A Tour of the Neighborhoods Along the Blue Line

Today, I met up with Luis outside his hotel pretty early in the morning. We talked about getting him a Ventra card (for the CTA) and touring a few neighborhoods along the Blue Line.
Today, I met up with Luis outside his hotel pretty early in the morning. We talked about getting him a Ventra card (for the CTA) and touring a few neighborhoods along the Blue Line.
I started this daily blog fifteen years ago. And this is the very first photo I posted, in the first blog post I ever made, way back in 2002.
A week or two ago, Liz and I found ourselves near Wicker Park on an errand run. Stopping by the Home Depot there, I spotted a few dumpsters for Heneghan Wrecking – and was reminded of just how much I love their tagline: “We Make Space.”
Xoco, which I didn’t realize was situated at the old location for holiday (where I once got to use a breathalyzer). It was a tequila bar after that, and maybe a few other things in the following years. It’s been a long time since I’ve been back to the neighborhood.
Made to look like a real toy store on the outside, the interior reveals that there are actually no toys for sale at all – just lots and lots of cardboard. Kids are encouraged to pick from a variety of cardboard boxes, each featuring an augmented reality barcode (when scanned, it reveals a possible toy that can be made). In the rear of the store is a “Workshop” area, featuring a lot of markers, crayons, scissors, tape and glue… where each child can run wild with their imagination, creating whatever they like.