MEMENTOS

snapshots of summer

summer 2013summer 2013summer 2013summer 2013

Before going through all of my Summer photos, I would have said that we had a pretty laid back lazy summer.  I guess these pictures tell otherwise, although I suppose compared to hectic Summers from our former lives, this was a pretty easy-going one. A good mixture of drinking coffee on our deck, playing with the kitties and exploring new (and familiar) places.

Some new places/things discovered this Summer:

– the best pie crust recipe ever (shared with us by our friends)
– the coolest mini golf place — “The Perils of the Lost Jungle” complete with 1960s animantronics that would have been amazing if slightly inebriated
JIMCHOS (they also have a pretty legit looking prime rib night)
Asia after Dark nights at Freer Sackler Gallery
– we found XIAO LONG BAO (aka soup dumplings)!!
– my two new favorite pairs of shoes (1 / 2) , worn nonstop all Summer
Claymore manga/graphic novels
– waffles on a stick (their hot dogs are really tasty too)
REI garage sales (be prepared to wait in line)
The Signature Theater (so so cute)
– molcajete guacamole — ok, so it’s not really new, but I just learned this summer that you have to properly season the molcajete
tubing down the Shenandoah made even better/worse with a cooler full of cold chicken from Bon Chon and a jug of watermelon Mexican Martini (recipe to come in another post)
Inspiring + tasty vegan food. If only there was a place like this here.
– new favorite hiking trails to Bearfence and Doyles Falls in Shenandoah NP. Both easy, both with a big reward at the end. And of course the ultimate hiking trail — Panorama Trail in Yosemite.
– boutique camping at Basecamp in Tahoe — we are going to rip off everything and apply it to our house
cold pressed ice coffee
cement block raised garden beds (still a work in progress…)
– we finally found and signed up for a CSA!
free summer movies at Mosaic
District Taco— finally a Mexican restaurant that understands the meaning of the word “spicy”
This Map — how is it only $2? I could stare at it forever.
– REAL Late night eats (why is this so hard to find)
– Awesome bike shop (one day I’ll get my Brompton)
– A new hippiemart opened in Reno complete with veggie garden growing in front of the store! We are totally sold on living there now (15 yr plan)
Hand-poured Ritual Coffee for when we are missing SF. (I want to try all the gelato flavors! Everything there is so tiny and a bit $$, but delish).
– “Diane’s Dad’s Sandwich“– We were totally addicted to these for a couple weeks. They are surprisingly very filling
The Wool Series, by Hugh Howey. (You can download part 1 for free on Amazon!)
The TripIt App — why didn’t we know about this sooner?

I love how most of our discoveries are centered around food, which makes sense. We are pigs.

Some old favorites:
Camp Curry — there will always be a special place in my heart for this place
The Awful Awful Burger. Even better when eaten in the wee hours of the morning. Tip: enter through the alley entrance
Silver Diner – they use local/organic ingredients and even have a healthy menu!
Big Meadows Lodge — totally like staying at Grandma’s cabin. Charming, not very modern, and probably not for everyone.
Sweetgreen – still my fave of the tart fro-yos, although why do they close so early on weekends?

I have a few real summer photos to post, which I’m sure I’ll drag out for week after painful week. I still refuse to believe it’s September. Even though I usually dread being hot and sticky during the Summer months it was a good Summer. And I’m gonna hold on to it as long as I can.

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  • funnelcloud rachel
    September 6, 2013 at 10:23 am

    I love your blog so much, Veronika! You find the coolest things! 🙂 Seriously, so many photos you share make me think “That can’t be around here – I’ve lived in NoVA/DC for most of my life and I’ve never seen that before!” I love seeing the city (and country/mountains!) through your lens and I’ll definitely be bookmarking this post for future reference and all the great links.

  • veronika
    September 8, 2013 at 9:16 am

    Thank you! But don’t feel too bad, I have a secret weapon: my sister is really on top of the food + arts scene, so I just tag along/steal her ideas. That and I discovered the PATC last year and that has led us down the rabbit hole of creepy remote cabins/trails/campsites a little bit off the beaten path.