You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘Evanston’ tag.
Did you know that before I moved to Chicago in January I had never visited the city before? Nope. When I moved to Chicago I knew nothing about it. I mean nothing.
This is what I learned after one year of being a Chicagoan:
- Evanston does not = Chicago. Not even close. But before I moved to Illinois I thought they were one and the same. Just a hop, skip and a quick L ride, right? Wrong.
- It’s the “L” not the “El”. Rookie mistake. My bad!
- Not everything south of the Loop is scary, although so many North-Siders tried to convince me of that before I ventured down that way.
- Not everyone talks like they do in that SNL skit about “Da Bears”.
- Nobody really says “Da Bears”, which is kinda disappointing.
- The Cubs really do suck that bad. And so does the traffic around Wrigleyville. Ugh.
- There is more to Chicago than just the Bean. But you would never know that if you knew my Virginia friends. For some reason the only pics they took in the city were of that freaking bean, and I was convinced that that was all that existed!
- Some Chicagoans don’t like Oprah. And here I thought everyone loved, loved, loved her! Gee, did I feel dumb.
- The Chi in Chi Town is pronounced like “Shy”, not like “Chai”. Whoops!
- You don’t eat ketchup on a hot dog. And thank goodness for that because I like the Chicago-style dog way better. When ordering, I now say, “Extra sport peppers, mister, please!”
- Chicago police officers are extra nice to you if you ask for their help on the RedEye crossword puzzle. I’ve never seen such attentive officers when I ask them what the answer to 44-Down is!
- The city is just as lively in the winter as it is in the summer. I thought -14 degree nights would scare Chicagoans into hibernation, but that’s not the case. The city is buzzing in the winter and there are so many cool things to be discovered.
- According to seasoned residents, “real” Chicagoans don’t wear gloves, long johns or own snow boots. Many “real” Chicagoans I have spoken to say that they just don’t invest in warm weather clothing like newcomers do. I am still investigating this claim.
- Whoever said that the Lake Effect doesn’t hit Chicago is dead wrong. They obviously didn’t live through the Chi winter of 2009. Remember all that snow?
- Chicago is a great place to live. The people are so friendly; the neighbourhoods are diverse and interesting; the local cuisine is out of this world and there is so much to be discovered. I love it here.
Of course I have learned so much about Chicago over the year, and am so thankful for all of the amazing people I have met that have befriended me and made it so welcoming.
Thank you and Happy Holidays!
Dev xx
Everything is in bloom on Northwestern’s Evanston campus. I just love the colours in this picture!
Dev xx
Located at 828 W. Noyes Street.
What better way to start off one’s weekend than with brunch. Not just for the proverbial ladies-who-lunch and their designer bags anymore, the Noyes Street Cafe mixes high-brow aesthetics with the affordability of an IHop.
With its non-pretentious storefront, I honestly would have never suspected that such a laid back, and relaxing restaurant resided beyond the glass facade.
Other patrons may have been thinking the same thing as I, because a Saturday morning breakfast excurion rarely begins with a quick sitting in one of the restaurant’s best tables. Today it did. 
The menu offers selections from brunch to a la carte. The brunch menu does not include the standard expectation of buffet style offerings, but rather a choice of delicious spreads of lox breakfast, to steak and eggs, to benedicts. The brunch comes with a choice of muffins and hash browns, and arrives fabulously with a mimosa.
Mimosas.
The brunch meals appeared to come with more than the lion’s share of food, and I was not entirely sure that I could stomach such a quantity. Therefore I decided that a la carte may be more my speed.
After careful inspection of the options, I decided on the Noyes Street Omelette, with hash browns (my favorite), and pancakes. A large meal in itself! And as I couldn’t resist the temptation of mimosas, I placed an order for one as well. I figured, when restaurants name an item on the menu after its location, it usually does not disappoint. Right again! The omelette came stuffed with spinach, ripe grape tomatoes, and cheese. It was golden brown on the outside, and soft and moist on the inside. Throughout the entire meal, the omelette remained piping hot, the cheese gooey and stringy.
Noyes Street Omelette.
Mimosas truly are the best part of any brunch. A refreshing reminder of the, hopefully, restful, relaxation yet to come during the weekend. It compliments any dish, and bestoys that healthy dose of Vitamin C. Couldn’t we all use a little more?
The pancakes were the perfect acompanyment to the meal. The sweet to satisfy the salty. They were served with a generous dollop of butter and a side of fresh maple syrup.
But just as I suspected, I was unable to finish the meal. Packed to the proverbial rim with carbs, the meal filled me up in no time. However I maintain that I made a sizeable dent!
I could not have been more pleased with my meal, and definitely have my hopes set on going back in the future for dinner… to feast on some of the Cafe’s drool-worthy pasta dishes, and fresh fish. Open typically from 11 a.m.-10 p.m., there’s always the opportunity to stop by.
Another interior view.
The waitstaff was prompt and polite, and I would be hardpressed to find anything worth complaining about at this delightful cafe. So head north into Evanston and be sure to check it out. (Purple line Noyes stop.) Just make sure you leave your Prada at home.
-Ileana
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!
Spotted on a red line El train headed toward Howard.
Usually, I am not one to promote vandalism – that is, unless, it is hilarious vandalism.
Please floss.
Dev xx
As you have undoubtedly read, or are about to read, Devin and I took a much needed “mental health lunch” off the Purple Line Noyes stop at Al’s Deli. After hearing glowing reviews of the Deli from a classmate, we knew we had to check it out. That and we had one final exam under our belts. It was time for a preemptive celebration.
We were not disappointed.
Al's Deli storefront.
Al’s Deli is a French cuisine-inspired cafe, part boulangerie, part patisserie. The deli’s owner is a reserved man who clearly relishes his work, and the tasty creations coming out of his kitchen. Al’s has been in business since 1949, and the family’s name, Pottinger, means soup maker in French. And judging by the amount of people I saw ordering the soup of the day, I would surmise that Al’s does a pretty good job of that too.
Left: Baguette of jambon et fromage. Right: Roast beef baguette with blue cheese dressing.
Skipping out on the soup, I went straight for the tried-and-true baguette au jambon. The sandwich I ordered was stuffed with generous cuts of ham and brie. The baguette the sandwich came on was thick and crusty, the kind that makes your jaw hurt with satisfaction after finishing. The sandwich came with lettuce and tomato fixings, and a Dijon mustard. In retrospect, I should have 86ed the mustard, and simply requested a drizzling of extra virgin olive oil. Even with this minor adjustment, this was one of the best sandwiches I’ve had in a long, long time. (Read: possibly ever!) Not since I’ve visited France have I had such fresh, delicious bread. Such blatant disregard for cholesterol and carbohydrate oversight. Heaven.
Devin ordered the roast beef baguette with blue cheese dressing. Look to her entry about the deli for her thoughts, but from the sampling I had of the fabulous dressing, I can truly say that I have never had a more fresh, creamy dressing that was so perfect for a sandwich in my life. And if there were any witnesses to hold testament to the inhaling of our lunches, it was evident that this meal was spot on.
The "secret recipe" cookies that taunt unsuspecting passerbys from the window.
An inside view of the deli.
One of my all-time favorite drinks, Orangina, sold here.
The deli certainly has a lot of old-world european charm. Harking back to a simpler time of the local, corner bistro, Al’s Deli seeks to impress with the simple decadence of fresh bread and ingredients, and the attentive personality of a friend who remembers your “usual.”
This deli is sure to become a favorite of ours, and we would love to share it with you. Please visit Al’s, as well as its delightfully clever web site, at 914 Noyes St., in Evanston.
Oh, and leave the diet at home, you’re going to want to stay for dessert. :)
-Ileana
