What it's Really Like Moving Cities, Part II
Part I of this two-part series can be found by clicking here.
Once you’ve actually moved to a city, you have a joys of finding things you likely never had to think about finding before. Your doctors, dentists, gyms, etc. have likely been the same your entire life, and if you’re like me and are putting down roots in a new city (you plan to live there for a while), you have to actually find these things, rather than relying on just being able to go home and see your old doctors like many of us did in college.
Finding a doctor, dentist, salon, grocery, and so on isn’t easy. I’ve spent the past five months learning how to do this, and still haven’t found all of the above mentioned things. I’m hoping the following tips can help you as you prep to move following graduation, a career change, or whatever reason you have for moving cities.
My best advice for finding a doctor is to go by three things: your insurance carrier's website, google reviews, and personal reviews. Making sure your insurance is accepted is paramount, but beyond that recos and reviews are your best bet for finding providers you love. I chose Northwestern Women's Hospital, Rowan Eye Care and Chicago Smile Design based off of my insurance provider's website and personal reviews. I wanted to stay near my apartment, but still go to reputable places.
When it came to finding a yoga studio and gym, I factored in two things: location and price. The gym was easy--I decided to use ClassPass, which I have talked about in past fitness posts. My apartment building has a hotel-style fitness center, which is enough for now. My yoga studio was trickier. I wanted a clean, modern studio that didn't feel corporate. I found that in Yoga Six. I absolutely love that studio and am thrilled to call it my home studio. I've had some of the best classes of my life there and always feel at home.
Groceries were trickier. I actually don't have an affordable grocery store near me. I have a Jewel about a 20 minute walk away, a Whole Foods a 20 minute walk away, and a Treasure Island Food (a boutique grocery store) a 15 minute walk away. None of these are ideal in the winter, so I use Peapod Grocery delivery. (They're available in several cities! You should check them out). Delivery is $7 once you hit $75 and $9 if you're under $75. Not too shabby. I think in the spring and summer, I'll make a habit of grabbing groceries once a week from the Whole Foods or Mariano's near my office and walking home with them, and grabbing Milk and other cold items from the Whole Foods Gold Coast as I walk home (it's a bit too far out of my way for the winter). Grocery shopping in a big city has definitely been an adjustment, and unfortunately I'm more likely to just stop at my favorite deli (Goddess and Grocer) for a soup and sandwich or deli item for dinner than I am to buy groceries and cook for myself. This is something I'm definitely working on, moving forward. This probably won't be the last you hear of my grocery and cooking saga.
So here's Part II of what I had to go through moving cities. There might still be one more part about my car, but I haven't decided yet. Stay tuned!
--B