Chicago

[trailerkid]

I'm sorry your inferiority complex makes you an asshole.

I don't even know what that "means."

[mean]

It means shut up. You aren't in the Chicago Admirer's Club, so go away and let us have our fun.

Here are the minutes for last month's meeting:

1. Everyone sat down and ritually masturbated to pictures of Richard Daley

2. Meeting called to order

3. Rufus bent over and took the whole blue line up his pooper

4. Stylized Image contest judged. Winner: Sears Tower as Giant Penis

5. Meeting adjourned, group renditions of "Sweet Home Chicago" and "Goin' to Kansas City" with all the good parts removed from "Goin' to Kansas City" to make Kansas City look as stupid as possible.

[nota]

The absolute best place to view Chicago's skyline is from the lake.

Wangle yourself an invite to the Columbia Yacht Club for a nice evening dinner. AWESOME!

Or take a cruise on the lake in the dark. Or in the day time. I just love the glitter of the night skyline.

[QueSi2Opie]

5. Meeting adjourned, group renditions of "Sweet Home Chicago" and "Goin' to Kansas City" with all the good parts removed from "Goin' to Kansas City" to make Kansas City look as stupid as possible.

[trailerkid]

You forgot these:

6. Teach the practices of redlining

7. Talk about Chicago's crown jewel companies: Sears, Spiegel and McDonalds

8. Create more smog over Lake Michigan

[bahua]

Kansas City doesn't have zebra mussels.



Ha! But they're coming!

How you like us now, Chicago!

[mean]

You forgot these:

Didn't forget, we had to adjourn early cause the Cubs were playing.

[Boognish]

"Yes, Chicago is a LOT bigger than KC...duh!....it's similar to comparing Topeka to Kansas City. Compare Chicago to New York, LA, or San Francisco. Chicago is a Midwest big city, which says it all."


Chicago is a lot bigger than San Francisco and a lot more urban than Los Angeles.

Am I the only one that notices how startlingly similar LA's skyline is to KC? Every time they show it, I think - Hey! ..... oh.

[trailerkid]

What I mean is that Chicago has a national reputation as a major city (NYC, Miami, DC/Baltimore, SF). When you compare it to other destination cities...what is so unique and breathtaking about Chicago, Illinois?

[Boognish]

I lived there for six years, and the winter weather can be pretty breathtaking.

Honestly, though, it's a good question. What is it about Chicago that makes it comparable to the bigger, well known cities?

If I know what you're getting at, it's not a fair question for me, because the most well-known things about places are not really very interesting. If people think St. Louis, they think of the Arch (if they think of anything at all), and it's probably one of the most anti-climactic things about the city. (I'm not hatin' on ya, 'Lou, not at all. But having a huge croquet wicket is not my idea of fame.) The Space Needle in Seattle is the same way, not so much the Statue of Liberty (because, you know, it's a statue, with etching and everything, not a giant pole sticking out of the ground). LA has mostly Hollywood implications, which to me are more of a negative than a positive.

As Midwesterners (particularly since a lot of us are obviously suffering from a huge inferiority complex), we MUST back Chicago - it's really our only bastion to the world. So what one thing would I say Chicago offers to the world?

It's simple - skyscrapers. Like anything truly great, a huge chunk of the planet has stolen from it, but the entire idea of the horizon of towering buildings was born right here in our own lil' midwestern backyard, upon the canvas of a city rampaged by fire.

I suppose that Chicago should promote itself as such, but you know what? That wouldn't be very Chicago-like. And I love that.

[chrizow]

i agree. chicago is not NYC or SF or any of the other "World Cities" in the US, but it IS the most "World" city in the Midwest and the closest to KC.

it is also the closest thing in the U.S. to NYC. chicago's downtown and surrounding urban density is very exciting for someone like me who grew up in KC and hasn't been very many places (been out of the midwest three times).

like i said in an earlier post, Chicago is a great example of a midwest city with a bustling downtown, strong inner suburbs, and strong identity. it has its problems (crime, sprawl, etc.) but chicago is an amazing place and probably the most livable World city in the U.S.

while this may be inaccurate, i'd say Chicago has a bigger impact on KC in terms of culture, business, etc. than any other big city, esp. DC, NYC, and SF, who have no idea where MO even is. my contracts professor just moved to columbia, mo from Manhattan (NYC). he candidly and frequently talks about how the Midwest was always sort of Flyover territory, something to be forgotten - except for chicago.

i dont know where i am going with this. i guess i am just a Midwesterner by heart, so i stick behind Chicago as the Midwest's premier liason to the country and the world outside the US. i love KC, but i love Chicago too. nothin' wrong with that.

[QueSi2Opie]

Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, Cleveland, Cincinatti, Columbus, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City, etc. I love them all! They represent the Midwest! It has been people and ideas from the Midwest that are responsible for most of the "culture" and "identity" of the United States...good and bad.

C'mon now, Detroit is responsible for creating one of the best musical forms in the globe today (not talkin' MoTown smack either) listened by peeps in Asia, Europe and even South America.....it's TECHNO!

[mean]

C'mon now, Detroit is responsible for creating one of the best musical forms in the globe today

While I don't really like techno, Detroit definitely got the ball rolling there. Detroit also originated Motown (much more to my liking) and was a fertile breeding ground for what would become "punk rock" in the 1970s with the likes of MC5 and Iggy and the Stooges. Detroit's influence on modern music is easily underestimated, yet even today Detroit leads the way with names like Bantam Rooster and the White Stripes. I think it's fair to say that for all Chicago's "world city" status, she takes a backseat to Detroit in the modern music department.

But all that's probably off topic, sorry.

[trailerkid]

Can I get some suggestions for some non-touristy restaurants to visit in downtown Chi...moderately cheap and good.

[ComandanteCero]

lol, reading this long dead thread was funny.  Um, interestingly enough i'm in Chicago right now....... trying to find good cheap eats in the same area.  Yeah, it's pretty tough.... there are plenty of greasy spoon places and fast food or chain restaurants, but it's very hard to find cheap great eats (which i define as: food, drink, tip, all under 10 dollars.  LOL, not going to happen).  Here are the place i've been to so far........

Billy Goat Tavern (near north side, Mag Mile): ~7 dollars, triple cheese boiger, some chips, a medium coke.  This place might be kind of touristy to some (it was made famous by John Belushi in a famous SNL skit).  But it's underground (literally), and there was not much traffic when i got there.  Most of the guys there looked like they were either regulars at the bar (chatting with the bar tender) or reporter/business types (as seen by big ass professional cameras and suitcases).

Flat Top Grill (in Old Town): 22 dollars once i factored my Coke (2 dollars), the dinner plate (13.99), tax and tip.  This was alright, if you've been to Mongolian BBQ (where you make your own food and they grill it) you've basically been to this place.  Food itself is not worth the money.... but there were a lot of people with their dates, and it was cozy.

Sayat Nova (in Streeterville): 16 dollars, main course, water, tip, and tax.  Armenian place, it was alright for the price.

Metro Pizza (in Wicker Park): 15 dollars.  It could have been cheaper if i'd ordered a slice (about 2.50 depending on toppings) but I ordered half a pizza (because i figured i'd eat some and then take the rest home to the fridge and have my food problems solved for the next day).  So the half pizza was 11 bucks, the Coke 1.50, there was the tax and tip, and that rounded out to 15 smackers.  I can't recommend this place, the pizza was alright, but no worth the money 

Anyway, seeing as i've blown half my money already i'm going to buy bread and meat/tuna at a deli tomorrow and start making my own sandwiches for a while 

[ComandanteCero]

ok, i cant give as detailed a report on the other places i went, since they're all kind of blurry now.  However i highly recommend L'Appetito (in the sunken plaza infront of the John Hancock building, AWESOME deli style italian sandwiches for cheap (5-10 will get you a sandwich, some chips, and a drink).  It is good, fast, authentic, cheap and we need a place just like this in KC.)  Frontera Grill, lots of hype around it, and kind of pricey (12-20 dollar range) but it's got pretty awesome authentic Mexican food (no re-fried, covered in way too much cheese Tex-Mex crap.  Be careful what you order, cause it might be completely different from what you might expect based on the usual TexMex restaurants, even if it has the same name).  Those are the ones that stand out.....