Chicagoist: The Trouble With Eating (Outside)

Alicia Dorr

Thu, 31 May 2007 09:45:29 -0600

I think this has all gone a little too far. Let's all settle down with a nice brandy, shall we?

candycorn

Thu, 31 May 2007 09:42:08 -0600

it's always a joke to see people reading the posts and going on about how much they hate something when they could just as easily read something else if that's how they really feel about it. ferdy sweetheart, did you try writing your own stuff and no one would read it? that must be why you read alicia's posts. so you can get an idea of what it's like to have people interested in what you're writing and enthusiastic enough to write their own responses. there, there honey. one day you'll special, i'm sure.

ferdyfoo

Thu, 31 May 2007 08:25:50 -0600

alicia dorr's stories are always well written, so you must be mistaken, ferdy. did you apply for Chicagoist and get rejected or something? maybe Alicia dissed you eloquently in a past post? or maybe you are the old Nazi in which you speak of. that would make the most sense, seeing as how you are attacking her simply for writing. how rude of her! hater!

Ferdy

Wed, 30 May 2007 15:24:19 -0600

Why are you defending her? The first one of hers I read, which I will never forget, was about letting a confirmed and convicted Nazi war criminal go because he's old. I'm not the only person who has complained about her shallow, whiny posts. I keep thinking she'll learn, but so far, no dice. Sorry I hurt your feelings, Alicia, but get better. You're not going to have much of a career if you just, like, say whatever you feel and consider it journalism.

prescott

Wed, 30 May 2007 15:14:16 -0600

I didn't care for Pickett either, so guess what, I DIDN'T READ HER COLUMNS. I think you secretly have a crush on Alicia, as you always seem to be singling her out like she's the Paige Wiser in a sea of Edward R. Murrows around here.

Ferdy

Wed, 30 May 2007 15:11:41 -0600

So do you, kate. And Debra is a Zorn colleague, if you use the term "journalism" very loosely. Just like it happens here at Chicagoist.

kate

Wed, 30 May 2007 10:32:08 -0600

Zorn works for the Trib, Pickett worked for the the Sun Times, and Ferdy/Marilyn still sucks.

Linda

Wed, 30 May 2007 09:55:04 -0600

OMG, you have to walk single file on the sidewalk. You realize they don't have sidewalks in the Congo. *blink*

Ferdy

Wed, 30 May 2007 09:22:54 -0600

Thank you for enlightening me on the new social rules. Alicia still needs to find something she's suited to do. I've read lame article after lame article by her. She's almost as bad as Debra Pickett (a former colleague of Zorn's).

ferdyfoo

Wed, 30 May 2007 08:52:53 -0600

ferdy = poor man's fergie.

candycorn

Wed, 30 May 2007 08:50:34 -0600

you're going down ferdy.

Fred

Wed, 30 May 2007 08:45:09 -0600

Chicago is just not built for alfresco dining unfortunately What would be cool is what I experienced in Zagreb, Croatia where I lived for half a year...Pedestrian only zones with dozens of caffe-bars put tables and chairs out and you dont have to worry about taking up the close to non existent sidewalks of a small European city. People watching is a fun and enjoyable sport there while you watch your fellow patrons drink and soak up the sun.

prescott

Wed, 30 May 2007 08:35:50 -0600

Zorn's Law invoked! Ferdy loses.

Ferdy

Wed, 30 May 2007 07:57:08 -0600

Actually, the biggest whiner is Alicia. Get a life, girl.

navin

Tue, 29 May 2007 17:30:58 -0600

it's just outdoor dining people. you should feel happy to have it. What are you missing here Matty? People are happy to have it, outdoor dining that is. A couple people said they're happy to have it but just wish 'that one place' wouldn't block off the whole sidewalk (which is what the article is about) so naturally you have to come in and screech about "hating" yet again. Geez you do realize that YOU are the biggest whiner in this discussion right?

Chuck

Tue, 29 May 2007 16:55:25 -0600

@matty: Christopher Hitchens makes quite the living out of being a contrarian. You should look into it. 'Course, Hitchens also has an enormous alcohol habit to feed, so he's largely being a contrarian out of compulsion.

matty

Tue, 29 May 2007 16:35:58 -0600

i am allowed to complain about complainers.

mike

Tue, 29 May 2007 16:29:37 -0600

Matty, you just broke the needle on my irony meter.

matty

Tue, 29 May 2007 15:59:32 -0600

unbelievable. you know what makes chicago so frustrating to live in? not the cta, not the city, but the absolute resentful attitudes people have about everything here. if a place isn't too yuppie it's too hipster if it's not too hipster it's too suburban...and just what who are you people exactly? do you have a license to be complainers? it's just outdoor dining people. you should feel happy to have it.

dayofthedaleks

Tue, 29 May 2007 15:48:01 -0600

Okay, after taking a look at the regulations at the City of Chicago's Department of Business Affairs it looks like Pizano's Pizza is pretty seriously out of compliance. Lodging a complaint tomorrow!

The SY Cafe

Tue, 29 May 2007 15:38:12 -0600

I find the "SuburbYuppie Cafe" (aka Pontiac on Damen) to be pretty annoying, but aside from that outdoor places are great.

matty

Tue, 29 May 2007 15:36:02 -0600

i swear this place is biggest bitch fest ever. is it just me or is everyone constantly annoyed about everything on this site? outdoor dining!? SO ANNOYING! GAH! or something like that. jeeze...just enjoy it.

prescott

Tue, 29 May 2007 15:23:09 -0600

Every dude in that picture looks like a nightmare to have lunch with. That's dining in Washington, D.C. for you. Come on, Chicagoist, you couldn't dig up one photo of a Chicago beer garden? Now excuse me, I'm off to "tell all [my] freinds (sic) and spread the word" about LoveOnTheDownLow.

dayofthedaleks

Tue, 29 May 2007 15:12:33 -0600

my personal beef is the pizza place on madison near wabash. they take up so much of a very wide sidewalk that pedestrians can't walk two abreast. can somebody point me to regulations on how much of a sidewalk a restaurant is allowed to claim? oh, and their pizza sucks.

Stephen

Tue, 29 May 2007 15:06:58 -0600

What we don't understand is why people live in the city if they don't want to share space with other people. I'll just speak for myself here. Overall I love the sidewalk seating and can often be found eating/drinking outside. I love the idea of shared space outside... feels so much more like a city neighborhood. My problem with some (not all) sidewalk / outdoor seating comes from when the businesses and their patrons aren't minimally considerate of the neighbors. There are two such establishments in my neighborhood (Ukrainian Village). The problem: (1) They have taken up so much of the sidewalk that there is only enough room to walk single-file on the sidewalk. (2) There is not enough room for a wheelchair to get through. And (3) Their waiters/waitresses stand on the sidewalk (instead of the area set aside for the bar/restaurant) to take orders and as a result they block pedestrian traffic. In past years I haven't complained about this, but I think this year I will - to the businesses, not the City. I don't think complaining to the City would do any good (and it wouldn't be very neighborly of me!), as technically these outdoor seating areas were approved by the City as they are currently laid out.

thundercougarfalconbird

Tue, 29 May 2007 14:36:23 -0600

I don't mind sharing space with other people, and I don't mind sharing the sidewalk, but when the bar near me narrowed it down so much that I can't walk past when the server is dropping the meal or some yuppie couple with their stroller, chocolate lab, and roller blades are blocking the way, well, that's when I called a complaint into my alderman. It's slightly better this year, but it's early yet.

MJK

Tue, 29 May 2007 14:02:15 -0600

Every dude in that picture looks like a nightmare to have lunch with.

anonymous

Tue, 29 May 2007 13:53:10 -0600

Restaurateurs. No n.

Jeff

Tue, 29 May 2007 13:47:46 -0600

What we don't understand is why people live in the city if they don't want to share space with other people.Thank you for not tacking a "or else move to Naperville" jab on that. I started to cringe the further I got into the sentence but was pleasantly surprised at its absence.

matty

Tue, 29 May 2007 13:35:07 -0600

I read a similar article in the gothamist today and everyone complained that the amount of people, car exhaust and noise makes for unpleasant manhattan outside dining. i've never had a similar problem here. outdoor eating is the best - wai...unless you're near the L and it's too loud to eat.

boy

Tue, 29 May 2007 13:26:35 -0600

i like to sit outside the heartland and stare into alicia dorr's storefront while she's sleeping.