My Kind of Town

Chicago is. Frank Sinatra, one of my favorite singers said it so well in his song titled "My Kind of Town." And really, it is my kind of town. While there this weekend, I was able to really appreciate the city yet once again.

Usually when we go to Chicago, we have an agenda. We're usually there for something, whether it be a wedding, a family function, or an event happening in the city. This weekend, I was there for Chris' party, but I had a lot of time surrounding the party to take in the city and all its glory. I was also by myself, so I had a lot of time to think. I did a lot of thinking about the idea of home. Where is home? And what does home mean?

Not to get all philosophical or anything, but I was just thinking of this notion as I went through the day. I live in Ann Arbor, and we own a home there. So when people ask where I live, I reply, "Ann Arbor." But when asked of my hometown, I reply, "Chicago." And when asked where I went to school, I reply, "Milwaukee." See a pattern here? I know this doesn't come as a shock to you, but I am a city girl. So I would call the city my home. Any city, really.

All the cities I've been to I have loved for different reasons, not unlike all the different friends I have and love them for different reasons. New York? I love the energy and the grittiness. Milwaukee? I love the small town-big city feel and all the things that are only found in Wisconsin - cheese curds, the Wisconsin accent, good bratwurst. Miami? The beautiful people and the beach. LA? The trendiness of everything there and the potential of seeing or being someone famous. Phoenix? My Mom, the sun, and spring training. Denver? Skyscrapers surrounded by mountains, sun that shines three hundred and something days a year. Boston? The chowder and the history. Salt Lake? The Temple and the mountains surrounding the city. San Diego? The beach and the fusion of foods. San Francisco? The hills, the wine, the water. Seattle? The market and the water. Dallas? The glitz, the drawl. New Orleans? The food, the jazz. DC? The monuments, the history. Barcelona? Gaudi, and the Mediterranean. Madrid? Tapas and wine, and the plazas. Dublin? The friendly people and the pubs. Krakow? The square and the sausage.

And these are just mere glimpses into what each place has to offer. I have never lived in any of these cities besides Chicago, Milwaukee and Ann Arbor, so these are just tastes I have. I will hopefully get more tastes of these places and others as I travel more and more. Traveling will be another post I write about someday. And a whole post about Chicago. I could write books about Chicago, actually. All biases aside, it truly is my kind of town.