Illinois

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

I'll probably feel the same way when I'm your age!

That's why they are opinions, we can both be right!

[Coleman]

Hey I gotta be nice to chick, I wanna buy her poker table when she moves!

[warriorchick]

Hey I gotta be nice to chick, I wanna buy her poker table when she moves!

Both opinions are perfectly valid. 

Also, the buyers want the poker table, so sorry...

[Coleman]

Both opinions are perfectly valid. 

Also, the buyers want the poker table, so sorry...

Well then, SCREW WISCONSIN

[Hards Alumni]

Lived in Wisconsin for the first 23 years of my life. It was a great place to grow up. Good public schools, nice neighborhoods, lots of lakes, state parks, outdoor recreation. I loved it.

Now that I am an adult, I never want to move back (ok maybe not NEVER, but definitely not until I am of retirement age).

Everyone in my hometown is either a teacher, a nurse, or a factory worker. (Edit: I am NOT belittling these professions. They are important. I'm just talking about the lack of options). That's all there is for employment. A nice dinner out consists of Olive Garden. There's a reason so many people drive drunk. All there is to do is go out to the bars.

Give me Chicago's cultural scene, nightlife, sports, theater, music, opera, culinary options, every damn time. Not to mention the job market. If I get laid off, I'll find something else in my field within a month, no problem, and I won't have to move my family for it.

I know Milwaukee has a bit more to do than my hometown, but it is nowhere close to Chicago.

I come back to Milwaukee for a few MU games a year, and we spend a week or two in Door County every year, and I get my Wisco fix. That's really all I need.

Just one person's perspective.

Madison is like mini-Chicago.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Madison is like mini-Chicago.

No its not.

[Hards Alumni]

No its not.

I mean without the staggering amount of murders.  Music festivals, good food, lakes, beer, art, sports, theater... sure it lacks dance clubs, but they get old really fast.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Yeah...I gotta agree with Ziggy on this one

[JWags85]

Chicago vies with NYC as the best food city in the country and has the best tacos outside of LA.  Its music scene is insane from a top 10 Symphony to Lincoln Hall/Reggies/The Metro and smaller clubs.  It has incredible museums, a world renowned aquarium, and a huge amazing lakefront park with a true beach.

Madison is a cool town, UW aside, but Milwaukee is far more of a mini-Chicago than Madison is.  Madison is a cool oversized college town like Eugene, Boulder, or Knoxville.

Also, you're definitely far closer to the crime or "unsavory" elements of Madison on a night out on State St or whatnot than you would be to all of the notorious murders/crime when in the near North/near South side of Chicago

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Yeah...I gotta agree with Ziggy on this one

At least we agree on the important chit, aina.

[WI inferiority Complexes]

Madison is like mini-Chicago.

No. Just, no.

[Galway Eagle]

Chicago vies with NYC as the best food city in the country and has the best tacos outside of LA.  Its music scene is insane from a top 10 Symphony to Lincoln Hall/Reggies/The Metro and smaller clubs.  It has incredible museums, a world renowned aquarium, and a huge amazing lakefront park with a true beach.

Madison is a cool town, UW aside, but Milwaukee is far more of a mini-Chicago than Madison is.  Madison is a cool oversized college town like Eugene, Boulder, or Knoxville.

Also, you're definitely far closer to the crime or "unsavory" elements of Madison on a night out on State St or whatnot than you would be to all of the notorious murders/crime when in the near North/near South side of Chicago

+1 on your last paragraph. People (including those in the far burbs) act like Chicago is a battle ground everywhere and it ticks me off. Once you get past kedzie going down lake crime drops dramatically get past Ashland (actually a couple blocks west of there) and you're free to rome around anywhere. Get to Pulaski on North and as long as you don't go south till you hit kedzie you're in the clear. It's not like GD's and Vice Lords and Latin Mings are looming for hipster kids out there  let alone the preppy brats in River north and wrigleyville.

[mr.MUskie]

Madison is like mini-Chicago.

Not even close.

[Hards Alumni]

Chicago vies with NYC as the best food city in the country and has the best tacos outside of LA.  Its music scene is insane from a top 10 Symphony to Lincoln Hall/Reggies/The Metro and smaller clubs.  It has incredible museums, a world renowned aquarium, and a huge amazing lakefront park with a true beach.

Madison is a cool town, UW aside, but Milwaukee is far more of a mini-Chicago than Madison is.  Madison is a cool oversized college town like Eugene, Boulder, or Knoxville.

Also, you're definitely far closer to the crime or "unsavory" elements of Madison on a night out on State St or whatnot than you would be to all of the notorious murders/crime when in the near North/near South side of Chicago

I think you guys are taking this a bit far.  I didn't put them on the same level.  I said mini-Chicago.  They are comparable in a lot of ways.  OBVIOUSLY, there are a ton of people who think that Chicago is basically God tier to them, and I don't get it. 

The restaurant scene in Madison is elite for a city of its size.  Don't agree?  I'll take you to 10 places in Madison that put some of the 'nice' places in Milwaukee to shame.  And I LOVE Milwaukee.  I don't even live in Madison.

Saying that Chicago has a true beach if laughable.  People swimming in Lake Michigan like they do on any of the coasts?  Sure, you can hang out there, and run and bike... but guess where else you can do that.  I'll give you the Shedd, but of course, we aren't comparing Madison to Chicago on equal terms.

[Hards Alumni]

Not even close.

I know reading is hard for folks, but do you guys know what the word mini means?

[Galway Eagle]

I think you guys are taking this a bit far.  I didn't put them on the same level.  I said mini-Chicago.  They are comparable in a lot of ways.  OBVIOUSLY, there are a ton of people who think that Chicago is basically God tier to them, and I don't get it. 

The restaurant scene in Madison is elite for a city of its size.  Don't agree?  I'll take you to 10 places in Madison that put some of the 'nice' places in Milwaukee to shame.  And I LOVE Milwaukee.  I don't even live in Madison.

Saying that Chicago has a true beach if laughable.  People swimming in Lake Michigan like they do on any of the coasts?  Sure, you can hang out there, and run and bike... but guess where else you can do that.  I'll give you the Shedd, but of course, we aren't comparing Madison to Chicago on equal terms.

I think I get what you're saying, I used to be one of those god tier people about Chicago. But you don't spend every night at a fine dining establishment and for every decent brewery in Madison there's 3 of equal or better quality. For every ok drunk food there more than a few of equal or better quality. There's more authentic neighborhoods and cuisine in Chicago that are more than that one stand alone Greek or Korean or Indian restaurant in Madison. It's not fair to compare cities of such disproportionate sizes and Madison is charming and lovely though.

[Hards Alumni]

I think I get what you're saying, I used to be one of those god tier people about Chicago. But you don't spend every night at a fine dining establishment and for every decent brewery in Madison there's 3 of equal or better quality. For every ok drunk food there more than a few of equal or better quality. There's more authentic neighborhoods and cuisine in Chicago that are more than that one stand alone Greek or Korean or Indian restaurant in Madison. It's not fair to compare cities of such disproportionate sizes and Madison is charming and lovely though.

And that's all I'm really saying.  I'm not putting them even in the same category.

I will say, that I'm pretty sure I've probably spent more time in Chicago than some of you have spent in Madison... except probably ZFB.

[T-Bone]

Well as long as everyone is on lockdown, might as well be anywhere else with a similar climate.

[Galway Eagle]

Well as long as everyone is on lockdown, might as well be anywhere else with a similar climate.

Alinea is doing takeout so beg to differ

[Marquette Gyros]

Alinea is doing takeout so beg to differ

Plus effing one. Their Easter menu looks insane.

[Coleman]

Madison is like mini-Chicago.

Uh.

No

[ZiggysFryBoy]

I think you guys are taking this a bit far.  I didn't put them on the same level.  I said mini-Chicago.  They are comparable in a lot of ways.  OBVIOUSLY, there are a ton of people who think that Chicago is basically God tier to them, and I don't get it. 

The restaurant scene in Madison is elite for a city of its size.  Don't agree?  I'll take you to 10 places in Madison that put some of the 'nice' places in Milwaukee to shame.  And I LOVE Milwaukee.  I don't even live in Madison.

Saying that Chicago has a true beach if laughable.  People swimming in Lake Michigan like they do on any of the coasts?  Sure, you can hang out there, and run and bike... but guess where else you can do that.  I'll give you the Shedd, but of course, we aren't comparing Madison to Chicago on equal terms.

Dude, you got all them chains in SP...

I hate madison.  Lived here for 15 years.  Madison is an insular, closed minded city completely bereft of any awareness of anything outside of the 97 square miles.  A lot of people have literally never lived anywhere else.  Grew up here, went to UW, stayed after graduation.

Yes there are some nice restaurants. The outdoors are great.  I could give F all about the union, monona terrace, concerts on the square,  the farmers market. 

We are happy with our jobs, house, neighborhood and the kids' school.  If not for that, we'd be out of here.

The city claims to be all progressive, yet the racism is horrible.  The achievement gap in schools is almost as bad as Milwaukee.  The poors get shuffled around to different parts of the city, until some rich people want their neighborhood. 

[Coleman]

Madison is more like a mini Austin. College town, state capital, artsy, techie.

Both cool cities. Chicago they are not.

[Hards Alumni]

Dude, you got all them chains in SP...

I hate madison.  Lived here for 15 years.  Madison is an insular, closed minded city completely bereft of any awareness of anything outside of the 97 square miles.  A lot of people have literally never lived anywhere else.  Grew up here, went to UW, stayed after graduation.

Yes there are some nice restaurants. The outdoors are great.  I could give F all about the union, monona terrace, concerts on the square,  the farmers market. 

We are happy with our jobs, house, neighborhood and the kids' school.  If not for that, we'd be out of here.

The city claims to be all progressive, yet the racism is horrible.  The achievement gap in schools is almost as bad as Milwaukee.  The poors get shuffled around to different parts of the city, until some rich people want their neighborhood.

There is a lot I agree with, and a lot I disagree with here as well.  I'm very aware of the racial disparity, and the, "Madison Racism" because I frequently make fun of it.  But, you're missing the point, I'm not calling it paradise.  I'm saying these things make it comparable to Chicago in a lot of ways.  And that is the main problem.  Obviously, you've seen the common council on tv or clips on the internet... they are the wackiest most unreasonable people there are.  I can't criticize anything that is liberal in the city without being called a Republican.  And I'm clearly not.  I just can see the forest from the trees.

You'll see a lot of young dipsticks here trying to defend Chicago, like it is a city that actually matters.  It doesn't.  The culture of Chicago?  What is that?  A city that burned to the ground and was replaced with a grid?  Wow.  I'm so impressed.  It's just a big city in the Midwest that isn't Detroit. But seriously, explain what is awesome about Chicago.  Please.  Sure, some Jazz roots... but its not NOLA or Memphis.  So tell me.  Make me love your city.  I haven't been able to in the almost 40 years of my life.  Its a bunch of neighborhoods that are all very similar.  It isn't a world class city.  People who act like Chicago is something great... okay, do you send your kids to public school?  Have you made a life for yourself there past 30?  And when I say this, you can't say that Chicago is great, but you moved to the burbs.  Because then your city isn't great.  Its a fun place to hang out for the weekend, but its not a great city.

I can't wait for the hate mail on this.

New York City.  Compare Chicago to New York.  You can't.  World class city vs Philadelphia of the Midwest without the History.

[Hards Alumni]

Also, for the record, I would not live in Wisconsin if I was not tied to it financially and maritally.  I'm out when my parents and my wife's parents are gone.  It's great here like 5 months a year.  The same amount its great in Shi-cago.