Roots and wings

I'm New York.
I ride public transportation and love the cross-town bus. I eat Sunday brunch. I live in a shoe box-sized apartment where my monthly rent could feed a village and my furniture was bought on Craig's List. I read New York magazine and do the crossword puzzle every week. Central Park is my playground. I have Mallomars in my cabinet. I love Broadway, the Met, the MoMa, and the Metropolitan Opera. I watch the Marathon. I rarely eat dinner before 8:30pm. I shop at Bloomingdale's. I pass the Chrysler Building every day. The New York Times is my hometown paper, Good Morning America is my local news, and Gawker is my very own community gossip website. I love the West Village and hate Times Square. I stand in really long chopped salad lines for lunch. I get my iPod fixed at an Apple store that resembles the Louvre. I love Billy Joel. I have at least 12 different takeout menus in my kitchen drawer. And yes, my kitchen only has one drawer.
I'm New York.

But I'm Georgia.
I drink sweet tea. I say yes ma'am, no ma'am, please and thank you. I love SEC football. I listen to country music. The word "y'all" is a part of my daily vocabulary. I refer to all soft drinks as Coke and cringe if a waitress says, "we have Diet Pepsi instead of Diet Coke, that's okay right?" I'm still awed by snow. I love magnolia trees. I grew up Baptist...and I'm a Republican. I can navigate the winding Peachtree Roads of Atlanta...all 87,302 of them. I cheer for the Dawgs, the Braves and the Falcons, no matter how well (or poorly) they may do. My cell phone number will forever begin with (404). I could eat Chick-fil-A every day of the week; in fact, in college, I think I did. I love "The Vent" in the AJC. I've lived OTP and ITP and can appreciate both. I grew up going to the Stone Mountain laser show and am still a big fan. I know the answer to the question "Whaddya have, whaddya have?" And I think Waffle House is amazing.
I'm Georgia.

So I suppose I'm both...I'm New York, and I'm Georgia.
I say thank you to my bus driver. I order sweet tea and hushpuppies at Brother Jimmy's. I go to Rascal Flatts concerts at Madison Square Garden and Pat Green at Irving Plaza. I am a registered Republican voter in the state of New York. I watch the Georgia football games at the Village Pourhouse every Saturday. I have precious New York friends...95% of whom are from the South as well. I frequent the Chick-fil-A in the NYU dining hall. I feel at home when I fly into LaGuardia, and I feel at home when I fly into Hartsfield. My cell phone number may begin with (404), but my work line kicks off with (212). And I appreciate the banana pudding at Magnolia Bakery.

I'm New York.
I'm Georgia.

I'm both. And I'm blessed.


"I'm happy in New York, Jake. But then I come down here, and this fits, too."
"Since when does it have to be one or the other? You can have roots and wings..."
Sweet Home Alabama