The longest day of the year is about to happen which means summer has officially arrived. Although I’m in the camp that believes it starts Memorial Day, but whatever. Each year I share our list of to-do’s for the summer. I reread last years list and realize I failed at 2 and they are back on the list this year. 

1. Get to Boston. It’s our favorite city to visit and we haven’t been since we moved to the east coast. We are 3 hours away and we haven’t been back – it just seems wrong. Plus, it’s Big Papi’s last season and it would be fun to get back to Fenway.

2. See some live music (outdoors is preferable.) We don’t have any on the list right now for the summer – just one concert in October. I’d like to get to at least one or two shows.

3. Pitch the tent. Even if it’s in a backyard, I want to make sure we use our tent again this year. This post is the last time it happened and it’s two years old.

4. Hike in NJ. Anywhere really. I just feel like we haven’t spent enough time exploring the garden state.

5. Visit a new local brewery. We checked off the Bronx Brewery last week and I remember how much I like trying new beers. Plus, so many locations have food trucks, games and awesome outdoor spaces. Let me know if you have a favorite in the area.

6. Experience one new baseball park. Philly and DC – we are overdue. I’m coming for you.

7. See the National Parks Imax movie on a rainy day. It’s a special year for the NPS as it celebrates a milestone birthday. We visited Shenandoah National Park over Memorial Day and since I might not check anymore off my list this summer, I would at least like to check out the movie.

8. Get to Governor’s Island for the first time. Yep, still haven’t been there.

9. Make a return trip to Steve’s Key Lime Pies and share with friends. We visited this place for our birthdays last year with my mom and it did not disappoint, Key Lime is one of my favorites to have in dessert and this place in Red Hook is an institution. Now that I’m thinking about it, I might have to go this weekend.

10. Volunteer. We are officially City Harvest volunteers and want to get a few events on the calendar. Plus, I definitely want to do more beach clean ups throughout the summer.

11. Plan a fall trip.

12. Get rid of more stuff before we move. We are under the three month mark and I’m making Goodwill drop off runs at least twice a month. Moving is a bitch and I don’t want to move anything that we won’t be keeping at the new place – wherever you are.

Plus all the usual stuff. Phone free days, reading lots of book, continuing our no-waste kitchen goals, exploring with the dogs, exercising. These things don’t have a season, they are just always on my list. So what’s on your summer list? I hope whatever it is, it includes a lot of days like the one pictured below.

Life According to Steph