distance makes the heart grow fonder

i recently spent a week and two weekends back in atlanta and the next week and weekend in chicago with my dad and friends from out of town. while in atlanta, i felt so comfortable and familiar, went to eat at my favorite places, spent a lot of time with my stubborn nephew and visited with friends. i even went back to good ol' buckhead church to get some religion. basically, i spent the whole time comparing my new life with my old life. to be fair and positive, i'll list the pros of both places:

atlanta:

• family
• southern people
• buckhead church
• small group & friends
• awesome former boss & colleagues
• georgia tech football
• grits
• freedom of having a car
• good weather most the year
• figo pasta, the V, agnes & muriels
• proximity to charleston & the panhandle of FL

that's a good list. how could you not love it?

chicago:

• public transportation & freedom of walking everywhere
• high rise condo with a great view
• great architecture
• lake michigan and the chicago river
• low humidity
• 1 mosquito (yep, only one, and it bit me behind the knee this weekend)
• deep dish pizza
• active city (running, sports, red bull flugtag)
• candidate city for the 2016 olympics
• neighborhoods, restaurants, museums, exhibitions, festivals, live bands & concerts, the beach, flowers
• a few months of absolutely *perfect* weather and the city takes advantage of it
• the cubs
• experience of the different seasons
• window shopping
• garrett's popcorn (yes popcorn is a pro...you have to try it to understand)
• the history
  
  
  

also easy to see why to love this city...

i was definitely ready to get out of atlanta when i finally left this spring, but these 5 months away have made me appreciate the wonderfully green & friendly city set in the heart of the south. but in the plane on the way back to my new home, i was filled with excitement of what's to come. i expect to feel a great connection to chicago in the next few years, and maybe to the yankees as well ;)

future posts: a tourist in my own town, chicago architecture, gangsters of the midwest