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Having grown up in LA and spent 2 years in Chicago. Here is my take:
If we are talking about the cities themselves (not natural surroundings or climate), Chicago is my favorite city in the US. It has a dense core, its very urban, the subway/L and public transit are very extensive. Its also very diverse with excellent eating and a very international vibe. Yet in the midst of all of this, it also has areas that are more spread out (where you can have room to breathe), it is still very Midwestern and the people are friendly, and you can be less than 7 miles from the city center and never know you are in Chicago. The cultural offerings in Chicago are simply amazing! Not to mention its home to the best pizza in the world (sorry NYC)!
That being said, I would never dream of living in Chicago again. I simply cannot take the weather. I have zero tolerance for cold. I tried and I really wanted to make a life there, but I just could not see myself going through winter after winter, years after year.
In a way, LA is the opposite of the description above. As far as a city goes, LA really isnt that special. It has great nightlife, but alot of cities do. Its cultural offerings are good, but I wouldnt put them on the level of NYC, Chicago, or San Francisco. Its public transit isnt as good as it should be. It is a great eating city, but I still like Chicago better for that. There also really isnt any place in the city that you can go to escape, you have to drive outside of town for that.
However what LA offers is the best set of outdoor activities and the best climate in the country. You can go to the beach, go hiking, go to the desert, etc. and do it all in one day. You never really have to worry about it getting too cold or too hot. The people (especially in Long Beach and the South Bay) are actually alot friendlier than you would think. Every day is a good day in Southern California!
So while Chicago might actually offer more as a city, LA and Southern California (in my opinion) offer alot more as a reigion. If I had to go back to one, it would be LA.
damn good post, I would agree with everything there
However I would pick Chicago as I don't care much for fun in the sun outdoors stuff and prefer urban city life.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trimac20
What is Chicago 'deep-dish' pizza. Kind of like thick-crust from Dominoes or Pizza Hut?
blasphemy!!!
yeah... and dominos thin crust is like ny style
LOL
neither one of those should even be called pizza, more like bastardized bread and sauce
Did you ignore the photos? So Topanga canyon is "unremarkable"? At least let's be honest! If you don't like living in Los Angeles, fine but making up negative stuff only puts your credibility in a hole. Desperate unhappiness projected onto the environment. I read a comment you made on another thread that it is the person that determines self-satisfaction. Maybe this thread would improve if we just showed photos of Los Angeles and Chicago. Then readers would know if the poster is being serious or just in a foul mood
I did see those photos and I've seen nature more beautiful than that. I am not making up negative stuff. I reply to people who somehow have this idea that L.A. is like the promised land where all the person's problems will be solved. It is time for people to face facts and not be in denial. Brushfire season does affect lots of homes and it pollutes the air which is horrible for our health. And there is a lot of traffic that people have to be in in order to get to the beach and find a parking spot. What is so hard to understand about what coldwine said? And despite your claims that I hate L.A. I do not.
I've said that many times. If you think that I express hatred of L.A. you haven't seen anything yet. Go on to the AZ forums and see how many posters express hatred of AZ and then you won't think that what I'm writing is negative. There are things I actually do like about L.A. but suffice to say..... it has changed very much since the days I was growing up.
I did see those photos and I've seen nature more beautiful than that. I am not making up negative stuff. I reply to people who somehow have this idea that L.A. is like the promised land where all the person's problems will be solved. It is time for people to face facts and not be in denial. Brushfire season does affect lots of homes and it pollutes the air which is horrible for our health. And there is a lot of traffic that people have to be in in order to get to the beach and find a parking spot. What is so hard to understand about what coldwine said? And despite your claims that I hate L.A. I do not.
I've said that many times. If you think that I express hatred of L.A. you haven't seen anything yet. Go on to the AZ forums and see how many posters express hatred of AZ and then you won't think that what I'm writing is negative. There are things I actually do like about L.A. but suffice to say..... it has changed very much since the days I was growing up.
I don't want to dis a fellow Angeleno [though I actually live in east Pasadena] & your comments above seem harmless enough. But coldwine's rant about Los Angeles contradict your own sentiments. I haven't read one exaggeration\ deceitful remark about Chicago & if there was intentional dishonesty then I would expect you & me to denounce it. How can we have a reasonable discussion if abuse is condoned? I avoid some thread [mainly in political forum] because the level of animosity is scary sometimes
Anyway, the photos speak volumes of the remarkable natural setting in Los Angeles. Much of the expensive property\ houses are located in the foothills or near the beach because people want to view the towering San Gabriel mountains & Santa Monica bay. A mountain range runs right thru the middle of LA [not many cities in the U.S. can claim the same].
But this thread is about "alpha" comparisons between Chicago & Los Angeles so the scenic backdrop doesn't really apply otherwise everyone would live on the rim of the Grand Canyon. But the American West is beautiful and no one can deny that. Chicago seems more driven and focused than LA. I really don't consider Los Angeles an "alpha" city if only commerce or trains counted. I probably wouldn't like LA if it was more commence-oriented but it is crippled by the lack of mass transit. Suburban living isn't practical & makes commuting very frustrating.
Los Angeles is still a young city compared to Chicago even though it was founded a century before Chicago. It will probably take another 20 yrs or more for LA to infill but the geographic factors don't always mean more light rail. I think reality in California as a whole is that commutes are going to stay long since more freeways is not the answer. For example, I can take the Gold Line near my home to downtown LA in about 30 minutes & then the Red Line to Universal City in 20 minutes. It is maybe 15 miles from my home to Universal City & we can make it in 15 minutes if freeway traffic is good [an hour during rush]. The only answer is like the subway in NYC that moves at 50+mph. Light rail can't go that fast. Transportation is the biggest challenge of Los Angeles & I assume it is not a big factor in Chicago. That's enough writing since the Laker's are losing to San Antonio & I am getting bummed.
as you can see it is much more of an urban playground that l.a. can imagine...
Last edited by grapico; 04-04-2010 at 07:05 PM..
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But the American West is beautiful and no one can deny that. Chicago seems more driven and focused than LA. I really don't consider Los Angeles an "alpha" city if only commerce or trains counted. I probably wouldn't like LA if it was more commence-oriented but it is crippled by the lack of mass transit. Suburban living isn't practical & makes commuting very frustrating. 
