We spent the last week roaming around Chicago looking for an apartment.
What we thought would be a fun, exciting, adventure...turned out to be the worst experience ever.
We saw some real sh*tholes. I guess my verison of vintage and charming, is Chicago's version of herpes investation. Our lesson was learned, and our balloons of excitment were quickly popped!
Not to mind, that those cold gusts of wind, literally took our breath away...and not in a good way!
BUT... after many, many hours on foot...we finally found the perfect place!
We will be settling in Lincoln Park in a short couple of weeks! Crazy sauce!
After long days of searching, we did make sure to eat well, which is super easy in this city!
The food is exceptionally phenomenal!
Here are few shots of our nights in downtown dining away on really healthy food...duh...cause we are so healthy...
At Berhoff's, we munched on mini brauts, barbeque shrimp, and cheesy polenta cakes.
At Zocalo, we stuffed ourselves with chili-mayo corn on the cob, tortilla soup, a trio of quac, and garlic lime rice and shrimp. best.meal.of.our.life.
At Italian Village, we dined on minestrone soup, crusty bread, and mushroom ravioli.
Some highlights of this last week:
- the food. duh!
- finding a hidden gem in our favorite neighborhood (our apartment)
- playing cards by the hotel lobby fireplace
- chris turning up the wrong way of a one way street, and him explaining to me that he really was in a movie... with cars wizzing by, honking, and flipping him off! (I was in Nordstrom at the moment, which is a good thing because I am pretty sure the universe is better off without the f bombs that would have flown from my mouth)
- having secret, mind zens with each other about the crazy realtor we were with. (we worked with literally 7 different ones)
- being thankful we didn't catch a disease from a certain scum of the earth apartment we saw. The dirty underwear on the floor, bowel movement in the toilet, and who the hell knows what on the stove were the good parts of the place.
- having all the realtors tell me I am picky. I didn't know not wanting to make love to the train that is pretty much right in our bedroom, not wanting to shower in pubic hair, and not wanting to always have to put toilet liners on my own toilet, was considered picky.
- laughing hysterically when chris realizes he is in deep shiz, since he is color blind and can't differenciate any of the colored train lines. Getting to work, for him, is going to be an adventrue...
- telling a cabby the fastest way, him trying to school us so he gets more money, and my awesome "don't mess with my...i'm a city girl" retort.
- Realizing you can't take your time ordering, cause you will get the stink eye and/or a snyde remark.
- Getting pumped because we are going to live in a freaking rad city!
30 love notes:
This post really made me laugh! you are awesome. Glad you found a *nice* clean apartment! Can't wait to hear about your adventures in Chi Town. So jealous... Good luck selling your stuff!
It all sounds like such a fun adventure. So did you get the place for sure? Yeah if you did!
That was one of your funniest posts yet! Now go comment on one of mine damnit!
Hahahahahaha! Stacey, you are sooooo funny. We're in the car right now, and I read your post out loud to Levi. I'm so sad you're moving, but you guys are gonna have SO much fun in Chicago!!
hahahahhahah the first part of this post literally made my day! That was hilarious. Hope you love ShyTown. Its an amazing place!
so excited for you . . . but sounds like you might need to carry a can of lysol spray in your bag for a bit. ;)
Lovely photos x
yay! so happy you found a place and left without getting herpes.
That one apartment sounds GROSS GROSS GROSS. I would have been out of there in a SECOND. I'm glad you found some things to be happy about and an apartment that suits you. Oops for the wrong way road dealio. I'm with you, I'd better not be in the car - I think I'd freak!
OO! I'm so happy you ate @ Berhoff's! We ate there the last time the family was in Chi-Town. Delic'!! I loved Chicago! Glad the mess is over for you.
i loved this post you cracked me up.
at least you're looking live at the apartment. we found our apartment via craigslist twelve hours away. google earth saved my hide. so many "nice apartments" from google earth looked like the dumpty dump. we're we extremely fortunate that our apartment turned out to be jem {we signed the lease before seeing it. eeek.}
i'm dying over the one way street story too. that happened to my husband and i when we first moved to portland. i did say a few choice words and had a near panic attack. ha. lessons learned right?
i used to live in lincoln park, on armitage. i loved it. i think it will be a good fit for you! poor chris and the colored trains! i can't wait to help you go furniture shopping :)
Yay! So glad you found a place you like!
My bf and I used to go to Zocalo because he worked two doors down. I love that place! :)
The weird thing about Chicago is that you can be in a lovely, nice area and then turn a corner and be in a crazy, scary one. Chicago has weird pockets. When I first moved here and was looking for an apt, my sister told me "never live west of Western Ave" - and literally one block east of Western Ave was beautiful vintage buildings on tree-lined streets... and one block west there were falling-apart buildings, gangs, and shootings every night. Insane!
Well, I can't wait to hear all about the moving in and decorating of your new place! So exciting! Welcome to Chicago!! :)
first off, love the title of this post! and secondly, i am so excited you guys found a good apt after a nightmarish hunt. you're going to love chicago -- even more so come spring / summer. the street fests make the winter worth it!
this was a funny post.
you need to go to the green zebra for dinner... literally, the best food i've ever had in my entire life.
oh, you won't have to ask me twice! we have no room for any more home goods so it'll be fun to vicariously shop through you :) and i can't wait to show you this thrift store in lincoln park that i just found!
holy shiz, you are jenny lewis' twin in the last pic...but like the troop beverly hills hannah version of jenny lewis. i think its a combo of the red hair, and bangs. Pretty little lady! Looks like so much fun. Cant wait to visit.
looks pretty perfect. i hate apartment hunting... but it always pays off once you finally find "the one". i am still in love with my apartment in dc after 2 years. it's great.
i hope your adventures in chicago are lovely. the food looks so appetizing...
(love the title of this post ;))
amazing, amazing, amaaazing. i'm SO stoked for you two, what an awesome adventure! i'm pretty sure i'm going to have to visit you in the future! ;)
Welcome to Chicago!
Oh my gosh! You are so not picky. I'm glad you found a great place! That food looks/sounds amazing.
i love minestrone and i love instagram :)
I now want to eat my computer.
haha, this is an awesome and accurate description of the hell that can be apartment hunting in chicago. i've heard bad things about those apartment finder people that drive you around all day. i'm glad you found your way through the "historic" and "vintage" (read falling apart and grody) places around here and ended up with something good.
Congrats on the apartment, I cannot wait to see it! Chi town is so so fun, excited for you two! Can't wait to see you sooooon!
So sorry you had a bad experience on your hunt for an apartment...but glad you finally got one.
Lincoln Park is a GREAT neighborhood. There are some gorgeous homes and a lot of little cute "nooks and crannies" with beautiful streets, fun restaurants, and lots to do. Oh, you're gonna love it in the summer too. The lake is beautiful!
Hoping for a smooth transition and move for you guys!
Hello Stacey, my name is Nuria, I write you from Spain. I found your blog recently, but I must say that I find it inspiring, as well as pictures.
In addition, I identify with many things you say: I recently moved on with my boyfriend, away from home (about 7 hours by car ...) and I miss my family, but I also enjoy other places (but home is home.)
I recently started a blog, and I think it's inspired a bit on yours, so thanks! (http://myseveralstuff.blogspot.com/)
Well, sorry if my English is not very correct. Although I must confess that since I read your blog I've improved.
A loving hug from Spain.
Nuria.
Congrats on the new place! Glad to hear you stuck to your guns and got a place you love/won't get a disease in!
All of the food looks amazing! <3
Oh so sorry you had to see the ugly side! :( Sadly every city has one. But so happy you settled for Lincoln Park! If you need any help figuring out the the in's and out's of the CTA train, just ask, I go constantly downtown. Basically stick to the red/purple/brown line to go north, the red/orange line to go south, and of course the orange to stay in the Loop. Actually I'm going to miss Chicago so much, that I put in some last minute applications to schools in the city. I feel like I haven't discovered my own city, and I want to do that before I go anywhere else. Thanks for the advice, you've inspired me to love my city even more!
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thank you for the love note.