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* Press release…
STATEMENT FROM MAYOR EMANUEL ON CHICAGO’S #1 RANK IN CONDE NAST TRAVELER’S READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS
“Conde Nast readers recognize what residents of Chicago have always known: the Second City is the best big city in the U.S. This title is a testament to the innovation found in our amazing architecture, the ingenuity captured at our award-winning restaurants and 67 breweries, and the congenial character of Chicagoans. While our 77 neighborhoods each have unique cultures and characteristics, we are one Chicago, and we are proud of this distinction.”
* DNAInfo Chicago…
Chicago remains the rat capital of the United States of America — at least according to a pest control company that stands to profit from the effort to fight the disease-ridden vermin.
Based on the number of residential and commercial rodent treatments ordered in Chicago’s major metropolitan areas from September 2016 to September 2017, Orkin named Chicago the “rattiest” city in America for the third-straight year.
New York and Los Angeles round out the top three, with the City of Angels moving up one spot from last year, according to Orkin.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel Friday proposed spending an additional $1.5 million in 2018 to get rid of rats.
* The Question: What is your favorite thing about Chicago and what do you despise the most?
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 2:42 pm
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I will never get tired of looking at the greatest skyline on the planet. From all angles, at all times of day or night, in any season, it never fails to capture my imagination and take my breath away.
I could do without January and February though. Someday I hope to be a snow bird.
Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 2:46 pm
Favorite thing: the food
Despise: our inadequate out of date public transportation systems
Comment by poe Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 2:46 pm
The Lakefront. It’s a natural wonder of the world to see a City as bustling and beautiful as this one from such a pristine place.
The Chicago-bashing that happens as a routine part of Illinois and many folks on my side of the political aisle annoy me to no end. I get how and why people do what they do, but it’s harmful to the psyche of this state to keep hating so much on Chicago.
Comment by Tom B. Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 2:48 pm
Always some place with excellent food open in the middle of the night…it just takes an obscene amount of time getting there and back again.
Comment by Dirty Red Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 2:48 pm
Lake Shore Drive. it’s truly amazing to ride that stretch and see the lake and so much beach. this is really a city by the beach and I don’t think that is featured enough about it.
the out of date interpretation of what the South Side is like. I know tons of people from there and their accents are rarely Scouser sounding.
Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 2:51 pm
The city is beautiful, friendly and livable. The political system is corrupt and self serving
Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 2:51 pm
Favorite Thing: The Lakefront.
Least Favorite Thing: The seemingly intractable problems of crime and poverty in parts of the city.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 2:54 pm
=Based on the number of residential and commercial rodent treatments ordered=
Yeah, in DC they gave up fighting them, where the rats have taken over and just run around in broad daylight.
Not sure if dealing with rats makes you the “worst”.
Comment by Ratzo Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 2:54 pm
Love Michigan Avenue
Hate traffic
Comment by Undiscovered country Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 2:54 pm
Love: Neighborhoods, people, diversity.
No Love: Lack of infrastructure investment.
Also, No Love: Mike Ditka.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 2:54 pm
Millenium Park. It brings the entire world together.
Despise: Speed cameras.
Comment by A guy Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 2:55 pm
Love: ethnic neighborhoods and food…
Hate: traffic and public trans system thugs…
Comment by Loop Lady Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 2:56 pm
Fav: Cubs. Despise: Sox. /s
But truthfully, the music scene, whether its local artists or all the big names that come through. Despise winter the most. I’m selfishly rooting for global warming…
Comment by My button is broke... Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 2:56 pm
I don’t think I could narrow my favorite thing about Chicago down to one thing, but I’ll give it a try and say the Blackhawks.
My least favorite is the outdated transportation system that seems to presume the city is just one giant bedroom community.
Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 2:56 pm
Love the skyline; it’s like no other.
Today, I mostly despise that there is not a cash toll booth at Balmoral exit for Ohare. It’s just a typical Chicago-gotcha-moment waiting to catch folks not getting online, a week later, to pay the stupid toll. Who does that? Why?
Comment by cdog Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:00 pm
If it is just one of each:
Love–the variety of craft breweries
Hate–traffic
Comment by G'Kar Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:03 pm
I love the neighborhoods.
We all know the “trendy” well-known places “everyone” goes to and knows about. I love the taverns the locals frequent, the restaurants that locals keep to themselves, the mom and pop places that exist and may be a bit higher in price but you’re paying for that neighborhood and rooting for those places to remain.
Love the neighborhoods.
Despise?
I despise the “two cities”
It’s as real as the reason I love the city and it takes away from the good that is Chicago and all that needs to be done to make all of Chicago better and be better as a whole.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:05 pm
Love the food. Despise Chicago winters and politics in Chicago and Illinois.
Comment by Stones Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:05 pm
I love Chicago’s civic pride in our ability to do things other think is impossible.
I despise our corrupt government system where all the pols ask “How is this good for me and bad for my enemy” and what is good for the people is of no concern.
Comment by Just Me Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:07 pm
Love: Montrose Dog Beach, the happiest place on Earth for a pooch. Hate: CPS High School Selection Process. As the father of two teenage girls, thank you so very much for over-stressing my children just as they going into puberty, but on the other hand, it did lead to many trips to Montrose Dog Beach just to get out of the house. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
Comment by Rod Sez I'm Pork Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:10 pm
Enjoy: Food.
Despise: soulless and relentless gentrification bulldozing neighborhood after neighborhood.
Comment by perrier Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:13 pm
I’m repeating G’Kar & OW from just above but:
Love: the quality of the craft beer scene
Hate: the two cities & the scale of the gun violence, now even in Rogers Park…
Comment by The Historian Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:17 pm
Favorite thing: The people - no other city has more pride, a welcoming diversity, and shared sense of responsibility as the Chicagoans
Despise the most: The people - No city harbors individuals who can be nastier, as ruthless, or devastatingly brutal as Chicagoans.
Comment by MG85 Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:17 pm
Favorite: Absolutely nothing.
Despise the most: The Cubs
Comment by Gruntled University Employee Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:20 pm
Love: The architectural richness and the views of city from lakefront
Hate: Traffic/Crime
Comment by Texas Red Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:21 pm
Love: The Art Institute. So much beauty there it almost makes me dizzy.
Hate: all the fatal gun violence. It’s corroding the city little by little, but no one seems to know what to do about it.
Comment by IllinoisBoi Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:22 pm
Favorite-weather on a day like this.
Least fav-weather on a cold, windy, snowy day.
Comment by Because I said so.... Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:23 pm
Love- Sox
Hate- cubbies
I also love the culture and cultural opportunities, there are no wants when it comes to entertainment in Chicago.
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:27 pm
despise — relentless corruption tacitly accepted by voters, Rahm, city’s me-first approach, its many murders, race exploitation, lousy education for public school kids, traffic, I could go on
enjoy — beautiful in many places, many amenities, economic powerhouse trapped in a failed state
Comment by jim Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:27 pm
cdog - your issue is with the Rauner-appointed Illinois Toll Highway Authority, not Chicago.
To the question:
Love: It’s a toss up between the food and the skyline. Both are incredible.
Hate: Also a toss up (of unequal scale) between the horrible public trans infrastructure and the violence that creates two different cities.
Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:28 pm
My favorite thing is Kingston Mines.
Least Favorite thing = The Cubs.
Comment by Saluki Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:29 pm
Favorite: Maggie Daley Park. Have your kids learn to play and have fun with kids of almost every ethnicity.
Hate: January sub-zero wind-tunnels by buildings walking to work.
Comment by DE Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:30 pm
Love: I absolutely love the distinct seasons that exist in Chicago - winter is sometimes unbearable but it comes with new activities (ice skating, sledding, and hot wine at the Xmas market), fall is beautiful, and then spring and summer come around along with all the festivals.
Hate: the government dysfunction.
Comment by The Muse Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:34 pm
There are too many favorites to narrow it down to one. I love the small town feel of the neighborhoods, the food, the lakefront/parks. I hate the violence in certain neighborhoods and the lack of affordable housing.
Comment by Flynn's mom Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:35 pm
Love: lakefront path on a hot, humid summer night, watching the twice-weekly fireworks. Ice cream on the way home.
Hate: Divvy and Uber getting tax-subsidized breaks.
Comment by northsider (the original) Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:39 pm
Love: The access to green space out in the neighborhoods.
Hate: That too many of those green spaces frequently erupt in violence.
Comment by Leslie K Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:43 pm
favorite=nothing
despise=city itself (all cities actually, not just Chicago)
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:45 pm
Love: Chicagoans. The people make this it a great City.
Don’t Love: How Downstaters feel about Chicago.
Comment by Southside Markie Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:48 pm
Love: the architecture, the lakefront, the people!
Hate: the way TIF money is used as a mayoral slush fund. Also February.
Comment by JoanP Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:53 pm
The character of the neighborhoods
Red Light Cameras and Speed Cameras
Comment by ChiefM Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:56 pm
Love: Architecture & Art
Hate: Crime & Corruption
Comment by Dome Gnome Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:58 pm
So as a former resident of the city
Likes: the Restaurants, Lake front, culture.
Dislikes: Political culture/corrution, Traffic, Parking and cost there of, Crime and unsolved shootings, oh and the Rats which have been a problem since the 80s.
Comment by NothsideNoMore Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 4:01 pm
Love: the variety of food available in different ethnic neighborhoods.
Hate: How segregated our city is; how some folks grow up in very violent neighborhoods.
Comment by Robert the Bruce Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 4:03 pm
Love: Getting out to eat and drink in the neighborhoods.
Hate: February. It’s hopeless, in every way.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 4:06 pm
I love living here and could list twenty thing.
However, at the top of the list, we are here because of the museums. When my kids were young, we would go literally every week. Now it is more like once a month.
For little kids, MSI has a lot of wonderful hands on stuff. The Alder has a great kids play area and some nice stuff about the moon landings. As they got older, it was the Shedd (they loved the sharks) and the Field (dinosaurs).
Now that they are even older, it tends to be a mix of the above, along with the Art Institute and the Museum of Contemporary Art,
Beyond that, we have the Nature Museum and the Lincoln Park Zoo.
As a kid, I may have visited those places twice each. My kids grew up with them. Lincoln Park Zoo is where we went to see giraffes and then play soccer after school.
It just cannot be beat.
Hate: people are going to think crime, but honestly it is rarely a factor for me. I know that doesn’t apply to many who live here, but that’s been my experience.
Instead, I think the worst involves issues with homeless people. They are a stark reminder that we fail to treat drugs (yes, most of them are on drugs) as a real health care issue. On top of that, there is a group of lawyers who enable them and in doing so, really serve to keep them on the streets and to prevent them from seeking help. The lawyers are part of the problem. We need to seriously address addiction and they serve to keep people where they are and in doing so, prevent them from getting help.
Comment by Gooner Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 4:17 pm
Love: The people…from co-workers to random pedestrians on the street, such a great place to party, meet people and people-watch. We are also a great sports town.
Hate: The bureaucracy, at city and county levels, when I’ve had to deal with it. And the way the have-nots need to survive here, it’s not the greatest place when your pockets are empty.
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 4:42 pm
Love: The Music Box, particularly the silent movies.
Hate: pro sports
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 5:22 pm
Love - Bahai Temple
Hate - The Thompson Center
Comment by teddy salad Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 5:39 pm
“What is your favorite thing about Chicago and what do you despise the most?”
For a couple weeks each year, Austin TX is the Live Music Capital of the World — for the rest of the year, Chicago holds the title.
I hate the traffic, the winters and the winter traffic. Fortunately, Chicago’s winters are only five or six months long.
– MrJM
Comment by @MisterJayEm Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 5:40 pm
Love the stunning skyline and the endless chow options.
Hate the lousy transportation infrastructure
Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 6:15 pm
Old Wrigley. Food, Neighborhoods
Dislikes the the progressive liberal politicians who can never get of your wages and keep the state masssively in debt while taking care or there pals
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 7:36 pm
Love: Cultural institutions (Art Institute, Filed Museum, etc.)
Hate: the privatized parking meters
Comment by Tiny Wednesday, Oct 18, 17 @ 9:26 am