A girl and her two paint chips in Lake View
In this week’s walk I decided to explore the Lake View neighborhood a little bit more observant than my last visit. This time I was focusing on matching two colors on different objects throughout the neighborhood. The two colors I decided to explore with were Green Tea Leaf which is a dark muddy green, and Satin Weave which can be described as an off-white color. Hoping to find them through advertisements and familiar shops, I found the colors in unexpected parts of the neighborhood.
2:24 — As I first started to walk down Belmont holding my paint chips in the air trying to match it to the colors of the neighborhood, I could not help but feel the eyes that were on me. I am sure they assumed it was for some type of assignment but, that did not help them look at me paying close attention to the buildings and randoms advertisements hung up. The first color I matched was the satin weave color, it went well with a buildings mail instruction for UPS. It seems like they have had trouble in the past with stolen packages considering the instructions are unbelievably detailed.
2:27 — Across the street I noticed so many pretty trees starting to form into warm colors. I crossed the street hoping to find something to match my green tea paint chip, when noticing a woman wearing a jacket wearing the same exact color. I did not take a picture of her just out of respect, but I found it an interesting coincidence. I focused on finding the same green on the leaves but, my green was represented in the bark of the tree. As I continued to walk down Belmont, I stopped to admire all the cool music posters that were hung up in an empty music/film store. I matched the green to a poster that had a tiny octopus on it.
2:34 — I am always shocked when exploring neighborhoods because I tend to set my mind on finding certain objects but end up finding something even better. For example, I had planned to find the colors through advertisements or bigger stores like target or Dunkin but, I had found these colors in new unexpected places. As I continued to walk down Belmont, I was stopped by a Cafe named “Coffee, Hip-Hop & Mental Health” it had matched my off-white paint chip. It was so interesting how upfront the cafe was with their mission of contributing to the neighborhood. Businesses like this one not only serve the community but, sets a healthy environment for those who live or visit the neighborhood. A lady had stopped near me to look and seemed just as interested as I was.
2:36 — I decided to cross the street deciding to explore the residential area of Lake View but noticed a beautifully decorated cake display that matched perfectly with my satin weave paint chip. The bakery shop “Bittersweet” had a welcoming aesthetic inside. Something like the smaller shops in Lake View, they all resonate with a comfortable environment.
2:37 — I make a right onto N Clifton Ave, entering the residential area of Lake view. It is a nice quite street with houses that have been modernized but with many others that are kept rustic. I am drawn to one, it has a beautiful garden in the front of the house filled with tomatoes, flowers, and ivy. Lucky enough the greenery matched my green tea paint chip. I was extremely satisfied with exploring the residential area even after I had observed all my objects. It gave me a sense of what type of environment the community of Lake View has built. It is a beautiful distinct neighborhood that has a lot to offer but also a lot to receive.
Map:
Reading Response:
When walking in any neighborhood you should value and respect its individual representation. Acting like a citizen in the neighborhood means while observing you should also care for it. A neighborhood has been built by families, friends, neighbors, and business owners for you to enjoy and take leisure in so treating it as if it is your own is important. The idea of community and citizenship can be explained within this quote. In March. A walking life: Reclaiming our health and our freedom one step at a time, Malchik states “community is both possible and necessary because of our evolutionary interdependence, but also because we share space” (pg.43). To be a citizen you must not only take pride in your community but also take pride in the fact that others are willing to embrace and explore your neighborhood just as much as you are. As I have continued to walk throughout different neighborhoods in Chicago, I have grown to learn that that being a resident in Chicago does not only mean you need to have a Chicago zip code. But you need to be willing to respect and create pride in what that neighborhood stands for. (196)
