2.17.2012

city girl


For as long as I've lived, I've lived in the city. It suits me. Some people would think that as a quiet person who needs their alone time, the hustle and bustle of the city would upset me. But I like that. I like anonymity of it, the diversity, the never-exhausted supply of new stores, restaurants, and people. There's always something new to explore.

My city has a little of everything. You can dress up and see a play, or you can wear sweatpants for yoga in the park. You can ride your bike or you can ride the bus or you can risk a lot of traffic and drive your car. There are locally owned vegetarian places and there are taco trailers, just as local. There's always something going on, some sort of celebration or festival or protest for people standing up for what they believe in. There are college students, families, and people who have lived here for 60 years. There are weirdos galore, and lots of animals, too. It's perfect for people-watching (and dog-watching, too).

I live about 10 minutes from downtown, which feels like the best of both worlds. We run into people we know at the grocery store, but it doesn't have that feeling of being stuck there. The skyline is both a comfort and a thrill, and there's music everywhere you turn.

And if you're feeling like a hermit, something I do a lot? There's room for you, too. Between the shelves at the library or on an empty bench in the park. Don't let anyone tell you it's impossible to hear yourself think in the city. It may lack the wide open spaces the Dixie Chicks sing about, but sometimes, if you search hard enough, you can look past the street lights and headlights to see some stars. It's just as beautiful.

It's not just my city that I love, either. San Francisco, Kansas City, Boston (pictured above), and Washington D.C., I've all fallen in love with. Up next is Los Angeles next month. I'm excited to see what sort of things that holds!

Are you a city mouse or a country mouse, or maybe something in between?

Kendall

25 comments:

  1. i am something in between. while i occasionally go into the city, i live in a town(neither country nor city). i like both. ;)

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  2. i'm a city mouse. most definitely. i live maybe 10min, like you, from downtown, and we make so many trips there that it's not even funny. and you are going to love LA. it's so beautiful! great post, love the photo :))
    -jocee <3

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    1. ahh! you watched those mice too?! i thought i was the only one!(heck i still watch them on occasion) :D

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  3. I love cities. I don't know why, but there; something about being in the midst of tons of people. Paris, France was my favorite!

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  4. Cities place an inexpressible longing and happiness within my soul. When I'm in the country, I feel free. My heart soars.
    Honestly, I need a balance of the two. I need to be in Paris. And I need to be in the jungles of Brazil.

    My heart belongs in so many places.

    xo, Acacia
    p-o-n-d-e-r-i-n-g.blogspot.com

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    1. ps I was just wondering... why aren't our profile photos showing up? It's annoying me a bit. :)

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    2. the profile picture option was disabled...I turned it back on :)

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  5. I'm sure that I'm somewhere in between a country and city mouse because I loooove my country sides, but something about the city is so exciting and vibrant! Love this post, and love that picture! Can't wait to see some pictures from LA!

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  6. Very jealous. I love cities so much and would kill to live in one. I stayed in Chicago for about 3 weeks on time and those were the best of my life.
    Wonderful post. :)

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  7. I'm definitely a country girl. :) I think cities are nice for quick visits, but I don't think I could live in town. We live about 20 minutes from several small cities, so we only go in about twice a week.

    ~Kristin

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  8. kendall, we are definitely twins. you just described, in a nutshell, what I love about the city.

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  9. After a long mental strain, I realized I am, and will always be a city girl. No wonder I feel so insane being stranded in a small town, an hour and a half from a big city. The idea of moving soon to the more metroplex area is exhilarating and tantalizng.

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  10. I'm a country mouse. ;) Cities are exciting, but I feel more myself out in the country away.

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  11. I'm definitely a country mouse. I've lived in the country my whole life. The city is just a little to suffocating for me, though I'm not at all against visiting there every once and a while.

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  12. I'm a country girl. I've lived in cities, but I've just never felt comfortable... I like parts of both, though :)

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  13. I live in the country, but I really think I'm a city girl that happened to be born in the wrong place. :)

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  14. I'm more in the suburbs than an actual 'city.' i long to visit a big city, like NY. that would be awesome =)

    xoxo,
    Jessica @ Diary of a Beautiful Soul

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  15. I am in between! I've lived in deep rural country, that had limited water supply and roads so bad you can't get out in the Winter. But I've also live in NYC and that is about as city as you can get!! I love BOTH to be honest. I am a country girl at heart but I love the culture and craziness a city brings. :-)

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  16. Right now, I live in a village. But I want to live in London or another city during university.

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  17. Definitely in between! Love my bustling small town charm but something about driving in the country surrounded by fields is so amazing as well.

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  18. something in between. i grew up almost in the city, but residential too. i love me some northwest suburbia. but now i'm in a little village in a countryside i'm coming to love.

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  19. I think I could be both. I live in a relatively small town right now, and have my entire life. So I kind of know what it's like to be a country person and a little bit of a city person. But I'd love to actually try living in a city.

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  20. I live in a small-ish town about an hour away from Chicago. I've lived in many places but my former home was in the suburbs of Indianapolis. I'd say I'm more of a city girl. I'm a quiet person who enjoys my solitude and whatnot but like you said I adore the anonymity of the city. one day ill live in a big city but I would not want to raise a family there. xx|natalia

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