What is Chicago like? I was thinking of moving to Chicago. (Addison: fit in, best city)

[edguz240]

I want to know is it reall that cold there? What is the lifestyle like? I want to know how good is the food? How is the public transportation? I coming from near NYC and I am used to public transportation, and is it reliable? I never reall had to complain about NYC's transportation, and by no means am I comparing. How is it in the summertime? Is it a fast paced life style? I don't know I guess I am asking too much I guess I would have to visit to see right? I would just like to know if anyone can tell me anyhting? Even if you are from NY and moved there anything anyone from anywhere et me know please. I am 26 and I have no kids. Like is it a family oriented place where in order to fit in you need kids...haha...I don't if there is such a place but I am just curious.

[Avengerfire]

So you are looking for somewhere warm?

Originally Posted by edguz240

I live in Utica NY and I am looking to move to somewhere warm and different. I was looking into moving to AZ. I was looking into Phoenix. I don't know as of yet and of course I won't know for sure unless I go there, but I would like to know before I go there. I want to know as much as possible. Like anything short of me actually being there. If possible.

You have to come visit the city and read the LOADS of info in the Chicago Forum.

I really do not understand how people make serious decisions in life without visiting somewhere first or bothering to do their own research.

[Intergalactic]

I want to know is it reall that cold there?

About like Utica.

What is the lifestyle like?

Cosmopolitan.

I want to know how good is the food?

World-class.

How is the public transportation? I coming from near NYC and I am used to public transportation, and is it reliable? I never reall had to complain about NYC's transportation, and by no means am I comparing.

NYC and Chicago are the only places is the US you can get away with not owning a car. The public transit is good enough for millions every day.

How is it in the summertime?

Hot, but the Lake moderates it a bit. Nothing too bad.

Is it a fast paced life style?

It's a city, but Chicagoans are not as hasty as New Yorkers.

I don't know I guess I am asking too much I guess I would have to visit to see right?

Or read some books, watch some documentaries and do a little internet research.

I would just like to know if anyone can tell me anyhting?

Not really.

I am 26 and I have no kids. Like is it a family oriented place where in order to fit in you need kids...haha...I don't if there is such a place but I am just curious.

Chicago has something for everyone. It isn't Utah, kids are not required.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Intergalactic;8546180}[COLOR=dimgray

NYC and Chicago are the only places is the US you can get away with not owning a car. The public transit is good enough for millions every day.

I'd add Boston, Center City Philadelphia, and possibly D.C. to that list. And while the CTA is the second largest transit agency in the country, I think most users of New York's MTA would find the CTA's train coverage to be quite lacking compared to the NYC subway. But then again, compare us to, well, any other American city and our transit system is quite extensive, even though it can be frustrating.

[cubssoxfan]

Sorry. Because of the Miracle Mets breakin our Cubbies hearts, no New Yorkers allowed. Even the division re-alignment won't let me forget that.
San Diegoans and South Floridians are on my list also. Well, if you can pirate some Yankee's Series winning "magic" and sprinkle it along Clark and Addison we'll let you in.

[ERS-One]

Originally Posted by edguz240

I want to know is it reall that cold there? What is the lifestyle like? I want to know how good is the food? How is the public transportation? I coming from near NYC and I am used to public transportation, and is it reliable? I never reall had to complain about NYC's transportation, and by no means am I comparing. How is it in the summertime? Is it a fast paced life style? I don't know I guess I am asking too much I guess I would have to visit to see right? I would just like to know if anyone can tell me anyhting? Even if you are from NY and moved there anything anyone from anywhere et me know please. I am 26 and I have no kids. Like is it a family oriented place where in order to fit in you need kids...haha...I don't if there is such a place but I am just curious.

Weather-wise, on an average - not that much difference. But count on around 10 days a so a year where Chicago is significantly colder than NYC, and perhaps the same amount of days where it's hotter. Chicago hits extremes more than NYC does, but day in day out - they're pretty similar. Count on NYC being 5 degrees warmer than Chicago during late fall/winter/early spring.

Public transportation - nothing compares to NYC. Chicago train-wise is radial. Every route takes you downtown, and they extend outward at different angles (south, south west, west, north west, north). Most transfers as well take place down town. Bus coverage between lines is pretty good, but their timing sometimes isn't as dependable. Better use CTA | Bus Tracker. If you're destination isn't straightforward north, west, east, south, and isn't along a train line, you'll be looking at a combo train-bus trip (or do what I do and walk).

In the summertime, it's absolutely beautiful (mostly).

Life-style wise, is it fast paced? Compared to where? It's the 3rd densest city after NYC and SF with the 2nd largest business district. It's not 24 hours, but you can find plenty late night hangouts and some 24 hours stores/restaurants - but they're scattered all over. The loop is filled with tons of business people and corportate 9-5/ 5 days a week, and several outer neihborhoods are busy 7 days a week because of shopping/restaurants etc.

You don't need kids to fit in.

Chicago has about everything a person could want, and not want. It's a decent microcosm of the U.S.A in the year 2009 - good and bad.

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by cubssoxfan

Sorry. Because of the Miracle Mets breakin our Cubbies hearts, no New Yorkers allowed. Even the division re-alignment won't let me forget that.
San Diegoans and South Floridians are on my list also. Well, if you can pirate some Yankee's Series winning "magic" and sprinkle it along Clark and Addison we'll let you in.

we also ban goats, black cats, people named Bartman, people who p*ss on ivy (but not those who do so on neighborhood grass after a night game: that's acceptable if you have beer in your system that has to go somewhere) and hordes of people from downstate Illinois and the little burgh across the Mississippi from them who descend upon us like a head-to-toe red plague of provencial locusses about three times every summer.

And on our South Side, we ban people from our North Side. Our North Siders do not ban South Siders as they do not know they exist.

For the record, we ban folks from every other NL city but Washington, the Nationals being the only team in the league that hasn't broken our hearts one time or another. But give the Nats a chance; they've been in the league less than a decade.

[jer2911]

Chicago is wonderful! Great for any age, with or without kids. Great public trans., and a ton to do always. It's just ugly cold if you don't like Winter. Other than that, Chic is the best city ever.

[coldwine]

There is no daylight. There is no hope. There is only the sound of the troops marching the streets, their boots crunching the blasted concrete remains of our former city. We huddle in the remains of skyscrapers and sewers, catch our breath in the alleys and the sunken streets. Acidic snowflakes burn the flesh of all those they touch. The rain washes the streets of our fallen comrades.

Mounted cameras flash red lights upon random citizens who disappear, only to reappear as the faceless warriors in the fight against the zombies. Some say it's the corporation what done it, but we know the truth: it's the government experiments that done us in.

I can't stay here anymore. Nightfall's coming, and the shelter needs another food run. Before the sirens start, before the men in the gas masks find me, I need to go.

[jdiddy]

Originally Posted by coldwine

There is no daylight. There is no hope. There is only the sound of the troops marching the streets, their boots crunching the blasted concrete remains of our former city. We huddle in the remains of skyscrapers and sewers, catch our breath in the alleys and the sunken streets. Acidic snowflakes burn the flesh of all those they touch. The rain washes the streets of our fallen comrades.

Mounted cameras flash red lights upon random citizens who disappear, only to reappear as the faceless warriors in the fight against the zombies. Some say it's the corporation what done it, but we know the truth: it's the government experiments that done us in.

I can't stay here anymore. Nightfall's coming, and the shelter needs another food run. Before the sirens start, before the men in the gas masks find me, I need to go.

Steve-O is going to totally dispute the claims of no sunlight and acidic snowflakes.