On The Come Up

Since I rarely drive I may have missed the fact that the 63rd and the Dan Ryan had both inbound and outbound exit ramps.

Nonetheless the south bound exit coming from the city seems new to me.

Now I'm hoping the construction is sound and nothing falls apart, but can you believe this landscaping?



Yes ladies and gentlemen, this is 63rd and Wentworth.

But I'm sure you could tell that by the grattiesque auto parts sign in the background of this picture. Prettying up the urban landscape won't happen overnight.

Normally the ramp medians would be choked with weeds and trash.

This looks like something you'd see on the north side.

We're on the come up.

It's Almost Done

Mt. Carmel is getting close to completing their turf installation. I have to say that it looks really good---very high end.

And I Thought I Was Pissed…

Every time I turn around I continue to get love from the blogosphere.

This time it comes from a similarly themed blog named bewarethebuilder.blogspot.com.

Oooh whee----Mr. Thomas Doyle is one angry condo purchaser. He’s one pissed off brother.

And he’s my new idol.

Not only is he fighting the good fight against his developer, but his developer Bryton Development LLC and it’s principal Kevin Bryar is suing him for defamation.

Defamation----that gets me kinda hot.

Now I’ve been through Mr. Doyle’s blog and I see a great many similarities in our experiences and I feel for him

Beating your head against the wall when it comes to this condo thing ain’t no joke.

Questionable construction quality and apathetic neighbors will drive you to drink.

You went ahead and took the plunge and took part in the American Dream and threw down a chunk of money to purchase your own home.

I was shitty when I didn’t get my full condo value for my paltry $125,000.

So I get that Mr. Doyle, also know as Truth In Advertising, is beyond incensed where his $390,000 is concerned.

Personally speaking, I’d launch a full scale war if that type of cheddar was involved.

So I say to Mr. Doyle and those of you who may follow in our steps, call it like you see it----but with caution.

Documentation, documentation, documentation.

Let me make myself abundantly clear----make sure you can document your claims.

Oh yeah, no matter how tempted you are to call the people you write about names and offer your opinion, resist.

Well, mostly. Sometimes you have to slip in a "shifty" here and a "scumbag" there to make your point.

Yeah, I name my developer and write about Mt. Carmel but majority of my posts are based in fact and can be verified by court documents or pictures.

My posts about random neighbors and the Jenkins Boys notwithstanding.

Note: Woody + Cell phone camera = trouble. I’m a picture snappin’ broad. Don’t do anything dirty, I will put your shit on blast.

Anyhoo…

For those of you who have been reading from the beginning you’ll remember that at first I didn’t name names---it took quite a while before Mr. Knight’s name was mentioned. I didn’t even refer to Mt. Carmel by name until earlier this year.

My intent in starting my blog was two fold---As a form of therapy and to inform others of some of the pitfalls on condo home ownership.

Everything else just kinda fell into place.

But as you all know egregious acts call for egregious actions. Hence names were named.

But through it all I adhered to my number one rule---be able to prove it through documentation.

Ladies and gentlemen, avail yourself of secrets hiding in plain sight. The freedom of information act was made to uncover potential deception.

Or at the very least be able to prove a pattern of behaviors that will lend credibility to any future acqusations you may make.

Ladies and gentlemen those government links on the left side aren’t there because I needed space filler.

Hell, I think that the kids at the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office almost know me by name.

I find most if not all of my documentation right there.

You’d be surprised what you can find in legal proceedings in the Cook county court system.

Actually, you’d be surprised at what you can find when you start leafing through bankruptcy filings at the federal building.

But I’m sure you get the point.

It’s all right in front of you. Dig through, make copies and factually post your findings. Throw in your voice and you have a blog.

Now I’m not sure how this brouhaha is gonna turn out for Mr. Doyle.

But I would think that if he can properly document past behaviors and the current situation, he may stand a chance of defeating this lawsuit.

What do I know, I’m not a lawyer (even though I know an ass load of them).

This has all of the makings of a possible 1st amendment test case.

Time will tell if I’m right.

But I’ll tell you this; I’m running down to the clerk’s office tomorrow to get the 411. I’ll be the one at the copy machine.

This Is So South Side

Photo courtesy of M. Cannon

You Deserve A Break Today

The newly rebuilt McDonalds at Marquette (66th Street) and Stony Island is the hotness.

Apparently the ownership is the same as the McDonalds on 52nd & Lake Park. If that's true, then at least we can be assured that the management will be responsible.

Responsive management is good but I have to say the restaurant is vastly improved over the pile of bricks that was there before. While the new design is cookie cutter as McDonalds go it actually happens to be really is nice.

Before the present ownership took over, the our local McDonalds was, quite frankly, a shit hole.

Panhandlers outside, flithy dining room, slacker employees, menu choices not available----the usual for a south side fast food restaurant.

So when the franchise was sold, it was music to my ears.

Ironically, not too long after the new owner took over she was slapped with health code violations stemming from the old owner's regime.

Or at least that's what the rumor mill said.

But she persevered on, dealt with the health department issues and started the process to build a new restaurant on the old footprint.

In my humble opinion---so far, so good.

Apparently Good Day Chicago felt the same way---they did a live broadcast for their morning show today.

Did anyone catch the flashy flat screen TV and the fireplace on the back wall?

Swanky.

...And You Thought The Firemen Were Hot

I preface this statement with my apologies to Mrs. Dart & Mrs. Yamashiroya. But I must say that you are both married to some incendiary quality hotties.

Yowsa!

Among the usual suspects at yesterday’s Gay Pride Parade were the delectable Sheriff of Cook County, Tom Dart and 23rd District Chicago Police Commander Gary Yamashiroya.

When did those who were sworn to serve and protect get so blazingly hot?

For disclosure’s sake, I have met Commander Yamashiroya as he and I know some of the same peeps back from my old ‘hood. He doesn’t seem like the ass kicking, name taking blue collar image you’d get of a Chicago cop.

From what the peeps have told me he seems to be measured, fair and an all around good guy.

He’s not a boozer, he doesn’t have a rep as being an asshole---‘cause the last person you ever want to meet is a cop with an attitude problem and you don’t hear about him being a skirt chaser.

Frankly, its cops like that who give the Chicago Police Department a good name.

Then of course that handsome mug don’t hurt either.

There he was, marching and waving with his lovely wife and young daughter. Always lean with a little bit of a tan.

A hot man who loves his wife and child and doesn’t try to kill them---Go figure.

In my limited view of the world there is nothing more attractive than happily married men.

No I’m not one of those skanks who sets her sights on the brass ring just out of her reach but rather it gives me hope that nice marriageable, non-commitment phobic, straight men do exist.

Was that our loud? I’m sorry---just step over all of that baggage I just dropped and we’ll continue.

There’s just something about a man who loves his wife and family that is very tantalizing. The irony is that, well---he’s married. So the chances of the hot man ever being that good to me is zero.

I know it’s warped but I suppose the grass always looks greener on the other side.

At least until you fall into the toilet and get the vapor lock of death around you ass because your husband left the seat up.

I suppose the hotness might wear off at that particular moment.

But boy howdy Sheriff Dart almost makes a sister want to go out and break the law.

I strongly suggest getting an honest to God look at that man in person. You’ll thank me later.

I was not aware that the good citizens of Cook County put eye candy in office.

Silly me I vote based on people’s record as it pertains to the office that they’re seeking, not their looks. But if I did Sheriff Dart would have won hands down.

Now it’s easy for me to extol the virtues of hot men while I sit anonymously (for the most part) behind a computer screen. The funny part is if I were standing next to them at a cocktail party I’m sure I’d make an ass out myself.

I am still very much the dorky sixteen year old girl who still can’t make small talk with the boy of my choice.

Now I’m many things, shy and under confident aren’t two of them. I am so the captain of my ship that I can put the wind in my own sails.

Nonetheless it never fails to surprise me that a person who can talk the talk (always) AND walk the walk (mostly), has not one word to say when a hottie walks in the room.

Go figure?

So if the good Commander, the Sheriff and I were having a chat I’d probably be giggling my way through the whole conversation.

Oh---and add some lip biting to boot.

I told you I’m a dork.

So I float on the outer peripheries, admiring the law enforcement man candy from afar.

Mrs. Dart and Mrs. Yamashiroya, do you ladies realize how lucky you are?

Introducing My New Bathroom

Extreme Makeover

Pictures of the shower backsplash in my bathroom before and after it's makeover. Can you believe I got the tile on Ebay?

Obviously I still have to paint but a new floor (doesn't the old one look like ass?) and light fixture (Home Depot standard issue---one word---ghetto) is in the works as well.

Brazilians

Now I’m not sure how this phenomenon started but all I can say is, “It’s about time!”

The University of Chicago has managed to recruit a cadre of super hot Brazilians. Words like “Thank God” and “Yowsa!” seem to escape my lips when the thought crosses my mind.

For those of you not in the know, The University of Chicago despite its super elite academic status cannot parlay that smarts into the looks department. Now granted, earlier this week I was complaining that I myself was falling down on the job. But trust me boys and girls, I clean up well---really well.

It’s different when you have something to work with and it just needs a little tweaking vs. managing to hit your face with the springboard as you dive into the gene pool.

Which, truth be told, isn’t that much of a deal breaker.

If you have something to work with---a personality, wit, a good sense of style, basic hygiene; all of that can compensate for not so stellar looks. I mean look at the late Duchess of Windsor or Eva Peron. Both weren’t winning any beauty pageants but made the most of what they had and worked it---hard. Both are now style and cultural icons.

It has been my experience that the U of C kids are 0 for 4 on most counts.

That’s why these friggin model hot Brazilian men stick out like sore thumbs.

They’re tall, they’re dark mysterious men of color, they’ve got great teeth, they’re beautiful and most of all they can hold an honest to God conversation. On top of that can you believe that they’re smart enough to get into U of C?

I mean I know all of those kids are gonna be my boss someday but at least I took comfort in the fact that I was socially superior. Now I’m not too sure if they keep on getting the hotties to come to Hyde Park.

My first encounter with the hot Brazilians was when I was hoping on the bus on a Friday evening a few weeks ago. We were both caught in the rainstorm but only one of us had their shirt on.

I hate when ridiculously hot bodied men come up to me in bus shelter and ask my permission to take their shirts off. The only thing I could think was…”Dear Penthouse, I never thought this would happen to me in a million years…”

That’s when I knew this bus ride was NOT going to suck. Plus he was impressed that I knew Brazilians spoke Portuguese, not Spanish.

I’m sure he would have been more impressed if my makeup had not been washed off in the rain.

45 minutes of wit and pleasant conversation made the usually torturous ride fly by in what seemed like seconds. Alas, he had to exit at 55th and Hyde Park Blvd. I continued on to Woodlawn.

Heavy sighs all the way around.