called me the roving jewel

Solstice and street fests and more biking than I've done in a while. It's always weird to have waited so long for summer and then to have it so officially here. Always accompanied by the same desires, too—like living it up, getting in better shape, reconnecting with ppl, and being outside as much as possible. Oh, and for current lack of travel funds, seeing new and interesting corners of Chicago(land). Some days I make the most of it, and others I'm AC- and deadline-driven. Lots of times I'm torn between the two. Sooo, I'm wondering, summer—can we have two of you?



Garden progress: phase no. 3.







Lemonade feat. garden mint!



Just interviewed Audrey Niffenegger for the forthcoming literary section of Chicago Artists Resource. She showed Danielle and me some of her amazing artist books.







Craig's new music project w/ Kim on vox. Highly danceable!



ZZ Top double bass drum set at Crossroads Guitar Fest.



Bert Jansch getting set up before the rotating of the giant stage.



Playing to 40,000-ish ppl at Toyota Park (and killing it).



Dusty + Billy. They still got it!



Jumbotron BB King.

--

In other news, I recently got a gig editing an online news publication called Center Square Journal, which covers Northcenter, Lincoln Square, and Ravenswood Manor. I've been doing some reporting outside of my usual arts and culture beat and reconnecting to my old North Side stomping grounds. The hyperlocal focus is a journalistic shift that's new and exciting—one that seems to offer a real and sustainable solution to the problem of newspapers' increasing obsolescence. And in our age of information overload, info. that remains timelessly important is what's happening on our own city blocks.

back to music city

Belmont-Hillsboro, Trash Humpers at the Belcourt, Melrose Pool Hall, tour of United Record Pressing, Grimey's, Loveless Cafe, a house I had a dream about that for some reason also exists in Belle Meade, Frisbee outide the Parthenon, Great Escape, Green Hills, Firefly Grill, juice bar, Pancake Pantry, Tanglewood Historic Drive, Lonnie's, 12th Ave., PM, Venus + Mars, Jack's, Oak Bar at the Hermitage Hotel, Sky Blue Cafe, Music Row, Bert Jansch + Neil Young at the Ryman, PM again. Fin. xo Nashville. Stay dry.

no little plans

Architectural cruise: a mother-daughter dream fulfilled.


Mom in the city.


These riverside cottages look cooler in real life and—the architectural guide assured us—in the sun.


Finally made it to XOCO. Did not disappoint!