I always wanted to live in the “city.” It didn’t really matter which city I lived in, as long as it was the biggest, best city in the state. As a girl who spent her whole life in the suburbs, the idea of “city life” always intrigued me. I felt like professionals and progressive people lived and worked in the city. I knew I probably didn’t want to raise a family in the city, but I had to at least have the chance to say that I survived living in the city—whatever city that may be.
I have lived and worked in the city of Chicago for a full month now. City life and suburban life are quite different. For comparison purposes, let’s use my previous residence—Pittsburg, California. Pittsburg is located on the North East part of the Bay Area. It’s a good 20+ miles from Oakland, the closest big city. In the Bay, we call Oakland “the Town.” Pittsburg is about 35 miles (at LEAST a 45 minute drive) from San Francisco, affectionately known as “The City.”
A few things this suburban girl wanted to escape from:
- A lack of places to eat within walking distance (where I’m from, it’s mandatory to have a car)
- More specifically, a lack of restaurants that deliver to my residence
- A feeling of seclusion (I call Pittsburg “the country.” There are cows right outside of my apartment).
- A lack of diversity—in people, cultural activities, etc.
- Having to answer the question, “Pittsburg? Where’s that?”
So far, city is life is pretty much what I expected. I’ve discovered:
- There are dozens of restaurants and bars within walking distance from my apartment (this can be great, but I can also hear drunk college students walking by my apartments on Friday nights)
- It appears almost any restaurant will deliver—for a fee.
- My particular neighborhood is not the most diverse. It is made of mostly college students who attend DePaul University. I’m the only black person that lives in my apartment complex. I’ve seen one Indian and one Asian guy. When you travel to other parts of the city, however, you see a little more diversity (i.e., downtown). Chicago is made up of over 70 neighborhoods. Most of these neighborhoods tend to be dominated by one race or class.
- There are always people walking (or running) around, from the early morning joggers to the late-night bar-hoppers. I have yet to be the only person walking on the street.
- There is always an event going on. For instance last week, I attended Northalsted Market Days, which was a weekend festival that took place on my street. I only had to walk two blocks to get to the festival (which was in Boystown—the Castro of Chicago). There was food, vendors, drag shows, and other types of entertainment. Chicago has neighborhood festivals like this pretty much every weekend.
- Of course, everyone knows where Chicago is (it is the 3rd largest city in the United States).
- Public transportation is a great, cost-effective option. Buses and trains run frequently and tend to be close to wherever you need to be. I depend on them to get me to most places I need to go. Sometimes I will go a whole week without using my car.
I did not, however, expect:
- Parking to be such a hassle and so expensive! You have to pay to park everywhere in this city. Not just downtown, but everywhere. And not only do you have to pay to park (and depending on what part of the city you’re in, parking fees can be $30 or more), but good luck finding parking. Some places don’t even offer parking. There’s a Trader Joe’s near my house, but you’ll never catch me in there. They only offer street parking, and I’ve never been able to find any. I’d rather go to a store that has a parking lot or parking structure. Oh, and not only do you have to pay to park wherever you go, but you also have to pay a yearly City of Chicago parking fee. And, if you want to park in specific residences (like your own), there’s a yearly fee for that, too.
- Many of the “cultural events” I would be interested in take place on the South Side of Chicago…yes, where all the shootings are. There are museums, parks, churches and lots of community centers in this area that have events geared toward blacks. It’s very difficult to find these type of events on the North side or even downtown.
I still have a lot to see and discover. I’m excited to see what else this city has to offer!
I have lived and worked in the city of Chicago for a full month now. City life and suburban life are quite different. For comparison purposes, let’s use my previous residence—Pittsburg, California. Pittsburg is located on the North East part of the Bay Area. It’s a good 20+ miles from Oakland, the closest big city. In the Bay, we call Oakland “the Town.” Pittsburg is about 35 miles (at LEAST a 45 minute drive) from San Francisco, affectionately known as “The City.”
A few things this suburban girl wanted to escape from:
- A lack of places to eat within walking distance (where I’m from, it’s mandatory to have a car)
- More specifically, a lack of restaurants that deliver to my residence
- A feeling of seclusion (I call Pittsburg “the country.” There are cows right outside of my apartment).
- A lack of diversity—in people, cultural activities, etc.
- Having to answer the question, “Pittsburg? Where’s that?”
So far, city is life is pretty much what I expected. I’ve discovered:
- There are dozens of restaurants and bars within walking distance from my apartment (this can be great, but I can also hear drunk college students walking by my apartments on Friday nights)
- It appears almost any restaurant will deliver—for a fee.
- My particular neighborhood is not the most diverse. It is made of mostly college students who attend DePaul University. I’m the only black person that lives in my apartment complex. I’ve seen one Indian and one Asian guy. When you travel to other parts of the city, however, you see a little more diversity (i.e., downtown). Chicago is made up of over 70 neighborhoods. Most of these neighborhoods tend to be dominated by one race or class.
- There are always people walking (or running) around, from the early morning joggers to the late-night bar-hoppers. I have yet to be the only person walking on the street.
- There is always an event going on. For instance last week, I attended Northalsted Market Days, which was a weekend festival that took place on my street. I only had to walk two blocks to get to the festival (which was in Boystown—the Castro of Chicago). There was food, vendors, drag shows, and other types of entertainment. Chicago has neighborhood festivals like this pretty much every weekend.
- Of course, everyone knows where Chicago is (it is the 3rd largest city in the United States).
- Public transportation is a great, cost-effective option. Buses and trains run frequently and tend to be close to wherever you need to be. I depend on them to get me to most places I need to go. Sometimes I will go a whole week without using my car.
I did not, however, expect:
- Parking to be such a hassle and so expensive! You have to pay to park everywhere in this city. Not just downtown, but everywhere. And not only do you have to pay to park (and depending on what part of the city you’re in, parking fees can be $30 or more), but good luck finding parking. Some places don’t even offer parking. There’s a Trader Joe’s near my house, but you’ll never catch me in there. They only offer street parking, and I’ve never been able to find any. I’d rather go to a store that has a parking lot or parking structure. Oh, and not only do you have to pay to park wherever you go, but you also have to pay a yearly City of Chicago parking fee. And, if you want to park in specific residences (like your own), there’s a yearly fee for that, too.
- Many of the “cultural events” I would be interested in take place on the South Side of Chicago…yes, where all the shootings are. There are museums, parks, churches and lots of community centers in this area that have events geared toward blacks. It’s very difficult to find these type of events on the North side or even downtown.
I still have a lot to see and discover. I’m excited to see what else this city has to offer!
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