Where are the Chicago Italians?? (Melrose Park, Bridgeport: living, price, moving)

[sheena12]

Originally Posted by 1972Impala

So, in playing around with Census Data, I see that there are only a few tracts in Chicago city proper with a sizable (and that's 15%+ by Chicago standards) Italian-American population. I am a native New Yorker, Canadian educated and interested in moving to Chicago to do a Masters at UIC. To put it bluntly my lineage is straight Guinea and I would prefer to live in a majority Italian neighborhood like the one I am originally from (Southeastern section of Yonkers, NY). I was curious if there were any white working class areas where there was a visible presence of Italians (i.e. Italian businesses, goombahs in Cadillacs with Italian flag decals driving around, the Italian flag hanging from homes with virgin mary grotto's in front) or is this a uniquely East Coast thing that doesn't really exist in Chicago? I'm told the Harlem/Belmont area is the closest thing the city proper gets to this and there is a significant presence in Norridge as well. Anywhere else that would come close? Maybe Southwest Chicago near Midway?

Mille grazie for the insights!

Wow. Why would you want to move to Chicago? Midwestern ethnics ALL tone it down a notch. Or seven. No one here acts as they do on the East Coast.

I am originally from NY. I live in North East Ohio. I am not of Italian decent, however I appreciate Italian food. NE Ohio has great Italian food. And a large Italian population.

However, most people in the Midwest do not call themselves "goombah" nor would they want to be called a "Guinea".

There is a place that you'd like on Eastern Long Island though. Check out Mastic Beach/Shirey. Cheap place to live. Near a beautiful Ocean beach. Majority Italian American.

You could get your MA at SUNY - if you have good grades. Or St. Joseph..

I LOVE Chicago! But I don't think that you will.

[JosephM1994]

Originally Posted by sheena12

Wow. Why would you want to move to Chicago? Midwestern ethnics ALL tone it down a notch. Or seven. No one here acts as they do on the East Coast.

I am originally from NY. I live in North East Ohio. I am not of Italian decent, however I appreciate Italian food. NE Ohio has great Italian food. And a large Italian population.

However, most people in the Midwest do not call themselves "goombah" nor would they want to be called a "Guinea".

There is a place that you'd like on Eastern Long Island though. Check out Mastic Beach/Shirey. Cheap place to live. Near a beautiful Ocean beach. Majority Italian American.

You could get your MA at SUNY - if you have good grades. Or St. Joseph..

I LOVE Chicago! But I don't think that you will.

You're telling him to move to effing Mastic or Shirley? I don't know if you've been away for awhile but Mastic and Shirley is essentially trailer park with bungalows instead of trailers and everyone is on heroin.


As an Italian American I can tell you that other Italians are allowed to call us guineas or goombahs.


Why even answer the question? Just to tell everyone how suoerior you are?

[1972Impala]

I have friends from Mastic and they hate it and are stuck there because they are under-employed college grads from SUNY. No thanks!!

also I love being Italian but I don't take it too seriously, I just like where I grew up and was curious if Chicago has anything similar thats all. I got an Italian flag on my car and I call people "Mamalukes" besides that I'm as American as anyone else, I dont even speak any Italian (only English and French).

I use guinea and goombah because I think its funny and so do many of my fellow daigos (like my paisan JoeM1994)

@Sheena12 I dont think you quite understands New York too well either, but I wouldnt expect anything less from a madigan. no need to be passive aggressive or you might find trouble faster than you can say FUGGHETABOUTIT. just a word to the wise.

[UKWildcat1981]

Italians, Jewish and Irish people tend to like the East Coast more than the Midwest at least the ones I have met do. Midwest doesn't have as many ethnic neighborhoods as the East Coast does, you might not like Chicago. Chicago is a really diverse city but I like the NYC ethnic neighborhoods way better for some reason.

[reppin_the_847]

I actually think you may appreciate & enjoy Chicago with your positive attitude. As long as you don't expect things to be exactly like the Northeast. Obviously the Italian-American percentages aren't as high.

But if you're choosing an area in the Midwest, clearly the best choices are Chicago, Detroit or Cleveland. Out of these three places, Chicago is by far the most vibrant city.

Originally Posted by 1972Impala

I have friends from Mastic and they hate it and are stuck there because they are under-employed college grads from SUNY. No thanks!!

also I love being Italian but I don't take it too seriously, I just like where I grew up and was curious if Chicago has anything similar thats all. I got an Italian flag on my car and I call people "Mamalukes" besides that I'm as American as anyone else, I dont even speak any Italian (only English and French).

I use guinea and goombah because I think its funny and so do many of my fellow daigos (like my paisan JoeM1994)

@Sheena12 I dont think you quite understands New York too well either, but I wouldnt expect anything less from a madigan. no need to be passive aggressive or you might find trouble faster than you can say FUGGHETABOUTIT. just a word to the wise.

[personone]

Originally Posted by UKWildcat1981

Italians, Jewish and Irish people tend to like the East Coast more than the Midwest at least the ones I have met do. Midwest doesn't have as many ethnic neighborhoods as the East Coast does, you might not like Chicago. Chicago is a really diverse city but I like the NYC ethnic neighborhoods way better for some reason.

I've actually found New Yorkers (Italian, Irish, Jewish, etc.) to really like Chicago. I've met a lot here that tell me they really enjoy the city, and are happy to be here. For Irish looking for the real, authentic Irish areas, there are definitely still some spots in the south side (obviously the same for Polish). The ethnic enclaves in Chicago definitely feel a little different than the east coast (including Philly and Boston). I find that natives from NYC, Philly, and Boston really appreciate Chicago though. It's probably due to Chicago's blue collar, industrial past and the traditional ethnic enclaves that helped give the city the character it has today (characteristics that Chicago shares with the NE cities).

[Larry Siegel]

Originally Posted by sheena12

I live in North East Ohio. I am not of Italian decent, however I appreciate Italian food. NE Ohio has great Italian food. And a large Italian population.

I am also from Northeast Ohio (Cleveland) and there's nothing in Chicago, not even Taylor Street, that compares in Italian character to Murray Hill, parts of Euclid, etc.

But Chicago has many advantages over NE Ohio, a good economy for one thing.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by personone

I've actually found New Yorkers (Italian, Irish, Jewish, etc.) to really like Chicago. I've met a lot here that tell me they really enjoy the city, and are happy to be here. For Irish looking for the real, authentic Irish areas, there are definitely still some spots in the south side (obviously the same for Polish). The ethnic enclaves in Chicago definitely feel a little different than the east coast (including Philly and Boston). I find that natives from NYC, Philly, and Boston really appreciate Chicago though. It's probably due to Chicago's blue collar, industrial past and the traditional ethnic enclaves that helped give the city the character it has today (characteristics that Chicago shares with the NE cities).

I know a number of people from NYC or who have lived in NYC before and all of them enjoy Chicago. I have a few friends who do like NYC more, but they still enjoy Chicago enough that they aren't moving (and most of them having cushy jobs where they could relocate pretty much to anywhere in the US).

I think the biggest barrier to anything (and really moving between any city) is comparing one to the other and expecting one to be the other. As long as you don't do that and you take in a city for what it is and enjoy (if you can), then you won't have a problem.

[marothisu]

On that note I have a story that happened a few weeks ago. I was eating at a restaurant on the Lower East Side and there was guy at a table next to me (2 away but nobody was right next to us) with his friend. I started overhearing his conversation talking about Chicago randomly. He was saying "I used to think NYC was the only place for me but man, I spent 3 weeks in Chicago and they have it going on." He continued to talk about Chicago for probably 15 minutes and how great he thought it was. Some film actor or comedian based on what else I heard but I didn't recognize him.

[jonnynonos]

Originally Posted by marothisu

On that note I have a story that happened a few weeks ago. I was eating at a restaurant on the Lower East Side and there was guy at a table next to me (2 away but nobody was right next to us) with his friend. I started overhearing his conversation talking about Chicago randomly. He was saying "I used to think NYC was the only place for me but man, I spent 3 weeks in Chicago and they have it going on." He continued to talk about Chicago for probably 15 minutes and how great he thought it was. Some film actor or comedian based on what else I heard but I didn't recognize him.

And that is likely without even exploring the neighborhoods.