Convince me I should (or shouldn't?) move back to Chicago from Charlotte (Jacksonville: homes, landscaping)

[ChicagoMeO]

I would never put my kids in Chicago public schools. Moving from Charlotte to Chicago will feel like you have gone downhill, culture shock. this happens every time when I go on vacation, for a week or so, and then drive back to Chicago and it looks dirty, super crowded, etc,,, just looking at the buildings for example. ick. I only live here because I work here.

[Vlajos]

^ I'm the opposite. To me, most of the country is a dump other than cities like Chicago, Boston, NYC, LA, SF and Seattle. Whenever I get home from virtually anywhere in the US other than those few places, I am greatly relieved. I hate the vast majority of the US, it creeps me out. I really just need to leave the country. It's going down anyway.

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

^ I'm the opposite. To me, most of the country is a dump other than cities like Chicago, Boston, NYC, LA, SF and Seattle. Whenever I get home from virtually anywhere in the US other than those few places, I am greatly relieved. I hate the vast majority of the US, it creeps me out. I really just need to leave the country. It's going down anyway.

If you ever have the time to explain, I'd like to hear more about this, just purely out of curiosity. There are some decent interior cities of note ( i.e Minneapolis-St. Paul, etc), but maybe it's a case of " once you've seen the bets or the most prestigious, it's hard to go back" to anything else....

There are sections of the US that I absolutely refuse to live in in, but there's usually enough of a choice to not have to ponder the thought of leaving the US entirely. I do get the sense, though, that more Americans are willing to consider the idea of retiring somewhere else...

[lepoisson]

Originally Posted by ChicagoMeO

I would never put my kids in Chicago public schools. Moving from Charlotte to Chicago will feel like you have gone downhill, culture shock. this happens every time when I go on vacation, for a week or so, and then drive back to Chicago and it looks dirty, super crowded, etc,,, just looking at the buildings for example. ick. I only live here because I work here.

Chicago feels very clean downtown, but once you venture into the neighborhoods, you start to see the old grunginess. Cracked sidewalks, roads that look like they are decades old, abandoned factories, trash on the side of the road, panhandlers, broken down cars, and crumbling bridges all come into view.

I moved here from DFW and although DFW is a boring, characterless place, it is shiny new in just about every way.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by MassVt

If you ever have the time to explain, I'd like to hear more about this, just purely out of curiosity. There are some decent interior cities of note ( i.e Minneapolis-St. Paul, etc), but maybe it's a case of " once you've seen the bets or the most prestigious, it's hard to go back" to anything else....

There are sections of the US that I absolutely refuse to live in in, but there's usually enough of a choice to not have to ponder the thought of leaving the US entirely. I do get the sense, though, that more Americans are willing to consider the idea of retiring somewhere else...

Yeah, MSP is a nice city, though still highly unlikely I would ever move there. That list was not meant to be exhaustive. Primary thing for me is that it be a large, real city. Not sprawly newness like in the south and southwest. I hate suburbs, and rural is nice to visit, but not to live in. I love density and being surrounded by countless things to do and see and hear. I need public transit (I hate driving generally), I love ethnic diversity and cultural amenities. I need all the things that come with that diversity, restaurants, groceries, etc that I can get to very easily.

My wife and I periodically look at RE in Europe for our retirement (which is a long time away).
We'll probably keep a small home base here in Chicago though.

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

Yeah, MSP is a nice city, though still highly unlikely I would ever move there. That list was not meant to be exhaustive. Primary thing for me is that it be a large, real city. Not sprawly newness like in the south and southwest. I hate suburbs, and rural is nice to visit, but not to live in. I love density and being surrounded by countless things to do and see and hear. I need public transit (I hate driving generally), I love ethnic diversity and cultural amenities. I need all the things that come with that diversity, restaurants, groceries, etc that I can get to very easily.

My wife and I periodically look at RE in Europe for our retirement (which is a long time away).
We'll probably keep a small home base here in Chicago though.

Thanks for the update. I guess I still like the allure of having a lawn of sorts, although it wouldn't have to be anything huge. I've found that "streetcar subway" neighborhoods, or those constructed in the 1st half of the 20th century, are often quite attractive, in this vein....

[SkylarkPhotoBooth]

Originally Posted by MassVt

Thanks for the update. I guess I still like the allure of having a lawn of sorts, although it wouldn't have to be anything huge. I've found that "streetcar subway" neighborhoods, or those constructed in the 1st half of the 20th century, are often quite attractive, in this vein....

I don't really get the point of lawns, even though I grew up with them. I *do* like having a garden for growing vegetables and herbs (though many can be done in containers just as easily), but I don't really understand the point of maintaining some little patch of unnaturally short non-native grass. It's like, "Hey, look, I've created my own personal facsimile of a very tiny golf course fairway!" Who cares? Having parks nearby is nice, though.

[lepoisson]

Originally Posted by SkylarkPhotoBooth

I don't really get the point of lawns, even though I grew up with them. I *do* like having a garden for growing vegetables and herbs (though many can be done in containers just as easily), but I don't really understand the point of maintaining some little patch of unnaturally short non-native grass. It's like, "Hey, look, I've created my own personal facsimile of a very tiny golf course fairway!" Who cares? Having parks nearby is nice, though.

Agreed. I'm part of the millennial generation and we just love to destroy everything or put everything out of business, so I hope lawns are next.

I'd much rather have something that looks like this because it's easier to care for, uses less water, and looks better than boring grass.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by MassVt

Thanks for the update. I guess I still like the allure of having a lawn of sorts, although it wouldn't have to be anything huge. I've found that "streetcar subway" neighborhoods, or those constructed in the 1st half of the 20th century, are often quite attractive, in this vein....

I do like having a little yard, which we have. It's highly landscaped with a little grass and a patio. Also have a veggie garden. It is literally perfect for us. We live near multiple parks with kid play lots, so we just brought the kids there. There is only like 3 years when a kid will use a back yard anyway.

[ChicagoMeO]

Originally Posted by lepoisson

Chicago feels very clean downtown, but once you venture into the neighborhoods, you start to see the old grunginess. Cracked sidewalks, roads that look like they are decades old, abandoned factories, trash on the side of the road, panhandlers, broken down cars, and crumbling bridges all come into view.

I moved here from DFW and although DFW is a boring, characterless place, it is shiny new in just about every way.

Happened to me twice. When I drive to Michigan around the south end of the lake, the environment is totally different,, everything spread out, even the view of the lake and that view is sooooo different than looking at Chicago's lakefront view. then when you come back to the city, you notice how crowded and so-close together (and the tallness of the buildings which looks like a concrete canyon) after you've been in an atmosphere of Michigan where its beautiful and even the trees are different, once you cross over the boundary from Indiana, everything is different.


Also I took an Amtrak going south, you know you are coming into Chicago when you see the gritty factories, etc, and the smokestacks near the city..


Downtown Chicago is pretty though, when you view it at particular points, especially at night when the lights in the buildings light up and it shines on the river and also the lake, now THAT is when it is pretty.


But during the daytime, when you leave a picturesque area, and come into the city, you might get major shock from what I said above. Some parts of Chicago are very gritty and not pretty. (also graffiti makes it look ugly).