August 1st and 2nd marked the 5th annual Greek Days held in Long Grove. Everywhere you turned you saw the familiar blue and white striped flag of Greece!
We arrived right at the beginning of the event and immediately heard music coming from tents in the Mill Pond area. The dancing began as soon as folks were setting things up. And I don’t mean “dancers”…as in someone hired to entertain the crowd. I mean men that were cooking a lamb on a rotisserie, men that were selling souvenirs, men that were serving gyros and Greek salads, as soon as they heard the music!
Picture it: the music from Terran’s Greek Band begins. You hear the sounds of a drum, guitar and bouzouki (peaked your curiosity, didn’t I?). A bouzouki is part of the lute or mandolin family; a long-necked pear-shaped stringed instrument. OK, back to the picture in your mind…you hear the drum, the guitar and the bouzouki and all of a sudden, men start raising their arms, horizontally outstretched, and snapping their fingers to the rhythm of the drum. It was fantastic.
May I tell you that the food was incredible! Bill Hristakos, owner of the Long Grove Café hosts the event. The café had the lam on the rotisserie and there was also a booth serving gyros, shish-kabob, Chicken Divine, sausage, Greek salad and much more. We ordered the sampler and were full and content! It was SO yummy!!
Dessert was in the next booth and they served ice cream AND traditional baklava…plain and dipped in chocolate. We had to try both. Funny enough, we had a couple people try to take it as they walked by. I was ready for them though…I would have tripped them and got it back.
Folks did NOT wait to break out the Ouzo, so even more people began to dance shortly after…what fun!
I think the best part of the day (aside from great music, even better food and fun jewelry to purchase) was the “banter” between the men at a few of the different booths. They called out to the potential customers, “SHISH-KABOBS HERE…THE BEST THE BEST!”
I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I am finding that I LOVE the festivals of Long Grove. If the Wine and Art Fest (THIS WEEKEND 8/15-8/16) is anything like Greek Days, you have to make plans to be there! Visit the Long Grove website (http://www.longgroveonline.com/) for other future events. Irish Days are just around the corner too!
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We arrived right at the beginning of the event and immediately heard music coming from tents in the Mill Pond area. The dancing began as soon as folks were setting things up. And I don’t mean “dancers”…as in someone hired to entertain the crowd. I mean men that were cooking a lamb on a rotisserie, men that were selling souvenirs, men that were serving gyros and Greek salads, as soon as they heard the music!
Picture it: the music from Terran’s Greek Band begins. You hear the sounds of a drum, guitar and bouzouki (peaked your curiosity, didn’t I?). A bouzouki is part of the lute or mandolin family; a long-necked pear-shaped stringed instrument. OK, back to the picture in your mind…you hear the drum, the guitar and the bouzouki and all of a sudden, men start raising their arms, horizontally outstretched, and snapping their fingers to the rhythm of the drum. It was fantastic.
May I tell you that the food was incredible! Bill Hristakos, owner of the Long Grove Café hosts the event. The café had the lam on the rotisserie and there was also a booth serving gyros, shish-kabob, Chicken Divine, sausage, Greek salad and much more. We ordered the sampler and were full and content! It was SO yummy!!
Dessert was in the next booth and they served ice cream AND traditional baklava…plain and dipped in chocolate. We had to try both. Funny enough, we had a couple people try to take it as they walked by. I was ready for them though…I would have tripped them and got it back.
Folks did NOT wait to break out the Ouzo, so even more people began to dance shortly after…what fun!
I think the best part of the day (aside from great music, even better food and fun jewelry to purchase) was the “banter” between the men at a few of the different booths. They called out to the potential customers, “SHISH-KABOBS HERE…THE BEST THE BEST!”
I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I am finding that I LOVE the festivals of Long Grove. If the Wine and Art Fest (THIS WEEKEND 8/15-8/16) is anything like Greek Days, you have to make plans to be there! Visit the Long Grove website (http://www.longgroveonline.com/) for other future events. Irish Days are just around the corner too!
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