Newfangled Dad

I decided to try Oak Park's new "locally sourced, authentically French" eatery--called Léa--for lunch today. It's a great concept, but was a bit of a rough experience. When you walk into the restaurant, the line was almost out the door. (A great problem to have!) In the end, it would have been a benefit to have someone greeting guests and explaining both the process and that they were struggling. There are rows of menu cards on the wall, very artistic/rustic and cute, which are divided into 3 rows. Sandwiches on top. Salads in the middle. Tartines and kids meals on the bottom. There are quiches of the day and soups. Plus a little case of bakery items. Making your way to the registers, there are computers for self-serve order input...something I'd rather not have seen. Each meal comes with sides, different bread types, etc. and it's just easier to tell a cashier. Plus, one of the ongoing problems was that you're asked to take a number from the counter a...

As always, please note that I'm just one of 7 voices... Parking Study W e had the rare opportunity to meet with our Board liaison, Trustee Tucker, at last night's commission meeting. It's helpful to get immediate feedback on our work, but usually there is a simultaneous board meeting he must attend. As part of a discussion about hiring a consultant, there needed to be a conversation about the Transportation Commission's role and appetite for more work relating to the Board's ongoing parking study. We already have a lot on our plate, but we've agreed to hold a few extra meetings. Especially with regard to seeking more public input on parking. Not to mention that we needed to be able to see eye-to-eye about the goals and anticipated outcomes of the parking study.  I'm still deeply skeptical about that part.  My own personal skepticism is not the timeline (it's refreshingly quick for Oak Park) nor the process itself. Rather, I think the process is putt...

Don't get me wrong. Broadly speaking, it's probably a good idea we teach kids a few basics of safety. Not every parent is equipped to show responsible handling of potentially dangerous situations. So we create very general guidelines that apply to most. It's cool. I'm not really upset that my kids are learning about things like unwanted touches. Though there was a little overheard discussion at preschool drop-off about getting everybody onboard with the same body part names as they're referenced in the lessons. We all handle these things a little differently. So when the school sent home the "Never-Never Rules" that they'll be studying soon I cringed a bit. Here they are... The Never-Never Rules are: • Never ride on wheels without wearing a helmet. • Never cross the street without checking all ways for traffic. • Never play with fire. • Never touch a dog without asking the person in charge. • Never use a sharp tool without an o...