my love affair with chicago.

i absolutely love chicago. i think people that don't like chicago are weird. i think people the move away from chicago are weirder. i love to travel but when the chicago skyline comes into view on my plane ride home my heart flutters with happiness. i feel so lucky to live in such a fantastic city. everywhere that i've visited just doesn't feel quite as homey or welcoming as chicago does. chicagoans put up with the winter weather because the summer is so damn fantastic. even in the winter there are plenty of things to do - ice skating, museums, zoo lights, winter markets, theatre...but the summers are the best. they are amazing because......

* farmer's markets - i love to get fresh baked goods and tomatoes on the weekends!

* beer gardens & rooftops - drinking in the great outdoors is so much better than boozing indoors for some reason

* the lincoln park zoo - it's free and it's regular activity on my summer agenda

* cubs games - this is a total love hate thing - it makes my neighborhood insane but going to a game for a few beers, hot dogs and nachos in good ol wrigley field makes me really happy

* FESTIVALS! - this is the absolutely best part of living in chicago in the summer. we do it up at various neighborhood festivals and street fairs for some quality day drinking outside, lots of junk food, decent music and booths with crap we don't need. then there are the chicago fests like taste of chicago or movies in the park. SO FUN! even though 10 million other people go they are must-do's of chicago summers.

i really do feel like chicago has something special. people are friendlier, more social and proud than in many other cities. i love it here and i have no intentions of ever moving away :)