Sometimes being in Chicago has great benefits. One that I just recently realized (it has always been true, I just did not quite see the value of it until recently) was that because it is such a popular travel destination, you are more likely to be visited by friends and family.

That was certainly the case this week, when I got an out-of-the-blue call from my favorite cousin. His flight from O’Hare to his home in New York was cancelled until the next morning, and he knew I lived in town and that he would give me a call.

I was so happy to hear from him! I helped him find his way to my place (alas, I had no car available, but I helped him with the very simply journey of taking the Blue line to the Red line and then met him at the Loyola platform) and then made him dinner.

There is something magical about being able to invite a family member in need over to your house at a moment’s notice and give them all the comforts of home. I got a chance to use the new All-Clad 11″ stainless steel pan that I got for Christmas and made some egg noodles with broccoli, mushrooms, baked chicken, onions and garlic.

We got a chance to catch up and make plans for me to visit him over Spring Break in New York (speaking of which, I need to buy those tickets…)

It was a really fun night of laughing, eating, and hospitality that wouldn’t have been possible if I went to school somewhere remote. But it was so easy for him to hop on the CTA and come over. In the morning one of my friends with a car drove us to the airport and I saw him off.