Had a great time at Funtopia with my kids. So many climbing walls, it was a good time (especially…read morethe Christmas theme for the winter). I had the chance to check out their party rooms as they were running kind of a family open house for their Christmas time. Lots of fun challenges for the kids as they put snowflakes and cookies on the climbing walls for kids to collect for a prize. They had a food buffet showcasing some of their food options pizza, pizza puffs, meatballs, chicken tenders. Salad and hot chocolate. The staff was super friendly and good with the kids. We had a great time. The party space accommodates several groups at the same time.

Great variety of activities for all ages. Plus, there are tables for parents to hang out or work…read more Free wifi!

I was so excited to share my Korean culture with my husband and our wedding guests through a…read morebeautiful Paebak Ceremony created by Oh Happy Day at our reception. Everyone on the team was incredibly helpful, the hanboks were stunning, and the MCs that day were simply amazing. The ceremony backdrop and table decor were thoughtfully and beautifully arranged, making for incredible photos that we'll cherish forever. Throughout the ceremony, they took the time to explain the traditions, which helped our guests fully appreciate and connect with this special tribute to my heritage. Guests have been talking about it for weeks! We're already looking forward to working with Oh Happy Day again for other important Korean celebrations, like our future children's 100 Day Celebration. We can't recommend them enough!

Amazing experience! Kris and Helene did an amazing job. Stress free for us and our family. They…read morebrought everything that was needed, you just need to bring yourself. The whole experience felt authentic.

We had our wedding here and it was just stunning. Deborah and her team were amazing to work with…read more Helped us anytime we needed it while planning a wedding from out of state. Gorgeous day as well - everything turned out beautiful. And they recommended the best vendors.

We hosted a wedding reception at the Grove this month. A beautiful outdoor venue for a party--we…read morehad about 75 guests seated at tables in the pavilion, and made good use of the green space. Children had fun running amok in the field rather than having to sit in a banquet room. Guests who were sensitive to noise from the DJ music were able to sit on benches outside the pavilion and enjoy the event. A couple relatives hadn't attended any wedding receptions in 20 years, but were able to come to this outdoor one. Also a great option for immunocompromised folks who can't safely go to indoor receptions. The coordination with the caterer, etc., was great, and everything ran smoothly. The parking was conveniently located, yet out of sight from the pavilion. Highly recommended!

I learnt about the Winnetka Community House when we went to the North Shore Art League for the…read morefirst time to attend the opening reception of their new exhibit -- "Summer Open".  The art league is located on the second floor of the Winnetka Community House.  The Community House was completed in 1911, and it has been expanded several times since.  That's why it was interesting for us to enter a historic building that's over 100 years old, but discovered a modern extension where the art gallery is after climbing a flight of old-fashioned stairs. Apparently, the center hosts many performing arts programs that include dance, theater, music and more.  When we were viewing artwork of the exhibit, a friendly elderly actor of the center greeted us while taking a break on a comfy couch.  We could hear music rehearsal in the theatre when we passed by. They also have education programs, youth sports programs, a full-service fitness center, classes and lectures -- all kinds of activities that help enrich lives of residents of not just Winnetka, but of the broader North Shore. When I read their Yelp reviews, I learnt that the center is even a popular weddings and events venue!  It is truly a versatile community house! As a privately supported 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Community House is not funded through tax dollars.  It's good to know that donations are 100% tax deductible.

If you have high expectations for your wedding venue, this is not the place. I left feeling very…read moreunderwhelmed with both the space and the service. We had a tour scheduled with Sahra, but it was moved to a different time, which seemed like it may have been to accommodate another group. When we arrived, the front desk gentleman was very kind, but we ended up waiting about 20 minutes while Sahra continued speaking with the previous tour group. She clearly saw us waiting but didn't acknowledge us or apologized when she eventually came over. Once the tour finally started, it felt very rushed. The entire walkthrough lasted maybe 15-20 minutes, and there wasn't much opportunity to ask questions before she quickly moved on to the next area. At the end, I asked if she could send photos of the space set up for weddings so we could better visualize it decorated. Her response was, "I won't remember, just email me--I had three tours today." We were the third tour, which made the comment feel dismissive. What stood out even more was that the previous group had asked about placing a hold on the space and did not receive that same response. Overall, the experience felt unprofessional and unwelcoming. After touring around 20 venues, this was by far the most disappointing experience. As for the space itself, it felt very small and somewhat outdated. The bridal and groomsmen suites were essentially small conference rooms. In my opinion, the venue may be better suited for smaller events like a bridal or baby shower rather than a full wedding. Unfortunately, due to both the service and the space, I would not recommend spending your time touring here.

I am struggling to put into words how to thank Lindsay Gaeta and her team and acknowledge every…read moresingle detail she knocked out of the park and executed on our wedding day! Throughout the planning process there were so many little behind the scenes details she saved me time on which I am so appreciative! I will miss seeing her monthly on our planning calls! I don't plan to get married again anytime soon but I do hope our paths cross again! I am speechless about her help from the rehearsal to the very last minute of shutting down the after party!! The top 3 highlights that people mentioned to me on the wedding day were 1. Dad's speech, 2. Florals, 3. How hard she HUSTLED!!! My bridesmaids and close family constantly approached me on the wedding day with sentiments of "wow, she's good!!" She exceeded our expectations and anticipated our every move! I have close family in the hospitality business (who are the harshest critics about everything in the event planning world) and were over the top satisfied with her commitment and follow through to make the day as seamless as possible! I am sure there were many hiccups that day that were not brought to my attention and for that, I give Lindsay full credit! I was able to relax, be present and have a B+ personality that evening instead of my typical A- for all things attention to detail! I felt completely comfortable 'handing Lindsay the reigns' and entrusting she would handle everything as necessary, which she did!!!

We are beyond grateful for Kim Weinberg of LivenUp Events! From the very beginning, Kim was the…read moreultimate professional, so patient, kind, and supportive, even when I, as the bride, was feeling overwhelmed. She has this incredible ability to stay calm, cool, and collected no matter what comes her way, always finding solutions effortlessly and proactively preventing issues before they even arise. Her industry knowledge is unparalleled, and her planning experience truly shines through in every detail. From her amazing vendor connections to her creative, thoughtful ideas, Kim went above and beyond to make our wedding not just beautiful, but absolutely seamless. She kept us organized, on track, and stress-free throughout the entire process. But what really sets Kim apart is her heart. She genuinely cares about her couples, listens with empathy, and makes you feel supported every step of the way. We couldn't have asked for a better wedding planner. She is a true gem, and we feel so lucky to have had her by our side. Kim Weinberg didn't just plan our wedding; she made our dream day a reality, and we will be forever grateful.

Randy is fantastic! His personality and talent is astonishing. I totally recommend having him at…read moreyour event. He reaches out to all ages and backgrounds. We look forward to having him again .

Randy helped make my daughter's birthday a huge success. He was very funny and entertaining to all…read morethe kids (ages 2-7) and the adults! A huge bonus was that he was very interactive with the crowd and chose several "assistants" to help with the show. You can tell that he really loves his job and is a very charismatic person. We got lots of compliments about the birthday party and would not hesitate to recommend Magic By Randy to our family and friends!

This was such a lovely experience! My kids learned so much about how to have good etiquette and at…read morethe same time had so much fun with their friends. Mrs. Berto was so kind and a great teacher. She was very prepared and organized, and even brought certificates and gifts at the end. It was a wonderful dinner that the kids will remember for the rest of their lives. If I could give it six stars, I would.

We hired Sarah for our children (age 9, 10, 11) in preparation for a vacation which included…read moremeeting many people and formal dining daily. This course absolutely prepared them to behave impeccably with new people and their table manners made me and those around us impressed and proud. I am so thankful to Sarah and highly recommend her services to others. I will likely hire her again for refresher courses, but I do feel that what my children learned will be useful for life.

We provided services for this company in good faith and submitted invoices for payment. Despite…read morerepeated requests and ample time to resolve the matter, the invoices remain unpaid. My experience has been extremely frustrating due to the lack of follow-through and professionalism regarding payment obligations. I always prefer to handle business matters privately and professionally, but after exhausting those efforts, I felt it was important to share my experience so others can make informed decisions when considering doing business with this company.

Long time member of this "hidden gem" (one of its marketing taglines) tucked away in Glenview…read more Think of Valley Lo as a low/no-pretense country club that is SUPER family friendly and even family ORIENTED. Wonderful dining -- casual attire but a nice menu; phenomenal service, and plenty of TVs and an activity room available to keep kids occupied. Tennis. Paddle tennis (one of the biggest programs in the US apparently, with a relatively recently rebuilt paddle hut that is spacious, well appointed, and has a regular bartender). A well appointed and maintained fitness center with personal training, classes, massage, and all of what you'd expect at a fitness club. A four lane 25-yard swimming pool that is surprisingly underutilized much of the time...and also features a kids' swim team that has become competitive among the North Shore programs. 18 holes of par 3 golf -- fun, family friendly, and again, without the pretense or expense of a "big time" golf club...and still with leagues, lessons, and events. The real showpieces of the Club, though, are the beach and lake open from Memorial Day through Labor Day (sometimes a little earlier and a little later depending upon weather). Sailing. Kayaks. Pedal boats. Paddle boarding. Swimming (some triathletes train by swimming around the lake -- it's about a mile around). Catch and release fishing (mostly for the kids). An adults-only area. A super casual beach cafe. Unsurprisingly, servers who'll deliver soft and adult beverages to your chair. A recently launched outdoor bar that complements the outdoor dining, weather permitting, in the warm weather, with lovely views of the lake and surrounding areas. Along with that, there are myriad family oriented and adults-only events, from bingo nights (really -- and they're a riot) to a "turn back the clock" New Year's Eve party where "midnight" is nine pm to the expected holiday events (gingerbread houses, caroling dinners, St. Pat's, Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, etc.). Breathtakingly good and popular 4th of July fireworks (usually on the 3rd) on the back nine of the golf course -- this typically draws over 1000 people and, along with many of the other events, features kids' activities like games, small rides, face paining, etc. Among the biggest draws is the youth sports camp which is as brilliant as it is well executed. Drop the kids in the morning; pick up in the afternoon. They get exposure to a variety of activities and sports and get fed. Counselors tend to be teenagers who are well trained and lead the events; the camp is run by a seasoned professional whose approach is to sneak in ideas of character and sportsmanship along the way. The clubhouse and grounds (golf course, beachfront) are great spots for a wide variety of events including corporate outings, family parties, prom dinners/photos, and weddings. Through the years, Valley Lo has maintained itself well and made significant investments to keep up and improve its clubhouse, athletic center, paddle and pickleball facilities, and now golf course. It's welcoming and inclusive -- while it is a private club that requires sponsors, it's not a draconian and super selective process like some country clubs, and tends to welcome all comers. Economics are considerably more attractive than big time golf clubs as well. We've been members for more than 15 years, raised our kids here, and have come to know and love the team ("staff" always seems demeaning to this reviewer) and the membership. If you're not a swanky golf club person but prefer something less stuffy and more fun and family oriented, Valley Lo should seriously be on your list to check out.

Best. Decor. Company. Ever. I had seen Elegance's work at prior weddings and knew I wanted them for…read moremy own wedding. When the time came around, I reached out to them immediately and was thrilled they were available for my wedding weekend! I was in contact with Swetal. We exchanged a few emails and then set up a call to go over details. I had a few ideas, but wasn't quite sure what else I wanted and Swetal was gracious to walk through and explain things that I hadn't even thought about. Leading up the wedding, we had one more call to go over last minute details and that was it!! She knew exactly what I wanted and was kind enough to point out certain elements I had forgotten about. On my wedding day, the decor honestly could not have been anymore perfect. They were punctual, the decor looked INCREDIBLE and everything was exactly like we had discussed. We were so happy with them and are so grateful for all their hard work and effort they put into these weddings, especially after a rough pandemic year. Swetal and her team are so easy to work with, very transparent with pricing/looks, and honestly just so easy to chat with! I think we talked about just normal life stuff more than the decor aspect of things because I trusted them completely to execute what we had discussed and they did! Cannot recommend them enough and hope to have them back for any of my future events!

Swetal and team helped make our fairytale wedding a success! They were incredibly easy to work with…read morethroughout the entire process, inclusive of providing budget friendly recommendations of how to dress up our space for the sangeet, ceremony, and reception. Swetal was also accessible in convenient ways -- I knew if I texted or e-mailed her, I wouldn't have to worry about constantly having to follow up to get an answer. We received numerous compliments on our wedding decor, and I would definitely recommend working with this team!

Very funny! Great with kids. Jokes for parents are appropriate for kids' ears. Excellent…read moreslight-of-hand (close up magic). Terrence does one trick where your left holding something you had no idea was in your hand. I still can't figure it out...

From the owner: Kids & Family Entertainer. Magic , Balloons Twisting Comedy and More!!…read moreFun and Exciting age appropriate parties and Special Events. Learn Magic with the ABC's of Magic Class. Total-T Magic! Magic for everyone! Magic for all occasions!