Scenes from Evanston

When you live across from Lake Monona in winter, you assume most northern lakes are frozen.  The first morning in Evanston, taking a quick jog toward the Lake Michigan three blocks away from the Hyatt House on Chicago Street, what I saw was a wide open and wild blue ocean lined by white beaches, no snow! It was 50 degrees outside by that time and people were already sitting down on beach towels sunning, walking dogs and kids were boiling over in the string of parks that line Sheridan Avenue along the lake front. From these beach points you can see the silhouette of downtown Chicago to your right and Northwestern U. to the left.  Straight ahead, a long straight blue lined horizon.


 From NU campus moving south along the lake covers several miles, lined all by a walk and bike trail. During more standard spring months, the beach that sits closest to the campus is a boat, kayak and beach operation, which looks a little out of place empty underneath a sunny sky and open water.  It was at this little corner of the walkway that we saw a small girl, maybe three, toddling along the grass holding a dog on a leash each hand.  The dogs were small and well trained enough not to pull very hard.

The Hyatt House is brand new and beautiful with double black out shades, quiet, and full of kids playing games in the kitchen.  The real beauty of the Hyatt is that it is located within three blocks of the Lake Michigan ocean, and only blocks from fifty restaurants and shops, including a great find of a back alley bookstore, which we were just glad was still open.  Giordono's of the famous Chicago style pizzerias, is on the same block, and half a block away is Pete Miller's, an iconic steak and jazz club.

Or Lyfe Kitchen, a sort of random favorite of Julia's, with a few blocks.  This is a great and fresh new take on the cafeteria concept.  Order as you enter, find a seat, and then it is quickly served. Two water taps sit at stations for self-service.  Mahi soft shell tacos include a chayote slaw, avocado, chipotle aioli, salsa fresca and can be gluten free and vegan upon request.  Some menu items include what is called Gardein, a trademarked product that is Garden plus protein and is made from plant-based food textured like meat, that kind of place.  Unfortunately, although the tacos were great, one customer who ordered the grilled cheese wasn't quite as excited about the choice of healthy cheese.

Grosse Point Lighthouse is one of the wonderfully anachronistic landmarks of Evanston, an old city surrounded by old architecture but with about as modern an outlook as any city this side of San Francisco.  Built as far back as 1873, this was the lead lighthouse marking the approach of Chicago for ship traffic. This area was first chartered by two names familiar to the upper midwest and especially the Mississippi River Valley, Marquette and Joliet.  Today it is a crumbling tour but as the sunlight dims, as you look up into its hooded prism, the light still rotates for would-be night traffic.

The Welsh-Ryan basketball auditorium, a mile up city from the lighthouse, is a throwback stage for basketball.  Mostly bench seating, relatively small for a big-10 venue, and hot in the rafters, the place is a quaint reminder of a time in basketball when the game was more about the game than the place.  The mascot for Northwestern is the wildcat; at timeouts and before opposing team free throws, the young girls in the crowd screamed out growls.  NU beat Rutgers by only a couple of points and hold out fair hope for reaching the NCAA tournament, having reached 20 wins in the regular season so far.

When all else fails, when Giordono's is booked and the tapas joint just down the street is a 20-minute wait, duck into the Whiskey Thief, a brand new stylish restaurant that takes its name from a position that the whiskey taster in a distillery used to hold.  Here the Scottish salmon is cooked to perfection and the Sprites are served in double lip glasses shaped like old whiskey samplers.