Manhattan

This weekend the fiancé and I traveled to our old stomping ground – Manhattan to celebrate the marriage of our friends, Ashley and Rob. We left early on Saturday morning to make it there for lunch and to walk around K-State’s campus. We stopped at our favorite spot in Aggieville – So Long Saloon for some raspberry black bean dip and some amazing chicken sandwiches. After lunch we decided to walk to campus to work off our lunch and reminisce the good old days of college. It was fun to say ‘remember when we’ ….. ate lunch here together, or meet after class here, studied on the 3^rd floor of the library. It brought back a lot of really good memories just walking on campus and enjoying the sunny day. It happened to be K-State’s open house weekend, so campus was pretty busy. We went over to the engineering building which is where the fiancé spent most of his time. We went to the third floor to see many of his old classrooms, etc.  We found old composite style photos of his Mechanical Engineering Class of 2006. I had to take a picture. He gleefully agreed for me to snap a picture. We found a few of his buddies on the composite as well (read: Mr. Grey House, and a few of his work buddies).

After walking on campus we headed over to the hotel to make a quick change and head out to the wedding. Rob and Ashley got married at All Faiths Chapel on campus. I had never been in the chapel and it was quite beautiful. The fiancé had no idea there was a chapel on campus! LOL. After the wedding a group of us headed over to Mel’s….in downtown Manhattan, across from the mall. I had never been to Mel’s but the guys sure had been ….they mentioned they would go before the homecoming parade. We happened to be sitting there facing the windows and we noticed several guys walking by….JACOB PULLEN and CURTIS KELLY. They are wearing head to toe sweats with their hood from their sweatshirt over their head. I thought it was funny because it was about 70 or so degrees….which is way too hot for sweats! They were walking from the side entrance of the mall, which happens to have a DILLARDS entrance. Let’s just hope they weren’t getting free clothes again! After a quick beer at Mel’s we headed to the reception. I failed to take any pictures. They had hung clusters of purple, light purple and lime green Chinese lanterns. It was a super cute idea.

Following the reception we met up with several of our friends to head down to Aggieville. The night started off great at Porters…and then 30 minutes into being there it turned into FRATCITY. OMG it was hilarious. It is like they came out of nowhere. One of the FRATCITY guys approached one of my guy friends (read: who was dressed in a suit) and asked “What Fraternity are you in”? My friend turned to him and said I am not in one – I am 29. The kid looked at him like – you’re old. Which happened to be the theme of the night… the fiancé was approached by 2 girls at O’Malleys. I guess one of their girlfriends had been checking him out all night. They approached him and asked his age. He asked well how old do you think I am? They said 24. He laughed. He said I am 29. They were in disbelief and asked to see his ID. They said – wow you really are 29. LOL.

Let me begin with saying I am not judging these college kids at all – I was one only 6 years ago. And I usually had a really good time when I ventured to Aggieville with a group of my friends. But let me tell you, I was shocked with how they were acting at the bars, walking the streets (read: one was caught driving up Moro St. the wrong way and was pulled over and given a DUI check at 1 AM). I mean really? I know when I was their age it was hard to imagine what life would be like after college. I lived that lifestyle and it was fun at the time. But now that I am here – I just can’t go back. The thought of binge drinking to get wasted and feeling like crap the next day gives me anxiety. I have too much to think and worry about now as an adult that it isn’t worth it. So needless to say – after a few beers in Aggievile we walked back to the hotel and went to sleep.

I sure miss old Manhattan – oh how it has grown. No longer a small town with local shops. I think the kids there now are sort of missing out.