It''s hard to imagine a more comfortable lodging, or a more welcoming pair of hosts than Mat & Randy. The weather was turning toward wintry when I arrived, & for me, a hot-house Californian, the heated floor in the bathroom was both novel & marvelous! Everything about the home itself was a delight: well-lit, extremely clean, aesthetically pleasing, & graced by two fine kitties, who also seem to really appreciate the fine home they live in.
I arrived in the neighborhood via the CTA 'L' train, disembarking at the Argyll St. station. The first impression is of a bustling, somewhat chaotic (lots of street/sidewalk repair in progress), with a strong Southeast Asian component. Turning on to Winnemac, the street Mat & Randy live on, one at first sees some older brick houses which have apparently been abandoned, so that initial impression is a bit negative. However, progressing the few blocks down toward the Olson's home, the state of repair of homes & buildings improves considerably. The Andersonville neighborhood is an older, originally Swedish, one. Clark Street, its main thoroughfare, runs at runs at a right angle to Winnemac, & is only a block or so away. Clark is a lively street, with many fine eateries, & watering holes. In particular, I recommend The Hop Leaf, a bar cum restaurant which features beaucoup craft-brewed beers, as well as a full compliment of fine wines & spirits. The food there is good too. For a taste of traditional Swedish fare, try Svea, a restaurant which serves all three daily meals, in the 1500 block of Clark. There is a bar on Clark which features live jazz a couple of nights a week, but I can't recall the name. There are other attractions as well in Andersonville, & I'm sure Mat & Randy will be glad to tell you about them. Most guests traveling to Chicago will of course want to see the major attractions downtown (easily accessible by CTA service from Andersonville), but if you stay with Mat & Randy be sure to also enjoy the pleasures of their neighborhood.