Rain and Train Delays

Today was a bit of a wash, all things considered. I traveled a couple miles south to see the area between Depaul and the city, and ended up walking around an area full of homogeneous retail stores in hopes of finding something interesting. The most I found was Peets Coffee, a national chain with far better coffee than Starbucks(better, as in they don't roast it until the acid could melt the brake pads off a Buick). Today's Red Eye poll had the local Intelligentsia Coffee ranked above Peets, and everybody says it's great, so Tomorrow I may have to seek one out. I also plan to get down to the University of Chicago to see an art gallery I read about somewhere, but that may be next week.

The trains have been delayed due to construction on the tracks I use to get to the loop, and there was a fire on Tuesday in a building next to the tracks that's choked up one of the busiest areas in the system. I carry a book in my jacket to read during the delays now- score one for dead tree media.

I've been thinking about Fort Wayne as I walk around this city and explore the kinds of establishments so many in my hometown yearn for. Fort Wayne has two great used bookstores, this city has dozens. Fort Wayne has a handful of great little bars and venues, this city has scores. I spent my whole undergrad with small town expatriates who spent much time comparing Fort Wayne with larger cities, and most of them had been to Chicago at some point, so it became the gold standard to a whole crowd of corn-fed hipsters. Now that I'm here, I'm starting to see how one city can have so much happening. The rich culture and thriving independent businesses cater to a population so densely packed around them that the population has taken to high-rises out of necessity. Outward expansion lead to slums, and the whole eastern edge is Lake Michigan, so the past twenty years have seen a return to the city with massive renovations to old buildings to make more housing. There are at least two properties being remodeled between where I am and the El stop down the street, thus the process is ongoing. Vibrant neighborhood culture is the one positive aspect that I can see to overcrowding.

But wait! As I'm typing this, the local TV news is reporting a new outdoor sculpture in Grant Park. Something with giant iron torsos with legs, and lots of 'em. There's my Friday so far, then. To the Bat-poles!