What I won't miss about living in Orlando

As I approach the 2.5 week mark before we close on the house and depart the sunshine state I know that there are some things(mostly people) that I'll miss when I leave. But honestly I can't help but think of what I won't miss from life in Orlando.

1. Florida's lack of seasons

Yes, I am aware that every non-Floridian loves our lack of snow. I'm not going to lie, it can be quite nice at times. I survived a brutal Massachusetts winter in my 2007 move to Worcester, so I'm not naive that snow can and will get old. What Orlando does lack is a fall season. I love the crispness of the air in the fall and driving around to see the pretty foliage.

2.  Orlando's theme park culture

Growing up here you learn pretty quickly that this is a city that caters mainly to the millions of tourists who vacation here. When people hear Orlando they automatically think of Disney. So much of the entertainment options here are centered around Disney and Universal Studios. Don't get me wrong I like the theme parks just fine, but my idea of fun is not getting an annual pass to hit up the parks every weekend. I'm looking forward to having more diverse options in my entertainment.

3. Chain restaurants everywhere

When I travel to other parts of the country I'm always stuck by how many chains we have here in Orlando versus other cities. T and I do a good job of finding the local gems of cuisine here.

4. Lack of reliable public transportation

One of my favorite things to do when I lived in Worcester was to take the 45 minute commuter train into Boston to explore the city. In my year of living there I learned how to successfully navigate their subway system to take me all around the city. Orlando is spread out and god help you if you don't own a car here.

5. Mosquitoes and other assorted Florida insects

Mosquitoes love me. Seriously if I go out without insect repellent it won't be pretty. Summer nights are the worst. Don't even get me started on those nasty palmetto bugs that invade town in the summer.

The goodbye tour begins

Now that the reality of moving out of Orlando starts to sink in my bones it is time to start to say farewell to some of my favorite joints around town. One of the few places I know I will miss dearly is our beloved neighborhood Irish pub 5 minutes down the street Claddagh Cottage. This is the same place I first met my husband, where we went to grab a drink after dinner on our first date, and our favorite watering hole. The first Saturday of the month is trivia so we went with some friends to play our last pub trivia game before we move. We got 3rd place which is good for us.

Orlando is not really known for its cuisine. Driving around the city you will notice many chain restaurants that cater to the large number of tourists that visit the city. But locals know that if you look past that you will find some great non-chain places to eat. Hot Dog Heaven is considered an Orlando institution and has been around since 1987. Sunday T and I went to grab our favorite Chicago style hot dogs that we know we will miss.

Since I am now officially addicted to thrift shopping I made my weekly stop to the goodwill that I affectionately call "the rich goodwill" since it is in the wealthy part of town and tends to have good brands for cheap. I found a beautiful black and white Kenneth Cole wool coat with the original tags showing it cost $189.99 selling for $24.99. Luckily it fit me perfectly, so of course I got it. I have a feeling my Florida version of coats won't cut it in a real winter.

Sold

After a little over 3 months of constantly having to keep the house sparkling clean for possible showings, 1 open house, and a day of back and forth negotiations we have finally accepted an offer on our house. Goodbye sunshine state and hello Washington DC (well Northern Virginia since this girl can't afford it).

                                                   The Daily Show Rally October 2010