The name Margaux Eliot is new on the literary block in Chicago. Like her main character in her twisty, reality-TV-stoked whirlwind of a debut novel, Honeymoon Stage (Little A, Nov. 4), there's more than meets the eye for this ambitious ingenue dedicated to all things fun and pop culture-addicted. In fact, Margaux may seem more familiar when you realize that she is the other side of the coin to local author Julia Fine (The Upstairs House, Maddalena and the Dark, and What Should be Wild). Fine wanted to step out of her usual narrative and write something different, the best way to do this was to give that other voice a name: Margaux Eliot. And while I'd love to have endless conversations with Eliot about Newlyweds and what it's like to step into a different persona while creating art, the most nagging questions were really about what keeps Fine (and Eliot) going throughout the day, and she even breaks gatekeeping code and shares secret spot complete with perfect order.
It's first thing in the morning, coffee or tea? And who does your favorite brew?
Coffee for sure. We have a subscription at Perkolator Coffee that means I get freshly roasted beans delivered weekly to my doorstep. The Lighthouse Breakfast Blend is phenomenal—we do it as a pour-over and drink it black and I am spoiled for anything else. If I’m popping into the coffee shop itself, I’d go to battle for their Raspberry White Mocha with macadamia milk, hot or iced.
For the most important meal of the day aka breakfast, where do you go and what do you order?
Lula Café breakfast burrito. It’s a classic for a reason.
Are you a grab-and-go lunch eater or a slow sit-down type? What's your place and order?
I generally eat leftovers at my computer, but my dream lunch is Tonkotsu ramen at Umai in Printers Row on a very cold day.
Afternoon pick me up? Snack? Caffeine or happy hour? Where is your favorite spot to jump start the evening?
Bokeh in Albany Park for a happy hour cocktail. Last fall they had one on the seasonal menu with carrot juice that I still think about constantly.
Dinner time, what place or meal brings your day to a close the right way?
I’m going to regret giving away this secret, but the double cheeseburger at Community Tavern is the best in the city (and I’ve tried all the big names). I could eat that, followed by their coconut cake, every day.
