Friday, June 23, 2006

Pink is the new eL

The Pink Line debuts this Sunday. While riding into work on the Red Line this morning, I noticed that the maps have been updated to include the new line. This new line will service the 54/Cermak route currently serviced by the Blue Line. However, unlike the Blue line, the Pink Line will make stop on the elevated part of the Loop. I'm going to have to find a reason to ride the Pink Line. Other than the Yellow Line and the Blue Line (54th/Cermak), I've ridden them all. Here is my review of the Lines I've been on:

Red Line: As far south as 35th/Sox and north to Howard. Favorite stops: Chinatown, 35th/Sox, Addison, and Lake. Now you are probably asking how I could possibly list the Sox and the Cubs stops both as faves. However, the Addison stop is my home stop and I like the escalator. Yes, I'm lazy. Sketchiest stop: Roosevelt (only at night).
Purple Line: South to Howard and north to Davis. Favorite stop: Davis (it's the stop closest to the Dixie Kitchen!) I don't have a sketchy stop for the Purple line.
Brown Line: Southeast to the Loop and northwest to Western. Favorite stops: Paulina and Western. Sketchiest? There isn't one, but I'm not a fan of the Washington/Wells stop only due to bad memories of stupid exes.
Blue Line (O'Hare): Southeast to Washington and North to O'Hare. Favorite stop: Damen. Sketchiest: I hate to say it, but Irving Park. Plus, i've almost been hit by a car everytime I'm trying to cross the street to get to the station.
Blue Line (Forest Park): I've only ridden this once so I feel bad rendering a favorite/sketchiest.
Green Line (Harlem/Lake): West to Harlem/Lake to the Loop at Clark/Lake. Favorite stop is Harlem/Lake, which is in Oak Park. Oak Park was a safe haven for me when I first moved to Chicago. Plus my cousin used to be a barista at the Starbucks next to the Lake Theater. Can we all say together "Free Frappachinos"?
Green Line (East 63rd/Cottage Grove): I took this all the way to the last stop and back into the Loop. I was interviewing at the University of Chicago for an HR job. I hadn't even moved to the city yet. I was visiting for a week while I interviewed. I was sketched out the entire ride. Partly because the train goes through a less that desirable neighborhood. Mostly because there had been a story about a fire on the Green line the previous day. When I got on the train, I smelled smoke almost the entire time. Thank goodness it was nothing. i tried to take the Metra back into the city after the interview, but no such luck. I ended up wandering around Hyde Park and ended up getting on the #3 (King Drive) bus. THAT story, I'll save for another posting. It is a whole separate story.
Orange Line (Midway): This is actually the first eL train I rode. When I would visit Chicago prior to moving here, I would take this from the airport. Favorite stop: Midway--only because now it typically means I'm going home to Florida! Sketchiest: Well honestly, many of the stops were a little sketchy, but I'm used to it.

White Sox continue the insanity

I was at the White Sox game on Tuesday. Yeah. THAT one. Eleven runs in the 3rd inning. Final score of 20-6, which is deceiving since the Cards scored 4 of those runs in the 9th after Ozzie brought in the rookie. Even though I was sadden that Pods was benched, it was a fantastic game. Baseball in June...can't get any better!