Kentuckian in the Big Apple

across from Radio City Music Hall

A couple of weekends ago,  I found myself at LaGuardia Airport climbing in a taxi on my way to Manhattan. The last time I had been in New York City was when I was a senior at the University of Kentucky. Prior to that it was my senior trip from my Lexington high school (Tates Creek). The time before was with my middle school (also, Tates Creek).

The trips to NYC as a teenager left me dreaming of leaving the rolling hills of Kentucky in search of riches and fancy clothes in the concrete jungle. New York City and Lexington seemed like polar opposites: lots of grass and low house prices in Lexington; very little grass and astronomical real estate in New York City. The lure of public transportation and my imaginary apartment ala Tom Hanks in "Big" were visions in my head for years.

The Highline

When I landed back in Louisville, I headed to my car, paid my reasonable overnight parking rate, and hit I-64 to head back to Lexington. I had a great time in the city, but as I pushed the gas on the open road, I realized how glad I was to be back home. When I watched the Kentucky Derby last weekend, I smiled when I remembered how I explained to several New Yorkers that people don't wear hats to EVERY horse race in Kentucky, and that Jack Daniels isn't Kentucky bourbon (it's Tennessee Whiskey, y'all).Perhaps a piece of me wants to still be a part of the city, but Kentucky is my home and I wouldn't have it any other way.