I must say that I love Milwaukee in the summertime. I love it in the other seasons too, but there is just so much happening here in the summer! Taking a photography class this summer, I have had a lot of practicing to do. Each week I was required to go out and shoot for 1-2 hours and continue honing the craft of operating my camera in the manual mode. I am so thankful not just for the lessons on how to use the camera, but the challenge that it gave me to explore and appreciate my city a bit more. From Alterra on the Lakefront, to the Mckinley Marina, to a ski show/competition in Veteran's Park, and then on to the many beautiful gems in the Third Ward- I was reminded of how truly beautiful Milwaukee is. It's crazy how much we bypass during our regular day to day activities, not taking the time to take a minute and soak in all the beauty surrounding us.

One of my favorite things to do over summer is spend as many meals as possible on a patio or a rooftop somewhere. The one pictured below is a great spot in the Third Ward- Cafe Benelux. On the corner of Broadway, across from the Wicked Hop, this is the place to be. Not only is it one of the only restaurants with rooftop seating, but they have great food and a ginormous beer list, much better described as a beer book. As I sat at our table with the warm breeze blowing, the sun shining on my face, and a beer in my hand, I couldn't help but think about how great my city is.

As I take more steps to learn how to capture beautiful images from behind my camera, I am so excited to be able to appreciate the amazing creations in front of it. I'm excited to go out again this next week and try to explore new territory and see some of the beauty I've yet to discover. What about you, have you found some hidden gems in your city?

Thanks for tagging along with me in this adventure. If you've never been to MKE, I hope you get to check it out someday. xoxo