Pilsen Adventure

So the days are beginning to blur together and it's so hard for me to remember what actually happened. I guess I could look at my journal and type some of that stuff up but that doesn't strike me as authentic (even though they are my words, I guess I'm not using authentic in the best way but you get the point and if you don't then sorry haha). I'll just make this blog a separate thing and write the highlights and lowlights of my days.

Okay so on our adventure Abby, Maddie, Grego and I took the PINK LINE down to Roosevelt and got off there. We had 8 landmarks to visit.

#1: 1852 West 19th Street
National Museum of Mexican Art

So this location is closed on Mondays which we already knew so I can't wait to go back when it's open and see what's inside.

Maddie, Abby & Grego

#2: 1712 South Ashland
The Native Soul Tattoo

This tattoo parlor was really cool and we met one of the artists. I interviewed him and he told us that Pilsen is known for its murals and resistance to change. There were so many murals but the pictures that I took don't really do them justice.

Maddie, Abby & Grego

Mural outside tatto shop

The window

Me!

#3: 1645 West 18th Place
Orozco Academy School Murals

This school is so lucky to have this mosaic mural. It's so stunning and very very long.

#4: 1425 West 18th Street
Knee Deep Vintage

This place made me wish I had a fancy camera so I could take really cool pictures of all their stuff. The clothes there is actually vintage and not things from 2005. I loved it. They also had these post cards by the cash register that I will post up next time because there's an event on Friday about one of them!

Abby and Maddie on a leopard chair

My sad attempt at trying to take a cool picture of shoes haha.

#5: 1439 West 18th Street
Café Jumping Bean

This coffee shop was super cozy and fun. They have a table service and you pay at the cash register once you're getting ready to leave. They had crazy yoga art all over the walls (I should've taken pictures). They also had board games in one of the corners for customers to play. The staff was very friendly. Mrs. Dorothy said that two feminist started that coffee shop because they wanted a place for people to feel comfortable (mission accomplished) and there host nights of spoken words and other live performances.

Candid picture? Haha

Delicious blueberry scone!

#6: 1821 South Racine
Casa Aztlan


The doors to this places are part of a large mural. We didn't even know if we could go inside but we went and I talked to one of the ladies who worked there and asked her what type of services they offered. She said they offered Danza Azteca classes and some other type of dance. They also offer ESOL classes and GED classes.

Grego, Abby and look who it is ME! The eagle is where the entrance was.

The left side of the door. My personal favorite <3

CASA AZTLAN

The right side of the door.

#7: 1725 South Racine
Irv's Bike Shop

This bike shop was on the corner of the street and they had a bunch of different things to pimp out your bike. Super cool if you're into bikes.

I don't think the picture really shows it but the some of those bike rims are super cool and colorful.

At the end of our little excursion we were supposed to go to an assigned restaurant to pick up food that Mrs. Dorothy had ordered and take it back to the office because we were having a potluck with food from all the different scavenger hunts.
Restaurant: 1544 West 18th Street. Sadly, I didn't take a picture of the place. I'm trying to be better about documenting things. I'll get better.

Two restaurant menus that i took a picture of in Pilsen.

One of the best murals. It was so vibrant but my camera didn't quite pick it up because it was windy and snowing.

Another mural.

That is a painted heart on a door and the rest is made out of wood panels. The alley mural was great as well but you can't really see it that well here.

BBQ place.

The octopus' head is on the bottom level. This is a bar. 

Until next time,
Ro

This was my outfit for the day: (bathroom mirror anyone?)

Navy velvet cardigan, gray Three Stooges shirt, silver necklace, dark F21 jeans, gray socks, black converse.