52nd City

The whole Chicago vs. St. Louis thing is much like the LA versus San Francisco thing.

San Franciscans are always upset about LA for something. Stealing water. Fouling the air. Clogging the highways. It's always something, and LA is always the problem.

LA people on the other hand? They could care less. The last thing they worry about is what NorCals think of them.

Similar to STL/Chicago. (Some, not all) St. Louisans are always comparing themselves to Chicago. "We'll never be like Chicago." "They are so much more urban." "They are so much more hip than us."

Blaah-blah-blah, blah-blaah, blah-blaah.

You know what? Chicagoans could care less. They think about St. Louis about as much as LA people think of Northern California. They don't care, and neither should we!

People in St. Louis need to stop comparing themselves to other places. It's an exercise in mental masturbation and not much else.

Chicago comparisons not only are the opposite of constructive; they just don't resonate.

So, what does? Collaboration with our true sister cities - Memphis and New Orleans!

I lived in Chicago for 11 years or so. I liked it there for some reasons, I like it here for other reasons. I honestly don't even think about Chicago that much any more. It was nice to be there when I was there, but I've moved on. I don't even think I know that many people there any more. All my friends left too.

BTW did you know about my party on Saturday?

This might just be my particular bubble of folks (though I'd like to think I rove pretty far'n'wide), but I don't know *any* STL kids that compare themselves unfavorably to Chi-congo. If anything, we've developed a chip-on-der-shoulder attitude (much like River City, Iowa in yr Music Man), sorta like the tuff kids from the wrong side of the tracks. The Outsiders. Other. Urbane? Hip? I get enough of that garbage in STL. *Without* the high rent and *with* the ability to drive 25 minutes and be in the middle of flippin' nowhere.

Oh, plus/also/which, who gives a good goll-dang? Live where you live, debate pluses and minuses, but, really...who actually cares? Show me that person, and I will show you a boring, boring life.

-James

stay golden pony boy...

Oh... St. Louis. The thing you seem to overlook is that Chicago has a massive complex about being a second city itself. It looks longingly east to the coast and sighs that it can't be New York.
I've lived in both cities (and a few others including Prague and Dallas) and I'll take St. Louis and day.

However thinks that St. Louis isnt "urban" enough obviously is not well travel or thinks living in St. Charles County means they live in St. Louis, because St. Louis is very urban for a metro its size. Of course Chicago is more urban than St. Louis lets see a metro of 3 million in a conservative hellhole like Missouri versus a metro of 9 million in a moderately liberal state like Illinois....hmmmm I wonder which one will have more amenities. Anyway Both cities have great qualities and both get better everyday.