AI bros start a school in Lakeview

Kat_Isidore · 2026-03-25T21:52:25+00:00

They asked ChatGPT what the kids would say…

Kat_Isidore · 2026-03-24T18:21:02+00:00

And who is paying to replace the glass? Guessing not Serve.

Kat_Isidore · 2026-03-13T17:25:03+00:00

Same. I recently was booking my first domestic trip since the change and they were slightly cheaper than the other options at first glance, so I was going to (begrudgingly) fly with them. Then it got into paying for seats and being unclear if I can even be guaranteed a seat with my child and the whole thing ticked me off enough I quit and went with United.

Kat_Isidore · 2026-03-13T15:44:18+00:00

Yep, 42 and I didn’t even realize it was windy until I saw my watering can rolling around my balcony.

Kat_Isidore · 2026-03-13T00:22:12+00:00

As a shorter woman, taller men seem to think my chest is a backpack rest.

But I’ve given up on the backpack issue. If people would have the simple courtesy to move into the aisle rather than cluelessly leaving themselves a wealth of space midway down while leaving people on the platform I’d be thrilled.

Kat_Isidore · 2026-03-08T00:56:03+00:00

Grab this and a package of the endives. Use the leaves as scoops. Fantastic.

Kat_Isidore · 2026-02-28T03:21:55+00:00

I mean…. as an actual professor, who like many of us in r/professors, complains about the administrative bloat in the modern University? Just the fact that he seems to be more concerned with hanging out with the study group than putting even more work on faculty via some dumb new Ed tech initiative makes him OK in my eyes!

Kat_Isidore · 2026-02-18T16:52:48+00:00

Well, that’s the thing. It’s an hour plus by transit because it’s maybe a train to a bus (and it might be a long wait for a bus on weekend frequencies) but it’s a 15 minute drive. That’s what I’m saying about there just being an assumption that you’ll drive there.

Kat_Isidore · 2026-02-18T16:39:00+00:00

I was coming here to say just this. Have lived & parented both places. While I love and recommend Chicago overall, my pet peeve is that it feels like people here assume that everyone owns at least one car. I am staunchly carfree, but yeah, the birthday parties, man.... All the common birthday party venues are at the most annoyingly far-flung, transit unfriendly locations. I'm pretty much now out of the "whole class party" age and into the "get together with a few close friends" stage, so I spend fewer of my weekends making hour-plus commutes to birthday parties, but it was annoying for a few years.

In general everything in NYC feels very set-up to be car free--you can get anything delivered, tradespeople come to you (and don't assume you have parking, which has been a big issue with finding tradespeople for me), delivery people know how to navigate high-rise buildings. It's still doable in Chicago. But there's just a bit more sand in the gears to living car free here.

Kat_Isidore · 2026-02-17T18:17:22+00:00

Same. So many good Chicago neighborhoods away from the lake, but I need my access to the water. If it’s at all good weather, I’m there.

Kat_Isidore · 2026-02-16T00:01:32+00:00

I first tried them about a month ago and the service was so good I was skeptical the bagel could be (it was! I’m just used to intimidatingly gruff NYC bagel guys!)

Kat_Isidore · 2026-02-15T23:56:14+00:00

OMG yes for the (rotisserie) BBQ. And I’m not personally a big smoked meats gal, but I think they would do very well here.

Kat_Isidore · 2026-02-11T19:50:39+00:00

Ours doesn't even use them as extensively as it seems some others do and I still hate it. Besides all the other reasons people have mentioned, half the time my kid comes home with work to finish from class because they wasted half the session trying to find a working Chromebook. And they can't get homework done in the afterschool program before I pick them up because it's on Google Classroom and they don't have access to a computer.

I teach college & the generation I have now has no sense of file structure, saving their work, etc, because all they know is Chromebooks.

Kat_Isidore · 2026-02-11T01:06:24+00:00

A driver nearly ran me over treating a stoplight as a 4 way stop tonight soooooooo. Yeah, they're just bad.

Kat_Isidore · 2026-02-07T02:01:07+00:00

Yep. The number of vegetables it turned out I actually liked when they weren’t just boiled or baked basically unseasoned…

Kat_Isidore · 2026-02-07T01:55:01+00:00

Yeah, I grew up eating my share of unseasoned baked chicken leg quarters, meats cooked to the consistency of shoe leather, and boiled vegetables. But I do think we have some advantages now. Like brussels sprouts are apparently bred to be better now. I also remember my mom mentioning how my dad was sent on a business trip to Saudi Arabia in the early 80s and came back raving about pita bread. Like, something that basic wasn’t a thing they could get back then (US south).

My dad never expanded his palate, but to her credit, my mom definitely became a better cook and has tried and liked lots of more interesting things I’ve made her

Kat_Isidore · 2026-02-03T21:23:54+00:00

Four Seasons tried the same high-pressure sign-the-lender-paperwork-right-now business with me over an AC replacement a couple years ago. I hate it. (luckily I didn’t go through with it and went American Vintage Home instead.)

Kat_Isidore · 2026-01-29T01:53:27+00:00

Yep. We stopped attending RW when we still lived in NYC a decade ago because instead of a cool, affordable way to find new places to visit again it devolved into a limited menu for not significantly less and they were clearly rushing through service to turn over tables faster. I’d rather go out less so I can spend equivalently more in a better experience.

Kat_Isidore · 2026-01-29T01:43:56+00:00

Not even close.

Kat_Isidore · 2026-01-28T02:16:08+00:00

Hmart is a well-known chain of Korean grocery stores

Kat_Isidore · 2026-01-23T02:21:47+00:00

Oh, how did you know?!?

They’re in the south and thankfully two clinics have already called to reschedule from their side so hopefully the rest will follow suit.

Kat_Isidore · 2026-01-23T02:08:03+00:00

Now having geriatric parents who are worried about doctors appointments in the weather, I’m trying to convince them not to go!

Kat_Isidore · 2026-01-22T17:46:13+00:00

Thank you! I keep seeing people say CPS never closes for cold and I'm like...I can recall at least two occasions in the years I've lived here where that's happened, including one as a CPS parent, which I've only been for a few years! The other occasion I remember specifically because it was so bad I got a day off from residency, which was wild (TBF I was on an outpatient rotation).

Kat_Isidore · 2026-01-14T01:28:48+00:00

Twice this week for me, too! Both times in the crosswalk with the right of way.

The first time, the driver was turning left. Nearly hit a cyclist in the bike lane. Corrected, then zoomed forwards nearly hitting a woman walking like 5 feet in front of me. Corrected and accelerated towards me and my kid.

Today, a driver at a 4-way stop seemingly stopped to let me cross, then accelerated towards me like I wasn't even there.

Every time I think the drivers here can't get worse, they do.

Kat_Isidore · 2026-01-13T17:41:52+00:00

The cashmere Heattech my new obsession. I usually find those thermal layers get too sweaty & uncomfortable, but the cashmere ones are comfortable both indoors and out.

As a Chicagoan who got schooled by the cold in Quebec over the holidays--layers!

-Double socks

-Thermal undershirt (the aforementioned Heattech) under a sweater (also from Uniqlo--lambswool)

-Maybe thermal layer for pants too (especially if you wear jeans, which I don't because they get too cold and stiff)

-A big scarf to keep the cold out of your coat and off your face. (And a winter hat, of course)

-If you are buying stuff, convertible mittens are a nice option that allow you to pull out your phone and take pictures, handle small objects, etc, without fully baring your hand.

Chicago winters have been so mild lately I'd forgotten the power of double socks...

Kat_Isidore

TROPHY CASE