What surprises me is that any business owner -- young, old, you name it -- would open a business in a town/village/city and not immediately look to the internet (and especially local internet forums) to spread the word and start making connections.

This didn't surprise me five, six years ago -- but now? Come on. The internet is a no-brainer.

I think many people -- many, many people -- don't yet understand the internet as a marketing tool. These weird virtual communities -- and there's probably a better word than "weird" -- are remarkably influential. Too bad someone can't stress that to folks looking to open a business -- particularly a downtown business in fading Glen Ellyn.

But I'm happy -- thrilled, actually -- about Honey. I'm glad they're back and in full swing. Now someone should tell the owner and chef about this board -- and urge them to pop in occasionally and post.

The first thing I did, even before I started my business, was put up a website. It is key for marketing yourself. 95% of the work I have done with this crazy little photography business, I got because of my website or using the web for marketing. The internet is all powerful for marketing, you absolutely need a web presence somehow, someway now a days.

This town confuses me at times. As an author, the first thing I was told by my publisher was to build a website, start a blog, have a MySpace page, etc., etc. I've become so schooled in Internet marketing, as a matter of fact, that I'm going to be doing some work with a PR firm that wants to know how better to reach desired demographics through things like blogs. (My blog has become kind of a well-known "Mommy" blog, although I'm moving past that demographic and writing about other things now. But I'm constantly inundated with press releases and requests to review products by PR firms marketing to moms.)

Anyway - the point is, though, that in this community, which we all have to agree has a higher-than average income and, presumably, education level than others, I constantly find that women my age have no idea what a blog is, and do not spend much time on the Internet (other than looking for recipes, that is) in their personal lives. I know this because I ask people all the time - people in this town, women, usually, in the target demographic of my books - if they've ever been to my website or my blog, if that's how they heard about the book. (I do this because I'm not wholly on board with publishers' notions that all you have to do to sell a book is hang out an Internet shingle. I honestly think that the graying population of avid readers doesn't look for information about books in this way, but since publishers thinks the Internet is the Magic Wand that is going to save publishing, the current mindset is that's what an author has to do. Have a huge Internet presence.)

So I'm not really sure how many people in this town would think to look on the Internet for information (the fine, obviously intelligent posters to this forum excepted). I sometimes think this town is in some kind of weird Twilight Zone, residents attempting to live in the past, while making their living, obviously, in a world full of technology. Many of the women to whom I was referring use the Internet at work without compunction. But incorporating it into other areas of their lives - that's where I sense a huge disconnect.

Walked by with the little necks hoping for dinner. I guess I didn't read the notice close enough. No dinner to be had. We all walked away choking back tears. We wept all the way home. Two of us cried uncontrollably for an extended period.

MID-DECEMBER - that is when the chef is supposed to be back...

It's nice. Service was pretty good at lunch. Menu is stripped down, though, from the sample menu I received several weeks ago.

Hopefully when the chef returns the menu will go back to its original size.

Nosh in Geneva is still *the* breakfast place anywhere in the western burbs. Runs rings around everyone else.

You ever been to the Geneva Diner on Second?

I completely dislike (will never use "hate" again) going out for breakfast, but when I do, I prefer dumps like the GD.

Clam --

I think the GD is right around the corner from Nosh, no? If so -- yeah, great place. We haven't been there in a while, but now that you mention it, we may have to head there instead of Nosh on Saturday.

I despise the generic breakfast places -- Egg Harbor being a prime offender. Sometimes it's nice to get a stack of eggs and pancakes -- and whatever else -- but Nosh has some killer combinations (MARS bar pancakes, Red Eye coffee-encrusted steak and eggs benedict) that make for compelling ... noshing.

At least Kappy's in Villa Park has more character than Egg Harbor. Honey has potential, but I'm still confused with the minimalist menu and the wobbly chairs.

That's the place. Took the boys there Sunday before cutting down a tree at Marmion. Sat at the counter with the old men. The kids hate that place...which can only mean one thing. It's excellent.

I have a friend that lives right there on River Road. They always speak highly of Nosh. And I also agree about the Egg Harbor/Egg'lectic places. I will never forget the $60 out-the-door, way average breakfast that the 4 of us ate the last time we were at Egg'lectic. And I really mean the last time. If you can't make that crap at home in 8 minutes, you're just not trying.

Wobbly chairs?

An odd observation, I know, but I noticed that the chairs were strangely wobbly. I'm a little on the light side, so I didn't fear the wobble, but the gravity-challenged may want to be mindful. The wobble didn't detract from the meal, but halfway through I wondered aloud what the deal was with the &%^#$*($)$)$&# chairs.

My wife responded by asking what the deal was with the Citizen Kane tables-for-two. They were oddly elongated -- sorta like you're Charles sitting at one end and Nora (?) sitting way, way at the other.

Coffee was from Metropolis -- not Intelligentsia -- and was quite good. The espresso was Metropolis' Redline blend (spicy -- not as sweet as Intelligentsia) and was one of the best double-shots I've had in a while.

A good experience despite the occasional weirdness. Service was surprisingly good, although I felt sorry for the busboy dude that had to pick up the debris from a table of six -- four of which were kids. He was diligently cleaning, scrubbing, sweeping, and picking up the debris through most of our meal.

The other downside -- and it's minor -- was that it's *loud*. Very loud. Sorta like that backroom in Einstein's. Get a couple of caffeinated kids back there, and you're on the fast-track for a migraine. Ditto Honey.

Overall, thumbs up.

best breakfast in the world for mrs. superette and me is a "john wayne" from " eat at joe's " in redondo beach CA.

if anyone is traveling to SO CAL look it up, it's well worth it. in fact, all of the little surfer breakfast/lunch joints in the south bay area are light years ahead of anything i've seen in chicagoland. they all have very unique breakfast and lunch concoctions you just can't find anywhere else.

though sweet maple cafe in chicago is pretty good for standard breakfast fare.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by t.a. superette:

there are non-restaurant/food threads with more than 10,000 views like "memories," i want to move to GE" and "GE crime spree continues." but most views are of restaurants.
QUOTE]

"I want to move to GE" was my inaugural post here on this BB just over a year ago...more than 10,000 views huh? I'd like to thank the academy, my mom, God...no photos, please...

In terms of breakfast places in GE, the Glen Oak has been bumped by our new quick & close favorite, Danby Station. I am too lazy to cook breakfast most weekends, and Danby satisfies my need to order eggs that come with pancakes. Long live Danby!

quote:

Originally posted by t.a. superette:
best breakfast in the world for mrs. superette and me is a "john wayne" from " eat at joe's " in redondo beach CA.

if anyone is traveling to SO CAL look it up, it's well worth it. in fact, all of the little surfer breakfast/lunch joints in the south bay area are light years ahead of anything i've seen in chicagoland. they all have very unique breakfast and lunch concoctions you just can't find anywhere else.

though sweet maple cafe in chicago is pretty good for standard breakfast fare.

I always love it when someone talks about great breakfast places. Here's mine from the Long Beach State days. Harbor House Cafe in Sunset Beach. It's still there, and was cutting edge years ago.

http://www.beachcalifornia.com/harbor-house-cafe-sunset.html

Honey has quite a way to go at this point, but I suspect they're in a pretty good position to become a unique and interesting breakfast place.

Did the chef return? I know he (Alex?) was supposed to return mid-week.

quote:

Originally posted by ronkas:

http://www.beachcalifornia.com/harbor-house-cafe-sunset.html

i was there about two years ago. fantastic!

quote:

Originally posted by ronkas:

I always love it when someone talks about great breakfast places. Here's mine from the Long Beach State days. Harbor House Cafe in Sunset Beach. It's still there, and was cutting edge years ago.

http://www.beachcalifornia.com/harbor-house-cafe-sunset.html

rk: during your LBS days did you ever go up to san pedro? if so, i remember a fantastic breakfast/lunch place called 6th street cafe(?). it's been almost twenty years, but i think that's the name of the place. ever been?. . . (maybe we should start a favorite breakfast thread before the honey posters bust us for highjacking this one.)

T.A.

Maybe a breakfast tour thread. I hope Honey does well, since it is so different from the rest of the pack. When we were in Seattle last summer, we found a French bakery/coffee place, and thought that would be a great concept here.

Anyway, I didn't spend much time in San Pedro. More Hermosa, Redondo, Manhattan. Tended bar at Charley Brown's and Legends in Long Beach, and Hennessey's in Seal Beach. Nothing like watching the Bears at 10:00 with Bloody Marys and brunch.

quote:

Originally posted by ronkas:
T.A.

Maybe a breakfast tour thread. I hope Honey does well, since it is so different from the rest of the pack. When we were in Seattle last summer, we found a French bakery/coffee place, and thought that would be a great concept here.

Anyway, I didn't spend much time in San Pedro. More Hermosa, Redondo, Manhattan. Tended bar at Charley Brown's and Legends in Long Beach, and Hennessey's in Seal Beach. Nothing like watching the Bears at 10:00 with Bloody Marys and brunch.

breakfast thread it is.

i lived in redondo for most of the 80s. watched the bears at george brett's place on PCH in manhattan -- can't remember its name.

quote:

Originally posted by t.a. superette:

i lived in redondo for most of the 80s. watched the bears at george brett's place on PCH in manhattan -- can't remember its name.

I used to get my hair cut at (cringe) Manhattan Transfer.

quote:

Originally posted by ronkas:

I used to get my hair cut at (cringe) Manhattan Transfer.

which one cut your hair?



my barber was baron barone (no s***). his shop was up on PV. one of his regulars was christopher boyce -- the "falcon" of falcon and the snowman infamy.