Ok, its been 7 years since I left Chicago to move to Maine but I still consider myself a Chicagoan albeit one who currently resides in Maine. Chicago is in my blood, its where I was raised and I would have to live in Maine 29 years before it really seems like home or at least truly equal to the Chi.
That said, its been 5 years since I have been home for a visit, due to lack of time then later a lack of cash I just haven’t been able to get back home though I am hoping to go back this year. I need some real food, don’t get me wrong seafood is nice here and its very cheap but I miss real pizza and a host of other tasty treats that only can be found in my beloved Chicago.
However I am getting a tad scared to go home especially after hearing that the Sears Tower is about to be renamed the Willis Tower. I first heard about this on Facebook and thought it was some sort of joke, but it seems that the famous Sears Tower is due to be renamed. Willis Tower???? Come on, that doesn’t even flow well.
On the the hand in the years since I have left Chicago, it seems like every few years a Chicago treasure gets renamed, first there was the renaming of Comiskey Park where the Chicago White Sox play on 35th street to US Cellular field. Just on general principal, I still call it Comiskey, I spent years going past Comiskey every day on the El and I’m sorry but US Cellular park just sounds wrong.
Then while I was gone, they got rid of the housing projects…Cabrini Green and the Robert Taylor Homes, 2 of the worse housing projects in the nation, no longer exist. In fact when I was last home 5 years ago, my Pops and I drove past what used to be Cabrini and in its place now stands some rather upscale supposed mixed income housing units. Last I heard the poor folks got pushed out. Now in many formerly rough areas in Chicago, you can now find such upscale luxuries such as Starbucks. Gone is Farmer Browns Chicken on Clybourn down the way from Cabrini instead you can eat healthy food.
However the biggest change was when Macy’s bought my beloved Marshall Field’s department store, for those not in the know, Marshall Fields was a grand old department store with its flagship store located on State Street. A mix of upscale shopping combined with amazing eateries and known for its Frango mints, Walnut Room and amazing holiday windows. I nearly cried when I heard Marshall Fields was no more especially because after moving to the east coast I have had the pleasure of going to Macy’s and was so not impressed.
I can talk about other changes in my beloved hometown but I won’t instead I insist that the powers to be stop changing things, stop selling Chicago treasures to the highest bidder. I know, truth is this happening all across the nation. In fact I wonder how many public spaces have US Cellular slapped on them?
Soon all of America will look like Anywhere USA, with no individuality and that saddens me indeed. So I guess I better get to Chicago soon before State Street that great street gets turned into IBM row.
