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Old 12-16-2007, 11:53 AM
 
4 posts, read 12,544 times
Reputation: 10

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Hello all,

I am a 32yr old single English guy considering relocating to the US for work. I am going to be working in the Midwest (near Omaha Nebraska) but would like to live somewhere where there is a bit more happening!

My company pay for a weekly flight to/from work so I am looking for suggestions where to base myself. My interests are outdoor activities such as sailing, snowboarding & mountain biking. I also like some nightlife (don't we all?!) Both Chicago and Denver areas seem to meet some of the criteria, so was looking for some suggestions of areas I should look at and general comments.

Also, if you know how long it takes to get from Denver to some good skiiing areas that would be great!

Thanks in advance. M
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Old 12-16-2007, 01:15 PM
 
5,089 posts, read 15,403,299 times
Reputation: 7017
Quote:
Originally Posted by mariolatry View Post
We moved here from Chicago last summer. Basically it depends if you are an "outdoor" recreation person or an "indoor" recreation person. Yes, there are miles of bicycle paths and mountains to hike within driving distance. If you're an outdoorsy person, that's great. However, there are nowhere near the cultural and social type oppotunities here that there are in Chicago. We were members of the Art Insititue, the Field Museum, and faithful attenders at Ravinia. There's minimal culture here to compare with that.

Everyone talks about how great the weather is here. The summer is damn hot, although there's no humidity. Being mile high, the sun feels much, much hotter. Chicago had more variety in summer temps but it was very humid. And so much for it being "so dry that there is minimal snow". We're starting our second winter here and we've had tons more snow here than we ever had in Chicago.

The food is pretty crappy here compared with Chicago. Very few good, independently owned restaurants. There's a lot of sprawl and a lot of big box retail. Traffic is significantly less here though (at least compared to my commute out towards O'Hare). Neighboorhoods are not as pretty here but real estate is cheaper. The airport is a pain in the butt to get to.
Of course Chicago has more entertainment venues than Denver--it is a much larger city, one of the major cities in this countries and an older city.

Chicago is one of my favorite cities. I am an ex New Yorker, grew up near Buffalo, lived in NYC but I would love to live in Chicago.

However, you are not given Denver a chance, there is many cultural attractions that can benefit you and these cultural venues can be benefited by your sponsorship. Please give the arts here your generous support, we need intelligent people like yourself.

Yes, we do not have the Field or Ravina but we have The Denver Center for Performing Arts, a brand new opera house. We have a brand new addition to our museum of arts--again it can not be comparable to a great city like Chicago but for a city of this small size, with a smaller metro area, it has great cultural attractions.

The weather is a personal preference but again you are not giving it a chance. It takes time to get used to a different climate and believe me the winters here are very mild compared to great lakes weather.

As for the food. I am a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. I have been here for almost 30 years. Yes, Denver does not have the dining scene as a city like Chicago but again Chicago is so much bigger, older and has a more ethnic tradition that has been established. As Denver is not Chicago--Chicago is not New York. I have eaten in Chicago, numerous times and been to the National Restaurant Show at the McCormick Center and explored the city--I love eating in Chicago.

If you think it is bad today for food in Denver--it was worse when I got here.
However, food establishments, food suppliers, and food preparation have improved because the city has become richer in money and new people who came here from other cities who bring their wallets, their appreciation of finer foods and their ethnic traditions.

So again the restaurant scene needs you for sponsorship just like the arts. If you have sophisticated tastes or taste for simple ethnic foods--they can be produced here because the demand of diners, like yourself, will make it happen. Denver is moving to a greater eating experience, as it grows bigger and more sophisticated.

So, I would suggest do not complain so much but help our city, yours and mine, become better in culture and dining. Any city, after all, is just the sum of the people who live there; their wants, their needs and their aspirations.

Livecontent
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Old 12-16-2007, 01:34 PM
 
26,214 posts, read 49,044,521 times
Reputation: 31786
Not to mention that Chicago is a short plane ride away....
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Old 12-16-2007, 02:25 PM
 
Location: Denver
456 posts, read 1,576,972 times
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It's so hard to compare chicago, it's like comparing oranges and apples, really. Two very different cities. I strived for an outdoorsy active life, so I am loving it here so far!
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Old 12-17-2007, 09:55 AM
 
Location: Loss Wages
1,310 posts, read 6,557,787 times
Reputation: 573
Quote:
Originally Posted by EnglishMark View Post
Hello all,

I am a 32yr old single English guy considering relocating to the US for work. I am going to be working in the Midwest (near Omaha Nebraska) but would like to live somewhere where there is a bit more happening!

My company pay for a weekly flight to/from work so I am looking for suggestions where to base myself. My interests are outdoor activities such as sailing, snowboarding & mountain biking. I also like some nightlife (don't we all?!) Both Chicago and Denver areas seem to meet some of the criteria, so was looking for some suggestions of areas I should look at and general comments.

Also, if you know how long it takes to get from Denver to some good skiiing areas that would be great!

Thanks in advance. M

Come to Chicago, you know you want to!!!

Just kidding.

English Mark, welcome to the states! This thread is great to finding lots of info and experiences on both sides of the fence whether Chicago or Colorado. Bottome line, Colorado has more skiing and mountain activities. However, Chicago has lots of water activites, actually alot more than CO, suprisingly to me. Sailing, etc. was something I had researched myself and found sailing clubs do exist, but on a very small level. In Chicago we have tons of water recreation! We have lots of outdoor stuff, but on a simpler level meaning tons of forest preserves with huge trees and grass and water recreation, but no mountains. YOu'd be used to the weather in Chicago so that shouldn't bother you.

We do have some skiing near Chicago area, but that up in WI. CO is always a short plane away too..hehe (took that one from Mike from the EAst! LOL )

As for the rest meaning variety in the rest, many people have made that clear where the diversity is strong in both locations. Read lots in both threads of Chicago and Denver. you will find lots of Brittish folk from both places posting.
good luck and feel free to post any questions.
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Old 12-17-2007, 10:23 AM
 
Location: NM
88 posts, read 309,406 times
Reputation: 27
Default If life gives you lemons...

Quote:
Originally Posted by livecontent View Post
So, I would suggest do not complain so much but help our city, yours and mine, become better in culture and dining. Any city, after all, is just the sum of the people who live there; their wants, their needs and their aspirations.

Livecontent
More sanity. Of course, you speak the truth. There are two choices when you don't like a place. The first is, just leave. With thousands of cities in the U.S., there is bound to be one more to your liking. If, just possibly, you do have some reason to WANT to be in Denver, then get involved, be a change agent. You won't make yourself happy by just complaining about it, and your talents won't benefit others that way. Finding problems is easy. Finding solutions is harder, but soooo much more rewarding.

flyingbuffalos
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Old 12-17-2007, 11:07 AM
 
Location: NM
88 posts, read 309,406 times
Reputation: 27
Quote:
Originally Posted by HarlemNightsCorp View Post
The night life pretty much shuts down at 2am which took some getting used to.
LOL. Try small town Texas. There is NO night life, unless you want to go to the ONE CW bar. Anything smaller than Temple (50K), and they do almost literally roll up the sidewalks by 6 p.m.
It is interesting all of the comparisons of Denver to Chicago and New York. The thing that makes a city is the uniqueness of it. I wouldn't want Chicago to be just like New York, or San Francisco to be the same as Dallas. Or anything to be like Houston.
Denver has a uniqueness of its own, much of it fueled by the mining history that helped build the city and the very unique and unusual individuals that lived there in that time. It is a fascinating history.
Sorry, I digress.
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Old 12-17-2007, 12:35 PM
 
Location: Loss Wages
1,310 posts, read 6,557,787 times
Reputation: 573
Quote:
Originally Posted by flyingbuffalos View Post
LOL. Try small town Texas. There is NO night life, unless you want to go to the ONE CW bar. Anything smaller than Temple (50K), and they do almost literally roll up the sidewalks by 6 p.m.
It is interesting all of the comparisons of Denver to Chicago and New York. The thing that makes a city is the uniqueness of it. I wouldn't want Chicago to be just like New York, or San Francisco to be the same as Dallas. Or anything to be like Houston.
Denver has a uniqueness of its own, much of it fueled by the mining history that helped build the city and the very unique and unusual individuals that lived there in that time. It is a fascinating history.
Sorry, I digress.
Great way of thinking about different cities. You are right. Where would be the fun and need to travel if every place was the same?
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