Irving Park and Portage Park (Chicago, Cicero: house, safe neighborhood, purchase)

[xavier xerxes]

Better public transportation = Better neighborhood prospects in general.
Its not a 100 percent but hey, why buy somewhere where the general trend is down and there isnt good transit.

Look where gentrification is heaviest. By public transit in general.
EL/Metra stops best places to looks.

I think a very cool place is Forest Park, some of it is close to the freeway,
but thats transit and it has a metra stop. But hey, I dont really know it that well. But just make that a very large consideration, the way gas prices are going you would be crazy not too.

[tonythetuna]

The future of Six Corners is going to hinge on who is elected Alderman of the 45th ward and if Six Corners is remapped out of the 45th ward in the every decade ward remap.

Without a revitalized Six Corners, Portage Park will be as good as gone.

[chikid]

Irving Park all the way. I lived for a short period of time in Portage Park, and honestly it's very boring and not very good when it comes to ameneties. The only good thing Portage Park has IMO is that is offers a suburban style type of living in the city, without being too surburban. However, it is very very very boring. Irving Park offers the same type of lifestyle just it's a little pricier, better located, better architecture and a lot more to do. Portage Park IMO is very inconveniently located. It makes it difficult to live there without a car, unless you live right up against the Irving Park neighborhood border or Six Corners.

When I lived there, it took me a minimum 15 mintues to walk before I found a place I could eat. the problem is that Portage Park's ameneities are all pushed the eastern and western edges of the neighborhood with little in the central part of it.

[nidex]

Yeah, I lived on Berenice a couple houses west of Cicero, pretty much right at Six Corners. I always had all the amenities needed to survive. Grocery store, drug stores, liquor stores, banks, only thing is the auto parts stores are a little bit of a drive. Although if you don't work on your own car, there's a couple repair shops, tire shops, dealerships (City VW, and a Ford one I believe), and oil change places around. It does suck that the L doesn't serve Portage Park, but the 80 bus or X80 (Irving Park) never gave me any issues. "Very boring" depends on what you do for entertainment. I've never been a club person, if I go out to drink, I prefer a smaller, quieter bar where I can actually sit down and don't have to push my way through 50 hipsters in order to get a refill on my drink. So, if you're into that kind of nightlife, you will find Portage Park boring.

I have nice memories of eating my $5 Chinese lunch on the bench in the park on a nice summer day.

[nidex]

The names of the restaurants I mentioned in my earlier post- the Chinese place is Leong's Chop Suey, and the taqueria on Irving & Central is "Taqueria Amigo Chino". Just in case anybody cared. :P

[tonythetuna]

Originally Posted by nidex

The names of the restaurants I mentioned in my earlier post- the Chinese place is Leong's Chop Suey, and the taqueria on Irving & Central is "Taqueria Amigo Chino". Just in case anybody cared. :P

I have been to both. There used to be a couple of really hot young girls that worked at Amigo Chino.

[Hendu]

I would go immediately to Hats-Plus and purchase a Dobbs fedora. And then head over to the Patio Theater for its grand re-opening. I like Portage and Six Corners (though I hate the Marshall's there)

[nidex]

Originally Posted by tonythetuna

I have been to both. There used to be a couple of really hot young girls that worked at Amigo Chino.

Ahh yeah, I saw the same thing the last time I was there. Now that I think about it, I haven't been in there since 2007. Time sure flies when you don't pay attention.

[tonythetuna]

Originally Posted by nidex

Now that I think about it, I haven't been in there since 2007.

It has been longer since I have been there. I am glad to hear they are keeping up with the tradition.

[nidex]

Well of course, what better way to get old men to come back and spend their money, when a good majority of the taquerias in the city serve almost the same food?