One of the great things about TheCelebrityCafe.com’s staff is that we’re from all over the country. While we do love to talk about music, movies and television, there’s obviously more to life than that. So, we decided to talk about what we love about where we’re from.
Michelle Kapusta: There is so much to love about the city I was born in, raised in, and still live in today. Philadelphia has it all from the history (it is the birthplace of America), to the music of Boyz II Men, Will Smith, Hall & Oates, Patti LaBelle and The Roots, to name a few.
Philly also has the best sports fans in the country. Yes, I put ‘Philly’ and ‘best sports fans’ in the same sentence. It’s true, fans did throw snowballs at Santa Claus … in 1968! However, we don’t have half the problems that occur at other stadiums, but we’re labeled as the worst fans because we boo. The truth is we are passionate fans. The 2008 Phillies aside, I dare you to find a city that has had such a championship drought, but still has fans with so much knowledge and passion for their teams.
Oh and the City of Brotherly Love has some really great food too. There’s more here than just soft pretzels, Tastykakes and Cheesesteaks (American cheese, not wiz). We also have the best roast pork sandwiches, which the Travel Channel crowned as the best sandwich in the country.
Daniel S Levine: I would disagree that Philadelphia has the best sports fans in the country... because I’m from the Boston area and I know we have the best! We tortured ourselves through 86 years of no World Series win for the Boston Red Sox, and we still loved the team. My grandmother lived through all 86 years and couldn’t believe that she even lived to see them win two! (1918 didn’t really count for her, since she was only a few months old.)
I was actually raised in Brockton, where the official city slogan is “City of Champions.” You get the lore drilled into your head - everyone needs to know that boxing legend Rocky Marciano was born there.
And we certainly deserve the incredible success the professional teams have had this century. Sure, it’s great the Patriots have won four Super Bowls, but it’s more important that the Red Sox have had success. Baseball is the best and the love of the sport is one of my favorite aspects of growing up in the Boston area. I'll never forget going to the 2013 World Series parade, just months after the Boston Marathon bombing.
My least favorite aspect was shoveling snow... although I sure did love jumping into a nice white pile of the stuff.
Angela Corry: I am native to Chicago, although I have lived in New York for most of my life. Everyone I tell that I'm from Chicago says, Chicago pizza. No, sorry, I prefer my pizza New York style, thank you. (I don't fold my slice though!) However, it is a total toss-up for me between a dirty-water hot dog with mustard and sauerkraut and a full on Chicago style with the poppy seed bun and pickle on top. But my ultimate go-to Chicago food is Italian Beef. Portillo's is my go-to spot, but there are plenty of dives like Al's Beef, which is widely featured on Food Network, that have some amazing beef sandwiches. The Portillo's recipe is not something that can be successfully replicated, no matter how close the recipe. Trust me, my family has tried. It's best just to get it shipped straight from the source. Combine that with my Grandma's macaroni salad, another secret recipe, and I'm good to go!
Chelsea Lewis: Detroit is known for a lot of reasons, good and bad, in mainstream culture but I know it as my hometown. Others might known Detroit as the hometown for Eminem and the backdrop for the "Imported From Detroit" commercial but I love Detroit for one main reason, my Detroit Tigers. There is nothing like attending an Opening Day in Detroit. The streets are flooded with fans, the energy is full of excitement and every year we fans have the passion and hope that we will make it the world series. You can smell the hot dogs in the air and beer is flowing freely. Opening day perfectly embodies what baseball has become for our city, it represents our hope and resilience. The Tigers even managed to make a world series run when the city was struggling publicly and the team supports our city through good times and bad. Detroit has the world's best fans because even when we are down (take the Lions for example) we still back our teams because after all we are the comeback city!
Will Ashton: It didn't take me until I left for college for me to realize just how much I love the culture of Pittsburgh. Steeped in good food, culture and a rich art scene, Pittsburgh may not get the uppity attention of the two-word cities, but I like to think us in the 'burgh hold our own just fine. I mean, we're the city who hosted both Andy Warhol and Mr. Rogers. I think we can justify our stance in the arts and entertainment world.
Of course, if I ever go home, one of my first priorities has to be a trip to Primanti's Brothers. Nothing says Pittsburgh to me like a nice ole' Primanti's sandwich and a beer watching the Pirates or the Penguins or the Steelers on the big screen.
Marie Blake: What I love most about being born and raised in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, is the weather. It can get a little too extreme sometimes with the heat and humidity and even the hurricanes, but It's my home. There is also a great nightlife here in south Florida. There's always something to do whether you like going to clubs or the beach, but I myself love to just hang out with my friends at a bar or just taking a drive along the beach.
Anna Rose Meeds: Minnesota is a state that is often forgotten. However, those of us who live here love it as much as we complain. Sure, the weather is chilly, the winters are long, and the construction is endless. However, we have beautiful lakes, great medical systems, and wonderful theaters. Plus, if you like shopping, you can always visit the Mall of America, the biggest mall in all of America.