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Browsing here in the Chicago forum as my family may be moving from Atlanta to Chicago and though that these comments were...I'll say interesting:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tex?Il?
Blah, blah, blah. Ignorance.
Well, at least maybe for the majority of southern cities. Do you have any clue about Atlanta?? Have you ever been there? Sure its spread out, and if you don't like spread out, then fine, Chicagos for you. Personally, I think glitz, nightlife mixed with trees and space is beautiful.
Its like the fastest growing black entreprenuerial/black celebrity city in the country. Many people have moved down there and were shocked to see how the nightlife was mixed.
Have you read threads on the Chicago forum, about how posters said thats its tough being a young college educated male, because just almost all the majority black neighborhoods are mostly crappy, and they would have to conform to white/post collegiate big ten style on the north side neighborhoods. Chicago is more segregated than the big southern cities are (Houston, Atlanta, etc.).
Chicago may be more established and has denser neighborhoods with more historic buildings. Which has its value and charm for sure.
But hey if you can beautiful trees and grass in the same places where you party (like Buckhead), why not?
And then theres New Orleans, which may not be big compared to Chicago (in NOLA you hit swamps within 15 miles, but its best they stay that way), but its core neighborhoods are just as urban and lively, if not possibly a little more so.
Wanted to note in response to these that Atlanta is very segregated as well. Not as much as Chicago (my husband is from Chicago and we visit regularly so I am familiar with the city) in my opinion but it is very segregated and as someone who is also from the midwest (Ohio) I would say that Midwesterners and even Chicagoans are much more friendly and customer service oriented than any place here in Atlanta, save Chick-Fil-A that another poster mentioned but that is because hospitality is part of the culture of that company and if you do not fit the standard of the company, then they will get rid of you so of course you will be treated well at Chick Fil A.
But wanted to note that Buckhead is a white neighborhood. It is not very integrated. You could find some cheap apartments in the less desirable far reaching corners of that area that many here do not even consider Buckhead, but if you want to live in actual Buckhead, you need to be a millionaire to buy a house there or you will pay around $1200-$1600 a month for a 1bd apartment at a minimum. Also there is not much of a nightlife there anymore. It used to be very lively there but the old wealth (code word for rich white people who live there) got sick of being the heart of the club scene and they kicked out pretty much all of what it used to be some time ago.
Quote:
Originally Posted by reppin_the_847
You know. It's ironic. A young, caucasian bartender down in Buckhead (ATL) told me that the southern hospitality thing is complete BS, but his paying attention to my group & him giving us the time of day to me was hospitality in and of itself. There are many times that you won't even get that kind of attention in Chicago. Second, I had the blessing of being served by an EXTREMELY kind sweetheart at a Chick Fil A in Buckhead as well (she happened to be African-American and probably in her late 30's or early to mid 40's. I am in my late 20's). She was treating me like I was a family member & the feeling was contagious. I've RARELY felt that kind of warm, fuzzy vibe or customer service in Chicago. Eating that delicious burger afterwards only made the feeling even stronger lol.
On this, wanted to ask, where was your bartender from? He probably said that Southern Hospitality was BS because he was not from Atlanta. Southern Hospitality is BS here in Atlanta. Most people are rather rude and will ignore you and not treat you well in a business establishment. This my husband's biggest gripe here in Atlanta. He is from Chicago and is used to people wanting your business. He has been having issues for years finding a decent barber who won't cut him or who will acknowledge him when he walks into a shop. The level of customer service here is just ridiculous. And like I said above Chick-Fil-A workers have to be nice or they will lose their jobs. And of course the food was good, it is Chick-Fil-A. I believe they recently opened one up in Chicago. If you go and they aren't nice to you you can complain and they will get fired since that is just how the company is (they are a great company BTW to work for as well, pay their people decently and value employees so that in and of itself would make the employees more customer oriented).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vlajos
That's fine, doesn't change the fact that Atlanta is boring and it's economy is in serious trouble.
This is true. The unemployment in Atlanta is over 10% and is higher than Chicago's. We have one of the worse housing markets in the country here and have a very stagnant economy. I am more family oriented now-a-days so don't hang out as much as I used to but once the party scene shifted away from Buckhead, it did get kind of boring. I cannot imagine that it is better than Chicago in that respect.
Atlanta has great weather though and if you have a job waiting for you I do think it is a good place on the whole to live but it is not better than Chicago and currently it is falling in its standing as a "black mecca." Black people are now moving to Dallas and Charlotte where the economy and job market is better. White people are moving in probably at a higher rate now than black people in the actual city itself here in Atlanta.
ETA: There are a lot of beautiful all black neighborhoods here in Atlanta and crime is low comparatively to Chicago. There are many neighborhoods with large black, middle class, and even wealthy populations where there is low crime and good schools for families. So I can understand the lure of Atlanta, but usually when people think of Atlanta, they don't think about these areas. Also here in Atlanta many of these areas are referred to as "ghetto" or "unsafe" just because black people live there just like any other majority black neighborhood is labeled as well. But if you want to buy a cheap house with 3 acres of land in a quiet, beautiful neighborhood, then there are many places to chose from here.
Browsing here in the Chicago forum as my family may be moving from Atlanta to Chicago and though that these comments were...I'll say interesting:
Wanted to note in response to these that Atlanta is very segregated as well. Not as much as Chicago (my husband is from Chicago and we visit regularly so I am familiar with the city) in my opinion but it is very segregated and as someone who is also from the midwest (Ohio) I would say that Midwesterners and even Chicagoans are much more friendly and customer service oriented than any place here in Atlanta, save Chick-Fil-A that another poster mentioned but that is because hospitality is part of the culture of that company and if you do not fit the standard of the company, then they will get rid of you so of course you will be treated well at Chick Fil A.
But wanted to note that Buckhead is a white neighborhood. It is not very integrated. You could find some cheap apartments in the less desirable far reaching corners of that area that many here do not even consider Buckhead, but if you want to live in actual Buckhead, you need to be a millionaire to buy a house there or you will pay around $1200-$1600 a month for a 1bd apartment at a minimum. Also there is not much of a nightlife there anymore. It used to be very lively there but the old wealth (code word for rich white people who live there) got sick of being the heart of the club scene and they kicked out pretty much all of what it used to be some time ago.
On this, wanted to ask, where was your bartender from? He probably said that Southern Hospitality was BS because he was not from Atlanta. Southern Hospitality is BS here in Atlanta. Most people are rather rude and will ignore you and not treat you well in a business establishment. This my husband's biggest gripe here in Atlanta. He is from Chicago and is used to people wanting your business. He has been having issues for years finding a decent barber who won't cut him or who will acknowledge him when he walks into a shop. The level of customer service here is just ridiculous. And like I said above Chick-Fil-A workers have to be nice or they will lose their jobs. And of course the food was good, it is Chick-Fil-A. I believe they recently opened one up in Chicago. If you go and they aren't nice to you you can complain and they will get fired since that is just how the company is (they are a great company BTW to work for as well, pay their people decently and value employees so that in and of itself would make the employees more customer oriented).
This is true. The unemployment in Atlanta is over 10% and is higher than Chicago's. We have one of the worse housing markets in the country here and have a very stagnant economy. I am more family oriented now-a-days so don't hang out as much as I used to but once the party scene shifted away from Buckhead, it did get kind of boring. I cannot imagine that it is better than Chicago in that respect.
Atlanta has great weather though and if you have a job waiting for you I do think it is a good place on the whole to live but it is not better than Chicago and currently it is falling in its standing as a "black mecca." Black people are now moving to Dallas and Charlotte where the economy and job market is better.
Thanks for your enlightening comments. Hopefully Tex will learn something.
My wife used to live in Buckhead in it's hey day. It was basically a cheesier Wrigleyville but with cars. Sounds like it's now a place for a nice snooze.
Also, Atlanta has a higher homicide rate than Chicago and a significantly higher property crime rate.
Browsing here in the Chicago forum as my family may be moving from Atlanta to Chicago and though that these comments were...I'll say interesting:
Wanted to note in response to these that Atlanta is very segregated as well. Not as much as Chicago (my husband is from Chicago and we visit regularly so I am familiar with the city) in my opinion but it is very segregated and as someone who is also from the midwest (Ohio) I would say that Midwesterners and even Chicagoans are much more friendly and customer service oriented than any place here in Atlanta, save Chick-Fil-A that another poster mentioned but that is because hospitality is part of the culture of that company and if you do not fit the standard of the company, then they will get rid of you so of course you will be treated well at Chick Fil A.
But wanted to note that Buckhead is a white neighborhood. It is not very integrated. You could find some cheap apartments in the less desirable far reaching corners of that area that many here do not even consider Buckhead, but if you want to live in actual Buckhead, you need to be a millionaire to buy a house there or you will pay around $1200-$1600 a month for a 1bd apartment at a minimum. Also there is not much of a nightlife there anymore. It used to be very lively there but the old wealth (code word for rich white people who live there) got sick of being the heart of the club scene and they kicked out pretty much all of what it used to be some time ago.
On this, wanted to ask, where was your bartender from? He probably said that Southern Hospitality was BS because he was not from Atlanta. Southern Hospitality is BS here in Atlanta. Most people are rather rude and will ignore you and not treat you well in a business establishment. This my husband's biggest gripe here in Atlanta. He is from Chicago and is used to people wanting your business. He has been having issues for years finding a decent barber who won't cut him or who will acknowledge him when he walks into a shop. The level of customer service here is just ridiculous. And like I said above Chick-Fil-A workers have to be nice or they will lose their jobs. And of course the food was good, it is Chick-Fil-A. I believe they recently opened one up in Chicago. If you go and they aren't nice to you you can complain and they will get fired since that is just how the company is (they are a great company BTW to work for as well, pay their people decently and value employees so that in and of itself would make the employees more customer oriented).
This is true. The unemployment in Atlanta is over 10% and is higher than Chicago's. We have one of the worse housing markets in the country here and have a very stagnant economy. I am more family oriented now-a-days so don't hang out as much as I used to but once the party scene shifted away from Buckhead, it did get kind of boring. I cannot imagine that it is better than Chicago in that respect.
Atlanta has great weather though and if you have a job waiting for you I do think it is a good place on the whole to live but it is not better than Chicago and currently it is falling in its standing as a "black mecca." Black people are now moving to Dallas and Charlotte where the economy and job market is better. White people are moving in probably at a higher rate now than black people in the actual city itself here in Atlanta.
ETA: There are a lot of beautiful all black neighborhoods here in Atlanta and crime is low comparatively to Chicago. There are many neighborhoods with large black, middle class, and even wealthy populations where there is low crime and good schools for families. So I can understand the lure of Atlanta, but usually when people think of Atlanta, they don't think about these areas. Also here in Atlanta many of these areas are referred to as "ghetto" or "unsafe" just because black people live there just like any other majority black neighborhood is labeled as well. But if you want to buy a cheap house with 3 acres of land in a quiet, beautiful neighborhood, then there are many places to chose from here.
Thank you for your insights (and not just because they validate my own experiences lol!)
Thanks for your enlightening comments. Hopefully Tex will learn something.
My wife used to live in Buckhead in it's hey day. It was basically a cheesier Wrigleyville but with cars. Sounds like it's now a place for a nice snooze.
Also, Atlanta has a higher homicide rate than Chicago and a significantly higher property crime rate.
Didn't know the bold area. Good to know! Many have told me that the crime is worse in Chicago but I know that property crime is out of control here in Atlanta. But we do not have gangs here like in the Midwest so I am wary of moving there only because of this. My in-laws though say gang banging is not as prevalent in Chicago as it used to be and I hope they are right.
I actually am rather sour on Atlanta and even though I don't want to move back north due to the winters (I hate snow) I have never wanted to stay here permanently. Plus my husband loves his home city and is excited at the opportunity of being transferred back home.
If I just block out memories of being on the El, my relationship with Chicago will be fine.
I've never had any negative experiences, its just pure physical ugliness all around. The stations, the routes, the demographic mix due to the routes, you name it.
If I could imagine a Chicago where the El was systematically dismantled years ago, and metra just built more stations and had more times, that would be perfect Chicago.
I know the El is one of the things many of you love about Chicago, but its just disgusting to me. A merging of CTA and metra that just built more stations in the city would be ideal.
If I just block out memories of being on the El, my relationship with Chicago will be fine.
I've never had any negative experiences, its just pure physical ugliness all around. The stations, the routes, the demographic mix due to the routes, you name it.
If I could imagine a Chicago where the El was systematically dismantled years ago, and metra just built more stations and had more times, that would be perfect Chicago.
I know the El is one of the things many of you love about Chicago, but its just disgusting to me. A merging of CTA and metra that just built more stations in the city would be ideal.
You want to dismantle one of our cities greatest assets? You don't like the demographic mix of CTA riders, yet sing the praise of all these "integrated" cities other than Chicago, that inspires a big fat WTF!?!?!?!!?!?!?!??!
You want to dismantle one of our cities greatest assets? You don't like the demographic mix of CTA riders, yet sing the praise of all these "integrated" cities other than Chicago, that inspires a big fat WTF!?!?!?!!?!?!?!??!
None of the EL lines go through nicer, middle class majority AA neighborhoods. Those are all served by Metra. (The Rock Island District and the Metra Electric District) go through all the nicer majority AA neighborhoods. The El lines only go through the more impoverished, crime-ridden majority AA neighborhoods.
So, a caucasian, north side gentrified neighborhood resident can form a VERY different opinion about Chicagos black community if they saw commuters on these two metra lines, rather than the Red, Green, and blue CTA lines.
Anyways, I'm probably going to be taking a break from city-data for a while.
We need a place to bounce ideas off people no matter how crazy, and I'm obviously not going to make a fool out of myself in the real world. Its better to do that anonymously, then one can make better decisions when interacting with live people.
None of the EL lines go through nicer, middle class majority AA neighborhoods. Those are all served by Metra. (The Rock Island District and the Metra Electric District) go through all the nicer majority AA neighborhoods. The El lines only go through the more impoverished, crime-ridden majority AA neighborhoods.
So, a caucasian, north side gentrified neighborhood resident can form a VERY different opinion about Chicagos black community if they saw commuters on these two metra lines, rather than the Red, Green, and blue CTA lines.
Anyways, I'm probably going to be taking a break from city-data for a while.
We need a place to bounce ideas off people no matter how crazy, and I'm obviously not going to make a fool out of myself in the real world. Its better to do that anonymously, then one can make better decisions when interacting with live people.
Sorry, I just have no clue what your point is. You hate the El because it's ugly and doesn't go to middle class black neighborhoods? You know it doesn't go through a lot of white middle class areas too, right?
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