No Better Place In June In U.S.!!

[dkmisol]

Originally Posted by ekg56

I have fallen in love with Milwaukee too. I grew up in Chicago and moved to central WI 20 years ago. I try and go to Milwaukee a couple of times a month. I love the choice of restaurants, I love Mexican food and you can't go wrong eating on S 5th street. I love shopping at Trader Joes and we also stop in at Sendiks too.
My daugher is going to school to be a nurse and she has her eyes on Milwaukee when she is done with school.

Milwaukee got better when Trader Joe's came to town.

As a nurse, she'll have a fairly easy time getting jobs here. My wife is an RN at Children's Hospital, and thats probably the only place I'd reccomend she not choose (my wife has also worked for a few other major hospitals). Children's is horribly managed, and pays very poorly compared to other hospitals. There are people leaving the hospital for the UW Children's Hospital in Madison.

[43north87west]

You have said it all.

I always say just about the same thing. If it weren't for the rotten weather during the cooler months, Milwaukee would be the best city anywhere. It is amazingly underrated. Very cultural, and over the last 5 or so years, has become much more worldly. I've seen a lot of peoples' eyes open.

I also moved away a couple of years ago. I moved to Washington DC, which is a nice city, but there is PLENTY of crime in that area. In fact, Milwaukee looks nice comparatively. Obviously arts and entertainment are good in DC, and with all of the politics and whatnot, it is a good area, always something happening.

Milwaukee has some highly suspicious characters in city management. I have to wonder how some things are decided. There are some really sketchy aldermen, both in the inner city and on the East Side. They never seem to be voted out, although if I still lived there, I'd do what I could to see that my old alderman was out of there.

In terms of crime, same thing as elsewhere in the country. Here in Maricopa County, AZ, the big thing is DUI arrests. But they haven't cracked down on violent criminals, just DUI (read: revenue-generating) arrests. DUI arrests are great, but they haven't prompted an increase in the arrests of violent criminals, at least from the statistics that I've seen.

Anyway, the weather is not too great, but the proximity to sporting opportunities, the ample entertainment, the VERY ample eating and drinking opportunities, and much more, make it a great place. There is nice architecture, there are good schools (choose carefully), and there is a wonderful feel to the metropolitan area. It does not feel as phony as it does here in Scottsdale, AZ, where everyone wants to be a movie star and everything is designed at showing off. That describes much if not most of the southern CA and Phoenix region.

Overall the property taxes suck too, which is the same for Chicago and other northern cities. It is not cheap to have a city in the northern part of the country. The south doesn't have deep freezes and doesn't get worn out as fast. That's just how it goes. The south DOES have plenty of crime, plenty of indigent people, and other problems.

I have two trips to Milwaukee scheduled before Labor Day, for a total of four weeks (I work from my house and can move around without anyone knowing/caring about it). I look forward to it, and in all honesty, I may decide to move back. I hate the weather there, but the weather takes a back seat to the rest of the package for me. The weather here in the desert is nice, but the people are not. I'm at the point where I am considering taking the rotten weather in Milwaukee (or failing that, Chicago) over the incessant whining and tantrums of people in my current Phoenix suburb.

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by 43north87west

You have said it all.

I always say just about the same thing. If it weren't for the rotten weather during the cooler months, Milwaukee would be the best city anywhere. It is amazingly underrated. Very cultural, and over the last 5 or so years, has become much more worldly. I've seen a lot of peoples' eyes open.

I also moved away a couple of years ago. I moved to Washington DC, which is a nice city, but there is PLENTY of crime in that area. In fact, Milwaukee looks nice comparatively. Obviously arts and entertainment are good in DC, and with all of the politics and whatnot, it is a good area, always something happening.

Milwaukee has some highly suspicious characters in city management. I have to wonder how some things are decided. There are some really sketchy aldermen, both in the inner city and on the East Side. They never seem to be voted out, although if I still lived there, I'd do what I could to see that my old alderman was out of there.

In terms of crime, same thing as elsewhere in the country. Here in Maricopa County, AZ, the big thing is DUI arrests. But they haven't cracked down on violent criminals, just DUI (read: revenue-generating) arrests. DUI arrests are great, but they haven't prompted an increase in the arrests of violent criminals, at least from the statistics that I've seen.

Anyway, the weather is not too great, but the proximity to sporting opportunities, the ample entertainment, the VERY ample eating and drinking opportunities, and much more, make it a great place. There is nice architecture, there are good schools (choose carefully), and there is a wonderful feel to the metropolitan area. It does not feel as phony as it does here in Scottsdale, AZ, where everyone wants to be a movie star and everything is designed at showing off. That describes much if not most of the southern CA and Phoenix region.

Overall the property taxes suck too, which is the same for Chicago and other northern cities. It is not cheap to have a city in the northern part of the country. The south doesn't have deep freezes and doesn't get worn out as fast. That's just how it goes. The south DOES have plenty of crime, plenty of indigent people, and other problems.

I have two trips to Milwaukee scheduled before Labor Day, for a total of four weeks (I work from my house and can move around without anyone knowing/caring about it). I look forward to it, and in all honesty, I may decide to move back. I hate the weather there, but the weather takes a back seat to the rest of the package for me. The weather here in the desert is nice, but the people are not. I'm at the point where I am considering taking the rotten weather in Milwaukee (or failing that, Chicago) over the incessant whining and tantrums of people in my current Phoenix suburb.

This is a great post - very well stated.

I am about 90% sure I am going to be a Glendale or Wauwatosa resident again very soon, despite the huge pluses of the desert SW. Milwaukee is just a great area despite the flaws and the winter weather.

[cfbs2691]

Growing up in the Milwaukee area, I thought is was so bland and boring.
Couldn't move away fast enough.

I've been in South Florida since '95 and only made a few trips back to Wisconsin.
(Spent trips back mostly in the homes of family/friends.. so I wasn't able to get out and see all the changes.)

For various reasons, I'm moving back this spring and I can't wait!

South Florida has great beaches and weather.. don't get me wrong.. but the area's population growth is out of control.. too many scammers...one must always be on guard here. My niece and I were just saying how here, if someone approaches you, your instinct is to grab your purse and be ready to flee. People do not say hi in South Florida for no reason.
They want something from you.

In looking at pictures of the Milwaukee area that I'm finding on line.. it's beautiful.
I took it for granted. I literally was laughing out loud at a picture of Shorewood on this website.... it looks SO hilly! Which compared to where I am, it's mountainous!
I always missed the old architecture in Wisconsin.

Sure, the winters are horrific and there's crime...but there's crime everywhere.

I'm betting if you find your car broken down in Wisconsin, a stranger will still offer help.
Here? No way. They'll honk their horns and flip you off.

I get no matter where you go, there will be some "keep up with the Jones'" mentality.. Here... it's a commited way of life, I was always the odd man out on this one.

I live 2 miles from my office. At the very least, this drive takes me 20 minutes.
The road rage is so bad here, I find myself staying home more and more..

I always say, If global warming would speed up (Milwaukee's winters weren't so brutal) it would be an almost perfect place to live.

Anyway, I'm excited to move back and experience June 2013 in Milwaukee!