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Images: Icons of South Barrington

Daily Herald Film Critic

dgire@dailyherald.com

Upscale. Downscale.

South Barrington blends them both in entertainment and culture as well as in shops, goods and services.

I visited South Barrington three times to get what I considered to be an inclusive photo essay touting the village's numerous municipal touchstones.

After all, some parts of South Barrington look great during the day. Others tend to pop to life at night.

I hope the village is ready for its close-up, even if I'm no Cecile B. DeMille.

• Be sure to look for a new "Icons of ..." town gallery every Sunday at dailyherald.com/galleries and on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. On our social media sites, share your favorite South Barrington photos with us by using #shareyoursuburb. Take a look around and let us know which icons are special to you. Which ones stir a memory for you? Where do you love to go in town?

  In 1979, Goebbert's Farm created the famous fiberglass pumpkin "Happy Jack" for the silo. Happy Jack measures 18 feet wide and 15 feet tall. He never stops grinning. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  Floral explosions decorate the grounds of Goebbert's Pumpkin Farm. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  The southeast corner of Goebbert's Pumpkin Farm. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  South Barrington's Arboretum shopping mall opened in the fall of 2008 with 600,000 square feet of shoppers' delights. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  Bartletts aren't just a book of fancy quotations. They're part of the movable farmers market at South Barrington's Arboretum shopping mall. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  So far, no filmmakers have shot a movie at the clock tower at South Barrington's Arboretum shopping mall. They should. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  No evidence suggests that the floral citizens of South Barrington's Arboretum shopping mall will grip and digest your finger if you stick it in the petals. Just in case, don't do it. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  Get a load of those tomatoes at the farmers market in South Barrington's Arboretum shopping mall. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  Shoppers at South Barrington's Arboretum can enjoy a snappy time at its occasional farmers market. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  As of this report, the Willowmere single-family home neighborhood, built in the mid 1980s, has three homes for sale at an asking price ranging from $335,000 to $1.195 million. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  No evidence suggests that the floral citizens of South Barrington's Arboretum shopping mall possess alien spores that will duplicate a pod version of you while you sleep. Just in case, don't sniff. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  Here are the many reasons South Barrington's Arboretum shopping mall smells so nice in the warmer months. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  With Executive Level Membership ($100 upfront, $74.50 per month), a village resident can use all facilities at the South Barrington Club. With Associate Level Membership ($100 upfront, $65.50 per month), a village resident can only use the indoor tennis courtsthree times per season. The official website says that "additional court fess may apply." Whatever a "court fess" is. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  South Barrington built its original village hall in 1984 when more than 1,000 residents lived in the village limits. It boasts four times as many people now. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  In 2015, South Barrington completed a $3.3 million renovation that modernized and more than doubled the size of its 31-year-old village hall. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  The South Barrington 30 Theaters opened in March 1998, one of two first "megaplexes" in the Chicago market (along with Warrenville's Cantera 30). Not only did the 30 install the region's first DLP (Digital Light Projection) system, in 2009 it converted one screen into an IMAX format. It's one of a few theaters to regularly feature Indian-made movies in the languages of Hindi, Telugu and Tamil. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  Willow Creek Community Church officially met for the first time on October 12, 1975, when pastor Bill Hybels rented the popular Willow Creek Theater in Palatine. (It's now a banquet hall.) In 1977, Hybels constructed a new church on 90 acres of South Barrington land. (The first service took place there in February 1981.) The church has since doubled and the property expanded to 155 acres. Willow Creek's Worship Center (completed in 2004 at an estimated cost of $73 million) seats 7,095 people, making it over twice as large as the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  The tranquil and idyllic Worship Trail along the northern border of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  Hamid Hashemi, a native of Tehran, Iran, founded Muvico Theaters, then parted ways with that company and created the upscale iPic Theaters in 2007. The iPic came to South Barrington's Arboretum in July of 2011. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  The billiard table and bar at the iPic Theater in South Barrington. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  The sports TV bar at the iPic Theater in South Barrington. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  The library-like sitting area at the iPic Theater in South Barrington. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  The fountain that greets patrons to the iPic Theater changes colors every few seconds. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  Rejuva is just one many commercial attractions to be found at South Barrington's Arboretum shopping center. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  The South Barrington 30 Theaters opened in March 1998, one of two first "megaplexes" in the Chicago market (along with Warrenville's Cantera 30). Not only did the 30 install the region's first DLP (Digital Light Projection) system, in 2009 it converted one screen into an IMAX format. It's one of a few theaters to regularly feature Indian-made movies in the languages of Hindi, Telugu and Tamil. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  The Lucky Monk restaurant moved into South Barrington in December, 2009. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  Day time at the Lucky Monk restaurant in South Barrington. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  Nighttime at the Lucky Monk restaurant in South Barrington. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  In 2015, Gino's East moved into the location occupied by the iconic Millrose Brewery off Barrington Road in South Barrington. Live music is still on the menu. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
  Many colorful flowers stand guard over the Goebberts Farm shops and buildings in South Barrington. Dann Gire/dgire@dailyherald.com
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