south of the loop

Filed under: biking, chicago by ellembee

Posted May 24, 2009

Since I’ve moved to Chicago, I’ve found that I just don’t understand people who take summer vacations. I don’t mean a weekend in Wisconsin or a trip to visit friends. I mean the kind of vacation you save up for: exotic beaches, pool boys, drinks with umbrellas in them. People, Chicago summers are not a thing to be escaped. Make your week-long beach escape sometime in February and hang around here between May and October. Here is a list, one sure to be added to, of what I want to do this summer. Are you gonna join me or what?

• Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise. I did this last summer when Julie and Tim came to town; it definitely needs to be an annual thing. It’s about $30 and reservations are required.
• At least one other CAF tour. There are so many. Devil in the City Tour? Sculpture in the Loop? Modern Skyscrapers Happy Hour?
• Brunch on the beach. Mimosas in a thermos, scrambled tofu, croissants, cold-press ice coffee.
• Dinner on the beach. Bottle of Prosecco, maybe some pizza. The beaches open this Friday.
• Farmers’ markets. I regularly go to the downtown markets, and hope to hit Green City Market after some of my Saturday runs. They sometimes have crepes there, did I mention that?
• Millennium Park Mondays and Edible Audio Picnics. I will almost certainly be there for the noon shows for Pit Er Pat and Black Moth Super Rainbow. Haven’t figured out which Mondays I’ll skip yoga to hang around downtown for. Suggestions?
• Self-guided mural tour. I need to retake a bunch of pictures of some of my favorite Chicago graffiti murals, and there’s some I’d like to visit for the first time. This may become somewhat urgent given the illegal mural brownwashing in Bridgeport this week.
• Printer’s Row Book Fair (June 6 - 7). I always seem to have something going on the weekend of the PRBF. The Neil Gaiman event is already sold out, but there should still be plenty of tickets for the main fair.
• Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me’s Free Millennium Park Show. June 11! It’s coming up soon! The only thing better than watching Peter Sagal crack jokes is watching Peter Sagal crack jokes for free. (And if you don’t share my NPR crush on Peter Sagal, Carl Kasell will of course also be there).
• Pitchfork Festival. Just got my ticket in the mail the other day. I’m only going on Saturday, July 18.
• Neighborhood festivals. I don’t even know where to begin. My own ‘hood has a couple good music festivals (like the Folk and Roots Festival, July 11 - 12, spitting distance from my apartment); I’ve yet to make it to the Andersonville Midsommarfest (June 13 - 14) even though it’s a mile up Clark Street; I’d love to hit something on the South Side.
• Eat brunch and dinner outside as much as possible. Spacca Napoli, of course, but I should branch out. I just read an article in The Atlantic about ice, which was also about Wicker Park’s The Violet Hour (no idea if they have outdoor seating, but still). Who wants to get their hipster on with me?
• Lots of bike rides and runs along the lakefront, starting with Bike the Drive this Sunday. The Chicago Rock n’ Roll Half Marathon is the day before my birthday. You should come cheer me on!
• Elvis is Alive 5K. (August 6). I think Micah has already registered for this; we just need to figure out what costumes to wear. How do you think I’d look with sideburns?

Who’s in?

UPDATE 05.23.09:

• Sports. I am in general not much of a sports fans, but there are two things I love: soccer and live baseball. I want to go to at least one Chicago Fire and one White Sox game this summer.

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current book: Nearly done with Junot Diaz’s The Brief Wonderful Life of Oscar Wao.

current music: Lots of old favorites: Old 97’s, Margot and the Nuclear So-and-So’s.

current socks: It’s sandal weather! PRAISE BE!

Filed under: chicago by ellembee

Posted May 19, 2009

A story in pictures.

I think “fair” might not have been the word weather.com was looking for to describe the sunshine yesterday. Perhaps… “pointless.” I live exactly one mile from a very large body of water, so the above wind chill is not really a hypothetical. This is how I handled it:

A. SmartWool long underwear (first layer, legs).

B. Wool tights (second layer, legs).

C. Real clothes (third layer, all over). My office tends to be pretty hot, so I have to be careful not to go overboard: just a shirt, sweater, and jeans.

D. Polypropylene sock liners (first layer, feet).

E. Knee-high SmartWool socks (second layer, feet. Third layer, not shown here, is a pair of waterproof, fleece-lined boots).

F. SmartWool gloves (first layer, hands), hand-knitted wrist warmers (second layer, hands), thick wooly glittens (third layer, hands).

G. Hand-knitted scarf worn under coat (I).

H. Hand-knitted hat worn under coat (I).

I. Coat, which LL Bean has “comfort rated” at 0˚ F.

J. One-foot by six-foot double layered boiled wool scarf, wrapped twice around my neck and pulled up to my eyes, as seen here.

K. Hood, worn over hat (H).

But, good news! It might warm up to freezing this week!

Filed under: Uncategorized by ellembee

Posted January 17, 2009

My friend Rosie left a comment in a previous post asking what I wore to run during Chicago’s miserable winters. I thought the answer deserved its own post in case it might help somebody else overwhelmed by all the high-tech winter running gear out there. Winter running really isn’t my favorite thing, but I don’t belong to a gym (and I hate treadmills anyway). If you’re like me, don’t give up because it’s too cold—with the right clothes, you can enjoy a run in nearly any kind of weather. (Well, except maybe the sub-sub-zero temps we’re in for the rest of the week. Nearly any kind of weather).

The absolute basics are a pair of running tights and three top layers: a baselayer, a mid-layer, and a windbreaker layer. (I don’t own the exact products linked to above, but they are pretty similar to my favorites). You should dress for weather about 15 - 20 degrees warmer than the actual temperature, and you should feel chilly when you first go outside—if you’re toasty warm from the first minute you step out, you’ve overdressed.

If you only buy one pair of bottoms, I’d suggest something that fits close to your skin. Expect to spend about $70 on them. I prefer pants from a vanity standpoint (I hate having my butt encased in spandex; the pants’ looser fit is at least a little more flattering), but everytime the loose material around the ankles flaps in the wind, you’re sending more cold air straight up your legs. Brrr.

Since I prefer running pants over tights, and because I need the extra warmth, I wear a pair of SmartWool lightweight bottoms underneath the pants, which can double as long underwear underneath my work clothes during the week. SmartWool is great because natural fibers don’t get as stinky as synthetics; the brand Icebreaker is apparently even better, though I haven’t tried them yet.

Those are all the basics, and any good running store will tell you the same things and help you find the right running gear. I suggest patronizing your local running store first; once you find brands you like, you might be able to save a few bucks at websites like runningwarehouse.com. (I still buy most of my running clothes at my local Fleet Feet; they have a good frequent buyer program, and I still prefer to try clothes on first).

A few more specific recommendations, based on several winters running in Chicago and Indianapolis:

• Thorlo socks. I wear Balegas or SmartWools during the summer, but ankle-high Thorlos are hard to beat for warmth.

• Polypropylene liners. I’ve never seen these at running stores, but you can get them at REI or big-box athletic stores; they’re cheap and make a big difference if you have a hard time keeping your feet warm.

• Hats. I wear just a fleecey band over my ears if it’s above 25 or so; anything colder gets a full hat. If you’re going on a long run, stick an extra one in your pocket and switch halfway through. Some people suggest a fleecey headband with a baseball hat if you’re running in snow, which helps keep the precipicrap out of your eyes. One of my favorite hats is the Goodbye Girl, which has a hole for your ponytail.

• Gloves. The Brooks HVACs are the very best, not least because the thumbs and forefingers have a bit of terry cloth on them so you can easily wipe your uncontrollably running nose. Sometimes I’ll wear SmartWool glove liners underneath them, because I am a big wuss. A friend of mine used to wear these monstrocities over her Brooks HVACs. Make sure you have somebody to help you put them on.

• Sunglasses. That snow is brighter than you think. I had a terrible time finding anything under $80 until I came across a pair of Ryders for about $40. I love them—lightweight and good wraparound coverage.

• Reflectivity. If you buy good-quality running gear, chances are that something on it is reflective. However, I like to wear an inexpensive red flashing light on my back, and some of my running buddies also wear an LED headlamp, since we run on a path marked by goose shit, fallen tree limbs, and sometimes ice.

• Hydration. You only think you’re sweating less than in the summer. I prefer a handheld bottle, but will wear a Fuel Belt for anything longer than 9 or 10 miles. The bottle linked to above, by Ultimate Direction, is incomparable: the so-called kicker valve is easy to open and close with your mouth, and it doesn’t leak.

• Music. I don’t always listen to my iPod during nice weather, but Miss Pod is a must during cold weather. Bonus—your hat or headband will help keep the earbuds in place.

• Identification. Cheap ID tags that snap on to your shoes are available at most running stores. After getting sick of replacing mine every few months, I splurged and spent $20 on a Road ID.

• Extra socks and a dry t-shirt. If you have to travel any distance to get to your favorite running location, whether by car or public transportation, PLEASE bring dry clothes to change into afterwards. Nothing kills your running high like cold wet feet.

• Running buddies. I can’t recommend this enough. I run with Chicago Endurance Sports, the best group in Chicago (it’s true!). I don’t think it’s hyperbolic to say that I’m not sure I could make it through the winter without them. Although I hate cold weather, I think exercise and fresh air are important, and I would get neither if I didn’t have the accountability and motivation of group runs. The only way to not be miserable in freezing cold temperatures is to make yourself sweat. Not something I’d get out of bed at 6:30 on Saturday morning to do on my own. Your running buddies will make you feel less crazy, will complain with you about how cold it is (unlike your non-running friends, who can’t believe you make these kinds of decisions), and will help you pass the time. It’s also safer to run with a group, especially if it’s dark and/or icy. (But bring a cell phone and a $20 bill with you either way. Just in case.)

• Penguin Sports Wash or similar. Takes way more of the stink out of my running clothes than normal detergent, and it helps keep your running clothes in good condition. It seems to work best in small loads, but it works equally well for hand-washing and machine-washing. Let your running clothes hang dry. Since nearly everything is synthetic, putting them in the dryer is like drying plastic.

• Patience. It takes longer to warm your body in the winter, so don’t give up if you’re still cold after five minutes. Just keep on moving.

• Willingness to brag. Seriously. You just ran six miles in 20-degree weather. You are a badass!

Filed under: running by ellembee

Posted January 14, 2009

The high tomorrow is supposed to be 0. Awesome.

Filed under: chicago, the view from my window, winter by ellembee

Posted

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current book: Home by Marilynne Robinson and The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

current music: Just my running mix, which got me through a “character-building” six-mile run in the snow and wind yesterday.

current socks: Mismatched SmartWools. They are both red snowflake patterns, though.

Filed under: Uncategorized by ellembee

Posted January 11, 2009

I finally got back to Chicago today and collected two weeks’ worth of mail. Among the Christmas cards was a plain white #10 envelope addressed to me in a neat, all-caps hand. The return address is from “Halpert” on Ellsworth St. in Naperville. Odd, since I don’t think I know anybody in Naperville. Nor anybody named Halpert.

I opened the letter and found a two-page faux-typed “Christmas” letter (including a faux water ring on the back). I scanned both pages, which are below—you’ll have to click on them to enlarge, but I beg you to do so. The letter itself is pretty funny, but I have NO IDEA who sent it to me. (I don’t have a home phone, so my address isn’t listed). The return address on the actual letter is my work address (sans suite number), which is… coincidental? creepy? weird? Please, for the love of all things holy, if you sent this to me, let me know. It’s driving me crazy.

If you need further persuasion to enlarge and read, here’s the second paragraph for you:

To begin at the beginning. Many of you will have heard that, while walking home from mailing our holiday missive in early December 2006, I was struck in the temple by an Audi. Servilia and the kids feared the worst, and their fears were confirmed when I survived. I’ve long believed that there is something positive to learn from even the darkest event. However, I have been very, very wrong. Getting hit by an Audi is an uniformly bad thing.

Filed under: letters, weird by ellembee

Posted January 2, 2009

Before leaving for some gift-card spending this evening, I got out my gift card to put in my purse. Except that I accidentally left it on a desk upstairs in my parents’ house. Which I realized as I was being rung up at the bookstore. So. Tomorrow I return to sort out whatever return/re-buy issue I need to, which gives me at least 12 hours to contemplate my overspending.

Oracle Bones by Peter Hessler

Home by Marilynne Robinson

2666 by Roberto Bolaños

The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke (the hardback was remaindered for $6.98, what was I supposed to do?)

Oops?

Filed under: books by ellembee

Posted December 30, 2008

I wrote a few weeks ago that I was determined to read at least half of the thirty unread books on my shelf before purchasing any new ones. I made it… well, a few weeks. Just before Christmas, I broke my pact and bought Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird, which has been recommended to me by several people over the years. I would argue that it doesn’t really count as breaking my pact because I devoured it immediately. The reason I made this promise was to avoid purchasing books that would sit on my shelves, lonely and unread, while still more books stacked up around them. (I think Bird by Bird is worth its own post. Stand by.) I’ve followed the spirit, if not quite the letter, of my promise. Mostly.

But I just got a $50 gift certificate to a bookstore for Christmas. I already know I’m going to end up spending more than $50, but I am planning my purchases out carefully so as not to go too far over. And I’m planning on blowing the entire gift card before I leave Indiana, to save myself some sales tax (Chicago’s has recently gone up to 10.25%).

2666 by Roberto Bolaños was recommended to me by a friend, and it looks intriguing, and possibly a good book for the coming winter months (it’s 898 pages, which would hopefully distract me from at least a few weeks of miserable temperatures and falling snow). The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan, about the dust bowl of the 1930s, was recommended by a colleague as an excellent piece of nonfiction, and it looks quite good as well. I’m also thinking about Jhumpa Lahiri’s Unaccustomed Earth, since I’ve loved everything else she’s written, and What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami, which may provide some much-needed running inspiration as I gear up for another year of half-marathons and my second full marathon.

Have you read any of these books? What would you buy with $50?

Filed under: books by ellembee

Posted December 28, 2008

Welcome to southoftheloop.com! I’ve finally gotten everything moved from my Wordpress blog; there may be a few comments or photos missing here and there, but I’m kind of too lazy to deal with it. I think I’ve also finally gotten the new theme tweaked to my satisfaction, but you may still notice some changes in the coming weeks. Sorry ’bout that.

I’m going to try to recommit myself to at least once weekly blogging, so please change your bookmarks and RSS feeds to the new site, and stay tuned!

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current book: Nearly done with Gilead by Marilynne Robinson.

current music: Ryan’s Get-Me-Going Mix and Calexico’s Carried to Dust

current socks: Green-on-green stripeys, extra soft, with a red reindeer on the ankle.

Filed under: moving day by ellembee

Posted