Saturday, February 21, 2009

Connie's Pizza - Naperville, IL

I love to write reviews of places I enjoy. I want to share the fun of enjoyment with others. It's in that spirit that I write about Connie's Pizza in Naperville.

Connie's Pizza

www.conniespizza.com

1170 Iroquois Ave
Naperville, IL 60563
(630) 753-9633
Get directions

We went to Connie's Pizza the night before my birthday, February 7th, 2009.

We were on our way out to see a move at Classic Cinemas' Ogden 6 theater, which is across Iroquois Avenue from Connie's.

We'd never been to this particular Connie's location before, and to be honest we stopped in out of of convenience because of where we were going and how much time we had available. What a lucky break that was!

The interior decor at Connie's is kind of Northwoods campy - old license plates fron Alaska, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, etc. Canoes, stuffed brown bears, chain saw-carved bears, life-sized. Old fishing photos. Pine furniture. In three words, relaxed and comfortable. Very.

I felt de-stressed there, almost as if I were on vacation.

The server was a pleasant young fellow named Justin with a great attitude, who was attentive without being interruptive. That is an art a lot of wait staff could stand to learn. We had everything we needed in a timely fashion, and even though we had to be at the theater on time, we never felt rushed.

We were seated in an area that was half under ground level, with a windowed upper half wall looking out on a planted area of the grounds. It was like sitting inside a woodsy terrarium. Pleasant.

On the menu for my wife:

Fountain root beer and a spinach calzone with fresh fruit on the side.

On the menue for me:

Bruschetta to start.

Iced tea and a Sicilian club panini sandwich.

We were served also a shared round loaf of Italian flatbread with butter while waiting. (I wouldn't have minded a bit if they'd put out olive oil for dipping as an alternative to butter. I grew up with Italian grandparents and I like the healthy alternative, especially if you throw a bit of Italian herb seasoning in the olive oil.)

The food was absolutely wonderful, from the bread and bruschetta to the sandwiches and fruit.

The bruschetta was particularly good, a unique blend of tomato, vinegar & oil, spices, and kalamata olives diced. It's a unique recipe and the toasted flats they serve with it are wonderful and plentiful. There's easily enough for four people. I took the remainder home for later.

The Sicilian panini was over the top. It absolutely rocked.

Since this was actually my birthday dinner, we asked if they do anything for birthday diners. They do include a free dessert, and I'd have had my choice. However, a man at the table next to us ordered coffee, and it smelled so good that I actually traded my dessert for a cup of coffee. I dearly love fine coffee, and this did not dissapoint.

Odering off the non-pizza menu, the food was so good, it was like buying a 45rpm vinyl recording and finding that the B-side song was even better than the A-side.

In all, we had a wonderful meal in a pleasant environment with great service, and I left in a glowing mood despite having been awake over twenty four hours because of my Friday work schedule.

Order # 256334

Rating: Connie's Naperville location is a rock-solid four-star establishment. The only thing missing from five stars is the fancy-schmancy decor and gourmet food. Wait - I would've been really stressed to have to dress up for a fine dinner and struggling to meet my movie schedule. I loved the campy decor and the food, and the service. They overcame. I'm giving them a five.
*****

Thank you for reading.

Dan Stafford

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Farberware Millennium 12-Cup Percolator



















The Farberware "Millennium" 12-Cup Percolator.

I've owned this percolator for nine years now. It makes absolutely wonderful coffee, every time. It also fills the area with a most delightful aroma while perking.

I generally fill the basket with four 1/8th cup scoops of fine-quality ground coffee, anything from Dunkin to Kona or Jamaican Blue Mountain. It still makes great coffee with even bargain brands, however. There's something about the percolator that retains far more of the flavor in the coffee than drip coffee makers. I find coffee from drip pots very bland and tasteless by comparison.

I have to run a teaspoon of Dip-It and a full pot of water through it about once a year to keep it clean. Pretty minimal maintenance, if you think about it.

Tips:

  • Do not store the pot with the lid snapped down, it will weaken the spring.
  • Rinse the pot out with cold water while it is still hot from use. This is possible if you have cold water running & douse the parts right away. Steel gives up its temperature quickly. This "temperature shock" also seems to help pevent excessive coffee oil buildup on the stainless steel parts.
  • Use a thermos and pour what you don't drink immediately in it. The coffee will stay hot up to twelve hours and never scorch. (Note - the Farberware Millennium drops to a warming temperature after perking, and can go several hours without scorching the coffee, unlike drip coffee makers. Why use the electricity, though?)
  • Leave the cord plugged into the base and plug/unplug it at the wall outlet. You can wrap the cord around the handle when the pot isn't in use. I had to buy a new cord for my pot because the constant plug/unplug at the base loosened the connectors in the end of the cord and it started making poor contact. With a new cord, it was as good as new. You can also find longer cords for these pots at Menards in the electrical section. The standard cord included is four feet long. I bought a six foot cord for mine and it's plenty long enough.
  • You can get an electro-mechanical timer from Walgreens or CVS drug stores that will give your percolator the ability to be set up before you go to bed, automatically come on at a set time, and automatically turn off at a set time. These timers are sold in pairs for under $15.00.

Rating: Five stars for exceptionally good coffee and aroma, durability, consistency, good looks, and just plain great coffee. I've had better coffee made in this pot than in $1,000.00 + espresso/cappuccino makers.
*****

Thanks for reading!

Dan

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Old Chicago Smoke Shop





















10 South La Salle Street
Chicago, I'll 60603
312-236-9771
312-236-9773 fax

Friendly old-school full-service tobacconists. These guys are great.

I walked in around 9:30 am looking for something different to smoke. See my previous post for a full review of their suggestion.

The seating is hardwood & wrought iron benches, but there's plenty of seats. They have room for about 11 people.

From what I can see, they have a full complement of accessories, and they sell bottled soda.

Indoor seating for smokers is hard to find. This place is a treasure on a rainy and windy Chicago February morning.

Additionally, they have a full-service shoe shine person on-duty.

Rating: Five stars for great service, full-selection, and hard-to-find indoor cigar seats.
*****

They also have a second location:
221 Skokie Valley Road
Highland Park, IL 60035
847-831-3310
847-831-3392 fax

(I've never been to the Highland Park store)

Thank you for reading!

Dan

3 Siglos - Gran Habano natural wrapper cigar





















7" x 52 ring guage. Very smooth smoke, and fairly full-bodied for a natural wrap. Flavor and scent are delightful.

Suggested as an alternative to a La Gloria Cubana - Serie R by on-duty staff at the Old Chicago Smoke Shop, Chicago, IL. (Corner of Madison & La Salle, 1/2 block South on La Salle)

The cigar burned evenly all the way to the end, and didn't require even a single flick of the lighter to keep it even. All I had to do was turn it a bit to keep any longer wrapper on the bottom. Perfectly lovely.

Thank you for reading!

Dan

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Deerfield Trading Co. Gourmet Soda

Vanilla cream soda (among several flavors) that tastes like when I was ten years old. Wow.

No high fructose corn syrup, real cane sugar. It won't clog your arteries.

Great flavor for under $1.00.

Get it at Walgreens.

RATING: Four stars for great but partly artificial flavor.
****

Thank You for reading.

Dan


Words are the mind's bridge - its connection to all the universe.
Love is the heart's bridge - its connection to all other souls.
Loving words can work miracles.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Mimi's Cafe - Naperville, IL




















Mimi's Cafe
2656 Show Place Drive
Naperville, IL
60564
(630) 904-2380

We went to Mimi's for breakfast the morning of February 6th, 2009.

This was about our third visit.

When we were escorted to our seats, there were several tables not yet bussed - yet the restaurant wasn't excessively busy.

The menu is its own unique and creative blend of New Orleans style food - but not cliche' New Orleans cuisine. I don't even think they have red beans & rice.

For about $34.00 including tax & tip, we had a full breakfast. To me, that's a bit on the high side of breakfast pricing.

The ambiance was pleasant, with good lighting and fun decor.

The Food: A mixed bag. Great crabmeat, asparagus, & sweet corn quiche, baaaadly undercooked potatoes. Fresh fruit was quite nice. I had two links of andouille sausage on the side. The sausages are a bit pricey, but not a common find. Worse, we asked them to bring out new potatoes because they were undercooked; they took the WHOLE PLATE away and the potatoes still came back slightly undercooked. I think they just microwaved everything but the fruit on the plate, because the quiche was hotter than a pistol now, and so was the plate. They're lucky they didn't dry the quiche out doing that.

Repeatedly at Mimi's, the desserts have been somewhat blah. They've some times picked up the scent of garlic in the brownies, or just weren't that "over the top" that you get in their main entrees, both breakfast and dinner.

We were there for breakfast on the first day of my birthday weekend, and I asked the waitress if they do anything for a person's birthday. (It's customary in the US for at least a small dessert to be included gratis on a person's birthday, or within a couple of days of it.) The waitress forgot it. She had to be reminded. Even then, there was a long delay before it arrived, with us sitting at the table with our food finished and empty soft drink glasses. There was no choice of desserts, either. It was, however, one of their better desserts - chocolate cake, and no funny flavors.

To top off this same visit, we then had a long wait for the waitress to bring our check. Her personality was also rather indifferent and she was inattentive, only checking once through the entire meal if everything was OK without being called. She wasn't rude or willfully mean, just not present enough and not personable. She might have been having a bad day, but the impression rubbed off.

Overall impression: GREAT entrees. The main dishes there are really unique and really good. Very iffy sides and desserts. (Except the fresh fruit with breakfast, that was very good.) Wait staff is usually nice and attentive, I think we just caught our gal on a bad day or got the worst one there. Great decor, really pleasant.

Overall Rating: Three stars - and the entrees are the only thing that got them past two. Work on those sides and desserts, and for goodness' sake, cook the breakfast potatoes on the grill or have someone else cook them!!! This is the SECOND time we've had the exact same problem with those breakfast potatoes.
***

Thank You for reading.

Dan

http://www.archive.org/download/ReviewMimisCafeNapervilleIllinois/Mimis-Cafe_Naperville-IL.mp3

Harry's Hot Dogs - Chicago, IL





Harry's Hot Dogs

300 W Randolph St Fl 1
Chicago, IL 60606(312) 782-7386

What can I say? If you love hot dogs and lunch at a great price in down town Chicago, Harry's is great! The polish are wonderful too.

Get 'em while they're hot, he's only open until early afternoon.

Not to be missed for a hot dog fan. Molly Mcbutter is right on, though - this is Americana chow at it's finest, NOT any kind of salad-mixing vegemite. (Not that I'm not a fan of healthy food, I usually prefer it, but every now and then you have to trip the dog fantastic...)

Rating: Four stars for being a local icon, historic, and total Americana that tastes great. I can't give it five because being a third-shift guy, I'm often left out. They open after I leave, and close long before I get in. But when I'm on Day Shift occasionally...
****

Thank you for reading!

Dan

http://www.archive.org/download/ReviewHarrysHotDogsChicago/Harrys-Hot-Dogs_Chicago-IL.mp3

Cigar Box - Aurora, IL

Cigar Box - Aurora, IL
1462 Fox Valley Ctr
Aurora, IL 60504
(630) 898-5460
pakiplayer421@gmail.com

The store Owner is friendly and courteous, and can recommend cigars you'd like pretty well if you give him an idea of what you like.

I've also found one of my best up-scale cigar deals there.

I've reviewed a few cigar brands for him as well.

If you enjoy fine cigars, it's well worth a walk into the Cigar Box humidor. There is, of course, no smoking in the Fox Valley Mall, er, Westfield Center. You won't find a place to sit and smoke here, but you will find great cigars at a fair price, with plenty of accessories.

Rating: Four Stars - great service, good selection, some excellent deals. The only thing missing is a place to smoke.
****
I'll get a couple of photos on Sunday and put them up in here.

Thank you for reading!

Dan

http://www.archive.org/download/CigarBoxFoxValleyReview/Cigar-Box_Fox-Valley.mp3

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Burning Leaf Cigars - Plainfield, IL















Burning Leaf Cigars
- Plainfield, IL

13327 S Route 59
Plainfield, IL 60544
(815) 609-5080

Jamal runs a GREAT cigar shop, with plenty of comfortable seating in big fat leather chairs, a nice hi-def TV, and great deals on wonderful cigars.

His selection is HUGE. Both sidewalls of the store are lined with humidors at least 7' tall. He has all the accessories, and cigarettes too. (Me, I just like cigars.)

You can't beat this place to sit down with a cigar and relax, or to see some great cigar shows several times a year. If you love cigars, get on his mailing list.

Events:
Jamal also has some really great manufacturer rep bashes with contests and great deals, plus free cigars often for just showing up at an event. The first two photos are from a Drew Estates cigar manufacturer event I attended last summer at the Plainfield store. There were free cigars, free food and drink, free raffle prizes, and great discounts on Drew Estates cigar brands. These events are very well-attended and worth a visit.

Tip:
Unless you're attending a manufacturer event, you should bring your own drink with you if you plan on having a cigar at the store and you need something to sip on while smoking your cigar. I generally prefer having a couple of large travel mugs of fresh-perked coffee with my cigars.

Rating: Five stars for excellent service, comfortable, beautiful, and elegant surroundings, a place to have a smoke and relax, and friendly, knowledgeable staff and ownership.
*****

Thank you for reading and listening.

http://www.archive.org/download/BurningLeafCigarsPlainfieldIlReview/Burning-Leaf-Cigars-Plainfield-IL.mp3

Dan Stafford

Fox Valley Shoe Repair - photos









































































































The shoe is a 2006 Merrell, model: "World Leader."

The top image is what the shoes looked like in their brand-new, original, never-polished condition, with their original soles. The manufacturer soles were thinner and of lighter rubber than the new ones. They also had an engraving of the Earth's continents serving as the tread, so they left a very cool artsy footprint.

The remaining photos are of the shoe that needed the most work; the toe had about 4" of stitching that had come undone, and the sole had a hole the size of a quarter worn through it. This is the finished result, including the new sole.

These shoes were bought new in Fall, 2006. This is their condition after re-stitch and re-sole by:

Fox Valley Shoe Repair
1036 Fox Valley Center
Aurora, IL 60504
630-898-1919

The other shoe looks even better, as it had no stitching problem at the toe.

See my post immediately prior to this one for greater detail and review with rating of the shop and their work.

TIP: The polish work on the shoes was done by me. I use Kiwi "parade gloss" brown for the polish, and a 20-minute process: Cover both shoes polish thoroughly. Using a standard cotton shine cloth, buff one shoe, set down. Buff the other shoe, set down. Alternate shoes between buffs, and buff with the lightest pressure possible. Use the most polish-infused portion of the shine cloth for the first buff, and roll to the least polish-infused portion of the shine cloth successively after each buffing of both of the shoes. After the fifth buff of the pair, use a cotton-polyester blend cloth from a used undershirt to do a final buff. You can do a light buff with this cloth daily before wearing the shoes for about one week before the shoes will need to be re-polished. Winter salt will take the polish completely off the leather, and must be wiped off the shoes with a damp cloth before re-polishing. Polishing may be required daily or every other day in very snowy or icy winter weather periods due to all the salt used to keep streets and sidewalks safe for travel.

I expect these shoes to last several more years with proper care. The shoes initially cost $100.00 - the resole was $50.00. Shoe polish is about three dollars every six months. Compare that with anywhere from $80.00 - $100.00 per pair for tennis shoes every six months, and these beautiful leather shoes are a great bargain, and a much "greener" option.

Thank you for reading.

Dan Stafford

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Fox Valley Shoe Repair:

Fox Valley Shoe Repair:

1036 Fox Valley Center
Aurora, IL 60504
630-898-1919

Repair of athletic shoes, fine shoes, Birkenstocks, orthopedics, handbags, leather belts, luggage, boots, & jackets.

Time to complete work varies by type of work & item. Small repairs while you shop or wait, larger repairs can take from a couple of days to two weeks, depending on stocking of materials.

I took a 2006 pair or size 14 Merrell "World Leader" shoes into the shop for repair.


Initial condition of shoes:
The leather upper was in good condition, well-polished and intact, as were the inserts and laces.

The soles had a quarter-sized hole worn through on the left shoe, and a similar hole nearly worn through on the right. The left shoe leather upper had also come un-stitched from the sole for about 4-5" around the toe at the front of the shoe.

These shoes are a great favorite of mine, looking great when freshly polished, and in a classic style that Merrell no longer manufactures. They originally cost $100.00 and lasted for nearly three years before needing work.

The repair:
*Note: I had previously taken a pair of Merrell shoes of similar construction but differing style to this shop for the same repairs. The repairs at that time were structurally sound, but weren't able to preserve the looks of the shoes. The shoes are still serviceable for work and very casual use today.*

I requested that the toe be re-stitched to the sole, and that new rubber soles be glued on. I also specifically requested that the work be geared toward preserving the original look of the shoes as closely as possible.

The result:
This pair of shoes turned out beautifully. They're not completely perfect, but I don't believe perfection is possible, because the upper sole structure that holds the stitching to the leather uppers was somewhat damaged. For the condition of the shoes I brought in, I am extremely happy with the result. The total cost to repair the stitching and re-sole the shoes was $50.00.

*Note: the shop requires half the cost of repairs over $20.00 in advance, and half upon pickup. Repairs $20.00 or under are required to be full paid in advance.*

Time to repair:
The repair took 1.5 weeks from the time I brought the shoes in. The shop owner originally ordered soles identical to those used on my older pair of Merrell "World Piece" shoes. Unfortunately, those soles didn't fit. A second pair of soles had to be ordered, same brand, a bit different style and heavier-duty. The soles finally used are the same soles the shop uses to repair military and police boots, designed for long-duration and comfort with extensive walking.

The shop did call me to arrange a later pickup date of my repaired shoes in order to accommodate shipping of the new soles. When I arrived on the morning of the pickup, the shop was still working on the shoes, and I had to wait an additional 45 minutes. The shop compensated me for the wait by kindly including a spare pair of color & style-matching shoe laces at no additional cost.

The wait was completely worth it in my opinion. I am most pleased with the result.

Tip: Bring in shoes for repair as clean and as well-polished / shined as you are able to. This visually states that you care about the appearance of the shoe. If you bring in a pair of salt-crusted, bedraggled, and stained old shoes, don't expect the shop to take you as seriously as if you made it completely obvious that you care about the appearance of your shoes by doing this. State clearly that you want the work to look as good as possible as well. If you tell the shop something like "just make them wearable," that can be interpreted as caring about function over fashion.

Rating: Five stars for quality of service and clear communication.
*****

Pictures of the completed shoes will be added in a separate post by tomorrow.

http://www.archive.org/download/ReviewsYouCanUsePodcast00001/001_a_015_danStafford_reviewsYouCanUse00001_2009_02_04.mp3

Thank you for reading.

Dan