wandering urbanistaland

A wander to an urbanista house on the edge of Logan Square, we are to talk about publishing on demand but I am curious about the neighbourhood – I am curious about just about anything.
It is to be a proving ground for the new digital slr. Train is late so it changes schedule I get down already in a minor panic as I am late – well not really as I really didn’t specify a time.

The intelligent plan would be to walk along Armitage to Milwaukee as one would think that there would be more possibilities with the new boutiques side by side with tiendas here the vitirines are still interesting but it also is the most efficient.

Chose the usual method of wander, arrive at a corner make a decision. I ended up heading along streets that are beside the Kennedy Expressway, wondering about the intelligence quotient of someone who would rehab a house that overlooks a concrete wall with the constant din of traffic.
Wood – Avondale – Shakespeare – Webster – Hoyne – Seeley – Medill.

Stopped in at Pepe’s hoping to stock up on polvilho to no avail.

Fullerton Avenue now had less empty buildings, it seemed safe now. Used to walk from De Paul to the O’Hare line admiring the pioneers of the area. Oscar Watsyn cycles and the Bowling Alley now they seem quaint.

In the neighbourhoods I was photographing the spaces between property and the barriers - a lot of concrete walls with glass brick windows.A few neighbourhood taverns, the encampments that used to be under the overpasses were now parks near the Kennedy. The city – am guessing fearing a homeless terrorist or worse Daley refusing to acknowledge their existence – fenced the areas off.

Coffee and the determination that print on demand books are fine but don’t compare companies as they are all off to an extent and seeing the variation only makes one more upset with whatever choice one makes. The rationalisation is getting what one pays for.

Delayed too much in coming so had to cut short the stay - I hate Chicago so much now that I want out as soon as possible. Worse I had to race to the train.

Down Milwaukee walking with a purpose until I ran into a row of shops with mattresses out front, slowed to my marling speed. Ran into two student one saw me the other didn’t. Tried to photograph one Winogrand like but instead of turning the camera on I turned it off. The other was in the window seat of a restaurant and fearing missing the train… I was a couple of blocks away before I realised that I should have gone back.

Found it ironic that a digital camera was aiding me in making snaps that Zoë Leonard made with her Rolleiflex in Analogue. I also noticed that I didn’t check the images on the screen after I made the snap this could be because it is hard to see the screen in broad daylight but I simply forgot.

At Armitage, decided to divert up side streets again mainly due to corner taverns – or what passes for them in the area played tagged with Armitage crossing at Hoyne wondering why people are at Starbucks when there is the Map Room – then back up Damen for what was supposed to be the race along Armitage.

Along Armitage at the Bucktown Barber Shop, Norm the barber makes a pose through the window, keep walking until I realise what was going on then turned back to take him up on his dare.


While I like the waist level finder I have to make adjustments. While it makes peoplep look more heroic it also appears that they are praying as they are looking at my face while the camera is quite a bit lower – this would have been a good time to look at the final image in the screen.

It seems that in direct proportion of my hair falling out I am photographing more barbers. Chatted about this saw time going and now a real race to the train.

But not along Armitage – down wood for more potential snaps, one Atget like – cutting through an alley to photograph the Basilica through the rehabs. Down another alley there was a “Shell” sunrise at the end of the alley.

Passed buddy who was dumpster diving who hated Chicago as much as I did. One woman chased him out of her garbage – inform her that every piece not picked up by you means more of her taxes paying for your welfare cheque.

His arm in a cast from a driver who hit him while trying to dial his phone turning a corner, he’d seen better days.