Top Ten ****s (Chicago, Decatur, Champaign: best cities, 2015, crime)

[linicx]

nada

[linicx]

I've often wondered what drives visitors to Chicago? Then I read the July 2015 issue of Travel + Leisure. It's depiction of Chicago is excellent. Chicago has been in its Top 10 List for ten years. This years list places Chicago at #7 which is ahead of NYC and behind Ontario - the only Canadian city so honored. But the big winner on the World's Best Cities (as voted by readers) at the #1 position on the US/Canada Cities List, and at the #2 position in the World Cities List, is Charleston, South Carolina which is also mentioned in Conde Nast Traveler.

Among the lists are Nine American Airports for Art Lovers. And despite the disparaging remarks both of Chicago's beloved launch pads are well represented. Not to be undone, Chicagoan David Burke, and his Primehouse 40 Day Dry Aged Prime Steak Burger. was the only restaunteur to appear on the Food and Wine Best Burgers in The US list

Travel and Leisure style lists do matter because it is a blueprint for improvement. It is a blueprint for overall success. Chicago cannot do much about the weather, but it can improve in other areas - one step, one project, one success at a time.

http://www.travelandleisure.com/worl...ties#us-canada
http://www.travelandleisure.com/slid...rport-art-us/5
http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshow...rs-in-the-us/4

[dude1984]

People come to Chicago because it is NYC without the BS. It is the best city in North America, and my 2nd favorite city I've ever visited right after Buenos Aires, which is just incredible. BA is a mix of NYC, Paris, and Barcelona for less of and a great get away during the winter because it is summer there.

Anyways, the food, the people, the lake, the attractions...happy I'll be back in less than a month.

[linicx]

It is certainly not the best city in North America, yet, for crime is still the elephant in the room. I don't see where it tries to mimic Manhattan, although it may be a peer city in a business sense. In that regard, as a city with bulldog politics Chicago is as savvy as you will find anywhere.

In any case this is not a City v. City debate. It is about the City of Chicago and the county it heads, and in this regard Los Angeles County is #1.

[viktor77]

People visiting the loop in Chicago and people living in Chicago are two completely different things. There's no reason to question why people visit Chicago. It's our nation's 3rd largest city, a Midwest mecca. The loop is fantastic and let's face it, that's where most people are going.

And from someone whose best friend moved to Chicago the reason people put up with living there is because of the resources, especially employment resources. My best friend knocked Chicago every moment he got for being expensive, overrun with Democrats, constantly crowded, etc. etc. etc. Well, when he moved to Decatur he missed everything (and so did I, too. I lost my free lodging in Chicago haha). There was far less to chose from for food and other resources. The resources are why people put up with Chicago.

I moved to Illinois and I really don't see what the fuss is about. If it was the Democratic machine, well now you have a Republican governor, so for those complaining they have something to look forward to. Of course I lived in Central Illinois. Is it more expensive? Yes. And for that reason I have remained a resident of my home state of Michigan and am able to pay solely Michigan taxes, but even if I had to switch over my residency at some point I wouldn't be too upset. Illinois is a fine state to live in.

My only realization now that I've lived in Illinois and have been to Chicago more times than I can count is that I now view Chicago as mostly a roadblock from what I was to where I want to be. I make the trip from Champaign north into Wisconsin quite a bit and going around Chicago on busy 294 is always a pain, but it's tolerable with an IPass, especially once you're south or north of Ohare.

[linicx]

Let me see if I have this right? You maintain a MI residence, but live in Champaign, and you are not fond of 294. You say you live in central Illinois and it is more expensive than ? There is more than one way to get into WI without 294, but it probably would not be very convenient from where you live, or where you are going.

[NOLA101]

Originally Posted by dude1984

People come to Chicago because it is NYC without the BS. It is the best city in North America, and my 2nd favorite city I've ever visited right after Buenos Aires, which is just incredible. BA is a mix of NYC, Paris, and Barcelona for less of and a great get away during the winter because it is summer there.

Anyways, the food, the people, the lake, the attractions...happy I'll be back in less than a month.

Chicago is a long, long way from "best city in North America" and has little to do with NYC (or BA, for that matter).

Someone wanting NYC or BA will not be happy visiting Chicago.

[viktor77]

Originally Posted by linicx

Let me see if I have this right? You maintain a MI residence, but live in Champaign, and you are not fond of 294. You say you live in central Illinois and it is more expensive than ? There is more than one way to get into WI without 294, but it probably would not be very convenient from where you live, or where you are going.

Taxes in Illinois are higher than Michigan. I work in Illinois but thanks to a reciprocal tax agreement with Michigan I can pay all my taxes as Michigan tax. And there is no more efficient route than 294 to where I'm headed which is right up I43. But even though Illinois taxes are higher, if I one day changed my residency to Illinois it would not bother me that much. But while I can I'm going to take advantage of what I can.