Mar 07 2008
“The City”
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Wherever you live, there is always a place that people call “The City.”
The City is an area’s Center Of The Universe. It is the place where people are drawn to and wish they could live in, or the place they want to escape from.
Everyone knows The City.
When I worked in Irving, Texas, The City was Dallas.
When I worked in Marietta, Georgia, The City was Atlanta.
When I worked in Englewood, Colorado, The City was…where else, Denver.
New York is the exception. For some reason, New York City is the only city in the entire state of New York according to the rest of the world. OK, people have heard of Brooklyn but if you say you visited New York, they don’t think Rochester or Buffalo!
Now that I think about it, Omaha may be the only city in Nebraska according to the rest of the United States.
I live in The City. I work about 50 miles from The City. I was chatting with some coworkers. One of them asked us, “Where is this city? Everyone talks about ‘The City’” but what city is it??
She had recently moved to the area.
If someone invites you to dinner in The City, where are you going?
………………………………………….
This is a good question. Warren refers to itself as a ‘city’ but it is anything but. In fact, it is only a city by default, as somehow we broke the population criteria to be moved from Borough to City back when I was a child.
The near ‘city’ is Jamestown, but nobody ever refers to it as a city either. It’s J-town or Jimmytown or, offendingly, Lakewood. It’s the area where Lucille Ball grew up and the 10 Maniacs were born. It’s has a few nightclubs and a Starbucks, but I don’t consider that a city either.
After that, it depends on which direction you wish to travel. Go north and you’ll find Buffallo, West to Erie, or South to Pittsburgh (or further west to Ohio, but it’s not a daytrip). Hardly anybody I know travels east into the bowels of PA to visit a ‘city’.
So, I suppose my guess would be Erie, being a mere 1 1/2 hour drive from here with plenty to offer in food, tasty beverage, culture, and nightlife.
Sorry for the long comment. I’m too lazy to put this on my own blog today.
Interesting thought. Never really crossed my mind. Where I am it’s either Los Angeles or San Francisco. Los Angeles because it’s actually closer, but San Francisco because that’s what they call their city.
It’s always interesting how people are ego-centric even in the little things (their reference to things revolves around their location rather than anyone else’s).
Sue: Funny on what names are an insult to a city! As an outsider, I never would have thought that Lakewood was insulting to Jamestown!
BUT, if you call San Francisco “Frisco” or “San Fran” – the residents will slap you down! Especially if you say “Frisco”
I try to be careful whe I travel – I don’t want to insult anyone so I’ll ask a local. Like, “Oakie” for people from Oklahoma or hmm, Tarheels for Kansans (I think). I think “Oakie” is insulting but Tarheels isn’t.
No worries on long comments! They are more fun!
Derek: San Francisco is also referred to as “The City” where you are? Huh.
I know that the area around San Francisco is known as The Bay Area. It was the only Bay Area I’d ever known about … until I was in St. Petersburg, Florida! I wasn’t sure if the locals called it “St Petes” but they did!
We live in The Bay Area, too. The CHESAPEAKE Bay. And because of where we live, The City can be several cities. DC, or Baltimore, or Fredericksburg, really, depending, I think, on where you’re from. People here don’t really say they’re going to The City. Here, for some reason, people go “up the road”.
As in,
“I couldn’t find a decent pair of shoes, at Target, so now I’ve gotta go up the road to shop.”
When I lived in London, The City was the mythological place East of the river, where men wore suits, women wore skirts, and everyone was neurotic and unhappy. I didn’t care for The City. Why go to The City when you can go Downtown?
When I say I’m meeting you in the city I’m talking Manhattan.
New York City is the only real city I know. Compared to NYC everything else is a town.
Ha haa!! Well Hollydale, of course!! As you know, MY city is to cold to even think about. A ramp …. a walk …. hooeyy – I like towns.
Downtown MPLS / St. Paul is so different than decades ago. (I sound so middle aged) There are nice spots, great resturants, art, theater, but these “spots” are surrounded by not so great elements. I think many are used to this, but my backround is more rural.
I would love to visit New York. I’ve been to many and most cities West and South of Minnesota, but have never been to the East coast. So many movies / stories give it a magical touch.
My Granparents lived so far into the country, that going to the city meant somewhere with a pizza place. They had 2 little bars and a steakhouse “in town”.
The Bay Area – that’s refering to Coos Bay, Oregon, right?
Seriously, that’s another region that refers to itself as the Bay Area.
On the Frisco thing – getting slapped down for using it depends on how and when you’re brought up I think. Like, my mother would take you down a notch for calling it Frisco. But, folks younger than me wouldn’t get it, or wouldn’t get what the big deal was about.
I’m going to NYC if invited to “the city.” Anywhere else just goes by it’s normal name.
Christine: Ah-ha! Another Bay Area!! I figgered as much. Thanks for sharing how people in your area describe going “up the road.”
PITS: Hahaha! About going Downtown! I’d forgotten about Downtown! Your description of East-of-London makes me think of New York City, the “Sex and the City” and “Seinfield” versions. Not that I ever watched much of Seinfeld, I found the characters highly annoying. However, I’ve heard so many descriptions of the episodes I may as well have been a regular viewer!
UT: Hmmm. I think when people think of a city, they envision NYC. NYC is like the archtype for a city!
Speedy!! Aaaahh..so going to town is what people say when they live in the country!
I finally made it to New York City a few years ago. I never went there for work and I had no real desire to go there for vacation. BUT. A friend was getting married not far from NYC (I forget the burrough or whatever they are called) so I decided to attend the wedding and tack on some vacation time. I was there during the 4th of July weekend. Stayed at the Marriott East Side (hotel points!) and ticked off all the usual sights: subway, Harbor Tour, Empire State, MoMa, Guggenheim, Central Park, Chinatown and Little Italy. Lots of walking.
It’s not a bad place to visit if you’re on your own – so much to see and you don’t feel lonely. Too much city for me, though. I’m not much for the ole Canyons of Glass. But I’m glad I visited.
ack: Never heard of Coos Bay.
Ricardo: sounds like you’re in agreement with UT!
I’m glad you made it out to the city. If you ever decide to come again you should try the boroughs other than Manhattan. They have a lot to offer.
Good question – in the “OC” there really isn’t a city – even LA isn’t referred to as the “city”. And, when I lived in WI – I lived in Milwaukee – one of three “cities” in WI. How sad is that???
You know, I started answering this one a few times last week I think & never got a chance to finish. I wouldn’t really get invited to the city, ’cause I already live not downtown but close enough into Houston. The-guy-who-knows-a-song-about-a-chicken (I think I should have gone with a shorter nickname, like Alf’s hubcap – way less to type) makes fun of me fairly regularly for having panic attacks if I get to far from “the loop”. But how can I help it? Suburbs, outskirts – ICK!
UT: I meant to make it out to, I think it was The Bronx? I think they have some botanical gardens there. I don’t have a big desire to return to NYC though – too big and not enough green stuff. I’m not a country girl but I do like my mountains and trees and a time when the city IS sleeping.
Beth: That ain’t sad – I think about Wyoming – isn’t that the “Big Sky” state? Nothing wrong with small towns. I’ve never been to Milwaukee. I just think beer, which is my bad! and “Laverne and Shirley”!
Jill: I was tempted to post a photo of the Houston skyline in your honor but two loves-of-my-life live in the Denver area so they won.
I may not like the BIG city, but I’m with you about suburbia – gives me a bit of the heebs and the jeebs! It’s not all suburbs though – just the ones where everything looks the same! Although I did chose to live in a very generic condo complex! BUT I’m surrounded by old homes and I can run to a nearby lake.
I’d rather you refer to “The guy etc etc” than “Chicken Song Man” but maybe just get rid of all that and call him Your Main Squeeze.
Haha I’m amused by the conversation between you and Jill about her man. She definitely went with one of the longest nicknames around for him. I’d say keep condensing that sucker until it’s YMS (using your “Your Main Squeeze” nickname).
Derek: Well, in her case she’d write, “MMS” for My Main Squeeze. Or perhaps, My Squeeze or The Squeeze which will dwindle down to Squeeze…because there is Only. One. Squeeze.
Well..for those who want only one. I’m a Solo Squeeze type of gal myself. Nothing wrong with Juice Masters, just not for me.
Juice Master, huh? I guess one can never know who’s out there.
I wonder if Jill will take on the suggestions. I guess we’ll only know if she comments on them!
Yeah. Right. So…actually, I want to say something totally and completely inappropriate about all this, but actually Ms.Q, I might have to just email. :-0 :-0 :-0 Maybe if I just put it all in quotes – it’s the dashes that are so time consuming!!!!!
Derek: To each his own and as one friend likes to say, “What people do in the privacy of their own home is their business” and “As long as no one gets hurt and everyone agrees to it – who cares?”
Jill: Hehehahaa! I’ll have to check email. I rarely do these days what with working and all!