All Photos By Gail

There is no doubt that the best Pink Things surprise me when I’m just going about my day. On the final day of February, I noticed that the bus shelter on the corner of Avenue A and 14th Street had undergone a rather fabulous transformation. What is normally a standard-issue city bus stop had been temporarily turned into a bright pink boutique-style waiting area as part of an ad campaign for Jelly Job lip gloss.

The ad featured a model poised to apply the product alongside the brand’s slogan,  Just Jelly Never Heavy, but the real showstopper was the seating. The usual metal bench had been enveloped by a Glossy Pink semicircular structure that curved around the shelter like a minimalist piece of pop furniture. From a distance it looked like it might be soft and plush —like a giant piece of bubblegum-colored upholstery —but of course it was actually molded plastic.

Still, the illusion worked beautifully. Instead of the typical gritty bus-stop vibe, the shelter suddenly felt like a tiny pink lounge planted right on the sidewalk. For a moment, waiting for the bus looked less like commuting and more like hanging out in a very chic beauty pop-up.

Sadly, like many great New York street moments, the installation didn’t last long. The pink makeover was only in place for about a week before the shelter returned to its regular look. Luckily, I managed to snap a few photos while it was still there.

Even if it was fleeting, it was a delightful reminder that a splash of pink can brighten even the most ordinary corner of the city — nd of course it earns its place as today’s Pink Thing of the Day.