Grindstone

11/17/2023

Grindstone star UX Designer Saige Heelein recently designed an amazing augmented reality app for local arts organization Big Picture Peoria and their new Abraham Blue mural on the Peoria County courthouse.

The app draws attention to Lincoln’s battles with depression, ways in which he coped, and local resources like Trillium place; the experience reflects the vision of artist Doug Leunig to use art’s power to heal for community transformation here in Peoria and beyond.

This week Big Picture Peoria hosted a launch event at the Peoria Riverfront Museum, where Saige presented the app to a crowd of prominent Peorians. Pictured in the group photo are:

Abraham Blue Artist and Big Picture Peoria Cofounder Doug Leunig

State Representative Jehan Gordon-Booth

Peoria County Board Chairman Jim Dillon

Big Picture Peoria Board Member Maggie Misselhorn

Grindstone UX Designer Saige Heelein

Peoria Riverfront Museum President John Morris

Amazing work as always, Saige! ✨

05/23/2023

We are ecstatic to share that our private summer dinner series featuring host chef Joshua Lanning will kick off with the first-ever outdoor live music experience at Haven on the Farm: folkgrass duo Watkins & Zorn.

(Seats are reserving quickly and the dinners are by invite only, so DM us soon to request your invite!)

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Daniel Watkins (photo 1) began his musical journey in his childhood basement when he found his father’s old guitar in the corner, breaking nearly every string in his first attempt at playing it.

Years of performing with the classical guitar ensemble at ICC led Daniel to his mentor, Andy Hatfield, with whom he established instant chemistry studying bluegrass guitar. The genre effortlessly appealed to Daniel with its raw energy and dressed-down simplicity.

He joined the newgrass band River Valley Rangers in the Spring of 2020 and spent much of the year meticulously practicing and studying classical works (while finding influence in his heroes before him, such as Norman Blake, Tony Rice, and John Hartford). Since Daniel’s enlistment, the Rangers have fostered a unique musical kinship, recording and releasing new music and touring throughout the country.

Ben Zorn (photo 2) grew up in Chicago, where he began his musical journey at the world-renowned Old Town School of Folk Music. Playing guitar from a young age, his dad pushed him to learn mandolin, banjo, and fiddle, the latter of which has become his primary musical interest.

He received a scholarship to play string band music at Davis & Elkins College in West Virginia, learning a wide variety of fiddle tunes and traditional songs from masters of their craft.

Since graduation and returning to Chicago, Zorn joined the River Valley Rangers, a northern Illinois band that travels the country blending traditional bluegrass with modern styles and grooves.

In addition to performing, he teaches students of all ages and composing new instrumental tunes in collaboration with others.

DM us to request an invite. See you on the farm!

Photos by Patrick Marsh

05/19/2023

Situated on a historic farm that spans over ten pristine acres, Haven on the Farm was designed as a beautiful canvas to transform memorable celebrations and private events, from classic wine and food events to unique concert experiences and unforgettable weddings.

It is with great pleasure we invite you to explore the endless possibilities at Haven this summer with a very special pre-opening private dinner series on the Farm.

Experience multi-course farm dinners showcasing the culinary talents of host Chef Joshua Lanning (with some exciting guest chefs to be announced), honoring the land and celebrating the cuisine of our region.

As you dine, you are invited to relax and enjoy sunset concerts with acoustic folk, jazz and classical music by some of the region’s best musicians.

Limited seating is available and dinners are by invite only. Request an invite by direct messaging any of our co-hosts:

Haven on the Farm
Tailored Events
Grindstone

We look forward to welcoming you to the farm this summer!

05/18/2023

Last summer we had the honor of hosting a very special outdoor dining experience on five Sunday evenings from June through October.

On a small-scale regenerative vegetable farm that fed and inspired our community for years, we built a restaurant in the field that hosted unforgettable dinners, music, farm tours and community for one Sunday each month.

Because of land restrictions, this wonderful vegetable farm is currently on hiatus until the right property becomes available where our farmer may establish a new beginning.

In the meantime, many of you have been asking if Dinner Down River will ever return.

As luck would have it, a friendship developed last summer with a repeat guest of Dinner Down River who also fell in love with the magical experience of these dinners on the farm.

We are excited to announce that this friend, along with Chef Joshua Lanning and his culinary team, will be joining us in hosting a new series of dinners on a farm this season.

Your invitation, dates and details will be announced tomorrow morning. Stay tuned...

05/17/2023

If you know, you know. If you don't, you should: today our good friends and clients at ARDOR breads and provisions officially opened their newly expanded (and much-anticipated) full-service restaurant to the public.

Ardor, which was founded on vegetable preservation and fermentation in a naturally leavened bakery, opened its first iteration on the Peoria Riverfront in May 2020 with hyperlocal sourcing and very high standards for ingredients and service.

Their evolving restaurant menu follows suit, favoring old-fashioned techniques and ingredient-driven craft cooking to realize the highest potential of our regional fare.

In addition to their revered grab & go bakery and café — named Best Bakery in the Midwest by Midwest Living last year — which has also grown, you can enjoy the new Ardor restaurant experience five days a week beginning with breakfast and lunch Wednesday through Sunday from 8am-2pm.

FYI: the evolution is just beginning. A whole new world of is on its way, featuring a phenomenal cocktail program + exciting wine list by Beverage Director Kosta Markesinis, and it will seriously level up the quality and flavors of the region even more.

Explore the full restaurant and beverage menus, check out more photo and video of the new space (courtesy of our partners at Mouve Film), and uncover the future of food and drink in Central Illinois at Ardor's new Grindstone website ardorbp.com 🔥



Logo design by Cosette Leman
Photo and Video by Mouve Film
Website Design and Development by Grindstone

05/04/2023

Grindstone client sets the world standard of excellence in U.S. manufacturing of fabricated tube assemblies, sheet metal fabrications and enclosures.

By pairing the highest quality of service and partnerships with prestigious world class OEMs, they are truly the best in the business.

It has been an honor to work with their fabulous team in designing their new website.

Learn more at the link in their bio. ✨

Photo by

05/01/2023

Through the counseling process, Grindstone client The Compass Counselors empower their clients to recalibrate negative perceptions into a more confident and insightful lifestyle.

The Compass Counselors are invested in each client’s spiritual and mental health, and they are honored to guide every client through life’s more difficult struggles while joining them on the path of True North.

"A compass has a true north that is objective and external, that reflects natural laws or principles, as opposed to values which are subjective and internal. Because the compass represents the eternal verities of life, we must develop our value system with deep respect for true north principles." Dr. Stephen R. Covey

Learn more at their new Grindstone website thecompasscounselors.com ✨

04/28/2023

Meet two of Grindstone's star designers, Heather and Shane!

UI/UX Design Intern Shane de Sibour (pictured with Senior Designer Heather Ford) brought a masterful presentation to Bradley University's FUSE event (📷) this past weekend at the Riverfront Museum.

As usual, Shane knocked it out of the park and wowed the crowd. A Minneapolis native and UI/UX Design major, Shane graduates next month and completes his internship at Grindstone with an impressive portfolio.

Senior Designer Heather Ford has an MFA from Bradley University and a BFA from the Illinois Institute of Art in both Graphic and Interactive Design. She teaches and coordinates the User Experience Program for the Department of Interactive Media at Bradley University and has been a professional in the industry for over twenty years through fine art, digital creative and UI/UX.

Having designed for several Fortune 500 clients, including Apple, Disney, Maui Jim, United Way, NASA, The Museum of Science and Industry, Nike, and Home Depot, Heather brings extensive experience in applying user experience design and research for website, mobile, branding, and product design to Grindstone.

It is an immeasurable honor to have Heather and Shane, one of her star students, on the Grindstone team.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

04/25/2023

The secret is out.
Our favorite farmer
is back to growing
for our favorite restaurant.

The best have rejoined forces
and they’re just getting started.

Congrats to Grindstone
ARDOR breads and provisions and Down River Farm / Evan Barry on raising the bar once again.

Since the launch of Ardor Breads and Provisions, there have been several key suppliers behind the scenes, critical to our success and quality of product. One of those providers since the very beginning has been Evan Barry .
Unfortunately, Down River Farm had decided to take a hiatus for 2023.

If you've experienced the produce of , then you know that replacing that quality is no easy feat. We felt the only way to try and keep some of that product coming into our new dining space, was to reach out to Evan directly, and simply ask if he'd help us grow his quality of produce out of a manageable garden, less than 10 miles from Ardor, under his vision and guidance. As much as the idea of it being "just one more thing" hindered, we felt it was critical to our story, our philosophy, and to serve you, our customers, the best quality. Not to mention, the opportunity to learn from Evan himself was too good to pass up.

I introduce you to

Follow along for updates, to see what makes its way into our restaurant, and what we do with it.

04/21/2023

The city of Peoria, Illinois, was once hailed as the Whiskey Capital of the World.

Unfortunately, Prohibition brought that thriving industry to a crashing halt.

One hundred years later, Grindstone client BLACK BAND Distillery is here to reclaim that lost history, rebuild a noble industry, and renew our local heritage.

BLACK BAND is bringing distilling back to Peoria’s Warehouse District, and it is an honor to call them our clients.

Their distillery also houses The Bar at Black Band, a farm-to-table restaurant and cocktail bar, which offers an elevated dining experience with uncompromising attention to detail.

The Bar's seasonal food menu and ever-changing cocktail program are exciting and forward-thinking…the perfect companion to their award-winning spirits.

Visit both Grindstone websites via the links in their bios 🥃

Photography by

04/01/2023

When you discover something so special that it exceeds your highest expectations and blows you away with flavors you've never experienced and never knew existed…these are the moments to live for.

Get back there as soon as you can. You’ll be blown away again…this time, as expected.

returns in one minute for Night Two of small plates a la carte and first tastes of their exciting new cocktail program by .

Expect to be blown away.

Photos by at Night One

03/30/2023

The way they capture the art and soul of life never ceases to mesmerize us.

Pour a glass and enjoy the experience of Grindstone client at mouvefilm.com.