ChicagoLand and Crystal Lake

[fatdeko]

So just how "hip" is Crystal Lake in the grand scheme of things?

[Ross Johnson]

"Crystal Lake" and "hip" have never before been used in the same sentence.

[SundaySous]

Crystal Lake Wisconsin or Illinois?

[nsxtasy]

Assuming you're referring to Crystal Lake, Illinois, its biggest attraction to food-lovers is that downtown Chicago is about 55 miles away (about 85 minutes by commuter train, a little over an hour by car if it's not the prime commuting hours). In Crystal Lake and nearby communities (Woodstock, Barrington) you will find some okay neighborhood type restaurants of various kinds - not the great ones that people would drive long distances for, but passable places offering geographical convenience along with decent food and value. You'll also find the usual food purveyors, butchers, etc, but again, you'll be driving a while if you need to go to the Spice House or other specialty shops. Your dining and shopping options increase as you get closer to the city, so you will find more variety and quality in suburbs like Schaumburg and Arlington Heights (which are roughly half the distance from Crystal Lake as downtown Chicago). And, of course, if you're willing to travel, there is the city of Chicago itself, including the greater downtown area as well as its outlying neighborhoods.

Bottom line, Crystal Lake is not the best place in the Chicago area for a food-lover to live. But usually there are other reasons to consider one community over another (housing prices, proximity to work, quality of schools, etc). I would also expect food options in the Crystal Lake area to be increasing in coming years, as the surrounding area is developing rapidly.

Edited December 9, 2007 by nsxtasy (log)