Rapp Strategies Rundown – August
Here’s what we did, read, watched and thought about this month.
Todd R.: A busy and diverse set of August adventures. Target Field for Green Day (bucket list checkoff!), and the Linda Lindas were great as the initial act. Also brought two Cardinals fans to watch the Twins smoke the boys from St. Louis behind Pablo Lopez. Had to go to Pennsylvania for a few days of work, so we parachuted into New York City beforehand. MoMA and the Museum of the City of New York were great, and walks through Central Park in summer were picture-perfect. And a rare event … all five kids together with significant others and a grandchild for my birthday.
Rich: August felt like a genuine Summer month. My calendar was marked with golf, Twins games and family events. The weather has been better than earlier months which meant more outdoor activities and gatherings.
There was still plenty of work and time devoted to charities, but we also got to spend time with our kids and our first grandchild, Elin. Yesterday was her half-birthday and we celebrated with her and her parents, Zach and Ava.
Kari and I also got to the State Fair, a true summer activity. It wasn’t crowded and the weather was perfect. No better people watching event exists.
Todd S.: I finally made it to my first Saints baseball game of the season, thanks to my family who got me tickets for Father’s Day. It’s always a great scene at CHS Field no matter where you sit. I must say, second row/first-base side isn’t too shabby. Saints lost an extra-inning thriller, 5-3. Beyond that, we were excited about the final season of The Umbrella Academy until we saw it. The acting was still great, but the storylines and much of the warmth and humor were lost. We are looking forward to the start of another soccer season, and we have already begun outlining our plan for decorating the house for Halloween. It’s never too soon!
Jodi: A trip to the State Fair is one of our last must-do summer events. There’s always something new to see, eat and drink – and it’s amazing the people you meet while strolling around. I stopped by Starbucks and saw the return of the pumpkin spice latte, so it’s official – fall is approaching. I passed on the latte but took the opportunity to start planning our travels to break up winter. We’re looking forward to a November visit with our youngest and her husband in New York City and our annual trip to Puerto Vallarta this January. Between trips to and from the cabin, I’ve been exploring new walking routes in the city, researching soup recipes, watching Clarkson’s Farm and The Tourist, and lining up a Top 12 movie list for winter weekends.
Sean: Family reunion, baby play dates (several with Elin Forschler), cabin trips and a constant stream of entertainment from King James = a perfect end to summer. Sad to see it go, but welcoming Fall with open arms.
Rosie and I were able to get one weekend in town… only our third this summer. We spend the it powering through Presumed Innocent on Apple TV, taking walks around Lake Harriet as a family and letting James explore various playgrounds throughout the city. It’s a proud dad moment anytime he sees a park and runs straight over to the basketball courts. While he can’t dunk just yet (thinking that’ll be at least another year), I was able to get him to start kicking a ball. And just like that, his lifelong soccer career has begun.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a little bit of FOMO seeing my former boss, Governor Tim Walz, chosen as a VP candidate, but one look at James running around the house and it’s easy to dismiss. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be than chasing him around the house and reading books to him.
Anna: This past month, we visited beautiful Orono Park in Elk River as a family, where we enjoyed the playground and pristine beach. Ike and I had a great double date with friends at Minnehaha Falls, including delicious food at Sea Salt Eatery. We also traveled up north for a cabin weekend with family, in true Minnesotan fashion. We swam in the lake, hammocked and laughed a lot playing games like Code Names and Monopoly Deal. Owen was adored and entertained throughout the trip, of course. In his sweet words, it was a "fun day!" Ike and I are hooked on John Grisham's breakout novel, The Firm. Thirty years after it was written, the book is still as gripping as ever (with nostalgic elements like pay phones). Next stop, watching the 1993 movie based on the book.
Meredith: Between expecting a child this fall and how busy our summer was last year, Cory and I made the intentional commitment this year to not travel from mid-July on through the rest of the year unless absolutely necessary. I am glad we made the decision because while we were able to stay home for August, it has been a whirlwind. Power outages, doctor visits, and needing a new furnace and AC system added a lot of stress unforeseen stress, time and financial obligations we weren’t expecting. On the other hand, a lovely visit from Cory’s family, going to a St. Paul Saints game with our small group, a spa night and dinner party with friends, and seeing T-Pain and Ludacris at the state fair with Alida and Julia brought much-needed joy to the month. It’s nice to look back at August and feel like the highs and the lows balanced out for us and to know that an intentional focus on peace was helpful.
Cullen: After being on the road so much this summer it felt great to spend most of August in Madison. Ultimate frisbee season came to a close, which freed up most of our weeknights for walks in the arboretum and to the Chocolate Shoppe. My friend and I also worked the Great Taste of the Midwest beer festival on behalf of his cabin’s local winery. Tell me unlimited access to over 1400 beers, flawless weather, and lake views isn’t a perfect day…
Lauren and I also celebrated one year of being engaged with a return trip to Devil’s Lake State Park. It felt great to hike, swim and unplug. My sister visited the next weekend and got the full Madison experience: A trip to the Dane County Farmer’s Market, dinner at Greenbush Bar, and a late-night snack from Paul’s Pelmeni. Looking forward to fall weather, football, and dare I say…election season.
Julia: August flew by! I had college friends in town, and I took them to St. Anthony Main to enjoy the lovely Minneapolis skyline and dinner at the Aster Café. I’ve been enjoying the fruits of other hobby gardeners’ labor, with about three pounds of tomatoes I had to creatively eat before they rot. I also ran my first triathlon in Maple Grove, beating the heat by finishing by 9:30 a.m. and spending the rest of the day eating and napping.
August also held a few spectacular cultural events. I spent a few days in Madison, where I saw Twisters in theaters for a second time and attended a live recording of a comedy podcast at the historic Barrymore Theatre. I also saw Hozier in concert at the Xcel Energy Center. Despite being sick, he absolutely brought the house down. And to cap it all off, I went to the State Fair Grandstand to see T-Pain and Ludacris in concert. Their set was packed with songs from my middle and high school dances, so it was a blast from the past and a great show.
You won’t catch me wishing for summer to end, but I am glad to see our 90-degree days behind us! With a half marathon still to run in early September, I’ve got many more hours outside ahead of me.
Alida: This month flew by with plenty of highlights, including my cat turning two, an extended weekend trip to the Boundary Waters with my family and a visit from one of my dearest friends from college.
It had been nearly five years since my last trip up north, so it was particularly lovely to go back to the Boundary Waters. We stayed at Borderland Lodge right by the Canadian border (I'd highly recommend), and did day trips, canoeing and portaging around the area. I was able to carry the canoe for one of the portages, which was an exciting first!
My friend's visit rounded out the month, and we had lots of fun touring Minneapolis. She also got to experience her first ever state fair. It's sad to say goodbye to summer, but I look forward to starting off the fall in our new office!
Carlos: It was an awesome summer month to start my journey here at Rapp Strategies. Along with being warmly welcomed by my new team, I enjoyed a few fun events, including attending a wedding for one of my high school friends. Just like my new CEO, I also got to experience the incredible Green Day concert at Target Field. They were the first band I ever saw live as a kid, so it was a surreal, full-circle moment! The rest of my month flew by with hot, humid evenings spent playing basketball at the park and cozy nights at home, enjoying home-cooked meals and watching Studio Ghibli movies with my girlfriend.
