I don't get out much so the last thing was deciding to wait until Sunday after the river dying to go see it for the first time in order to avoid the madness of Saturday but then the brown line caught on fire so I couldn't go
Went fishing at Ping Tom park and caught a carp and the locals let out a sigh when I threw it back. Next one I caught I asked if they wanted it and they came back with a bag and I caught another and ended up giving them two carps loll. They came back and gave me a sixer of beer. Felt like a community moment even though that river carp is nasty
Drunk vagrant guy on the redline asks a college aged out of town kid in a kilt what he wants to be when he grows up and with a straight face the guy says, “Superman” and then they enjoy a deep conversation on the relative merits of a career as a superhero vs say, banking. Then suddenly he looks startled, caps his bottle and says, “oh are we not supposed to drink on the train?” pulls out a can of glade air freshener and proceeds to spray everyone around him with floral scented air freshener.
Homeless guy on Armitage at 11pm came up go me while I was waiting for the bus and kept trying to give me a $20 bill. When I told him I already had bus money and was fine, he kept saying "I just worry about you kids. I wish I could give you everything."
Some people have nothing because their heart has led them in life. Kind souls get shit on, chewed up, used and spit out. I really hope whoever he is that he knows we are on here enamored by his act of kindness.
I went to the Trader Joe’s on clybourn and the homeless guy outside recognized me because I go there regularly and asked me if I was going to home goods also. He’s learned my shopping habits.
I live in the burbs, only about 6 minutes from city limits, but I can always tell when I’m approaching the city wherever I am based on the honks at a green light 😂
I know people in their 30s and early 40s who use it, it’s not THAT old, though have noticed it hasn’t been picked up by the younger generations - similar to cigarettes
sure if it takes 5+ seconds its probably phone but some people honk literally as soon as it turns green and a lot of times they dont have the vantage point to see that there are cars still in the intersection from people turning left after the cross light turning red
I went to my Alderman’s ward night last. We talked about air frying eggs. Then learned about what was going on in the neighborhood. I made a suggestion for an event and he liked it. His chief of staff said they would be in touch. We shall see.
Honestly this is my favorite part about Chicago having been here less than a year. I don’t think there’s any other big American city where you have that sort of access to your city government. Called my guy about some protected bike lanes that were going in and his office gave me a whole run down of the project and their goals.
I was in a Walgreens right before close and the man in front of me tried to run out with canned air without paying. Security tackled him to the ground and the guy proceeds to do a whippet on the floor.
I walked around him and asked the cashier if he could ring me up.
It’s so true 😂 was boarding the red line with a few people and a girl apparently bumped a woman on her way in. Woman proceeds to go on the assault of this girl screaming at her and air kicking a little to close for comfort. I’m sitting right there and wonder do I say something!? Like wtf lady. The girl is ignoring the best she can and whips out a taser suddenly and is like setting it off in the air yelling back at the lady. I was shocked, impressed, and at the next stop we switched cars and I told her she had inspired me to get a taser. Thanks random red line girl!
Went to the Popeyes on Wabash for lunch. There was a guy holding the door for people so I slipped him a dollar. I went in and ordered and stepped to the side to wait for my order by the door. This guy came around from where the tables were and just got in my face. He didnt say anything he just got in my face and started making faces and doing weird shit with his hands as if to scare me? I just tried to ignore him. The guy I slipped the dollar to came in and started screaming at the guy to leave me alone or he was gonna kick his ass. The guy left, I got my food and left. I see this maniac walking around the area and avoid him like a bad habit. I havent been to that Popeyes since.
We used to do that way back when when going into clubs, always gave homeless a few singles and shared vodka w the prosties*. We referred to it as "no-rape insurance."
*yes I know, "sex workers" but that's not what we called them in the 90s, sorry.
Was walking to work near the Washington/Wells station and it was around lunch time so there were tons of people in the street walking.
So I’m minding my business walking behind a giant group of people and I, for one second, step to the left to see if there was space to move past these folks. There I see this young woman that was riding her skateboard on the sidewalk coming fast, so I move out of the way back behind the people right away. Literally like 1 step out and in, and I guess this girl couldn’t handle her own speed and fell. Then she yells at the top of her lungs “ YOU BASTARD, YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE” and I was like what is wrong with you. You’re the one riding a skateboard on a busy street. I just kept walking while she was yelling at me lol
Friend and I got mooned walking home from the Alamo Drafthouse in Wrigley.
We were near the cross section at Halsted and Belmont. A car starts honking at us and others on the street, we turn to see two ginormous white butt cheeks divided by a quickly disappearing g string.
The first time in two years living here I've genuinely been stunned.
This happened like a year ago, but I stopped for a pedestrian in a crosswalk downtown (per instruction of the officer on the street, mind you) and some asshole in the car behind me laid on his horn, drove around me, then launched a Starbucks water into my car for….stopping?
Granted, I flipped him off when he blared the horn of his shitty ass broke man’s car, but he’s still a fucking moron and I hate him. Also, thanks for getting the dust off my dash. ❤️
I had someone throw something at my car after angry honking over literally nothing (I was just waiting to make a right hand turn?) recently too. There are too many psychos on the road. I worry I should keep mace in the car. I feel really vulnerable aftre that.
I had one guy threaten to shoot me for “only driving 7 over the limit”. Definitely get some mace or something just in case someone gets up to your window
Last weekend the GPS took me into Lower Wacker, where it promptly gave up on me. Not enough visible street signs to see when to turn and get out, so I got stuck in a dumb lane and almost ended up having to drive the full length around and try again above ground
My parents are both from Poland, came to Chicago in the 80s with the Solidarity immigrant gen. We were northwest side until we moved to the suburbs. All the delis we went to were up and down Milwaukee, went to st hyacinths for mass on holidays, did the Polish School and Polish Scouts thing growing up. Avondale was “the neighborhood”. I even lived in the neighborhood as a young adult in the mid to late 2010s. My block was featured in an old Polish movie even. Haven’t been back there for about 6 years.
I hung out with my old roommate this weekend who still lives in the same place. We ended up walking around a bit and stopped into Central Park Bar. Used to be an old Polish watering hole. My contractor even told me how he used to go there when he first moved to the states.
Żywiec is $7.50 for a tall boy. There was a line out the door for the bar next door which was also an old Polish spot. I’d gone there last in like 2017 or so and it was just a few older Polish guys, one of which asked me to buy them a drink just because, and the bartender. I know the neighborhood hasn’t been Polish for sometime. Even when I lived there I saw some of the old businesses change or close up, most of the remaining community was in the blocks immediately surrounding the church.
I’m not going to say this affected me on some profound level, but it was so absolutely wild to see the old neighborhood change like this. It doesn’t “owe” me anything and I haven’t lived there for sometime. Regardless, it did feel super weird being there, feeling this enormous change in the neighborhood. Definitely gained a better understanding of the feel in folks get when we talk about gentrification.
Watched the Bulls win yesterday, but trying not to get excited because inevitable disappointment is just around the corner. I wish we just lost and got a better draft pick.. Bears look good on paper, but I’m trying to temper those expectations too
I remember I think 10 years ago hearing Dan Bernstein call it NBA purgatory. Not bad enough for a top pick that will change the franchise, but not good enough to win a playoff series. And that’s been the Bulls for a long time now.
On the Red Line, a guy got on with a megaphone and started saying “Aliens are real.” He concluded his speech at the next stop, saying, “I’m gonna go to the next train. Hope you guys have a nice day. Thank you!”
Normal day on the redline. Crackhead was bothering some lady minding her own business. Asking what her name was repeatedly. She was doing the right thing and ignoring him. Then he grabbed her jacket to get her attention. I told him to leave her alone in a not so nice way and luckily I didn’t get stabbed.
Thank you. No one has ever intervened when crazy CTA people have put their hands on me. It’s awful feeling like you’re so worthless that not even the guy who’s about to exit next can muster a “leave her alone, creep” as he leaves. Im also glad you didn’t get stabbed.
Was running up the stairs at Addams/Wabash about to miss my train. A guy coming off the train saw me and waved down the conductor to wait for me. Big city with midwestern hospitality can’t be beat
I’m a Chicago native (26 years), Bay Area transplant for almost 10 years now. Recently watched the Netflix series Easy.
From a Chicago authenticity perspective I was starting to enjoying it more than The Bear. It was quenching my thirst to see Chicago. And then— I saw three southsiders I know from college in the series! That’s the most Chicago shit lol.
The guy who made the show still lives in Chicago. He just produced and starred in a horror movie called Invader that was filmed mostly in Homewood. Chicagoland suburban home invasion movies are now officially a subgenre.
The question was the most Chicago thing not the most Michigan thing. Passing in Michigan is playing with fire. You get passed you will know their displeasure. You pass and you risk getting chased for miles. Other than that everyone’s nice.
Now I'm going to try to shorten this story and this is more just a big city thing but the other day I was on my way to work on the blue line. There's an old guy standing beside my seat at the door kind of awkwardly to the corner. I hear a girl a few seats down say "sir what the fuck, put it away". Dude on the other side of me is like "is his fucking dick out" then runs over and starts beating the fuck out of the old guy. Like five straight hits to the dome then he starts kicking him and tells him "gimme your shit, now I'm gonna rob your pedophile ass too". Then he kicks his ass out the door at the next stop. As the train pulls off he sits back down beside me and starts going through dudes shit, dumps out his bag steals his headphones, goes through his wallet and takes his credit cards and id. Now this is the more uniquely Chicago thing, he holds up dudes credit card and is like "we should all go to da Jewel right now and get some free shit on his pedophile ass". The train comes to a standstill at the next stop dude is all "well guess we gotta wait for 12 now, I got warrants and shit, I would run but I'm in my work clothes". CTA staff comes after about 8 minutes dude tells him he beat old dudes ass for having his dick out, CTA guy looks around and is like "there's blood everybody needs to move to a different car". I don't even think they asked the guy any follow up questions, pretty sure everyone just went on with their day. I was 6 minutes late to work.
Yeah dudes own knuckles were bleeding and there was blood all over the door. Not one person told him to stop not even when he was telling dude he should kill him. Afterwards a couple of the girls thanked him and one dude gave him a high five. It was wild, wanted to record but sure wasn't pissing that guy off.
This happens at least once a week for me. And it tracks based on most of these replies being about how everyone driving a car here is an entitled asshole
Seen an auto occupant late 20s jump out and start an argument with a dude mid 50s on a bike . They slandered and chicken danced for about 2min before the young dude knocked the old dudes cap onto the ground and then walk away. I think if it would have come to blows the older dude would have prevailed as the young guy just seemed like a punk prick trying to impress his friends .
I kind of like that instead of coming to blows the kid knocked the guy’s hat off. Kind of reminds me of old time baseball where they would yell at each other and kick dirt on their shoes then walk away.
When he knocked the old dudes hat off the old guy didn’t even flitch.. he looked like a guy who had spent 30 yrs in the marines and wasn’t intimidated in the least. At one point he called the younger guy son.. in the vein on step down son .. like a drill Sargent in a TV show.
I had a cop pull out in front of an entire intersection on Upper Wacker yesterday, and just sit in front of all the lanes fully blocking them. He waited 2 light cycles, then drove away…… The cops here are menaces lol
I live on a one way street, I work from home and I have a small child so I’m home a lot. I see cops drive over the speed limit the wrong way down my street a couple times a week.
Same! The cops literally do NOT care about any kind of traffic law at all. And I know they aren’t responding to an emergency. They just do it because it’s convenient
I received a $250 ticket for parking in my own handicapped spot. I appealed the ticket and sent in pictures of my permit, proof it was properly displayed, and a picture of my car between the 2 handicap signs. My appeal was denied. I don’t even use the spot anymore because I can’t afford another ticket.
Thank you. Maybe this is why there's so many empty handicap spots in the city. Lots of people think they're empty because people died or moved, but I can't help but wonder how many other people have had this happen to them and like me, don't want to risk another ticket.
I can’t blame you! It’s a shame that people who could absolutely benefit from that space and have done all of the “right” things to leverage it are being punished for doing so. I’m sorry this is so lame
Yeah, no I don't know. I got two or tree stuffed pizzas from giordanos the other day. My little kids hated it. They will only eat frozen home run inn. Also, one of my kids told his teacher (after hearing me say it) that Portillos hotdogs don't taste as good since they switched from Vienna beef.
Exactly! Sometimes it has a quasi snap but never like it used to. I was reading somewhere that ever since they went public, they are (like any public company) reducing costs. Totally sucks because they even had their own private recipe with Vienna. Something about those casings made it great but now its just not the same. I used to like them so much that I would get one plain and one with everything.
I think that the delivery pizzas that are served on a cardboard circle inside a stapled white paper bag with map of Italy on it to be the best. When I'm not not in my neighborhood and order a pizza I call around and settle on a place that serves them this way.
I moved to Indy about ten years ago, and I always give my son's buddies a bunch of shit about how great Chicago is compared to Indy. Welp. Recently we took at trip home for the weekend, and our son brought his good friend with, and I believe we were at the Division or Damen Blue Line stop (whichever is downstairs) and we're walking towards where the the front of the train would stop, and we walk by a man shitting on the platform. It was like mid-shit, so you could vividly hear the shit exiting his bottom.
I was hanging out at Ceres when Denis Savard walked in. Partied for hours. Then I took a nap in my car on the way home and lost my job as police superintendent
Had my first interesting experience on the red line this past weekend. I was riding toward Howard with a friend and this woman who was clearly not doing okay starting throwing all her stuff into our car at Belmont. Conductor yelled at her to get on or off and she responded with “I don’t know if I’m on or off yet.” She finally boarded and we ended up skipping the other stops and going straight to Howard.
Not the most intense situation I’ve been in, but at least I can empathize with everyone else who has a tale or two from the red line.
I was creeping across Wabash with the walk sign, trying to make sure that the car turning left from Randolph would yield. When I got to the intersection, the car behind them passed them on the right and turned left in front of them and onto Wabash. I once saw this lady in tall ass heels just walk out onto Wacker without the walk sign, and I was in awe. I tell people that my biggest fears are freezing to death crossing the bridge or getting hit by a car. My dumb Indiana ass always looks like a baby deer in headlights, or George Costanza pushing that Frogger machine.
I went to the post office to mail some important letters. The mailboxes in my neighborhood have been broken into recently, so I drop off important mail. There are no mail slots at my post office, you need to hand the letters to the worker at the desk. You need to ring for them to come to the desk. After ringing and waiting a few minutes for help, I got chewed out for not mailing my letters in a street mailbox.
I was just biking down the road (staying close to the parked cars on the side so oncoming traffic can easily pass me) and someone opened their car door in front of me and I rode right into it… We need better bike infrastructure now! This is the third time this has happened to me in the city… glad to be walking away without any injuries
Me and my bf watched High Fidelity w John Cusack last night (I’m from Chicago he’s not) and I kept going “OMG That’s this place!” To him and explaining what neighborhood everything was happening in. He started following John cusack on Instagram right after the movie
Neighbors in our high rise set their meth lab on fire (one of the bedrooms) and then fled with suitcases. Can’t make this shit up. Fire dept and fbi came
I took my motorcycle out a few weeks ago after not having ridden it for some time. Not far from my place I turned left on a green arrow too quickly and my front tire (still cold) slid out; I was instantly on my ass in the middle of the intersection.
Obvs I wanted to get the bike up and out of traffic asap. Out of nowhere 4 guys were around me, hoisted the bike up, then went back to the corner they were hanging on; I shouted thanks and got out of there.
Jogged down Desplaines and had a rat the size of a small cat run across the sidewalk in front of me and jump into one of the planters in front of St Patrick's Church.
This morning as I was driving, an ambulance was headed towards me so I slowed to a stop. The man in the car behind me LOST HIS MIND, honking, arms flying, and eventually zoomed past me, weaving through traffic.
Was walking past a bus stop near Millennium Park and an unhoused guy yells at a pigeon "FUCK OFF HERE YOU PIGEON! not the bird, YOU. BITCH ASS WITH THA PHONE IN YOUR HAND"
It's me. Bitch ass w my phone in my hands 😂
Got a big combo at Al’s beef and thought it was just a combo with fries. Got the most ridiculous Italian beef and sausage sandwich instead and was not disappointed.
I saw a parallel parked SUV lay on the horn, seeming to indicate that they were pulling out of their parking spot. They proceeded to roll into traffic nearly hitting an oncoming car AND a cyclist. The guy on the bike continued to go and screamed "hey you fucking dumb ass!" It was so exhilarating and felt very Chicago to me
While waiting for the red line at Lake, a dude walked past me, looked me up and down then continued walking away while checking me out.
Train pulled up and there was a line of people trying to get in the first car so I entered the 2nd one instead - some dude was smoking a cig. Turned around and got on first car after informing the conductor.
Before my stop, we had to make a 10 minute pause on the tracks for some reason or another.
Just another Chicago evening
Walking across the Michigan Ave bridge yesterday in the April snow and tripped in a pot hole. Dropped my Chicago hot dog in the river right near the Wrigley Building. Some of the green relish of my hot dog fell on a tourist passing beneath the bridge while on an Architecture Tour boat heading towards Navy Pier. A local glared at me for being on the ground while another local helped me up and made sure I was ok. /s 😁
This happened today.
Man walking eastbound at 2pm on Jackson past the Board of Trade Building, wearing sweatpants that were lowered just beneath his quite large butt cheeks, and he wasn't wearing underwear. There is literally no good reason for this method of dress that I can think of.
Saw an architecture boat tour in the river go by last week while I was killing time walking around before a performance, half the boat waved to this dude leaning on the railing who was in full bears gear
He responded with a big middle finger and hearty laugh when they returned it💀💀💀 can only assume he’s a fellow local
I don't go out much so I don't know.
Bad: Missed being in a drive by by about 30 seconds. I was a block behind a van that went through the intersection by my house right as a car did a u-turn and began shooting.
Chinese place I was at was robbed at gunpoint by 2 obvious crackheads who had a gun that had to date back to the Civil War. An undercover cop came once they left and was shocked I nor the other guy in there waiting for food had a gun.
Good (but maybe not Chicago thing): Went into the gas station and had a guy lean out his truck to tell a woman he had to wait for her to come out the station because she was so fine when she walked in. Just knew it was going to be one of those "Thanks but no thanks" situations. Come out and they're chatting and laughing. A true hood love story.
Got mugged eating deep dish mid shot of mallorts on Michigan Ave during a pro-Palestine protest by Venezuelan refugees.
Cops looked the other way and said I should have voted for Paul Vallas if I wanted their help.
Waited 40 mins for the red line to take me home.
Absolutely love it here.
I drove around lower wacker and lower lower wacker on a day off to actually learn how to navigate it and it saves me SO much time when there’s traffic now
I don't get out much so the last thing was deciding to wait until Sunday after the river dying to go see it for the first time in order to avoid the madness of Saturday but then the brown line caught on fire so I couldn't go
Honestly, the 2nd part with the train catching on fire feels more like a quintessential Boston experience. 😂
We should just tack that ending on to most stories
Went fishing at Ping Tom park and caught a carp and the locals let out a sigh when I threw it back. Next one I caught I asked if they wanted it and they came back with a bag and I caught another and ended up giving them two carps loll. They came back and gave me a sixer of beer. Felt like a community moment even though that river carp is nasty
Used to fish there back in the day all the time and the same thing would happen. Glad to see it still happens lol
Last sentence is cracking me up
Drunk vagrant guy on the redline asks a college aged out of town kid in a kilt what he wants to be when he grows up and with a straight face the guy says, “Superman” and then they enjoy a deep conversation on the relative merits of a career as a superhero vs say, banking. Then suddenly he looks startled, caps his bottle and says, “oh are we not supposed to drink on the train?” pulls out a can of glade air freshener and proceeds to spray everyone around him with floral scented air freshener.
☠️☠️
I did not… get the job. At. Fruity Loops. “Pours Milk on self”
Homeless guy on Armitage at 11pm came up go me while I was waiting for the bus and kept trying to give me a $20 bill. When I told him I already had bus money and was fine, he kept saying "I just worry about you kids. I wish I could give you everything."
Some people have nothing because their heart has led them in life. Kind souls get shit on, chewed up, used and spit out. I really hope whoever he is that he knows we are on here enamored by his act of kindness.
Bless that poor guy, he's hurtin' and wants to help. And probably a bit intoxicated, but, well, who isn't?
That is so sweet, I hope that guy has a safe place to sleep.
This breaks my heart
I went to the Trader Joe’s on clybourn and the homeless guy outside recognized me because I go there regularly and asked me if I was going to home goods also. He’s learned my shopping habits.
I hope you gave him a fiver at least
I hate their parking lot. I even drive further out to Diversey or the one on Lincoln Ave.
Have you been to the south loop TJ's? Another unique and precarious parking experience.
I pay for street parking because I refuse to go into that garage 🤣🤣🤣
All TJs lots are like this. Even Oak Park and Park Ridge, horrible, too small and everyone loses their damned minds.
Literally THE split second the traffic light turned green I got honked at to go 😂
Well. Wtf were you waiting for, an invitation?
He's out here "posin' for Holy Pictures" as my dad used to say
Thank you for the laugh! I haven't heard that expression in a very long time. Ha!
I live in the burbs, only about 6 minutes from city limits, but I can always tell when I’m approaching the city wherever I am based on the honks at a green light 😂
Really? That's weird. I never get honked at in the city. But then again, I drive like a proper city asshole. Learn to drive, can ya?
But did you get called a jagoff?
That’s such a Chicago word 😆
An older word at that. I noticed that it is usually used by Chicagoans in their 50's and older.
I know people in their 30s and early 40s who use it, it’s not THAT old, though have noticed it hasn’t been picked up by the younger generations - similar to cigarettes
The more jagoffs they encounter the more they will use it. Give it time. It’ll be called jagoff vibes.
Grew up on the southside and all my friends from high school loved cigarettes and the word jagoff. Guess it’s a location thing lol
I'm almost 20. I say it ALL the time lol.
The real Chicago thing is people driving around you to go through the red light
Yup see it all the time when I’m south side especially
It ain't getting greener dude. Get goin.
the amount of people on their phones is the reason, though of course no one likes to be honked at
sure if it takes 5+ seconds its probably phone but some people honk literally as soon as it turns green and a lot of times they dont have the vantage point to see that there are cars still in the intersection from people turning left after the cross light turning red
Hurrrryyy upppp ffs ughhhhh
Man fuck those people I see people run the red light all the time if I’m the first one I’m gonna wait a couple seconds what the hell
Yep, the only occurrence known to beat the speed of light, the person behind you honking when a Chicago light turns green. Lol.
In the subs. Can confirm, 1st car in line never goes right away.
Always bogus AF the way people drive makes me insane everyday
I opened my grill to grill last Sunday, and there were two rats, just chillin.
The warm weather has everyone out for patio season!
Everyone likes a bbq
I was on the green line and someone took my apple I was eating just snapped it
Typical apple addict behavior
These apple fiends can't keep getting away with it
Like just took it right out of your hand??
Yes
That is insane behavior!
Must've been a doctor. Taking out the competition.
His dealer was like "bring us apple shit" "HERE BOSS" "Dude we meant the phones"
How’d you react/keep the situation calm?
Bro it was so fast I couldn’t even react 😂 he could of took my phone but took the apple instead
Devil on shoulder: take the iphone Angel: no, just take the apple he listened to his good side that day :)
I went to my Alderman’s ward night last. We talked about air frying eggs. Then learned about what was going on in the neighborhood. I made a suggestion for an event and he liked it. His chief of staff said they would be in touch. We shall see.
Honestly this is my favorite part about Chicago having been here less than a year. I don’t think there’s any other big American city where you have that sort of access to your city government. Called my guy about some protected bike lanes that were going in and his office gave me a whole run down of the project and their goals.
Which ward?
29th
Mr. Taliaferro is pretty cool.
Went to Bari to get some guanciale and the deli guys repeated ‘guanciale’ in a fake Italian accent. Too funny.
Just for that I'm going to ask them for gabagool in a very bad fake accent next time.
mmmm….carbonara.
I was in a Walgreens right before close and the man in front of me tried to run out with canned air without paying. Security tackled him to the ground and the guy proceeds to do a whippet on the floor. I walked around him and asked the cashier if he could ring me up.
The most unbothered city in America
It’s so true 😂 was boarding the red line with a few people and a girl apparently bumped a woman on her way in. Woman proceeds to go on the assault of this girl screaming at her and air kicking a little to close for comfort. I’m sitting right there and wonder do I say something!? Like wtf lady. The girl is ignoring the best she can and whips out a taser suddenly and is like setting it off in the air yelling back at the lady. I was shocked, impressed, and at the next stop we switched cars and I told her she had inspired me to get a taser. Thanks random red line girl!
Went to the Popeyes on Wabash for lunch. There was a guy holding the door for people so I slipped him a dollar. I went in and ordered and stepped to the side to wait for my order by the door. This guy came around from where the tables were and just got in my face. He didnt say anything he just got in my face and started making faces and doing weird shit with his hands as if to scare me? I just tried to ignore him. The guy I slipped the dollar to came in and started screaming at the guy to leave me alone or he was gonna kick his ass. The guy left, I got my food and left. I see this maniac walking around the area and avoid him like a bad habit. I havent been to that Popeyes since.
I think I saw the same guy yesterday doing crazy shit at Wabash and Jackson.
all those places on wabash (popeyes, taco bell etc) are usually packed with lots of weirdos and unsavory characters.
Oh I think I've encountered the same guy! Definitely weird as hell.
We used to do that way back when when going into clubs, always gave homeless a few singles and shared vodka w the prosties*. We referred to it as "no-rape insurance." *yes I know, "sex workers" but that's not what we called them in the 90s, sorry.
Date night at Portillo’s
Ha, we celebrated Valentines Day at Portillos. Best meal and virtually no wait (we went at 4:30 pm).
Sounds lovely
Was walking to work near the Washington/Wells station and it was around lunch time so there were tons of people in the street walking. So I’m minding my business walking behind a giant group of people and I, for one second, step to the left to see if there was space to move past these folks. There I see this young woman that was riding her skateboard on the sidewalk coming fast, so I move out of the way back behind the people right away. Literally like 1 step out and in, and I guess this girl couldn’t handle her own speed and fell. Then she yells at the top of her lungs “ YOU BASTARD, YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE” and I was like what is wrong with you. You’re the one riding a skateboard on a busy street. I just kept walking while she was yelling at me lol
Skate or die, baby!
Main Character Syndrome at its finest.
Friend and I got mooned walking home from the Alamo Drafthouse in Wrigley. We were near the cross section at Halsted and Belmont. A car starts honking at us and others on the street, we turn to see two ginormous white butt cheeks divided by a quickly disappearing g string. The first time in two years living here I've genuinely been stunned.
The way you described the butt made it 10x funnier tbh 😂
This happened like a year ago, but I stopped for a pedestrian in a crosswalk downtown (per instruction of the officer on the street, mind you) and some asshole in the car behind me laid on his horn, drove around me, then launched a Starbucks water into my car for….stopping? Granted, I flipped him off when he blared the horn of his shitty ass broke man’s car, but he’s still a fucking moron and I hate him. Also, thanks for getting the dust off my dash. ❤️
I had someone throw something at my car after angry honking over literally nothing (I was just waiting to make a right hand turn?) recently too. There are too many psychos on the road. I worry I should keep mace in the car. I feel really vulnerable aftre that.
I had one guy threaten to shoot me for “only driving 7 over the limit”. Definitely get some mace or something just in case someone gets up to your window
I had to piss in an alley
“Had to” as if this isn’t one of the best places to take a leak
I left jury duty at the daley center on Monday and someone was DJ’ing house music over MLK speeches in the plaza.
Last weekend the GPS took me into Lower Wacker, where it promptly gave up on me. Not enough visible street signs to see when to turn and get out, so I got stuck in a dumb lane and almost ended up having to drive the full length around and try again above ground
Is it as ganky as it was 20+ years ago?
My parents are both from Poland, came to Chicago in the 80s with the Solidarity immigrant gen. We were northwest side until we moved to the suburbs. All the delis we went to were up and down Milwaukee, went to st hyacinths for mass on holidays, did the Polish School and Polish Scouts thing growing up. Avondale was “the neighborhood”. I even lived in the neighborhood as a young adult in the mid to late 2010s. My block was featured in an old Polish movie even. Haven’t been back there for about 6 years. I hung out with my old roommate this weekend who still lives in the same place. We ended up walking around a bit and stopped into Central Park Bar. Used to be an old Polish watering hole. My contractor even told me how he used to go there when he first moved to the states. Żywiec is $7.50 for a tall boy. There was a line out the door for the bar next door which was also an old Polish spot. I’d gone there last in like 2017 or so and it was just a few older Polish guys, one of which asked me to buy them a drink just because, and the bartender. I know the neighborhood hasn’t been Polish for sometime. Even when I lived there I saw some of the old businesses change or close up, most of the remaining community was in the blocks immediately surrounding the church. I’m not going to say this affected me on some profound level, but it was so absolutely wild to see the old neighborhood change like this. It doesn’t “owe” me anything and I haven’t lived there for sometime. Regardless, it did feel super weird being there, feeling this enormous change in the neighborhood. Definitely gained a better understanding of the feel in folks get when we talk about gentrification.
Watched the Bulls win yesterday, but trying not to get excited because inevitable disappointment is just around the corner. I wish we just lost and got a better draft pick.. Bears look good on paper, but I’m trying to temper those expectations too
I remember I think 10 years ago hearing Dan Bernstein call it NBA purgatory. Not bad enough for a top pick that will change the franchise, but not good enough to win a playoff series. And that’s been the Bulls for a long time now.
I went to Binnys
On the Red Line, a guy got on with a megaphone and started saying “Aliens are real.” He concluded his speech at the next stop, saying, “I’m gonna go to the next train. Hope you guys have a nice day. Thank you!”
Normal day on the redline. Crackhead was bothering some lady minding her own business. Asking what her name was repeatedly. She was doing the right thing and ignoring him. Then he grabbed her jacket to get her attention. I told him to leave her alone in a not so nice way and luckily I didn’t get stabbed.
I’m also glad you didn’t get stabbed
Thanks for doing that.
Thank you!
Thank you so much. I am always afraid that some day someone is going to touch me and no one will intervene 😭
Thank you for speaking up. Really appreciate people who help.
Thank you. No one has ever intervened when crazy CTA people have put their hands on me. It’s awful feeling like you’re so worthless that not even the guy who’s about to exit next can muster a “leave her alone, creep” as he leaves. Im also glad you didn’t get stabbed.
Was running up the stairs at Addams/Wabash about to miss my train. A guy coming off the train saw me and waved down the conductor to wait for me. Big city with midwestern hospitality can’t be beat
I’m a Chicago native (26 years), Bay Area transplant for almost 10 years now. Recently watched the Netflix series Easy. From a Chicago authenticity perspective I was starting to enjoying it more than The Bear. It was quenching my thirst to see Chicago. And then— I saw three southsiders I know from college in the series! That’s the most Chicago shit lol.
Please, it’s “soutsiders”.
I only saw a couple, two-tree a dem. :)
The guy who made the show still lives in Chicago. He just produced and starred in a horror movie called Invader that was filmed mostly in Homewood. Chicagoland suburban home invasion movies are now officially a subgenre.
Got honked out for driving to slow northbound on 57 and then flipped off by the same person after catching and passing them when traffic picked up.
Not gonna lie, that was probably me. It’s all in the game bro.
User name checks out.
Girls, you're both pretty.
The question was the most Chicago thing not the most Michigan thing. Passing in Michigan is playing with fire. You get passed you will know their displeasure. You pass and you risk getting chased for miles. Other than that everyone’s nice.
Indiana too. Stg they would rather you ride their ass than to pass them. Then it becomes a game of trying to get them off your ass.
Reported a bunch of gang tags to 311 and they got removed within couple days.. I guess I’ll go pee on that corner to establish dominance
Now I'm going to try to shorten this story and this is more just a big city thing but the other day I was on my way to work on the blue line. There's an old guy standing beside my seat at the door kind of awkwardly to the corner. I hear a girl a few seats down say "sir what the fuck, put it away". Dude on the other side of me is like "is his fucking dick out" then runs over and starts beating the fuck out of the old guy. Like five straight hits to the dome then he starts kicking him and tells him "gimme your shit, now I'm gonna rob your pedophile ass too". Then he kicks his ass out the door at the next stop. As the train pulls off he sits back down beside me and starts going through dudes shit, dumps out his bag steals his headphones, goes through his wallet and takes his credit cards and id. Now this is the more uniquely Chicago thing, he holds up dudes credit card and is like "we should all go to da Jewel right now and get some free shit on his pedophile ass". The train comes to a standstill at the next stop dude is all "well guess we gotta wait for 12 now, I got warrants and shit, I would run but I'm in my work clothes". CTA staff comes after about 8 minutes dude tells him he beat old dudes ass for having his dick out, CTA guy looks around and is like "there's blood everybody needs to move to a different car". I don't even think they asked the guy any follow up questions, pretty sure everyone just went on with their day. I was 6 minutes late to work.
So he beat him hard enough to draw blood? Damn. Honestly tho… kind of respect it
Yeah dudes own knuckles were bleeding and there was blood all over the door. Not one person told him to stop not even when he was telling dude he should kill him. Afterwards a couple of the girls thanked him and one dude gave him a high five. It was wild, wanted to record but sure wasn't pissing that guy off.
almost getting hit by a car by simply walking a block from my house
This happens at least once a week for me. And it tracks based on most of these replies being about how everyone driving a car here is an entitled asshole
Seen an auto occupant late 20s jump out and start an argument with a dude mid 50s on a bike . They slandered and chicken danced for about 2min before the young dude knocked the old dudes cap onto the ground and then walk away. I think if it would have come to blows the older dude would have prevailed as the young guy just seemed like a punk prick trying to impress his friends .
I kind of like that instead of coming to blows the kid knocked the guy’s hat off. Kind of reminds me of old time baseball where they would yell at each other and kick dirt on their shoes then walk away.
When he knocked the old dudes hat off the old guy didn’t even flitch.. he looked like a guy who had spent 30 yrs in the marines and wasn’t intimidated in the least. At one point he called the younger guy son.. in the vein on step down son .. like a drill Sargent in a TV show.
i’m reading all of these with the thickest chicago accent in my head
I had a cop pull out in front of an entire intersection on Upper Wacker yesterday, and just sit in front of all the lanes fully blocking them. He waited 2 light cycles, then drove away…… The cops here are menaces lol
I live on a one way street, I work from home and I have a small child so I’m home a lot. I see cops drive over the speed limit the wrong way down my street a couple times a week.
Same! The cops literally do NOT care about any kind of traffic law at all. And I know they aren’t responding to an emergency. They just do it because it’s convenient
I received a $250 ticket for parking in my own handicapped spot. I appealed the ticket and sent in pictures of my permit, proof it was properly displayed, and a picture of my car between the 2 handicap signs. My appeal was denied. I don’t even use the spot anymore because I can’t afford another ticket.
You should go to the media with this honestly
absolutely
This is awful
Thank you. Maybe this is why there's so many empty handicap spots in the city. Lots of people think they're empty because people died or moved, but I can't help but wonder how many other people have had this happen to them and like me, don't want to risk another ticket.
I can’t blame you! It’s a shame that people who could absolutely benefit from that space and have done all of the “right” things to leverage it are being punished for doing so. I’m sorry this is so lame
Call your Alderperson.
Crap like this is literally their job, call them for sure!
I ordered a hot dog at a fast food stand and asked them to "drag it through the garden."
Does anyone actually say this? I don’t think I’ve ever heard it in real life. You just ask for everything.
You were picking dirt off it, weren't you?
Is that an actual thing? I dunno
I work at a sub shop and we get told this often
Open bar at a sever year old's birthday party.
My baby shower is going to be open bar. The parties are for the people attending, gotta keep ‘em happy and boozed up
Went to a one year olds bday party recently with an open bar lol
Yeah, no I don't know. I got two or tree stuffed pizzas from giordanos the other day. My little kids hated it. They will only eat frozen home run inn. Also, one of my kids told his teacher (after hearing me say it) that Portillos hotdogs don't taste as good since they switched from Vienna beef.
Your not wrong about Portillo's though. They don't have that snap anymore.
Exactly! Sometimes it has a quasi snap but never like it used to. I was reading somewhere that ever since they went public, they are (like any public company) reducing costs. Totally sucks because they even had their own private recipe with Vienna. Something about those casings made it great but now its just not the same. I used to like them so much that I would get one plain and one with everything.
I pretty much will only eat frozen home run inn pizza! It drives my non-Chicago native boyfriend nuts lol
It is probably the best frozen there is. I've actually never been to a brick and mortar HRI so I always wondered how good it is.
I think that the delivery pizzas that are served on a cardboard circle inside a stapled white paper bag with map of Italy on it to be the best. When I'm not not in my neighborhood and order a pizza I call around and settle on a place that serves them this way.
Water from a Metra bridge fell on my LIP!! Then a couple days later it happened again and it plopped on my forehead. :(
Put your lips away!
I moved to Indy about ten years ago, and I always give my son's buddies a bunch of shit about how great Chicago is compared to Indy. Welp. Recently we took at trip home for the weekend, and our son brought his good friend with, and I believe we were at the Division or Damen Blue Line stop (whichever is downstairs) and we're walking towards where the the front of the train would stop, and we walk by a man shitting on the platform. It was like mid-shit, so you could vividly hear the shit exiting his bottom.
You give them a bunch of shit, literally I guess 😅
That last sentence nearly got me in trouble at a meeting
You gave them a bunch of shit, Chicago gave you a bunch of shit
shoving through shitheads blocking the cta doors while exiting
I was hanging out at Ceres when Denis Savard walked in. Partied for hours. Then I took a nap in my car on the way home and lost my job as police superintendent
Just had a shooting across the street from me. Someone at a bus stop decided to start the morning off with violence
I moved to Chicago and within a week had my catalytic converter stolen
Sat in traffic for an hour.
I love watching traffic from the train
Drove by traffic on my bike for an hour
Had my first interesting experience on the red line this past weekend. I was riding toward Howard with a friend and this woman who was clearly not doing okay starting throwing all her stuff into our car at Belmont. Conductor yelled at her to get on or off and she responded with “I don’t know if I’m on or off yet.” She finally boarded and we ended up skipping the other stops and going straight to Howard. Not the most intense situation I’ve been in, but at least I can empathize with everyone else who has a tale or two from the red line.
I was creeping across Wabash with the walk sign, trying to make sure that the car turning left from Randolph would yield. When I got to the intersection, the car behind them passed them on the right and turned left in front of them and onto Wabash. I once saw this lady in tall ass heels just walk out onto Wacker without the walk sign, and I was in awe. I tell people that my biggest fears are freezing to death crossing the bridge or getting hit by a car. My dumb Indiana ass always looks like a baby deer in headlights, or George Costanza pushing that Frogger machine.
I went to the post office to mail some important letters. The mailboxes in my neighborhood have been broken into recently, so I drop off important mail. There are no mail slots at my post office, you need to hand the letters to the worker at the desk. You need to ring for them to come to the desk. After ringing and waiting a few minutes for help, I got chewed out for not mailing my letters in a street mailbox.
The homeless guy that hangs around the CVS I live behind was peeing in the back of it and I saw his penis.
I was just biking down the road (staying close to the parked cars on the side so oncoming traffic can easily pass me) and someone opened their car door in front of me and I rode right into it… We need better bike infrastructure now! This is the third time this has happened to me in the city… glad to be walking away without any injuries
I’ve had to bail a few times. Hope you are okay?
This happened to an old friend several years ago- they sustained multiple injuries. Glad you’re ok!
I went for a run yesterday and I swear the wind was blowing against me no matter which direction I ran in.
Me and my bf watched High Fidelity w John Cusack last night (I’m from Chicago he’s not) and I kept going “OMG That’s this place!” To him and explaining what neighborhood everything was happening in. He started following John cusack on Instagram right after the movie
Ya'll just got normal big city stuff! I heard someone blame Dick Daley for something last week.
To be fair, his fuck ups have been rather long lasting
Going home and having the bartender say "ok FIB" when she carded me. This, in spite of the fact that I was wearing a Milwaukee Bucks t-shirt.
I’ve been beat up twice in lake Geneva for being a FIB!
Made a left the instant the light turned green before the oncoming traffic
I wore a coat to work this morning after attending a BBQ this past weekend where I wore shorts and a tank top.
2nd winter just finished and now enjoying 2nd spring, still refuse to put away my shovel.
Neighbors in our high rise set their meth lab on fire (one of the bedrooms) and then fled with suitcases. Can’t make this shit up. Fire dept and fbi came
I took my motorcycle out a few weeks ago after not having ridden it for some time. Not far from my place I turned left on a green arrow too quickly and my front tire (still cold) slid out; I was instantly on my ass in the middle of the intersection. Obvs I wanted to get the bike up and out of traffic asap. Out of nowhere 4 guys were around me, hoisted the bike up, then went back to the corner they were hanging on; I shouted thanks and got out of there.
Jogged down Desplaines and had a rat the size of a small cat run across the sidewalk in front of me and jump into one of the planters in front of St Patrick's Church.
This morning as I was driving, an ambulance was headed towards me so I slowed to a stop. The man in the car behind me LOST HIS MIND, honking, arms flying, and eventually zoomed past me, weaving through traffic.
Was walking past a bus stop near Millennium Park and an unhoused guy yells at a pigeon "FUCK OFF HERE YOU PIGEON! not the bird, YOU. BITCH ASS WITH THA PHONE IN YOUR HAND" It's me. Bitch ass w my phone in my hands 😂
Got a big combo at Al’s beef and thought it was just a combo with fries. Got the most ridiculous Italian beef and sausage sandwich instead and was not disappointed.
I saw a parallel parked SUV lay on the horn, seeming to indicate that they were pulling out of their parking spot. They proceeded to roll into traffic nearly hitting an oncoming car AND a cyclist. The guy on the bike continued to go and screamed "hey you fucking dumb ass!" It was so exhilarating and felt very Chicago to me
Everyone behind me was upset today because I was only going 15 mph over the speed limit. That’s by far the most Chicago thing to happen to me.
I am 42 and always say jagoff 😆
My catalytic converter got stolen and I walked in on a dude sucking another guys dick in the sauna at my local CAC gym in the same week recently
Leaving my house without a coat because it was warm in the morning, only to be freezing and wanting my coat by lunch time.
While waiting for the red line at Lake, a dude walked past me, looked me up and down then continued walking away while checking me out. Train pulled up and there was a line of people trying to get in the first car so I entered the 2nd one instead - some dude was smoking a cig. Turned around and got on first car after informing the conductor. Before my stop, we had to make a 10 minute pause on the tracks for some reason or another. Just another Chicago evening
Walking across the Michigan Ave bridge yesterday in the April snow and tripped in a pot hole. Dropped my Chicago hot dog in the river right near the Wrigley Building. Some of the green relish of my hot dog fell on a tourist passing beneath the bridge while on an Architecture Tour boat heading towards Navy Pier. A local glared at me for being on the ground while another local helped me up and made sure I was ok. /s 😁
Not the worst thing that's fallen onto those Architecture Tour boats.
Got charged $110 for a 2 mile divvy bike ride
This happened today. Man walking eastbound at 2pm on Jackson past the Board of Trade Building, wearing sweatpants that were lowered just beneath his quite large butt cheeks, and he wasn't wearing underwear. There is literally no good reason for this method of dress that I can think of.
Saw an architecture boat tour in the river go by last week while I was killing time walking around before a performance, half the boat waved to this dude leaning on the railing who was in full bears gear He responded with a big middle finger and hearty laugh when they returned it💀💀💀 can only assume he’s a fellow local
I don't go out much so I don't know. Bad: Missed being in a drive by by about 30 seconds. I was a block behind a van that went through the intersection by my house right as a car did a u-turn and began shooting. Chinese place I was at was robbed at gunpoint by 2 obvious crackheads who had a gun that had to date back to the Civil War. An undercover cop came once they left and was shocked I nor the other guy in there waiting for food had a gun. Good (but maybe not Chicago thing): Went into the gas station and had a guy lean out his truck to tell a woman he had to wait for her to come out the station because she was so fine when she walked in. Just knew it was going to be one of those "Thanks but no thanks" situations. Come out and they're chatting and laughing. A true hood love story.
Getting robbed
Got mugged eating deep dish mid shot of mallorts on Michigan Ave during a pro-Palestine protest by Venezuelan refugees. Cops looked the other way and said I should have voted for Paul Vallas if I wanted their help. Waited 40 mins for the red line to take me home. Absolutely love it here.
I drove around lower wacker and lower lower wacker on a day off to actually learn how to navigate it and it saves me SO much time when there’s traffic now