Four months ago, I wondered aloud whether Highland Park was ready for Moderno. Today, we begin to find out, as Chef John des Rosiers and his crew officially open their doors at 1850 Second Street.  Want Highland Park news in your inbox every morning? Subscribe to Patch's newsletter. Des Rosiers boasts that Moderno is part of a "revolution" in North Shore restaurants, one he is personally leading. The word "revolution" even appears in neon, backwards, on the south wall of the new restaurant as well as the staff uniforms. His goal is to raise expectations among area diners, where -- if they …

New Restaurants: For this week's Highland Park restaurant week, my family and I took the opportunity to visit Nieto's, the reformulated Carlos Restaurant at 429 Temple Street. We were pretty happy with the new incarnation from Carlos and Debbie Nieto. The menu features American classics, including burgers, fish and main course creations, including nightly specials. Entree prices range from $12-$28. Children's menu selections are $8.95 each. A gluten-free menu is available. Want Highland Park news in your inbox every morning? Subscribe to Patch's newsletter. Overall, the Nieto's service level …

On Tuesday, Stashs celebrated its 44th birthday, and boastfully claimed to be the "oldest restaurant in Highland Park."  See more photos from the event on Patch's Facebook page. I'm not 100 percent sure if that is true - Country Kitchen has also been around a long time (as have a few of the fast food outlets) - but Stashs surely has one of the most colorful stories for any Highland Park institution. Certainly, Stashs has come a long way in 44 years. I still remember regular visits to the small storefront further south on Second Street - about where the truck dock for Port Clinton Square is …

"Service above self." That is the motto shared by over one million members of Rotary International worldwide. Here in Highland Park and Highwood, the local Rotary Club counts 68 members who meet weekly for fellowship, mentoring, networking and development of shared service projects.  This week, I was invited to attend the Highland Park/Highwood Rotary Club's luncheon as a guest by current club president Pete Koukos. Before heading over to the Highland Park Country Club, I did some homework on Rotary International, and was pleased to learn more about the organization's activities. Get Ed Bril'…

I want to believe. In January, District 113 conducted a survey of area residents to learn more about spending priorities in Highland Park and Deerfield High Schools. After the survey was completed, I complained in this column about potential sampling errors as well as bias in the questions. Earlier this month, District 113 announced that the survey results were in. The findings were presented at a meeting of the district's market research study group, and while that meeting's minutes are not posted, the presentation charts used are available online. Unfortunately, despite my earlier column, I…

It's time for a reprieve from robocalls. The 2012 primary election season is over and the results are in. The primary races had some flair and drama, all to set up the big contests in November. Consciously, I chose not to write about the primary contests. I felt, probably like most voters, that it would take a lot of work to really understand the differences in the candidates enough to publicly voice opinions of them. Candidly, I also was turned off at the aggressive tactics in some of the races, in a way that lead me to choose silence over saying anything negative. In the 10th District …

On Tuesday, the residents and voters of Lake County learned that our elected officials feel no responsibility to their obligations.  The Lake County Forest Preserves Board voted 22-1 to walk away from a legal commitment to maintain a golf course at Fort Sheridan Preserve. LCFPD will, based on Tuesday's vote, approach the US Army and seek to remove the deed restriction included with the land transfer from the former Army base which stipulated that the land would be a "golf course...in perpetuity." Thus ends the latest chapter in a decade-long charade perpetuated by LCFPD. During base closure, …

For student athletes, there is nothing quite like going for the gold. Getting there, though, takes a lot of hard work. My high-school-aged niece has been figure skating for as long as I can remember, both on teams and as a soloist. I always knew it was a big commitment, with early morning and late afternoon practices, weekends, summer camps and private lessons. When she joined a junior level synchronized skating team called the Chicago Jazz this year, I learned a whole different definition of dedication, but also of the glory as well. Synchronized skating isn't an olympic sport, at least not …

District 112 is going to think I'm picking on them lately. As I write this column, my older daughter is having trouble falling asleep. Tonight's anxiety stems from this week's Illinois Standard Achievement Test, being administered to all fourth through eighth graders in District 112. On an individual level, her performance on the ISATs means very little. However, in aggregate, it means everything to her school and the district, in a way that normal academic life is completely suspended. By that I mean that our schools this week follow what might be called the Outback steakhouse theory of …

Scott Drury is not a politician. The presumed Democratic candidate for state representative in the Illinois 58th District (which covers all or parts of Highland Park, Deerfield, Northbrook, Lake Forest and Winnetka) is running for office for the very first time. He doesn't speak in sound bites. He has very clear positions on the issues. He is motivated by ideology, not power. In short, Scott Drury is a regular guy who wants to make things better. I spent several weeks trying to figure out what's wrong with this picture, and what I realized is that the only thing wrong is our assumption that …

Highland Pop has arrived, and it smells like a winner to me. Earlier this week, the latest entrant in downtown Highland Park's tasty retail competition opened its door. From inside wafts a buttery scent, luring young and old to the simple display cases. This new establishment at 464 Central Avenue just popped up, an explosion in a block now chock full of stomach-satisfying options. A simple, brightly-lit white and yellow interior is visible through floor-to-ceiling windows. The concept is simple -- several great flavors of popcorn, from the traditional cheese and caramel to the neon-colored …

Thank goodness that's finally over.By that I mean "the big game,"or what most of us who aren't worried about trademark infringement call "Super Bowl Sunday." This year, an estimated 111 million humans sat in front of large rectangles for four hours and observed roughly eleven minutes of actual on-the-field activity. The New York Giants emerged victorious for the fourth time, instilling excitement and pride in the five boroughs and leaving the rest of the country wondering whether this was all worth avoiding a lockout.Let's face it, for at least 50 percent of the aforementioned humans, Super …

Today's lesson for children: sometimes all you have to do is ask your parents.  At least that's what happened in Kim Hardy's story. Hardy's four children, after repeated visits to a frozen yogurt store in California, wondered why they didn't have the same tasty treats at home. Eventually, Hardy says, her lightbulb went off, and she and her sister signed up to open the first Menchie's Yogurt in Illinois. Menchie's, open for a little over a month, joins a downtown district that is already packed with dairy delights. Yet each time I have visited, the storefront on Sheridan Road is packed. What's…

Over the last few weeks, District 113 conducted a survey that solicits community input about the future of our high schools.  The survey questions covered roughly two broad areas: a post-mortem on the 2011 voter referendum, and areas of need for the 113 schools. While I expect the results of the survey to start appearing in district communications soon, I am concerned about the way it was conducted and also the content of the survey, worries shared by many other District 113 residents. The District 113 survey was widely publicized. District residents received a postcard soliciting survey …

John des Rosiers is a man with a mission.  The chef and proprietor of Lake Bluff's Inovasi has announced plans to open Moderno, a "modern Italian" restaurant, in the former Rosebud space in downtown Highland Park. His goal? "We are going to change restaurants in the suburbs forever, even if I have to build every single place myself." I recently sat down with Chef des Rosiers exclusively to talk about the plan for Moderno. As a regular diner and fan of his work at Inovasi, I wanted to know more about his plan for Highland Park, and what exactly he means by "modern Italian." I was not surprised…

In my home, we've gone all-Apple. No, this isn't the latest fad diet, but rather the brand name dominating our technology selections. As of last week, all of our computers, tablets, mobile phones and music devices have originated from one place -- Cupertino, California. And they're right what they say -- "it just works". The decision to go all-Apple wasn't made overnight. Our first Apple computer, an iMac, was purchased in 2005, and is still going strong today. Little by little, its brothers and sisters have joined us. Buying a bunch of products from a single vendor has both advantages and …

Forty-five columns ago, I began writing "Highlands and Ravines" for Highland Park Patch.  This column covered a lot of ground during 2011. As the year winds down, it's a good opportunity to look back on some general themes and how they evolved during the year. Fort Sheridan Golf Course: I started the year with high hopes that the Lake County Forest Preserve District would come up with a compromise proposal for the lakefront parcel they received at no charge during Army base shutdown. Through five columns, I explored the possibilities for this property, including a strong suggestion that our …

For a guy who steadfastly refused to drink alcohol before I could legally do so, my recent fascination with fermented grape juice makes little sense.  I remember thinking at a younger age, what is the point of drinking flat, acidic boring red stuff when I could have a Diet Coke?  A few years ago, something finally clicked when I was traveling in Australia and New Zealand, and discovered the Kiwi version of Sauvignon Blanc. Even the free in-flight bottles on Qantas were tasty and drinkable, and I decided I was grown up enough to try to develop an appreciation for the fruit of the vine. Now, I …

A few months time can make a big difference. In previous columns this year, I've expressed concern about goings-on in downtown Highland Park. I was particularly fixated on an influx of caloric confections, but also the lack of activities and events drawing people into our fine city center. The last few weeks, it feels like downtown HP has taken a turn for the better. True, the sweet tooth invasion is still in progress. Frost Gelato opened, and every time I've gone in or passed by, there seems to be a nice crowd inside. Menchie's Yogurt looks like it is getting close to opening on Sheridan …

Councilman David Naftzger could have written my column this week. The City Council approved Highland Park's budget for 2012 on Monday night. Considering the amount of campaign rhetoric the mayoral candidates unleashed on the topic of the city's finances leading up to the April election, this final budget surprises me in how little it differs from the Highland Park budgets of the last several years. Read more: Naftzger Criticizes Council On Budget When City Manager Dave Limardi submitted the draft of what was his final city budget proposal, my initial reaction was relatively muted. Though …