I survived July 4th.

{ FurFur on July 5th. She hates this holiday. }

Everything is moving so. slowly. today. Not just myself, but also the streets of Chicago. It seems like everyone (wisely) took the day off to recover. Or maybe it just feels this way because I was incredibly late to work today?

It was a lovely four-day weekend in Chicago. What's more Americana than attending an ice cream social, seeing an opening week movie with friends (Transformers 3, filmed in Chicago, yea baby!), sleeping in, eating lots of watermelon, and grilling out at the park across the street, and watching the annual ghetto-fabulous fireworks show in my neighborhood? Don McLean's "Bye Bye Miss American Pie" was ringing through my head all weekend... 

{ Ice cream social at Kenmore Live Studio––I learned how to make homemade ice cream. It's easy! }

{ my best Fourth of July dress, also seen here }

{ side braids + colorful straws }

{ manning the grill }

{ pals hanging in our 'hood }

{ nautical stripes and cute babies, love! }

{ farm-fresh beet and orange salad made by Annie,
and pesto pasta salad made with basil picked right from our concrete garden this summer }

{ mango-cucumber wine coolers in vintage Mason jars and watermelon-cucumber gazpacho }

{ the best Key Lime Pie ever, made by Rachel }

{ fireworks in the night sky }

If only I had the 5th off...