A visit to the mansion at Allerton Park and Retreat Center is like stepping back in time to a more elegant era.

Kevin Allen had no intention of moving back to Illinois, but a house in Champaign changed his mind. Allen grew up in Stonington, studied at the University of Illinois and got his first taste of the hospitality business at University Inn, which has since become an apartment complex.

Fall is quickly fading into winter in East Central Illinois, and with it, so are most gardens. However, while flowers die and trees and shrubs often lose their leaves, it is still possible to have some striking beauty on those days when the clouds hang low and the sun is on vacation in Australia.