Chicago, IL- The Windy City
When Chicagoans aren’t working, they’re enjoying one of the most vibrant urban playgrounds in the world, offering year-round recreation to enliven the body, mind and spirit. The Chicago Park District oversees almost 26 miles of public shoreline and more than 500 parks, the crown jewel of which, Millennium Park, features a band shell designed by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry. Other popular recreational and cultural pursuits include live theater, world-class museums and seven major professional sports teams. Chicago also knows a thing or two about great food. It has its own style of pizza (deep dish) and hot dog (hold the ketchup), but the city also has emerged as a center for haute cuisine, boasting a number of America’s most critically acclaimed restaurants.
The Windy City is also blazing a trail in green building and design. Under the watchful eye and green thumb of Mayor Daley, Chicago has planted more than half a million trees and paved the way for the creation of more than 300 green roofs, including the one atop City Hall.
While people often describe Chicago in superlatives – first, biggest, tallest – to most Chicagoans the best thing about the city is the fact that, in many ways, it’s still a small town. Each of the city’s 77 official neighborhoods has its own distinctive character, places and people. Those people tend to be genuinely friendly and helpful. And they take great pride in welcoming newcomers.
Sources: Fast Company (May 9, 2008), The Economist (March 18, 2006), Chicago Tribune (July 29, 2008), Chicago Sun-Times (July 22, 2008), World Business Chicago, Chicago 2016, City of Chicago.
