be happy for this moment.

Thank you, St. Louis.
Mark McGwire

With the rain pouring down here in the Quad Cities, I'm tending to lean toward reminiscing. So, here are some things I really miss about summer The Lou':

• My huge pink peony bush in the front yard heavy with blooms. It brought me weeks of girly-flower happiness throughout my house and on my desk at work.

• Grant's Farm Clydesdales.

• The Soulard Farmers Market: Amish-raised beef, homemade ham and cheese sandwiches on flaky croissants, pots of sweet basil for $1, banjo music filtering through the air.

• Lunch on the deck at The Boathouse watching the ducks and the paddle boats.

• Concerts in Station Plaza in Kirkwood on balmy summer nights with tailgating chairs and dinner on our lap. If you're close, don't miss 'em.

• Heading down the Busch Stadium on any random weeknight to buy scalped tickets on South Broadway and catching a Cardinals game from where ever we got the best deal.
  

• Getting all hot and sweaty watching fabulous Broadway musicals outdoors at The MUNY.

• Outdoor festivals in the parking lot of Schlafly Tap Room.

• Nino the Clown, the Flying Pages and a corn dog at Circus Flora.

As with everywhere in the Midwest, the city comes alive in the summer. I'm looking forward to making new memories and favorite things here too. But, gosh darn it, I will always love St. Louis summers!