It’s October in Lake County, IL, and the leaves are changing colors, there’s a cool in the air and best all of the haunted houses are back and ready to give you a Halloween fright. You may not realize this, but Lake County is home to some of the top rated haunted houses in the state and even the country.

Dungeons of Doom Haunted House

2701 Deborah Ave.

Zion, IL 60099

The Realm of Terror Haunted House

421 W. Rollins Road

Round Lake Beach, IL 60073

X-Treme Hauntings Haunted House

76 Honing Road

Fox Lake, IL 60020

Fright Fest at Great America

1 Great America Parkway
Gurnee, IL 60031

Just over the Lake County border in Kenohsa:

Ghost Tours of Kemper Center

6501-3rd Avenue
Kenosha, WI 53143

Searching for the perfect Halloween costume?

Do you know of any other Haunted Houses in Lake County? Please share the link below in the comments and we’ll add it! Have any reviews of the Haunted Houses listed above? Share them in the comments.

Sometimes you get burned out on a place from eating there so often, and then wonder why you haven’t been there in so long. That’s what happened to us with Green Basil, a Thai restaurant in Vernon Hills. Green Basil sits in the middle of the Rivertree Plaza, between TJ Maxx and Office Depot. While the typical strip mall storefront doesn’t do much to draw you in, once you enter the doors, you’ll find a clean, friendly environment where after one visit, the owners and staff will remember you.

While we haven’t tried everything on the menu, I can suggest some of our favorites and you can see what others have to say about Green Basil on Yelp. Our personal favorites include: Basil Rolls, Seafood Rangoon, Drunken Noodles, and Filet Panang. You can view the entire Green Basil menu online.

So next time you’re looking for a Thai restaurant in the Vernon Hills area, visit Green Basil and then share your thoughts on the food, service and ambiance. And since Green Basil is open 7 days a week, we have no excuses not to get back there again this week ourselves!

For a sweet treat, just down the mall from Green Basil is Eloise Chicago, where you can have a espresso and cinnamon roll.

We always welcome your comments, thoughts and suggestions on what makes Lake County and Green Oaks, Libertyville, Mundelein and Vernon Hills such a great place to live, work and play!

Thinking of living in Vernon Hills? Tim McDonald with @properties is your local REALTOR. Stop searching and start finding your home in Vernon Hills.

The long awaited opening of the Aspen Drive Library in Vernon Hills finally took place on July 10, with a celebration attended by hundreds. The Aspen Drive Library is part of the Cook Memorial Public Library District.

While the Cook Memorial Public Library District had an interim home in the basement of Vernon Hills Village Hall, years of planning and a donation of the land from the Village of Vernon Hills finally brought the Aspen Drive Library to reality. Cook Memorial Public Library district has two locations. Aspen Drive Library in Vernon Hills and Cook Park Library in Libertyville. The Cook Park Library is currently undergoing major renovation and expansion and has a temporary facility appropriately name Temporary Library Center (TLC).

The Aspen Drive Library has plenty to offer besides books. The calendar of events has something going on every day! Of course during the summer, the libraries are closed on Sundays. But are open Monday-Thursday 9:00am-9:00pm, Friday 9:00am-6:00pm and Saturday 9:00am-5:00pm.

So go visit the new Aspen Drive Library and let us know what you think of the brand new facility! After you check out a good book to read, head over to Eloise Chicago for a latte to enjoy while you read.

We always welcome your comments, thoughts and suggestions on what makes Lake County and Green Oaks, Libertyville, Mundelein and Vernon Hills such a great place to live, work and play!

Thinking of living in Vernon Hills or Libertyville? Tim McDonald with @properties is your local REALTOR. Stop searching and start finding your home in Vernon Hills.

Today marks the start of Village of Vernon Hills Summer Celebration. The annual event is held the 3rd week every July and will run this year from Thursday, July 15, through Sunday, July 18. The summer festival provides rides, entertainment, food and drinks for Vernon Hills and surrounding area residents and their guests.

This year’s entertainment headlines include: Vertical Horizon on Friday night, The Smithereens on Saturday night and Cavern Beat on Sunday evening. Thursday night will feature fireworks at 9:30pm.

The Vernon Hills Summer Celebration is held at Century Park in Vernon Hills. Free parking and shuttle are available at Westfield Hawthorn Shopping Mall located on the upper level near the Macy’s entrance. There are also limited number of handicapped spaces usually available near Century Park. Just north of Century Park is Lakeview Presbyterian Church which offers parking and a rest and water area. This space is provided by the church and fills up fast. If you live close enough, the best way to get there is to walk or ride your bike.

The $20 unlimited rides special is offered Thursday open to close (6:00pm-10:00pm) and Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 2:00pm-6:00pm. A complete schedule of events for Vernon Hills Summer Celebration is available or you can visit the Vernon Hills Summer Celebration group on Facebook for the most updated information.

Don’t be shy! How does Vernon Hills Summer Celebration compare to other area summer festivals? We welcome your comments, thoughts and suggestions on what makes Lake County and Green Oaks, Libertyville, Mundelein and Vernon Hills such a great place to live, work and play!

Thinking of living in Vernon Hills? Tim McDonald with @properties is your local REALTOR. Stop searching and start finding your home in Vernon Hills.

Qdoba Mexican Grill differentiates themselves from other area Mexican restaurants with their “signature flavors“. To us, the queso sauce is great by itself, but put it on a burrito and elevate it to another level. They call it their Queso Burrito. I say, just tell them to add the cheese sauce! There are other flavors to choose from, including Ancho Chile BBQ and Poblano Pesto. Another interesting item, which we haven’t’ tried yet, is the Mexican Gumbo. This unique dish combines rice, beans and tortilla soup, with salsa, cheese and sour cream, topped with homemade tortilla strips. We learned that this was actually the creation of employees who would combine the soup with elements of the Naked Burrito. If it was what the employees ate, we can’t wait to try it ourselves!

Qdoba Mexican Grill is now open in Vernon Hills. Qdoba is at 700 E. Townline Road, Suite 100, in the former Tweeter location at the out lot of the south east corner of Westfield Hawthorn Shopping Mall.

Another reason why we like Qdoba, is they make it easy to like them! Each week on the Qdoba Vernon Hills Facebook page, they have a free food trivia contest and give away free entrees to the winners. They also have a Twitter account.

We were invited to the VIP ribbon cutting ceremony on July 13, 2010, where representatives from Qdoba Mexican Grill, GLMV Chamber of Commerce and the Village of Vernon Hills celebrated the arrival of the first Qdoba Mexican Grill to Lake County.

So next time you are in Vernon Hills, stop in and check out Qdoba Mexican Grill. Be sure to mention if you’re a fan on Facebook or follow them on Twitter. And then let us know what you think!

Don’t be shy! We welcome your comments, thoughts and suggestions on what makes Lake County and Green Oaks, Libertyville, Mundelein and Vernon Hills such a great place to live, work and play!

Thinking of living in Vernon Hills? Tim McDonald with @properties is your local REALTOR, ready to consult you!

One of the great things about living in Libertyville, and the surrounding area, is all the great activities to enjoy in the summer. The Lake County Forest Preserve is no exception with plenty of activities to enjoy every season of the year. In Libertyville, the Lake County Forest Preserve’s Independence Grove provides everything from a swimming beach to bike and hiking trails, to a full service visitors center and cafe. On Tuesday nights in the summer, Independence Grove offers Events in the Plaza, which provides free outdoor concerts for the public to enjoy.

The Events in the Plaza started on June 15 and will run through August 20. The concerts begin at 7:30pm every Tuesday. If there is rain, the concerts will be rescheduled for Thursday. The complete schedule for performances can be found at the Lake County Forest Preserve calendar of events.

It is recommended to arrive early for Events in the Plaza, as admission will be closed once the parking lots are full. Parking at Independence Grove in Libertyville is free for Lake County residents, $5 per car for non-residents Monday through Thursday, $10 Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays. Visitors attending Events in the Plaza are encouraged to bring blankets or lawn chairs and enjoy a light dinner or snack from the walk up cafe.

If you didn’t know, you can hike or bike through Independence Grove as you enjoy the Des Plaines River Trail.

Have you been to Events in the Plaza? What helpful tips can you share? Don’t be shy! We welcome your comments, thoughts and suggestions on what makes Lake County and Green Oaks, Libertyville, Mundelein and Vernon Hills such a great place to live, work and play!

Thinking of living in Libertyville? Let Tim McDonald with @properties consult you!

Lake County Social Networking is hosting their monthly event at Main Street Smokehouse in downtown Libertyville tonight from 5:30pm-8:00pm. Last month Lake County Social Networking met at Lynfred Winery in Wheeling and raised $500 for Parkinson disease. The theme of this month’s event is “Social Networking for a Cause“. The Lake County Social Networking members have formed a team for the GLMV Relay for Life, American Cancer Society fund-raising event on July 31 at Mundelein High School and will continue their efforts tonight with all the proceeds from ticket sales and donations going to the Lake County Social Networking GLMV Relay for Life Team.

Information on tonight’s event may be found on the LCSN registration page. Tickets for $20 can be purchased on line or at the door. Location will be Main Street Smokehouse, 536 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville, IL  60048. Food is included with the ticket, beverages are purchased separately. Menu will include a family style assortment of pork nachos, a brisket platter, pulled pork platter, baked beans and more! There will also be a few prizes given away to anyone who purchases a ticket or makes a donation.

Lake County Social Networking is a great way to meet local business owners, entrepreneurs, sales executives, corporate communicators, journalists, business professionals, publishers, marketers, media creators, citizen journalists and technology types. “Social Networking for a Cause” is another way that Lake County Social Networking is creating meaningful connections.

Don’t be shy! We welcome your comments, thoughts and suggestions on what makes Lake County and Green Oaks, Libertyville, Mundelein and Vernon Hills such a great place to live, work and play!

Thinking of living in Libertyville? Let Tim McDonald with @properties consult you!

Starting Friday and running through Sunday, Mainstreet Libertyville sponsors the Pampered Pupz Dog Days of Summer . The weekend kicks off at 3pm on Friday, with the opening ceromonies and the first 2 waves of Big Air Long Jump as part of Official DockDogs Competition gets underway. The DockDogs Competition will be held in PNC Banks rear lot, backing up to the Libertyville Civic Center. The three day competition will conclude with the finals on Sunday afternoon.

In addition to the DockDogs Competition in the PNC lot, the Civic Center parking lot will have veterinarians, rescue groups, dog trainers, food vendors, and many other dog related booths. In Cook Park, family and educational oriented programs and demonstrations will take place including dog/owner participation games.

The Mainstreet Libertyville merchants have always been dog friendly, but this weekend, there will be plenty dog friendly opportunities:

• 545 Restaurant – Dog treats and pet friendly dining
• Canyon Kitchens – Music and dog treats
• Casa Bonita Restaurant – Dog friendly patio dining
• Curtis Frame/Back Alley Gallery – Special Sale
• Ecelectiv Design Source – Hosting Save-A-Pet
• Egg Harbor Restaurant – Dine outside with your pooch
• Forest Bootery – Hush Puppy Character
• Full DisClothesure – Dog treats and discounts
• Lindsey’s
• Lovin Oven – Dog treat special
• Mickey Finn’s Brewery – Dog friendly dining in the beer garden
• Parkview Gourmet – Tails of Hope adoption events
• Patranek’s Pharmacy- Rescue Groups
• Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory – Dipped dog treats
• Serendipity/Latitude Shop – Doggie Fashion Show 2:00 PM
• Starbucks – Meat flavored snow cones
• Studio West – PhoDogRuffy Contest
• Touche Salon – Dog do’s and dog paws
• Trattoria Pomigliano’s – Dog look-a-like Contest

Activities will be going on Friday from 3:00-6:00pm, Saturday from 10:00am-6:30pm and Sunday from 9:00am-5:00pm. Visit Pampered Pupz for complete information on all the activities and schedule.

There is always plenty of things going on in Liberty and Lake County, and this weekend is no exception. What are you planning on attending? What’s coming up for next weekend?

Don’t be shy! We welcome your comments, thoughts and suggestions on what makes Lake County and Green Oaks, Libertyville, Mundelein and Vernon Hills such a great place to live, work and play!

Thinking of living in Libertyville? Let Tim McDonald with @properties consult you!

Put the Out to Lunch sign up on your office door and head to downtown Libertyville for Mainstreet Libertyville‘s “Out to Lunch” Held on Fridays during the summer in Cook Park in downtown Libertyville, join 14 area vendors providing cuisine ranging from barbecue to Chinese to Mexican to burgers and even ice cream for desert.

In addition to a varied selection of food to choose from, every Friday, Out to Lunch offers live music from area band and performers. So enjoy lunch outside in Cook Park in the shade of the trees or in the sun next to the rose gardens.

Out to Lunch is held every Friday from 11:00am – 2:00pm in Cook Park in downtown Libertyville. Out to Lunch began on June 25 and will continue through August 20. The remaining schedule of performers includes: The Mojo Daddies (July 9); Wheels (July 16); Best Kitty Ever (July 23); Zach Pietrini and the Broken Bones (July 30); Kevin Spica (August 6); Peter Cimbalo (August 13) and Sagebrush ends the season on August 20.

Work of the lunch you just had by playing a round of disc golf at Adler Park, located a little north of Cook Park.

As always, we welcome your comments, thoughts and suggestions on what makes Lake County and Green Oaks, Libertyville, Mundelein and Vernon Hills such a great place to live, work and play!

Thinking of living in Libertyville? Let Tim McDonald with @properties consult you!

The Arbortheater in Vernon Hills will host the second of 4 scheduled Summer Concerts on Thursday, July 8, 2010. The Arbortheater Summer Concert Series will have 4 dates in 2010, including:

June 24 with “Tin Horse Band”

July 8 with “Soda”

July 29 with “Jammin’ Daddies”

August 12 with “Jazz Spectrum”

Every Arbortheater Summer Concert will be held from 7pm-9pm. The are open to everyone and the public is welcome to bring lawn chairs, blankets and picnic baskets. In case of rain, the concerts will be moved indoors at the Sullivan Center at 635 North Aspen Drive.

The Vernon Hills Arbortheater is located at 50 Fairway Drive, just north of the Vernon Hills Athletic Complex on the west side of the street. Directions for accessing the Arbortheater during the Summer Concert Series , according to the Village of Vernon Hills website:

During the concerts the main parking lot is blocked off for handicap and seniors. Concert parking is in the Roger Executive Park II parking lot adjacent to the Arbortheater. The Arbortheater can also be accessed on the bike path through Deerpath Park just north of the “Castle”.

The Arbortheater was completed in the fall of 1995 and serves host for the annual summer concerts and other events, but one of the main purposes of the Arbortheater is to honor the Veterans who have served our country.

After the concert ends at 9:00pm you’ll still have time to visit Dairy Dream in Libertyville for a soft serve cone!

As always, we welcome your comments, thoughts and suggestions on what makes Lake County and Green Oaks, Libertyville, Mundelein and Vernon Hills such a great place to live, work and play!

Thinking of living in Vernon Hills or Libertyville? Let Tim McDonald with @properties consult you!