The radiators in my apartment kicked in for the first time this season just the other day, and as excited as I am for sweater weather, it got me nostalgic for all the adventures I managed to pack in over the summer. It’s no secret that Chicago loooves summer, those fleeting three months in the middle of the year where we can come out of hibernation and enjoy all the city has to offer.
And oh boy, does it have a lot to offer. Just a quick rewind on my Instagram account offers a photographic recap of some serious summer celebrating, and I’m not even counting my trip to Europe in May (because, you know, technically that was in the Spring). If I just hone in on June, July and August (and a bit of September!), there’s everything from stellar theater productions and days at the ball park to parades and art museums to cookouts, weddings and summer blockbusters.
Theater season restarts each Fall, but the summer still offered a few wonderful selections, and thanks to my work with Third Coast Review, I’m able to check out some of the cities coolest new productions. This summer, I took in the haunting, magical production of MacBeth and a whimiscal, musical Peter Pan, both at Chicago Shakespeare Theater; and I wandered to the park across the street one gorgeous weekend for a free production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Whenever friends and family come in from out of town (even if that’s just a visit to the city from the suburbs), I’m always on the hunt for a new hot spot or restaurant to take them to. But sometimes the old stand-bys are favorites for a reason, and wandering the halls of the Art Institute again and again never gets old, especially when you’ve got fresh young eyes to see it with.
If you’re going to soak up the great weather and beautiful sights around Chicago, there’s no better way to do it than from a boat on the iconic Chicago River. This summer was the debut season for Boataoke, and after a few of us had the chance to check it out this time around, I’m certain I’ll be bringing more friends along next time.
I wrote all about how wonderful it was to spend a weekend by the lake, particularly on the occasion of a wedding. It’s not every summer you’re on the guest list for such a joyful getaway, but maybe it should be.
While I try to spend as much time outside during Chicago’s blink-and-you-miss-it summers, I’m me after all. Which means there’s going to be a whole lot of movie and television watching, between films to review and shows to binge during long workdays at my computer. I had a lot of fun at the movies, from Mamma Mia 2 to Minding the Gap, and I had a TON of fun meeting the man himself, Phil Rosenthal.
The last few months of 2018 are going to be pretty jam-packed, between client work, travel and the holidays. I’m committed to writing more here and making the most of the city even in the cooler weather. If the next three months are anything like that last three, we’re in good shape indeed.
