Centerstage - Chicago's Original City Guide

Articles Sections >> Arts + Words Bars + Clubs Dating Festivals Fitness Food Lifestyle Music Theater Travel + Tourism Who's Who > View All Ask Centerstage Cheap Thrills Green Thumb Weekend Warrior

Work from home? You need to get out once in a while...and Erin's found two great spots to do it.

Monday Jan 05, 2009.     By Erin Brereton

Lifestyle Feed

As any college student or person who works from home knows, December marks the start of a long season of cabin fever and temporary isolation. (Ok, Christmas, too.)

Which is why every winter I try to make an effort to get out of the house and work remotely once a week. I used to work mostly at the Panera on Congress and State, which isn't far from where I live. But it becomes uncomfortably full at lunchtime.

Also, if I put on actual shoes and a coat - and it's not just over pajamas so that I can make it a half-block to get coffee in the cold - it's kind of an event, so I figure I should sometimes venture outside of my neighborhood.

In an attempt to find some new, chill wi-fi spots around the city, I met my friend Matt on a rainy Friday at one of his favorite coffee shops in Lincoln Park, the Bourgeois Pig. It's part house, part restaurant, part DePaul hangout (I think—people had backpacks). My friend and I easily found a large table upstairs and went to order our lunch. Usually, the vegetarian options at restaurants are few—and coffee-shop food never seems to be that great.

But the Pig packs some punch. After much debate about five sandwiches with literary pun names, I settled on a delicious goat cheese and pepper-filled sandwich for lunch (I'll see you next time, Secret Garden!!) Later, when I needed a work snack break, on my friend's recommendation, I had a homemade molasses cookie that was unbelievably moist and tasty.

The atmosphere was so pleasant—and the eating so good—that I stayed at the Bourgeois Pig well into the evening, despite the fact that it was Friday and I probably should have been looking for more exciting things to do that did not involve a laptop and Microsoft Word.

My trip to Alliance Bakery and Cafe, on the other hand, was a little confusing. I had heard there was a room with wi-fi—and there is, but it's not actually connected to the bakery. I walked right by it, actually, on my way to the bakery; there's no real sign.

After waiting in line at the bakery, I asked the girl behind the counter where the room was. She said it was next door, and I assumed it would include an ordering window or waitress or something, since she didn't suggest getting anything to go. It didn't. So, feeling somewhat moronic, I walked in, stared, walked back out and back to the bakery, where I waited in a long line—again (apparently, we're all still in full holiday binge mode, or diabetes is not a pressing problem in this city)—to buy a cup of coffee and a cherry-almond scone. (The one I wanted, blueberry, was sold out. Santa truly has left the building.)

I asked if I needed a code to access the Internet; the bakery lady said no. I didn't believe her. But as it turns out, Alliance's wi-fi room does indeed work on the trust system. It seems like a bad idea to me, since it's not actually connected to the bakery and anyone could wander in and stay for hours—but I guess they're banking on the fact even wi-fi thieves eventually get hungry. (And like cake.)

I was easily able to nab a toasty window seat with an outlet nearby. The good: The coffee is tasty; you can get carrot, red velvet or other semi-exotic cupcakes for under $3; the room is big and has lots of seating; and the wireless access is free and easy to access. The bad: They had no jam for my scone (minor detail); the classical music was a touch too loud (equally minor detail); finding the room can be confusing (fairly large detail); and I swear that the room smelled faintly of cat urine when I first walked in (disturbing detail, as I did not observe any felines reading, working or eating banana muffins during my time there).

After about two hours, the kitty scent had either dissipated or I had imagined it, because I didn't notice it. I was, however, uncomfortably warm from the winter sun pouring through the window, almost out of coffee and ready to leave. Just one problem: I couldn't find anywhere to leave my scone plate and napkin. I couldn't believe that if the room didn’t have a waitress, it would have a busboy. However, confused and running out of time on my parking meter, I left my dirty dish on the table. And felt guilty about it for the next two hours.

Want to check out the free wi-fi? Alliance Bakery is at 1736 W. Division, (773) 278-0366, alliancebakery.com; the Bourgeois Pig is at 738 W. Fullerton, (773) 883-5282, bpigcafe.com.

Erin Brereton is our resident urban cowgirl on a bi-weekly search for life on the cheap. If you know of the mythic happy hour that she missed, do clue her in.