This listing is for a two-bedroom, 1 bath apartment in the Pilsen/ Heart of Italy neighborhood. It's a public transportation dream! You're four blocks from the Western pink line - step out of your front door and be in the Medical District or China... town in 10 minutes, or 20 minutes from University of Chicago. The apartment is located less than mile from interstate 55 and interstate 290, which makes commuting around the city very easy! Douglas Park is less than 1 mile away, which is a quiet tree-lined oasis on the west side. A 218-acre park featuring ponds & gardens, plus athletic facilities, a pool & a historic fieldhouse. "Restaurants keep popping up along 18th street, it's a very hip area," says Realtor Grigory Pekarsky. The Frida Room, for example, serves a modern mash-up of American and Mexican breakfast dishes. Try the Chivito Sandwich, loaded with steak, bacon, mozzarella cheese and chipotle aioli. The restaurant is named after Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, whose face is featured on a skateboard in this rustic wooden setting. But not all the restaurants are new and trendy. You can see some of the old Italian immigrant influence in standbys like Bruna's Ristorante, open since 1933. The building front is unassuming, blending in with the brick bungalows and worker cottages. Inside you'll find white tablecloths, dim lighting and classic murals that span the walls. Try the grilled calamari or, as is tradition on Sundays, Bella Bruna's roast chicken. Harmonizing with the artsy, striving spirit that colors Heart of Chicago, the Orozco Community Academy focuses on fine arts it's named for a painter, after all. The magnet school's facade is decorated with murals that celebrate sports figures and Mexican culture. Around 350 students are enrolled at this PK-8 institution, which is located down the street! The nearly 20-acre Harrison Park is certainly the crown jewel of the neighborhood. Make sure to check out the massive brick fieldhouse, which features a gym and a pool. Outside are numerous athletic facilities, like tennis courts and baseball fields. In keeping with Chicago's trend of putting cultural institutions near parks, you also have access to the National Museum of Mexican Art: founded in 1982, its collection contains more than 18,000 pieces of art, from ancient to contemporary. You'll often find the museum and park working together to host big community events, like Dia de los Muertos, held every November. This holiday celebration features memorial altars, folk dance performances and music. Across the street from the park, you can pick up the Pink Line if you want to head north and explore the Loop. But one of the perks of living here is you can take care of daily errands by just walking. All along Cermak Road you can find grocers big and small, including Cermak Fresh Market and Aldi. Read More