1. Urban design: the city perfectly blends art and architecture, historic preservation and new construction, work and leisure, pedestrians and bikes, cars and public transportation.
2. Downtown was buzzing with office workers (!!), locals, and tourists alike – at concerts in Millennium Park, in restaurants and bars, on boat tours, in shopping malls and theaters.
3. Chairs and benches to sit, congregate, meet and greet neighbors and visitors.....all designed for human interaction.
4. The streets were lined with perfectly maintained trees and flower boxes dotted the stunning architecture.
5. Flattering street lighting. Not only were the fixtures attractive, but the lightbulbs used were of a color that did not evoke that 'night of the living dead' we see all too often in public spaces.
6. The city is clean, notably absent of trash, tents, feces, open-air drug use and graffiti.
7. Tastefully appointed stores were immaculately clean, perfectly stocked, with friendly staff, and the type of merchandise everyone needed and wanted.
8. T
he people were so nice.
