[the urban politician]

I just drove around Oak Park for the first time in about 5-6 years.

Amazing how much some of the new highrises have transformed the feel of the downtown. It's beginning to feel more and more Evanston-esque, although it still has a long ways to go.

On that same trip I made my first visit to downtown Elmhurst. Lots of modern new infill there as well, and it was absolutely teeming with life (on a summer Friday evening, of course, but still..)