Then I had a thought
Carrie and Miranda, pre-SATC
At one time, a cupcake was just for kids birthday parties. Cosmo meant the magazine with the sex positions. A TV show about four single girls having a wild time referred to Rose, Blanche, Dorothy and Sophia. A baguette was a loaf of bread and expensive shoes cost $200. I missed these pre-Sex and the City days by a mile as I first moved to New York in 2007. I understand why "real" New Yorkers hate those who moved here to live the Carrie Bradshaw life.
Only I didn't. I moved here because I always loved it, I was bored with where I was (Chicago, lovely town but I was in a personal rut) and I knew there would be more jobs here. One of the lasting curses SATC has brought on the city, in addition to horrible overly sweet cupcakes and poof dresses, is the idea that every 20-something single girl with an overpriced handbag and a few pairs of high heels must be relocating to live the SATC dream. I'm no fool. I will not have a rent-controlled 5 room apartment with a walk-in closet filled with designer clothes or trot my Manolo's up and down Fifth avenue on daily shopping binges. I'm sure there are girls who step off the plane from middle-America obscurity onto this hallowed island believing this life will really happen for them. And maybe it does, or maybe they end up married in Connecticut, or maybe they move back home broke and broken.
Just don't assume because I'm here I'm looking for Manolo's, Magnolia and Mr. Big.
“Good” things Kat doesn’t like
Tomatoes
Olives
Trees
The left-over milk from a bowl of cereal
Mushrooms
The Cubs (just kidding- they're terrible)
Avocado
Pearl Jam
Farmer's Markets
Impressionism
Lite beer
Enough, “foodies”
Did the food blog destroy food writing? Yes. Has every blog destroyed all writing? Maybe. But, save possibly fashion, food seems to be the most (badly) blogged about subject. Now that every Bourdain-in-training can snap plate pics and trot off to post about the amazing and unknown ramen/Green City Market/sushi they just found there's hardly need for a David Tamarkin or Ruth Reichl.
Of course, not all food blogs are as lame as Molecular Gastronomy. It's just that I've yet to see an amateur rise to the high level of quality writing shown by the pros. While shows like Check Please utilize the uneducated consumer in a clever and effective way, most food blog seem to be written with the idea that the author is an expert, or at least has a more refined palate than you.
Also, don't use the word "Yummy". You're (most likely) not five years old.
Kat’s rules to the Lakefront Path
There are few urban running paths as beautiful, useful and well-maintained as the 18.5 mile paved path along the Chicago lakefront. Starting at Hollywood on the north and running down to 79th street, the path curves past beaches, harbors, Lincoln, Grand and Jackson Parks, and offers breathtaking views every step along the way. Best of all, bathrooms and waterfountains are plentiful and cars actually yield at cross-streets. Less congenial are the paths users to each other: bikers, runners, beach-bums and the odd rollerblader battle it out on a daily basis. A few helpful tips to avoid a duel at Montrose harbor:
Flickr/Max Wolfe
1. Bikers>Bladers>Runners>Walkers>those just wandering along, 4 across. That is the order of speed, and therefore also a reminder of who will hurt you the most if you step in front of their path.
2. Don't walk 4 across, don't run 3 across, don't bike in a pack of 20 and expect not to get yelled at.
3. Bikers get the middle, runners take the side, rollerbladers need to pick a real sport, those walking should be on the gravel at the side.
4. Bikers- this isn't a Tour de Anything. You're not in a race, and if you fly through crowded areas like North Ave beach you deserve to get clothes-lined. Apply the breaks or get on a real road.
5. Also, Bikers, don't swoop close to the runners and walkers on the side. Getting within 6 inches of people moving slower than you is startling to them and generally not nice. Do you like getting grazed by cars?
6. Runners should pay attention to bikes or bladers when crossing the road. Look before you run into a roadway, or the path.
7. Just a general tip for everyone- let the fountains run for a moment before taking a sip. The water at first is warm and nasty.
8. Don't spit your gum in the fountain. Seriously. Imagine each piece you spit in there is a piece you will have to chew for all eternity in hell. Yeah, it's that nast.
9. Running/Biking north from Fullerton and South from Grant Park is a lot more pleasant than the stretch in between. Unless you like dodging Wisconsin-wide tourists or bikini'd Trixies and the Chad's who buy them Bud Lite's at Castaways, stick to the north or south.
10. If you are one of the people, who for whatever reason, rollerblades with ski poles, please, Please, watch where you are swinging your poles. Or just leave the poles for the ski slope, champ.