rusted root cuteness overload!!! I'm in a blogging funk too and yeah Tokyo is a cold city just like NYC (just too many people) and I'm not talking about the weather. It's sad because it rubs off and now I find myself becoming that way too. it's scary.

Can a bitter aperitif even legally be considered a soda? Either way, Rusted Root looks awesome and I can't believe how cheap Atlanta is! Believe you me, that is not how much a house costs in my neck of the woods.

I would love to try all of those flavors - disgusting or not! Offices should have fun soda machines like that just to dispel boredom. And if I see you on the subway I'll give you my seat, or my lighter, or something, so you can love NY again.

Ooh they've just introduced the pink fanta to Britain and it's lurvely!

Rusted Root looks great! I can't wait to see a blocked,woven in, modeled pic! :)

Funny how southern and mid-western cities are like that. I'm from Metro-Boston and feel the same way - I feel funny when people in Kansas City would say "hi" on the street - sad that we are so callous by habit.

rusted root looks so pretty! i better see you wearing it sometime soon ;)

well, i grew up in the midwest and i have to say that i'm the type of person who is uncomfotable with being noticed, smiled at, etc. i like the anonymity of new york. it suits me well. even so, there are days when i walk down the street and i see people i know and we say hi and it feels like a small world again. if only the price of homes were as low at ATL i could actually stay here forever! :)

Can't wait to see your finished Rusted Root! I really like that pattern.

I've heard Atlanta is a very cool city. LOVE that sculpture!

Your sweater is absolutely gorgeous!

(I have a sister who lives in Atlanta and I'm not sure what neighborhood those two houses in the $100 price range were from, but that is definitely NOT the norm for Atlanta.

The $300,000+ dollar home is much more like it! :)

Bernadette

I love Rusted Root in that color! Can't wait to see more photos. :)

I have to agree with Gleek: overly friendly people creep me out! I know it sounds weird, but it's true.
Now, finish up you Rusted Root already!

Glad to see you back in blogland! I know just how you feel - my posting has been rather infrequent lately.

Going to other cities, particularly in the south and midwest, makes me miss friendly people. But Steph's got it right too - there are those friendly strangers around. And when you live in a great little neighborhood with a lot of local personality, you find a lot of friendly people come out of the woodwork. You just have to look harder here. That being said, i don't know if I could live here my whole life either...

See you soon!

Your Rusted Root is hot hot stuff. I love it in that color. Seeing yours makes me really want one!

Love your pics!

Interesting notes and observations on southern life. I go to the south often (my famiy lives there) and I notice a difference, but there are nice people in the city too :)

Rusted Root looks great! and I am totally with you on Beverly...

Speaking as one who grew up far too deep in the south and visited Atlanta regularly then got OUT as fast as possible, IMO 98% of that "nice" stuff is fake as all get out and actually serves as fair warning that there is something fishy going on there. I find that in NY, you get honesty. You might not always like it, but you're face to face with it. In the south, you can't trust a word anyone says and every smile is cause for suspicion. "bless her heart" means "f---that b---" and "how sweet" means "f--- y" and if you don't learn the code super quick, someone's going walk all over you faster than you can say sweet iced tea.
Just my $0.02. I would not live there ever again if the mansions were free and the streets paved with a luxiourous silk/wool blend.
But glad you had a good time! And rusted root is lovely, weave in those ends, Girl, before it's too cold to wear it!

Rusted Root is gorgeous!

Even if the $300k is more the norm, it's STILL great. 60-year-old 1,100 square foot houses in my Bay Area neighborhood are going for over $700k right now!

Katie,

So "But glad you had a good time!" is code for what? Maybe "you stupid fool who hasn't seen through the sham that is southern hospitality. You THINK you had a good time and enjoyed people being nice to you, but if you were enlightened like me you would realize they were laughing at your naivete."

i miss you! what a revelation to have about our fine city. and real estate. i'm going to be ill.

Beverly is like straight up fizzy arse. When DH and I went there, we tried to convince a bunch of 4th graders to chug it. Yes, we were THOSE people. ;)

Hee, hee. Call me a Boston snob, but when I see RE ads like that my first thought is "Yeah, but then I would have to move to X" Although in the case of Atlanta, your pictures make the place look inviting.

Rusted root is even cuter in person! I even thought about stealing it!! ;)

I'm glad you had a good time! It was awesome having you visit.

As far as the houses go the $300,000 is more the norm for a non "fixer upper" but you can find really cute little houses for around $200,000 in the up and coming neighborhoods.

As far as the hospitality goes I'm sure that you can find it in NYC as well. I think it's just much easier to spot in a new city that you aren't familiar with!

It seems a sad generaliztaion to say the "nice" stuff is people being two faced. That kind of behavior can be found in any region in the world. I'm sorry Katie had such a bad experience and there are some southern people that are like that but I know from living here all most all my life that not every one of us is. Some of us are just nice people!

Your Rusted Root looks great. Just put in a movie and sew in your ends!!

Atlanta looks like it was amazing. I can't believe no one cat called at you once. It's a daily thing for me, I think I'd feel weird without it!

Yay, I'm so glad you had such a good time in my beloved hometown!!! Your post makes me homesick--and though some of your commenters would disagree with me, I think the politeness and courtesy you experience in strangers in ATL is nice, and it was hard to get used to, well, not being nice, when I moved to NYC. But people were so put off and suspicious of my "friendliness" (which I saw as just being polite), I had to switch it off. But both places have wonderful aspects and not-so-great ones, as do all places.
And isn't traveling alone nice? I'm a big fan too--if you need to pop back home for a little nap, who cares? It's liberating.

Rusted root looks fantastic, sending good finishing vibes so you get the urge to block and seam :)

Sounds like you had a good time in Atl, always amazed at the price of home outside of NYC - sigh...

holy moly, moly...

what a FANTASTICALLY BEAUTIFUL top. mmmhmmm... love it. great work! and what lovely pictures from your trip. your blog is a pleasure to look through. keep up the great work!

i had no idea you were making a rusted root -- i LOVE IT in red. very hot.

oh, your thoughts on atlanta made me sad. i also tire of new york, especially since someone was held hostage at my grocery store this morning. and the cat calls, lord the cat calls. i sometimes want to say to these guys, "you've gotta be kidding me! i look like crap today! i'm in yoga pants and my hair is unwashed! please LEAVE ME ALONE!" i think they just like to make young women walking alone uncomfortable.

but then i'll have a fun conversation with someone on the subway, and all is well again.

fanta is the official drink of nazi germany. look it up and stop buying it.

Rusted root is gorgeous (and such a perfect colour)! You've inspired me to order the pattern.

ohhh!!! so lovely your rusted root!!!

I love Niki art!!! i rememeber when i saw her works here in chile, and then I saw again in Paris... Niki sculptures, and was so amazing... lucky you...

have a great week! :P

Your rusted root looks awesome!

So, the photos you posted are they taken with your new DSLR? Keep shooting and posting, we can watch your progress! I know I sucked in the beginning... if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

Your Rusted Root looks beautiful!
I bought the pattern a while ago and can't wait to make it.

Great pictures.

Rusted Root looks great! Can't wait to see it on you.

ATL looks really fun. I've never been there, but everyone seems to love it. I can't believe the houses are so cheap. That totally sickens me!

rusted root is so close! i know you can do it!

wow! i didn't realize there were so many soda flavors around the world!

Glad you are *back*! Your Rusted Root is way cute! I'm waiting on my yarn to get here so I can cast on. I love the color you chose too! Great pictures from the botanical gardens too!