How It All Began

Our 5th most popular hottie of all time was featured on January 9, 2015 (Fabulous Friday - The eReader). A handsome and delightful fellow.

And on this, our 4th Anniversary of taking pics of handsome men many of you are asking, "How did it all begin?". Here's how!

Way back in 2011 HOTT Crew members GB and FT would be commuting to and from work on separate T lines and would pass the time by texting each other pics of handsome men who were on their trains. After acquiring quite a collection of pics of handsome men on the T they discussed how fun it would be to post all of the pics on a blog. And that idea just sat there.

Then GB and FT heard about TubeCrush, a website featuring handsome men riding London's Undergound. GB and FT knew they could do that, too! But again, the idea just sat there.

Eventually GB and FT learned that TubeCrush was going to set up a website for New York and they were determined that the time to create a blog featuring handsome men on Boston's MBTA was right now. And they became the first and foremost such website for Boston!

Soon after starting the blog FTH joined our group, and then Nippy and Undercover RM. We've had blast recounting all of our adventures, especially as we get to use pics of hot men as the backdrop. And we look forward to many more years to come!

Our Friends Have Made Us Four!

Above is our "Fabulous Friday - Harvard Meets Carrhart" post from 2 years ago today. Click on the title to see what we wrote about him! This particular post is quite popular at Grinnell College in Iowa. Go figure!

Meanwhile our HOTT Crew member Nippy has created this poem in honor of our 4th Birthday and all of our readers out there who have made this possible.

Welcome to our land of dreams,
Our hotties full of magical things.
Where love and laughter come to stay,
Welcome to our holiday!

We're four today,
and going strong!
We can't believe
It's been that long!
Come on and join our family,
Happy Birthday Hotties on the T!

Go Nippy!

In the Beginning...

...there was Hotties on the T!

It all began 4 years ago today with the hottie you see above. And Hotties on the T was the first blog to feature fine looking men on the MBTA, beating BostonTCrush (whom we have since put out of business) by a full day!

We think the secret to the success of our internationally renowned blog (we've been featured on the BBC, Boston Globe, Universal Hub, Boston Magazine and BostInno, to name a few) is in part due to us telling the stories we imagine about the hotties we feature, and also keeping you, our loyal readers abreast of our own stories, which are based on real events!

But the one thing our readers mention that they like most about our blog is that we only say kind things about the men we feature. We never denigrate them, we always lift them up. We believe there is an abundance of beauty on our great subway system and we strive to showcase it for you each and every day.

We'll have other posts today to tell you more about our beginnings. Meanwhile, keep reading Hotties on the T!

Location: Green Line at Washington Square
Imagined Profession: Public Relations
Photographer: GB

Cast of Characters

As we approach the 4th Anniversary of Hotties on the T we thought it would be helpful to re-introduce you to our cast of characters!

The HOTT Crew roster and roles are as follows:

1. FT is Executive in charge of production. Oh he's everywhere!
2. FTH is our Executive in charge of diversity casting and Twitter (@hottiesonthet). Red Line.
3. GB is our Executive layout editor for the blog and Facebook. Red Line/Blue Line.
4. Undercover RM is our Executive for social events. Red Line/Orange Line.
5. Nippy is our Executive for suburban affairs. Commuter Rail/Commuter Bus.

But wait, there's more!

As you follow our blog you'll hear about the friends of the HOTT Crew, who are:

1). Dodie. Wealthy, single and in her prime, Dodie was inspired to move to Florida after last winter's horrific blizzards and now enjoys gracious living in a lakefront estate in Orlando's Lake Cherokee Historic District. Dodie frequently hosts the HOTT Crew at her new digs.

2). Lola Matisse. Lola is a prominent artist on Cape Ann and is good friends with Dodie. Lola has a studio on Rocky Neck and a home on Eastern Point near the Yacht Club. Lola is usually seen with a glass of wine in her hands. Not uncommon for her to have 2 glasses of wine at one time, but she needs every one of them!

3). Stella the Sea Beast. The world revolves around Stella, a black lab with her own membership to the Eastern Point Yacht Club.

And then there are the cameo appearances from:

4). TJ and Maxx. Proudly owned by Stella the Sea Beast. Famous for the elegant soirees on Eastern Point on Cape Ann.

5). Biscuit and Beemer. Friends of the HOTT Crew who split their time between their homes in Atlanta (Buckhead, of course) and Orlando.

6). Simone de Beauvoir de Beauport. The personification of elegance and grace. The HOTT Crew recently discovered her vast custom designed champagne cellar. Veuve galore!

7). The JimBobs. Spend their time shuttling back and forth between their homes in the South End and South Beach.

Fabulous Friday - The Varsity

Our Fabulous Friday hottie is pure collegiate with his varsity style. Just the mention of the word varsity makes us want to hop on a plane and go to one of our favorite hot dog restaurants, The Varsity in Atlanta!

With our gents golden locks, bookish yet stylish eyewear and delightful selection of red accents one can't help but say... fabulous!

Location: Green Line at Boylston
Imagined Profession: Grad Student
Photographer: FT

Caped Crusader

From the #NPSRBoston (No Pants Subway Ride) we bring you this delectable caped crusader. OK, it's not a cape. It's a backpack. But a guy's gotta have something in which he can put his trousers when riding the T!

Superman may be the Man of Steel, but this Batman hottie has buns and thighs of... oh, name anything tasty!

Perhaps our fellow internationally renowned blogger BosGuy can help us identify him. He's our Dark Knight. Our Winged Avenger. The Midnight Detective.

Time for us to turn on our Batman spotlight to signal we need his help! Over here, Batman!

Location: Green Line at Park
Imagined Profession: Wealthy American Business Magnate
Photographer: FTH

Inspiration

Our handsome man is an inspiration to behold! Look at the way he stands. Confident. Assured. He's a man on the go and a man of accomplishment! Look at the perfection with which he ties his golden yellow tie. The artful way he flips the collar of his Pea Coat. See the sexy way he holds his hands as he types away on his iPhone.

He's the kind of man who inspires one to get out into the community to do good. To be of service. To give back. To help those in need. Involvement like we described we do in this recent post:

http://hottiesonthet.blogspot.com/2016/01/we-are-family.html

And it's inspiring men such as our hottie today who remind us to keep getting out there! Come join us!

Location: Red Line at Kendall/MIT
Imagined Profession: Politcal Advisor
Photographer: FTH

Double Tuesday - Think, Thank, Thunk

Think, thank, thunk. Our two hotties are busy boys thinking away! And how convenient that our hottie double found a special double seat on the T! Perhaps they're thinking about which winter sport to watch on TV, or which winter double duo we're going to feature today.

We're also pleased to report we didn't have any issues riding the Red Line today. It was nice to travel at normal speed over the Longfellow Bridge!

Location: Red Line at South Station

Imagined Professions: Left, Librarian; Right, Information Services Manager

Photographer: FTH

A Bobby Dazzler

Hotness in all it's tubularity, our Bobby Dazzler of a hottie has a stunning pair of pants (we can't stop looking at them!) and a marvelously warm Michelin Man down vest. Nice glasses, too!

And we regret to inform you that the MBTA seems to be running out of steam, particularly the Red Line. Due to last weekend the Red Line is now operating at snails pace speed over the Longfellow Bridge, resulting in "Severe Delays" for the next 2 to 3 days! 

We'd like to point out to T Drivers that it's NOT helpful to keep reminding passengers, "There's a train right behind this one!". There is always always a train following the one ahead. That's how trains on train tracks work.

But with Red Line trains now operating only 15 minutes at rush hour (meaning you could wait up to 30 mins before you get a train beyond JFK U/MASS) it's really annoying as all get out to be admonished by T drivers not to crowd onto the train because "there's a train right behind us".  

Meanwhile subway trains in New York, which just had over 2 feet of snow, are operating on time.

Location: Red Line at Central

Imagined Profession: Graphic Designer

Photographer: FT

*Bobby Dazzler is a description in the New York Times of Mary Crawley's potential new love interest.

Sugar and Salt

Our hottie is as brilliant as the sun reflecting off the fresh snow today! And yesterday evening was like having a ton of sugar and salt poured all over us. Our official measurements of snow depth at Harvard Yard (averaging multiple readings and excluding the 13" snow drifts) was 5.3" of snow. 

And many thanks to 150 people from around the world who watched our Hotties on the T live broadcast on Periscope (download the app!) yesterday afternoon. Follow us on Periscope for future broadcasts!

Our view of approaching snow was oddly compelling. Perhaps like watching a lava lamp or a video broadcast of a fireplace. As we keep our HOTT Crew's identities anonymous perhaps we should invite BosGuy and Sergio over to HOTT Headquarters to be our emcees!

We thought we'd share this lovely snow and icicle laden evergreen bough that's in our HOTT Headquarters' Garden of Reflection. A lovely place to pause after a winter storm.

Location: Red Line at Kendall/MIT

Imagined Profession: Art Supply Store Manager

Photographer: GB

Storm Warning

While much of the East Coast is under a storm warning, we stumbled fortuitously upon this drop dead gorgeous hottie! And is he ever prepared! We just can't say enough about this stunningly handsome man. Nor could we even if we weren't speechless as this is a G-Rated blog!

As the French Toast Alert is now at ELEVATED we've added our Hotties on the T Snow Bunny and French Toast Recipe at the bottom of this post! Keep scrolling down!

Here's another view of our sumptuous and delicious hottie!

Meanwhile, we're delighted that our HOTT Crew friend Lola was commissioned by the Eastern Point Yacht Club on Cape Ann to paint something for their main lobby that would be evocative of the theme "Approaching Storm".

We think she did a fabulous job capturing in still-life the quintessential elements of an approaching Nor'easter!

Location: Red Line at Charles/MGH, Kendall/MIT, Central and Harvard (yes, we stalked him)

Imagined Profession: Boston University MBA Student

Photographer: FT and GB

French Toast a la Provence

It's our HOTT Crew's favorite French Toast recipe! The French Toast Alert is now at ELEVATED, so it's time to go to the grocery store now! Things you'll need are:

12" cast iron skillet . The French DO NOT use teflon skillets!
5 large egs
2 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon granulated cane suger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 1/2 cups lightly packed sourdough bread cubed into 3/4 inch pieces.
5 slices thickly cut bacon, sliced into 1/2 pieces
3 large Granny Smith apples
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons light brown sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Preheat oven to 375F

Mix first 6 ingredients in a bowl. Then add bread cubes and stir thoroughly until mixed.

Peel, core and then slice apples into 10 sections each.

Cook bacon on medium heat, stirring occasionally until browned. Scoop out bacon and put in a bowl by itself. Pour out all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat from skillet. Add butter (skillet still on medium heat) and then stir in light brown sugar and maple syrup.

Add sliced apples evenly on skillet and let caramelize for 10 mins.

Sprinkle half of the bacon on top of apples. Pour on bread mixture evenly across apples. Sprinkle remaining bacon on top.

Place skillet in oven for 30 mins. Remove, flip onto serving dish immediately and then let sit for 5 minutes to firm up.

Slice and serve warm with maple syrup or save for later and reheat in microwave.

Serves 6 to 8 people!

Fabulous Friday - Headgear

The definition of a handsome man is one who knows how to select just the right headwear for his outfit. Our hottie above shows how this is done. He's stylish, yet understated. Functional for the weather outside, yet has a sense of flair. We think every man should have a hat like this in his wardrobe!

And a reminder that off to the right we now feature the live French Toast Alert status from Universal Hub. We find it to be one of the most accurate predictors of bad winter. Follow them on Twitter: @FrenchToastAlrt

And for the science behind storms and insights into how bad it will really be we rely on the handsome, talented, and playful native New Englander Meteorologist Eric Fisher. Follow him on Twitter: @EricFisher

Location: Red Line at Kendall/MIT

Imagined Profession: Public Relations Specialist

Photographer: GB

Winter's Glow

Our hottie has a very sexy winter glow to his face. Just look at those ruddy cheeks and smooth as silk skin! And his lips appear to be gently caressed by Nivea A Kiss of Cherry lip balm for men. His lips are so luscious we'd like to give them a hug!

We'd like to update you on our Winter Weather Update Policy: We exclusively use the French Toast Alert System and you'll find the current alert level posted in the right hand column.

When the French Toast Alert System is High or Severe you can also count on us to share our French Toast Recipe and and picture of our devilishly handsome Snow Bunny!

Location: Red Line at Park
Imagined Profession: Hotel Concierge
Photographer: FT

Penguin Awareness Day

We adore men in tuxedos, so naturally we have an affinity for Penguins. And penguins make such excellent cocktail shakers! Above is the Penguin Cocktail shaker at our HOTT Headquarters.

Tonite our HOTT Crew will be relaxing by making our world famous Vesper martinis using our classically elegant penguin cocktail shaker! And here's our world famous Vesper martini recipe:

Makes 1 Vesper Martini

2 ounces Ketel One Vodka
2 ounces Bombay Saphire Gin
1 ounce Lillet Blanc
2 dashes Angostura Orange Bitters

Mix the vodka, gin and Lillet Blanc in a Penguin Cocktail Shaker filled with cubed ice and shake vigorously. Add to the martini glass 2 dashes Angostura Bitters. Pour contents of Penguin Cocktail Shaker into martini glass. Garnish with orange twist. Enjoy!

If only we could find a man in a tux, or a penguin, on the T!

World of Motion

Not content to stock up on milk, butter and eggs for the current French Toast Alert (Elevated at 10:35am) our cute hottie stocks up on bottled water, too! He's so adorable in his hooded sweatshirt and baggy jeans!

Speaking of Winter Storm, if you're weather geeks like us and enjoy playing citizen scientist, you can crowdsource your current weather conditions to facilitate better weather forecasting using the mPing app!

Available on the App Store and Google Play, mPing lets you report your current weather conditions (rain, snow, sleet, etc), and lets you see a time lapse report (local to nationwide). It's fun! Download mPing today and check it out!

Location: Red Line at Charles/MGH

Imagined Profession: Inventory Associate

Photographer: GB

Double Tuesday - The Deep Blue Sea

Just look at the brilliant blue eyes of hottie on the right! And the perfect lime-green piping on our hottie on the left's jacket. It reminds us of the deep blue sea! OK, that's stretching it, but it was 13F this morning (That's -11C for our readers in our Dominions Beyond the Seas). What a charmingly handsome duo!

Keep reading below for some helpful winter tips!

Location: Red Line at Central

Imagined Professions: Left, Fitness Instructor; Right, Finance Manager

Photographer: GB

Removing a Charlie Card from one's wallet or pocket during an arctic blast is really difficult. Our FTH shows how to place a Charlie Card inside a glove so you simply wave your hand at the card reader without having to remove your gloves or wallet!

Our HOTT Crew friend Dodie (above) hated winter storms as it made her car windshield a thick wall of ice. But then she discovered that you can melt that ice instantly with 1/3 cup water and 2/3 cup isopropyl/rubbing alcohol. Combine in a spray bottle, spray on windshield, and voila ice free windshields! Spray it on the night before a storm and watch how your windows stay ice free!

Ever the child care expert, our HOTT Crew friend Lola has a perfect solution for how to travel on the T in arctic temps with a baby while avoiding that awkward situation where your SUV stroller takes up 1/3rd of the entire car on the train. Wrap the baby in aluminum foil and plop it in a tote bag! Lola recommends Heavy Duty Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil and the L L Bean Leather Handle Boat and Tote II (that's quite the name!) because it's a). durable, b). washable, and c). it holds up to 500lbs for even the most obese of babies! This really works and keeps the baby toasty warm!*

*Do not attempt to reheat baby in oven.

Sophisticated Fellow

Looking fabulous in his wool pea coat, and gloriously accessorized with a tan leather sling satchel and patterned cashmere scarf, our handsome fellow lends an air of elegance and sophistication to our commute!

Location: Red Line at Kendall/MIT
Imagined Profession: Retail Men's Clothing Associate
Photographer: FTH

We Are Family

As we were on our way to church this morning, gazing at this handsome fellow in front of us, we were reflecting on the fact that we're approaching the 4th Anniversary of Hotties on the T. And our reminiscences kept coming back to all the fun things our HOTT Crew has done that help strengthen communities, both at home and abroad. From our participation in the Harbor to the Bay cycling events and AIDS Walks every year, to serving with non-profits that provide outreach to those in need and those fleeing from strife, to being involved with communities of faith that have connections near and far, we realized we have a family. And many of you we encounter every day are doing the same things. It's what we do. It's about including, not excluding. It's about serving without inflicting consequences. 

We have many families to which we belong. And a hallmark of these families is that they're always welcoming in others and never casting people out. So when you see #OneFamily being used you'll know a simple and effective way to know the sincerity of the message.

Just our musings today. And what a handsome guy above!

Location: Red Line at Central

Imagined Profession: Manager of Social Justice Outreach

Photographer: FT

Kendalliscious

Our hottie has a Boo Boo on his right wrist, and our HOTT Crew wants to make it better! Just look at this handsome fellow! Elegant from top to bottom, with a bold argyle twist on his socks! We'll take him!

Location: Red Line at Kendall/MIT
Imagined Profession: IT Consultant
Photographer: GB

Fabulous Friday - The Art of Manliness

The art of manliness was in full force on our train as we whisked our way beneath our fair city. Attention to detail is a cornerstone of style, and our hottie shows how to pay just the right amount of attention to the details without going overboard. The handsome and stylish leather sling satchel with the perfect length in the strap. The magnificently arranged scarf which provides protection while acting as a segue from the rich texture of the woolen P-coat to the finely groomed auburn beard and moustache. This handsome hottie has mastered the art of manliness!

Location: Green Line at Arlington
Imagined Profession: Paralegal
Photographer: FT

Aqua Velva

There's something about an Aqua Velva man. Perhaps it's the clean manly scent of masculinity, strength and attraction. Or the ice blue colors mixed with turquoise that whisk our imaginations away to the sparkling seas of the Caribbean. Whatever it is, our hottie today filled us with sensations of refreshment and warm weather!

Location: Red Line at Kendall/MIT
Imagined Profession: Math Instructor
Photographer: GB

SANTAAAAA!!!!!!

It's like an Elfin wonderland out there this morning with a fresh coating of wet snow, followed by a flash freeze, which meant we were slip sliding away on our morning commute! And what a pleasant surprise when we encountered Santa's best friend standing right in front of us! We think our hottie has quite a lovely taste in winter attire, and we're especially intrigued with what seem to be cycling shoes. The cuffed jeans are very South End, and the well-groomed facial hair turns this handsome man into our Hottie du Jour!

Location: Green Line at Arlington
Imagined Profession: Bike Messenger
Photographer: FT

Double Tuesday - Slow Cooker Tacos

Our two handsome gents are a perfect combination for a cold and snowy evening.  And hottie in the foreground just happens to be watching a video on how to make slow-cooker tacos, a perfect winter evening treat! We think we'll take him home with us this evening! Not to be left out is hottie in the background with impeccably groomed facial hair and thick double eyelashes. Handsome!

And here's a frontal view of our hottie duo. Enjoy!

Location: Red Line at Central
Imagined Professions: Foreground, Customer Service Manager; Background, Business Development
Photographer: GB

Best in Show

Our HOTT Crew unanimously selected this hottie as "Best in Show" for the 2016 No Pants Subway Ride! Jaw droopingly gorgeous. Ripped bod. Stunningly handsome beard. Sexy sunglasses.

Yes, he's Mr. No Pants Subway Ride 2016!

Green With Envy

Our HOTT Crew was green with envy as we spotted this adorably attractive fellow. The crisp clean lines of his haircut, the brilliant green jacket, and the sexy gloves make our man a standout on the commute.

Location: Red Line at Kendall/MIT
Imagined Profession: Finance Manager
Photographer: GB

Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head

We're so hoping this stunning hottie will be at today's No Pants Subway Ride! But one must admit he's absolute stunning in his carefully chosen attire. Olive green jacket, geometric patterns on his scarf and a subtle yet handsome check pattern on his shirt. We were quite thrilled to be in his presence.

And if you'd like to participate in the No Pants Subway Ride today and need details, you can watch this video below to see all of the important facts (We're sorry, but Boston Improv thought this was a clever way to get lots of people to participate. It's not.).

Location: Red Line at Harvard
Imagined Profession: Realtor
Photographer: GB

The Thinker

What an attractive fellow! And what is he thinking about? Could he be texting a friend to see about participating in Sunday's No Pants Subway Ride? We hope so!

Location: Red Line at Park
Imagined Profession: Retail Sales
Photographer: GB

Fabulous Friday - Film Noir

Like a classic film noir, our hottie adds an air of mystery and intrigue to our commute. Just look at the luscious facial hair, the masculine features, the way he grips his gloves. What a handsome man!

Location: Green Line at Copley
Imagined Profession: Film Editor
Photographer: FT

Earth Tone Thursday

Marvelous shades of greens and orange, mixed with deep space blues, and we have a handsome as ever hottie with gorgeous facial hair and soulful eyes. What a treat!

Location: Red Line at Central
Imagined Profession: Research Technician
Photographer: GB

Dufflelicious

Our strikingly handsome man knows that his tall lean frame is perfect for a navy wool duffle coat. What a looker, and he keeps warm while looking good, too!

We were so captivated by his good looks and tasteful clothing ensemble that we decide to get up and capture a side view (below)

Location: Red Line at Kendall/MIT
Imagined Profession: Law Student
Photographer: GB

Double Tuesday - The Big Chill

We interrupt our regular programing during this frigid morning to bring you a poolside Ricky Martin in a speedo! There, did that warm you up just a wee bit? OK, on with our hotties:

Sexy hottie on the left gets his news via paper medium. Sports Illustrated, to be precise. And the Jack Spade sling satchel is a nice touch. We must say we never expected to see Sports Illustrated combined with Jack Spade. And hottie on the right gets his news via his plastic Android phone while opting for a ruffles jacket and a more standard rucksack.

Location: Red Line at Central

Imagined Professions: Left, Interior Design Business Development; Right, Accounting

Photographer: GB

And our HOTT Crew laughted this morning after seeing the video below of Downton Abbey actors delivering their lines in American accents. Handsome "Branson" was especially funny!

Conqueror of Worlds

A handsome man shows he can take on the new year, and the world, with his proud and confident stance. Surely he's a success in the office. A man looked up to. A conqueror of worlds.

And temps are dropping precipitously... stay warm!

Location: Green Line at Arlington
Imagined Profession: Business Startup Analyst
Photographer: *YOU are my 🇫🇷🔝!*

Bundled Up Goodness

An blast of arctic air is heading our way and our handsome fellow is ready to brave the elements. Handsome men are happy men, and this hottie is a joy to behold. Looks just like someone we see regularly at the Beacon Hill Whole Foods. Hmmmm.

Bundle up, it's getting cold!

Location: Red Line at Central
Imagined Profession: Grocer
Photographer: GB