Orange County vs. Chicago vs. London: Let the Battle Commence

I'm finally feeling like I live in London. Until recently, I've felt like a long-term tourist (which is more or less what I am), but I think I've started to trick myself into thinking otherwise. This means I've been lucky enough to live in three pretty cool places over the last 20 years. Always a fan of some healthy competition, I wanted to see how these places stack up against each other. Here goes:

Food

Sorry, blood pudding (I tried it though!)

The winner: Chicago

Whether it's a meal under $10 at Edzo's, Hot Doug's, or Soup Box, or a meal quite a bit over $10 at Alinea, Chicago is a culinary wonderland. Also, since Groupon was started in Chicago by a former Wildcat, there are always plenty of opportunities to eat out on the cheap. Laguna Beach is home to some of my very favorite restaurants (though I am saddened to learn that my favorite closed last month) and the world's best cheeseburger does come from a certain California drive-thru (sorry Five Guys, you're just no In-N-Out), but my hometown can't compete with the variety and creativity of the Chicago food scene. London is a fairly distant third, although I've had some great Indian food and eating in pubs is always a lot of fun. Food from the grocery store is real bland, unfortunately. I don't even want to think about how much salt I've had to use since I've been here...

But why take the bus when I can drive?

Transportation

The winner: London

This was not even a contest. The tube is clean and runs so frequently, the buses are iconic and easy to navigate, the staff is friendly and helpful (they wear coats and ties!), and whoever did their design work is a pro. The el does have some advantages though: if a line doesn't run all night, it's open until at least 1 or 2am (all the tube lines close at midnight), and whole lines rarely shut down. Also, it builds character. As far as Orange County goes, I think it has a bus system. 

Friendliness

The winner: Orange County

That's what I'm talking about.

A lot of the reason I went to school in Chicago was to get away from the Orange County lifestyle, but when it comes down to it, it's just the place I feel most comfortable. After 18 years of living there, it's always nice to come home and feel like I know just about everything there is to know about it. Big cities are a lot of fun, and even though Chicago and London are very friendly places (certainly friendlier than LA), the hustle and bustle of a city can get to be a little trying on the people. Plus, how can you not be friendly with the beach 20 minutes away and the mountains 2 hours away? Also, it's where my family is, and that's a tough one to argue with.

It doesn't usually look this imposing.

Museums

The winner: London
To start with, almost all of the London museums are free, including The Tate, the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, and the British Museum. That's a lot of culture for no money, especially when you consider how unbelievably expensive this city is in all other regards.  Chicago's MCA may be free on Thursdays, but the Art Institute will put you back $16, and even LACMA is $10. Not only are London's museums cheaper, they hold some pretty incredible things. Considering the city traces its roots back to the second century, it obviously has a little bit more history to draw from. 

I can see my house from here! (not really)

Architecture

The winner: Chicago
Frank Lloyd Wright, the Bean, Hancock Tower, Willis Tower, and the Wrigley Building!? Oh, and that one building that looks like a you-know-what. London obviously has some beautiful buildings, but what's so cool about Chicago is that there are so many places where you can see a ton of buildings at once. Whether it's driving down Lake Shore Drive into the city, standing in the middle of Lollapalooza and looking all around you, or taking the train across the river, the views of the city's architecture are breathtaking.

I think this was taken in February.

Weather

The winner: Orange County

Do I even need to explain this one? Yeah, seasons are nice, but it's a pretty tough argument to claim that -12 degree winters beat 75 degree days at the park in December. And sorry London, but this rain is brutal. I'm looking forward to heading home and spending Christmas on the beach, book in hand. 

So there it is, all broken down. There are plenty of other categories that I thought about looking at (music scene, nightlife, intangibles), but these six seemed like the ones I had the most experience with in all three places. Also, this worked itself into a very nice three-way tie (completely intentional). If I made any glaring mistakes, then comment away, but otherwise, look out for another post in a week or so!