Sunday, September 25, 2011

I Love Columbus, GA

Ever have one of those near perfect days? I have. Today, in fact. Woke up early and watched the last episode of All My Children...and cried. Took my time getting ready for work and had a great day at the store. (Thanks for the Krystals, Mae Mae!!) Got off in the early afternoon and headed downtown to meet up with some friends and the weather was absolutely gorgeous!!

I parked outside the coffee shop on Broadway and walked down to Judy Bug's Bookstore. That place is a treasure trove!! And the best part about it is talking to the guy who works there. I didn't catch his name but you can't miss him. I asked him if he has mentally cataloged every book in the store and he grinned and said he had a pretty good handle on it. That made me smile. I like people who take pride in what they're doing and love their work.

After that I walked down to Momma Goldberg's Deli and got a soda and some chips to munch while I charged my phone. I overheard some students from CSU quoting Blue Velvet...gotta love some David Lynch, right? There was football in the air and people having fun. The smells and sounds and balmy breeze outside...perfect.

Got a call from my friends that they were at the Eagle and Phenix Lofts checking out a condo. I walked a few blocks and enjoyed the exercise and the weather, and went up to see this GORGEOUS living space that looks like something out of a movie. THEN we went to the courtyard and sat outside watching the sun set over the river and discussing the future of Columbus.




WOW... Can you see how gorgeous this is?? We were out on the Hydro Deck which basically put us on top of the dam. I wish I had taken a pic of the dam itself so you could see the perspective of how close we really were to the water. Next time!!





As it got darker it just got prettier out there...
And we laughed and joked and talked about Four Square and...wait is that a SHARK in the water???


I had to take a few of the lofts, of course!!!




Then we went to Downstairs at the Loft for desert. Seriously. You have to try the Kahlua Cheesecake. Seriously. I'm not kidding. A.S.A.P.

Aside from their yummy food, the atmosphere is just awesome. There were a bunch of kids from Columbus High School who were dressed up to go to their Homecoming dance. Sweet girls in sparkly dresses who were wearing heels for probably the first time. And music everywhere!! It was just magical.

So yeah... I love Columbus. I know a lot of people have left for a lot of reasons but I'm glad I'm here, right now. There is an energy in downtown (or uptown!) Columbus that I have never felt anywhere else. I love Savannah and River Street, but I don't get the feeling that people are connecting on a personal level there. We have that. Everyone knows SOMEONE else down there.

Someone said yesterday, "Columbus is a small city but a big town." I liked that. It feels like a city because we do have a lot of choices in shopping and dining. But it feels like a town because of the sense of familiarity that we have here. There's always someone to greet you with a smile or a wave...even if you're "not from here." And we all wear the same SEC colors in the fall. LOL

 It feels like...home.

7 comments:

Kimberly said...

Sounds like you just described exactly what I think I am searching for..... Maybe somedya I will find it. Was great seeing you this morning, if only for a brief second.

Unknown said...

Spent the weekend downtown as well. What an amazing treasure we have! I have traveled all over the world and appreciated many locations, but few can hold a candle to our "Uptown!" It's not just the historic buildings, or the great food, or the many places to have fun...shop, dance, run, bike, walk, raft, fish, kayak, I could go on and on...it is the sense of community and caring that is experienced no matter who you are, how long you have been here, or what your "make up" happens to be. I heard one soldier say "I have never been in a town that is so friendly!" and then I heard a transfer student with a beautiful accent say, "I will take my education from CSU home with me, but I will take much more home in my heart!" What an inspiring thing to hear! I not only love Columbus, but am proud to call it home!

Karma Parker said...

Thanks for the comments, ladies!! Kimberly we really do need to get together and figure out how to get you some more free Tastefully Simple stuff!!! And Sparkle... I dearly love you!!

Anonymous said...

I think the key to somewhere being "home", or even just a place you feel tremendously connected to, is found somewhere in what you wrote. It's not always about the spectacular, it's when the regular/normal/everyday _feels_ spectacular. When that happens, I'd say there's a pretty good chance you're in the right place.

And I know this is probably an odd thought (when does that ever stop me?) but I found my non-Columbus self wondering "what the heck is a Hydro Deck?" I'd have loved a picture shot in the opposite direction (basically showing where that p.o.v. was coming from).

Karma Parker said...

Jon, I am going to go tomorrow and make sure that I have pics of the hydro deck for you!!!

Kat said...

I love Columbus as well. When I moved back here 12 years ago, my first thought was that it really wasn't where I wanted to be. However, by being here, I've managed to reconnect with people, and I've discovered that it truly is "home". You took some beautiful pictures today, Kim! Thanks for sharing them.

Karma Parker said...

Thanks EB!! It's amazing what you can do with an old Blackberry once you clean the lens with a Q-Tip!! LOL Seriously though...the view was so breathtaking that I didn't do it the justice it deserved by a long shot!!