hoopsgalore

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Ugliest:
Chicago

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This seems a bit crazy, but I'll kindly ask - What about Chicago is ugly? Has some of the most diverse buildings in the world, incredibly clean and almost no homeless encampments, easy to navigate, the neighborhoods are themselves unique cultural enclaves, incredible setting along Lake Michigan and Chicago River, and it has the second-best transit system in the US.

Surely, there has to be worse out there :lol:

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Any idea what the cost of housing is in those areas you mentioned? Trying to come up with a idea off how much it will cost her to live there, as opposed to staying in Arkansas and going to UAMS in Little Rock. The tuition at the 2 schools is comparable.

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Without looking, my best guess in order of affordability:

1. Pilsen
2. West Town
3. Logan Square
4. Wicker Park
5. West Loop

You can probably interchange Logan and Wicker. They're walking distance from one another. Both have a young demographic, but Wicker definitely younger and Logan has a bit more of a neighborhood feel to it.

I'd probably give Wicker Park a close look. It's not inexpensive, but probably won't destroy the bank, either. It's accessible on the bus to/from Illinois Medical District and has a great social scene for someone in their 20s. Easy hop to West Loop on the Blue Line and your daughter can also walk or take the Blue Line a couple stops to Logan Square.

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Been registered on TD for a while, but have never posted. My daughter has been accepted to pharmacy school at the UI Med center in Chicago. She and my wife will be up there in a few weeks for a tour of the school. How safe is that area in general? I've heard mixed reports. And is there anything in the surrounding area that would be considered a place students would hang out or socialise?

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To clarify, you're speaking of UIC's Retzky College of Pharmacy, correct? Either way, Illinois Medical District is completely fine. Pilsen is the immediate neighborhood to the south that's gone through heavy gentrification - Really good restaurants and cocktail bars / bars. Does start to get dicey west of Illinois Medical District, but that's closer to Douglass Park, which she'll probably never encounter.

Since she's in Pharmacy School and will be with a number of post-graduates, I'm guessing most will live in different neighborhoods throughout the city. Pink Line runs right through Illinois Medical District, so she could look at West Loop, which the culinary center of Chicago.

Another idea is Wicker Park and West Town, which is littered with bars, cocktail bars, and young professionals. She can take the Damen (50) or Ashland (9) bus straight to school. My wife worked at Rush and took it for years - Both buses are loaded with people that work in the Medical District.

Illinois Medical District is along the Blue Line, too, so she could also live in a neighborhood like Bucktown or Logan Square. Depending how often she has to go down to campus, though, it's like a 30-minute ride on the Blue Line line from California, Logan Square, and Western since you have to take it through The Loop.

Here's a guide that I created for this board. I'm going to update the second post today but this should get you in the right direction: LINK

Happy to answer any specific questions, of course.

Surprised this is a serious question. Going into this season, Indiana had the most losses in FBS history, hadn't won a conference championship in almost 60 years, never had a Heisman trophy winner, and their seven blue-chips ranked behind the likes of BC and Purdue.

Indiana was the worst FBS program of all-time and had nine wins in three years post-COVID. They're now 27-2 in two years of Cignetti, including an undefeated National Championship.

Cignetti being a better story doesn't take away how good LSU was, but this should not be a contentious question.

I know much of the US is going to get blasted by this polar vortex, but condolences to anyone here planning to be here this weekend. Center of the polar vortex is sitting just north of Michigan and Wisconsin, so it's going to be absolutely miserable on Friday and Saturday. Friday, specifically, we're looking at -35 wind chill.

I follow NHL and college from afar, but Bedard is fantastic - He's been dynamite so far this year. McDavid is wild. Saw him play last year @ Minnesota. I'm not too much of a hockey guy, but following college a bit more this year with Wisconsin playing so well.

Vaccine levels are low and hospitalizations are up, but I don't think anything has been unexpected with the new strain. Everyone is always walking around sick this time of year :lol:

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Staying a couple of blocks from the Willis Tower. Looking for a relatively casual place to get solo dinner on a Sunday night. Not pizza. Maybe ethnic that I can’t get in Birmingham?

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The Loop is not a good food neighborhood, by any stretch. For most food, and ethnic, you'll need to go into other neighborhoods. If you're willing, a few ideas are Demera (African), Lawrence Fish Market (Sushi), Triple Crown (Chinese dim dum), QXY (Chinese Dumplings), VAJRA (Indian), and Bundoo Khan (Indian / Pakistani). Otherwise, your options closer to The Loop are Minghin's South Loop location, Chengdu Bistro, Maharaj, or Qiao Lin.

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Nicer place with bar seating? I’m open to suggestions.

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Similar to food, The Loop is not really any sort of nightlife destination. If you need to stay in the area, though, Monk's and Industry Ales are good options for a beer.

Again, if you're willing to go into the neighborhoods (or even West Loop), I'd have a lot more recommendations for you.

To be completely honest, I can't remember the last time I voluntarily went to The Loop on a weekend, so my ideas for hanging at a bar is pretty limited :lol: In general, it's a very weekday 9-5 place.

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Haven't been yet, but Charis Listening Bar and Bisous are at the top of my list to check out.

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Been trying to get to Charis myself. Will try for it next time I'm down around Osito's, The Alderman, Monochrome, etc. You been to Parachute HiFi since they reopened as a listening bar? It's fantastic.

Bisous is worth checking out if you haven't been, but I just can't bring myself to like it all that much. Been a couple times and it's just so, so busy. The menu is creative, but the number of drinks they're pumping out, especially on a weekend... I've gotten a couple pretty bad cocktails.