I got an offer to move to Chicago for a job. Pretty good gig. I am originally from Chicago but I've been living here in Nor Cal for almost the last 20 years. I know things have changed, but can someone give me some advice on plus/minus' living in Chitown?
I know I will defiantly pig out on the Food :I guarantee I will weigh over 300lbs by this time next year making up for all the food I missed in the last 20 years : hotdogs, ribs, pizza, Italian beef, gyros, etc...
And I guess I can be closer to my best friend XXXIV
I moved there three years after college. Loved living in the city, and the spring and summer were wonderful, but absolutely hated the traffic and weather. By year three, I had enough of the long commutes and the winters had gotten the best of me. Not to mention it was just too expensive on our salaries to buy a home in the suburbs we desired. My wife, originally from Hoffman Estates, IL approached me about moving to my hometown of St. Louis. I jumped at the chance and haven't regretted it. Of course, there's definitely down sides to St. Louis and everywhere you live. With that said, I still miss Chicago and love going back, but just not during the months of November through March!
My only advice to you would be to try and find a home/apartment/etc. close to where you are going to work. I'm sure you're used to the traffic and congestion in California, but it can take a serious toll on your health!
Any more detail you can provide so I can chime in? I spent nearly 35 years living in the Chicago area so I can definitely provide some input. Just for reference - I grew up in Winnetka (burbs) and then have lived in: City - Lincoln Park. Logan Square, Bucktown. Burbs: Wilmette, Evanston.
Where is you office going to be? Do you have a family? Do you want city or 'burbs? Any info you can share for a ballpark price range? renting or buying?
I like Evanston a lot but you can get killed on the property taxes, even by North Shore standards, depending on where you want to live in Evanston.
Deerfield actually has a good quality/price for the surrounding area. Highland Park is probably the most affordable along the lake if you're looking at North Shore. Northbrook and Glenview also are akin to Deerfield in terms of cost and quality, but you lose the lake proximity. Once you get into Wilmette, Glencoe, and Winnetka, your prices are going to climb. If you can give up the lake, you also can find a lot of nice homes in the Vernon Hills area to the west of Deerfield.
Carson's is still around, in fact, there is one in/near Deerfield, just north of Lake Cook Rd. on Rte 43.
The whole tax thing is another big factor in the decision.
It's funny, when I moved out to California, people always told me how I was doing financially since the price of living is so much higher here. Then I reminded them I moved from Chicago.....Cook County.
10 percent sales tax, ridiculous property taxes, plus all the other criminal taxes you have to pay in the state of illinois, well that's a deterrent.
Brando70 wrote:I like Evanston a lot but you can get killed on the property taxes, even by North Shore standards, depending on where you want to live in Evanston.
Deerfield actually has a good quality/price for the surrounding area. Highland Park is probably the most affordable along the lake if you're looking at North Shore. Northbrook and Glenview also are akin to Deerfield in terms of cost and quality, but you lose the lake proximity. Once you get into Wilmette, Glencoe, and Winnetka, your prices are going to climb. If you can give up the lake, you also can find a lot of nice homes in the Vernon Hills area to the west of Deerfield.
Carson's is still around, in fact, there is one in/near Deerfield, just north of Lake Cook Rd. on Rte 43.
This^.
I'd definitely look into the Glenview/Northbrook area.
I'm a staunch West Suburban guy. I firmly believe that everyone from anywhere remotely considered the Northern Suburbs went to New Trier and should be treated accordingly. And by accordingly I mean hated.
I'm with Dan, though. If I could live anywhere without winter or here, I'd pretty much pick anywhere...except Florida.
There is no place finer on Earth, however, than Chicago on a beautiful summer day. I've been in Tuscany, Paris, London and all over the US of A (including Napa in the fall, which is a close second IMO), but nothing beats 83 degrees and sunny in Grant Park, Wrigley or on some side street off of Southport with a cool breeze. Sadly, those days are just too rare.
XBL Gamertag: RobVarak
"Ok I'm an elitist, but I have a healthy respect for people who don't measure up." --Aaron Sorkin
RobVarak wrote:I'm a staunch West Suburban guy. I firmly believe that everyone from anywhere remotely considered the Northern Suburbs went to New Trier and should be treated accordingly. And by accordingly I mean hated.
It all makes sense now. I've always felt some extra hostility from you on XBL and now I know why. Will it help you to know I only went to NT for 3 years before moving away for my senior year?
RobVarak wrote:I'm a staunch West Suburban guy. I firmly believe that everyone from anywhere remotely considered the Northern Suburbs went to New Trier and should be treated accordingly. And by accordingly I mean hated.
Hey, at least I can find parking at my Metra station. And if I want to hear a musical interpretation of "Siddhartha" for eight hours, I can walk down the street to Billy Corgan's tea house.
Having lived in Southern and Northern California as well as NYC, I take comfort in being back where I grew up, despite the crappy weather, rampant corruption, and proximity to Wisconsin.
RobVarak wrote:
There is no place finer on Earth, however, than Chicago on a beautiful summer day. I've been in Tuscany, Paris, London and all over the US of A (including Napa in the fall, which is a close second IMO), but nothing beats 83 degrees and sunny in Grant Park, Wrigley or on some side street off of Southport with a cool breeze. Sadly, those days are just too rare.
I agree and growing up on the east coast I will say my kids have the ability to do so many more things with the Park district and other options that they don't have back east. I've only lived here since 1990, it was my dream to move here being a Bears fan, I lived here 2 days and went to my first Bears game. This winter was the worst I've ever experienced and the east coast is no picnic during winter.
I really believe that each winter is going to get progressively worse due to climate changes. If my kid weren't 9 and 11 I would move but that would be brutal for them so I'm stuck here for 9 more years.
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My family told me the winters from like 1960 - 1979 were brutal. Especially the late 70s. For the most part of the 80s - 2000s, it was pretty mild when compared to the past.
But it looks like this winter has really sucked and I too wonder if that 20some year mild winter period for Chicago is over and it's going back the other way like it use to be in the 60s and 70s. That would really suck.
Not that next winter couldn't be bad, but we had two very mild winters compared before this one. One or two bad winters don't make a trend. This is the first year where Chicago came closer than 30 inches to the 1978 record. Unlikely we will come close to this amount again any time soon.
Why would anyone choose to live in Chicago? Lol. However it probably is my favorite city to visit...as long as I can leave after a week or two. My entire family is from there so I've been during all parts of the year and fall is about the only time I enjoyed it. Different strokes I guess.
dbdynsty25 wrote:Why would anyone choose to live in Chicago? Lol. However it probably is my favorite city to visit...as long as I can leave after a week or two. My entire family is from there so I've been during all parts of the year and fall is about the only time I enjoyed it. Different strokes I guess.
I would still live in California if it wasn't full of Californians
wow. just wow. SR/DSP he's never once revealed this. now he is same as me. damn.
Sucks for you. I've never actually lived there. My parents met there, got married and then my dad got stationed in Lousiana (Fort Polk) which is where I was born. Then to Michigan for a few years, then to Arizona and Cali from '82 on. So outside of the first 5 years of my life, I'm a west coaster. As we all know, the left coast is the best coast.
And I agree Brando, Californians aren't all they are cracked up to be. It's basically the worst people from every other area who migrate, so we get the best of the best. LOL.
San Diego was amazing, I went to high school there for three years (you can see my school briefly in Almost Famous) and did my first year of college at UCSD. Really outstanding place to live.
Outside of San Diego, though, the rest of California doesn't appeal to me. A lot of the towns on Pacific Coast Highway are too sleepy for my tastes. LA is a soulless, brass-plated pit with great weather. San Fran is the most interesting city in the state, but you trade crappy winters for crappy summers, plus tech douches and the most aggressive homeless people in the country. Sacramento is Fresno with legislators and Maloofs. East of LA is great if you like meth and assault weapons. North of the Bay is either full-on Sierra Club or minor-league survivalists waiting for a call-up to the pros in Idaho.
Brando70 wrote:San Diego was amazing, I went to high school there for three years (you can see my school briefly in Almost Famous) and did my first year of college at UCSD. Really outstanding place to live.
Outside of San Diego, though, the rest of California doesn't appeal to me. A lot of the towns on Pacific Coast Highway are too sleepy for my tastes. LA is a soulless, brass-plated pit with great weather. San Fran is the most interesting city in the state, but you trade crappy winters for crappy summers, plus tech douches and the most aggressive homeless people in the country. Sacramento is Fresno with legislators and Maloofs. East of LA is great if you like meth and assault weapons. North of the Bay is either full-on Sierra Club or minor-league survivalists waiting for a call-up to the pros in Idaho.
Plus I really, really like water.
All of these reasons are why I live halfway between LA and Santa Barbara. I can go visit the sleepy towns or tech douches whenever I want, and still go home to some nice weather and a pretty decent place to raise a family. Tho I wish I could afford a bigger house. Don't get much for your money in the decent suburb school districts.
Yeah, all kidding aside, California along the coast can't be beat for natural beauty and perfect weather. It is such a fun place to live, too. I had a blast there.
