Gay professional might move to Chicago from San Francisco...will I like it? (Lincoln: appointed, fit in)

[destroycreate]

It seems that there are only threads for people LEAVING Chicago. I don't get why this is, but the city doesn't seem to attract people from the coasts, it only seems that people are fleeing which concerns me.

Here's the deal, I am 26 years old, have grown up the majority of my life in California, but have spent 7 years in Denmark and 2 in Rhode Island, so I know winters. I'm sick of people instantly telling me when I'm interested in Chicago that I'll "HATE THE WINTER ZOMG". It's like, people, half of the world deal with winters. Have some pride in your city and don't scare people off! It's not really a deciding factor for me.

What is a deciding factor is the quality of life, urban experience, how fun the city is, and COL.

I'm frankly tired of the Bay Area because it's gotten prohibitively expensive. I really want my own studio/apartment with my partner and I'm sick of having to have roommates and live in cramped conditions. It's also become impossible to save due to high rents. My 2 best friends have moved to Chicago from CA and love it, and I can't get over how cheap their rents are! My partner and I want to try something completely new and different, and expand our horizons a bit more. Chicago seems attractive to me because it's a major city that is traditionally urban, but doesn't have the hype/pretension as does NYC/SF/LA.

Here are my questions:
- How is city life different from SF? Is it exciting? Does it feel bustling, compact and lively the same way SF does? Does the city shut down in the winter or is it thriving?
- How gay friendly is the city overall? Will I be able to be myself freely without frequently running into douchebags and homophobes?
- How is the job market currently for someone looking into advertising/marketing?
- Do you think someone coming from CA will enjoy the lifestyle/people out there
- Does Chicago have that dynamic, worldly city feel that I crave?
- For those of you that are gay, how is the Boystown scene vs Castro/west Hollywood?

Thanks!

[jwaiter]

Originally Posted by destroycreate

- How is city life different from SF? Is it exciting? Does it feel bustling, compact and lively the same way SF does? Does the city shut down in the winter or is it thriving?

It bustles quite a bit in certain hoods. It slows down in winter, it never stops, but it slows in Jan/Feb.

Originally Posted by destroycreate

- How gay friendly is the city overall? Will I be able to be myself freely without frequently running into douchebags and homophobes?

Very friendly.

Originally Posted by destroycreate

- How is the job market currently for someone looking into advertising/marketing?

No idea.

Originally Posted by destroycreate

- Do you think someone coming from CA will enjoy the lifestyle/people out there

Yes, I've known Californian's who liked it here and ppl here who like caifornia.

Originally Posted by destroycreate

- Does Chicago have that dynamic, worldly city feel that I crave?

Yes.

Originally Posted by destroycreate

- For those of you that are gay, how is the Boystown scene vs Castro/west Hollywood?

Not gay, but it's a very busy area with much happening, restaurants, bars, everything and anything you want.

[marothisu]

I think jwaiter answered some questions accurately for sure. As far as advertising/marketing, Chicago possibly has the second largest market for that in the US behind NYC, but I can't tell you how the current market is.

[Chicagoist123]

Originally Posted by marothisu

I think jwaiter answered some questions accurately for sure. As far as advertising/marketing, Chicago possibly has the second largest market for that in the US behind NYC, but I can't tell you how the current market is.

My current job is in the industry. I would say it's good. Not fantastic, but solid. But yeah, Chicago is the second best place to be in this country when it comes to Marketing and Advertising IMO.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Chicagoist123

My current job is in the industry. I would say it's good. Not fantastic, but solid. But yeah, Chicago is the second best place to be in this country when it comes to Marketing and Advertising IMO.

I'm not a marketer/advertiser, but I work with a handful at my office and we hired a few this year in the office too.

[Chicago60614]

Originally Posted by destroycreate

It seems that there are only threads for people LEAVING Chicago. I don't get why this is, but the city doesn't seem to attract people from the coasts, it only seems that people are fleeing which concerns me.

Here's the deal, I am 26 years old, have grown up the majority of my life in California, but have spent 7 years in Denmark and 2 in Rhode Island, so I know winters. I'm sick of people instantly telling me when I'm interested in Chicago that I'll "HATE THE WINTER ZOMG". It's like, people, half of the world deal with winters. Have some pride in your city and don't scare people off! It's not really a deciding factor for me.

What is a deciding factor is the quality of life, urban experience, how fun the city is, and COL.

I'm frankly tired of the Bay Area because it's gotten prohibitively expensive. I really want my own studio/apartment with my partner and I'm sick of having to have roommates and live in cramped conditions. It's also become impossible to save due to high rents. My 2 best friends have moved to Chicago from CA and love it, and I can't get over how cheap their rents are! My partner and I want to try something completely new and different, and expand our horizons a bit more. Chicago seems attractive to me because it's a major city that is traditionally urban, but doesn't have the hype/pretension as does NYC/SF/LA.

Here are my questions:
- How is city life different from SF? Is it exciting? Does it feel bustling, compact and lively the same way SF does? Does the city shut down in the winter or is it thriving?
- How gay friendly is the city overall? Will I be able to be myself freely without frequently running into douchebags and homophobes?
- How is the job market currently for someone looking into advertising/marketing?
- Do you think someone coming from CA will enjoy the lifestyle/people out there
- Does Chicago have that dynamic, worldly city feel that I crave?
- For those of you that are gay, how is the Boystown scene vs Castro/west Hollywood?

Thanks!

You mean in the California forums? It would make sense if you're hearing about people moving away from Chicago there since it's probably where they're going. Just like the moving threads in the Chicago forum are people looking to move here.

I'm gay and moved here around 12 years ago. My friends and I have been to San Fran maybe 5-6 times on trips, and honestly the one thing we all find strange is that San Fran is suppose to be such a "gay" city and have great nightlife, which it does, but honestly I find the Boystown and surrounding areas to be a much better time, more lively and have more options than around the Castro in San Fran. Lakeview/Boystown is at an amazing location as far as the sheer number of shops, restaurants, bars, transit and bus lines, great housing, dense area, lakefront just steps away.

Chicago is certainly fine as far as open to gay people, at least in the city where I live. Chicago is bustling, at least from the downtown to the north side of the lakefront where I spend most of my time. This area is physically about the same size as the city of San Fran, so there's a lot to do, even though it's only one piece of the very large city of Chicago.

Things slow in the winter, but I actually like that season as all the tourists leave and its more quiet, the bars restaurants have more room and you can settle in places easier with your friends than from June through September when the city fills up with visitors and then all the locals are going crazy as well. People here take full advantage of summer and the city buzzes during this period.

Most people who go on and on and on about the Chicago winters are NOT from Chicago, but places where they have milder winters and they don't understand what it must be like. Most people exaggerate quite a bit in their minds since they only hear about Chicago winters when there's something to say about them, like a huge cold snap or a large snowstorm. Most of the time during winter is fairly boring, fairly cloudy, no snow, temps around 25-40 degrees. Don't get me wrong though, it's COLD in winter and there are many times where it's outright freezing with temps nearing zero. It just is what it is. I deal with cold much better than heat, since you can get a good coat, gloves and a scarf and even if it's 10 degrees outside you can pretty much be ok wandering around outside in it for awhile. Hundreds of thousands of people take the trains and buses and are walking outside every single day in winter without dying. You just deal with it, it's winter in Chicago. It's not going anywhere, and it's not like the city can do anything about the temperature.

[thefallensrvnge]

Originally Posted by destroycreate

It seems that there are only threads for people LEAVING Chicago. I don't get why this is, but the city doesn't seem to attract people from the coasts, it only seems that people are fleeing which concerns me.

In some ways I always thought people from the coast not moving to the Midwest said more about them than it did us, a perception that a move to the middle means a step down in the quality of your life.

If you're open minded enough to get past of that then you should definitely give Chicago a try. Come check it out for yourself, and at least you have a few friends to help. I think one of the things that helped me appreciate Chicago was studying the history of the city which I recommend if you are any kind of a history buff. It describes some of the character of the various neighborhoods & gives a sense of all the great things done in the Windy City.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by destroycreate

It seems that there are only threads for people LEAVING Chicago. I don't get why this is, but the city doesn't seem to attract people from the coasts, it only seems that people are fleeing which concerns me.
...

Are you the same destroycreate as over on SkyscraperPage? Welcome!

We get a lot of "we're moving to Chicago" threads here. I imagine people ask about moving to Chicago here and ask about moving FROM Chicago on other city threads. I grew up on the West Coast, but have happily lived in Chicago for most of the past 18 years.

Originally Posted by destroycreate

How is city life different from SF?

SF is a penninsula, so the urbanity of San Francisco is compressed by those borders. Chicago doesn't have that level of compression, but the Lake has a draw and the parts of Chicago's central and North Side neighborhoods, and many of the South Side neighborhoods within 3-4 miles of the Lake are at least as dense at San Francisco's average areas. In those areas, city life is similar. It's not the same, but it's still a very urban experience with lots of restaurants, good transit, plenty of taxis, a thriving biking culture (at least on the North Side), etc. RE: Biking, the lack of significant hills here makes biking significantly easier, too.

Originally Posted by destroycreate

Is it exciting?

It certainly can be, especially if you seek out the exciting parts.

Originally Posted by destroycreate

Does it feel bustling, compact and lively the same way SF does?

The area of Chicago that can be called "Global Chicago" are in that same range of liveliness. During the day, the Central Business District, which we call "The Loop", is as busy or busier than the central business areas in San Francisco. The areas immediately north of there, North Michigan Avenue, River North, the Gold Coast and Old Town, all are dense and busy and vibrant. Going north and northwest from there, areas like Wicker Park, Lincoln Park, East Lakeview and Andersonville are all also very lively (though cater to somewhat different crowds). Areas like Logan Square, Avondale, Bucktown, the Ukrainian Village, Lincoln Square, Edgewater and Rogers Park all also are quite urban although not quite as lively as the first group I listed. Finally, going south and west from the Loop, you have places like the South Loop, University Village, Pilsen and the West Loop, which all have varying levels of activity and are mostly growing in popularity. Further south is Bridgeport and Chinatown and also Hyde Park, all of which are good neighborhoods but not really lively.

Originally Posted by destroycreate

Does the city shut down in the winter or is it thriving?

It just moves indoors. From mid-January through February things do slow down, but otherwise it's mostly just that things move indoors. Summers are fantastic, but there are still things to do and events to partake in during the winter months.

Originally Posted by destroycreate

How gay friendly is the city overall?

In "Global Chicago" (which is most of the neighborhoods I listed above plus some more residential/family-oriented areas), it's very gay-friendly. In all of the most interesting neighborhoods plus the downtown/central business district, being gay will be a total non-issue - you will see other gay people walking together, holding hands, maybe even kissing. You will see plenty of businesses with rainbow flag stickers in the window, etc. Chicago isn't as famous for being a gay mecca has San Francisco is, but it has a long history of being home to gay people and gay groups and the gay community has strong support from the governor, all the Federal elected officials in the State, and pretty much everyone (or at least everyone who matters) in the city government.

In the suburbs, being gay is also widely accepted in the nicer areas, and tolerated in the working class areas. In the parts of the City of Chicago outside of "Global Chicago," it's mostly fine. It's not quite as accepting as the "Global Chicago" areas, but this is most assuredly NOT Russia.

Originally Posted by destroycreate

Will I be able to be myself freely without frequently running into douchebags and homophobes?

Yes. As long as you're not a douchebag, you shouldn't have any issues in the parts of the city you're likely to land for other, non-gay-related reasons.

Originally Posted by destroycreate

How is the job market currently for someone looking into advertising/marketing?

I'll have to let someone else answer this - I really have no idea. Chicago is traditionally a big advertising/marketing center, though.

Originally Posted by destroycreate

Do you think someone coming from CA will enjoy the lifestyle/people out there

There's plenty to do here, and plenty of people to meet. If you expect it to BE California, you will be disappointed. But if you come with an open mind, willing to learn the local culture, I think you can really enjoy life here - I know I do.

Originally Posted by destroycreate

Does Chicago have that dynamic, worldly city feel that I crave?

Most people think it does, including me. It's an American city, and it's ethnic mix is different from San Francisco's or LA's, but it is very much tied into global events and trends and peoples.

Originally Posted by destroycreate

For those of you that are gay, how is the Boystown scene vs Castro/west Hollywood?

I haven't spent much time in the Castro, and maybe I missed some big part of it, but the blocks near the Castro Theatre didn't seem to offer anything better than you can find in Chicago's Boystown. It's, of course, structured a little differently geographically, but for my money the Castro isn't inherently better than Boystown even though it's a lot more famous.

Originally Posted by destroycreate

Thanks!

You're welcome!

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by thefallensrvnge

In some ways I always thought people from the coast not moving to the Midwest said more about them than it did us, a perception that a move to the middle means a step down in the quality of your life.

If you're open minded enough to get past of that then you should definitely give Chicago a try. Come check it out for yourself, and at least you have a few friends to help. I think one of the things that helped me appreciate Chicago was studying the history of the city which I recommend if you are any kind of a history buff. It describes some of the character of the various neighborhoods & gives a sense of all the great things done in the Windy City.

I agree, especially as the OP has friends here already. It should be very easy to come for a visit and get a feel for Chicago and decide.

[chet everett]

Depending on what exactly your current role in advertising / marketing I would caution that due to the recently announced Publicis / Omnicom merger there is a great deal of turmoil in agencies that formerly were rivals and now will be consolidated AS WELL AS competing firms that are scrambling to make room for any clients that will be uncomfortable with the size of the combined agency / potential conflicts.

I know that people that shown the door at agencies like DraftFCB (when they lost MillerLite to Saatchi&Saatchi -- one of the top billing advertisers in the world) last year have had to freelance and/or re-invent themselves to fit into other parts of the business. Similar folks that have worked for industry rivals Publics/Leo Burnett and Omnicom/DDB on rival client Allstate's very edgy Mayhem Man ads are quaking in their boots about what might happen when State Farm is under the same corporate parent...

If you have connections and get a solid job lined up ahead of time you might really enjoy Chicago but if you do not connections and the floodgates for locals burst open do not expect anyone to throw a life raft to a rudderless newbie.