Over the weekend I found myself chatting with strangers, two older women sitting on a bench with a dog in Dawes Park on Evanston’s lakefront. What started out as a simple conversation about our dogs turned into deeper topics like politics, climate change, and hopelessness over the future. I’m pretty introverted so it was odd to have an effortless chat with people I didn’t know and will never see again. But what stood out to me was when one of the women asked if I go to the local dog beach. I admitted that I didn’t live in Evanston. Her response: “Nothing wrong with that. More people should get out and explore. You can still be a tourist where you live.” Even though she didn’t know me, it’s like she completely summed up everything I like to do.
I lived most of my life in Chicago and there are still new things to see every time I return. Why do you say you will never take a real vacation again? Would you like to? What would that look like?
That’s what makes Chicago so great. Always something to discover. I’d love to go overseas again but I know that’ll never happen with all the student loan debt I have.
That certainly doesn't look like a house designed by Louis Sullivan. Where is it?
The Charnley House in Chicago’s Gold Coast.
I was going to say! Second floor in the admin space, maybe.
Thanks. Should have known. But the columns threw me off.
I lived most of my life in Chicago and there are still new things to see every time I return. Why do you say you will never take a real vacation again? Would you like to? What would that look like?
That’s what makes Chicago so great. Always something to discover. I’d love to go overseas again but I know that’ll never happen with all the student loan debt I have.
Thank you for your post. I feel the same way about walking around and exploring Chicago and other cities.