There’s nothing better than summer in Milwaukee. With great weather and an endless amount of things to do, patios to drink on and events to attend, Milwaukeeans know how to live up the few good months of the year. Summer is always a busy time and July has been no exception. Between getting ready for our baby, attending craft fairs, and trying to hit up all the good outdoor events in the city, this month has flown by. Read on for three things we loved in July.

Festival Season

Known as the “City of Festivals”, you’ll find multiple festivals every single summer weekend in Milwaukee. From the big ones like Summerfest and State Fair to the cultural ones like German and Irish Fest to the eclectic ones like Brady Street Fest and the Ren Fair, we try to hit as many as we can. In July, we made it to Summerfest, Bastille Days and German Fest. Of course, Summerfest is the big one with hundreds of musical artists from around the world playing for 10 days straight. Our favorites this year were the Dave Matthews Band and The Wombats. And you can’t go to Summerfest without getting aSaz’s sampler platter. YUM.

This month, I also did the Bastille Days run/walk with some friends, which has become an annual tradition. It was a bit different being pregnant this year as the run, which starts at 9 pm, is usually filled with people who have been drinking all night, but it was still a good time. You can’t go to Bastille Days without getting a crepe or a macaroon to satisfy that Parisian sweet tooth, so be sure to add that to your list for next year.

We also made it to German Fest for beer (for Zach), potato pancakes, pretzels and sausage. One of the best parts of festival season, aside from the food, is people watching. People get really into dressing up for the occasion and German Fest was no exception – lederhosen everywhere. We’re also excited for our favorite Milwaukee summer festival in August – Irish Fest! But more on that next month.

Meraki

We went to Meraki in Walker’s Point for Zach’s 30th birthday dinner in July.

This restaurant is completely underrated. Everything from the food to the drinks to the service was phenomenal. As someone who formerly helped write backstories for new restaurants, I also really appreciate their website copy, which is completely on point: “Globally-inspired and ever-changing, our menu dares you to play with your food and take risks that entice your tastebuds. The word “meraki” means to do something with soul, creativity, and love — to leave a piece of yourself in what you’re doing.” Soul, creativity and love are three things we enjoy incorporating in our life and we experienced all three at Meraki.

First of all, our extremely comfortable booth faced the kitchen where we got to watch the chefs prepare our dishes. One of my favorite parts of the dinner was the mocktail specially prepared for me by the bartender. It’s hard to find mocktails that actually taste like alcoholic drinks and aren’t too sugary so I’ve pretty much stuck to water my whole pregnancy. But at Meraki, my mocktail tasted exactly like a mojito and I was in heaven from the getgo.

For dinner, you could choose items off the menu, which included appetizers and entrees with half or full sizes, similar to tapas style. Or, you could choose the chef tasting menu and be surprised by courses delicately prepared by the talented chefs. We opted for the regular menu since I’m pregnant and avoiding certain foods but we definitely want to go back and try the chef tasting menu. We got the cauliflower tempura, halibut pancake, gnocchi ratatouille and rabbit, with carrot cake for dessert. Everything was absolutely delicious and we highly recommend Meraki for delectable dishes, tasty cocktails and a stellar vibe.

Trestle Park

Trestle Park is a brand new park located on the Riverwalk in the Historic Third Ward. Next to Riverfront Pizzeria on Erie St., Trestle Park opened to the public in July. A little oasis in the city, the park offers access to a 150-foot-long by 40-foot-wide trestle structure that juts out into the Milwaukee River.

The peaceful setting is complete with pretty trees and benches perfect for watching the sunset along the river. White cedar, balsam poplar, crab apple and white oak trees have been planted and will make appearances in the near future. A Bublr Bikes station will also be installed. This is definitely our favorite new park in the city to get away from the hustle and bustle and listen to the river flow. Milwaukee is full of these types of hidden gems and we hope more will be added in the coming months. Be sure to take a stroll over to Trestle Park next time you’re in the area.

That’s it for July, see you next month!