It's only 8:30 and I'm ready to call it a night. I'm soooo very very tired. I have a bad cold again. Who gets colds in the middle of summer? And I've managed to do it twice in the past couple months. The nose is running and I have an old smoker cough. Yuck.
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I realized today that I have gotten way too used to working in the 'burbs. Downers Grove is full of perfectly manicured lawns and soccer moms with squeaky clean kids. Everything is so...homogenous. But today I had to go downtown for work and for the first time in a long time I took the train into the city. It sounds so cheesy to say, but I really missed the whole El/city experience.

I was soaking up the scenery today like I was a tourist. The grit of old dilapidated buildings, the hipsters mixed in with blue collared peeps, all standing in silence with iPods plugged in and newspapers in hand as the train wound its way through the neighborhoods. No straight leg, pleated khakis in sight. I was definitely not in DG anymore!

I do love living in the city. Last time I felt the way I did today I was in Lincoln Square meeting up with a friend at Cafe Selmarie. It was a spring night and there was a soft but steady rain falling. All the restaurants were cozily full of people. The trains were roaring in the background and there was a hint of music coming from the Old Town School up the street. I pullled my trench coat closer to me and slowly walked to my car taking it all in...

I'm hoping to have more of these moments sorta soon...the search for The Perfect Place has started in earnest. I'm focusing on Edgewater, Lincoln Square, Roscoe Village and Lakeview so if you run across anything nice let me know!
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P.S. All the pics from two Saturdays ago at Samantha's house are finally posted at the ole flickr page. :)