Summer Memories

The beginning of summer is always filled with such excitement. The cold of the Chicago winter is hopefully at an end (hopefully) and we want to see the sun. The allure of the outdoors calls to us and we do whatever we can to soak up the sunshine. The outdoor patios are full. The Farmer's Markets are crowded. The magnetic pull towards the pool is too strong to deny. Spring is supposed to be the time of new beginnings, but Spring has a tendency to not exist here, so Summer is where the slate is wiped clean. Anything is possible.

I look back at my summer and I can hardly believe what was all done during these three or four months.

I finally went to New York. It wasn't nearly as scary as I thought it would be (well, except for Times Square...shudder...).

I ate at Next. Twice.

I snuck in a quick trip to Seattle, met some Top Chefs and had my future read via Tarot Cards.

I went on a 16 day adventure in South America.

I've been thinking about the South America trip a lot in the last few days. I just finished reading the book "Turn Right at Machu Picchu," and the memories have just been flooding back. We went to Machu Picchu. We conquered the freaking mountain. We saw the lines in Nazca. We met the Moai. It's unbelievable we did what we did. And I wouldn't do anything differently. Well...there was the whole bus ride to Nazca that was a little stressful. Overall though...it was an amazing trip.

I'm sure it's the end of the summer that brings on a wave of nostalgia. Labor Day arrives and the grill is fired up for the last time. The pool is closed. The festivals are almost at an end. No matter what our age, we all start our back to school shopping and we begin to prepare our brains for the change in weather.

One week from today (almost to the minute), Mom and I will be taking off from New York for a trip across the pond to Ireland. So as fun as it is to look back over the summer memories, it's going to be equally as fun to go on new adventures. Only one week to go...