Although I consider myself a New Yorker now, I was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. I never actually lived in the city of Chicago, so I grew up a very suburban life. And I loved it every second of it. After all, we know how "fast" those city kids grow up.
But even though I love living in NYC, there are some suburban comforts that I miss and that I definitely took for granted all these years. When I do go home, I get so excited to do some of these things that I accomplish them all in one day and then spend the rest of my visit bored. So what suburban Chicago comforts do I miss the most?
1) Driving to Target and Costco. Yes, there is now both a Target and a Costco in Manhattan. It also happens to be located a few blocks from where I work which is a total score. I often will run over on my lunch break to pick up a few things if I have time. But here's the thing, city Targets are often so picked over. They run out of stuff so freaking fast. If I can't find something there, I will look online, but sometimes I even have to have my mom run over to the local Target and pick up what I want and send it to me. And without a car, a visit to Costco can sometimes be a difficult task. I can only get a few things at a time and that are easily transportable by bus/train. I can't do a one stop shop. I have to make multiple trips or wait for one of my fantastic friends with a car can take me. I love them for that. And I would never even attempt to head over there on the weekends because its a zoo. It's crowded on the weekends at home, but not unbearable like it is here.
NYC is home to some of the best restaurants in the country, yet sometimes I just want some Chili's chips and ranch (AMAZING!) or a big salad from the Cheesecake Factory. I really think that Cheesecake Factory would kill it here so I always wonder why there isn't one. After all, there are two California Pizza Kitchen's here that do pretty well (not to mention many other not-nearly-as-good chains.)
3) The mall. Specifically Old Orchard and Northbrook Court. Just like with food, NYC has some of the beset shopping in the world. Big flagship stores and cute little boutiques. However, they can be pretty crowded and pretty spread out throughout the city. And the Manhattan Mall on 34th is a joke. When you hit a suburban mall, you get every store you pretty much want all under one roof. And you usually get a Nordstrom too. I miss their shoe department the most. So great. Sigh.
4) Walking barefoot around the neighborhood. Would you walk barefoot on the streets of NYC by choice? Nope. I am not going to lie, but I have walked home drunk and barefoot more times than I can count. I am not proud of it, but sometimes high heels and drunkenness is not the best combination at 3 am. I do however, keep on the lookout for hypodermic needles and glass. Obvi. I am not that dumb. At home, I walk my block barefoot. Feet in the grass. Crossing the street to the neighbors. Shooting hoops in the driveway. Who needs shoes? Puh-lease.
5) Proximity to the Beach. I love the beach. So much. I grew up as a Lake Michigan girl and am not a huge fan of the ocean. As a family we use to go to the beach often and in high school I went all the time, day and night. We were that close to it. A quick 20-minute drive and we were there. In Manhattan, a trip to the beach is an all day (or weekend long) schlep out to Long Island or the Jersey Shore. They are nice beaches, but I miss the lake. And don't even ask why I don't head to Coney Island for the beach. Ick.
As much as I miss these comforts of home, there are so many parts of New York that I would miss tremendously if/when I leave this great city. Growing up with the above comforts/habits has made me who I am today and that is why I miss them so much and make sure to partake in them (and so many other Chicago things) when I go home. But would it really be so bad for a Cheesecake Factory or Nordstrom to open here? C'mon now.
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