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| It Happened in the Valley |
Utica Tornadoby RayApril 20th, 2004 - 6:09pm - 10 seconds that every Illinois Valley resident
remembers where they were and what they were doing. As we are
approaching the 6th anniversary I thought I would share my memory (as it occurred at the restaurant) of
that fateful day.  It was shortly after 6pm. I had just gotten out
of a meeting with a sales person. We had just finished a major kitchen
remodel the day before and I wasn't exactly "fresh" after working several all
nighters in a row. Our basement was still a major disaster not having had a chance to
clean it up yet. As many people that day, I did not have the slightest
inkling there was any severe
weather in the area. We had moved our kitchen doors and I had
only walked out of them a couple of times with people in the
restaurant. As soon as I passed through the kitchen door I could
tell something was wrong. I could just feel a panic. Then I noticed
everyone in the front dining room was standing up very slowly at the
same time and there was total silence. As I looked out the window, there
it was as big as life and perfectly shaped. I yelled to Jimmy, the
manager on duty, to get everyone downstairs. As I walked towards the
front door the orderly procession began to the disaster of a basement. All
I could think of then was that the basement itself looked as if it had gotten hit by a
tornado. As I reached the front door I could see the last of our
customers disappear into the kitchen on their way downstairs. I was
pretty sure I would have time to join them if I needed to. When I
reached the front door Chuck Messino our chef at the time was passing
by. We were both hypnotized and just stood there watching it. What I
remember is how it looked to be traveling straight toward us. You could
see the whole tornado as there is a large gap between the
buildings just to the south of our front door. It seemed like several minutes but it had to be
seconds. It started to travel east some and as it dipped behind the
LaSalle State Bank it went back up into the clouds and disappeared. It
looked so close, we later found out it was 8 tenths of a mile from us.We
got all of the customers back out of the basement (we were completely
full at the time) and the night proceeded as normal. Several minutes
later the power went out - a major thump, thump. thump, it almost felt
like an earthquake. Normally when the power goes out everything in the
place gently whirs to a halt.  We would start to hear about the damage in
Utica as the night went on. The next morning I woke up to a picture of a
truck in the canal on the national news. I immediately knew exactly where on
the I&M canal it was. I also knew it was less than a block away
from where our current chef Chris Plankenhorn lives. His house was badly
damaged but luckily he and
his family were not home at the time.When you have a public
place of business I guess you need to be prepared for an event like
this. I have to be honest and say I never really took it seriously until
this day. We had well over 100 people in the restaurant at the time. It can
really make you stop and think. Are you ready?Tornado PicturesBefore and After pictures
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| Playlist Theater |
Jeffrey Foucault Show This Fridayby Ray We have been informed that some of the tickets that were held in reserve for the artist will not be needed. This means that we now have 10 tickets available for this previously sold out show. Don't hesitate. Remember there are only 10 available.
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Holiday or Holiweek?
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ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS
WEEK
by Kris You all know this look. We have all been there and just maybe we have had a part in causing this look. Next week we have the opportunity to say "thank you for all you do." What we have all known as Secretary's Day since 1952, was changed to Professional Secretaries Week in 2000. The names were
changed to Administrative Professionals Week and
Administrative Professionals Day to keep pace
with changing job titles and expanding
responsibilities of today's administrative
workforce. Originated by the International
Association of Administrative Professionals to
honor office workers for their administrative support rolls, it has become the largest workplace observance outside
of employee birthdays and major holidays. Today, there are more than 4.1 million
secretaries and administrative assistants
working in the United States, according to U.S.
Department of Labor statistics, and 8.9 million
people working in various administrative support
roles. This year, Administrative Professionals Week
is April 19-23 with Administrative
Professionals Day on Wednesday, April
21. Treat
the one that makes your life easier. Call today to make your
reservations for lunch or stop in and pick up a gift card.
That's one piece of paper she (or he) will be happy to see!
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Around the Downtown
| Sidewalk Seating is Open
By Ryan
 When there's a beautiful day, we never seem to have
enough outside seating. Therefore, we added sidewalk tables last year
that
will be available all day every day, weather permitting (remember this
is
Illinois after
all). Well, those tables are ready again this year. We think our
sidewalk patio area is a nice edition to downtown LaSalle. |
Dinner and a Play
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Stage 212 Presents "Social Security"by Kris Stage 212 elevates laughing to an
art form with the upcoming production of Social
Security, a
comic masterpiece by Andrew Bergman. Barbara
and David Kahn are trendy
Manhattan art dealers whose cozy life together is upended by
Barbara's goody
two-shoes sister, Trudy, and uptight CPA brother-in-law, Martin.
En route to intervening
in their daughter's promiscuous college lifestyle, Trudy and
Martin precipitously
dump the ladies' eccentric mother, Sophie, on the Kahns'
doorstep. When Sophie
takes an interest in elderly artist Maurice Koenig, everybody's
life is turned upside
down. Social Security
will be presented April
16 - 18 and 23 - 25 at Stage 212. Friday
and Saturday performances begin at 7:30
p.m. Sunday
matinees begin at 2:00 p.m. With the theater only a block away it is the perfect time to enjoy lunch or dinner before or after the play. |
| Things To Do |
Biking Alternativesby Ray
Here we
are it is spring and we are ready to get out on our bikes. Surprise! The
area's premier bike path and one of the area's major tourist attractions
is closed again. After a three year ordeal to repair a wash out it is now
closed due to stray bullets from a local shooting club.
The News Tribune reported
this week that the area of the canal near Buffalo Rock State Park is now closed. Area
cyclists are baffled by the closing of this public resource as
opposed to maybe restricting shooting at the gun club. Furthermore, since
the canal and the busy county
highway, Dee Bennet Road, parallel very near to each other, why
did they not close the road also. Would it not be just as dangerous
driving a vehicle at 55 miles an hour if
you were to be hit by a stray
bullet? As a taxpayer and an outdoor enthusiast, I am outraged. By the way we are already into prime kayak and raft season and after
almost a year the Vermilion River (best white water river in a 250 mile radius) is still closed!Here is the good news. There are some
new places you can bike. Thanks to a group of concerned citizens. The Illinois Valley Cycling Association
is a
group of concerned local cyclists who work to create and improve riding
opportunities in the Illinois Valley area. They promote all aspects of
cycling, both on and off-road. The re-designation of trails in
May 2008 at the Vermilion River area in Matthiessen
State Park prompted their forming in April. They are working at the park to create, enhance
and
preserve great trail
experiences for not just cyclists but hikers and
equestrians alike. They also offer lessons and organize group rides.
Illinois Valley Cycling Association
Map of Bike Trails
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| Tax Time |
Tax Day vs Tax Freedom Dayby KrisAs
I'm sure that you are aware, tomorrow is Tax Day. Time to write those
checks and get to the post office. I say "write those checks", because
anyone who is getting a check instead of writing a check has filed long
ago. While writing the check, I realized that I had not heard when "tax
freedom day" was this year. For
those of you who don't know what "tax freedom day" is, it is the day of
the year that Americans will have worked before they have earned enough
money to pay this year's tax obligations
at the federal, state and local levels. This year it was April 9th,
however, don't get too excited, there is a caveat here.
It's called a "deficit inclusive measure". If Americans were required to pay for everything that the government is spending (including the deficit) they would be working until May 17th. Another 38 days. which would be the second latest "tax freedom day" since WWII. The latest would have been in 2009, on May 21st. (2009 real tax freedom day was April 8th) Yes, Americans will work well over 3 months this year just to pay their taxes. They will pay more taxes in 2010 than they will spend on food,
clothing and shelter combined. And this is with all of the "stimulus tax cuts" from both Presidents Bush and Obama. Keep in mind that this is the Federal average. If you break it down by state, Illinois ranks 14th in the nation with a tax freedom day of April 11th!I hope that I have made your "Tax Day" a little brighter. Just think, everything you make from here on out belongs to you! If you believe that I have some swamp land in Florida I'll make you a great deal on!If you want to see all of the detailed break down, click here. |
| Calling all Foragers |
Ramps, Wild Asparagus, Morel Mushrooms
by RayJust a reminder, we welcome any of you foragers out there that would like to sell some of your bounty. As the season approaches we are interested in purchasing wild ramps and asparagus as well as morel mushrooms. Even wild dandelion greens are welcome.
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| On Our Special | |
Peacock Cove Oysters on the Half Shell
Half Pound Wagyu Beef Burger
Panini - Imported Black Forest Ham, Manchego Cheese and Garlic Aioli
Shrimp Salad with Fresh Fruit
Top Sirloin and Sauteed Oyster Mushrooms
Braised Lamb Shank
Sole Meunier
Casonsei
Maple Gazed Carrots
Twice Baked Potatoe
Margarita Mousse Torte
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Win a Free Lunch
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Foodie Fight Free Lunch Contest
by Kris
 Each week in the newsletter we will ask 3 questions from the Foodie Fight cards. The first person to email us (see link below) the correct answers to all three questions will receive a complimentary free lunch. The winner has to have the correct answer for all three questions, no exceptions. The following week we will publish the correct answers and the winner from the previous week. So come on in and have a drink, study the cards, test each other and have fun. Good Luck!
1. How many twists does it usually take to remove the wire cage from a sparkling-wine cork?
2. What New York Times food editor, starting in 1957, established the one to four star restaurant review scale?
3. What university documents 50 centuries of food and cooking in its Culinary Archives Museum?
foodiefight@uptowngrill.com
Fine Print...
You must be the first person to respond with all three correct answers.
The response must go to the email address in the above link.
You must reply within 24 hours from the time the newsletter is published.
Last Week questions and answers....
1. What Pulitzer prize
winning composer wrote the song "Lime Jello Marshmallow Cottage Cheese
Surprise"? William Bolcom
2. What did Charlie Chaplin dine on in the 1925 film
"The Gold Rush"? His Boot
3. What Italian born
international film star said, "Everything you see I owe to spaghetti"? Sophia Loren
This weeks winner of the free lunch ... Debbie Reagan
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| Playlist Theater |
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Tickets on sale now.
Upcoming Shows
 Martin Zellar
Friday
April 30th
SOLD OUT!
Jeffrey Foucault
Friday
April 16
SOLD OUT!
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Uptown Grill
601 First St.
La Salle, Il 61301
815-224-4545
Mon - Thur 11 am to 10pm - Fri & Sat 11 am to 11 pm
Sun Noon to 10 pm
Uptowngrill.com
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