we went out for sushi last night. we found this amazing little hole in the wall place a while back but up until now have only ordered take out from them. we decided last night to actually make it a date and went out to eat for a change. it was really nice. i love spending time with him. and the good food made it all the better. i got one shot of the last sushi dish we ordered. i feel like such a nerd sometimes when i am out in public and want to whip out my camera and take a photograph of my meal or something random. i don't know why i care but i always imagine everyone wondering why that strange girl is taking photos of her food. :) 

we rented the social network and came home and watched that after. gotta say, i was surprised by this movie. i didn't really think i would like it. but i did. i never knew there was so much drama involved with the beginnings of facebook. the movie only reinforced some of my reasoning for deleting my own account. glad we watched it!

i saw blue valentine a few weeks back too. i was really excited because michelle williams is my favorite actress and ryan gosling is my favorie actor. i loved the movie. it was so well made. the story resonated with me, that's for sure. but it's definitely a sad story that will leave you walking away wondering why it is that so few people find true and lasting love in life. and the sad truth that most loves are usually only chapters in our lives with both a beginning and an end. sigh. great movie. thought provoking for sure. but the kinda movie where afterwards i wasn't sure if i was glad that i had seen it or not. if that makes any sense!

i rented eat pray love. but it went back to the red box machine without me watching it. gotta get it again because i really want to see it. anyone seen it? did you like it? i read the book. three times.

enough about movies! :) the weather has been so cold here but the sun has been out for two days in a row and that is rare here and makes me happy! 

i was thinking last night about all of the places that i have lived. i was born and raised in new olreans and that is where i have spent most of my life. 9 years in chicago and now a year and a half here in seattle. when i was younger i also lived in san antonio, texas for a bit. charleston, south carolina and also orlando, florida. those were all short stays though. most of my life has been spent in chicago and new orleans. each place is so so so different. out of the three cities i have spent the majority of my life in, they all have their pros and cons and are each so unique in their own way.

chicago......there is always always something to do, see or explore there. the city has this vibe that i love. the people of chicago have a strong sense of pride in their city and especially in their sports teams. there is no better place for sports. the sox, cubs, bears, blackhawks....sports rule this city. there is nothing like walking down lake shore drive in the spring or the summer. the fireworks on the lake. the festivals. and fall. fall is amazing in chicago. chicago has the best parks and recreation facilites i have ever seen. the parks are amazing. and they are everywhere. it's so so so clean. they really keep up their city. 

the one thing that kept me from totally falling in love with chicago...the brutal winters. and they are BRUTAL. and long. and gray. and long. it's bad. and i hate cold weather. hate it.

with. a. passion.

 

another downfall is the people can be kinda rude and are always in a hurry. the whole city seems to constantly move at a hurried pace. and the traffic. it can be pretty bad. thankfully, the city has some of the best public transportation there is.

 

seattle.....reminds me a lot of new orleans.

very eclectic and art based. there is a similar laid back vibe here like new orleans.

and the scenery is breathtaking.

 

there is a LOT to do here as well. most of it outdoorsy stuff. i've never met so many environmentally conscious people before in one place in my life. hippies are very alive and well here. if i had to sum up seattle in one word it would be...earthy. lol.

the downfalls are the ever present rain.

and by ever present i mean nearly every single day! seriously. it's more of a mist most days. but it gets to be a real pain. and the lack of sun does me no favors. the people here are no where near as friendly as back home. they can come off a little pretentious at times. i can't tell you how many times since being here i have heard derogatory comments about southerners and our lack of intelligence. but hey, what would the great united states of america be without sterotypes right? ;) overall i love seattle. but like any other place it has it's downfalls.

one thing i thought was odd when moving here, is that there really is no really run down areas or any "ghettos" as we would call them back home. i remember asking andrew where the bad area of the city was. but there really isn't any. in chicago you've got the south side. a really really really rough area. and in new orleans you've got the ninth ward and general de galle. areas you wouldn't want to be caught walking around in at night. seattle for the most part, is pretty well kept and i have yet to see a "ghetto" or what i would consider a shady area of the city.

then there is home. my favorite place on this entire planet.

friendly people, wonderful food, abundant sunshine, mardi gras and crawfish.

there is nothing like it. to me, new orleans = perfection. and i miss it every single day.

downfalls....i can't think of many. but then again, i am biased! lol.  some might list the crazy intense summer heat as a downfall...but to me, i always loved it. loved being outside swimming and being in the sun. the only major downfall for me is economically related. louisiana is a poor state and there is not a lot of funding for parks and recreation, schools and general upkeep of the city. but i guess in some ways that is part of what makes it what it is. new orleans most certainly isn't the cleanest of cities, but what it lacks for in cleanliness it makes up for in character. for sure. 

so out of those three cities new orleans is my favorite, chicago is my second and seattle comes in third. my life dream is to one day own a home in the garden district of new orleans with my children and my soulmate and live a rather simple life. one day! 

that was a totally random post, but FUN! i will see ya soon!

peace,

kate

Comments

[elizabeth rosemond]

We're moving from Seattle to Dallas in two weeks. I will miss Seattle (been here for almost 5 years), but I'm excited about the change too. My in-laws live in New Orleans, so I'm THRILLED that we'll be closer :)

[Wendy]

That post makes me so envious. I've lived in Utah my whole life- boring! (Utah itself isn't really that boring just living here for 30 years.) I visited Seattle once in May- bought an umbrella especially for the trip and it didn't rain once! Not complaining about the lack of rain though, it was amazing! Would love to visit Chicago (in the summer!) and New Orleans- home of my favorite band ever (Better Than Ezra, have you heard of them?).
Thanks for the random post- it was fun. I would LOVE to travel and due to lack of funds, I have to do it vicariously through blogs! :)

[Kate O'Brien]

Elizabeth....Good luck with the move! I am envious you will be living back in my beloved south!

Wendy....I have always wanted to visit Utah. The photographs I have seen, it looks so beautiful! I have heard of Better than Ezra! They used to be a favorite of mine.

Thanks for your post! :)