Some might call it a match made in heaven - others might just ask what took us so long? Fabulous plants and wonderful garden antiques together in the magical setting of the finest botanic garden in the U.S..

The long awaited collaboration between Kimball & Bean, Craig Bergmann and The Chicago Botanic Garden opened this week!

The Garden & Antiques Shop sales tent and its surroundings are overflowing with both our fabulous garden antiques and garden inspired decorative elements and with Craig Bergmann's distinctive plant offerings, including topiaries, espaliers, hardy plants, and mixed containers.

Craig Bergmann's signature "Flower Show" displays will change weekly, presenting sumptuous combinations throughout the season.

Inspiration awaits in the Garden & Antiques Shop at the Chicago Botanic Garden with the perfect plants and ornaments to bring your creative ideas to life.

The Garden & Antiques Shop will be open at the Chicago Botanic Garden on Lake Cook Road in Glencoe from 10-5 Wednesday to Sunday now through October 30, 2005.

for only twenty more dollars I'll throw in a "gen-u-wine Cooper Cow-Coaxer" milking machine, which is "guaranteed to persuade milk out of the most bashful cow." - buy both and I'll give you an extra base for that planter - I can give you a better price if you buy them all - no, really, those chairs do go with that table...

Oh, Mr. Haney, you got me again.

I'm a sucker for a quantity deal, but before long all that quantity starts to sneak-up on you. Before you know it you're elbow deep in the accumulated clutter of all that extra stuff that came with what you really wanted. It's not bad stuff, it just doesn't fit.

Well today is our day to start taking care of this growing problem. We've hauled a bunch of our odd pieces up to the loft, marked them down 50%-75% and we're moving them out!

I expect the sale to go on for a couple of weeks, but it really depends on how long the stuff holds out. Don't worry though, I keep adding things to the pile!

Holy moly! Great food, great wine and professional restaurateurs to boot! What more could you ask for? I'll tell you what, how about putting it in my own back yard!

Cali Bergold's Tip Top Bistro opened only a few weeks ago and Nancy and I have already eaten there five times between us.

From the well thought out and perfectly executed appetizers to the fabulously simple, but unctuous entrées this is food that we all deserve, but find in short supply so close to home. These are classics, perfectly prepared, not unusual in style , but unusual in quality.

This is food that deserves to be experienced just as the chef intended. So resist the temptation to tinker, open your mind, close your eyes, breath in and prepare to be swept away!