I'm not quite back yet

But here's a picture from the Fitz and the Tantrums concert Dewey and I went to last week. It was awesome.

Hi Rise, revisited.

I have written before about my adoration of Hi Rise on Brattle, my favorite cafe in Cambridge, and maybe anywhere, so it won't come as a surprise that when I found out they were moving, I got really sad.

I've been going here to read my books and think my thoughts for seven years now, so on their last day, of course I had to go back for one last turkey and avocado sandwich. They're moving, not closing, but no location will ever be quite as wonderful as this one. I'm going to miss it. Lots.

{No trip to Hi Rise is complete without a busted-up moleskine. I have thought at least sixty percent of my most important thoughts while drinking a latte and writing in a journal at Hi Rise.}

{No, you silly cafe, thank YOU!}

Walk in the Woods

On Sundays mornings, I often meet my mom to go for a walk. I usually want to go to the woods.

We live in a city, so it's sometimes easy to forget that there is nature so close by. Whenever I make it there, I am always so glad that I did.

Labor Day Weekend, part 1

On Saturday, Elizabeth and I went up to visit our friend Kate at her husband's family's lake house in New Hampshire.

We did all my favorite summery things: we hung out with Kate's totally adorable 14-month-old daughter, we swam, we took a boat ride, we barbecued, and we stayed up late drinking wine and playing taboo.

It was a pretty wonderful little trip.

Boat Club Evening

Yesterday, Dewey, my mom and I hosted some of their neighbors at the boat club.* We had a wonderful time, which isn't surprising, since we always do at that magical place.

{Someday, when I am a grownup with my own garden, there will be lots of flowers just like these ones. They always seem so summery, no?}

{We did not play bocci. This was for the best, given how terrible I am.}

We stayed until well after sunset (and the two-year-old's bedtime), eating barbecue and talking about gardening and crazy landlords. It was a lovely evening, confirming my new suspicion that late summer may be one of my favorite times of year.

*Whenever I talk about the boat club, I feel compelled to explain that it's not nearly as fancy as it sounds. It is magical, yes, but fancy? Not even a little bit.

Weekend

I spent this weekend sitting at home, wearing cozy socks and eating peanut butter.

It was pretty clear early on that Irene was going to mostly pass us by, so there was also beer and dinners out and trips to go buy wine,

but mostly it was a whole lot of staying indoors, a lot of cooking,

and hanging with some of my favorite people.

Which is really the best kind of weekend, no?

Yesterday was Dewey's birthday (hooray for 24!), so we had a summertime feast, followed by a trip to Rancatore's for some much-enjoyed dairy fat.

{Banana chocolate chip ice cream, you are more delicious than words can describe.}

Dewey, I am so glad you were born. Happy happy birthday!

Baseball

Last week, Elizabeth invited me to go with her to a Red Sox game. Given that I make it a policy to go to at least one game a summer, especially when the tickets are free and the company is good, I happily agreed.

I am fairly convinced that a trip to Fenway Park may be the most authentic of all Boston experiences.

{Somebody released like thirty beach balls during Sweet Caroline. It was amazing.}

It was the perfect way to spend a Tuesday night in August. Thanks for the invite, Elizabeth!

Summer Adventures

Now that I have a new camera, I find myself wanting to go on more adventures.

Is that weird? I just want to do things I can take pictures of, you know? (And anyway, anything that encourages you to go on more adventures is a good thing.)

So Saturday, in a further attempt to cling to summer, Emily and I drove to Ipswich for a trip to Woodman's and Singing Beach.

Fried clams definitely taste better when you eat them overlooking a salt marsh.

Silly times are way more fun when you share them with a bestie.

Yesterday, I commented on Annie's blog that every year when August rolls around, I start clinging to summer like it'll never ever come back. Anyone who starts to talk about the impending arrival of fall gets a swift reminder that we have at least a month before it arrives, and I fill my weekends with beach trips and ice cream in an attempt to soak it all up before the leaves start to change.

I don't know if it's the cool rainy weather we've been having this week, but my devotion to summertime ideals has reached an all-time high lately. Last Saturday, just in time for my birthday barbecue, my mom and I found an old, falling-apart Weber grill on my back steps. Since I've found it, I have refused to cook food any other way. Yesterday, I stood in the pouring rain, barbecuing lemony chicken, thick slices of red onion, and tiny baby eggplants. It was more than worth it, though- seldom has food tasted that good, or that summery.

Item Number 9? Check.

So, I did it.

I turned 26. It was kind of exciting, actually. I sometimes freak out a little bit about getting older, but as I learned from my list, getting older's not so bad if you think about all the fun stuff you get to do. Like buy a fancy new camera.

Number nine on the list was Buy an SLR and Learn How to Use It. I bought the SLR as a 26th birthday present. I haven't quite learned how to use it yet, but I have a teacher all lined up, and I can't wait to practice. In the past year, as I've gotten busier, I've kind of forgotten how much I love to take pictures. I'm pretty excited to remember.

(I've done an okay job of recording some of the items on my 25 in 25 list as I've checked them off. I didn't get to everything, but I did do a surprisingly large number of them, and I found the list to be a surprisingly transformative exercise. I'll write more about it in the coming weeks, including posts on the funnest things from the past year.)

It is almost August.

I am almost 26. That is a little scary.

Scary ages aside, August means Tomato Season. That is a little wonderful.

It is almost August.

I am almost 26. That is a little scary.

Scary ages aside, August means Tomato Season. That is a little wonderful.

Happy Monday!

It's freezing outside right now (it's 65 degrees-I do recognize that that won't feel so freezing come winter!), so I kind of forgot how hot it was this weekend. But man, that was a scorcher.

It was so hot, really the only thing I could do was go to the happy place and jump in the lake immediately. I had a dear friend from college in town, plus Emma was around, so of course we needed ring pops. Also, lemon slush. (Is that a uniquely New England summer treat? I am kind of getting the impression that it is.)

As it turns out, homemade granola is an excellent snack after a late night of dancing with your sister and her friends. (I'm still looking for the perfect recipe though- anyone have any suggestions?)

Once it cooled down, I got to have an Arnold Palmer, read my book, and write some letters at Hi-Rise. A weekend where I spend time at two of my happy places is a good weekend, indeed.

Happy Monday, Friends!