# I am going to Illinois



## Diva Q (Feb 14, 2008)

Well I got a big surprise this morning. 

My husband surprised me with a booked trip to Shannon, Illinois in April. Now that in itself would be enough. There are enough BBQ joints for me to try out to last a  lifetime. However knowing that I am trying to learn as much as I can about BBQ he also booked us into a BBQ class one I am really looking forward to. 

The class is called Old School Vs. High Tech cooking. Rod Gray from Pellet Envy and Johnny Trigg of Smokin' Triggers are the instructors. 

I am looking forward to it. Hoping to learn some stuff. I would like my meat scores to be as high as my dessert scores 


Now for all you who have been to Illinois. Where should we eat>???


----------



## atruckerswife (Feb 14, 2008)

Congrats Danielle.


----------



## wittdog (Feb 14, 2008)

Sounds like fun....but when are you getting Vlad the RK?


----------



## Bill The Grill Guy (Feb 14, 2008)

Wow, now thats a ROAD TRIP.  Congrats Diva.


----------



## Greg Rempe (Feb 14, 2008)

Johnny Trig is still one of the best on the comp circuit...he has won pretty much everything!


----------



## Kloset BBQR (Feb 14, 2008)

Uncle Bubba and I will be there also Danielle.  We're even bringing the wives to the class.  Maybe we can get together for dinner there and figure something out.

I'm also doing the Boys from Tornado Alley class in Sperry, OK next month.

My guess is we'll have to travel outside Shannon to find someplace to eat.
Shannon appears to be a small town. 

Dallas


----------



## Diva Q (Feb 14, 2008)

Sounds good !


----------



## Kloset BBQR (Feb 14, 2008)

Sounds good, maybe we can convert Bubba over to being a pellethead.  Afer all there just microstick burners!

Probably take a lot of pellets to get his Klose up to temp though!


----------



## Impailer (Feb 14, 2008)

Kloset BBQR said:
			
		

> Uncle Bubba and I will be there also Danielle.  We're even bringing the wives to the class.  Maybe we can get together for dinner there and figure something out.
> 
> I'm also doing the Boys from Tornado Alley class in Sperry, OK next month.
> 
> ...



Are you planning on getting there for Friday afternoon or Thursday night?

Looking at the application form, they are providing dinner on Friday night at the class, so we could get together for dinner Saturday night.

We will most likely be leaving from here Thursday early AM with a pit stop at Birch Run Prime Outlets outside Flint, MI, and we were planning on spending Thursday night and Friday morning in Chicago, before making it to Shannon for 6pm Friday afternoon.


----------



## Impailer (Feb 14, 2008)

wittdog said:
			
		

> Sounds like fun....but when are you getting Vlad the RK?



Maybe it will be my retirement present... too bad I am not eligible to retire for another 18 years


----------



## Kloset BBQR (Feb 14, 2008)

Danielle,

We will most likely be coming in Friday afternoon.  We are staying over Friday and Saturday nights and returning home on Sunday morning.

Saturday night sounds like a plan.

Somebody needs to bring the BBQ Central Banner for photo ops!


----------



## Diva Q (Feb 14, 2008)

Impailer17 said:
			
		

> wittdog said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Keep dreaming you can have an RK when I get an X5  And if I am getting an X5 you may want to push that retirement back afew more years.





> We will most likely be coming in Friday afternoon. We are staying over Friday and Saturday nights and returning home on Sunday morning.
> 
> Saturday night sounds like a plan.
> 
> Somebody needs to bring the BBQ Central Banner for photo ops!



I have the banner to bring and Saturday sounds like a great plan. 

Um I ll leave you to convert Bubba.LOL


----------



## Uncle Bubba (Feb 14, 2008)

Diva Q said:
			
		

> Impailer17 said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Maybe someday after I pay off my credit cards and house.  For now, I gots what I gots and I like what I gots.  Should be a good class.  I look forward to seeing you guys again...one thing though...no screaming please!!


----------



## Smokey_Joe (Feb 14, 2008)

Chuck_050382 said:
			
		

> That is to far north in IL for my blood.  If you all were coming down farther south we could get together.
> 
> The class sounds neat though.



*LOL...Diva's coming from Ontario and you refuse to slide 
up the state a bit!!!!  OMG!

just kidding.... 

congrats Diva!!! Sounds like it's gonna be a great class.*


----------



## Kloset BBQR (Feb 15, 2008)

Don't be a hater bro, come on up and join the fun!  Hope you can make it!


----------



## Woodman1 (Feb 15, 2008)

Diva, If you will be in Chicago, you MUST eat at Rick Bayless' Frontera Grill on N. Clark. Hands down, the best Mexican Food I have eaten! For Pizza, I recommend Gino's East, and try Heaven On Seven for the best Louisiana Cuisine. Also, look up Emilio's Tapas Restaraunt for great Spanish!


----------



## woodman3222 (Feb 15, 2008)

Sounds like a great trip. Never been to that part of the country.


----------



## Woodman1 (Feb 15, 2008)

Ron_L said:
			
		

> Woodman said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Ron, if you like Bayless' restaraunts, you need to try Salpicon (if you haven't already) on N Wells . I think it is in Olde Towne. The woman who owns it is one of Bayless' former cooks. Her husband is a somalier' who handles the wine list. It is closer to Topolobompo than Frontera . I love Chicago! GREAT RESTARAUNT TOWN!!!!!!


----------



## Diva Q (Apr 1, 2008)

well we are leving tomorow for Mississauga (close to Toronto) then off to michigan on Thursday AM really early and then off to Chicago (meeting up with some fellow BBQcentral members for lunch) then to the class on Friday evening. We are looking forwrd to this mini vacation!


----------



## wittdog (Apr 2, 2008)

Quality time with Bubba...I wonder if he will be in "comp mode"...... :P   
Have fun Diva...I'm sure Vlad will be taking good notes....


----------



## Diva Q (Apr 2, 2008)

Vlad mostly sleeps. LOL I am the notetaker. 

He does all the driving though (cause I will fully admit he is a much better driver)


----------



## atruckerswife (Apr 3, 2008)

Have a wonderful and safe trip.

Vlad a better driver?     Did I miss something in this?   

Only joking Vlad


----------



## Diva Q (Apr 3, 2008)

Just got here. 

LOL should have brought the trailer. Shopped a bit on the way down. 

Going to go out and check a few morethings.


----------



## Diva Q (Apr 5, 2008)

Just finished the class and I would recommend it to anyone. Nice to see Dallas and Kvin and their wives. I even saw Kevin smile once or twice.


----------



## Pigs On The Wing BBQ (Apr 5, 2008)

Diva Q said:
			
		

> I even saw Kevin smile once or twice.


   Say it ain't so!     Glad you had a good time!


----------



## wittdog (Apr 5, 2008)

Diva Q said:
			
		

> Just finished the class and I would recommend it to anyone. Nice to see Dallas and Kvin and their wives. I even saw Kevin smile once or twice.


I"m guessing it was gas....


----------



## Uncle Bubba (Apr 5, 2008)

It was gas...Great class!!  Very interesting approaches.  Two very long days of BBQ talk is a lot of talk about BBQ.  These guys laid it all out for us including a goody bag with all the rubs, spices, and sauces they use.  Between my wife and I, we(I) have about 25 pages of notes and info to to go back over, organize, and sort into categories and then figure out what is what.  Hoping for a good night's sleep in South Bend and then it back to Boardman and then Rochester on Monday for work...ugh!!!


----------



## Diva Q (Apr 8, 2008)

Hey Theresa!

It was great to meet theboth of you !

If you need any help if you come to Barrie weare here to answer any and all ofyour questions!

And for anyone else reading this come to the Canadian Open!

Well worth the drive and the purse is $30,000+

additionally there is the possibility of an FEC100 being offerered for first place as well.


----------

