SAVE MAIN STREET – Why the Whole World Needs a Little Small Town Flavor

By Stuart Meyer

The long days of the Summer of 1979 were waning and the August haze had softened the sun’s piercing rays in the Southern skies above.  I anxiously hurried out the front door racing through the invisible cloud of humidity toward the family car.  In the South, this was the time of year for which iced sweet tea was invented.

That's me... back in the 1970s with precision bowl helmet haircut.

Earlier that morning, the local newspaper sat in a state of disarray on our round family breakfast table.  As I glanced down at the pile of news, there sat a full-page advertisement partially blanketed by the Sports section.  The black-and-white text of the ad heralded the three most dreaded words feared by any small town kid who roamed freely upon Mother Nature’s playground through those long Summer days… “BACK TO SCHOOL”.

The Family Car - Our 1972 Buick Electra

As the youngest, I wrestled my way into the car and laid down on the coveted floor boards of the backseat rather than brave the smoldering aromatic blaze of the vinyl bench-like seat.  Walking barefoot over fiery coals was no match for the backseat of a 1972 Buick Electra baking atop the driveway in the heat of a Kentucky Summer.

A little ways down the road, I re-surfaced from the depths of the floorboard and turned my attention to peering out the window at all the familiar landmarks as we made our way toward the courthouse square.  As a kid, every trip into downtown was like a small town reunion as all main roads flowed into “the square”, much like the precious lifeblood which flows into the heart.

The State Theater - Elizabethtown, KY. Photo courtesy of www.historicstatetheater.org

The Dixie Highway flowed in from one direction and Mulberry St. the other.  The unique character of each original downtown building stood proud like a strong, yet silent actor quietly emitting its own unique story and history.  A lone cannonball fired during the Civil War still sat lodged in the second story of a corner building just down from the town’s first movie house, the 1940s era State Theater.  Just down from the square was a regular Farmer’s Market, where local farmers sold a little bit of their harvest to the community from the back of their pick-up trucks.

We arrived in downtown and I spilled out of the backseat onto the street along with my older brother and sister.  I sometimes felt as though we were related to everyone in town as everyone seemed to know everyone.  I stood there on the street for a moment and looked all around with wonder almost as if time had frozen for just a few moments.  Our destination was the People’s Store and the Factory Outlet shoe shop of which we always came through the back alley entrance.  A trip downtown to buy some new school clothes and a new pair of shoes was one of the cherished consolations of the collision course with Summer’s end and the eminent start of a new school year.

Stuart Meyer is the show creator and producer of "Small Town Flavor" a web TV show hosted by Panini Pete

Over the many years of my life which have opened and closed like chapters of an epic American folk literature work, this particular “page” of my own auto-biographical volume of small town life has remained permanently imprinted upon my heart and mind.  The collection of experiences and time spent in small towns throughout my first 27 years of my life followed by the past 12 years in the Chicago area have served as the inspiration for the web TV show I created, “Small Town Flavor”.

Small towns and their downtowns are like the “grassroots” of American life, firmly rooted as one-of-a-kind blades of grass in the rich and abundant soil of our American identity.  Life has taught me that the essence of small town life may very well contain the secrets to happiness as measured above all else by the collective and individual relationships we share with each other.  Interestingly, the scientific world is catching up as research has shown that fundamental happiness is rooted in the strength of our social connections.

In many ways, food has also defined our connection to each other throughout history.  From the time when hunting and gathering food was the main business of the day to modern times in which we use our shared connection to food to strengthen social bonds.  In small towns, local food culture is not just about subsistence, it’s ingrained in the identity, tradition, rituals and pride of the community.

I believe the next great chapter in American history is threatened by the decline of our relationships, our connection and our accountability as “neighbors”.  While we all need money to make a living, the one thing we need most to make a happy life is each other.

For these reasons, we should celebrate our small towns, share their stories, their unique food culture and enrich our lives through the lessons we can all learn from the small town way of life.   I like to think we either come from small towns or there is a little bit of small town living within us… on our streets, in our neighborhoods, throughout our cities, around our states and across our country.

These thoughts reside at the heart and soul of what Small Town Flavor is all about and we hope you’ll become part of our Small Town Flavor Family.

SAVE MAIN STREET… watch Small Town Flavor.

http://socialfrequency.wordpress.com/2012/03/01/save-main-street-why-the-whole-world-needs-a-little-small-town-flavor/

The Continuing Tragedy of Mr. Wild’s Death

It was a typical sunny and slightly humid day in late August as we joined the mass of anxious parents leading our curious children to the paved area near the playground behind Springbrook Elementary School here in Naperville.  Our 5th grader had come to know the routine well and said a quick goodbye as he headed off with his blossoming independence to find his class line with his new teacher at the helm holding up the “5P” sign.  Our second grader was a little more bashful, more than happy to continue holding my hand tightly as he was in no hurry to make his way into the valley of tall kids.  As we searched for his second grade teacher, I noticed another smiling young red-haired 2nd grade teacher named Mr. Wild welcoming children and parents like a seasoned pro.   I couldn’t help but smile and wonder if this guy was even old enough to teach, but he was holding his own and seemed to be enjoying every minute.  I thought to myself, if only everyone could be so blessed to have such a genuine enthusiasm to be at work.  On that day, there were no news vans with towering satellite antenna sitting out front, no news cameras capturing the beginning of this important chapter in this young teacher’s life, no reporters seeking to learn more about Mr. Wild or how much fun it was to be a 2nd grade teacher with the last name “Wild”.

As the school year moved into full motion, there was an almost star-struck report one day from my 5th grader with dreams of the NFL that there was a new 2nd grade teacher that had played college football for North Central and his name was Mr. Wild.  I told him I thought that was pretty cool.  Still, that night when I turned on the local news there was no story about a college football player from North Central who was now teaching elementary school in Naperville.

Fast-forward to numerous mornings this school year and the frantic morning drop-off routine, orchestrated by the persistent vigilance of Springbrook Elementary teachers.  Each morning as parents, in our daily attempt to comply with the hurry-up-and-wait procedure, we quickly get to know the teachers’ commanding presence and determined faces to get everyone into school on time, sometimes operating with the military precision of a drill Sergent.  But on the mornings when Mr. Wild was on duty, he always stood out from the rest sporting a warm smile on his face and always welcoming students to school whether they were in his class or not.  I can remember one morning vividly when my 2nd grader was struggling to get his heavy backpack and other belongings together to get out of the car as he spilled onto the sidewalk.  There was Mr. Wild, smiling and lending a hand in helping him get his stuff together and making the situation a little bit lighter.  On that morning there were no news vans, cameras or assertive reporters hanging around to capture the story of Mr. Wild who was clearly doing what he was put on this Earth to do… and that was to teach.

Today, on this overcast and solemn morning, the world was moving a little slower at Springbrook Elementary School.  As I pulled into the drop-off line it was very clear that Mr. Wild nor his warm smile was there to welcome our children, nor would it ever be again.  I looked over to my left to discover the unwelcome sight of news vans with towering satellite antenna, cameras and reporters sitting on the street at the edge of the school campus.  I thought to myself, these tragedy vultures missed the biggest story of them all, which was that day back in August when Mr. Wild brought his warm smile, genuine caring and passion for teaching to start what would have been a long and inspiring career as a teacher.

On this day, I take immense pride in our courageous Springbrook Elementary teachers and staff as they managed to find a way to help our children understand on some level, doing their best to fight back their own tears in just getting through what was certainly one of the longest school days in their career.  We’ve all carefully navigated our way through conversations with our children and listening very carefully to their young feelings and emotions.

As for ABC 7 Chicago, Fox News Chicago and CBS 2 Chicago… shame on you for trespassing upon the tragedy and innocence of this morning during drop-off and this afternoon during pick-up by showing up at our school with your antennas and cameras blazing to drive home the tragedy a little deeper, leaving our children with even more questions.

This morning, I feel you over-stepped any boundary you may have had and further preyed upon the innocence of our children in the wake of such a senseless tragedy by turning the cameras on them.  I, and many parents I’ve spoken with, feel it was in exceedingly poor taste.  Your actions have served to only further contribute to the continuing tragedy of Mr. Wild’s death.

“Behind Ribfest” Documentary Film to Debut at the Naperville Independent Film Festival on September 18th

Over a year ago, I began production on a documentary film about Ribfest.  Many of us know the festival from the perspective of attendee, but few get the chance to go behind-the-scenes of everything that goes into making this volunteer-run festival a success in raising millions of dollars toward the elimination of child abuse and domestic violence.  This film follows along with the Naperville Exchange Club, the rib teams, the musical entertainment acts, the volunteers and the faces behind the festivals ultimate mission.  I’m pleased to report the film is finished and will debut on September 18th at the Naperville Independent Film Festival at 7 PM at the Ogden 6 Classic Cinemas.  As a little teaser, take a look at the promo below:

Get Ready for Naperville Ribfest, Celebrity Chefs and the Ribfest Documentary Film

Who’s ready for Ribfest 2011!  It’s been an amazing year-long journey since last year’s Ribfest.  As you may recall, I have been working with the Exchange Club in producing a feature-length documentary film about Ribfest, of which production began almost exactly one year ago on June 18, 2010 and after a final shoot a couple of months ago, post-production/editing is in full motion.  The documentary is a behind-the-scenes look not only at what it takes to bring Ribfest to life each year, but more importantly the human stories behind the festival’s solitary mission of donating all net proceeds to area agencies working toward the prevention of child abuse and domestic violence… over $9 million to date.  Stay tuned for our premiere this Fall at the Naperville Independent Film Festival.

I’m also very excited to announce that another non-profit I’m helping out, America’s Chefs, will be featuring celebrity chef-hosted live cooking shows in the new America’s Chefs Kitchen Arena, including a daily hands-on kid’s cooking demo in which kids’ and parents and learn to make and actually prepare a healthy dish together.   The mission of America’s Chefs is to provide a “taste of home” and food/culinary entertainment to service men and women of our U.S. Military across the country and around the world, including events in the Persian Gulf region and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  Each chef is an alumni restaurant owner from the hit Food Network series “Diner’s, Drive-Ins and Dives” as well as numerous appearances elsewhere, including “Guy’s Big Bite”, the “Guy Fieri Roadshow Tour”, ABC’s “Extreme Home Makeover” and two of which are in the process of starring in their own food TV shows.  Take a look at the image posted up above for more details.  You definitely will not want to miss this one-of-a-kind opportunity.  Below you’ll find a couple of episodes I produced for America’s Chefs TV which provides an inside look at their mission.  Ribfest will be America’s Chefs first major civilian event and they are looking to build support and awareness for their non-profit mission.

See you at Ribfest! SM

World of Naperville Reaches 110,000 Visit Mark

In May, the World of Naperville will be celebrating it’s 5th anniversary.  To date, this little blog about our small town in a big city has surpassed the 110,000 visit mark.

While there have been months that are very active in terms of content and others not so active, I’m still very proud to be able to provide this volume of content about Naperville.  Like any town or city, we’re far from perfect and certainly have our fair share of flaws, but it’s the celebration of the unique energy, the simple moments and vitality that ultimately matters in the end.

To those who truly know the real spirit of Naperville, you know that the overwhelming majority of us are nowhere near the stereotypes and images perceived by others and depicted in some local publications.  For the most part, we’re just another Midwestern town with an affection for “community”, the belief in helping others and the desire to live in a place which provides many opportunities and ways for us to enjoy life with our friends, families and neighbors.

Given my roots, I live by the belief that there is a little bit of “small town” in every city, no matter how large.   In the end, it’s the human and social capital… the energy, the accountability and the pride of those who inhabit a block, a neighborhood, a town or a city… which makes a community extraordinary and these are qualities which simply cannot be purchased with money at any price.

SM

Tiger Scout Trip to Naperville Police Department a Sight to Behold

When I was a kid, I distinctly remember the brisk evening when my Cub Scout Den visited the local Hardin County Jail in Elizabethtown, KY.  Some images as a child you simply can’t forget.  So as you might imagine, it was more than deja vu when my youngest son’s Tiger Scout Den Leader announced our trip to the Naperville Police Department.

Under the brisk darkening skies of this January afternoon, I headed out with my partially scout uniform compliant six year-old, driving past the lingering twinkle of holiday lights defying the distancing days which are striving to sever the magic of the holiday season from our plummet into the dark dull days of Winter.

We drove up to the Naperville Police Department and I covertly studied my son’s face in the rear-view mirror, wondering what was going through his budding mind as we inched closer to a place which can only serve as a stark contrast to the innocent colorful confines of Safety Town just across the street.

My son was uncharacteristically quiet, clinging to my larger hand a little tighter than usual as we walked into the empty lobby.  We were greeted by two officers sitting behind a somewhat menacing looking cold metal reception desk.  Though, with a smile they took one look at his signature safety-orange colored Tiger Scout standard-issue scarf and directed us into the Community Room where the rest of his pint-size nature-loving citizens in training waited.

It was astonishing how uncharacteristically quiet and compliant our small  pack of otherwise unbridled energy junkies were as we waited.  We were led through the Department by a non-uniformed community service policing representative and it immediately became clear we had an all-access pass.

The boys walked ahead of the parents throughout the premises in the straightest single file line I’ve ever seen achieved by a group of six year-old boys.  We saw the briefing room, the 911 center, the large police vehicles, the small police vehicles.  However, nothing could possibly top our journey into the heart of the cell block where the arrested spend a bit of reflection time.  Fortunately, there was nobody being held which meant we could go inside and let the boys spend a little bit of timing sitting inside one of the jail cells.  A cold metal bed and even colder looking metal toilet was all the interior decoration to be viewed against the stark cement block walls.   To make the proper translation, we pointed out the fact there was no Wii or Xbox inside the cell.

I think it was all a real eye-opener for our Tiger Scouts.  Even more, it was a reinforced affirmation to me of what a top-notch, well-equipped police department and force we have here in Naperville.  A couple of years ago, I did a program at the Naperville Police Department as part of the Naperville Citizen’s Academy, and it appears our law enforcement continues to improve.

As for my son, half way home in the car he revealed to me why he had been so quiet.  He slowly confessed, “I was a little bit scared for two reasons.  First, I was afraid the police officers were going to arrest me.  Second… uh… I can’t remember the second…”  But, by the end of the tour and by the time we got home, his brave excitement and new stories were shared freely with his older brother and Grandfather.  He has vowed to never take anything from his brother’s room without asking again.  I think we might be able to squeeze at least a few days out of such a six year-old pledge.

So many thanks to the Naperville Police Department for everything you do, not only in keeping our community safe but most importantly serving as a positive presence in our children’s lives.

The Naperville Wine Festival: A Quick Guide to the Perfect Experience

I had to include the word “experience” in the headline above because there is no other way to describe the Naperville Wine Festival, which will take place this Friday and Saturday (September 17-18, 2010) at one of my favorite places… the Naper Settlement in Downtown Naperville.

First and foremost, train it… cab it… do whatever you need to do to get into Downtown Naperville and keep yourself from being in the position of even thinking about driving home.

Based on my own personal experience, my strongest recommendation is to go in the evening hours just as daylight drifts toward the crisp Autumn night.  There is a certain magic in the air when you combine an Autumn night, the Naper Settlement and your journey through an international array of wines.

You can taste away the night beneath the stars knowing that a portion of your admission proceeds goes to the Naperville Area Humane Society.  Should raindrops crash the party, never fear… just cover your glasstic wine glass and the festival will march right on.

In terms of preparing yourself, I recommend eating something light before diving into the Festival as wine tastings are typically a bust on a full stomach and an early and disorienting night on an empty stomach.

There will be a number of local Naperville restaurants with food offerings at the Festival.  To me, part of the true experience is to snack on a little something at the Festival to pace your tasting and then take a short walk into Downtown after you are finished for a late dinner at one of Naperville’s many fine local restaurants.

After you finish your late dinner, I recommend capping off the evening with some chocolate indulgence at Le Chocolat or one of the many night spots in Downtown Naperville.  Should you subscribe to the ancient belief of “wine before beer, never fear” I recommend hitting the Grumpy Bulldog and watch your head spin for an entirely different reason as you enjoy the process of selecting a beer from their expansive global beer menu.  If you need a little head start, click here.   There is also Quigley’s Irish Pub for the best pint of Guiness in all of the Western Suburbs.  Beyond that, there are many more bars, music and dancing throughout Downtown.

The bottom line is make your Naperville Wine Festival experience a full night out in Downtown Naperville.  Pace yourself and most importantly, please please please do not drink and drive.  Designate a sober driver whose evening entertainment will consist of laughing at you OR take advantage of Naperville’s many local cabs.  Hope to see you there!

I invite you to share your own survival and enjoyment tips via a comment below.  SM

Fresh and Affordable Sushi in Naperville in an Unexpected Place

Today was an ominous day as the pearly white occupants of my mouth were driven to their annual check-up at Wheatland Dental.  After all the scraping, buzzing, suctioning, gum-ripping x-ray mouthpieces and an extra power-scrub courtesy of the Cavitron, I felt it my obligation to reward my teeth to a nice soothing lunch.

Sushi was the first thing that entered my mind, but I often find it hard to shell out the serious dollars for a sushi lunch.  Suddenly, I realized that I was next door to one of my favorite affordable sushi joints that may seem unexpected to some…  Caputo’s Italian Market .  For less than $10, you can choose from an array of fresh daily made sushi trays, which you can actually see being handcrafted in the deli department by professionals.  Today I went for a red chili spicy salmon sushi roll, which consisted of 8 pieces with beautiful slices of salmon sitting atop each piece… all for $8.99… and it tasted every bit as good as some of the higher end sushi restaurants in town.  All the delicious indulgence without the guilt-ridden check at the end of the meal.

Barbecue Pit BBQ at Our 2nd Annual Kentucky Derby Party in Naperville

It’s impossible to imagine that the first Saturday in May is just days away when the memories from our Kentucky Derby Party last year seems just like yesterday. To catch everyone else up who didn’t read my posts last year, I’m originally from Kentucky and grew up amidst the wonderful bluegrass rite of spring tradition of the pomp and circumstance behind the annual Run for the Roses, which is more famously known as the Kentucky Derby.

For our guests, this year’s menu will be similar to last, with one major difference… instead of Keene’s Country Ham from Bardstown, KY on Derby Breakfast biscuits, I’ve made the family recipe of slow smoked pork bbq which spent all of yesterday on my firebox grill cooking slowly on heated waves of hickory, white oak, apricot, peach and apple wood smoke. Additionally, I’ve kicked the family bbq sauce recipe up a number of notches to create three variations: A sweet and smokey bourbon sauce, the regular sauce and a little hot-and-spicy wonder which I will simply refer to as “Sucker Punch” sauce. Sucker Punch is one of those fun bbq sauces that taste zesty and benign at first, but within a couple of seconds the beads of sweat begin to form.

When I say “family bbq recipe” it is not only a recipe I grew up on but also one which set my father’s restaurant venture in motion many years ago in the late 1970s.  A place simply called “The Barbecue Pit”. The space was literally built from the ground up and I still have memories of dropping by the building after school as it was being built. The Barbecue Pit was simple and bare with picnic tables on concrete floors assembled near an old pot-belly stove. Across the counter was an enormous smoker pit, which I recall looking almost sinister from my vantage point as a young child. Like many restaurants, The Barbecue Pit ran into its share of business problems demonstrating the truth that it takes more than a great food product to succeed in the business. Nonetheless, the recipe has survived and for my part, this generation continues to retain the fundamentals while at the same time welcoming some slight innovations.

My dad passed away in 2001, yet every time I fire up my own barbecue pit, working the fire, smelling the wood aroma, making the mop sauce, the bbq sauce, basting every hour, feeding in soaked wood chunks and sneaking a little piece of the outer layer bark toward the end from one of the 6-7 lb. Boston Butts (better known as Pork Shoulder), it’s not only a tribute to one of his lifelong passions, but I almost feel as though he is standing there right next to me with that satisfying smile on his face. While some see bbq simply as food, I come from a place where it is both a conversation-drenched pastime and proud tradition.

Maybe one day we can throw this party for all of Naperville for charity. Until then, we look forward to greeting our invited guests on Saturday and sharing in a Mint Julep, a BBQ sandwich and, of course, a few horse races along the way.

Pit-O-Pat, The Barbecue Pit Mascot

White Chocolate Grill Launches ‘WCG Cooks’ Cooking Show with Pumpkin Cheesecake in Naperville

If you were at the White Chocolate Grill on October 21st, it may have looked a bit like Food Network was invading the kitchen.  Though it wasn’t Food Network, the White Chocolate Grill began production of a new online cooking show, WCG Cooks, filming during the dinner rush at its Naperville location.  What is the source of my inside information?  The answer is my new firm, Social Frequency Media Communications, produced the first two episodes.

The series, which features WCG Executive Chef, Robert Kabakoff, and Chef/Owner Bobby Fitzgerald, takes viewers behind-the-scenes into the WCG kitchen to celebrate great food, explore ingredients,  see how menu favorites are prepared and to learn great tasting recipes you can replicate at home.  Episode one focuses on a refreshing spin on a seasonal favorite, Pumpkin Cheesecake.  Hungry yet?  You can experience episode one below.

Another benefit of producing these first two episodes is being able to sample the finished product and let me say WCG’s Pumpkin Cheesecake is amazing.  But you don’t have to produce a cooking show to try this Pumpkin Cheesecake, just head on over to the White Chocolate Grill Naperville for a slice.  SM