stay-at-home mom supper club in Chicago suburbs

[jenmarsh]

I'm interested in starting a brunch/lunch/supper club in or around Park Ridge (NW suburb of chicago). I'm 32 with 2 kids and I was thinking about making this kind of a mom's night out kind of "club". Anyone interested???

[mmtase]

I am a stay-home mom in Elmhurst, and I would love to do a mom's night supper club! I just moved here from FL where we did the same thing - lots of fun! I don't mind going to Park Ridge area, if you don't mind Elmhurst!:)

[jenmarsh]

sorry, i forgot to check for replies. maybe we could try to do something every 1-2 months. how many kids do you have? what do you like to cook? how did your supper club in FL work?

[amlll]

i'm in des plaines. would love to join your supper club. am also a mother of 2.

[jenmarsh]

i've never done this before so i'm not sure what we should do next. any ideas???

[Grace]

Sorry to butt in on your thread, but I thought I'd let you know what our group did. We are the Chicago group featured in last September's issue of CL. And actually, our group is right here in your neighborhood, Jenmarsh - we come from Norwood Park, Niles, Edison Park, Jefferson Park and one lady from Park Ridge. Our group is full though, or I would have invited you to join ours.

In any case, I would suggest that you all determine a place to meet - say a Starbucks or a restaurant (we all met at Nonno Pino in Edison Park for our first meeting three years ago). We brought our CL magazines with us so we could identify one another. Then we just talked about what we wanted our meetings to be like - did we want to cook together each time or do the meetings pot luck? (We decided to go pot luck because we meet on weeknights - none of us wanted to commit to weekends because we all have families and other activities on weekends). Then we decided how we were going to work things out financially - did we all want to chip in for each meeting? Or bring a dish, rotate houses, and when it's your house you provide the main dish and beverage (this is how we do it, so we don't deal with money - it all works itself out). But anyway, you get the idea. And you can always start with one plan and then change/modify it down the line if things aren't working out well. As I said, our group has been going strong for over three years - we've NEVER missed a single month, EVER. Oh, and we always cook from the current issue, but you could also discuss that at your meeting - if you want to keep your meetings to strictly CL recipes, or get them from any source, if you want to do themes or hodgepodge (like we always do), etc. At Christmas we always do something extra along with our regular meeting, like a cookie or gift exchange, and in January or February, since CL is always a combined issue those months, we go out to a restaurant for one of the meetings - something unusual like Indian or Middle Eastern (so we don't have to cook from the same issue two months in a row).

In any case, GOOD LUCK and HAVE FUN!!! You won't believe what nice people you meet on the internet! :D

[mmtase]

I think that the idea of getting together at a Starbucks or a place for a glass of wine would be great. I just moved from Orlando, FL and our group there - 6 of us - got together every month. One month we would eat out and discuss plans for the next month. We always met on a weeknight by 7:30 or so. On the months we cooked, each person brought a dish prepared or that just needed some quick touches. The hostess did the main course. Each time we had a theme for a different type of food. This wasn't a CL club, but we did try a lot of recipes from CL. Anyway, I am a 36 year old mother of a 5 year old boy (kindergarten) and a 2 year old girl. I don't really know how far it will be to drive between each of our towns (Elmhurst, Park Ridge, and Des Plaines), but I am willing to try if you are. My email is melissa@tmtase.com, if you want to go direct. Looking forward to meeting you both. We need to find 2-3 more people who would like to join probably.

[amlll]

hi again...i don't have a problem driving to elmhurst, a have family there.i'm 44...a single mom of a 24yo and 8 yo. i'm a nurse and work weekends so tues thru fri is god for me. i think we have a lot of good suggetions...we just need to give it a little more time to maybe find a few more people. i actually have a friend in des plaines who i think will be interested in joining. then i think it's a good idea to get together over coffee or drinks to discuss the specifics.
anna

[katiemegcz]

I am a 30-something mom of 2 and live in Bolingbrook. I don't mind a drive for good food and companionship! I'm interested if a club happens in the suburbs. I am a nurse, so I work some weekends and evenings, and it is not always the same days, but I'm in if Bolingbrook isn't too far for eveyone else!

Robin;)

[amlll]

i don' know about the rest of you but bolingbrook is too far for me. i belonged to a bunko group for about a year and i began to dread the night because it took up to an hour to get to some of the houses. at least for me it becomes difficult to get sitters too late at night and i don't want most of my time out spent traveling.

[JBR]

I'm a 30-something mom of a 1-yr old and I'd love to join the type of group you're discussing. I'm not quite stay-at-home, but close, since I work a few days a week from home. I live in north Oak Park, no more than a 20-30 minute drive from Elmhurst, Park Ridge, or Des Plaines (probably less in light traffic). I like the idea of meeting once a month for a "girl's night", but I'd also be up for a brunch or lunch.

I'll follow up with an e-mail to mmtase to see if you've planned a meeting.

Judy

[mmtase]

I think that Bolingbrook is a little far for me, since I have to wait until my husband gets home to leave. It would put a start time at 8pm or so, and I found that it is usually a 2-3 hour evening. That would get a little late for me!! It looks like we have a few people interested, and most have emailed me too. I will send an email to you. Jenmarsh, I hope you check this, since I don't have a way to email you! I am leaving town for 2 weeks, so maybe we can get together the first week of Oct. to talk, and maybe more will have logged interest by then.

[katiemegcz]

I found one close by me-so nobody else need reply about how far Bolingbrook is.

[mmtase]

Okay, so it looks like we have 4 or so interested. What day looks best to meet and talk the week of Oct. 4? I am flexible. I haven't heard from jenmarsh, so I don't know if she is still interested.

[amlll]

monday or tuesday during the day are best for me that week.that's the 6th or 7th. we can meet at the starbucks in downtown elmhurst or the panera in downtown park ridge.unless you want to do lunch instead of coffee.both areas have plenty of places to eat. as i said i'm pretty open those days... as long as i'm home by 3.
anna

[mmtase]

Based on the 3 of us (unless jen answers), it looks like Tues at 10am is the only easy meet time. I drop my son off at a class that morning, but have to pick him up at 11, so I will need to stay in Elmhurst. Also, my 2 year old will have to tag along! The only time I could meet without either child is Thurs from 1-3, or any evening. We could say Panera in Elmhurst at 10am on Tues, unless we can all come up with an evening to meet. Judy is also available in the evenings. What do you think?

[amlll]

if evenings are better for both of you i can do tues but may have to bring my 8yo. wed. she has a class from 6:45 - 8:30 but i can't go too far so i can pick her up on time. thurs. same thing i may have to bring my daughter.let me know what works best. you can e-mail me directly if it's easier. alevonyak@aol.com

anna

[amlll]

ooops, sorry but thurs. is out... puppy school.
anna

[mmtase]

It looks like Tues at 10am is best. Let's say Panera on York in Elmhurst. I will have my 2 year old, but she will be fine. We can meet and talk about what we want to get out of this and how we want to work. I will be there a bit early, and have to leave by 10:50 to pick up my son. Any problems or questions, email me at melissa@tmtase.com. See you then. Melissa

[jenmarsh]

i am so sorry that i've been such a flake! i totally forgot about the supper club! i can meet on tuesday morning at 10 but i may have my 2 kids. i'm looking forward to it! i can be e-mailed at jen.marshall@comcast.net

[amlll]

hey jen,
glad to have you back. i'm looking forward to meeting everyone on tues.i'm going to bring my cooking light mag to be recognized.
anna