The Ravenswood el is the line to ride. From its down-to-earth beginning at Kimball and Lawrence Avenues to its overhead loop through the Loop, this el-that-isn`t-always-elevated slices through a part of Chicago far removed from the usual tourist spots.
Other els will take you to Wrigley Field and Comiskey Park, Loyola University and the University of Chicago, the Gold Coast and the slums. But no other el will show you the real Chicago like the Ravenswood.
For city dwellers who take the els and their hassles for granted, the Ravenswood and its neighborhoods seem pleasantly out of place. Just west of the Rockwell stop, for example, the Ravenswood rider finds himself moving through what looks like a stately suburb set right in the middle of the city
–a whole neighborhood full of gracious and beautiful homes. The area is not Winnetka transplanted but is Ravenswood Manor, in which even the two-flats look classy.
For suburbanites who long ago gave up on the els and their hassles, the Ravenswood serves up a city they may have believed had disappeared. Leave Sedgwick station and just before you cross Division Street there`s the Oscar Mayer plant, built in 1883 and so huge it hogs both sides of the tracks and above–connected by an overhead walkway.
The line`s an old one. Sharing the circle of tracks in the Loop
(constructed in 1897 to connect other South and West Side lines), the first North Side main line trains started running when overhead tracks were laid from the Merchandise Mart to Wilson in 1900. Seven years later, the Belmont-to-Kimball section was laid, marking the beginning of the Ravenswood line as we ride it today.
In fact, this line has been around for so long that like the small towns in the 19th Century that grew up around railroads, lots of interesting stores and shops have grouped themselves around individual stops.
Take a ride on the line, start to finish, and without getting off you can sample the variety that makes the Ravenswood run special: Start off at Kimball, with its rich ethnic mix of Asian and Middle Eastern transplants, ride through classy Ravenswood Manor and over the Chicago River where a few houseboats still are berthed. After Rockwell, the tracks begin to climb and by Western the Ravenswood is finally a genuine ”el.”
Then, between Damen and Irving Park, look east for an old-Chicago glimpse of turn-of-the-century factory buildings. Round the curve after Addison and look south at the Wieboldt`s store, anchor for the Lincoln/Belmont/Ashland shopping area. Look north while you travel the curve between Southport and Belmont and catch a glimpse of the Japanese, Chinese and Korean restaurants on Clark Street.
At Fullerton, ride through the middle of the campus of De Paul University. (In tennis weather, you`ll see commuters transferring to the Howard line following the action–eyes left, right, left, right–on the six courts to the west of the platform.) Then on to Armitage, once suggested by Chicago magazine writer Jon Anderson (now a Chicago Tribune staffer) as the most romantic spot in Chicago because ”it was the last stop before the hard- driving Evanston Express roared down into the rich, warm receiving earth”
(the last stop before the Evanston express train goes from the elevated level to the subway level underground).
After Armitage, above ground, the tracks then split, sending the Howard/
Englewood/Jackson Park line underground while the Ravenswood continues its above-ground path with spectacular views of the Loop. Look at the renovation going on between Chicago and the Merchandise Mart. Then, suddenly, you`re downtown, riding that portion of track from the river to Quincy and Wells, where Chuck Norris played hero while riding on top of the el in ”Code of Silence.” Then it`s around the Loop–and back ”home” to Kimball again.
But if you get off at any of the 27 stops, you may not want to get back on for a while. Treat the Ravenswood el like Huck Finn and his friend Jim treated the Mississippi: Get off, now and again, and have an adventure.
For reasons of space in the list that follows, we`ve skipped a few stops along the way as well as stops in the Loop (familiar territory to most Chicagoans). To plan your adventures, note that on weekdays, the Ravenswood line runs downtown and back between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.; Saturdays it runs downtown between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m.; Sundays, it only runs between Kimball and Belmont, from 5 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. Other times, only portions of the line are in use.
These listings are just a start for your adventure, because as any true explorer knows, the best spots often are those you find yourself.
Kimball (Kimball and Lawrence Avenues, 4800 N. & 3400 W.)
The Huddle House Grill, 4805 N. Kimball Ave., 588-5363. This is where the Ravenswood Line drivers go before and after work to eat a good bowl of chili
(85 cents), which the grill buys from a wholesale meat distribution company, then spices and thickens with extra beef.
Archery Sales & Service, 3542 W. Lawrence Ave., 588-2077. This stop and shoot, 20-yard archery range will accommodate a dozen archers at a time. Bows range from 20 to 70 pounds of pull; $1.50 for 30 minutes, including equipment. Kedzie (Kedzie and Eastwood Avenues, 4700 N. & 3200 W.)
Holy Land Bakery & Grocery, 4806 N. Kedzie Ave., 588-7414. This interesting shop features Middle Eastern baked goods such as fresh pita bread (12 for $1) and pastries such as baklava, plus several types you`ve never seen or heard of. The shop also sells a small line of Middle Eastern groceries, including spices.
Rockwell (Rockwell Street and Eastwood Avenue, 4700 N. & 2600 W.)
New Hellas Imports, 2556 Lawrence Ave., 271-1125. This shop sells all kinds of fascinating imported-from-Greece objects. Browse among things like giant candles, skirted with embroidered tablecloths (they come with 12 napkins). There are Greek wedding crowns for the bride and groom and several 5-piece tea sets–one of the gifts the best man gives.
Markelos Bakery, 4753 N. Rockwell St., 989-8978. This is the only Greek bread bakery in the area, although there are two Greek pastry bakeries within a block of each other. Try some crunchy paximadia slices (20 slices for 75 cents). Made from day-old Greek bread, they`ve been dried in the oven for 8 hours. Eat them with butter and honey for breakfast or with feta slices for snacks the way the Greeks do.
Western (Western and Eastwood Avenues, 4700 N. & 2400 W.)
European Pastry & Cafe, 4701 N. Lincoln Ave., 271-7017. This charming storefront bakery/coffeeshop resembles a real European cafe. Baked-on-the-premises pastries (from 85 cents for a croissant to $1.10 for a Napoleon slice of puff pastry, custard, white icing and chocolate fudge) are made with real butter and cream. Coffee (60 cents, including one refill) is excellent.
Second Hand Prose, 4544 N. Lincoln Ave., 728-8923. This is the Chicago Public Library`s resale book store. Browse among the thousands of novels, technical books, paperbacks, children`s books, records and magazines. They`ve all been taken off the shelf because the demand for them has lessened. Adult hardcover books are $1; children`s hardcovers, 50 cents; paperbacks, 25 cents. Reference books are specially priced. All books are in good condition.
”Reflections of Ravenswood,” a 33-by-96-foot mural, can be seen close to the Western stop. It depicts a social and architectural history of Ravenswood and was designed and executed by local artist Beth Shadur and neighborhood residents. Mural is on the outside north wall of Northern Home Furnishings, 4662 N. Lincoln Ave.
Damen (Damen and Leland Avenues, 4700 N. & 2000 W)
Zephyr Restaurant & Cafe, 1777 W. Wilson Ave., 728-6070. This really is two restaurants, each furnished in art deco style. The Zephyr features ice cream, sandwiches and some dinners. The Zephyr Cafe offers you more of a selection and serves liquor. Featured in both restaurants are fabulous ice cream creations, such as the War of the Worlds, a 10-scoop (5 different flavors) sundae with your choice of three syrups ($5.25). Some ice creams and syrups are homemade.
Vahle`s Bird Store, 4710 N. Damen Ave., 271-1623. This shop usually has about 1,000 birds, says Jard Vahle, the sixth generation owner (his great-great-great-grandfather began the business). The shop has parakeets, canaries and multicolored parrots.
Montrose (Montrose and Ravenswood Avenues, 4400 N & 1800 W)
Fannie May Candies, 1813 W. Montrose Ave., telephone number not given out. This shop sells Fannie May seconds–candies that do not meet visual approval of the quality control people on the staff. Quality and freshness are not affected. Candies sell for between 30 and 40 percent less than regular retail. Chocolate fudge without nuts costs $5.75 per pound regular retail;
here, it`s just $3.85. Almost a complete selection daily.
Irving Park (Irving Park Road and Ravenswood Avenue, 4000 N. & 1800 W.)
Oriental Store of Chicago, 1804 W. Irving Park Rd., 348-0222. This store sells Oriental groceries of all types, including Chinese sausage ($2.29 per half-pound).
Ziggy Delicatessen & Meat Market, 1839 W. Irving Park Rd., 935-1840. The Irving Park stop might be called Sausage Central. This shop specializes in homemade Serbian sausages ($2.65 per pound), among many other Yugoslavian delicacies.
Goschy Food Mart, 1925 W. Irving Park Rd., 525-8192. Numerous kinds of sausage, all homemade, are available: For instance, Smoked Hungarian, which is similar to chorizo, is $2.98 per pound.
Southport (Southport Avenue and Roscoe Street, 3400 N. & 1400 W.)
Leo and Ella`s Southport Lanes, 3325 N. Southport Ave., 472-1601. This bowling alley very well may be the last in Chicago to have pin boys who hand- set the pins. Four alleys, a pool table, video game and pinball machine make it a combination game center. Open to public noon to 6 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays; the rest of the week is taken up with bowling leagues or private parties. Bowl for $1.25 per game, rent shoes for 50 cents.
Belmont (Belmont and Sheffield Avenues, 3200 N. & 1000 W.)
The Occult Bookstore, 3230 N. Clark St., 281-0599. The shop has a reader who will do a tarot-card reading for you (appointments preferred). Reading costs $10 for about 30 minutes. Or spend hours, as many do, browsing among the books on subjects such as astrology, tarot, magic, palmistry, numerology, kabbalah, Eastern religions. Largest selection of tarot cards in the city. Or buy some special purpose oils (love oil, money-drawing oil), candles and incense. You could even buy your own crystal ball.
Chicago Tattooing Co. Inc., 922 W. Belmont Ave., 528-6969. Owner/tattooer Dale Grande and tattooer Mark Miller create permanent pictures by injecting non-toxic dye carefully into the skin. You can choose a design from the multitudes displayed, bring in your own or the tattooers will work up a personal one. An average tattoo costs $50 (but there are lots that cost less or more), takes about 30 to 60 minutes to execute and lasts a lifetime, although it will fade somewhat after about 15 years. Visitors are invited to watch.
Wellington (Wellington and Sheffield Avenues, 3000 N. & 1000 W.)
Color Me Coffee, 3000 N. Sheffield Ave., 935-7669. This charming shop serves about 15 different coffees daily, including cappuccino ($1.50), cafe au lait ($1.50), regular American coffee (75 cents) and Turkish coffee ($2). There`s also an interesting coffee of the day, such as maragogipe coffee (85 cents), made from a special bean from Mexico. Some beans roasted on the premises include English toffee ($7.80 per pound). The flavorings are added after the beans come out of the roaster.
Diversey (Diversey Parkway and Sheffield Avenue, 2800 N. & 1000 W.)
Weaving Workshop/Textile Arts Center, 916 W. Diversey Pkwy., 929-5776. This combination retail store, school and gallery carries supplies of natural fibers and unusual yarns for all textile arts, including spinning and dyeing. They also have finished goods, looms, knitting machines and spinning wheels. Currently, they`re featuring a show called Filaments–an exhibit of small-scale stitched and knotted fibers–which runs through Saturday.
Fullerton (Fullerton and Sheffield Avenues, 2400 N. & 1000 W.)
SpaceTime Tanks, 2526 N. Lincoln Ave., 472-2700. You can enjoy an hour of sensory deprivation–remember the movie ”Altered States”?–where you float privately, comfortably and weightlessly. The warm salt water is regularly filtered and cleansed with bromine, chlorine and epsom salts to keep it clean. One hour in any of the four flotation tanks costs $18.
Armitage (Armitage and Sheffield Avenues, 2000 N. & 1000 W.)
Chicago Scuba Shoppe, 1015 W. Armitage Ave., 348-3483. This interesting shop carries a full line of scuba equipment including fins, dive masks, air tanks and wet suits.
Sedgwick (Sedgwick Street and North Avenue, 400 W. and 1600 N.)
Bizarre Bazaar, 1517 North Wells St., 642-0860. This shop consists of 7,000 square feet of unusual items: puppets; ceramic masks; offbeat T-shirts; posters; greeting cards; punk, modern and wild sunglasses; souvenirs of Chicago; incense; natural body oils; punk and high-fashion earrings; and hats. Definitely worth a visit. ”We have nothing you need but everything you want,” says manager Monte Rube.
Chicago (Chicago Avenue and Franklin Street, 800 N. & 300 W.)
Peace Museum, 430 W. Erie St., 440-1860. There`s one main gallery with changing exhibits, all having to do with peace. Running through April 13, a show called ”Carrying Greenham Home: Greenham Common and Other Women`s Peace Camps” is featured. Since many of the women who reside in the Greenham Common (England) area live as a constant presence outside the Greenham Common U.S. Airforce Base–a U.S. base housing nuclear missiles and other weapons–this show illustrates what the women experience while living there. Show also includes a constructed set resembling the women`s peace camp, complete with a barbed wire fence.
