little blog on the prairie

• I think Missy Smith needs to enroll in Journalism 101. Lesson A: Never allow yourself to get duped by your sources.

• Toys for Troops’ Christmas Gifts for Soldiers event is this Sunday at the Worden Martin dealership in Champaign from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

• It’s been a bad year for Champaign-Urbana “institutions” — add Dom’s to the list of restaurants in business for years that have closed this year, albeit for a variety of reasons. That includes the Jolly Roger and Carmon’s. You won’t find me crying for the loss, but I feel for the employees who have dedicated their lives to the place.

Did you catch the article about the C-U real estate market on usatoday.com recently? Here’s a summary: since C-U is a college town, it’s been somewhat insulated from the real estate downturn affecting the rest of the country. The lone exception are condo sales.

Bueller … Bueller … Bueller: Ben Stein will be on campus Thursday night giving a lecture on politics. Hope you have your tickets already.

If you want to get a sneak preview of the restaurant and microbrewery that will be coming to Champaign’s M2 development sometime in 2009, Destihl has opened its first location in Bloomington. It might take you a day or two to read all the comments.

The new Jupiter’s in southwest Champaign’s Windsor at the Crossing development has a very fitting name. Just as Jupiter is (last time I checked) the largest planet in our solar system, Jupiter’s has to be the largest bar/restaurant in Champaign. The place is ginormous — three floors of bread and circuses for all ages. The new Jupiter’s has the same pool tables/leagues, the same wonderfully thin pizza, and the same extensive beer list that exists at the mothership downtown. Only this Jupiter’s has something more … an extensive arcade with games for kids ages 4 to 104. There’s a mini-bowling alley (two lanes, that blew me away), skee ball, pop-a-shots, hunting games, driving games, you name it. A few of the games are on the main floor, but most are in the basement. I guess an adequate description would be to call it a scaled-down Dave & Buster’s.

We were there on Saturday with the Peanut. There is no children’s menu per se, but hey, it’s a pizza place — what do you need that for? The service was excellent (of course, it wasn’t that busy yet) and highchairs were readily available, although the bartender didn’t know where they were. Depending on your perspective, the flat-panel TVs in every direction could be a plus or a minus. The warm decor is definitely a bonus, especially the fireplace we sat near. All in all, this will be a destination for kids and adults alike for years to come

• Among all the news last week about new Campustown development (and their fancy price tags) was the kernel that yet another “gourmet” fast-food tenant will be joining the throng of student eateries. Anyone care to harbor a guess? Mine are: Einstein Bros. Bagels; Baja Fresh (a girl can dream); or perhaps the return of a Campustown Panera. Word on the street also is that Atlanta Bread Company is looking for another local location …
• In case you didn’t notice in the comments section, the owner of the forthcoming children’s play place “The Little Gym” has kindly offered all lbotp readers a free trial class.
• This will date me, but I’ve loved Big Bad Voodoo Daddy ever since I saw the movie Swingers. The swing band is playing in Bloomington on Saturday night.
• Looking to reduce some of the stress of the holidays? Deb Lister of the Champaign-Urbana Living Yoga Center is a wonderful Yoga instructor. Check out her free class at Krannert Art Museum (random) on Friday, Nov. 30 at noon.

It’s not surprising that this morning, a day after WCIA aired a stinging report about the tragedy at the mall (TTATM) , that many new visitors have arrived at lbotp. Welcome.

It’s also hardly surprising that the Champaign County Humane Society has proof that TTATM is buying its animals from a well-known puppy mill in Wisconsin. (For information on what a puppy mill is, click here.) Of course, TTATM’s owners deny that their supplier is doing anything wrong. They “saw it with their own eyes.” Well, gee, that makes me feel better.

Perhaps the best, most important bite of education delivered in this report was this from CCHS director Mary  Tiefenbrunn: “It’s just inconceivable that a real reputable breeder would sell to a pet store.  So the claim that all the dogs from the pet store are from responsible breeders is frankly disingenuous.”

On this morning’s newscast, WCIA asked for reaction to the story. Speak up and be heard.

Just thought you’d want to know that a franchise of The Little Gym, a “developmental children’s gym,” will be opening this winter in the Savoy Plaza (where the new Schnuck’s is). I’ve never experienced a TLG in real life, but since I know how to read I can see on their website that they do everything from gymnastics to cheerleading (starting at age 3? Oy) to dance to summer camps to karate to sports skills. Wow. Most of the programs are available for children age 3 and up, with the exception being the developmental gymnastics classes. Oh well, I’m still holding out for a Gymboree.

This just fell in my inbox: On Sunday, Dec. 9, you can have a photo taken of your pooch with Santa Claus as a fundraiser for the new Champaign dog park. Professional photographer Jonathan Kim will be behind the camera at Kaufman Lake Boathouse from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. and will capture your pet for a minimum donation of $20. Package prices begin at $30.

I also was at the mall the other day getting Peanut some mittens and a hat (I go there as sparingly as possible, people) and I noticed a sign advertising a pet photo day with the mall Santa. Oh, and treats were going to be provided by my least favorite business in Champaign-Urbana. Excuse me while I cough up a fur ball.

GO WILDCATS (and dogs)!

Beat the Illini on Saturday!

Photos courtesy of the Big Ten Network’s Big Ten Fan Pets blog. Check out the Big Ten Babies blog, too.

• Time for great holiday shopping this weekend: first, head to the Craft League of Champaign-Urbana annual art fair at the Urbana Civic Center. And on Sunday, blog favorite Checkered Moon is having a holiday open house from 5 to 7 p.m., with 20 percent off in-stock inventory. Count me in. By the way, love the new and expanded baby section at CM. Good news: CM will be carrying the rubber-soled pediped shoes when they come out in the spring.
• Raise your hand if you would love to see Baby Loves Disco come to C-U. The “afternoon dance party featuring real music spun and mixed by real djs blending classic disco tunes From the 70s, & 80s guaranteed to get those little booties moving and grooving” recently had an event in Chicago, at the Metro, where lbotp saw many a concert when she was wicked cool (and young and single).
• Congrats to pammiecakes, who recently announced her pregnancy. Grow, baby, grow!
• If your child is an Elmophile like Peanut, check this out: the furry red monster will be live on stage at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington for five shows Nov. 30 to Dec. 2. Win tickets here.

There’s perhaps no better entertainment value in Champaign-Urbana than Illinois women’s basketball (except for the parking. My goodness, this has to be the only event at the Assembly Hall where the parking ($3) costs more than a single general admission ticket ($2). For those days when they actually play at kid-friendly times (Sunday afternoons, usually), it’s a great way to introduce your child to a major sporting event — complete with the cheerleaders, pep band, popcorn and all — without spending a boatload of cash. If you’re interested in planning a unique birthday party, you can even have one courtside at certain games.

And this year, to boot, they’re actually talented and fun to watch. And they actually have a few good teams coming to play them at the Assembly Hall, including a top-10 ranked Oklahoma team that features one of the best players in women’s basketball — not just college basketball — in Courtney Paris (Wednesday, Dec. 5. I’ll be there). Even though I’m not an Illinois fan, it’s hard not to like this team, especially after they went and helped out at the latest Toys for Troops event.

Its community consciousness continues this Wednesday night. With a donation of a new or gently used coat, mittens/gloves, hat or other warm accessory for kids, you can get in free to see Illinois versus University of Alabama-Birmingham. The donations will benefit the Warm-a-Kid program, sponsored by the Unit 4 School District.