Note to self (and anybody else) for future reference: spending more than 25 hours in a car over the course of 3 days is not a good idea. No, not even if it means that you get to eat Chick-fil-A.
However, doing the trip this way did offer one valuable opportunity: about halfway there we were able to stop off in Richmond, Virginia, which happens to be one of several locations on the list of "Places We Might Live When We Leave New York".
I imagine that a lot of New Yorkers have a list like this -- there are an awful lot of people here who see the city as a phase, one which they'll eventually grow out of. Unfortunately, at least for us, the makeup of the list is completely arbitrary and based largely upon either Brad's or my vague, unfounded dislike of certain states. For instance, in spite of having never spent any significant time whatsoever on the west coast, we both are highly suspicious of California. And Brad, although I'm pretty sure he's never been there, seems to have a problem with the idea of Vermont. And then, of course, there was this conversation.
Brad: What about Florida?
Me: No.
Brad: Why?
Me: It looks like a penis.
Which, of course, is utterly and completely reasonable.
But Richmond was on the list, having somehow made it through our arbitrary biases. And we did stop there. And, in fact, we quite liked it! Although I realize that a drive through the city + one hour spent walking in The Fan + one hour spent having lunch at a local pub does not a full impression make... still, all in all, we both left with a big, sweaty crush on Richmond.
The problem, of course, is that there's one down and many, many more to go. There are still an awful lot of places we haven't auditioned yet. Rhode Island, Georgia, North Carolina, Baltimore, Chicago, Boston -- they're all on the list.
So it was nice when, as we crossed the state line, North Carolina kindly gave us a reason to eliminate it from the running:
Hey, I didn't say it was a good reason. But if "vague suspicion" or "unfortunate-looking peninsula" are enough to merit some states' removal from the list? Then we are not about to forgive others for riding down the highway with a pig in a pickup truck.
15 comments:
When I was applying to college I had a suspicion about the state of Maine (generally.) My college counselor suggested applying to Bowdoin or Bates and upon hearing the word "Maine" I adamantly refused to apply. My mother was very confused by this, since I've never been to Maine and never evinced any sort of problem with it before. But I still kind of feel like... Maine... no way. Not ever.
<--- My long winded way of saying "I get it! Me too!"
ooooh, be sure to try out Boston - it is superb. such a fantastic place to live. like NYC, you don't need a car - the bus & T (subway) system is great. and the weather is so nice (except, you know, in the winter...). i love,love,love Boston.
and i would totally be disturbed by a pig in a pickup truck as well. seriously, how did they get the pig up there? it looks HUGE!
Missing from this picture:
- a stream of brown spittle being horked out the window.
- a gun rack.
- "these colors don't run" bumper sticker.
- a frosty-haired lady riding in the middle, or "riding bitch" as we like to say in north carolina.
- those weird sack o' balls dudes hang on their trailer hitch.
- a trailer hitch.
I live in Arlington, VA and I have only been to Richmond a handful of times, but I say go for it. As much as I love NYC, there is a lot of undiscovered blog material to be had in the South (as evidenced by your picture).
you should check out the 30 Rock episode when Tina Fey falls in love with Cleveland during a trip there.....fits your situation
To Shannon: I spent two months every summer in Maine growing up... and your suspicions were right. It is fucking weird up there. The "Maineiacs" are a whole different breed of person.
And Kat, [parts of] Florida are lovely if you can get past its unfortunate shape. The capital building is shaped like a cockandballs! (Do a google image search for 'Tallahassee capital building' and enjoy...)
It snows in Boston ALL THE TIME. Don't get me wrong, I love it there, but after my best friend's stories of her five years at Boston College and being trapped in The Endless Winter every year... I refuse to live there.
Then again, you know I'm partial to Texas.
Florida also has pigs in pickup trucks...we just call them rednecks and avoid them and their Rebel flags like the plague.
ps - is the whole penis thing a deal breaker on simply visiting Florida? Because, really, we could do some fun pig watchin' down here.
Hi there! I just stumbled across your blog through Traci Anne, and I pretty much have a giant girl-crush on you now. I mean, anyone who gets described as the second coming of Regina George is definitely someone I want to know.
By the way, I love the engagement pictures. I know exactly how you felt about taking them. (I convinced my husband to elope to Vegas in order to bypass all that retarded wedding stuff, but hey, I totally admire anyone that doesn't go stark raving mad and murder her fiance and all her family members and future in-laws while planning a real wedding. Because I? Totally would have.) So anyway, I just wanted to say, they turned out really great, they don't look all posed and stupid like engagement pics often do. Oh, and your eyes are GORGEOUS!
Oh, and if you ever do try out Georgia, stick to Atlanta and the northside of atlanta, if you stray too far away you might see things worse than a pig in the back of a pickup.
Having lived in the St.Louis metro area, Fargo metro area, Boston, Montana, Portland, OR and having spent great amounts of time in D.C. NYC, Seattle, Minneapolis, and other random shit holes across our country, I offer the following:
Charlotte and Ashville, NC; Santa Fe, NM, Myrtle Beach area of SC; Burlington, VT is an adorable small city and if it weren't for all the damn snow, a great contender. Boulder, CO and Salt Lake are also great. Granted, I prefer the west side to the east side of the country!
HAHA! It's my ankle, the view looking down on it. It's kinda a weird angle I guess!
having been born and partially bred in richmond, va, "big, sweaty" is right. it's the most humid place i have ever lived (and there are a number of large persons as well.) the fan is the perfect place to fall in love with; it's like you visited new york and walked the west village only to move there and discover you can afford bushwick. (which happens to lots of people, i suppose.)
i volunteer to be host when you come to chicago!
and wow ... that picture. reminds me of home sweet hicktown home. sigh. i wish i was kidding but all too many parts of michigan can be found in a similar state. i guess this helps eliminate michigan too, you know, in case it was on your short list as well. (for being a very awesomely-shaped penninsula. who doesn't want to use their hand to show everyone where they're from?)
Chicago is great, but when you've been here 24 years, the weather starts getting to you. I'm so ready to leave! The winters are killing me.
I'm so glad someone else shares my blanket distaste for Florida. My parents have decided to snowbird themselves into Sarasota which I've decided I can handle only with the most holier-than-thou attitude during Chicago's more bitter weekends.
That said, Chicago is completely worth falling for. We should house swap for a week, now that I'm straight-up obsessed with Brooklyn.
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