Why I Like Little Tiny Corner Coffee Shops

Kind of like Avis Rental Car - we're #2, we try harder.   Photo taken at Kickstand Espresso shop in Lakeview.  And M is for Mocha (I assume).

The Holiday Club

Ok, there's a problem.  It appears as though something is wrong at the holiday club.  Today, when I drove by, all the letters were off (see the picture above) and there was 'Tyvek' wrapping all around it.  Maybe they are just doing renovations.   We, the good people of Lakeview/Uptown, cannot afford to lose the Holiday Club.

I also couldn't help but notice something similar happening around Tropico.   Again, maybe they are just redoing their awning.  Not here to start rumors.  I am just secretly afraid the neighborhood is going to shit.  It anything happens to Tac Quick or Pizza Rustica, I'm moving to the suburbs or Wicker Park.  Ok, fine.  I'm not.  But maybe I would consider something almost as drastic.

Forget Coach....

....the newest design from the aforementioned wine store.

Wine and Deep Thoughts

So there's a lovely little wine store in Lakeview that I frequent.  It has nice quality products, a good selection, cute tchotchkes, and decent prices. 

However, I have a certain gripe about them.  The staff.  They are TOO nice.  Too much.  Too over the top.  They try TOO hard.

Really?  You ask.  How so?  They repeatedly excessively use your name when talking to you.

Now, don't get me wrong - I know this is a 'how to win friends and influence people' technique.   Literally, I believe it's from that book.  And sure, it makes me feel special and important that someone noted my name.  However, there's a fine line between nice and 'too much'.

How do I know said line was crossed?

Well, I'll tell you.  One time, when I was there, approximately halfway through my visit - the person waiting on me switched to "Julie".  I decided against correcting him because a) who cares? I'd be out of there in 5-10 minutes and 2) I figured it would only evoke an equally over the top apology which I didn't have the energy to listen to.

However, I decided to take count - he then proceeded to call me Julie 8 times!  It reached a point where I was thinking of changing horses and correcting him, but, well, cue for the Friends reference of Chandler Bing getting called 'Toby' - why had I let it go on thus far?

Anyhow.  I am curious - from this tidbit alone, does anyone know where I'm talking about?  Can anyone immediately identify 'the lakeview wine store where they overuse your name'?

Groupon?

So, I will be honest.  I don't really know what groupon is.  But I do know that it's popular.  I could easily google it and look it up, but I'm lazy/not really THAT interested.

Anyhow.  I am now the proud owner of a 'groupon'.  I have an upcoming jewelry-making class at Caravan Beads, thanks to Emily!  Woohoo!

Pictures of my self-designed jewelry to come.

Neighborhood Buzz

So apparently, Universal Studios is filming a movie in my neighborhood. On my street, in fact. I can't remember the exact name - three letters. ZJF? Something like that. I'll do research.

I know this because, tonight, after a long day, I had to park my car three and a half blocks away because there is no parking on my street for the next week. INSANE. However, I don't mind. I think I might have to come back to my apartment on my lunch break every day this week to walk up and down the street casually while this all happens. This could work nicely for the production folks as well, seeing that my appearance fee is minimal.

I clearly picked the right apartment. That, or these movie folks know where the action is. Or maybe both.

Something Crazy Happened....

I went to church!

It's the first time in a long time that wasn't Christmas or Easter. Anyhow. I won't get into it. I hate it when people try to impose their religious beliefs on others. I also hate it equally as much when people try to impose their lack thereof on others.

So, long story short - I happened to be walking by the local Catholic church and remembered there was a mass that had started 15 minutes prior. Well, I was late, but let's be frank - the Catholic church really can't be choosy about its attendants. When I walked in, I felt a little out of place, like the person who has to be escorted in late into the theatre - but then I saw a toddler running around in the middle of the place and I figured he was causing more of a ruckus than I was and he was still perceived as welcome, or so it seemed, so I must be in the clear.

Anyway. The main reason I went was to light a candle - I never have officially lit a Catholic church candle, but I've always been curious. It took me a little while to find the candles, but, for some reason, at this local church, the candles were not actually candles but lightbulbs with mini 'on/off' switches (possibly they saw the toddler coming). Sure, I felt a little ripped off, but something about this church (St. Andrew's on Paulina in Lakeview) had a very real, sincere, simple, unpretentious, comfortable feeling to it, so I let it slide.

Anyhow, I'm not sure if I got what I was supposed to or what I was looking for out of the mass, but there's a couple lights on in my name there.