A few days back, I received an e mail from the talented Kendra Thornton, requesting me to write an article about my home town. Well, I immediately e mailed her back and told her there was no reason to do an article because we live in a very rural area, and there is absolutely nothing here. Well, she e mailed me back again and asked me to reconsider, because she wanted to do an article and compare our area's of living. So many of you bloggers already know that I will ask you where you bought something, and then I will say, "oh, we don't have one of those stores within 120 miles", and I am honestly telling the truth.
Here is the comparison of my "town" and Kendra's.
Here is the comparison of my "town" and Kendra's.
My Home
Town
I
live in Mathiston, Ms and chances are, you have never heard of it. Actually, I
live outside of the city limits of Mathiston, so technically, I am not a “city”
girl. Depending on which map
you have access to, our little town of 700 may not even show up. Yes, that is a
population of 700 people. I know, most of you may have more than that residing
in your “neighborhood” or “subdivision”.
What
is there to do in Mathiston, you may ask….well, actually nothing. It is a very rural area, and you travel
elsewhere for any major shopping and most all activities. Our nearest “real”
mall is sixty miles away, in Tupelo, Ms, so when you go, you make a day of it.
We hit the mall, Sam’s club, and whichever restaurant we choose to dine at
since we had to travel so far. Our
nearest wal-mart is approximately 20 miles away, so that is not that
inconvenient, and it is a super-center at that. There are no grocery store
chains to shop from. We do have a family owned/operated grocery store in our
little town, and a post office. There are also a couple of little quick stops
with gas pumps. There are no “chain” style restaurants here of any kind, but
there are a couple of family owned/operated restaurants, so eating out is very
limited in our little town of 700. Oh, did I mention that our little town
doesn’t even have a red light? That’s right, no red light at all.
We
do have a beautiful landmark here…..Wood Jr. College. It is an old college
campus that had sat vacant for many years until the tornadoes of 2011 destroyed
our local high school. The beautiful landmark now houses our local high school,
and looks more beautiful than ever with a campus full of students.
Am
I complaining about our “lack of’s” in our little town? Am I sorry that I can’t
get to the mall in five minutes, or eat out at my choice of restaurant any
night of the week? Oh, it would be nice occasionally to be just a stone’s throw
to all of these little luxuries. As much as we enjoy our visits/vacations to
larger areas, I would not be willing to trade the peacefulness/serenity of my rural
living for the hustle and bustle of big city living.
Now, we have Kendra Thornton here to
discuss why, though it is not for all people, she loves life in the big city.
Her hometown is Chicago, and she has written about some of her favorite places
there…
My Favorite Things About My Hometown
Of all the cities I’ve been lucky enough to visit in my life,
Chicago is definitely my favorite. Call it a hometown bias, but I think we all
feel a certain sense of endearment for the place we call home. And just like we
have this sense of love for the city, we have our favorite places to frequent.
I've picked some of my favorites below.
I love to go shopping, and downtown Chicago has some of the best
areas for me to utilize this urge. I recommend you try some areas besides just North
Michigan Avenue scene. It's probably the most popular place to shop, but that doesn’t
mean it's the only place! You can find hip stores by heading to the Ukrainian
Village. Just a few miles from downtown, you'll find plenty of vintage stores
and shops. The best thing about this type of shopping is you're never quite
sure what you'll find, and always end up with something great!
One of the “tourist” spots in Chicago that I frequent even though
I live here is Shedd Aquarium. It's located right on Lake Michigan, making for
a beautiful setup. If you visit, you'll have the chance to see over 30,000
animals! With over a thousand different species of animals, just about the only
thing you won’t see is a mermaid! I have always been fascinated by the aquatic
life, and the Shedd Aquarium is a chance to feel like you are living amidst the
sea creatures. Also, this last week of September is sea
otter awareness week, and the otters sure are enjoying it!
When I am looking to change up my usual eating pattern, I love to
enjoy a Chicago diner. This classic American food spot is a common sight all
over Chicago, but one of Chicago’s truest is Lou
Mitchell’s. This has been frequented by everyone from presidents to famous
actors, making it feel like you are part of history when eating there! You can
order breakfast at any hour, from classic eggs and bacon to cereal and fruit. Also,
you don’t have to eat greasy; they have plenty of healthy options! I always go
for the cantaloupe!
If you have several nights in Chicago, make sure to watch the sun
set on at least one evening. Chicago has a notably beautiful skyline and you
won't regret finding a spot to watch day become night. You can be right up in
the skyline if you choose a hotel downtown. When visiting Chicago, choose a hotel room on a high
floor so that you can look out over the town; the site gogobot is great for
finding the best places to stay.
We all have our favorite places in our hometowns, and these are just a few of mine. If you ever choose to visit, for just a few days or for a few weeks, there is so much to do in this great city that your time will be full of fun!
Now that we have compared our area's, which one would you choose??
