07/14/2013 - Mary Bartelme Park, West Loop, 115 S Sangamon Street (Sangamon & Adams)

Post #11

link to panoramic - http://pnr.ma/dIUENr

Props to Tim Stafford on the suggestion for last week's park adventure, as (Mary) Bartelme Park was worth the trip.

Located in the West Loop, this park has interesting topographical elevations and wonderful views of Loop architecture.  There are beautiful hills on which people were sunbathing and picnicking (we did the latter). 

Those adult accouterments aside... boys, weigh in:

George Carlos - ★★★★★, "It has a lot of equipment... and, there were a lot of kids to play with."

Máximo - ★★★★★, "It was 5 stars for me.  And I liked it because of that square spider web thingy and that rope bridge... it was really cool... it was really fun."

These leathery platforms suspended by rope are truly unique.  Unfortunately they were terribly hot, but it didn't stop us from jumping all over them (as well as seeking solace beneath them whenever the sun became too much for us).

 Máximo's "rope bridge"

 These little mushrooms are really cool, they give slightly when you step on them and they're all at different elevations.

It was as hot as a plastic playground equipment that's been sitting in direct sunlight last weekend.

 Picnic'n with G & M

Yours truly, sweating my life off underneath the leathery pads (photo by Máximo).

The only thing about which I'd complain was the fact that this cool piece of architecture, that resides on the other side of the park, is supposed to spray a mist... a mist we could've used on such a sweltering afternoon.

Shameless self portrait.

http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks/Bartelme-Mary-Park/

06/30/2013 - Penny Park, 1428 Ashland Avenue, Evanston, IL

Post #10

link to panorama - http://pnr.ma/dcykYu

This is the one!  Number TEN!  This park is so super-rad, it's hard to get it into pictures or words.  For this one, I thank my good friend Kevin and his daughter Nora for sharing it with us.  

It's located in Evanston (which is not Chicago, but it was worth the trip), and we rounded up a bit of a posse for this one, including:  my sister Franny, her son Cole, our friend Alejandra, her niece Alicia, Kevin, Nora, and, of course, Máximo, Georgie and me.

The crew.

This is an all-wooden park, allegedly made from penny donations.  It's wonderfully shaded under some deciduous trees and it's just gorgeous. 

Without a need to explain, the boys' reviews were 100% in agreement:

Máximo - ★★★★★

George Carlos - ★★★★★

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves:

 G & his cousin Cole climbin' some wood.

 Máxi and me looking down the tire shoot, and back up at Máximo.

La Alicia.

 Nora the Explora.

 Coley, Ale, Máxi and Nora.

 Máximo and George Carlos and a cool shakey implement.

 Kev and Máximo on a balance beam.

 GCVV

 G again, running around.

Again.

 Seriously, look at this place.

 Nora, Cole and Alejandra.

 Majestic.

Alicia and Nora on the slide. 

Honestly, though, this is the kind of park that requires a visit to understand how really cool it is.

https://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF-8&q=penny+park+evanston+il&fb=1&gl=us&hq=penny+park+evanston+il&hnear=penny+park+evanston+il&cid=0,0,7792442819244864504&ei=2kLsUaujEKnwyQHH8YDoAQ&ved=0CJ4BEPwSMA4

06/23/2013 - Bernhard Moos Elementary School Playground, Humbolt Park, 1711 N California Ave

Post #9

link to panorama - http://pnr.ma/aMhBMd

I have some (serious) catching up to do with this dang blog it seems.  They don't write themselves I guess.

We went to this sweltering park over a month ago and I am just now doing the write up on her.  Let's get down to business.

Máximo - ★★★, "There's some fun equipment, like... spider web climbing equipment, uhm... it has, uh, monkey bars, but it was really hot too."

George Carlos - ★★★★, "There's one wrong (piece of equipment) and the rest are fun."

 Georgie with his sword.

There were some kids there when we arrived and we played with them, but this park has zero shade and we were dying of heat exhaustion - this was one of the first really hot mornings of the summer. 

 There was a disagreement or two.

And my iPhone camera didn't function at peak performance.

This park wasn't horrible, it was just an average elementary school park.

Not bad.

http://www.cps.edu/Schools/Pages/school.aspx?id=610076

06/16/2013 - Erhler Park, Logan Square, 2230 W Cortland St

Post #8

link to panorama - http://pnr.ma/daVKIZ

Happy Father's Day to all who fit this description!  For our Father's Day park trip, we went over to Erhler Park over on Cortland and Leavitt (just south of Armitage and west of Leavitt).

It was a hot one, but we still managed to enjoy this one.

George Carlos - ★★★★★,"...because I got to play in the sand.  That's why I give it 5 stars, because I like sand so much."

Máximo - ★★★★, "We had fun... It didn't have that much, and it was pretty fun too."

George Carlos in his favorite place

Nice playground, although the slides and equipment were terribly hot, but that has nothing to do with the park.

I went down this slide

Máximo did not, "I'm gonna pass."

The one thing that was slightly annoying was the water fountain, which was always running, and whose drain had been clogged so that it constantly overflowed.  It was impossible to do anything but desire to drink from it.  Luckily I brought water.

Other than this slight quibble, it's a nice park.  Kind of hidden away, with baby and normal swing sets and a good mix of equipment.

I'd give it 3 1/2 stars, personally.

http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks/Erhler-Playlot-Park/

06/09/2013 - Playground on East Side of Humboldt Park, Humboldt Park, California Ave. & Evergreen Ave.

Post #7

Link to panoramic - http://pnr.ma/aCuhIS

Two weeks ago it was raining, but we tried to head over to the east side of Humboldt nonetheless.  Máximo ended up feeling kind of crummy, so we ended up making it a reconnaissance mission and determined that we would return (which we did last weekend).

above was taken on recon day.

This park is pretty rad, lots of rope equipment. 

another photo from the recon mission

Boys' assessment:

George Carlos - ★★★★★,"I liked the big slide and playing on the big mountain."

Máximo - ★★★★★, "There were a lot of ropes to climb on and I really liked the hill."

 The hill: as above, so below.

I liked this park, personally, and think it's well built and stocked with plenty of wonderful equipment.  The rope attractions are unique and rarely on a playground in such high numbers.

I don't think we ever forgo the swings, 

especially when they're of the seated variety.

We played king of the mountain on the hump that completes the circle (look at a Google Map image of the park and you'll see it makes a complete circle https://maps.google.com/maps?q=humboldt+park+playground+california+chicago&ll=41.905315,-87.6973&spn=0.000534,0.000966&fb=1&gl=us&hq=humboldt+park+playground+california&hnear=0x880e2c3cd0f4cbed:0xafe0a6ad09c0c000,Chicago,+IL&cid=0,0,15908872462850935332&t=h&z=21&iwloc=A)

Awesome park with plenty to keep you occupied, I agree with my boys' assessment: five stars.

http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks/humboldtpark/