to write, I have to admit that I was just upstairs trying to find a little morsel of chocolate anything. Thinking about  "GG's Gourmet Chocolates and Cupcakes of Lake Forest" can do that to you. GG's serves up everything from home made chocolate covered Oreos to English Toffee to Chocolate Suckers.  However, it is the cupcakes that I am compelled to write about here.  GG's cupcakes are the most delicious cupcakes we have tasted on the planet and you can only get them if you are local (lucky us). 

To say they are baked with love might sound corny but in this case it's true. Owner Gwynn Spahn has spent years perfecting the cupcake recipes that she creates for her customers. The cake is so moist and the unique assortment of flavors are so much fun. Flavors like Margarita Yum Yum, Bailey's Irish Cream, Coconut (one of my favorites), Double Chocolate Peppermint, Caramel Apple, Lemon, Cookies & Cream, Pina Colada and the list goes on.  So far I have not found a flavor I didn't love. They are great for catered events, parties or just as a fun treat to bring along when visiting friends.  Be sure to grab your cupcake early though because they tend to disappear quickly ; ) You can visit GG's Gourmet Chocolates and Cupcakes online to learn more or see a list of their cupcake flavors. 

Our next 'North Shore Hidden Treasure" is located here in Glenview.  Just off Glenview Road on Pine Ave is one of our favorite lunch and relax spots.  It's called and you could miss it if you aren't looking for it.  But don't miss it.  This is a family owned spa where you can get manicures, pedicures, facials, massages and more. It is also the home of one of our favorite lunch places, "Cafe Antalee". Aneta Arutchev is the owner and her father, Chef Gary Arutchev serves up fabulous tasting and healthy meals in the cozy little 4 table cafe at the back of the spa. 

Occasionally, for some special 'girls time' my daughter and I will sneak over for a manicure followed by lunch. Our favorite entree is the "Large Plate" which contains samples of all the favorite organic salads, grains, beans and optional turkey patties that are seasoned just right.  Don't be fooled by the words 'salads', 'grains' and 'beans'.  The way Chef Gary prepares these healthy bites is a real treat for your taste buds. When my daughter and I visit, we take turns voicing small sighs of delight as we sample the different foods on our plates.  We love that it is as healthy as it is delicious. Try finishing off your meal with a cup of Antalee Special Blend tea as an extra treat. So next time you're needing a moment away to relax, think about stopping by Antalee's for a little pampering time and/or a special lunch. You can visit Antalee's online to learn more about their services and cafe. 

Next on my list is a local college preparation service that we are so grateful to have discovered.  "More Than Scores and Tests" is owned by College Education Consultants Chris and Jimmy Kim . Despite the fact that their company is growing pretty quickly as a result of the much needed service they provide, I have found that many locals have not heard of them yet. So  they are on my "North Shore Hidden Treasures" list.  

Navigating the waters for college can be overwhelming, and it has been such a benefit to have Chris and Jimmy's team available to us for questions and help.  They have developed a "College Roadmap" that helps walk families through all the steps, including "Mentoring and Preparation", "College Selection and Application", "Financial Counseling", and "Academics and Test Preparation". 

Besides being some of the warmest people I know who are clearly devoted to helping students, I am really impressed by their wealth of knowledge and the thoroughness of their work.  They help students discover their strengths, teach them invaluable study skills, and help match up students with schools -- not just based on interests and grades but also personality, strength and family values.  As they describe it, 'schools have personalities too' and just because it's a good school doesn't mean it's the best fit for the student and their family.  So they spend a lot of time looking at the whole student, not just their grades and test scores.

Because of their background and educational connections they also know about some of the lesser known scholarships that your student might be eligible for. As I have gotten to know them they have shared some great success stories. For example, last year a very capable student had their performance plummet due to a death in the family and a physical injury that made it hard for her to bounce back.  Her ACT scores and GPA had fallen way below average.  However, her parents were determined to find the right school for her and hired Chris and Jimmy's team to help.  They not only helped her prepare for and get into the school she wanted but they were also able to get her a sizable scholarship as well.  This type of detailed knowledge and their real passion for helping students makes "More Than Scores and Tests" very special.  To learn more visit MoreThanSat.com online.

I'm sure many of you have your favorite "North Shore Hidden Treasures" so at this point I wanted to invite others to chime in with some of their favorites.  There are so many little companies and places that may not be known by the rest of us that you have come to think of as a favorite. So we'd love to hear about some of those favorite local services, products or even menu items if you want to be really specific. Feel free to post your additions below to share with us all. Thanks and have a great holiday!