Author: Ben
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Sherman Park (#18)
Books, jars, and fishing poles SAM: Daniel and Nathan are always looking for new ways to decorate their room (“The Cozy Den”), so the Sherman Park branch’s family event was something both of them were very excited about: making luminary jars. Afterward, we were fortunate to have an opportunity to interview Bria, the adult librarian,…
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Little Italy (#17)
But first, boba! BEN: You haven’t had Chicago’s best milk tea until you’ve been to Gathers Tea Bar, a mandatory stop anytime we’re in the vicinity of Little Italy / University Village. With our boba fix managed and a walk/scooter session at nearby Arrigo Park under our belts, it was library time. To the library!…
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Bucktown-Wicker Park (#16)
House History! BEN: Ever since I heard about the Chicago Workers Cottage Initiative, I’ve wanted to connect with them and learn more, and I finally got my chance! Our Bridgeport home, like many in the neighborhood, is a circa 1885 Workers Cottage. This style of home was built all over Chicago from the 1870s until…
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Oriole Park (#15)
BEN: Welcome to the far Northwest side! Oriole Park is one of 5 small neighborhoods in the Community Area of Norwood Park (which has its own library branch – stay tuned!), and is home to many city employees and first responders. Small, well-defined neighborhoods are common on the North Side, and the hand-drawn map in…
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Merlo (#14)
But first, coffee. BEN: Today’s adventures required extra liquid propellant and thus began at Pedestrian Coffee, directly adjacent to the Belmont “L” station and just a few blocks away from the library. This is obviously a super popular spot and the place was packed. I’m always excited by an 8 oz. option – the perfect…
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Chinatown (#13)
First, Food. SAM: My brain thrives on variety and today, my heart is filled because of the variety of food we ate and activities we did as a family! Daniel and I took the CTA route to Chinatown. We had planned to take the 35 bus to the red line but due to a delay,…
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Woodson Regional (#12)
Starting off with city planning! SAM: Before we visited Woodson Regional Library, we stopped by the 95th Street Corridor Plan Open House. BEN: This is a community-driven plan for development on 95th St. between Halsted St. to the west and Cottage Grove Ave. to the east, anchored by the recently remodeled 95th St. Red Line…
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West Lawn (#11)
BEN: What do you do on a gray, drippy November afternoon? You take the kids to learn Python at the West Lawn library! SAM: We had an opportunity to speak with Mina, the branch manager, who has worked at CPL for 35 years. She is currently the only branch manager in CPL that holds a PhD…
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Altgeld (#10)
SAM: The impetus that landed us in the area of Altgeld branch was an event promoting awareness of the CTA’s Red Line Extension Project (RLE). We all found things to get excited about: a bounce house for Nathan, chatting with CTA employees for Daniel, Ben ran into one of his work clients (New Moms and…
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Vodak-East Side (#9)
BEN: Ever the Opportunists (see what I did there?), we made a quick stop on the way home from Michigan to check off Vodak-East Side, the easternmost branch of CPL. The East Side neighborhood, named perhaps for its location relative to the city or to the Calumet River, was shaped by industrial development and the…