I was born and raised in Chicago (pronounced shi-CAW-go) in both The City (yes, capital letters intended) and in the ‘burbs. I much prefer The City for several reasons:
- Native Chicagoans are characters. For instance, there are the original yuppies that live in The City, don’t own a car, and commute to work by bus or el; and yuppy wannabees that live in the ‘burbs and commute by train an hour or more each way to The City. Sporting expensive white famous label walking shoes with clean white socks is as much a part of the yuppy uniform as the brown briefcase and ‘commuter beige’ trench coat.
- Weekends in The City are awesome! There is always something to do: museums of science, museums of art, opera theatres, dinner theatres, playhouses, the Shedd Aquarium, Soldier Field (da Bears!), Wrigley Field and Comiskey Park (baseball), Blackhawk Stadium (hockey), Chinatown, Little Italy, authentic restaurants of every flavor and ethnicity, Navy Pier, Grant Park (free concerts), Jazz Fest, Chicago Fest, fill-in-the-ethnicity Fest, shopping on the Magnificent Mile, State Street, Water Tower Place, cozy pubs on Rush Street, dramatic bars on Division,... OMG there’s so much more I’m missing.

Going to Chicago for a visit? Let me know! I’ll be glad to point you in the right direction! (I might even go with you!)