Westfield Old Orchard asks Chicagoland families to “Be My Valentine”

Bring the family to Westfield Old Orchard Center (Skokie Blvd. & Old Orchard Center, Skokie, IL 60077, 847-676-2230) for the “Be My Valentine” event!  Chicagoland families and their preschoolers have the chance to participate in a free interactve story and crafting time presented by the Skokie Public Library.  The hour-long Valentine’s Day themed event, located in Barnes & Noble, will give the kids ample time to play and engage with one another and their loved ones.  After story time, little ones are encouraged to paricipate in a crafting session where they can ask someone to “Be my Valentine” and create Valentine’s Day cards for the ones they love the most. The event is part of Westfield’s WFamily Program, a series of free events presented to promote literacy through fun and creativity.  All are open to the public and no registration is required. Each event is open to about 50 children on a first come, first serve basis.  Mark your calendars for 11:30-12:30 p.m. February 4^th.  Don’t miss out on this fun and engaging learning experience for the kids!

Save the Date: Future WFamily Events Calendar

February , 4	Be My Valentine
March, 3	Celebrate Dr. Seuss’s Birthday!
April, 7	Hop to It & Join the Egg Hunt
May , 5	Celebrate Mom and Make Her a Free Gift
June , 2	Celebrate Dad and Make Him a Free Gift
July, 7	A Great Day for a Kid’s Parade!
August, 4	Celebrate the Dog Days of Summer
September, 1	Let’s Sing-a-Long!
October, 6	Tricks and Treats!
November, 3	Turkey Tales
December, 1	Story Time with Santa

Honor 2010 graduates with a memorable celebration at Birch River Grill

What better way to say congratulations than by treating that special 2010 graduate with a private party? Bring the entire family to Birch River Grill (75 W. Algonquin Rd., Arlington Heights; 847-427-4242) and celebrate that graduate’s hard work.

Birch River Grill welcomes all groups to dine for this special occasion. Parties under eight can order any of the items from Birch River Grill’s regular menu. Parties more than eight have two menus to choose from:

Tier one consists of an appetizer choice of BRG Salad with baby greens, shredded Michigan carrots, beefsteak tomato wedges and seedless cucumber slices; Granny Apple Onion Soup with paprika Parmesan croutons and Wisconsin Swiss and provolone cheese; or the Soup of the Day. Guests can choose two of the four entrées: Pan Roasted Chicken Breast with kiln dried cranberry vegetable medley; Meatloaf Tower, with ground beef, veal, pork, crispy haystack onions, Yukon gold mash and roasted tomato glaze; Linguine and Meatballs with marinara a la rustica, linguine pasta and Nonna Valenti’s meatballs; or Chervil Crusted Wisconsin Northern Pike with mac’ n locally farmed cheese and sautéed green beans. Dessert includes Berry Sorbet served with fresh berries. This meal is $21 per person.

Tier two features a choice of BRG Salad with baby greens, shredded Michigan carrots, beefsteak tomato wedges and seedless cucumber slices; Granny Apple Onion Soup with paprika Parmesan croutons and Wisconsin Swiss and provolone cheese; or the Soup of the Day. Guests can choose two of the four entrées: Bourbon Glazed Organic Pork Tenderloin with Wisconsin white cheddar cheese grits, grilled asparagus and bourbon demi; Cedar Planked Maple Salmon with maple rosemary garlic glaze, smoked pepper bacon wild rice pilaf, steamed broccoli and baby carrots; Yankee Pot Roast with braised carrots, celery, onions, Yukon gold potatoes and red wine sauce; or Grilled Top Sirloin with smashed sweet potatoes, yellow carrot vegetable medley and tomato Creole peppercorn sauce. Dessert features Berry Sorbet with fresh berries. This menu is $25 per person.

Birch River Grill is a contemporary restaurant that serves as a showcase for hearty American cuisine. It is open seven days a week and accepts all major credit cards. Complimentary parking is available. For Birch River Grill’s hours please visit www.birchrivergrill.com.

Birch River Grill offers a private dining room that accommodate up to 50 guests. To make a reservation for parties up to eight people visit www.birchrivergrill.com. For parties larger than eight, send an email to events@birchrivergrill.com or call (847) 427-4242. Visit Birch River Grill’s Twitter page at @birchrivergrill.

O'Reilly Auto Parts World of Wheels this weekend, March 5-7 at Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont

Regular admission to the 48th Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts World of Wheels can be purchased for $16 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-12, and children five and under are free.

Discount tickets for the O’Reilly Auto Parts World of Wheels are available at Chicagoland O’Reilly Auto Parts retailers. Regular adult admission is $14 and children’s admission is $4 if purchased in advance at O’Reilly Auto Parts. To see where the nearest O’Reilly retailer is, please visit www.oreillyauto.com.

Listen live to “The Kevin Moore Show” on WJJG-AM Thursday, March 4 to hear Kevin chat with Pete Toundas about what to expect at the March 5-7 show, including what celebrities will be there. “The Kevin Moore Show” runs weekly on Thursdays from 2:45 p.m.-3:45 p.m.

Tune in to WGN TV’s Midday News on Thursday, March 4 for a sneak peek at the custom car show as very special NHRA racecar will be live in studio revving its engine as Championship Auto Show rep Bob Millard talks cars with the WGN crew.

The 48th Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts World of Wheels held March 5-7, 2010 at its new location, the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center (5555 N. River Road, Rosemont, Ill.), is positioned to be the largest show in the event’s long running history. This year’s show, presented by Denny Guest’s South Oak Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep and produced by Championship Auto Shows, Inc. hosts 500 of the country’s best custom and restored cars. The show is open 3 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Friday, March 5; 10 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. Saturday, March 6; and 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sunday, March 7.

New Features at O’Reilly Auto Parts World of Wheels
The O’Reilly Auto Parts World of Wheels is a weekend to remember with new features like Drag City USA, presenting a unique exhibit of nostalgic dragsters from The Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing in Ocala, Fla. Among them are Garlits’ personal collection of “swamp rats,” Connie Kalitta’s “Bounty Hunter” and Don Prudhomme’s 1970 Wynn’s Winder, known as “The Snake,” which some may remember as a Hot Wheels car. The dragster exhibit also features the Chi-Town Hustler and Hawaiian Funny Cars from Greg Mosley’s Mopar Museum Moline, Ill.

New this year is the Tuner Galleria featuring a collection of the finest European and Japanese modern muscle and sport compacts paired with live entertainment. A lifestyle aspect is also part of this exhibit, featuring fashion shows featuring PMGirls models, karaoke, dance competitions and more.
Formerly a show in itself, the popular Chevy VetteFest also is a new addition to the O’Reilly Auto Parts World of Wheels, where the ultimate in original and restored Corvettes and Chevrolets compete for the Gold Spinner and Triple Crown Awards.

Guests can also enjoy 30-minute shows from the WheelieShow.com’s Streetbike Freestyle Stunt Team. The high-energy, breathtaking shows are held multiple times each day of the three-day event.

Celebrity Showcase, presented by SuperStart Battery
Celebrity appearances are always a popular feature at the O’Reilly Auto Parts World of Wheels. The Celebrity Showcase, presented by Super Start Battery, features an all star line up including WWE Women’s Champion Melina Perez (Melina) from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Friday, March 3. Joining the line up this year is also Chip Foose, legendary auto designer and star of “Overhaulin” on TLC who appears at the show from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. and 7 p.m.-9 p.m. on Saturday, March 6. The kids will be happy to know that Disney actress Brenda Song from “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody” and “Suite Life on Deck” joins the celebrity showcase from noon-5 p.m. on Sunday, March 7.
Back by Popular Demand
Returning this year are popular exhibits including Cycle Rama, featuring more than 100 of the nation’s best custom built choppers; and MotoRama, showcasing traditional rods and customs including cars from the well-known “VooDoo Larry.”
Throughout the weekend, cars compete for the prestigious Legend Cup, sponsored by CleanTools. This award is given to the winning vehicle which best represents a combination of style, quality and craftsmanship during the O’Reilly Auto Parts World of Wheels weekend. The winner of the CleanTools Legend Cup is awarded a beautiful perennial cup and presented with a check for $5,000.

O’Reilly Auto Parts World of Wheels also hopes to combine the worlds of auto and art with the Chicago Brushmasters “Kustom Kulture Automotive Art Auction.” This live charity auction features several hundred professionally decorated pieces from artists around the country, and all proceeds benefit the Ronald McDonald House. The charity auction will have a special display of NHRA driver Ashley Force’s professional race car. At 6:45 p.m. on Saturday, March 6, the Chicago Brushmasters present legendary sign artist Art Dexter with the “Frank H. Atkinson Lifetime Achievement Award” for his innovation, mentoring and inspiration to the pinstriping community.

Committed to educating future generations about the automotive industry, the 5th Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts World of Wheels Student Day is held Friday, March 5 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. Participating students visit the show floor to see the vehicles and speak with sponsors and exhibitors before the event opens to the public, as well as earn complimentary access to all parts of the three-day show.

Tweet Us and Win!
Be sure to follow the O’Reilly Auto Parts World of Wheels show on Twitter for a chance to win a family 4-pack of tickets. One lucky follower will win! Tweet us at @WorldofWheelsIL.

Visit the World of Wheels blog at www.worldofwheels.wordpress.com for schedule of events and appearances.