The Taste of Summer.

As many of you have experienced and shared, I love me some delightful summer cocktails whilst enjoying delightful summer sunshine. There's nothing better than that cool, refreshing beverage in hand while you (and friends) partake in patio time, sit on a deck or -best of all- lounge by a pool.

An aside: I no longer live at my apartment complex and it KILLS me that I won't be able to host pool time this summer. For the first time since.... 2004 :-(

Have you ever indulged in a Blojito? A delicious summer cocktail option invented by my brother. A trait that seems to run in the family, as my dad loves to make up his own drinks as well. Being a gal who loves to create her own tasty beverages, I often will make up random concoctions; every so often, a classic is born.

I give you the Blue Lemon.

Stoli Blueberry, like other Stoli flavors, is a really good interpretation of the intended flavor. It seems very natural and light (unlike our friends at UV). San Pellegrino's Limonata has a similar feeling - an airy, crisp lemon taste, just enough carbonation, and those adorable little cans! Paired together, you get a delicious, light cocktail with just enough flavor for summer - nothing heavy or syrupy here.

While you're not likely to find bars that can serve this treat, I do have an alternative: order yourself a Stoli blue with lemonade AND soda, and you'll have a remix that's close enough for government work.

Cheers!

(If you're curious - the Blojito recipe: vodka, Simply Limeade blender-ed with fresh mint leaves, and Archer Farms Blood Orange Italian Soda)

Ouf.

Pool time was rough on Sunday. Weather was beautifully perfect. Company was wonderful (Ana, Andrea, Alishia and Katie Z. (and hubby)). Hangover was unbelievably awful.

Yay :-/

(Let's just say that there was some vomiting involved. Kids, don't drink and hottub at the same time. It's bad for you.)

POOL TIME!

This weekend marks the start of POOL TIME for me!!! I'm soooo excited.

Check your phone for a text from me and let me know if/when you're coming. I'm assuming there will be plennnnty of people out there, since it's opening weekend, but I'll get down there early to grab a good spot (our corner).

Yay sunshine!

It's time.

"I just feel like I have so much to say but no good place to share it. Oh wait, that blog thing...."

HEY, friends! It's me :-)

Bet you've stopped reading.

Well, things have been really busy. Really frickin busy. Between twice weekly softball games, trying to find a new place to live, visitors, showers, friends, clients, and family stuff, my head is kind of spinning!

The best bet for me is always an outline format. Eliminates that whole extra complication of transitions....

1. The pool is still fucking closed. Softball friend Taylor just moved to the Burlington and can see the progress (whereas my place doesn't have a view). Let's just say that there isn't any. I'm seriously furious and it's definitely caused a big hit to my emotional health.... it's the absolute foundation of my happiness in the summer months and now every nice day I get serious pangs of anxiety feeling like I should be out, by water, somewhere. Hey doc, I need a boost in my SSRI dosage.... yep.

But is there anything I can do about it? It was estimated to be finished by, well, yesterday, and clearly isn't anywhere close. I wish I could get a discounted rent, but I'm afraid to ask....

2. Business is good. Not referring to my day job, obviously. Although that's fine as well. I've booked a number of clients and just did two last week. I'm thinking of starting a separate blog through my makeup website detailing some of my work with the clients and such. Kind of make it a bit more personal and make the potentials and even those that I've already booked feel a little more "in" on the inner-most workings of the arteeest.

So, here's the schedule:
June 23rd -- did a boudoir session, super fun! I love doing these because of the extra "va va voom" factor. Everyone wants to vamp it up.

June 27th -- bride + others. Bride looked exactly like Kendra from Girls Next Door (except 35 and not annoying). Gorgeous!! Did her 15 year old daughter, and her 70 year old mother(s), so there was a good range.

July 11th -- another boudoir shoot shot by pal photographer "Callie V."
July 25th -- bride + others
August 8th -- bride + others
August 15th -- Erin's wedding!! Bride, mother, bridesmaids, self...
August 22nd -- Ashley's wedding to my cousin Mike!! Bride, bridesmaids....
September 12th -- Lisa's wedding!! Not sure of who....
September 26th -- Cretin Derham Hall homecoming girls
October 9th -- bride + others
October 17th -- bride + others

Then I start school on October 20th.... holy cow!

3. Softball is going -- and I have the MOTHER of all bruises on my right thigh. It's literally larger than my hand. It's about 6" in diameter. A fast hit, low-flying ball took a hop off the ground and nailed me. Yeeeowtch!

We WERE doing great until we had a game cancelled -- we've tanked ever since.

4. That's all I can manage for right now.... because otherwise I'll get distracted and never finish.

Hope you've enjoyed!

Summer Lovin'

For years, Erin and I have discussed making a list of "to dos" for the summer months. This year, we've decided to actually buckle down and do it. Here are some ten thoughts I just came up with:

1. Get a sweet tan, and some super sexy tan lines to match

2. Bar hop - high on the list are those with great patios: Stella's, Cowboy Slims, Brit's, Psycho Suzi's, Solera, Billy's..... Drink Uptown if I'm desperate ;-)

3. Attend a BBQ

4. Go to a beach in town - feel sand between my toes.

5. Bike

6. Walk

7. Grill food

8. A trip to the cabin with my fantabulous cousins

9. Have a sleepover with girlfriends

10. Go hiking with my hubby. I love being outdoors but have a hard time getting myself out the door..... I hope to change that this year!

The sun'll come ooooout tooooomorrow.... and the day after, and the day after.

I am so freaking happy about the weather lately. This is absolute perfection. Glorious sunshine, temperate 60's, and Minnesotans curing their cabin fever, outside in droves.... seriously, there are SO. MANY. PEOPLE. outside!!!

A few years ago, a relative from Texas was up here visiting in the spring / summer / fall (clearly I've forgotten). She could not get over how many people there were outdoors.... everywhere. Walking the paths, biking, running, playgrounds full of kids, softball diamonds, soccer fields, picnic tables, mini malls, people everywhere. Happy people. I was surprised by this. Wait just a darn sec, you live in Austin, TX where people can and SHOULD be out all the time. Why is this shocking?

I think that here up Nort' we have a particular appreciation for sunshine and tolerable temps (this varies)... it's as if life outside beckons us out of our homes, especially come April. Our cabin fever drives us to near incapacitating levels of crazy, so we burst out the doors like we've been imprisoned for decades.... and sometimes it sure feels like it!

This weather has prompted me to make my own sort of commitment to the great outdoors (and it truly is great) -- I want to see more of it, enjoy more of it and soak in every possible drop of beautiful earth, water and sky I possibly can. What does that mean exactly? It means happy hours on patios, cleaning off that bike on the balcony and using it, cleaning off the BALCONY so we can actually sit out there, softball two nights a week, POOL time as often as possible with whomever may care to join me, walking around Como, Saints games, more than one trip up to the lake, playing outside with my freakishly adorable nephew, BBQs (but not at our place sorry!), petitioning for an invite to Andrea's family boat (K. Syrah), hell even sitting out on a blanket with a friend and a bottle of wine (or Boone's Farm as we did in college, watching the boys play football... sighhhh).

SO..... care to join me??

Unfortunate discovery. And a HAPPY THOUGHT!

My stories aren't very good! I'm pretty okay with talking about thoughts, opinions, philosphies, experiences, etc... but when it comes to stories, none can compare to the crazy, deranged tales of Miss Melinda (my evil twin). I suppose I'm okay with that, though. I mean, some of us entertain via reality, while others require excessive embellishment and far-out exaggerations (like a soap opera or telemundo).

It is a bit pathetic that my most entertaining story details my feelings and actions against a violator of simple parking law..... but the interest in this tale has been surprising! Apparently people enjoy boring tales of vigil ante justice :-)

Meanwhile, I've been dreaming of pool time. With the warm weather approaching and thoughts of tanning (for Kate's wedding next week), I've been very jazzed about spending some good, quality time by the pool this summer with some of my favorite people:

- Erin will be done with her L2 year of law school (and will probably appear at my doorstep drunk after her last final in a swimsuit) and needing some SUNSHINE. Ali will be with her.
- Kate will be an old married lady with FINALLY some more time on her hands to spend with ME
- Angie's finally a MN resident again
- Micaela and I will be hanging out three days a week with softball Tues & Thurs
- Melinda will come despite the vegitation in her drink last year (it's just MINT, sheesh)
- Andrea will take a break from her hip, fun life living in uptown and being a comedianne
- Ana will find a break from earning all that Pharmacist $$$ between weird shift rotations at the hospital and casual work in Winona
- Bridgett will hopefully come (with or without baby Harper)
- And maybe, JUST MAYBE, Tom & Kathryn will bring Luke over for some fun in the sun.... or drop him with grandma Lois and go nuts ;-)
- Oh, don't forget about "gay or European?" and his 'girlfriend' "Tits on a Stick"

GOODNESS, this is going to be a busy summer! Thank God I have such fabulous people in my life to share it with. Mark your calendars, clean out your coolers and go buy yourself some new flip flops!

Now.... I'm gonna start work on an iPod poolside mix ;-) I'm thinking some oldies, some pop tunes, some fun country.... AHHHHH, it'll be great!