Anyone in Chicago relo from Long Island?? (Berwyn, Elmwood Park: neighborhoods, living)

[kmeec]

Hi, I am looking to relocate to Chicago although not sure yet about the city or the suburbs. I am wondering if anyone from NY has relocated to Chicago and can give me some comparisons on the two....the winters, the people, the expenses etc. Thanks so much for your help!!!

[rca215]

Colder, nicer and lower, respectively.

[SJaye]

I was relocated here from Long Island by my family (to a suburb, when I was a kid), and now live in the city. Where on Long Island are you from? I was born in Mineola, and here is what I perceived as the difference, pretty much in order that I noticed it...

1. Winters are COLDER... summers are about the same, but the winter is colder both on average and in the extremes. We do get sub-0 temps here, and temps near zero, stuff that did not really happen on Long Island.

2. The Cubs/White Sox rivalry is much more focused on each other. Maybe things have changed since I moved, but it felt like in New York, Mets and Yankees fans were much more focused on their inter-division rivals (Red Sox; Braves and Philies) than the team on the other side of the city. Sure, they would make cracks at each other, but the Cubs and White Sox, it sure feels like hatred sometimes, and it always bugs me why they are not as focused on teams like the Twins and the Cardinals.

3. The population density comparisons: Growing up in Nassau County, the population density there seemed quite a bit higher than the population density in most of the suburbs here in Chicago. The areas that felt equivalent in population density in the Chicago area were outer neighborhoods in the city, like Jefferson Park and Galewood, or innermost suburbs like Berwyn, Brookfield, Elmwood Park.

4. It seemed like the cost of living was slightly lower.

5. People seemed more friendly, but also more likely to be phony. Let me clarify what I mean by that, since that term is used in so many ways these days. What I mean is that if someone has a problem with you here (in Chicago), I find them more likely to be nice to your face and then talk about you behind their backs. Seemed like people in Long Island were more direct with each other. Disclaimer; this comparison could have more to do with the specific towns I moved from and to than an overall picture of the entire metro area. I don't mean to make a rash judgment on the entire area. The people here, though, did seem friendlier in a sense that I felt less likely to get a rude response to making casual friendly conversation with random people on the streets.

6. I'd have to say there seems to be less pressure in the work environment here. One of the things I have really come to appreciate about Chicago is the middle-of-the road type work environment. New York is high pressure, and it seems like people are always expected to work long hours and such. Places like Portland and San Francisco seem too relaxed from my POV. Chicago seems to be somewhere in the middle, which is really nice. Once again, this also probably depends on specific of job, company, industry, boss, etc.

[kmeec]

Hi, Wow....thank you! I grew up in East Meadow, so very close to Mineola. It sounds like you have been in Chicago for quite some time now. Long Island is very over crowded at this point! Well, I guess it always has been. lol. The Yankees vs. Mets fans are very intense as well although....the Yankees vs. Red Sox might be neck and neck with them! Thank you so much for your insight, I truly appreciate it!!

[FAReastcoast]

Originally Posted by SJaye

I was relocated here from Long Island by my family (to a suburb, when I was a kid), and now live in the city. Where on Long Island are you from? I was born in Mineola, and here is what I perceived as the difference, pretty much in order that I noticed it...

1. Winters are COLDER... summers are about the same, but the winter is colder both on average and in the extremes. We do get sub-0 temps here, and temps near zero, stuff that did not really happen on Long Island.

2. The Cubs/White Sox rivalry is much more focused on each other. Maybe things have changed since I moved, but it felt like in New York, Mets and Yankees fans were much more focused on their inter-division rivals (Red Sox; Braves and Philies) than the team on the other side of the city. Sure, they would make cracks at each other, but the Cubs and White Sox, it sure feels like hatred sometimes, and it always bugs me why they are not as focused on teams like the Twins and the Cardinals.

3. The population density comparisons: Growing up in Nassau County, the population density there seemed quite a bit higher than the population density in most of the suburbs here in Chicago. The areas that felt equivalent in population density in the Chicago area were outer neighborhoods in the city, like Jefferson Park and Galewood, or innermost suburbs like Berwyn, Brookfield, Elmwood Park.

4. It seemed like the cost of living was slightly lower.

5. People seemed more friendly, but also more likely to be phony. Let me clarify what I mean by that, since that term is used in so many ways these days. What I mean is that if someone has a problem with you here (in Chicago), I find them more likely to be nice to your face and then talk about you behind their backs. Seemed like people in Long Island were more direct with each other. Disclaimer; this comparison could have more to do with the specific towns I moved from and to than an overall picture of the entire metro area. I don't mean to make a rash judgment on the entire area. The people here, though, did seem friendlier in a sense that I felt less likely to get a rude response to making casual friendly conversation with random people on the streets.

6. I'd have to say there seems to be less pressure in the work environment here. One of the things I have really come to appreciate about Chicago is the middle-of-the road type work environment. New York is high pressure, and it seems like people are always expected to work long hours and such. Places like Portland and San Francisco seem too relaxed from my POV. Chicago seems to be somewhere in the middle, which is really nice. Once again, this also probably depends on specific of job, company, industry, boss, etc.

I pretty much agree with this list. I grew up in Washington Heights, and recently moved to Chicago. I can't comment on the Chicago suburbs, but the biggest things I noticed that were different here are:

1. More casual work environment: Summer Fridays (WTF?!), more of a 9-5 environment, etc....

2. Sneakers and Caps are acceptable attire at a bar/restaurant

3. Chicago is def cleaner and less crowded/rat race than NY

4. It is harder to get a quick bite to eat on the streets, and Pizza is not sold by the slice.

Those are some of the things I noticed right off the bat, Chicago is a great city, and I have enjoyed myself so far!

[llaurenn]

I grew up on Long Island (North Bellmore) and live in Chicago now. I don't know that I'd ever compare the two because I lived solidly in the suburbs on LI and I live in the city now, but it definitely is cheaper for sure. Additionally, there's such a huge difference in lifestyle between Manhattan/Brooklyn and LI - you would never drive anywhere in NYC to get groceries, and you would never take the bus to the grocery store on Long Island, but in Chicago you can do either/or with minor hassle. Choices!!

[kmeec]

LLaurenn.....I grew up in East Meadow and have quite a few friends from NB. How long have you been in Chicago? Would you go back to LI? How would you rate the winters against each other? Thank you so much for your help! Its helpful to have someone who knows both places!

[It'sAutomatic]

Originally Posted by FAReastcoast

4. It is harder to get a quick bite to eat on the streets, and Pizza is not sold by the slice.

Pizza is sold by the slice everywhere except for more fancy restaurant-esque establishments, mostly downtown. I can name three places within a short walk of me that I frequent for slices of pizza .

[tompope]

Originally Posted by SJaye

5. People seemed more friendly, but also more likely to be phony. Let me clarify what I mean by that, since that term is used in so many ways these days. What I mean is that if someone has a problem with you here (in Chicago), I find them more likely to be nice to your face and then talk about you behind their backs. Seemed like people in Long Island were more direct with each other. Disclaimer; this comparison could have more to do with the specific towns I moved from and to than an overall picture of the entire metro area. I don't mean to make a rash judgment on the entire area. The people here, though, did seem friendlier in a sense that I felt less likely to get a rude response to making casual friendly conversation with random people on the streets.

It's funny you mention that, because I had almost exactly the opposite reaction. I grew up on the Northwest Side of Chicago, and when I first went and spent a lot of time in Long Island, I was struck by how many I people I met and dealt with who seemed extremely phony and disingenuous, at least towards me. I had heard that New Yorkers had a reputation as being blunt and direct, and I figured that these would be my kind of people. But it seemed like I encountered a lot of two-faced, weaselly people who were pleasant or congenial to a person's face (albeit with a bit of that big-city bluster and brusqueness), and then talked unbelievable crap about him or her (or me) behind their back. I remember thinking, "I'm glad we're not like that back in Chicago." But as you say, that also is probably a rash judgment, based on limited anecdotal experiences that both you and I had. After all, people are people, everywhere. And it may also be related to the fact that people everywhere probably tend to not be quite as comfortable with out-of-towners as with locals, and so may act a little less direct and a little more phony in those situations. Interesting.

On the whole, though, it's probably fair to say that people both in Long Island and in many parts of Chicago probably tend to be a little more blunt and straightforward about speaking their minds than people in some other parts of the country, which seems to me like a good thing.

[kmeec]

I love everyone's feedback...its so helpful! I lived in Southern California for a bit and I agree.....that you probably find the back stabbing everywhere. Although it seems to me, everywhere just has their own variation of it! lol! I always felt that Long Islanders were very blunt and straight forward, so its what I rather and what I am used to. I do think that if you are not "from" Long Island its hard to make friends. Is that the case in Chicago?