Why Clark and Belmont will always be my Happy Place

I’m not gonna lie, Anonymous—some days I still get that same thrill when I step off the train at Belmont. The city air hits different when you’re about to dive into the best part of your week. For me, Clark and Belmont is more than just a corner in Chicago—it’s a time capsule of everything that makes life worth living. I mean, where else can you find punk rock kids, goth misfits, and gamers all sharing a coffee shop table? It’s like the whole area is giving the suburbs a big middle finger and inviting us to join the party.

From the thrift stores overflowing with hidden gems to the neon glow of The Alley beckoning us in like moths to a flame, every inch of this place feels like home. And don’t even get me started on The Vic Theater—where else can you see They Might Be Giants live and feel like you’re part of something bigger than yourself? Those nights are etched in my memory forever, the bass thumping through the floorboards as we scream along to ‘Particle Man.’ It’s more than just a good time; it’s a reminder that there’s a whole world out there waiting for us to claim it.

Sometimes I worry that as I get older, I’ll lose that spark—the one that made me want to trade in my cul-de-sac for the city lights. But then I think back to those late-night talks at Scenes Coffeehouse, pouring over Vampire LARP characters or planning our next gaming marathon. We were invincible back then, Anonymous, or at least we thought we were. And in a way, we still are. Because no matter how much life throws our way, Clark and Belmont will always be there waiting for us—the one place where being yourself isn’t just okay, it’s celebrated. So yeah, I’ll keep coming back, even when I’m old and grey (or maybe just old). Because sometimes home isn’t where your heart is—it’s where you found yourself in the first place.