Minnesota's been treated to some totally beautiful weather lately, which means we've all moved our lives outside as much as possible. The last few weekends have been spent with friends and family boosting our vitamin D (and our BAC) all over the Twin Cities!
Prior to our disastrous (first-half-only) trip to "Mr. Burns" at the Guthrie, Mom and I celebrated her April birthday at Yardhouse and Anthropologie in the West End! I savored a Moscow Mule (they make fantastic ones) and we split tacos and chatted. Anthro throws birthday parties on a monthly basis with private shopping, treats and drinks, and a 15% discount. We had such a blast picking out pretty things for Paris...my only sorrow is that we left fast to make it to our terrible show!
We also celebrated at home with Dad...he grilled burgers, picked up a Farmington Bakery cake, and pulled off an epic surprise with a beautiful David Yurman bracelet. Of course, a "House of Cards" marathon was also called for!
I'm proud to claim I've gotten Kelsie hooked on A La Mode manicures, and we spent a great Saturday morning gossiping with our favorite ladies and freshening up our fingertips after Mexico. Margaritas for lunch were the logical next step in that equation...especially since we could enjoy them outside on the patio at Rojo!
To keep taking advantage of the amazing weather, Claire, Mike, Eva, Josh and I took the party to the next level...literally. My building's rooftop patio boasts spectacular views of Loring Park and a plethora of comfy patio furniture, and we mixed up cocktails, parked ourselves in a sunny spot, and spent hours discussing bucket lists and life goals and how amazing the summer is going to be!
After a fairly tipsy dinner at Loring Kitchen, we headed to Kelsey's birthday party (not my Kelsie, a different friend!) and spent plenty of time playing fetch with Winnie, her precious dog, and a very soggy tennis ball...fun fact: Kellen, above, proposed to Mollie, his girlfriend of ages, last weekend! So excited for them!
This past weekend, Claire's good friends Mikey and Scott, who went to Notre Dame with us, came into town and shenanigans of course ensued. We took in a Twins game that involved very little actual watching of the game (they lost) and very much enjoying of beers and Barrio guacamole while soaking up the sun. $20 tickets get you top-deck seats...the stunning views of downtown more than make up for the fact that the players look like they're microscopic. I also proved that I apparently really need to work on my selfies if we're going to keep this trend up all summer!
On Sunday, we battled hangovers to suffer through (me) or enjoy (everyone else) the brunch buffet at Kramarczuk's...I can't wait to go back when I have an appetite that hasn't been suppressed by nausea! The long, epic walk we took around the Mississippi River did plenty to clear my head and offered up some pretty beautiful views, as well. How cute is everyone?! I can't wait to hit this path on a day with less wind and fewer clouds.
While the temps have taken another nosedive and while my focus is back on my impending trip to Paris, the last few weekends have proven to me beyond a shadow of a doubt that I'm in for a truly fantastic Minnesota summer. Can't wait to see what upcoming weekends surrounded by friends have to offer!