[Xing]

What are the hippest neighborhoods in the midwest? Which ones are going to be hip, and which ones do most people think are hip, but they're opinion that it's hip, is actually the sign that it probably isn't anymore?

[ColDayMan]

I must say I'm glad the Midwest doesn't have that many "hip" neighborhoods, compared to the coastal areas.

Granted, most of the headquarters of "hip design" are in the Midwest (particularly, Ohio and Illinois) but we know better... ;)

[CGII]

The Third Ward and the Lower East Side, from about North Avenue Kilbourn East of the river, especially along Brady, Farwell and Prospect.

[chrizow]

hip areas of kansas city, missouri:

(1) the crossroads - area south of downtown of old warehouses, light industrial businesses, parking lots, etc. there are over 40 art galleries, loads of creative businesses (printshops, architecture firms, ad firms), a dozen or so restaurants and bars, hundreds of lofts, etc. - BUT, given the fact it's such a large area and b/c there is still a rather gritty, industrial feel to the place it has retained a vibe of "authenticity." Crossroads activists argue that this will be destroyed with a brand new 18-story condo tower being built soon, but i think the Crossroads will be legitimately cool for at least another decade - especially the gritty/desolate east side of the neighborhood.

(2) Westside - originally a Swedish neighborhood, Westside has been a hispanic enclave for decades. it consists of some of the oldest housing stock in kansas city - lots of victorians and the like. however, due to its affordability and proximity (a few blocks) to the Crossroads, it has become attractive to artists and creative people - much to the chagrin of the hispanic community. a huge wave of gentrification is underway as $1M+ homes are being built and some $300K+ condos have been completed but, like the Xroads, i really don't think Westside will ever become a cuddly neighborhood. it's mostly residential, sporting a school, several mexican/latin american eateries and stores, and (thanks to the westward creep of the Crossroads) an upscale organic/sustainable restaurant, a funky but still upscale restaurant/bar (Lille's), a couple of galleries, a chic salon, bakery, etc.

(3) Volker/W. 39th - not a cutting-edge "hip" neighborhood like the above two, but a solid and pretty diverse neighborhood consisting of families, hipsters, medical students (KU Med anchors the neighborhood), and everyone in between. W. 39th between Southwest Trafficway and State Line is the retail/dining spine of the neighborhood and the street is often called Restaurant Row due to the dense mishmash of restaurants on the street. there is everything from cheap international fare (ethiopian, thai, taiwanese, vietnamese), dive bars (Gilhouly's, Cooper's), chic cuisine (Thomas, Circe) and classic KC institutions (D'Bronx, Macaluso's, Fric + Frac). the neighborhood has a funky edge, with a couple of record shops, edgy coffeeshop, pagan store, used bookstores, etc. but in the last few years it has gained a Starbucks and Chipotle. since i believe the chains are coming in due to the lunch/coffee crowd from KU Med, the neighborhood should remain pretty cool for a while. rents and home prices are pretty erratic.

(3) Warwick/KCAI area - this is technically Hyde Park, but the area near the museums and the Kansas City Art Institute definitely has a flavor all its own. many art students live there as well as UMKC students, giving the neighborhood a youthful, fun vibe. (art school parties = awesome). nearby Gillham Park is locus of family gatherings as well as anarchist soccer :). the area is also pretty gritty and has a fair amount of crime, adding to its edginess, but it's a cool place.

on the horizon: i see several areas of KC getting more and more hip (often due to rising housing costs in the aforementioned areas). one is the Rosedale area of Kansas City, KS, which is basically south and west of the KU Med area, but the state line has always kept people on the MO side. not anymore! also, Old Northeast (recently documented in City Photos by Tosspot) is an up and coming area that is still really iffy (even by SSP forumer standards) but pockets of it are really turning around, particularly the historic areas of Pendleton Heights and Scarritt.

i just typed a lot.

[Broad&HighCMH]

I think the terms "Midwest" and "hip" are mutually exclusive, unless you mean "fattest hips," in which the Midwest is very successful.

[Heatonator]

Uptown in south Minneapolis.

[Jeff_in_Dayton]

For Dayton, its not a neighborhood but a nearby college town, Yellow Springs. Insufferable, but they have nice handcrafted jewlery.

For the city, some ill-publicized art opening at Front Street is ground zero for Gem City cool, if you can say an industrial district is a neighborhood. (no one lives there) and anything in Dayton is cool (Dayton is too pragmatic to be hip).

People in Dayton think the Oregon is hip, but its just a place to hear music, and pretty much unhip given some of the crowd there (too many drunk chicks).

Columbus, Short North.

Cincinnati,er, Clifton? Or maybe Northside now?

Cleveland..hmm....

Toledo? uh...

Indianapolis, probably Broad Ripple but I think some of those close in areas are getting hipper (that northeast diagonal).

Chicago..lol..the whole city? Perhaps inner Pilsen, along Halstead. Perhaps Ukranian Village.

[the pope]

cleveland: mansfield.

[Xing]

btw, I mean, "their."... damn, smoking too much of this shit..

[Steely Dan]

i've never seen any hip places in the midwest.

[Cincinnatis]

Cincinnati: I would say Oakley, Clifton, Hyde Park, and Northside.

[JivecitySTL]

There is a difference between "hip" and "hipster" IMO.

[LAsam]

In Columbus it's the Short North and surrounding nabes. Easton/New Albany/Polaris think their the hip neighborhoods... but we all know better... don't we?

[KCtoBrooklyn]

I'd have to disagree with you chrizow, and say that the West Bottoms is the most hip area in KC.

Its definitely "edgier" than the Crossroads and has better galleries (IMO) and more artists residing. It reminds me a bit of a less developed Williamsburg.

I went to a party once where there was a half pipe built in the loft. (also a nationaly touring band playing). I thought that was pretty hip.

I think as more artists get squeezed out of the Crossroads, the West Bottoms will continue to grow.

[chrizow]

There is a difference between "hip" and "hipster" IMO.

absolutely. the 'hoods i cited for KC are more of the uber-hip, hipster variety.

if "hip" means "popular area where yuppies and suburbanites flock" then i'd have to say the Plaza area and Westport on weekend evenings. all the cool kids in KC know to avoid those places. we prefer our bars and eateries betwixt bodegas and machine shops, not Pizzeria Uno and Banana Republic. :)

[Wheelingman04]

Cleveland: Ohio City and Tremont
Columbus: Short North, Victorian Village and Italian Village
Dayton: Oregon District
Cincinnati: Hyde Park, Mt. Adams, Northside, possibly Clifton?

[chrizow]

I'd have to disagree with you chrizow, and say that the West Bottoms is the most hip area in KC.

Its definitely "edgier" than the Crossroads and has better galleries (IMO) and more artists residing. It reminds me a bit of a less developed Williamsburg.

I went to a party once where there was a half pipe built in the loft. (also a nationaly touring band playing). I thought that was pretty hip.

I think as more artists get squeezed out of the Crossroads, the West Bottoms will continue to grow.

absolutely! i can't believe i forgot that. there are a ton of artists down there. i too have been to shows in that place with the half-pipe, as well as the Pistol Social Club. the West Bottoms right now is like what the Crossroads were 8-10 years ago. the east crossroads are still like that (e.g. seeing Xiu Xiu at the Black Door!)

[subterranean]

Ferndale, Royal Oak, Midtown AND Downtown D, Ann Arbor in general, Downtown Grand Rapids is getting very very hip, Old town Lansing has a long way to go but I think that area is on the up and up.

My opinion of course.

[the pope]

if someone needs to ask if they are hip, chances are they probably aren't

[Xing]

if someone needs to ask if they are hip, chances are they probably aren't

I was shot down by the Pope. DAAAAMN!!!!! Oh NO HE DIDNT!! HELL NAW!!! HELLL NAW!!!

[Cincinnatis]

Cleveland: Ohio City and Tremont
Columbus: Short North, Victorian Village and Italian Village
Dayton: Oregon District
Cincinnati: Hyde Park, Mt. Adams, Northside, possibly Clifton?

Oh damn ... I forgot about Mt. Adams. How could I forget Mt. Adams? lol.

[Jeff_in_Dayton]

Mnt Adams was probably hip in the 1960s, as in "counterculture". But that was then and this is now....

And Hyde Park...a bit too upscale to be hip, no?

[STLtoSA]

It depends on what you think "Hip" means.

In St. Louis I would say that South Grand, the Loop, Washington Ave., Soulard, Westport, The Landing, Central West End, South City, and Lafayette Square.

There are many more which haven't been labled or exploited.

I have always preferred South City, South Grand, the Loop, and Washington Ave.

[Suburban Lou]

westport?

[Evergrey]

Cleveland: Akron's Highland Square

[Xing]

It depends on what you think "Hip" means.

In St. Louis I would say that South Grand, the Loop, Washington Ave., Soulard, Westport, The Landing, Central West End, South City, and Lafayette Square.

There are many more which haven't been labled or exploited.

I have always preferred South City, South Grand, the Loop, and Washington Ave.

I can't wait until West Port is cool again.

[Buckeye Native 001]

The Dairy Treat at the corner of SR-32 and Newtown Road in Newtown Ohio is pretty damn hip. There's even a UDF across the street! OMG, teh trendiness!

[Erieshore]

Cleveland: Coventry

[the pope]

Cleveland: Coventry

i don't know. Over the years coventry has become more and more college dominated. which is fun when you are in college, but afterwards, it mostly becomes annoying (at night anyway)

[Segun]

Little Village

[Cincinnatis]

Mnt Adams was probably hip in the 1960s, as in "counterculture". But that was then and this is now....

And Hyde Park...a bit too upscale to be hip, no?

Yeah, I don't think the author means "Hip" as in "Hippy", i.e. "counterculture".


Mt. Adams is definitely hip and so is Hyde Park, being poor is not "hip".


If you are older (eg. 40's-50's), I can see where you would associate the word "hip" as in "hippy" though.

[Buckeye Native 001]

Its hip to be square.

[Jeff_in_Dayton]

Mt. Adams is definitely hip and so is Hyde Park, being poor is not "hip".

They are yuppie. Hip has a younger demographic.

[Cincinnatis]

They are yuppie. Hip has a younger demographic.

Okay, so you just agreed with me then. Am I wrong?

[Jeff_in_Dayton]

Okay, so you just agreed with me then. Am I wrong?

I dont know if you are or not.

Hip means to me a younger and more bohemian/artistic/creative crowd.

Yuppie means to me a more affluent crowd, more fashionable. And also more professional/managerial.

And there is some overlap between these.

Hyde Park looks like it would older and more affluent than one would associate with "hip". Just by looking at the housing there and the type of shops around Hyde Park Square. It seems more for professionals not bohemians.











____

[Cincinnatis]

Just curious Jeff and then I'll leave it at that ...

1. Where do you live?
2. How old are you?

Me ...

1. Cincinnati
2. Mid-twenties

[Black Box]

Nordeast in Minneapolis, in particular, the area around East Hennepin Avenue near Nye's.

[trvlr70]

Chicago: Wicker Park, Lakeview, Bucktown, Ukranian Village
St. Louis: Central West End

Other Midwest: none

[JivecitySTL]

Chicago: Wicker Park, Lakeview, Bucktown, Ukranian Village
St. Louis: Central West End

Other Midwest: none
^nah. Detroit is about as hipster as it gets. Spend a night at the Bronx bar and you'll see that place can show up any hipster joint around.

For STL-- the CWE is fashionable, but I'm not sure "hip" would be appropriate. "Bohemian" sounds more fitting for the CWE. South Grand is much more hipster-influenced than the CWE, although that never used to be the case. And the Loop can be pretty hip too.

[Sirus]

Nordeast in Minneapolis, in particular, the area around East Hennepin Avenue near Nye's.

I'd agree with that, and maybe 13th Ave. Northeast seems to be the new hood for all the artists, hipsters and to an extent, yuppies that don't want or can't afford to live in Uptown.

[MotorCityDave]

^nah. Detroit is about as hipster as it gets. Spend a night at the Bronx bar and you'll see that place can show up any hipster joint around.

Exactly.... Corktown, Midtown, you name it... Detroit is FULL of "hipster" neighborhoods. More than not!!! Even the 'upscale' areas are "hipster"...lol.
Hell, this city bleeds hipster.
I think it may be fair to say that we lead the midwest in "hipster".
Ok, enough usage of the word "hipster"!!! :yes:

[JivecitySTL]

^Motown definitely gets my vote. CASS CORRIDOR FOREVER, BABY!

[Steely Dan]

I think it may be fair to say that we lead the midwest in "hipster".


that's a title you're more than welcome to claim, but certainly not one i'd ever be proud of. few things are more annoying than the prolonged adolescence that is hipsterdom. teenagers are idiots, why do people want to play like they're still in that mindset when they're in their 20s. i for one don't get it, but that's probably because i've always been patently uncool and forever not "with it".

[the pope]

^this coming from a guy with an avatar synonymous with excessive intoxication of hipsters in the bleachers.

[Steely Dan]

^this coming from a guy with an avatar synonymous with excessive intoxication of hipsters in the bleachers.

huh? there ain't any hipsters in the bleachers at wrigley. it's mostly a yuppie/ex-frat boy crowd out there. i lived in wrigleyville for nearly 4 years, hipster it is certainly not.

[-GR2NY-]

I can vouch for downtown GR. At least its almost inagruably (is that a word?) coolest place within 150 miles and that should count for something.

[chrizow]

For STL-- the CWE is fashionable, but I'm not sure "hip" would be appropriate. "Bohemian" sounds more fitting for the CWE. South Grand is much more hipster-influenced than the CWE, although that never used to be the case. And the Loop can be pretty hip too.

"hip" STL is wherever da party's at after a show at the hi-pointe or lemp neighborhood arts center! :whip:

[JivecitySTL]

^R.I.P. Hi-Pointe. :(

It closed two months ago.

[chrizow]

^R.I.P. Hi-Pointe. :(

It closed two months ago.

oh snap!

[A&Fcolumbus]

I never realized it was so difficult to define hip. lol

I am 21, a working young professional and gay, and live in the Short North area of Columbus off of High St.

So in Ohio I guess we have all concluded that the Short North is the hip neighborhood of Columbus

[MayorOfChicago]

Chicago....hmm...

Ukrainian Village and Wicker Park/Bucktown have in recent years been the hipster places of artists and bohemians. They're starting to get overly gentrified though and becoming more Lakeviewish.

I think they'll be the next Lakeview, which is "hip" in the terms of very popular, and not completely sell-out-snobby like Lincoln Park has become. Lincoln Park is much more "hip" for young professionals and urban famlies. It's all status there, rich college kids, etc. Lakeview still has boystown, and a younger more relaxed and not-as-snobby group of professionals and retail workers(I said not AS snobby, it still has that feeling in a lot of places). I prefer Lakeview to Lincoln Park, as the people are a little more laid back and don't mind getting crazy and carefree. There's more of an energy I think as well.

Logan Square isn't known as "hip", but it's seeming to get more popular with people who don't want to fully sell out to Lakeview and Lincoln Park. I know a lot of really cool people at work who are very bohemian/unique who all love Logan Square. I lived there for 3 years in the early 2000's and I loved it there as well. Fun area without all the clout.

South Loop and West Loop are the new "hip" places for young professionals and transplant/first time home-buyers to move, but I certainly wouldn't concider them anything but brand knew neighborhoods of nice condos and a few restaurants.

Chicago's "hip" areas all tend to be west of the established yuppie and snobby areas of the city.

I don't know the south side....

[cwilson758]

Indy would have to be Mass Ave and the surrounding downtown neighborhoods. Broad Ripple has become much more "granola" and I don't know if I consider that "hip." Sure there are "hip" shops, but the residents all look so dirty to me.

[ColDayMan]

I never realized it was so difficult to define hip. lol

I am 21, a working young professional and gay, and live in the Short North area of Columbus off of High St.

So in Ohio I guess we have all concluded that the Short North is the hip neighborhood of Columbus

The Short North was the hipster neighborhood of Columbus (atleast in the late 80's/early 90's). Now it's just yuppie/guppie.

Columbus' "hip" neighborhood now is Merion Village (south of the Hungarian Village).

[SuburbanNation]

south grand in stl seems to be "the place" with dat silly 3am italian joint. the loop is of course hanging in there. ONSL...onsl (old north st. louis...an independent village absorbed into the city of st. louis in 1841) is in my heart and reality IT. it is easily the most edgy, urbano-intellectual post modern cool nabe in the midwest. the root of all evil and good springs from the roots of trees growing from the crumbling foundations of rowhouses built by retired riverboat captains here.

pretty much "greater midtown" in kc is hipstar. i miss it.

[SuburbanNation]

Chicago....hmm...

Ukrainian Village and Wicker Park/Bucktown have in recent years been the hipster places of artists and bohemians. They're starting to get overly gentrified though and becoming more Lakeviewish.

I think they'll be the next Lakeview, which is "hip" in the terms of very popular, and not completely sell-out-snobby like Lincoln Park has become. Lincoln Park is much more "hip" for young professionals and urban famlies. It's all status there, rich college kids, etc. Lakeview still has boystown, and a younger more relaxed and not-as-snobby group of professionals and retail workers(I said not AS snobby, it still has that feeling in a lot of places). I prefer Lakeview to Lincoln Park, as the people are a little more laid back and don't mind getting crazy and carefree. There's more of an energy I think as well.

Logan Square isn't known as "hip", but it's seeming to get more popular with people who don't want to fully sell out to Lakeview and Lincoln Park. I know a lot of really cool people at work who are very bohemian/unique who all love Logan Square. I lived there for 3 years in the early 2000's and I loved it there as well. Fun area without all the clout.

South Loop and West Loop are the new "hip" places for young professionals and transplant/first time home-buyers to move, but I certainly wouldn't concider them anything but brand knew neighborhoods of nice condos and a few restaurants.

Chicago's "hip" areas all tend to be west of the established yuppie and snobby areas of the city.

I don't know the south side....

so in other words chicago is ruined. ;)

[Xing]

that's a title you're more than welcome to claim, but certainly not one i'd ever be proud of. few things are more annoying than the prolonged adolescence that is hipsterdom. teenagers are idiots, why do people want to play like they're still in that mindset when they're in their 20s. i for one don't get it, but that's probably because i've always been patently uncool and forever not "with it".

Adults can be pretty idiotic some times too. I don't mean to be agist or anything, but it can be bad. Sometimes they start acting like this in public, all loud, and bouncing around like they're high on formality. Teenagers are pretty stupid still... like they have the bodies of intelligence, aka, adult bodies, like us, but the brains aren't quite set on the politics, and all that other shit, if you know what I mean...

[pdxtex]

ive been on the west coast ten years but the rents' and my syblings still live in the midwest, ann arbor and milwaukee respectively. GRAND RAPIDS of all places is fricken booming. Last time I was there a few summers ago, downtown was packed on a Friday night. Nice!! I can't even imagine what Detroit is experiencing. Maybe this?!!!

http://www.neatorama.com/images/2005-10/hipster-bingo.jpg

[the pope]

damnit, tell those hipsters to give me back my parliament lights and my beers. I'll switch to Ballantine and stay years ahead of them.

[Cincinnatis]

P-funks!!!





It's amazing how the different times in culture just keep repeating.

[MotorCityDave]

^this coming from a guy with an avatar synonymous with excessive intoxication of hipsters in the bleachers.
Exactly.... Old Style (and Pabst among others) are THE common drink of the hipster!!! :yes:

[Steely Dan]

Exactly.... Old Style (and Pabst among others) are THE common drink of the hipster!!! :yes:
if you actually had a clue as to what you were talking about, perhaps you'd be worth paying attention to. :yes:

as some of you appear to need some education, let's clear this issue up for good: old style is the beer of the chicago cubs. it is the taste of wrigley field, the greatest place in the universe. the shit's got nothing to do with hipsters. it's all about the cubs, summer, wrigley, perennial disappointment, and all the other wonderful and not-so-wonderful aspects of cubbiedom.

[MotorCityDave]

I never realized it was so difficult to define hip. lol
Yeah, may be Detroit's definition of 'hip' is different than Chicago's, and other places definitions... I guess 'Detroit style' would be more "cool" or "original" than hip I guess..... or, may be that is it, Detroit style is just that: "Detroit Style!!!... it's our own style.... who knows... I do know we ROCK though!!! :cheers:

[Jeff_in_Dayton]

as some of you appear to need some education, let's clear this issue up for good: old style is the beer of the chicago cubs. it is the taste of wrigley field, the greatest place in the universe. the shit's got nothing to do with hipsters. it's all about the cubs, summer, wrigley, perennial disappointment, and all the other wonderful and not-so-wonderful aspects of cubbiedom.

Aside from the Cubs, Old Style was sort of neighborhood tavern kind of beer. Heileman was popular in Chicago. I liked their premium brand, Special Export (where did they export it too?), but I think they stopped making that years ago.

The Hipster Bingo is pretty funny. I can see the black framed glasses...(and often the shape is sort of rectangular).

Columbus' "hip" neighborhood now is Merion Village (south of the Hungarian Village).

Hungarian Village? Just one? Dayton has two.

[Jeff_in_Dayton]

Blogger with Digital Camera...uh-oh.


@@@@@@

(good observations on Logan Square, BTW...though a bit furhter north on Milwaulkee Avondale is interesting/colorful, but doesnt have the amenties like those blvds around Logan Square)

[SuburbanNation]

get over being too cool for hipsters. believe it or not they are important in an urban ecosystem. i know you hate your dad. hipsters are stale.

[Xing]

Don't push me to make a "Skyscraper Nerd" Bingo card. You guys wont be laughing then.

[pdxtex]

^^^...that would actually be kind of funny.

"B38", childless IT guy living in downtown loft. "I41", 20 something architecture intern, "N" - Free Space, "G22"Jaded Internet BB moderator", "O34", Know it all new urbanist.

BINGO.

[Steely Dan]

get over being too cool for hipsters. believe it or not they are important in an urban ecosystem. i know you hate your dad. hipsters are stale.

was that directed me? if so, i would never pretend to be too cool for hipsters. i am decidely uncool, as 30 years of life have taught me quite clearly. i will never be "with it", and that's perfectly ok with me because i'd rather be myself than some pre-packaged "lifestyle" anway.

as for hating my dad, i have no idea what that's about, he's a great guy and i love him dearly. when god was handing out parents, i lucked out BIG-TIME, like i won the parental lottery or something. when i hear the horror stories of the bullshit my friends had to go through with their folks over the years with the trials and tribulations of going from childhood to adulthood, i realize how damn much my folks rule.

[Buckeye Native 001]

let's clear this issue up for good: old style is the beer of the chicago cubs. it is the taste of wrigley field, the greatest place in the universe. the shit's got nothing to do with hipsters. it's all about the cubs, summer, wrigley, perennial disappointment, and all the other wonderful and not-so-wonderful aspects of cubbiedom.

I thought perennial disappointment was the taste of all beers? :shrug: ;)

[Steely Dan]

I thought perennial disappointment was the taste of all beers? :shrug: ;)

true................ but i love that flavor ;)

[twomutts]

pdxtex said:
GRAND RAPIDS of all places is fricken booming.

That's really not a huge surprise to those of us who grew up there. The city always had a lot of potential, and I know when I lived there I always said, "Give it ten years, and you won't recognize the place". I wasn't entirely right; I've been away nine years now, and I still recognize it (the good and the bad). Still, it's coming along.

That being said, if you want a "hip" neighborhood, Eastown there is pretty much the only place to be. It's a little rough, but it's about the only stronghold in the area for any non-conservatives. Obviously, it may have changed since I left, but I know I had a great time when I lived there!

[HomeInMyShoes]

Don't push me to make a "Skyscraper Nerd" Bingo card. You guys wont be laughing then.

You've got to make it.

"You guys are so unhip it's a wonder your bums don't fall off."
- Zaphod Beeblebrox -

[Xing]

OK OK, Im doing it... seriously... it's going t o happen, unless I suddenly lose interest, and my typically random moment of dis-interest shuvs itself in.

[the pope]

Don't push me to make a "Skyscraper Nerd" Bingo card. You guys wont be laughing then.

oh please do, i appreciate your creativity.

[Xing]

Wait, there was one already on the internet.

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/5526/sspbingoda8.jpg

[Suburban Lou]

^Density Lover = St. Louis?

[pdxtex]

i nearly fell off the chair at the "self righteous because of health care guy" square....that one is dead on...but back to the topic..concerning grand rapids...when i went to MSU, i was dating a girl from cascade so we went back to GR alot. parts of downtown were clearly scary in the mid 1990's...think "wealthy street" party stores with gangsters hanging out front. but going back, things looked great. lots of new retail, that new arena downtown, and lots of people out on the weekend. i hear there is a whole new section of downtown with bio-technology firms moving in as well. anyway, it appears grand rapids is weathering the car company fallouts better then parts of SE michigan. good job.

[Steely Dan]

"the average joe who thinks he doesn't fit in to any groups"

BINGO!

i also greatly appreciated the "self righteous because of healthcare guy". nice job with putting that together.

[Buckeye Native 001]

I'd be "Failure, but Trying to be Urban"

SSP Bingo kicks ass :tup:

[pdxtex]

i think i fall into the "density loving wannabe rebel" category....

[Jeff_in_Dayton]

Im going to be "blogger with camera" tonight. :cool:

[HomeInMyShoes]

wall-mart hater
density lover
self righteous because of health care, guy
the average joe, who thinks he doesn't fit into any groups
10110101010 i know this language

no bingo yet :)

[Marcu]

Wait, there was one already on the internet.

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/5526/sspbingoda8.jpg

You forgot "wonnabe developer" and "bored at work/school" (I guess I fit into both)

[SuburbanNation]

was that directed me? if so, i would never pretend to be too cool for hipsters. i am decidely uncool, as 30 years of life have taught me quite clearly. i will never be "with it", and that's perfectly ok with me because i'd rather be myself than some pre-packaged "lifestyle" anway.

as for hating my dad, i have no idea what that's about, he's a great guy and i love him dearly. when god was handing out parents, i lucked out BIG-TIME, like i won the parental lottery or something. when i hear the horror stories of the bullshit my friends had to go through with their folks over the years with the trials and tribulations of going from childhood to adulthood, i realize how damn much my folks rule.

actually no, it wasnt.

[C-Dawg Njaim]

I thought I'd revive this list, since Toledo is not on it:

The city splits its hipness between "rich hip" and "gritty hip."

For wealthier people, Old West End is hands down the hippest. It also has some of the most ornate housing in all of Ohio. It is near fully gentrified, so housing prices can be high. It represents the largest collection of Victorian housing in America. Once in OWE, residents tend to never leave. Famous residents include jazz/scat/vocalese legend Jon Hendricks (the King of Old West End), and Dischord Records owner Jeff Nelson. The Old West End is a "who's who" in Toledo. Lots of movers and shakers live there, and it supports a vibrant arts community. The Old West End Festival in June is a one-of-a-kind event in Ohio. Check it out if you're ever up there. The world-famous Toledo Museum of Art anchors the neighborhood, and most residents are regular supporters. OWE is unique not only to Ohio, but the Midwest in general. I have yet to find another neighborhood quite like it. There's a little of everything and income levels range from the millions down to nothing. It's very diverse and it contains a large African-American enclave, a gayborhood, a strip of "old money" people, a starving artists complex, etc., etc. The architecture is unbeatable, and landmarks like Holy Rosary Cathedral have no equivelant anywhere in the country.

As far as other hip areas, Toledo's La Viva is moving up on the list. The neighborhood is seeing lots of renovations, and it anchors Ohio's largest Mexican barrio. Lots of Ohio's Mexican leaders live and/or are well-connected in the neighborhood. The food is excellent, and there a couple of cool, but gritty Mexican bars as well.

Vistula is a mix of hip and ghetto. It's still 80% low-income, but there is some gentriciation taking off in the rowhouses and Italianate buildings. It also is home to Mickey Finn's, a very famous bar for independent music acts. The neighborhood is half black/half white. It also was once home to Toledo's "Little Syria," but few Arabs live there today (most Arabs have moved to the West Side neighborhoods). Housing dates back to the Civil War era, and it's the oldest neighborhood in Toledo. It's all on the National Historic Registry, but a lot of work still needs to be done. Crime is still an issue in the neighborhood, but it usually relates to the drug trade.

Toledo's Warehouse District would be the most obvious pick for "modern hip", and it's quite similar to Cleveland's Warehouse District (both in size and progress). There are lots of new loft conversions underway, and there is a growing bar/entertainment district around the baseball stadium. Lots of new retail and dining options have opened over the last couple of years. This is arguably Toledo's "yuppiest" area, though yuppie in Toledo means something different than it would, in say, Columbus. There are a lot of young professionals living here, but they tend not to be snobby.

LaGrange is hip, but in a more ghetto and working class sort of way. The neighborhood was once home to America's largest Polish enclave (it's still up there), but it is now nearly half African-American. There is a hard-working neighborhood preservation/redevelopment organization, and a nice commercial district with some of the best Polish food in the Midwest. LaGrange was scarred by the riots that took place in 2005, but it is healing. Many Polish Catholic landmarks are present in LaGrange.

Uptown is a neighborhood that's trying hard to be hip, but it's not quite there yet. There are a lot of low-income housing projects around, but some nicer developments have taken off in recent years. There also are some popular bars/restaurants like Manhattan's, Wesley's, and Mano's. Uptown is certainly improving, and infill projects have come slow, but steady. This area bridges the gap between downtown and the Old West End, so it should one day return to its former glory.

And in a weird way, parts of East Toledo are hip too, but in a very counter-culture sort of way (even by Toledo standards). Some housing/commercial strips are renovating, and there are a few good bars like Frankie's and Main Event. Just don't dress like a yuppie...this is a gritty area, but it's also one of the more intact urban neighborhoods in Ohio. "The Side" isn't for everyone, but if you like real Great Lakes grit culture (and I mean GRIT), this is the neighborhood for you. This is also where you'll hear the strongest "Toledo accent," which is a harsh way of talking that mixes Detroit with London, Ontario. The East Side is Toledo's most heavily Great Lakes-styled neighborhood. It's incredibly diverse and integrated (unmatched by anything in Ohio). The neighborhood is roughly 65% white (with a large population of Hungarians, Poles, and Lebanese), 15% black, and 20% Latino (largely Mexican). You won't find many places like this in the Midwest. There is still a small Hungarian enclave (Tony Packo's area), but most the other ethnic groups have mixed together. The neighborhood has a fairly stable population, but it is increasingly Hispanic. At the elementary schools, Hispanics make up 15-30% of the student body. Despite this, East Toledo does not have a barrio. It used to, but the hub has moved across the river.

One thing Toledo has going for it is the lack of highways in its urban core. Almost every neighborhood on here (except La Viva) is inside of I-75 and I-280. This area is one of the largest (if not the largest) urban core in Ohio uninterrupted by highways. That means if one neighborhood fully revitalizes, there won't be any barriers to keep it from spreading to another.

Now the economy...that's a different story...money is tight, so projects are moving slowly all over the Toledo area. Toledo will remain largely "gritty hip" until the economy recovers. It will never be "yuppie hip."

[C-Dawg Njaim]

Now, truely, nothing is as hip as Athens, Ohio. Ohio University is considered by many to be the oldest party school in the country (girls at OU were mud wrestling when girls at other schools still wore skirts that went below their knees), and it has Ohio's most vibrant nightlife district. Court Street rocks out every day/night of the week. Drink specials at the bars bring in thousands of kids as soon as class gets out. There also is a huge hippie culture (though "suburban hippies"), and the location next to Meigs County makes it great for pot smoking. Drug and alcohol laws are largely unenforced, and it is the most socially liberal city/county in Ohio (voted over 80% Democratic in 2006). No other city its size in the world has anything like Halloween, Palmerfest, or Mill Fest. The town is completely unique in that regard. Other college towns have huge bar scenes (Morgantown, Bowling Green), some have big weekend house parties (Columbus), and others have wild block parties (Madison), but none have all three in the same day, and none do it five weeks in a row (High Fest, Cinco De Mayo, Palmerfest, Four Fest, Mill Fest). Athens is just absurd. Most OU students take a light load spring quarter to avoid failing out of school. The true measurment of a school's vibrancy is the bar and party scene on a Tuesday or Wednesday night. Most college towns can't even touch Athens in that regard.

Ohio University also was the first school in the Midwest where Slap the Bag became popular (the game originated in the south, so OU's location helped with that one). It's ahead of the curve when it comes to party developments, and back in 1975, you'd be hard-pressed to find any school remotely on its level. Nothing has changed. It's always 1975 in Athens...

The fact that alcohol companies sponsor many of the off-campus parties tells you all you need to know.

[Unionstation13]

Indys, would probably have to be wholesale(but thats more downtown) Mass ave is pretty hip, and so are many other hoods near downtown, like the canal and many others.

[Jeff_in_Dayton]

Lets play the opposite of this.

The opposite of hip is square. What's the squarest in your city?

[C-Dawg Njaim]

^Squarest?? That's easy. Anything near Franklin Park.

[StatenIslander237]

There have been articles in National Geographic Traveler (LOVE THAT MAG!) about Short North (Columbus), The Crossroads (Kansas City), Fifth Ward (Milwaukee), 13th Avenue (Minneapolis), East Village (Des Moines), and Ukranian Village (Chicago).

Hot hoods! Check 'em out!

[StatenIslander237]

Wait, there was one already on the internet.

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/5526/sspbingoda8.jpg

Wow that's funny. I actually did get that book (bottom row, second from left), and it was even for Christmas. No lie. :haha: :haha: :haha:

I'd so win this game.