Local Food

If you are a planning a trip, one of the things which can be worrisome is what to eat. This is particularly true if you are going to a different area of the country. Your local hamburger joint, who knows exactly how to make your burger, will be nowhere in sight and "medium" to you might be "medium rare" to them.

This gave rise to the national chain. You know, when you walk into a TGI Fridays, exactly what the food will be like. If you order your burger "medium", it will be the same "medium" in Fort Lauderdale as it is in Naperville or Denver or San Diego. There is comfort in that, but there is also less of a willingness to get out and try things, to walk into a diner where they don't know you. Foodies and travel gurus recommend going out of your comfort zone and going into the local restaurant scene. You never know what gem you will find.

It helps to have someone who is familiar with the area to guide you. I have to admit that going to visit Carole and Larry means a trip to Carousel.

That's black cherry and chocolate fudge soft serve.

So, we had to drag Larry around to some of the local restaurants which are staples of life here. We had lunch, the first day, at Alfie's. Alfie's has been around for over 40 years. They started as strictly a burgers, fries and ribs joint but have expanded their menu to provide soups and salads and other sandwiches. But, burgers reign supreme and they are scrumptious.

After lunch, we drove Larry around to see Wheaton and stopped at the grocery. I waited to buy groceries for the kids until they were along so we could get breakfast things, beverages and other items they wanted. We came away with offerings from the bakery.

That's turtle cheesecake and red velvet cheesecake. Both were good but a bit stale. Cheesecake is best within 24 hours of making it. Most recipes I have tell you to chill 6 hours or overnight. Since these have to sit for some time before being completely consumed, they can dry out. I make a much better turtle cheesecake. I think the red velvet one would be better without the cake layer.

Saturday evening, after going to see Christmas lights, we went to a Chicagoland institution, Portillo's. At this point, I had the bright idea to document Larry visiting these places.

Good old Portillo's. Of course I had an Italian sausage, mustard only, and a piece of chocolate cake.

On Sunday, the kids went into the city to see the Field Museum and the Shedd Aquarium. Once back at the house, they decided we needed to go to Baker's Square.

There used to be one near Wheaton North High School, but it closed many years ago, I think at the beginning of the recession. It was the 'go to' place after band practice or football games. I think the band almost single-handedly kept that Baker's Square afloat. Technically, like Portillo's, they are a chain, but they have contracted and there aren't nearly as many around as there used to be. The menu is not all that distinctive from any other restaurant and they seem to be chronically short servers. Still, we could get good food and pie and a place offering pie is usually not a terrible place to eat.

When Monday arrived, the kids decided they were too tired to go into the city for another swing through museums so we had brunch at our favorite breakfast place in Wheaton, Egg'lectic Cafe. It's been a Wheaton destination for over 15 years and, on warm weekends, the wait can be 90 minutes to get in.

The wait is worth it because the food is fantastic with a huge variety. They can make things almost to order, with some exceptions. They also serve lunch and the restaurant can be crowded at lunch, too.

Larry was thrilled because they had biscuits and gravy and grits on the menu. Phil got pancakes and when asked if he wanted whipped cream, he declined. I piped up, "I'll take his whipped cream."

Banana split pancakes with whipped cream. I had to take half of these home for breakfast on Friday.

Tuesday, we headed to Iowa for Christmas. Another place we wanted to take Larry because they have not worked their way completely east is Culver's.

I've written about them before. Clean with cheerful people, they are a decidedly upper Midwestern chain sort of fast food restaurant. Larry's not real fond of ice cream but he had some of Carole's salted caramel "Concrete Mixer", Culver's answer to a Dairy Queen Blizzard. He said it was really good. I had an egg nog shake made with their frozen custard. Now, I really like the Steak 'n Shake egg nog shakes but Culver's was, hands down, better.

He also experienced Chicago-style pizza at Giordano's on Friday with Carole's friends. We had pizza on Monday night from a Wheaton staple, Nancy's. It was one of the few places which would deliver to Niles' so was the place from which to get pizza on Dungeons and Dragons nights at Niles'. We had Chinese food on Christmas Day from a little place, China Star, a couple miles west of me. I know the store front. It's not much to look at but man the food was good.

While a visit someplace new is all about the experience of seeing, food can often make or break the trip. There are good places to eat in Warrenton and its proximity to Washington DC means there are a lot of speciality and ethnic restaurants in that area of the country. We exposed Larry to the basic fare we know and love and, in Carole's case, miss. These were the stars of the trip. We've already started a short list of places to eat at the next time they come.

Beverage:  Dr Pepper

Deb

The next morning.

I'm in the office, at the moment. My boss, who does not like pets, has given me permission to leave as soon as I get done the two things I feel I need to get done.

I followed Betsy around for awhile last night. I gave her a small piece of my chicken tenders from Culvers. She nibbled at it but never ate the whole thing. She's never been one for people food, really.

Her routine didn't vary that much from what it's been. She did come back into the office and sit on the floor next to me. I kept getting up to pet her and tell her I loved her until about 9:00 p.m. when she growled at me. It's kind of humorous in that she was telling me, "Okay, okay. Stop already with the petting."

My WoW guild was wonderful. They were all very supportive and concerned. Pam dropped me off and would have stayed, but I knew I had a world of friends to talk to me throughout the evening. And I know, if I need anything, I can call Pam or Jon or Jessie and ask. Bill was phenomenal. Say what you will about people you meet in a game that you may never see in real life, the people who chose to hang around in game with me last night were caring, compassionate people.

I picked up Betsy and we snuggled under the covers. She fell asleep next to me, purring up a storm. I awoke about 4 and she was gone but all she had done was gotten up and moved to down by my feet. When I awoke, she woke up and she let me snuggle with her, falling alseep together, until the radio came on.

She eats as she's always eaten. She did complain a bit when I headed out the door for work this morning, but she's been very silent since I got home last night. I think about the changes in life now. I don't need to keep the back door open because a cat wants to come and go. Betsy's not doing that anymore. I have all these cat toys and a stack of food dishes.

April commented that the momma cat she and Perry adopted still has kittens at the shelter. Would I want them to bring one when they come? I did think of that, but it's way too early for me to consider adding another cat to my household. Betsy's health problems are still there and I need to get her stabilized and in a routine before I even consider adding another cat, especially one with energy. Let's face it, Betsy and I are middle-aged women and we're pretty set in our ways. I don't think it would be good for Betsers to have a kitten at this point.

So, we will be okay, the two of us. I'll go home and cry my eyes out again, hold Betsy and then do some laundry, work on a craft project, do the dishes, wash the kitchen floor. There's lots of stuff I can do when I'm home early. Life goes on.

Beverage: Blackberry Sage

Deb

1997-2009

I had to stay late at work today. We are upgrading our Internet to Comcast and they give you this 1-5 p.m. window. We all felt it would be after normal hours, 4 p.m., before the guy showed up. He got lost in the business complex and had to call the boss at 4:20 for directions to our building. I didn't get home until 5:20.

Betsy was at the back door. No sign of Rascal. This morning, she was hunched over in the hall but got up to move to the living room rug. She didn't meow, but it was obvious she was not well. I petted her, told her I loved her and I'd see her later.

I walked into the bedroom and she was dead on the floor. She had not been dead very long.

There is probably nothing that could have been done had I been here. Something was very wrong, something I won't know about and I don't want to know. She gave me 12 years of love and I hope she knew how much I loved her.

She had the most marvelously soft coat and the most interesting yellow eyes. She was an exceptional hunter and I've tossed rabbit, chipmunks and birds out of the house. Up until May, she jumped into the living room window to watch for me when I came home. She knew when 4 p.m. was and, if I came home after 4:30, she would be at the back door to yell at me. For the longest time, I couldn't give her Fancy Feast cat food with fish in it because she'd throw it back up.

Betsy doesn't seem that disoriented. I keep getting up to check on her. She's not as complaining as she has been the last three days. She maybe knew something was awry.

I love Pam because she dropped what she was doing and came to take me to the clinic. The clinic, where we just were yesterday, will handle all the arrangements and I'll get her ashes back. She will join Shakespeare and Penney in my secretary. Pam also drove me to Culver's to get food because she knows I'd come home and not eat.

It's going to be a very long night tonight. Rascal slept with me last night, purring up a storm, although I know she did not feel well. I know, in my heart, that she's playing with Shakespeare, Penney and Half-Pint.

Beverage: Pepsi

Deb