Ailantha
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact

...And Hello, Chicago

12/10/2016

0 Comments

 
     …Continued from yesterday:
    After the 7-hour Megabus trip from Columbus, 
through western Ohio,
Picture
​...and Indiana,
Picture
​…including  my favorite leg of the trip, through the Indiana wind farms,
Picture
​...that always remind me of graceful ballerinas or acrobats,
Picture
​...we arrived at our terminus in downtown Chicago from where we rolled our luggage to the Clinton Street el (as Chicagoans call their elevated/underground  city train),
Picture
​...and then took the el to the Damen stop in the Wicker Park neighborhood,
Picture
...from where we walked through the neighborhood,
Picture
Picture
Picture
​...to the hostel where we stayed during our visit,  The Urban Holiday Lofts.
Picture
      Though in the past we've always stayed at the IHSP Hostel,  located about two blocks from this one,
Picture
...in truth,  the IHSP has been progressively more run-down and less well-kept on each of our last few visits, and the WIFI was always terrible, so we decided to try someplace new.  And we're glad we did.
         The Urban Holiday Lofts is located in Wicker Park on Wabansia Street, 
Picture
...next door to a beautiful little grocery store called Olivia's. ​
Picture
​     And even though we did really like the place, as soon as we stepped into the hostel it became  clear to us that this may not be an ideal refuge for the terribly out of shape,
Picture
...or those with a fear of heights.
​       
     View from the top floor, where our room was. 
Picture
     The office was a bright, pleasant space on the second floor,
Picture
​...where we checked in and made the acquaintance of our friendly, helpful concierge, Ian.
Picture
     After checking in we schlepped up another two flights to our room, number 403.
Picture
​     Our room had super-sized, super-comfy, super-clean bunk-beds (Tom gallantly took the top bunk, though the bottom was plenty wide enough for two),
Picture
​....a brick wall, a desk, a nice view of the city,
Picture
...and a coat rack.
Picture
    The communal bathrooms out in the hall were also nice and clean,
Picture
Picture
​    This one even had a fancy sink
Picture
     After we settled in we took a once around the hostel.
Picture
Picture
    The day room was on our floor.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
     After our tour and a brief rest we put on our under armor - it was Chicago-in-December-freezing the whole time we were there - and  headed back outside and began walking towards Logan Square, a neighborhood about a mile from Wicker Park, where our daughter Claire lives.  The plan was that we'd start walking towards Logan Square and Claire would start walking towards Wicker Park and we'd meet somewhere around the middle.  Which we did.
​     Along the way we walked the 606, an old, out-of-use   elevated train line that has been transformed into a wonderful walking path,
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
     While on the 606 we met up with Claire, who took us to a cute, funky, low-lit little local restaurant, called The Handle Bar,
Picture
​...where Miguel met up with us.
Picture
     Though the service was good and our meals attractively plated, the food got mixed reviews.
​
     Claire ordered a vegetarian dish called The Green Meanie that she really liked, and she especially liked her side of creamy mac and cheese,
Picture
​...and I was likewise very happy  my tasty tuna steak sandwich with hot, crispy fries.
Picture
     However Tom declared his fish tacos just okay,
Picture
​...and Miguel found his pasta carbonara a little on the bland side.
Picture
     After dinner Miguel and Claire pointed Tom and I in the direction of our hostel,  then they walked their way and we walked ours, back to our room at the Urban Holiday Lofts where I discovered to my surprise and delight that the WIFI was great!
Picture
     To be continued...
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    "Equal And Opposite Reactions"
     by Patti Liszkay
    Buy it on Amazon:

    http://amzn.to/2xvcgRa
    Picture
    ​"Hail Mary"
    by Patti Liszkay
    Buy it on Amazon:

    https://www.amzn.com/1684334888
    Picture
    "Tropical Depression" 
    by Patti Liszkay
    ​Buy it on Amazon:   
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTPN7NYY

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013

    RSS Feed

    I am a traveler just visiting this planet and reporting various and sundry observations,
    hopefully of interest to my fellow travelers.

    Categories

    All


























































































  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact