Boston in Chicago (Bloomingdale, Lincoln, New Bedford: transporting, school, colleges)

[linicx]

Chicago will never have the Boston vibe; it does not have the age or history. There is no St. Charles and Sculling races, Chowder or Beans. There is Lake Michigan, Chicago Pizza, Chicago Hot Dogs and five very popular professional sports teams.

If you want to rub elbows with money look in the Gold Coast and Streeterville, or suburbs ilke Oak Park and Naperville. Or you can hobnob with the horsey set in Arlington Park and Fox River Valley.

As to Neighborhoods and Vibe. Chicago has 6,000 restaurants. Almost every block in every neighborhood in Chicago has a different vibe. I suspect there are at least a 1000 'hoods or more north and east of the Loop where you can begin your discovery process.

It is not one neighborhood, one block, one sport, one person, or one event that defines the city. It is the sum of all parts that creates what you seek. You may search for the rest of your life and never find the imaginary global melting pot vibe called Chicago.

[sfcambridge]

Originally Posted by serpent_of_old

???
lets see
i never used the word geeky
i was very clear
'where can i get any of that feel in Chicago?
both neighborhood and social vibe'
-social vibe
-feel

you guys all must be code writers for software lol
not facets such as universities, bars, and other things that can be quantified and measured
thanks anyways guys
have a great weekend

Honestly, if you don't understand why I used the word geeky in describing some of the Boston/Cambridge vibe, then you don't even know what you are looking for and you haven't lived in Cambridge. If you don't give any description of what you want in terms of specifics, then we have to describe them for you.

Your post is too vague. And you don't seem to appreciate the information we have given you.

Ok.... so you asked for it.

Cambridge is a 89.
Boston is a 70.
Brookline is a 72.

Oak Park is an 65, Evanston is a 68, Hyde Park is a 70, Chicago is an 85. The North Side is a ..... you need to walk around and see for yourself. We have no idea what you want.

Hope that is enough.

[serpent_of_old]

sfcambridge
thank you. you have been extremely helpful
i appreciate your help
i mean it

[serpent_of_old]

sfcambridge
when i said geeky, i was talking to Attrill , not you

[eevee]

Originally Posted by Attrill

To be honest, I think the original question is too general and that was the initial issue that people have with it. I don't think anything about it had to do with emotions.

For example - What parts of Cambridge are you talking about? Harvard Square, East Cambridge, Central Square, Inman Square, etc.? Cambridge has become much more homogeneous over the last 20-30 years, but each area still has it's own strengths and weaknesses, and the same is true of neighborhoods in Chicago. More details of what you're looking for (like types of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, concerts) would be helpful.

^^This^^. Cambridge is a city all on its own w/ a variety of neighborhoods. Cambridge is too unique to find an analogous area in Chicago. And define "downtown Boston". Are you strictly speaking about the Downtown Crossing area? Beacon Hill? Chinatown?

Lincoln Sq, for some reason, reminds me of the Coolidge Corner area of Brookline. Could be because both feature a small, independent theater, though Coolidge Corner has more of a Jewish vibe and Lincoln Sq. more of a German vibe. Other parts of Brookline (i.e., Brookline Village) also remind me of Andersonville.

Beyond that, there's little of Chicago that reminds me of Boston, and I've been living here for almost 5 years. Large chunks of the Boston/Cambridge area are heavily influenced by the different universities and there really isn't any specific Chicago neighborhood similarly influenced (never been to Evanston, but I guess that would be the closest Chicago area 'burb to match Boston in terms of university influence). Maybe Hyde Park, but it feels so far removed from the core of the city that the college influence isn't as obvious.

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by eevee

^^This^^. Cambridge is a city all on its own w/ a variety of neighborhoods. Cambridge is too unique to find an analogous area in Chicago. And define "downtown Boston". Are you strictly speaking about the Downtown Crossing area? Beacon Hill? Chinatown?

Lincoln Sq, for some reason, reminds me of the Coolidge Corner area of Brookline. Could be because both feature a small, independent theater, though Coolidge Corner has more of a Jewish vibe and Lincoln Sq. more of a German vibe. Other parts of Brookline (i.e., Brookline Village) also remind me of Andersonville.

Beyond that, there's little of Chicago that reminds me of Boston, and I've been living here for almost 5 years. Large chunks of the Boston/Cambridge area are heavily influenced by the different universities and there really isn't any specific Chicago neighborhood similarly influenced (never been to Evanston, but I guess that would be the closest Chicago area 'burb to match Boston in terms of university influence). Maybe Hyde Park, but it feels so far removed from the core of the city that the college influence isn't as obvious.

I'll agree with this; Evanston and Hyde Park have some of the Harvard Square feel, but not to the same degree; Harvard Square is more congested...

Lincoln Square and Coolidge Corner ( Brookline) have a similar feel, and both are nice neighborhoods, although Brookline is quite wealthy in parts. Chicago is just on a much larger scale than Boston..

[serpent_of_old]

thanks guys
i appreciate it

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by Truthyman

A near twin to Boston College (large, urban, national, academically-oriented, Catholic university) is DePaul University. Similar feel. Actually, DePaul is more authentic than BC as DePaul is truly in Chicago while BC is in Newton, Mass.

Are you a marketer for DePaul or something?

[tomcho]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

Are you a marketer for DePaul or something?

He/she has to be, every post i've seen from him/her today has been about how great Depaul is.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by serpent_of_old

i did not expect anyone on here to be so sensitive about a harmless question
peoples emotions...smh...prevents you from seeing the forrest
lets try again, at the risk of repeating myself
and please, control freaks, contain yourselves
or, i'll reword it. i can see how the wording was SO confusing
which areas in chicago
does not have the same history as boston
nor grid plan
nor a million other things i NEVER mentioned
but have the same vibe as the places i did mention

give the egos and whatever you have riding on this, a lethal injection

HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA. The irony in this post is amazing. You are just as sensitive to peoples' responses to your original question as people are being in response to your original question. Reading the original responses too, people weren't even being sensitive except one or maybe two people.


Funny stuff. And for the record, the layout of an area geographically and planning wise actually does have an effect on its vibe. If you've been to enough cities with a "vibe" you'll know this and how they differ because of how everything is laid out. Go to Rome or Istanbul where the streets are narrow and there's tons of shops/restaurants/cafes around. Vibe is different than if you had the same thing with wider streets and more laid out.