I got into it about Vegas yesterday at lunch with some coworkers because a few of us are headed up there this weekend to relax and blow off some steam. To most people who have ever been there, “Vegas” is a word that inspires either the warm feeling of booze and adrenalin, or the nagging feeling of shallow excess and decay. It’s seldom in between. A great way to get to know someone is to find out how they react to the word “Vegas,” and why. It’s like a geographic Rorschach inkblot test.

I think it’s also true for other cities with a strong and enduring character, like New Orleans, Miami, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Austin – not to mention taking it international to London, Venice, Rio, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Dubai. Cities have personalities of their own, and you like the ones that feel like you. What are your top five cities?