Interracial Dating/Friendships/Cost of Living (Chicago, Glenwood: square footage, professionals, restaurants)

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by PostJoyDivision

Thanks again everyone.
So I guess I should come and spend a few days there in winter. I'm deathly afraid of flying, so the thought of doing so during the winter is literally making my stomach turn right now. Well with Seattle, I would deal with rain/drizzle and cloud coverage for nine months out of the year (which have already experienced) so both cities have their fair share of not so great weather I guess. I remember walking across an empty field on campus in Olympia one night. It was windy and 0 degrees outside. I thought I had frostbite on my fingers and ears, but I lived! I know that a few nights of frozen terror each year doesn't equal what you guys experience. Is Feb.-March the worset time of the year?
Okay so I am glad to hear that there are diverse neighborhoods. Chicago is a massive city so I guess I shouldn't stress over not fitting in. I hope I won't have a hard time making friends. I think I just got lucky with doing so as quickly as I did in Oly/Seattle lol.

January & February are the absolute worst, as far as renting, I think those are also bad times as well, prime moving months are generally May - Oct.

[Chicago76]

Originally Posted by PostJoyDivision

Chicago is a massive city so I guess I shouldn't stress over not fitting in. I hope I won't have a hard time making friends. I think I just got lucky with doing so as quickly as I did in Oly/Seattle lol.

I wouldn't worry about that if I were you. You seem like a very involved and active person, so you'll have ample opportunities to meet good people. Personally, I found it much easier to meet people in NYC than Chicago, but I found it much easier to make good friends in Chicago, if that makes any sense. There are enough transplants here that people are open with respect to expanding their circle of friends.

In addition to CNT's recs of Diversey north toward Rogers Park, I would encourage you to look at Wicker Park/East Village/Bucktown as well. This is a progressive part of the city that contains a high degree of diversity. IMHO, this part of town is probably most similar to Capitol Hill in Seattle: rock clubs, bars, restaurants, young resident "type", etc.

[Aleking]

Originally Posted by Chicago76

I wouldn't worry about that if I were you. You seem like a very involved and active person, so you'll have ample opportunities to meet good people. Personally, I found it much easier to meet people in NYC than Chicago, but I found it much easier to make good friends in Chicago, if that makes any sense. There are enough transplants here that people are open with respect to expanding their circle of friends.

In addition to CNT's recs of Diversey north toward Rogers Park, I would encourage you to look at Wicker Park/East Village/Bucktown as well. This is a progressive part of the city that contains a high degree of diversity. IMHO, this part of town is probably most similar to Capitol Hill in Seattle: rock clubs, bars, restaurants, young resident "type", etc.

Wicker and Bucktown are great, diverse, not so much.

[mjtinmemphis]

I'm a 39 y/o gay black male who relocated to the area 3 years ago so I will drop my 2 cents in the conversation.

The segregation was a major issue for me before moving to the area and looking at things on paper. I spent the first 6 months in Oak Park and now reside in Hyde Park. I work with a very diverse group of people and I ve found that over all race isn't as much of an issue as it seems on paper. Choose your neighborhood and you should be fine.

As far as not liking hip hop and limiting yourself to things that are typically "BLACK" shouldn't be a problem as long as you stay away from people that thinks like that. From my personal experience that means stay away from the segregated neighborhoods and the people that live there. Some of the native blacks will treat you as an outsider if you dont walk talk and have the same narrow mindset that they do. Some joke and call Chicago Mississippi North. The title is very fitting when it comes to certain areas of the west and south sides. Just keep in mind Chicago is a city for all people.

Regardless of where you live, being bi sexual shouldn't be a problem at all! Interacial dating and friendships should be ok but once again, only if you live work and play with the progressive community. Unfortunatly, as a whole the Black community can be very narrow with such issues but there are many black progressives that live here.


I think Chicago is one of the best cities to live. The people, culture and the way the city moves is exciting to me. I hope your experience here will be just as good as mine.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by PostJoyDivision

Thanks again everyone.
So I guess I should come and spend a few days there in winter. I'm deathly afraid of flying, so the thought of doing so during the winter is literally making my stomach turn right now. Well with Seattle, I would deal with rain/drizzle and cloud coverage for nine months out of the year (which have already experienced) so both cities have their fair share of not so great weather I guess. I remember walking across an empty field on campus in Olympia one night. It was windy and 0 degrees outside. I thought I had frostbite on my fingers and ears, but I lived! I know that a few nights of frozen terror each year doesn't equal what you guys experience. Is Feb.-March the worset time of the year?
Okay so I am glad to hear that there are diverse neighborhoods. Chicago is a massive city so I guess I shouldn't stress over not fitting in. I hope I won't have a hard time making friends. I think I just got lucky with doing so as quickly as I did in Oly/Seattle lol.

February is the worst weather-wise... March is the worst psychologically because by that time people are climbing the walls wishing spring would get here already. That even includes people who actually like winter.

[Aleking]

Originally Posted by Drover

February is the worst weather-wise... March is the worst psychologically because by that time people are climbing the walls wishing spring would get here already. That even includes people who actually like winter.

As someone who likes winter, i agree, in November and December some snow to go with the Holidays is nice, by March i'm done.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

...
Regardless of where you live, being bi sexual shouldn't be a problem at all! Interacial dating and friendships should be ok but once again, only if you live work and play with the progressive community. Unfortunatly, as a whole the Black community can be very narrow with such issues but there are many black progressives that live here.
...

Where he says "progressive community" I think what he really means are non-racists. In a city as big and diverse as Chicago, there are plenty of conservatives who are not racist and perfectly fine with interracial relationships, and there are plenty of otherwise-progressive people who cringe at interracial relationships. That applies to blacks, whites, latinos, and asians alike.

I've noticed that more recent immigrants of any race may also be anti-interracial for their own family or friends simply out of a desire to preserve their own culture and heritage. This seems to fade with subsequent generations as the families start to identify as just American moreso than any other ethnicity. In this regard, blacks who have grown up and lived in heavily black areas are, essentially, immigrants when it comes to adaptation of the larger culture. I say that meaning no disrespect to people coming from such insular communities - I just think it's an apt, if imperfect, comparison.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by emathias

Where he says "progressive community" I think what he really means are non-racists. In a city as big and diverse as Chicago, there are plenty of conservatives who are not racist and perfectly fine with interracial relationships, and there are plenty of otherwise-progressive people who cringe at interracial relationships. That applies to blacks, whites, latinos, and asians alike.

In Chicago, that's technically progress!

[Chicago76]

Originally Posted by Aleking

Wicker and Bucktown are great, diverse, not so much.

That was more in reference to the people out in bars/restaurants at night. There is a diverse (by Chicago standard) blend of white, hispanic, asian, and a noticeable African American presence in a lot of establishments. You also have a nice blend of 9-5 corporate stiff vs. artsy or socially aware professionals + more variance in age. Things just melt a little better there as a social/nighlife focal point compared to a place around Diversey or Belmont that was mentioned as a suggestion earlier.

Around Diversey or Belmont, when walking into a random bar, I either feel like I'm in some sort of gay haven or I've walked into the middle of a sorority or fraternity reunion. There are notable exceptions in Lakeview of course, but they're just that, exceptions.

Also figured that someone in her early 20s with "Joy Division" in her user name is more Wicker Park/Logan/E Village material than Lakeview or Edgewater, as a general rule.

[PostJoyDivision]

Oh my gosh thank you everyone for the replies! Thank you mjtinmemphis for the tips on the black community and everything else I'm starting to get excited!
I bookmarked all of the place you all have mentioned and will visit them when I fly in. Could anyone rate these areas by price?
Chicago76, thanks for the name observation