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Old 06-02-2013, 06:22 PM
 
Location: OC/LA
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Originally Posted by positraction View Post
4. Most racially segregated city in the country. Period.
Actually that's Milwaukee or Detroit depending on which study or year you're looking at. I like this one since it has lots of interesting maps.
Most Segregated Cities Census Maps - Business Insider
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Old 06-02-2013, 09:15 PM
 
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Originally Posted by positraction View Post
Born and raised there; benn living in LA for about ten yrs. My thoughts:

1. You better be able to deal with bad weather most winters from Nov-April. Sometimes horrible.

2. Nowhere near the variety of things to do like in LA;almost every activity is associated with eating or drinking alcohol. Not for everybody.

3. In LA, you can kinda "find" the part of LA that fits you. In chgo, not so much. All of the "progressive" people live on the north side (other than maybe Oak Park on the west side), and they all do "northside" things;hangout on the lakefront, go to bars, pubs, cubs games, etc. But with that being said, if you like that type of scene, more power to you. There's just not alot of options. That type of environment doesn't really exist in LA. At least not with the neighborhood feel you'll get in chgo.

4. Most racially segregated city in the country. Period. No question.

5. Cost of living doesn't really make you feel you're getting what you paid for, unless you are really into the things listed in #3.

6. More political corruption than any other city in the country. Unless you've lived there, you just can't imagine how bad it is. Have I been to every city? Not at all. But its a known fact all over the country that chgo politics are a joke. The whole state, actually. I'm pretty sure the last 2 governors are in prison; at least I know one of them is. What does that tell you??

7. People are far more genuine and real than in LA. Which is something that you can't really put a price tag on. I think you'd be hardpressed to find people less social than the ones here in LA, unless you can do something for them, that is.

8. If you're stable in your career, and dream of having that nice house in the burbs, 2.5 kids, etc, chgo, is probably the better fit. Too many variables in LA can complicate that, mainly traffic and cost of living.

9.If you are more comfortable living by the edge of your seat, taking things day by day, being more of a risk taker, LA is probably a better fit.

10. At the end of the day, it comes down to what you're most comfortable with, and your tolerance level. Crime has become somewhat unpredictable in most areas of the city, even some parts of the northside and d-town. If you're an outdoors-type person, it probabaly doesn't get much better than LA. And I think most of the things chgo does well, you could find in another city that does them just as well, if not better, with more options, less crime, and better weather.
Couldn't have said it better myself - thats why I came to California.

My roots are in the Chicago area, and I wouldn't object to raising a family in a quiet town on the Fox River like St. Charles or whatever, but in terms of the things I like to do and the people I like to meet as a single person, I can find my niche in LA (and other west coast or southwest cities) but not in Chicago. And this is coming from someone who could care less about the entertainment industry. You can find progressive-minded single people from Pasadena to Santa Monica, and from Long Beach to the Ventura corridor in the Valley.

It wouldn't be so bad if more people saw through Chicago, and acknowledged it as basically a larger, more vibrant version of Detroit, Cleveland, or St. Louis, but they literally believe they are everything that New York is but "without the hype".

Having said that, I really enjoyed living in Oak Park. But for the most part, Chicago to me, just feels like someone took a representative slice of Manhattan and dropped in downtown Detroit, and thus caused gentrification and revitalization to spread.

I love LA because I love the outdoors more than anything, but still love the cosmopolitan environment of a major city.
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Old 06-02-2013, 09:17 PM
 
5,951 posts, read 13,029,891 times
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Originally Posted by stephei2000 View Post
Exactly, I found my work niche but socially for me is in the tank except for a few weeks in summers. I realize there is more to life than work. Even though I do love to work. However, I agree with that if you are not into drinking, eating, or staying out until 4 am socially you are left out. I like to to do those things but mix it up with some outdoors activities and have real nature around me.

I always in conflict because I love to go out mingle, dance, and be outside but I am not a late night person. The number one thing you hear from other cities is the nightlife scene is not as good because you can not party until 4am or later. I was never into the typical bar scene even in college. I found two club/lounges spot that I loved that were more mature, but the people were more friendly and open. This was at Michigan State. So when people said oh Chicago it just like being at Michigan State. I expected to find this friendly energetic type niche. I realized after five years it more of the bar scene I use to walk past at 21, but the people are much less friendly. So can you walk into club or lounge by yourself and feel like a regular the first time like I was in school, or is it like this every big city.

In addition another thing that I can not understand . Do you really need to be out at crazy hours to have fun. Even in college I would leave lounge, bar or club before last call and that was at 1:45 am. I like that bars or whatever close a normal time.
I want to get up in the morning and get my day started.

For all the L.A residents who are from Chicago. How was the energy transition. One of the only things I would truly miss about Chicago is the street energy. I really love being around places where people walk around, and I just did not get that vibe the last time I went to L.A.

I was in West Hollywood and Santa Monica on Fri and Sat night and it was little to no street traffic. Maybe it was too early like 8pm, but it did leave me a little depressed.

How was that adjustment?
Really?? Where specifically in Santa Monica or West Hollywood??
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Old 06-03-2013, 01:10 AM
 
Location: South Korea
5,242 posts, read 13,027,216 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stephei2000 View Post

For all the L.A residents who are from Chicago. How was the energy transition. One of the only things I would truly miss about Chicago is the street energy. I really love being around places where people walk around, and I just did not get that vibe the last time I went to L.A.
LA doesn't have a lot of street energy since people mainly get around by cars, but there's places like Belmont Shores in Long Beach and many other places that are pretty buzzy but still relaxed.

Chicago is definitely more of a pedestrian town but that crappy cold weather will keep you inside about 2/5ths of the year. Oh, and in summer it will get so hot (90F and up) that you won't want to go out. So that's a bit limiting.

In any case, San Francisco has way more street energy than Chicago, and is much more pedestrian-based mainly because it's a lot denser and smaller. Chicago has a better and more reliable public transit system so it's easier to travel between different neighborhoods without a car. SF's system can be such a pain in the ass to use that you try to avoid using it for anything but going to work.
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Old 06-03-2013, 08:43 AM
 
367 posts, read 668,211 times
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If you people got out of Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, whatever... you would realize the social scene in Chicago is not completely populated by close minded sports obsessed dullards. I would hate LA if I only went to Hollywood/Sunset Strip bars and nightclubs with all the guys calling me "chief" and the girls talking about how "amazing" Runyon is.

The close-minded midwestern attitudes may be a fact of life for 50 yr old blue collar whites who live in Joliet, but you will find people who share your interests if you know where to look.

I go to DePaul, which has a very bro-ey reputation, but I know far more hipsters here than bros. Most of which are kids from Chicago suburbs and of those quite a few are far more liberal than I, a hippy-dippy ecowarrior Californian! It's all about what circles you run in.

To suggest there is a provincial culture that permeates a city with this much cultural clout is really just fallacious.
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Old 06-03-2013, 10:25 AM
 
Location: Pasadena, CA
10,084 posts, read 15,758,726 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hjt123 View Post
If you people got out of Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, whatever... you would realize the social scene in Chicago is not completely populated by close minded sports obsessed dullards. I would hate LA if I only went to Hollywood/Sunset Strip bars and nightclubs with all the guys calling me "chief" and the girls talking about how "amazing" Runyon is.

The close-minded midwestern attitudes may be a fact of life for 50 yr old blue collar whites who live in Joliet, but you will find people who share your interests if you know where to look.

I go to DePaul, which has a very bro-ey reputation, but I know far more hipsters here than bros. Most of which are kids from Chicago suburbs and of those quite a few are far more liberal than I, a hippy-dippy ecowarrior Californian! It's all about what circles you run in.

To suggest there is a provincial culture that permeates a city with this much cultural clout is really just fallacious.
Runyon is pretty amazing, even if 2/3 of the patrons are pretty douche-y.
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Old 06-03-2013, 10:36 AM
 
5,951 posts, read 13,029,891 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hjt123 View Post
If you people got out of Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, whatever... you would realize the social scene in Chicago is not completely populated by close minded sports obsessed dullards. I would hate LA if I only went to Hollywood/Sunset Strip bars and nightclubs with all the guys calling me "chief" and the girls talking about how "amazing" Runyon is.

The close-minded midwestern attitudes may be a fact of life for 50 yr old blue collar whites who live in Joliet, but you will find people who share your interests if you know where to look.

I go to DePaul, which has a very bro-ey reputation, but I know far more hipsters here than bros. Most of which are kids from Chicago suburbs and of those quite a few are far more liberal than I, a hippy-dippy ecowarrior Californian! It's all about what circles you run in.

To suggest there is a provincial culture that permeates a city with this much cultural clout is really just fallacious.
Yes and no.

1. You can also find people who share your interests in cities much, much smaller than Chicago if you know where to look. Heck even college towns of 50,000 fit this description

2. Secondly, a city can be huge, exciting, full of culture, and world class and yet still be provincial. Frankly, and no offense to anyone here, but this can almost describe most major cities outside the anglo-sphere. Many large, "international" cities in Asia and elsewhere are very ethnically homogenous, with people whose roots are very, very deep. Even if you have people from all over the world working and living there, and international tourists, you can still get provincial culture that permeates a city.

DePaul is a major university - of course you are going to get a liberal, open minded culture. Same thing with Iowa City.

You also don't need to talk to 50 year olds in Joliet to come across close minded midwestern attitudes. All you really have to do is meet many people south of I-55.

Thing is with Chicago, is that yes, you can meet people who share your interests if you know where to look, but they either live in the same neighborhoods as the 20s/30s pros, look alike hipsters, because Chicago is so centralized, or they are thinly, extremely scattered all across the city/suburbs of the metro area.

Its not like LA, where there are plenty of concentrated pockets where you can meet like minded people, that are very much removed from Hollywood/West Hollywood.

For the record, I will say I COMPLETELY agree that I would hate LA too if I just hung out at Hollywood/Sunset strip clubs, etc. I have come across A LOT of people, including mostly girls/women who say they LOVE hiking, and then when I ask where do they go - they say Runyon. Its pretty funny. I don't mind it too much, because I can always lead in with "well, I'm a hike leader for a meetup group - I have a hike somewhere a lot better than Runyon this weekend, check out the meetup page for the group, maybe I'll see you there!" Its a good way to create your own opportunities for meeting women.
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Old 06-03-2013, 02:09 PM
 
896 posts, read 1,391,551 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hjt123 View Post
If you people got out of Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, whatever... you would realize the social scene in Chicago is not completely populated by close minded sports obsessed dullards. I would hate LA if I only went to Hollywood/Sunset Strip bars and nightclubs with all the guys calling me "chief" and the girls talking about how "amazing" Runyon is.

The close-minded midwestern attitudes may be a fact of life for 50 yr old blue collar whites who live in Joliet, but you will find people who share your interests if you know where to look.

I go to DePaul, which has a very bro-ey reputation, but I know far more hipsters here than bros. Most of which are kids from Chicago suburbs and of those quite a few are far more liberal than I, a hippy-dippy ecowarrior Californian! It's all about what circles you run in.

To suggest there is a provincial culture that permeates a city with this much cultural clout is really just fallacious.
Yes, but where else would a person want to go out in the city. These neighborhoods, plus Oak Park, South Loop possibly Evanston and Hyde Park are the only areas a single person would want to hang out in if you are progressive and like a nice environment that does not look as working class.

Then as previous stated if your not into drinking, eating, going to brunch, sports, or Cubs games you really have not much else. Now I like some of these things but not all the time.

Let's give an example, if I am young and single do I want to hang on most of the South Side, not really. It is a big Detroit with exception of a few neighborhoods. The West Side, we won,t even discuss. So now we just eliminated 2/3 thirds of the city.

Now lets add in some other neighborhoods, Logan Square, Edgewater, and Rogers Park. These are just gritter/artsy versions of the popular neighborhoods do similar activites food, restaurants and bars with more grit and your around less single people that you can relate too. A lot people these neighborhoods are long time natives, and nothing is wrong with that but that makes more difficult to socialize.

If you like a broader scope of things and do not like grit, your options are limited. I know there is grittness in L.A but not to the same degree as Chicago.

In L.A you can venture out of the popular areas i.e West Hollywood and find a large scope of different areas to do things in like South Bay for example, and half of these other areas like Studio City, Sherman Oak and other areas in the Valley, I have never even been too, but I looking forward to visiting.

The point is once you leave the popular northside areas, you are basically getting similar activities with more grit.


Dating is good me in Chicago. However, I do get tired of the dinner maybe movie date which is what you will be doing most of the time dating Chicago because of the weather.

In addition, I am into Natural Healh and there is a lot of events I go to, but most of the events are in the Chicago NorthShore or NW which makes sense there is more nature and magazine is based in this area. It is hard to get to events if you do not have a car or worse there are less people you age attending. Now dating for me is great in Chicago and do most of it in summer when I do activities like bike riding. It is very hard to find a crowd in the city or even to be inspired, and why would you it is an urban gritty environment.

Now I am not saying that everything is bad in Chicago, and everything is great in L.A. There are plus and minus to every place. I love the business get it done attitude of Chicago as I am very goal oriented and was independent contractor. That is what kept me going here.

But truthfully Chicago socializing can be limiting, and it would not be so bad if people did not hype it up.

I live in the city and go out less than ever. I went out more and went into city more when I was in the Oak Park area thinking I was missing something.

Well I just learned to go with your gut.
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Old 06-03-2013, 02:39 PM
 
5,951 posts, read 13,029,891 times
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Originally Posted by stephei2000 View Post
Yes, but where else would a person want to go out in the city. These neighborhoods, plus Oak Park, South Loop possibly Evanston and Hyde Park are the only areas a single person would want to hang out in if you are progressive and like a nice environment that does not look as working class.

Then as previous stated if your not into drinking, eating, going to brunch, sports, or Cubs games you really have not much else. Now I like some of these things but not all the time.

Let's give an example, if I am young and single do I want to hang on most of the South Side, not really. It is a big Detroit with exception of a few neighborhoods. The West Side, we won,t even discuss. So now we just eliminated 2/3 thirds of the city.

Now lets add in some other neighborhoods, Logan Square, Edgewater, and Rogers Park. These are just gritter/artsy versions of the popular neighborhoods do similar activites food, restaurants and bars with more grit and your around less single people that you can relate too. A lot people these neighborhoods are long time natives, and nothing is wrong with that but that makes more difficult to socialize.

If you like a broader scope of things and do not like grit, your options are limited. I know there is grittness in L.A but not to the same degree as Chicago.

In L.A you can venture out of the popular areas i.e West Hollywood and find a large scope of different areas to do things in like South Bay for example, and half of these other areas like Studio City, Sherman Oak and other areas in the Valley, I have never even been too, but I looking forward to visiting.

The point is once you leave the popular northside areas, you are basically getting similar activities with more grit.


Dating is good me in Chicago. However, I do get tired of the dinner maybe movie date which is what you will be doing most of the time dating Chicago because of the weather.

In addition, I am into Natural Healh and there is a lot of events I go to, but most of the events are in the Chicago NorthShore or NW which makes sense there is more nature and magazine is based in this area. It is hard to get to events if you do not have a car or worse there are less people you age attending. Now dating for me is great in Chicago and do most of it in summer when I do activities like bike riding. It is very hard to find a crowd in the city or even to be inspired, and why would you it is an urban gritty environment.

Now I am not saying that everything is bad in Chicago, and everything is great in L.A. There are plus and minus to every place. I love the business get it done attitude of Chicago as I am very goal oriented and was independent contractor. That is what kept me going here.

But truthfully Chicago socializing can be limiting, and it would not be so bad if people did not hype it up.

I live in the city and go out less than ever. I went out more and went into city more when I was in the Oak Park area thinking I was missing something.

Well I just learned to go with your gut.
Great post. You brought up some major points.

Thing is, someone like hjt123, loves Chicago for a specific gritty urban, "authentic" atmosphere - where you have whole in the wall eatery joints, real working starving artists, no car, real thrift shops.

And many people who love Chicago, love these things. They are specifically attracted to these things, and neighborhoods in Chicago that feel "real" and places that are on the edgy and almost unsafe, but not quite. I don't really get it - but whatever. But thats the thing. In LA or SF, there is not the obsession with what neighborhoods are authentically urban, gritty, truly bohemian. People don't care if its corporate or whatever, all they care about is, can they walk to their errands, are there some fun restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques, trails, public transit or whatever. I think for this reason, you don't have nearly the gentrification of the areas around DTLA


Conversely, since Chicago doesn't really attract people that love nature and the outdoors. Now even though Northeast Illinois doesn't have mountains, oceans, deserts, etc., it does have nice forest preserves, state parks, etc. But you go there, and you have the parking lots to yourselves most of the time, and its almost always families, or whatever.

City people in Chicago don't plan Sundays around going to the Indiana Dunes for the day, the way some more Angelenos might plan on going to Malibu Creek or Topanga or whatever.

Like you said, Chicago is heaven for those who love going out drinking to the bars/pubs, going to Cubs games, hanging out on the lakefront, etc. Or for those who like an authentic gritty urban neighborhood but safe and with lots of bars, shops, restaurants, music venues, etc.

Chicago is not a good city for people who want to be an area with lots of progressive single people where activities revolve around living healthy, being out in nature and the outdoors, and living in a neighborhood thats fun, walkable, with transit but is not gritty, full of rowdy people, staying out late, etc.

If it were, Evanston, Hyde Park and Oak Park would be the hot spots. Instead they are more of a secondary afterthought to people who love Chicago.
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Old 06-03-2013, 02:54 PM
 
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Chicago, like all of the midwest, simply feels culturally conservative. There's nothing wrong with the status quo wearing North Face jackets (even on Michigan Ave), but it definitely can give somewhere a provincial vibe, even if that city is very internationally diverse and large.

There's a specific paradox that occurs in the midwest as well, I've written about it as well, and only a few have commented or understood. Past 25, it's actually more acceptable to dress like a complete hipster, than be very into "metro fashion". It's still seen as something only gay men do, or that you do in your early 20s when you're going to clubs. Hipster, having a gay following as well, isn't seen as exclusively gay, so it's more understood. The average straight male still dresses the same as he did in middle-school, and this is somehow rewarded as a good thing by midwest society.

These limitations thankfully do not exist in LA.
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