Syracuse: Why I'm going to miss it, Part 1

Happy Tuesday, everyone! I just had a wonderful piece of bacon and chicken white pizza at Cam's Pizzeria in Camillus, and now it's on to business. I have five days left here in Salt City, and as the days get closer I am both excited about the new opportunities that await me in Florida, but I am also remorseful that things did not work for me in Syracuse.

My intention for the past two days was to do a photo blog on why I'm going to miss Syracuse, but it has rained the past two days, and weather in the 40's hasn't helped either (and, despite this chilly weather there is a young woman walking around this restaurant in flip-flops). Hopefully, the weather will cooperate the rest of the week, and I'll be able to do that. In the meantime, I will talk about why I will miss Syracuse.

First, I have a new attitude that I didn't have in other cities. I talked about nasty, negative John (NNJ) earlier, and how I left him in Richmond. Don't get me wrong - there are things I miss about Detroit, Sacramento, Phoenix, Richmond, and Washington, but Syracuse got into my heart and left an indelible impression. What do I miss about these cities? Let me tell you the ways:

Detroit: I miss the food. You cannot find Detroit-style pizza anywhere else, and of course you have local fare like Tubby's Subs and National Coney Island. Also, I will forever be a fan of Detroit sports, and I hate that I can't go to The Joe, Ford Field, Comerica Park, or The Palace whenever I want. Interesting story - I went to a Pistons game last Christmas, and I purchased a beer. The vendor asked for my ID, and I showed him my New York license. He said, "I've seen a lot of out-of-state ID's today," to which I replied, "That's because those of us that can't find work in Michigan are in town for the holidays."

Sacramento: First and foremost, I miss my friends from high school. We talk on Facebook all the time, but now that we're all a little older, a little wiser, and we can drink legally, I would love to just hang out with them. And, of course, the food. There were a lot of great local spots. I also miss the weather; now that I've had a chance to compare, dry heat isn't that bad.

Phoenix: There was a ton of things to do in Phoenix, but I couldn't get past people's attitudes or the meth addicts that occupied our complex. When I reflect, I don't think I ever should've left; I would've gone to Arizona State, moved up the social hierarchy, and most importantly never met my ex-wife.

Richmond: As much as I complained about Richmond, there are some things that I will miss. I will miss the beauty of the city; anyone who's spent any time in the Fan, Byrd Park, or along the James River knows what I'm talking about. In the summertime Richmond is a beacon of activity. Even as I sit here, I try to keep NNJ at bay. He keeps telling me things like, "talk about how much your jobs sucked," and "talk about how much the people sucked." So I'm just going to move on.

Washington: I miss the potential to advance careerwise. The best job I ever had was at Primus in McLean. It was a 9-5 job, I moved up rapidly, and had great co-workers. I also had a very active social network that was very diverse and, most importantly, was in the same age group as me. There was Brian, the actor and singer; Federico, the son of Nicaraguan dignitaries; Rodger, the History/Linguistics major; Geoff, the journalism major-turned cafe manager, etc.

Now, on to Syracuse. What am I going to miss? First of all, the atmosphere. Syracuse, as many of your know, is a college town. I love going to Rosie's, Tully's, or pretty much any sports bar and the walls are covered with SU regalia; back in Richmond, home of the Richmond Spiders and VCU Rams, don't support their teams enough. Sticking with the atmosphere, my favorite part of my day is driving down 690 and seeing the Syracuse skyline.

What else am I going to miss? Of course, the food. I don't even want to think about how much weight I put on when I first moved here. Tully's claims to have the world's best tenders, and they are correct. We also have many locations with regional foods, including New York-sytle pizza and buffalo wings; Sardo's makes the best wings in the area. There are also great marinades for meats you can only find in New York. One of which is Cornell-Style barbecue sauce, which has paprika, oil and vinegar, and egg. There is also a dish called speidies (sp?), which is marinated chicken in a hot dog bun. Let's not forget my favorite dessert item: half-moon cookies, cookies with chocolate frosting on one side, and vanilla frosting on the other. Honorable mention goes to garbage plates, white hots, and salt potatoes.

Finally, I am going to miss my friends. Granted most of them are older, they are still wonderful people. Some of them have quirks I can't stand (we all have friends like that), but they're still good people. Last Wednesday, we celebrated St. Patrick's Day with them. I decided to go ahead and make it my last appearance. I got all my hug, kisses, and wishes of good luck from everyone. There was even talk of throwing me a goodbye party. Furthermore, they were seriously talking about renting a bus and driving down to Florida just to see me. They also insisted that I let them know when I'm back in town. I cannot begin to tell me how good this made me feel; I've never had this heartfelt of a farewell anywhere else I lived. Back in Richmond, I had to plan and throw my own graduation party after I finished my MBA (to which nobody showed). Needless to say I will miss this place and I will definitely be back to visit. I hope I can make friends half as wonderful as all of these folks once I get to Florida.

I checked the forecast at weather.com. It's supposed to be sunny with a high of 51, so hopfully I can get my photo essay done and bring that to you people tomorrow. Meanwhile, I'm going to finish listening to Mike O'Meara and head across the street to Wal-Mart. Until then, take care of yourself, Praise the Lord, and pass the ammunition.

-J