zeroidea
join:2001-02-05
Chicago, IL
 ·AT&T Midwest
| Do you commute?
I'm curious as to whether more people commute TO Chicago, or FROM Chicago? I've occasionally bought/sold things 'locally' and have been surprised that almost none of the people I've interacted with actually live in the city - nor do they seem to come here often, as they usually want me to drive out to the suburbs.
I still don't understand how chi.forsale manages to be so useless. I'd swear that any number of cities with less than half Chicago's population have more active .forsale newsgroups..  |
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schja01
I need to get a life.
Premium,MVM
join:2000-04-27
Morton Grove, IL
clubs:  
 ·AT&T U-Verse
·AT&T Midwest
1 edit | I live in the near north 'burbs and avoid every opportunity of going into the city I can.
Traffic sux, parking sux even more than traffic, prices are higher.
What's the point.
Just my 2 (suburban) cents.
J
--
There are only 10 types of people in this world . . . Those who understand binary, and those who don't. |
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Jim
Premium
join:2003-02-10
·AT&T Midwest
| reply to zeroidea
42 miles one way from the far south suburbs. I've considered public transportation (train), but the logistics and loss of freedom (I tend to come and go at different times depending on what I need to get done) just do not warrant it. Been doing this to the same location in Chicago for 15 years. I love where I live and could not possibly find the right job for the right pay for the actual amount of work I do  anywhere near where I live. |
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Hilbe
join:2002-12-13 | reply to zeroidea
I myself live in the far north Gurnee. I drive to the Deerefield area, and like others said avoid the city at all cost. |
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RadioDoc
58ef2c0
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
·AT&T Midwest
| reply to zeroidea
I live in Western Springs (@I-55 and I-294 for those unfamiliar) and my office is less than 2 miles away in La Grange so I have no need to commute for work. However, we head east as often as we can. We can be on the Stevenson at 1st Avenue in about 5-10 minutes, and if there isn't a major backup inbound, I can be in Grant Park in about 20 after that. During the summer we're downtown (Monroe @ LSD) at least once a week after work and/or on weekends to go sailing from Monroe Harbor, and we are in various other parts of Chicago to dine at various restaurants year-round.
My wife rode the Burlington Northern for 9 years when she worked for Sears in the big black tower. My brother in law is a lawyer and takes the train (12+ years now) from W.S. every day to his office on Jackson. We have excellent Metra service here...and use it to get downtown for meetings, etc.
Except for Wrigleyville and Lincoln Park, it is usually easier for us to get into the city, get parked, and go do something fun than it is to get from here to Schaumburg (I'd rather poke my eyes out), for example. Yeah it's annoying to spend $10+ to park your car, but you cannot find much of what Chicago offers in most suburbs, and you cannot match Lake Michigan anywhere else. Daniel Burnham and his associates may have had their own agendas but they did stumble into a plan for a spectacular urban environment. And then there are the quirky joints, bars, clubs and storefront restaurants that most 'burbs actively avoid because, as you know, having fun in many suburbs is not allowed...
Find me a place as cool as Websters Wine Bar (Webster near Clybourn) in Naperville. Or the Tasting Room (Randolph at Ogden) for that matter...or Ohba, or Tru, or the Art Institute, or Skyline Stage @ Navy Pier (yeah it's corny, but...), or Park West, or...
The city is what you make of it. |
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Goober
join:2000-12-17
Naperville, IL
 ·Comcast
·WOW Internet and C..
1 edit | I'll take my Naperville anyday.
I stopped commuting about a year ago and absolutely LOVE it. I couldn't stand the train and the crowds and the cold and the heat and the morons who wouldn't cover their mouths before coughing on the back of my neck and the loud talkers and the throat clearers, etc. I used to catch a cold 2-3 times a year. Now, I barely catch anything once a year. My kids are healthier too.
And, although we (my wife and I) used to make a few jaunts into the city every month, I find Naperville has quite a bit to offer. Especially when compared to about 12 years ago. Although, the crowds are annoying. But, with having kids now, and downtown Naperville being less than a mile from my house, it's much more convenient and much less stressful.
Give me a nice burb anyday. |
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cybermud
join:2000-08-25
Chicago, IL | I live in the west loop, very close to the Tasting Room that Radio Doc mentioned, which is a GREAT place. My walk to work in the loop every day takes 20 minutes regardless of weather or traffic, and my commuting costs are zero! |
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drmorley
Premium,MVM
join:2000-12-20
Park Ridge, IL
clubs:
| reply to zeroidea
Been living in the city since I was 19. I worked in the Loop for a number of years, but for the past five years I've been doing the reverse commute. Personally, I can think of no better way to spend 2+ hours each day.
If it were up to me I would never leave the city. I would sell our cars and just take taxis or the L. I've been to Woodfield Mall and I'll die happy if only I never have to return.
I love live music and there's no better venues then the Metro, Riviera, Double Door or Park West. My first concert was U2 at the Metro for their Joshua Tree tour.
I won't even touch on restaurants. I |
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lionelgroulx
join:2001-11-27
Chicago, IL
| reply to Goober
said by Goober  :
I'll take my Naperville anyday.
Yuck.
Naperville is just like any burb. If you want to ride a bike or walk? Tough, there are no developed sidewalks in many parts of Naperville.
See any sidewalks along Route 59? Nope.
Want to go out and get sauced and take public transportation back home? Good luck.
Ogden avenue is a parking lot during rush hour. Naperville road, Route 59 and I-88 sucks as well. I'll take the train over that.
Naperville is still not as worse as the south west suburbs (Orland Park, Tinley Park..etc.). I'd rather eat glass than move back to towns where the police are out of control.
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alcohol, the cause of and solution to all of lifes problems |
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ChiDavid78
join:2003-07-14
Lisle, IL | reply to zeroidea
I own a condo in Lisle by the train and work in the loop so it is "kinda cityish" I guess. NExt place I own will be in Oak Park or Berwyn, somethign that is "urban suburbia." I like having both worlds right now. I only drive on weekends =) |
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Goober
join:2000-12-17
Naperville, IL
·Comcast
·WOW Internet and C..
| reply to lionelgroulx
Naperville is definitely not like any other burb. In fact, I think this statement that all suburbs are plain vanilla and generic is a very bad mis-characterization.
I love the downtown riverwalk and the downtown itself. That's what won me over when I first came here.
Also, the things that appeal to me in Naperville are the fairly low incidence of crime, the high quality schools and the fairly quiet conservative nature of the city. And it's affordable to boot.
Chicago proper is just too crowded, too noisy, too crime-ridden and too dirty for my tastes.
I didn't mind working in the loop, but I didn't like the inconvenience of not being able to hop in my car and go where I want and park wherever I want.
Also, there are tons of sidewalk everywhere in Naperville and all over the place. I guess I haven't been to places where there aren't any. Well, yeah I guess can't recall seeing sidewalks on 59. But, who walks along that street? And, I like to stay away from that area generally. It's so commercial and crowded. Luckily it's like that only on the very far western portion of Naperville. You can't characterize a whole city based on one commercial zone. |
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lionelgroulx
join:2001-11-27
Chicago, IL
| said by Goober :
Also, there are tons of sidewalk everywhere in Naperville and all over the place. I guess I haven't been to places where there aren't any. Well, yeah I guess can't recall seeing sidewalks on 59. But, who walks along that street? And, I like to stay away from that area generally. It's so commercial and crowded. Luckily it's like that only on the very far western portion of Naperville. You can't characterize a whole city based on one commercial zone.
There are tons of sidewalks in the downtown and immediate surrounding areas. But on Diehl for example? Naperville road? What about the bridges over I-88?
So if someone without a vehicle who lives north on Route 59 wants to walk to the mall they are SOL? (And have to walk into the train station, under the tracks, out of the train station, through the parking lot without getting hit, and then into the parking lot of the red lobster..etc.)?
There are a lot of homes & apartments North & Northwest the Route 59 train station.
I do have to admit, the Naperville police were actually pretty decent.
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alcohol, the cause of and solution to all of lifes problems |
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Goober
join:2000-12-17
Naperville, IL
·Comcast
·WOW Internet and C..
| True on all accounts. In that way, Naperville is a typical suburb--not designed for being walker friendly unless you're in a neighborhood or park area.
My baseline assumption is that a suburbanite must have a car. Obviously that's not true in the city. |
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RadioDoc
58ef2c0
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
·AT&T Midwest
| reply to Goober
We went to the Naperville Ribfest for 10 years, and finally gave up because:
1) Traffic and parking pandemonium which makes Lincoln Park on a Saturday night a breeze by comparison.
2) More drunk people pissing in the bushes than there ever was after a weekend night game in Wrigleyville.
3) Enough rude assholes to fill Comiskey Park. Taste of Chicago is Ravinia by comparison. These (adult) jerks have no problem cutting in line, stepping on you, spilling beer on or knocking down kids who get in the way of their quest for corn-on-a-stick or elephant ears.
4) Probably the worst crowd control this side of Altamont.
Naperville is overbuilt, overhyped, and far worse than the Loop. You can keep it. I quit going anywhere near downtown Naperville once it got a fatal case of the "cutes". 15 years ago there were real restaurants owned by actual, creative chefs. Now it's Just Another Mall. Too crowded, noisy and the ass-holiness is unbearable. Sorry. One of my best friends lives out there and he's about to slit his wrists working at home. "Stepford" is real; it's a subdivision in Naperville...
You stay out there...that makes one more parking place for me in Chicago.  |
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schja01
I need to get a life.
Premium,MVM
join:2000-04-27
Morton Grove, IL
clubs:
·AT&T U-Verse
·AT&T Midwest
| said by RadioDoc :
Naperville is overbuilt, overhyped, and far worse than the Loop. You can keep it.
Don't hold back your feelings Doc. I am getting a sense you might not like Naperville.
J
--
There are only 10 types of people in this world . . . Those who understand binary, and those who don't. |
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lionelgroulx
join:2001-11-27
Chicago, IL
| reply to RadioDoc
said by RadioDoc :
We went to the Naperville Ribfest for 10 years, and finally gave up because:
Ahhh ribfest. Good eats...but I've only found luck going the last day and avoiding the crowds and fools. I don't know what it is about the other days.
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alcohol, the cause of and solution to all of lifes problems |
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Goober
join:2000-12-17
Naperville, IL
·Comcast
·WOW Internet and C..
| reply to RadioDoc
I haven't gone to the ribfest in about 12 years. I stay away from that event. I was also glad when the Chicago Fire or whatever soccer team left as well. I didn't like all the people pouring in. I'm not a big fan of crowds, hence my dislike for the crowds of big cities.
I still love Naperville. Yes, it's more crowded than 10-15 years ago, but it's still a beautiful, vibrant, fairly wealthy community. Every time I walk the Riverwalk with my family, I'm amazed by how nice the city truly is. I go to other western suburbs when my family and I consider what other suburb we could move into, but Naperville just has this charm that we can't find anywhere else. I guess we're lifers.
As for restaurants, I think you'll find very few people in agreement with you. I think some of the best restaurants in the western suburbs are to be found in Naperville. |
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RadioDoc
58ef2c0
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
·AT&T Midwest
| Well you can't argue with a lifer...
Montparnasse was great in it's time when Suzy Crofton was there, and Emilio's Meson Sebika has it's good days when Emilio is there.
There's restaurants, and there's great restaurants. One in Naperville, Montage, making an effort to be the latter is out in the sticks on 59 in a strip mall. As for the rest, I guess I have a different idea of what qualifies as "best", and will agree to disagree. You can't find anything approaching the quality of several in Wicker Park or the Loop anywhere near there though. Sorry. I've pretty much tried them all. |
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Goober
join:2000-12-17
Naperville, IL
·Comcast
·WOW Internet and C..
| I can't argue that Chicago has great restaurants. I think, though, as suburbs go, Naperville has some of the best. That's not to say they are better than the ones in Chicago. That was the reason my wife and I (before kids) used to go to Chicago. But, since having the "li'l darlings" I think we don't have to go very far to get above average eats.
Although, I'm not sure that loop restaurants can be blanketly called good. Yes there are a few higher-end ones that are nice, but on a day to day basis (having done it for about 12 years), my co-workers and I never could find anyplace that was very good for just regular lunches. The loop is just rife with awful Chinese restaurants.
My workplace was located at LaSalle and Adams. Maybe there's better in some other parts of the loop. |
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RadioDoc
58ef2c0
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
·AT&T Midwest
| No, there are quite a few bad restaurants in the Loop. I didn't mean to give them all a blanket endorsement. It's the great ones there which overshadow most in the burbs I'm talking about.
Anyway, the point was that there are far more reasons to head into the city than there are to stay in sub-bore-bia. |
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