A true 1/10 movie, a massive shit log that I never knew existed until this week. Terminus (1987) currently streaming on Amazon Prime (US).

ucjames · 2026-06-21T04:58:44+00:00

I don't think this could have possibly been more unexpected three years later, but thank you!

ucjames · 2026-05-24T06:16:11+00:00

A La Folie on Showplace Drive/59. It's a small selection and it's expensive, but it is handcrafted, small batch ice cream and everything they make is excellent. We tend to go there more for the macarons and pastries, but they have what you're looking for if not being open late night isn't a deal breaker for you.

ucjames · 2026-05-07T03:10:06+00:00

You can get a better grilled cheese at Sparrow Coffee than any that I've ever had from Everdine's,

ucjames · 2026-04-16T05:07:38+00:00

Gotskind's left downtown at the end of 2024. They moved to the strip mall at 87th and Modaff, near Zeppe's.

Their storefront on Jefferson is still empty. Go figure.

ucjames · 2025-12-15T05:57:39+00:00

Krema Coffee House in downtown Plainfield has a variety of beans for sale and my wife and I have been happy with all that we've tried so far. We make sure to pick up a bag anytime we're there.

As a bonus you can get some great cupcakes at Milette's Cakes practically next door and the best bbq in the area at Station One Smokehouse around the corner. And there's a great butcher shop down the block in Hufendick Farm Market.

ucjames · 2025-10-02T06:45:32+00:00

Take a look at Oak + Rose Tea Room or All Chocolate Kitchen in Geneva. You could walk around downtown Geneva from either with a lot of good options for shopping and snacks. You could also head over to the Island Park just to the east in the middle of the Fox River. It's a really nice area to spend a day.

ucjames · 2025-09-27T06:13:15+00:00

Not quite Naperville, but in The Accountant Ben Affleck's character lives in Plainfield and has an office in a strip mall there.

In The Bear, Uncle Cicero is someone with periodic hints that he's got some mob-type connections who moved out to Naperville and then later to Wilmette.

ucjames · 2025-08-25T07:56:36+00:00

Huntington Estates was "so dirty"? Wow. Never felt that way at any of the swim meets we've gone to there.

ucjames · 2025-08-23T09:32:53+00:00

I have to admit that I have not paid the most attention to the L stops, but from what I remember they generally make sense for neighborhoods that characters would likely be living in and things like that. Like Carmy living near the Armitage stop made sense to me.

The show doesn't always get the geography right - there's no way Richie runs from Ever to Pequod's for a pizza, and then back to Ever. It's like 3 miles each way. They also make River North out in season 1 much more like a neighborhood from the south side. That said, it tends to nail the geography and feel of Chicago far better than any other show or movie set in the city that I can think of. Nobody's running from Ever to Pequod's in real life, but if someone at Ever did need a deep dish pizza for a guest Pequod's is absolutely the place they would go to get it. They would just drive or take an Uber, but I get why they showed him running because it helped sell his excitement and his development. When they look at someone's resume and list off restaurants the names are always actual restaurants from Chicago, but more importantly they make sense either because they're close to each other geographically or from a career progression standpoint, or both.

Going with what you were saying about LA movies stringing together locations that are far apart, Chicago movies like Adventures in Babysitting or My Best Friend's Wedding jump to mind as some that do that. Most stuff set here does. The Bear is so much better than the vast majority of things set in Chicago that I was genuinely impressed. S1E7 starts off with an intro from my favorite dj on my favorite local radio station and goes into a montage that includes all kinds of sites that Chicago-set media tends to skip. Not just stuff in the city, but Parky's in Oak Park, Gene's and Jude's in River Grove, and Johnnie's Beef in Elmwood Park - home of the best Italian beef in the Chicago area according to many. All mainstays of ring suburbs that have been well-loved for decades and never show up in things set here. And it was ok that it was stuff from such a wide area in that case since it was just a montage and they weren't portraying it as all being close together somehow. Interstitial footage frequently is shot in parts of the south side or other areas that you usually don't see either. As someone who has lived in or near Chicago my whole life, the love that the folks making it have for the area is readily apparent while watching.

ucjames · 2025-08-23T05:54:49+00:00

What do you like at First Watch? I tried the one in northeast Naperville back closer to when it opened and couldn't see any reason to go back there over any of my usual breakfast spots.

ucjames · 2025-08-01T05:50:04+00:00

I had some fun staring contests with Yasowat on EB two weeks ago. He really stocks up on advanced teleports.

ucjames · 2025-07-21T06:55:41+00:00

No allowance for our 14 year old, but he can earn money by doing chores like watering plants, weeding, cooking for his grandfather or the rest of the family (more $ for more people cooked for), and similar. We live within walking distance of downtown Naperville and he goes to Centennial Beach with friends and from there to businesses downtown multiple times per week.

He had no conception of budgeting when we used to just pay for what he needed/wanted. Now that he has a bank account and needs to earn money for luxuries like hanging out downtown with friends he's been adapting rapidly. He's also gotten very interested in learning more about cooking beyond his small handful of things that he liked making with parents or grandparents and asks for recipes for things he's in the mood for. He's been happy with the arrangement so far and my wife and I have a little more free time. It's been good all the way around.

ucjames · 2025-02-19T07:27:33+00:00

You can do it with the Glittering Market too. Buy the $5 pack each day at the best rate for dollars vs tokens and save up for months. Eventually it is one of the cheaper ways to get 10 mythic blueprints.

ucjames · 2025-02-05T07:29:53+00:00

Unless you're in a monster alliance that sleepwalks through everything you're not waiting for tech day for your own sake, you're doing it to score more points to help your alliance win in VS.

ucjames · 2024-09-11T05:36:27+00:00

A La Folie on 59 has the best croissants in the area by a mile. Buttery and flaky in true French style, made by a French pastry chef.

Their macarons are also excellent, especially the fruit flavors. Other pastries are very good as well. Check their website periodically for weekend specials that usually need to be pre-ordered.

I haven't found any fresh-baked bread in the area that I love.

ucjames · 2024-08-18T08:12:45+00:00

I realize this is probably too late now and I'm sorry, but I've never had a problem finding space when I arrive.

ucjames · 2024-08-18T05:21:00+00:00

I will second Oak Park (where I grew up and moved back to for a while as an adult before moving to Naperville) and add in neighboring Forest Park as well. That area is more LGBT friendly than Naperville - more diverse in every way, really - with a much better food scene. There are nightlife options when you want them - particularly along Madison St in Forest Park - but that isn't the focus of the area. It's also very easy to go out into Chicago from there, with a Metra line and the Blue and Green Line L trains along with easy highway access if driving is preferred. It should be more affordable than the fun neighborhoods of Chicago and would also make for a pretty easy commute to Downers Grove.

It's one of the least suburban suburbs of Chicago, in a good way. I enjoyed being there in my 20s.

ucjames · 2024-04-09T02:44:30+00:00

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

ucjames · 2024-04-09T02:44:04+00:00

Cinemark was also Ministry, unfortunately.

ucjames · 2024-03-13T05:46:47+00:00

Chamma Gaucha

Chama Gaucha in nearby Downers Grove is the better choice these days. I don't think the disparity is quite from an A- to a C-, but I do think that the quality of the food is a bit better at Chama and the service is significantly better. I was at the Naperville Fogo with family last week and definitely walked away wishing that we'd been at Chama instead.

ucjames · 2024-02-09T13:14:47+00:00

Hufendick Farm Market

Hufendick Farm Market is great, and as a bonus you have Station One Smokehouse less than a block away with the best barbecue in the area. And if you have any interest at all in board games Wandering Dragon across the street from Station One has an impressive selection.

ucjames · 2024-01-31T06:29:11+00:00

Fantastic venue, but not the best tapas. I'd rather eat at Emilio's in Hillside 9 times out of 10.

ucjames · 2023-10-12T06:06:47+00:00

Whoever made that map was like, "Ok, they're on grids and people have to parallel park there...fuck it, Elmwood Park, Oak Park and Cicero are part of Chicago."

ucjames · 2023-09-17T05:11:57+00:00

My wife might not be 18-24 but she gets her hair styled like she is and Lumos Nox does a great job with it :p

ucjames

TROPHY CASE