Get out, get fit and healthy here in Northwest Chicagoland!

Here in Bartlett – The Bartlett Park District is hosting its 30th annual Apple Blossom Run on Saturday, May 8, 2010.

This event has really become a great Bartlett tradition with participants of various ages entering into a 5k or 10k run. Children beetween 2 and 5 can enter the 50 yard dash and children 6-10 can enter the 1/8 mile run! Races will be held indoors on the track of the LifeCenter. Registration forms and waivers required.

Walkers and Strollers Divisions for the 5K only. T-shirt and correct size guaranteed to all pre-registered runners BUT they are only available while stocks last. Race Day registration available from 6:30-7:30am. 8am is the start of the run…

It is expected that there will be in excess of 500 runners and walkers for this event on the roadways and sidewalks.

The Bartlett Police Department  (an excellent local Police force!) is providing traffic control throughout the following locations:

South Bartlett Road at Pipers Drive
South Bartlett Road near Wilcox Drive
Prospect Avenue at Country Drive
Prospect Avenue near Wilcox Drive

The route itself for the run can be viewed here.

Bartlett Parks District is an integral part of the community and was formed back in 1964 and this event really has become a staple part of its calendar.

Whether you are a first time buyer trying to determine how much you can afford, or an experienced buyer who is selling your current property and ready to buy your next home I can help you with all your real estate needs in the Chicagoland Northwest Suburbs Area.

Finding your dream home or finding a buyer is only part of the challenge of a successful transaction. Click here to search Bartlett IL, Schaumburg IL and the Hoffman Estates using our complimentary MLS Search service. You can also view our fantastic range of featured properties!

Alternatively please contact me today if you need more specific assistance in your real estate needs. You can call the office on: 847-874-6731 or Cell phone on: 847-913-2606 or of course email me at: Joe@JoeStacy.com

My expertise, experience and dedication to you and your specific needs are anything but average – it’s why this office is number one in the Northwest Suburbs year after year!

Joe Stacy
2570 W. Schaumburg Rd
Schaumburg, IL 60194

Support your local libraries here in Illinois!

The internet is a great and wonderful thing,  but if you, like me, sometimes love to go to the library, not just for peace and quiet, but to research something or to simply check out the latest best seller.

Our libraries are always under threat from our digital age – however, they are not a relic to be consigned to the past, they are an integral part of the community which are growing with new technology.

Libraries over the years have changed their role from a book repository to a general community center.

In the case of Schaumburg, the Schaumburg Township District Library serves in excess 134,000 residents in portions of the municipalities Elk Grove, Hanover Park, Hoffman Estates, Roselle, Schaumburg and Streamwood. With over 1 million visitors each year, the library circulates over 2,000,000 items annually and is the second largest public library in the state of Illinois.

The district is comprised of three libraries. The Central, located on Town Square; Hanover Park Branch on Irving Park Road and Hoffman Estates Branch on Hassell Road. They own over 600,000 items, including more that 500,000 books and over 100,000 audiovisual items. With the Central Library being 166,500 swuare feet, Hoffman Estates branch is 9,700 square feet, and Hanover Park branch is 9,500 square feet.

Hoffman Estates is also served by other Library systems, listed here:

Palatine Public Library District
Freeman Road Branch
1262 Freeman Road
Hoffman Estates, IL 60192

Gail Borden Public Library District
270 N. Grove Ave.
Elgin, IL 60120

Barrington Area Library
505 N. Northwest Highway
Barrington, IL 60010

You can find out which you belong to in Hoffman Estates by clicking here.

Also, in Barlett, IL Library District which has many locations which can be used by its members as part of the DuPage system.

Library cards over the years have also kept pace with technology – they are not longer used for simple identification, but also to track an electronic account and more!

In short – libraries are an important part of our community, so here in Bartlett, Hoffman Estates and Schaumburg as well as the rest of Northwest Chicagoland, Illinois lets all get out, join our local library and rediscover the joy of reading and become an active member of the community.

Click here to read more on a subdivision here in Bartlett, IL near to the park!

Whether you are a first time buyer trying to determine how much you can afford, or an experienced buyer who is selling your current property and ready to buy your next home I can help you with all your real estate needs in the Chicagoland Northwest Suburbs Area.

Finding your dream home or finding a buyer is only part of the challenge of a successful transaction. Click here to search Bartlett IL, Schaumburg IL and the Hoffman Estates using our complimentary MLS Search service. You can also view our fantastic range of featured properties!

Alternatively please contact me today if you need more specific assistance in your real estate needs. You can call the office on: 847-874-6731 or Cell phone on: 847-913-2606 or of course email me at: Joe@JoeStacy.com

My expertise, experience and dedication to you and your specific needs are anything but average – it’s why this office is number one in the Northwest Suburbs year after year!

Joe Stacy
2570 W. Schaumburg Rd
Schaumburg, IL 60194

Bartlett is such a great place to live and work. It is steeped in history – more than most people realize!

For instance, the Daily Herald has reported on this heartwarming story!;

How the oldest building in the village, the 137 year old train depot (the fifth oldest depot in the Chicago area) is being moved temporarily. The need for the move occurred when crews prepared to start renovations at the downtown building, they discovered the structure, built in 1873, lacked a foundation and rested on wooden timbers. Years of water damage threatened the building, which officials want to transform into a transportation museum.

The small, three room, 600 square foot building at 161 S. Oak Ave, Bartlett has been temporarily relocated so a new foundation can be constructed – do not worry, the building has only been moved 100 feet so a new foundation can be poured! It is expected that the building will be back on its plot by the summer, with the museum plans coming to fruition in 2011 – it will be Bartlett’s second museum.

This is definitely an unusual and heartwarming story about Bartlett, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

If you are thinking of relocating to Bartlett then please contact me today for immediate real estate assistance in the area.

Whether you are a first time buyer trying to determine how much you can afford, or an experienced buyer who is selling your current property and ready to buy your next home I can help you with all your real estate needs in the Chicagoland Northwest Suburbs Area.

Finding your dream home or finding a buyer is only part of the challenge of a successful transaction. Click here to search Bartlett IL, Schaumburg IL and the Hoffman Estates using our complimentary MLS Search service. You can also view our fantastic range of featured properties!

Alternatively please contact me today if you need more specific assistance in your real estate needs. You can call the office on: 847-874-6731 or Cell phone on: 847-913-2606 or of course email me at: Joe@JoeStacy.com

My expertise, experience and dedication to you and your specific needs are anything but average – it’s why this office is number one in the Northwest Suburbs year after year!

Joe Stacy
2570 W. Schaumburg Rd
Schaumburg, IL 60194

Looking for some fun filled activities to do with your kids this weekend? Why not celebrate Earth Day at  James “Pate” Philip State Park – Bartlett Nature Center located at 2054 W. Stearns Road in Bartlett, IL on Saturday, April 25^th from 12:00-4:00. Come see a variety of family activities, educational exhibits and demonstrations, hands-on activities and see live animals as well. In honor of Arbor Day, 40 Blue Spruce saplings will be handed out courtesy of Joe Stacy, a real estate agent who lives and sells homes in Bartlett.

Join The MIX 101.9 Road Crew who will be playing music and enter a chance to win a prize too.

SIMS Recycling Solutions will also be on hand to do Eco-Day recycling. You can drop off your old computers and peripherals, video equipment, TV’s, calculators, phones, hand held devices, data center equipment and test equipment. No appliances or loose batteries will be accepted.

This Earth Day celebration is FREE and no reservations are required. Call 847-608-3100 for more information or visit them at www.bartlettparks.org.

Westridge of Bartlett is a 635 home community located on the far West side of Bartlett, only about 3 miles to downtown Bartlett and the Metra Train Station and just 30 miles West of downtown Chicago. The houses, built starting approximately 1993 by Centex Homes, range from around 1,600 square feet to over 2,600 square feet. Mostly the subdivision consists of 2 story homes but there are a few ranch plans as well.

One of the big attractions to the Westridge subdivision is having Nature Ridge elementary school right in the middle of the subdivision making it a short walk to school. The other 2 schools servicing Westridge, Kenyon Woods middle school and South Elgin high school, are also conveniently located only about 2 miles away.

Area recreation is abundant with direct access to the James “Pate” Phillip State Park (formerly called Tri-county State Park).  This 500+ acre parcel was converted back to original prairie grass back in the early 1990’s and houses a visitor center that offers educational programs through the Bartlett Park district. There is also over 5 miles of crushed limestone walking and bike paths. Most days you can see deer, red tail hawks, river otters and many other creatures. Westridge is also located only a ½ mile east of the Illinois Prairie Bike Path, Fox River Trail, with over 90 miles of walking/bike path that wind around the picturesque Fox River from Aurora to Crystal Lake.

CLICK HERE for a current list of available homes in Westridge.

CLICK HERE for a current list of all available homes in Bartlett IL.

Do you live in Westridge or have something to say about it? Leave your comments below.

TL

Looking for a place to eat in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago, downtown Bartlett, IL is home to TL’s Four Seasons Restaurant, a unique restaurant featuring Chinese and Japanese cuisine as well as a sushi bar all under one roof. TL’s features 2 world renowned chefs, chef Nashimoto (or Moto as he is also known as) heads the sushi bar. I love sitting at the sushi bar, watching Moto work his magic with his knife. It’s amazing! The Chinese kitchen is manned by chef Bo.

My family, kids included, love eating sushi. For an appetizer, try their hand grenades. A large shrimp rolled with some rice and seaweed paper topped off with a special garlic mayonnaise sauce. Unbelievable! I also love the super white tuna. Not totally into sushi? Try the pokey salad which has romaine lettuce with pieces of sushi and a tasty light dressing. All of TL’s sushi is top grade and very fresh.

If Chinese food is your thing, TL’s was rated the #1 Chinese restaurant in all of Chicago by Fox TV. One of my favorites is the grilled red snapper fillet, so light and delicious. I also love the black pepper garlic beef tenderloin. Of course, the orange chicken or other traditional Chinese menu items are all excellent as well.

TL’s also features a nice bar with a large assortment of Chinese and Japanese beers, saki and other standard bar fares. Sometimes when I’m hungry and in a hurry, I will pop in and sit at the bar and eat some sushi while watching a professional game while washing it down with a Sapporo. If you don’t have time to stop in and eat, TL’s also does a large take out business and also delivers within the Bartlett area.

Located at 110 West Bartlett Avenue in Bartlett, directly across from the new Bartlett Metra train station on the North side of the train tracks. For reservations, call 630-830-1988.

Have you been TL’s? Let me know what you think. Post your comments below.

Immediately following at 6:00 p.m. will be the annual Bartlett Holiday Tree Lighting sponsored by the Bartlett Chamber of Commerce. Events also include holiday singing and refreshments. For full details, contact the Bartlett Chamber of Commerce at 630-830-0324 or visit www.bartlettchamber.com.

Concerns about the relocation of the Bartlett Farmers’ Market back to Town Center this summer have been put to ease after noticing a large increase in its weekly attendance. 

In the past, the Bartlett Farmers’ Market took place in the Apple Orchard Park complex, with assumptions that the pool, library and the park district would contribute to the visibility of the event.  Village officials then decided to move the market back to downtown Bartlett, hoping that it could create some buzz about Bartlett’s merchants in the area.  Moving back was a smart decision which is seen with the success of the vendor’s each week, and the increased attendance by visitors to the market.

The Bartlett Farmers’ Market offers a wide range of products from baked goods and flowers to dog treats and jewelry.  For the little ones, kids’ craft activities take place every week, so hurry up because there are only 3 weeks remaining to visit the Bartlett Farmers’ Market. Markets will continue until Sept 12, and take place from 2 to 6 every Friday around the fountain in Town Center. If you plan on driving, parking is available at the Village Hall.