The city I lived in.

For the last two and a half years, I've lived in Davenport, Iowa.  I never dreamed I'd ever live anywhere in Iowa, but I have and I've appreciated the time I've had here.  I've always liked the Quad City area, so moving here was easy because it was somewhat familiar.  As I'm getting close to leaving, I'm feeling sentimental and as if I didn't go enough places here.  This in all probability is most likely false.  Spenser and I do an awesome job of exploring cities, trying new restaurants, and going to everything a place has to offer-whether old, touristy, or whatever.  That aside, I decided to take a final trip downtown this afternoon. 

So many cities have beautiful, historic architecture in their downtowns, but I often feel it goes unappreciated as cities begin to sprawl and business moves away from the original center of the city.  That's why I love when cities have projects that attempt to revive the energy of old downtowns; bringing people and usually the arts back to the downtown area.  Luckily Davenport's downtown still has numerous buildings in operation, due to its prime location close to the riverfront. 

I saw downtown with new eyes this afternoon.  I took many of my photos from a walkway in the John Deere Pavilion and I was reminded that a person can really gain a new perspective of a place just by angle and height of where he or she is.  I know that sounds so simple, but it rang true today as I watched the evening traffic speed home under my feet in the walkway.

I have some great memories from living in Davenport.  But as I was downtown some of my favorite memories were not from my college days of residing here.  Instead, they were of when Spenser and I were dating in high school and we went on one of our first dates outside of town (that was big stuff back in the day-he got to drive me an hour away for it).  We went to go see the Quad City orchestra play at the Adler Theatre.  We love our orchestras!  That particular night the orchestra was doing a Led Zeppelin tribute.  Before the concert, we ate at Duck City Bistro and at that time it was probably the fanciest meal we had had to date.  Near our parking garage, in the same area as those red tulips^^ were in ground water fountains.  I was wearing a red maxi dress and didn't want it to be soaked so we had avoided it on our way to the theater, but on our way back we ran through, skirting the edges, just enough to get a sprinkle or two.

Davenport, I'll miss you, but I'll still be visiting so no worries. ;)