Elephant In Exile

Why Don't I live there?

Perhaps it is because Chicago is the epicenter of the Midwest. The largest city, embodying all the values and ideal of the culture of middle-America. Who knows, but what I do know is that I love Chicago.

I was talking to Midgie on the left coast last night. She just got back from Chicago a few weeks ago. We were both discussing what makes Chicago so attractive to us. Perhaps it is because we both grew up in the Midwest, and the whole culture is tattooed on our souls, or just maybe it is because we both now live on the coasts, were people are just a bit more self-important, and now we really notice just how gosh-darned friendly the folks in the Windy City are.

Between the feel of the city, the shops, the diversity, the architecture and the folksy niceties, Chicago is one of my most favorite places. If I hadn't spent the last decade working in DC (Honing skills that are absolutely useless to society at large) I'd be chillin' in my loft on the near-north side and watching cubs games at Wrigley.

(P.S.- Since my hotel was right next door to the John Hancock Center, I took a quick trip to the top and snapped this photo.)...