Sweet home

Forbes just came out with a new list titled "America's Most Miserable Cities" (Forbes does not = blog). I personally find the article to be depressing and the photo slideshow even worse (pictures of miserable-looking people, inmates, crime scenes, ect). It was so sad to see that Chicago is ranked 10th (and I was appalled to see that St. Louis, a former home, is ranked 7th!). So for a quick afternoon pick-me-up, I'm firing back at Forbes with the best things about Chicago.

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*Running on the lakefront in the summer at sunset while hundreds of people play beach volleyball and you have your own little race with the guys on the path in front of you.

*The free concerts in Millennium Park during the summer, packed with people eating picnic dinners and drinking bottles of wine.

*The Cubs- doesn't matter if they lose, Wrigley Field has the best energy and is the most fun stadium. Ever.

*The architecture, especially the way that most of the buildings on the river and in the Loop have ornate clocks on them so that I always know that I'm 5 minutes late for work.

*The always slightly-green river.

*The fact that we have a highly efficient public transportation system that makes owning a car seem like a silly idea.

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*All the museums, especially their free days in the summer and winter.

*Being able to pass by one of the tallest buildings in the world without even blinking.

*The skyline. Best view from the north: North Avenue Beach. Best view from the south: Shedd Aquarium.

*The Chicago Marathon- there is not a marathon with a better course (flat!), better crowds, or better time of the year (autumn leaves!).

*That you can walk pretty much anywhere if you have the time. I wouldn't consider it crazy if you walked from Lincoln Park to the Loop.

*The ingenuity and creativity of the chefs at local restaurants and how they aren't afraid at all to take risks.

*Lincoln Park (the park). Everything about it, but especially the free zoo.

*How even though winters are rough, I appreciate warm days and sunny days infinitely more.

*The Bears. Especially their big shouldered fans.

*The Mag Mile. But only on weekday mornings when there are little to no tourists.

*The harbors on the lake and how excited I get when they start filling up with boats again.

*The very distinct personality of every neighborhood (even if I have been called "a Lincoln Park sort of girl").

*That Southwest flies into Midway.

*The Bean/Cloud Gate.

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*Summer events. Especially the Taste of Chicago.

*The art, flowers, and sculptural objects along Michigan Avenue.

*Chicago's green movement, which is one of the most aggressive in the nation.

*Chicago-style pizza. And Chicago-style hot dogs. Nobody does it better. Can I have one now actually?

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