Yesterday I went to interview on a story that I am writing and I went into The Big City. The interview was great-- as usual I adored my subject and decided to make an adventure out of being in The City. I wish that I could just take a bus to this place which there is one available, but with so many kids, one never knows when one will get a phone call that I have to run back home because someone got hurt and I have to meet them at the hospital, which does happen a few times a year. (One kid has severe asthma and I have four boys who react to life like boys, "You can't play contact football without padding and helmets, just like you don't ride a bike without a Helmut!") Anyway, I got done with class at the college and went to the City for the interview and found a parking spot and decided afterwards to take a walk. Downtown isn't that big and when the weather is warming up like it has been, you just don't want to get back in your car!
My dream house is on the outskirts of the city or even in it-- I live in a rural area, but we came here because houses were affordable, not because I wanted to live out here. I already had three children when my husband bought our house (Oh-- I don't regret it one bit!) for me and of course it's been the best move for us, but there are these little houses in the city that I adore. One is for rent. It's actually office space. It's in an area where everything is expensive. Still, if money were no object and I could do as I wished, I would get the house above with the For Rent sign.
I went to a hotel named for a famous explorer-- I loved going there years ago. It had a great men's store called Boccaccio where I took my brother one year to buy a suit for wearing on a hockey trip-- it set me back a few hundred dollars, but he looked great, then my best friend who was petite and a fox drove him to the airport and picked him up and all his buddies thought they were dating! The had a chocolate shop called Encore! and I personally tried to keep it in business, but the owners still closed it. Encore had lattes and breves (I prefer rich breves to lattes) before coffee got big. They had rich truffles and I would buy them for my family (when i lived at home and had my parent's credit cards) and make nice dinners and surprise everyone. The stores are long gone. I don't really like them ones that are in there now. They also got rid of most of the art galleries.
I went to a sleek women's store that I've not been to in at least five years. I needed a new pair of jeans and I wanted them to fit nicely. I forgot how nice the salesclerks are-- I used to work there. I was lead around the store with the saleswoman throwing things over her arm. I felt like a hick-- I normally don't spend more than $40 on jeans and I was trying on $300 jeans. There is an amazing difference between a $40 pair of jeans and a $300 pair. I chose a $75 pair that was marked down and a new spring jacket (also marked down.) It was the most I've ever spent on a casual outfit but about the same I'd spend on a psychology session to give me confidence, and I get to wear this many more times! I got my money's worth! I felt so out of place, then I stepped out when the saleslady didn't hear me and she was talking to another associate about me, "This lady is so --grateful--! She likes everything I show her and she said that she hardly ever shops for herself-- she has nine kids!" I didn't feel so out of place-- I forgot that when I worked there, some customers liked being snippy an yes, I was grateful for her help. As I was leaving, she told me to come back for the half yearly sales and she'd help me out-- they really do mark down autumn outfits as well and since I may be graduating this December, she said I can start thinking about some nice outfits for work. I know that she gets money from my shopping, but that is a great way to keep me going back with being so nice.
I also went to a little kitchen store. What is is about mortar & pestles? I love them for being so simple and I love drawing them. I have several and am always looking for more. Here is a picture of several at one of the stores. I can't figure out how to post pictures where I want to. It looks like it's the top picture of this post.
3 comments:
Blogger automatically puts photos at the top of your post when uploaded. When you do a post do you do it in edit html or compose mode? If you are in html mode highlight the photo html and cut and paste it to where you want in the post or if you are in compose mode you can just drag the photo! hope that helps.
Sounds like you had a nice little adventure! I love doing things like that! sometimes you can have the most fun just doing stuff like that and you find the neatest places!
I'm basically a city guy, though I'm no longer living in Chicago (well, Oak Park) or Philly. But both my house and my apartment are close to the center of town. When my daughter Sarah was in high school, some of her friends said she lived "in the inner city."
Now (or at least before the housing bust), people moved to rural areas not because it was inexpensive, but to get away from the city, and from people much like themselves.
I hope you'll be able to have your house in the city someday.
Nice house
Post a Comment