The Sun is Shining on Chicago

Yesterday was the first truly warm day of year and I celebrated it by spending the day rowing, drinking iced coffee, laying out on my Mary's roof deck, wearing shorts and sandals for the first time and drinking Oberon's outside. It was wonderful and almost made me forget the terrible, no good, very bad winter we just experienced.

Being back in the Midwest this summer there are a lot of things I'm looking forward to enjoying this summer.

Doesn't the city just look so much better with a bit of color and sun?

Washington, D.C.
I'll be visiting my friend Marissa in D.C. in June and am looking forward to recreating some of the greatness of our Boston and Cape Cod vacations last summer. (Perhaps we'll unintentionally match again?) I've never been to D.C. before and can't wait to do all of the stereotypical tourist stuff. My best friend since fifth grade lives in Baltimore and I'm also hoping to be able to meet up with her. Any suggestions on any D.C. musts? Tips for seeing the city? Any great restaurants?

Trips to Michigan
Michigan is my favorite in the summer. It truly is a hidden gem. Between the Great Lakes, all of the inland lakes, cities like Detroit, Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids, and the UP, Michigan has so much to offer. I'm hoping to be able to spend some time in Grand Haven this summer and would love to plan a trip up north to either the UP or Mackinac Island since I've never been.

Lake Michigan
My new apartment in Chicago is literally blocks from the Lakeshore and I can't wait to spend my weekends sprawled out on the beach with a good book.

Summer Concerts & Events
One of the many benefits of living in a big city is the number of cultural events and concerts that take place. I'm excited to take advantage of some of these events and already have tickets to Lollapalooza in August.

Spontaneous Trips
I feel like the warm weather makes people much more inclined for adventure and spontaneity. Last year, Laurissa and I took a couple of fairly spontaneous trips to Maine and the beach and I can't wait to embark on some in the Chicago area. Whether is a quick road trip or a trip downtown, everything seems so much better in the summer.