The Neighborhood
Coco and I took a break on this beautiful day to hike down to the local grocery. When I experience days like this in Chicago (temperature in the 60's, sunny, blue sky), I remember why I love to live here and why I put up with February.
We live in such an interesting and ethically diverse neighborhood. I love the countryside, but I would really miss the tiny ethnic restaurants that line Kedzie Avenue.
Especially when you can feast on half of a roast chicken with fresh garlic sauce for $3.50!!! Take THAT, you fast food restaurants!
Or experience Argentine dulche de leche gelata on Lawrence Avenue. Yum.
So we set out across the campus at North Park University which is looking particulary lovely this time of year. A sea of daffodils by the North Branch of the Chicago River. Um, after we both got a little cookie at Schlegal's Bakery. Because that is required.
Then, it was to Andy's Fruit Ranch. I am so INTO local groceries and bakeries lately, and I can't wait to find a butcher. All of that fresh produce and those imported treats and fresh mozzarella. Not to mention amazingly lower prices. Thank you, diverse neighborhood, for delivering me from generic corporate same-ness. Sigh.
Coco was in an olfactory frenzy...so many good smells! From all directions! At once!! We passed by an elementary school on the way home where little children came pouring out of the doors and swarmed the sidewalks. Shouts of "Nice dog! Nice dog, lady!" all around. Four or five different languages...murmurs, shouts, chatter.
Coco is now snoring loudly in the living room, completely tuckered out from her adventure. And I'm back to working on the windows. But there will be fresh mozzarella and plum tomatoes for supper.
(photos courtesy of the Yellow Pages project at Amazon.com)
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Comments
Ooooh I'm so jealous. Our little "village" is very nice...but definitely not ethnically diverse (It's Whitefish Bay...but the locals call it White Folks Bay). Nor does it have such a great selection of local food vendors. But hopping in the car and driving into Milwaukee 10 minutes and I can get all the diversity I want!
Posted by: Heather | April 21, 2005 6:23 PM
Right on! I agree with you whole heartedly. Everything you want can be found at local, non-corporate places, and often times you get better service and competitive prices. Just today I was talking with someone about a movie I rented and the talk turned to rental places. I go to Old Town Video and they go to Block Buster. To make a long story short, the price and selection where the same. The difference is that 2 weeks ago I stopped in after work and suddenly realized I had no cash. The owner was there and sees me on a regular basis and said, "No problem, I'll just bill it to your account and you can pay tomorrow when you return it." Take THAT Block buster!!
Posted by: Grex | April 21, 2005 6:29 PM
Wow, I had no idea about the Amazon Yellow Page thingy. So, of course, my jaw dropped when I clicked the link and all the stuff in my 'hood popped up, thanks to magical (computer) cookies. Neat.
I grew up in suburbia, where the only students of color in my school were bused in from Hartford, so I think it's fantastic to be in the statistical minority now in Providence. Almost every weekend in the summer, one group or another - Dominican, Cape Verdean, Puerto Rican, etc. - throws a huge pride festival and parade. My mother grew up in a diverse neighborhood in the '50s and when we buried my grandmother, she looked around at all the different ethnicities in the names engraved on the stones nearby and said, "Wow, Mom would get a kick out of this; she'd be right at home here."
And hooray for shopping locally: "Keep your town in business by keeping your business in town."
Posted by: Kristen | April 21, 2005 7:18 PM
I LOVE our neighborhood, too! :)
Posted by: Ruth | April 21, 2005 8:56 PM
Oh it sounds like a wonderful afternoon. I think your dog officially has a better life than me! The roast chicken & garlic sauce sounds delicious!! WTG for shopping locally. I totally agree. You have to support the little guy. They are almost always grateful for your business and the service is usually more personal isn't it.
Posted by: chrisc | April 22, 2005 9:43 AM
I am so jealous of you right now! My town is so NOT diverse. But I like the small-town pizza joint, grocery store and hardware store. Who needs big box retailers?
Posted by: Kristin | April 22, 2005 10:13 AM
we have this awesome grocery only 10min walk away from our house that's been there for ages. they buy bulk and re-package into smaller/larger quantities. organic fruits, vegetables, coffee- you name it, they've got it (even buffalo!) the only thing that sucks is that no one that works there knows how to bag the groceries! who puts bananas at the bottom of the bag anyhow???
Posted by: deb | April 22, 2005 11:31 AM
I agree completely. I've always been one to spend my money where I live. But I do need my Burger King fix once in a while...POPS"30"
Posted by: POPS | April 22, 2005 11:35 AM
Mmmmm, garlic sauce...
Yeah, I'm a homegrown food junkie. I'm lucky-cursed enough to have picked a town with a lot of neat small businesses downtown. My Saturday morning has gotten a little out of hand:
-stop by the spice shop
-stop by the bakery
-stop by the big box grocery for basics :-(
-stop by the specialty grocery for yummy things
-stop by the farmers market for produce
Yea for diverse little enclaves!
Posted by: Jess | April 22, 2005 1:24 PM
I'm so homesick for Chicago... :,(
On the bright side, three more weeks until our farmer's market opens! Hooray!
Posted by: Tully Monster | April 25, 2005 2:19 AM