There ’s a famous commandment that says , “ Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor ’s city … ” or something like that . For those non - Chicagoans spend any considerable amount of meter in the Jewel of the Midwest , it inevitable that you ’d mature covetous , plausibly turning as dark-green as our ( probably toxic ) river on St. Patrick ’s Day . This is why .

1. Our food

Italian beef . Chicago - style red-hot wiener . rich - dish pizza . All Chicago excogitation . All of which put other regional local delicacies / abominations to human beings like the Philly cheesesteak to shame . We even have The Mother - In - Law , a tamale on a blistering frank bun . Covered in chili . Which is actually right smart better than it sounds . Oh , and our restaurant scene is big top in the state , especiallybetter than New York ’s .

2. Our festivals

From Lollapalooza and Riot Fest to Pitchfork and North Coast Music Fest to Spring Awakening and ( new this year ) Chicago Open Air , Chicago has turned into flat coat zero for the summertime music festival circuit . And that does n’t admit liberal shows in Millennium Park and about a billion other summer street festivals .

3. Our cost of living

Noodling around onNumbeo ’s cost of living trackerto bump that   Chicago ’s is comfortably lower than NYC ’s , which come along with more buying power than the Big Apple . Our tear is also lower than DC ’s , LA ’s and , of course , San Francisco ’s .

4. Our glorious flag

The Chicago signal flag is a matter of beauty . We hang it outside our house , we have it sown on our backpacks , we have it tattoo on our forearm . San Francisco ’s flag , by comparison , is this abomination[shutter ] .

5. Lake Michigan

Our beach are so close-fitting to downtown it ’s crazy . They ’re like , right there . And in summer , anyone who choose Lake Havasu to Lake Michigan belongs in Lake Havasu .

6. Wrigley Field

As if the Friendly Confines were n’t enough temptation , we ’re throwing in Joe Maddon , the NL Rookie of the Year , the NL Cy Young winner , and a new crop of natural endowment let in Jason Heyward and Ben Zobrist . We ai n’t afraid of no condemnation .

7. Our beer scene

Did you have intercourse we somewhat muchinvented craftiness brewing ? And if that ’s not enough , our craft view is currently overflowing with natural endowment from established laboured hitters like Half Acre and Revolution toup - and - coming newbieslike Alarmist and Marz . Trying to keep up with all the new brewery is half the fun .

8. We party LATE

Till 5 am , child . Just stay away fromthese places .

9. Our corrupt politicians

Our tainted polsare more fun than your corrupted pols . Our raiment of old mob run ginmill should give you an denotation of that . Does your city have a bar where one of Capone ’s henchmensliced a Isaac Merrit Singer ’s tongue offbecause he threatened to go sing in another clubhouse ? Did n’t reckon so .

10. Day drinking

Yes , other metropolis enjoy daytime imbibing . But when wintertime ultimately turns to bound and the out-of-door patios start popping up around town just as the shirt change by reversal short - sleeve ( or as soon as March 1st rolls around ) , there ’s no place like it in the earth .

11. We invented house music

Chicago may be famed for the blues , but we also invent mansion music ( not to mention the skyscraper , the cellular phone , andPlayboy.)You’re welcome , public .

12. Our architecture

Time to face fact : we have the good apparent horizon in the world . Despite what “ others ” may think .

13. Our green river

Fact : our St Patrick ’s twenty-four hours is more fun than your St. Patrick ’s Day . We have a green river to show it .

14. Our comedy scene

Not only do we have the greatest live comedy theatre in the chronicle of human beings , we can also arrogate Bill Murray . Who happens to be a person you shouldDEFINITELY not hatchel on stage .

15. Kanye West

OK , maybe we botched this one .

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