In search for food and all the stops on the way...

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On my quest for some good food, I ran into a new condominium being built in the middle of downtown Evanston. The new building exists where there previously was a grocery store.

Most people in Evanston drive their own cars. However, the city is accessible via Elevated Subway (EL), train, and by bus.

I could eat at Taco Bell, a national chain serving Mexican food (tacos, burritos, etc.).

I could also eat at Wolfgang Puck Cafe, a more expensive cafe serving unique selections created by the world-famous chef, Wolfgang Puck. Above is the outdoor eating area (such areas are popular in the summer).

On my way to find food, I pass by a couple retail clothing stores. American Apparel sells clothing for all ages, but, as the name implies, all the clothing is made in the U.S. and the store promises not to sell clothing made in sweat shops.

I'm not a big fan of sushi (raw fish), but sushi bars and restaurants like the one above are popping up all over Evanston and Chicago.

Mmm. Pizza. Not today though. Papa John's is a staple in most NU Student's diets. They have many pizza deals for students, and I personally think they taste better than the other local pizza chains.

Above is the EL station on Davis St. The El stops at every major street in Evanston. The Davis St. Transportation Center also has bus service and train service.

More wandering around the city...

Le Peeps is a breakfast restaurant that makes some of the best breakfast foods (omelettes, sausages, pancakes, waffles) that I've ever had.

Bus service in Evanston ($2.00 per trip; the EL also costs $2.00, and a train trip from Evanston to Chicago costs $3.05).

Public Parking (usually cost a set rate per hour) in Evanston

More street shops (I really really am hungry at this point)

UPS (United Postal Service) truck. UPS is a private mail service that ships packages worldwide. The United States Postal Service is the government service, and FedEx is another private mailing service often used by businesses.

The movie theater! NU students often go to the movies for leisure. Food is generally pretty expensive at theaters (small popcorn or drinks costs approx. $3-4, ice cream costs about $4.00 per scoop).

Some movies currently playing at the theater. Movies are rated based on their violence, sexuality, and obscenity levels. G is for all ages (general audiences), PG is parental guidance suggested, PG-13 is parental guidance suggested for anyone under 13, R is restricted to 17 and older, and then there's M or X which usually means adult (these movies are reserved to special theaters and are not shown at this movie theater in Evanston. Another rating NC-17 exists and is comparable to the R rating, but is less frequently used.

The two pictures above and the one below are of a popular clothing store in Evanston, Urban Outfitters. Like the name implies, Urban sells more "punk" style clothing and home accessories.

Men's jeans at Urban sell for about $49.99-over $100

Men's t-shirts often have witty or slightly lewd sayings on them.

Girl's clothing is generally more fashion forward and geared towards the punk rock style.

Skirts run from about $29.99 to $89.99 (unless they're on sale).

Dixie Kitchen serves southern American cuisine; they have really good breakfast deals, but only during limited hours.

Fashion Tomato is a Korean-owned clothing boutique. Boutiques differ from retail stores because they sell a limited amount of clothing and aren't part of chains. Dresses at Fashion Tomato sell from about $129.99 to over $500. However, they cost more because they're usually handcrafted and one of a kind.

There are many cellular phone companies in Evanston (probably due to the student population and the popularity of cell phones amongst students). It's not uncommon for almost all students to own a personal cell phone.

...Finally! Chipotle! (My favorite place to grab a bite.)

Chipotle serves Mexican food, and I personally like it better than Taco Bell because the quality of the ingredients is better.

Chipotle has witty posters and phrases all over their restaurants.

Mmmm. Lunch is served. I usually order a Steak Fajita Burrito Bol, which is a bowl filled with burrito fillings (no tortilla).
At Chipotle, all meals are custom made, and patrons get to choose what fillings they want in their burrito. Total cost for this meal: $6.20

On the way back from Chipotle, I pass the Evanston Public Library. Since the NU library can fill up pretty quickly during finals, I often frequent the EPL because it's usually quieter and emptier.

The Globe Cafe and Bar opened just this past year. They often have deals on hamburgers and drinks. (As a college student, I usually have to watch every penny I spend, since NU costs $47,000 per year.)

A couple steps away from campus is a 24 hour Burger King. BK, which is a lot like McDonalds, is a good place for an inexpensive bite to eat, but I prefer going here at 2am when I'm studying all night. The food tastes better, and it's neat to see who is there that late as well.

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