Finito

adminBlue Skies, Grahamwich, Luna Bell, Ryan, Trader Joe's, Uncategorized, West Elm%s Comment

I’m not usually a complainer but I am so over January.

26 hours to go and this month is finally ovah.

Between the cold, busy (but not with the fun stuff) weekends, the cold and just way more hum-druminess than I prefer, I am more than happy to kick January to the curb.

In the spirit of counting our blessings instead of sheep, here are some things that are making me smile all the way into February.

My man and my cat: (I act like I hate that Luna Bell loves R more than she loves me nowadays but secretly, I kind of love that she is his incessant little shadow).

Blue skies beyond the bare branches:

Delicious meals with equally delicious friends (photo via Tango Sur, circa NYE):

Winter Trees glasses that make salute even sweeter:

Grahamwich: (I may or may not have said there was a marriage of flavors in my mouth after R and I stopped in for a sammy on their opening weekend)

(photo via MetroMix)

…Hot yoga for heating up sub 20 degree days

…Trader Joe’s 99cent whole wheat pizza dough, perfect for making healthy homemades AND breadsticks

…Filiberto, the amazing Italian who led my study abroad program (circa sophomore year of college), finding me on Facebook and thus, reigniting my desire to plan a trip back to the motherland.  Immediately.

Ahh.  Ok, into February we (almost) go.

All Aboard!

adminChicago Transit Authority, Christmas, CTA, CTA Holiday Train 2010, enthuisiasm, Gift card, joy, North Pole advertisement, public transportation, Uncategorized, West Elm%s Comment

All I wanted when I headed to the Red Line today was $2.25 ride up to Lincoln Park so I could blow a gift card at West Elm.   What I got, however, far exceeded my public transportation hopes and dreams:

Yes, that’s right!  It was the 2010 CTA Holiday Train!  I saw it last year and was so dazzled by the flashing lights that I forgot to get on.  But this year, this was the train I had to take to get to my destination!  I couldn’t believe my luck- today is only the 2nd day the Holiday Train has been running!

The entire six-car train was decked out, inside AND out.  Lights, ribbon, garland and look!  The seats were even festive:

See the excitement on that girl’s face?

Attention to detail was most certainly paid.  Instead of the usual ads for random online colleges or Hall’s Cough Drops, the Holiday Train stuck to North Pole-specific advertisements.

This Sunday afternoon ride o’ mine wasn’t just aesthetically pleasing;  the train also smelled like cinnamon and pine needles and Christmas carols were blaring over the sound system!  Usually, the el kinda smells like pee and the only thing coming over the sound system is a cranky CTA employee telling me that my “train has been delayed momentarily”.  The Holiday Train is like Christmas on steroids- so much Christmas in such a small space for such a short (I only rode it for 4 stops) period of time.  Aka, the Holiday Train is glorious and perfect and the best thing that could have possibly happened to me today.

Oh and how about this golden nugget?

The Holiday Train has humor.  I dig it.

The Holiday Train really pushed me over the edge in my excitement for Christmas.   When I called my mom to tell her, opening the conversation with a breathless, “The best thing in the world just happened to me!”, I am pretty sure she thought I was going to tell her I got engaged or a promotion or adopted a kid or something.  Nope, Mama G- just a little holiday cheer.  So thank you, Chicago Transit Authority, for making my day and putting enthusiasm of epic proportions into your modes of public transportation.  Chicago is a better place because of it.