Smart Living Weekly July 25, 2018

Smart L iving Weekly Your Better Quality of Life Magazine • Rockford Region/Beloit/Freeport 95¢ • July 25, 2018

™

Right in Our Region

Enjoy a Local Farmers Market!

See Page 16

How to Buy a TV RSO & Starlight’s Stars Find the Right Flooring Hassle-Free Window Treatments Are You Prepared for Retirement?

FREE WIN!

Two Passes to the Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens

Elizabeth Pluta and Pat Leininger of Chestnut Cliff Farm at Edgebrook Farmers Market

See Pg. 28 Details

Best of Life Information for Our Region’s Residents & Visitors Proudly Serving the Needs of 326,000 Neighbors - For Your Home, Health & Fun!

Smart Living Weekly

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In This Issue

Right in Our Region ........................Cover & p. 16 Why We Love Farmers Markets Your Home ............................................. ..... 11, 21 Hassle-Free Window Treatments; Find the Right Flooring Inspiration & Worship ......................................12 In the Eyes of God Your Kitchen .....................................................15 Bright Summer Flavors Your Outing .......................................................19 RSO & the Stars of Starlight Your Technology ........................................... ...20 How to Buy a TV Your Fun ................................................... ......... 25

Restaurant of the Week ................................... 26 Prairie Street Brewhouse Dining Locally .......................................... ........ 26 Your Money .............................................. ......... 29 Are You Ready for Retirement?

Smart L iving Weekly ™

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Bill Hughes

Executive Editor/Web Editor Chris Linden Managing Editor Lindsey Gapen Assistant Managing Editor Jermaine Pigee Editor Emeritus Janine Pumilia Graphics Director Blake Nunes Graphic Designer Samantha Behling Contributing Writer Peggy Werner, Paula Kalivoda Furniss General Sales Manager Brent Hughes Sales Manager Brad Hughes Advertising Sales Representatives Brian Hughes, Jeremy Jones, Nita Lasky, Kendra Green Administration & Circulation Manager Lisa Hughes Distribution Kelly Fairbairn Website www.SmartLivingWeekly.com Published by Hughes Media Corp.

222 Seventh St., Rockford, IL, 61104 (815) 316-2300, Fax: (815) 316-2301 lhughes@northwestquarterly.com Smart Living Weekly.

Copyright 2018 by Hughes Media Corp., 222 Seventh St., Rockford, IL, 61104. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.

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Smart Living Weekly

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To advertise call 815-316-2300

Farm Market Fun

I

loved roving the Beloit Farmers Market Saturday in preparation for our cover story.

I always feel good after being there.

For one thing, these are just plain fun social events, and very multi-generational.

Folks are chatting away in little groups or with vendors, listening to live music, tasting freshly cooked or baked yummies and sniffing enticing scents. They’re really enjoying themselves and it shows. Public outdoor markets help to compensate for the shortage of public squares and piazzas in our car-focused communities.

These markets also make us feel proud.

They put us in touch with people living close to the land. We live on some of the richest soil in the world and it’s fun to see the beautiful things our earth is producing at the hands of local, talented growers.

It’s also fascinating to watch children at farmers markets. This is a place for them to learn that food doesn’t originate at the grocery store. All the better if they engage in conversation with a farmer or artisan, and many do.

How do you make soap? Do potatoes really grow under the ground? You mean you didn’t get those flowers from a flower shop? You grew them yourself? You can do that?

It’s also fun to watch youths who work in their families’ vendor booths. They’re interacting with customers, handling money and learning marketing techniques. Every year I get a big kick out of the young people working the Van Laars Fruit Farm booth Saturday mornings in Beloit. They recite the characteristics of dozens of varieties of heirloom tomatoes and apples to curious customers, on demand. Their faces just glow with the pride they take in their homegrown bounty, as they should.

Lord knows I’m grateful for our grocery stores and the year-round access to food they provide. We’re so lucky to live in an age and in a nation where citrus, pineapple and strawberries are at our fingertips year-round.

But farmers markets are wholesome, simple, seasonal treats; they’re also capitalism at its purest. The one growing the food hands you the food and you hand them money. There’s no middle-man hocus pocus, no complex ad campaign. The products sell themselves.

It all adds up to smart living. Have a fun week! ❚ Janine Pumilia SLW Editor

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July 25

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Window Treatment Shopping Made Easier I

By Janine Pumilia f you’re like most people, you don’t look forward to shopping for window blinds, shades, shutters, curtains or drapes. But you need them.

Taking measurements, finding the right store, getting questions answered, figuring out which materials look best in your lighting conditions, ordering the right custom-fit items, waiting weeks for them to arrive and then installing the final products correctly – or finding someone to do it – can be time-consuming and frustrating.

The 3 Day Blinds company simplifies this process for homeowners and business owners.

“The best place to choose materials for your home or office is inside your home or office,” says Jenny BehningZiemke, Rockford-area design consultant for 3 Day Blinds. “We offer on-site consultation. I bring my showroom-onwheels right to you.”

Along with hundreds of samples, Ziemke brings with her a design degree, 28 years of experience in the window treatment business and knowledge of the latest trends and options. Clients are under no obligation to purchase anything during her visit, which typically takes two to three hours. She learns about your goals, studies your rooms and makes educated suggestions based upon your preferences.

Do you need room-darkening or child-safe shades for a nursery or media room? Are you concerned about conserving energy or protecting a floor from bright sunlight? Do you want the option of rolling your shades up from the bottom and down from the top? Which colors would look best with your walls and floors? Which products are easiest to clean? Which ones allow natural light in a room but don’t allow glare on your computer screen?

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Once you order, installation can be completed in less than a week.

“We manufacture our own products and ship them to the installer within three days, which is extremely fast for custom window treatments,” says Ziemke. “We professionally install them for you and you’re all set. Easy.”

Learn more at 3dayoffer202.com or set up a home consultation by calling (815) 242-0034. Be sure to ask about the buy one, get one 50 percent off sale currently in progress. ❚

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I  W

The Eyes of God

O

ne of the remarkable things about the New Testament is the lack of value judgment that its writers make about people, despite the wide mix of cultures around them.

To Paul, who penned many of the letters written to the early church, there were two main kinds of people: Those who’d heard the good news of Jesus Christ and those who hadn’t. He knew it was his job to increase the former and reduce the latter, regardless of anyone’s race, religion, gender or social class, even though he lived in a culture which very much made value distinctions among people.

Jesus made fellow Jews the focus of his brief ministry, but also spent time with some folks outside the fold, something the Gospel writers carefully noted. He showed great kindness to people shunned, mistrusted or overlooked by society, including children, lepers, disabled people, widows, the mentally deranged, the poverty stricken, flagrant sinners and non-Jews. Few people were more hated in society than the tax collector, yet he made one a disciple.

Just before his execution, Jesus told his disciples to take his message to the “uttermost parts of the earth.” Salvation was now open to all. Christ himself was every believer’s new identity and far more important than any tribe to which they belonged.

Paul tells Christians in Galatia: “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:26-29 NIV) It’s man, not God, who magnifies our differences. Both Jesus and Paul understood and believed what God told Samuel many centuries earlier: “The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:17 NIV.) ❚ 12

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Y K

Brighten and Awaken Summer Flavors

S

ummer provides plenty of opportunities to use fresh-picked flavors in classic recipes and newfound favorites. Here are two from Nature’s Intent Organic Apple Cider Vinegar and celebrity chef Candice Kumai. Find more at NaturesIntentVinegars.com.

Carrot Beauty Noodles

Servings: 2 2 c. cooked brown rice or quinoa 3 Tb organic red miso paste 3 Tb Nature’s Intent Organic Apple Cider Vinegar 1/4 cup rice vinegar 2 Tb roasted sesame oil 2 tsp honey 2 tsp freshly grated ginger 2 TB reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce 9 cups spiralized carrots 2 cups shelled organic edamame 1 avocado, cubed 2 Tb fresh mint leaves 2 Tb ground sesame seeds

Cook rice or quinoa according to package directions. In medium mixing bowl, add red miso paste, apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, roasted sesame oil, honey, ginger and tamari or soy sauce. Whisk well to combine.

Add spiralized carrots, edamame and cooked rice or quinoa. Toss well to coat. Garnish with avocado cubes, fresh mint leaves and ground sesame seeds.

Peach Smoothie

Servings: 2 2 1/2 c. unsweetened almond milk 1/2 frozen banana 3/4 c. sweet-potato puree 3 c. frozen organic peaches 1/4 tsp. freshly ground ginger 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1 scoop collagen powder 1-2 Tb Nature’s Intent Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

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In blender, combine almond milk, banana, sweet-potato puree, peaches, ginger, cinnamon, collagen powder and apple cider vinegar; blend until smooth.

Serve immediately.

Source: Family Features

Smart Living Weekly

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R  O R

Why Farmers Markets Are Good for Us I

f you haven’t been to a local farmers market yet this season, here’s why you should put one on your calendar.

Good for the Body & Earth

“My husband picked this sweet corn at 5 a.m. this morning,” Sarah Gunn, of O’Leary-Gunn Farms, told a customer last Saturday at the Beloit Farmers Market. As she handed over a bulging bag of bicolor goodness, she explained, “Our farm is just west of Janesville, so there wasn’t a lot of travel time involved.”

Food doesn’t get much fresher than that or make a smaller carbon footprint.

And while not everything at a market is locally grown, most is.

Since 2015, the Beloit market has only accepted new vendors whose produce is locally sourced, says Crystal Cribbs, promotions coordinator for the Downtown Beloit Association.

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“There are exceptions because, let’s face it, you’re not going to find peaches growing in Wisconsin, for example,” she says. “And sometimes vendors ship things in for the early part of the season, just until their own crops are ready to harvest. But as much as possible, we’re about local, local, local.”

Cribbs has coordinated this market for 10 years; it’s been running for more than 50 years and averages a whopping 9,200 visitors each Saturday morning.

It has more than 100 vendors, placing it among top farmers markets in Wisconsin.

Not all food sold at a farmers market is organically grown – in fact most of it isn’t. But with the farmer standing right in front of you, you can ask questions about what you’re buying and eating.

“The process of becoming certified organic is pretty detailed, but it’s important to us,” says Ben Anderson of Anderson Organics in Caledonia, Ill. His family’s farm is one of just five certified organic vendors at the Beloit market.

July 25

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“But I think a lot of growers are trending toward a more natural approach because they know that’s what people want,” he says.

Cribbs requires growers to submit proof of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic certifcation

(Janine Pumilia photo)

By Janine Pumilia

Blia Yang sells a no-spray sunflower bouquet during the Beloit Farmers Market last Saturday.

R  O R if they display that claim. It’s not OK to say you grow things organically if you don’t.

“But there are also terms like ‘naturally grown’ and ‘no spray’ that some vendors use,” Cribbs explains. The terms are governed by the USDA so that consumers know what they’re buying.

A no- or low-chemical approach is also important to cut flower buyers.

That’s why Blia Yang of Sun Prairie fashions her popular bouquets from flowers she grows without spray.

“It’s much harder to do but it’s what people want,” says Yang.

Joseph Parr’s parents, Ken and Luana, have sold produce grown on their four-generation Monroe, Wis. Paracre Farm for a decade.

“My folks don’t want to go through the process of being certified organic, but they use very few chemicals,” he says.

“The advantage of buying from people like us, who have smaller farms, is that we also eat the food we grow and sell. We don’t put things on plants that we won’t put into our own bodies.”

Good for the Local Economy

Buying locally grown foods and other handmade goods supports local farmers and artisans and strengthens our local economy. For every dollar spent at a chain grocery store, about 80 cents leaves our region and goes to the store’s out-of-state headquarters. Locals keep much more of that dollar circulating here.

Cribbs estimates the Beloit market generates more than $580,000 each season.

And the 9,200 weekly visitors frequent downtown shops and restaurants, too.

The story is similar for Rockford City Market, which attracted more than 103,000 people in 2017, averaging 3,000 to 5,000 people per Friday night. When taken together, the Rockford farmers markets have a significant economic impact. They’re also good platforms for entrepreneurs to test-run products before investing in storefronts, as Woodfire Brick Oven Pizza did at Rockford City Market before opening on State Street.

So grab your reusable shopping bag, get some cash and head to a local farmers market. You won’t regret it. ❚

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Some Local Markets

Rockford City Market Water Street at East State Street Fridays until Sept. 28, 3:30-8:30 p.m. before Labor Day; then 3:30-7:30 p.m.

Rockford Edgebrook 1639 Alpine Road Wednesdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., until Oct. 31 Rockford HCC/Colonial Village 1240 S. Alpine Road Fridays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. thru October Rockford North End City Market North Main and Auburn intersection Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. until Oct. 27 Beloit Farmers Market Downtown Beloit Saturdays, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. through October Belvidere Farmers Market Dodge Lanes parking lot, 1940 N. State Saturdays, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. thru Oct. 22.

Oregon Park District Farmers Market 105 S. 5th St., Rt.64 & Rt. 2 Fridays, 4-7 p.m. thru September Rockton River Market 200 E. Hawick St. Wednesdays, thru August, 4-8 p.m.

Stephenson County Farmers Market Saturdays 8 a.m.-noon on Exchange Street and Tuesdays noon-3 p.m. in the municipal parking lot between Exchange and Douglas streets ❚

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Y O

RSO and Stars of Starlight Perform Aug. 8 T he Rockford Symphony Orchestra and the Starlight Theatre at Rock Valley College will present “The Stars of Starlight” on Wednesday, Aug. 8, at 8 p.m. at Starlight Theatre, 3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford.

The concert will highlight performance favorites from Starlight Theatre’s season with various cast members and Broadway show tunes. On the program are: • “You’d Be So Easy To Love,” from “Anything Goes,” Ben St. John vocalist • “The Finer Things,” from “Jane Eyre,” Chloë Alexander vocalist • “On the Street Where You Live,” from “My Fair Lady,” Alex McIntyre vocalist • “O mio babbino caro” from “Gianni Schicchi,” Laura Paruzynski, vocalist • “Farewell, Good Angel” from “Jane Eyre,” Ian Garthwaite, vocalist

• “Don’t Let Me Go,” from “Shrek,” Marcus Tobias, vocalist • “If I Were a Rich Man,” from “Fiddler on the Roof,” Jack Hill, vocalist • Salute to the Big Apple, Orchestra • “Anything You Can Do,” from “Annie, Get Your Gun,” Erin Brady and Christopher Brady, vocalists • “Ah! mes amis – Pour mon âme” from “La Fille du regiment,” Samuel Stalker, vocalist • “This is Not Over Yet,” from Samantha Blevins performs at Starlight Theatre in 2017.

“Parade,” Marcus Tobias, vocalist • “All I Ask of You,” from “Phantom of the Tickets for the Summer Series can be Opera,” Laura Paruzynski and Alex Mcordered through Starlight Theatre box ofIntyre, vocalists fice at (815) 921-2160. Tickets are also • “The Prayer,” Chloë Alexander and available online at rockfordsymphony.

Samuel Stalker, vocalists com or rockvalleycollege.edu. Price is • “We Can Do It,” from “The Producers,” $25 ($10 for children 12 and under). ❚ Jack Hill and Ian Garthwaite, vocalists

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Y T

What to Know About Buying a TV

By Peggy Werner

W

ith all of the technological advances in recent years, buying a new TV can be a dizzying experience if you don’t know what you’re looking for or what all the abbreviations and features mean.

The highly trained staff at Primetime Audio/Video, 6917 E. State St., educates customers about the latest technology available today. Today’s TVs are thinner, lighter, more energy efficient and have a higher resolution, resulting in brighter and more vibrant pictures with sharp contrast.

Keegan West, audio visual system designer at Primetime, says qualities of images seen on TVs today are more realistic than ever.

“It’s like looking out of a window because the resolution is so good,” he says.

Ultra HD or 4K resolution is now a

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standard in most TVs and provides about four times as many pixels as regular HD, giving a more detailed and realistic picture. “Smart TVs” with built-in internet connectivity have also become standard. LG and Sony’s OLED (organic light emitting diodes) and Samsung’s QLED (quantum dot LED) offer the most advanced technology and represent different ways of achieving the same thing.

OLED is a variation of LED without a backlight, so the screen is exceptionally thin. Each pixel lights up individually, so when switched off, blacks are espe-

July 25

To advertise call 815-316-2300

cially deep. The panels also have a faster response time, which is especially good if you watch fast-moving sports action.

With the sharper picture comes more expense and bigger screens. West says a 65-inch TV is the “norm” these days. The QLED screens start at 49 inches, OLED at 55 inches. Expect to start at $1,000 for a 49-inch QLED and about $3,000 for a 55-inch OLED. “You can’t buy a small premium TV any longer,” explains West. “Because of the improved resolution, people can sit closer to larger TVs and get great detail.

It’s like getting the movie theater experience in your own home.”

One disadvantage to the new, thinner TVs: Less room for speakers and therefore poorer sound quality. This is why separate sound bars and other audio devices have also become standard purchases when buying a new TV. ❚

Y H  G

Find the Right Flooring for You

By Janine Pumilia

S

hopping for flooring can feel overwhelming because of all the branding terms, competing products and continual innovations in flooring technology.

Remember that you don’t have to go it alone. The staff at reputable flooring centers can help you to narrow down your options.

“When I get answers to some key questions about what people are looking for, I can direct them to products that make the most sense for them,” says Kevin Rose, owner of Carpetland, 326 N. Alpine Road, Rockford. “How many people live in your home? Are there children? Pets? Is the new flooring for a hightraffic family room? A low-traffic spare bedroom? Is moisture is an issue?

“My four salespeople have more than 100 years of flooring experience among them. They know their products and keep up with changes by meeting fre-

quently with industry reps. Take advantage of that.”

So what are the latest flooring trends?

Luxury vinyl tiles and planks (LVT and LVP) are all the rage due to their good looks, easy maintenance, durability and cost competitiveness.

Luxury vinyl marries the benefits of a man-made product with the look of natural materials like wood or stone. It’s used in homes of all price points. It gained traction in kitchens and laundry rooms, then migrated to larger living spaces in American homes nationwide.

It’s important to pay attention to quality when buying luxury vinyl. There’s no question that the 99-cent per square foot kind found at big-box stores is inferior to the $3 to $6 product, says Rose.

“It’s like everything else – you get what you pay for. Poorer quality LVT won’t look as good or have good emboss-

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ing (texture). It may not be as thick and the finish will likely be inferior. For both hardwood and LVT, the finish is extremely important because it’s what protects the flooring over time.”

Recent headlines about lawsuits filed against cut-rate sellers like Lumber Liquidators remind us that every industry has bad actors and flooring is no exception.

“Quality LVT is produced in many places, but I have more confidence that industry regulations are upheld in the U.S.,” Rose says. ❚

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Y F Autumn just might be the best time of year. The sun is a little lower (and prettier), the air is a little crisper (and cleaner) and the leaves cascade

Real. Original.

SM

Anderson Japanese Gardens, the finest in North America. Visit beautifully spacious Rock Cut State Park. Don’t miss Klehm Arboretum & Botanic

ILLINOIS, USA

Garden, with more than 500 different species of trees, shrubs and vines, all glowing in autumn’s glory. Indoors, our concert and theater season will be gaining momentum at Coronado Performing Arts Center, a beautifully restored downtown vaudeville house. Plus, our Riverfront Museum Campus will be coming alive for the whole family. Visit gorockford.com today for a full list of autumn special events, festivals, gardens, golf and more.

Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau NWQ_fall.indd 1

102 N. Main St.

Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

Tourism

Attractions & Events

Music on the Mall – Edgebrook Most Fridays 6:30-8:30 p.m. Bring your own chair. 1639 N. Alpine Road, (815) 226-0212, edgebrookshops.com.

Rockford, IL 61101

1.800.521.0849

gorockford.com

(Greg Murphy photo)

down in colorful splendor. This fall, spend some quality time in the fun, nearby, value-packed Rockford Region. See stunning fall colors at

Music in the Park Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7 p.m. Rockford Park District, Sinnissippi Park Music Shell and other locations. Check website for full schedule. (815) 987-8800, rockfordparkdistrict.org.

9/10/07 2:07:37 PM

Tuesday Evening in the Gardens July 31 with Strange Americans of Denver, Colo. Gates open at 5 p.m., 5:45 performance. 318 Spring Creek Road, Rockford, (815) 229-9390, andersongardens.org.

RAM Midwestern Biennial Show Now to Sept. 30, daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. RAM, Rockford, (815) 968-2787, rockfordartmuseum.org.

'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels' July 25-29, Wed.-Sun. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m.

A musical comedy featuring two suave swindlers. Starlight Theatre, RVC, Rockford, (815) 921-2160, rockvalleycollege.edu.

'Anything Goes' Aug. 1-5, Wed.-Sun. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. An age-old tale of boy meets girl, with plenty of laughs and Cole Porter music. Starlight Theatre, RVC, Rockford, (815) 921-2160, rockvalleycollege.edu.

Jerry Seinfeld Aug. 3, 7 p.m. Coronado PAC. Tickets: (815) 968-0595, coronadopac.org.

RSO and the Stars of Starlight Aug. 8, 8 p.m. Songs from the current Starlight season plus other Broadway favorites. See related story in Your Outings, this issue. Starlight Theatre, 3301 N. Mulford Road. Tickets: (815) 921-2160, rockvalleycollege.edu.

Tunes on the Terrace: H!P Pocket Aug. 8, 6-8 p.m. A variety of smooth jazz, R&B, pop and popular sounds. Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens, Rockford, (815) 987-8858, rockfordparkdistrict.org/ncg.

‘Cinderella After the Ball’ Aug. 9-12, Thu.-Sat. 11 a.m., Sat. 3 p.m.

It's not too late to catch a show at Starlight Theater. Productions run through Aug. 11.

This princess-powered musical for kids of all ages follows Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Rapunzel as they team up to defend their kingdom. Starlight Theatre, RVC, Rockford, (815) 921-2160, rockvalleycollege.edu.

Tunes on the Terrace: Paper Airplane Aug. 15, 6-8 p.m. The acoustic guitar and vocal duo of Noel and Amy Nickel perform songs from the ’60s to today. Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens, Rockford, (815) 987-8858, rockfordparkdistrict.org/ncg.

'The Realistic Joneses' Aug. 16-Sept. 8, Thu.-Sat. 8 p.m. Meet the Joneses, two suburban couples with identical homes and shared last names. As their relationships begin to intertwine, they must decide between their idyllic fantasies and their imperfect realities. [usual]Suspects, Nordlof Center, Rockford. Info: rockfordpubliclibrary.org.

Klehm Woodsong Concert: The Jimmys Aug. 19, 6 p.m. Grounds open at 4 p.m.

Bring a blanket & picnic, and enjoy the music of this eight-piece band, influenced

by Chicago blues and New Orleans funk.

(815) 965-8146, klehm.org.

Tunes on the Terrace: Kelly Steward Aug. 22, 6-8 p.m. The Rockford singer/ songwriter entertains with haunting indieflavored country meditations. Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens, Rockford, (815) 987-8858, rockfordparkdistrict.org/ncg.

‘Private Eyes’ Aug. 24-Sept. 9, Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m.

A comedy by Pec Playhouse Theatre, (815) 239-1210, pecplayhouse.org. ❚

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WDL

Dockside Live Mondays Run Through September

By Peggy Werner

P

rairie St. Brewing Co., 200 Prairie St., Rockford, serves up delicious food, great beer and an unbeatable view of the Rock River. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner seven days a week, with a rotating lineup of 16 craft beers on tap.

The restaurant and brewery are located inside the 85,000-square-foot Prairie Street Brewhouse, a multi-use venue that was home to the Rockford Brewing Co., which operated from 1849-1939.

Restaurant decor features exposed original brick and ductwork.

“It’s a mix of old and new, and people like the natural look of the original building, with the warmth of wood,” says Chris Manuel, vice president of Prairie St. Brewing Co., and co-owner with Reed Sjostrom and Dustin Koch.

Using local and fresh ingredients as much as possible, the menu features appetizers such as Korean street tacos, short rib nachos, beer-battered cheese

curds and a rotating Poutine of the Day, with flavors like cubano or pastrami.

“Handhelds” are sandwiches or tacos filled with pulled pork, shrimp, turkey club ingredients or burgers, including black bean or country-fried portobello vegetarian options. There are soups and salads, flatbreads and sides, including smashed beets, onion rings, sweet potato fries and the “beer and cheese fondue chips,” using chips made by Ole Salty’s.

Entrées include roasted chicken with a sweet corn and tomato succotash; grilled Faroe Island salmon with cucumber, buttermilk, potato and dill; and a cured salmon poke bowl, with nori-rubbed and house-cured salmon, edamame, avocado, sesame seeds, fried shallots and house sriracha, served on a bed of sushi rice.

For dessert, there are root beer floats made with Prairie St.’s homemade root beer; tres leches; Johnnie’s cheesecakes; and a “beer ice cream sandwich,” made with rotating flavors of Dairyhaus ice cream.

Head to Prairie Street for Dockside Live on Mondays through September.

Dinner on the Dock is on Thursdays from 5-10 p.m., through the end of this month, with a special sandwich menu and live music from 6-9 p.m.

The Prairie St. Brewing Co. Brewpub (located upstairs) is open Sun.-Wed., 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Thurs. 11 a.m.- midnight; and Fri.-Sat. until 2 a.m. The Dockside Taproom (located downstairs) is open Sun.- Thurs. 11 a.m.-midnight and Fri.Sat. 11 a.m.-2 a.m. For reservations, call (815) 227-9427. ❚

In the Spotlight

Top Picks for Local Restaurants Baci’s Kitchen  Fast-Casual, dine-in, carry-out. 2990 N. Perryville Road, inside A Perryville Place. (815) 329-6922. Open 7 days/wk. at 8 a.m. BkLD. Complete menu at Baciskitchen.com.

Bravo Pizza  Italian/American. 376 Prairie Hill Road, South Beloit, Ill., (815) 624-7900. LD Sun-Th 11am-10pm, F-Sat to 11pm. $.

Capital House  Fine dining, sushi bar, gourmet coffee, martini bar. 308 W. State St., Rockford, (815) 708-8989. BLD M-Th 8am4pm, Fri. 8 am-10pm, Sat. 11am-10pm. Closed Sunday. $-$$$.

Ciao Bella Ristorante Upscale-Casual/Italian-American.

Daily specials. 6500 E. Riverside Blvd., Loves Park, Ill. (815) 654-9900. LD M-F 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Sat. 5-10 p.m. $$ Costa’s Ristorante  Upscale-Casual/Italian. 133 Blackhawk Dr., Byron, Ill., (815) 234-4707. LD Daily 4pm. $-$$.

Cucina di Rosa  Italian Bistro/Bakery 1620 Bell School Road, Rockford, (815) 395-5040. BkLD. Homemade gelato, baked goods, pasta, frittatas, more. M-Sat 7am-9pm. $$ Dos Reales Mexican Restaurant  Casual/Mexican. Authentic dishes, lunch menu. 5855 E. State St., Rockford, (815) 227-4979. LD Sun-Th 11am-10pm, F-Sat to 10:30pm. $-$$.

Fresco at the Gardens.  Casual/American Café. Fresh, local-sourced ingredients. 318 Spring Creek Road, Rockford, (815) 316-2256. BkL Daily 7am-3pm. $$ Giordano’s  Casual/Italian. Stuffed pizza, salads, entrees, 26

Smart Living Weekly

sandwiches, desserts. 33 Executive Parkway, Rockford, (815) 398-5700. LD Sun-Th 11am-10pm, F-Sat to 11 pm.

GreenFire  Upscale-Casual/American contemporary. Live entertainment. 6795 E. Riverside Blvd., Rockford, (815) 3163473. BkLD M-F 11am, Sat-Sun 8am. Bar open late. $$$.

Hearthrock Cafe  Restaurant/cafe. Baked goods, coffee, breakfast, lunch. Inside Benson Stone Co., 1100 11th St., (815) 227-2000. BkL M-F 7:30am-3pm; Sat. 8am-3pm. $-$$.

Maciano’s Pizza & Pastaria  Casual. Pizza, Italian favorites, beer & wine. 6746 Broadcast Pkwy., Loves Park, (815) 633-7500; and 5801 Columbia Pkwy., Rockford, (815) 2275577. LD Sun-Th 11am-10pm, F-Sat to 11pm. $$.

Olympic Tavern  Upscale-Casual/American. 2327 N. Main St., Rockford, (815) 962-8758. LD M-Th 11 a.m.-midnight; Fri-Sat. to 2 a.m. $-$$.

Prairie Street Brewhouse  Upscale-Casual/American.

200 Prairie St., Rockford, (815) 277-9427. LD Sun-W 11am10pm, Th to midnight, F-Sat to 2am. $-$$.

Rock Cut Concessions  Casual American. BkLD. Daily 8 a.m.-7 p.m., open to 9 p.m. on Friday for fish fry.

Taco Betty’s  Casual/Mexican-American. 212 E. State St., Rockford, (815) 977-5650. LD Daily 11am-1am. $$.

Thrive Café  Casual. Healthful food & drinks. 6731 Broadcast Pkwy, Loves Park. BkLD M-F 7am-8pm, Sat 9am-5pm. ❚

July 25

To advertise call 815-316-2300

L

Taco Betty’s

ocated at 212 E. State St., next to the Rock River, this trendy, casual kitchen serves up innovative tacos with signature twists like pork and pineapple or crispy fish with roasted corn, dried chiles, cilantro, onion and avocado-lime mayo. The tacos come in pairs for lunch and threesomes for dinner. Recipes are subject to change with the seasons or whenever the chef feels like it.

Other items on the menu include chicken verde nachos, chicken taquitos, taco salad and guacamole with chips.

Margaritas and other bar drinks are made with fresh juice squeezed daily.

The entrance to Taco Betty’s faces State Street and the restaurant has large west-facing windows that offer natural light and front-seat views of Rockford City Market on Fridays and the river.

Taco Betty’s opens daily at 11 a.m. The kitchen closes at 10 p.m. Sun.-Thurs. and at 11 p.m. Fri. and Sat. ❚

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Smart Living Weekly

July 25

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Y M

Approaching Retirement: What to Know

By Janine Pumilia

F

rom the time he was in high school, Brad Steele knew he wanted to help people better understand the confusing world of insurance and retirement preparation. He’d grown up on a farm in Walnut, Ill., and watched his grandfather wrestle with unaffordable insurance and interest rates that cost him his livelihood.

“When my grandfather was forced out of business, I knew I wanted to help people navigate the issues that arise when approaching retirement,” says Steele.

“Many people pay too much because they don’t understand how it all works.”

So 15 years ago, Steele and business partner Tony Torbey founded Senior Advisors of Illinois to provide financial counseling to people befuddled by red tape – which is most of us. Today, about 300 insurance professionals operate under Senior Advisors in 35 states.

“It costs nothing to sit down with

us and review your financial needs and options,” says Steele. “If you decide to use the options we recommend or invest through us, we all profit. Either way, when we walk away, you’re better educated and have a much better understanding of how investing and Medicare insurance work.”

Steele represents more than 120 insurance companies. He also offers financial portfolio management with an emphasis on low-risk investments.

“As people get closer to retirement, they should be shifting to a lower-risk portfolio,” says Steele. “Sadly, I knew people who didn’t take that advice and lost half of their retirement savings when the stock market crashed in 2008.”

A few years ago, a local pharmacy referred a struggling couple to Steele.

“We ended up saving them $5,000 a year in premium costs,” he says. “I recently bumped into their daughter and she

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gave me a big hug and told me what a difference that had made to her parents’ ability to buy food. That’s very rewarding.

“Helping seniors leave a legacy for their family rather than the state is another large hurdle we help overcome,” he says. “Properly aligning all life insurance, health insurance and investments is key. We’ve perfected that.”

Senior Advisors of Illinois is located at 7214 N. Alpine Road in Loves Park.

Learn more by calling (815) 282 3480 or go to Senioradvisorsofillinois.com. ❚

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To advertise call 815-316-2300

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