Summer Journal: Week 1

I've never really defined what my "summer journal" is, other than a way to categorize the great thigns that happen in summer. The format hasn't been consistent, but last year I started posting by week, so I'm trying that again this time. Here goes! (See past years' entries here.)

The first day of summer was appropriately sunny; a great day to be out and about. We met friends for breakfast (waffles, again, from The Scoop), and saw them again down here, at the inaugural Bazaar (presented by a non-profit group called Terrain). It's like an arts and crafts/flea market fest for hipster types. I mean that in the best way.

 Big Bank is always watching you.

We spent the early part of Saturday afternoon watching the World Cup at the Post Street Ale House, which required some beer drinking, so the 3 p.m. espresso was necessary. We'll make any excuse to take a seat at Atticus.

My brothers share a birthday with three years between them, which was Sunday. The elder of them lives here in town with his family, so we met them for a celebratory brunch in Kendall Yards. A little walk along the river followed.

This is Margot's summer spot. She watches birds and neighbors from this high perch for hours. Sometimes there's a bug on the other side of the screen, and it's adorable/pathetic to watch her try to catch it.

You know what they say about how everyone gathers in the kitchen.

Joel entertained my recent obsession with the FitBit gadget thingy that measures all your physical activity (and calorie intake, if you want it to) by surprising me with one last weekend. So far, it's resulted in a few more walks throughout my day to reach my daily step goal. I saw these little window friends waving from a dorm window during a morning stroll through campus.

Monday evening featured dinner by the river at No-Li Brewery.

Just last week I finished Molly Wizenberg's latest book, Delancy, and found out days later that she would be speaking in Spokane on Tuesday. I have read her blog, Orangette, for years, as well as both of her books now, and have often felt like either she was speaking directly to me, or like I could have written exactly what she had. Kindred spirits. I believe it. This evening meant a lot to me.

After I spoke briefly to Molly (!!) and had her sign my copy of Delancy, Joel and I walked out of Auntie's (where the reading took place) to this beautiful sight.

I went out with some of my favorite gal pals on Wednesday night at a nearby bistro. Three of us live within a half mile of each other, basically on the same street. A couple of glasses of wine in, we joined in a walk back to our homes. We were hunting for linden trees, which smell incredible right now.

I recently found a source for cheddar/caramel corn mix, a.k.a. "Chicago mix," which I totally ate - a lot of it - at Garrett Popcorn in Chicago. Don't knock it until you try it. Eating it is kind of a challenge, because when you know you should put the bag away, you can't decide which flavor to end on.

Joel's been working his way through his Italian cookbooks and trying new recipes. Thursday night was a beef risotto that was quite good.