Well being laid off certainly put a damper on my spirits for the con. I did go into the dealers room to look. Fortunately I wasn't too tempted by anything. I skimmed over the filk table. I think I pretty much exhausted what I want from them. If I want more filk I'd have to buy from an online store or go to a con in another state (which I'd like to do one day). I attended some panels. Most of them were fun. I thought one was going to be about characters with non-religious moral codes. Turned out to be dominated by Firefly and if a popular character should have been killed when he betrayed the others. I go with the panelist who said that if the spaceship captain was acting in character, the traitor would have been killed. But since the traitor in question was very popular with the fans, he wasn't.

Went to two concerts. The McNalley one was OK. Tom Smith was great. He's a great performer. There was a third concert by The Great Lukeski, but he doesn't really perform, just sing along to his CDs. He's a good artist and I like his stuff, but when I go to a concert I want people to play their instruments, not a CD.

I was getting hungry and the consuite didn't have much beyond munchies. Hunger combined with anxiety doesn't go well. I was tempted to visit a restaurant, but 1) it's a luxury I can't really afford 2) I want to see if I could attend a con and not spend any money period.

I got laid off tonight. I think I'm still in shock and the reality of it is still sinking in. I was employed continuously for 8 years. Last time I was out of work it was for four months back in 2001 which overlapped when 9/11 happened. At least I know it wasn't about anything I did or did poorly. If my former employers may want me back if work comes up. If it does, they know I don't bear a grudge. I just wish it didn't happen now. No, to be accurate I wish it didn't happen period. But it happening now is pretty bad too. I have a few months of money saved up but I don't want to count on that. Savings never last as long as you think they'll do.

I just got back from the Wheaton Chili Cook-off. It was a fun event to get me out of the house for a few hours. I got to visit some places I haven't been to in months/years and I got a good amount of walking done. There were 6 restaurants involved all within a 2 block radius with the added bonus that it was easy to visit each one without backtracking or getting lost. I'll rank the chili in order from worst to best. Let me just say first that I enjoyed all the chilis and even the worst was average. There were no bad chilis, just ones that were OK and went up from there.

Bank Restaurant 121 W. Front St.
I'm very disappointed in this chili. First, the restaurant itself is great; food, service, beer selection, all great. So I had high hopes going in. But then their chili was in someone's crock-pot, there was corn it in (a cardinal sin in my book), and I don't know if I'd call it a chili since it was a Latin American version of the beer can chicken soup. Not sure if I'd even call it a chili. This is the kind of thing I'd expect from Front Street Cocina, not a steakhouse.

Front Street Cocina 112 N. Hale
This one came with the extras (jalapeno peppers, sour cream, onion, cheese, etc) already added and was very very spicy. Almost too spicy to eat. I usually like spicy foods, but this was overbearing without having a rounded out flavor you find in Indian or Thai food.

Muldoon's 133 W. Front St.
This also committed the sin of having corn. But it did have steak in it.

Ivy 120 N. Hale
I've never been in the restaurant itself, but I've passed by it countless times on the way home from work. It's a steakhouse that has been closed and reopened several times and as such was a curiosity for me. They had outdoor seating, but I snuck inside to see what it looked like. My neighbor said it was once a funeral home and the main dining area looks like it could be one. Their chili was good. They used several different kinds of beans, but it was watery. They could have used a thickening agent. That would have pushed them a place or two higher in my ranking.

Suzette's Creperie 211 W. Front St.
A good solid chili with more meat than beans. Nothing wrong with it, but nothing that really stands out either.

Genghis Grill, The Mongolian Stir Fry 106 N. Hale
First I'm surprised a chain would take the #1 spot. I was honestly hoping for a locally owned place, but that's not how it worked out. The chili was spicy without being overpowering. Solid without being plain. They cooked it on their big circular griddle and they were cooking meats on it too (it could have been for the customers, but I like to think it was for the chili). What made it stand out was they had bacon as an extra you can sprinkle on. I think that added the most to a chili. In fact next time I make chili, I'll make some crispy bacon and throw it in.

I'm looking forward to next year's contest. I hope everyone learned something from this year (I'm looking at YOU, Bank) and that more will participate.

I found out that my former foster cat's mom god adopted last year. That was great news. It does mean a blinded and abused adult cat got adopted faster than her kitten offspring. But I attribute that to sympathy for her momma and just how poorly Pepi did at the adoption shows. Pepi hates strange cats. At the vet she was perfectly happy and hardly complained. She even purred for the vet. Then she saw the clinic cat on the way out and turned into a little angry devil. Last month a local stray came up to sun himself on the patio and Pepi went crazy trying to make him go away. Fortunately she gets along with my other cats and is pretty happy here. I'm just relieved a loving family took her in and how quickly she adapted to home life. I curse the people who abused Pepi's momma in the first place. They deserve no pity. And I praise the family who took her into their home and loves her. I would like to meet you one day and compare notes.

My copy of Windows 7 arrived on Friday so yesterday I went out and got the parts from Micro-center and had them put together the harder parts while I installed the drives and OS. So far it's pretty good. But I have to go through all the boring stuff of a new computer (installing programs again, remembering passwords, etc). Meanwhile my old computer is still working fine so the transistion will likely be slow and I'll have to put this one into reserve. It will stay active for a while in case there's anything I forgot about.

In the meantime, the new computer is hooked up to my TV so I can use both at once. Well I could use both at once if I had more than one good USB keyboard/mouse. Right now I have to switch between the two. Annoying but acceptable. At least I don't have to worry about switching monitors.

Two Brothers Tap House
30w315 Calumet Ave.
Warrenville, IL 60555
630-393-BEER
http://www.twobrotherstaphouse.com/
Time of visit afternoon 10/17/2009

This is an actual brewery with a restaurant/bar attached to the front. There are tours of the brewery at 1 and 2:30 Saturdays with 3 free samples given at the end. For home brewers there's a small store in the same building that's pretty well stocked with the basics. The service is nice and prompt. The menu had a good variety of sandwiches, appetizers, and entrees. I had The Cuban (Cuban-style sandwich) with a glass of their Ebel’s Weiss beer. Two Brothers has a good variety of beers so you should find one that suits your tastes and I recommend getting a glass with your meal.

The beer was good, sandwich too. The fries felt a little soggy. Next time I'll try the roasted veggies. I had lunch while waiting for the tour and had their buffalo wings with three sample beers (didn't like my choice of samples, but that's what samples are for right? The people I was with loved their choices.) Their buffalo wings are great albeit a little more than what I usually pay for wings but quality costs money.

Final grade, A. I'd like to go back one day. The only issue is its location. It's a bit out of the way to go just for lunch and once you take the tour, there's not much else to do there. However it's the only place they sell their root beer and that's worth an occasional trip. You can get it in a gallon jug which you can bring in for a refill. That I can see doing. It would also be a nice date place if you're both interested in beer.

I admit it, I like soda. More importantly I like cheap soda, especially if it's good. My standard is a buck for a 2 liter. Unfortunately the supermarket sales advertising a price that low are getting fewer and fewer. Last week I ran out because I refused to buy it when it was $1.25 or more. Recently a party I went to introduced me to the smaller soda factories. Most sell in 4 packs of 12 or 16 ounces and can be more than a dollar a bottle. But on the other hand, they're pretty good and you can feel good about supporting smaller businesses. It's all a matter of give and take and I'm trying to find a balance.

So the decision I made is that I will still occasionally treat myself to a microbrew soda and track which ones I like while still buying the mega-brands when on sale at the right price. The twist is that I'm going to try making my own sodas too. I ordered a book off Amazon. I have no idea if it will be cheaper or better, but it would be fun to try if I could make it in 2 liter batches and share with friends. Apart from finding the right ingredients, the only other problem is using less sugar. I prefer the diet versions of soda. You get used to the taste after a while. But the microbrews don't make diet versions most of the time. I don't think I could find the right ingredients to make it either.

Churrasco Brazilian Steakhouse
541 W North Ave
Villa Park, IL 60181
630-832-0877
http://www.churrascobrazilusa.com/
Time of visit, Sunday August 16th, 2009

First, don't trust Google Maps for the location of this restaurant. Is on the SE corner of North Ave and Westmore Ave. Google Maps puts it about a mile to the east. I spent too much time driving around looking for it than I should have. It's across the street from the Portillos and west of the train tracks. I get the feeling it was once a Village Inn or other small restaurant. It was cozy there, almost to the point of feeling cramped.

The service is good here and friendly. When I went there were 7-8 other tables being used. So it wasn't a huge crowd. There were 6 or so different types of meats going around, the kinds you can expect at this type of restaurant. Nothing really jumped out at me as being special. Their Sunday Brunch is about $24.

The meat toppers (salad bar) was pretty good. The asparagus was cooked through without being mushy or raw in the center. The dried tomatoes were in strips so it was easier to eat with piece of bottom round. And so on. I went back a few times. Partially because the meat servers weren't making their rounds very often due to the lack of customers. I'm used to people walking by occasionally so I can take a small sample here and there. In this case, you have to take more unless you want to take pauses during your meal. However I firmly believe it was out of practicality due to the smaller size and not the fault of the business and have no wish to imply otherwise.

Final Grade B-. For a brazilian steakhouse, the baseline is a B. I have to dock them something for not having lamb. Lamb is the main reason why I go to these places. Would I go back? Good question. I don't go to brazilian steakhouses often. It's expensive and eating all that meat should not be an everymonth occurrence. Because of that, I won't use the possibility of a return trip as a factor. The only other such place I know about is in Woodfield Mall and the next time I would go to such a place is my birthday. Except my birthday is Dec 16th, 9 days from Christmas. Going to one of the biggest malls in Illinois that time of year is NOT worth the effort. Thing is, Churrasco was overall a good experience, but that place in Woodfield was a better experience and if I'm going to drive for a while for a brazilian BBQ I want it to be the better of the two. On the other hand, a mall at Christmas time would definitely make me reconsider. So yes, I probably would go back provided they serve lamb.

Baja Fresh
55 East Loop Rd
Wheaton, IL 60187
630-784-8396
http://www.bajafresh.com/
Time of visit: Dinner August 4th, 2009

Baja Fresh is a small multinational chain. I passed by it many times since I moved to the area in 2000. (It was along my route to the local comic shop, Best Buy, and other places.) But I never went in until recently. It was one of those things that you'll do "someday" but never do. What's interesting is that it's been there a long time even though there's a Taco Bell and Cozymel's (a sit down mexican restaurant) nearby. If it can survive that kind of competition, it has to have something going for it.

I'm going against my policy about reviewing chains because this isn't a huge chain like McDs or Taco Bell and so on. What I find interesting is that they seem to have more stores in Mexico than the US. The location I went to was very clean and claimed they used fresh ingredients. You could tell that from the taste. There's a salsa station in the back and hot sauces near the kitchen area. You could see the kitchen area and watch them make your food if you're so inclined. I ordered chicken fajitas. The food was good and there was a good deal of food for the $8+tax it cost me. I wound up using the salsa in the salad I made for lunch.

In a sense it is like a fast food place. It was too clean in a way. Sort of sterile with the bright lights. Which is very good for a take out place, not so good for the atmosphere if you eat in. Given a choice between being very clean and having an atmosphere, I pick being clean. It's probably to help promote the idea that the food is fresh and well made (and why you can see it being prepared) which it does very effectively. True to their word, I didn't see a can opener, freezer, or microwave anywhere. If all other fast food places were like this, it would change the public perception of the industry as a whole for the better.

Final grade, A. I have gone back since. Not just for the food, but for their bag. My cats love the noise it makes. I recommend the fajitas since it looks like the best deal for your money.

Naf Naf Grill
1095 East Ogden Ave
Naperville, IL 60563
630-904-7200
http://www.nafnafgrill.com
Time of visit: Lunch August 19th, 2009

This used to be a Taco Bell and I have to say this has been an improvement. The food was fresh. Service was OK. A little language barrier, but nothing major. They make their own pita bread. You can see it cooking in the back. If you didn't know, the split inside the bread comes naturally. You just have to cut the top to get inside and the pocket is already there.

I had the beef kifta pita. Kifta is a mix of ground beef and lamb. Cucumbers, tomato, and onions along with a dressing was added. It made for a juice sandwich. I got it with fries, but the fries are actually potato chips. They were still warm and fresh so I'll let it go. I was also given some pickle slices and olives. The pickles had an unusual taste to them and the olives were good. But next time I want rice.

The menu has some usual mediterranean food served as an entree or in a pita. There's also some salad options and chicken schnitzel. I know schnitzel, a german food in a mediterranean grill. They also have "Moroccan cigars" which is spiced ground beef in a wrapper. There's also tenderloin. My friend ordered that and it took a while to cook. So I don't recommend that if you're in a hurry. The chicken for the shawarma is on a spit like gyro meat. I also saw them making their hummus with falafel. They cover the plate with hummus so it sort of looks like a pizza crust. Then they add spices and olive oil to the hummus and add balls of falafel. Most places just put the hummus in a dish. This is good presentation.

Final grade: A. The food was good and I do plan on going back. It's just a little far from work so I'd have to get my order to go. But I am very tempted to go back. All the food looks good and I highly recommend it.