chicago-must-see-listWhen I first moved to L.A. from Chicago, I went home every couple months because of how homesick I’d get. Definitely still get homesick, but I have disciplined myself to not go back so much, and have not been home since July.

When I say homesick, I can’t even describe how deep it goes. It’s to the point where I feel sick to my stomach. I’m not going home until Christmas, and unfortunately it will only be for a few days because I am going to the Philippines for the holidays – and it really got me thinking of the little things I miss about the Windy City.

Obviously I miss my family and friends the most – but here is a list of the things that I hope you’re not taking for granted because I’d do anything to have these in L.A.:

Food – I have a Portillo’s an hour away from where I live, but it’s not the same as home. I also miss Culver’s and White Castle. In-and-Out is overrated. Of course, I also miss my parents home cooked meals.

Bulls Fans – Yes they play a majority of the games out here, but I miss being in the environment of Bulls fans.

Traffic – It was nice to know traffic hours were between 8 a.m. – 9 a.m., or 4 p.m.-6 p.m., whereas here it’s traffic 24/7. Plus, people here don’t know how to drive.

State Street & Michigan Avenue – I live right in the heart of Hollywood, but Hollywood Blvd has nothing on State Street & Michigan Avenue. I could walk up and down those streets all day, and I would back when I was in school at Columbia.

CTA – I would avoid taking the CTA at home and hated it because it smelled, but it was SO convenient. Public transportation is available but a terrible option because of the LA traffic.

Seasons – It’s November and it was 95 degrees today. As much as I love consistent, nice weather, I miss seeing leaves. I miss seeing grass. Everything here is cement, like a concrete jungle. I miss falling asleep to rain.  I’ll miss seeing snow – but I won’t miss freezing in it.

Skyline – Chicago has the best skyline, hands down. I was so disappointed when I came to LA and their skyline and downtown area sucked in comparison to home. I miss being able to walk the streets, and seeing the different buildings and lights.

There are more things I miss, but I’ll end on that note. This post made it seem like I hate L.A. Don’t get me wrong, I love it here, it’s still the best decision I’ve ever made – but sometimes I need that escape at home. In my ideal world, I would live, travel and work from both, but we’ll see what the future holds.