Go where the (free) books are...

When you move to a new town, there are a lot of things you need to think about. Changing your address, finding a new gym, discovering good restaurants, knowing where to park your car so you do not get a ticket, and the list could go on. As a teacher, one of the CRUCIAL things I needed to take care of was getting a library card. Many teachers can agree that the library is our friend. It allows us to rent countless of books for FREE (as long as you return them on time). I love free things. To imitate one of my grad school peers, Alissa, I decided to focus this blog entry on Evanston’s Public Library. (Check out Alissa’s blog Lit Love and Libraries)

Evanston library has three locations: the main library in downtown Evanston, the North Branch, and the Chicago Avenue/Main Street branch (which is walking distance for me and opened in January). The main library has four floors with the children’s books on the first floor and teen loft on the third.  The children’s area of the library is whimsical and fun with bright colors. It takes over almost the entire first floor, so it’s very spacious. However, my favorite part was the teen loft. This section of the library is sectioned off on the third floor and you have to walk through a door to get into the loft. There are lots of comfy chairs, shelves and shelves of young adult literature, and rows of computers. The teen loft also has it’s own blog! The young woman working the loft was very knowledgeable and friendly, you could tell she loves young adult lit.

The only downside of going to the Evanston Public library is you have to pay to park in the garage... so this limited my time there. On the upside, Evanston Public library is hosting a HUGE book sale August 9-11. Their website states Chicago magazine calls it “simply the best”.

Pretend you are in the Gulf..

Summertime and beaches go together like peanut butter and jelly. I’ve been to a couple beaches in the Chicago-land area including North Avenue in the city. While the city beaches are nice contrasted with giant skyscrapers, they are typically loud and overcrowded. Plus, being from the suburbs, they can be difficult to get to. Let me introduce you to Evanston Beaches.

Evanston has seven well-maintained beaches along Lake Michigan’s lakefront. As an Evanston resident, I purchased a beach pass for the season, but a daily pass can be purchased by anyone. Adults are $8, children 1-11 are $6 and children under one-years-old are free. My two favorite beaches right now are Lee Street Beach and South Boulevard Beach. Lee Street has more going on. Parking is on the street and bathrooms are very close by. You can buy a hot dog, ice cream, pop, or various snacks from the venders by the beach. South Boulevard is more private and offers a lot of parking. Both beaches have lifeguards on duty and are rather shallow, good swimming for kids or just sticking your feet in. Before going to the beach, check Evanston’s website to make sure they are open.  

My friends and I enjoying a Friday afternoon at Lee Street Beach. 

 When I just look out, I feel like I'm in Florida. 

I love how blue the lake looks!

My boyfriend and I enjoying a sunset on the beach.

The best latte you will ever have...

When I started looking for an apartment in Evanston, I first needed to scout out where the coffeehouses were located, and then I wanted to find an apartment within walking distance. Starbucks and I are good friends as I have a personalized gold gift card I’m constantly refreshing. However, if the choice is between Starbucks and a smaller coffee shop I always opt for supporting the small business. I’m happy to introduce you to The Brothers KCoffeehouse.

Located about 42 steps from my apartment, this place will knock your socks off. Brothers Brain and John Kim opened it in 2005. They serve a variety of fair trade organic coffees, teas, and espresso drinks. I have to say they make the BEST caramel latte I have ever had, but their black ice tea is also amazing. Along with caffeinated drinks, they also sell a collection of bakery items from local businesses, but these go quick! I love the ambiance in Brother K coffeehouse. All the baristas I’ve encounters have been very friendly and the outdoor seating area is relaxing and spacious. On any occasion you will see a diverse range of people inhabiting this coffeehouse from the diligent student finishing a paper to families with young children sitting outside enjoying a sunny day. Along with serving coffee they also host latte art classes, poetry readings, open mic performances, and the art work around the coffee house changes every month to highlight local artists. Brothers K coffeehouse is located at 500 Main Street at the intersection of Main and Hinman. My only complaint it that they close at 8:00 pm, so make sure you stop by before then. 

My viewpoint at Brothers K coffeehouse 

You can see one of the brothers standing at the counter. Extremely friendly guy!

This is a good picture of the outdoor seating area. 

Firehouse Grill

In honor of the Blackhawks clenching the Stanley Cup, I have to introduce you to Firehouse Grill on Chicago Ave, an official Blackhawks bar. I have no idea what qualifies the Firehouse Grill as being an official Blackhawks bar, but they must be pretty big fans. Living only a couple blocks from this American, comfort food restaurant, I’ve dined here more times than I wish to say. When people come to visit me in Evanston I always suggest this place because every experience has been wonderful. The first time I went there, a family walked in and three children dashed to the back where there are shelves of toy fire trucks and picked a truck to play with.  

When you arrive to Firehouse Grill there’s no formality of waiting to be seated. You grab a menu and find either a comfortably big booth or table next to large windows. Service is very friendly and speedy. The menu consists of burgers, sandwiches, salads, and entrees. Personally, I love their sandwiches. I highly recommend any of their wraps, the blackened salmon sandwich, the chipotle chicken sandwich, and the honeymooner, which consist of turkey breast, mozzarella, and bacon, all on egg bread with honey mustard. Aside from their food, their drink menu offers 7 beers on tap, all kinds of bottle beer, wine, and creative specialty drinks. So, if you are ever in Evanston and need to grab a quick or relaxed bite to eat, I would definitely recommend the Firehouse Grill at 750 Chicago Ave.  

It's been an enjoyable, but long two years living with my parents. Upon completing my student teaching internship at Michigan State University (GO GREEN!), I moved back home to the quiet northwest suburb of Palatine. It was a great place to grow up. I loved all my schools and made some great friends, but frankly it became boring. Being so close to the bustling city of Chicago, I was always trying to find excuses to visit friends living in the city. In December, I decided the time had come to start looking for an apartment. 

A good friend of mine lived in Evanston near Hinman and Main street. I immediately fell in love with the area and knew this was the place for me. So here I am, living in Evanston, and biting at the bit to explore all the restaurants, beaches, stores, and unique culture of this vibrant community. I plan to chronicle and critique my experiences exploring Evanston and hope to inspire you to come visit this amazing area.