...When The Livin's Easy

This weekend: Drag Me To Hell, quality time at Ikea (this girl loves her Swedish homegoods), a 80s Pop Show by The Autumn Society of Philadelphia at Brave New Worlds, a midnight 35mm print screening of Ghostbusters at The Ritz at the Bourse and quality time in Downtown West Chester.

Next weekend -- Dana, Steve and The Best Friend will be in town, so I'll be spending some quality time at Independence Hall, National Mechanics' and in South Philly trying to convince the boys that if they eat a cheesesteak from both Pat's and Geno's in the same afternoon, their colons will explode with a fury not seen since Mount St. Helens blew up in 1980.

We're also thinking about hitting Adventure Aquarium in Camden and planning a trip for our anniversary in July.

Summer '09 looks like it might just be the best one yet....

I'm going where the summer never ends

Tim Whitaker of the Philadelphia Weekly wrote this great piece on Summer in Philly and it got me thinking. When you live in a place where you it isn't perennially summer, you appreciate it more. You make more excuses to stay and play outside longer.

Summertime is tall glasses of sweet tea, beaded with condensation and clinking with ice.
Chirping birds, baking asphalt and Latin-tinged hip-hop blaring from car speakers.
Smoke, fireflies and fans all floating to Dave Matthews.
Soft mango flesh, sweet juice dribbling down your chin.
The smell of barbecue, freshly-cut grass, gardenias and coconut sunscreen.
Cold Coronas with lime, lemon drops and laughing out loud alfresco.
Brown sugar skin, pink toenails and well-worn flip flops

What defines summer for you?

Heliophilia: A sun-splashed mix for summer.

1. Daydreamin' -- Lupe Fiasco feat. Jill Scott
2. Amber -- 311
3. American Baby -- Dave Matthews Band
4. Summer Love -- Justin Timberlake
5. For Me, This Is Heaven -- Jimmy Eat World
6. Brasil Brasileiro - Caetano Veloso feat. Joao Gilberto
7. Lucky Star -- Madonna
8. Paper Planes -- M.I.A.
9. I Get A Kick Out Of You -- Frank Sinatra
10. Island In The Sun -- Weezer
    
11. Cruel Spell -- Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
12. Summer Jam -- Craig David feat. The Artful Dodger
    
13. Summertime -- Will Smith
14. Summertime -- New Kids On The Block