Day 34: All Things No... All Things No...

So... I'll be leaving Chicago tomorrow, and so decided to take today to get myself ready for life on the road. I really like Chicago... Carl Sandberg's quote about having never seen a city so excited to be alive, is definitely accurate. This morning there was a major world event called City Chase, and teams of 2 were running around the city trying to complete obstacles and challenges not unlike the Amazing Race. And despite it being a rare occurrence... it seems to sum up this city pretty well... Pairs of Perfect Strangers were swapping stories on th EL Train, of having to eat Mealworms, and having to scale massive walls to fulfill the game requirements.
I have a hard time understanding it except in terms of NYC... so here goes...

It's cleaner, friendlier, less crowded, less cynical, and just generally a city with a sunnier disposition. And it achieves all this without throwing aside its intelligence and ambition, unlike other "friendly cities" like Los Angeles or San Diego. BUT.... without the overcrowding, and the dirt, and the manic pace, you definitely have a less interesting and less exciting city. It's not under the same intense pressure that seems to define NYC; Like a stepping stone between NYC and Los Angeles (The second step down is a doozey) it enjoys life the way NYC seems incapable of doing, but will probably never be as important or as Awe-inspiring as Gotham... but I'm not sure it really wants to be. But then again... I've only been here a week, so what the hell do I know.

I could absolutely live here.

1. Sears Tower
2. Lincoln Park
3. Rode Bicycle Through the City
4. Sorta found The Dark Knight set
5. Kumail Nanjiani's "Unpronounceable" (brother of Zain... ex Holedigger compatriot)
6. Chili's
7. All you can Eat Sushi buffet
8. Hyde Park
9. King of Kong
10. Wrigley Field
11. Grant Park
12. Tried Deep Dish Pizza
13. Lakeshore Drive
14. Greektown
15. Wicker Park
16. Boy's Town
17. Superbad