too many things to write about in this post to give it just one subject title

sorry i've been so absent in blog land! i was gone for a day and then spent a lot of today getting photos uploaded/processed. so where do i begin? let's see...

okay, since the chicago blackhawks are playing to win the championship {as i type }, i thought it would be appropriate to post about my day in chicago yesterday. actually, whether or not they were playing, i'd still post about it. i have a feeling that this post will take so long to prepare, the game will be over by the time i'm done... lot's of pictures!

well, i guess i could start with this picture, which was one of my favorites of the day...

...and the main reason i went to the city yesterday. this is the sign on the door of the coffee shop where i spent a better part of the day. a constantly rainy day, but a very nice day none the less.

once, early on in my friendship with my best friend, she told me that she sees me as what is known as a "connector"... a term she found in a book that she read. i'm not sure of the exact definition, but it is something to effect of someone who connects other people to each other in unique and specific ways.

yesterday, i did just that. well, actually it started a bit before that. remember when i mentioned a friend in my recent post who rode by on her bicycle? well, she has a daughter in college {who i also call friend } who is taking a month-long summer course with eight other students, a week of which will be spent in chicago researching and interviewing to prepare for some feature writing about the city. she has to write a blog in conjunction with her travels/adventures.

her mom asked me to go look at the blog, and i was happy to. when i started reading there, i discovered from one of her posts that she really wanted to do a feature piece on the neighborhood of bucktown/wicker park. this is where my brother lives and thrives... an arts-saturated, trendy and very interesting place, to say the least. you'll find so much diversity there... in the people, restaurants, shops, housing. so i wrote to her and offered to hook them up for an interview. she was hoping to get some good info for her piece, and she invited me along to walk around and take pictures with her if it worked out. hahaha... she did not have to twist my arm on that one!

my brother has a lot of connections, views and perspectives on that neighborhood, so she was super excited at the prospect, and i was so happy to help! so i connected them! i set up an interview at the place of my brother's choosing and at a time they were both able to make it. and i went along for the ride! i was soooo happy to get out of the house and get my mind off of finding a job for a bit.

okay... i'm already getting too wordy! i'll just let the pics speak for themselves {with some captions }. and maybe a few more words at the end.

the coffee shop.
some views of this artsy, bohemian cafe...

love love love those windows as art on the wall!

if you go there without a laptop, you almost don't fit in.
i think my friend and i were the only two without them.


the coffee.

i kid you not... this was some of the best coffee i ever had!
ipsento is the name of the coffee shop where we met.
they are quickly becoming very known for their incredible coffee!
it's just a tiny little place, but what they lack in size,
they more than make up for in flavor!
i forgot the name of this one,
but it had coconut milk and cayenne pepper,
and it was AMAZING!
absolutely delicious!

they also have delicious scones
and wonderful fresh, healthy food, too!
my brother bought me a hummus
and veggie naan {pita-like } wrap.
thanks, nate!
{kind of neat side note... all the sandwiches are named
after famous writers... dickinson, c.s. lewis, keillor, austen }


the brother.
he's my eldest sibling and a coffee connoisseur of sorts.

he, too, has a blog.


the interview.

this was another one of my fave shots of the day.
i went outside and took her picture through the window.
i love how you can see the street in the reflection!




isn't she darling?
she looks like a pro!





the photo walk.

when they were done with the interview, she and i walked around
the neighborhood to get some pictures of typical
bucktown/wicker park streets.
this is what we found...

the very famous margie's candies and ice cream shop
on the corner of armitage and western... the beatles were here.

the blue line tracks
{part of the "L" train transportation system }

i know it's blurry, but i like it that way!


some store fronts... i dig the old buildings!

a shelter built by a homeless person{s }

a little sidewalk art... told you i'd look for orange!

and some green to complement!
{"meet me at the corner of giggle and snort!"
...in case you couldn't read it.}

and last, but not least, of the street shots,
my absolute favorite photo of the day!!

i'm making this one into a postcard!
it's as if someone set this up with props to look so good.
but it's not set up.
it was just there.
and it begged to be photographed!
so i did.


and finally... the journalist.

in margie's candy shop above
and braving the rain below.



again, isn't she too cute?
i wanted her to be my next lookers and leapers subject,
so i asked her to jump.

and it wasn't quite high enough, so i had her jump again!
{her looker and leaper shots here.
you've got to see those eyes!}

i can't even say how much fun i had this day! she and her mom thanked me for helping her out, but it was they who helped me! oh, how it made me miss being young! i felt like i was in college again, hanging out with such a youngin', but this is one mature and very nice young lady, so it was like hanging out with someone my age, too! we really had fun, and i was so delighted to be a part of it!

you can also read about the day from her perspective. she has a funny little story about the way they met {before i was in the picture, since i got to the coffee shop later than they did }.

i hope you enjoyed this little trip around bucktown/wicker park in chicago!

p.s.
the blackhawks won!!!
WHOOT, chicago!