Note: I was selected to be an official blogger for the Women’s Half Marathon, so if you’re at all interested in my running adventures, head on over to Run, Rev, Run.
Where did August come from? This summer has just flown by, especially since I was at camp for a good part of it. Here are a few of my current favorite things as summer comes to a close.
1. Iced Coffee
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Last year, I posted this recipe/method for cold-brewed iced coffee. Now, instead of making it in mason jars, I just cold brew in my French press and leave it sitting on the counter for 12-24 hours. Or I head to Bruegger’s for some iced Green Mountain Wild Blueberry coffee. Particularly after a steamy run, some combination of iced coffee, water, and Gatorade really helps me recover.
2. Garden & Gun
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I cannot say enough good things about this magazine. It’s my favorite. Ever. Every time I read an issue, I can’t imagine myself ever living anywhere besides the South. And any magazine that can throw in Dolly Parton, Wendell Berry, and jazz in the same issue is good by me. The photography and writing are top notch. If an article about fly-fishing or hunting can interest me, then you know its well-written.
3. Girly Pop Music
I think it started at camp and was compounded by our (Groupon!) tickets to the Britney concert, but right now I can’t get enough of Ke$ha, Britney, Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga, or Beyonce, particularly on my exercise playlists. It’s certainly not high-brow, but it’s fun and I like it. The last time I was at spin class, I didn’t think I would make it, but Lady Gaga’s “The Edge of Glory” came on and I sprinted my heart out during the chorus.
4. Mad Men
Now that it’s available on Netflix Instant Stream, I’m catching up on what everyone has been raving about for years. I’ve watched nearly 3 seasons in a week or so, and it’s what everyone has said: great acting, fabulous attention to detail, and the costumes! A personal interest for me is that my mother would’ve been about the same age as the Draper children at that time, growing up in a similar culture.
5. Mini-weekend trips
Unlike when we lived in Texas, there are a ton of great weekend trip destinations within a 5 hour radius, and with a cheap Priceline hotel and group deal sites, several weekend trips replaced a bigger summer vacation for us. So far this summer, we’ve been to Knoxville and the Smoky Mountains, Chattanooga for the aquarium and hiking, and Atlanta for the Sweetwater brewery tour and a Braves game. I love getting to explore the Southeast one weekend at a time.
