Sep '06 - Nov '06
Luckily I live on-campus, so I don't have to worry too much about commuting to studio. Although I do miss living close to downtown, like when I was in Boston. I did my undergraduate at MIT in Cambridge, but I lived across the river in Boston. It was so nice to have stuff to do and places to eat after midnight. Chicago is pretty amazing too, but living about a 20 minute "L" ride from downtown, it's just not the same. The IIT campus has changed so much in the past few years, but I'm still hesitant about walking around the neighborhood after midnight, especially since there's not much to do around campus besides watching the White Sox play. It is pretty convenient having an "L" stop right on campus though, so it's not that bad getting to downtown.
I live in Bailey Hall, which is on the North side of campus, right across the street from Keating Hall, the athletics facility. The rooms are not too bad. Not the best, but not the worst I've been in. I'm in a studio, and I have more than enough room for all my projects and paperwork. Living on the north side of the building, I have a pretty clear view of downtown. The entire north wall is a window, which doesn't affect me too much during the summer, but can get kind of annoying during the winter. Having lived through last winter here, I managed to survive, but it is something that one has to get used to. I've been told that the winter of 05/06 was a mild winter, so I don't really have anything to compare with besides Boston, which got pretty cold some winters. What made Boston worse was having to walk across the bridge from Boston to Cambridge when the river froze and the wind was blowing people off the sidewalk. I was raised in East Tennessee which is a really good location to experience every season, which were all fairly mild. However, for the past few years, I've been going from one extreme in Boston to Gulfport, Mississippi, and back to Chicago. 
If you check out my profile, you can check out my online portfolio and other projects, but here are a few samples of some of my work from MIT and when I worked in Mississippi at Guild Hardy Architects.
7 Comments
I doubt the south side can compare to Boston...ever...
but for midnight eating, there's Ghetto Dog (er...Maxwell Street Depot) and Freddie's on 31st, and Ricobene's on 26th...
Having moved to Bridgeport this fall from on-campus, I've realized there's little to worry about in the immediate neighborhood. If you're worried, though, obviously take other people.
hey, have fun at IIT. As far as feeling safe in bridgeport, dont worry at all. no matter how many people on here claim its a crime ridden gang infested ghetto, it is not at all the case
ive living on campus or within a few miles of campus for about 5 years now and have had absolutely no problems. ive actually had the opposite experience. bridgeport can be a very kind neighborhood, people say hello on the streets, and once you find the good places to eat, keep going there, and the owners will remember you
as far as things to do... Puffers is a good little local bar super nice bartenders and interesting people. its on 33rd and halsted
and skylark is one of my favorite bars in the city, on 22nd and halsted, a quick bike ride from campus or a quick bus ride.
i second the ghetto dog though, maxwell streets double cheese burgers or the best ever holy god
Weird, you're the first person I've ever heard who actually claims Boston has life after midnight. I can barely find a Starbucks open past 9pm here, and I'm not kidding.
What about the rest of Chicago? Life after midnight in other places maybe?
some bars in chicago are open to 5 a.m. if that s what you re looking for. having lived in chicago and boston neither of their winters compare to growin up on the other side of lake michigan, where you get bombarded with the white stuff. snowfall in boston and chicago is light and neither of them are that cold really..
the night has a lot more to offer if you do things that aren't dependant on clubs, bars, etc...
true, true! got a bike i could borrow, pix? i'm serious about that.
Most of the other guys in my studio live in downtown now, so it gives me more reason to hang out in downtown. Most of them have lived in Chicago for some time now, so they're showing me around.
I remember there was this really awesome place called Deli Haus in Kenmore Square there in Boston, but they closed down. It'd be open till about 3 am and it was always packed, plus the food was really good. Anybody know if they've revived it?
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