There are a lot of big things I’ll miss about Florida: the beaches, St. Augustine, the theme parks (as much as I mock tourists), my family, friends, etc. But there are a lot of little things I’ll miss about our strange little corner of the country, as well.

Football Season – I guess this isn’t really a little thing, but the energy in a town like Gainesville (or any other big football town) when the season starts is a thing of wonder.

The Goats - On the road we used to live on, there was a pasture, right between two neighborhoods, where someone had a bunch of goats (and a donkey). It was always a delight to pass by on the way home and see the goats up near the fence.

The Pizza - Somehow, Gainesville became a hub for amazing pizza. From Big Lou’s to Leo’s (University and Millhopper) to Satchel’s to Piesano’s and Blue Highway, every local pizza place was amazingly delicious and unique from the others. Sadly, I only managed to hit up Satchel’s and Leo’s University before I left town.

Downtown – The two years that I worked at The Hipp were my own little mock-big city experience and since then, I’ve never stopped loving the crazy little downtown area. From Harvest Thyme to the cast of downtown locals, to the Gainesville Hippies, and the Wednesday Farmer’s Market, it was the perfect mix of city and country. As hotels move in and the downtown area grows bigger and better, it’ll never lose its place in my heart.

My Places – The places I went to school, the places I worked, lived, the places I got engaged and married at, the places I went to to think or stare at the stars… I’m sure I’ll find new places in California, but they’ll never be my places the way my Gainesville places were.