What we did, read, watched and thought about this month.

Todd R.: July 4th has come and gone and the Twins are still in first place and pitching shutouts, meaning that 2023 is already a great year! We finished The Diplomat, which was quite good, and started Hijack on Apple TV, which thus far is a great real-time drama. Not sure where we will go next, although I am starting to wonder if we should tackle Bosch (it will take awhile to get through). Finished John Sandford’s latest book and John Feinstein’s look at the life of David Feherty, with Don Winslow’s latest novel next on the list.  And I am enjoying The Life Gorgeous, Craig Kilborn’s excellent SoCal smarmy podcast with an eclectic group of guests, including two visits with local legend Dan Barreiro. Now just waiting for the latest installments of Mission Impossible and Indiana Jones to hit the home screen.   

Rich: June is one of my favorite months. It marks the beginning of meteorological summer, the summer solstice and longer, warmer days. Our family loves summer in Minnesota and this June we spent time with backyard BBQ celebrations of Father’s Day, Zach’s birthday and spontaneous neighborhood gatherings. Of course, I also played a lot of golf with friends and my son, Zach.

I finally finished a great historical book, Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. It tells the story of Abraham Lincoln with particular emphasis on his years as President. Steven Spielberg adapted the book into the movie Lincoln, also a favorite of mine. I would recommend both the book and the movie.

I also attended the retirement party for my friend Charlie Weaver, the CEO of the Minnesota Business Partnership. Over his 20 years as CEO, we worked together on many important public policy issues. Our work bound us together professionally and personally and it was really fun to see so many common friends at the party. Lots of stories got told, all of them true, many embellished. I’m glad Charlie will have more time for golf!

Jodi: June went by far too fast, but along the way I re-discovered a few of my favorite things. At long last, after two years of graduation party celebrations, I finally enjoyed the far superior celebratory dessert – the bakery sheet cake! A special shout-out to my sister for putting an end to the reign of cupcake towers. We (Jim) finished the dock re-build, giving us plenty of time for sunset boat cruises and nature drives, where we dodge herds of deer and see bear, fox, coyote pubs, pheasants, and sandhill cranes. Spending a long weekend in the Willamette Valley in Oregon with friends was definitely one highlight of the month. A day exploring vineyards sipping pinot noir was equally matched by wandering Indian Beach in Ecola State Park and seeing the site where One-Eyed Willie’s pirate ship arose (#gooniesneversaydie). Cool evenings watching the sunset and sharing stories from days gone by made it a trip to remember. With all the activity, I haven’t had time to start a new series or finish a book, but I did manage to watch Top Gun: Maverick on the flight home. Entertaining, but definitely not Oscar-worthy.  

Sean: The family time continues to grow even more precious in the Oyaas household as James develops new skills and traits with each day that passes. The month of June included rolling over, giggling and a wildly unpredictable sleep schedule. Despite this, Rosie and I were able to sneak in some of our own time, which included the premiere of the new season of The Bear on Hulu/FX, which we highly recommend. I was also able to finally start reading A Gentleman in Moscow, which Rosie has been pushing on me for a few months now.

The month ended with a final week of paternity leave, which was spent traveling out east to show off James to Rosie’s extended family. First to Green Harbor, MA, where we hung out on the beach, dipped James’ toes in the Atlantic and ate a year’s worth of seafood. We then decided to take the ol’ Biden Express (Amtrak) down to Washington DC to visit more family over the 4th of July. We were excited to not have to haul all the baby gear onto another flight, but found ourselves regretting the train decision when we ended up delayed for 12 hours. Luckily, the few days in DC made it all worth it with kayaking, crossword puzzles, fireworks and family members tripping over themselves to babysit.

Anna: June was marked by milestones – Owen sitting up on his own and starting solids (banana and avocado are among his favorites so far). We explored Silverwood Park as a family, a lovely spot with a pavilion, paved walking paths and interesting sculptures along the way. Isaac and I snuck away for date night at Brick & Bourbon in Maple Grove, where I had a completely superfluous yet delightful Smoking Gun Maple Old Fashioned, served on a glass cake stand filled with smoke, with a waffle and bacon on top. We skipped dessert there in favor of the Dairy Queen drive-through, which tells me we really must be parents now. My sister and I also enjoyed our eighth (or eighteenth?) time watching Leap Year, still one of the best romantic comedies.

Meredith: What happened to June? I swear I started this new position just the other day, but somehow the month just flew by! Between a last-minute trip to see family in Ohio for a celebration of life and funeral for my grandfather Richard, and the horrible air quality, I have only managed to bike three times for a total of 46 miles. This means I am well behind my training for RABRAI (the Des Moines Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa).

Even without my planned biking schedule, I kept plenty busy with lots of fun items! Kaylee joined me at Power Balladz, an 80’s cover band show at Chanhassen Dinner Theater. I went sailing for the first time with my friend Tara, and I took two five-mile walks along the Stone Arch Bridge with friends—one was during the Stone Arch Art Festival! My husband, Cory, and I both celebrated birthdays, our six-year anniversary from our first date, and two full years of being homeowners. The house projects never end, but I managed to get my raised garden beds built, filled with dirt, and planted this month so I will count that as a success.

Cullen: I celebrated my 25th birthday in June with 36 holes of golf and a stop by the Hopkins Food Truck Festival. While my golf game wasn’t great, the spicy chicken gyro and pulled pork French fries sure were.

Other highlights from the month included seeing Quinn XCII perform at The Sylvee, a yummy stop by Old Sugar Distillery, and a weekend up at Lauren’s cabin for some much-needed fishing and relaxation. On weeknights I’ve been playing lots of ultimate frisbee, watching Narcos and How to Get Away With Murder, and devouring the Six of Crows duology.

Kaylee: June was bookended with two lovely celebrations: The marriage of one of my best friends and my parents’ fortieth-anniversary party. So, between traveling to Chicago for the wedding and helping with party preparations, I got a lot of good laughs and put a few miles on my car this month. A good friend and I also headed to a St. Paul Saint’s game complete with fireworks, too. Believe it or not, this was also an important milestone as it was the first baseball game I have ever attended that wasn’t rained out.

Colette: The month of June was filled with some much-needed time outdoors. Early in the month my family and I spent a weekend at my grandparents’ cabin in Webster, Wisconsin, where we enjoyed a walk around the lake, a ride on the pontoon and played an intense game of Clue. While there, I’m proud to say I may have invented a new cocktail. In a glass with ice, fill it about halfway with blood orange San Pellegrino, some prosecco and a splash of grapefruit juice. It’s a refreshing drink perfect for summer. If you give it a try, let me know what you think!

Later in the month, my boyfriend Dylan and I spent a weekend in Rapid City, where we camped and spent a day at Pactola Lake, the largest and deepest reservoir in the Black Hills. I also said hello to Dylan’s family horses, Gin and Cardinal, who seemed a bit upset that we didn’t have any treats to give them. Don’t worry, I’ll remember next time!

Back in the cities, my sister and I enjoyed some ice cream at Sweet Science Ice Cream on 50th and France in Edina. I enjoyed my vanilla mint fudge sugar cone while people watching on the plaza. If you’re ever in the area, I highly recommend giving it a try.

Alex: This June was quite an adventure! I traveled up north to my girlfriend Molly’s childhood home on the always sublime Lake Vermillion. We got to share tons of memories and sneak in a couple more as we bid our farewells to her childhood home.

I also enjoyed a classic Midwestern getaway up in Hayward, WI at my friend’s cabin on Lac Courte Oreilles, where we reveled in mouthwatering brats from Louie’s Finer Meats. If you see it on your way through Cumberland, WI you’ve got to stop by!

Finally, I celebrated my 22nd birthday. Boy, am I getting old. I tried a restaurant in St. Louis Park called Yard House where I highly recommend the Korean BBQ Cheesesteak. I also celebrated with friends over some drinks at a fun little bar called Station 280.