Macarena Tapas

618 S. Route 59 (in strip center at corner of and facing Aurora Road) in Naperville
  
Join singles just like you at a hot new restaurant for tapas in the western suburbs. Macarena Tapas is the latest highly regarded addition to the Naperville scene of “small plate” restaurants. “Macarena Tapas Dazzles” according to the Daily Herald. Meet, mingle and get to know other singles in a family-style feast of hot and cold tapas, followed by dancing to live music at a nearby nightspot.
 
The evening begins with a get-acquainted cocktail party (cash bar). This is followed by a seated dinner that features an array of a dozen tapas – taking you from appetizers through several unique entrées and through to desserts, all in these Spanish-influenced small plates.
 
Examples include Bacon-wrapped Dates, Smoked Salmon, Chicken in Tomato Sauce, Paprika-cured Pork Loin, Beef Tenderloin and Shrimp and Scallop Skewers. There will be decadent desserts to complete the meal. This evening of dinner and fun (including all taxes and tips) is only $37 for advance registrations. Guests and non-members are welcome for $39. Walk-ups will also be accepted at the door for $40. Dressy casual attire. Park in the lot.

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When? – This Sunday, February 3, 4:00- 9:30 p.m.What? – New Single Friends Host an Exciting and Fun “Super Singles Bowl Sunday” Party for Singles to Watch the Big GameWhere? -

Furlong Sports Bar and Grill

920 E. Northwest Highway (1 block W. of Route 53, at Northwest Hwy. Exit) in Palatine
 
The big championship game between New York and New England is just around the corner.  The outcome could mark the greatest single season team record in football history.
 
Join the New Single Friends as they host a “Super Singles Bowl Sunday” Party for singles (age approx. 34-late 50s). Share conversation and warm camaraderie over liquid refreshments and a deluxe hot halftime football buffet, plus an ongoing supply of popcorn and chips.
 
This exciting event takes place in the inviting atmosphere of the popular Furlongs Sports Bar and Grill in the Hotel Indigo in Palatine. Meet and get to know lots of other singles just like you, and enjoy some great food, drink specials, giveaways, trivia and, oh yeah, the big game.
 
Your halftime feast will include items like Texas Chili, Cowboys Mini-Burgers, New York Hotdog Buffet, Buffalo Bill Chicken Wings, Chicago Chips and Pittsburgh Popcorn.
 
Your entire afternoon and evening event is $12 in advance (charge card) or at the door (cash). Casual attire (or your favorite team’s body paint). Park in the lot.
 
I hope that you will join us for either or both of these Super events. They should be great!
 
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Singles Notebook – “Get-Real” Thoughts and Opinions from Jim “Senny” Senhauser
  
Is There Anything We Can Do Now?

“How Did We Ever Get Into a Credit Crunch and Possible Recession?”

Lately, there’s been a lot of talk, much of it scary, regarding the recent downturn in the U.S. economy. The sub-prime mortgage crisis is certainly one major cause (or symptom) of the softness in some of the key financial indicators in the economy.
 
Should we be surprised? Some would argue “yes.” The stock market has been strong over the past few years, with relatively low unemployment. Yet, there’s been a growing under-current, despite these indicators, that the average family was increasingly having trouble making ends meet. This split in outlook and optimism indicates some basis in reality for the “two Americas” that politicians talk about.
 
I am not an economist, though I am a former CPA. More importantly, I am certainly a consumer and a small business owner. I have invested in the stock market, 401Ks and bought and sold homes. I have friends who are in real estate development and mortgage brokering. Because of all this, I pay a lot of attention to changes in the economy. What I share with you below is my informed, not accredited, opinion.
 
Here are some facts about the U.S. economy in recent years:
-  Real earnings for working Americans have not increased since 2001.
-  The prices of gasoline and heating oil have more than doubled in that period.
-  Unemployment has been in the 4-5% range during that time. Despite this, it has not resulted in noticeable gains in salaries and wages.
-  Today, nearly one-quarter of the income in the U.S. is concentrated in the top 1% of the population. In 1990, the top 1% only earned about 8% of the total.
-  Since 2001, the average consumer’s credit card debt has more than doubled.
-  Health insurance and the cost of health care have risen 10-15% a year.
-  For most of us, gains in real wealth in recent years have come from up-ticks in the stock market or growth in real estate values, especially our personal homes. Because of this, rents and property taxes have also increased over that time. 

As a nation, since 2000, the country has gone from a budget surplus to nearly an $800 billion deficit. Add to this the cost of the Iraq occupation, much of which is not part of the Federal budgeting process. Funds for these deficits are borrowed primarily from the Chinese, Japanese and the Middle East. Investment in major infrastructure projects has largely dried up.
  
Part of the reason salaries have not markedly increased since 2000. Major industries’ pressure on labor unions for concessions, the shift of skilled jobs to India and China, and the shift of manufacturing jobs to countries with lower labor costs have caused this. Moreover, manual labor costs in this country have been held down by the influx of legal and illegal immigrants.
 
The banking industry has also become increasingly deregulated. They injected a number of new tactics, procedures and fees into this wage/price and rent/tax squeeze on consumers. The politicians pushed for increased home ownership. The aggressive banks responded with sub-prime adjustable mortgage loans and “stated income” loans (where no proof from employers was required).
 
Given the low return from savings during the early 2000s, consumers increasingly turned to
the stock market or to real estate speculation, home “flipping” or investing.
 
Here’s where the problem reared its ugly head. Consumers, trying to own homes and maintain their standard of living, increasingly borrowed against their credit cards at low rates, borrowed against their homes with home equity loans and secured new mortgages at low adjustable rates.

Then, the Federal Reserve Board, fearing the rise of inflation (especially from oil and health care costs), raised their discount rates to banks several times. This triggered a major boost in interest rates on adjustable mortgages and charge cards. Zing! A big drop off in housing sales, causing lower prices and a backlog of unsold inventory. Zap! A boost in the adjustable rates on sub-prime loans pushing them beyond many consumers’ ability to pay. Foreclosures rocketed and may be far from over. Banks and mortgage companies suffered record losses and the stock market plummeted.
 
The Fed has responded by lowering the discount rate to 3% (down from 5.5% a couple months ago) to try to turn things around. It is a step in the right direction. Congress and the President are negotiating tax rebate checks as another band-aid.
 
What else can you do? Here are a few suggestions:
-  If your credit is good, and your mortgage high or adjustable, you may want to refinance with a fixed loan at better rates. Keep in mind, it is more difficult to get approved right now compared to past practices.
-  If you are planning on selling your home, some predict prices may go down further this year. If you do sell, consider buying to take advantage of lower housing prices or renting (rents should be lower) until housing prices bottom out.
-  Call your charge card companies and request lower rates on your cards. They’ll usually negotiate with you if they think you might switch to a card from another bank.
-  If you have a home equity loan, contact your bank for lower interest rate options.
-  If you have solid credit and can afford it, real estate costs are dropping and there are plenty of foreclosures you can invest in. They can even be part of your 401K.
-  If you have a job, keep your nose clean and think hard before switching.
 
Here’s hoping that both your 2008 and all of ours are solid financially.  See you this weekend! 
 

Successful Single! ©2008 – Success Singles Club, Ltd. (formerly the Gourmet Advocates, Ltd.)
 
Jim Senhauser’s “Singles Notebook” column (used with permission) is ©2008 IdeaTree, Ltd., Chicago, IL 60613.
“IdeaTree” is a registered trademark of IdeaTree, Ltd.