care to join me in a 3-way?

many question why i chose to leave california and attend college in cincinnati, ohio. i wanted to experience something new, something completely different from my flip flop-clad existence in piedmont. miami u. in oxford, ohio did the trick - i was introduced to new kids, new political ideologies, and new foods to drunk eat.

i recall in a frustrated, homesick moment immediately following september 11th i hated everything about ohio. the kids are insensitive racist fucktards! it's too goddamn cold here! they eat their spaghetti with effing chili on it.

skyline chili was a staple in the diets of cincinnatians. i just didn't get it. i stayed far, far away from it for as long as possible, until my sophomore year roommate made me try it. upon ordering my first 3-way the clouds parted, a choir of angels appeared and did a quick rendition of the hallelujah chorus. i finally got it. not everyone was a homophobic hick. if i wore a jacket and socks, it wasn't really that cold. and this chili spaghetti nonsense wasn't nonsense at all - it was glorious. the chili had a sweetness to it (i've been told the secret ingredient is chocolate) and was more like a sauce than a chunky stew. the layers of finely shredded cheddar added sharpness while the spaghetti noodles soaked in the flavor. i also soon found that nothing cured a hangover like skyline's cheesy, oozy goodness - hence the reason their oxford location stayed open until 3am thursday through saturday.

tomorrow i'll be taking the 6am (god help me) flight out of SFO to Cincinnati for a long overdue reunion with my amazing sorority sisters. i can't wait to catch up on their masters programs, husbands, new jobs and new homes over a giant plate of skyline chili, spaghetti and cheese, complete with oyster crackers and hot sauce. that is, after i've already made a pit-stop at the location closest to the airport.