The Perfect Nail Polish

The Perfect Nail Polish

By: Britney Lenza

The definition of nail polish is varnish applied to the fingernails or toenails to color them or make them shiny. But, what makes a great nail polish? Seven things come to mind when I think about the perfect nail polish. The first is how well it goes on; the nail polish cannot be too thick but it also cannot be too thin, to the point where it will need an extra coat or two.  The second thing I think of is how easy will this be to apply to my nails; is the brush going to be too small or too big or will it leave goop and be difficult to apply it. The definition of goop is a sloppy or sticky substance. The third is will it dry quickly, that way I cannot mess it up before it dries. Then I thought about will it be shiny or dull, will it strengthen my nail, and will it stay on for a long time?  After thinking about all these components to having the perfect nail polish, I thought, this perfect nail polish is going to have to be pretty expensive; so how much will this cost me?

I bought four types of nail polish and tested them on a different finger nail. I bought Hot Designs, Essie, Sally Hansen, and Funky Fingers.  I bought the color black for each nail polish to insure that the colors were the exact same.

My results for Hot Designs were as follows:

The nail polish was semi-thick, but it needed two coats. The brush was a medium and also left some goop. Surprisingly, the nail polish dried very quickly, between and minute and a minute and a half.  The polish was shiny but rough looking and this polish was not made to strengthen nails. Unfortunately, this polish chipped the day I put it on.  Hot Designs nail polish only comes in sets of 6 polishes, so the price for this is $9.99, which is pretty expensive when you’re really only looking for one color. I gave this nail polish a five out of ten.

My results for Essie were as follows:

Essie’s polish was the perfect amount of thin/thickness; it did not need a second coat. The brush was way too thin, but it did not leave any goop like substance. This polish too, dried very quickly; a little over a minute. This polish had very little shiny and looked rough. It is not a nail strengthener but it lasted two days without chipping. This nail polish cost $8.50, just for one bottle; that seems too expensive for an okay product. I gave this nail polish a seven out of ten.

My results for Sally Hansen were as follows:

The polish for this brand was so thin I had to do a second coat; I almost did a third coat just to be safe. The brush was perfect though, it was not small and was not over powering my nail either. It has absolutely no goop at all.  This polish was made to strengthen nails or the make them harder.  It was shiny and did not look rough.  It took a little longer to dry, about two to three minutes, per coat.  After the third day of wearing it, it chipped. This polishes price is only $2.99 per bottle. I also gave this nail polish a seven out of ten.

My results for Funky Fingers were as follows:

This polishes coat was thick and semi hard to apply, but I will not need to apply a second coat.  The brush was a little small and left little goop.  It took between two and three minutes to dry and left a beautiful shine.  The polish was not made to strengthen nails but it did stay on for 4 days without chipping.  This polish cost $5.15 for a bottle.  I gave this nail polish an eight out of ten.

My personal favorite nail polish is Funky Fingers.  Although the polish was thick, it did not require me to apply a second coat.  The shine it gave when it dried was incredible. The price is not too expensive.  I would recommend that they make the brush a little thicker.  Then it is a step closer to being the perfect nail polish. Out of ten (ten being the best), I would rate this nail polish an eight. Minor improvements are needed to make this nail polish top of the line, the perfect nail polish.

In the article Funky Fingers Nail Polish Swatches & Review, the writer, Jen Karr, agrees that Funky Fingers is a great brand of nail polish.
 

Blown Away

 

Steffany Lara

 

Get ready to get blown off your feet with this album.

 

 

 

 This album is Carrie Underwood’s fourth studio album. This album is called Blow Away, it was released in the Unites States and Canada on May 1, 2012.  It was so great it became the third largest opening of the year 2012. It is the seventh best-selling album in the United States as well. Due to her album “Blown Away,” she won the Grammy for best country Solo Performance. The Album also won best country songs. It was one of her greatest hit albums long with Carnival Ride and Pay On.

Carrie Underwood was born on March 10, 1983 in a city called Muskogee located in Oklahoma. She was raid in a country farm. Carrie Underwood’s life change after she won the fourth season of American Idol. After that she won many Grammy, Country Music Association and Academy of country music Awards.

The concept of this album is to fit many different situations. She likes to put actual situations people can relate to so that it can touch their hearts. This is what makes this album so great. She basically makes up the characters and makes up stories to sing about. Most of her songs are not personal to her.

Now let’s take a look at the meaning of each of her songs.

1)      NO GOOD GIRL(3:23)

This song is about warning a girl about her ex-boyfriend. She’s warning her to open her eyes that he is no good and that she can do a lot better without him.

 

2)      Blown Away(3:58)

The meaning behind this song is about a little girl that lives with her alcoholic father. And she wants all the memories she has in that home to go away. As she says she wants the tornado to blow everything away from her.  But it’s not strong enough to take all the bad memories away.

 

3)      Two Black Cadillac’s(4:56)

This song is about a man that was living a double life. He was cheating on his wife and another lady for a very long time. And the man dies and the two women go to his burial but they are not sad because he was a cheater and a liar.

 

4)      See You Again(4:05)

The meaning of this song is a loved one leaving. It is basically saying how she will she them again in this life or the next that she just has to hold on to them. That they will always be there not physically but emotionally.

5)      Do You Think About Me(3:37)

This song is about a girl moving to another town and missing the boy she loves. And she talks about old times and asking if he misses her as much as she misses him. Also if he ever thinks about her because she cannot stop thinking of him.

6)      Forever Changed(4:01)

This is a song about a lady watching herself get older and changing. Then the day she brings her daughter into this world is the day she brings love into her life. And her life changes when she gets Alzheimer’s her daughter is the one that’s there with her through it.

7)      Nobody Ever Told You(4:09)  

This song is about a girl that is insecure about herself.  That she is beautiful but she doesn’t know it. That she needs to realize how beautiful she is that she doesn’t need anyone to tell her, she has to realize it herself.

8)      One Way Ticket(3:56)

One way ticket is basically life is what you make it. And sometimes you need a break from all the things holding you back from being happy and having a great time. And the one way ticket is the ticket to happiness and do what you want to do.

 

9)      Thank God For Hometowns(4:02)

This song is saying how there is no place like your hometown. That you can never forget your hometown or the people in it. That your hometown will always be the place you can go back to for comfort.

10)   Good In Goodbye(4:17)

This song is basically saying how there is good things out of saying goodbye to people. And how sometimes you have to let go of certain people and you’ll realize it was for the best. Sometimes we tend to hold onto something that isn’t meant to be held on to and you’ll soon realize why.

 

11)   Leave Love Alone(3:18)

This song is saying how love can either make you or break you. And either way if it breaks you we can seem to stay away from it.

12)   Cupids Got A Shotgun(3:42)

This song is about how she keeps dodging love. That she is hiding from falling in love.

13)   Wine After Whiskey(3:50)

This song is about her missing someone but it was right to let him go because it was a good and healthy relationship. That it’s hard to find love when he hold up the whole meaning of it.

14)   Who Are You(3:53)

 

This is song is about her finally realizing the real him. She basically see who and what he really means to her.

 

 

Most of this album is about things people can actually relate to which makes the album so popular.  Album is mostly about love.

J. Cole - 2014 Forest Hills Drive

J. Cole - 2014 Forest Hills Drive

A Review by Patrick Krupa

The real is back
— J. Cole (@JColeNC) December 16, 2014

In a year that was arguably poor for the larger hip-hop industry, the real was most definitely back. J. Cole snuck into 2014 with a tale wove with connections, social constructs, and self-actualization told through very personal reflections of his past. Everything about this album, including his actions surrounding it, come with a very raw feeling. That rawness, however, is contrasted by a near perfect execution. It serves to give the overall impression of constant impulse decisions that lined up perfectly, maybe karma is thanking him for remembering the little people? More likely is Cole's dedication to his art in creating something he could be proud of. Well you can relax now Jermaine, sit back and be proud.

The most important thing to look at concerning this album is the intent that drives it. In an interview with Complex, Cole said "It’s crazy that I chose to record it in Hollywood because it’s such a 'fuck Hollywood' album. Being out there maybe contributed to [me thinking], 'I’m bugging. There’s some shit that’s way more important than how many albums I sell and if I’m the best.'" Cole wasn't looking to create a Billboard top 10, he doesn't give a damn about a Grammy (well, he might have some ill feelings toward it), he wasn't looking to clog the radio stations, and he most certainly wasn't trying to please anybody. By all appearances, he really made this album to do one thing: express. Express his feelings toward his family, his past friends, his new acquaintances, his relationships, his nostalgia, his happiness, his regret, his disappointment, and shit even his humor.

Now with all that said, I want to break down an interesting thing about this album that is separate from the content. The sales numbers. "But Patrick, album sales don't reliably show the quality within!" Well now reader, I would say you're right. But stick with me.

Sales Figures

(or: popularity contest)

J. Cole's album had a first week sales number of 351,538 physical copies, his personal highest. Prior to December and the return of  the real, the highest first week hip-hop sales belonged to Rick Ross's Mastermind with 179,000 copies sold.(link) While this is a big gap, the weakness of 2014's mainstream hip-hop industry makes this a little less impressive. What does make it impressive is how Cole accomplished these numbers. 2014 Forest Hills Drive was announced less than a month before its release. On November 16th, Cole announced it via twitter and this video:

The album was also released with zero pre-release singles, meaning no promotional radio time. To give you a scope of how crazy that is, Mastermind was announced more than a year before its release and had 2 official radio singles as well as 2 promotional singles all before release. Another relative comparison is Cole's last album, Born Sinner, which sold 297,000 copies on the first week. It was released on June 18, 2013 but had been announced on November 5th of the previous year.

So what does that mean? It means Forest Hills Drive was pushed completely by his fans and online music publications (ie. blogs and magazine sites). It was pushed in a rapid amount of time. It was pushed with nothing more than a small nudge from its creator. This may be one of those cases where the content just speaks for itself.

The Album

Okay enough about numbers, let's finally get into it! 

 2014 Forest Hills Drive plays almost like the twisted picture of a memoir. That is, while each song might not tell a whole story and the stories might not have any obvious connections, they overall give a sequential picture of his life. At the same time every song is a reflection on those past stories and contain just as much information about who he is now.  Similar sections of the album contain productions that maintain an atmosphere from one song to the next; they even seem to have subtle transitions making each song attach to the one just before and after it, but wouldn't necessarily flow into a song 3 down the track list. I am going to break down the sections to the best of my ability as follows.

Intro

"Do you wanna, do you wanna be, happy"

Track 1 (titled Intro): A little obvious, but it doesn't fit into the timeline. This is more of  a setup of his current feelings and place in life. It is an important distinction from the timeline as it sum up a basic lesson of the album: learn how to be happy, learn how to be free, and learn what that means. It's a nice sentiment but by the rest of the album you can tell he is the first to point out the difficulties against it.

 Early Life

"Things change, rearrange and so do I

it ain't always for the better, dawg, I can't lie"

Tracks 2-4: The first section has some tales from his early life including hiding the nervousness of losing his virginity on "Wet Dreamz" and course correcting inspiration from a drug dealing friend on "'03 Adolescence." Even "January 28th" while not really telling any early life stories, still fits the scheme. In it he talks a lot about who he is and where he is from, in addition to being named after his birthday (it is the first track after Intro). Additionally, the sample sets a sort of melancholy theme to start his life story, which goes along with the confidence problems he has talked about dealing with at a prime in this time of his life.
 

The Come Up

"Last night I had a bad dream
That I was trapped in this city
Then I asked is that really such a bad thing?"

Tracks 5-8: The main stories contained in this section are about his entry into living on his own and his life while starting in the rap game. However, this section is also where he starts to really get serious and political with his undertones. Starting off with "A Tale of Two Citiez" after the famous Charles Dickens novel, he weaves a tale between the differences of his hometown and New York. At the same time he gets in the head of both sides of criminals and victims in low-income areas and how easy it is to end up on either side. It is also worth noting that while the material in "Fire Squad" fits the section, the energy is a lot different than the surrounding songs; Cole brings a more direct and aggressive tone to get that point across.

Reflection

"No such thing as a life that's better than yours"

Tracks 9-12: The final portion of his story leading up to who he now is. This section is definitely the most emotional. You can actually feel the start of it about halfway into G.O.M.D. when he starts to talk about his experience with love. It also includes into the heartbreak of "Hello", the apology "Apparently", and the ever positive message of "Love Yourz." While The mid story may have contained socially critical messages, this section focuses on introspection.

Outro

"I've got a feeling that there's somethin' more
Something that holds us together
Something that holds us together
The strangest feeling but I can't be sure
Something that's old as forever"

Track 13: Now the song in this track is actually very short, but then he uses the other 11 minutes to perform the duties of the credits vocally because as he says during the shoutouts, he missed the deadline for the physical album credits. It isn't necessary listening to the album, but the entire thing is like a cool behind the scenes equivalent where you get to just hear him talking. Talking about others in the industry, his MOMMAAAAAAAAAAAAA OH, and even creating a big inside joke that lived on.

 

 Final Verdict: If I seem a bit biased at all, sue me I'm a sucker for a positive message and great lyrics. I can wholeheartedly promote this album as a new age hip hop classic on the level of good kid, m.A.A.d city. If you are a fan of hip hop at all, or just great music, I highly recommend 2014 Forest Hills Drive.

-Patrick

The #'s are humbling. It's a win for all artists and fans and a clear message to the industry. No singles no features. Stop serving trash
— J. Cole (@JColeNC) December 17, 2014

 

By Anthony Zummo

The Battle of the Phones: I Phone 6 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy Note 4

As one might expect, these two types of phones are always in competition and currently the I Phone is winning in popularity. Why is that? One word.... BRANDING. It started with the I Pod and has now continued over to the phone side. I have worked for Nextel/Sprint/Boost Mobile/Virgin Mobile for years due to my parents owning a store front and in all that time I have always had an Android Galaxy phone since they came out and I am definitely a supporter of the Android Galaxy version. They recently came out with the Galaxy Note 4 and the I Phone 6 plus; if you take a step back and compare the two you will see that they are similar in the features and design of the phone but the one of the things you will see that is different is the price of the plan. My girlfriend has an I Phone 5 and she loves it, but it costs her about $100 a month to use her phone. I on the other hand have an Android Galaxy and my plan only costs $40 a month. Consider the difference, $1,200 a year for a name brand and to go with the rest of society or go with the Android that can do the same thing for $480 a year. That’s more than $700 a year that you are going to save by having something not name brand. That's just my opinion, but let’s compare the two to show you I’m right.

 See what I mean? It's obvious from many different reviews, not just the video proving my point that the Note 4 is definitely better than the I Phone 6 plus. Still don't believe me? Ok, here's some more stats for you. 

Price:

Of course price is gonna be first, it's the most important aspect of buying a phone. Now obviously with new technology there is always going to be a high price point especially when you buy the phone without the contract. Both phones are pretty hefty in price although the Note 4 is still the cheaper version. Note 4: $720.00 and I Phone 6 plus: $750.00. I know that these are very close in price so lets look at all the different factors that can help shape your choice

Body/Display

While both are relatively the same weight and dimensions:

I Phone 6: 6.22 in x 3.06 in x 0.28 in 

Note 4: 6.04 in x 3.09 in x 0.33 in

The Note 4 takes the cake with it's display. The Note 4 comes with a 1440 x 2560 pixel screen display on a 5.7 inch screen. While the I Phone 6 plus only comes with a 1080 x 1920 pixel screen display on a 5.5 inch screen. The only thing that the I Phone 6 plus has the edge on in this area is that it has shatter proof glass for the screen, but in all other ways the Note 4 is superior. 

Memory:

The Note 4 is clearly the winner in this category as well. The Note 4 has  a card slot for a micro SD card that holds up to 128 GB and has an internal storage of 32 GB with 3 GB of RAM. While the I Phone 6 plus is far below that. The I Phone 6 plus does not have a card slot for a micro SD card and only holds either 16, 64 or 128 GB of memory with only 1 GB of RAM. obviously you can see the difference between the two and can see that the Note 4 has much much more storage than that of the I Phone 6 plus. 

                                                  Camera:

If you want the best picture quality you can get then again the Note 4 is the way to go. Both cameras have a front and a back camera but the quailty and strength of the cameras greatly vary. The Note 4 supports a 16 MP (5312 x 2988 pixels) front camera and a back camera that is 3.7 MP (1440p). The I Phone 6 plus has only an 8 MP (3264 x 2448 pixels) front camera and a back camera that is 1.2 MP (720p). 

Battery:

Last but not least is the battery life of each phone. As I have shown you thus far, the Note 4 is the top dog of all the aforementioned statistics. Now it's finally time for the I Phone 6 plus to win one. The I Phone 6 plus has a battery life of 24 hours talk time, 80 hours of music play, and 384 hours of standby time. Whereas the Note 4 has a battery life of 20 hours talk time and 82 hours of music play. There is not a listing for the time frame of standby time for the Note 4 but i would assume that it would be a similar amount of time to the I Phone 6 plus.

THE WINNER

The bottom line is that the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 will thrill anyone who loves fast phones with a large screen, high resolution cameras, big memory stores and is a compulsive scribbler. The I Phone 6 plus is updated a lot from the I Phone 5 but it still can not compete with the Note 4. If your looking for the best deal for the best price, the Note 4 is the electronics fans best friend. So in the future, don't just go with the fad because of the name. Make sure what you buy is worth your time. 

Portillo's Review

A Portillo's Review by Taylor Startz

Ketchup?  Not in Chicago.  Let’s be frank. ;)  A hot dog from Portillos is better than a steak at the Ritz.  Smothered with yellow mustard, topped with chopped white onions, sweet pickle relish, a dill pickle spear (my fav!), tomato and a dash of celery salt … Is your mouth watering yet?  Thought so. 

Everyone in the Chicagoland area either knows the name Portillo's or has half of the menu memorized.  Quenching the “Chocolate Cake Shake” craving since 1963 out of a 6”x12” trailer in the suburb of Villa Park; Portillo’s in now available in four states at 38 individual locations.  If you are one of the unfortunates outside of the Midwest reach of Portillo’s, you’re in luck!  Portillo’s now offers Shop and Ship, a service that delivers all the goodies right to your front door.

Cheeseburger.  Large fry.  Chocolate shake.  Not sure what you’re in the mood for?  Portillo’s offers an array of delicious items ranging from the notorious Chopped Salad to their famous #1 rated Italian Beef.  Super hungry?  Try out their Big Beef – “for the larger appetite” for under eight bucks.  Score!  As for the pricing, it’s no McDonald’s Dollar Menu; but trust me when I say, it’s WORTH EVERY PENNY. 

Portillo’s holds a five star rating by Urban Spoon and Trip Advisor, four stars were given by Yelp and Yahoo users.  Here’s what the people think:

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/2/867235/restaurant/Chicago/Portillos-Shorewood

And for those of you who do not enjoy the delicacy of our beloved Portillo’s, here is how I feel about your opinion.  Boom.

While visiting one of these fine establishments garnished in 1950’s era décor, you will be impressed with the top-notch customer service.  You will always be greeted with smiles and perfectly set tables.  Your wait in line will be over before you know it, thanks to the multiple cashiers and separate line for the salad bar.  For those of us that do not want to exit our vehicles, you’re in luck!  Portillo’s runs their drive thru line like a well oiled machine.  Their assembly line strategy flows as smooth as the melted cheese served with their fries. 

My absolute favorite Portillo's meal? I always personalize my meals no matter what restaurant I attend. My perfect Portillo's meal consists of their Breaded Chicken Sandwich, which originally comes with a fried chicken patty, tomato, lettuce and mayo. I ALWAYS add shredded cheddar cheese on that. Then, I order a large fry and a cup of cheese for dipping. For a drink, I always end up getting a large soda, OR my favorite chocolate shake. My second choice of a meal is their hot dogs. Boy oh boy, their hot dogs are just so good! The jumbo dogs with the buns sprinkling with poppy seeds. But then the beef-okay, okay everything from there is pretty much amazing. 

In all honesty, I have no real complaints about Portillo's. The food is always fresh and hot, not warm, HOT, regardless if I make a stop in the drive thru or I go in to sit down. They truly know how to run a business to keep their customers happy. Which, in turn, explains why they are ALWAYS busy. Not just at lunch time, not just at dinner time. They are literally ALWAYS busy from the moment they open, until after they close.

Let’s make this simple:

How long?  If you’re looking to dine in, you will be eating in no time.  Come hungry.  Leave happy. 4/5

How much?  On average, the cost for your meal will be between $10-$15. 3/5

How good? Good is not good enough.  Portillo’s is phenomenal. 5/5

Why are you still reading?  Get in your car and go.  Your local Portillo’s is no more than a few miles away.  You’re welcome. 

Pop Tart Pandemonium: By Bill Mathews

Pop Tart Pandemonium 

Most people know that pop tarts aren't a crucial component of the balanced breakfast, or really great for your diet in anyway, shape, or form, but what they are is delicious. I chose to survey this tasty childhood treat by putting some of the best flavors of pop tarts head to head in a pastry battle royale. I hand picked three flavors that I thought would make solid competitors. 

Contender number one was the classic brown sugar cinnamon. 

My first impression of the toaster pastry when I peeled off the plastic packaging was that it was very bland, dull, and boring.

 It had a rough light brown complexion with a flaky uninviting crust. It did not look appetizing at all. I then proceeded to bend it in half to see what kind of action it had going on inside of the not so impressive outer shell, and I was wasn't really impressed. I mean it had a little more texture than I was expecting but this was no Toaster Strudle. Before indulging I decided to take a look at the nutrition facts, and what I found was borderline disturbing. Even though the Pop Tarts come packaged with 2 pastries the serving size is for only one. I don know who in their right mind would only eat on Pop Tart and save the other for a rainy day so when i present the following information it will already be doubled implying that both pastries were consumed. The first one that struck me was the calories, and the brown sugar pop tarts contained 420 of them. This would mean assuming you are eating the recommended 2000 calories per day, that these pastries would equate to over 1/5 of your daily allotted amount. Other ginormous red flags were the 70g of carbs, 14g of fat, and an alarming 30g of sugar. After taking in the disturbing nutrition fact i decided to dig in. After the below average evaluation I made on the appearance of the pastry the taste was a pleasant surprise. The crust was pretty dry and awful, but the frosting, and filling made up for it by being smooth and delicious. Overall the taste was pretty impressive.

I then moved onto the strawberry flavored pop tart.

My initial impression of the strawberry pastry was somewhat better than the brown sugar. The frosting looked more inviting and flavorful than the bland brown sugar. When I cracked the strawberry pastry open I was greeted with basically the identical consistency as the brown sugar flavor. 

As far as nutrition goes the strawberry has slightly less calories, coming in at 400 even. It does however have more carbs, and sugar with 76g and 32g respectively. Although the visuals were quite a bit better than the brown sugar pop tart the taste didn't even come close. It was dry and flaky. The innards and the frosting were decent but still fell short of the brown sugar.

I tried to save what I thought would be the best for last, considering I am a chocolate fanatic. I had high hopes for the chocolate fudge pop tarts. 

My initial thoughts on the chocolate fudge pastry were better than both the brown sugar, and strawberry flavors. This may be because of my pre conceived obsession with chocolate, or because the chocolate crust didn't look as awful. I then moved on to the inside, because it does not matter whats on the outside it is what is on the inside that counts. 

The inside also blew away the rest of the field, since it actually was somewhat liquid if that makes sense. It seemed to cascade out of the pastry in a beautiful way. As far as nutrition goes it was again pretty similar, they contain an unpleasant 400 calories per pack. The carbs were slightly less than strawberry sitting at 74g, while the sugar was the highest yet coming in at 38g! When I went for the taste test i obviously had high hopes, but they were let down big time when I sunk my teeth into the pastry. It definitely wasn't awful, but it was on about the same level as the brown sugar and I was just expecting more from my visual evaluation.

Overall evaluation of the pop tart battle royale. 

First impression: Brown sugar-2/5

                            Strawberry-3/5

                            Chocolate fudge-4/5

Inside visuals: Brown sugar-2/5

                        Strawberry-2/5

                        Chocolate fudge-4/5

Taste: Brown sugar-4/5

           Strawberry-2/5

          Chocolate fudge-3/5

Nutrition: Brown sugar-1/5

                 Strawberry-1/5

                 Chocolate fudge-1/5

Overall: Brown sugar-1st

              Chocolate fudge-2nd

              Strawberry-3rd

         

When it comes down to it the chocolate fudge pastry basically blew away the competition and takes first place in the contest and in my heart. Brown sugar regretfully takes second since even though it tasted the best, its visuals were well below par. The obvious loser is strawberry since it tasted pretty awful and score low in all categories. I didn't take nutrition into effect while rating them since they were all basically equally terrible. 

Hayden’s Crossing –

A Rustic Restaurant That’s Worth the Trip
by Stacey Ganster

Although my friends and I have had a standing monthly appointment to do lunch for almost two years now, and even though over the course of that time we have passed nearby Hayden’s Crossing many times before, we never actually turned the corner and went into this terrific, small town restaurant.  After just one visit, we all agreed that we will never make that mistake again!   If you are looking for a restaurant that offers tasty food and great service in an unusual setting, then Hayden's Crossing is the place for you. 

 

Ambiance  As soon as we sat down, everyone commented on how interesting and unique the entire restaurant was.  After a quick inquiry, we found out the interior of the restaurant had been built from reclaimed barn wood.  But this wasn’t just barn wood slapped up in place of wainscoting; this was the actual barn itself!  Side walls from old horse stalls now serve the dual purpose of backs to the booth seats and dividers between the booths.  The old barn floor has become a wonderfully worn restaurant floor.  The bottom of the old hay loft now is a partial overhang above the booths.  In between the sections of barn wood there is old brick, which was part of the original shop that the restaurant now occupies.  In fact, the restaurant dining area and adjoining bar area occupy two original shop locations, now with a unique pass through at both the front and back of the old store fronts.  Minimal decorations are placed here and there throughout the establishment, and that minimalist approach to decorating is all that is needed.  The rustic and cozy feeling of the place makes you feel at home the minute you walk through the door.

Options  The menu offers a broad array of options, and the full service bar compliments the restaurant without giving you that awkward “is this a bar or a restaurant” feeling.  The separation wall between the two sides of the establishment makes it a comfortable location for hanging out with friends or for spending time with the whole family.  If you want to get your drink on, just wonder over to the bar side and you can spend a great evening relaxing.  If you want to take the family somewhere to have a great meal, then you will feel completely comfortable on the restaurant side.  The menu includes everything from appetizers, salads, soups, and burgers to steaks, chops, seafood, and pasta.  The soups are homemade and delicious with a capital D!  Their specials are in addition to the regular menu, and if you would like to check them out in advance just take a look at Hayden's Crossing Facebook page. 

Taste & Value  There were three of us that went to check out what Hayden’s Crossing had to offer, and every meal we tried came off as if it was the specialty of the chef.  The ribeye steak sandwich was perfectly grilled, and the flavor of the black & bleu burger was pure perfection.  The blackened chicken salad had a bit of a Louisiana twang to it, which suited us just fine.  We tried both the fries and the onion rings and enjoyed both.  As for portions, all three meals we ordered were above average size, which meant there was enough for leftovers for everybody.  There were so many fries in a single order that the portion could easily have served two people.  As far as taste and flavor, this food really delivers.  Each of the three meals ordered was absolutely delicious.  All were served hot straight to the table and were nicely garnished.  Depending on what you order, your meal will cost anywhere from about $10 up to about $30 for some of the dinner entrees, which is on par with most restaurants.  Each member of our party was extremely pleased with both the taste and the value, and everyone decided we will be making Hayden’s Crossing a regular stop.

Service  The wait staff is as friendly as can be in this quaint, small town restaurant.  The hostess greeted us with a welcoming smile and provided us with menus to peruse until our waitress arrived.  After a shorter wait than expected, what with the busy lunch crowd all around, the waitress popped by and gave us the low down on all the day’s specials.  Once she returned with our drink order in hand, any questions we had were answered with a cheerful attitude that let us know customer service was a priority.  During the entire visit, we did not want for anything – drink refills, bread basket, extra napkins – all was provided with barely a nod and she had it for us immediately.  This was truly the best service any of us has experienced in quite some time.

Location  This gem of a restaurant is tucked away in a little town called Wilmington, Illinois, which is located just south of Joliet.  Hayden’s Crossing is right in the heart of the down town area at 107 N. Water Street.  It’s the perfect place for anyone looking to hang out with friends and family when you want to experience a unique and interesting place to have a delicious meal.  If you choose to make a day of it, there are several options to keep you entertained in the area.  Go for an evening meal and then catch a movie at The Mar Theater, or maybe check out the bowling over at the Riverfront Lanes.  If you like shopping, you should definitely check out the antique stores in town.  Take a look through Paraphernalia Antiques, The Trinity Knot, or spend hours in the Milltown Mall antique store.  Maybe you’re the type who prefers a road trip, either by car or by motorcycle.  If so, you’re in the right place for that, too, because old Route 66 passes right by Hayden’s Crossing.  Take a look at the websites for Historic Route 66 and the Route 66 Association of Illinois for tons of information on things to see and do along this famous route.  As locations go, being situated right in the middle of all this, plus having the friendly small town atmosphere that abounds in the area, this location is just perfect for Hayden’s Crossing.

Scorecard  Everyone in our little group really just could not get over the great service, tasty food, cozy atmosphere, and satisfied feeling we all experienced during our lunch at Hayden’s Crossing.  If you want to know what other people think, take a look at some of the comments on Yelp.  Some agree this is a great place, and some seem to have had a bit of a different experience; but as for myself and my friends, we had a great time.  We'll definitely turn the corner and go in the next time we are in town, and I hope you will, too.

 

                     5/5   Ambiance –  this place rated a perfect score in our group’s opinion
                     4/5   Options –   we loved what they had to offer, but no desserts notched it down
                     5/5   Taste & Value –  the dishes we tried were excellent and had great portions
                     5/5   Service – there wasn’t one thing we would change for service
                     4/5   Location – nice location for the town it’s in, but the town is too far away!

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