Chicago for Introverts

August 1, 2008 11:32 AM

Where do you go and where do you live? I currently live in West Lakeview and after the daily hustle/bustle that is working in the Loop, I find myself needing to unwind. I like the idea of book stores and coffee shops but the only ones I know around me are the standard Borders/B&N and Starbucks and those are usually busy.
posted by hitopshelf to society & culture (14 comments total)

A walk along the lake? I live way out in the Chi burbs, but that's what I would do if I lived in the city. Or find a quiet corner of the library. My university library let you bring in beverages, so grab some Starbucks on your way, bring your laptop or a book, and find a deserted floor away from the college kids.
posted by desjardins at 11:42 AM on August 1, 2008

Oh, and it doesn't matter if you go to the university or not - they don't check IDs at the door. You won't be able to connect to the wifi unless you're a hacker or a student.
posted by desjardins at 11:43 AM on August 1, 2008

So, its not close to the Loop but my absolute hands-down favorite place in Chicago was The Bourgeois Pig Cafe in Lincoln Park. (I mean it was literally my favorite *place*) I would go from Hyde Park to get here, I loved it so much. Its easier to access from where you are, just hop on the red line and get off at...Fullerton? I think? Anyways its very French cafe and has incredible sandwiches, teas, and books lining the walls. Everyone there is intent on working so its pretty quiet and its a great place to unwind. It does fill up, but its worth it!
posted by Eudaimonia at 11:44 AM on August 1, 2008

In general,
Although not applicable to everyone [I'm in a single family house that has a large porch],
My front porch works wonders for me.

If you like to walk, try large cemeteries [I've only did it a couple times, no one noticed).
posted by fizzix at 11:50 AM on August 1, 2008

Taking walks is great for getting some time alone with your thoughts, though not so much for getting any work done. Avoid the busy streets and stroll through the more residential areas. Depending on where you are and the time of day, Lakeview can get pretty busy - you might want to give some thought to moving to a slightly quieter part of the city.

City parks, public libraries, and greasy spoons like Golden Nugget are pretty good for getting in some time to yourself.

If you can, take a sick day every so often and use it to explore the city. A lot of places that are annoyingly crowded on evenings/weekends are nice and quiet during work hours.
posted by Metroid Baby at 12:01 PM on August 1, 2008

The Harold Washington library on Congress is a fabulously quiet, yet busy, place. (The librarians walk around and look for sleepyheads to wake up.) I like that there are people around me, but I don't have to interact with them, and most of the time it is quiet.

Also, the new(er) DePaul building on Jackson west of Wabash has plenty of nooks and crannies where one can hang out. They used to have an open-air seating area on the top floor, but I'm not sure if that's still there.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 12:54 PM on August 1, 2008

Why not take advantage of the long daylight hours to check out places to hang in new neighborhoods? Hop on the El after work. Take the Red Line to Andersonville and walk around Clark and Foster. Take the Brown Line to Lincoln Square. Take the Pink Line to Pilsen. Take the Orange Line to McKinley Park. Take the Blue Line to Avondale. Take the Purple Line to Evanston. Take the Green Line to Oak Park.

Many great walking/bookstore/coffee shop opportunities out there...
posted by j-dawg at 1:01 PM on August 1, 2008

Places that I've found to be less busy:

The Book Cellar in Lincoln Square. Has a cafe and a few outdoor tables, serves coffee and some food, also has limited wine & beer selection. Can be crowded during book signings and Lincoln Square fests, otherwise quiet.

Starbucks @ Kedzie & Wilson (near the Kedzie Brown Line). Even while camping out here on weekends doing homework, I've never seen it fill up completely. Also, the free wi-fi from Subway is useable if you sit near the window. And if you get off at the El at Rockwell, walk down to Wilson, then over to Kedzie, you can have a nice 1 mile walk that takes you over the Chicago River.

ING Direct Cafe on Chestnut, across from Sofitel. Yes, this is a heavily-branded cafe (everything's orange-colored!) that I don't expect to be around long, but they serve Peet's coffee, it is remarkably airy and light in there, and it's right downtown. Good for casual people watching out the window.

Julis Meinl on Southport & Addison and also on Lincoln & Montrose. The one on Southport is more cozy, though it can be crowded. When it's not, it's very relaxing. They also sometimes have live classical music.
posted by limeswirltart at 1:37 PM on August 1, 2008

On Southport, there's Julius Meinl (at Addison) and Cafe Avanti (just north of Waveland, across from the Music Box), both excellent coffee shops in which to unwind.

"West Lakeview" is applied to such a wide swath of area, I'm not sure where to suggest near you. I'm positive there's more than just Starbuck and Borders.
posted by me3dia at 1:38 PM on August 1, 2008

One more idea — the Chicago Cultural Center. They always have interesting events and art exhibits going on, a staffed tourist center with maps and brochures, plenty of places to sit, and the place is huge and free.
posted by limeswirltart at 1:45 PM on August 1, 2008

Seconding the Chicago Cultural Center, the library, and The Bourgeois Pig Cafe.

When I lived in Chicago and was abnormally stressed, I would relax by walking around the Lincoln Park Zoo on a week day, and spend a lot of time watching the seals swim. There's something very zen-like in their movement. Of course, this isn't as relaxing if the zoo is extremely busy or in the winter, but it can be a great escape. And it's free.

Powell's Books on Lincoln Avenue generally isn't that busy. There was also a cute coffee shop that opened on Lincoln Avenue right before I left that was slightly north of the DePaul campus.
posted by JustKeepSwimming at 3:09 PM on August 1, 2008

Tea Essence, at 1913 N Milwaukee Ave is a nice place to have tea and maybe a crepe.

In case you haven't looked on yelp, here's a bookstore search in lakeview, and here's a coffee and tea shop search in lakeview.
posted by garlic at 9:16 PM on August 1, 2008

grab a bike and head north on the lake shore path. around 6-7pm on weekdays its strangely empty (especially if you head north). riding my bike (at a moderate pace, I don't ear the gear or have a 10 speed) helps clear my head.

The Art Institute is free on Thurs and Fri evenings, you might try to find a quiet gallery and rest your eyes on a picture.
posted by Jason and Laszlo at 8:46 AM on August 2, 2008

I'll second Julius Meinl (great place to while away a morning with a good book) and third the Bourgeois Pig (great sandwiches).

Depending on how far you want to go, there's Intelligentsia and Argo Tea on Broadway near Belmont (grab a cupcake at Cupcakes while you're there). The Pick Me Up on Clark at Roscoe (good coffees, great hummus plate). Further out, in the Edgewater/Rogers Park area is Metropolis and Kopi. Ukrainian Village has Atomix. In the Wicker Park area you've got Sigara (used to be more crowded in the evenings, but I'd imagine it's still pretty empty in the early afternoon hours), the Alliance Bakery, and though Filter got shut down, there's still Myopic Books up on Milwaukee, and Jinx on Divison (if it hasn't closed).

I didn't include links, but you can find them all on Citysearch, Yelp, etc.
posted by the luke parker fiasco at 8:54 AM on August 3, 2008