Hot Town, Summer in the City: Highlights of Summer 2018

Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Photo by Stephanie DeLacy of Big Hair Creative
Goodbye, sweet summer...

While summer is admittedly not my favorite of the seasons (because, as previously established, I am the world's sweatiest human), I have to admit that this was a pretty good one. I realized I didn't blog about some of the highest points, so - as much for the benefit of my own memory as for your reading enjoyment - I thought I'd round up some of them here as we bid an almost-official farewell to the season.

Taylor Swift's Reputation Tour

By some act of God, my friend Marisa ended up with two free tickets to Taylor Swift's Cleveland show, which were on the floor - like, prettttty good seats. It was the perfect night for a concert, & damn, does TSwift put on a good show. Neither of us knew all of her recent songs, but we still had a great time, & it was really fun to catch up with an old friend just before she moved to the CLE. Free Taylor Swift tickets, can you even imagine?!?



InCuya Music Festival

Cleveland's first music tour was my first, too, & I loved the whole experience. I especially loved Robert Finley, the 63-year-old rocker who didn't start making music until he was 61. We checked out a few of the bands & some of the booze on & off during the two-day festival, & the weather was absolutely perfect for such an event. Looking forward to whatever performances next year has in store! (Read the full post.)



Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors

I never blogged about the fact that my little cousin, Grace, called me up one morning & asked if I wanted to go to that night's Cavs/Warriors finals game in downtown Cleveland. I will only say that we paid handsomely for the tickets, which turned out to be for seats in the very top row of the arena, & the Cavs lost badly. But now that LeBron is gone (sob), it's one of those things that I'm just very glad we made happen.



Hamilton at Playhouse Square

I bought Hamilton tickets for Mike, my mom, & me, for three celebrations: Mike's & my dating anniversary, Mother's Day, & my birthday. We went at the start of my birthday weekend, & though I hadn't listened to any of the music ahead of time, I was absolutely blown away by the whole experience. For as highly rated as the show is, I feel like it's still somehow underrated. It was just that incredible.



#HarnesstheSummer

As you all know, because I talked about it incessantly this summer, I completed a 30-activity challenge at my riding studio. It was hard & took a lot of planning on my part (not to mention a lot of riding!) but it felt so worth it in the end. The photo above is with one of my favorite instructors, Spies, right before my final class of the challenge. (Read the full post.)


Cleveland Indians vs. Kansas City Royals

Marisa pulls through again with the good tickets! As a partial season ticket holder, she invited me to join her for a game on Labor Day, which one of the hottest days this city has seen all year (hence the flowy maxi dresses me wore instead of, like, denim shirts & baseball tees). We never even made it to our seats because we watched the whole game from one of the covered bar areas at the field. It was way too hot & we are way too pale to have been out in that sun!


Taste of Tremont

In July, one of my best friends, Sammi, came into town for the day with her partner, David. It happened to be the same day as Taste of Tremont, a food festival that takes place on the street where I live. We invited friends over, bought beer that was much cheaper than what was being sold at the event, & just hung out for the day, enjoying the vibrancy of this neighborhood. There was even a little music stage set up right across the street from our house, so we could listen to live jams from the front porch!


Jimmy Eat World concert

The same night as Taste of Tremont, Sammi & I went to House of Blues for a Jimmy Eat World concert, for my... fifth? sixth? time seeing them. One paragraph is certainly not enough space to tell you how much this show meant to me, but Sammi & I have a long, complicated history, starting with the death of my ex-boyfriend, & going to this show with her felt like peak friendship. Did I cry? Yes. Yes, of course I cried.


#InfiniteKusama Exhibit

Renowned Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama came to Cleveland - or her art did, at least - when a huge exhibit went up at the Cleveland Museum of Art in June. Tickets were said to be so difficult to acquire that Mike & I first became members of the art museum to ensure that we'd be able to go. I was completely enamored of & in love with literally every single part of it. (Read the full post.)


Geneva, N.Y.

In early July, we traveled to the Finger Lakes for our friends Sam & Ryan's wedding at a castle. Mike turned out to be fairly disappointed in the castle itself ("It's a building with a turret!"), but the wedding itself was great - & the castle still had a wine spigot in the lobby, soooo. I also loved the views from the nearby lake. So beautiful & so close to home! (Read the full post.)


Two trips to Pennsylvania

In June, Mike & I went to my family's cabin in the woods of Pennsylvania; in August, my mom & I did the same. The first one was fun & drunken; the second one was relaxing & laid-back. I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to take these annual - & sometimes biannual - getaways into the middle of nowhere with friends & family, & I love showing Mike this place that reminds me so much of my dad & my childhood. (Read the full post.)


In all, a great summer, with lots not covered here. What was the best part of your summer?

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