Tasting Chicago
Sometimes, it's the "little things" that set me off the most. I don't expect a lot of people to feel the way I do about the situation below, but I'm not alone, so I felt compelled to speak out. Thanks to Jessamyn for helping me sound less like the spastic crank that I am ...
To the editors of American Libraries,
When one of us found the Tastes of Chicago article in the June/July 2005 issue of American Libraries, we looked forward to finding recommended restaurants to try while attending the Annual Conference. Unfortunately, we were unpleasantly suprised by the pricing key. The lowest rung of the range "($) = Entrees under $20" is steep for attendees who are on limited travel budgets. As people who are taking on significant financial burdens to attend Annual, we found the listings, and the assumption of what is inexpensive, to be infuriating and insulting.
Surely there are establishments beyond fast food and concession stands that don't require stretching the bounds of our bank accounts or accruing credit card debts. The editors and staff of American Libraries must be familiar with such options in their own city. So why risk alienating unemployed librarians, students, lower-paid librarians and support staff, and anyone else paying their own way to the conference by not taking their needs into account, or worse, making an empty gesture of doing so? It is particularly galling that, as ALA-APA fights to improve library services (and library worker salaries) and recruit new members to the profession, AL ignores the needs of economically-disadvantaged members.
We are bitterly disappointed and sorrowful that AL does not seem to represent and reflect our concerns as a professional resource.
Eli Edwards
Newark, CA
Jessamyn West
librarian.net
Comments
Here, here! I noticed that, too -- with a double take and a WTF?
There are cheaper places to eat in Chicago, but not necessarily easily accessible from McCormick Place. As for the hotel area, well, that's tourist heaven. There may be some cheap-o places... but you really need to get out of The Loop / North Michigan Avenue / Rush Street area to find true cheap eats.
Dave's Italian Restaurant is one of my favorite restaurants in Evanston (snag a friend to drive you up there). You can get a big dish of pasta, salad, and a dessert for ~$15. Yeah, okay, that's still a lot. Well, here's the link anyway: http://www.davesik.com/
And here's a link to Center Stage Cheap Eats:
http://centerstage.net/restaurants/styles/cheap-eats.html
I haven't been to Taqueria El Ranchito, but the menu looks okay and the prices are about right: http://www.taqueriaelranchito.com/
...and I'll have a car...
~Amy
Posted by: Amy Proni | June 22, 2005 10:50 AM
Y'know, I think I meant to write "Hear, hear"... I must be having one of those senior moments that I keep "hearing" about. Oops!
Posted by: Amy Proni | June 22, 2005 11:21 AM
Thank you very much, Amy, for the recommendations AND the "hear, hear".
Unfortunately, I won't have much time to go into Evanston, which is a shame ... I hear it's pretty cool. The last time I was in Chicago (10 years ago?), I spent most of my time in Arlington Heights.
Posted by: misseli | June 22, 2005 12:06 PM
Firstly, congrats at joining the Nation of the Free-to-be-offended-at-everything-and-everything. You'll have plenty of company.
Second, YOU'RE A LIBRARIAN--FIND YOUR OWN INFORMATION. It's not like there aren't any restaurant guides for Chicago printed IRL or on the web.
Sheesh.
Posted by: j-damn | June 22, 2005 12:35 PM
Oh, I'm a longtime, naturalized citizen of that nation, but thank you for the salutation.
Posted by: misseli | June 22, 2005 01:48 PM
Well said, Eli and Jessamyn.
When I travel to conferences, I tend to buy food from the supermarket to snack on (or to eat in my hotel room for breakfast or dinner if travelling alone). This keeps costs down somewhat.
I'd also recommend the foodhalls in Chicago - there's a great one at Marshall Field's on State and a fantastic foodhall at the top end of the Magnficent Mile. I wish I could remember what it was called - it was enormous, great food and inexpensive, in a mall next to a department store. Almost directly across the road from H&M. I went there a few times. And also Uno's Pizza - the spinach pizza is something like $3.50.
Posted by: Fiona | June 22, 2005 05:45 PM
Hear, hear! When I went to ALA, I paid half my own way (my employer was generous) and I made less than what garbage collectors make in our county -- $20 main dish is was not affordable! I don't know about chi-town but for CIL next year, there's a grocery store down the hill that has sandwiches for lunch for ~$2, sodas for .60. That'll do. I'll research Balto. for SLA2006...
Posted by: Christina | June 23, 2005 06:21 AM
Word. I threw the mag across the room. Come visit me at the Red Roof for trail mix, Clif bars, and apples.
Posted by: Lisle | June 23, 2005 09:33 AM
Thank you for the support. Fiona, I'm not sure where the foodcourts will be in relation to the hotels where I'll be, but I'll be sure to keep these locations in mind.
Lisle, my mind turned to kindling, but I haven't gone through with it. Yet. And I'm a big fan of Red Roof Inn - it's where I stayed in Orlando last year, across from a very convenient grocery.
Christina, I've told you about my SLA wiki idea, right?
Posted by: Eli | June 23, 2005 07:38 PM