Time to appreciate Chicago a little more

[MannheimMadman]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

Stuff like this drives me nuts. Traffic? It's a very large city, traffic will be bad. I feel lucky that in my neighborhood the old guard is dying/selling and being replaced by people who understand we live in a city.

I feel the same way. Luckily, I've (hopefully) got nothing but time on my hands. I found out from my condo board that a full 70% of the owners are older than 65. From visiting/attending meetings around the neighborhood, I would say that a disproportionately large percentage of this neighborhood is elderly. As they 'cross on over to the other side' I think we're going to see a shift in how this neighborhood looks.

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

You should remind them that 1950's Mayberry didn't have empty storefronts.

It's been brought up. They're trying to get us to vote for a City of Chicago :: Special Service Area (SSA) Program to 'fight the blight'. Well, you know, if you didn't fight new business, there wouldn't be empty storefronts. Derp.

Originally Posted by MassVt

Let's not go overboard on the dense-housing plans. People of all ages can appreciate a little breathing space, and a small lawn. You don't want to turn Norwood Park into Baltimore..

that's fine and well, but a majority of these plans are around the main thoroughfare (Milwaukee Ave) and near mass transit. Thankfully, nobody is asking to go deep within the quiet side streets to build mega-dense housing.

[BIG CATS]

Originally Posted by williepotatoes

When I wake up this morning and see the images of people in Phoenix waving guns and burning religious materials on the doorstep of a mosque, I just don't feel so bad about corruption or debt. Time for a group hug.

No place is perfect, you have to understand that. Remember the Skokie Nazis? Thats worse than the crap that happened here in PHX the other day. Or the Jewish Museum that has been painted with swastikas. Junk like this happens all the time, all over the world, not just in Phoenix. And FYI, the following day a whole bunch of people (Catholics and Christians included) went to that same mosque to show solidarity, and even donated a lot of money to them, just to show their support.

Corruption in Chicagoland is horrible. Moving here was like a breath of fresh air. There's good and bad, pros and cons, to both Chicago and Phoenix. This isnt news.

[Bardot]

Originally Posted by via chicago

how exactly is chicago "behind" in regards to food. are you telling me you've completely exhausted your eating out options? how many more restaurants would it take for chicago to be "ahead"? what cuisine can you find in LA that you cant find in chicago? there arent enough options here to get drunk at?

also if we're going to bring high end dining into the equation, which city has a Michelin guide and which had theirs discontinued?

no, we will never have fresh picked produce and farmers markets in january but i suspect your perceptions are being guided by the novelty of just being somewhere different.

It's not the quantity of restaurants or the variety of cuisine, it's the quality. The standard for an average or above average restaurant in LA (not Michelin star) is far above ours. I'm talking top of the line cocktails and mind-blowing food. Of course Chicago has quality restaurants, but they're all owned by the same handful of chefs and they're at least $75 per plate - and most of them aren't really doing anything new. What I could get in LA for $30 a plate was far superior quality to what I could get in Chicago. For the most part though, Chicago has more dive bars than I've ever seen and a lot of restaurants with mediocre food.

I also thought the new restaurant/bar scene was way more innovative and original in LA. There's a bigger pressure there to push the envelope. No Vacany in LA for example (a bar that's actually in a mansion, among other crazy but entertaining gimmicks) - Chicago will catch on to that at least 5 years from now (if at all).

Sorry to harp on about food though, I know that's not necessarily the most important aspect of a city.

[via chicago]

Originally Posted by Bardot

It's not the quantity of restaurants or the variety of cuisine, it's the quality. The standard for an average or above average restaurant in LA (not Michelin star) is far above ours. I'm talking top of the line cocktails and mind-blowing food. Of course Chicago has quality restaurants, but they're all owned by the same handful of chefs and they're at least $75 per plate - and most of them aren't really doing anything new. What I could get in LA for $30 a plate was far superior quality to what I could get in Chicago. For the most part though, Chicago has more dive bars than I've ever seen and a lot of restaurants with mediocre food.

I also thought the new restaurant/bar scene was way more innovative and original in LA. There's a bigger pressure there to push the envelope. No Vacany in LA for example (a bar that's actually in a mansion, among other crazy but entertaining gimmicks) - Chicago will catch on to that at least 5 years from now (if at all).

Again, I dont see how you could be longing for good cocktails in Chicago given the renaissance over the past decade. Just offhand theres:

Violet Hour
Whistler
Scofflaw
Big Star
The Drawing Room
Billy Sunday
Lost Lake
Gilt Bar
Celeste
Barrelhouse Flat
3 Dots + Dash
Aviary
Matchbox
Punch House
Tiny Lounge
Analogue
Trenchermen
Longman + Eagle
Berkshire Room
Pump Room

(again, if we're talking about drink quality and not just the gimmick of a bar being inside a mansion, which i dont consider "pushing the envelope")

[ForYourLungsOnly]

Originally Posted by Bardot

Of course Chicago has quality restaurants, but they're all owned by the same handful of chefs and they're at least $75 per plate - and most of them aren't really doing anything new.

You literally would have a hard time being more wrong.

[jwaiter]

"Of course Chicago has quality restaurants, but they're all owned by the same handful of chefs and they're at least $75 per plate - and most of them aren't really doing anything new."

You are highly misinformed, Chicago is on the cutting edge of culinary experiences. It is well known by the top chefs throughout the world.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Bardot

Chicago has always been my favorite city in America but I have to admit, after recently visiting LA I've started having some doubts. Not that LA is my favorite in America (ugh, it's essentially a gigantic strip mall), but the restaurants/bar scene there is far superior to that of Chicago. I was shocked how behind we are. I know that's a trivial complaint, but if we want to remain competitive it's important. I have a lot of friends that have left Chicago for LA for example.

I've spent a lot of time in LA throughout my life and I do not agree. LA has some great food, but it is not "far superior." Tons of people leave for LA - I have friends move there too and 95% of the reason was "I hate winter" and LA was the coolest place to them with year round good weather.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by jwaiter

You are highly misinformed, Chicago is on the cutting edge of culinary experiences. It is well known by the top chefs throughout the world.

There's a good reason why the James Beard Awards were in Chicago this year and will be for a few more years - the first time not in NYC. If the food scene was not at the cutting edge nor highly regarded, JBF would be laughing at the notion of having it there in the first place. It would be like moving the Oscars to Seattle or something - nobody would take that seriously.

LA had a Michelin guide for a year or two as well, and then it got discontinued. NYC, Chicago, and San Francisco are the only places in the US with a guide.