spot check

The University of Chicago is my alma mater. I begrudgingly admit that it was a great fit for me. A bit of a quirky school, Chicago was home to the first sustained nuclear reaction as well as a hard earned tradition of bookishness and lack of fun. While the whole '...where fun comes to die...' thing is moderately true, I actually had quite a good time in Hyde Park. I know the Life photo archives are tried and true posting fodder, but I couldn't help myself.

These gates lead right into the quad. I quite like the onlooker's jacket.

I'm not exactly sure what the students are protesting against, perhaps nothing at all. All I know is that this placard sums up the general attitude of the typical UofC student.

Typical classroom scene. I couldn't' have a post about nerds and their environments without at least one argyle sweater, right?

Sigh. Chicago doesn't really have any sports teams. I know, I know, they exist, but not really. I didn't go to one game in 4 years. Although supposedly our team invented the shotgun offense. Instead of t-shirts proclaiming the number of Big 10 championships, the Chicago gift shop sells t-shirts bragging about how many Nobel laureates they have.

So if all you guys and girls are telling the truth when you say you love yourself a nerd, head to Hyde Park. It'll break you of that bad habit...

photo safari

Outside of Chinatown, Hyde Park is my favorite place in Chicago. Home to the University of Chicago, it's were I lived for four years. It's always a little strange coming back to Hyde Park for me. A mixture of nostalgia and a slight embarrassment always creeps over me when I hit the 47th street exit on Lakeshore drive. It instantly reminds me of who I was when I was 18 and who I am now. Sometimes I wonder what the 18 year old me would say if he saw me now. Without further existential angst, here's a few shots of my old haunts. 

Chicago has a bar in the basement of one of the buildings called the Pub. My favorite thing about it is the hand-shuffleboard table. One of the best bar games around. The pace is slow enough to get in drinks and shit talking while feeding your inner competitiveness.

Stella at the bar.

 

My first apartment ever. We lived on the second floor. Ahh...nothing like 3 nineteen year old boys living together...

My second and last apartment. We lived on the second floor. I loved the balcony. We lived right behind here:

Great chicken and a really nice staff. There are Harold's all over the southside, but because I lived right behind it, it will always have a place in my heart.

One of the student-run coffee shops at the university. Even during the summer the super nerds rep hard here. The motto for the school is 'where fun comes to die'. Seriously. I don't know what it means that I loved it here...

Cobb is the main building for undergrads. All the hipsters smoke out front. This was where my first class ever was held.  

I remember the first time I sat at a table here in Cobb. 

The Robie house. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, grab a tour when you pass by. 

Cool bike I saw in front of the Robie house.

The Obama household. We couldn't get any closer than across the street. Apparently a fashion blog doesn't count as press credentials.

A classroom in Swift hall, which is home of the Divinity school. Thus, I spent a lot of time in these seats. I do love the 3-d map of ancient Palestine and Babylon. Memories.... 

stony&cottage grove

al capone & son at cominsky park

If I ever lived in the Chicago area again it would certainly be on the south side. If it was good enough for Mr. Capone it's good enough for me. (my freshman dorm at chicago was a hotel he used to frequent) I've been a huge prohibition era buff from around 3rd or 4th grade on. I remember my parents took me on a 'mob' tour of chicago and from then on I was hooked. I knew all the hit men from Frank Nitty to Machine gun Kelly. And I always favored Capone's southside crew as opposed to Bugs Moran's northsiders. Who likes a northside hipster? 

I'm headed down to Chicago to visit some family and take care of some business. I lived in Hyde Park for 4 years and am planning on a little photo safari through some of my old haunts. My family lives in Chinatown, so expect lots of food porn. 

Any favorite spots? Places to eat? Drop me a line...