My restaurant that I chose to introduce to the group is called Café Jumping Bean. It is in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago and is one of my favorites. It is a small café on just any old street corner. One could walk right by it and never notice it. However, that is what I like about it. Café Jumping Bean is like a hidden gem.
I am a fan of bright colors and art. On the outside, Café Jumping Bean looks like it would be, well, ugly on the inside. It surprised me on my first visit. I love the brightly painted walls and the interesting photography hung everywhere. The stained glass windows and the chalk board menu add a warm feeling to the establishment, a personality. It reminds me of the kinds of houses I grew up in and how I want my future home to look.
Café Jumping Bean isn’t much of a dinner place. It is a café (as seen in the name). The sandwiches are delicious and always taste freshly made. When I went with my group, my boyfriend and I just ordered a piece of cheesecake to snack on while they ate. It was amazing. I love cheesecake and it was just the kind I like, turtle. I’m not that big of a coffee drinker, so I haven’t had any from there yet. I wouldn’t mind trying the coffee since everything else is so good.
I recommend to my group and anyone else to give Café Jumping Bean a chance. It is a great hangout for an even better price. The atmosphere is welcoming, the food tasty, and the servers are very nice.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Is King Still King?
Is Martin Luther King Jr. still the same “King” he was back then? He is known as an influential and highly respected black leader that paved the way for change. As a matter of fact, today is a national holiday in his honor. However, I recently remembered something from elementary school that made an impact on me.
My seventh grade teacher’s name was Mrs. Mitchell. She is still one of my favorite teachers by far. She was truly passionate about her job and actually cared about each one of us. We used to be her “babies.” I remember one day in class we were talking about black leaders of the past and how they influenced now. This one boy, Tavionne, was messing around in class like he always did, but Mrs. Mitchell got especially mad. I remember the whole confrontation mostly because I had never seen her get so upset.
Mrs. Mitchell: “Boy show some respect we are talking about Martin Luther King Jr. right now.”
Tavionne: “Whatever, I don’t know nothing ’bout no Martin Luther King.”
Mrs. Mitchell: “What is your problem? How can you not know?! After everything our people has gone through to get you the opportunities you have now, you don’t even educate yourself!!! This is a sad day.”
It was dead silent for a while after that. She kept on talking and everyone was listening more intently. When I look back at that moment, it just makes me think how, regardless of race, important it is to honor the past and those that were revolutionary. However, there is a difference between honoring it and living in it. We need to keep working towards progress. King should be honored now as much as he was then.
My seventh grade teacher’s name was Mrs. Mitchell. She is still one of my favorite teachers by far. She was truly passionate about her job and actually cared about each one of us. We used to be her “babies.” I remember one day in class we were talking about black leaders of the past and how they influenced now. This one boy, Tavionne, was messing around in class like he always did, but Mrs. Mitchell got especially mad. I remember the whole confrontation mostly because I had never seen her get so upset.
Mrs. Mitchell: “Boy show some respect we are talking about Martin Luther King Jr. right now.”
Tavionne: “Whatever, I don’t know nothing ’bout no Martin Luther King.”
Mrs. Mitchell: “What is your problem? How can you not know?! After everything our people has gone through to get you the opportunities you have now, you don’t even educate yourself!!! This is a sad day.”
It was dead silent for a while after that. She kept on talking and everyone was listening more intently. When I look back at that moment, it just makes me think how, regardless of race, important it is to honor the past and those that were revolutionary. However, there is a difference between honoring it and living in it. We need to keep working towards progress. King should be honored now as much as he was then.
I am a shoe
I am a shoe. Preferably a red pump. I do not need to be a name brand pump, nor do I need a huge label. A red pump makes enough of a statement without one. It can walk alone…well, with another red pump on the other foot. Red is bold and filled with life. It is in-your-face almost obnoxiously, yet it is still a classic. It is the kind of shoe that gets a double-take from others when it enters a room.
A heel says more than any flat does. A truly good pair of heels make you feel like a boss, like a somebody. Heels make you feel more fun. It is weird how clothes can make you feel one way or another, how the external effects the internal. I would love to say materialistic things don’t matter, but they kind of do. Heels give your height and your ego a boost. A little touch of daring is always nice.
I am a red pump which means more than just a shoe. A red pump to me means a time when I will not have to put necessity before preference. You see, I do not have a pair of red pumps. Yes, I know it isn’t the end of the world. I have managed fine thus far without them. I just look forward to a time when I will not have to compromise what I want for what I need. When I will be a boss, a somebody.
A heel says more than any flat does. A truly good pair of heels make you feel like a boss, like a somebody. Heels make you feel more fun. It is weird how clothes can make you feel one way or another, how the external effects the internal. I would love to say materialistic things don’t matter, but they kind of do. Heels give your height and your ego a boost. A little touch of daring is always nice.
I am a red pump which means more than just a shoe. A red pump to me means a time when I will not have to put necessity before preference. You see, I do not have a pair of red pumps. Yes, I know it isn’t the end of the world. I have managed fine thus far without them. I just look forward to a time when I will not have to compromise what I want for what I need. When I will be a boss, a somebody.
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