Field Notes for 10.04
Following tradition, for this week’s walk, I would like to note that I commuted into Logan Square. It was a spontaneous decision, seeing that every time I take my commute into campus I pass curiously by the stop, and this week I had the perfect excuse to stop and look around.
Both unfortunately and fortunately, I chose pretty difficult colors to match, but it allowed me to pay a little extra attention and appreciate the colors around me. Despite the weather leaning on the warmer side (compared to the last couple of weeks), the sun helped the colors become a little more vivid than they would normally be. The sun shining through windows and making patterns with the trees is something that I never take for granted.
Object 1: The Pink Hat- 2:26 p.m.
In a great streak of luck, I have been to three farmer’s/vintage markets in the last couple of weeks, and as I made my way into Logan Square, there was both a thrift/vintage fair as well as a closed street meant solely for the farmer’s market. Walking in was like walking into a food heaven; fresh produce, freshly baked pastries, even freshly made organic dog treats. The market was mostly clothing, shoes, and jewelry which allowed me to have some creative freedom in the pictures I took to match my samples, so I caught a picture of this cute stack of hats. (I could have sworn this was a much better match in person.)
Object 2: The Vivid Bench- 2:08 p.m.
After spending all too long looking for somewhere to park, I passed by a small coffee shop called Me Latte, with one of the most stunning and creative interior settings I have seen recently. Lined with local art on the wall, and a small selection of handmade jewelry, even the espresso smell was a refreshment from my typical corporate coffee aroma from work. I adored everything from the hand-drawn menu to the large selection of antique clocks sitting amongst the furniture.
Object 3: “Jesus Walks”(?)- 2:14 p.m.
On the way back to check out the fair in Logan Square Park, we passed by some fenced houses lining a street meant for parking and walking exclusively, I found some small assorted pieces of graffiti lining a fence, and while I am not sure what the original message was, it matched my paint sample pretty well.
Object 4: Green Fern- 3:36 p.m.
Admittedly, I took this walk with a friend and after mindlessly wandering around the bookstore and the fair once again, we had taken some time to decide on where to eat. I have to admit that one of the reasons I love exploring new areas is discovering the local eateries. While we were doing some research, we stumbled on an outdoor cafe with these green ferns lining the seating.
Object 5: Vintage Shirt- 2:20 p.m.
Right before I took the picture of the hat stack of the pink paint sample, one of the first things that caught my eye at the clothing fair was this bright neon shirt. I cannot tell if it caught my attention because I was looking for this specific color or if I am drawn to this color in general, either way, it was a great find for these field notes.
Object 6: Books- 3:13 p.m.
True to my nature, I always make a trip to a bookstore in whatever area I happen to stop into, and this trip was no different. This trip’s bookstore of choice was named City Lit Books located on Kedzie Blvd., and although they had a smaller selection of media, I am always fascinated by what bookstores have to offer. What I wish I had taken enough time to notice was that one of the books I had been looking for for about three months now, is sitting on the shelf seen in the picture. (I did not see this until inserting the picture. Unfortunate.)
- Why is it important for people — including walkers — to think of themselves as citizens? What is the relationship between walking, citizenship, and public space? What does it mean to be a citizen? How is walking tied to your understanding of yourself as a resident and citizen of Chicago? Draw on the readings to support your response.
I believe that walkers must think of themselves as citizens because the relationship implies a sense of belonging. To be a citizen of a particular place is to inhabit or reside in a certain place of “commonwealth” and the relationship between citizenship and public spaces is an important one. Although there can be a certain socialite connotation around “citizen”, being in a public space can make everyone equal, as you are all responsible for respecting the space and making proper use of it. In this case, we can say Chicago is our public space. As Dumke mentions in his work, Lightfoot’s main governing strategy after criminal tragedies was asking Chicagoans to bind together in their community and fight, but they could not do this without feeling like they belonged to the community in the first place. When your place within a community is properly understood, you are more likely to take pride in it and care about its well-being. As Benjamin draws on, people bond over activities that take place in public spaces. To be more specific, musicians and artists showcase their talents in quad-like spaces, and even if you stop by for a moment, it is a moment where you bond with the other citizens in your community, and feeling like you belong is perhaps the most important aspect of a strong community.
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