Sunday, June 28, 2009
the garden
a beautiful bed of lettuce being watered by one of our young volunteers
the birth of a Jalapeno
The waterproof leaf
The crisp leafy lettuce that was used in a delicious salad
the last week...
So I have been tasked to go out to the community and do outreach which means to survey the area. I enjoyed going out to the community and meeting people although it is hard because they see me as someone foreign to them so basically an outsider. Although I was able to get some positive responses from a couple of people I also encountered many negative opinions.
These are some of the thoughts
- People want a community garden and a park, some believe that this will bring the community together and positive project for the community
- on the other hand some people do not want the park because the believe that the park will be taken over by the gangs and that much more violence will break out and that the people playing at the park will be sitting ducks for the gang bangers to just pick off.
- Others are scared that if they get the plot of land for the community garden and it is given to the community, then they will use that as a standpoint to develop the area and raise taxes, which would then run families out of their houses.
- One lady told us that she " would send the army of god to get us if we continue with the idea of the park" because she does not think that the location of the park is adequate.
On that topic the park will be located right behind a jail and on a plot of land that is being illegally used by a lady to provide parking for trailers. Although it will be located behind a jail, the park, will have a wall of trees and a mural that would be placed in front of the jail to provide a visual barrier. The ladies point is that some of the people in jail will see women and children and since they are convicts that their sexual appetite will grow by seeing these people in the park.
Also, during this week I went to the court house to see where the case was at, in relation to the lady selling the plot of land for our park. During this time I was surprised to find out that it is the city that has been taking so long on getting their appraisal in, but as always the real problem is that the money from both sides is off by a couple million dollars. So now if both parties cannot come out with an agreement then it will have to go to a trial and well you know how long this can take:(
Now back to some gang action. During our outreach we encountered a car called the rammer and that belongs to the Latin Kings gang. this car is used to ram into other cars of rival gangs. I was able to see this first hand. Peter and I were walking out of the gas station towards our block to go do outreach and while we were crossing the street we heard this very loud revving of an engine we looked back and it was a black SUV that had no windows and a big metal bumper and about four people in it. The rammer crashed into a Tahoe or a Yukon, Another SUV, and almost flipped the car. The girl that was in the car seemed to know what was going on and as soon as the car bounced back down on all four wheels she hit the gas and took off and the gang bangers followed. After that I have no clue what happened but this seems to be a usual occurrence because we were informed by someone else that was walking down the street about how all this works.
On an even more exciting topic we pulled some more radishes out and some amazing Lettuce from the garden. I mean the lettuce is beautiful! it has some amazing crisp leafs that are just full of life and an amazing green color, i mean every bight I took of the salad we made with it later was just so flavorful and it was way better than all that store bought stuff.
That's all for this week
These are some of the thoughts
- People want a community garden and a park, some believe that this will bring the community together and positive project for the community
- on the other hand some people do not want the park because the believe that the park will be taken over by the gangs and that much more violence will break out and that the people playing at the park will be sitting ducks for the gang bangers to just pick off.
- Others are scared that if they get the plot of land for the community garden and it is given to the community, then they will use that as a standpoint to develop the area and raise taxes, which would then run families out of their houses.
- One lady told us that she " would send the army of god to get us if we continue with the idea of the park" because she does not think that the location of the park is adequate.
On that topic the park will be located right behind a jail and on a plot of land that is being illegally used by a lady to provide parking for trailers. Although it will be located behind a jail, the park, will have a wall of trees and a mural that would be placed in front of the jail to provide a visual barrier. The ladies point is that some of the people in jail will see women and children and since they are convicts that their sexual appetite will grow by seeing these people in the park.
Also, during this week I went to the court house to see where the case was at, in relation to the lady selling the plot of land for our park. During this time I was surprised to find out that it is the city that has been taking so long on getting their appraisal in, but as always the real problem is that the money from both sides is off by a couple million dollars. So now if both parties cannot come out with an agreement then it will have to go to a trial and well you know how long this can take:(
Now back to some gang action. During our outreach we encountered a car called the rammer and that belongs to the Latin Kings gang. this car is used to ram into other cars of rival gangs. I was able to see this first hand. Peter and I were walking out of the gas station towards our block to go do outreach and while we were crossing the street we heard this very loud revving of an engine we looked back and it was a black SUV that had no windows and a big metal bumper and about four people in it. The rammer crashed into a Tahoe or a Yukon, Another SUV, and almost flipped the car. The girl that was in the car seemed to know what was going on and as soon as the car bounced back down on all four wheels she hit the gas and took off and the gang bangers followed. After that I have no clue what happened but this seems to be a usual occurrence because we were informed by someone else that was walking down the street about how all this works.
On an even more exciting topic we pulled some more radishes out and some amazing Lettuce from the garden. I mean the lettuce is beautiful! it has some amazing crisp leafs that are just full of life and an amazing green color, i mean every bight I took of the salad we made with it later was just so flavorful and it was way better than all that store bought stuff.
That's all for this week
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Shots Fired!!
Hello everyone,
I have been kind of busy with work and some fun here in the city so I have not written for a bit.
This week although it has been a good week has also been very eye opening. On Friday while I was at work around noonish, I heard something I though was fire works so I totally ignored it. To my surprise it was not. On the corner of my street their was a drive-by and someone was shot. I didn't realize that all this had happened because I was actually inside working with the other intern and came to realize what had happened about 30 minutes after when we heard the cops coming to the area. They taped off the site and did their investigations and left. Although no one that I know was hurt I have never been in this type of an environment. It is interesting to find out that how thing s work in Little Village, ( this is the name of the neighborhood), Basically it is divided by a street and if you live on one side of the street you belong to the Latin Kings and if you are on the other side you belong to the two six gang. Usually the kids that join are from middle and high school and do it because it is the "cool" thing to do, and need to protect themselves. It is sad that many kids get involved in these acts not willingly but because of the pressure that exists from their environment. The other interesting fact is that the gangs do not do this as a cause of drug trade, by what I was told they do not sell drugs or if they do it is a minimal amount so this reinforces that belonging to a gang is more a sense of a community for them.
My other experience with gangs or teenagers thinking they are gang banger's is because I tend to walk to the train station instead of taking the bus, which is ten blocks away. While walking down the street i saw this kid posted up on the corner and I continued my path like normal but he was in my way. so i walked very close to him and I think he felt threatened by me, because he was about 16 years old and smaller than I am, because while I was walking behind him he put his hand behind him and out of the corner of my eyes I saw a gun that he was grabbing. I didn't react immediately and kept walking till I crossed the street, i then crossed again and acted as if everything was normal and looked both ways as to see if cars were coming but trying to spot this kid again. I saw him and he continued with his hand behind his back so I just walked away thinking not to look back or make any bad moves that could compromise my safety and thankfully nothing happened. What is interesting to me is that I was never in this environment and had heard about it through friends in the military and watched it on movies, but now I know it exists and can take away Innocent lives and is harmful to society.
LVEJO also has a youth program and they do great thing with it by educating the kids on environmental issues but it is not enough! to try and erase this problem it has to be a radical change within the community and more so at home with the parents. Their can be 1000 organizations like LVEJO that promote good things and try and keep the kids off the streets but if the parents do not start at home, and the schools somehow try and eliminate the problem than it will continue to exist and harm society.
Also, this week I finally received my questionnaire from lawyers and it was revised and well now I have to setup some appointments with families and go door knocking, finally!
I also spent much of the week in the gardens and cleaning up weeding and making things look pretty, while they still produce some vegetables. Working in the garden is a very satisfying experience! Also, I am entering one of our gardens into a city contest and have to take some pictures of them, to which I just invested in a digital SLR camera and well this is my new hobby, trying to take some good pictures. I will also be taking a lot more photos so you all can see what I see and the beauty that Chicago has to offer.
Ohh I also wanted to just let you all know that if you have some time to plant something in your backyard or in a pot, even if it is one small little thing like a tomato plant, JUST DO IT, it is so rewarding to see the plant grow and give you some veggies or fruits or whatever it is you plant can produce. I mean it only will take you 5 minutes to do and a small amount of time to go to the nursery and get the plant, and maybe 2 minutes a day going to water it. But the rewards are great!! you get to eat and fill your belly with deliciousness and it was all done by YOU!
OK peeps this has been my update I hope you all are well, if you are still reading this know that I am learning a lot about our crazy world and will keep you all up to date with my findings.
CHAO
I have been kind of busy with work and some fun here in the city so I have not written for a bit.
This week although it has been a good week has also been very eye opening. On Friday while I was at work around noonish, I heard something I though was fire works so I totally ignored it. To my surprise it was not. On the corner of my street their was a drive-by and someone was shot. I didn't realize that all this had happened because I was actually inside working with the other intern and came to realize what had happened about 30 minutes after when we heard the cops coming to the area. They taped off the site and did their investigations and left. Although no one that I know was hurt I have never been in this type of an environment. It is interesting to find out that how thing s work in Little Village, ( this is the name of the neighborhood), Basically it is divided by a street and if you live on one side of the street you belong to the Latin Kings and if you are on the other side you belong to the two six gang. Usually the kids that join are from middle and high school and do it because it is the "cool" thing to do, and need to protect themselves. It is sad that many kids get involved in these acts not willingly but because of the pressure that exists from their environment. The other interesting fact is that the gangs do not do this as a cause of drug trade, by what I was told they do not sell drugs or if they do it is a minimal amount so this reinforces that belonging to a gang is more a sense of a community for them.
My other experience with gangs or teenagers thinking they are gang banger's is because I tend to walk to the train station instead of taking the bus, which is ten blocks away. While walking down the street i saw this kid posted up on the corner and I continued my path like normal but he was in my way. so i walked very close to him and I think he felt threatened by me, because he was about 16 years old and smaller than I am, because while I was walking behind him he put his hand behind him and out of the corner of my eyes I saw a gun that he was grabbing. I didn't react immediately and kept walking till I crossed the street, i then crossed again and acted as if everything was normal and looked both ways as to see if cars were coming but trying to spot this kid again. I saw him and he continued with his hand behind his back so I just walked away thinking not to look back or make any bad moves that could compromise my safety and thankfully nothing happened. What is interesting to me is that I was never in this environment and had heard about it through friends in the military and watched it on movies, but now I know it exists and can take away Innocent lives and is harmful to society.
LVEJO also has a youth program and they do great thing with it by educating the kids on environmental issues but it is not enough! to try and erase this problem it has to be a radical change within the community and more so at home with the parents. Their can be 1000 organizations like LVEJO that promote good things and try and keep the kids off the streets but if the parents do not start at home, and the schools somehow try and eliminate the problem than it will continue to exist and harm society.
Also, this week I finally received my questionnaire from lawyers and it was revised and well now I have to setup some appointments with families and go door knocking, finally!
I also spent much of the week in the gardens and cleaning up weeding and making things look pretty, while they still produce some vegetables. Working in the garden is a very satisfying experience! Also, I am entering one of our gardens into a city contest and have to take some pictures of them, to which I just invested in a digital SLR camera and well this is my new hobby, trying to take some good pictures. I will also be taking a lot more photos so you all can see what I see and the beauty that Chicago has to offer.
Ohh I also wanted to just let you all know that if you have some time to plant something in your backyard or in a pot, even if it is one small little thing like a tomato plant, JUST DO IT, it is so rewarding to see the plant grow and give you some veggies or fruits or whatever it is you plant can produce. I mean it only will take you 5 minutes to do and a small amount of time to go to the nursery and get the plant, and maybe 2 minutes a day going to water it. But the rewards are great!! you get to eat and fill your belly with deliciousness and it was all done by YOU!
OK peeps this has been my update I hope you all are well, if you are still reading this know that I am learning a lot about our crazy world and will keep you all up to date with my findings.
CHAO
Monday, June 8, 2009
Come and Visit!!
This is just for anyone that wants to come and visit please do so and come here and take advantage of the wonders that Chicago has to offer. I am in the heart of downtown and close to everything touristy their is to do and all the museums/ cultural stuff are within walking distance. Also I have discovered some good restaurants and will for sure be getting myself into some more culinary adventures soon and will let you know!!
First Protest!!
As you can see their are some pictures of the protest that we did today. The protest and press conference was about our clean air campaign.
First we installed our art that was made by our volunteers right in front of the Mayor Daly's office and everyone had to wear a clean air mask and hold up signs about how the coal power plants affect Chicago and its citizens. The press conference went well and the interesting part of it was not only the speeches and the information presented but also that their was a Russian media group visiting and they took our press conference very seriously, they asked many questions and were intrigued at why we where looking at the government for help and not the companies. To what we let them know that we are attacking both sides and proposing certain Viable solutions for the parties involved. So the exciting part might be that our issue will also be viewed in Russia!
After this we proceeded to go to the Daley center square and tried to set up our action in front of a statue known as the Picasso. As soon as we got their they asked us to leave and started talking in all military terms and were very rude to us. Since I understand all the military gibberish/ code they were talking about so I listened carefully and then asked about who their boss was and how to proceed to obtain the space. I went into the building and talked to the people in charge of the plaza and got all the info so we could use it in the future.
We also sat out and dressed up as certain characters and I happened to have to put on a blazer and be one of the rich people who owned the coal businesses. During this time we were asking people to vote either for clean air or for dirty polluted air. We will be doing this during the summer and at then end of the summer we will present this box with votes to the Mayor. Although we did get a lot of votes I feel as if many people were just in such a hurry (This is the financial district of town) that they would not even consider signing the form and voting.
After all this was my first protest and I kind of felt like a rebel. It was fun but also felt great to be out there for a good cause and trying to help the community. I also enjoy doing this and not being in an office just working behind a desk.
Ciao for now!!
First we installed our art that was made by our volunteers right in front of the Mayor Daly's office and everyone had to wear a clean air mask and hold up signs about how the coal power plants affect Chicago and its citizens. The press conference went well and the interesting part of it was not only the speeches and the information presented but also that their was a Russian media group visiting and they took our press conference very seriously, they asked many questions and were intrigued at why we where looking at the government for help and not the companies. To what we let them know that we are attacking both sides and proposing certain Viable solutions for the parties involved. So the exciting part might be that our issue will also be viewed in Russia!
After this we proceeded to go to the Daley center square and tried to set up our action in front of a statue known as the Picasso. As soon as we got their they asked us to leave and started talking in all military terms and were very rude to us. Since I understand all the military gibberish/ code they were talking about so I listened carefully and then asked about who their boss was and how to proceed to obtain the space. I went into the building and talked to the people in charge of the plaza and got all the info so we could use it in the future.
We also sat out and dressed up as certain characters and I happened to have to put on a blazer and be one of the rich people who owned the coal businesses. During this time we were asking people to vote either for clean air or for dirty polluted air. We will be doing this during the summer and at then end of the summer we will present this box with votes to the Mayor. Although we did get a lot of votes I feel as if many people were just in such a hurry (This is the financial district of town) that they would not even consider signing the form and voting.
After all this was my first protest and I kind of felt like a rebel. It was fun but also felt great to be out there for a good cause and trying to help the community. I also enjoy doing this and not being in an office just working behind a desk.
Ciao for now!!
Being introduced to the community
Hey everyone,
This weekend I was introduced to the community so that they would know I was going to be showing up at their door and asking them some questions. We went to a small restaurant that is being renovated and met in the back of it. The meeting had to deal with a plot of land that is in dispute. their is a lady that is running an illegal business their and allowing for truckers to park their but she does not have a permit. So she has already been called to court but no one has been stopping her from doing this and although she has been cited by the city and the police she continues on with her business. So the meeting was small and we did not get the amount of people we expected. we were at 11 but expected at least 30... Community organizing is a very interesting way of getting people to deal with their problems in their neighborhoods. So basically the organizer will be the center to unite everyone and kind of motivate them but not be the person to take action. what the organizer does is have everyone do the work for them, not all of it, but he is trying to get the community members to get involved and not wait for organizer to do everything but to take ownership of the problem and to be able to go out and talk to the press and help him recruit people that are suffering the same problem and that want to make a change.
so at the meeting we decided a form of action that we are taking into account and we are going to inform the truckers that they will be getting ticketed if they continue to park there and have to pay a fine and also to inform some more of the community about the problem and raise awareness throughout the community. So we were trying to discuss what we can do to get people out and as much of a foodie as I am,I suggested we provide some food! So some of the community members thought this was a great idea and offered to bring some hot dogs and buns so that people could come by and eat a little and help us protest:)
At the end of the meeting I was introduced and had to talk to them and let them know I was going to be around knocking on their doors and everyone was very welcoming and said to call them and try and set up some sort of appointment so that they could for sure be there. So it is starting to get exciting now and I will be hitting the streets for sure next week!
So that was my exciting weekend and I was also really happy because Ecuador beat Peru 2-1 in Lima and I was able to enjoy it while drinking a cold Pilsener in the windy city.
This weekend I was introduced to the community so that they would know I was going to be showing up at their door and asking them some questions. We went to a small restaurant that is being renovated and met in the back of it. The meeting had to deal with a plot of land that is in dispute. their is a lady that is running an illegal business their and allowing for truckers to park their but she does not have a permit. So she has already been called to court but no one has been stopping her from doing this and although she has been cited by the city and the police she continues on with her business. So the meeting was small and we did not get the amount of people we expected. we were at 11 but expected at least 30... Community organizing is a very interesting way of getting people to deal with their problems in their neighborhoods. So basically the organizer will be the center to unite everyone and kind of motivate them but not be the person to take action. what the organizer does is have everyone do the work for them, not all of it, but he is trying to get the community members to get involved and not wait for organizer to do everything but to take ownership of the problem and to be able to go out and talk to the press and help him recruit people that are suffering the same problem and that want to make a change.
so at the meeting we decided a form of action that we are taking into account and we are going to inform the truckers that they will be getting ticketed if they continue to park there and have to pay a fine and also to inform some more of the community about the problem and raise awareness throughout the community. So we were trying to discuss what we can do to get people out and as much of a foodie as I am,I suggested we provide some food! So some of the community members thought this was a great idea and offered to bring some hot dogs and buns so that people could come by and eat a little and help us protest:)
At the end of the meeting I was introduced and had to talk to them and let them know I was going to be around knocking on their doors and everyone was very welcoming and said to call them and try and set up some sort of appointment so that they could for sure be there. So it is starting to get exciting now and I will be hitting the streets for sure next week!
So that was my exciting weekend and I was also really happy because Ecuador beat Peru 2-1 in Lima and I was able to enjoy it while drinking a cold Pilsener in the windy city.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Ahora un poco del trabajo!!
Work this week has been interesting. I went to go buy a bike because I have been wanting to commute to work and back on a bicycle and was informed by one of my coworkers about a co-op called Working Bikes. Pete, The other intern, and I went to go and try and buy a bike each and since we were there and Lily the youth coordinator had asked me to see if their was any bikes for under $40 for the youth, I instead asked if I could get bikes donated for our organization. And it worked. I talked to Jesse who actually was the store manager and gave him a business card and he said it would be easy to donate the bikes to our organization! so it looks as if we have some bikes coming our way:) The great thing about this and why I am getting excited about it is because we not only found uses for the youth but also for everyone in the office to be able to go on bikes to do outreach within the communities, help us get out of the use of cars and set the example for the community. The other great thing is that we can use it for smaller groups that will be going on Toxic tours. Toxic Tours are run by LVEJO and they take you throughout different parts of little village and demonstrate some of the most polluted areas of Little Village. So you can get a better understanding of this all, here is a bit of facts that come from LVEJO:
I also was able to meet someone that was a school counselor and learn that even if you are an undocumented Immigrant you can still go to many of the ivy league schools because they are privately funded and would consider you an international student and not ask you for a social security number. the other interesting fact is that 5 years back the rate of students from Little Village going to college after High school was 11% and now with the hard work and dedication of the school and the counselors the rate went to 57%!
I also sat in for a presentation from 2 student from Northwestern University, Virgina and Beth, here in Chicago and they worked on a plan for an area of land the organization has been able to recuperate and will soon be a community garden with a park for kids. What I really enjoyed about the presentation is that they were trying to use rain to water the plants. The rain would be trapped in a tank and the pressure for it to be used would come from the merry-go-round every time it spins making giving it some extra pressure for the water to come out the hose. The other thing that was great is that they actually researched plants that were native to the region vice another presentation that just wanted European plants.
Also this week I have been preparing for this weekend where I will be introduced to the community that I will be working with and trying to motivate them to get organized and fix the problem of polluted soil on a plot of land in front of their houses. So I have been doing a lot of research lately and doing some role play in case they have questions for me at the time. I am also creating a questionnaire for them to figure out what the majority of their problems are, other than this plot of land.
Throughout the past ten years, Little Village Environmental Justice Organization has collaborated with a number of CPS grammar schools and high schools. The vast continuum of projects range from environmental education to community actions all geared toward raising awareness of the hazards posed by the carbon emissions released by the coal-fired power plants. The region’s largest coal-burning electrical generating plant (Crawford Station) is in Little Village, releasing 18 million pounds of sulfur dioxide, with 75% of the total particulate matter in the community each year. 46.8% of the population of Little Village is living in Dirty Diesel Hot Spots as documented by the Chicago Metropolitan Lung Association Dirty Diesel/Asthma Report in 1999. The prevalence rate for asthma is over 15% and childhood lead poisoning is over 20%.
LVEJO invested over two years of paid staff time to develop the Community Asset Toxic Tours (CATT), which take community and non-community members on a tour of some of the most polluted areas of Little Village and allow them to see the everyday struggle the residents of the area have to go through.
I also was able to meet someone that was a school counselor and learn that even if you are an undocumented Immigrant you can still go to many of the ivy league schools because they are privately funded and would consider you an international student and not ask you for a social security number. the other interesting fact is that 5 years back the rate of students from Little Village going to college after High school was 11% and now with the hard work and dedication of the school and the counselors the rate went to 57%!
I also sat in for a presentation from 2 student from Northwestern University, Virgina and Beth, here in Chicago and they worked on a plan for an area of land the organization has been able to recuperate and will soon be a community garden with a park for kids. What I really enjoyed about the presentation is that they were trying to use rain to water the plants. The rain would be trapped in a tank and the pressure for it to be used would come from the merry-go-round every time it spins making giving it some extra pressure for the water to come out the hose. The other thing that was great is that they actually researched plants that were native to the region vice another presentation that just wanted European plants.
Also this week I have been preparing for this weekend where I will be introduced to the community that I will be working with and trying to motivate them to get organized and fix the problem of polluted soil on a plot of land in front of their houses. So I have been doing a lot of research lately and doing some role play in case they have questions for me at the time. I am also creating a questionnaire for them to figure out what the majority of their problems are, other than this plot of land.
un poquito de informacion de la ciudad!
So the week began and a friend came to visit. Her name is Alyssa and she came to meet with the director of the Art Institute of Chicago, we met by way of Heidi Grew and well what can I say it was a fun time. We were able to go out and party at night and went into some tiny adventures. She though I knew were we were going and I acted like I actually did know, ha ha ha ha. so the first night after she was done with the art institute and I was done with work we went out to China town and well their was nothing there. I understand it was a Monday night but hey we had some hope that their would be a good cheap place to drink.
After our small adventure out we came back to downtown and called Heidi for recommendations and she said go to Billy Goat Tavern, its a cheap hidden Chicago dive bar that has been there for ages and they serve the cheapest drink you can find in the loop, and food. But one thing I will tell you is that the bartender, Nick, a 72 year old guy, is someone you do not want to mess with. I made the mistake of asking if they had any special drinks to what he answered do you want specials( thinking i asked for happy hour) , go back to your hotel, just get out!" and Alyssa and I both looked at each other and laughed it off. Its funny but supposedly part of the reputation of the bar is that they treat you kind of bad, something neither of us knew about. but we stuck around anyways and chatted over some beers. Later that night we went to pizzeria UNO and ordered a deep dish and some drinks and had some very good recommendations from the bartender their. ohh and the pizza was delicious! but we forgot out leftovers at the restaurant:(
The next night we went to a part of town for which I do not know the neighborhood name but it is the damen stop off of the blue line. tons of bar and a good ambiance. The first bar we hit had 5 dollar sangria pitchers and well that definitely hit the spot. The best part about the bar was not only the drinks but also the music, they had some old school hip hop and just a very chill vibe, it just made you relax and have a good time. we then moved on to another bar with open mike but nothing really special there. Although our last bar was fun it had a karaoke night and Alyssa and I sang, not on the mic, but from the side line rappers delight. it was fun and we got back to the loft and straight to sleep.
then on Wednesday night we went to The signature room on the 95th floor of the John Hancock building and had a drink with an amazing view. But this is the typical tourist trap overpriced drinks with an amazing view. I did forget to mention that this night we went out with another scholar that is working as an investment banker for his for profit scholarship, his name is Chet. After leaving the signature room we went to a new bar that opened just across the street from were I live! it is one of a kind in Chicago and is located on the 27th floor of the witts hotel and it has a good view, but most of all great ambiance, i mean a total amazing decor and some creative and tasty delicious drinks. It is kind of a replica of the terrace bar at the Palms Casino in Vegas. I definitely recommend it and the plus for me is that I can just walk across the street and i am in mi casa!
last thing that happened this week is that it was Robbie's birthday, another Kemper and we went out for Mexican food to a restaurant called Nuevo Leon and to be honest I was not impressed at all. It is supposed o be the best mexican food in town, but nahhhh I will for sure stick to Luis's in Woodburn when I get back. The flauta Elizabeth ordered was completely dry and I ordered a Nuevo leon steak and well to be honest, nothing really there. I thought it would be good and although the meat was tender it had no condiments and was just served with some good rice, average beans (you could definitely taste the lard) and some oily fried slices of potatoes. not really what I thought it would be. Although the alcohol rules here are different. Nuevo Leon does not sell alcohol but you can for sure go to the liquor store 2 houses down buy anything you want and bring it in to the store and drink it their, Weird, but I guess that is Chicago style.
That is as much as has been going on for now and sorry i do not remember the names of all the bars and places I have gone maybe next time i will write them down somehow!
After our small adventure out we came back to downtown and called Heidi for recommendations and she said go to Billy Goat Tavern, its a cheap hidden Chicago dive bar that has been there for ages and they serve the cheapest drink you can find in the loop, and food. But one thing I will tell you is that the bartender, Nick, a 72 year old guy, is someone you do not want to mess with. I made the mistake of asking if they had any special drinks to what he answered do you want specials( thinking i asked for happy hour) , go back to your hotel, just get out!" and Alyssa and I both looked at each other and laughed it off. Its funny but supposedly part of the reputation of the bar is that they treat you kind of bad, something neither of us knew about. but we stuck around anyways and chatted over some beers. Later that night we went to pizzeria UNO and ordered a deep dish and some drinks and had some very good recommendations from the bartender their. ohh and the pizza was delicious! but we forgot out leftovers at the restaurant:(
The next night we went to a part of town for which I do not know the neighborhood name but it is the damen stop off of the blue line. tons of bar and a good ambiance. The first bar we hit had 5 dollar sangria pitchers and well that definitely hit the spot. The best part about the bar was not only the drinks but also the music, they had some old school hip hop and just a very chill vibe, it just made you relax and have a good time. we then moved on to another bar with open mike but nothing really special there. Although our last bar was fun it had a karaoke night and Alyssa and I sang, not on the mic, but from the side line rappers delight. it was fun and we got back to the loft and straight to sleep.
then on Wednesday night we went to The signature room on the 95th floor of the John Hancock building and had a drink with an amazing view. But this is the typical tourist trap overpriced drinks with an amazing view. I did forget to mention that this night we went out with another scholar that is working as an investment banker for his for profit scholarship, his name is Chet. After leaving the signature room we went to a new bar that opened just across the street from were I live! it is one of a kind in Chicago and is located on the 27th floor of the witts hotel and it has a good view, but most of all great ambiance, i mean a total amazing decor and some creative and tasty delicious drinks. It is kind of a replica of the terrace bar at the Palms Casino in Vegas. I definitely recommend it and the plus for me is that I can just walk across the street and i am in mi casa!
last thing that happened this week is that it was Robbie's birthday, another Kemper and we went out for Mexican food to a restaurant called Nuevo Leon and to be honest I was not impressed at all. It is supposed o be the best mexican food in town, but nahhhh I will for sure stick to Luis's in Woodburn when I get back. The flauta Elizabeth ordered was completely dry and I ordered a Nuevo leon steak and well to be honest, nothing really there. I thought it would be good and although the meat was tender it had no condiments and was just served with some good rice, average beans (you could definitely taste the lard) and some oily fried slices of potatoes. not really what I thought it would be. Although the alcohol rules here are different. Nuevo Leon does not sell alcohol but you can for sure go to the liquor store 2 houses down buy anything you want and bring it in to the store and drink it their, Weird, but I guess that is Chicago style.
That is as much as has been going on for now and sorry i do not remember the names of all the bars and places I have gone maybe next time i will write them down somehow!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
The weekend y un poco de diversion!
So the weekend rolled by, and although Friday was kind of slow Saturday picked up some speed. On Saturday we were taken on a tour by our mentors Dr. Lahurd and E.B. Smith. They took us walking around the downtown area showing us some of the buildings and the different styles of architecture they had. We started of with the Chicago Cultural Center which is an amazing building only about 3 stories tall and that survived the big fires that took place in the city. it has some incredible architecture inside and the dome has a Tiffany ceiling in it. Just a spectacular view that makes you just want to lay down on the floor and stare at the ceiling forever. But the other incredible thing is that a store like Macy's also has a Tiffany ceiling and it is the biggest one in the world, its a hidden little treasure and it is right above the cosmetics counter, so ladies go get your make up done and look up at the magical Tiffany ceiling. I also found out that the city of Chicago was named after a green onion. The reason being is that the green onion used to grow widely here and the name they used for it was Chicago and therefore the name of the city!!
After this tour we then took off, with some of my friends, to the middle eastern side of town and went to a little restaurant called the taste of Lebanon and got some chawarma ( also spelled shawarma in Ecuador) hummus and felafel's, really tasty stuff and very cheap. The hummus has a very different flavor from the store bought stuff. it is kind of vinegary/limey and is just a heavenly taste. After that we just crossed over to the middle eastern bakery and bought some spices, extra hummus and felafel's to take home. later we walked around and went and got some groceries and came back with a full backpack and some more bags in the hands. ( I have a picture of this and will post it with the subtitle "Urban Hiking.)"
Then Saturday night came by, and BAM, it was my first time to go out in the city!! My friend Edwin Loya who I served in the Marines with picked me up with his friend Jose and we went to town. We first went to an Ecuadorian bar where my distant cousin is a bartender and quenched my thirst with an incredibly tasty PILSENER!!! yum after such a long time not having one it just made it that much better. He also prepared a "canelazo" for me and my friends it is kind of a warm shot with cachaza and some type of Cinnamon, naranjilla and lime tea. also great.
After this adventure we left with Edwin and Jose to the downtown clubs and to be honest with you all I really felt kind of out of place. weird huhh. I was like " man the club scene again! This is going to be great and we are for sure going to have a good time." I don't know what it was but I felt like that small town boy coming out to the big city and just totally lost and not very confident...
Well actually until something happened later that night, we left the downtown area and went to another club that my friend Edwin, had some connections to let us in. So we get to this place and just were watching people dance and it is a wild environment. The really small skirts and the crazy bumping and grinding going on make for a definitely freaky environment. My friend kept on buying me drinks and well I got kind of drunk so after a while I needed some water and went to the bar and asked the bartender for a cup of water to what she replied " that will be 5 dollars" to what I said " I didn't ask for a bottle of water do you think I could just get some tap water??" and she said, " that will be five dollars!!!" and I replied, " Are you serious? I work for a non-profit and really don't make any money and all I am asking is for a glass of water. I am just working to make a change!" as soon as i finished saying this I see her grabbing a glass with ice and some lime and pouring some water in it for me. But the great part is that after that she also pulled out a napkin and a pen and gave me her phone number and told me to call her anytime I was coming back to the bar or if I wanted to go out. Freaking incredible I get my first phone number not because i am rich but because I have no money and am working in the non-profit world!! crazy stuff....
After this I went home and walked out of the club and it was daylight! I totally forgot about the 4 am closing time for the clubs here. I got on the train since my friends got into a little trouble with some other guys and I was trying to avoid it and got back home around 545 am.
I then woke up on Sunday and took a quick shower and was off to Little Saigon. It was fun I went to the place they foundation had recommended called "777" and well maybe the food is just more authentic but the peanut sauce was not as good as the one I have in Oregon ( I ordered the salad roles that have pork and shrimp in it wrapped in rice paper) I also ordered the Bun that I usually get back home and well the portion size was smaller, the egg roll was tasty but the pork that comes with it which was supposed to be lemongrass pork did not have much flavor to it and well the dish was not as successful as it could have of been. The reason I think is that the one back home at Kim Huong is better is because they have this kind of sweet and savory glaze that goes on the pork and just makes it so much tastier.
After the meal I went grocery shopping again and went out to look through the Asian stores and bought some noodles, curry pastes, etc. it was good but when I went to the cash register I was paying and said I did not need any plastic bags to what the cashier, this small Asian lady, looked at me and then back to the bagger and they started laughing at me. It was pretty funny and I guess no one around here just sticks their groceries in their backpack cause I don't have a car to put them in and drive home. It doesn't bother me that they were laughing it just made me realize how much I could possibly stand out with an action that for me would seem normal. Although I do have to remember that in Oregon things are kind of different:)
I came back cooked and we had a potluck with all the rest of the scholars and much fun and good food. We didn't have a theme so not everything went with the other, but it worked out. Mika even made fresh bread, very tasty and also the desserts were on spot! I made some black beans and by mistake added a little to much salt but it was very tasty At least I think so!
So this has been my weekend and although crazy and eventful I am looking forward to another week of work and finding out what crazy things will come up there....
After this tour we then took off, with some of my friends, to the middle eastern side of town and went to a little restaurant called the taste of Lebanon and got some chawarma ( also spelled shawarma in Ecuador) hummus and felafel's, really tasty stuff and very cheap. The hummus has a very different flavor from the store bought stuff. it is kind of vinegary/limey and is just a heavenly taste. After that we just crossed over to the middle eastern bakery and bought some spices, extra hummus and felafel's to take home. later we walked around and went and got some groceries and came back with a full backpack and some more bags in the hands. ( I have a picture of this and will post it with the subtitle "Urban Hiking.)"
Then Saturday night came by, and BAM, it was my first time to go out in the city!! My friend Edwin Loya who I served in the Marines with picked me up with his friend Jose and we went to town. We first went to an Ecuadorian bar where my distant cousin is a bartender and quenched my thirst with an incredibly tasty PILSENER!!! yum after such a long time not having one it just made it that much better. He also prepared a "canelazo" for me and my friends it is kind of a warm shot with cachaza and some type of Cinnamon, naranjilla and lime tea. also great.
After this adventure we left with Edwin and Jose to the downtown clubs and to be honest with you all I really felt kind of out of place. weird huhh. I was like " man the club scene again! This is going to be great and we are for sure going to have a good time." I don't know what it was but I felt like that small town boy coming out to the big city and just totally lost and not very confident...
Well actually until something happened later that night, we left the downtown area and went to another club that my friend Edwin, had some connections to let us in. So we get to this place and just were watching people dance and it is a wild environment. The really small skirts and the crazy bumping and grinding going on make for a definitely freaky environment. My friend kept on buying me drinks and well I got kind of drunk so after a while I needed some water and went to the bar and asked the bartender for a cup of water to what she replied " that will be 5 dollars" to what I said " I didn't ask for a bottle of water do you think I could just get some tap water??" and she said, " that will be five dollars!!!" and I replied, " Are you serious? I work for a non-profit and really don't make any money and all I am asking is for a glass of water. I am just working to make a change!" as soon as i finished saying this I see her grabbing a glass with ice and some lime and pouring some water in it for me. But the great part is that after that she also pulled out a napkin and a pen and gave me her phone number and told me to call her anytime I was coming back to the bar or if I wanted to go out. Freaking incredible I get my first phone number not because i am rich but because I have no money and am working in the non-profit world!! crazy stuff....
After this I went home and walked out of the club and it was daylight! I totally forgot about the 4 am closing time for the clubs here. I got on the train since my friends got into a little trouble with some other guys and I was trying to avoid it and got back home around 545 am.
I then woke up on Sunday and took a quick shower and was off to Little Saigon. It was fun I went to the place they foundation had recommended called "777" and well maybe the food is just more authentic but the peanut sauce was not as good as the one I have in Oregon ( I ordered the salad roles that have pork and shrimp in it wrapped in rice paper) I also ordered the Bun that I usually get back home and well the portion size was smaller, the egg roll was tasty but the pork that comes with it which was supposed to be lemongrass pork did not have much flavor to it and well the dish was not as successful as it could have of been. The reason I think is that the one back home at Kim Huong is better is because they have this kind of sweet and savory glaze that goes on the pork and just makes it so much tastier.
After the meal I went grocery shopping again and went out to look through the Asian stores and bought some noodles, curry pastes, etc. it was good but when I went to the cash register I was paying and said I did not need any plastic bags to what the cashier, this small Asian lady, looked at me and then back to the bagger and they started laughing at me. It was pretty funny and I guess no one around here just sticks their groceries in their backpack cause I don't have a car to put them in and drive home. It doesn't bother me that they were laughing it just made me realize how much I could possibly stand out with an action that for me would seem normal. Although I do have to remember that in Oregon things are kind of different:)
I came back cooked and we had a potluck with all the rest of the scholars and much fun and good food. We didn't have a theme so not everything went with the other, but it worked out. Mika even made fresh bread, very tasty and also the desserts were on spot! I made some black beans and by mistake added a little to much salt but it was very tasty At least I think so!
So this has been my weekend and although crazy and eventful I am looking forward to another week of work and finding out what crazy things will come up there....
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