The Crow and Calico Tavern — Local services in Monee

My husband and I spend part of our Saturdays (and sometimes Sundays if the cheese truck will be there) among the company of solid musicians and those who are attracted to the peace and familial ambiance of the Cooperage. The artisan market Saturday morning has a varied selection of crafts and locally-made products.

The honey has been gifted to friends with allergies due to its healing properties.

The jewelry crafter provided me with gifts for upcoming special occasions.

The organic meat people from nearby Beecher provide a very different taste for our carnivore side. THIS is the stuff chain grocery stores cannot compete with in terms of healthy eating. There eggs are terrific as well. One note: they are not always available but the dates for them and the cheese truck are noted on the chalkboard near the "refreshment" entrance.

One terrific woman feeds us well into the afternoon and evening with her delightful hand-held and easily eaten creations. What inspires her feeds us that day.

A wonderful bakery has impressed with their breads, savory and sweet pastries and garlic herb butter which I used on meat from the above-noted vendor.

Vintage fanatics like me have a huge, rotating choice of both apparel and knick-knacks. So on-trend! Sometimes I wear my own pieces of vintage linen to coordinate the theme.

Yes the theme: imagine sitting on a rustic farm gazing at the stars looking for meteor showers. Take a stroll down to the pond and find all manner of surprise wildlife. Look into the trees and bushes near the huge arbor and just try to name all of the native plants. Some seem to be from time immemorial.

The aforementioned chalkboard highlights specialty cocktails made with premier spirits. Indeed this place attracts whisky aficionados from near and far with their own house-smoked whisky! Non-alcoholic drinkers find plenty of cold beverages for themselves and their children. Beer drinkers appreciate the selection of brews not always found locally. My brother appreciates Point, a light beer from Wisconsin where he attended film school.

The food and drink may bring you here, but it is the music that will keep you here. Under the shade of the trees and the arbor you are treated to some of the finest musicians in the area. And yes they take requests! Plenty of seating, tables galore, pull up a chair and laze away your day and...

Awesome place off the beaten path, it's hard to find. But just look for the sign and a gravel driveway that runs along the south side of the warehouse. Once down the drive you will be treated to a beautiful little farm by a pond. Family owned and run they are in the business of hand making barrels for Whiskey and Spirit companies. The owner who is a former Berwyn Police officer traded in the the gritty beat cop 9-5 for a simpler life of working with his hands and starting hopefully a generational business for himself and his family. They have a beautiful wooden beer garden, a full service bar with Whiskey in which their hand made barrels are used. Every Saturday in the not winter seasons they have a farmers market with live acoustic music and the music usally goes on all night. Everyone there is friendly welcoming and you can clearly tell they are enjoying life and can see and feel the pride they take in the business they started. Great people, great atmosphere, great attitudes,great music,great drinks. What more could you...

What an awesome hidden gem. It was a rainy day , so only one vendor showed up for the farmers market that they host on Saturday's. This was our 1st time coming here, and we loved it. Everyone was so nice and friendly. The drinks were delicious. And you might even get to see the adorable cat named whiskey-T. She might even let you pet her. We love how this is so close to home, and we are looking forward to going back, especially on a nicer day for the farmers market. A great local place to get a drink will have us coming back again and again. They also had live music and beautiful views. Your first time going might have you doing a few turn arounds trying to locate it. But look for the driveway between the IDOT center and the storage facility, and you will find it! We can't...