"It is in the fewness of the materials that the muchness of the effect is created."

Dear Brooklyn,

It's not you, it's Chicago.

East Coast, we have had the wool pulled over our eyes. The Middle West is amazing. It's glorious here--CHICAGO HAS BEACHES. Did you know this? And not Brooklyn beaches--beaches with clean sand and not a million people and water that everyone is saying is questionable but that looks and feels glorious to me. There are wide, tree-lined streets, and gorgeous, spacious, one-bedroom apartments with dining rooms and porches that cost $750 a month. People are friendly. Like, really friendly. There are beautiful old signs everywhere and plenty of parking and, again, people are friendly.

I feel ashamed of the superiority I felt living in New York. The false pride people from Philly always proclaim when they come to New York--who knew we in New York claimed the same pride just thinking about Chicago. San Francisco? We're right about that one. But not Chicago. Chicago is awesome.