I’m sad, nonetheless, because Studs became intertwined in my love of Chicago. rIAm and I attended his session at the Printer’s Row Book Fair a couple years ago mostly at my insistence (although rIAm heartily agreed), and since then it’s been hard to figure out who is the bigger fan. I will always remember, from that session, Studs answered a question about people living in suburbs instead of cities. “You have to remember,” Studs said, “they [the suburbanites] are people too.”

But it was clear that Terkel was fiercely proud of Chicago, of city life, of the neighborhoods and people who make up the fabric of city, and Chicago life. That pride is one I shared, but Studs’ was contagious. And when I brag about Chicago, one of the reasons I say it’s great is because it’s the home of one Studs Terkel.

Rick Kogan, who was pretty well inseparable from Studs in public appearances lately, has a beautiful obituary published.

This wouldn’t be complete without mention of how and who Studs wrote about. It was the everyman and woman, the ones who aren’t famous – aren’t “important” (Joe the Plumber aside) – but through the voice they are given by Studs become enormously important. One of the finest stage productions I’ve seen in Chicago – indeed, anywhere – was based on Studs’ work Race: What Blacks and Whites Think and Feel About the American Obsession. Some of the books I’m most proud of owning were penned by Studs.

It also broke my heart – and was indeed rIAm’s first utterance after I shared the news of his passing – that Studs will not be around this Tuesday to see the potential election of America’s first black president. But it is in part thanks to Studs and his long legacy that it is even possible for that to happen on Tuesday.

This is the end of an era, and one I’m very sad indeed to see go.

I’ve also discovered that writing for blogTO is very rewarding, and leads to all sorts of cool things. I can get access to great events, make contacts with good people to know and even have a reason to go hang out with a chef for a while so I can do an interview.

Now I’m very excited that rIAm and I have a great apartment in Roncesvalles, a great Toronto neighbourhood. We spent our Canada Day painting, and the place looks really good. We’ve got some nice colours and have overall brightened the place up. With a delivery tonight, we’ll also have a nice mix of vintage furniture and Ikea. But it’s so exciting to be so close to our independent lifestyle again, and to have it in such a vibrant community. Just visiting Roncesvalles excites me about where I’m about to be living and Toronto in general.

Of course I’ve also figured out a few things I miss about Chicago, and perhaps even the States in general. The obvious first thing, other than the fact my family isn’t in Toronto, is that the Mexican food scene is pathetic. I visited a new place that makes their own tortillas, and while the tortillas were great, the tacos were awful. Other spots that come close to good Mexican fare do it either at high prices or mediocre quality, or both, so it’s hard to be all that excited. There just isn’t the population or competition like Chicago has. At least we have found some good sources for a number of Mexican ingredients, and we are even growing our own tomatillos in nonno’s garden.

I also miss the clothing selection and sales and outlet malls of the US. It’s not like I went shopping that often, but I find it difficult to find reasonably priced options to suit my needs and desires. I’m not being cheap – most of the cheap stuff just looks cheap to me now – but I’m also not looking for the most expensive stuff – and there isn’t a heck of a lot in the middle. I think I was spoiled by the outlet malls, and for the first time, I can sort of understand the obsession my in-laws have with the outlet malls.

I also really miss the great public space in Chicago. The parks, paths, incredible architecture and so much more really contributed to an awesome feeling in the city. Although Toronto is a great city, it doesn’t grab at your emotions in the same way at all. Toronto is a city you aren’t blown away with, but slowly come to love and appreciate. You have to make it your own; Chicago asserts itself.

And this leads me to the big thing I have realized I miss about Chicago: enormous pride in your city. Canadians can’t let the name of a famous Canadian go by without annoucning that person is Canadian, but when it comes to Toronto, residents are as apt to blast a new project as anything else. I hear so much complaining about this that or another – much of it for a reason – but in such a way where no credit is given to the good. In Chicago, perhaps this is unique, the love of the city tops all else. Yes, there is disagreement over how to do things or whether something is good or bad, but at the end of the day, Chicagoans love Chicago and you know it. I can’t say the same for Toronto.

The roots of Chicago’s love go a long way back. Perhaps it was galvanized by the 1893 Columbian Exposition, as Daniel Burnham led the city’s efforts to put on one helluva show for the world. That pride has never gone away, and is stronger today than ever.

Perhaps what I also miss is an iconic, benevolent, dictatorial, corrupt (?) mayor. For all of the criticism that Da Mare (Daley) gets, he deserves every re-election he’s had and I thank him for all of his years of service because despite whatever forays into silliness he’s had, Chicago is one helluva city, and he’s a big reason why.

Over here in Toronto the same can’t be said. Trying to introduce more street food vendors is a good example. Street hot dogs are a bit of a staple in this town, but with all the immigrants – Toronto’s multi-culturalism is incredible – there was a plan introduced to expand the street food vendor cart options to better capture Toronto’s many flavours. Well the plan was ready to be implemented when it got mired in beaurocracy about who should own the carts, who should operate the cars, what should be offered and so on and so forth. Now it looks like it will take years to implement what could have – should have! – been already in place.

But then I visit Roncesvalles and get all excited about Toronto again, because there’s a lot of great stuff happening there and all over the city. I’m getting to know the bike routes, and can’t wait to be so close to the Lakefront Trail. I’m also feeling well connected to the local/seasonal food scene, and I’m feeling more and more comfortable being stopped and asked for directions. I can look around and find stuff that could – should – be improved, but I can also see a great city I’m living in.

And more than anything, I can’t wait for Saturday evening, when rIAm and I are left with our nicely painted apartment filled up with all sorts of boxes. There may not be a tree, but waking up Sunday will be like Christmas morning: I won’t know which box to open up first, and can’t wait for the surprise of what’s inside!

But he also famously took the Cubs to within five outs of the World Series in 2003, and then turned around and won more games in 2004, but missed the playoffs. He became the first Cubs manager to bring the Cubs back-to-back winning seasons since Leo Durocher in 1971-2.

In any case, I have mixed feelings about Dusty’s tenure with the Cubs. On one hand, I think he did great things for the Cubs. He brought excitement and cultivated a lot of young players who are now important parts of the Cubs or other teams. I never questioned his resolve to win, either.

But what I liked least about his reign, unlike most fans, is that he oversaw what happened on the field to cause demand for tickets to go through the roof. Even in 2003, it was easy for me to go to any game I wanted. Sure the Cubs were a good draw, but you could get tickets to most any game (some required more planning than others), and even the popular games weren’t sold out the first weekend they were on sale.

Now people line up twice if they want tickets on the first day of sales: first to get a wristband and second to convert that wristband to tickets. Naturally, with such extreme demand, ticket prices have skyrocketed. And now, if I want to go to a game, I have to plan carefully. Yes, several losing seasons cooled demand, but it is still a way more popular ticket than it used to be. And prices keep on going up, more and more advertising is inside the park, even within the playing field, and the culture of Cubs fans feels a bit different, a bit more business-like.

If Dusty hadn’t taken the team so close to the promised land in 2003, the commercialization of Wrigley probably wouldn’t be where it is at today. I don’t really begrudge Dusty for anything, but I am left saying…

…thanks, and no thanks, Dusty.

Theriot to DeRosa to Lee may not roll off the tongue like Tinkers to Evers to Chance, and Harry would mangle Kosuke Fukudome every time, but all I can say is…

Go Cubs Go!

1. I went in to get my Ontario driver’s license, and it cost $75 (for 5 years validity). Illinois was about $20.

2. I chatted about #1 with the driver’s licensing person helping me and she couldn’t believe how cheap Illinois is. Thought it was per year. Then I mentioned that at least in Ontario everybody has healthcare. She wrote that off, saying it depended on what type of care you want. Admittedly, the system here isn’t perfect, but everybody does have healthcare. But it’s such a given, that it’s taken for granted. They should try living in the US and see what they say.

3. The major paper in town – the Toronto Star – ran a front page story today holding up the Chicago Blackhawks as a model for the struggling Toronto Maple Leafs. Which included fan-friendliness as a hallmark of the Blackhawks. You know, the team that wouldn’t televise home games and drew some of the fewest fans in the NHL. My head is still trying to wrap itself around that one.

4. I saw a TV commercial advertising a lottery-style giveaway for a vacation in the sun. Sound familiar? The destination was Cuba.

So this post is for Alarik and Jessica, with many thanks for sparking our interest in doing this post. But, of course, it’s ultimately for everybody to use (or not) as much as you like. And please, by all means, add your favorites and thoughts in the comments.

1. One place I found myself continually going back to I believe is called Carniceria Guanajuado at 1436 N. Ashland. It’s possible I have the name wrong, which means the address would be wrong, but it’s not far off. You’re looking for the Mexican supermarket on the west side of the road at roughly that address. The taco and torta counter is inside the market, which has an adjoining parking lot. The food is cheap and quite possibly the best tacos I ever had in Chicago. On weekends the barbacoa is the best barbacoa in town, and the birria de chivo (goat) is the best I’ve had (but, admittedly, I haven’t had this too many places). Other days you can’t go wrong with the steak tacos (carne asada).

2. For some of the best Mexican seafood in town, you can’t go wrong with El Barco Mariscos at 1035 N Ashland Ave. The parillada, or mixed seafood grill, is fantastic (pictured below), served on a sizzling hot plate. The huachinango (red snapper) is also a treat. They’ve got land based meat stuff, but you’re really coming here for the seafood feast. Price? Not the cheapest by any stretch, but not unreasonable for what you get. Expect $15-30 per person, depending on what you order and what you’re drinking.

3. Another treat for all around good food is Nuevo Leon, in Pilsen at 1515 W 18th Street. This cash-only favorite serves up excellent tacos, shrimp in garlic sauce, snapper, queso fundido and just about everything else you go into a Mexican spot for. It’s Nuevo Leon style (that’s a state in Mexico), and that’s fine by me. It’s under $10 per person, easily. Doesn’t serve alcohol, but you can BYOB.

4. Perhaps the gold standard in Mexican cuisine is Rick Bayless’s gems Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, sharing a space at the intersection of Clark and Illinois in River North. Using nothing but the freshest of fresh ingredients, organic and sustainable products whenever possible, and traditional recipes and methods learned in Mexico, you can always count on a fantastic meal. Everything, truly, is superb. The margaritas are the best in town, possibly anywhere. The seafood is superb; it’s a crime to leave without trying a ceviche. It’s nearly impossible for rIAm to pass up whatever the scallop dish is; I find myself ordering duck or the fish more often than not. The sauces are divine, the flavors sensational throughout. And save room for dessert, because it too is about as good as it gets. Or, actually, don’t save room but have it anyway. Once you taste the Kahlua whipped cream you won’t regret it. The restaurants share a kitchen, but Topolo offers the more refined (and expensive) restaurant experience. Frontera is a bit more “earthy,” and less expensive ($15-25 for mains) but not one bit inferior. A representative example of Bayless’s cuisine is this skatewing fillet in mole.

5. There are three outposts of La Pasadita on north Ashland Ave within a block of each other. Try heading for 1141 N. Ashland and if that one’s full, head a little south to 1132 N. Order the steak tacos and let your mouth water while waiting for them, then let your taste buds do a happy dance while eating them. Don’t miss a chile relleno taco either, for some poblano and cheese dream come true of a taco. So, so very good. You can also find burritos roughly the size of small children, and while we’ve not sampled one, they sure are popular.

6. For some darn good tacos, head to a Los Comales. For perhaps the best tongue tacos in town, go to the original outpost at 26th and Kedzie, but you can’t go wrong with any of their locations, mostly around the south and west sides of the city. Each filling is very good, it’s a matter of personal preference as to which is best. I recommend the barbacoa for a nicely flavored tender taco.

7. For some fresh, authentic, delicious Mexican head to La Condesa. They have two or three outposts, and the best location is on south side, something like 63rd and Pulaski (but not exactly there!)on south 59th street, between Kedzie and California. Since it’s easiest to find, and order at, this location if you’re Mexican, we also recommend their north Ashland (1003 N) location. The food is excellent and very fresh, and you simply cannot go wrong with a cecina (cured thin steak), the complimentary salsa or chilaquiles. Simply everything is superb. Note: See Comment #1 for more information.

8. My friend Armando tempted my tastebuds with his descriptions of cochinita pibil, a marinated and slowly cooked pork dish that is elusive on American Mexican menus. So it was with great delight that I found Carnitas al Paisa at 3529 W. Fullerton advertising their cochinita pibil. Granted, the name implies their specialty is carnitas, another form of slow cooked pork, and I wouldn’t dream of discouraging you from trying carnitas at the aptly named establishment. But sampling their cochinita will not disappoint, nor will the barbacoa. You can order your meats by the pound if you like, for take-away or to make your own tacos on site. The rounded older Mexican woman behind the counter gives off the impression — and as it turns out, reality — of this place: they know what they’re doing and they know it tastes darn good.

9. For some top notch Mexican grocery shopping, get yourself over to Casa del Pueblo (1834 S. Blue Island), the best Mexican supermarket we found in Chicago. And we did our best to sample many. The dry goods selection is extensive, but the real winners here are the produce and meat sections. You can find superb poblanos, chiles and assorted seasonal vegetables. Some excellent – and cheap – limes are always on display. Around the corner from that you’ll find yourself tempted by all the delectable Mexican cheeses, and a little bit further down you’ll find yourself face to face with an impressive meat case. You can get all sorts of things, but I suggest you get at least a pound of their house-made chorizo, and then sample whatever else strikes your fancy. Don’t forget your tortillas – often still warm after a delivery from nearby tortilla factories – and then you’re ready to check out. Of course, if you don’t buy items needing refrigeration – or you remember to pack a cooler in the car (or it’s winter!) – head across the parking lot to the taqueria of the same name. Serving up excellent tacos and similar fare, you won’t go hungry here. They make the food and put it into buffet-like serving containers so the people taking your order can make up the tacos right away. Therefore, I recommend you order what all the Mexicans crowded around the counter are ordering – it will be super fresh and super delicious.

10. For a slice of Mexican culture and life you will never forget, make the journey to Mi Tierra (just north of 26th on Kedzie) on a Friday or Saturday night. Don’t arrive before 7:30 or 8pm if you want to see things getting into full swing; whole families will still be waiting for tables until well after 10pm. There will be at least one mariachi roaming the restaurant, often another band to sing as well in this enormous Mexican paradise. The food does not disappoint – try a carne asada tampiquena if you’re having difficulty choosing – but remember that you’re here for ambiance as much as food.

11. If none of these quite tickle your fancy, just roam Ashland Ave, north of Chicago Ave and south of Fullerton. Or Western Ave in roughly the same stretch. Or meander through Pilsen, between Halsted and Ashland on the east and west, around 18th Street (but don’t forget to wander a bit north or south). You also can’t go wrong along Belmont or Fullerton, headed west from Western and not stopping for quite some time! Of course, these are hardly the only stretches good for Mexican, so don’t be afraid to pull into the nearest spot you find and give it a shot.

12. Mexican street vendors around the city offer up some tasty treats. You can find delicious fruit, chicharrones and so much more. The fresh sweet corn in a cup is always a tempting treat, too. If you’re scared to make an order, just point at what the person in front of you got and say you want the same.

Lucky 13. The best Mexican food in town is offered up down near Archer Ave and 55th Street by Armando’s mom. The chile rellenos (pictured below) served to rIAm would more than suffice as an example, but I can still taste those incredible taquitos de olla. You don’t get food that good very often. Unless you live with the kitchen magician that is Armando’s mom. Problem is, Armando’s mom doesn’t cook at any restaurant. Yet. Of course, you can try making friends with Armando hoping to get an invite. You never know when you may get lucky and find yourself sipping some Herradura with la familia Larraga!

Dear Family and Friends,

Greetings from Chicago! We hope this message finds you well, as the calendar has turned to December and the holidays are fast approaching.

We wanted to write to let you know about an adventure we have planned for 2007. Starting in the beginning of January we will embark on our dream trip to backpack through south Asia. We are planning on being on the road for several months. Our actual final return date is not finalized because we have a year-long ticket and may take advantage of this fact, or we may return to North America to begin life in Toronto sooner if we feel we’ve had our fill of Asia.

We are starting our trip by visiting Taiwan for a week, after which we will fly to Kuala Lampur, Malaysia. Once there, we will work our way by land through Malaysia northward to Thailand. Then we will work our way through Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. From Thailand we plan to fly to India, where we will tour extensively until we are ready to come home.

With regards to our trip planning, most of our time is wide open; we plan to experience our destinations as fully and richly as possible, and will make decisions about what to do and where to stay day by day. Rest assured we have done extensive research and reading, as well as talking to friends and fellow travelers about what to expect. For Taiwan and Kuala Lampur we have booked some accommodations through CouchSurfing; after that point we look forward to huts on the beach and guest houses off the beaten track.

In addition to visiting and experiencing these wonderful countries, we also plan to do some volunteer work. This includes a worldwide organization of organic farmers (WWOOF), where in exchange for working on a local farm, we will receive room and board. We have already contacted some farmers in Thailand and will be doing so for India. Also, we plan to volunteer in India with an organization run by one of renée’s French relatives. As we finalize things, we will be posting the details this blog…

Speaking of which,while we are traveling, our plan is to post updates and stories on our website, www.pastabroccoli.net. With Internet cafes quite common in all the countries we will be traveling through, we don’t anticipate problems doing so. From our website you will also be able to link to photos from our trip. Note that we won’t be sending mass email updates as our web site lets us reach whoever is interested in catching up with our adventures. If you visit our web site today, you will find current information about our lives and photos from the last couple of years. Please feel free to share our website with anybody who you think may be interested.

As you may have figured out, we will be moving out of our Chicago apartment prior to our big trip [Note: we did so the week of 17 December]. While we are away, you can reach us directly by email, or through our families. We also anticipate having a cell phone, but may not have a phone number until we are in Asia. Your best bet is to reach us via email and chat programs, as well Skype. Please feel free to add us as contacts or to message/call us when you see us online. [Note: email us to get our screen names if you are interested in staying touch that way.]

We will be in Toronto from 23-30 December, and look forward to seeing as many of our Toronto friends and family as possible in that time. Similarly, we will be in Naperville 21 and 22 December and 31 December to 4 January before embarking on our adventure.

Finally, to answer the question we’ve most often been asked, “why are you doing this?” there are several reasons. It’s been renée’s dream for more than a decade to travel through India. Joshua complemented this dream by adding his wish to visit countries in southeast Asia. We want more than what a few weeks that job-related vacation time provides because we want to immerse ourselves; an extended backpacking trip with volunteer opportunities lets us do that. We don’t want to wait until we retire, because frankly, the future is promised to no one and by retirement time, we may not be as able bodied to rough it and travel as cheaply as we are planning to do for this trip. In addition, since we are both ready to move on from our current jobs and move to Toronto, and we don’t want to do a trip like this with little kids in tow, this was the best time to do it — before we settle into new jobs and look towards starting a family.

We thank you all for your continued love, friendship and support; we will miss you while traveling, and look forward to seeing you after we return.

Be well and until our paths cross again…

rIAm and jft

p.s. If you have a blog or other website, let us know and we’ll link to you…

p.p.s. All travel tips, especially must-see destinations are welcome at any time… Please feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments on our blog or just send them via email…

p.p.p.s If there is an alternative email address you would like us to contact you with, please let us know so we can update our contact list…

R.I.P. Addison Brown Line stop. As of 3am today the station was shut down for up to a year. This “temporary” inconvenience is in the name of progress.

Now it’ll be longer walks in the snow and cold. Maybe worst of all, we won’t be exiting so close to Trader Joe’s. And it’s going to be hard to remember to walk a different way!

Check out more CTA photos here.