Author- Nadija Rieser PGY1
Why I love my neighborhood: West Town/Noble Square has been lovely to us. Despite being so close to downtown and the loop, it maintains a strong community feel. I often have chats with my neighbors on both sides whenever one of us is leaving the house or sitting on our patio in the evening. The group that lives here is more diverse than most other neighborhoods in Chicago I’ve lived in, with a lot of cultures (Ukrainian, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Polish, to name a few) all cohabitating and thriving. There are tons of great restaurants and small bars while still being overall fairly quiet. For louder nightlife, you’re really closely located to both Wicker Park and the West Loop.
Photo 1: These murals line the street near Chicago and Ashland. One thing I love about living in West Town is there is art everywhere. Seemingly every corner has a beautiful mural on it. Sometimes you’ll find these tucked away around corners, other times they’re more centrally displayed as this one is. The art helps spice up my daily dog walks and I love to watch as the neighborhood changes.
Photo 2: Eckhart Park is the heart of Noble Square. There are always pick-up games of softball, volleyball, frisbee, football, basketball…Seemingly the whole neighborhood is here on any weekend day, and often most weekdays too. With a vegan hotdog stand, a huge “natatorium”, and a beautiful view of the skyline, Eckhart Park has become one of my favorite parts of living in this area. My dog doesn’t mind it, either.
Photo 3: Forbidden Root Restaurant and Brewery is a staple in West Town. With some of the best flagship beers in the city and an ever rotating tap list to accompany it, it’s a great place to grab a drink after work or on the weekends. Their Strawberry Basil is a fixture in our household. They also have some really great food, with a great burger special on Mondays and a schnitzel sandwich that makes my half-German heart happy.
Photo 4: On hot summer days, I love to walk my dog over to Black Dog Gelato and pick up a cup (no cones this season due to COVID, unfortunately). They’re always trying out new flavors, and it never fails.
#TheACMCDifference: When applying to EM programs in Chicago, everyone I talked to raved the most about the training that residents at ACMC received. They were my first interview, and I fell in love right away. I was smitten with the people and the faculty, and walked away being in awe at how much they seemed to value their residents as real people, not just work horses. Having been here for a little over a month, I’ve been very happy to see that sentiment be carried through in how they operate. Also, as a former elementary school teacher on the south side, it was important to me to be able to serve the people in the neighborhoods I taught in, who so often get overlooked. And to top it all off, they have a volume and acuity level that is nearly unparalleled, with all of the resources I could hope for. I’ve loved my time here so far, and can’t wait for the next 3 years!
ACMC Emergency Medicine 