Ready to move into the city

[personone]

Originally Posted by Kmanshouse

Funny - with Harry Caray long dead, Oprah moved out and not as relevant, John Hughes movies being classics and not "today" and Michael Jordan gone, Chicago's identity really has changed.

Much of the iconic pop culture stuff is gone now. What has replaced it?

I mean the Cubs had their huge run of success, but they've always been beloved anyway. The Bears haven't been the same since the 80s. I feel that from the outside looking in, some of Chicago's soul is diminished and now all the news is just about the crime here. But it's a really great city, with tons to do, etc. it's just hard to really pin down what is relevant TODAY that people identify Chicago with.

Lollapalooza is one, I'd think.
People still can get Deep Dish.
Comedy scene is still pretty strong.
The Bean, I guess?
Kanye?

Spot on. As you mention, Chicago is not as "iconic" as it was in the 90's. As you mention, that was the height when tons of movies were filmed here, MJ and Oprah, etc. It was an "it" city.

I am from the east coast, but every summer we would visit family in the midwest, and make a detour to Chicago for a mini vacation. It was such an iconic and memorable experience, so much so, that I made it my life's mission to move to Chicago as an adult.

I agree with most of what you wrote in your list, as to what people identify Chicago with today, although the #1 elephant in the room that you didn't include is CRIME (although you did mention that this is all you hear about Chicago in the news). Whenever I visit anywhere and I tell people I'm from Chicago, one of the first things they say (or at least get to at some point pretty soon) is, "is it really that bad out there [referring to crime]?"

Also, I don't think people identify Chicago with Kanye West. Maybe a decade ago when he first came out, but he's mostly in LA now and since he's been involved with the Kardashians, most people view him as "Hollyweird" and do not associate him with Chicago.

If Chicago did not have the "Chiraq" moniker or headlines, I honestly think it would be one of the most popular cities in the country. I also believe it's whole narrative would be different, and it would have been a contender for Amazon. The whole trajectory of the city would be different. Granted, even with all its problems around crime, it's still a global city. But I think it would have been on another level, if it had not let its crime reputation get out of control.

It is more the "reputation" than the crime itself. Prior to around 2010, while crime was bad, it did not have the kind of national/global "reputation" for crime that it does now. In the 90's, as everyone loves to point out here, crime was terrible too, but NYC and LA, and even other cities like DC took the front stage in the media, so Chicago didn't have the "reputation." Same with the early 2000's (2000-2010), Detroit was all the buzz back then. Unfortunately for Chicago, when they took the throne for crime, it has been in the height of the digital era, so the headlines go out instantly for the world to see, and the headlines are continuous. So Chicago's negative reputation proliferated more than other cities' in previous eras. It will be that much harder for Chicago to lose the reputation since it's so engrained in people's minds (nationally and globally). The "Chiraq" movie didn't help, even though luckily it flopped.

[Kmanshouse]

Yeah, that all tracks. I'm one of the older fogeys who actually watched TikTok videos sometimes. And it knows I'm in Chicago, so I get a lot of Chicago videos. Probably 2/3 of the comments are "duck the bullets" or "go here if you want to get mugged".

And all I think is....you people are so clueless and stupid. But hey, maybe this will keep the population down a bit?

Oh, we went to Lisbon on vacation in 2018. We met some locals and when I said we were from Chicago the dude pretended to shoot a machine gun and said, "Al Capone!" So for some people, I guess they still go all the way back to that.

Not sure if anyone here watched, but that show Love is Blind was entirely in Chicago - all the people from here, all the scenes, where they lived etc. And my goodness did they film the city beautifully, over and over. I'd imagine some of the millions of people watching were like, DAMN THATS A NICE CITY.

[NewStarter22]

Back on the topic, a spot that made my shortlist I wanted a little feedback on. I am assuming would be classed as Wicker Park, maybe just east of it. It's right near Pulaski park, seems like under a 10 min walk to Division for the Blue Line and the amenities on Milwaukee are also easily walkable. Would this be considered Wicker Park still? Is that area nice and safe?

Thanks!

[hendersj31]

It's considered part of the West Town community area according to the park district web site. Looks like it may be it's own thing according to this website.

https://www.neighborhoods.com/neighb...t/pulaski-park

Originally Posted by NewStarter22

Back on the topic, a spot that made my shortlist I wanted a little feedback on. I am assuming would be classed as Wicker Park, maybe just east of it. It's right near Pulaski park, seems like under a 10 min walk to Division for the Blue Line and the amenities on Milwaukee are also easily walkable. Would this be considered Wicker Park still? Is that area nice and safe?

Thanks!

[Chi-town]

Glad the OP is full if optimism in their choices and getting good feedback.

I will just add... many things that become big on social media and pop-culture.... do not survive the test if time. Chicago of 2015 and this chiraq term and movie that flopped. Was really a rap/hip hop cultural thing that some think filtered into every other culture and age-group. It did not. Even CNN espose's to Fox, avoided the term.

Iraq is passe now too. It is soooo 90s now that those who keep the term alive must have thier own circle or music I never get exposed to and are still hyping the TERM. Is it still in some rap new songs? Maybe them worst ones in words as another language of hood life.

I never had someone in PA now see me wearing a Cubs cap or shirt or Bears and anything on Chicago come up and here the term chiraq today....

Crime term yes. Oprah era in Chicago is over... but the One Chicago franchise of 3 high rated TV shows are ALL KNOW today. Endless reruns practically daily on indie networks. These shows are CHICAGO to most not a chiraq term.

Even on the political forum the term is not used. One thread on Lori Lightfoot and 100 police guards. No chiraq term. Beetlejuice once. Thread run probably done.

Why any poster wants to use it makes this older gent think some remain more outdated then me...

Tourism past decade helped Chicago tremendously. The Bean was a social media darling. Gotta see da bean. It has staying power. That all comes back and the TV shows ... will all help more positivity.

Balance pleeze and lay to rest this one term....

[Kmanshouse]

You've used the term more times in one post than I've heard anyone say it in 5 years. Very few people still say that term. It's just not a relevant one anymore.

Totally forgot about the Chicago Fire/PD/Med shows - they are very popular and successful and that's probably added to the Chicago brand/pop culture quite a bit. Missed that one completely.

[OKParker]

Originally Posted by NewStarter22

Back on the topic, a spot that made my shortlist I wanted a little feedback on. I am assuming would be classed as Wicker Park, maybe just east of it. It's right near Pulaski park, seems like under a 10 min walk to Division for the Blue Line and the amenities on Milwaukee are also easily walkable. Would this be considered Wicker Park still? Is that area nice and safe?

Thanks!

I consider it wicker. It is a very safe neighborhood! I think its cool, but I prefer closer to the north/damen stop as its a bit cleaner.