Next assignment: D.C., L.A., or Chicago: Where would you live?

[User 1019]

An pretty interesting opportunity has befallen me, and it looks like my next assignment could very well be in one of these cities.

The assignment in D.C. would be downtown, just under a mile from the White House. The L.A. assignment would be in Long Beach, while the Chicago assignment would be in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.

While the assignments are all very similar, the D.C. assignment would be a big more prestigious, but also a bit harder to get -- interview process, and all. They're all three cool with me, though.

All other things equal, where would you live?

 

[I Should Coco]

Being born and raised in Chicagoland, I voted that way ... and Lincoln Park is a great neighborhood (assuming you can afford to live there).

That being said ... if you dislike cold weather as much as I think/remember, the Long Beach option might be best. California natives could address this better, but it seems the Long Beach area is a bit self-contained; you wouldn't have to drive all over the LA region with its horrible traffic. (Again, I'm basing this on just a couple visits to the Long Beach area).

Plus the West Coast has the sunshine, and the girls all get so tan ...

 

[User 1019]

I've never been to LA, and I've only spent a long weekend in DC, but I really love Chicago. Plus, it'd be close to Wrigley (where I'll be next week for the Cards series). Those winters, though. That would definitely be a factor. I have a friend who's lived there for years and is moving this fall. Said he can't take anymore of those winters.

Each of the assignments would be 18 months to two years.

 

[BDC99]

I voted Chicago and would have had DC at No. 2 but I think Coco is spot on. If you can avoid the chaos of LA for the most part, that could be a good gig too.

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

If my stay was May to September, I'd pick Chicago in a heartbeat.

 

[Vombatus]

The way I would order them:
1) Long Beach - warm, and plenty of ways to explore. Beaches, mountains, desert, and hell, skiing isn't that far away either if so inclined.
2) DC - museums, and hey, a LOT of SJ folks are in this area, so plenty of opportunities for mini-outings. Downsides - traffic and the possibility of the town getting nuked off the face of the Earth.
3) chitown - meh. COLD. Nice place to visit when it is warm, but I wouldn't want to live there. I do like all the Frank Lloyd Wright buildings there.

Professionally? Go for DC!!! Give it a shot.

VB

 

[Songbird]

LB.

My hometown and so much to do, and so close to everything.

 

[MisterCreosote]

DC. I'm buying the first round at the Russia House.

 

[cranberry]

Is the assignment exactly the same in each city? I'd avoid Chicago winters, but it would come down to quality of assignment in a decision between Long Beach and DC. You could join the board's strong contingent of Nats fans in Washington, plus it seems like kind of an important place in terms of military decision making.

 

[Amy]

Because of the weather, I voted for D.C. instead of Chicago, even though I love Chicago.

I worked in D.C. for 7 years, lived in Maryland. Lots to do in the city. Train ride to lots of other cities with stuff to do. Not far from the Shenandoahs/Skyline Drive.

If it's only a 2 year assignment, max, you could probably manage to get through one or two Chicago winters.

If the D.C. job is more prestigious, is it also a better long term career move?

 

[JackReacher]

No bad choices here. Good luck!

 

[The Big Ragu]

It's all personal preference, obviously. I lived in Chicago a long time ago. I loved it. Not sure how it would work at this point in my life, but out of those three, it would probably be my first choice. DC would be second. I feel like I can live happily in very few places, and DC has always been on the list as a place where I would be less miserable than most others. If it was a better job in DC, that would push it to DC for me over Chicago, even though I prefer Chicago as a city. LA would be last by a lot -- just personal preference; no dig against anyone who lives there. I am just not an LA type.

 

[justgladtobehere]

Chicago winters aren't all that worse than any other northern city. I wish I stayed there.

 

[Lugnuts]

I'd go for D.C., especially if it's short term. Everybody should live there and be able to explore it once.

I'm afraid if I moved to Cali, I'd never want to come back.

Chicago= no can do. I don't do winter in April.

 

[Cosmo]

I grew up in the D.C. area and always wondered what it would have been like to actually live in the city. The D.C. suburbs are pure hell, though.

 

[Jake_Taylor]

A few years ago I might have said DC, but traffic is miserable and it sounds like these days the Metro isn't any better option. There have been some fairly brutal blizzards there in recent memory too, so no real guarantee the winter is going to be any better than Chicago.

 

[MisterCreosote]

I'd bet eleventy billion dollars that Chicago, both the city and its citizens, is much better at handling snow and winter than DC is.

Of course, as long as you don't curl up in a fetal position and cry, you handle snow better than most people in and around DC.

 

[WriteThinking]

I love L.A. and have the most experience of that location. It really is a great city, in the truest sense of that word.

One edit I'd like to add: When I say that, I'm speaking of the city of downtown Los Angeles, proper. Long Beach is a city, but it's not really L.A., and it's just a city, and not a very notable one, either. Sure, it's close to the beach, but, because the beach is city-side and city-surrounded, it just feels like a dirty beach, not a beautiful one. Sometimes, you might not be able to tell fog from smog, and often, you can't even tell how close you are to the beach just because everything around it is so industrial.

Perhaps because of I already know and have experienced L.A., much as I learned to appreciate it, my vote would be for D.C., just because it would be a change of pace for me, a more interesting and historical place than the others, and a place always worth seeing/experiencing.

To me, Chicago is interesting in its vibe and mix of environments. Ultimately, though, it's a place I'd visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.

 

[Chef2]

I've never been to any of them.
Having said that, being I'm a vagina when it comes to weather, I'd say LA.

 

[Songbird]

"Not a very notable one" ... lol