Dan circled the blocks near the lake for twenty-five minutes last night before he found a parking spot, and it was about a twelve-minute walk from my apartment. I had already walked down to the lakefront, laid out a blanket and eaten a third of the cherries. When he finally showed up, slightly sweaty and very annoyed, he looked at me and said, "You live right here. Why didn't I just park at your place?"
Good question, and the answer is the parking trick we learned too late.
I moved into my studio in south Evanston a month ago. This is my first summer living near the lake on my own, and with the holiday this weekend, the lakefront has been busy every evening. Last night we went down early to watch fireworks over the water, the kind you can see going off from more than one town along the shore if you're patient. Tomorrow, the actual Fourth, Dan's roommates are grilling in Avondale, so last night was our version of the holiday. We spent $12 total.
What $12 bought
- A big bag of cherries from Trader Joe's: $6
- Two cans of sparkling water: $2
- A bag of tortilla chips: $3
- A pack of napkins, because we forgot napkins: $1
The blanket was mine, an old one from my parents' house that I took when I moved. The folding chairs came from my dad's garage on moving day, and the bug spray from under my sink. Dan brought a speaker and half a bag of pretzels from his apartment, which I didn't count.
I'd blocked out $20 from my fun money for the evening. My budget in the new apartment gives me $120 a month for fun and eating out, which goes fast when rent is $1,295. Coming in at $12 felt like a small win, and I put the other $8 toward next weekend.
The lakefront on a holiday evening
The Evanston lakefront has a long chain of parks and beaches, with paths and big grassy areas. On a warm July evening, it fills up with families with coolers, college kids, people walking dogs and a very serious man with a telescope. We set up on the grass a little back from the water, so we could see over the people sitting on the rocks.
The breeze off the lake was the best part. It was humid and in the 80s in my apartment, which has no central air, and I've been sleeping on top of the covers all week. Down by the water, it was ten degrees cooler. I may be buying a window unit for the studio sooner than planned.
When it got dark, the fireworks started, small bursts far up and down the shore over the black water, then bigger ones closer in. Nobody had to pay for a seat. A kid behind us narrated every single one ("That's a red one. That's a red one again."), which Dan found funnier than the fireworks.
The parking trick
Here's the lesson. I have a parking spot behind my building that I pay $50 a month for. I use it for my Corolla, but on a night like this, I could have moved my car to the street early in the afternoon, when spots were easy to find, and let Dan park in my spot. Then he would have walked five minutes instead of driving in circles, and he'd have been out of the traffic jam afterward a lot faster.
We figured this out at about 10:30 p.m., while sitting in his car, not moving, on a side street packed with everyone else trying to leave. He drove me the four blocks home in eighteen minutes. I could have walked it in six.
Another option would have been the Purple Line or Metra. My building is a short walk from the Main Street station, and Dan could have taken the train up and back without touching the car. He says he'll do that next time, though he also says that about the gym.
A year ago, I spent the Fourth at my parents' house in Wilmette watching my dad grill burgers, which was also cheap and also nice. This year felt different. I walked home from a park near my own apartment and let myself in with my own key. That's not something I could have imagined last July.
I'll post a full breakdown of my first month of bills soon. For now: $12, a full belly of cherries and one hard lesson about parking.
