The Thing I Miss the Most About the 5 Cities I’ve Lived In

I’ve lived a lot of places, lest I forget while I’m still adjusting to the one I’m currently living in. This has been sort of a pattern of mine, and one that’s only natural in you twenties. Usually I leave without looking back, lured by the idea of someplace, or something; brand spanking new. But because I want to encourage everyone I know to go live and do the same thing (hopefully more successfully, I’m still looking for my home away from home). I thought I’d share some things worth missing about the coolest cites I’ve ever lived.

1. Washington, DC

I miss the constant going, going, gone lifestyle that comes with living in the nations Capitol. I use to walk everywhere and because of that I knew the lay of the city better than anyplace I had ever lived before or since. My wardrobe was flawless and I could answer emails while on the treadmill at the gym without skipping a beat. Nothing every seemed unattainable in DC and access was the greatest commodity. Also I miss using “networking” as an excuse to go to Happy Hour 4 or 5 times a week.

2. San Francisco, CA

I miss the air in SF. It sounds weird, but the fog mixed with the bay breeze made for a great smell and supple moisture when I forgot lotion. Living in SF was the closest I’ve ever gotten to living a romantic comedy/ chick lit novel. I think I ate sushi and/or thai every night without complaint and when I did cook it would be such fresh food that I could easily disguise my subpar cooking for gourmet. I felt like I was part of a community when I was there; San Francisco does an amazing job of embracing you and your ideas without even really knowing who YOU are. I do not miss the hippie subculture though — some people like it but I prefer shaving and leaving dreadlocks to Rasta’s.

3. Phoenix, AZ

I miss the desert sky in Arizona. The way the sun touches the endless red and orange mountains are easily the most memorable sunsets I have ever seen in my life. Yes, the heat was difficult to get used to, but it was strangely detoxifying in more ways than one. Plus I like wearing sandals 11 out of 12 months a year and using most of my spare time swimming.

4. Queens, NY

I was only able to spend two months there, but it’s the side of New York tourist aren’t privy too which mean a lot of real New Yorkers live there (the kind that scare the shit out of me). Aside from that I really miss the food. Every racial and ethnic background you can think of has a place you can walk-in, order from someone who speaks very few English words, and leave feeling full and with the sense that someone just adopted you into their family. I ate so much the summer I lived in Queens, it took me 6 months to work it off. Literally the best “insert really anything here” you’ve ever tasted. Plus I really miss having laundry service, because it’s the norm there.

5. Santa Cruz, CA

My hometown. Most people don’t know it unless they surf but for the rest of you it’s a small beach town just south of SF Bay where many great things were founded and/or live (including NHS Inc., O’Neill’s, and Odwalla). There are so many things I miss about SC that I almost forget why I left. I miss the way the beach, I miss the sand, I miss the small town life dominated by the tides. I miss the slow way things operate even though they use to drive me crazy and most of all I miss the physical memories ingrained there over so many years. Sometimes we get so caught up in traveling far from home we forget the things we love the most.