The Grind

The other day when we were having a snow storm, guess what I tried to do? I went exploring my new neighborhood. Yes, in a snow storm with biting winds. No one said I was a smart cookie. Being held up in my house for days was starting to get to me so I didn’t feel like going home the other day. I rode the brown line up two stops farther north than Irving Park and got off at Western. I had been snooping around on Metromix for local coffee shops and found one just south on Lincoln called the Grind that sounded promising. Unfortunately after trudging through the snow and past an expensive and promising wine shop the place was full. I ended up walking south on Lincoln till I found an empty coffee shop that I probably will not return to across from a Korean place I will have to check out. On a walk that completely froze my toes I passed a library, Evil Clown Records, a place called “Feed the Beast”, a sushi place called “Tank” and probably more interesting things if I had been able to looked around more. Adventures for a warmer day.

Yesterday, I decided to give the Grind another go. Space wise it’s a rather crowded place smaller than one floor of my apartment. For seating there are about 10 small black wooden tables with accompanying chairs. On the bare brick walls there are original watercolors from an independent comic artist. The menu looks good. They had a good variety of baked goods from mini tarts to brownies. Meals ranged from breakfast fare to pannini sandwiches and some salads. The kicker is they serve waffles three different ways. How can one go wrong? Their names aren’t as literary as the Bourgeois Pig, more utilitarian. One day I will have to try some and see if they taste as good as they look. This time I stuck to coffee, black, with a free refill. I have to admit one of my favorite things about this place is the music selection. W, you would have loved it. Free wireless and the Decemberists. So the Grind is a good local option for me to go and take my book out for coffee. I don’t know if it is my favorite coffee shop, but there are many more places I need to check out.

Hopefully, when the weather warms up there will be more posts about me exploring Chicago.

Also, Happy Chinese New Year (it’s this weekend).

I have horrible taste in men.

My friends have told me that I have horrible taste in men. An old boyfriend said I have horrible taste in men (and that was when I was dating him). So according to popular consensus I have horrible taste in men.

On this Valentine's Day, I called my mother and this is what she had to say in the course of the conversation: "Well, men just aren't that great. They're not!" (I love my mother. ) And yet at the same time, she is still wildly optimistic about finding a companion. And I hope with all my heart she does.

She wanted to make sure that I didn't have any wild ideas about men on white horses and such. I assured her that any wild dreams had died long ago. I am not looking for a knight in shining armor to save me or any of that shit.

Honestly, I am looking for a companion, some one to keep me company. I need some who can carry on a good conversation and not just some one who can listen but who can make me see things differently. A man with similar interest, but not identical. I am looking for a man who I enjoy spending time with and spending time way from. I am want a man who is there for me but not some one there to fix or save me. The thing is I am not really looking for anyone, yeah part of me is tired of being alone. But quite honestly part of me couldn't give a shit. Life goes on, alone or with some one. The important thing is to do what you need to do to live.

I have better things to do besides care about men who aren't that great. ; )
And, I have a fridge full of Blue Moon, the greatest cat in the world, loads of great music, some good books, and awesome friends and family. If only spring would get here I would be perfectly happy. But for out of this world happiness I would need to be traveling.

XOXO