Things I Love About Chicago: All Four Seasons - Brady

The unseasonably cool weather combined with my fellow future NU grad students' concerns about Chicago winters have reminded me of something a little bit crazy I love about the city: all four seasons.

Yes, the winters are super cold. Yes, the summers are super hot and humid. Yes, spring and fall are super short. But here is why I love each and every one of them.

Spring in Chicago: relief after a cold winter, hot runs on the Lakeshore Trail followed by wading in Lake Michigan that instantly cools you off, flower boxes and postage stamp lawns, how the minute it hits 55 degrees bars and restaurants remove their windows so they're open-air, WANTING to walk all of a sudden, when the buses open their windows, when standing up on an El platform with the wind blowing is finally nice, not torture, LEAVING Chicago for spring break, the first day you can wear a t-shirt and no coat

Summer in Chicago: Taste of Chicago, Venetian Night, beer gardens, open windows (I actually like hearing sirens at night-is that weird?), going to the beach, Beachstro-the temporary restaurant built ON the beach, art fairs, street fairs, eating outside, sitting on balconies, Navy Pier, rooftops, concerts at Millennium Park, outdoor movies, visitors (because no one comes to visit Chicago when it's cold!)

Fall in Chicago: relief after a hot summer, beautiful colors, sweater weather, trips home on the South Shore to see family over Thanksgiving, cooler runs, red wine, coffee in the morning, the purple line up to Evanston, going to movies at Landmark Century Cinema

Winter in Chicago: snow, holiday lights, really warm winter coats, ice formations on Lake Michigan, walking around Lincoln Park Zoo at night with hot chocolate and Peppermint Schnapps, ice skating at Millennium Park, Superbowl Sunday, the South Shore ride home for the holidays, walking in the cold to a bar or restaurant and then sitting by the fire, candles in apartments, the heaters at El stations, trying not to slip on the ice when you're brave enough to run in the cold, that moment when you step on the bus and you're finally warm, Christmas shopping, New Year's Eve, the sound radiators make, that one 60 degree day in February that reminds you it's going to start all over again

Any of you Chicago-lovers out there, feel free to add your own!