Chicago
The Windy City, the City of Big Shoulders, the Second City, Chi-Town…whatever you call it, Chicago embodies urban grit and glamour with a diverse, though segregated, population. I lived in Chicago for almost 20 years, and it was a love-hate relationship at times. The winters can be punishingly cold (I’m looking at you, polar vortex), but the summers draw tourists from around the world, who attend music festivals like Lollapalooza and Pitchfork, go shopping on Michigan Avenue or take in a Cubs or White Sox game.
Chicago is the home of the skyscraper, and architects like Mies van der Rohe, Frank Lloyd Wright and Jeanne Gang have created some of the iconic buildings and houses in city. There are 77 designated “community areas” or neighborhoods in the city. Some are defined by ethnic, cultural or religious identities, like La Villita, a predominantly Mexican neighborhood on the city’s southwest side that has the second-busiest shopping section after Michigan Avenue.
Prior to Barack Obama being elected president, Al Capone and Michael Jordan were the two most famous figures from Chicago. Since 2000, both professional baseball teams have won the World Series and the Blackhawks have won three Stanley Cup championships. Despite those successes, however, many parts of the city were devastated financially after the 2008 economic collapse, and violence and racism continue to wreak havoc in some of the poorest neighborhoods.