That’s better
Well, it might not be the summer weather I’m dreaming of, but at least I didn’t need a sweater this week in New England. I’ll take it. How about you. How was your week?
A hometown spectacle
This week in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region, it’s the 100th anniversary of the first Motorcycle Weekend (now Motorcycle Week). Growing up in the 1970s and 80s, this was a raucous affair, with bikes roaring all night long and some legit danger associated with it—a riot in the 1960s made the New York Times. People certainly did make outfit choices that made you almost applaud their confidence.
These days, it’s almost gotten a bit quaint. Most of the crowd has aged considerably, and part of me almost feels nostalgic for the wild old days.
Wednesday afternoon, a friend invited me to head up to Weirs Beach, Bike Week’s hotspot to check things out. We walked around for an hour or so, taking in the spectacle. I don’t think I’d been up there for Bike Week in 25 years, so I had fun snapping photos. They might show up in Sundry Wonders this week.
My friend and I reminisced about growing up around Bike Week and also talked about our appreciation for the old-timey Americana on display at the Weirs. I wrote about that last summer in my post about Weirs Beach. There just aren’t that many places like the Weirs left, where regular people can visit and spend time on a beautiful lake. It’s rough around the edges, but I have a renewed appreciation for it.
The week in posts
Here’s a recap of the week in posts!
Travel: Take the Bus from Dubrovnik to Kotor, Montenegro (and What to Do When You Get There)
I do love a good journey, and this one running from Dubrovnik, Croatia, to Kotor was one for the books. Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and this 3-ish hour bus ride takes you almost all the way around it. It’s absolutely stunning.
While you could easily visit Kotor as a day trip or overnight from Dubrovnik, my view, as you know if you’ve read along for a while, is that chilling out on the Bay of Kotor is one of life’s great pleasures. Still, if you’re only in town for a day or a short overnight, I’ve shared what I would do with the time.
Eat: Hugo Spritz: Your Aperitif of the Summer
I’ve loved Hugos ever since I first had one in Vienna ages ago (I thought my work colleagues were drinking mojitos), but this summer, I missed them enough—the aperitif is rare in the US—that I decided to make them. They are super easy to make, and I think they should be the spritz of this summer.
Live (and also Travel): 9 Tips to Make Your Home Away from Home Yours
Something I love about travel is trying on new lives—and that includes new homes and ways to live. I’m a bit of a homebody with a soul of a traveler, and so I tend to make homes wherever I go. These are some tips that I’ve developed over my travels for work and pleasure that have helped me feel at home wherever I land. It’s a companion piece to last week’s post on what you can do to make coming home less stressful.
Sundry Wonders: Life Will Out
The dreary weather of last week let up enough to get back out for the occasional walk, and I found myself spying and thinking about those little stubborn rogue plants that grow out of the pavement.
Upcoming
Here’s a sneak peek of the coming week!
- Travel: More on Kotor, Montenegro
- Eat: A lively dip that’s perfect for when the weather gets so hot that you just can’t abide cooking (and also for parties)
- Live: My summer bucket list and an invitation to create your own
- Sundry Wonders: We’ll see what shakes out from my walks with Ollie, and possibly some snaps from Bike Week
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