The best thing about chicago
Is that it smells like chocolate. Of all the awful things that a big city can smell like, chocolate is pretty great. The reason is the Blommer chocolate factory, which is fortunately just a few blocks from my apartment.
The smell is particularly strong in the winter, it seems, and most noticeable on the west side of downtown, or along the river to the east (because the wind blows up the river).
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The EPA has complained in the past about the amount of particulate matter being released from the factory. This is a violation of the same rules from which coal power plants are granted an exemption. I would much prefer the exemption not be granted to coal plants because they smell bad and contribute to the greenhouse effect, rather than chocolate dust, which does not contribute to the greenhouse effect and also allows me to wake to the smell of brownies each day.
