blue line

Entries Tagged as 'blue line'

Red Ornament

December 23rd, 2011 · No Comments

I walk through 203 N. LaSalle every day as an indoor shortcut from the Clark/Lake blue line. I noticed my reflection one day in their holiday decorations. Apparently, I like to take this kind of photo:

- Roscoe Village Community Christmas Tree (love this one!)

- Dallas and I at Breakfast at Kitsch’n This Morning

I thought I had more examples but I can’t find them right now.

I Always Feel Like Somebody’s Watching Me

December 9th, 2011 · No Comments

Cathay Pacific is an airline I’d never heard of til I saw this ad at the Clark & Lake Blue Line station. Creepy!

Dave’s Surprise Birthday Dinner

November 15th, 2011 · No Comments

Dave & Brian

Bob, Cat, Dave

Brian, Dave, James

For Dave’s 40th birthday his wife, Cat, and his friends planned a surprise birthday dinner for him at Francesca’s Forno. Cat took the kids and went out to her sister’s house in the suburbs, making Dave think he had a free night to go out with the guys. Dallas and Andy and Brian hung out with him and played bags in the backyard – it was unseasonably warm for November. Then they convinced him to go to Flat Iron to play pool at about 7:00. Flat Iron is right across the street from Francesca’s, which maybe wasn’t the best idea, since everyone else had planned to meet at the restaurant at 7:00. Francesca’s is right across the street from the Damen Blue Line and as I crossed, I just about ran right into Dave and Dallas and the group. I swore that Dave looked right into my eyes, but I quick dashed out of the way and turned a corner. Whew!

So, the rest of us met inside Francesca’s. The guys left Flat Iron to go to get some wings at Northside. As they were passing by Francesca’s they said “oh, Brian texted me and is here for a drink, let’s stop in” and so they came into the restaurant.* The funny thing is that Brain was there… sitting at our table, a table with Dave’s wife and friends… and Dave saw him and the first thing he said was “wow, Brian is here with a big group!” And then it hit him. He was so surprised!

For dinner we had a ton of appetizers for the table – pizzas, charcuterie, cheese, meatball sliders. I was almost too full to order an entree. I got a grouper in browned butter with capers and crispy potatoes and really liked it. I love capers. And the potatoes were great. Dallas got the seasonal risotto and did not like it. He said it wasn’t cooked right and it was way under seasoned.

Other than the risotto, we liked of the food we had. I’d only been to Francesca’s Forno one time before and it was years ago. Since then they’ve done a whole remodel and overhaul of the restaurant. I liked it.

After dinner we went to the Northside, but most people only stayed for one or two drinks. It was packed in the bar and Dallas and the guys had been drinking beers since 3 p.m. We called it an early night and went home at about 11.

* I think this is what happened but I’m not 100% clear! The important part is that they got him over there and it was a surprise. Also, Dave does not remember looking right at me.

CTA’s Renew Crew is at the California Blue Line

September 22nd, 2011 · 3 Comments

A couple days ago, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and CTA President Forrest Claypool announced a new “Station Renewal Initiative.” Since the day of the announcement, crews have been in the station that I use daily, the California Blue Line.

I’ve noticed they’ve been painting a lot of the metal rails in the station. The CTA Station Renewal web page says they’ll also be power washing walls, floors, stairs and ceilings; repainting painted surfaces; making lighting improvements; removing graffiti; cleaning gutters and drains; replacing outdated or damaged signage and replacing windbreaks. The California Blue Line station has been open since 1895 and honestly, it looks like it. It’s not falling to pieces, there’s not a lot of graffiti, but it definitely could use some TLC.

I hope they take some before and after photos like they did for the Logan Square Blue Line clean up, one stop north of the California station.

Logan Square Neighborhood Walk: California Avenue

July 23rd, 2011 · 1 Comment

One day a few months ago, I was wanting to go for a walk, but wanting to go somewhere new. I used to do these “neighborhood walks” and post photos on this site, but haven’t done it forever. So, I decided that maybe over the course of this summer I will try to walk Logan Square. When you look up Logan Square boundaries, people have varying opinions. For this exercise, I’m going to go with these boundaries for the neighborhood: Diversey to the north, Western to the east, Armitage to the south and Pulaski to the West. However you classify it, the neighborhood is HUGE. So, I think if I do this I’ll have to break it up into a bunch of chunks. As the summer has progressed I haven’t done a great job keeping up on this project, but I’ll keep trying. Here are my photos from my walk on California Avenue from Armitage to Diversey.

Los Arista Food & Liquors

A strip mall in Logan Square. The Papa John’s is new this year.

Zen Salon for Men

Condo building.

Salem Evangelical Free Church

Ronny’s

More Condos

Mandy’s Cleaners

For Sale

14th District Police Department

Cafeteria de Pancho

Little Mel’s

This place is going to be Masada’s (Middle Eastern). It’s been under construction since we moved to Logan Square, but seems to actually be making progress now. I like the look.