Hopefully relocating to Chicago..needs some advice (Bellwood, Lincoln: home, neighborhoods)

[locstarr]

I am a young individual planning on relocating to Chicago for 9 months. I have read some posting about the neighborhoods in Chicago that may or may not be good. I have some interest in the Lincoln park/hyde park/wicker park areas, however I can not make a definitive choice among the three. I am looking to live in a diverse, fun, cool, clean, safe, relaxed, did I mention diverse...place. I want to have easy (if not easy, then somewhat easy) access to the neighboring parts of Chicago. I want to be surrounded by real, good, and entertaining people. I want to be able to walk out my door and have options for good food. I don't know if I am wanting to much. but I would appreciate any suggestions and advice.

Thanks

[SoonToBeChicagoan]

I was looking for the same things in a neighborhood that you are -- I'm moving to Chicago next week and chose Wicker Park.

[CarolinaBredChicagoan]

In terms of access, there are a couple of things to consider.

With both Lincoln Park and Wicker Park you are pretty close to downtown and have easy access by train. Wicker Park is along the Blue Line and Lincoln Park is along the Red and Brown lines. If you're trying to access areas like Wrigleyville, Lakeview, Gold Coast, Old Town, and the Mag Mile, Lincoln Park is a better bet.

If you're going for the Bucktown, Logan Square, Humboldt Park, Ukrainian Village areas, Wicker Park is better.

My advice? Visit. Hang out. The two clusters have different vibes. I have friends who love Wicker Park but moved to Lakeview because they did a lot of improv and sketch and wanted access to those scenes.

Both areas have good restaurants, bars, and music venues. You'll find more fratty d-bags in L. Park and more hipster d-bags in W Park, but there are some of both in either.

Hyde Park is very cool, but a little insular, to be honest. You're farther south there than you are North in the other areas. Hyde Park proper is beautiful and lots of fun, but a few blocks in any direction can get dicey.

My advice? Pick Wicker or Lincoln, visit Hyde Park. If you hang out there a while and dig it (I especially recommend getting a killer breakfast at the Valois Restaurant in H. Park), you can make the move then.

My .02.

[paytonc]

On diversity: Lincoln Park (60614 ZIP) is 88% white, neighboring Lakeview (60657) is 86% white. That makes both of them whiter than Scarsdale (10583), which is a mere 83% white.

I'll second my fellow Carolinian: please take a walk around before you make your final decision. You might also stroll around Uptown or Logan Square (not as gentrified) or maybe the West or South Loop if you don't mind "living downtown."

[locstarr]

Thanks for the input...but after reading other threads and responses I am now REALLY unsure of where to call home for the next 9 months. I read some postings about race relations in certain parts of Chicago, and I am now weary on some of the areas I had initially picked as possibles areas to live. Maybe I should provide a little more background info.

I am a young recent graduate school grad. No children. I am black. And I would be moving from NY. Now NY is segregated in its own way...but I am a true New Yorker and that ish never affected me. Now...I want to live in a fun, eclectic space with good people and good food. I don't want to live in a neighborhood where I'm the only caramel in the bunch...and I do want to live in a diverse area. Like I had mentioned before Hyde Park was on my list...but I think someone said there is NO nightlife there. That's why I also had wicker park/lincoln park/bucktown on my list. I can pretty much live anywhere as far as neighborhoods go...but I don't want to feel funny..do to the inhabitants of a certain area lack of ability to accept a educated, black, and might I add attractive female.

Also, I would like to add that I will be working in Bellwood. Is it easy to travel there by car if living in wicker park or surrounding areas? Does mass transit go out there?

Any and all responses would be great.

[untuchableface]

Wicker Park is predominantly white. However, I used to live there and there are plenty of young, black professionals that live there, too. It's not like you would be the only black person in a 10 block radius. It's more of a hipster area which I always found that type of person to be more accepting anyway.

When I read your first post, I immediately thought you should live in Hyde Park. I really don't know about the night life but it is really beautiful in certain parts and is more diverse that Wicker or Lincoln Park. Just be sure to do your research before moving as one block may be safe and another may not be.

I'd recommend walking around in each of them and see how you feel. For this, first impressions probably mean a lot.