Does your Chicago neighborhood suck? An investigation. (Oak Park, Irving: neighborhoods, buy)

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by rparz

Time to move to Beverly!

Or Florida.

[jonnynonos]

Why wouldn't you like Navy Pier. It has an Imax, the Shakespeare theater, boat rides, a Ferris wheel and this month a haunted house. It's a great place to run when it's not crowded.

"Never heard of a local who liked it."

I guess all the Hispanics up there on a weekend come in from the burbs.

[baileyvpotter]

Originally Posted by jonnynonos

Well, I'm not sure where Rush Street figures into the equation...

Regarding Wicker Park, I have been going there since the 90s and my favorite things to do there were go to the Double Door, Myopic and Filter. They are all still there with a ton of other coffee shops, inexpensive restaurants, bike stores... I guess it depends on what you mean by "edgy."

If you mean you appreciated when there was a larger native/indigenous Hispanic population and not filled 100 percent with transplants, I can appreciate that.

I meant Rush Street and Division. Regarding Wicker Park, even during the 90's they had some interesting
shops and then there was the Busy Bee (loved that place). Plus there were still Eastern Europeans
there and yes probably Hispanics (didn't really pay attention to that). The Double Door is a plus,
wish I was there when Mick Jagger did a jam session. Maybe a little grit is a better term than edgy.

Originally Posted by ChiNaan

It sounds like a few of you are a tad butthurt by how close to home this hit.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by jonnynonos

Why wouldn't you like Navy Pier. It has an Imax, the Shakespeare theater, boat rides, a Ferris wheel and this month a haunted house. It's a great place to run when it's not crowded.

"Never heard of a local who liked it."

I guess all the Hispanics up there on a weekend come in from the burbs.

Some people just they're just to cool, hip, and sophisticated for Navy Pier. Its an ultimate "I'm a real city person phoniness"

[jonnynonos]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

Some people just they're just to cool, hip, and sophisticated for Navy Pier. Its an ultimate "I'm a real city person phoniness"

I agree with you.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

Some people just they're just to cool, hip, and sophisticated for Navy Pier. Its an ultimate "I'm a real city person phoniness"

I'd say it's more that longtime residents know when they're being gouged.

I see it as the permanent shopping mall equivalent of Taste of Chicago, there's just no compelling reason for city residents to go there more than once in a blue moon.

And FTR, I have no problem with Navy Pier serving as a monstrous tourist attraction, it generates a ton of money for the City and that's great.

But let's be honest about what it is. When your parking fee is $29, that kind of says it all, and that serving City residents is not a top priority.

[jonnynonos]

Well there is no rule you have to drive there. I think there are actually a ton of free trollies from various points downtown, not to mention the Grand red line, you could walk or cab.

I don't know. What was it before, an underutilized pier.

It's not like I hang out there every weekend but do I think sitting there bellyaching about it in most cases faux jaded?

Yup.

I saw Gravity there at the Imax last weekend. Am I going to go every week? No. Is it cool a few times a year? Yep.

[UrbanCheetah]

Originally Posted by jonnynonos

Well there is no rule you have to drive there. I think there are actually a ton of free trollies from various points downtown, not to mention the Grand red line, you could walk or cab.

I don't know. What was it before, an underutilized pier.

It's not like I hang out there every weekend but do I think sitting there bellyaching about it in most cases faux jaded?

Yup.

I saw Gravity there at the Imax last weekend. Am I going to go every week? No. Is it cool a few times a year? Yep.

Agreed, I don't like Navy Pier overall as I feel it's nothing more than a tourist trap. However, it's a nice tourist trap, so once a year or so I will go. TBH I don't think it's so much that residents hate Navy Pier, but more so how crowded and touristy it gets. I mean it's literally a pier with shops, restaurants, amazing views of the city, a theatre, etc. Why would one HATE that?

[baileyvpotter]

Originally Posted by UrbanCheetah

Agreed, I don't like Navy Pier overall as I feel it's nothing more than a tourist trap. However, it's a nice tourist trap, so once a year or so I will go. TBH I don't think it's so much that residents hate Navy Pier, but more so how crowded and touristy it gets. I mean it's literally a pier with shops, restaurants, amazing views of the city, a theatre, etc. Why would one HATE that?

It's the view also The Taste of Chicago used to be held there and it was better. Plus when our children
were young they enjoyed going to the Childrens Museum. Don't residents utilize that? Don't residents
go to the exhibits there like S.O.F.A. either?


Chicago Children's Museum at Navy Pier

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by UrbanCheetah

Agreed, I don't like Navy Pier overall as I feel it's nothing more than a tourist trap. However, it's a nice tourist trap, so once a year or so I will go. TBH I don't think it's so much that residents hate Navy Pier, but more so how crowded and touristy it gets. I mean it's literally a pier with shops, restaurants, amazing views of the city, a theatre, etc. Why would one HATE that?

Yeah, that's pretty much my take on it to a T.

Regarding the Children's Museum, no, I don't take my kid there. If the museum was in a regular neighborhood setting I would.