Top places to sled in the 'burbs (and how to warm up afterward)

It is wintertime. The ground is covered in white (OK, gray) powder. While some people have longings to whisk their lover away to a little chalet where they can slap sticks on their feet and sail down a hill, you have no such desires (or maybe finances). Yet you still want to get out there and horse around with your other half - what to do?

You could body slam your mate into the ground and declare a snow angel contest, but that probably would not win you any points. On the other hand, you could take advantage of the many sledding hills dotting the landscape of the suburbs - topping the date off with a nice hot chocolate (spiked, of course).

So go slap down $15 and get yourself a plastic sled, big enough for both of you, and hit the hills!

Cook County

Forest preserve district

• Ned Brown Meadow (south of Golf Road and east of Interstate 290, Rolling Meadows) and Morrill Meadow (107th and Mannheim, Palos Hills). Open until 10 p.m.

• Deer Grove #5, Quentin Road, north of Dundee Road, Palatine; sledding and coasting hills with lighting, open until 10 p.m.

• Deer Grove #4, Quentin Road, north of Dundee Road, Palatine; sledding and coasting hills without lighting, open until sunset.

Glenview

• Flick Park at 3600 Glenview Road. Lighted, open until 10 p.m.

• Johns Park, 2101 Central Road. Lighted, open until 10 p.m. (847) 604-1893 for recorded weather/hill conditions message.

Northbrook

Wood Oaks Green Park, 1150 Sanders Road. Open until dusk.

Techny

Techny Prairie Park & Fields, 1750 Techny Road. Open until 6:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; open until 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. (847) 291-2985 for the latest conditions.

Glencoe

Watt Park Sledding Hill, 305 Randolph St. (847) 835-3030 for conditions.

Lake County

Forest preserve district

• Old School Forest Preserve, St. Mary's Road south of Route 176 and north of Route 60, near Libertyville, is open until sunset (currently the hill is closed because of poor snow conditions).

• Lakewood Winter Sports Area, Ivanhoe and Fairfield roads, near Wauconda, is lighted and open until 9 p.m.

(847) 367-6640 or go to lcfpd.org for current conditions. Note: No sleds with metal runners or snowboards allowed.

Highland Park

Danny Cunniff Park at 3100 Trailway St. (at the end, north of Half Day Road). (847) 681-2189 for sled hill conditions.

Vernon Hills

Century Park Indian Wood and Hawthorn Parkway. (847) 996-6800 for conditions.

DuPage County

Lombard

Four Seasons at Finley Road and 16th Street and Sunset Knoll at 820 S. Finley Road.

Naperville

Arrowhead Park at 711 Iroquois Ave.; Brook Crossings at 10S900 Plainfield-Naperville Road; and Gartner Park at 546 W. Gartner Road. Open until dusk.

Wheaton

Blackwell's Mount Hoy off Butterfield Road in between Winfield Road and Route 59. District inner tubes are the only devices allowed on Mount Hoy and can be rented on weekends (through February) at the base of the hill. Call the Outdoor Report at (630) 871-6422 for hours of operation and snow conditions.

The warmup

Traipsing around in the snow with your partner is sure to bring you some lighthearted fun. After a few tumbles down the hill and snowballs thrown, warm up fast with one of these cocktail recipes.

Shocking Chocolate

1 ounce cinnamon schnapps

1 cup hot chocolate

Heat the hot chocolate and add the cinnamon schnapps.

Hot Buttered Rum Cocktail

⅔ cup packed dark brown sugar

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

¼ cup honey

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

⅛ tsp. ground cloves

Pinch salt

¾ cup spiced rum

2 cups boiling water

2 sticks cinnamon, for garnish

Beat the brown sugar, butter, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt until blended and smooth. Transfer the mixture to a 4-cup (or larger) measuring cup. Add the rum and then 2 cups of boiling water. Stir until the butter mixture dissolves. Garnish with the cinnamon sticks and serve.

Loco Hot Cocoa

1 ounce bourbon

½ ounce cointreau

dash of cinnamon

sprinkle of cayenne

¼ cup of hot chocolate mix

8 ounces of milk

Heat milk, hot chocolate, cinnamon and cayenne. Pour into mug and add bourbon and cointreau.

Woolly Mitten

1½ ounces Southern Comfort

1 ounce peppermint schnapps

1½ ounces Baileys Irish cream

1 bag cocoa powder

Hot water

2 parts whipped cream (optional)

Put cocoa mix in the mug, fill half way with hot water and stir. Pour in Southern Comfort, peppermint schnapps and Baileys and stir. Top off with hot water. Crown with whipped cream.