Chicago: The Windy City
Chicago is the Illinois’ largest city and the mostly inhabited metropolis in the Midwestern section. It has as much as 2,700,000 dwellers. The line up of the city’s racial composition is 45% white Americans, 33% of black Americans, 6% Asians and the rest account for other races including American Indians, Hispanics and others. Chicago became a city in 1833. It lies nearby Great Lakes and Mississippi River. The city has been called many other names aside from “the Windy City.” Most of which indicates the notion of other states into the historic and present-day city. It has been referred to as Chi-town, Second City and the most American of big cities.
The origin of the city’s name traces back to the French rendering of shikaakwa, a Native American word, which literally means wild garlic. Robert de LaSalle took it as “Checagou.” Chicago is surrounded by freshwater Lake Michigan and two rivers, which are the Chicago and Calumet Rivers. These bodies of water have been substantial to the climate and economy of the city. It has been being used by the freighters and has made the summer cooler and the winter time warmer. The Great Chicago Fire, as devastating as it may seem, has led to the booming of the skyscrapers in the city. Chicago Loop is the term used to describe the business district. The skyline of this metropolis is one of the tallest in the globe. The United States’ two tallest edifices are both based in the Windy City. These are the Willis Tower which was known as Sears Tower before and the Trump International Hotel and Tower. The other skyscrapers include the John Hancock Center and the Standard Oil Building which is now known as the Aon Center. Historic edifices also attract the attention of the domestic and overseas visitors. Some of the buildings that have been in the city for some time entail Chicago Board of Trade Building, 35 East Wacker, 860-880 Lake Shore Drive Apartments and many others.
The residents of Chicago have been sports enthusiasts. This is why stadiums and other sports centers have been built around the city. The Chicago Blackhawks and the Chicago Bulls, which has been one of the highly regarded teams in the National Basketball Association play into the Madison Avenue. As for the celebrated Chicago Cubs, the baseball team usually plays at Wrigleyville in north side of the city. Aside from the sports centers, the theaters in the city are also quite popular. Some of which includes Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Victoria Gardens Theater. Those who want to watch Broadway plays and musicals can go to the Ford Center for the Performing Arts Oriental Theater, Cadillac Palace Theater, Roosevelt University’s Auditorium and Bank of America Theatre. The city of Chicago has adopted the Latin motto “Urbs in horto” which means City in a Garden. The reason behind this is that the city has more than 7,300 acres of parkland. It maintains more than 550 parks. It has sand beaches, quite a few historic lagoons and some bird and wildlife sanctuaries. Its biggest park is the Lincoln Park that has 20 millions visitors annually. If you care to stop over Chicago, be sure to grab its popular hotdog sandwich.
A Look at the Life in Chicago
Chicago or the “Windy City” as it has been called, allows its inhabitants to take pleasure in a vivacious and cosmopolitan culture. Because it is the largest city in the United States’ midwestern section, the multiracial composition of its population has enriched the culture all the more. From the local restaurants to music and shopping, they can have it all at its finest. It has lots of museums that the domestic and overseas can pay a visit. It is the home to the country’s second largest museum in art. Other tourist destinations that speak of the city’s culture include Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago History Museum and The Museum of Contemporary Art.
The residents of the city have been great fans of performing arts including theater and music. Different venues are built around the metropolis and many local and foreign artists and musicians regularly perform in town. Most of these venues are situated in historic buildings in the city. I.O. comedy troupe, Goodman Theatre, the Second City and Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Joffrey Ballet are just some of the groups that have been essential in the shaping of the arts neighborhood of the city. This has allowed Chicago to contribute significantly in the country’s popular culture. The country music of the city showcases a wide genre that includes Chicago blues, soul, Gospel Music and even jazz. Techno music also emerged in the Windy City. Hip-Hop community is also dominant in town, reinforced by the presence of famous Chicagoans artists like Kanye West. Other prominent musicians who are from the metropolis are the band Chicago which crooned people internationally for over 35years, Anastacia whose distinctive soulful voice delighted her fans and Minnie Riperton who is also another soul icon.
The Chicagoans have been not into just music but sports as well. It has been handling 15 professional sports teams; among that number are two baseball teams which are playing into the major league and of course, its Chicago Bulls basketball team led by basketball superstar Michael Jordan. This team has been popular due to its six consecutive years of winning streak, making it one of the most acclaimed teams in National Basketball Association. The city provides sports venues where its 15 teams can play in. Wrigley Field and US Cellular Field are just two of the sports centers that Chicago has. This is where sports fans gather whenever there are games.
When it comes to foods, the Chicagoans do not have such a delicate taste. Make no mistake though as its regional cuisine are certainly delectable. Your taste buds can take delight in their ever famous hotdogs. This has been an all-time favorite not just in street parks but in restaurants as well. Another food in their menu is their deep pizza that you can only find in the city. Thin crusts are also one of the prominent foods but the deep pizza which thickness resembles those of pies is an original. It does not matter whether you are residing in the Gold Coast, North Shore, Oak Brook, Lincoln Park, Hinsdale or in any other neighborhood, you can take pleasure in the cosmopolitan culture of Chicago, not to mention in the low cost of living, giving its people low housing costs for suburban rates.
Chicago: City In a Garden
Chicago is the United States’ third most inhabited city with its population amounting to 2,700,000 people. The dwellers are made up of mostly white Americans, followed by black Americans, Asians and other races. It became a city officially in 1833. It is surrounded by different bodies of water. It lies alongside the Great Lakes, Mississippi River, Lake Michigan, Chicago River, Lake Calumet and Lake Shore Drive. Because of this, the city has been a home for many different lake freighters, both medium and small-scale. In addition, it is included in one of the world’s tallest skylines. The great fire that burned the city has paved the way for the booming of the skyscrapers.
Two of the United States’ tallest edifices are based in the city, the Sears Tower which is now known as the Willis Tower and the Trump International Hotel and Tower. Aside from its skyscrapers, another tourist attraction is the city’s largest park, the Lincoln Park, which covers more than 7,300 acres of land. There is some truth behind the Chicago’s motto “Urbs in Horto” which means City in a Garden. The city in fact maintains 552 parks, wildlife gardens, historic lagoons, sand beaches, museums and conservatories. The several bodies of water that surround the city have provided an opportunity to get the most out of the country’s biggest municipal harbor system which houses as much as 5,000 boats.
The city has a unique regional cuisine. The foods indicate Chicago’s working class roots. Pizza has been one of the popular foods. The Chicagoans consume tons of thin-crust and deep-dish pizza. The latter is as thick as a pie. Its style has been said as Pizzeria Uno’s original. Chicago-style hotdogs is also quite popular. Characteristically, it is merely a Vienna Beef dog that has lots of add-ons such as yellow mustard, neon green pickles, pickled sport peppers, tomatoes, dill pickle spear and celery salts. Most of the residents do not even bother to add ketchup on the sandwich. Aside from this, there are two other notable sandwiches that are eaten by a large number of Chicagoans and domestic and foreign tourists everyday. These two are Italian beef and the Maxwell Street Polish. The first is composed of thin slices of beef wrapped in Italian rolls and usually have sweet peppers and spicy giardiniera. The other is a deep fried kielbasa which is in a hotdog roll. It also has yellow mustard, hot spot peppers and grilled onions.
Chicago has been cited by The Sporting News as Best Sports City last year. This is because of the many teams that the city houses. They have two teams playing in Major League Baseball: the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs. In addition, Chicago Cubs still play for the National Football League which has bagged the SuperBowl XX. Chicago Blackhawks is the city’s hockey team, the Chicago Fire is Major League Soccer’s members and of course, the Chicago Bulls, which is one of the NBA’s most recognized teams, will always be celebrated. This team has bagged six crowns in just eight seasons when it was still led by the basketball superstar Michael Jordan. Each of the mentioned teams has separate athletic centers where they play. The sports centers are scattered in different parts of Chicago.
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