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Old 11-08-2012, 06:32 PM
 
Location: Edmonds, WA
8,975 posts, read 10,117,791 times
Reputation: 14246

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Quote:
Originally Posted by urza216 View Post
This issue comes up a lot on here. Everyone seems to say that there is no "night life" in the suburbs and therefore if you are in your twenties, your social life will suck if you move here. And it's almost even stated like it's a fact.

There is NO mistaking that nightlife in the city is better. However, nonetheless, if you hit up Holsteins in Tinley Park, Lassen's in Homewood, Dunnigans in Park Forest, Glass Tap in Steger or White Rhino in Dyer, IN on any given Saturday night, you are bound to see the place packed with young people. If you're from the area, there's a good chance you'll run into someone you went to high school with - unlike a bar in the city.

This brings me to my second point.. Not everyone went to college in the city of Chicago. Not every young person is a friendless transplant from Michigan. Me, personally.. If I made the choice to move to the city, it would be IN SPITE of my social life not to BETTER my social life. It would be a sacrifice made for more excitement and perhaps more opportunities. I've lived around here my whole life.

Why do people on this forum talk about the suburbs like there's no young people and what's up with these intense warnings to young people to NOT move to the suburbs? In the end, Chicago suburbs are still a part of the 3rd largest metro area in the country. There's a lot Chicago suburbs have going for them that smaller metro areas don't.
I have two comments on this topic.

First, I think one aspect that isn't considered is the diversity of establishments that Chicago offers compared to suburbia. Not everyone's idea of night life revolves around Irish Pubs and Sports Bars (not to knock Irish Pubs and sports bars as I'm known to frequent both, but it's not everyone's cup of tea). Chicago just has more variety, from swanky rooftop clubs to total dives and everything in between. I guarantee that for almost every person in Chicago, there is a bar/club/establishment where they can feel comfortable. I don't think the same can be said for Suburb X. I think this is an important consideration for people moving to the area who may be looking to meet people who they can relate to.

Second, chet mentioned density and that's an important consideration too in my opinion. If you've already established a social life in the suburbs, maybe you want to stay there. But I think part of the appeal of Chicago's nightlife is that it's so big and largely accessible. To someone moving from out of the area, of course Chicago is going to appear superior to the suburbs. There is just more to do, and everything is closer together.

I don't think that the suburbs have nothing to offer young people...but if I was a young person moving to Chicagoland, I'd rather take my chances in the city first, then maybe look at the suburbs.
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Old 11-08-2012, 10:09 PM
 
1,002 posts, read 1,774,616 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by urza216 View Post
Chi town Person,

That doesn't explain why some people find it appropriate to recommend Oak Park to anyone and everyone in any and every thread. Like the thread where the OP was asking for a predominately white suburb in close proximity to Hyde Park.

I also don't like how Oak Parkers brag about thier diversity but when I point out that other towns out my way are diverse, their excuse is "well, you guys are leaving soon though." Oh, really, Person Who Lives Nearly An Hour Away? You're telling me that I am leaving soon so the diversity in my town doesn't count??


But I digress. The night life in Forest Park isnt bad, is it? What do you think, Chi town Person?
But people don't recommend Oak Park to anyone and everyone. More times than not it's recommended to people with certain requirements or desires that somehow match up to what the village offers.

I think a lot of people in Oak Park are proud (some may think it's bragging, other may not) of the diversity it's fostered because I think a lot of people feel it's very important... especially in a place like Chicago where it's high segregated. I also happen to believe it's important to be outwardly proud of places that foster diversity, because the reputation then continues to foster more diversity. I happen to know quite a lot of families that moved to Oak Park with one of the important reasons being that it's a place that encourages and welcomes diversity. Now this outward expression may be taken as "bragging", but it isn't to me. When good things happen in places, as far as I'm concerned, they should be celebrated.

I honestly don't know what you're talking about regarding your town and you leaving... You may very well live in a place that is diverse and integrated, and that's a wonderful thing. I think it's great if there are places in or around Chicago that are diverse and can provide a high quality of life or its residents. Unfortunately, Chicago is very segregated, and diverse and integrated areas are largely outweighed by others.

Forest Park has some nice places to eat and drink. I take out of town visitors there for a few drinks from time to time. It also has the Brown Cow ice cream shop which is rated as 1 of the 12 best ice cream shops in the nation by US News (and some other publication I don't remember)... The ice cream there is truly to die for. It also has some nice boutique stores along Madison. And has some pretty cool family friendly street events in the summer.
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Old 11-09-2012, 09:31 AM
 
28,455 posts, read 84,957,533 times
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Default Funny, the folks that promote Chicago often try to claim...

...that it's reputation for being highly segrated is untrue. They also claim that the reputation for a Byzantine path to find a place inside Chicago with access to good schools is overblown. Perhaps if these things are true there really isn't much to recommend Oak Park over Chicago. I really don't know, though in the context of this thread about entertainment I would agree that the odds of bumping into high school classmates at a ar in Forest Park is pretty high if you attended OPRF, Fenwick or other nearby schools...

Quote:
Originally Posted by chitownperson View Post
But people don't recommend Oak Park to anyone and everyone. More times than not it's recommended to people with certain requirements or desires that somehow match up to what the village offers.

I think a lot of people in Oak Park are proud (some may think it's bragging, other may not) of the diversity it's fostered because I think a lot of people feel it's very important... especially in a place like Chicago where it's high segregated. I also happen to believe it's important to be outwardly proud of places that foster diversity, because the reputation then continues to foster more diversity. I happen to know quite a lot of families that moved to Oak Park with one of the important reasons being that it's a place that encourages and welcomes diversity. Now this outward expression may be taken as "bragging", but it isn't to me. When good things happen in places, as far as I'm concerned, they should be celebrated.

I honestly don't know what you're talking about regarding your town and you leaving... You may very well live in a place that is diverse and integrated, and that's a wonderful thing. I think it's great if there are places in or around Chicago that are diverse and can provide a high quality of life or its residents. Unfortunately, Chicago is very segregated, and diverse and integrated areas are largely outweighed by others.

Forest Park has some nice places to eat and drink. I take out of town visitors there for a few drinks from time to time. It also has the Brown Cow ice cream shop which is rated as 1 of the 12 best ice cream shops in the nation by US News (and some other publication I don't remember)... The ice cream there is truly to die for. It also has some nice boutique stores along Madison. And has some pretty cool family friendly street events in the summer.
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Old 11-09-2012, 01:39 PM
 
1,002 posts, read 1,774,616 times
Reputation: 498
Quote:
Originally Posted by chet everett View Post
...that it's reputation for being highly segrated is untrue. They also claim that the reputation for a Byzantine path to find a place inside Chicago with access to good schools is overblown. Perhaps if these things are true there really isn't much to recommend Oak Park over Chicago. I really don't know, though in the context of this thread about entertainment I would agree that the odds of bumping into high school classmates at a ar in Forest Park is pretty high if you attended OPRF, Fenwick or other nearby schools...
If you think Chicago isn't highly segregated, you've experienced a very different Chicago from me. It's far from integrated. A lot of people move to Oak Park for a variety of reasons, and choose to do so over Chicago, or other suburbs considered desirable by some, and are very happy with their choices. There is no "holy grail", just like how many further reaching suburbs have their negatives, but Oak Park has a lot to offer and has a strong history of integrated diversity that deserves to be commended. I'm not sure who "they also claim" are... it sounds more like "you claim"... Without drawing out yet another list of all the positives for Oak Park, I'll just say that it has a lot of offer to people and families wanting good education, integrated diversity close to the city with a lot of charm.

Forest Park is a fun place to hangout in. There's some pretty good Vietnamese and Italian eateries there, for anyone who's interested. Healy's Westside is also a nice joint.

Last edited by chitownperson; 11-09-2012 at 02:59 PM..
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Old 11-11-2012, 01:52 PM
 
Location: Greenville, SC
6,219 posts, read 5,899,014 times
Reputation: 12160
If by night life you mean quality restaurants and drinking joints where you can meet people, you'll find plenty of those in the suburbs. What you won't often find are big hipster clubs with light shows and glowsticks for the Ecstasy crowd, or the Cool Place of the Week where everybody who's anybody just has to be seen. It's a different style of life, and contrary to the hipsters in this forum who would claim Oak Brook or Chicago are the only places to be, it all boils down to personal preference ... and nothing more than that.

Frankly, the suburb bashing in this forum is a real turn-off at times and I don't find myself visiting here as often as I used to. If you just love Oak Park, fine, but don't believe for a minute that it means you're more sophisticated/hip/educated/whatever than those of us who choose to make the "unhip" suburbs our homes.
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Old 11-11-2012, 09:09 PM
 
1,002 posts, read 1,774,616 times
Reputation: 498
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vasily View Post


Frankly, the suburb bashing in this forum is a real turn-off at times and I don't find myself visiting here as often as I used to. If you just love Oak Park, fine, but don't believe for a minute that it means you're more sophisticated/hip/educated/whatever than those of us who choose to make the "unhip" suburbs our homes.
IME, Oak Parkers, at least myself, don't feel superior to anyone else in other towns. A lot of the listing of positive attributes about the village is generally a response to certain individuals who seems to have agendas to put negative spin on the place. I've never met anyone here that thinks less of people that don't live here... If anything, the village seems to attract people that have more inclusive tendencies, IME.

I think we can all agree that there are positives and negatives about every place in and around Chicago, and that choosing a place comes down to combinations of what one is looking for.
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Old 11-11-2012, 10:03 PM
 
Location: Chicago
207 posts, read 698,611 times
Reputation: 88
there really isn't a "Nightlife" in the suburbs that I know of (maybe Aurora, Naperville, Joliet, or Waukegan). when I go to visit my friends in the burbs; we take the train in because we're always bored
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