RaviniYUM | 2011

I've said it before, and I'll say it again:  We rock at Ravinia.  With such a smashing success at Ravinia last year, we were hard pressed to find improvement upon our prior previous tactics.  (Sheesh, can I sound any more corporate?  My apologies.)

Last year, I outlined four basic lessons to enjoying a night at Ravinia.  Let's see how well we did this year, mmmkay?

Lesson 1:  Toast to the night.
Verdict:  Check!  Done and done.

Wine and pomegranate spritzers were tough to top, so we simply repeated them! 

Lesson 2: Set the mood.
Verdict: Check! (Sort of...)

 

We were able to incorporate the wine bottle candelabra, but the grassy ground we were sitting upon this time around caused the base of the wine bottle to be a bit...unstable. Rather than cause a prairie fire in the middle of Ravinia, we opted to only keep the candles lit for a short period of time. Good enough!

Lesson 3: Feast!
Verdict: Check! Definitely a check!

Salad, shaken! Not stirred.

 

The famous cheese fondue, completely gone.

Beef and shrimp fondue with dipping sauces, delicious as always.

 

Chocolate fondue that I sadly didn't get to sample because the Dayquil wore off and the evil sickness I was plagued with reared its ugly head.

Lesson 4: Sit back, relax, and enjoy the atmosphere.
Verdict: Check!
Oh, and the main event this time? A showing of The Lord of the Rings.
Next year can't come soon enough!

Link | Full Photo Set