Entries Tagged as 'blue line'

Boiler Room From the California Blue Line

March 22nd, 2013 · No Comments

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A Walk on California Avenue, Logan Boulevard, and Milwaukee Avenue

March 7th, 2013 · No Comments

Last weekend I wasn’t feeling the greatest but I was going stir crazy from being in the house too long, so I went out on a walk in Logan Square. I went north on California, west on Logan Boulevard, and then south east on Milwaukee Avenue. I was practicing using my 24-105 lens again. When I started off, I had the thought that I’ve walked this route so many times, there would be no photos to take. … but I like what I ended up with. There is always something new and interesting!

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I always admire this sign at Sierra Tire Shop and Auto Repair, since I saw a guy hand painting it last summer… or the summer before.

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I never really go to this car wash because there are other ones where you just drive through not too far away, but this self-service, coin operated car wash always reminds me of the old car wash in New London.

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Brooklyn has brownstones, Chicago has greystones.

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Iglesia Central Hispana de los Adventistas del Septimo Dia, a church on Logan Boulevard, has beautiful columns in front.

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Two more of Iglesia Central Hispana de los Adventistas del Septimo Dia.

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On the left, Church of the Advent, on the right, another beautiful greystone.

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Hand-in-hand, walking on the boulevard.

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CTA Blue Line, Logan Square station.

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A home-themed mural across the street from the Logan Square Blue Line station.

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Half Italian is a newer shop on Milwaukee Avenue (opened Mar 2012). I’ve been following them on Facebook for ages, so I finally got to stop in. Cute! They serve sandwiches in the back and lots of Italian specialty groceries in the front.

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Shop 1021 is another newer shop on Milwaukee Avenue (opened in June 2012 by the owners of Play). Nice place! Lots of books, stationary, gifts. I saw several things I wanted to buy, but resisted… for now!

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Uncharted Books has been on Milwaukee Avenue since January 2012. This is a pretty cool used book store.

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The eagle that sits on the top of the Illinois Centennial Monument at Logan Square.

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Just some mural/graffiti that drew me in.

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Never noticed this cute lobster on Las Islas Marianas sign.

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Cool truck across from Dos de Oro. The place is still closing, though.

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The building that Gaslight Coffee Roasters is in. This is a great coffee shop. It opened in the fall last year, I think.

22_bank_for_savings
Bank for savings. Not for ________.

23_el_condor
El Condor! Literally!

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CTA blue line train going into the California station.

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Stringer Bell Will Fix It!

March 2nd, 2013 · No Comments

Somehow I found myself here one night:

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UGH! It’s by our old office and basically an extension of Moe’s. Self pity! But then on the train ride home I looked up and saw this:

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And all was well with the world.

I always forget that Idris Alba is British because I was so used to his American accent in The Wire. See the Tanqueray commercials and hear the British accent here.

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A walk on California, from Armitage to Milwaukee

February 22nd, 2013 · No Comments

Steve recommended Dodd Camera to me, so last weekend I took my camera there for a cleaning. I’d been noticing some spots in my photos and usually that means the sensor is dirty. I’ve had the camera for 6 years and have never gotten it cleaned, so I guess it was due! Anyway…. I didn’t wait around for the cleaning, but they called me to come pick it in less than 24 hours of when I dropped it off. Dodd is close enough to my house that that I walked there and back when I picked my camera up. On the way back home, I took some photos. This was with my 24-105 lens, which I need to practice on in the next month, in preparation for a trip! So, here are some photos I took on my walk from Dodd Camera, home.

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Tastee Freez is an old time-y ice cream stand that is only open in the warm months.

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I took Jess (B) there once for a sweet treat.

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I noticed that Brand BBQ was all papered up. A sign on the door said that they’re doing renovations. Who knows if that’s true or not. Dallas and I ate there once when they first opened a few years ago and didn’t love it. I don’t think we’ve ever been back.

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This part of Logan Square is really in flux. New stuff next to old stuff, more well off next to less well off.

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Some of the buildings are really old and ornamental.

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Some of the buildings are very new.

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Salem Evangelical Free Church seems to have been around forever.

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Here I spotted some graffiti made of wood. I can’t remember the artist who does this, but his “work” is all around Logan Square and Bucktown.

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Bang Bang Pie used to be a food truck before they opened a storefront in 2011.

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Ronny’s was a dive-y bar that closed in 2010 and has been empty since.

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Funky old house.

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I was taking some photos of the Chicago Fire Department, Station #43, when this happened:

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Exciting.

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Engine #43 has a Facebook page they use to stay in touch with the local community.

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They’re also the station that responded to the fire behind our house. Thankful to have them so closeby!

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township

This used to be Pancho’s, a Mexican/Puerto Rican restaurant/bar/performance space. Now it’s Township, an American, with a slightly Indian twist, restaurant/bar/performance space. I went to Township with Jess (G) once for dinner and it was decent. I’ve been meaning to go back.

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Little Mel’s. One place I haven’t been!

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Entrance to the California stop on the Blue Line.

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Under the Blue Line tracks, facing northwest.


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California Blue Line Views

January 22nd, 2013 · No Comments

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