a walking tour through the autumn foliage

We arrived in Geneva on Wednesday… 

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Halloween!.. 

it's such a fun time of year in the Midwest. 

We had previously spent 4th of July this year in Geneva  during that heatwave, so this cooler weather was a welcomed change of pace, and I started my walk through town as soon as we finished with lunch.

This historic little stone house is just around the corner from where we were staying at the Herrington Inn. I just love the large yards, amazing stone walls and old wrought iron fences in this part of town, and the fall colors were really breathtaking.   

All these pics are from Halloween afternoon. 

I wanted to soak in all the gorgeous fall foliage 

and decor as soon as we arrived. 

Our actual very first stop in town was the Little Owl, a fun little restaurant that’s been here for over 75 years. We were famished after traveling all day, so their yummy burgers really hit the spot!

I love the architectural details of the old buildings here on State Street. Inside, the Little Owl still retains all its vintage character, and it's light and bright decor is updated perfectly.

In town, most of the homes were subtly decked out for Halloween. The pretty old farmhouses are some of my favorite homes, with those amazing front porches.

So spooky and cute!

This old stone home sits right on the banks of the Fox River and belongs to friends of my husband. It’s been in the same family for decades, and still maintains its gorgeous storybook style while being tastefully updated on the inside.

The sun shining through the autumn leaves is so dreamy!

You’ve probably seen photos of this beauty. I have to photograph it every time I’m in town, and now for Halloween…

It’s truly spectacular!

Here’s a view from the side. Another porch happily greets guests coming in from the driveway. So cute!

Just another cute side yard vignette in town.

Those white houses with the dark shutters

 get me every time!

Aren’t these embellished front porches darling?

And the wrap around porch on this one, wow!

I think my absolute favorite corner in Geneva is Sixth and Fulton. I don’t know why, but I’m just drawn to this part of town every time I visit.

This ivy covered home is really spectacular in person and reminds me a little bit of Savannah. 

Those two large windows in front are original and have the most amazing vintage wavy glass in them! Plus you can catch a glimpse of the inside which is so stylish and beautiful.

Here’s a look at the back of the house, and directly next door is this darling little house....

with the sweet front courtyard that I fell in love with this summer.

The main historical shopping district in Geneva is on Third Street, where you can find The Paper Merchant. This unique store is located in a lovely 1869 Gothic Revival home, and is one of my favorite little gift shops. You can’t beat its cute curb appeal and gingerbread details!

Right across from the Paper Merchant is the most iconic store in Geneva, The Little Traveler, which is housed in a thirty-six room Victorian home that seems to be a combination of several vintage homes all connected by more rooms!

Their well-known café serves lunch, amazing sweets and Sunday brunch. Our good friend David is the chef there, and his desserts and pies are my favorites!

So if you’re ever in St. Charles or Chicago, make sure to take a little extra time and visit Geneva. The train from Chicago actually stops just one block from The Little Traveler! 

A walk through this charming little town takes me back to my childhood, and growing up in a small town in New York. Actually, the feeling I get walking through old-town Geneva is like something out of a movie... 'It's a Wonderful Life' to be exact. It really reminds me of Bedford Falls, and I really should come back in the winter for the full effect, haha!   

I’ll be back later in the week with some of my favorite restaurants in Geneva, and boy, were they good!! 

ciao! fabiana

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While I’m here today, I wanted to share some of my "Tablescaping Essentials" with you. I have a whole page on the Amazon website with my favorite picks for setting a beautiful table.

Quite often time is of the essence, and I have last minute projects or events to work on, so I turn to Amazon for one or two day delivery. You’d be surprised at how many amazing items they have to offer! And I'm constantly updating this page with my new favorites. 

You can check it out here, at “Tablescaping Essentials”.