Here is a lesson learned by my friend when we were in college don't pass out drunk on the L because no one will wake you and you'll find yourself in a strange part of Chicago at 4am.

We're moving to Chicago - DaddyWho will be working on Navy Pier. I think we're going to live in the city, not in the burbs. We need to be in the moving truck, en route, a week from today. I will be renting a place to live SIGHT UNSEEN. I have no idea what I am doing when it comes to renting in the city. I have never even been in the same room as a working radiator. I'm in a bit of a panic. Help!

There is a slight possibility if your what you move into sucks The Companion and I could recommend a better apartment. The Companions Uncle owns apartments in Chitown but not sure if he has any available units.

Wow I'm less than literate tonight...

Should say "There is a slight possibility if what you move into sucks..."

A city block is not determined by length but by house numbers. So one city block can be hellalong. I learned this the hard way walking to Cokie's house when my car's battery died.

Get your snow shovel and deicer now. Trying to find that stuff in winter is like trying to find gold up a dogs butt. (don't ask me where the dog butt bit came from I'm loopy tonight)

Good luck. Chicago is a great town and there is so much to see and do there. Navy Pier has the most awesome children's museum I've ever seen and military get in free. I don't know if ex do too but it's shot if you Daddywho still has id he can you and Girl in free.

Yeah, head over to Sierra Trading Post ASAP and snap up some good parkas, capilene long underwear, and snow boots!

Learn to live with noise. Get the free newspapers and keep an eye out for city events.

Additionally... as soon as you get to Chicago have dinner at Giordano's and Lou Malnati's.

My best advice about renting sight unseen is if it's at ALL feasible financially, try to get a 6 month lease rather than a year. That way if the place sucks you can find something else without losing your security deposit.

I've never lived in Chicago but I have visited and it is a great town. It's an adventure for the Who family!

Great town! Good luck with the real estate part, I know nothing other than my friend lived near Boys Town, the gay community around Halstead Street in the 90s and it was a lot of fun. Not far from Wrigley.

Anyway, great town!

Don't make eye contact on the elevated train...unless he's really cute and you don't have baby vomit on your shirt...

We moved to Portland having never been here in our lives. It all worked out OK.

Of course I moved here from San Diego, it was a step back in pace. But I did move to San Diego from Minneapolis, so there you go. Living in Minneapolis was probably similar to Chicago - though again it's a much smaller city, and I was just a kid when we left so the only thing that I could tell you was that we lived in an old house that had been converted in to apartments. My upstairs neighbor was a stripper, my mom's roommate/my day time babysitter in kindergarten was a sleepwalking bartender. And my mom's crazy friend/our other neighbor downstairs was a funny hippie pot smoking dude who used to make strange things like rabbit and snake stew. He ended up screwing our babysitter, who was just a teenager, and they married when she was barely 18. They were all good people though, so don't judge a book by it's cover. There is my random lesson in this gargled mess.

People in the city may sometimes look scary, but they are still just people and many of them are teh awesome once you get to know them.

How exciting! Best of luck!

Try to avoid humming the "Bob Newhart" theme song as you commute home on the el (which a friend and I did incessantly during a visit to Chicago years ago. Damn, we were annoying).

Do you know anyone in Chicago who can look at places for you, maybe send you digital photos? I did that for some friends of mine who moved here sight unseen, and I think it was a big help.

if possible, try to find out which are the cruddier areas, and don't move to them. that's the hardest thing i've had in moving cities and towns a lot - you have to find someone you trust who knows the place, and double check the locations. Otherwise you could end up in Norlane, Wendouree West or Melton or something.

Also city people move faster and get frustrated and mad at people who get in the way. That's my experience, anyway. Learnt that the hard (but fast) way. Walk quick, drive promptly, keep moving until you get there. Also, figure out your path to your destination before you leave, like, otherwise you'll be hesitating at intersections or train stations etc., and that's never a good idea.

I have a bunch of social activist/artist friends in Chicago - they are pretty familiar with the turf and available unofficial social services. I'll get back to you mamawho.

here is there website for light reading and general enjoyment
http://www.temporaryservices.org/

The Minneapolis PD has crime reports by neighborhood available online, so maybe Chicago does too? That might be something to take a look at when scouting out which areas you'd like to live in. Does his new employer offer any resources for people relocating to the area? That could be pretty helpful.

I found this web site: http://movingtochicago.org/ I can't vouch for how good it is, but it has links to neighborhood descriptions and such. I hope it's helpful, and good luck!

I should say after posting that link, be wary of apartment locating services (there are tons of ads for those at that site). Sometimes they are helpful but they usually are paid by the apartment owners so they won't have your best interests at heart.

Leighbie - Are those your friends? That looks neat! I'll check them out when I get up there.

Donna Kat - I found a crime map that's fairly handy. His new employer will help as best they can, but they are mostly a volunteer organization (USO). I think they typically hire locally, as well, so they really aren't equipped to provide assistance of any substance.