Solar return.
Tales from another trip around the sun 🥂
It’s nearly my birthday month! May 1st is not only the day of Beltane, the ancient Gaelic festival of summer, but also my holy and revered natal day.
I’ve spent this last month moving across the country and am finally beginning to feel settled in my new Chicago home. I’m hoping to celebrate my birthday month with lots more exploring the city and all it has to offer in this glorious springtime glow. Everything smells good, I’ve seen lots of wild bunnies, the magnolias are in bloom, and I’m excited for when I finally have the time to spend a morning lounging by the lake. I’d love some birthday dates this month to help me celebrate! Some ideas:
Joffrey Ballet’s dreamy, pagan-esque performance of one of my favorite stories, “Midsummer Night’s Dream” (runs until May 5)
Casual brunch/lunch/dinner at Lula Cafe
Sipping something yummy at a coffee shop or a dark and cozy cocktail bar
Beating me at… everything… at Logan Arcade
Showing me your favorite hidden gem
I’ll be back in San Francisco right before my big day as well, so I’m accepting extra special inquiries for my visit there, too—I miss home every second and it will be a great gift to be back!
If our paths don’t cross this next month, I’ve updated my birthday wishlist to include pretty lingerie (I’m working on planning a new shoot with a photographer I admire), a yummy local produce box, candles and cozy comforts, coveted literature, and more, both big and small. I’m also accepting gift cards, cash offerings towards grad tuition and herbal studies, a cute greeting card, a birthday coffee… But really, I’d just love to spend some special quality time.
Thank you to those of you back home who have stuck by me through this big shift—it means the world to me that you value our bond enough to patiently wait for my return (and I will always return!) and to continue to invest in our connection, despite the distance. Romance conquers all, anyway ;-)
Here are my travels the next couple months—I’m available in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs all other dates:
APRIL
Boston: April 24-25
San Francisco: April 27-29
MAY
(my birthday is May 1!)
San Francisco: mid-May (please send your availability!) & also May 31-June 4
Milwaukee: TBD (please send your availability!)
Atlanta: May 18-19
New York City: May 22-23
Detroit: May 25-27
JUNE
Boston: mid-June (please send your availability!)
Atlanta: mid-June (please send your availability!)
San Francisco: June 27-July 2
Also open to FMTYs or quaint Midwest train-me-to-you’s! Here’s a reminder that for extended travel-to-you dates (6+ hours), my travel fee is waived entirely. I’ve switched things up recently to make it as easy as I can fathom! And I’d love a good excuse to explore somewhere new.
I’m always willing to make scheduling exceptions or rearrangements for extended dates (locally or otherwise) whenever my time allows, so don’t be afraid to reach out if you have a date in mind that’s not listed here.
Happy spring! It’s warming up! Care to celebrate?