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Though the weather today is dismal at best, I could not resist taking a few snapshots of my train ride from Evanston to downtown Chicago. Despite the obvious groaning of the 7 a.m. riders, begrudgingly heading off to work, there was the unmistakable anticipation of Friday night debauchery to come, post 5 p.m. I’m sure anyone who rides the el will certainly recognize some of these sites. Unfortunately, I forgot to charge my camera so I snapped these shots with my iPhone, but I think they still came out pretty well.
As I was riding along, I couldn’t help but wonder about the sad condition of CTA trains and tracks. Everything was under construction–no doubt completing some last minute maintenance to impress the Olympic officials– and the speed of which trains were moving were sluggish. Things appeared quite dangerous and its hard to understand, personally, how a shoddy system is expected to transport millions of more people during the Olympics (pending selection)? This Olympics bid is certainly a proverbial double-edged sword. With endorsementsrom f President Obama, Michael Jordan, and now Oprah, it’s hard to see how Chicago wouldn’t be selected. The Olympics would satisfy the city’s need for fluffing up the tourism industry, as well as creating jobs. But the question remains of what happens to these jobs after…will there be issues of public safety? What happens when the money stops rolling in?
Just thinking aloud. A little Friday morning rambling. Hope everyone is having a good day and enjoy the pictures! Let us know what your plans are for the weekend!
Protesting the 2016 Olympics in Chicago
LISTEN TO AUDIO FROM THE PROTEST ON THE LINK ABOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!
In case you missed the Olympic protest today on Adams Street, here is an audio snippet and a couple of pictures! What do you think?
Dev xx
After a disappointing night at the very un-Debonair un-Social non-Club, I needed a pick-me-up. In my usual fashion, I sought solace in food and Flash Taco, at 1570 N. Damen Ave. in Wicker Park, was just the place I needed.
Among the darkened nightclub fronts and dim-lit restaurants you will see in Wicker Park, Flash Taco reminds me of a sunny day in Pilsen. The walls are painted in rich jewel-tones, Mexican artwork hangs from the walls and high shelves display Day of the Dead skeletons dressed in fun outfits.
Mini spotlight lights showcase the art pieces and keep the place well-lit and inviting. You will wait for your order to come up after you have placed it, but calm your pre-eating jitters by perching yourself on a stool and tuning into the two plasma boob tubes Flash Taco has, which play non-stop crazy music videos.
Flash Taco’s clientele comprises drunk hipsters who have just made their way out of a club and are looking for cheap, filling food. You will find both at Flash. Oh, and do not trust the Yelpers on this one: They gave Flash Taco a poor rating, but for what it is and where it is located, it is not supposed to be pitted against the other swanky and expensive places you will find in Wicker Park.
While the menu list is extensive and there is a lot of pressure to order quickly, I found that asking the friendly guy behind the counter was my best bet to getting something tasty. He recommended the tacos al pastor, which contained tender spit-grilled pork tossed with a light, spicy sauce and married with cilantro and pungent raw onions. I should have knocked more of the onions off (my own fault since I am not a huge raw onion fan), but even though I did not, it did not hurt the tacos at all.
While the tacos were not as good as the ones I found at La Cebollita in Pilsen, I have to take into account that Flash Taco is more of a fast-food joint and unlike La Cebollita, is not family-owned and operated where the owners use only the finest authentic Mexican ingredients. Even so, Flash is good food for a good price located in a neighbourhood where good fast-food is hard to come by.
Happy eating!
Tim's chicken fajita burrito, which he thoroughly enjoyed!
A really cool painting showing the Chicago skyline on the left and a Mexican zocalo on the right, separated by a flash of lightning
Dev xx
Illinois House bans texting...
On Wednesday, the Illinois House placed a ban on texting while driving. This restriction, officials hope, with put an end to driving carelessness and accident-related fatalities.
According to the Chicago Tribune, this law was enacted by Secretary of State Jesse White and among other stipulations, includes a ban on talking on cell phones in school zones.
Passed with an 89-27 vote, the law is now sent on to the Senate, but is still far from being approved. If passed, a “texting offense” would include a traffic violation–such as rolling through a stop sign.
White has previously passed the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program, which creates supposedly safer drivers. Through a mix of extended permit time, curfews, and moderation of passengers, the initiative was relatively well-received.
It is yet to be determined whether the texting ban will be equally as lauded.
I’m not exactly sure how texting while driving had to come to a point where the law had to intervene, but I quite support the bill. Here’s hoping that this stops additional senseless car accidents.
For kicks, have a look at this outrageous video of a man texting while riding his motorcyle. Bad news.
-Ileana
Oh dear! I wasted time, money and dignity on the Debonair Social Club, located in Wicker Park at 1575 N. Miluakee Ave, this weekend.
Never has there ever been a place filled with more hipster hot mess than this lackluster bar that costs $5 too much to get in the door.
Usually when I pay a cover charge I expect to enter a sexy club with hot 20-somethings. I expect to feel young, beautiful and be surrounded by a club that makes me ooh and ahh. Well, this is just not the case with Debonair. Instead, I felt ridiculously out of place. I am only 22 but Debonair made me feel old and had me wondering if I had just walked into an underage discotheque: A bunch of barely legal kids and a few slutty-looking cougars were getting sloppy drunk and dancing poorly on a cramped dance floor.
Strike one.
Example #1 of an underaged, bad-dancing hipster that can be found at Debonair
Tim and I decided to grab a few drinks at the bar and waited for a few minutes before a bartender shouted over the eardrum-bleeding house techno to get out orders. Tim ordered and we waited for another five minutes, until we realised that our Debonairhead bartender had not even started making our drinks. When Tim enquired about where our order was, the guy acted like he never heard our order in the first place. We had to wait five more minutes for drinks.
Strike two.
After attempting to dance it out on the elevated stage, Tim and I found ourselves sandwiched between horny teens making out and young men who I can only describe as “dudes” throwing their bodies into one other. After a few songs we gave up and retired to a corner table. This is when I noticed the décor.
To keep it tacky, Debonair has proudly hung projector screens on the walls, which play slow-motion bondage videos (no nudity) intermittently with pictures of rosaries. This is not artsy or forward-thinking; it is just stupid.
Strike three.
Ugh Debonair. I could not wait to get out and I will never go back.
I leave you now with a picture of a sleepy hipster douchebag who decided to hunker down at our table to take…a nap. If Debonair was really debonair, they should have kicked this guy out but they didn’t. Further proof that Debonair Social Club is neither debonair, nor social, nor a club.
Dev xx
Jerky.com wouldn’t have you believe that they are anything ordinary. This site has captured the inner Texan in us and we are confused/intrigued by it.
Pineapple jerky for the animal-friendly consumer.
The site offers a range of bizarre jerky snacks you probably would not expect to find in thin stick form. Products like Ostrich, Pineapple, and Bacon jerky have made them a veritable success by devoted followers. The site offers the widest variety of U.S. made jerky and meat snacks made anywhere, and with a claim like that, who isn’t in the mood for a little Venison munch?
The one and only Sasquatch Jerky.
But the most exciting part about the site is their newest product release: Sasquatch Jerky. This exotic treat does not come cheap, but for a mere $499, you too can be the proud connoisseur of taste with this 100% Sasquatch decadence. We believe the prospect of entertaining friends and family with this unique treat will undoubtedly make you a host to remember!
Can’t wait to get ordering? Jerky.com has offered our Chicago readers a 10% discount if they use the coupon code ILOVECHICAGO.
Intrigued now? We are too.
-Ileana
