Jason and Liz Hopkins live directly above Cucina Paradiso on the south side of the building. When they went to bed at approximately 1:15 a.m. Wednesday, they told fire inspectors they did not smell smoke.
The couple moved into the apartment in November, from the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago. Jason teaches 3-D computer animation at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and at DePaul University. Liz, a flutist, is taking auditions.
They were awakened at approximately 2 a.m. by a neighbor’s pounding at their door, alerting them to the fire.
Jason explained that Liz leaped into action, pulling on a dress and shoes, and grabbing her purse and flute before leaving.
“She always looks really good,” he said.
Jason, dressed in a black silk robe with matching slippers at about noon, was slower to act.
At Liz’s urging to get up because of a fire, “He was like, ‘Caaaaan’t beeeee,'” she said.
Their landlord, John Toomey, who owns the Cucina building and the building that houses his John Toomey Gallery next door, put the couple up at the Write Inn after the fire.
“He’s the best landlord anybody can have,” Jason Hopkins said.
Wednesday morning, dressed as they were when they scrambled out of their apartment, they went to Great Harvest Bread Co., 736 Lake St., where they were treated to free cinnamon rolls and drinks. They appreciated the kindness.
“That’s something you can’t get in the city,” Liz Hopkins said.
The couple planned to call people Wednesday to find a place to stay.
Despite being forced out of their home, the pair maintained a jovial attitude less than 12 hours after the fire.
“We haven’t been let upstairs yet, so we haven’t seen the horrors,” Jason said. “I’m a little concerned about the dry cleaning bill. We just did our laundry, too!”
Liz was happy the fire did not spread to their apartment, where she had hundreds of dollars worth of sheet music.
“We’re just really grateful for John, our landlord,” Jason said. “He’s just really great.”
-Drew Carter