Nicky was really welcoming and her place is exactly as depicted. There is a lot of room in the back yard for hanging out and enjoying the outdoors. The goats are super friendly (until they figure out you don't have food for them :) and she shared yard-fresh eggs to make a great breakfast and late night snack.

As a note, I can see how the neighborhood might not be for everyone. If you are expecting the center of hipsterville, or collegiate downtown, this is not it. Not that there isn't a lot of activity around, sounds like there are lot of cool things - I wish I had more time to speak with Nicky, since she is so connected to the neighborhood. As it is now, it was perfect for me and my dad in for the weekend, and I felt like I got a little bit of a feel for what Chicago might be like for the 99 percent. We had a car but I wouldn't hesitate to return and take public transportation.