Alright ... maybe I'm jaded. After thirty some years of life, things just don't thrill me like they used to.
I'm checking out the State Journal-Register today, when I see this article:
NEW BERLIN - Susan Rasmus traveled from Chicago to bring her two children to the Sangamon County Fair, which opened Wednesday. They'll spend the week here with her sister, Julie Mies, and her children. And they'll probably be at the fair every day.
It's become a family tradition.
She estimates going to a county fair in the Chicago area would cost her $200. Here it's only $10 to get in, and everything is free. She and her sister pack a picnic lunch.
"We like the rides, and we come to see how our cousins have done in the competition. This year, Uncle Ted won with his cookies, and the cousins got some blue ribbons," Rasmus said. "It's so much fun to be part of this."
You have to be kidding me, right? I had to read this story two or three times because I was convinced they cobbed it from The Onion. Uncle Ted and his cookies?
Let me see if I can wrap my head around this. She lives in a city that offers:
The Museum of Science and Industry
Lincoln Park and Lincoln Park Zoo
The Field Museum
Navy Pier
Sears Tower
Wrigley Field
The Magnificent Mile
The Art Institute
And yet she drives four hours to go to New Berlin? What the fuck? I would give my left nut ... no ... wait ... I would grow a left nut just so I could give a left nut ... to have all the cultural and entertainment opportunities that this woman has.
There are at least eleven festivals in the Windy City in the next three months ... and she drives here to see an Eagles tribute band? Someone shoot me.
And what's this gibberish about county fairs around Chicago costing $200? May I introduce you to a place known as the Lake County Fair? Just 48.8 miles from downtown Chicago, the general admission is $7 ... and children 12 and under get in free. What do they offer? Helicopter rides, a demo derby, a petting zoo, carnival rides & games, a truck & tractor pull, a queen pageants and ... even a rodeo. Sounds a lot like ... oh ... I don't know ... New Berlin doesn't it?
Then again the Lake County Fair doesn't have that Eagles tribute band ... or Uncle Ted's prize-winning cookies. Feh ... maybe I am jaded.
There ain't no baby please
When I'm shootin the breeze with her
When everything you see is a blur
And ectasy's what you prefer
Aerosmith - Jaded
I went last night. Didn't like it at all. Food was lame, sodas did not have enough syrup so they tasted bitter. I am going to make a post so you can read all about it.
ReplyDeleteDecatur Celebration is where it is at, more selection of food, etc. I mean come on SCF did not even have a fried twinkie!
I'll hop on over to read your blog here in a few ...
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, I haven't been out to the SCF in ... probably ten years or so. It's not like I had a bad experience out there ... although I could write a big 'ol post about the time I drove out there only to spend hours standing in the rain waiting for a friggin Eddie Money concert. Maybe that experience is why the SCF just doens't appeal to me anymore ...
Well ... that and I'm just not that desparate for an elephant ear.
It's not a bad county fair ... but to me it just feels like a poor, stunted version of the State Fair. And, since I live in Springfield, I can wait ...
Wow, you think in song lyrics, use the words asshat and jaded- too?!?
ReplyDeleteYou are my newest link. Too bad I no longer live in Chicago.
I've never had the pleasure of living in Chicago ... but I've dreamed of moving there ever since the Art Club field trip in 1984. The moment I walked into the Art Institute, I was smitten.
ReplyDeleteWanna hear something weird? Years later I took a trip to Manhattan and knew I was going to love it. I assumed that New York is just a "bigger" version of Chicago.
Wrong!
New York was grim ... dreary ... grey. Miles and miles of concrete ... thousands and thousands of faces ... no trees ... no smiles. Everything that Woody Allen loves about New York ... was everything that I hated.
So ... I still long for Chicago. In fact, Mr. ThirtyWhat is from Chicago ... and, who knows, maybe that gives me an "in" as far as the Windy City goes.
PS ... don't you just love the word asshat?
Ya know... we kid and all about how we would love to be somewhere else... especially living in Springfield, where all we have are restaurants and stores (btw..have you heard about the entertainment complex they might be building on 6th street? Bout time) and how there's absolutely nothing to do...
ReplyDeleteBut when I took Ashley down here to see Blast, she kept going on and on about how we have all the Lincoln sites, and how if she lived down here, she'd be going to the various places everyday.
I guess we just always forget about that. We grew up with Lincoln, going to the various sites every month for field trips as kids. As much as we grow to "hate" Lincoln, I'm sure those Chicago kids hate all those museums. I bet a small town fair might be kinda neat for them. "Look ma! look at that hillbilly!"
It's actually been long enough for me being outta school that I want to go visit all the Lincoln sites again.
(with the exception of the Lincoln museum. The honeymoon period is over. I mean, I still love the job... but after your 200th viewing of Lincoln's Eyes, it gets a little old. Still fun. But old.)
~The college one
Well, that's true. The grass is always greener. I'm sure the county fair must seem quaint to the city mice ... it's just from this side of the fence, I'd much rather be going to Taste of Chicago than watching the tractor pull.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry the honeymoon period is over ... but even if you're tired of him, Honest Abe still loves you.