little blog on the prairie

• Why do they insist on doing construction around here on major streets in the fall? Why do they start projects such as the ones on Neil Street and Kirby Ave when traffic is heaviest around here????

• The food tastes exactly the same at the new Dos Reales in Urbana, but the ambiance just doesn’t cut it for me. Maybe because it feels like a dungeon in there.

• Kudos to the News-Gazette for its Sunday story on locals who helped rescue and take care of displaced pets in the wake of Katrina. (It’s actually online! Wow!)

• Since when did C-U become tailgating central (and I’m not talking about the football kind)? If I see that old man in the beat-up red Buick again, I’m calling the cops.

• Speaking of furbabies, can’t wait for this weekend’s Pet Fair at Prairieland Feeds in Savoy.

Erin T. eloquently stated her plea for a Krispy Kreme donut store in the comments section for “koffee klash.” If corporate America does continue its C-U invasion, what retailer/restaurant/etc. would you like to see put roots down here?

Recently I came across a Rockford Register Star story about how the newspaper asked its readers to send them the names of restaurants or retailers that they would like to see in that area. Here’s the results, in short form:

1. Trader Joe’s - grocer
2. Whole Foods - natural grocer
3. Portillo’s — Chicago hot dog chain
4. Crate and Barrel — home accessories, kitchenware, furniture
5. White Castle - fast food
6. Sonic - fast food (in Champaign and Savoy)
7. The Cheesecake Factory — full-service restaurant
8. Sweet Tomatoes — buffet dining
9. Fuddrucker’s — fast-casual burger joint
10. Costco — discount warehouse wholesaler

I’ve often stated my passion for Baja Fresh, Banana Republic and Trader Joe’s. I’ll add Costco to that group. What’s on your list?

While usually I tend to make fun of the Daily Illini or bash its often sometimes irresponsible take on what constitutes “journalism,” today I have to give credit to one of Kiyoshi’s kids for a somewhat thought-provoking column about commercialism in C-U.

Sam Harding-Forrester writes today about Starbuck’s and its impending plan to “take over” Champaign:

For locals, the new Starbucks is the latest imposition perpetrated on behalf of Chicagoland students. The store’s prime beneficiaries are those brazen impostors who careen through campus on four-year rampages of self-discovery, claiming Chambana’s culture and politics as their own while loudly opining that it can’t hold a candle to Chicago’s sewers.

(Of course, later in the column H-F makes the often-repeated err that trips up many. Espresso Royale is not a local chain. We’ll let it slip for now.)

This brought up a couple of questions in my mind. First, what is a local? Is a local someone who was born here? Someone who pays property taxes and/or has kids in local schools? Someone who has lived here more than X amount of years? From the student perspective, a local is anyone who lives here but isn’t a student. By that definition, locals include a hodgepodge of people, like myself, who moved here from other places, mostly brought in some fashion by the University and its wide-reaching tentacles.

I think it’s rather simplistic to say that Starbucks is the latest “imposition perpetrated on behalf of Chicagoland students.” Starbucks is a fact of life, much like McDonald’s, Subway and Domino’s Pizza. But what places do deserve this moniker? Maybe the forthcoming Chipotle and Noodles stores. Does the student dollar have as much power as they think it does? Perhaps on Green Street. But beyond the campus bubble, the market isn’t so cut and dry.

Too many questions for a Thursday morning. Get me a Tylenol.

Supposedly, our fair city is one of the macaroni and cheese capitals of the world. But where in the world can one find the stuff freshly made with cheese that doesn’t come out of a pouch? For some reason, today I had a craving for all things macaroni and cheese. You know, the real stuff, like the creamy, gooey real-cheese recipe my mother-in-law makes in a crock pot.

But I was stuck. When I get that McDonald’s french fries feeling, the answer is easy. But I could not think of a place that would satisfy my mac and cheese craving. Can you?

Otherwise, I might have dash over to Ohio this weekend. Or count the days until Noodles opens its doors (don’t read the nutritional info on the Noodles mac and cheese. Consider yourself warned.)

Sportswriters think they know everything. Especially sportswriters who cover the Big Ten. For some odd reason, the Indy Star asked sportswriter Terry Hutchens to rank Big Ten college towns as a companion piece to a list from USA TODAY on great college towns across the country.

As you can see for yourself, Hutchens’ comment about Champaign reads as follows: “Never seems to be much going on there.” He ranks Champaign below even West Lafayette. Wow.

Most of the sportwriters I know, when they come to town they stay in one of the Marriott spin-poffs located in the North Prospect area and they eat at Outback Steakhouse or the like. They’re not exactly the adventurous sort. Maybe our friend Terry needs some enlightenment — send him an email at terry.hutchens(at)indystar.com.

I really want to go to Jazz night at Meadowbrook Park on Friday night. Problem is, I don’t know if my four-legged pal would appreciate the musical accompaniment to our evening walk. She is a very cultured pooch, if I do say so myself. Not much phases her. I think we’ll go.

Here’s the description from the Urbana Park District site:

September 16- Meadowbrook Jazz Walk
Enjoy the remarkable beauty of The Wandell Sculpture Garden while being serenaded by some great local jazz musicians. This free sunset event, brought to you by Verde Gallery, will feature a selection of jazz soloists and small combos along the paths of the park. Free. 6-7:30 p.m. (Rain date Sept. 17)

This story out of Springfield warmed my heart today — a mother/daughter team brought 18 pets (cats and dogs) displaced by Hurricane Katrina to Central Illinois. The dogs will be up for adoption at the Springfield PetSmart this weekend.

A no-kill shelter in Chicago, PAWS, is on its second trip to the Gulf Coast to pick up another 100 homeless pets. The demand has been so high for these animals that the shelter anticipates all will find new homes in short order. But more will be on the way … so stay tuned …

I received the following note from a reader. There’s still time to get in on this locally organized effort to help those in need on the Gulf Coast. A great reason to empty your pantry:

Friends,

If you are in the Champaign-Urbana-Savoy area, I want to let you know that
there is a local food drive happening this week to help hurricane survivors
in rural Mississippi who have not received much help.

Food and toiletries are being collected at the Illinois Employment Training
Center on Mattis near Bradley Ave this Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
(Sept 13,14,15) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and again from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m on all
three days. There is a 53 ft trailer that needs filling! Please contribute
if you are able. If you need pick-up of your contributions, please call
(217)369-2853.

This food drive is sponsored by CU Citizens for Peace & Justice, CUAP, Salem
Baptist Church, TLC Trucking and many others.

I know many of you have donated money to hurricane relief, please consider
if you can also donate something from your pantry. These folks need
immediate assistance! The only food that is coming there is coming by
volunteer trucks such as this one. There is not food available to buy and
there has been no FEMA support yet.
More details: The truck will head to State Line, MS and may also make a stop in Laurel, MS. I got this info. directly from the driver of the truck last night. This effort is a combination effort of folks who worked on the truck that went
out last Monday and folks from the CU Area Project and some local black
ministers.

Truck leaves bright and early Friday and so all donations will stop being
taken at 8pm on Thursday.

• I know in the past I have given the restaurant formerly known as Bagelman’s a hard time. Now under new ownership — with a new name, “Kafe K,” I’m going to give the place a second chance. The new name reflects less emphasis on the bagel part of the equation, and from what I’ve seen, they changing the formula.

• Mr. lbtop and I were walking around the neighborhood the other day and were wondering why people leave up those awful yard signs on their grass, the ones that advertise whatever home improvement company they just used (landscapers, contractors, etc.). Are these companies paying them to do that or do they leave them up of their own free will?

• Who knew that CNN newsman Anderson Cooper’s mother is Gloria Vanderbilt? Cooper deserves kudos for his continuous coverage of the plight of animals on the Gulf Coast. Bureaucracy and red tape has exacerbated the suffering.

• These people make great cheese. Get a taste the next time you’re at the Market on the Square.

• Speaking of the Market on the Square, last week there was a vendor selling peacock feathers. Is that some sort of decorating trend I’m unaware of?

• The News-Gazette has a fairly new and useful feature on its website (shocking, I know): local gas price watch, ala this site.

You’ve perhaps heard of Brooklyn Beckham, the son of British celebs David Beckham — champion footballer — and former rocker Posh Spice (Spice Girls, R.I.P.) The couple named their first born after the city where they conceived him.

Well, Brooklyn isn’t the only city to have such an honor bestowed upon it. Kayin Champayne Garner is the daughter of former UI track assistant track field and coach Ron Garner and his wife, former UI volleyball player Disa. Her middle name is a nod to the city where her parents met.

Wonder if they have something against Urbana.