I like this place...it's not pretentious...

...this of course being my paraphrased attempt of quoting "Priceless," a beautiful and light movie starring the lovely Audrey Tautou. I love this movie because it makes me think of some of my old favorites, like "Charade" or "To Catch a Thief." I like that quote because it sums up my view of Chicago, a city that I've loved more and more only after I left it. Not that I didn't love it while I was there--I always felt lucky to be in or near Chicago, but New York was always the goal, the dream. I'm as close to that dream now as I could hope to be at 23, but Chicago has entered my heart and refuses to relinquish its grip. For one thing, Chicago is cleaner, more spread out, less chaotic--the people are nice and lack the pretension displayed by so many New Yorkers and their wannabe counterparts. Chicagoans have pride, but it's a pride in something real and seemingly more deserving...maybe it's hard work without the glitz or bright lights? I don't know, but it's this feeling that Chicago is a wonderful place, but it isn't all there is--there's a whole world outside of Chicago, one that people go out and explore. Chicago is the place that you return to, it's home. Some New Yorkers think that they are at the center of the world, not just part of it, giving them the false sense of worldliness, even if they never leave the island of Manhattan. Of course, not all New Yorkers are like that and not all Chicagoans are wonderful. New York will always have more than The Second City and I feel more connected to the history of the New York/New Jersey area then I ever will to the Midwest. But Chicago is a nice place, a place I hope to go back to at some point in my life.

Yes, I had a lovely visit to Chicago--I am always happy when I'm surrounded by friends and family, and I got a taste of both last weekend. Recapping it will just make me miss them more, so I'll just leave it at that for now.

On to this weekend, my independent/Italian weekend of randomness--"A Room with a View" (ah, Firenze!) on Friday night with some popcorn a la Sarah-style (kernels, oil, salt, oregano, paper bag, microwave, yum). Yesterday was organizing parts of my life and then a date with myself. I took myself to see "Gamorra" at the IFC center (stopped off for a peanut butter and nutella sandwich at Peanut Butter & Co. first). The movie was wonderful--dark and horrific, but beautifully shot and moving. The film looks at five different characters all attached in some way to the Camorra family (mafia) in Naples. The dialect was strong so I had to rely on the subtitles, but that made it all the more real. I think that's what was so troubling about it--I've seen plenty of violent films but over the top violence seems more like entertainment. I can watch it because I know it's not real. This violence, the killing and revenge and depravity of the whole situation was (and is) just so real. In any event, I'm glad I saw this movie, even if it wasn't uplifting at all.




Today was Italian mass (I love all of the old Italians and how they talk with their hands...their gestures are amusing and pleasant), a quick stop by the hairdresser's for a bangs trim and a visit to the bookstore for Ian McEwan's "Enduring Love" and Evelyn Waugh's "Brideshead Revisited"--yes I have an illness called compulsive bookbuying...


...Weekend Anna