floral

{The stunning Mendocino Coast at Fort Bragg from a trip many years ago.}

Summer officially begins in just a couple of days {June 20th, to be exact}. With the days becoming warmer and staying bright longer, it’s making me excited to spend the next few months waking up with the sun, dining al fresco, and snacking on berries and tropical fruits all day long. While I don’t have any major summer vacation plans this year, I’m excited to spend the hottest days of the year lazily by the {saltwater} pool, relaxing indoors in air-conditioned comfort {preferably with a snuggly Chihuahua or a purring kitten on my lap}, and making weekend trips to the river or lake, wine country, or a beachy town. And still having a summer vacation like I did as a kid just makes me even more nostalgic for a season that was never my favorite {aka, spring & fall}.

With summer beginning this Friday, I’m sharing a few of the things I’d like to accomplish before the leaves begin to turn gold. And for more seasonal inspiration, here are my past seasonal to-do lists.

Summer To-Do List

1. Plan a trip to the beach.

2. Go to a concert in the park.

3. Attend a flower arranging + floral infused food and cocktail making class {or have a DIY version of it at home one afternoon}.

4. Go to a drive-in theater with burgers, fries, and milkshakes for an old-fashioned style dinner and a movie date.

5. Plan a picnic at the beach or a park.

6. Have an at-home spa day.

7. Have a weekly Taco Tuesday night {bonus points for virgin margaritas}.

8. Spend more time on my new hobby: drawing.

9. Start my mornings with an energizing yoga sequence.

10. Make desserts with summer berries from the farmers market every weekend.

x Paris

One of my favorite dishes has always been crepes, but up until our trip to Paris a couple of decades ago {I can’t believe it’s been so long}, I had never tried savory crepes. We always made them at home with maple syrup, cinnamon sugar, and butter, but near Notre Dame we picked up a four cheese crepe as a mid morning snack. It was beyond decadent and encouraged me to try a savory veggie crepe at the Louvre later during that trip {which is still by far the best crepes – for both sweet and savory – that I have ever had}. I occasionally try to recreate savory crepes at home, but this particular recipe turned out to be perfect. Using a basic crepe recipe, I added in fresh spinach and crumbled bleu cheese that melted over a low flame atop the freshly made crepes. Once it was done I folded the crepes in half and cut it, crumbled more bleu cheese on top, and garnished it with fresh spinach leaves. Finally, I drizzled it with lavender infused honey {equal parts lavender simple syrup and honey} to add a sweetness to the pungent cheese and crisp spinach leaves. It was the perfect combination of something savory and fresh with just a touch of floral infused sweetness.