When I’m not manning the kitchen, I’m looking for a spot to hole up so I can drink coffee, grab a bite, and write, undisturbed.
In its Log On series, miLam will tell you where to find such places, with free Wi-Fi, in Chicago. In this edition, log on like a frequent flyer! Connect to the cloud in Archer Heights.
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Coffee, WIFI, and Good Eats in Archer Heights
Yes, that’s on the south side, out near the airport
No, I’m not kidding.
Log On, Chicago. Edition VI/i
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Places to Work: StarbucksPlaces to Eat: Illinois Bar and Grill
Starbucks at 47th & Cicero
(3.5 / 5) 4701 S Cicero Ave Pros
- Fantastically convenient to Midway Airport
- You have to give it some credit for being one of the few businesses along this stretch of Cicero that doesn’t look frightening or abandoned
- Open at 4:30 am
Cons
- It’s not a “destination” Starbucks
- It doesn’t have that “ooh, I want to nestle down here” feeling on the inside
Archer Heights Tee
This is the only legitimate Starbucks in Archer Heights. There’s another one Pulaski between 44th and 45th, but it’s inside a Target, and in my book, that doesn’t count. If you happen to see guys duking it out with heavy swords in this neighborhood, don’t be too concerned. Archer Heights is home to the Polish Highlanders Alliance of North America, and, as you know, there can be only one, so they’re mainly targeting one another. That’s not to say that there isn’t collateral damage on occasion; you should take sensible precautions.
Leaving Starbucks and Heading to MDW
It’s not easy to leave the Cicero/47th Starbucks and find yourself headed to Midway. The traffic at this intersection is unrelenting. The only exit strategies that won’t leave you so frustrated that you will find your curse word vocabulary – perhaps for the first time in your life – to be wholly inadequate, is to head north on Cicero or east on 47th – neither of which is the direction of the airport. Take it easy on yourself: leave via the 47th Street exit, turning right, turn right again on Keating. Take that all the way down to Archer, turn right, and then turn left on Cicero. Don’t worry; you have time to do this.
Timing
If your inbound friend texts you as soon as they’re on the tarmac, but not yet parked at the gate, keep working for about five minutes. Then, take your time shutting your computer down, packing up your stuff, and driving yourself the short distance to the airport. That’ll get you there in perfect time to drive through the arrivals loop and pick them up. 10/10/2014, 12:18 PM 
Coffee, Free WIFI: Archer Heights, Chicago
MDW is easily accessible via the Orange Line. Other than that specific location, I consider the south side to require pulling the car out of the garage.
Other places to log on: Boystown, Edgewater Beach, Fulton River District, Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, Pilsen, Ravenswood, Rogers Park, West Loop, Wicker Park, West Town, Uptown
