The joys of a Saturday French market

This past weekend, one of new favorite aspects of spring began again for the season–the Wheaton French Market! 

The Wheaton French market begins each year around the middle of April and ends around the middle of November. It’s one of the longest running markets in the area–which is great for me, since going there on Saturday mornings is one of my favorite activities during the weekend!

So, what is a French market, exactly?

A French market is a style of open-air market with many different vendors, or stalls, selling baked goods, fresh produce, hand-made items or other wares. It is not necessarily French because of the items they are selling (although you definitely might find a crepe or croissant!), but rather the style of the market is what makes it French. Open air markets are part of the daily culture and way of life in France. Perhaps this is why I love going to the Wheaton French market so much–because it makes me feel like I am somewhere far more exotic than a suburb of Chicago!

The Wheaton French market is one of more than 80 markets owned and operated by the Bensidoun family, including 24 in France! Learn more about the Bensidoun family and maybe you can find a French market near you, too.

Here are just some of the things I love about the French market:

#ArbEveryMonth: My year exploring the Morton Arboretum

You hear a lot about the idea of people having a “third place”–there’s home, work, and then that ubiquitous other place that you want to spend your time at. For lots of people that third place is a favorite bar,  and for me it’s typically a coffee shop, but I think there are a few other “third places” that have joined my list of favorite places to spend my time.

One of those places is the Morton Arboretum.

I’ve been going to the arboretum since before I lived locally; back when I had to drive over an hour to tromp about the grounds. Now that I live just a few miles away, I’m a card-carrying member. I vowed when I joined to be sure I “made the most” of my annual pass.

I already knew I enjoyed strolling around the lake and attending an event or two, but to really feel like I was getting my money’s worth, I decided last year to endeavor to go to the arboretum at least once a month. 12 visits a year, 3 in every season, surely this would equate to a good value, right?

Right! This experiment  was a fantastic success! Every season at the arboretum is not only beautiful, but full of surprises. Different flowers bloom each month in the spring; different trees change colors, and drop their leaves throughout the fall; and in the winter you may find an ice and snow covered winter wonderland, or a clear, quiet moment in a brown and grey forest.

I did count some of the events we attend at the Arboretum as my “visits” for the month, but overall, I spent more time at the Arboretum than I did the year before, and I had so much fun doing it.

I could sing the praises of what an amazing idea this was all day long, but I’ll let my photos from my year of visiting the Arb every month speak for themselves.