Decadent indulgences
Birthdays are often for indulging, and as The Village Vintner Custom Winery celebrates its second year in business along Randall Road, you're the one who will get to do a little indulging this weekend.
Business has been good for the winery over the past two years, and to celebrate, The Village Vintner -- located in Carpentersville across from Menards -- is hosting a second anniversary celebration Saturday.
Throughout the festivities, which run from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., there will be both a chocolate fountain and a champagne fountain flowing endlessly. The champagne fountain will feature the winery's almond champagne. Both the champagne and the chocolate are free for the sampling.
You'll also get a chance to sample a free glass of the company's Black Cherry wine, which will be a great match for the chocolate.
For more chocolate indulgence, from 1 to 5 p.m. Custom Candy Design Co. will be on hand offering samples of their chocolate, which will be carried regularly by the winery.
Throughout the day, there also will be other fun ways to celebrate the business' two years. You can sample its Apple Pie Wine, heated to perfection, or buy its Almond Joy -- a combination of the almond champagne and chocolate port, with a touch of coconut, by the glass for $5.
There also will be other special buys throughout the day, as well as a raffle for a free batch of wine.
Owner Steve Boyer is hoping everyone -- new customers and his regulars -- will come out and help the business celebrate.
A new look: As you're shopping up and down Randall Road, you might notice something new at the intersection of Randall and Algonquin.
The surprised face sculpture that stood at the southeast corner is gone and new art is in its place.
Algonquin's Assistant Village Manager Jeff Mihelich says the new sculptures, which are part of Algonquin's Public Art Program, are titled "Untitled III" and "Creation."
A sense of humor: Though they've been buried behind all of the construction near the intersection of Randall and Algonquin roads since they opened, you can't say the folks at Morkes Chocolates don't have a sense of humor.
They now have a sign out front advertising something that might make motorists stuck in all that traffic feel just a little bit better -- chocolate construction equipment such as jackhammers.
• Amy Williams' column covers all the news of business along the Randall Road corridor from South Elgin to Crystal Lake. Contact her at randallbiz@comcast.net or (847) 894-5036.