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The City That Confuses The Hell Out Of Me

Juliet Banana — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:54:44 -0800

If you've ever lived in or visited Chicago and had a good time without getting hopelessly lost, you are cordially invited to post in this thread. Needed: an explanation of the grid system, tips and tricks on navigation, and recommendations for how to find the underground music scene, awesome beers, weird things to explore, and the best Chicago-focused blogs. THE GRID SYSTEM: Whenever someone explains this to me I hear "It starts at State and Madison and blah blah blah blah blah and then you'll know exactly where you are!" Pretend I am a five-year old who was dropped on my tender infant cranium.

HACKS: I bought the Moleskine city notebook which is really helpful because I can pour over maps on the El without looking like a total tourist. I'm also thinking of buying a small cheap compass because I have no sense of direction and I'm too shy to ask the classic question "Which way is the lake?" My boyfriend is getting handed a dollar so he can get one of the CTA Tracker apps for his iPhone. Any other recommendations?

BLOGS: A focus on music, especially local/weird/electronic, is nice, and so are blogs that categorize/tag posts by neighborhood. I'm currently reading Cream Team, Chicagoist, The Chicago Weekly (I really like the focus on non-mainstream arts&music, and neighborhood catagorization), and Gaper's Block. Is There a Cubs Game Today? is a single-serving site, not a blog, but invaluable for a Wrigleyville resident like myself.

PLACES TO CHECK OUT: Metafilter let me know that Hopleaf existed, so I'm sure there's lots of wisdom to be shared.

BACKROUND: I've spent time in Chicago but never lived here, I live spitting distance from Wrigley Field, I will likely work in The Loop, yes I will be at the meet-ups, I like booze and electronica and lowbrow art and limited-run/old/obscure movies, I really liked this previous question though I am 21+, I do not drive and hence will be reliant on the CTA, I am kind of nervous about not knowing anything about the local underground music scene and how to penetrate it.

Do I have to give dibs to a higher priced Cubs parking space seller?

AgentRocket — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:25:48 -0800

Wrigleyville residents/capitalist theorists: am I obliged to honor the "dibs" system while selling my parking spot during Cubs night games? We own a place about 2 blocks from Wrigley Field, and for night games we often park on the street and then sell our empty private parking spot. We generally don't plan ahead for this; we just do it if we are at home anyway. I like the concept of it, and the money pays for take out that night.

The going rate for parking so close to the ballpark is typically $30, but because I'm more interested in quick money than maximum profit I charge $20. This usually guarantees me a fast sell. If I had to charge $30 and compete for a buyer, I'd probably sell half as often because it would not be worth it for me from a time standpoint.

So last night, I went out to the entrance to the alley and there were already two other parking sellers there waving at cars. Each of them had at least two spots to sell, and each was charging $30. One of the sellers told me in pretty pointed terms that (1) I should be charging $30 like the rest of them, and (2) there is a well-established "dibs" system that calls for later arriving sellers to stand down until the earlier ones have sold their spots. She then tried to put me in my place by saying that I must be new to the area. The other seller there agreed that the dibs system is known and honored around the neighborhood.

I explained that I've lived there five years, that I price my parking to sell quickly, and that she is free to charge whatever she wants but I shouldn't have to wait for her to get a higher price while other cars may be passing her by looking for a deal like mine. Nonetheless, to be nice I let her and the other woman have a car each, then started selling mine. After I got my buyer, I am told by a neighbor that these two other sellers were bad-mouthing me for not allowing them to sell out their spots first and for undercutting their price. Some thanks.

To me, market economics rules here. If I want to sell for a cheaper price, I can do that and I get the benefit of the first car that comes. If they want the first car they can match my price or go lower. To them, we should all be in it together, and price competition will just minimize profit for everyone. So which rules here? Am I being a bad neighbor for not following the unwritten rule, or should I be free to undercut my neighbor's price and jump the queue?

(I will note that both sellers totally tried to poach my customer even after I allowed them their turn first, and that there are literally sellers at every corner so there's no way to do a dibs system except at the most local level.)

(I will also note that while I have in the past heard half-hearted complaints from other sellers that I was undercutting them, they seemed to accept that this was part of the game. After all, we are all out there to soak suburbanites in the first place.)

Need a barbershop on Chicago's north side

mjbraun — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 07:51:12 -0800

As a black man living in a predominantly white area of Chicago (Wrigleyville / Lakeview) I have a hard time finding a place to get my hair cut. So I have to make a biweekly commute to the other side of town which is wildly inconvenient. Any suggestions for establishments on the north side? Chicago is a strangely segregated city as the division is purely voluntary. In the neighborhood where I live (west of Wrigley Field), it is rare to see another black face. It's statistically bizarre, but mostly free of consequence except when I want to get my hair cut and styled correctly.

If you're unfamiliar with the operations of a black barbershop, I somewhat suggest the movie Barbershop. While it's obviously over the top, it does show the sort of stylistic insights and specialized talents a black barber possesses. Supercuts won't do.