Roger that
Almost 10 miles north of ‘the loop’, Rogers Park is the northernmost and supposedly most diverse neighborhood in Chicago. In fact, Wikipedia says, “The 2000 census data, like those of 1980 and 1990, showed it to be one of the most diverse communities, if not the most diverse, in the entire country.” Before we moved here everyone we’d ask about it would respond with something like:
“Oh yeah, Rogers Park is sooo cool. It’s got like African immigrants. It’s so diverse. Really good food. ”
In my exploration thus far, outside of the train-tracks all I’ve seen around here is block after block of old brick apartment buildings identical to our own with wrought iron gates in front of their entrances and windows. It looks like a combination of a government housing projects and the cold-war era Soviet housing. Maybe the diversity here is due to all different types of people willing to be packed away into tiny apartments in exchange for cheap rent. I have yet to find any enticing ethnic restaurants or confirm a single African immigrant sighting.
Although orders of magnitude larger than our tent, the apartment we’re renting for the month is still comically small. We’d fit in it pretty well if it weren’t already full of someone else’s belongings. Outside of our 2nd story windows have a stunning vista of all 4 tracks of the Chicago’s Famous “Red Line“.
Every few seconds a boxy stainless steel clad train full of people passes by – heading to or from downtown. The Chicago Metro system is quite dated and the section of track in front of our window seems especially crappy. The trains noisily rattle and shake by while the tracks emit huge blinding arcs of electricity, brighter than one million suns illuminate the entire apartment and ruin our eyesight as we instinctively glance up at the commotion. Whenever the trains stop in front of us Lauren and I try to get the attention of it’s passengers with our headlamps and our flailing arms. We’re thinking about making signs for our windows but most people don’t look out of the train window.
Although it’s temporary, small, noisy and not in the hipster hotbed (Logan Square) it is nice being able to sit around and cook things with Lauren in a place of our own. It’s been a really, really long time since we’ve nested.
Our Laurens nest egg is quickly disappearing. We need jobs.
-J
The trick to grabbing the attention of the quick commuter is to make your advertisment extra long, to allow it time to be seen as the world goes racing past.
jacob and i are enjoying nesting in our little place as well. he’s cooking me stir-fry. mmm…
Hey guys just found your blog from thechainlink.org
This is some funny as hell blogging!! Im looking to go on my own tour next warm cycle! Welcome to Chicago!!
And oh..the african immigrants..you don’t see them cause they are all out driving taxi’s all the time!! haha
Peace be to you!
hi! glad you see the humor in it…we’ve had a lot of readers that seem to just be confused by the whole thing. thanks for stopping by!
I know lots of African immigrants. When I walk through my campus, sometimes I won’t hear a single word of English spoken and often can’t recognize the language. It’s nice.
We’ve got African immigrants living in *our* Tucson neighborhood, and nobody’s ever accused *us* of being cool. Quite the opposite, actually.
And lots of bored commuters entertain themselves by peeping in apartment windows as they go by – you’d be amazed at some of the shit that people put up/act out in their windows just to try and freak out the passengers.
First!
Sup Lar and Jar? Good touring y’all have been up to. you’re both so loco. Pedal back to AZ soon, and take it easy…
Waddup Nickel!!? So good to hear from you!
Haha yeah we be crazy. How is Flagstaff…you shreddin up those trails?
Don’t worry we’ll come back around to AZ…a plan is in the works!
Ya, the trails have been shredded. Doing well up here in the PhlaggStaff. Keep the hobo up…
Enjoy every sandwich
PHLAGG huh…is that like PHish…or pHat cyles…thats PHaanPHuckintastic nickel.
maybe jared and i should move to flagstaff. i miss the mountains!
No you won’t. I will never see either of you ever again.
Yes you will, Mickey. Because you, me, and about six other people are going to go visit them and play clown car in their new apartment.