Al fresco dining: Fiora's is tops in the Fox Valley in my book

A few years ago, I bragged about how many nice al fresco dining spots we had in the Tri-Cities area. When summer finally settles in, we do like eating outdoors, don't we?

But I've determined through no other measure than what I see with my own eyes, that Fiora's restaurant on Third Street in Geneva is the best in the land for this summer pleasure.

When the 90-plus-year-old house that Fiora's operates out of was just a realty office for A.L. Allen & Sons, the general feeling was that this was certainly a picturesque corner along Third Street.

But there wasn't a lot of talk about what a nice outdoor dining spot that property could become.

Mike and Ann Anastasio came along to save the building from potential demolition and opened it again as a restaurant in 2010. Prior to that, city officials were hearing pitches about maybe converting the corner into condos.

Instead, it became Fiora's, named after the couple's daughter Alexa Fiora.

And part of the vision certainly included outdoor dining, as well as a place to have music playing for patrons and passers-by alike to enjoy.

My thoughts are based solely on the outdoor atmosphere. Like any other restaurant, the reviews for the food at Fiora's range from outstanding to OK, and the service from great to terrible. I don't pay much attention to comments about service. I can decide that on my own. I had an uncle who complained about the service at any restaurant he went to, and he'd be the type moaning on social media now.

Yes, there are numerous local places to eat outside. And many are excellent — Gaetano's in Batavia, El Molcajete and Aurelio's in Geneva, The Office and Filling Station in St. Charles. As soon as someone else takes over the former Pal Joey's location along the Fox River in Batavia, we'll have yet another great place.

I know there are others, so if you have a favorite that you believe should be considered the finest in the area, send me a note.

Goodbye to game:

A note from my friend Duane Buttell of St. Charles regarding his grandson Cole Spiegel put a lump in my throat — but I wasn't sure if it was because I was happy or sad.

As some readers may recall, Cole, a fourth-grader in Wheaton, has a rare genetic disorder that makes him vulnerable to many cancer forms. He has undergone some past surgeries, but keeps plugging away with his studies and his love of baseball.

He tried as hard as he could to play baseball, and his teammates and coaches encouraged him as much as possible. But this is a bright young kid, and Cole knew he couldn't compete at the same level as other kids his age. So he told his parents he was ready to give up trying to play and move onto other things, Buttell wrote in his note.

There's nothing unusual about a youngster knowing when his skill sets might not allow him to keep playing baseball. But Cole knew how this illness was simply going to hold him back, and his dream of being a professional baseball player was going to be just that — a pleasant dream.

Mostly, this youngster made it easier on his parents by coming to this conclusion himself. Otherwise, it was going to be a difficult process in being the bearer of disappointing news.

My advice to Cole would be that most of us gave up baseball at a certain age. Mine came when it was obvious I couldn't hit a curve ball. So, instead, I decided I would write about sports and I did that for much of my adult life.

Water balloon tech:

And here I thought it was always great fun as a kid to simply fill balloons with water and fling them at my younger sister and her goofy friends in our backyard.

All these years later, along comes something called “Dual Water Wars with Depth Charge.”

It's a new attraction at Funway in Batavia and looks like a catapult for your water balloons.

Either way, the premise has remained the same: Get someone soaking wet, especially when it's as hot as it has been around here lately.

Time for classics:

Folks who love looking at old cars and talking to their owners don't have to wait long periods of time to find a showing in the area.

The Classic Car shows continue from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursdays in the parking lot area of the Kane County Courthouse in downtown Geneva.

Of special note is that Thursday, July 19, is Kane County First Responder's Night, so it might be a good time to go out and thank these folks for the work they do.

And, of course, it's a good time to look at classic cars and listen to the 1950s-style music being played.

• dheun@sbcglobal.net.