Detroit and Chicago share a Great Lake and a stubborn pride, but they run on different operating systems. Chicago climbs skyward and schedules itself by train timetables; Detroit sprawls, wrenches, and keeps a wrench in the trunk. One city sells you skyline, the other sells you soul—and a pair of coneys at 2 a.m.
If you measure “big city” by density, you’ll miss Detroit’s long blocks, deep roots, and a rhythm that idles low until it suddenly redlines. Consider this your friendly field guide to things Chicagoans might never quite “get” about the D.
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