Daily Herald columnist inspires new sign at The Little Traveler
Geneva businessman Mike Simon, owner of The Little Traveler, claims I can walk by the new sign in front of the Traveler and tell my family and friends I was responsible for it.
So, after all of these years, I have left a mark on Third Street?
Well, just put it this way: I'm glad my column on occasion gives people some good ideas or ignites a call to action.
In this particular case, Little Traveler director of operations Joe Greenberg spotted my Sept. 21 column highlighting the work of Nancy Mylnski, an artist who had just opened a small shop in St. Charles called The Velvet Butterfly. She specializes in creating hand-painted signs and other artwork.
Turns out, Simon had been on the hunt for a long time to find an artist who could recreate the Traveler sign. Artist William Moulis made the original. He was a world traveler and protégé of Kate Raftery, the founder of the Third Street gem that would eventually become The Little Traveler.
Even though another artist, the late Brian Hazelton, had reproduced the hand-painted sign about 20 years ago, Simon realized the extreme weather around here had created plenty of wear and tear.
When reviewing Mylnski's work, Simon said Greenberg "knew he'd found the right person for the job."
Simon calls the previous column about The Velvet Butterfly "a wonderful lead" to follow in his mission to re-create the eye-catching sign.
"We should have gotten our sign repainted several years ago, and you can see that it was long past its prime," Simon said. "Nancy is so low-key, we never would have found her if not for you."
Leave it open:
After singing the praises of how the east side of the First Street redevelopment project in St. Charles is finally falling into place, a few readers expressed a desire for the city to keep at least some of that area open as a plaza near the Fox River.
They like how things shaped up in the plaza area on the west side, and would like more of the same.
"Why not build another beautiful courtyard and riverview park area with the open space left?" reader Mary Jo Knipp asked. "If the city wants to bring people to the downtown area, it seems they would draw more with a nice place to sit and enjoy the 'Pride of the Fox' than create more concrete to cover it up."
In the past year, the east-side project has seen the ALE headquarters building near completion, as well as the introduction of a new 110-space parking deck. Work has started on the Sterling bank building, and the city continues to ponder whether another hotel would be the right thing to do in that area. Another plaza area had been part of previous concepts, so I wouldn't completely rule it out.
Essentially, whether you support the city's current view of First Street or not, it seems most residents agree on one thing: This project has been on the city agenda for many years, and residents would like to point to it in the future with great pride.
And some aren't sure a lot more retail and/or a hotel would be at the top of their with list.
Gingerbread good will:
Two popular new venues in downtown St. Charles - the RocketFizz candy store and Abby's Breakfast and Lunch - have been sharing the good will this holiday season with gingerbread-making sessions at Abby's.
A different downtown merchant has been helping during these sessions for families. Both RocketFizz, which supplies the candy for the gingerbread creations, and Abby's have "giving trees" set up in which those who attend will donate gifts that are sent to residents of Bickford of St. Charles, Delnor Glen, Carroll Tower and Heritage Woods. That's 483 elderly residents potentially receiving gifts.
Those interested in the last two gingerbread nights from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday and next Tuesday can reserve a spot by picking up a giving tree tag at Abby's or RocketFizz.
Shocking flavors:
The best way to describe my walk through this particular grocery store aisle was "shock and awe."
It was stocked with Pop-Tarts, one of my favorite treats as a young lad when they first burst on the scene in 1964. At that time, there might have been a few flavors, then some frosted versions a year or so later.
It's probably safe to say I haven't eaten a Pop-Tart since maybe 1970 or so. As much as I enjoy sweets, I guess I had come to realize that maybe this wasn't the best thing to be eating at breakfast.
In any case, my jaw dropped when, for the first time in decades, I actually took the time to scope out the different flavors now available. Frosted Orange Crush? Cookies and Cream? Frosted A&W Root Beer?
Just the other day, Kellogg's revealed it was partnering with Dunkin' Donuts to offer Frosted Chocolate Mocha and Frosted Vanilla Latte Pop-Tart flavors.
It's becoming increasingly tempting to get nostalgic and start eating these things again.
An accurate statement:
My true feelings about the holidays and what they can mean to my eating habits were explained quite well in a decorative piece of wood art in the shape of a gingerbread man at Hobby Lobby in Batavia.
"A Balanced Diet - Is A Cookie In Each Hand."
dheun@sbcglobal.net