Monday, June 21, 2010

"It's Been a Long, Long Time"

I'm a city girl -- a prissy city girl who doesn't do camping or tents or hikes or any of that other outdoorsy stuff. I was born and raised in New York City ... Honey, I want things to do and people to watch and street food and all the other fabulous things that the big ol' metropolis offers!

I truly love Ann Arbor, and have lived here for most of the past ... ahem (God, it makes me sound old!) ... 29 years since I first came here as a freshman at the University of Michigan. While it offers the warmth and familiarity of a small town, it also offers many of the cultural and intellectual amenities of a large city. But every so often, I still need a fix of skyscrapers and bustling and novelty and everything else a huge city has to offer.

So Jeremy and I have scheduled a trip in honor of his graduation and because I deserve a vacation, as Jeremy puts it, "more than anyone else I know." Can I get an "Amen"???

We're going to take the train to Chicago, to eat ourselves silly and then walk off the calories as we schlep up and down Michigan Avenue and peruse the Art Institute and The Bean and all sorts of other amusements and entertainments. The weather is supposed to be cruddy, but whaddya gonna do??? I went to Chicago just for a day with my exceptionally good friend Wendy last year, but Jeremy and I haven't been there (or anywhere) on a vacation trip in several years ... a long, long time.

Of course, there will also be the mandatory trip to Intelligentsia Coffee for my morning fix and for goodies to bring home! Life is not complete without coffee, and this is some of the best stuff there is ... :)

So on this Music Monday, I offer the following song. It's not the same one I'd originally planned, which was Barry Manilow's "New York City Rhythm" along with a notation to change the lyrics to "Windy City Rhythm." I had picked that one at first because it begins with the line "When my heart is torn apart by love I wish I had, then I spend my nights in the city's lights and things don't seem so bad."

But then, there was the weekend ... and a loooong talk ... and lunch yesterday, followed by an afternoon in the park, followed by iced tea (vs. the hot tea we drank at Sweetwater's on our first date) ... and most unexpectedly, completely out of the blue, my heart has been happified ... :)







NOTE: Don't forget to check out the "thank you" post for my followers, and leave a comment at the end of it if you're interested in the gift drawing: "L'Chaim -- To Life!"



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12 comments:

Ally said...

i love nyc. i lived in chelsea for three years before moving to my hubby's town in nj.

funny, this must be barry manilow week on blogger. i featured his song "mandy" on my sunday music post =)

Natasha in Oz said...

I am a city girl through and through too! We LOVE New York every time we go there because it so full of energy and it is just non-stop fun!

My Husband went to Chicago for a conference one year and loved it so that is definitely somewhere we will go and visit next time we visit America. Hope you have a great time and enjoy every minute of it when you go.

Best wishes,
Natasha.

Rachel (Diary of a Recovering Chocoholic) said...

I left an award for you on my blog! Happy Monday.


http://achocoholicsdiary.blogspot.com/2010/06/little-something-for-your-monday.html

Cranberry Morning said...

Well, congratulations to you! Be sure to visit the Field Museum of Natural History (my favorite!!!!!) while in Chicago. AND, the Museum of Science and Industry. I believe that the MSI is the only building remaining from the Great Columbian Exposition of 1893!

Unknown said...

Oooooohhh... can't wait to hear of your food adventures in Chicago! Have a splendid time!

Yenta Mary said...

Oh my gosh -- two awards to start my week!!! Thank you SO, SO much -- I'm just giddy! And I thought I was already having a good morning after my unexpectedly happy weekend ... the planets are all in alignment now, it seems ... :)

Sey said...

good luck to your trip and don't forget to share the food adventure.

Robin said...

I see that you used a variation on happify since I didn't pull it this week for my word exercise. You crack me up. Have fun in Chicago. Don't drink too much coffee or you will end up like Lorelei spouting something about monkey underpants. Just sayin'.

Beth Zimmerman said...

I'm delighted that you have been "happified!" Have a great time in Chicago!

Team Chastain said...

Love this post. Made me want to go with you. (hint hint) Kidding!

Looking forward to hearing about the sights you saw and yummy stuff you ate.

Reeni said...

I'm a little bit country and a little bit city... I can't chose between the two - right now I'm a country girl who moved from the big city! Have a great time on your trip!

Shawn said...

I'm a new follower of Tuesday Tag along. please follow me back.
Thanks, Mr. Monkey

http://laughingmonkeystick.blogspot.com/


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