Ahhh, Denton.

Recently, I blogged about the top ten things I will miss about Texas when we move to Boston. Today, however, I shall focus solely on the things I will miss about my little home town of Denton, Texas.

The picture you see here is of the Denton County Courthouse. It's located right in the middle of the square. This is one of my favorite places in Denton, because it's right by the Loophole, the Campus Theatre, Beth Marie's Ice Cream Shop...and of course the courtyard of the courthouse itself is always beautiful at night. So, onto the COUNTDOWN (again, in particular order).

1. Everything I mentioned above...I will miss the square and all it's quaint characteristics. I have wonderful memories of walking around after dark here with close friends, the free summer concerts, etc...

2. The Denton Arts & Jazz Festival. Every April, all of Denton comes out of the woodwork for this three day event. There are arts & crafts, 5 stages of music (mostly local), excellent food, dancers, pets roaming about with their owners...kids wearing crowns of flowers...it's just an all around good time.

3. Brave Combo. Denton boasts one of the only grammy award-winning rock/polka bands I've ever heard of. They are SO MUCH fun to see live in concert. Michael and I saw them perform for the last time (maybe ever) back in April at the Arts & Jazz Festival.

4. DCT and MTD. These theatres are where I got my start, where my love for the musical theatre was planted and cultivated....and also where I met some of my closest and dearest friends. I have SO MANY memories (the good, the bad, the damn funny) of doing shows at the Campus Theatre. I'm really going to miss the Denton theatre scene. :(

5. The food. There are so many little mom-and-pop restaurants here that I will miss tremendously. I just won't be able to find a place that even compares to the likes of Denton Independent Hamber Co, Mr. Chopstix, The Tomato, NY Subway, Bari's....the list goes on and on.

6. The nostalgia. I was born in Denton. Granted now I live slightly outside in another city and I went to school even more slightly outside in a little town....but this is my home. There are housing additions that exist where I remember there being just open field. My home church where I was baptized is here, my first school....Everything I remember from being little is in this town.

7. Knowing people wherever I go. It is a rule that no matter when/what time you go to the mall/movie theatre/restaurant in Denton, you will see at least 2 people that you know. I mean, obviously that won't happen probably EVER in Boston, but you take stuff like that for granted sometimes...

8. UNT...duh. Not only is this now my alma mater, but I've been around this place for at least 15 years because my mother has worked here this long. It's gonna be weird not driving down the highway and seeing Fouts Field, The Super Pit, or the Murchison from the highway. UNT may have given me a lot of shit during my academic life, but this place has a lot of memories for me, too.

9. Fry Street. I know it has a bad reputation, but that's only because most people don't know the kinds of cool people you can meet hanging out on Fry Street. My early years of college include memories of paying $1 to get into Muther's, eating lunch at Cool Beans on Fridays, walking to Eagle Text to see if the books were any cheaper...and of course sitting at Kharma Cafe and just looking at all the "weirdos" sip their espresso drinks and type on their laptops...and SMOKE. You can't go anywhere on Fry Street and NOT walk out smelling like an ashtray.

10. Rose Costumes. I know that seems silly, and should maybe fall under the theatre category above...but they deserve a special place on the list. I've been going there since One-Act-Play competitions in High School and the whole Rose's crew has become ingrained in my memory: Mona, Judy, Nathan, Chantale, Nicole, and Sean...I will remember everything about them all, from the tiny store on Elm Street to the great big palace they occupy now at the Mall. Thanks for always making me look AWESOME.

*sob* Now I'm sad...

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