freitag favorites + summer bucket list

Summer is officially here, and it’s seriously scorching. As always this time of year, I have a new appreciation for air conditioning. Work is almost more enjoyable as it’s cooler in my office than at home, in the front of a fan, with a damp cooling towel (like right now). Despite careful, strategic shade and window shutting/opening, the steady temperatures mean that after a week of heat, it’s been around 81 degrees in our apartment most of the day and it’s not cooling off too much at night. Ugh.

So, while I’m off to cool off under the hose, I’ll leave you with my summer bucket list, and a few other favorites from this week.

Stay cool, and enjoy the first official weekend of summer! And, let me know what you are interested in learning about summer in Switzerland.

summer bucket list

• sweat // With all the heat already, I’ve had no problem with this, but what I really mean is sweating while working out (mostly more Barre3) as well as time outdoors.
• swim // This summer is for swimming at every opportunity. We’ve already been down to the lake two evenings this week, and Reese has a new paddling pool ready for cooling off and splashing on the terrace on hot days. I really want to swim in the lake or river at least once a week, and maybe I’ll even find time for a cooling dip at lunch time (which is a pretty popular thing around here).
• hike // We had so much fun hiking with Reese last summer, and I really keep up that momentum this summer, along with so much of Switzerland (consider these interesting statistics). We’ve done a couple shorter hikes so far, and I’m excited to share some of the other trails topping my list.
• grill // Summer is for simple dinners, and lots of easy cooking on the grill. I’m excited to try this roasted eggplant and crispy kale and yogurt, this charred caprese sandwich, and this grilled salsa roja.
• read // I’ve got a major backlog of new books ready on my Kindle so I better get started picking up my reading pace.
• play & laugh // We’ve definitely hit the no-filter toddler constant narration phase, and Reese is cracking us up with funny comments, counting attempts, and imitating postures all the time so I know that we’ll be in for even more fun playing and laughing this summer. She is particularly interested in bathroom habits at the moment, as well as reading books about going potty. This week she got out of the shower and said, ” I need to potty.” So, she sat on the toilet for a minute or so before saying, “Shhh, tinkle, tinkle, toot, toot. I’m done.” just like one of her books. What a funny girl!

favorites

• attic living // I’ve always found the idea of an attic apartment really cozy and charming, and this beautiful gray Oslo space fits the bill.
• summer home // So if I cannot have an attic apartment, how about a modern farmhouse with a gorgeous pool?
• beautiful libraries // I’m saving this NYT article for future reference next time we’re in Italy.
• mamas // This opinion piece on “Our mothers as We Never Saw Them” really makes me want to sit down with my mom and go through old photo albums and hear more stories, and also to be thoughtful about preserving all of my own pre-Reese memories for her.
• peonies // Peonies are among my favorite flowers, and so I’ll have to add this geographically organized peony garden to my Zurich to do list next spring.
• linen sheets // I love the look of the limited edition Brooklinen striped linen sheets (via Cup of Jo).