Hoffman Estates is home to Cabela’s, the world’s foremost outfitter of hunting, fishing and camping clothing and equipment. Besides supplying outdoorsmen with all of their equipment needs, the 185,000 square foot retail showroom is an educational and entertainment attraction featuring museum quality animal displays, 2 large fresh water aquariums, indoor play shooting range and large trophy animals interacting in a realistic recreation of their natural habitat. On one of my visits, my son and I watched them do a feeding in the bass tank. What a great learning experience to see how fish feed.

Cabela’s also features a restaurant and delicatessen offering wild game entrees as well as traditional sandwiches. Menu items include deli sandwiches made from Elk, Wild Boar, Bison, Ostrich and the traditional other deli meats. On a recent visit with a friend, we enjoyed the Bison Burger as well as a Venison Brat. Both were delicious and reasonably priced. Also, if you are planning a meeting in the Northwest suburbs try the Fox River Grill, a deluxe banquet facility and meeting room accommodating from 12-50 people for a lunch part or banquet.

Cabela’s is located at 5225 Prairie Stone Parkway in Hoffman Estates, inside the Prairie Stone Business Park.

CLICK HERE for driving directions. CLICK HERE for store hours and a video tour.

The Elgin Symphony Orchestra has become a drop-off site for a food drive organized by the city of Elgin, and as an incentive to get the community involved they are offering 1 free ticket for every 10 nonperishable items donated. The donations must be made in person at the ESO box office which is located at 20 DuPage Court in Downtown Elgin, IL. All free tickets will be redeemable at any of the upcoming performances at the Hemmens Theatre through June 2009. The box office is open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If you wish to donate food, the items that are most needed include:

• Canned Vegetables
• Macaroni
• White Rice
• Peanut Butter
• Jelly
• Spaghetti
• Ravioli
• Canned Fruit
• Beans
• Crackers
• Ramen Noodles
• Tuna
• Chili

If you live in or around the Schaumburg IL area and are looking for fun activities consider taking a trip to Legoland Discovery Center, a 30,000-square-foot play arena located across from the Woodfield Shopping Center.  It is the first of its kind in the United States, and is modeled after two similar attractions in Germany.  Click here for an interactive map or check out some of the special features of the Schaumburg Legoland Discovery Center below!

FACTORY TOUR

A unique chance to learn exactly how LEGO bricks are made - from the raw materials to the perfect finished product with close-ups of all the manufacturing stages, with machines, animated workers and sound effects.

DRAGON RIDE

Climb aboard the giant green dragon for a journey of twists and turns through our medieval castle. Watch out for the moving LEGO models - drunken monks, cooking in the kitchen and watch the royal banquet.

ADVENTURE TRAIL

Get your trekking boots on for your quest through the jungle with our Johnny Thunder. Meet the curious characters and creatures along the way and take the quiz card challenge competition.

MINILAND

Think small - see Chicago in miniature - and perfect in every detail. Made from nearly 1.5 million LEGO bricks, you’ll enjoy a day in the life of the city and its inhabitants - all model citizens of course! The Sears Tower used 190,000 bricks and weighs over 200 pounds!

BUILD AND TEST

Use your imagination and get creative with thousands of LEGO bricks in the Build + Test Center! All ages welcome - and parents can join in too! And after the challenge of building your creations, there’s the added thrill and excitement of seeing just how well they perform!

Prices are $19 for adults, $15 for children and $17 for seniors.  Children under 2 years old receive free admission! Save 25% on ticket prices at the door. Click here for your online discount tickets or call 1-888-209-7172.  Save 50% off of ticket prices by donating some of your old lego bricks!

The Schaumburg Legoland Center is located at 601 N. Martingale Road (at the intersection of Higgins Rd and Martingale Rd) Schaumburg, IL 60173.  Click here for directions

In view of a weakening of the economic outlook and increasing downside risks to growth, the Federal Reserve board on December 16^th dropped the target short-term interest rate, to .25%, the lowest level in history. This basically means that banks can borrow money from each other at relatively no cost.  This now pushes the Fed’s monetary policy to the limit. The short term interest rate drop has a direct effect on some credit card rates as well as short term credit programs, like home equity lines of credit. CLICK HERE for the official press release.

While this rate cut didn’t directly have an effect on home mortgage rates, the overall market has anticipated the Fed’s next move of buying mortgage backed securities and/or treasury bonds in an effort to push bond prices up, thus lowering home mortgage rates. 30 year fixed rate mortgage are now around 5% and are predicted to dip lower. Interested in refinancing or getting pre-qualfied, call Randall Fowlkes at 630-399-9291 or email rfowlkes@ksgmac.com.

There has hardly been a better time for current homeowners to refinance their mortgages or for 1^st time buyers to finally buy their dream home. If you or someone you know can benefit from this opportunity, give me a call.

One major bonus of living in Hoffman Estates is its famous entertainment district, which has been growing rapidly with the birth of the Sears Centre Arena in October 2006. The Sears Centre Arena has become the largest entertainment venue in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago. It seats 11,000 and is home to the Chicago Storm (Xtreme Soccer League), the Chicago Slaughter (Continental Indoor Football League), and the Chicago Shamrox (National Lacrosse League). The massive arena also serves as a venue for concerts and theatrical performances.  Matchbox Twenty, Lionel Richie, and Billy Joel are just a few of the many musicians who have held concerts at the Sears Centre Arena.

The Sears Centre Arena is conveniently located in Prairie Stone Business Park, immediately north of the Northwest Tollway (1-90) and west of Illinois Route 59.  The center provides 43 luxury suites with two lounges on the private suite concourse, 1,000 club seats with a private club and parking for 3,200 vehicles, with an additional 1,500 spaces available! To find out how to get tickets for an upcoming event at the Sears Centre Arena, Click Here.

To show the country’s appreciation for our troops stationed overseas, Xerox Corporation has developed a nationwide program aimed at saying “thank you” to our troops. Through the Let’s Say Thanks program, postcards designed by children from across the country, depicting patriotic scenes and hometown images are available at www.LetsSayThanks.com for people to select their favorite and write a personalized message to the troops. There are 10 pre-written messages or you can elect to write your own personalized message. Xerox will then print the card on its paper and equipment and mail it in care packages to deployed troops through the  military support organization Give2TheTroops.

Give2TheTroops, a non-profit organization formed to support the physical, moral and spiritual health of America’s armed forces in combat zones around the world through the letters and packages prepared and shipped by volunteers.

If you would like to send a soldier a postcard, CLICK HERE. In three easy steps, you can send a message of support to the troops:

1. Select a favorite postcard design, drawn by U.S. children, ages 6-14

2. Enter your personal message.

3. Click “submit.”

Take 5 minutes of your time and make a soldiers day.

Many of today's homeowners worry about the quality of the air in their homes, since we spend so much time indoors (especially around this time of the year). What follows are some ways to better the air quality inside your home:

• Have your furnace inspected and cleaned annually to ensure that no unhealthy gases end up leaking out. It is important to make sure that there is no gas leaking out!
• Have any fuel burning appliances inspected by a professional each year to prevent the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning. Also if you have a gas range, you must have a hood fan that exhausts the outdoor air. Turning on that fan will remove gas fumes
• A simple way to prevent dust accumulation is to de-clutter your home. Keep your household items organized and store toys, books, etc. in containers and place them in closets.  Also, don't forget how important it is to vacuum on a regular basis
• Have your duct work inspected if it runs through an uninsulated attic. Why? Because humid air condenses and can cause mold and rust. Consider having your attic insulated.

Koenig & Strey GMAC Real Estate announced today that Joe Stacy of their Schaumburg office was awarded the Diamond Elite national award for providing superior customer service to home buyers and sellers in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago.

The Premier Service Diamond Elite award was presented to Stacy by GMAC Home Services’ President and CEO John Bearden, who will formally present Stacy the award in February during the company’s annual business conference.

“Joe Stacy truly ranks as one of the best of the best when it comes to providing the highest level of customer service to his clients,” Bearden said.  “With our Premier Service program, buyers and sellers are asked to complete a survey evaluating the service they received.  Once completed, the surveys are tabulated by an independent research firm and the results detail how we did.  In the case of Joe Stacy, the results speak for themselves: Diamond Elite.”

To qualify to become a Premier Service Diamond Elite winner, Stacy had to receive a minimum 97% customer satisfaction rating based upon at least 10 returned surveys and maintain a minimum survey return rate of 30 percent. Stacy’s customer satisfaction rating is 100%. “I am absolutely thrilled to receive this award since it’s an independent rating based upon evaluations from those who matter most: my clients,” said Stacy.

Premier Service is one of the most comprehensive and effective customer-service programs in the real estate industry.  Through the program, GMAC Real Estate’s Sales Associates like Joe Stacy put in writing, up front, the services they will perform.  Following the transaction, GMAC Real Estate agents ask their clients to honestly rate their performance through a written survey.

Have time off for the holidays and looking for things to do in Chicago and throughout the suburbs? Here is a list of upcoming holiday events:

Chicago Christkindl Market

Running currently through December 24th at the Daily Center.  Chicago’s largest open air market featuring cherished German and European tradition with international flair. A unique shopping experience with typical German food and drinks, diverse holiday entertainment, and a place to enjoy the city during the winter season. Click here for a calendar of events.  Click here for times and directions to this event. Admission is FREE.

Vernon Hills, A Winter Wonderland Holiday Light Show

A Winter Wonderland Holiday Light Show, a drive thru holiday light show is held annually on the grounds of the Cuneo Museum and Gardens. Running through January 3rd, hours are 6:00-10:00pm everyday. The cost is $5 per car Monday thru Thursday and $10 per car Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  Credit cards not accepted. The entrance to the light show is located north of Route 60 on Lakeview Parkway.

Chicago, Zoolights

Lincoln Park Zoo’s Zoolights has more than one million lights greeting you and illuminating the animals.  Events include musical light show, photos with Santa, festive family crafts, temporary tattoos, LPZoo Holiday Express train rides and so much more. Open everyday (except 12/24 and 12/25) through January 4 from 5:00-9:00PM. Admission is FREE.

Arlington Heights, Clearbrook Wonderland of Lights

The Clearbrook Wonderland of Lights has hundreds of thousands of lights displayed throughout the grounds of Arlington Park Race Track located at 2200 W. Euclid Arlington Heights, IL 60006. A drive-thru wonderland including a twinkling “Elf Toy Factory” and be dazzled by the “Worlds Largest Light Tunnel”.  Open nightly including holidays, Sunday-Thursday 5:30-9:00PM and Friday-Saturday 5:30-10:00PM. Admission is $10/car Monday-Thursday and $12/car Friday-Sunday. Click here for a $2 off coupon good Sunday-Thursday. Proceeds benefit children and adults with developmental disabilities supported by Clearbrook.

Chicago, Winter Wonderfest at Navy Pier

Located at Navy Pier, over 170,000 square feet of indoor family fun. Activities include Matterhorn Climb & Slide, Reindeer Express Train Ride, Chicago Blackhawks Skating Rink, Ferris wheel, create a cookie and much more. Running now through January 4th. Click here for hours and admission charges.

Brookfield, Brookfield Zoo Holiday Magic

Come to Brookfield Zoo, now through December 31st, for an enchanted evening in a winter wonderland illuminated by nearly a million twinkling lights at Holiday Magic. Experience dancing tree lights, a choreographed light show with 50 decked out trees, laser light show as well as traditional favorites like carolers, celebrity storytellers, ice carvers, magicians and much more. Admission is FREE.  Click here for directions.

Google and Metra have teamed up to offer Google Maps Trip Planner, a trip planning feature allowing Chicago area residents and visitors the ability to plan their trips on the commuter railroad.  The service, unveiled last month and still in the beta design phase,  combines the online mapping technology of Google Maps with Metra schedule information to show riders the easiest and most convenient way to get where they need to go anywhere in the Metra service area.

Simply go to Google Maps Trip Planner and enter your starting point, date, travel time and destination. Riders will then see:

• The next three Metra train departures from the station closest to the starting point
• Step-by-step directions that include walking directions to the station and any transfers to CTA buses or trains that may be necessary.
• A graphic depiction of the route on a map
• An option to use the map to search for businesses or landmarks near your station or destination and much more.

At present time, the product does not provide driving directions to a station when the starting address is beyond a reasonable walk. Pace suburban bus service is also not available at this time. For Pace routes that serve Metra stations, visit the appropriate Metra station page for a listing of their routes or visit the Pace Bus web site.

Click here for a Google Transit How to Guide.