Chicago vs. New York (Evanston, Lincoln: schools, university, taxi)

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by emathias

Five. Five artists can afford to live in Manhattan now.

The floodgates have been opened, and no one came rushing in.

[BigLake]

Originally Posted by probablyimnotsure

And those five artists are the greatest artists in the world.

they do not mind the grit, dirt and smell, and champion on for the sake of their art. [There used to be six great artists, but alas, that one *did* mind the grit, dirt and smell and left for the suburbs.]

[tcave360]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

I love people watching especially when they are well dressed. Wearing nice clothes doesn't mean people are pretentious!

100% this

[Kamms]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

Thats sums up my position. I'm a Michigan person originally, and I had a chance to move to New York City, and I took it.

Sometimes when I get back to MI, I visit Chicago; and it just seems REALLY Midwestern to me. Sure, Chicago is international too; but NYC just seems 10x more international.

That being said, I like a lot of things about Chicago; but I hate the comparisons that people Chicago sound like it is a cheaper NYC. They are just different cities altogether.

I will say Chicago is a great city though!

Is anyone in a New York City thread going on about comparing their city to Chicago, complete with the underlying reassuring theme of ''we're a world class city etc''? No. I've always said Chicago is a deeply insecure place constantly reminding everyone about having this and that, the tallest and largest and the biggest fallacy being ''midwest friendly''. The Tribune did an article a while back that Chicago is a world-class city without an image (at least a modern one and not its gangster image). Although the gangster them prevails in its politics; think the current $30 billion or so ''an offer he can't refuse'' pension disaster.

Chicago is a nice city, at least downtown, lakefront and touristy areas. Otherwise, the metro area is just meh...no big deal.

[Kamms]

Originally Posted by emathias

New York is more diverse, that's unquestionable. But it's not like Chicago is only three groups. In my office, we have about 40 people in our department with people from Vietnam, Poland, Germany, Kenya, Belarus, Russia, China, India, local African-Americans, a Mexican, a white South African, white Americans originally from the East Coast, white Americans originally from the West Coast, and Midwestern white Americans. For a group of 40, that's at least as diverse as most New York offices would be.



I think when you're from an area, you tend to run into cliquish groups because you start out with your own cliques. As someone who has moved to Chicago from somewhere else, I find that to be less true than other places I've lived. In this one area, I think the fact that you're from Chicago actually influences your perception.



Most of my friends are straight. I don't go get drunk every weekend, but I do go out about once a month - not always to gay clubs. I don't live in Boystown (although I have, in the past). My neighbors all know my husband and are fine with us both. My coworkers ask how he's doing in the same way they ask about other coworkers' spouses. No place is nirvana for gay people, but, again, I think the fact that you grew up in Chicago influences your view. I can count maybe three times in 15 years of being openly gay that I've had negative experiences in Chicago because of it. There are gay bashings in New York, San Francisco, and probably Chicago although I very rarely hear of them here. That guy on the million-dollar home show just posted on his Facebook about eating in Manhattan and some person next to him whispering about his gayness when he and his partner held hands. A former boyfriend of mine was kicked out of his apartment, in Manhattan, when his landlady found out he was gay because I visited him. So don't try to tell me that New York is better than Chicago for gay people. I'm not saying it's worse, but on the whole it is far from clear to me that it's better. People always assume New York is better for gay people, and it has a lot more gay people than Chicago so, in the sense of hooking up or finding a life partner maybe it's better from a numbers standpoint. But which city has had gay people marching in the St. Patrick's Day parade for nearly two decades, and which city's St. Patrick's Day parade organizers have constantly fought to keep it gay-free? Hint: Chicago has had openly gay participants on St. Patricks Day in the 1990s.



Arts scene in New York is bigger and better. Broadway theatre scene is bigger and better. Local theatre scene in Chicago is better than you seem to give it credit for. The low costs here mean it's far easier for small local theatres to survive, which is why so many performers get started here before they move to LA or New York. If you want the best all the time, sure, New York is there. If you like small, independent theatre that is still very high quality, Chicago has bucket-loads of that.



People in LA don't go to Disneyland even though it's "one of the best amusement parks anywhere," either. Maybe I'm just more plugged in, but I rarely have trouble finding people to do cultural things. In fact, I used to be a subscriber to the Steppenwolf and had four tickets so I could always bring friends, who always were willing to not just go for free but pay me back for the tickets.



Hey, don't knock Cleveland - Liz Lemon loves it, and so should you, you fake New Yorker, you.



Crime in the City of New York has gotten under control. Crime in the New York metro area is a different matter.



Now you've gone and made me hungry, evil bastard.

I know Liz Lemon loves Cleveland but Tina Fey does not love Chicago.

[thefallensrvnge]

Originally Posted by Kamms

I know Liz Lemon loves Cleveland but Tina Fey does not love Chicago.

Are you being sarcastic? Tina Fey is proud of her Second City roots or at least that is the impression she gives in interviews. I don't know her personally.

[jonnynonos]

Originally Posted by Kamms

Is anyone in a New York City thread going on about comparing their city to Chicago, complete with the underlying reassuring theme of ''we're a world class city etc''? No. I've always said Chicago is a deeply insecure place constantly reminding everyone about having this and that, the tallest and largest and the biggest fallacy being ''midwest friendly''. The Tribune did an article a while back that Chicago is a world-class city without an image (at least a modern one and not its gangster image). Although the gangster them prevails in its politics; think the current $30 billion or so ''an offer he can't refuse'' pension disaster.

Chicago is a nice city, at least downtown, lakefront and touristy areas. Otherwise, the metro area is just meh...no big deal.

Actually I don't think Chicagoans go around comparing themselves to NY at all. Since we are Americans, if we wanted to, we are all free to move there.

I started the thread because I realized I am not that fond of Manhattan and prefer Chicago.

Otherwise in my experience it doesn't come up that often.

[Slate Moonstone]

Originally Posted by jonnynonos

Actually I don't think Chicagoans go around comparing themselves to NY at all. Since we are Americans, if we wanted to, we are all free to move there.

I started the thread because I realized I am not that fond of Manhattan and prefer Chicago.

Otherwise in my experience it doesn't come up that often.

After I lived in NY for years, I sold my apartment and ended up moving back to Chicago - briefly - before I moved to DC for grad school.

I found *a lot* of people who met me, found out I had lived in NYC, and immediately launched into a soliloquy about how they disliked NYC so much and could never live there, yada yada yada.

One of these people actually was a real estate guy I was talking to when looking for an apartment.

I asked him what his experience was in NYC, whether he'd lived there or just visited it a lot, etc.

He said, "No, I've never been there- but I just know I'd hate it!"

And I've also had a few people I know in Chicago accuse me of "thinking I'm better than" everyone else because I left.

Make of that what you will....

For what it's worth, I think most NYers understand quite well why people would leave NYC. We spend half the time questioning what we're doing here anyway

[steeps]

Originally Posted by jonnynonos

Actually I don't think Chicagoans go around comparing themselves to NY at all. Since we are Americans, if we wanted to, we are all free to move there.

I started the thread because I realized I am not that fond of Manhattan and prefer Chicago.

Otherwise in my experience it doesn't come up that often.

it seems to be HIM who has some issue with Chicago and/or Chicagoans. TO ADD REST OF THE CITY A MEH.... showed it was more then his comment it was Chicagoans boasting biggest or better?...... apparently he has not heard that Dubai and Asian cities. Now have the BIGGEST... Not to mention Freedom Tower in Lower Manhattan. Was ruled over the Willis(Sears)Tower. I think he is thinking 80s,90s yet too......

Let's see if he continues some Chicago Slights? But really, no one is going to claim any city in the US is with ALL NYC has..... at least in Quantity. But more and more cities can say.... it's not just NYC today . With the Top on all things..... Why shouldn't Chicagoans note what they have to boast of?

You would think Chicagoans were overly boastful in the thread? To go into his comments.

[jonnynonos]

Originally Posted by Slate Moonstone

After I lived in NY for years, I sold my apartment and ended up moving back to Chicago - briefly - before I moved to DC for grad school.

I found *a lot* of people who met me, found out I had lived in NYC, and immediately launched into a soliloquy about how they disliked NYC so much and could never live there, yada yada yada.

One of these people actually was a real estate guy I was talking to when looking for an apartment.

I asked him what his experience was in NYC, whether he'd lived there or just visited it a lot, etc.

He said, "No, I've never been there- but I just know I'd hate it!"

And I've also had a few people I know in Chicago accuse me of "thinking I'm better than" everyone else because I left.

Make of that what you will....

For what it's worth, I think most NYers understand quite well why people would leave NYC. We spend half the time questioning what we're doing here anyway

Eh, like I said, it's one country. Probably 99 percent of NY posters responding on this forum are not NY natives, and 75 percent are not Chicago natives. After 10 years 90 percent of the NYers will be gone, and probably half the Chicagoans.

So it books down to a bunch of people arguing over where they choose to move.

I think it is assumed that some people will prefer either given location. I just personally prefer Chicago and don't like Manhattan. I'm sure NY can deal!