Tolerable Transit

Spring has sprung! Okay.. Maybe not 100%, but slow and steady wins the race... (Does anyone actually believe that saying)?..  

Let me tell you, something I took for granted for a LONG time on PEI was having a car. I didn't realize until I moved to Ontario how ANNOYING public transit can be. Don't get me wrong- I'm totally grateful that I don't have to walk eight hours to get to the city. But dealing with stinky street cars, late buses, pocket change, crowded GO trains, and carrying 100 pounds of groceries can get on your last nerve. Looking at a bus/train schedule for the first time is comparable to someone shoving you into an operating room and forcing you to perform heart surgery. You just don't get it. But when you finally get the gist of it, it's not so bad. 

I live about 45 minutes from downtown Toronto, and I like it that way. You can take the girl out of Portage Road, but you can't take Portage Road out of the girl. I prefer a less busy setting. And trees. Trees are nice. I find myself making super short trips into Toronto here and there for different reasons. At this point, I've basically got it down to a science. I don't need to check bus times, train times, or street car times anymore, and I've also learned (the hard way) what I should plan to carry around all day. Believe me, you think it's common sense, but if you're spending a day running around the city and don't think about what you're taking with you, your dead meat. So, here are some things that make my transit trips quite tolerable. 

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My tote isn't your typical tote. It's actually a Mary Kay "starter's kit"... Lawl. My mom tried to make me sell Mary Kay Makeup and I just couldn't do it. What I DID do was keep all the free makeup, hand lotion, and foot scrub that came with it! Hehe. This bag is the the perfect size for my trips to the city. I've always been a shoulder strap gal, but I'm falling in love with bags that just sit in the cuff of my elbow. It has lots of different pockets since technically you're suppose to carry makeup and all that jazz, but I can slip my laptop, books, shoes, and wallet in with room to spare! It also has cute light pink straps and is pretty darn chic lookin'. Warning: I finally understand the purpose of iPads. Those laptops can get pretty heavy during the day! Also- be careful with carrying kitbags (backpacks, in Ontario terms). Not only will they kill your back after a couple hours, but I also got yelled at for hitting people on the subway with mine... You live and you learn! Oops... 

I usually have to catch an early bus/train, so I'll take my makeup with me so I can hit the snooze button a couple extra times (hehe). I got this super cute makeup case at Forever 21 for $12! My old makeup case was like.. 4 years old and just plain NASTAAY! This case has a handle, and I can actually close the zipper without my blush brush sticking out the side... Success!! 

My fav lip balm is Burt's. Obvi. A) It's pink, B) It smells like heaven in a tube, C) It's 100% natural. I've had this stick for almost a year now. I get really dry lips in these gosh-darn-Canadian-Winters, so I always have it sitting in my jacket pocket. Sitting right next to it will be my Quo Double Dip Lip Gloss. This stuff is awesome. It gives you a liiiiittle touch of color and makes your lips "shine like the top of the Chrysler Building"! (Annie: The Musical quote)  

Commuting = Reading time. There's no wifi on the trains, and I try not to kill every ounce of data on my cell. SO, you need a good book. I just finished reading "Where'd You Go, Bernadette", and it was SUCH a great read. My first thought was, "Omg, this needs to be a movie." Of course I come home and my bf/bf (best friend/boyfriend) notifies me that they JUST announced that Robert Linklater (Boyhood) might be directing an adaptation! YES!

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I HATE winter. I'm sorry. I've tried my darnedest to enjoy it, but it's just too fridged and gross. One thing I can't STAND is how my boots get salt stains on them. You're suppose to buy this $30.00 stuff and clean them every time you're out in the snow, but WHO GOT TIME FO DAT?! So, I like to slip a pair of heels in my tote so I can swap them out for my nasty, wet boots. Make sure you bring a plastic bags to put them in, or else everything will get soggy. And nobody likes soggy. Soggy bread? Ew. Soggy bathing suit? Ew. Soggy laptop/makeup/book? Triple Ew. I got these cute lil heels on sale at Nine West, regular $110 for $50!! Also- I went to Goodwill (thanks Lily) for the first time in my life and found a Nine West navy pair of heels in perfect condition for $10!?! WAH!

My mom noticed a certain pattern in my life. It seems that every time she tries to call, my phone battery is either dead, or close to dying. Like a Supermom, she found this awesome solution for me. It's called the Duracell Portable Power Bank. All you have to do is charge it, slip it in your purse, and "plug it in, plug it in." It has saved my butt so many times since I started using it.

What are your quick-trip travel essentials? I totally forgot my reusable water bottle, shame on me. Gotta keep yourself hydrated, and it's better than adding to the disgusting amount of plastic water bottles polluting the earth as we speak! We're almost there guys, Winter is almost over. Here's to Summer being just around the corner! (Too soon)????

My Playlist writing this week's post:
▸ Chelsea Morning - Joni Mitchell 
▸ Believe - Mumford and Sons
▸ Consequence Free - Great Big Sea
▸ You Were Mine - Dixie Chicks
▸ One Last Time - Ariana Grande

Check out my series, "Singing in the Shower With Jess" for a mashup of Taylor Swift's "Style" and Nick Jonas's "Jealous"! Click here to watch! 

Lots of Love xo, 

Jess