Things to Do in Huntley

The Racine Civic Centre's campus sprawls along the shores of Lake Michigan, its three venues bustling with nearly every kind of celebration throughout the year. The strains of symphony concerts often resound through Festival Hall; the neoclassical 1920s-era Memorial Hall conceals eight different spaces behind its imposing stone façade; and warm weather scatters the merriment of assorted festivals and seagull family reunions across the lawn of Festival Park.

Creativity, collaboration, and carbs. The owners of Bespoke Cuisine advocate all three. According to their company manifesto, they also believe “eating well is a life skill,” “a little fat never hurt anyone,” and “anyone can cook delicious food.” The staff expounds on these and other company principles at public and private cooking parties, which give visitors a glimpse inside Bespoke’s commercial kitchen on Randolph Street's Restaurant Row without stowing away in a gravy vat. During these BYOB events, chefs help guests construct their own meals and teach basic cooking skills before the group retires to the dining room to eat the fruits of their labor. For those who prefer a hands-off experience, Bespoke also caters events or hosts them in a chic private-event space.

Use today’s Groupon for a "try 'n' buy": attend a wine tasting and sample six wines (normally $12), decide on a favorite, then purchase a bottle (normally $17). Or skip the tasting and simply put your Groupon toward wine. Vintner’s offers a broad selection of wines in all colors of the winebow to perfectly suit your moods and needs:

The minds behind Chicago Sailboat Charters share their passion for the sailing experience by making waterborne adventuring accessible to the general public with group sailing charters. Fostering the atmosphere of a private charter, the captains ferry passengers out onto Lake Michigan, sometimes right along the shoreline, for stunning views of Chicago's skyline. Depending on the weather, the wave tamer may also cruise straight out onto the lake at varying speeds, letting Mother Nature's temperament dictate routes for a safe and relaxing outing. The crew encourages its guests to make the most of the trip by bringing snacks, drinks, and an inflatable blanket for a picnic out on the lake, and every sailboat comes equipped with a bathroom.

In honor of the Washington Nationals' first-round draft-pick Stephen Strasburg, we set out to answer the age-old debate once and for all: Which is faster? A Strasburg fastball or a speedboat? After weeks of figuring out how to use a high-speed camera, we finally captured photographic evidence that hands down ends this debate:

The future has arrived and it's gliding in at a comfortable 6.5 mph. Introducing the Segway, a brand-new transportation device that was publicly released in 2002. Streets, sidewalks, and sidewalk cafes will soon be blessed with the presence of these two-wheel wonders, forever altering human life. Picture this: you need a wide-brimmed western hat to wear to Cowboy Formal 2009: Git Yer Grind On, but your calves hurt from morning calisthenics. Hopeless? Not with a Segway.