What We Did on Our Day Off

As Chicagoist enjoyed a day off yesterday, we also found ourselves reflecting on some of the hallmarks of the holiday, namely fireworks.

We spent our care free day away from work and the stresses that usually come with it, taking the opportunity to ride the Damen bus down to 18th Street, where we kept walking until we got to 23rd. After a cozy stroll through Heart of Chicago, we wound up in Little Village, where we had the pleasure of not just some of the sights of one of the largest economic engines in the city, but also the flavors. (Note to Chuck: the hot dog wrapped in bacon at 26 and Central Park was way more tasty than the steak at Mi Tierra).

Although the sun was quite high in the sky (what with it being late afternoon and all), it didn't seem to slow down the folks who had made the journey to Indiana. All along our walk, conversation was punctuated with screams in the sky or explosions (sometimes both). The periodic pounding around us ranged from a simple "snap!" to an out and out "ka-boom!", as some of our fellow Chicagoans had acquired dynamite, or some approximation thereof.

Later that evening, back on the North Side, we stood on our back porch and enjoyed the sights and sounds of a different fireworks show going on around us: in the dark of the evening the sky was lit up with purples, reds, golds and blues.

As a child, fireworks were an ever-present temptation; as a teenager, they were readily accessible. As an adult, it's still fun to blow things up, but we'd much rather drink a beer and watch the neighbors try and out do each other in size, sparkle, and pizazz.

So, what did you do for the Fourth of July this year?

Image via Mister Buckets Party Time, who says "I didn't mean to hit the neighbors."