OK, back behind in the blog means back to the streets of Chicago. We left off on Damen Ave, between Madison and Cullerton… in other words, 0 to 20. What about 0 to 20 the other way? Yep, northward bound down Damen Avenue we go.
Couple blocks from the UC was where my friend almost got carjacked. This particular intersection is home of the newest train station in Chicago; the plans are laid to build up around the United Center big time. Heading north down Damen you eventually run into Wicker Park. Division and Damen is cool, but the 6 corners of North, Milwaukee, and Damen was where it was at back in the day. Start there and just head down any street towards clubs and bars galore; we hit them up. Red Dog was in the rotation for a minute, entering in through the alley right off Damen Ave just north of North Ave. We had some fun times in that place. One funny thing comes to mind, when I bet my friend a week’s worth of pizza slices that I would dance with this 3 foot tall chick; I did and he paid up… it was good. Leaving there one night wasn’t so funny… Don’t know how it came to be exactly; this is what happens when you’re under the influence. Thankfully this time, I wasn’t behind the wheel. A bottle came flying our way and hit our car, and we took off; the car followed us, and a chase ensued. We ended up flying through some intersections, safely, before finally getting to our destination without further drama. Whew.
Little further north on Damen you pass by Vienna Beef; always a good spot to score some grub. The Fullerton/Elston area is all built up nowadays; there’s even a Costco just north on Diversey/Clybourn. Milwaukee, Elston, Clybourn… try to keep those diagonal streets straight. Irving Park and Damen brings another diagonal into the mix with Lincoln Avenue; now, we’re getting close to where my mother in law lives. Plenty of time spent on this stretch of Damen up just past Foster where Damen is cutoff thanks to Rosehill Cemetery. There is still a little stretch of Damen north of the cemetery, but nothing I’m familiar with. That about does it on 2000 west.
I’m sure I missed some stuff.. there is Winnemac Park right on Damen and Argyle; we’ve had many baseball games and practices there over the past few years. Hamlin Park is also on Damen between Barry and Wellington; not the park that we play with, but one of the top places to play baseball in Chicago. Oh yeah, we did cross the Chicago River again, for the 2nd time on Damen Avenue. Leona’s used to be right off Damen on Augusta; nice spot for a while. McDonald’s on Chicago and Damen; lots of cruising on that strip of Damen. OK, we done yet?
Where do we go from here? There’s plenty more to go… Wolcott, Cermak, Western, Damen… Chicago is a big city and we have many streets; I know many of them. Let’s go downtown.
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