Chicago is Amazing

Whew! Thank goodness you left.

More room for us.

The less flyovers, the better.

Enjoy living in the middle of nowhere.

OP?

New York doesn't miss you.

Not. one. bit.

Unfortunately, you have to live in.... Chicago.

Op, are you talking about Chicago, the murder capital of the USA?

Congrats!

Where do you live OP, and is the rent reasonable? Have you been robbed or mugged?

I live in Wicker Park. No I haven’t been mugged or robbed. Most of the crime happens on the South Side of Chicago. It’s definitely not fly over land we have millions and millions of people all packed in just like New York only we pay half the rent. I live in a 2 bedroom two bath w den 1150 square-foot apartment for 1900 a mo.

[quote] I live in a 2 bedroom two bath w den 1150 square-foot apartment for 1900 a mo.

I hate to break it to you, but that's FUCKING EXPENSIVE.

Plus, you have to deal with extremely cold and hot weather. And crowds. And traffic. And crime.

Sucker.

I was in Chicago recently and was shocked at the prices at Mariano's (a grocery store). Things were significantly cheaper than the stuff at the grocery stores here in Cleveland, and it was all the more surprising considering the store was located in an upscale neighborhood (Millennium Mile) and looks outwardly like a high-end supermarket. I certainly wasn't expecting food to be cheaper in Chicago than in Cleveland.

[quote]Whew! Thank goodness you left. The less flyovers, the better.

"Fewer" flyovers, oh sophisticated, coastal dear.

R7 It’s all relative man. Maybe in a smaller city that’s expensive but I live in one of the most dense hip neighborhoods in the city. My apartment is fucking huge compared to the shoebox that I lived in New York and paid almost 3500 a month for.

Plenty of 1 BR apartments under 1500 in Boystown.

R8, Cleveland has an unusual grocery store situation due to Giant Eagle destroying the competitive market in the 2000s (or maybe 90s?). That's probably simplified but now there are very few stores and prices are inflated.

Chicago seems nice, I've been debating where I want to move to and it's on the list of options.

R11 I agree there’s a lot of cheap apartments in Lakeview. There are no broker fees in Chicago so you don’t have to cut off your right arm and drain blood to move into an apartment.. like NY

Plus, you have to deal with extremely cold and hot weather. And crowds. And traffic. And crime.

Yes, and there's none of that in NYC R7

R14 Seriously who do they think they’re fooling. I lived in Astoria for eight years. There were many days that I walked up those stairs to the N train where I felt like my ears were going to fucking fall off it was so cold.

[quote] And crowds. And traffic.

Traffic? There's no reason to drive, the public transport is better (and cheaper) than NY. Most people get to work in 15-30 minutes.

And where are these "crowds"?

You might get attacked if you go to Subway at 1:00 a.m.!

Chicago is "MAGA Country".

R18 you're a right jessie.

It all sounds nice and I'm happy for OP that he's happy. But at the end of the day he is landlocked which is a big thing. Yes I know there's the lakes but the open feeling of being on the coast where you can escape to the ocean is for myself and many a deal breaker, especially if you live in an urban environment. Maybe if I wasn't a native New Yorker and didn't grow up with that feeling it would be different.

What neighborhood did jussie live in? It looked great I consider Chicago but the crime rate and segregation give me pause

Chicago is more segregated than Alabama and Mississippi.

There's also a lot of horrible racism and small town thinking, lurking right under the surface of most Midwesterners.

They can't help being provincial, because of where they're from. But it's something to get used to.

Most of them don't even realize who they really are. You kind of just have to feel sorry for them.

What are the men like in Chicago these days? I remember a friend telling me about 10 years ago that Chicago was FULL of muscle gays but I wonder if that is still the case?

"There's also a lot of horrible racism and small town thinking, lurking right under the surface of most Midwesterners."

But there's none of that in white Queens, or lily white Staten Island. No siree, Bob, everyone is 100% liberal in NYC (never mind Trump and Giuliani are both born and bred in NYC).

Chicago is changing rapidly. Although many middle class blacks are leaving the south and west side in droves, there is also a big increase in black people with college degrees moving to the city. Years ago, Chicago lagged its coastal competitors in terms of college-degree attainment. Now, it is on par with NYC. Additionally, Chicago has the fastest growing downtown region in the country.

I’m guessing you don’t live in a black neighbourhood?

I love Chicago OP. NYC and Chicago are my two favourite US cities. Anthony Bourdain loved it too:)

[quote]Op, are you talking about Chicago, the murder capital of the USA?

I just spent two weeks in chicago and you are a fool. you can't possibly believe that the murders occur equally throughout the city limits?

It’s fine. Just not a huge job growth area. Generally salaries are lower - but so is cost of living. I think it’s an acceptable alternative to NYC. Though most people I know come back eventually.

Just don’t buy an apartment. 3 out of 4 people I know who bought in the past 10 years lost money. At a time when most of the US was experiencing huge price increases, Chicago is apparently losing people and therefor prices are cheap for a reason.

R3 but the ‘tail’ I get here is better than in NYC. Much more athletic and toned. And we all know that is a big part of what makes a city livable.

Go (farther) west, young man.

R23 yes muscle Mary’s are all over the place here and much more friendly and accessible then their NYC counterparts. I never have a problem trying to find a place to plunge my thick uncut midwestern dick and drop a load. They all seem to enjoy being topped by a Univ of Iowa wrestler.

OP that really is nothing to come on here and brag about dumb ass.

OP don't let the NYC assholes who are ragging you get you upset. They're just mooks who would desperately love to get out of NYC but don't have the ability.

[quote]But at the end of the day he is landlocked which is a big thing. Yes I know there's the lakes but the open feeling of being on the coast where you can escape to the ocean is for myself and many a deal breaker, especially if you live in an urban environment.

Downtown Chicago abuts Lake Michigan, which is only slightly smaller than the state of West Virginia. No salt, no sharks, plenty of swimming and boating.

R35, not to mention the creation of air travel. It allows you to go to destinations on the East Coast quickly and (relatively) cheaply.

I love Chicago. I’ve been twice and had a great visit each time.

I love Chicago and find the men there so much more open and friendly than those in NY.

My partner is originally from Chicago and found to very provincial growing up. he was happy to get out of there

How's the gay scene in Chicago? Is it as open as New York's?

Welcome OP! It is the best major city in the US. If this setup was in a temporary climate, like San Diego, It’d be the Sydney of the America’s.

Anyway, it’s a great city full of perfectly manicured gay boys. I think the extreme temperatures make people really capitalize on the available social and sports resources. Most of my friends go to the lake/beach almost every weekend, lots of days on the boats as well. Lots of club sports in the winter. I’m sure it’s the same in NYC. Boystown is great, just for existing without many incidents these days.

Public transit is top notch for America. The job market is strong, if you have a white collar friendly work history/degree. So many tech companies have offices here. Want to work for Google, Facebook, Amazon, Grubhub, Uber, Lyft, Venmo, etc.? No problem, all of them are within the Loop or West Loop.

Beyond white men, every other race is here looking hot as hell. Chicago is clean and safe, outside of some extreme pockets of crime. No one is scared to go out at night in most of the City.

NYC offers a lot of awesome benefits, but it’s not for me. We’d happily take more hot New Yorkers!

What do you mean by open r39? I’d say it healthy. Take the Brown line after 5p and fire up your Grindr. Between a trip around the Loop and Lakeview you should catch some interested men. Results may vary depending on the other L lines.

[qoute]But there's none of that in white Queens

Queens is the most ethically diverse urban area in the world. Been to Flushing or Jamaica?

R41, I meant tolerant. Is it safe to be openly gay, walk around holding your boyfriend's hand, wear the styles of clothing many gay men enjoy wearing, and not be harassed or threatened by the straights?

Chicago offers plentiful sex. Guys are mid-western hot and very willing

Chicagoan here. Have lived here 27 years and it has improved greatly in those years. It's not NYC, but it's got a lot of things going for it. However, the negatives do wear one down after a while, and I daydream about moving somewhere else. Unfortunately, my husband was born and raised here, and he thinks the rest of the country is MAGAland.

Crime is definitely an issue in Chicago; I don't know what you Marys are talking about. It's definitely been worse in the past 5-10 years, especially in Boystown. There used to be plenty of 24-hour diners and late night eats that dropped being open 24 hours. Too much drama, too much ratchet: not worth it. There have been shootings in Lakeview which was unheard of in the early 00s.

It's mostly petty crime and not violent crime, but it happens. Criminal prosecution in this town is a joke. Taxes are a nightmare. They keep offering debt forgiveness for the poor (now for even basic utilities like water!) so the middle-class gets the squeeze. It has plenty of problems that gets people fed up.

BUT! It's a gorgeous, fun city and when it's right, it's right. The lake is stunning, calm, and beautiful; beaches are great. Granted I'm from the midwest and love the great lakes. The drive down Lake Shore toward the Drake Hotel at night is still one of my favorite sights.

r43, I live on the north side, which is its own little world. Over here I see a ton of openly gay men love their lives. Now go down to Garfield Park and it may be andiffenrt feeling. But you can hold your partner’s hand. It seems like a really tolerant city. Our Mayor ran as an openly gay candidate, proudly bring her wife on the trail with her.

So you’d be fine here.

My husband and I have had zero issues, R43. We're plenty affectionate and hold hands. Of course, this is in the northside white/asian neighborhoods.

The most homophobia I've ever experienced was in my early 20s from black homeless. When I refused to donate to one guy he said "BITCH I HOPE YOU GET AIDS." Another time one trotted out a ratty ass paper telling me about his daughter's cancer medication (obvious scam). I said I didn't have money he went "Man, all you gay guys say that!!" then again, followed up with "I hope you die of AIDS, faggot!"

Deffo not MAGA country, Jussie. But that's it, honestly.

I haven’t experienced the Boystown crime. Now ratchet ness is what it is, but it’s still safe. Cops are near almost every bar. You’ll start to know them by name when you go out. Idk, I feel safer her then in many other cities. I admits, that I haven’t read the crime statistics recently and only arrived 2 years ago so I don’t have the history that others bring to this conversation

If you've just been here for 2 years, then welcome. :)

But there was a simpler time when you didn't NEED a huge police presence. Walking to the Belmont L was no issues. And the 7/11 parking lot at Roscoe didn't need giant fence barricades. It's a new normal so it's probably chill for you, but yes: way different than how it was 15-10 years ago.

R47 R48 Thanks. I'd like to visit someday.

Thanks r50, I did find the 7/11 thing odd. At least some of the cops are cute and always friendly to me and my friends.

Please do! If you are here on a Monday go to SideTrack (Boystown) for Showtunes Night. Everyone loves it and you’ll notice the crowd has some bar specific traditions based on the song. It’s great fun.

R31, it’s warm enough to be burning up entirely.

As a Chicagoan, I'm considering moving to NYC. It seems like would be much more diverse and exciting (but also way more expensive). Can any former New Yorkers on here provide advice?

For all intents and purposes Lake Michigan is an ocean. A fresh water ocean. It has lovely beaches and beachside communities. It has waves just like the Atlanta & Pacific, big ships that sail from one end to the other, and if standing on the shore of the lake anywhere you can not see anything but water. It's 307 miles long and 118 miles wide. Anyone who feels they must live by the sea to be happy could be happy living by Lake Michigan.

Or Lake Huron... or Lake Superior. I've been to some great Ontario beaches along Huron in the summer.

And one of the most incredible sights you'll ever see is in the dead of winter when the lake is frozen over as far as the eye can see.

And any beach lover who couldn't be happy with this is just too hard to please.

To all you fighting about New York vs. Chicago: suckassss!!!

I’m enjoying a pleasantly crisp West Hollywood day in the 70’s.

Is The Weiners Circle as much fun as it looks?

Chicago is one of the cleanest big cities on the planet. Far cleaner than NYC.

All these "NYC IS #1" posters are just goobers who moved there from outside the region and put great store in being able to brag to people that they live in NYC. Native New Yorkers would never talk about how much better NYC is than Chicago because they're too busy dreaming of the day they can escape that hell.

Weiners Circle is like a drunken rite of passage, but I haven't been for YEARS because now I'm an old married gayfrau. Not sure if they still can do all of the risque shit (like the chocolate shake) or how they haven't been "canceled" yet. The manager, Poochie, is a riot. I bought her a blunt once across the street at 7/11 on her break. All of the videos of it don't do it justice.

There is a line of insults and seeing true racism in action. You DEFINITELY can tell the difference. The ladies give as good as (or worse than) they get, but once in a while you get a guy that is too fucking far and genuinely racist. Real fucking uncomfortable but they will throw your ass the fuck out. Seen it more than once!

"I’m enjoying a pleasantly crisp West Hollywood day in the 70’s."

Said the dizzy queen, completely oblivious to the firestorms around her.

[quote] I’m enjoying a pleasantly crisp West Hollywood day in the 70’s.

Don't worry Toots, before long your lungs will be filled with rot inducing smog day after day. If you stay there you'll die 10 years before your time.

How's the Wrigleyville Bottom doing?

Yawn go away LA troll.

Chicago is full of YAHOOS.

Midwestern hicks from Indiana, Kentucky, Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa, who all want to move to the "big city."

They are actually what makes the city so provincial, because they bring their small town mentality to what is actually a pretty sophisticated urban area.

I’ve always felt Chicago was provincial. Which is fine. But the people in a city are a big factor - and I find Chicago to be small town people acting like big city folk. And definitely greater racial distinctions / separation than many other big cities.

There are no black guys in "Boystown." That's a fact.

It should be called "White Boys Town." Because that's what it actually is.

I always love these threads and their amusing comments.

But I find I have a question for R70. Please give examples of this. Be specific please.

[quote]...small town people acting like big city folk

As for R20...

[quote] at the end of the day he is landlocked

I am reminded of sitting at a stop light on Lake Shore Drive during the rush hour one summer evening and seeing Chicagoans, since their work day had ended, crossing at the light heading for Oak Street Beach.

Land Locked?? No.

[R65] & [R66] Sorry, was enjoying the weather. Air quality is ok today, according to the local news. Poor air quality exists all over the country, year round. You’re fooling yourself if you think dense New York has good air quality, and Chicago has always had poor air quality since it’s stock yard days. Don’t forget that the east coast has years and years of toxic heavy industry that has to have had an impact.

[R72] that looks depressing, not a real beach.

R67 Yes I have heard stories about the Wrigleyville cumdump. What’s his story? Is he hot, Is his hole really that good, any pictures? Enquiring minds want to know.

OP -- I lived in Chicago for a few years, then moved to Manhattan. I much prefer the actual city of Chicago to NY. The architecture is more interesting, it is easier to get around, the city is very well-laid out, etc, but I prefer the people in NYC. I thought the people in Chicago were perfectly fine and friendly, but lacked that nerve and energy of people from the east coast. It is a wonderful city to live in, though, and I hope you remain happy there. (And for anyone who complains because it is land-locked: Lake Michigan has a dominant presence, and there is boating and swimming and beaches, and it is much cleaner and more usable than any water in NY. And it is huge. And beautiful. And there are a million adorable towns to visit along the lake, which might not be as glam as the Hamptons, but have their charm.)

A few years ago my local airport cut some runs & an airline pulled out. I was on my way to FL and heard the airport workers (all white) grousing about it. And guess who they blamed? Obama. “They’re routing more traffic to Chicago, that’s why! The money and contracts are going to Chicago.” Why? I asked. “Because of who’s in the White House, that’s why. He’s from Chicago!”

I pointed out that nearly everyone using the airport was going up and down the east coast. Hard to divert planes from NY to Orlando or NY to Boston or Montreal through Chicago. “He took our money away and gave it to the airlines to make more stops in Chicago. If you want to go to TX from here, you have to go through Chicago now!”

These douches had good jobs and were bitching because of the black guy. PS- you had to be related to a local GOP politician to get one of those jobs.

This is how we got trump. Ignoramuses spreading bullshit like this.

People like that only believe what sounds the best, and fits their ignorant mindset. They're totally uninterested in knowing the truth because the truth isn't as much fun.

I've lived in Chicago for years and years. Lake Michigan is gorgeous and contributes to the quality of life here. I would never live far away from it as long as I live here. But it's not an ocean, those aren't real beaches (they're landfill covered with trucked-in sand), the waves are not like ocean waves, and being at the lake is not the same as going to the shore. It's just not.

Is this what you want OP?

[quote]those aren't real beaches (they're landfill covered with trucked-in sand), the waves are not like ocean waves, and being at the lake is not the same as going to the shore.

You have to go to the Michigan side of the lake for spectacular beaches and big waves.

(But don't, because we don't want the crowds.)

[quote] Lake Michigan has a dominant presence, and there is boating and swimming and beaches, and it is much cleaner and more usable than any water in NY. And it is huge. And beautiful.

What's the water temperature like?

Is it freezing cold all year, or does it ever warm up.

Also, doesn't the "Chicago River" empty into Lake Michigan? I heard it's filthy, and all of that goes straight into the lake. So I question how "clean" it is.

Watch "Shameless," and you won't want to move to Chicago.

For R74

^^ Ooops.

No, river doesn’t dump into the lake R82, since that’s where all the drinking water comes from. It flows the other way. :)

And now even the river is really nice with the river walk. It’s come a loooong way. And idc who knows it: trump tower is a gorgeous building where the shitty sun times used to be.

Chicago beaches aren’t the best (I don’t SWIM in the lake there that’s for sure) but you HAVE them. The beaches farther north are nicer like Wilmette (but you pay) and like someone said upthread: Michigan has the real beaches. I dunno about the Wisconsin side.

Yes it’s cold AF. Lucky day if you get a warm day at the beach in the lakes. Anywhere. But not like the continental Pacific and Atlantic is much better on that score, and those have wildlife and undertows.

Do any gay Chicagoans know a gay gym owner named David Wilshire? He had a gym in the Belmont/Broadway area of Chicago in the late 90s. Kind of a sleazy businessman... Ripped off many a gay boy when his gym went belly up after selling hundred of discounted long term memberships.

Right behind ya Will. The high cost of living diminishes the experience of living here.

I don’t like it windy.

I can’t begin to fathom how anyone would brag about living in the Midwest! The only reason you’re now living in the murder capital of the US is because you couldn’t make it in NY. You’re not talented, educated, experienced, affable, or attractive enough to live in NY. However you have to justify that fact is your business, but we all see you as a loser in life.

Aww, poor r90 is projecting again.

R90, bitch please! I'd be willing to bet you are never more than 1 or 2 missed paychecks away from absolute disaster. You probably couldn't come up with 5 grand cash in a week if your life depended on it.

R90 puts too much stock in her geographic location.

My cousin is actually thinking about moving there from LA. He's sick of the cost of living and the people. He works in movie business but he says it's really hard to get work in LA right now anyways. Most of his work is out of country. He went to Chicago a year ago and loved it.

The people calling Chicago flyoverstan are uneducated. It’s one of the major cities in the world and very beautiful.

South Chicago is not all of Chicago.

Enjoy, op!

I'm imagining that this is what HELL looks like.

I went to law school in Chicago and had the best 3 years of my life....so many hot Midwest boys, always easy to meet and hook up with... I have been in NYC for the past 15 years and although I enjoy living here, it is much more segregated socially and the gays are so materialistic and snobby... I often think about all the great times in Chicago, enjoy it there.

Is it really racist? I need a new city to relocate too and I like socializing with a Diverse group

R98, it isn't as diverse as NYC or LA, but it's still very diverse and you'll be fine. I'm an Indian dude here in Chicago and I fit in fine. Very diverse group of friends.

Video of gay beach:

Chicago gay life is NOT diverse. Don't listen to the Indian guy.

I'm white and I can see it with my own eyes.

White guys socialize with white. Black guys mingle with black guys. And the same for Latinos.

If he is socializing with white guys, it's only because he has no larger group to fit in with, so he just goes with white guys, because that's where he *thinks* he belongs.

No the Chicago river does not empty into Lake Michigan. It runs the other way. Chicago built the largest sewage treatment plant io the world in1930 and ninety years later there's only one larger. Lake Michigan is certainly cleaner than the untreated water NY gets from the Catskills.

R97, R101 nailed it. New Yorker here who had that exact experience in Chicago. Not gonna lie, it has its charms about it. Good pizza, cute downtown, etc. As aware as I am about segregation in NY it was visible in Chicago. I'll give Boystown their props though because I had FUN in their bars, whereas NY gays seem more tightly wound.

As a New Yorker I'm embarrassed that r90 purports to represent our city. He is obviously insecure and unhappy, and almost certainly a transplant. Real New Yorkers don't talk that way as we are confident and content enough not to have to put others down to make ourselves feel better, especially in such a low class way.

Chicago seems like a fun and interesting city, but I'm still not sold on what you guys are calling beaches. I guess if that's what you grew up with and are used to, it's good enough, especially compared to much of the Midwest which is all land, but one of the main things that keeps me living on the coast is, well, the coast. There's just nothing to compare with the actual ocean, the energy of a lake just doesn't compare to it no matter how large, and the feeling of freedom, openness and expansiveness on the shore is incomparable.

Seems pretty open and expansive to me.

You left NYC and you're pointing out how cold it sometimes was in the winter, but you moved to Chicago where the winters are especially brutal?

This would have been a no brainer 10 years ago. But now that NyC sucks and is plain Jane I’m willing to give Chicago a second look.

They will have legal weed in about 2 months. NYC will still be locking up black teens for having a joint.

NYC is turning into a boring Dubai. With a median age of 75.

R107 As a lifelong New Yorker I'm also pissed off about the gentrification and the loss of uniqueness of what made the city wonderful. Good luck in Chicago I hope you find the change good for you.

[quote] cute downtown

Cute? CUTE? You proved yourself a fool with that one statement. Downtown Chicago is far more beautiful and just as "citylike" as any section of Manhattan. And infinitely cleaner.

I hope you're embarrassed, but in case you're not we'll be embarrassed for you.

Cute indeed!

Anybody been to New Orleans recently? What about Detroit?

They both seemed poised for a comeback. Not sure that ever happened.

We need a new and exciting destination. The way that NYC used to make people feel. They could wait to get there.

couldn’t

OP, is this your place?

Get a fucking housekeeper, OP! You lazy slob. Can’t you afford one now, since your saving so much money?

*you’re

All kidding and flyover bashing aside, I love Chicago, & would have zero issues living there.

That place at R112 is "outstanding" alright. outstanding for its down market ugliness. And those are not bedrooms. Those are walk in closets with beds in them. I would live in a trailer before I'd pay $1900.00/mo for that ugly place.

[quote]Most of them don't even realize who they really are

LOL R22. I'm quite sure they have a much better idea of "who they are" then tone deaf, haughty, pretentious cunts like you..

The problem with most of NYC is that no matter how wonderful the area you live in is, you're never that far from areas that are horrible. Chicago is one of the, if not the most livable big city in the US.

Poltergeist III

[quote]I’ve always felt Chicago was provincial.

How exactly and specifically, o great aesthete? This should be quite easy for you to answer, exactly and specifically, given your obvious advantages.

Have lived in Chicago since 1990, bought my condo in Lakeview (Boystown) in 2003. Chicago is beautiful, with lots to do if you choose to take advantage of it, but truthfully, Lakeview has become overcrowded and over-gentrified to me.

Weather can be brutal. The worst to me was the winter of 2013-2014. Snow in November that stayed, and several days in January (about a week and a half, if memory serves) where the temps (NOT the wind chills) remained in the vicinity of 10/15 below zero. Soul-crushing cold.

OP, I love your neighborhood of Wicker Park — though certainly more gentrified than inits early-90s time as an intriguingly seedy music industry hub (“The Real World” bring filmed there might have contributed to that) but it still has a terrific character and charm. Some beautiful mansions on Hoyne. The husband and I love to explore this wonderful neighborhood.

Totally agree r107.

R112. Landlords charge nineteen hundred for a studio. In the Bronx. Sick. Sick . Sick.

[Quote]There are no black guys in "Boystown." That's a fact.

Where do black gay Chicagoans go to socialize?

R101, I agree with you on the segregation bit--the gay scene is very divided.But I am not one of those Indian dudes who only hangs out with my own race so I make it a point to hang out with a diverse group of people. I will say that dating/hooking up in Chicago has been really hard for me (and I grew up here).

[quote]It all sounds nice and I'm happy for OP that he's happy. But at the end of the day he is landlocked which is a big thing. Yes I know there's the lakes but the open feeling of being on the coast where you can escape to the ocean is for myself and many a deal breaker

Yup, I totally agree. I don't live in NYC. I'm in Bucks County, PA (best kept secret for a beautiful, safe place to live). From where I live (Central Bucks) you can drive to the beach in 1-2 hours (depending on which beach). I can't imagine not being able to visit the ocean. And no, lakes are not the same, no matter how big.

Being at the ocean is great for your wellbeing. It's breathing the salt air, wading in sea water and hearing the seagulls call at sunrise. It's walking along the shoreline as fine sand yields under your bare feet and bright sun reflects off miles of open water. It's listening to the pounding surf--nature's repetitive "OM" that is both soothing and meditative. Spending time near the ocean is both medicinal and spiritual. Nothing compares.

Forgot to mention, I can also be in Philly in an hour and NYC in less than two. And I do visit both cities often, but I don't have to live there, thank God. Big cities are too expensive, congested and stressful for me. To much humanity crunched into a small space. I love that I can go for a short visit and then come home to relax in an area that is beautiful, peaceful and friendly.

Bucks is beautiful in spring summer and fall.

DLers bitching about two thousand dollar rents. The world of poordom is so sad.

[quote] It's breathing the salt air, wading in sea water and hearing the seagulls call at sunrise.

They have seagulls and pelicans around Lake Michigan. Those are not just salt water birds.

The gay scene here in Chicago is no more cliquey than anywhere else. Lakeview (Boystown) and the surrounding neighborhoods (save Uptown) are overwhelmingly white, so it's reflected in the bar demographics. Any other "diverse" crowd makeup would be a self-segregated exception, and not the rule. Like Latinos at Circuit (now Fantasy).

You see what you want to see, I suppose.

Gus Kenworthy loves to party in Boystown. He prefers the Chicago gay scene to the LA or NYC gay scene.

I don’t even think he likes the NYC gay scene, as he almost never goes to gay bars or clubs in NYC but he frequents them in LA and parties every time he’s in Boystown.

I am born and raised NYC. The gay scene here is not fun anymore and NYC has lost its personality. It feels like a suburb now. The gay bars here are not fun anymore either.

Boystown is where I have had the most fun. Their gay bars are amazing and lively with personality. And they are no more segregated than NYC. NYC gays are very very segregated. LA is the most diverse of the three.

The most diverse gay bar in Chicago is Progress--I always have a really good time there. Sidetrack is great too, especially the rooftop area.

My 2 bedroom house in Columbus, Ohio is 589/monthly mortgage with a detached two car garage.

r132, that figure you gave is absolutely meaningless by itself, without knowing how much you put down on your house and what your real estate taxes are.

R132 sounds poor.

r132 I was so terribly interested until I got to the word "detached." As if I would walk through the snow and rain to get to my Rolls.

Hard to Say I'm Sorry is a great song.

[quote]As if I would walk through the snow and rain to get to my Rolls.

You keep your cinnamon rolls in the garage?

Beware the Witch of November

R135 = Lisa Beamer

[quote] Gus Kenworthy loves to party in Boystown. He prefers the Chicago gay scene to the LA or NYC gay scene.

That's because he's an uncultured, unwashed hick.

You can have Gus Kenworthy. He's certainly no beacon of gay aspiration.

You can knock Lake Michigan all you want. It isn't an ocean, but in its own way it's just as treacherous as the ocean. Because it' relatively shallow the waves build very quickly and take you by surprise. Somewhere there's footage of Ted Turner participating in a sailboat race on Lake Michigan when a gale comes up, and the panic he goes through is priceless.

"Ted Turner, though, left a mark of a different kind: In 1970 he reportedly referred to Lake Michigan as a "millpond" and said of it sarcastically, "Yeah, I'm really scared." That weekend his American Eagle was caught in a storm with real winds that reached 60 knots. As one of his crew later wrote, Turner didn't have a storm jib (a kind of sail) on board and at one point thought his mast had snapped. Sailors here, who have never forgotten Turner's insults, enjoy describing his comeuppance. Cried Ted amidst the billows: "I publicly retract anything and everything I have ever said about inland sailing!" "

R140 Gus K is a dream boat. Did you see the outline of his nice piece of uncut meat from his Burning Man photo. Thirsty

R133- my proper taxes are approx. $1700/yer. My down payment was $400.

R134- I make do. :)

It’s amazing to see how many people love Chicago as much as I do. As I mentioned I was a diehard New Yorker for years but the veil has lifted. To the poster above that asked if that was my apartment… God awful isn’t it? Why don’t people make their beds before they post something on craigslist? The amount of hot men I see at the Damen L beats NYC.

[R140] unless they’re African American, Olympic athletes are part of our country’s elite.

R140 one needs culture to be in NYC in the year 2019? If anything it’s the opposite. NYC has lost all culture.

It is a mark of the inherent insecurity/obnoxiousness the slumbers in so many New Yorkers how quickly (some) get to various forms of unhinged about that city. It's a big city. The primordial ooze of the people you hate politically for their greed and rapaciousness. It isn't London or Paris or anywhere historic and elegant and confident and never will be. It is brash and crass. But, yes, the brashest and crassest of all American cities. Congratulations. Christ...

Yes, R24. All you wrote is true, which is why you’re building me this house 👆🏼I’ve fallen in love with.

Carlsbad works for me.

Call me when it’s completed.

[quote]my proper taxes are approx. $1700/yer.

I'd rather hear about your IMPROPER taxes.

[quote]Where do black gay Chicagoans go to socialize?

Atlanta

[quote]The most diverse gay bar in Chicago is Progress

This sounds like the first sentence of a Stefon review.

The best about Chicago is not having to drive. My car hasn’t left my parking space in almost 5 months.

Anybody else looking forward to the weed stores? Any news or updates?

Will there be a weed cafe?

Gosh I hate weed. It stinks and makes people act like smelly zombies, with that said I'm glad it will finally be legal. Not my thing, but other's shouldn't be held back form their decision to smoke whatever the hell they want. Can they make an odorless version popular.

Bump

It winds!