DL, tell me about life in Chicago

I did ten years. It's underated.

In what ways, r1?

I grew up there and visit family about once every few months. First, live by an El stop. You will thank me for this advice in February. Run or walk on the lake front in the mornings as the sun is coming up. Explore the neighborhoods. My favorite is the Southport corridor near Addison but there are so many great ones: Wicker Park, Ukrainian Village, Hyde Park, Lincoln Park, Andersonville, Boys Town, Pilsen. Wow, now I miss Chicago!

The traffic gridlock is terrible, both on the freeways and on the city.

every man looks like jeremy allen white and only wears white tight t-shirts

It is on a downward trajectory. The Magnificent Mile has a 30% vacancy rate.

Agreed. I lived near Water Tower in the aughts and was really sad to see how it's gone down, especially since COVID.

[quote]I did ten years. It's underated.

What we expect from a thread about Chicago.

Oh, dear.

R5 is another "I do English for me, not for anyone else" cunt.

Oh, dear x 4

Not to frighten you, but people are frequently targeted/robbed in the Gold Coast area and downtown, in general. Keep your wits about you. I was mugged near Michigan & Randolph in front of the Aon Center.

It’s like a box of Frango Mints.

That's not Gold Coast. That's The Loop.

TBF he did say Gold Coast and Downtown

Chicago is great. Just choose a great neighborhood to live in and you'll be fine. I know you said you're fine with winters but the bigger problem for me is that Chicago is just completely grey during that time of year. A year or two ago, we beat Seattle for most consecutive cloudy days. And I agree with the poster who said to live next to an El stop.

Never called it downtown. To me, going north to south, it's Gold Coast, then Streeterville, then the Loop once you cross the river.

As a Chicagoan, I will say that I do think Chicago lacks diversity in comparison to cities like Toronto, NYC, DC metro, Bay Area, LA , etc. It's diverse, don't get me wrong, but not as diverse as those cities. And I do think NYC men are hotter and better dressed. But Chicagoans have less of a stick up their ass.

I won't be driving, r4, so there's that.

I lived there for 9 years. The queens there are very provincial - most of them come from just over the Indiana state line but consider themselves worldly. I always found hookups unnecessarily complicated. A lot of psychos.

Hopefully it’s changed.

It can be very dangerous in pockets and in some big areas therefore/because it's very segregated. Sometimes the weather really, really sucks. Politically, it's rotten to the core. The lake looks nice, but it sucks to go near it and I pined for the ocean. There's not a whole lot in the way of places to go through the weekend. Orient for a day. You're in the Midwest and if you drive for four hours you're still in the Midwest. That shit is flat.

It's culturally amazing for American city second only to New York. It can be really beautiful to look at. It does attract a lot of people from the surrounding Midwest, because it doesn't really have any competition. I think most people are parochial everywhere you go. I didn't realize that a lot of people there are a few generations off the farm or from the South. They are more polite and more welcoming and more optimistic than any place on either coast.

I really miss ALL the food and the opera and the blues scene and all the museums and the architecture.

The winters are difficult (less so with climate change I hear) but that's the time of year for art lovers - the world class Chicago Symphony, the Lyric Opera, every major dance company comes thru town and several are based in Chicago, and a lot of theater of every type from Shakespeare to Mamet.

One word: STEAMWORKS!

How to not get mugged in any major city: Put you phone away and keep it there. With nobody carrying cash anymore, it’s the only thing they’re after. It’s called “Apple picking”.

There are some incredible neighborhoods in Chicago. Most are safe. I’ve moved in Wrigleyville, when it was cool and semi-affordable, wouldn’t go back. Lincoln Square/North center is amazing but now overrun with strollers. Andersonville used to be lesbian central, but the gals now call it MANdesreonville.

How about Gold Coast, r22?

R23. Depends on your budget. You can have a fabulous apartment with full amenities and a killer view for about 1/4 what you would pay in Manhattan. But you will probably never socialize with your neighbors. The only nearby nightlife is the worst breeder meat markets you can imagine. But close to a thriving restaurant and gallery scene in “River West”.

Very good Gold Coast address 3 br 2.5 ba 2500 sq ft 6k/mo.

Any good Indian restaurants downtown?

I would say State Street is a great street. They do things they don’t do on Broadway.

[quote]Put you phone away and keep it there. With nobody carrying cash anymore, it’s the only thing they’re after. It’s called “Apple picking”.

iPhones with a passocde/Face ID are virtually impossible to break for the average criminal. Even law enforcement has difficulty doing it. What are they doing with them?

R26, tbh, Chicago Indian food is dissapointing. I'm a brown person who lives very close to Devon. The best Indian restaurants are in the burbs, not the city. Actually, Wicker Park has some very good ones too.

Thanks r29!

R30, no problem. The two Indian restaurants in the burbs that I really enjoyed are Mantra near O'Hare, Priya's Kitchen in Westmont and A2B in Warrenville. In Wicker Park, I remember Cumin being excellent, especially the biriyani. But I think that may be Nepalese.

My bad, that's three restaurants in the burbs.

I always enjoyed India House on W Grand, r26. It'll scratch that itch. What I miss about Chicago is the diversity of ethnic cuisines. There's not just good Mexican restaurants, there's fine dining, Oaxacan, street food, coastal/seafood Mexican, etc. I miss that in the small college town that I now live in.

R33, you are right, India House is good. Gaylord (yes, that's the real name) used to be much better 10 years ago but it's gone way downhill.

In Chicago, all seem to breathe freedom and peace, and to make one forget the world and its sad turmoils.

How old are you, OP? Are you single? I want to weigh in on gay nightlife but would love that info so I can advise accordingly.

I am 40 and single, r36, but I left my party days behind me a decade ago. I'm at the point in my life where I figure, if I meet someone, I meet someone, but if not, that's okay too.

R37- I recommend going to Sunday Showtunes at Sidetrack. It’s a fun, friendly atmosphere and you won’t feel self-conscious as you can just enjoy the videos playing. You’re young(ish) and single- get out there. Age appropriate crowd too. All ages really. Have fun!

I answered my own question because I was genuinely curious.

See below for podcast that addresses iPhone theft (and I assume Android).

The phones are indeed bricks, but organized gangs will ship the phones to other countries, and try to use various methods to try to get you to give up your iCloud credentials (texts, calls, e-mails).

Of course, not everyone uses a passcode, so you are SOL in a case like that.

OP, come to Wednesday night karaoke at Jackhammer. Myself and some other confirmed DL'ers are there most weeks (all about your age). We just need one more member to form a minyan!

You're going to want to learn to toddle, OP.

Chicago is fabulous! I put my girls through college and paid for a country home!

Loved my 12 years in Chicago. Lived in the Gold Coast and Andersonville. Definitely loved Andersonville. Had a killer condo there. Knew lots of nice guys. Strong community vibe. I wouldn't bother looking at places in any other neighborhood as a single 40 year old gay man. You will be a fresh face and have a ball.

Thank you, r38, r40, and r43!

R41 Just because the whole town does it doesn't mean that you have to also.

OP, where are you moving from?

OP, I moved from Chicago a few years ago.

It's not terrible in Near North/Gold Coast but it's really not a super neighborhood-y type of place. You may have a very lovely apartment but it can be a very sterile place where people come and go. It's probably the NYC equivalent of living near/in Times Square. And it is near some of the more robbery prone places - the red line el stop near State (I think it's Chicago, near a McDonald's) is a notorious place to be attacked and Michigan Avenue has had a number of thefts.

Not sure if you need to be near downtown for work but I might have tried for an apartment in the West Loop, which has some neighborhood feel to it. If you could live anywhere in the city, I'd want to be in Ravenswood/Andersonville, as you'd be closest to a gay scene that had other men over 35 - Boystown is really for a younger party crowd.

Chicago can be a hard but not impossible city to date in. There's a bit of a distance bias.....I've had guys tell me I lived too many el stops away or too far for them to come and see me (I was 15-20 minutes away)....queens can be lazy about hooking up, LOL! My bf ignored that rule when we got together, so it's not impossible.

I miss the culture there, for sure. Concerts every night of the week. Free classical music recitals in several spots downtown. I have to say I left before COVID and know the city restaurant scene was hit hard, but.....you could go to a new restaurant every night and not run out of places for, well, forever.

The negatives of downtown: the density, the thieves, and the helicopters that will incessantly fly overhead at all hours of the day and night - traffic and police.

There's a lot to explore, though.

Thank you, r47! Thant was super helpful.

r46 I am originally a Midwesterner, but I've spent the last decade in New England, and I was in LA for the past year. (I like Boston/New England, but am not a big fan of LA.)

R46- if you liked Boston, you will really like Chicago. Similar vibes to the neighborhoods and a bonus is the men in Chicago won’t have that Masshole aloofness so prevalent in Boston which is a well earned stereotype in my opinion.

I agree with R47 that the Near North and Gold Coast area can be a bit soul-less but I wouldn't suggest the West Loop as an alternative. The WL is new construction and converted warehouses - all pretty sterile - inhabited mostly by single straight yuppies. (Coffee bar! Pool table! Hot tub! Sun deck!) Great area for trendy restaurants and bars which appeal to that crowd, but not much in terms of a "neighborhood" feel. The areas north of Near North / Gold Coast along Lake Shore Drive, particularly Lincoln Park and Lakeview, have a more homey, neighborhood feel while still being minutes away from the Mag Mile and the Loop.

R50 I don't disagree with you at all, but I made that suggestion with the idea that OP has to be in/near the loop (which may or may not be the case).

The Gold Coast/Near North, West Loop and South Loop are the three closest neighborhoods and they're probably all very similar and sterile, but the WL would be the most neighborhood-ish of those three.

Of course Lincoln Park, etc. all are much nicer and have a much warmer feel to them, but they're also farther out. Once you go north of North Avenue or farther than 12-16 blocks south or west you're starting to talk about a 30-45 minute commute.

R51, I live in Lakeview and take the LSD express bus from Roscoe / LSD to Mag Mile. It's 12-14 minutes and runs every few minutes during morning and evening rush hours. Less often during regular hours.

Evanston is lovely and has really inexpensive real estate.

I'm a fan of live blues.

Can anyone recommend good clubs?

This is the connoisseur's favourite, r54.

R54.

Thank you r55 and r56!

Telling people that I'm moving to Chicago is a great political litmus test. The two replies I tend to receive:

"Chicago, what a great city! Be sure to check out the Art Institiute/the Field/Botanic Garden."

"Chicago, omg!!!j! You're going to get SHOT EVERY DAY."

It's a great city and four people were just shot to death on a CTA train to the suburbs.

Both statements can be true at the same time.

Try Ukrainian Village. It's beautiful.

I wonder where OP moved? I hope he didn't move to West Loop. West Loop is fiun, it's like visiting Brooklyn, when you live in Manhattan. The public transit is more annoying than usual for Chicago and it's just sort of disconnected from the other happening places. The gay people I know that live there LOVE the area, because it's really nice, but hate being so far from everything else. OP, if you want to take part in the gay scene I wouldn't do West Loop because you will doom yourself to countless nights taking overpriced Ubers to and from Lakeview. Not the end of the world, but nothing beats having the option to walk home (mile plus away), take a car, or easy public transit options. West Loop is anything but easy to reach.

Op, move to Lincoln Park or Lake View for your first year, then explore what works from there. As a gay man, you won't regret being in those locations year one.

Gold Coast, r60

Respect r61. I was down there with a hookup Saturday morning. Was gorgeous out and I love the energy in Gold Cost, during the day. At night, eh.

R60, the biggest nuisance for west loop is that it's off the green line, not the red line.

Was born in Chicago and returned for a couple of years after grad school.

Coldest winters and hottest summers I ever suffered through.

Nothing, NOTHING made it endurable.

MARY r64

r64 = Paul Butterfield

I grew up in Oak Park and went to college in Evanston. Both on El lines, both have affordable housing. O is faster trip to the Loop, but, while there are plenty of gay folk in OP, I don’t think there is gay nightlife without a car. Evanston is more accessible by El to North side gay life. I always found both pretty safe and interesting on their own terms.

[quote] The gay people I know that live there LOVE the area, because it's really nice, but hate being so far from everything else.

I agree with this excellent writer. You should live closer to the nice things and not by the other things, or something.

R67- how old are you? I grew up in Oak Park as well. I feel lucky to have grown up there. It’s progressive as far as suburbs go.

Oak Park is extremely progressive. Many gay people live there. It's a great streetcar suburb and it continues to get "cooler" with each passing year.

r63 which means a transfer at the Loop. Either your gonna have to pay to go from above ground to underground for the Red Line, or you have to wait for the Brown line, which will take longer getting north (depending you your destination). West Loop is a chore to reach if using the CTA compared to other parts of town. I'd also add Logan Square to that equation.

It has been said Oak Park is so liberal, that they exit on the left. And it’s true, the exit ramps on I-290 are positioned to have you get off from the median.

R72, now that's funny. And it really is liberal. The Oak Park neighborhood association--I think that's what it's called, I could be wrong--actively tries to promote diversity. And it shows. Oak Park is one of the few truly integrated areas in the Chicago area.

Every North Side neighborhood that is within two-three miles of the lake is integrated. Only a third of the city is white.

Chicago winters and summers are far more mild, except for maybe four days each season. A tip of the hat to climate change, Here's Google AI:

"Climate change is affecting Chicago's weather in several ways, including:

Rising temperatures: Chicago's average temperature has increased by 2.6°F since 1980. By 2050, Chicago could experience an average of 38 days per year with temperatures over 92.7°F.

More extreme heat waves: Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of heat waves.

Heavier rainstorms: Chicago could experience more damaging rainstorms.

Growing flood risks: Chicago could experience greater flood risks.

Warmer winters: Chicago's winters have warmed by 0.55°F per decade since 1980. "

.

r75 I know I love it. Another example of global warming being an issue for the poors in the world. We are sitting pretty up here in Chicago. Just need to watch out for them tornados.

Chicago is one of the American locations most susceptible to wet bulb if temperatures keep increasing. Leading to more heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

R69 I was born there in 1957 and lived there until I started college in 1975; I went to Northwestern in Evanston. Went back summers until my folks retired to Glen Ellyn around 1970 or 81. Moved to teaching job in central Illinois and then out of state since. Went back for a year , 2003-04, for a sabbatical leave, when I did more graduate work. Growing up always lived west of East Avenue, first in South Oak Park Avenue. Sabbatical year lived two blocks from Austin stop on the Blue Kine ;the Arts District). Would move back in a heartbeat, but am planted in smalltown upstate Collegetown in NYS because of my husband’s health.

Again, only an issue if you are homeless. Rest of us have AC and a roof over our heads.

R78- thanks for answering! I was born there in 1976. We were two ships :)

Cicero is near Oak Park and is very corrupt. It’s about 90% Hispanic and the rest are old white republicans who have or had connections with the city. The type of place you go to awful schools but with the right family, you can get a do nothing job at one of the 3 park districts.

Cicero is not to be considered. Maybe Berwyn, but even then .,,