Friday, October 17, 2008

Keith's Top 10 Favorite Places


1. Atlanta, Georgia
I can't remember having ever gone to the ATL and not having a great time. I love the Underground, Buckhead, Justin's, Keith Sweat's joint, and years ago, Dominique Wilkin's had a spot that I ate at once. (Hey, 12Kyle... is that spot still there?)


2. Miami, Florida
It's beautiful beaches and the blue (nearly see through) ocean water is enough... but, the hotels, stores, and the wild and crazy people on South Beach alone make it my second favorite city. Plus, my family originated in the South Florida area.


3. New York City, New York
Nuff said... It's the big apple, what's not to love?


4. London, England - U.K.
I've been there four times and it's really true... England swings like a pendulum do! I loved the "Soul" clubs in the Jamaican section called "Brittany" where I could hear Motown, Stax, and Philly International all night long mixed with a little reggae and some salsa. I ate at some really fine restaurants too.


5. Amsterdam, Netherlands
I went there before I got married. This is a city where everything goes... a city of intrigue and suspense. I went to some nice bistros and rode a bike or scooter just about everywhere. I have one complaint... they eat fish at just about every meal. Yuck! It gives the term "Raw Like Sushi" a whole new meaning.


6. San Antonio, Texas
If we skip the fact that I did my boot camp there (Lackland Air Force Base) and just talk about the other times I visited San Antone, I had great times there. I had some of the best steak I ever tasted in my life there at a little place called "We Are Cooks." You buy the steak and you cook it yourself to your liking right there on a hot table. If you know how much I like steak, you know that I didn't want to leave. I was a little disappointed that the Alamo wasn't as large as I thought it should be. I rode the little boat through underground San Antonio six times. Yeah, I know... I'm a little kid at heart (most men are... I'm sure you ladies know that).


7. Denver, Colorado
Once I got adjusted to the altitude and the air quality, I got along quite well in Denver. I went to the Nuggets basketball games every chance I got, partied at a lot of clubs there, and got in for half price (military discount) most of the time.


8. Seattle, Washington
As soon as I got there, I wanted to see where Jimi Hendrix lived. Nobody who I was with knew. Kurt Cobain had just committed suicide that year... everybody knew where he lived and hung out though. I didn't mind... I was equally interested in him too. I drank a lot of coffee and wore my rain coat everywhere I went. It rained everyday I was there except the day before I left. I still loved it though... it was a very beautiful city.


9. Madrid, Spain
I saw my first bullfight right outside of this great city. I wish someone had told me in advance that they kill the bull after the bullfight is over. I wasn't ready for that. I had a great time here... the clubs stay open until daybreak. Here was a time that I wished I had paid more attention in Spanish class in high school. I couldn't understand a thing anyone was saying. One day, I was playing "Juicy" by The Notorious B.I.G. on somebody's boom box and these kids came by and they knew all of the words. I played NAS and Method Man and they knew that... they probably didn't know what it meant, just like I didn't know what they were saying... but, we bonded in that small moment. Apparently, the universal language of Hip-Hop.


10. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Like Dorothy always said..."There's no place like home. There's no place like home."

Honorable Mention:


* Chicago, Illinois
I've only been to the "Windy City" one time (1999) but, I had the best oven-baked pizza known to man and the best Polish sausage imaginable. (Why does eating have so much to do with why I like a place?)


* Detroit, Michigan
I've only been to the "Motor City" once (2001) but, they know how to party there and I had a great time. Now, there... I can't remember what I ate (or if I ate) when I was there.

Q. What are some of your favorite places?

16 comments:

♥ CG ♥ said...

Is DC/MD #11? Just kidding :). I enjoy visiting some of your faves too. These are my top 5...

~ NYC
~ Dallas
~ Hilton Head
~ Chicago
~ San Fran

Have a great weekend, Keith!

ZACK said...

Y'all betta shout out Chicago!

Just kidding!

My "Fave 5" are

1. West Palm Beach, FL
2. Cincinnati,OH/Covington,KY
3. Seattle, WA
4. Atlanta, GA
5. Savannah, GA

Honorable Mention: Nashville, Indianapolis (the good part),Gainesville, and of course South Central, LA (a big "Just kidding" on that one)

Me said...

Hmmm...in college a favorite of mine was Austin during the TX Relays. 6th Street was THE PLACE to be! My girls and I also went to New Orleans quite a bit back then. We were going for Mardi Gras and Essence Fest, but I really grew to love the feel of the city and can't wait to go back to study the history of it. Next up...Puerto Rico!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for shouting out the U.K.
I presently live in London, but like you..I was born and raised in the City of Brotherly Love.
I'm here in Philly on business right now.

Keith said...

@Curvy Girl & Raven- Yeah, I missed
DC and Austin- Two places I also visited and liked..I'm going to have to do a second list.

Zack- I gotta get back out to the Windy City.

James- There truly is no place like home brother.

Anonymous said...

Here are my Top Five-

Los Angelas
San-Francisco
Chicago
Miami
Hampton,Virginia (That's where I
went to college.)

Anonymous said...

My Fave Five are

Atlanta
Miami
San Juan
Kingston
and Nassau

I'm a hot weather girl.

Keith said...

@Angie B- I like the hot weather too. Puerto Rico looks beautiful.
I haven't had the pleasure of visiting there yet.

Raven- I'm sure New Orleans would have been on my list too, but I've never been there.

Anonymous said...

I've only been to one place on your list...Atl. There's never a dull moment there. I enjoy myself everytime I go.

So did you partake while in Amsterdam? I heard that's one laid back city.

Oh, I have been to Chicago once. Didn't stay long but long enough to know they can't drive.

Jazzy said...

I've been to your top 4 and #10. I'd LOVE to go to spain...maybe next year.

My top five...in no order
~Paris
~London
~Antigua
~Aruba
~Jamaica

Anonymous said...

My Favorite places are Honolulu,
San-Francisco (I attended University of California-Berkley and I lived in San Francisco.)New Orleans, Austin, Texas and Atlanta.

SLC said...

Awesome list. I also like the twin cities of St Paul/Minneapolis. And of course the beautiful suburbs called Paterson New Jersey,
2 questions.
Have a you ran with the bulls and
will their be Escapades from these hot spots?

Have a blessed weekend

Keith said...

@SLC- No I have never ran with the Bulls...and who knows..as far as "Escapades" is concerned..anything goes..I do have another story planned for later on next week.

Keith said...

@Thoughts of a Southern Girl-lol-
About Amsterdam-let's just say that I didn't do all that I could have done...lolololol and leave it at that.lololol.

LadyLee said...

Goodness, you are a well traveled man. I live in the ATL, but I have been to D.C., Atlantic City, Orlando, Tampa Bay, New Orleans, Denver, Philly, Trenton, NJ... That's about it. None of it was memorable, as I was probably on the company's dime in most cases.

Living in New Orleans was interesting, though.

Still Patrice said...

I've only been to 2 places on your list. That saddens me. *off to plan some trips




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