The restaurants Dave Heun would choose if he had to eat every meal out

The holidays call for many family gatherings, parties and meals within the home. But it's also the time many of us might dine out more often because of time off work or as a part of the holiday shopping season and other routines. As much as it may sound from my weekly columns like we are at restaurants every day, we actually don't go out to eat that often. It's more like a couple of times a month.

Much of my information about local restaurants comes from readers and friends or talking to the restaurant owners. Over time, however, we've been to plenty of the local establishments.

There is a rare breed of cat out there, some of whom I have known. These folks eat out three times a day quite regularly. If I did that for an extended period, one of my next meals would be choosing off the menu from my hospital bed.

That's not because I think it would be super unhealthy, but more about knowing how my digestive system is wired. It would not take kindly to that sort of treatment.

Still, it does present an interesting fantasy scenario. The thought has crossed my mind about what would make for a perfect day or two if we were to dine out for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

Everyone would have a different take on this, so feel free to pass along your perfect dining out day, and I'll share a few more in an upcoming column. Taking into account I would try to mix things up to have a variety of different dishes and maybe try a place I have not been to yet, and this would be my two-day excursion at our local restaurants:

The first day: I would stick with what I know for breakfast and go to Colonial Café in St. Charles for eggs, bacon and hash browns. Hanging around the same town, I would go to The Office for lunch and have the "St. Charles Burger" and fries. Even though I can't imagine I would be hungry enough to eat dinner that night, for this fantasy, I would make it a complete St. Charles day and have an Italian dinner at La Za'Za' Trattoria.

Second day: The banana bread French toast at Egg Harbor in Geneva would be a good way to start things. For lunch, I would opt for a deli sandwich, most likely the turkey sandwich with cranberry sauce and stuffing at Deane's Market and Deli in Geneva (though I could be talked into the same thing at Smitty's on the Corner in St. Charles). To top off this second day of a dining frenzy, we would head to Batavia for a pizza at Riverside Pizza and Pub, the newest site for this business, which also has spots in St. Charles and South Elgin.

I know many others would have an even tastier trip through our towns for a three-meals-a-day frenzy. Let me know your thoughts at the email address at the end of the column. You don't have to list a two-day plan if just one day would be your preference.

That original library

It won't be long before the current Geneva Public Library on James Street will be part of the history and memory books. The new library site at 227 S. Seventh St. between Franklin and Campbell streets is expected to open in early 2020.

But we can keep the old library as part of our holiday celebrations through the 2019 pewter ornament sold at city hall or online at the Shop the Geneva Store site.

That original library building opened at the corner of Second and James streets in 1908 and had additions built in 1938, 1986 and 1998. So make it a late addition to your Christmas tree if it has been up for a couple of weeks already. You can buy the ornaments at city hall between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Let it snow?

Hopefully, there won't be a ton of this stuff on the ground when the Kane County Forest Preserve District has a session on the "Science of Snow." But it would make the perfect setting for Kane County naturalists hosting a free program from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 12, at the Creek Bend Nature Center in LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve as they explain why no two snowflakes are exactly alike.

Part of the presentation will include discussions about ice crystal formation, and attendees will use magnifying glasses to examine snowflakes. Advance registration is required by calling (630) 444-3190 or visiting kaneforest.com. The center and forest preserve are at 37W700 Dean St. in St. Charles.

Popular spot closed

Area diners seemed disappointed on social media channels when hearing that Verita Batavia was closing.

Owner Wendy Reed had overcome some health and family issues to keep the restaurant going after changing it from Gaetano's to Verita. The site was a perfect fit for Batavia's renaissance along River Street off Wilson Street.

Hopefully, things will work out for Reed in the future. Still, in reading between the lines of social media posts, it seems the combination of financial and personal challenges created the perfect storm.

The restaurant site will hopefully enter a new phase soon that will keep it a key part of the downtown dining scene.

The Verita website says the restaurant is closed "until further notice."

dheun@sbcglobal.net