There's No Place Like Home

For my faithful few readers I’m happy to admit that I’m getting more adjusted to life in the Big Apple. Some of the people and attitudes that I run into on a daily basis are still a bit aggravating but overall things are getting much better. I’m feeling more comfortable in my apartment and neighborhood, I finally feel like I’m getting a clue of the NYC transit system, I’ve found some great restaurants and dives that I can call favorites, I’m feeling like I’m in a better rhythm at work and getting adjusted to the pace and intellectual capital. I’m also meeting some really great people.

Still, there’s no place like home. Despite the numerous visits from my folks (which I thoroughly enjoy) I still look forward to my visits home. The winter holidays are one of my favorite times of year. NYC, is an amazing place to be for the holidays. 34th street and 7th avenue, Times Square, Harold Square and the neighborhoods are really something to see during this time of year. You have the Macy’s Parade, a myriad of shows and events, skating at Rockefeller Park and these are the things that I know of as a resident of Ohio. I have seen the decorations at Macy’s and their beautiful window scenes.

No matter how great the city is, I still love the holidays in Northeast Ohio. I hear this year Youngstown is having a holiday parade (I don’t think I’ll be making that). Cleveland has WinterFest which is actually really nice and the downtown public square is decorated pretty well. There’s just something about being curled up on my parents couch (my dad always makes us a fire) and watching tv on my pops theater sized flat screen. There’s something about my aunts and uncles arguing over the last sip of ‘brown’ as they call it and my little cousins running around my house as like crazy persons. There’s nothing like going for a run to the grocery store and running into someone you haven’t seen since you were a kid. I think my favorite thing about being home is the food. I love my mom's cooking and there are some neighborhood restaurants that though I know they are the greasiest, non-healthy options available, I just have to have when I come home. (Shout out to Fosters/Harmony Grill)

Thanksgiving was great as always, the days were filled with family and neighbors and the nights with friends. I had a great time watching cable and hearing about all the wonderful and ridiculous things going on at home. I went out one night with friends and only spent $30 total on drinks and food and I was Santa that night. Youngstown is certainly not the most exciting and frankly not the most beautiful place that you’ve ever since on the holiday’s but its home and we all know there’s no place like home.