Best Second City?

[muon2]

The "Second City" is Chicago. Los Angeles is 1B.

^^^

[Platypus]

Climate wise, I can't even consider Montreal as a permanent home. I'd happily live there for 4 months of the year, though, and maybe even a full 18 months just to experience it fully, but it could never be a home base.

Birmingham seems dull. If you're going to live in England, the only acceptable choices are the smaller cities, countryside, or London.

I have zero interest in LA.

Cape Town I would definitely consider, though. From all accounts it is beautiful, and interesting. The problem is the whole racial paranoia that goes both ways and segregation that continues to exist. I'd be uncomfortable with it.

Milan is another second city worth considering, as is Barcelona. Shanghai should be in the poll, but wouldn't be my choice, same as St. Petersburg.

Anyway, I was always going to vote Melbourne... and I did. It really is an amazing city, and will always be my home base.

Talking of which, you can see my house in this video!

http://vimeo.com/64783605

It captures the spirit of Melbourne quite well. Day to day, we're an infrastructure and building obsessed city. Every Melburnian has an opinion of every major project. But then we have the festivals, whether that's Chinese New Year, or Moomba, or anything else. We're a city that has no real natural beauty, at least compared to Sydney, but we have a built environment better than any I've been to, and our city comes together for events more than places.

[MaxQue]

If I had to choose one, I would choose Los Angeles, mainly because it's closer to home, they do speak English, and it doesn't cost a thousand dollars or more to get there.

You can get by in Montreal with just knowing English. It'd be tough though. It's hard enough in Ottawa.

LOL.

It's very easy to live in English in Montreal, you just have to choose an English neighboorhood and not wander outside the Island or on the Eastern side of it. But downtown and the western two tiers of it should be good.

[Supersonic]

What's the beef with Cape Town?

Also is this Birmingham UK? If so, I doubt it's got anything on the other cities listed.

[afleitch]

Glasgow of course

[politicus]

Glasgow of course

If you go by size Edinburgh is the second city of Scotland and Birmingham would be the second city in UK. Edinburgh would be one of my favourite second cities in Europe together with Bergen.

Montreal, Melbourne and Cape Town are all very attractive cities IMO, I would probably go with Melbourne if I had to chose. Most attractive climate for a Northern European and the most interesting cultural life, with Montreal a close second.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

The "Second City" is Chicago. Los Angeles is 1B.

^^^

What is this "1B"? LA is the 2nd-largest city in the US.

[Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook]

The "Second City" is Chicago. Los Angeles is 1B.

^^^

What is this "1B"? LA is the 2nd-largest city in the US.

LA has only held that title since the 80's. Chicago got "Second City" as a nickname as a way to compare/contrast itself to NYC long before then.

[H. Ross Peron]

What's the beef with Cape Town?

I'm guessing people think because its in South Africa its just another AIDS and crime-ridden slum.

[Wake Me Up When The Hard Border Ends]

Voted Melbourne, very nice place, although I've still yet to visit Cape Town, Montreal or LA, and I haven't really been to Birmingham, only around it to get to Alton Towers or the South West.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

LA, of course.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

The "Second City" is Chicago. Los Angeles is 1B.

^^^

[Peter the Lefty]

Montreal. 

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Cape Town.

[LastVoter]

Glasgow of course

If you go by size Edinburgh is the second city of Scotland and Birmingham would be the second city in UK. Edinburgh would be one of my favourite second cities in Europe together with Bergen.

Montreal, Melbourne and Cape Town are all very attractive cities IMO, I would probably go with Melbourne if I had to chose. Most attractive climate for a Northern European and the most interesting cultural life, with Montreal a close second.

Pretty sure Montreal is has the most "North" European climate.

[Benj]

Cape Town has the best climate but is otherwise a sh**thole. #5
Birmingham is slightly less of a sh**thole than Cape Town. #4
Montreal is pretty cool but is really, really cold. #3
Los Angeles has a decent climate but mediocre culture. #2
Melbourne wins. #1

[minionofmidas]

Only two of these are inhabitable.

Which ones? I was thinking Birmingham and Montreal in climate, but again Melbourne isn't insufferable either climate-wise.

IIRC the one besides Montréal that I deigned to count was Cape Town, but I'm not entirely sure. Too long ago and too little thought involved in the post composition.