Finally A City

Observation 1: The pedestrian crossing.

For the first time in my life, as I stepped onto the white stripes holding me from the shopping center, other people were actually crossing with me. I felt like I was in Warsaw... or Madrid. Hoards of people scurried across the 5-second crossing with me, a magnificent sight and feeling. Finally, Salt Lake felt like a city.

Observation 2: Street performers.

Never do you pass a day in Las Vegas, Warsaw, or Madrid without seeing some sort of street performer. Yes, at City Creek, these were people specifically hired to perform at a certain hour in front of the fountain.. so what? It's the idea that counts, right?

Observation 3: Lines

No, I'm not talking about the massive (I believe 30-60 minute) line in front of the Disney store (which, by the way, was rather amusing... as only in America will you see grown adults willing to stand outside of a store to look at a few expensive toys that remind them of princesses and adventures. I understand that some have an obsession, but so many of them?). Rather, I'm talking about the pure idea of a line. Sure, you may have to stand for a m

inute or two while buying a hat at Urban Outfitters or a smoothie at McDonalds, but to have people leaving the area and heading down to Gateway simply to EAT? Now we're talking big-city shopping center.

Escaping the crowds with a lunch stop at Harmons.

Modeling in Express.

Sure, some things are staged, and everything will die down in a year or so, but still! Salt Lake really does feel like a big city now. What used to be bare and desolate streets are now busy with people bustling about with H&M or Sephora shopping bags. I now actually grab my friend's hands in the crowd to make sure they don't slip away. The buzz and excitement surrounding City Creek may concern the stores for some, the hang out for others, but for me, it's the simple idea of an actual city that gets me pumped.