Hello everyone!

I’m pleased to announce that I’ve been slowly chipping away at my Summer List, very slowly but surely. I have yet to do some of the little things- buying a new swimsuit, going to yoga more often, but I’ve certainly been trying to cram in as many summer activities as I possibly can. Unfortunately, this seems to involve more eating ice cream, and less outdoor activities.

As a few of you know, this last weekend was Alameda’s annual Art & Wine Festival. Having always taken place in the end of July/early August, I was convinced as a child that this particular festival was solely in honor of my birthday. I admittedly did not get as many pictures as I would like, but when you have delicious fair food in one hand and a drink in the other, it’s quite hard to navigate crowds and take photos at the same time. What makes the festival a little extra fun for the adults is that it’s one of the few weekends out of the year that open container laws are waived, leaving you to enjoy your glass of wine or pint of beer in the sunshine, while perusing the many local artists’ booths and restaurants up and down the downtown area. In the past, I’ve frequented the Bend Soap Company’s booth, and have purchased some of my favorite pieces of hand-blown glass jewelry here. As kid, I was more than happy to rock the flower crowns that they sell here, too. What can I say?  I was ahead of the “festival fashion” game at a young age.

Navigating the crowded Alameda streets often felt like salmon swimming upstream. I feel as if this year was exponentially more crowded than years past. Good for my little town!

Some beautiful metalwork on the streets.

A much-needed summertime drink: Strawberry lemonade.

I was really impressed with the many food choices at this years’ festival: barbecued oysters, roasted artichokes, and crab cakes were readily available, along with your standard fair food of kettle corn, sausages, and funnel cakes. Despite having reapplied sunscreen (SPF 8, shame on me) and having spent time in the sun earlier that day, I got a wicked sunburn on my upper back in the hour that I was out and about. I can usually spend hours wandering and the four-or-so city blocks filled with booths, yet with Sunday’s heat, it was best that I didn’t. I would have been as red as a beetroot after, I think .

Happy Monday!

EVA♥