I figured since this week July will come to an end and that means summer is almost over (shall we all cry now?) I wold examine my summer bucket list and see what I could check off and see what we need to get on to fulfill my summer dreams. Having said that even if I checked it all off I will be horribly upset to see summer end, although I love fall and my fall bucket list is already extremely long it does mean winter will soon arrive and I hate winter.
Naturally with being in New Jersey in an apartment in the city it changes what we are able to really do, or rather limits the summer activities that I would like to take part in. I really wish we were at home grilling on the deck every night and having dinner, heading up to the mountains to hike to different waterfalls and just enjoying the outdoors a little more but that's just not the case.
Now having said all that we are extremely lucky with our location in the city, we are right on the Hudson River giving us the luxury of a beautiful board walk for miles and let me tell you we take advantage of it daily. A huge selling feature of the apartment was the wonderful outdoor pool that we also take advantage of and grilling stations that allow us to take part in one of the most amazing time honored traditions of summer, barbecues!
So shall we see what I have been able to check off and what I need to work on?
1. Swimming - As I mentioned we have covered that, I tend to lay out a little more then I actually get in the pool and swim but I have definitely been in the pool! Its fantastic to have this option to cool off on the humid summer days we have had, or just to lay out with a cocktail and enjoy the sun! I will say I am rocking a fantastic tan this year!
2. Camp Fire - Negative. I don't care to camp, its just not me but I do love to sit outside at the camp fire! There is just something about shorts and sweaters, roasting marshmallows with good friends and chatting away. I wish I could say I have checked this one off, and sadly its one I'm not sure I will.. but the hope is definitely there.
3. Sunset Walks - This is something I am fortunate enough to say we do almost every night and boy do we have a great view for it! Our location is great and with the beautiful summer weather being out near dark is probably the best time! With Jason's hours we are loving getting out every night for the extra exercise and touring the boardwalk, its the best part of living here I would say!
Freedom Tower & Financial district of Manhattan.
To the left, Hoboken train station and the Empire State Building.
4. Grilling - As I mentioned, another perk of the apartment.. grilling stations! For each building there is 3 grilling sections and therefore 6 grills to be shared amongst tenants. Generally on the weekend they are extremely busy and most people who select one do so early in the day and grill lunch and dinner. At this point we generally don't try to grill on weekends or we go to another building. Our building has the pool and park so it tends to fill up quicker. We make the time to grill during the week when its a little more quiet and its wonderful! There really isn't anything like chicken on the grill, grilled pineapple, baked potatoes, corn on the cob.. need I go on? I'm sure you're mouth is officially watering and you are planning what you're going to grill tonight, right?
5. Beach - We have actually managed to check this baby off a few times as well. We spent some time at the beach when we went over to Staten Island to visit Fort Wadsworth, which you can read about HERE. We didn't lay out or really enjoy the beaches there as they were kind of dirty but it is really nice to get out and walk with your toes in the sand. Two weeks ago we visited Chris & Samantha in Long Island and spent a sunset at the beach and a full day.. it was WONDERFUL! Drinks on the beach, your feet in the sand.. I just love it! I am not convinced we wont make it to the beach again before the summer is out, truthfully I have high hopes. A fear of mine coming here for the summer months was that we wouldn't get to the beach, being at home it seemed like a much better likelihood we would make it, so I am thrilled to say we have checked this one off.
6. Boating - CHECK!! I didn't think this would happen as it definitely doesn't happen every summer! We don't own a boat, although I think Jason may have convinced me now that we actually need one! When we visited Long Island (read about HERE) Chris and Samantha took us out on their boat and it was FANTASTIC! Nothing screams summer like a boat in the water!
7. Picnic in the Park - This one has not been checked off yet but I am working on it! There is a pretty extravagant children's park in Newport and right behind it is a huge grass area that I have decided would be perfect for a picnic! Last week when Mel, Lindsey the kiddos and I were over there I suggested a picnic in the park one afternoon and everyone seemed for it! Big picnic blankets, finger foods.. it all just sounds fantastic! I don't know where they stand on picnics that include wine in this city and that might be a date more for Jason and I but I plan to look into that too.
8. Patio Beers - This is a staple. Seriously if I hadn't accomplished this at this point in the summer I would feel really bad about myself. I love nothing more about summer than patio beers! We are lucky here, there are endless patios for us to enjoy the many beers out there and I love to make the most of it any chance we get! Generally at home in the summer Jason doesn't care to utilize the patios for meals because it is just too hot! So bring on the breeze from the Hudson and patio beers until it too cold to sit outside and enjoy them.. I kid you not I will wear a jacket and boots until the very end!
9. Fireworks - I say we cover this baby weekly! As I have mentioned many times before Jason LOVES fireworks and therefore anytime he can see them we go! Just last week we saw the show that I believe the Marriott put on just off of Ellis Island! We have seen fireworks displays at least 5 times this summer alone!
10. Cottage - I had high hopes but low expectations that we may actually get at least a long weekend at the cottage this summer but with being away from home and Jason working it is definitely not going to work out that way. I look back fondly at the beginning of mine and Jason's relationship when we would rent this amazing cottage on Gull lake for long weekends or weeks in the summer and our time there! I so loved the time just the two of us, morning coffee watching the sun come up on the lake, canoeing in the afternoon, camp fires, grilling, everything about it.. I loved out time there! Its not going to happen this year but it is definitely going to make my list again next year... in high hopes.
11. Ice Cream Cones - Done and done! The ice cream truck lives two blocks from our apartment and what is summer without a cone with sprinkles? In trying to stay away from sweet treats I try to convince Jason often to walk the other way but I will say that once or twice and no more.. we have indulged.
12. Corn on the Cob - This basically goes hand in hand with grilling! Obviously corn on the cob is a summer thing but we tend to enjoy it best soaked in the husk and then grilled.. DELISH! We have had corn on the cob a few times now but let me tell you it is really hard to get good stuff in the city! The best ones we have had were when we were at home over the 4th of July, but I think they tend to be better in the south because the seasons are longer. We keep trying and I actually found some really good stuff today at Morton Williams so I might try and get some this week to grill one night!
13. Food Trucks - I was just going to tell you that I have failed to check this one off but that would be a lie.. I totally forgot that we enjoyed food trucks at home over the 4th of July!! We had a pulled pork sandwich (oh how I miss southern BBQ) and few other treats! Now every Wednesday they have live at Grove Square or something like that and its live music and food trucks, we have not indulged in the food trucks there but there is one that is all meatballs that people rave about and I feel like my life wont be complete until I try it! So I suppose a New Jersey food truck is still on my list.
14. Live Music - Check, check and check! We have enjoyed live music at Grove Square as mentioned above and we saw an AMAZING live band while we were at home downtown for the 4th! I wish I knew who they were because I would love to see them again but I wasn't exactly taking notes in my half dead state (if you don't recall I had a double ear infection and an upper respiratory infection). I love live music, they play at Grove Square every Wednesday night and I am told there is a market in another part of town I believe Thursday nights that also has live music that I would like to check out! I have seen live music in bars this summer as well but that doesn't count!
15. Pedicure - Sadly I can only say I have had one pedicure all summer long! My inner germaphobe is really anxious about just going anywhere because I am not sure if its clean and in the city I feel like its so much more expensive (like everything else) so I have been just doing them myself. I have all this nail polish that I only use on my toes so why not? I have no complaints, I do love a pedicure, mostly because I like the leg. foot rub.. but I would rather not catch Hep A... just sayin'.
So that is my summer bucket list and I don't think I am doing too bad at checking off the things that are important to me during this fabulous season! I'm also doing it all while getting a fantastic tan!! This summer has been a lot better then I had hoped or expected.. Coming here made me feel like the summer I so looked forward to would be a complete bust and we have made the most of it! Jason is working a lot less hours then usual and I couldn't love it anymore, we are out and about every chance we get and I am absolutely ecstatic about it!
I hope you are all checking the things off your summer bucket list and enjoying every minute of it! If not get a move on, sadly summer wont last forever!!
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