Word

My sister sent me the fantastic book Eat, Pray, Love, and I've been burying my nose in it every chance I've had this past week and a half. Sometimes it's like I'm reading my own thoughts. The rest of the time it just makes me think. Like the part when the author is talking with an Italian friend about how the essence of a city or place can be summed up in one word. The two decide that Rome's word is "sex." They go on to give other cities their words: the Vatican is "power;" New York is "achieve;" Los Angeles is "succeed."

I thought about the places I've lived and what word would best define or describe them. Washington, DC, was easy: "networking." Whether it's someone running for political office, a lobbyist, a fundraiser, a pr professional, or simply a young single person, to me the people in DC are always looking to make connections or meet people.

Richmond could be "charm." It's southern, it's sunny, it's easy, but still has some edge, a good arts scene, and tons of independent shops/restaurants/endeavors. It's got great neighborhoods, river access, and outdoor activities. It's simply a charming place to live.

The word that kept coming up in my mind about Hamburg was "pretentious." Granted, I haven't lived here a long time, but this is how I experience it. It's subtle (which I guess is the opposite of the word's definition). Maybe it's more like "quiet snobbery," but that's two words so doesn't count. There's just something about this city that's, well, pretentious. There's nothing about Hamburg that's particularly distinctive (except maybe the harbor industry), but it's generally tidy, clean, organized (this is Germany, remember?), beautiful, green, cultured, active. It's business and leisure, it's city and state, it has waterfront property (lots of it), it's expensive and it's wealthy. In fact, it's Germany's wealthiest city.

Don't get me wrong, I like Hamburg. It has a lot to offer. I like the waterfront/harbor areas, which are really engaged in city life and not blank voids/dividers like the majority of the Potomac in DC/VA. I love the parks. I enjoy the museums, the food, the cake, the people. But I can't seem to get beyond the word "pretentious." For those of you who have been here, am I totally off? What do you think?

What word do you have for your hometown?