Last week I was at the world's greatest bookstore, Chicago's Seminary Co-op chatting with Jack Cella the General Manager. Jack is one of those great people that make Chicago the best place in my estimation to live in America.
Jack runs what is for many of us the best place in Chicago the fabulous Seminary Cooperative Bookstore which in an age of Amazon and Digital books still has the warm glory of a great bookstore with the whole of humanity within its walls.
Jack said something to me that is profound. The sem coop is a membership bookstore. We as members all own the co-op and one thing that I share with our (hopefully) next president is membership the Co-op. I think that this says allot about Barack Obama that he is intellectually curious enough to be a member of such a place. Then I began to think about the other places on the South side that are part of Obama's life.
The great sadness for us who are Chicagoans is the the next president will leave us for Washington. But if you want to experience a little of Barack's world here are some places that he loves; Apart from Seminary Co-op which for me is the best place to visit in the city here are some other places;
Medici Pizzeria in Hyde Park which is right next to 57th Street Books (Part of Seminary Co-op) has tee shirts that say Obama Eats here. I once say Obama eating there and I wish I had had the guts to ask for an autograph!
US Cellular Field Every White Sox fan is proud that Barack is one of us. He does not belong to the Cubs and he has chosen to proclaim that he is one of us... when you come to Chicago go to the Southside for what Obama said is 'Real Baseball' White Sox baseball.
Frontera Grill Obama loves Rick Bayless's restaurants and so do I come and eat Tacos and think about Barack.
Negro League Cafe near Barack's (Or President Obama's) house is this memorial to the great Negro Leagues.
Barack is a Southsider and a Chicagoan and hopefully this son of Chicago my hometown will bring to Washington what is good about our town. Chicago is a place we produced Studs Terkel, Nelson Algren, Nat King Cole, Buddy Guy, Gwendolyn Brooks, Carl Sandburg, Richard J Daley, Harold Washington, Oprah Winfrey, Enrico Fermi and Milton Friedman. We are not the stereotype we are a great city and great hometown for our next President.
Barack we are so proud of you....
2 comments:
Chicago is also the birthplace of Chess Records and Jackson Mac Low. I'm proud to be a long-term interloper!
It's a testament to the power of Obama's charisma, and the appeal of his policies, that I'm willing to forgive him for his support of the White Sox and, Cubs colors flying high, go out and vote for the guy.
Bob
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