Walk the Humans

I see drunk people

Every day, the dog takes us out for a walk. When we stepped outside, it was temperate, but it was not the high of 68°F I was promised! We could hear wisps of music drifting from the direction of the park.

We are glad to see La Bodega re-open. It was closed due to an explosion that leveled the house next door approximately a month ago.

La Bodega

The space to the left is where the house used to stand. The houses behind and to the left of the lot are still blistered and vacant.

We ought to get sandwiches there some time to show support. I adore their grilled eggplant, bocconcini, and tomatoes, with pesto mayonnaise on rosemary ciabatta. Heavenly! Bug likes their Italian sub.

Under construction

Across the street from La Bodega, the previous store owner (dry cleaner-Fed Ex depot-consignment store) moved out a couple of weeks ago. I've seen people working on the place for the past week or so. I wonder what this store will be?

Ale Festival sign, Beer Toilet line

A ha! The source of the music. How novel, a booze festival! (EverQuest flashback -- a Sanctus Seru mob encounters you and says: How novel, a talking piece of refuse.) The park was cordoned off with 3-4 security guards at each gap and a stage on the north end of the park, where a band played ~20 yards from the food and drink booths. Of course, 95% of the people were swarmed around the booze...the rest were lined up to use the bathroom.

I didn't expect an admission fee, since the people standing around the breaks in the barricade didn't have any means to accept money. When I inquired with one of the security guards, he said that admission was $30/person (gasp) for all you can drink beer from 13:00 - 17:00, to be collected upon entry at the center of the park. Food would be separately billed.

Line to the crappers lol

From my observation, there were a total of 4 toilet stalls. Yikes. Akemi was doing her thing off-stage right. No line for her, as the world is at her paws and we are her sewer, err stewards.

Bug was curious, but shied away as the price was a bit steep. He'd be paying $60 for both of us, with only one person drinking. He hoped that there was some kind of medical team there to treat heat stroke, alcohol poisoning, and minor abrasions.

Ale Festival crowd

The only beer Bug recalled seeing as he passed by was Goose Island. According to the Scene's blurb of the event, Great Lakes (local), Rock Bottom (their alder smoked salmon fish and chips are amazing!), Fat Heads, and CornerStone (local) Breweries were represented.

This wasn't a lush-fest with people running around carrying women to the bushes or frat kiddies racing about naked screaming. The crowd appeared to be mellow, in their late 20s on up. It seems like a respectable event, and pretty good turn-out for being its first year and not heavily advertised.

Around the park perimeter, there are several eateries nestled between 6 churches.

Pulaski Post 30

The post has been here for a long time. Perhaps I shouldn't count it amongst the other places since I have always been under the impression that this establishment is members only, being that it is a VFW post.

Prosperity Social Club

Prosperity Social Club is always busy as a late night dining option and solid specials. Their kitchen serves until midnight on Mondays and Tuesdays, and until 2 a.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays. I have yet to go there in its current incarnation and would like to check out their Gouda burger.

I thought I took a picture of Bistro on Lincoln Park, along the northwest corner of the park. Doesn't their menu sound like fun? Their duck strudel sounds tantalizing. Although, someone really needs to proofread their menu. At least it's not as bad as Dr. Lizardo's signs at Yoyodyne. Then again, his mind isn't from this dimension either.

Civilization coffee shop

When I first moved to the area many years ago, I frequently bought gifts at the drug store turned coffee shop. Civilization was under a different name and run by two owners; however, one partner left to open another coffee house in a different suburb. It has been ~5 years since I last went in. No real reason other than, boy, does time fly!

Dish deli

I have been meaning to try Dish, 2 doors west of Civilization, but haven't gotten around to it. I shopped at the deli 2 owners previous. The set up of the shop then was really cool, with built-in shelves stocked with imported food. I would buy gifts there as well.

Akemi will often take us through our neighborhood's row of restaurants so we can stumble by her favorite storefront, Tremont Scoops. She always slows down when she walks by the parlor and stares through the door. The ice cream is fantastic, Akemi loves their doggie treats, and the proprietor is down-to-earth. When you buy pints, they pack 'em in good.

- Cassaendra