Sean is one of my friends from Business School and we get together several times a year, usually around one of our favorite themes, which is food. He’s a foodie, which makes going to ethnic restaurants with him enjoyable and fun. We planned to go to Pilsen and combine a walking tour with dining. On Wednesday we decided to do our city tour east of Ashland. For some sights of Pilsen west of Ashland check out an older post from May of 2008.
Our first stop was to go to Taqueria Cardonas at 1451 W. 18th Street. I’ve heard that their carnitas are very good, and after we ate there, we definitely concur.
Thirsty, I ordered a chocolate milkshake, which was topped with cinnamon and rather tasty! What I liked about it is that it was milk and not a lot of ice cream, so it was absolutely perfecto!
Making up for a summer of rarely consuming meats, I ordered 3 carne tacos: carne asada, barbacoa and al pastor. All three were very good. I’ve had some pretty bad barbacoa so it was quite a treat to have a good barbacoa tacos. While my favorite north side taqueria for al pastor is Taqueria Asadero on Montrose, for the first time ever I have to say that I’ve had an al pastor that was just as good, if not better than my favorite joint. The meats were done to perfection and nothing was dry or overly greasy. It also came with a nice portion of lime pieces which was made the tacos even more perfect than they already were. Not seen here is the small salad I ordered, which wasn’t on the menu but they graciously made up for me. It was a nice combination of lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and generous slices of avocado!!
Sean had the beef skirt steak huarache which he said was also very good. Everything looks so fresh here, and it is.
On 18th street we saw this interesting 3 flat from across the street. It was actually pretty when you see it in person.
After our meal we began our walking tour. Living on the north side I rarely see sidewalks so poorly in need of repair as this one. Since I don’t have a car, my first thought was about how difficult it must be to drag a bubba cart filled with groceries or laundry down this thing called a sidewalk. It’s on 19th off of Ashland, for anyone who wants to go for a test roll.
Isn’t this an interesting brick wall?
And of course the omnipresent CPD cameras. I’m used to seeing them in Uptown on Wilson Avenue. In Pilsen they seem to have much more of them, and yet the area has always seemed much more stable than Uptown.
Our first wall mural sighting in the area where we were walking:
This one is all about food and is part of a church.
The difficult to read authorship is shown here:
And around the corner is this mural:
This we found on a side street. Sean liked the realistic faces imposed into the mural.
This front patio garden looked so tranquil it was hard not to notice it.
This was part of a series on Blue Island where a company sells kitchen and bath cabinets. Unfortunately there were cardboard signs that obscured much of the work on one side of the wall and you can see how it has not been maintained.
This mural was also on Blue Island but on the side of a residential building. At the base of the mural it says, “Aqui estamos y aqui nos quedamos” (Here we are and here we stay).
Created by:
This mural was also on Blue Island but on the side of a residential building. At the base of the mural it says, “Aqui estamos y aqui nos quedamos” (Here we are and here we stay).
Created by:
On the other side of the same yard is this mural:
This mural was “in process” over at Blue Island and Cullerton. [Note: To see it near completion, check out Pilsen Walk 2009 - Murals and the Street]
Further north at 16th street, alongside the Metra tracks were these murals:
The next three photos are of the front of Casa Aztlan, a mural by Marcos Raya and others done in 1977. Adjacent to the building is a empty yard with an open gate, where I was taking photos of what was clearly visible from the street. An extraordinarily hostile, negative and disagreeable older woman came out and yelled at me, making it clear she didn’t want any photos taken. (Whenever I am inside a store or at an art event I always ask in advance, but because these were wall murals viewable to anyone walking by it is a different situation).
This mural was “in process” over at Blue Island and Cullerton. [Note: To see it near completion, check out Pilsen Walk 2009 - Murals and the Street]
Further north at 16th street, alongside the Metra tracks were these murals:
This next piece was painted on the side of a residence on 16th. Underneath a tagger it says, “Our Voice will Never Be Silenced.”
The next three photos are of the front of Casa Aztlan, a mural by Marcos Raya and others done in 1977. Adjacent to the building is a empty yard with an open gate, where I was taking photos of what was clearly visible from the street. An extraordinarily hostile, negative and disagreeable older woman came out and yelled at me, making it clear she didn’t want any photos taken. (Whenever I am inside a store or at an art event I always ask in advance, but because these were wall murals viewable to anyone walking by it is a different situation).
Ironically Casa Aztlan is a community organization that credits itself for being an arts mecca for the Pilsen community. One would think that they would not be so vitriolic towards anyone admiring their mural work.) Because of this, the only photos I am including are those of the front of the building at 1831 S. Racine. Sorry folks, but if you want to see the rest of them you’ll have to risk meeting the dragon woman on your own.
Back on 18th where, from across the street we saw this much needed joyful and fun mural of Betty Boop and company.
Here’s Betty:
Our favorite fish that’s not on sushi:
Some more fun here:
And none other than Ralph Lauren:
Also on 18th was a CD store with this great window display:
and of course decorated with their yummy concoctions. We both opted for the chocoflan, which, if you aren’t familiar with it, when it is made the flan is put on top before being baked and when it comes out, the flan is on the bottom! It seems impossible, no? The bakery is at 1733 S. Halsted.
Back on 18th where, from across the street we saw this much needed joyful and fun mural of Betty Boop and company.
Here’s Betty:
Our favorite fish that’s not on sushi:
Some more fun here:
And none other than Ralph Lauren: 
Also on 18th was a CD store with this great window display:
“Mi Novio” texted me because he was on his way home and he thought he’d stop by to say “hi” but we were on Allport at the time and he was on 18th, and for some reason we just couldn’t connect, so oh well. He had to hurry home and change and then go off to another job he has. Aren’t financial obligations grand? Meanwhile, Sean and I went to Kristoffer’s Bakery, decorated with children’s artwork….
and of course decorated with their yummy concoctions. We both opted for the chocoflan, which, if you aren’t familiar with it, when it is made the flan is put on top before being baked and when it comes out, the flan is on the bottom! It seems impossible, no? The bakery is at 1733 S. Halsted.
Walking westward toward Damen we passed the 
Only having a general idea of where this cafe was we walked south on Damen past a house with many flowers, some of which were bursting with color in the hot summer sun.
One the bottom shelves of this display are these fun little lunch bags!
Here’s a close up of Mr. Birdbrain.
Peter remains the same age he was on his last birthday. It must have been the enchiladas.
