Several Benefits to Urban Life
Magnolia is almost 30, a soon-to-be-lawyer, and way into music and sports. She's reinventing myself after a long period of wandering in the wilderness. In her blog, magnolia, she says she writes about "my insanity in a hopefully interesting and occasionally humorous manner."
I am an inveterate city girl. I didn't realize this for myself until I left a city for three years to go to law school in an overgrown cow town with a major research university plunked smack-dab in the center of it. Now that I'm back in the land of the living, I thank every deity I can think of on a regular basis for the magic that is urban life.
Delivery food at nearly any hour you want it. There is just nothing like being a little drunk with your friends at 2:15AM and realizing that not only is it vital to have Thai food RIGHT THIS SECOND, but it is also possible. That is a smashing feeling.
Conscientious coffee providers. This is not to say that the morning rush at starbucks is fun in your average city. But in non-urban places, it is damn near impossible to get a barista to comprehend that you may very well have something to do this morning. It shouldn't take 25 minutes to procure a tall mocha, nonfat, no whip. It does outside the city.
Public transit. Double-edged sword, to be sure, but I don't have a car note right now. That's a pretty nice feeling.
Independent book stores. Especially those that come attached to cafes. Even better, those that are open all night long on the weekends.
People-watching. Which i'm pretty sure is the socially acceptable term for what Henry Rollins likes to call "staring at mutants."
What tickles you about city life? (Or, alternatively, how crazy do you think I am for loving urbanity this much?)
List Lovers Unite
Send an email to
listaddicts(at)gmail(dot)com to join the Secret Society of List Addicts
Subscribe
Posts
Comments
12 comments:
I live in a cow town. And go to school in a cow town.
This list hurts my soul. I would kill to just have a bookstore. Or to live within the delivery area for food.
People watching is pretty fun. And I love all hours delivery, too.
Someday I will get to the land of the living.
Love Kramers! I've been going there since a kid! And Afterwords! Yum!
I do agree with u on these points. Sadly I don't know of these independent book stores with cafes attached. Do any exist in boston?
@Aury: Dude, have you been to Trident Bookstore on Newbury Street? It's just off of the Hynes Convention Center T stop, open 'til midnight every night, and their cafe makes a mean omelette!
I've never lived in a real big city, but I've lived in a college town (with very big colleges) and the bookstores and coffee places and having things available all night are all things I loved very very much when I was a crazy college kid, staying up all night doing god knows what!
@ Aury or try Porter Square books in cambridge. It's a cute independently owned bookstore with plenty of good reads and a lovely cafe that sells some vegan items (if anyone was wondering).
Kramer's books was the best. Nothing like an all night book store with food and coffee.
"Staring at mutants" is one of my favorite pastimes! Hehehehe
I loved this post from one of my favorite bloggers!
Love this post! I lived in a capital city for many years... and enjoyed all these benefits (watching people in a rather retro-area... awesome!). But what I miss most from big cities is CHOICES: of restaurants, bars, pub areas, shops,.. whatever you're looking for - you can find it.
I love Kramers. I grew up in the country, and now live in the 'burbs. I've never lived in a city, but at least count myself lucky that my suburbs are very close to the city. Close enough for a metro stop one block from my apartment!
Post a Comment