Chicago, DC, ATL for Black Professional (Highland, Columbia: 2014, apartment, rental)

[MuffinGuy]

I am definitely hoping that is the case. I come from a small metro of less than 500k where almost everyone fits into one or the other of two not-so-nice stereotypes. When you put in a 50-mile radius for the primary city in the metro, the largest meetup group is the local Tea Party group, which literally has as many members as all the other meetup groups combined, with the rest having low memberships and/or inactivity. So the "there's so many people, there must be groups for every interest" argument I always treat with caution - I found that out the hard way at the college I attended as well.

However I did not pick Chicago randomly, and I think there is a good chance it will be a match for me. But the comments like the one I quoted I have seen quite a bit, so they still worry me due to my past experiences where if one culture completely dominates, it tends to attract more and more of the same type and becomes increasingly unattractive to all others.

Anyway, not trying to derail the topic. Thanks for the comment/information - maybe it will be a bit helpful for the OP too.

[marothisu]

Yeah - I think like any big city, if you want to fall into the habit of doing one thing then it's easy. There's a lot of stuff going on in the city that some people are not aware of because they aren't interested in it or are too lazy to look for it. Needless to say, all the people who love attending smaller theaters in other areas are not going to be nearly as vocal as all the drunk Cubs fans so you aren't going to hear about it but a ton of it is going on.

I really do believe that there's something for just about everyone here. Maybe it's not perfect for everyone, but there's a lot to do and definitely more than just drinking/sports. If you search for it, you'll find it quickly and easily unless it's something really, really obscure then you'd have to search wider for that.

[southkakkatlantan]

I've lived in Chi the past 2 years. Lived in Atlanta for 10+ (went to college there).

My own *personal* opinions/experiences:

Chicago:
-It gets hella cold here. And I'm not talkin "Atlanta cold" where it hits 55 degrees and women are breaking out thigh high boots and wool ankle length coats.
-Rental market is more expensive here. You get older properties for your money. I quickly found out that apartments with dishwashers were automatic in Atlanta, but often 'luxuries' (for my budget) here.
-There is nothing like having a big city with access to a huge lake. I love bodies of water and its simply amazing to be able to ride a bike, walk along or take a boat cruise on the water in the middle of the city.
-The people seem friendlier here/more down to earth. May just be my personal experiences, but in Atlanta I find people to be more clique-ish, and more people striving to put on heirs and be seen out all the time.
-There is great food here but its not the south so if southern cooking is your thing and you just have to have it, either move to Atlanta or learn how to cook it really good
-Public transportation is awesome. I sold my car when I moved here. You can take the El, the Metra, bike, cabs, walk, etc. I chose this city in part because I wanted to move somewhere I could live without the expense of a car.
-Can't comment on the night life here much. I haven't been out enough. The few times I did go out, it was boring. People standing around with their drinks. Tried to go to a hip hop club and when we saw the 'rowdiness' of the people in the line, turned around and went right back home lol. There are SO many bars here, and I'm not a bar type of person.


Atlanta:
-It gets hella hot in Atl. The humidity is no joke.
-Cost of living is cheaper than Chicago; I'm referring primarily to rents and groceries. You get more -and- newer space for your money there.
-Hartsfield is a major plus IMO; for example I miss the prices from Atl to Mia; it's more expensive for me to fly there from Chicago.
-You need a car in Atlanta. And traffic is a mess. I can't compare it to Chi cuz I don't drive here. But every time I go back to Atlanta I get road rage...I forget what it's like to be stuck in traffic there.
-I miss the nightlife there. Seems to be a 'tiny' bit more diverse population-wise than here. And there are just *so* many choices to choose from--when I left I remember going to Jazz at the High, and random weekly events like local Fashion/Art shows.
-Has a smaller city feel; I always felt like there were just 3 degrees of separation from anyone you met.
-Food options are great there IMO...I'm a big brunch/dessert fan so Sunday Jazz brunch at Copelands Buckhead (yes I know it closed) and dessert from Metrotainment or Cafe Intermezzo were my thing.
-Doesn't seem very family oriented. Again, may have just been my personal experience but I know too many married people with side pieces. I don't know many people in Chicago, so can't make a comparison. I blame it on the strip club/southern hip hop culture lol. Just kidding.....kinda...

[mjtinmemphis]

I've never had a problem finding anything to do in Chicago or any other city I lived in. I'm not a bar person and very easily entertained by people watching.

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by southkakkatlantan

I've lived in Chi the past 2 years. Lived in Atlanta for 10+ (went to college there).

My own *personal* opinions/experiences:

Chicago:
-It gets hella cold here. And I'm not talkin "Atlanta cold" where it hits 55 degrees and women are breaking out thigh high boots and wool ankle length coats.
-Rental market is more expensive here. You get older properties for your money. I quickly found out that apartments with dishwashers were automatic in Atlanta, but often 'luxuries' (for my budget) here.
-There is nothing like having a big city with access to a huge lake. I love bodies of water and its simply amazing to be able to ride a bike, walk along or take a boat cruise on the water in the middle of the city.
-The people seem friendlier here/more down to earth. May just be my personal experiences, but in Atlanta I find people to be more clique-ish, and more people striving to put on heirs and be seen out all the time.
-There is great food here but its not the south so if southern cooking is your thing and you just have to have it, either move to Atlanta or learn how to cook it really good
-Public transportation is awesome. I sold my car when I moved here. You can take the El, the Metra, bike, cabs, walk, etc. I chose this city in part because I wanted to move somewhere I could live without the expense of a car.
-Can't comment on the night life here much. I haven't been out enough. The few times I did go out, it was boring. People standing around with their drinks. Tried to go to a hip hop club and when we saw the 'rowdiness' of the people in the line, turned around and went right back home lol. There are SO many bars here, and I'm not a bar type of person.


Atlanta:
-It gets hella hot in Atl. The humidity is no joke.
-Cost of living is cheaper than Chicago; I'm referring primarily to rents and groceries. You get more -and- newer space for your money there.
-Hartsfield is a major plus IMO; for example I miss the prices from Atl to Mia; it's more expensive for me to fly there from Chicago.
-You need a car in Atlanta. And traffic is a mess. I can't compare it to Chi cuz I don't drive here. But every time I go back to Atlanta I get road rage...I forget what it's like to be stuck in traffic there.
-I miss the nightlife there. Seems to be a 'tiny' bit more diverse population-wise than here. And there are just *so* many choices to choose from--when I left I remember going to Jazz at the High, and random weekly events like local Fashion/Art shows.
-Has a smaller city feel; I always felt like there were just 3 degrees of separation from anyone you met.
-Food options are great there IMO...I'm a big brunch/dessert fan so Sunday Jazz brunch at Copelands Buckhead (yes I know it closed) and dessert from Metrotainment or Cafe Intermezzo were my thing.
-Doesn't seem very family oriented. Again, may have just been my personal experience but I know too many married people with side pieces. I don't know many people in Chicago, so can't make a comparison. I blame it on the strip club/southern hip hop culture lol. Just kidding.....kinda...

I'll play the grammar police here---it's "putting on AIRS", no mention of any inheritance..

I saw another post where someone mentioned that "he wasn't phased by anything"---no, it's "faze", he wasn't going through a phase of life...

I've seen some supposedly intelligent posts have the wind knocked out of them with mistakes like this...

[southkakkatlantan]

Originally Posted by MassVt

I'll play the grammar police here---it's "putting on AIRS", no mention of any inheritance..

I saw another post where someone mentioned that "he wasn't phased by anything"---no, it's "faze", he wasn't going through a phase of life...

I've seen some supposedly intelligent posts have the wind knocked out of them with mistakes like this...

I hate making grammatical errors! Why'd you have to quote it? I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep tonight knowing this is forever on the internet for the entire world to see

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by southkakkatlantan

I hate making grammatical errors! Why'd you have to quote it? I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep tonight knowing this is forever on the internet for the entire world to see

Not the end of the world--don't worry...

Good post, though..

[DC's Finest]

Originally Posted by MassVt

I'll play the grammar police here---it's "putting on AIRS", no mention of any inheritance..

I saw another post where someone mentioned that "he wasn't phased by anything"---no, it's "faze", he wasn't going through a phase of life...

I've seen some supposedly intelligent posts have the wind knocked out of them with mistakes like this...

You really need sum action immediately. LOL

[Gia342134]

I would recommend the DC metro area over Chicago and Atlanta. I currently reside 5 miles outside of DC and although it can be a little expensive, it's well worth the money. I especially like the culture and mixture of various groups of professional people.

[Gia342134]

Originally Posted by Atlanta_BD

I don't mean to insinuate that it doesn't happen in Chicago, but as you said, the shootings in Chicago typically aren't random. They are in Atlanta and often involve yuppies getting murdered during the course of a robbery.

For the most part, the shootings in Chicago are contained to areas most of us have no reason to set foot in. In Atlanta, being a professional and living in a nicer neighborhood makes no difference. People are still randomly targeted and robbed and/or killed in those nice areas.

I have lived in Midtown ATL. I was never robbed or attacked, nor did I ever feel unsafe while out and about.

I seriously doubt that random "yuppies" are robbed and attacked on a regular basis in Atlanta. Much of the crime primarily occurs throughout the bad areas.