I was asking one of the regulars at the coffee shop I work at about his fiction writing. In describing it he made a comparison to Stuart Dybek. Living mostly in classics as I do, I wasn't familiar but added him to the list. As it would happen, the next day I stumbled onto a... Continue Reading →
Kenosha Public Museum - Kenosha, WI Okay, you'll have to forgive me. This isn't in Chicagoland but it was a very cool exhibit all about the development of the mystery/crime genre as told through art and only an hour or so away from the city! Looking for a mini-adventure we jumped in the car and... Continue Reading →
Chicago History Museum - 1601 N. Clark Street The permanent "Chicago Authored" exhibit at the Chicago History Museum is pretty rad. Celebrating "how those who write about Chicago shape our understanding of the city," it's the museum's first ever crowdsourced exhibition. Yup, back in 2013, people were given some 450 topics to chose from and... Continue Reading →
Oak Park Public Library (Maze Branch) – 845 Gunderson Ave. Last week we checked out the Dole Branch of the Oak Park Public Library, today let's head over to the South Branch, better known as the Maze Branch, renamed so in 1957 after a community librarian. The South Branch originally opened in 1915 in a... Continue Reading →
Oak Park Public Library (Dole Branch) – 255 Augusta St. Recently we headed out west to check out the Dole Branch of the Oak Park Public Library. (Check out our posts profiling the main Oak Park Library and it's connection to Ernest Hemingway). The smallest of the three OPPL branches, the Dole Branch opened in... Continue Reading →
Little Free Library - N. Wayne Ave & W. Balmoral Ave Hello! Today we're highlighting two Little Free Libraries we came across while wandering the streets of Andersonville, admiring the old houses. The first, at the corner of N. Wayne & W. Balmoral, is super colorful and fun. Plus, while I was taking these pictures... Continue Reading →
Volumes Bookcafe - 1474 N. Milwaukee Ave A recent addition to Wicker Park, Volumes Bookcafe opened on N. Milwaukee Ave in the spring of 2016. It is a very clean, curated space that also includes a cafe that serves, among other things, delicious, delicious Metropolis Coffee. Started by sisters Rebecca and Kimberly George, the shop... Continue Reading →
Quimby's - 1854 W. North Avenue I am embarrassed to say I had never been to Quimby's over in Wicker Park until my good friend Kate recently took me there for the first time. As a punk rock kid growing up in the late 90s I would've dropped a ton of money here. Zines upon... Continue Reading →
The Armadillo's Pillow - 6753 N. Sheridan Rd. Growing up my bedroom was the only place I felt safe. I spent hours and hours by myself, covering every inch of it with painting, writings, and all sorts of random things until it felt wholly and completely mine. It could not exist anywhere else or have... Continue Reading →
