The date is July 24th, and I don’t know about you but I still have so much to do. Summer to me means going out and sitting at your favorite brewpub or Wine Bar or even better, being invited to an outdoor party; and, chilling. It involves conversing with your friends or meeting some new people who will listen to your many points of view. In fact, last Friday night, I met a few friends on West 6th Street in the Warehouse District and did just that. We sat at a slanted outdoor table, each with a glass of wine and a pizza pie watching the passersby. I saw a few people I knew; but the ambiance of everyone being out is what struck me. Very exhilarating that you don’t get during the wintertime.

People watching is another past time favorite.  What better way to do that than heading downtown to the Ingenuity Festival? I volunteered last year at the beer tent. I thought the bands were wonderful, very unusual and inventive. There were a lot of people; but not the crowds they had expected. Get out there and explore the many galleries, theaters and the 1000 Red Balloons installation.

Then there is my biking. This Sunday, I am doing the Richfield Sweet Corn Challenge Bike ride. It is a 50-mile trek through the hilly areas of Richfield and Cuyahoga National Park. It will be hot, but that is the way is goes in Cleveland, Ohio. I love it. But as of late, I hear more complaints. It’s too hot. Get over it. It’s Cleveland and it won’t last more than a few months. It will be snow season before you know it.

My point of all this madness is get out there and enjoy the weather, meet new friends, reconnect with old acquaintances, and most importantly connect with your family and friends. Soon, we are all going to hibernate in our homes until next spring.

One Response to “It’s Summer Time…”

  1. john mcgovern Says:

    Toni:

    Great post - I think we all need to get out and enjoy beautiful cleveland in our short (and fleeting) summer with as much gusto! as possible, especially our majestic lake!

    a few ideas:

    -iNGENUITY especially the music and the technology - one of the most diverse audiences i’ve ever seen in Cleve -dancing the night away in a location you never knew existed, much less see/hear live music in. can one be prepared to be suprised!?!

    GET IN OR ON THE WATER > AND TRY SOMETHING NEW!

    -Sailing at Edgewater Yacht Club - Great place to learn to sail through racing small boats (thurs night) and bigger boats (wed night) Be at the marina by 6pm and be prepared to crew any boat needing extra hands. There’s not much that compares to the feeling of gliding along the water, powered by the wind, with the city skyline in the background and the sun setting in the distance.

    -Swimming or kayaking at Edgewater, Huntington, or Headlands Beach. All beautiful beaches in their own way that get you closer (or into) the water. Organized lake swimming through ohiomasters.com Organized kayaking trips/rentals through kayak41north.com .